RAIN MAN (1988), WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? (1988), BIG (1988)

What were the top five box office movies for each year of the 80's? Which ones were my favorites? Which were my least favorites? I'm not sure...I'll have to think about it. And without any further ado...

80's top box office month: (1988)

And the top 5 box office movies for 1988 are.. 

1. Rain Man
2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
3. Coming to America
4. Big
5. Twins

Least Favorite of the Top Five: Big. I have nothing against Big really, in fact it's an enjoyable fantasy for the most part, but I just like the Eddie Murphy comedy Coming to America and the Schawenneger/Devito comedy Twins a little more. (Can you imagine so many comedies in the top 5 movies of the year today?) Big is about a kid (a thirteen-year old) that makes a wish to be big and turns into Tom Hanks the next day. And it is pretty funny to see Tom Hanks act like a kid. In fact, that's the whole movie. The problem is is that Hanks seems to be acting more like a seven or eight year old than teenager. But since Hanks gets involved romantically with a grown woman, having the kid be any younger would make the romantic scenario even creepier than it already is. Hanks also gets a job in a big New York toy manufacturer and we are to assume he can just walk in their offices with no resume or background and get hired and within a few weeks, through his childlike reaction to toys, get promoted to Vice President of toy development (or something like that). Once again, suspension of disbelief.

Perhaps I'm just thinking too much here and should laugh at Tom Hanks pretend to spray foam out of his nose.

Would I watch it with my kids? Yes

Would it make my 1001 list? No

Big

Favorite of the top 5: It's a race for me between the top two entries on this list (and both are on the 1001 list). We have the Barry Levinson film Rain Man, which features Dustin Hoffman as an autistic savant who is kidnapped (sort of) by his younger brother Tom Cruise. How their relationship develops is the core of the film. Rain Man would certainly make my book. It has many poignant moments most of which involve the evolving relationship between the brothers.. It also has a few moments that are a bit forced, such as Cruise finding a small town doctor to examine Hoffman mostly to establish the plot point that Raymond is phenomenal with numbers and a Vegas scene that is fun, but a bit much at times. Still a moving and recommend film.

And an extra toast to the old guy in the doctor's waiting room rambling on about the history of Wells Fargo.

But my choice for favorite my favorite of the top 5 is (kind of to my surprise) is Who Framed Roger Rabbit? This animation/live action combo movie may not seem as technologically revolutionary as it did in 1988, but the character development of the animated (the delightfully goofy Roger and the seductive Jessica) and real characters (the everyman gumshoe Eddie Valiant and the evil, freeway loving Judge Doom) strikes a great balance. And who wouldn't want to have a place like Toon Town to visit? Toon Town is built up throughout the movie and doesn't disappoint when we finally get there.

And an extra toast to Roger Rabbit's human  leading man, the late great Bob Hoskins!

Raymond and his new main man in Rain Man

"DIP!" in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?