This week on the 80s-est: two films about what happens when you accidentally start something you can’t stop.

In one corner: WarGames, the 1983 Cold War thriller in which a teenage hacker breaks into NORAD’s military computer and starts a game of Global Thermonuclear War that inadvertently puts America’s defenses on the brink of WWIII.

In the other corner: The Blues Brothers, John Landis’s 1980 musical comedy in which Jake and Elwood Blues get out of prison and decide to put the band back together in order to save the orphanage where they grew up.

One is a quintessential 80s selection, the other a classic that happened to occur in the 80s. Which one is MORE 80s? Vote below!

Two films about young men trying to figure out what they want — just with very different levels of seriousness.

In one corner: Stripes, Ivan Reitman’s 1981 military comedy that turned Bill Murray into a movie star, and gave John Candy his breakout film role.

In the other corner: All the Right Moves, the 1983 Tom Cruise drama about a Rust Belt high school football player and his coach who want the same escape from the same dying town and keep getting in each other’s way. (Editor’s note, this is the worst depiction of football in the many dozens of football movies I have seen.)

Which one is MORE 80s? Vote below!

Joe and I haven’t spoken for two weeks, and it showed. We lost track of time, apologies for the lengthy show, feel free to listen on 2X! 😃

This week, we explore two early-80s comedies about the ultra-wealthy, class wars, and people getting exactly what they deserve.

In this corner: Trading Places, John Landis’s 1983 satire of Reaganomics that helped stereotype the yuppie culture of the day, and establish Eddie Murphy, Dan Akroyd, and Jamie Lee Curtis as stars.

In the other corner: Arthur, Steve Gordon’s 1981 romantic comedy, which gave us Dudley Moore as a spectacularly drunk nearly-billionaire, John Gielgud in the best supporting performance of the decade, and ‘Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)’.

Keith didn’t think either of these films belonged in the tournament. Joe loves both films dearly! Which one is MORE 80s? Vote below!

Hello, 80s-est listeners!

Well, we didn’t do a rerun while Joe and his family were out creating magic in the park with Twelfth Night. (Ballinger Shakespeare)

Instead, with Joe’s blessing, we threw together a semi-topical new episode in which Keith and longtime contributor, Alejandro Saya (Lo Más Ochenta), discuss some music. First we talk about the World Cups of the 80s, then we discuss original movie music of the 1980-1984 (Reel A) era!

We hope you enjoy some more insight into the international 80s experience with Alej’s discussion of Copa Mundial, and then we also attempt to put into perspective the landscape of original soundtrack music of the early 80s.

So, we will not be advancing the brackets this week, but, for fun, of these top-ranked original soundtrack songs, which do YOU consider most 80s? Vote!

Valley Girl gets undersold by its title. This 1983 film is a genuinely sweet Romeo-and-Juliet story set against the San Fernando Valley’s new wave moment that gave America many of its cultural sayings of the 80s.

Caddyshack, Harold Ramis’ 1980 directorial debut, is the country-club comedy that gave Bill Murray one of his most iconic characters (Carl Spackler, largely improvised on set), and put Kenny Loggins’ ‘I’m Alright’ into the cultural bloodstream.

Two films built more on vibes than plot. Which one is MORE 80s? Vote below!

Round two of the Red Dawn Region, and it’s puppets vs. performing arts kids.

In one corner: The Dark Crystal, Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s 1982 fantasy epic — every character a puppet, no humans on screen, timeless.

In the other corner, Fame, the 1980 musical drama that won two Oscars, launched a TV series, a remake, and a stage musical.

Two cult favorites, two very different fanbases. Which one is MORE 80s? Vote below!

We’re opening the Red Dawn Region, and as always the first matchup is one of the most lopsided, on paper, at least.

In one corner we have Red Dawn, the 1984 John Milius film that made history as the first movie ever released with a PG-13 rating, launched the careers of Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson, C. Thomas Howell, and Jennifer Grey, and gave American teenagers the battle cry ‘WOLVERINES!’

In the other corner we have The Last American Virgin, the kinda disgusting 1982 Boaz Davidson teen comedy/schizophrenic drama(?) with a surprisingly incredible new wave soundtrack, but also with an ending so brutal, it leaves you wondering if the second half of the film ever saw the first half!

One film is nearly a consensus pick. The other is a genuine dark horse. Neither is an average 80s movie. And this decision may not be quite as easy as we thought!

Which one is MORE 80s? Vote below!

The Fast Times Region is closing out its first round, and this one’s a genuine odd couple.

In one corner: Revenge of the Nerds, the 1984 comedy that became a cultural institution. Joe and Keith both ranked it #13, which might be the most agreement they’ve had all season. But they do agree it is the most problematic film of the first 32!

In the other corner: Poltergeist, the 1982 haunted-house film (produced and co-written by Spielberg) that earned three Oscar nominations (losing all of them to E.T.), with a directing credit dispute that was never officially resolved.

Two very different kinds of 80s. Which one is MORE 80s? Vote below!

Which of these classic films is more 80s?

The Fast Times Region moves to its near conclusion! In one corner: Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, the 1984 sequel that gave the English language a permanent shorthand for unnecessary follow-ups. The film contains a scene where Turbo literally dances on the ceiling, no explanation, and the film just does it anyway.

In the other corner: The Cannonball Run, Hal Needham’s 1981 all-star road-race comedy that Siskel called “unbelievably bad," while audiences made it the #3 film of 1981.

Both are categorically terrible films. Which one is MORE 80s? Vote below!

The Fast Times Region has something special for us this week! To kick off our third year of The 80s-est, we welcome Alejandro Saya back to the show! We would also like to promote Alejandro & Marco’s show, “Lo más ochenta,” in which Keith appears this week:

Anyway, back to the matchup! In one corner: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Steven Spielberg’s 1982 mega-hit that became the highest-grossing film of all time, won four Oscars, and, according to Ebert is, “a reminder of what movies are for.” It’s a phenomenon.

In the other corner: Xanadu, the 1980 Olivia Newton-John roller-disco fantasy that was so spectacularly terrible it directly inspired the creation of the Golden Raspberry Awards. John Wilson saw Xanadu, was furious, and invented the Razzies.

One of these is a masterpiece. One of these changed awards history in a very different direction. Which one is MORE 80s? Vote below!