This week marks 28 years of marriage to my wonderful husband, Riley. We’ve had a few tough times, but mostly our time together has been filled with joy and romance. We’re truly blessed.

Thinking back to the days when we were newly wed, I found myself considering the movies of those days. We spent many a date night at the local theatres, enjoying the new releases each week. When I pulled up a list of movies from 1985, I discovered a roster of dozens of blockbusters, cult classics, and iconic performances.

Like today, monsters and magic were big in ‘85. Zombies, werewolves, vampires, demons, pirates and fairies all had a place on the silver screen in films like The Bride, Transylvania 6-5000, Once Bitten, Silver Bullet, Day of the Dead, Return of the Living Dead, Goonies, Legend, Ladyhawke, and Weird Science.

Proper costumes set the stage for movies like Young Sherlock Holmes, Out of Africa, The Color Purple, and Room with a View.

Westerns made a statement in Pale Rider and the lighter Silverado.

Quirky cult movies included Brazil, Into the Night, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Better Off Dead, The Breakfast Club, Clue, The Man with One Red Shoe, and Real Genius.

The action flicks were sequels—Rocky IV, Rambo 2, and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Chevy Chase had a big year with Fletch, European Vacation, and Spies Like Us.

Maybe my favorite picture of 1985 (and the top grossing of the year) was Back to the Future, starring Michael J. Fox. The story is terrific, the acting is spot-on, and, with the sequels, this movie has won a place in every film-lover’s collection.

What is especially fun about reviewing these films is that over the years, my husband and I have shared several of these films with our sons, and they now have a love for them too. What a wonderful way to stay young at heart!

That’s a wrap for this Toast to Cinema. Thanks for reading.