Guess the '80s movie from an emoji sequence!

By: Ana Todorovic
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Guess the '80s movie from an emoji sequence!
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About This Quiz

Did you ever think of describing your favorite '80s films using only emojis would be a thing? While communicating with the use of emojis is only getting more popular, we thought we'd bring in the old with the new for this quiz! 

Which '80s classic does a sailboat, a bag of cash and a map make you think of? How about emojis for two airplanes and a first place gold medal? It's time to combine your knowledge of movie history with your everyday use of emojis to see if you can ace this quiz. 

The worldwide popularity of emojis reached an all-time high starting around 2010 but they've actually been around since 1997 so it's not too far from the decade we're asking you to look back on. 

Cinema in the 1980s includes some of the most beloved films of all time including Sixteen Candles, Top Gun, The Goonies, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi  and Scarface.  What emojis would you use to describe each of these films? Time to act like the detective emoji and get to thinking in visual terms so you can end up like the mindblown emoji once you figure it out. Put up a fingers crossed emoji and take this quiz! 

ET Emoji
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What '80s film is about an alien on a bicycle?
"E.T."
Producer and director Steven Spielberg came up with the concept based on an imaginary friend he created after his parents' divorce in 1960. The film is considered a classic ode to friendship where the protagonist, a young boy named Elliot, befriends ET who is stranded on Earth and trying to find a way home.
"Krull"
"Little Shop of Horrors"
"Moonstruck"

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Top Gun Emoji
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What is the name of the '80s film about high-level aviation?
"Rain Man"
"Top Gun"
The movie "Top Gun" is based on a real flight school called U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School or "TOPGUN." Capitalizing on the success of the film, the U.S. Navy set up recruiting booths outside theaters.
"Clue"
"RoboCop"

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Batman Emoji
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What's the name of the film that includes bats and millions of dollars?
"Batman"
In "Batman," the Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being the clownishly homicidal Joker. Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, is a billionaire whose parents were murdered and he sets out to use his money for good by developing technology to help him fight crime.
"Beetlejuice"
"The Outsiders"
"Dead Poets' Society"

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Blue Lagoon Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about a young couple in love on an island?
"The Blue Lagoon"
Causing quite a bit of controversy when it was first released in 1980, Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins star as shipwrecked teens learning about love.
"Road House"
"The Lost Boys"
"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"

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Goonies Emoji
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Which '80s movie corresponds to this emoji sequence?
"The Goonies"
In order to save their home from foreclosure, a group of misfits set out to find a pirate's ancient valuable treasure.
"The Karate Kid"
"The Thing"
"Adventures of Babysitting"

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Stand By Me Emoji
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Which '80s movie includes a train and four boys?
"Pretty in Pink"
"Breakfast Club"
"Stand By Me"
"Stand By Me," which was released in 1986, takes place in 1959 and is based on the novella by Stephen King called "The Body." It's a fictional story of four boys in a small town in Oregon who follow train tracks to find the dead body of another boy. The film received an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay.
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"

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Coming to America Emoji
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Which '80s movie features a prince traveling to the U.S.?
"Coming to America"
A prince from Africa goes to America to find his future wife since he does not want to marry the brainwashed woman his parents picked for him.
"Harlem Nights"
"The Last Emperor"
"The Mission"

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Terminator Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about a strong man and technology?
"Glory"
"The Terminator"
Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor and prevent her unborn son to become a savior against the machines in the future. The film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2008.
"Superman III"
"Ordinary People"

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16 Candles Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about a young girl upset on what's considered a major birthday?
"Pretty in Pink"
"Raiders of the Lost Ark"
"Sixteen Candles"
A girl's "sweet" sixteenth birthday becomes anything but special as she suffers from every embarrassment possible in "Sixteen Candles." This John Hughes classic starring Molly Ringwald was a box office classic and is considered emblematic of the '80s.
"The Never Ending Story"

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Mad Max 2 Emoji
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Which '80s movie features a dog, a shotgun, and a man in his car in the desert?
"Explorers"
"Mad Max 2: Road Warrior"
Max Rockatansky, played by Mel Gibson, is traumatized by the death of his family and roams the desert in a post-apocalyptic Australia. He's in his car looking for food and gas with his sole companion being an Australian cattle dog.
"Re-Animator"
"The Living Daylights"

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Aliens Emoji
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What is the name of the '80s film about scary aliens?
"The Shining"
"Aliens"
1986's "Aliens" is the sequel to the 1979 blockbuster "Alien," both starring Sigourney Weaver as Officer Ripley, for which she received a best actress nomination. James Cameron wrote and directed the film.
"A Nightmare on Elm Street"
"Psycho"

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Adventures in Babysitting Emoji
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What movie features a young woman taking care of kids?
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
"Adventures in Babysitting"
Another classic '80s comedy starring Elizabeth Shue with the memorable line, "Don't &%^# with the babysitter."
"Dirty Dancing"
"E.T."

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Breakfast Club Emoji
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Which '80s movie features a variety of different characters forced to spend time together?
"The Breakfast Club"
"The Breakfast Club" is one of the most iconic '80s movies of all time. The Brat Pack stars in this famous film about five teens who are seemingly complete opposites but form a bond in the span of their time in detention.
"The Outsiders"
"Adventures in Babysitting"
"Back to the Future"

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Evil Dead Emoji
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What is the name of the '80s film about evil spirits and murder?
"The Evil Dead"
Bruce Campbell, the B-movie legend, stars in this one and its two sequels. The movie is about the evil that's unleashed after five college students in an isolated cabin play an audio tape they find that leads to demonic possessions and murder.
"Pumpkinhead"
"Cyborg"
"Near Dark"

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Fast Times at Ridgemont High Emoji
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Which '80s movie takes place in a high school and features complicated relationships?
"Urban Cowboy"
"Fletch"
"Heartbreak Ridge"
"Fast Times at Ridgemont High"
With an all-star cast including Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Phoebe Cates, Judge Reinhold, and Ray Walston, "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" also debuts future stars including Nicholas Cage, Eric Stoltz, and Anthony Edwards. The coming-of-age comedy was Amy Heckerling's directorial debut, she would later gain fame once again for her other high school comedy, "Clueless."

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Die Hard Emoji
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Which '80s movie features a police officer and a man asking for money?
"Die Hard"
In "Die Hard," NYPD officer John McClane tries to save his wife Holly Gennaro and several others who were taken hostage by German terrorist Hans Gruber during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.
"Batman"
"The Terminator"
"Haunted Honeymoon"

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Back to the Future Emoji
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Which film includes two men traveling in a car?
"Back to the Future"
"Back to the Future" is a classic that stars Christopher Lloyd as the eccentric scientist Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown and Michael J. Fox as a high school student and Doc's assistant, Marty McFly. Doc transforms the DeLorean into a time-traveling car that takes Marty back to 1955 and a variety if crazy antics ensue that include his parents. The beloved film spawned two sequels and is still considered one of the greatest films of all time.
"Lethal Weapon"
"Weird Science"
"Dune"

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Nightmare on Elm Street Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about murder and nightmares?
"Heaven's Gate"
"Against All Odds"
"A Nightmare on Elm Street"
Freddy Krueger is the stuff of nightmares ... literally. The murderous villain attacks people in their dreams (causing them to die in real life) with his gloved hand with razors.
"Body Double"

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Empire-Strikes-Back-Emoji
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Which '80s film includes a bear-like creature and a princess?
"Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back"
Disney bought the rights to "Star Wars" franchise back in 2012 along with Lucasfilm for a staggering $4.05 billion. This installment is many fans' favorite.
"The Big Blue"
"Spies Like Us"
"Major League"

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Raiders of the Lost Ark Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about travel and features a man with a famous fedora?
"Return to Oz"
"Raiders of the Lost Ark"
"Raiders of the Lost Ark" is the first installment in the Indiana Jones franchise and was the top-grossing film in 1981. Fun fact: In the famous scene where the Arab with the swords confronts Indy, he was supposed to disarm the man with his whip. Harrison Ford had the flu, so he resorted to using his pistol.
"Popeye"
"Explorers"

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Blues Brothers Emoji
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What's the '80s film that features to cool, sunglasses-wearing men?
"The Outsiders"
"Dirty Dancing"
"The Women in Red"
"The Blues Brothers"
"Joliet" Jake Blues, played by John Belushi, just out of prison, puts together his old band to save the Catholic home where he and brother Elwood, played by Dan Aykroyd, were raised. Aykroyd and director John Landis wrote the film that's inspired by the "Saturday Night Live" characters.

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Ferris Buellers Day Off Emoji
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Which '80s movie includes someone who lies about being sick?
"They Live"
"See No Evil, Hear No Evil"
"The Goonies"
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
Ferris knows how to have fun which is why he pretends to be sick to get a day off from school. All kinds of crazy antics occur on his adventure with his two friends and he occasionally breaks the fourth wall, explaining his thoughts and tactics.

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Heathers Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about young girls in school and murder?
"Teen Wolf"
"Heathers"
In order to get out of the snobby clique known as the Heathers that is destroying her good-girl reputation, Veronica (Winona Ryder) teams up with a dark sociopath, played by Christian Slater, in a plot to kill the cool kids. Though it wasn't a box office success, it's considered a cult classic.
"The Big Chill"
"Vision Quest"

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Beetlejuice Emoji
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What is the '80s movie that features a dead man and a bride?
"Spaceballs"
"The Evil Dead"
"Beetlejuice"
Tim Burton guides a stellar cast including Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, and Winona Ryder through a comedy where a couple of ghosts have their home taken over by trendy yuppies. The "bio-exorcist" ghost Beetlejuice, played by Keaton, is summoned by Ryder's character (a human) to help the ghosts and get rid of the humans but he then tries to marry her.
"E.T."

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Shining Emoji
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Which '80s film features a crazed man and an ax?
"Heathers"
"A Nightmare on Elm Street"
"The Shining"
In "The Shining," a family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where an evil and spiritual presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific visions from the past and of the future.
"Predator"

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Return-of-the-Jedi-Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about a man, a princess, and takes place in space?
"Conan the Destroyer"
"Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi"
"Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi," won numerous awards and was nominated for 4 Oscars, including best effects and art direction. It was originally called "Revenge of the Jedi" but creator George Lucas didn't believe revenge matched a Jedi's ethics.
"Cinema Paradiso"
"The Name of the Rose"

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Airplane-Emoji
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Which '80s movie features a quirky character and an airplane?
"Cocktail"
"Top secret!"
"Airplane!"
This slapstick disaster comedy starred Leslie Nielsen and includes one of the most famous movie quotes of all time: "Surely you can't be serious." "I am serious. And don't call me Shirley."
"Christine"

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Outsiders Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about a group of rivals?
"Come and See"
"The 'Burbs"
"The Outsiders"
The rivalry between two gangs, the poor Greasers and the rich Socs, only heats up when one gang member kills a member of the other in "The Outsiders."
"Trading Places"

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Princess Bride Emoji
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Which '80s movie features a princess and swordfights?
"Coming to America"
"Sixteen Candles"
"Once Upon a Time in America"
"The Princess Bride"
"The Princess Bride" is one the most beloved romantic comedies of the '80s. It stars Robin Wright and Cary Elwes as Buttercup and Westley as two would-be lovers who face trials and tribulations (and plenty of swordfights) on their path to ending up together.

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Dead Poets Society Emoji
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What is the name of the '80s film about dead writers?
"Mississippi Burning"
"Witness"
"Dead Poets Society"
In "Dead Poets Society," English teacher John Keating, played by Robin Williams, inspires his students to look at poetry with a different perspective. It is considered one of Wiliiams' best roles especially in a drama.
"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"

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Karate Kid Emoji
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Which '80s movie highlights the art of karate?
"Back to the Future II"
"Teachers"
"Bloodsport"
"The Karate Kid"
"Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left hand. Wax on, wax off. Breathe in through nose, out the mouth. Wax on, wax off. Don't forget to breathe, very important." Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) is an iconic character and that exchange is often quoted even by people who may not have even seen the film because it's that popular.

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Lost Boys Emoji
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Which '80s movie features vampires and a character named Star?
"Mischief"
"Explorers"
"Young Guns"
"The Lost Boys"
The title is a reference to the "lost boys" of Peter Pan but director Joel Schumacher didn't want to a story about young boys as vampires so they developed older characters for the film.

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Predator Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about an alien creature and soldiers?
"Alien"
"Predator"
This movie featured Arnold Schwarzenegger battling an alien hunter in Central America while on a military mission to rescue hostages in guerrilla territory. Though critics panned it for a thin plot line but theater-goers made it a box office success.
"Masters of the Universe"
"Blood Simple"

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Road House Emoji
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Can you name the '80s film that features a muscular man and a car?
"Platoon"
"Empire of the Sun"
"Rocky"
"Road House"
"Road House" is the stuff that B-movie legends are made of. Patrick Swayze's Dalton is perhaps the only Mercedes-driving, philosophy-majoring bouncer at a rowdy Southern bar in history.

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Ghost busters Emoji
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Which '80s movie features a group of ghost fighters?
"The Thing"
"Aliens"
"Ghostbusters"
"Ghostbusters" is one of the most successful fantasy comedies of all time. The film, released in 1984, was written by and starred Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Bill Murray rounds out the cast of ghost catchers who run a business in New York City catching a range of supernatural beings.
"Die Hard"

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Dirty Dancing Emoji
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What is the '80s movie about dancing and romance?
"Footloose"
"Valley Girl"
"Pretty in Pink"
"Dirty Dancing"
Spending the summer at a Catskills resort with her family, Frances "Baby" Houseman falls in love with the camp's dance instructor, Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), and learns some hard truths about life. The famous final dance with Baby and Johnny to "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" includes a lift that's been imitated by many including Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in "Crazy Stupid Love."

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Dune Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about a desert in space?
"Red Heat"
"Dressed to Kill"
"Dune"
The film centers around a conflict amongst nobles in the desert planet Arrakis aka Dune. The planet is the only source of the melange known as "the spice," which makes space travel possible and thus is the most valuable commodity.
"The Return of the Living Dead"

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Mad Max Thunderdome Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about a post-apocalyptic world?
"Star Trek V: The Final Frontier"
"The Mission"
"Leviathan"
"Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome"
The film stars Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky in a post-apocalyptic Australia. Tina Turner was cast as Aunty Entity because of her positive persona according to Turner.

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Thing Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about a parasitic alien?
"The Big Chill"
"Rambo"
"Possession"
"The Thing"
Director John Carpenter created an excessively gory masterpiece of suspenseful storytelling in his remake of "The Thing." A group of American researchers in Antarctica encounter a parasitic alien that assimilates, then imitates other organisms which makes them paranoid about who is actually human.

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Scarface Emoji
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Which '80s movie about violence, money, and a rage-filled man is this?
"Lethal Weapon"
"Scarface"
Oliver Stone wrote "Scarface" while battling an addiction to cocaine, a drug that's intertwined into the movie's storyline. This 1983 film starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana features the famous quote, "say hello to my little friend!"
"The Untouchables"
"Bloodsport"

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Full Metal Jacket Emoji
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Which '80s movie is about America and Vietnam?
"Kickboxer"
"Flash Gordon"
"Risky Business"
"Full Metal Jacket"
A war movie directed by Stanley Kubrick, Matthew Modine stars as Private Joker and Vincent D'Onofrio as Private Leonard "Gomer Pyle" Lawrence. A full metal jacket is a type of bullet consisting of a soft core (often lead) encased in a shell of harder metal.

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Weird Science Emoji
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Which '80s movie includes a high school setting and a magical woman of sorts?
"Can't Buy Me Love"
"Weird Science"
Another classic from director John Hughes, "Weird Science" is basically what happens if Frankenstein were to take place in the 1980s. Legend has it that Hughes wrote this film in only two days.
"The Meaning of Life"
"SpaceCamp"

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Neverending Story Emoji
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Which '80s movie features a young couple and a magical creature from a book?
"Labyrinth"
"Conan the Barbarian"
"The Neverending Story"
This is a story about a boy who escapes to a magic world within an old book where he's entrusted with the responsibility of stopping a dark force called the Nothing from taking over the mystical land. The 1984 fantasy film from West Germany is based on a book by the same name.
"Legend"

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Lethan Weapon Emoji
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Which '80s movie features cops and Vietnam also comes into play?
"The Money Pit"
"Wild Orchid"
"Lethal Weapon"
An iconic buddy cop movie that spawned three sequels, "Lethal Weapon" is a cut above the standard action movie as far as many critics are concerned.
"The Year of Living Dangerously"

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Once Upon a Time in America Emoji
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Which '80s film is about money and the term "noodles" as a name?
"Once Upon a Time in America"
This 1984 epic crime drama film follows David "Noodles" Aaronson and Maximilian "Max" Bercovicz as they lead a group of Jewish gangsters who gain power amongst the mobs in New York City.
"Endless Love"
"Perfect"
"Hannah and Her Sisters"

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Labyrinth Emoji
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Which '80s movie features a magical king, a quest, and a baby?
"Willow"
"Labyrinth"
Jennifer Connelly plays 16-year-old Sarah who is given 13 hours to solve a labyrinth and rescue her baby brother from the Goblin King played by rockstar David Bowie. Muppet creator Jim Henson directed the fantasy film, which was produced by George Lucas, and most of the puppets are from Henson's Creature Shop.
"The Last Dragon"
"The Color of Money"

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The Last Crusade Indiana Jones Emoji
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Which '80s features the search for a religious relic and a fedora-wearing man?
"Hoosiers"
"Raiders of the Lost Ark"
"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"
The Indiana Jones franchise is estimated to be worth over a billion dollars. In this one, Ford stars opposite Sean Connery as his father, who is a professor of Medieval literature and was more preoccupied with looking for the Holy Grail than raising his son which inevitably brings up pent up frustrations on this journey.
"Black Widow"

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Blade Runner Emoji
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Which '80s movie features a replicate of a woman?
"Pretty Woman"
"Blade Runner"
Director Ridley Scott achieved the famous "shining eyes" effect by using a technique known as the "Schüfftan Process" where light is bounced into the actors' eyes off a piece of half mirrored glass mounted at a 45-degree angle to the camera.
"Beverly Hills Cop"
"Willow"

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Better Off Dead Emoji
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Which '80s movie features romance and skiing?
"Summer School"
"Better Off Dead"
Lane, an emotional teenager, decides it's better to commit suicide than to face another day feeling rejected by his ex-girlfriend. As he journeys through this sadness he discovers new love and builds his confidence.
"Just One of The guys"
"Always"

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