From Beyond (1986) ***

Down By Law (1986) ***

Reform School Girls (1986) ***

The Name Of The Rose (1986) ***

She's Gotta Have It (1986) ***

Working Girls (1986) ***

Pouvoir intime (1986) ***

An excellent caper film about an armored car heist.

A Better Tomorrow (1986) ***

Violent crime film from Hong Kong about two brothers on the opposite sides of the law.

Born To Defend (1986) ***

Since this is a Jet Li movie, first-rate chop-socky action is de rigeur. It's set in 1940's China and the villains are... Yankee sailors. US citizens (and sympatizers) beware: movies just don't get any more anti-American than that. The kickboxing scenes are terrific; usually pitting Li against a larger, Caucasian opponent. Co-directed (and co-starring) Jet Li and Tsui Siu-Ming, it was produced in China, not Hong Kong.

The Great Mouse Detective (1986) ***

Basil of Baker Street investigates a mysterious disappearance of a toymaker. A nice little animated film from Disney, a warm-up before the great avalanche of classics that would begin in a few years. It's not a musical, but there are a couple of songs: 

"The World's Greatest Criminal Mind" * 

"Let Me Be Good To You" * 

"Goodbye So Soon" **

Little Shop Of Horrors (1986) ***

A musical film about a killer plant. Steve Martin's turn as a sadistic dentist is a riot. Bill Murray has a cameo as his masochistic patient, but that role was played even better by Jack Nicholson in the original, non-musical version from 1960. Songs include:

"Little Shop Of Horrors" **
"Downtown" **
"Somewhere That's Green" *
"Some Fun Now" *
"I'M Your Dentist" **
"Suddenly Seymour" *
"Suppertime" *
"Mean Green Mother From Outer Space" **

Martial Arts Of Shaolin (1986) ***

Great kung-fu fighting amid gorgeous scenery (Forbidden City, the Great Wall and Guilin).

Righting Wrongs (1986) ***

A frustrated attorney (Yuen Biao), tired of seeing criminals go free, decides to take the law into his own hands. But that puts a ball-breaking female cop (Cynthia Rothrock) on his ass. A standard chop-socky fare, but much sexier, as Rothrock does some of her leg kicks wearing a skirt. There is a major kung-fu fight scene every ten minutes.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) ***

The best and funniest of all Star Trek films. Kirk, Spock and the rest of the gang travel to present-day San Francisco to save a pair of whales.

The Mission (1986) ***

River's Edge (1986) ***

Salvador (1986) ***

Highlander (1986) ***

Hands Of Steel (1986) ***

52 Pick-Up (1986) ***

Absolute Beginners (1986) ***

Excellent British film.

Crocodile Dundee (1986) ***

Excellent comedy from Australia.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) ***

Matthew Broderick is terrific in the title role.

Jean de Florette (1986) ***

Sad film starring Gérard Depardieu.

Mélo (1986) ***

An adaptation of a popular play.

Platoon (1986) ***

Realistic film about the Vietnam War.

Tenue de soiree (1986) ***

Black comedy directed by Bertrand Tavernier.

Top Gun (1986) ***

A terrific film in every respect. Quentin Tarantino (in a scene from "Sleep With Me") has an interesting interpretation of it. And his interpretation seems to be confirmed by this trailer.