From Beyond (1986) ***

Down By Law (1986) ***

Reform School Girls (1986) ***

The Color Of Money (1986) ***

Paul Newman won an Oscar for this film and it was indeed the greatest performance of his career. It's also a typical early Tom Cruise film about a naturally talented kid, guided by a mentor, and encouraged by an older and more mature woman, who has to master a craft in an arena, and acquire a specialized knowledge that will be tested on a trail (kudos to Roger Ebert who masterfully identified all those key elements of the early Tom Cruise pictures in his excellent review of "Days Of Thunder"). But it's actually Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio who steals the movie from her male costars in a superb Oscar-nominated performance. Oh, and it's also a Martin Scorsese film.

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.