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1989 Movies

Take a nostalgic look back at the top movies of 1989, celebrating the films, directors and actors that defined the year and left a lasting legacy in the world of entertainment.

1989 Academy Awards

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Written by: George Lucas, Jeffrey Boam
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Denholm Elliott
Country: United States of America
Outline: Indiana Jones teams up with his estranged father to find the Holy Grail before the Nazis can obtain its power.
source: imdb.com
Dead Poets Society
Written by: Tom Schulman
Directed by: Peter Weir
Starring: Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles
Country: United States of America
Outline: Set in 1959 at the fictional Welton Academy, an English teacher inspires his students to embrace poetry and seize the day, leading to profound personal transformations.
source: rottentomatoes.com
Back to the Future Part II
Written by: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson
Country: United States of America
Outline: Marty McFly and Doc Brown travel to the future to prevent a family disaster, only to find their own timeline altered, leading them to correct the course of history.
source: rottentomatoes.com
Batman
Written by: Sam Hamm, Warren Skaaren
Directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl
Country: United States of America
Outline: In Gotham City, Batman faces off against the Joker, a criminal mastermind who has taken control of the city's underworld, leading to a battle for the soul of the city.
source: rottentomatoes.com
Lethal Weapon 2
Written by: Shane Black, Jeffrey Boam
Directed by: Richard Donner
Starring: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Joss Ackland
Country: United States of America
Outline: Detectives Riggs and Murtaugh face off against South African diplomats involved in a money-laundering scheme, testing their partnership and resolve.
source: rottentomatoes.com
Born on the Fourth of July
Written by: Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Starring: Tom Cruise, Willem Dafoe, Raymond J. Barry, Caroline Kava
Country: United States of America
Outline: The true story of Ron Kovic, a paralyzed Vietnam War veteran who becomes an anti-war activist, highlighting the struggles and triumphs of his journey.
source: rottentomatoes.com
Ghostbusters II
Written by: Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd
Directed by: Ivan Reitman
Starring: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Peter MacNicol, Kurt Fuller, David Margulies, Harris Yulin, Janet Margolin
Country: United States of America
Outline: The Ghostbusters reunite to combat a new supernatural threat in New York City, leading to a series of comedic and action-packed events.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Written by: Stuart Gordon, Brian Yuzna, Ed Naha
Directed by: Joe Johnston
Starring: Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman, Kristine Sutherland, Thomas Wilson Brown, Jared Rushton, Amy O'Neill, Robert Oliveri, John Shea, Barbara Alyn Woods, Thomas F. Wilson, Kristine Sutherland
Country: United States of America
Outline: An inventor accidentally shrinks his and his neighbor's children to a quarter of an inch, and they must navigate the dangers of their backyard to return to normal size.
source: imdb.com
Look Who's Talking
Written by: Amy Heckerling
Directed by: Amy Heckerling
Starring: John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Bruce Willis, Olympia Dukakis, George Segal, Elias Koteas, Twink Caplan, Lisa Kudrow, Robert Carradine, Seth Green, Danny DeVito
Country: United States of America
Outline: A single woman turns to a sperm donor to become pregnant, and then raises her baby with the help of her brother.
source: imdb.com
Crimes and Misdemeanors
Written by: Woody Allen
Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Martin Landau, Jerry Orbach, Mia Farrow, Anjelica Huston, Sam Waterston, Joanna Gleason, Alan Alda, Claire Bloom, Caroline Aaron, Ben Kingsley, William Hurt, David Ogden Stiers
Country: United States of America
Outline: A married ophthalmologist is stalked by a former lover, leading him to a moral dilemma involving infidelity and murder.
source: imdb.com
Do the Right Thing
Written by: Spike Lee
Directed by: Spike Lee
Starring: Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, Samuel L. Jackson
Country: United States of America
Outline: The film explores racial tensions in a Brooklyn neighborhood on a hot summer's day, culminating in tragedy and violence.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Glory
Written by: Kevin Jarre
Directed by: Edward Zwick
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher, Jihmi Kennedy
Country: United States of America
Outline: The film depicts the story of the first all-black volunteer company that fought in the American Civil War.
source: imdb.com
Kiki's Delivery Service
Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki
Starring: Minami Takayama, Rei Sakuma, Kappei Yamaguchi, Keiko Toda, Chika Sakamoto
Country: Japan
Outline: The story follows a young witch named Kiki who starts a delivery service in a new town, learning about independence and self-discovery.
source: imdb.com
My Left Foot
Written by: Shane Connaughton, Jim Sheridan
Directed by: Jim Sheridan
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Brenda Fricker, Ray McAnally, Cyril Cusack, Fiona Shaw
Country: Ireland
Outline: The film tells the story of Christy Brown, an Irishman born with cerebral palsy who could control only his left foot, and his journey to become a writer and artist.
source: rottentomatoes.com
Henry V
Written by: William Shakespeare, Kenneth Branagh
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Brian Blessed, Simon Shepherd, James Larkin
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Outline: A film adaptation of Shakespeare's play, focusing on King Henry V's campaign in France.
source: imdb.com
When Harry Met Sally...
Written by: Nora Ephron
Directed by: Rob Reiner
Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby
Country: United States of America
Outline: Harry and Sally, longtime friends, navigate the complexities of their relationship, questioning whether men and women can truly be friends without romantic involvement. Their journey spans over a decade, filled with humor and heartfelt moments.
source: imdb.com
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
Written by: Peter Greenaway
Directed by: Peter Greenaway
Starring: Richard Bohringer, Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren, Alan Howard
Country: United States of America
Outline: In a lavish restaurant, the tyrannical owner, his wife, and her secret lover engage in a dangerous game of passion and revenge, set against a backdrop of opulent decadence.
source: imdb.com
Mystery Train
Written by: Jim Jarmusch
Directed by: Jim Jarmusch
Starring: Masatoshi Nagase, Youki Kudoh, Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Country: United States of America
Outline: Three interwoven stories unfold in a Memphis hotel, each connected by the spirit of Elvis Presley. The film explores themes of love, loss, and the enduring influence of music.
source: imdb.com
Casualties of War
Written by: Daniel Lang, David Rabe
Directed by: Brian De Palma
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Sean Penn
Country: United States of America
Outline: During the Vietnam War, a soldier finds himself the outsider of his own squad when they unnecessarily kidnap a female villager, for their sexual enjoyment.
source: imdb.com
The Abyss
Written by: James Cameron
Directed by: James Cameron
Starring: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn
Country: United States of America
Outline: A civilian diving team is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and face perilous underwater challenges, leading to a discovery that could change humanity's understanding of life beyond Earth.
source: imdb.com
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Written by: John Hughes
Directed by: Jeremiah S. Chechik
Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki
Country: United States of America
Outline: Clark Griswold's plans for a perfect family Christmas go awry when his in-laws arrive unannounced, leading to a series of comedic misadventures.
source: imdb.com
Field of Dreams
Written by: Phil Alden Robinson
Directed by: Phil Alden Robinson
Starring: Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones
Country: United States of America
Outline: An Iowa farmer builds a baseball diamond in his fields, attracting the ghosts of great players, including Shoeless Joe Jackson.
source: imdb.com
My Left Foot
Written by: Jim Sheridan, Shane Connaughton
Directed by: Jim Sheridan
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Brenda Fricker, Ray McAnally
Country: Ireland
Outline: The story of Christy Brown, an Irishman born with cerebral palsy, who could control only his left foot, and his journey to become a writer and artist.
source: imdb.com
Say Anything...
Written by: Cameron Crowe
Directed by: Cameron Crowe
Starring: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney
Country: United States of America
Outline: A noble underachiever and a beautiful valedictorian fall in love 10 days before their graduation.
source: imdb.com