Netflix '80s Fix: Dogs Eating Cars With Comedians

August is here so its time to look at what's new to put in your queue......umm......well, looks like Netflix took an extended vacation because there are only few new movies this month. There are also a handful of films that have been added back after a short hiatus that I'll list as well. Plus I've got the usual features with an expanded '80s Pop Ten list.

I thought it would be fun to overhaul the '80s Pop Ten to include the 20 most popular '80s flicks and also give it a little countdown-style flair. I'm adding the movement of each film from the previous month and also listing the movies that dropped off the list.

Time to get your August fix!

Turner & Hooch (1989)

Rated PG Add to queue

Fastidious detective Scott Turner is saddled with a slobbering new partner: a dog named Hooch, whose previous owner was killed.

I remember renting this movie on home video and watching on cable ALOT. Been years though since I've seen it. Its a great comedy/drama/action movie during the Tom Hanks era before he became larger than life.

Red Dawn (1984)

Rated PG-13 Add to queue

A group of teenagers witnesses Soviet and Cuban paratroopers descending on their small Colorado town and systematically setting off World War III.

The "Wolverines" are back on Netflix after being gone for a couple months. During that time, I've come close to watching the 2012 remake which is also available but have hesitated for some reason.

Manhunter (1986)

Rated R Add to queue

Using his uncanny ability to get inside psychopaths' minds, former FBI agent Will Graham returns to action to hunt down a serial killer.

This movie was actually added mid-July and has since jumped into the top ten of popular '80s movies. I've never seen it but it sounds like William Peterson's perfect role as a "Gil Grissiom" crime-solving character. 94% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes so I'll be watching this one.

Bad Boys (1983)

Rated R Add to queue

When a heist ends in tragedy, a Chicago youth lands in jail with his worst enemy. Both are bent on vengeance, and the score must be settled in blood.

I'm not a big fan of Sean Penn so this is one I've never seen. I'm always up for a good heist drama though and this one's highly regarded on Rotten Tomatoes at 93%.

The Dogs of War (1980)

Rated R Add to queue

Mercenary Jamie Shannon assembles a crack team of guerrillas to take down an African warlord in this adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's novel.

What a DVD cover! Chris Walken with some kind of revolving arm cannon! Yet another I haven't seen (kind of a theme with this month's selections, right?), but this would be one of those movies I'd pick back in the day at the rental store by just the cover.

Rocky IV (1985)
Rated PG Add to queue

Rocky Balboa takes on the Cold War, coming out of retirement to battle a Soviet fighter who pulverized Rocky's friend and former rival, Apollo Creed.

All the Rocky films are back this month after vanishing for a short stunt on cable. Rocky IV is probably my favorite because it's the one I remember watching the most. It's probably the 3rd best in the series, but definitely higher on my personal Rocky list.




New arrivals also include King Solomon's Mines and its sequel Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Caveman.

'80s Pop Twenty
Here are the 20 most popular '80s movies currently available on Netflix...

1. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (3rd consecutive month)
2. The Untouchables (-)
3. Ghostbusters (-)
4. The Breakfast Club (-)
5. Big Trouble in Little China (+3)
6. Das Boot: Director's Cut (-1)
7. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (-1)
8. Manhunter (new)
9. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (+1)
10. The Thin Blue Line (new)
11. Clue
12. Romancing the Stone
13. The Great Outdoors
14. Day of the Dead
15. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
16. Trading Places
17. Adventures in Babysitting
18. Beverly Hills Cop
19. Heathers
20. Say Anything...

Removed from Netflix streaming: Airplane! (#7), Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (#9)

Overlooked and Underrated...

Lonesome Dove (1989)

Rated NR Add to queue

In this Emmy-winning made-for-television movie based on the Larry McMurtry bestseller, two former Texas Rangers leave Texas to settle land in Montana.

Definitely not underrated by any means, but most likely overlooked when it comes to your Netflix queue. I remember watching this miniseries several times when I get in a "western" mood. It's a journey to sit through, literally and figuratively, but most will agree it's well worth it.

The Horribly Entertaining Challenge

Can you find enough entertainment in this horrible film to watch it in its entirety??

Flying Devils (1985)

Rated NR Add to queue

A family of aerialists decides to go after the $250,000 prize being offered to any group that can execute a next-to-impossible trapeze maneuver.

Ready for some high-flying aerial maneuvers? If you are thinking F-14s and Maverick or Chappy then think again. Flying Devils follows a family of trapeze artists in their attempt to pull off the quadruple somersault. Sounds better than jets in combat, right? This film actually received the award for the best film of the year in 1985 (...in Denmark.) Apparently, Netflix users disagree with Danish cinema critics and have given this film an average rating of 1.9 stars out of 5. But the question remains, are you prepared to watch this film without the aid of a safety net?

If you've missed a previous month's post, check the Netflix '80s Fix archive. Some featured titles could still be available to stream. Also, feel free to comment with any movies or shows you've recently rediscovered.