Thirty years after a bomb destroys Tokyo, triggering World War III, Neo-Tokyo has been built under Japan's new political system. Kaneda (Cam Clarke), the leader of a biker gang in the desperate, poverty stricken city, must deal with anti-government activists, corrupt politicians, evil scientists and a powerful military leader as he goes on a quest to save his friend, Tetsuo (Joshua Seth). Meanwhile, Tesuo, who has been captured by the Akira Project, is subjected to a number of tests which ultimately cause him to morph into another life form and unleash his supernatural powers upon the city. Directed by Katsuhiro Ôtomo. Categories: Animation, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Cult Classics. Year: 1988.
1988 in Akira
After meeting at a resort in Atlantic City, child performer CC Bloom (Bette Midler) and privileged rich girl Hillary Whitney (Barbara Hershey) instantly become best friends, despite their very different lives. As CC begins a successful stage career and Hillary goes on to study law, the pair stays in touch by writing letters describing the course of their lives. Years later, in an attempt to escape her family's expectations, Hillary shows up at CC's door in New York City and finds that she is struggling to find work as a singer. As relationships loved ones come and go, CC and Hillary's friendship faces many obstables, but through it all there's no doubt that these women share a lifelong connection. Directed by: Garry Marshall. With: John Heard, Spalding Gray, Lainie Kazan, James Read, Mayim Bialik and Marcie Leeds. Category: Drama, Comedy, Musical. Year: 1988.
1988 in Beaches
After a freak car accident, Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam (Alec Baldwin) return to their home as ghosts and find that an obnoxious yuppie family has already started to redecorate. After their attempts to scare off the new owners are ignored or laughed at, the couple call upon the services of a demented bioexorcist named Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton). When Beetlejuice goes out of control, Barbara and Adam team up with the yuppie family's goth daughter, Lydia (Winona Ryder), and hatch a plan to find some peace and quiet. Directed by Tim Burton. With Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones. Categories: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror. Year: 1988.
1988 in Beetle Juice
Frank Dux (Jean Claude Van Damme) is a soldier training with the karate master Tanaka (Roy Chiao) for the Kumite, a secret, revered martial arts tournament attracting the strongest and deadliest fighters on the planet. There, Dux is joined by Ray Jackson (Donald Gibb), a hulking, tough street brawler. As Dux ducks the military's attempts to bring him back into service, he must also keep his eyes on Chong Li (Bolo Yeung), the most vicious and powerful fighter in the tournament. Directed by Newt Arnold. With Philip Chan, Forest Whitaker and Leah Ayres. Categories: Action, Sports. Year: 1988.
1988 in Bloodsport
In a small Sicilian village, Salvatore (Jacques Perrin), returns to his home after many years as a prominent Roman movie director. There to attend the funeral of the town's former film projectionist, he remembers his boyhood just after WWII spent in the dark, cramped theater learning about life, loss and love from his mentor. And, not incidentally, is reminded of his lost teenage love. Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. With Marco Leonardi, Salvatore Cascio, Philippe Noiret and Agnese Nano. Categories: Drama, Foreign Film. Year: 1988.
1988 in Cinema Paradiso
After flying to LA to visit his family on Christmas Eve, John McClane (Bruce Willis), a tough New York City cop, gets trapped in a high-rise after the building is taken hostage during his wife's office party. Now, it's up to McClane to take out the terrorists and save the day. Directed by John McTiernan. With Reginald VelJohnson, Bonnie Bedelia, Alan Rickman and William Atherton. Categories: Action, Crime, Thriller, Suspense. Year: 1988.
1988 in Die Hard
Lawrence (Michael Caine) and Freddy (Steve Martin) are two con men with drastically different styles. While Lawrence is suave and sophisticated, Freddy is brash and uncultured. Meeting in the French Riviera, Freddy initially convinces Lawrence to teach him the tricks of the trade, but, before long, Lawrence grows tired of Freddy's annoying antics and works out a plan to get rid of him. Whoever is able to get $50,000 from a wealthy woman named Janet (Glenne Headly) wins, and the other has to leave town. Directed by Frank Oz. With Ian McDiarmid and Dana Ivey. Categories: Comedy, Crime. Year: 1988.
1988 in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
When Dr. Philip Channard (Kenneth Cranham) meets Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence), a patient who claims to have witnessed demonic attacks, he is determined to pull the truth from her and open a portal to hell. Caught in a web of pain and sorrow, Kirsty must follow the doctor into the underworld and try to rescue her father. Directed by Tony Randel. With Clare Higgins, Imogen Boorman and Sean Chapman. Categories: Cult Classics, Horror, Thriller. Year: 1988.
1988 in Hellbound: Hellraiser II
Raymond Babbitt (Dustin Hoffman) is an idiot savant, a man with an incredible knack for numbers who lacks the ability to function on his own in the real world. When his father dies and leaves him a fortune, Raymond's brother Charlie (Tom Cruise) learns of his handicapped sibling for the first time. Charlie sets out to connect with Raymond in order to get his hands on the money, but Raymond ends up winning over his heart. Directed by Barry Levinson. With Valeria Golino, Gerald R. Molen and Jack Murdock. Categories: Drama. Year: 1988.
1988 in Rain Man
Ivan Danko (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a Russian policeman, is tasked with accompanying a drug dealer working in Chicago back to their homeland. When the drug dealer escapes, Ivan teams up with Sgt. Art Riznik (James Belushi) to recapture the criminal and prevent an international crisis. Directed by Walter Hill. With Peter Boyle, Ed O'Ross, Laurence Fishburne and Gina Gershon. Categories: Action, Comedy, Crime, Thriller. Year: 1988.
1988 in Red Heat
Julius (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Vincent (Danny DeVito) Benedict are twin brothers, but that's where the similarities end. Julius was created to be the perfect child. Vincent is a crook about to be killed by loan sharks. When Julius leaves his island home to find the brother he never knew, the odd pair test just how deeply bloodlines run. Directed by Ivan Reitman. With Kelly Preston, David Caruso and Chloe Webb. Categories: Comedy. Year: 1988.
1988 in Twins
Based on the bestselling novel by Milan Kundera, this film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a womanizing intellectual in 1960s Prague. Juliette Binoche plays Tereza, a working-class young woman from an oppressive family who catches his eye. While they love each other, he can't give up on Sabina (Lena Olin), his mistress, or any of his other women. When the Soviets invade Czechoslovakia in 1968, their lives become more complicated. Directed by Philip Kaufman. Categories: Drama, Romance. Year: 1988.
1988 in The Unbearable Lightness of Being
When cartoon star Roger Rabbit (Charles Fleischer) is suspected of killing studio owner Marvin Acme, his only hope is toon-hating detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins), whom he hired to trail his voluptuous wife, Jessica (Kathleen Turner). As the odd couple travel deep into Toontown to try to unravel the case, they face off with Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd), an evil mastermind bent on bulldozing Toontown to build a freeway. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Categories: Animation, Comedy, Crime, Family, Fantasy. Year: 1988.
1988 in Who Framed Roger Rabbit