16. The Karate Kid
Columbia PicturesWhile Big Trouble in Little China might have encouraged us to break more than our fair share of furniture as we leaped around the living room pretending to be a Storm God, The Karate Kid rooted us firmly on the ground - that is, until we decided to try out The Crane move. The underdog narrative is one often used in films but The Karate Kid placed it in a context which few kids at the time wouldn't have felt some affinity for. Fantasies about getting one up on the school bullies are common for most kids growing up, and the story of Daniel Larusso - the new kid at school who finds himself learning karate from the enigmatic Mr. Miyagi after being beaten up by bullies - was something of a wish fulfillment fantasy for thousands of kids in the 80s. It's stood the test of time, too - The Karate Kid is a reminder of just how good high school movies could be, with Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita's on-screen synergy carrying the film with ease.