Aliens
1986

Everyone's seen this a million times since it was released as a much-belated sequel to Alien back in 86, so I won't bore you with the storyline, or the stuff about it being one of the greatest films ever made. What is surprising for such a gung-ho, obviously American film is that it was shot entirely in this country, which technically makes it a Brit Horror flick.
I'll just concentrate on the little things that you might have forgotten - like the 80s fashions (particularly the padded waistcoat and checked shirt ensemble worn by the bloke out of "My Two Dads"), and all the macho crap spouted - particularly by the women.
Guns also figure big in this one (unlike the gun-less original) - even the ship the Marines travel on looks like an enormous rifle. However, the technology looks a lot more dated than in Alien. The video phone is crap, the computer graphics look like they've been created on a Vic 20, and the Marines have MASSIVE cameras attached to their helmets.
Even more surprisingly, and just like the first one, it takes bloody ages to actually get going. But when it does, it rocks (to use some vaguely American vernacular). And Bill Paxton's character is hilarious. All together now: "Game over, man..."

Director: James Cameron Writer(s): James Cameron (also story)
Cast: Sigourney Weaver - Lt. Ellen Ripley, Michael Biehn - Corporal Dwayne Hicks, Paul Reiser - Carter J. Burke, Lance Henriksen - Bishop, Carrie Henn - Rebecca 'Newt' Jorden, Bill Paxton - Private Hudson, William Hope - Lt. Gorman, Jenette Goldstein - Private Vasquez, Al Matthews - Sgt. Apone, Mark Rolston - Private Drake, Ricco Ross - Private Frost, Colette Hiller - Corporal Ferro, Daniel Kash - Private Spunkmeyer, Cynthia Dale Scott - Corporal Dietrich, Tip Tipping - Private T. Crowe