Movies from 1988 in Other Words Quiz

Answer: Rain Man

"Rain Man" is a comedy drama about an automobile importer named Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) who, when his rich father dies, finds out that the bulk of his father's money was left to an unnamed trustee. Charlie finds out that the money is being used to care for his autistic brother that he never knew he had named Raymond (Dustin Hoffman). Raymond is in a mental health institution and Charlie basically kidnaps his brother from the institution in hopes of forcing the trustee into giving him what he feels is his fair share of the inheritance.

Answer: Big

"Big" is a comedy about a boy named Josh Baskin (Tom Hanks) who makes a wish to be big after putting a coin in a Zoltar Grant a Wish game at a carnival. The next morning he wakes up to find that his wish had come true. He goes back to the carnival to find the machine in hopes of reversing the wish.

He finds that the carnival has left town. He now has to live as an adult until he can locate the Zoltar game and reverse his wish.

Answer: Twins

"Twins" is a science fiction comedy about an experiment to create the perfect human. The DNA of some of the smartest and most athletic men are combined and artificially inseminated into a female subject who gives birth to twins. One twin is a big strong healthy baby and the other is a scrawny runt.

The babies are separated and the strong baby is sent to an island where he is given the best teachers and trainers to help him grow to maturity. The other is basically pushed off and sent to an orphanage. Later, in their adult life, Julius (Arnold Schwarzenegger) finds out about his disregarded twin brother Vincent (Danny DeVito) and goes to the United States in search of him.

Answer: Alien Nation

"Alien Nation" is a science fiction film about aliens coming to Earth to escape slavery on their home planet. The 'Newcomers' are accepted and easily assimilate into Earth's culture. A group of Newcomers decide to start a drug operation designed specifically to push a drug to Newcomers.

The drug has no effect on humans but can get Newcomers high. Along with the high, it also can give them incredible strength and endurance. Overdosing on the drug causes a metamorphosis that changes the user into a monster. Detective Matthew Sykes (James Caan) and Newcomer Detective Sam Francisco (Mandy Patinkin) team up to stop the operation.

Answer: Eight Men Out

"Eight Men Out" is a sports drama about the throwing of the 1919 World Series by the Chicago White Sox. Unsatisfied with the club ownership and salaries, eight members of the team decided to take money from certain mob bosses to fix the series. The mob bosses kept most of the money promised to the players knowing that the players couldn't say anything without getting in trouble.

The eight players accused of fixing games are acquitted of any wrong doing but are banned from baseball for life.

Answer: They Live

"They Live" is a science fiction film about aliens taking over the planet by using a mind control signal emanating from a TV station. The signal makes people view the aliens as ordinary humans thus allowing them to mingle with ordinary people and make changes to society to their benefit. Drifting construction worker John Nada (Roddy Piper) stumbles across some sunglasses that when worn, blocks the alien signal and allows him to see the aliens as they really are.

Answer: Cocktail

"Cocktail" is a romantic film about a college student who is trying to get a business degree. He takes a part time job as a bartender to support himself while going to school and finds out that he has an entertaining flair when it comes to serving drinks.

When he has a falling out with his friend, he goes to tend bar in Jamaica where he meets a girl from a rich family and falls in love. The movie stars Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Shue.

Answer: Young Guns

"Young Guns" is a Western film depicting the life of Billy the Kid in the years 1877 and 1878. Billy (Emilio Estevez) is taken in by cattle rancher John Tunstall (Terence Stamp) to help on his ranch. When Tunstall is murdered, Billy and the rest of the ranch hands are deputized and embark on a quest to bring the murderers to justice.

Instead, Billy takes matters in his own hands and begins killing the men responsible and he and the deputies wind up becoming wanted men themselves.

Answer: Die Hard

"Die Hard" is an action film about New York Police Detective John McClain (Bruce Willis) who goes to Los Angeles to visit his estranged wife for the holidays. While attending an office party where his wife works, the building is taken over and secured by a group of supposed terrorists. McClain becomes a one man army and begins taking out the terrorists one by one.

He later finds out that the intruders are not really terrorists but sophisticated robbers trying to steal millions of dollars worth of bearer bonds that are locked in the office vault.

Answer: Red Heat

"Red Heat" is a police action movie about a Russian policeman who chases a Russian drug kingpin to the United States. Captain Ivan Danko (Arnold Schwarzenegger) teams up with reluctant Chicago Police Detective Art Ridzik (James Belushi) to hunt down the Russian drug kingpin.