"The Brat Pack." In the eighties, it seemed like this group of actors would be in all the movies that were in vogue at the time. New York magazine writer David Blum coined the term for the story he was going to write about Emilio Estevez, but after a night out with other young, up-and-coming actors (that included the likes of Rob Lowe and Judd Nelson), he decided to make this into a catch-all phrase to describe an entire generation of actors who were coming-of-age during this era. Estevez was a core member of this group, one who is not only now an actor, but also a screenwriter, director, and producer.

Estevez is the son of actor Martin Sheen and the brother of fellow actor Charlie Sheen. Born in Staten Island, New York, he was raised in Malibu. It was there that he first picked up a portable movie camera, and after appearing as an extra on one of his father’s films, he hit the ground running. He’s best known for his films that were released in the 1980s when he was a young man. Of course, he has had a prolific career since then, but there's something golden about the movies from his youth. Here are Estevez's best movies from the 1980s.

6 Tex

Man in cowboy hat looks down as another man talks to him
Walt Disney Productions

Released in 1982, when Estevez was twenty, Tex tells the story of two brothers navigating life after their mother dies. On top of that, their father has left them, creating an even more desperate situation. They must also face the challenges in what it means to grow up and go through a coming-of-age. They're already disadvantaged due to not having parents around, complicating their lives in multiple ways. The film stars Matt Dillon and Jim Meltzer in the leading two roles and Estevez in a supporting role. Tex was released by Disney and marks a departure from their lighthearted style and themes, moving instead towards realistic depictions of everyday life by the company.

Related: Emilio Estevez Breaks Silence on the Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Exit

5 Stakeout

Man looking seriously
Touchstone Pictures | Silver Screen Partners II

Stakeout is the classic buddy-cop film that most moviegoers are familiar with seeing. The movie stars Estevez and Richard Dreyfuss as two detectives assigned to a night shift of a stakeout. Their job is to watch over a woman whose ex-boyfriend has broken out of jail and is presumably coming to find one of his exes. During this case, one of the cops (Dreyfuss) struggles with his personal life. He then falls in love with the woman under their protection. It was one of the highest-grossing releases the year it came out: 1987. The movie is humorous and full of chemistry between the two male leads. It has an atmosphere both enjoyable to watch and capable of captivating audiences.

4 The Outsiders

Seven kids in jeans and jean jackets
Zoetrope Studios

A decade after the release of The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola came back with The Outsiders. It was based on a novel of the same name, but one of the critical characteristics of this movie is that it established a core group of actors that would later become united under the moniker of the Brat Pack. The setting starts in 1962 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where a group of friends, who are all members of the greaser subculture, become rivals with another gang of wealthier kids from the other side of town. The film was praised for its realistic depictions of lower-class American teenagers: how the characters spoke, acted, and dressed on screen resonated with an entire generation and group of people more realistically and authentically. It was considered a box office success and one of Coppola's best movies.

3 Repo Man

Universal Pictures
Edge City Productions

Repo Man is a satire through its runtime. Estevez stars as a young punk rocker who starts at a car repossession agency. While at that job, he discovers a Chevy Malibu might be the answer to whether extraterrestrials exist or not. Intended to poke fun at contemporary America and capitalism, the film initially did not do well when released. The film is also a love letter to Los Angeles, where it was filmed and set in, as it provides the heart and soul of the movie. Repo Man ended up being so popular it spurred a sequel, a graphic novel, and a spiritual successor.

2 Young Guns

Cowboys standing on top of hill
Morgan Creek Productions

Emilio Estevez and his brother, Martin Sheen, reunited for Young Guns. When many probably thought Western films were dead, Young Guns came in blazing. The film was based on Billy the Kid's life, the American outlaw, and the time of his life when he was involved with territory disputes in New Mexico. Estevez stars as Billy the Kid, but the cast of this film consists of familiar faces within the Brat Pack. The movie was praised for how historically accurate it was. It was a box office hit, despite being despised by the critics, and would have a sequel come out two years later: Young Guns II. A second sequel is currently in the works.

1 The Breakfast Club

5 kids sitting on a table
A&M Films | Channel Productions

The Breakfast Club defined cinema for an entire generation coming-of-age during the eighties. Its plot is simple: five teenagers at a high school, each from a different clique, have all-day detention. It delves into classic themes that most teenagers can relate to the feeling of being misunderstood, lonely, and potentially alienated from the people around them. Estevez plays the jock Andrew Clark in the film. The film was instantly a hit, making USD 51.5 million at the box office, and is now considered one of director John Hughes' best films. Even today, The Breakfast Club is still as well-loved as it was in the eighties, and Estevez played a critical role in adding to that charm.