All Pittsburgh steel mill welder Alex Owens wants to do is dance. Combining the story of a young woman finding empowerment on the dance floor with the quick-cut editing style of MTV music videos, Flashdance set the standard for dance films in the 1980s and well after. A launching pad for actress Jennifer Beals, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and off-the-shoulder sweatshirts, the film stands as a touchstone for thrilling dance sequences and glorious excess. (1983, dir. Adrian Lyne, 35mm, 95 min.)