In the 1980s, asking someone out meant picking up a landline phone, hoping they were near theirs, picking a spot to meet, showing up roughly on time, and spending the whole date actually engaging with the person. And let’s not even talk about using paper maps.
Yes, times have changed since then—but that doesn’t make 1980s movies any less relevant today. The films from that era were bold, imaginative, messy, and often chauvinistic, but they were also intense, ambitious, glossy, and full of energy. The world was shifting fast, and filmmakers and audiences took notice. Movies aimed at Gen X and their boomer parents tackled themes like inequality, spirituality, consumer culture, and the experience of youth. They were shaped by visionaries like Stanley Kubrick, Penny Marshall, Nora Ephron, Rob Reiner, and Spike Lee—filmmakers with something to say, whose work still deserves our attention.
Here’s a guide to the best 1980s movies you shouldn’t miss:
The Shining (1980)
Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel—about a father and failed writer who spirals into madness while caretaking a haunted hotel—set a new bar for horror. The Shining feels too intelligent, visually striking, suspenseful, and genuinely terrifying to be grouped with slasher franchises like Friday the 13th or Saw. Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall deliver brilliantly restrained performances, while Kubrick’s visual storytelling elevates the material to something unforgettable. Nearly half a century later, it still chills audiences to the bone.
Diva (1981)
A stylish example of French “cinéma du look,” Diva is a thrilling, eccentric ride through Paris. A young postman’s secret recording of an opera singer pulls him into a world of hitmen, corrupt cops, bohemians, and Taiwanese gangsters. The film is worth watching for its iconic moped chase through the Paris Métro alone—but it’s also packed with beauty, suspense, humor, and a gorgeous soundtrack. Though it helped pull French cinema out of a realist slump, it remains an underrated cult classic and a perfect date movie.
Reds (1981)
First, the downside: it’s a three-hour epic about American journalist and communist John Reed (played by Warren Beatty, who also wrote, directed, and produced) and the collapse of his political dreams. The upside: Diane Keaton shines as she’s swept up by Beatty’s character and his ideals, only to later fall for Jack Nicholson’s Eugene O’Neill. The film is carried by powerhouse performances from three legendary stars, creating a love triangle set against a backdrop of turmoil. Off-screen, the intense production took a toll, contributing to the end of Beatty and Keaton’s real-life romance—a passion you can feel in every scene.
The Verdict (1982)
Sidney Lumet, the legendary director behind classics like 12 Angry Men and Network, struck gold with this legal drama. Paul Newman plays a washed-up lawyer turning to the bottle while taking on Boston’s powerful Catholic archdiocese. Charlotte Rampling co-stars as his love interest—who, spoiler alert, is secretly working for the opposition. Written by David Mamet, the film is one of the era’s great redemption stories. Newman, then in the later stage of his career and no stranger to personal struggles with alcohol, delivers a gripping performance, defying the odds to seek justice.and redemption for the ages.
Trading Places (1983)
You can’t discuss the 1980s without Eddie Murphy, who embodied the big-budget comedies that defined the era. The youngest-ever cast member of Saturday Night Live (joining at 19 in 1980), Murphy starred in a string of hugely successful and hilarious films like 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, and this one. It follows a clever homeless man who, through a twist of fate and his own smarts, climbs the ladder of high finance. Murphy’s sharp wit and refreshing charm are brilliantly aimed at the amoral, elitist forces that drive the film and reflect the ambitions of the time.
Risky Business (1983)
Every era has its iconic images, and few are more emblematic of the ’80s than Tom Cruise in an Oxford shirt and underwear, dancing to Bob Seger in his parents’ living room. This wild teen adventure—where a handsome high schooler hires a sex worker (the captivating Rebecca De Mornay) while his parents are away and then scrambles to pay her—might sound eye-roll-worthy. Yet it’s so quintessentially ’80s that it deserves recognition. It’s a playful, sensual take on teenage independence, capitalism, and Cruise’s star-making role—a ride worth taking.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Studio Ghibli, the titan of anime, was still forming in the 1980s, but Nausicaä offered an early glimpse of Hayao Miyazaki’s cinematic magic. Based on his own manga, the film features the director’s signature themes of environmentalism, peace, and technological intrusion. Princess Nausicaä fights to protect her community, enlisting giant, magical insects to fend off industrial and colonial threats. The movie beautifully balances universal ideas of heroism and sacrifice with Japanese animism and spirituality, all wrapped in stunning visuals.
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
What happens when Sergio Leone, master of the spaghetti western, tackles an epic about Jewish gangsters in New York? His final film is divisive, but with Robert De Niro and James Woods delivering gripping performances as friends Noodles and Max, set against a backdrop of tradition, violence, ambition, and sex (including a controversial and disturbing rape scene that complicates the audience’s sympathy), the result is a sprawling, ambitious work. It blends teen antics, revenge, mob drama, and a rags-to-riches fable, living up to its grand title.
Stop Making Sense (1984)
The 1980s weren’t the peak for documentaries, but Jonathan Demme’s Stop Making Sense stands out as a fantastic rock doc. From David Byrne’s oversized suit to the playful deconstruction of songwriting and performance, this film—compiled from three Talking Heads concerts at the Hollywood Pantages—showcases the power of sound and vision. Demme, who also directed the vibrant Something Wild in the ’80s and the chilling Silence of the Lambs in the ’90s, captures the band’s energy and innovation.
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Christopher Guest’s mockumentary debut, following a fictional British heavy metal band on a comeback tour, is not only hilarious but a masterpiece of improvisation and satire.A former SNL cast member established the blueprint for an entire genre with this film. Without it, there would be no versions of The Office, Parks and Recreation, Modern Family, and many more. His later films, such as 1996’s Waiting for Guffman and 2000’s Best in Show, might even be better—thanks to their larger and unmatched comedic casts—but this movie, directed by Rob Reiner, is the foundation.
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
Paul Reubens introduced a delightful level of weirdness to mainstream comedy through Pee-wee in all his forms, but his impact was overshadowed by a tabloid scandal (which seems harmless by today’s standards)—one of comedy’s great injustices. Yet his work endures, and the quirky, punk-inspired, absurd fantasy world of Pee-wee remains a standout in Hollywood’s history. Tim Burton’s interpretation, centered on Pee-wee’s quest to recover his stolen bicycle, is a whimsical journey through the remnants of American counterculture in a highly conformist era. It’s silly, anti-heroic, and pure joy.
Aliens (1986)
A female-led action film that’s as intelligent and thought-provoking as it is suspenseful, action-packed, and terrifying? Absolutely! While Hollywood’s sequel trend began in the 1970s with mixed results—from great (The Godfather Part II) to bad (More American Graffiti) to awful (The Shaggy D.A.)—the 1980s saw it explode. When James Cameron took over from Alien’s creator Ridley Scott, expectations were uncertain, but Cameron not only delivered a brilliantly crafted and acted sequel but also advanced the genre with special effects and production design that still impress today. And it’s a blast!
Children of a Lesser God (1986)
This film centers on the romance between a new teacher at a school for the deaf and a former student who works as a custodian, but its themes and achievements go much deeper. Director Randa Haines broke new ground in representation and set higher standards for authentic filmmaking, exploring complex issues of identity and the role of people with disabilities in society. She collaborated closely with deaf actress Marlee Matlin (who won an Oscar for her role) and William Hurt, whose heartfelt and dedicated performances give weight to the challenging subjects addressed.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
While many identified with the high school stereotypes in John Hughes’s The Breakfast Club, others dismiss that film as simplistic and argue that the more entertaining and less preachy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off reflects reality more accurately. Is this movie a masterpiece? I think so, but I’m not entirely sure. What I can say is that if fun in movies could be measured, it would be in “Buellers.” Although Ferris can be overly energetic, smug, or just too much, he’s balanced by Jennifer Grey’s resentful sister, Alan Ruck’s depressed Cameron, and the hilariously inept Principal Rooney. In Hughes’s idealized Chicago suburbs, Ferris is the ultimate thrill ride.
Dirty Dancing (1987)
This movie is delightfully silly, and you should be wary of anyone who doesn’t enjoy it. Jennifer Grey plays Baby, the younger daughter in an upwardly mobile 1960s family vacationing at a Catskills resort where dancing is treated with utmost importance—by staff, guests, and for their futures. Just go with it, and you’ll be swept up in the romance between Grey and Patrick Swayze’s rebellious dance instructor. There’s plenty of hip-swaying, secret meetings, some 1980s-era abortion politics, and Jerry Orbach as the world’s greatest dad. As the music plays and passions flare, this film captures both theThe hopeful energy of youth and a whole era. It’s also a funny snapshot of what Hollywood thought was “sexy” and “unsexy” in the ’80s, which is both wild and a lot of fun.
Big (1988)
If this list seems short on female directors, that’s because Hollywood in the 1980s was too. One major exception was Penny Marshall, a true powerhouse whose film Big (co-written by Anne Spielberg) highlighted Tom Hanks’s natural charm and surprising depth, setting him on his way to becoming a national treasure. The story of a bullied kid who magically becomes an adult overnight—leaving his bunk bed behind for the world of corporate executives—is as sweet, straightforward, and touching as ’80s comedies get.
Heathers (1988)
A rebellious response to movies like The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles, Heathers is a sharp, cynical take on the often overly optimistic teen genre. When Winona Ryder’s Veronica teams up with her cool new boyfriend (played with icy charm by Christian Slater) to take down the popular girls—all named Heather—things spiral out of control, and some of the cool kids end up dead. Despite its dark themes of teenage murder and assault, Heathers offers a surreal and refreshing twist on teen films, boldly rejecting the genre’s common clichés. In short: watch the popular crowd get what’s coming to them.
Working Girl (1988)
The hairstyles alone are reason enough to watch this brilliant, female-focused snapshot of the ambitious ’80s. Melanie Griffith plays Tess, a smart and attractive Wall Street secretary struggling to get ahead. “I have a head for business and a body for sin,” she declares, before her seemingly supportive boss, played by Sigourney Weaver, steals her million-dollar idea. Though Harrison Ford gets top billing, women dominate this lively film, which pays homage to classic screwball comedies while exploring the era’s excesses and tackling themes of class, power, ambition, and loyalty. It’s a story about breaking into the boys’ club, all while showing just how flawed those clubs can be—with plenty of laughs, flirting, and persuasion along the way.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Spike Lee made a splash with his fresh romantic comedy She’s Gotta Have It in 1986, but Do the Right Thing was his breakthrough. This comedy-drama, set over one day in a Brooklyn neighborhood, brings issues of class and racial tension to the forefront and established Lee as a major new voice in Hollywood (by way of New York City). The opening credits, featuring Rosie Perez dancing to Public Enemy, are iconic in modern cinema; her sharp, energetic hip-hop choreography signaled a new era for film and filmmaking.
Say Anything (1989)
Cameron Crowe’s directorial debut introduced the world to Lloyd Dobler, a relatable teenage outsider who stands up for the marginalized and famously holds a boombox overhead outside his crush’s window—a scene endlessly imitated. Dobler became the model for quirky teen romantics, and John Cusack (paired with love interest Ione Skye) gave us an underdog to cheer for. Moreover, this film paved the way for the teen movies that followed. If you enjoy films like Dazed and Confused, Juno, Lady Bird, Booksmart, or any underdog coming-of-age story since the late ’80s, this is the one that started it all.
When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
The world of ’80s romantic comedies ranged from the ridiculous to the perfect, and this film, written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner, set the standard. This will-they-or-won’t-they love story, spanning years, is…Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal deliver timeless, charming performances in this film, which showcases iconic fall fashion and offers a masterclass in navigating relationship boundaries—plus a memorable lesson in faking an orgasm for good measure. The movie’s enduring appeal is a tribute to the talent behind it, as well as its intricate dynamics that still resonate with friends, lovers, and everyone else today. That lasting impact, both on-screen and off, is the true power of this film.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful and clear FAQs about the best 80s movies to watch today
General Beginner Questions
Q Why should I watch movies from the 1980s
A 80s movies are known for their iconic stories memorable characters and practical special effects that still hold up They are the foundation for many of todays blockbusters and are just pure fun entertainment
Q Im new to 80s movies Which one should I start with
A A great starter is Back to the Future Its a perfect blend of scifi comedy and adventure that appeals to almost everyone
Q What are some common themes in 80s movies
A Youll often see themes of underdogs triumphing high school life scifi adventures classic horror and buddy cop actioncomedies
Q Are the special effects in these movies too dated
A While some effects are clearly from the 80s many films used groundbreaking practical effects that have a timeless charming quality Movies like The Thing and Blade Runner are still praised for their visuals
Q Where can I stream these 80s classics
A Streaming availability changes but services like Netflix Amazon Prime Video HBO Max and Disney frequently have many of these titles in their libraries Its best to search for a specific movie
Specific Movies Recommendations
Q What are some of the best 80s comedies
A Mustsee comedies include Ferris Buellers Day Off Ghostbusters Coming to America and The Breakfast Club
Q Which 80s movies are considered scifi masterpieces
A Blade Runner The Empire Strikes Back Aliens The Terminator and ET the ExtraTerrestrial are all landmark scifi films from the decade
Q What are the best 80s movies for a family movie night
A The Goonies ET the ExtraTerrestrial The Princess Bride and Who Framed Roger Rabbit are fantastic choices for all ages