Top 100 Films of the 1980s

Man, I waited far too long between the 90s and the 80s. Especially considering how much I love doing this series and how it’s been one of my best traffic drivers. Honestly, though, I think I kept pushing this post back because I didn’t think I had much of an emotional connection to the films of the decade. I wasn’t alive for it like I was for the 90s-2010s, I didn’t develop my personal taste through it like I did watching 70s films, and I’m not big on the 80s aesthetics like I am 60s. Even the time period itself seems so bland and consumerist rom a historical perspective. So even though I like movies like Indiana Jones or Back to the Future I just wasn’t expecting much substance. However, I’m big enough to admit when I’m wrong and wrong I was. Actually, it was very similar to my experience with the 2000s list in that there was more than I expected being said by the films of this era.

The decade of the icon. Unlike the 90s (and much like the 2000s and 2010s) the 80s had a thread that ran through many of the films throughout the decade—status, boldness, and iconic moments. When I really sat down to think about this list it really sank in how many of our pop-culture icons came from this decade: Ghostbusters, Goonies, Indiana Jones, Empire Strikes Back, Back to the Future, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, The Breakfast Club, Die Hard, The Princess Bride…I mean I could KEEP GOING.

During this time there were many sub-genres that really took off. While they existed before the 80s, and many have their roots in the 70s, it wasn’t until then they really exploded with such popularity. Horror became more mainstream as major figures like Freddy and Jason took over screens. Sci-fi started to be taken more seriously with films like The Fly and Blade Runner. Teen films definitely took off with John Hughes/Brat Pack vehicles like The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Pretty in Pink. And, of course, Action movies had their time to shine with films like Predator, Terminator, and Die Hard. Despite the seemingly one-dimensional aspect of the decade many of these films listed below are also very thoughtful. Come and See is arguably the greatest anti-war film ever made, challenged only by Grave of the Fireflies. The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover is a biting critique of Thatcherism. Wall Street and They Live tackle greed and consumerism in America head-on (albeit from very different creative directions). The 80s, despite being larger-than-life and kind of ridiculous, were also surprisingly self-aware. This is honestly a really amazing accomplishment—to mix both of those things and become a decade that is essentially nostalgia porn 30-40 years in the future. There’s a reason movies like It and shows like Stranger Things fall back on the 80s for their content: from Johnny lifting Baby above his head to Freddy tapping his knife-fingers to “I am your father” to “As. You. Wish.” the 1980s were nothing short of bold moments left stamped into our minds forever.

(Click here for the list on Letterboxd, it has the posters and a pretty layout.)

100. The Journey of Natty Gann

99. Scarface

98. ET the Extra Terrestial

97. Poltergeist

96. Sophie’s Choice

95. Fanny and Alexander

94. Full Metal Jacket

93. Altered States

92. Trading Places

91. The Untouchables

90. The ‘Burbs

89. Labyrinth

88. Fatal Attraction

87. The Color of Money

86. Fast Times at Ridgemont High

85. Predator

84. Platoon

83. Possession

82. My Brother’s Wedding

81. Dead Poet’s Society

80. Big Trouble in Little China

79. The Empire Strikes Back

78. The Fox and the Hound

77. The Terminator

76. Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

75. Oliver & Company

74. Gremlins

73. The Land Before Time

72. The King of Comedy

71. The Shining

70. Nine to Five

69. Blow Out

68. My Dinner With Andre

67. Videodrome

66. The Meaning of Life

65. Footloose

64. Back to the Future

63. Re-Animator

62. My Neighbor Totoro

61. Coffee and Cigarettes

60. The Fly

59. An American Tale

58. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

57. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

56. Heathers

55. Say Anything

54. Batman

53. All Dogs Go To Heaven

52. Hellraiser

51. Friday the 13th

50. St Elmo’s Fire

49. Ghostbusters

48. Howard the Duck

47. Brazil

46. Amadeus

45. House of Games

44. The Great Mouse Detective

43. Pretty in Pink

42. sex, lies, and videotape

41. Eating Raoul

40. The Little Mermaid

39. Tampopo

38. The Lost Boys

37. Fitzcarraldo

36. Raiders of the Lost Ark

35. The Goonies

34. Raging Bull

33. When Harry Met Sally

32. When Harry Met Sally

31. Barfly

30. The Secret of NIMH

29. A Nightmare on Elm Street

28. The Thing

27. Repo Man

26. Evil Dead II

25. Ordinary People

24. Where Is My Friend’s House

23. Good Morning, Vietnam

22. Paris, Texas

21. The Thin Blue Line

20. The Princess Bride

19. The Breakfast Club

18. Who Framed Roger Rabbit

17. Die Hard

16. Blue Velvet

15. They Live

14. Withnail & I

13. First Blood

12. Blade Runner

11. The Elephant Man

10. Stand By Me

9. Cinema Paradiso

8. A Fish Called Wanda

7. This Is Spinal Tap

6. Dirty Dancing

5. Grave of the Fireflies

4. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

3. Come and See

2. Ran

1. Landscape in the Mist

I always say never to think too hard about the way I actually ranked these decades listis outside of the top 10 and bottom 5. That’s even more true with this decade if I’m being honest. There are so many that are Icon Status and so many that I love, that honestly I kind of gave up. Landscape in the Mist happens to be my favorite movie that isn’t Clerks so that was the only one that was easy for me to put in order. I look forward to the 1970s, as it was the decade that started me on the path towards becoming a cinephile. However, the 1980s was so much more fun than I expected and filled with legitimately great titles; in fact many of these films will probably come up again in Mid-Budget Magic essays, other Hot Take posts, or throwback reviews in the future.