The 30 Best 80s Movies You’ll Surely Gonna Love In 2022

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Technology, music, and fashion bore wings in the 80s. The cinema industry was not left out. In fact, after the groundbreaking in the 70s, the film industry skyrocketed.

Indeed this was a decade of pop culture with the best movies, shows, music, and these continue to live on. Consumers enjoyed the best 80s movies and shows at the comfort of their homes with the video rentals, which were so common in the 80s.

If you love the 80s movies, we’ve got you covered!

Working Girl (1988)

Director: Mile Nicholas

Writer: Kevin Wage

Cast: Harrison Ford, Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver

IMDb rating: 6.8/10

An ambitious secretary from Staten Island has a profitable idea that is stolen by her boss. However, she gets a chance to take back her idea when her boss suffers from a broken leg. To win back, she pretends to have her boss’ job when the boss is laid off.

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

Director: Martin Brest

Writer: Daniel Petrie Jr.

Cast: Eddie Murphy, John Ashton, Judge Reinhold, Lisa Eilbacher, Ronny Cox

IMDb rating: 7.3/10

Detroit cop is in pursuit of a murder investigation. The operation gets sour when investigation results in wild chase causing damage in the city. He later finds himself in the unique culture of Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills Cop is of the best 80s movies with great actions.

Ladyhawke (1985)

Director: Richard Donner

Writer: Edward Khmara, Tom Mankiewicz, David Webb Peoples, Michael Thomas

Cast: Rutger Hauer, Matther Broderick, Michelle Pfeiffer

IMDb rating: 7/10

Thief Gaston escapes the medieval Aquila dungeon through the latrine but gets help from Navarre, who, with his lover, was cursed by the Bishop of Aquila. The reason was that the Bishop desired Navarre’s lover. Ladyhawke film is one of the best movies of the 80s with its unique charming mode and entrainment.

Rain Man (1988)

Director: Barry Levinson

Writers: Ronald Bass, Barry Morrow

Cast: Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, Valeria Golino

IMDb rating: 8/10

Tom Cruise discovers that his estranged father left wealth for his other brother-Raymond, who Cruise never knew of his existence. Tom inherits his father’s vintage car and rose bushes. He runs off with Raymond from a mental institution and demands for half of the estate to give back his brother.

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Back To The Future (1985)

Director: Roberts Zemeckis

Writers: Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis

Cast: Christopher Lloyd, Michael J. Fox. Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson

IMDb rating: 8.5/10

A teenager (Marty McFly) is mistakenly sent back to 1955 with the DeLorean automobile invented by his scientist friend Doc Brown. The film is considered to be one of the best movies from the 80s  for those who love time travel.

The Lost Boys (1987)

Director: Joel Schumacher

Writer: Jeffrey Boam

Cast: Jami Gertz, Kiefer Sutherland, Brooke McCarter, Jamison Newlander

IMDb rating: 7.3/10

Two brothers (Michael and Sam) move with their divorced mother to a new town and discover the area is home to vampires. The Lost Boys is one of the best 80s horror movies story for those who love vampires.

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Writers: Stanley Kubrick, Michael Herr, Gustav Hasford

IMDb rating: 8.3/10

Cast: Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio

A rational U.S Marine observes how the Vietnam War  caused the brutalizing effect on his fellow recruits. This started from boot camp training to the bloody fights in Hue Street. The young men endure the training in the quest to become Vietnam soldiers.

The Outsiders (1983)

Director: Franchis Ford Coppola

Writers: S.E. Hinton and Kathleen Rowell.

Cast: Rob Lowe, C.Thomas Howell, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio

IMDb rating: 7.1/10

The enmity between two gangs grows horns when one gang member hits and kills the other group gang member. The Outsiders is one of the best 80s movies noted for its budding up-and-coming casts who helped spark the genre in the 80s.

Dune (1984)

Director: David Lynch

Writers: David Lynch, Franck Herbert

Cast: Virginia Madsen, Kyle MacLachlan, Leonardo Cimino, Francesca Annis

IMDb rating: 6.4/10

Duke’s son helps desert warriors free their desert world from his father’s evils and the vast emperor from gaining headship.

Broadcast News (1987)

Director: James L. Brooks

Writer: James L. Brooks

Cast: Robert Prosky, Albert Brooks, Jack Nicholson, Lois Chiles, Joan Cusack, William Hurt

IMDb rating: 7.2/10

Two rival television reporters, one who is emotional, brilliant, and prickly while the other is charismatic, are determined to ignite the sparks in the broadcast. Broadcast News is one of the best 80s movies with a modern masterwork.

Batman (1989)

Director: Tim Burton

Writers: Sam Hamm, Bob Kane, Warren Skaaren

Cast: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Billy Dee Wiliams

IMDb rating: 7.5/10

The Dark Knight starts a war on crime which leads to major conflicts with Jack Napier, who is later crowned as a homicidal joker. Batman is one of the best 80s movies on Netflix in the subset of adventure or action genre. If you love to  watch Adventure movies then watch   Best Adventure Movies of All Time

Scarface (1983)

Director: Brian De Palma

Writers: Oliver Stone, Ben Hecht, Howard Hawks

Cast: Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Loggia

IMDb rating: 8.3/10

Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who becomes a powerful drug lord later, succumbs to greed. He gets into friendships with men who get green cards after murdering a Cuban general. Even though it was filled with violence and drug usage,  it fetched around $66 million worldwide.

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Valley Girl (1983)

Director: Martha Coolidge

Writers: Andrew Lane, Wayne Crawford

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Elizabeth Daily, Deborah Foreman, Michele Meyrink

IMDb rating: 6.4/10

Julie from the valley is in love with Randy, an arrogant boy from the city. Though from different worlds, they have to find how they will stay together. It’s a teen romantic comedy with a thrilling end.

The Terminator (1984)

Director: James Cameroon

Writers: James Cameroon, William Wisher, Anne Hurd

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield

IMDb rating: 8/10

A human soldier is tasked with destroying the Cyborg killing machine sent from 2029 to 1984. It’s meant to kill Sarah, whose unborn son was to save mankind from the destruction of a hostile AI. The Terminator is one of the best 80s action movies, which also features in television series.

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Mystic Pizza (1988)

Director: Donald Petrie.

Writers: Amy Holden Jones, Randy Howze, Perry Howze

IMDb rating: 6.3/10

Cast: Julia Roberts, Annabeth Gish, William R. Moses, Lili Taylor, Adam Storke

Three teenage girls who work as waitresses at Mystic Pizza later make different choices in life. Two girls, Kat and Daisy, seem to be different from Jojo, their friend.  While Kat wants to be an astronomer, Daisy wants to have fun.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Director: John Hughes

Writer: John Hughes

Cast: Paul Gleason, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall

IMDb rating: 7.8/10

Five teens involuntarily go to detention on Saturday at their high school. It’s at this time they discover they have a lot in common. The Breakfast Club is one of the best 80s movies as it presents a relatable way of how teens interact.

Die Hard (1988)

Director: John McTiernan

Writer: Jeb Stuart. Roderick Thorp, Steven E.de Souza

Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Reginald VelJohnson, Alexander Godunov

IMDb rating: 8.2/10

An NYPD officer (John McClane) tries to reconcile with his wife. But when John goes to change clothes, the tower is captured and seized by a heavily armed team except him. He tries to save his wife and others.

Aliens (1986)

Director: James Cameroon

Writers: James Cameron, Walter Hill, David Giler

Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser, lance Henriksen

IMDb rating: 8.3/10

Officer Ripley survives after spending 57years of an apocalyptic attack. She encounters an alien creature that has been traumatized by the issue of creatures. And when she awakens from hyper-sleep, she tries to warn everyone about the predators. She later helps trained marine soldiers to fight against extraterrestrials sinister.

Blade Runner (1982)

Director: Ridley Scott

Writers: David Webb Peoples, Hampton Fancher, Philip K.Dick

Cast: Edward James Olmos, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Brion James, Joanna Cassidy

IMDb rating: 8.1/10

Four replicate (synthetic humans) are engineered to work on space colonies; as they are on Earth illegally, blade runners must make efforts to terminate them. The film is one of the best 80s movies with a perfect masterpiece.

The Raging Bull (1980)

Director: Martin Scorsese

Writers: Joseph Carter, Jake LaMotta, Peter Savage

Cast: Cathy Moriarty, Robert De Niro, Frank Vincent, Theresa Saldana, Franck Adonis

IMDb rating: 8.2/10

Joke La Motta’s personality (violent and animalistic appetite) lets him be the best in the ring, but this destroys his association with his wife and family.

Amadeus (1984)

Director: Milos Forman

Writers: Peter Shaffer and Zdenek Mahler

Cast: F. Murray Abraham, Roy Dotrice, Tom Hulce, Christine Ebersole, Keny Baker

IMDb rating: 8.3/10

Antoni Salieri is jealous of Mozart’s talent. He believes that his talent is miraculous and wishes he was like Mozart. But later is shocked to learn of Mozart’s vulgarity. And don’t understand why God would favor him.

22 Cinema Paradiso (1988)

Director: Giuseppe Tornatore

Writer: Giuseppe Tornatore

Cast: Philippe Noiret, Pupella Maggio, Antonella Attili, Jacques Perrin, Enzo Cannavale

IMDb rating: 8.5/10

Salvatore develops a relationship with a projectionist (Alfredo) due to his love for films. He cannot help to recall his childhood when his girlfriend tells him about someone who had died from his home village. Alfredo lets Salvatore watch movies from his projection booth.

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Director: Sergio Leone

Writer: Harry Grey, Piero De Bernardi and Leonardo Benvenuti

Cast: Robert De Niro, Elizabeth McGovern, Burt Young, Treat Williams, James Woods

IMDb rating: 8.3/10

Three gangsters were in search of Noodles, but some proprietors warned Noodles who escaped. He returns to Manhattan penniless and alone to obey the ghosts and regret of his former life.

Ran (1985)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Writers: Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni, Masato Ide

Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai, Daisuke Ryu, Akira Terao, Hisashi Igawa, Jinpachi Nezu

IMDb rating: 8.2/10

Old warlord hands over his empire to his three sons. He doesn’t take note of how the sons will be corrupted by the power; the sons later turn against each other. Ran is one of the best movies of the 80s filled with action.

Blue Velvet (1986)

Director: David Lynch

Writer: Davis Lynch

Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Laura Dern, Isabella Rossellini, Dean Stockwell

IMDb rating: 7.7/10

Jeffrey Beaumont found a severed human ear when walking to his father’s hardware. The police advise him not to tell anyone about it. But Jeffrey’s school-aged daughter seems to know about the case and overhears her father having a private talk with the police detectives.

Brazil (1985)

Director: Terry Gilliam

Writer: Terry Gilliam

Cast: Cast: Jonathan Pryce, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Robert De Niro

IMDb rating: 7.9/10

Sam Lowry, who thinks he is a warrior, is in search of a woman who always comes to mind while working. But he becomes an enemy of the dystopian state in his pursuit of this woman of his dreams, whom he saves when in distress.

The Elephant Man (1980)

Director: David Lynch

Writer: David Lynch, Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergen

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, Wendy Hiller, John Hurt, John Gielgud

IMDb rating: 8.1/10

Treves, a surgeon, rescues Merrick, who was kept by a fierce ringmaster (My Bytes). The ringmaster views Merrick as intellectually disabled as he sleeps with his head on the knees. Treves pays him to take Merrick to the hospital for examination.

Lifeforce (1985)

Director: Tobe Hooper

Writers: Dan O’Bannon and Don Jakoby

Cast: Steve Railsback, Mathilda May, Peter Firth, Frank Finlay.

IMDb rating: 6.2/10

A trio of humanoids is brought to Earth after discovering the European space crew in alien space. The space vampires go to London and poison the populace bringing chaos. Lifeforce is one of the best 80s horror movies for vampires fans with its unique effects.

Airplane (1980)

Director: Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, David Zucker

Writer: Jim Abrahams, Jerry Zucker, David Zucker

Cast: Julie Hagerty, Robert Hays

IMDb rating: 7.7/10

Ted Striker is a pilot who becomes a taxi driver. He has a fear of flying and is soaked to a drinking problem. Due to this, he is unable to maintain a stable job, and worse enough, he loses his girlfriend (Dickinson). He tries to win her by buying a ticket to board a flight that Dickinson boarded.

Tootsie (1982)

Director: Sydney Pollack

Writers: Don McGuire, Murray Schisgal, Larry Gelbart

Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Dabney Coleman, Jessica Lange, Bill Murray

IMDb rating: 7.4/10

A volatile actor pretends to be a woman to get a new job- trashy hospital soap. Tootsie is one of the best movies from the 80s. It blew the collective internet wig as one of the greatest movies ever made.

This was the list of the best 80s movies that you should definitely check out! These movies have gone down in history (pun intended), and you’ll love the classic feel they offer!

Joshua Garner

Joshua calls himself nerd+geek who is also passionate about rugby. He enjoys comics, animes, and science fiction. He finds his comfort in writing about suspense, thrillers and science fiction shows and movies.

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