Top Ten Lists of Eighties Movies

The concept is pretty easily, pick your ten favorite movies from the eighties. The hard part? I want JUST movies from the eighties, not movies you might have seen during the eighties. Also, try and avoid movies that came out after the eighties if possible, 1990 is pretty borderline, I won't scream too loudly if you add one that is from then...

This page currently edited by: Gwen. Past editor: Junior

By: A.Nosheny
(Not in order)
By: Scott
By: Tracey Winter
By: Liss
  • 10. Beaches
    Good movie about friendship through the years
  • 9. Turner & Hooch
    Killed myself laughing!
  • 8. Breakfast Club
    The movie of the eighties....!
  • 7. Firestarter
    A cool Drew Barrymore movie.
  • 6. Porky's
    Cool and funny...Can you describe it?..We'll put up wanted posters around town..Have you seen this penis?
  • 5. Footloose
    Excellent soundtrack!
  • 4. Empire Strikes Back
    Awesome movie Good vs Evil!
  • 3. Eddie and the Crusers -2 Eddie Lives!!
    An EXcellent Soundtrack!!!!!!
  • 2. Where the River Runs Black
    A boy who is rescued form his wild ways,to become christianized and runs back to his home in the Amazon jungles.
  • 1. Clan of the Cavebear
    I love neanderthal movies! Ayla the first feminist!
There are sooooo many good movies out there, Raiders of the lost Ark, Clash of the Titans, Born on the fourth of July, Mississippi Burning, Neverending Story, Flashdance, Dirty Dancing, Sixteen Candles, Short Circut, Coal Miners Daughter, there's just so many!!!! Now I'm caught in an 80's time warp!!
By: Aimee
  • 10. Lucas
    This movie is great the first couple times then its boring. But I love Corey Haim and Kerri Green is cool!
  • 9. St. Elmo's Fire
    It's a cute movie but you can watch more than once in a row. You have to wait another month before watching it again or its just boring.
  • 8. One Crazy Summer
    One word, John Cusack.
  • 7. Can't Buy Me Love
    The girl that plays Cindy is really pretty and the guy that plays the geek is really hot ,just not in that movie.
  • 6. Ferris Bullers Day Off
    Matthew Brodrick is really hot and Cameron is awesome.
  • 5. Stand by Me
    They had an amazing cast. Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connel and the best of the cast whos memory will always live on, River Phoenix!
  • 4. The Breakfest Club
    This is one of those movies you can never get sick of watching!
  • 3. Sixteen Candles
    the guy that plays Jake Ryan is so hot!
  • 2. The Neverending Story
    I think Barret Oliver is so adorable in this movie! I hope he comes back to show biz!
  • 1. The Goonies
    I love this movie! Even though its a kids moving it brings back good memories. And Mikey and Brand are hot and Corey Feldman's awesome.
By: AnimalKin
By: Stacy
By: Glory Troll
By: Jason R. Reid
  • 10. The Breakfast Club
    Very nicely done, no doubt about it!
  • 9. The Blues Brothers
    Few movies that I have ever seen have encompassed so much hilarity and destruction just for fun. Totally awesome.
  • 8. Beverly Hills Cop
    Two words:Eddie Murphy
  • 7. Evil Dead 2
    Ash is da man!
  • 6. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    He did everything we wanted to do, and for that he kicks a**!
  • 5. Ghostbusters 2
    Just when you thought it was safe. . .
  • 4. Ghostbusters
    It's arguably the most hilarious movie of the decade
  • 3. Empire Strikes Back
    I reiterate:Star Wars is the ultimate! If the others were made in the 80s as well, they'd be on here.
  • 2. Return of the Jedi
    Star Wars and all its incarnations are the ultimate!
  • 1. Transformers:The Movie
    Hey, any movie that can attract Orson Welles, Leonard Nimoy, Judd Nelson, Eric Idle, and Robert Stack deserves high praise. This would be my favorite movie of all time without Star Wars, and every time I watch it I get chills. Like so many things in the 80s, Transformers has a long shelf life and remains a part of society's very fabric. I can't say how much fun I've had talking with other fans who have also tracked down the movie and the soundtrack! Check out the number of auctions on Ebay sometime, and you'll see exactly what I mean.
By: FlameStrike
  • 10. Star Trek 4:The Voyage Home
    Star Trek comes to 1986. Chekov looking for the "nuclear wessels" on the streets of San Francisco, Spock trying to get the hang of "colorful metaphors." Not the best effort on the 80's, but very nearly.
  • 9. The Living Daylights
    Another James Bond Film, this time introducing Timothy dalton to the role. Much better than his second time in the role.
  • 8. Crocodile Dundee 2
    Not as good as the original, but still hilarious.
  • 7. Battle of the Rockk Lords
    Like TF:TM, a fun movie with lots of action.
  • 6. St. Elmo's Fire
    Great story, cool soundtrack.
  • 5. Crocodile Dundee
    "Now that's a knife."
  • 4. A View to a Kill
    The final James Bond film with Roger Moore in the role. The title song done by Duran Duran was a nice bonus.
  • 3. Ghostbusters
    "He slimed me."
  • 2. Star Trek 2:The Wrath of Khan
    Bringng back one of the all-time best Trek villians, and some excellent space combat.
  • 1. Transformers:The Movie
    My all time fvorite movie. Continuing on from the TV series, introducing some great characters, and plenty of action. "I've got better things to do tonight than die!"
By: Lisa
  • 10. The Breakfast Club
    Who doesn't love this movie?
  • 9. The Dead Zone
    Christopher Walken and Cronenberg make the best movie of any StephenKing adaptation.
  • 8. At Close Range
    A gritty look at seedy rural crime. Sean Penn, Chris Walken, Chris Penn,Kiefer Sutherland, the acting is the best of any 80's movie.
  • 7. A View to a Kill
    Christopher Walken, Grace Jones, James Bond, and a KILLER Duran Duran song.
  • 6. Platoon
    Oliver Stone and Charlie Sheen - the 80's look back at 60's Vietnam.
  • 5. Cat People
    The sexiest star of the early 80's, Nastassja Kinski
  • 4. Videodrome
    The dark side of the 80's, Deborah Harry in a Cronenberg movie.
  • 3. Pretty in Pink
    High school cliques, Molly Ringwald.
  • 2. The Lost Boys
    Angsty, gorgeous teenage vampires Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patric,so 80's, so cool.
  • 1. Return of the Jedi
    What Gen Xer doesn't remember this as their favorite movie?
By: Lucy Cowen
  • 10. Weird Science
    My friend Jo says "Wyatt is cute"!
  • 9. St Elmo's Fire
    After seeing Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club - couldn't resist watching this one too!
  • 8. The Princess Bride
    Pure fantasy - ideal Sunday afternoon film with a nice cup of tea (I'm English) and a packet of Marlborough lights.
  • 7. E.T.
    I wanted an E.T. but my Mum wouldn't let me have one!
  • 6. Back to the Future
    Michael J Fox will always be the ultimate love of my life. I think he was the first and only crush I have ever had! Oh, forgetting Andrew Ridgeley!
  • 5. Amadeus
    Loved the costumes, loved the story line. All in all a first class film!
  • 4. Beetlejuice
    Wonderful film - made the thought of death all the more reassuring!
  • 3. The Lost Boys
    Freeky - glad I didn't live in that neighbourhood. Still don't like to lean back too far (i.e. submurge my head!) when I'm in the bath...
  • 2. The Breakfast Club
    Reminded me of detention at School!
  • 1. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    I have seen this film so many times, I could play every part off by heart. Not only is this my favourite movie of the 80's, but have to confess it is my favourite movie of all time - hope no-one thinks too badly of me!
Only just found this site yesterday and my work colleague who is also a great friend and I are total 80's freaks. She's has some superb photos of her hair styles through that decade!!!!!!!!!!!
By: Izzy Duck
And the Last Unicorn is the best cartoon movie of the eighties
By: Emily Humphrey
Honourable mention to:Say Anything, Pretty in Pink, Breaking All the Rules, Sixteen Candles
By: Karla
  • 10. A Nightmare on Elm Street
    Freddie Rules!!!!!!!!!!
  • 9. Heathers
    I secretly would have liked to see this situation in my High School.
  • 8. The Empire Strikes Back
    I loved all three, but this one was my favorite out of all of them. I've loved Harrison Ford ever since!
  • 7. A Christmas Story
    In my opinion, this is the best Christmas movie I think I ever saw. "I can't put my arms down!"
  • 6. Sixteen Candles
    A defining 80's movie
  • 5. Caddyshack
    Nothing beats the Baby Ruth in the swimming pool, and Bill Murray picking it up and eating it.
  • 4. National Lampoon's Vacation
    I always think of this movie when I go to amusement parks. (and when I get the urge to make Hamburger Helper--"I don't know why they call this hamburger helper, it does just fine by itself." And you can't forget strapping poor Aunt Edna to the roof of the car.
  • 3. Better Off Dead
    "I Want my $2"--that line made the movie
  • 2. The Breakfast Club
    Teen movies at their best!!!
  • 1. Ghostbusters
    Who Ya Gonna Call?????
By: Yeah, Probably
By: Jaime
Even though I'm only 14 I Love 80's movies. I also left out Back To The Future 2, Can't Buy Me love, One Crazy Summer, When Harry Met Sally and a few others I can't think of right now
By: Matt Schneider
By: Nick
  • 10. The Lost Boys
    I don't know if I can necessarily watch this movie repeatedly, but a cool, edgy movie stocked with pop culture references nonetheless. I remember renting this as a kid, before my mom (not wanting me to see it) forced me to return it to the video store. I eventually stumbled upon it though at like 19 or something when it was on TV, and thought that I probably would have enjoyed it back then as well.
  • 9. Die Hard
    The epitome of what action films in the nineties strived for. Although Rambo and Terminator were good flicks, this was the one that broke the mold. The last good movie of the eighties.
  • 8. Fast Times at Ridgemont Hight
    I went to Florida for vacation during Christmas of '82 when I was four years old, and believe me, everyone looked and dressed like the people in this movie.
  • 7. National Lampoon's Vacation
    Even though the sequels were decent, this was still the best of the bunch. There are parts of the edited version for TV that are even funnier sometimes than the original lines written. "Who I look like, Christopher Columbo ?!" being just one example.
  • 6. Dirty Dancing
    Being a heterosexual guy, I have no idea why I love this movie so much. Even the soundtrack's great. Just remember though, nobody....and I mean god dammit nobody... put's baby in the corner !
  • 5. The Goonies
    Don't tell me that you didn't try to emulate everything you saw in this film after you saw it. Including forcing fat kids to do the chug-a-lug.
  • 4. Ghostbusters
    I saw this the week after I finished kindergarten in June of '84, and I still dig it.
  • 3. The Karate Kid
    Karate lessons in North America jumped 400 % the year following this movie, and I was one of those lucky particpants. I was so obsessed with this movie as a kid, I actually rented it in the video store even though I already owned it at home.
  • 2. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
    One of the greatest pieces of art of the last twenty years. I still use quotes from this movie in my daily life.
  • 1. Back to the Future
    The 'Star Wars' of the Eighties Era of Children. The Ultimate 80's pop culture nostalgia tour.
Honourable mentions:Rocky III, IV; The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off; Stand by Me; Adventures in Babysitting; Wall Street; Police Academy III (even though when I watch it now it sucks); Commando; Every other Eddie Murphy flick; A Nightmare on Elm Street III, and about a million other movies that I either can't remember at this time, or were decent but not great. Basically my top ten picks were movies that I liked as a kid, and still like now. I excluded any serious stuff, and went simply for nostalgia that best represented the 80's.
By: Clark Luster
  • 10. Halloween
    1978, Although this movie came out in 1978, many did not see it till the 80s and Halloween II the sequel came out in 1981. John Carpenters films set a standard that many slasher movies find it hard to reach even today. Excellent cast, F/X, and music. How could you not love Jamie Lee Curtis
  • 9. Back To The Future
    1985, This movie has appeal to just about anyone. You have your Scifi time travel, great cars, nostalgic look at the 50s, comedic antics of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, and a wonderful story about how everything we do may have an affect on our future.
  • 8. Conan The Barbarian
    1982, This film really made Arnold Schwarzenegger a star. Although it had more appeal to men than women, it found a large audience even in those that did not usually go in for the hercules sword and sorcery type fantasy movies.
  • 7. Electric Dreams
    1984, A comedy movie about how computers can ruin your day that was ahead of its time. Good story, cast, and soundtrack.
  • 6. Beverly Hills Cop
    1984, Eddie Murphy at his comedic best in a cop movie that influences other cop movies and TV shows to follow.
  • 5. Princess Bride
    1987, A beautiful mix of action and comedy that had an excellent cast and director to mold it into a wonderful fantasy story for those 6-60.
  • 4. Blues Brothers
    1980, Another film comedy classic that will live on well beyond the lovers of SNL.
  • 3. Blade Runner
    1982, Ultimate SciFi vision that set standard for F/X movies to follow. A message that warns us that we should not lose sight of our human frailties in our technological world.
  • 2. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    1986, A fun romp that however unlikely the story, has something that appeals to everyone whether you ever played hooky from school or not.
  • 1. Breakfast Club
    1985, One movie that is timeless in showing the frustration of being a teen. I was a teen in the 60s, but I can certainly relate to the message

Previous List or Next List

We also have pages on this topic devoted to the 70s and 90s
Do You Have a Top Ten Song List to Share?

This site grows only with submissions from dedicated visitors like yourself. If you would like to reflect about a concert you attended, please fill out the form below.

Please use the The Top Ten 80s Movies submission page.