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: tom parker
  • 10. Can't Buy Me Love
    a classic teen film. geek becomes popular, then unpopular, then falls in love with a killer blonde in a VW Cabriolet. fantasy comes true.
  • 9. O.C. And Stiggs
    the best film by robert Altman. Hopper's best cameo ever. radical teens party and create havoc for a rich, selfish tycoon. their car is radical, perfect teen film. satirizes the upper classes.
  • 8. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    the ferrari scene is one of the best ever filmed. his friend is almost as funny as ferris. very identifiable. classic. ferris's girlfriend is killeer.
  • 7. Weird Science
    classic anthony michael Hall. the scene in the Rolls with the blonde is classic.
  • 6. Rattle And Hum
    Joanou's best directing job. U2 in their prime. the concert scenes in arizona's sundevil stadium are for the ages.
  • 5. Blame It On Rio
    michelle Johnson is gorgeous. Rio is rad. Michael Caine is great, he loves Rio, the best city on earth.
  • 4. River's Edge
    hopper is killer as the mysterious Fek character. crispin glover's best. spooky.
  • 3. Wall Street
    'greed is good.' 'tell me something I don't know.' 'joey likes blue star.' sheen's best. douglas's best. the perfect defining reagonomics movie.
  • 2. Fast Times At Ridgemont High
    could be number 1. spicolli is awesome. the z-28 crash is killer. 'my dad can fix it. he's got a rad set of tools.'
  • 1. Risky Business
    cruise's finest flick. de mornay is awesome. one of the best teen films of all time.
By: nick treaftis
By: Mary
  • 10. Care Bear Movie/Rainbow Brite & The Star Stealer
    Now shut up these two movies were movies i grew up watchin!
  • 9. The Sure Thing
    Like I said I'm a helpless romantic
  • 8. Can't Buy Me Love
    soO GOOD! i'm a helpless romantic! That last scene with them on the lawn mower is the best!
  • 7. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    So funny! Matthew Broderick is the best in this movie! "Bite the big one junior"
  • 6. Fast Times At Ridgemont High
    spicoli is the best!
  • 5. Sixteen Candles
    "Me?" "Yeah you" AWWW!!!
  • 4. Stand By Me
    VERNO!!! Such a good movie!!
  • 3. Say Anything
    I absolutely love this movie! i never had wanted to see it until my father made me sit down and watch it and i fell in love with it! "In Your Eyes"~Peter Gabriel is the best song in the world!
  • 2. The Goonies
    All i gotta say is...Chunk
  • 1. Breakfast Club
    Best movie ever!! "That man...is a brownie hound." Such a classic! The ending of that movie is just the best!
By: Polexxia
  • 10. Suburbia
    Hello, Penelope Spheeris! This movie seemed like a vindication for everyone who ever had a fux0red family life.
  • 9. Decline Of Western Civilization, Part II
    The Metal Years. But seriously, this movie seemed, at one time, to be the height of aspiration for me and my friends. So sad and silly when I look back on it.
  • 8. River's Edge
    Another creepy one, redeemed by an absolutely stellar performance by Crispin Glover
  • 7. Smooth Talk
    Another period piece (by which I mean, it feels exactly like that time did), even though it creeps me out. Laura Dern's never been so good since.
  • 6. Ladies And Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains
    Another obscurity. And yeah, I can see huge flaws in it, twenty years down the pike, but still.... the energy was there.
  • 5. Anna To The Infinite Power
    A cheesy little Afterschool Special about a girl who's been cloned. However, the movie was WAY better than the book, for various reasons.
  • 4. The Breakfast Club
    Still incredibly timely, even though in reality, there wouldn't have been that sort of bonding among them all.
  • 3. The Outsiders
    Who among us Eighties teens didn't have to watch this at least once in English class? But still totally worthy of a mention, if only for the cast, most of whom became major Eighties stars. Took place in the Sixties, but who woulda known?
  • 2. Streets Of Fire
    Total pap, and I love it. It's like the longest music video, but it's worth it JUST for the sledgehammer duel near the end.
  • 1. Over The Edge
    Technically from 1979, but I, like so many others, did not discover it until HBO/Cinemax in the Eighties, as it didn't get much release. A bit dated in spots, yet oh so true in others.
Interestingly, every movie I chose (except Anna, which takes place in the future) still FEELS real. The acting wasn't always great, but they so capture the moment, that I can't help but love them. And, yeah, you've noticed I like Diane Lane :)And just 'cause I suck, number 11 would be Heathers :) 12 would be Surviving. And the longer I do this, the more great movies I remember!
By: shanna herlihy
i think most of the movies i like are the most common 80's movies but im only 13 give me a brake most girls my age like watching stupid movies like scary movie and not another teen movie dumb movies that make fun of good movies oh yeah when i saw not another teen movie at my friends house i got pissed when i saw them making fun of the breakfast club
By: Jamie
  • 10. Friday The 13th
    1 and 8 were the best. Can't wait for Jason X.
  • 9. Crimes Of Passion
    Kathleen Turner, fashion designer by day, prostitute by night with mad priest stalker Antony Perkins.
  • 8. Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home
    Much better than the previous ones. I liked the way they went back in time and were on earth in the 80's. Great idea and great movie. Good mixture of action, sco-fi and humour
  • 7. Aliens
    The best of the three in my opinion. Sigourney Weavers hair was awful though. Should've kept it longer.
  • 6. Fright Night
    Really good horror flick.
  • 5. The Man With Two Brains
    Dumb but hilarious. Kathleen Turner and Steve Martin made a great duo.
  • 4. Weird Science
    I liked this movie a lot. Great soundtrack and very funny.
  • 3. Nightmare On Elm Street
    Bit of a Freddy fan. Best were 1, 3 and 4. Wes Craven's New Nightmare was also good in the 90's.
  • 2. Polyester
    I have to admit i do like mainstream John Waters movies and I really like this one. It's almost as good as Hairspray. Divine plasy Francine Fishpaw the wife of the local adult theatre owner and mother to a foot fetishist junkie and a tramp daugter. It's excellent and the music is by Chris Stein and Debbie Harry of Blondie.
  • 1. Hairspray
    Best film ever!!!! Ricki Lake is brilliant, Divine is even better. It puts me in a happy mood every time i watch it (and that's a lot). It's all about discrimination and overcoming it. I wish New Line would release it on DVD in the UK soon, my VHS is wearing out. Watch out for Debbie Harry playing a future Vitamin C's mother.
Honourable mentions for Romancing The Stone, the Police Academy movies, and Best Little Whorehouse In Texas.
By: Ken
By: J.S.
By: Kevin Scott
Up In Smoke & Weird Science were both really close to making this list.
By: Chris
By: Micah
  • 10. Porky's
    The first set of breasts I ever saw.
  • 9. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    Every kid wanted to be just like Farris.
  • 8. Footloose
    everybody cut loose
  • 7. Lethal Weapon
    possibly the best action movie from the 80's.
  • 6. E.T.
    If you haven't seen this movie you were living under a rock.
  • 5. Gremlins
    Come on. Who didn't love the gremlins.
  • 4. Poltergeist
    One of the scariest films of my youth.
  • 3. A Nightmare On Elm Street
    Brought a fresh perspective to played out slasher films.
  • 2. Empire Strikes Back
    the best movie in the star wars trilogy
  • 1. Pink Floyd The Wall
    all around the most inivative film in this era.
By: Beneath Blue Neon Lights
  • 10. Footloose
    Kevin Bacon 'dancing' I think that should be enough to give you one hint.
  • 9. Just On Of The Guys
    Ever wonder what it would be like to be taken seriously if you make one "simple" change, this change is anything but "simple".
  • 8. Tootsie
    Take one wild ride with this hill-arrious movie!! Go Dutin Hoffman!!!
  • 7. Legend
    Top 80s people combine to make a great movie where good defends the world: Tom Cruise "Top Gun", Mia Sara "Ferris Buller's Day Off", and Tim Curry "Clue"
  • 6. Big Buisness
    Middler and Tomlin do on "Big" load of "Buisness" in this movie. There's so much to say about this movie, but if I told you I'd give it all away. So if you hven't seen it, please rent it today.
  • 5. Dirty Dancing
    If you watch this movie and don't like it, you probably aren't a big fan of the 80s, but we forgive you.
  • 4. Sixteen Candles
    I'm sure all girls want their crushes to like them back, but this movie adds a lot of cofusion and conflict to spice it up. The "Donger" is one funny guy when he says: "What's happening hot stuff?"
  • 3. The Lost Boys
    Corey Feldman and Jason Patric two teens who really do get to show their talents.
  • 2. Fright Night
    Chris Sarandon just about cuts it as the sexiest vampire in the movies, there's just one thing the make-up he wears really does conceal his "Heat" (what a "Hottie" gives off to other people).
  • 1. Labyrinth
    Jareth, The Goblin King was the man who'd give you anything you wanted all you would have to do in about his words "Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I'll be your slave". Well at least on the film itself.
i've said a few, but i didn't have anymore space. the 80s completely rocks out of this world!
By: raina ray
By: Katie
By: Lesley
  • 10. Desperately Seeking Susan
    Madonna's best movie, IMO.
  • 9. Sixteen Candles
    Great debut for Molly.....the Queen of Teenage Angst. Face it, ladies....we were ALL Samantha at some point in our lives.
  • 8. Innerspace
    Cute, campy, and fun. What else does an 80's movie need?
  • 7. Ghostbusters
    Still makes me laugh everytime I see it. You never looked a marshmallows the same way again after seeing this one!
  • 6. Dirty Dancing
    C'mon gals...admit it. Was there any one of us who didn't WISH they were Jennifer Grey during the last scene of this flick?
  • 5. The Outsiders
    Probably the cutest collection of future brat-packers ever assembled together on one screen. And the movie wasn't bad either! ;)
  • 4. Return Of The Jedi
    Not the best of the Star Wars flicks, but it definitely took the excessive nature of the 80's into account!
  • 3. Real Genius
    Lost count of how many times I watched this movie growing up. An early and very memorable glimpse of Val Kilmer's talent.
  • 2. Heathers
    Wonderfully satirical, but can any of us watch it and truly say that we DIDN'T know someone in school like one of the Heathers?
  • 1. The Breakfast Club
    This movie, above all others, totally defined being a teen in the 80's.
By: keith
  • 10. Broadway Danny Rose
    a woody alllen classic,,,,maybe his best ever,,,,,talking about a lovable loser
  • 9. Wall Street
    greed is good!,, helped me understand what was happening in the decade of the 80's
  • 8. Platoon
    a movie that helped me to understand what a generation before me had to live and deal with
  • 7. Vacation
    one of chevys funniest movies ever,,,,didnt stop laughing from to start to end
  • 6. Pretty In Pink
    another hughes classic, where in the end love wins
  • 5. Sixteen Candles
    fun, romantic, and a john hughes classic
  • 4. Caddyshack
    maybe the funniest movie i ever seen,,,,,noonan
  • 3. Rumble Fish
    again matt dillon was the fonz of the 80's
  • 2. The Outsiders
    at fifteen who doesnt feel like an outsider,and wasnt matt dillon cool
  • 1. Valley Girl
    what can i say,,,real funny and sweet
By: Serena
  • 10. Heathers
    This movie is so totally different from anything I've seen, but it's great! You gotta love the shoulder pads, croquet, and Cristian Slater in this film!!
  • 9. Friday The 13th
    Oversexed teenagers go camping?? Ooh a must see!! haha
  • 8. A Nightmare On Elm Street
    Didn't scare me, but it is just SO good! You've got to see it
  • 7. Say Anything
    Very good movie, with John Cusack looking hot in it!
  • 6. For Keeps?
    Starring Molly Ringwald, it's a very different role for her
  • 5. Fast Times At Ridgemont High
    This movie is sooo hilarious! A typical teenage movie, but great nontheless!!!
  • 4. Sixteen Candles
    This is a year before the "Breakfast Club" and it has Molly & Anthony in it, so it's kinda the same, but also an original idea that probably wouldn't have been thought of in the '90s or '00s.
  • 3. Dirty Dancing
    ohh two words for you: Patrick Swazye!
  • 2. The Breakfast Club
    We've all seen this one...it's a funny, sweet movie. I love it
  • 1. Sleepaway Camp
    sleepaway camp is the best movie out there. it's cheesy, but in a good way, and the ending is unbelievable!
All I've got to say is, the 80s movies are definatly the best. Just think about it, if these movies had never been made, it would have stayed that way, because not a lot of movies today are that good!
By: Andrew Wood
  • 10. Porky's
    American Pie really dosent live up to it, do you think?
  • 9. Airplaine!
    I want the gate locked, the dog fed, and kids in bed by nine. and get a note to the milkman: no more cheese!
  • 8. Breakfast Club
    Can you define that ruckus?
  • 7. Empire Strikes Back
    But, what if he dosen't survive? Those snowtroopers are great. Just like Back to the Future, A New Hope would be on here, but it was in '77.
  • 6. Back To The Future
    Don't get me wrong I love this one too! III was out in '90 (sorry, not 80's)
  • 5. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    Dont tell me you didn't want to be like Ferris Bueller
  • 4. Back To The Future Part II
    I can be bored. Once I pop this in, it all suddenly goes away.
  • 3. Wargames
    There's just something about this movie that makes it one of my favorites.
  • 2. Karate Kid
    Not just inspirational for Karate.
  • 1. Return Of The Jedi
    It was this movie that got me hooked on Star Wars.
Porky's II: The Next Day, rest of Karate Kid films, Footloose, Flashdance
By: Erin
  • 10. License To Drive
    Great movie with Corey Haim and Corey Feldman!
  • 9. Back To The Future!
    Great movie
  • 8. The Burbs
    This was a pretty good movie not the best but not bad at all.
  • 7. Rocky
    great movie I have seen it over a dozen times but never get sick of it.
  • 6. E.T
    What can I say this one is a classic.
  • 5. Ferris Buller's Day Off
    What can I say I have seen this movies so many times but I seem to never get sick of it I love the scence where he does twist and shout!
  • 4. Lost Boys
    great movie with Corey Feldman and Corey Haim this movie just has it all.
  • 3. The Outsiders
    Great movie and book. I had to read this book for a class project once and I have fallen in love with it.
  • 2. Stand By Me
    What can I say this movie is awesome. This movie talked about friendship and how the kids stuck together through thick and thin I will never forget this movie. River Phoneix did a tremendous job in this flim and I will remeber him forever for the role he played
  • 1. The Goonies
    What can I say this is a classic that is a muct see for everyone that hasen't seen it. I must have seen this movie a thousand times and I never get tired of it. Best Movie Ever. Chunk Rules! Goonies Never Say Die!
By: spidr

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