50 Best 80s Movies You Can Watch Right Now
Imagine, if you will, a time of wild economic inequality, global conflict and Donald Trump every time you turn on the TV. But all this in neon lights and with a much cooler soundtrack. I’m talking, of course, about the 80s: the decade that gave us Spike Lee, Hayao Miyazaki, Tim Burton, John Hughes and Cher (but, you know, a serious actress). Arnold blew up a whole bunch of stuff; Michael J. Fox went back in time to avoid sleeping with his mom; Eddie Murphy made cops seem fun and approachable; and people walked around and asked, “Where’s the beef?” for reasons that remain unclear even to historians. It’s been quite a while.
It was also an era when beloved blockbusters could come in all shapes and sizes, and there were almost 100% fewer Marvel films. The decade’s massive hits included action films, as well as romantic comedies, horror films and family dramas. It doesn’t have the reputation of the 1970s as a golden age of cinema, but there is something to be said for the sheer volume of enduring classics produced by the decade’s filmmakers. Here are some of the best and where to find them.
Steel Magnolias (1989)
Mention this movie to the right crowd and you’ll see tears welling up in your eyes, but it’s also very funny, completely quotable and full of great performances from the all-star team of Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Julia Roberts and Daryl Hannah. You can stream Steel Magnolias on Max or rent it on Prime Video .
Moonlight (1987)
Cher won an Oscar for her portrayal of Italian-American widow Loretta Castorini, who decides whether to live comfortably in middle age with the man her parents want for her or go crazy with her brother, played by Nicolas Cage. You can stream Moonstruck on Prime Video , The Criterion Channel, The Roku Channel and Pluto TV.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Director Spike Lee scored his greatest triumph with this funny, quotable, and ultimately explosive film about the racial tensions that erupt in a Brooklyn neighborhood on a hot summer day. You can watch Do the Right Thing on Netflix or rent it from Prime Video .
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
Eddie Murphy was never hotter than in the first film of this action-comedy that turned him from comic genius to international superstar. If you grew up in the 1980s, try listening to some of the soundtrack without being transported. You can rent Beverly Hills Cop from Prime Video .
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
Rosanna Arquette stars in director Susan Seidelman’s cult classic as a bored New Jersey housewife who goes after the free-spirited punk girl (Madonna) she’s infatuated with and ends up taking on her persona to find fulfillment. Madonna was on the cusp of megastardom, but the film also featured standout performances from Laurie Metcalf, Aidan Quinn, John Turturro and Giancarlo Esposito. You can stream Desperately Seeking Susan on Max or rent it on Prime Video .
Terminator (1984)
James Cameron hit it big with this smart, exciting sci-fi action film about a killer robot from the future (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sent back in time to kill a waitress before she can give birth to the savior of humanity. (As if you didn’t know all this.) Arnold is a household name, but Linda Hamilton’s beleaguered Sarah Conner is stealing the franchise. You can stream The Terminator on MGM+ and The Roku Channel, or rent it on Prime Video .
Beetlejuice (1988)
Tim Burton is at his strangest and wildest in this homage to the afterlife, in which the ghosts of Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin team up with Michael Keaton’s lewd poltergeist to scare a living family out of their home. You can rent Beetlejuice from Prime Video .
Top Gun (1986)
Tom Cruise feels the need for speed in this action-packed film about sweaty competitive pilots who definitely like the girls. Definitely. You can stream Top Gun on Paramount+ and Prime Video .
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
This beautifully animated Hayao Miyazaki favorite follows sisters Satsuka and Mei as they move into an old country house with their father to await their mother’s long-awaited recovery from illness. In the house they find playful spirits who lead them on an adventure. You can stream My Neighbor Totoro on Max or rent it on Prime Video .
Desert Hearts (1985)
A divorced professor, Vivian (Helen Shaver), goes to a cattle ranch where she meets Kay (Patricia Charbonneau), the rancher’s daughter, who helps Vivian come out of her shell. A charming romance, and also, refreshingly, one of the few LGBTQ+ films of the era that didn’t lean toward tragedy. You can stream Desert Hearts on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it from Prime Video .
Back to the Future (1985)
Great Scott! Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd combine brilliantly in this time-traveling comedy in which Marty McFly visits the 50s and explores the lives of his parents when they were in high school. And he discovers that his mother is in love with him. Heavy. You can rent Back to the Future from Prime Video .
Child’s Play (1988)
The progenitor of one of our most enduring slasher franchises (seven films and television series, all written and/or directed by Chucky creator Don Mancini), Child’s Play works largely because it knows how ridiculous the idea itself is. Brad Dourif voices murderer Charles Lee Ray, who casts a spell before he dies that turns his soul into a doll. It has strong thrills and a self-aware sense of humor that will serve the series well for decades to come, even as it has gotten a lot weirder. You can stream Child’s Play on Max or rent it on Prime Video .
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
In the sea of teen slacker comedies that were popular in the early 1980s, Fast Times is something different, with director Amy Heckerling and writer Cameron Crowe capturing the silly minutiae of high school life. There’s a lot of raunchy humor here, but at its core it’s a coming-of-age film about the awkwardness of nascent sexuality. You can rent Fast Times at Ridgemont High from Prime Video .
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Jennifer Gray and Patrick Swayze shine here in what is without a doubt the sexiest movie ever set at a family-friendly resort in the Catskills. But still somehow touching? You can rent Dirty Dancing from Prime Video .
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
I’m sure no one back in the early 1980s thought we’d still be going to see Indiana Jones movies, but Raiders of the Lost Ark is that good. The sequels may have diluted its power a bit, but it’s a real adventure. You can stream Raiders of the Lost Ark on Disney+ or rent it on Prime Video .
Lean on Me (1989)
Morgan Freeman plays the real-life Joe Louis Clark, the principal of Eastside High School in Paterson, New Jersey. The real story might have been a little more complicated, but Freeman’s Clark is terrific: a tough, no-nonsense educator willing to do whatever it takes to lead his students to the film’s rousing conclusion. You can rent Lean on Me on Prime Video .
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek had a broader pop culture moment in the 1980s, culminating in this heartfelt and genuinely funny time travel adventure in which the crew must travel back in time to save the whales. The result is both a time capsule of the era and a timeless, charming fish-out-of-water tale, filled with colorful metaphors and nuclear ships. You can stream Star Trek IV on Paramount+ or rent it from Prime Video .
Batman (1989)
Travel with me to an era before we were sick and tired of superheroes. Tim Burton’s weird and stylish take on the comic book crime fighter is weird, funny and sexy, capable of scaring the hell out of today’s signature blockbusters. You can stream Batman on Max or rent it on Prime Video .
My Beautiful Laundry (1985)
Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Omar (Gordon Warnecke) are a completely different couple: Johnny is a former right-wing skinhead, and Omar is a British Pakistani from a wealthy family. Despite the trials of being an interracial gay couple in Thatcher’s Britain, romance blossoms when they both set about renovating a run-down laundry. You can stream My Beautiful Laundry on Prime Video and Pluto TV.
Return of the Living Dead (1985)
This punk horror-comedy is both a clever parody of zombie films and an impressively gory thriller that pushes the entire genre forward. It also has a great death rock soundtrack. You can stream Return of the Living Dead on MGM+, Tubi and Pluto TV, or rent it on Prime Video .
I’m Gonna Give You Bitch (1988)
Before making the cult classic In Living Color in the 1990s, Keenan Ivory Wayans directed this deeply silly but often hilarious parody of the previous generation of blaxploitation films. The cast includes not only up-and-coming (at the time) actors like Chris Rock and Don Lewis, but also many of the stars of the films it parodies (Bernie Casey, Isaac Hayes, etc.). You can stream I’m Gonna Git You Sucka on Pluto TV and The Roku Channel or rent it on Prime Video .
Body Warmth (1981)
Kathleen Turner stars in Lawrence Kasdan’s neo-noir as one of cinema’s femme fatales, playing a very dangerous (and very often naked) game with William Hurt. Classic erotic thriller. You can rent Body Heat from Prime Video .
The Color Purple (1985)
Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel is both intimate and epic. The life of poor, abused, abandoned Celie (Whoopi Goldberg) unfolds as a hero’s journey as compelling as any in cinematic mythology, set against the backdrop of a larger crisis of slavery and prejudice in the young United States. The recent musical adaptation is great, but there’s still plenty of room for a quieter adaptation. You can rent The Color Purple from Prime Video .
Hollywood Shuffle (1987)
Robert Townsend stars as Bobby Taylor, a satire about the perils of navigating the Hollywood system for an actor who is both too black and not black enough for the tastes of studio bosses. Through elaborate fantasy scenes and parodies of popular films, Townsend creates poignant and often extremely funny stories that are, unfortunately, still relevant today. You can stream Hollywood Shuffle on Prime Video , Tubi, The Roku Channel and Pluto TV.
Stay with Me (1986)
One of the best Stephen King adaptations doesn’t qualify as horror at all, but is a coming-of-age drama set in the 1950s about four best friends who go on a quest to find a dead body. The film depicts both the real and imagined trials of growing up. You can stream Stand By Me on Max or rent it on Prime Video .
Purple Rain (1984)
The plot, of course, is subtle… but that’s not the point. Prince plays The Kid, who escapes an abusive home to make his mark in the music world and faces off against a rival trying to steal the limelight and his girlfriend. Part narrative, part concert film and part music video, Purple Rain was intended as a showcase for Prince’s talents, and it absolutely captured him at the height of his purple powers. You can rent Purple Rain from Prime Video .
Field of Dreams (1989)
One of the most beloved sports movies is also a dreamy fantasy about a farmer (Kevin Costner) who builds a baseball stadium in the middle of a cornfield to attract a bunch of ghosts who might want to play a few games there, but really just want to play catch with their dad one last time. Stupid premise? Perhaps, but it feels like a fairy tale and evokes real emotions. You can stream Field of Dreams on Netflix or rent it from Prime Video .
The Karate Kid (1984)
The film that not only started the karate mania of the 1980s, but also a franchise that has lived a surprisingly long life. This movie has everything you’d want in an uplifting underdog sports movie: nerdy underdog Daniel (Ralph Macchio) arrives in a new town where he becomes the immediate target of bullies (including William Zabka’s Johnny) – until he meets mentor Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). It all builds up to a fun finale with some catchy 80’s tunes. You can stream The Karate Kid on Hulu or rent it on Prime Video .
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The second Star Wars film remains the best of the entire series. Building on the Flash Gordon- inspired original, Empire goes deeper and darker, finding real emotional resonance among its core characters while also putting some truly awesome space action at the center. It’s the thrill that the franchise (and perhaps all blockbuster movies) have been striving for for decades. You can stream The Empire Strikes Back on Disney+ or rent it on Prime Video.
Spaceballs (1987)
Maybe you’re a little bored with Star Wars -style space action movies? There’s no better antidote than Mel Brooks’ classic, which effectively misrepresents not only the sci-fi tropes the series relies on, but also the vast trading empire it spawned ( Spaceballs : Flamethrower!). Even George Lucas liked it . You can stream Spaceballs on Prime Video .
Cinema Paradiso (1988)
In a war-torn Sicilian town, young Salvatore escapes his alternately mundane and terrifying daily life and life at the movies by befriending an old projectionist who later encourages him to pursue his love of filmmaking. It’s a beautiful ode to the power of cinema, filled with memorable, colorful characters and an all-time great ending. You can rent Cinema Paradiso from Prime Video.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
One of John Hughes’ funniest (and, bonus, least problematic) films, it’s a joyful tribute to the ability to give up everything you should be doing in favor of much cooler things. It’s impossible that the film’s main trio (Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara and Alan Ruck) would have learned as much if they had gone to school. You can stream Ferris Bueller on Pluto TV or rent it on Prime Video .
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (1988)
The beloved horror host makes her big-screen debut in this gloriously silly film in which Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) travels to the small, conservative town of Fallwell, Massachusetts, where her skimpy clothes and brash behavior quickly turn much of the town against her. It’s kind of like Footloose with black magic and boobs. You can stream Elvira on Tubi, Pluto TV, AMC+, The Roku Channel and Prime Video .
The Dark Crystal (1982)
Jim Henson and company continue The Muppet Show with this rich, dark fantasy about a pair of Gelflings trying to restore balance to their world. The endlessly greedy Skeksis are nightmares, but they also serve as a warning about the dangers of unbridled greed, which we should take seriously. Henson was not afraid to challenge audiences of all ages with a complex moral message. You can stream The Dark Crystal on Prime Video , Hulu , Peacock , Pluto TV and Shout Factory TV.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)
A technical triumph for director Robert Zemeckis, Roger Rabbit is also a fun tribute to the Hollywood of yore and the hardboiled detective films that were once a ubiquitous genre in their own right. Bob Hoskins plays Eddie Valiant, a drunk and angry guy hired to investigate allegations that cartoon star Roger’s wife is having an affair. Cartoon stars from Bugs Bunny to Betty Boop appear in cameo roles. You can stream Who Framed Roger Rabbit on Disney+ or rent it on Prime Video .
Police Story (1985)
The plot is nothing new: Jackie Chan plays a cop who single-handedly takes down a major drug dealer in Hong Kong, but then has to protect the man’s secretary with some help from his own girlfriend (Maggie Cheung). No matter: the action-comedy features some of the most exciting sequences of Chan’s career (which is really saying something), including an iconic sequence during which the actor falls through a series of exploding light bulbs and fixtures in several stories. You can stream Police Story on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it on Apple TV .
My Dinner with Andre (1981)
A casual dinner conversation between Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn turns wildly existential in director Louis Malle’s endlessly entertaining classic. ” Boring ” in the best sense. You can stream My Dinner with Andre on Max and The Criterion Channel or rent it on Prime Video .
Highlander (1986)
Immortal beings roam the earth, forced to fight to the death with swords because there can only be one of them. Or something like that. The silly idea is played out with dead seriousness by Christopher Lambert as the titular Highlander. As a result, the film works as both a sci-fi action thriller and pure camp, ably aided by Sean Connery’s Ramirez, an immortal Egyptian from Spain who, for some reason, sounds entirely Scottish. Queen’s theme song “Princes of the Universe” is simply amazing. You can stream Highlander on Tubi, Peacock , Prime Video and Pluto TV.
The Untouchables (1987)
A very loose history lesson by Brian De Palma about Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) as he forms a team (with the help of Sean Connery) to take down Al Capone (Robert De Niro). This is a popular crime thriller that also offers brilliant performances and deft, smart direction. You can stream The Untouchables on Peacock and MGM+, or rent it on Prime Video .
Harlem Nights (1989)
Eddie Murphy directed and starred in this period piece set in a Prohibition-era bar full of gangsters and gamblers. It doesn’t quite work, but it’s a unique cast that includes Murphy, Richard Pryor, Red Foxx, Della Reese, Jasmine Guy, Arsenio Hall, etc., and it’s a lot of fun to see them all share the screen together. You can stream Harlem Nights on Tubi, Paramount+ and Pluto TV, or rent it on Prime Video .
Ghostbusters (1984)
There was a skill to 80s comedies that I’m not sure still exists: take something like Ghostbusters or Back to the Future , sci-fi comedies that don’t feel overly bombastic and with jokes that land at least as often as they don’t. There’s a reason we’re still watching them. You can stream Ghostbusters on Max or rent it on Prime Video .
The Little Mermaid (1989)
As much as the recent live-action remake is loved, it’s unlikely to fully replace the original, gorgeously animated Disney classic. With its slightly subversive themes and massive box office success, the film also almost single-handedly revived the then-Disney company into the company it is today (with all the good and bad that entails). You can stream The Little Mermaid on Disney+ or rent it on Prime Video .
Blue Velvet (1986)
David Lynch’s neo-noir begins with a college student finding a severed human ear in a field, leading him into a world of strange sex and violence. It introduces several of the director’s main themes, particularly the idea of a small town that seems completely normal until you pull back the curtain, at which point it looks like a David Lynch film. Isabella Rossellini, Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern and Dean Stockwell lead the impressive cast. You can stream Blue Velvet on Max or rent it on Apple TV .
Akira (1988)
This beautiful cyberpunk classic is set in the dystopian year 2019. Biker Kaneda is forced to fight his friend Tetsuo after he gains telekinetic powers in an accident. The incredibly dynamic film and its highly detailed world set a new standard for anime – we are still living in the world of animation that Akira gave birth to. You can stream Akira on Crunchyroll .
They Live (1988)
The metaphor in this John Carpenter classic isn’t particularly subtle, but that’s for the best. Roddy Piper plays a nameless drifter who comes to realize that there are secret subliminal messages everywhere: they tell us to shop more, stick with the status quo – in other words, never question American-style capitalism. Everything is put in jeopardy when our protagonist gains glasses that allow him to see the truth around him. You can rent They Live on Prime Video .
Hint (1985)
A star-studded comedy murder mystery? Klue was in Knives Out before that movie even crossed Rian Johnson’s radar, and it’s deliciously stupid. It wasn’t particularly popular upon its initial release, but has since become a cult classic. You can stream Clue on Pluto TV or rent it from Prime Video .
Running Man (1987)
This is the future as it was imagined in the 1980s, and it’s actually not that far off. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a criminal forced to compete in a competition program, the film anticipated our reality-focused television culture, the use of artificial intelligence and other technologies to alter perceived reality, and our ever-increasing willingness to allow entertainment to distract us from what is actually happening around us. This fun little action movie feels almost prophetic. You can stream The Running Man on Paramount+ and MGM+, or rent it on Prime Video .
The Princess Bride (1987)
An impeccably entertaining fantasy, The Princess Bride works on almost every level: as a quotable comedy, a fast-paced romance, and a Robin Hood-style action movie that has fun with the tropes of such films. Just a delight. You can stream The Princess Bride on Disney+ and Hulu , or buy it on Prime Video .
Raising Arizona (1987)
It’s not always the first film that comes to mind when we think of the Coen brothers, but this wildly over-the-top kidnapping crime comedy (by Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter), while crazy, is ultimately quite sweet. You can rent Raising Arizona from Prime Video .
Die Hard (1988)
It’s a Christmas movie that came out and filmed It’s a Wonderful Life right from the 35th floor of the Nakatomi Plaza Tower. A great classic action movie. You can stream Die Hard on Prime Video and Hulu .