The best 1980s films
by ellie-haynie | created - 18 Jun 2012 | updated - 18 Jun 2012 | PublicThis is a list of some films from the 1980s that I really enjoy. They are in no particular order.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. The Lost Boys (1987)
R | 97 min | Comedy, Horror
After moving to a new town, two brothers discover that the area is a haven for vampires.
Director: Joel Schumacher | Stars: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Dianne Wiest, Barnard Hughes
Votes: 160,449 | Gross: $32.22M
2. The Outsiders (1983)
PG | 91 min | Crime, Drama
In a small Oklahoma town in 1964, the rivalry between two gangs, the poor Greasers and the rich Socs, heats up when one gang member accidentally kills a member of the other.
Director: Francis Ford Coppola | Stars: C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze
Votes: 96,986 | Gross: $25.60M
3. Red Dawn (1984)
PG-13 | 114 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
It is the dawn of World War III. In the west mountains of America, a group of teenagers band together to defend their town, and their country, from invading Soviet forces.
Director: John Milius | Stars: Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen
Votes: 62,820 | Gross: $38.38M
4. Footloose (1984)
PG | 107 min | Drama, Music, Romance
A city teenager moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.
Director: Herbert Ross | Stars: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest
Votes: 91,451 | Gross: $80.04M
5. Top Gun (1986)
PG | 109 min | Action, Drama
As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.
Director: Tony Scott | Stars: Tom Cruise, Tim Robbins, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer
Votes: 500,097 | Gross: $179.80M
6. St. Elmo's Fire (1985)
R | 110 min | Drama, Romance
A group of friends, just out of college, struggle with adulthood.
Director: Joel Schumacher | Stars: Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Emilio Estevez
Votes: 46,177 | Gross: $37.80M
7. The Breakfast Club (1985)
R | 97 min | Comedy, Drama
Five high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a great deal more in common than they thought.
Director: John Hughes | Stars: Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy
Votes: 434,849 | Gross: $45.88M
8. Young Guns (1988)
R | 107 min | Action, Drama, Western
A group of young gunmen, led by Billy the Kid, become deputies to avenge the murder of the rancher who became their benefactor. But when Billy takes their authority too far, they become the hunted.
Director: Christopher Cain | Stars: Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Charlie Sheen
Votes: 67,721 | Gross: $45.66M
9. The Goonies (1985)
PG | 114 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
A group of young misfits called The Goonies discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate's long-lost treasure.
Director: Richard Donner | Stars: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman
Votes: 297,255 | Gross: $61.50M
10. Dream a Little Dream (1989)
PG-13 | 114 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
An accident puts the consciousness of an elderly dream researcher into the body of a bratty teenager. The problem? The kid prefers dreamworld limbo to real life.
Director: Marc Rocco | Stars: Corey Feldman, Jason Robards, Corey Haim, Piper Laurie
Votes: 7,787 | Gross: $5.55M
11. Lucas (1986)
PG-13 | 100 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A socially inept fourteen-year-old experiences heartbreak for the first time when his two best friends - Cappie, an older-brother figure, and Maggie, the new girl with whom he is in love - fall for each other.
Director: David Seltzer | Stars: Corey Haim, Kerri Green, Charlie Sheen, Courtney Thorne-Smith
Votes: 17,473 | Gross: $8.20M
12. Stand by Me (1986)
R | 89 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
A writer recounts a childhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing boy.
Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell
Votes: 439,814 | Gross: $52.29M
13. That Was Then... This Is Now (1985)
R | 102 min | Crime, Drama
Two juvenile delinquents find themselves growing apart, for one is growing up, and the other is staying young and reckless.
Director: Christopher Cain | Stars: Emilio Estevez, Craig Sheffer, Larry B. Scott, Matthew Dudley
Votes: 2,671 | Gross: $8.63M
14. Illegally Yours (1988)
PG | 102 min | Comedy, Crime
A college dropout called for jury duty tries to prove his childhood crush innocent.
Director: Peter Bogdanovich | Stars: Rob Lowe, Colleen Camp, Kenneth Mars, Kim Myers
Votes: 1,220 | Gross: $0.26M
15. License to Drive (1988)
PG-13 | 88 min | Comedy
A teen decides to go for a night on the town with his friends despite flunking his driver's test.
Director: Greg Beeman | Stars: Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Carol Kane, Richard Masur
Votes: 22,529 | Gross: $22.43M
16. Youngblood (1986)
R | 110 min | Drama, Romance, Sport
A 17 year old farm boy is offered an ice hockey tryout. His brother drives him to Canada. He has fast legs, slow fists, but is chosen. Will he learn to use his fists and play ice hockey the Canuck way? Will he get the coach's cute daughter?
Director: Peter Markle | Stars: Rob Lowe, Cynthia Gibb, Patrick Swayze, Ed Lauter
Votes: 15,813 | Gross: $15.45M
17. The Brotherhood of Justice (1986 TV Movie)
R | 97 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Keanu Reeves, Kiefer Sutherland, and Billy Zane star as high-school students who start a vigilante group to combat crime in their neighborhood.
Director: Charles Braverman | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Kiefer Sutherland, Lori Loughlin, Joe Spano
Votes: 2,343
18. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
PG | 90 min | Adventure, Comedy, Music
Two rock-'n-rolling teens, on the verge of failing their class, set out on a quest to make the ultimate school history report after being presented with a time machine.
Director: Stephen Herek | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin, Terry Camilleri
Votes: 141,251 | Gross: $40.49M
19. Parenthood (1989)
PG-13 | 124 min | Comedy, Drama
Four Buckman siblings attempt to raise their children - each in their own different style - and deal with the joys and sorrows that the process brings.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Steve Martin, Mary Steenburgen, Dianne Wiest, Jason Robards
Votes: 54,600 | Gross: $100.05M
20. Pretty in Pink (1986)
PG-13 | 97 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A poor girl must choose between the affections of dating her childhood sweetheart or a rich but sensitive playboy.
Director: Howard Deutch | Stars: Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Harry Dean Stanton, Annie Potts
Votes: 88,317 | Gross: $40.47M
21. Mannequin (1987)
PG | 90 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
A young artist, searching for his vocation, makes a mannequin so perfect he falls in love with it. Finding the mannequin in a store window, he gets a job there and his creation comes to life.
Director: Michael Gottlieb | Stars: Andrew McCarthy, Kim Cattrall, Estelle Getty, James Spader
Votes: 35,515 | Gross: $42.72M
22. Less Than Zero (1987)
R | 98 min | Crime, Drama
A college freshman returns to L.A. for the holidays at his ex-girlfriend's request, but discovers that his former best friend has an out-of-control drug habit.
Director: Marek Kanievska | Stars: Andrew McCarthy, Jami Gertz, Robert Downey Jr., James Spader
Votes: 22,030 | Gross: $12.40M
23. Weekend at Bernie's (1989)
PG-13 | 97 min | Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Two idiots try to pretend that their murdered employer is really alive, leading the hitman to attempt to track him down to finish him off.
Director: Ted Kotcheff | Stars: Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman, Catherine Mary Stewart, Terry Kiser
Votes: 62,577 | Gross: $30.22M
24. Explorers (1985)
PG | 109 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
A boy obsessed with '50s sci-fi movies about aliens has a recurring dream about a blueprint of some kind, which he draws for his inventor friend. With the help of a third kid, they follow it and build themselves a spaceship. Now what?
Director: Joe Dante | Stars: Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, Bobby Fite, Bradley Gregg
Votes: 23,676 | Gross: $9.87M
25. Little Nikita (1988)
PG | 98 min | Drama, Thriller
An F.B.I. Agent works to uncover an All-American family as Soviet sleeper Agents, and gets caught up in friendship with their unaware son.
Director: Richard Benjamin | Stars: Sidney Poitier, River Phoenix, Richard Jenkins, Caroline Kava
Votes: 6,005 | Gross: $1.73M
Tell Your Friends