The 50 Best '80s Movies

An official roundup of the decade's standout films.

heathers an 80s movie
(Image credit: Getty/Shutterstock)

Popular culture is obsessed with the '80s—Stranger Things, anyone?—and it's not hard to see why. The '80s were a golden decade in film, boasting must-watch movies that you've likely seen many times before even if you were a '90s or '00s baby: Dirty Dancing, E.T., Footloose! 

That doesn't necessarily mean that the beloved films have aged well—on the contrary, a lot of these are problematic when looked at with the benefit of hindsight. Which doesn't mean you can't rewatch these movies four+ decades later but that it's important to look at them through an analytical lens. We've added content warnings throughout to identify relevant subjects. (And if this list inspires you to take a walk down memory lane, take a gander at our list of the best '90s and '00s movies.)

Quinci LeGardye
Contributing Culture Editor

Quinci LeGardye is a Contributing Culture Editor who covers TV, movies, Korean entertainment, books, and pop culture. When she isn’t writing or checking Twitter, she’s probably watching the latest K-drama or giving a concert performance in her car.