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, Footloose, E.T.—so many of our golden films were born in the '80s and have proven themselves to be very watchable in the decades since.
Which doesn't necessarily mean that the 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 watch these movies, per se, 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.)
50. ‘Ladyhawke’ (1985)
Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Broderick star in this romantic fantasy that, surprisingly, has no relation to 2018’s Lady Bird. Set in medieval France, Ladyhawke tells the story of a pickpocket and a knight on a journey to find love and defeat evil.
49. 'Batman' (1989)
CW: mental illness, suicide. Long before Robert Pattinson, Ben Affleck, or Christian Bale ever set foot in the Batcave, Michael Keaton took on the role of the Caped Crusader. This take on the famous superhero, also starring Jack Nicholson as a particularly unhinged Joker, went on to become the fourth highest-grossing film of the entire decade.
48. 'Fame' (1980)
CW: violence, attempted suicide, sexual coercion. Before Center Stage and Step Up, there was Fame, the movie musical that followed the lives of high schoolers attending a New York performing arts school. The film doesn't shy away from real issues affecting teenagers and the struggles of making it in show business. (And odds are the Oscar-winning theme has been playing in your head since you started reading.)
47. 'Rain Man' (1988)
CW: disability, mental illness, ableism. This story of Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) embarking on an eye-opening road trip with Raymond, the older autistic brother he never knew he had (played by Dustin Hoffman), ended up taking home half of the eight Oscars it was nominated for, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Hoffman.
46. ‘Baby Boom’ (1987)
CW: misogyny, racial slur. Diane Keaton plays a New York businesswoman who is forced to drop everything (job and relationship included) when an unexpected death leaves her the caretaker of a baby girl. Directed by Nancy Myers (who went on to make The Parent Trap, The Holiday, and The Intern), Baby Boom has all the makings of a classic ‘80s movie: gendered roles, slapstick humor, and shoulder pads.
45. 'The Lost Boys' (1987)
Long before Twilight or even Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this comedy-horror film updated vampires for the modern age in an edgy and innovative way.
44. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
CW: misogyny, homophobia, racial slurs, racism. Eddie Murphy as Detroit detective Alex Foley in Beverly Hills Cop made for a classically ’80s (and objectively hilarious) cult favorite. The movie went on to win the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture and snagged both Golden Globes and Academy Award nominations.
43. 'Broadcast News' (1987)
CW: discussion of sexual assault. James L. Brooks's 1987 film told the story of two rival TV reporters and a producer.
42. 'Aliens' (1986)
Who could watch Alien without being completely and utterly captivated by Sigourney Weaver as badass Ripley?
41. 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure' (1989)
CW: homophobic slur. Equal parts ridiculous and hilarious, Bill and Ted are two airheads with a time-traveling mission to save the future. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter made for a super endearing, totally '80s flick.
40. 'The NeverEnding Story' (1984)
This classic fantasy follows a story within a story, as a bullied kid discovers a storybook portal into the mythical land of Fantasia. While there are some frightening monsters (built through cool pre-CGI practical effects), the heartwarming story is ultimately about the power of kids and imagination.
39. 'The Thing' (1982)
CW: animal cruelty. Call us wimps, but John Carpenter's The Thing is still frightening to this day.
38. 'Blue Velvet' (1986)
CW: sexual assault, sexual violence, misogyny, sadomasochism. David Lynch's haunting mystery tells the story of Jeffrey (Kyle MacLachlan), who finds a severed human ear and is set on a dramatic, terrifying journey.
37. Purple Rain (1984)
CW: domestic abuse, misogyny, suicide attempt. Some casual Prince listeners may not know that his iconic album Purple Rain is actually a soundtrack for his musical of the same name. The semi-autobiographical rock drama shows an artist's (played by Prince himself) rise to fame, as he pours his strained personal life into his music.
36. 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981)
CW: consent, misogyny, animal cruelty, torture. The first of the epic Indian Jones franchise, Steven Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark certainly didn't disappoint. Anyone who was able to come out of the film not in love with Harrison Ford as Indy was straight-up crazy.
35. 'Mystic Pizza' (1988)
CW: classism. Matt Damon and Julia Roberts on the same screen? Yes please. Donald Petrie's 1988 hit tells the tale of three teenage girls working at a pizza parlor in Connecticut.
34. 'The Terminator' (1984)
CW: animal cruelty. Who would've thought that the future governor of California would start his career as a sexy, time-traveling assassin? Arnold Schwarzenegger coined the now-famous phrase, "I'll be back," which turned out to be true—The Terminator continued into four sequels and a television series.
33. 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (1984)
CW: sexual violence, reference to suicide. A Nightmare on Elm Street was so damn good that it literally toyed with our perception of dreams versus reality. Doubling as a cinematic trailblazer and an absolutely haunting horror film, the story of Freddy Krueger still lives on in our nightmares today.
32. 'Die Hard' (1988)
CW: references to racism. Undeniably one of the greatest action movies of all time, Bruce Willis as John McClane was such a hit that the film spawned four sequels and a video game series.
31. 'The Karate Kid' (1984)
CW: assault. It's hard not to root for ultimate-underdog Ralph Macchio, who learns traditional martial arts from a progressive for the time Asian-American character, Mr. Miyagi, to combat the bullies wreaking havoc on his life.
30. 'The Outsiders' (1983)
CW: sexual harassment, assault. Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 flick had a star-studded cast, to say the least: Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Matt Dillon, and Diane Lane were all featured in the movie. An iconic coming-of-age drama, The Outsiders birthed the now-famous line, "Stay gold, Ponyboy."
29. '9 to 5' (1980)
CW: sexual harassment. This slightly dated but classic film offers a truly perfect combination of slapstick revenge comedy, ahead-of-its-time labor demands—flexible hours, equal pay, affordable childcare—and, of course, that incredible cast. And don't even get me started on the ultra-catchy theme song!
28. 'Ghostbusters' (1984)
CW: sexual harassment. Launching one of the biggest cultural phenoms to date, Saturday Night Live stars Dan Aykroyd and Billy Murray had audiences in stitches as they filmed their adventures in fighting the supernatural. The film was so loved (despite several problems that are now acknowledged) that the franchise spawned multiple sequels, including 2017's all-women rendition starring Kristen Wiig and Leslie Jones.
27. 'Terms of Endearment' (1983)
CW: misogynistic comments. The strong mother-daughter bond between the two main characters in this film makes it hard not to get emotional, and the incredible performances by Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger led to a Best Picture win, among four other Academy Awards.
26. 'Coming to America' (1988)
CW: misogyny, misogynistic comments. Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, and James Earl Jones make up the incredible royal court of the fictitious country Zamunda in this hilarious, progressive for its time movie about a quest for love.
25. 'Poltergeist' (1982)
The '80s brought horror to a new level with Spielberg's Poltergeist. Terrifying is an understatement when it comes to this supernatural-themed, suspense-filled story starring an actress too young to even get into the theater.
24. 'Risky Business' (1983)
It's impossible to talk about '80s movies without mentioning the sequence that introduced the world to Tom Cruise. As soon as he slid through an empty house singing "Old Time Rock and Roll," a star was born.
23. 'Pretty in Pink' (1986)
CW: homophobic slur, misogyny. The outfits! The hair! Duckie! John Hughes crafted a masterpiece centered around a seemingly too-cool-to-care girl named Andie and her romantic struggles with the popular, rich boy. And like any good, somewhat dated high school movie, it ends with a totally '80s prom scene you have to see to believe.
22. 'Stand by Me' (1986)
CW: homophobic slur, mental illness. Rob Reiner's film adaptation of Stephen King's novel brought four teenage boys together for a thrilling, coming-of-age drama.
21. 'Top Gun' (1986)
With a 24-year-old Tom Cruise in uniform, it's no wonder Top Gun became an immediate, ridiculous favorite. Bless you, '80s.
20. 'Blade Runner" (1982)
CW: assault, sexual assault, sexual violence, racial slur in older version. This science-fiction film starring Harrison Ford is a classic in the genre and a mind-bender to watch. Plus, it's required viewing if you want to watch the recent sequel co-starring Ryan Gosling.