The 1980s was a defining decade for cinema that shaped pop culture for generations. It was an era that saw daring auteur directors at the height of their talents, the birth of the modern blockbuster, and unforgettable stories that inspired moviegoers. During this prolific period, studios took risks on bold new filmmakers and boundary-pushing genre films. The '80s left behind an amazing legacy of films that brought fresh energy, style, and themes to the screen. The decade's masterpieces reflected society and pushed artistic limits. Now let's have a look back on the top 10 80s movies that defined the decade.
List of Top 10 movies of the 1980s
Below is a table with the top ten 80s movies which we are going to discuss separately. You can jump to any movie by just clicking the movie name from the following table.
| Sr. No. | Movie Name | Genre |
| 1. | Back to the Future (1985) | Sci-Fi, Comedy |
| 2. | Cinema Paradiso (1988) | Drama, Romance |
| 3. | Aliens (1986) | Sci-Fi, Action |
| 4. | Amadeus (1984) | Biography, Drama |
| 5. | Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) | Action, Adventure |
| 6. | The Shining (1980) | Horror, Drama |
| 7. | Once Upon a Time in America (1984) | Crime, Drama |
| 8. | Stand By Me (1986) | Adventure, Drama |
| 9. | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) | Adventure, Sci-Fi |
| 10. | The Breakfast Club (1985) | Comedy, Drama |
1. Back to the Future (1985)
- Lead Actors: Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett Brown)
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Release Date: July 3, 1985
- Runtime: 116 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.5
- Language: English
- Where to Watch: Netflix
Marty McFly travels back in time using Dr. Brown's DeLorean time machine accidentally prevents his parents from meeting and threatens his very existence. Marty has to get his parents back together before he fades from reality to set history right. This sci-fi comedy was a pop culture landmark that spawned two successful sequels and featured epic one-liners, an unforgettable Huey Lewis soundtrack, and a clever script that made time travel entertaining.
2. Cinema Paradiso (1988)
- Lead Actor: Philippe Noiret (Alfredo), Salvatore Cascio (Young Toto)
- Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
- Release Date: November 17, 1988
- Runtime: 155 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.5
- Language: Italian
- Where to Watch: The Criterion Channel
A famous filmmaker reminisces about his childhood and lifelong love of cinema when he returns home to Sicily and attends the funeral of the projectionist who first taught him the magic of movies. This nostalgic drama is a poignant ode to youth, friendship, and the power of cinema. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film with its romantic setting and celebration of the film's emotional resonance.
3. Aliens (1986)
- Lead Actors: Sigourney Weaver (Ellen Ripley), Carrie Henn (Newt)
- Director: James Cameron
- Release Date: July 18, 1986
- Runtime: 137 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.4
- Language: English
- Where to Watch: Hulu
Ripley returns to the planet where her crew first encountered the hostile alien creatures. She accompanies colonial marines back to search for survivors when communications are lost with a human colony. Ripley, after finding a terrified girl named Newt, soon realizes the horror they face against swarms of aliens. Cameron's sequel became renowned for its intense action and expanded on the original film's monster mythology with pioneering special effects bringing the creatures to vivid and terrifying life.
4. Amadeus (1984)
- Lead Actors: F. Murray Abraham (Antonio Salieri), Tom Hulce (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
- Director: Milos Forman
- Release Date: September 19, 1984
- Runtime: 160 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.4
- Language: English
- Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
This lavish period drama portrays the bitter rivalry between composers Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 18th century Vienna as the mediocre but jealous Salieri schemes to ruin Mozart's rising fame and talent. Amadeus humanized the legend of Mozart while portraying artistic genius and mediocrity through Salieri's eyes with luxurious costumes and sets and compelling performances.
5. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- Lead Actor: Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones)
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Release Date: June 12, 1981
- Runtime: 115 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.4
- Language: English
- Where to Watch: Paramount+
Harrison Ford is perfectly cast as archeologist adventurer Indiana Jones who races against Nazi forces to find the legendary Ark of the Covenant. Raiders of the Lost Ark became one of the highest-grossing and most acclaimed films of the 80s winning 5 Oscars and igniting a beloved franchise with rollicking action sequences, deadpan humor, and an entertaining homage to old Hollywood cliffhanger serials.
6. The Shining (1980)
- Lead Actors: Jack Nicholson (Jack Torrance), Shelley Duvall (Wendy Torrance)
- Director: Stanley Kubrick
- Release Date: May 23, 1980
- Runtime: 146 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.4
- Language: English
- Where to Watch: HBO Max
Jack Torrance descends into violent madness after he becomes the winter caretaker at the remote Overlook Hotel where sinister supernatural forces and the hotel's dark past take hold of him and threaten his wife and son. Kubrick's eerie adaptation of the Stephen King novel is regarded as one of the greatest and scariest horror films.
Also Read: The Top 10 War Movies Of All Time
7. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
- Lead Actors: Robert De Niro, James Woods
- Director: Sergio Leone
- Release Date: February 17, 1984
- Runtime: 229 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.3
- Language: English
- Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Sergio Leone's sweeping crime saga follows Jewish gangsters who rise to underworld power in 1920s to 1960s New York. Once Upon a Time in America gained acclaim in Europe for its grand themes, graphic violence, melancholy tone, Morricone score, and nuanced exploration of a lifelong friendship marred by vice and corruption despite being a box office bomb in the U.S.
8. Stand By Me (1986)
- Lead Actors: Wil Wheaton (Gordie), River Phoenix (Chris)
- Director: Rob Reiner
- Release Date: August 22, 1986
- Runtime: 89 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 8.1
- Language: English
- Where to Watch: Netflix
After learning about a stranger's corpse, four boys go on an adventure to find the body over a Labor Day weekend in 1959. With remarkable child performances and emotive themes of friendship, loss and the loss of innocence, Stand By Me became a coming-of-age classic noted for its authentic, bittersweet portrayal of boyhood camaraderie on the cusp of adolescence.
9. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
- Lead Actors: Henry Thomas (Elliott), Drew Barrymore (Gertie)
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Release Date: June 11, 1982
- Runtime: 115 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.9
- Language: English
- Where to Watch: Peacock
Government agents intervene and attempt to capture the alien after a botanist encounters and befriends an extraterrestrial being stranded on Earth. The botanist's young son Elliott works to reunite and save his new alien friend E.T. from harm. This emotional sci-fi film captured the wonder of childhood friendship and imagination with groundbreaking visual effects bringing the kind-hearted E.T. to life.
10. The Breakfast Club (1985)
- Lead Actors: Emilio Estevez (Andrew Clark), Molly Ringwald (Claire Standish), Judd Nelson (John Bender), Ally Sheedy (Allison Reynolds), Anthony Michael Hall (Brian Johnson)
- Director: John Hughes
- Release Date: February 15, 1985
- Runtime: 97 minutes
- IMDb Rating: 7.8
- Language: English
- Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Five high school students from different social cliques are forced to spend a Saturday in detention together. They open up about their struggles and secrets over the course of the day realizing they have more in common than they thought. This coming-of-age comedy-drama spoke to a generation of teens with its authentic exploration of adolescent angst, alienation, and the pressure to conform to labels.
Also Read: Top 20 Christian Movies
Final Verdict
The 1980s produced an array of classic and unforgettable films that have stood the test of time. The decade's masterful storytelling and technical innovation created cinema that continues to inspire new generations from sci-fi adventures to coming-of-age dramas. The iconic characters, compelling narratives, and nostalgic charm of 80s movies remain influential in pop culture today though styles and trends have changed. The top movies of the 1980s captured lightning in a bottle that transforms a great film into a truly timeless one.
FAQs
Q: What was the biggest movie of the 80s?
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial which was released in 1982 was the highest-grossing film of the 1980s earning over $700 million worldwide.
Q: Why were 80s movies so popular?
Iconic films of the 80s appealed to audiences through memorable characters, quotable dialogues, spectacular visual effects for the time, and themes exploring friendship, love, and overcoming adversity.
Q: What movie was number 1 in 1980?
The Empire Strikes Back was the highest-grossing film of 1980 marking a successful sequel to 1977's Star Wars.