You can’t argue that the 1980s was a special decade for music and films. Some of the best movies came out of the ’80s. This was the decade where studio-driven pictures were everywhere. Movies of this decade were made with a broad audience in mind. They were easy to market and remember, even if the ideas weren’t brand new.
Each movie genre shifted during the ’80s. For instance, many action films featured police and government employees as main characters. A perfect example of this is “Beverly Hills Cop.” Romantic comedies and coming-of-age films also dominated the ’80s. They were everywhere, and they did something right. Now, films like “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “Splash” are still popular. The movies followed the same formula and were refreshing enough to become almost immediate hits. Even romantic comedies of the 1950s are fun to watch. (Click here for the best ’50s movies that will never get old.)
The 1980s were also a great time for animated films. During this decade, we saw a shift in people’s minds. For the longest time, animated films were either for children or adults, but some films in the ’80s blended these two audiences. Studio Ghibli is a prime example. This was a trend in the ’80s that is still seen today. So many sub-genres were strengthened and combined.
So, how did we choose the films on our list? To determine the best ’80s movies that will never get old, 24/7 Tempo consulted various entertainment and lifestyle sources like IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and Entertainment Weekly. We specifically reviewed audience scores.
“Ghostbusters” (1984)
- Director: Ivan Reitman
- Cast: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis
This incredible movie has been popular since its release. The movie easily grossed $296.6 million. It was so beloved that it launched a sequel, animated TV series, video games, and more. In 2021, a second sequel with a new generation of Ghostbusters was released titled “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.”
“Fast Times at Ridgemont High” (1982)
- Director: Amy Heckerling
- Cast: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates
This coming-of-age film is hilarious and based on the book “Fast Times at Ridgemont High: A True Story.” Even people who have never seen the film have heard of “Ridgemont High.”
“Airplane!” (1980)
- Director: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker
- Cast: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges
Have you ever watched the film “Airplane!”? It’s an American disaster comedy and an iconic parody of the disaster film genre. So many people still reference this film. Even those who have never seen the movie recognize the poster of the twisted airplane. This movie killed it at the box office. With a budget of $3.5 million, it grossed $171 million.
“Blade Runner” (1982)
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Cast: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos
“Blade Runner” is a favorite movie for many. This entertaining science-fiction movie was moderately successful at the box office, grossing $41.8 million with a budget of $30 million. “Blade Runner” is highly rated. On Rotten Tomatoes, the audience score is 91%, while the Tomatometer is 89%.
“Back To The Future” (1985)
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson
One of the most iconic movies of the 1980s is “Back to the Future.” Who doesn’t love Marty McFly? This film is so much fun and features hoverboards, time travel, and more. “Back to the Future” did excellent at the box office. It had a budget of $19 million and grossed $388.8 million.
“The Breakfast Club” (1985)
- Director: John Hughes
- Cast: Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy
Along with “Back to the Future,” this film is another symbol of the ’80s. Who hasn’t heard of “The Breakfast Club”? This movie has charismatic characters and an excellent story. The end of the movie is possibly the most well-known moment. So many other films and TV series have referenced this movie by pumping their fists in the air or using the song “Don’t You (Forget About Me).”
“Heathers” (1988)
- Director: Michael Lehmann
- Cast: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, Kim Walker
“Heathers” is a popular film from 1988. It’s a unique and dark teen comedy that didn’t do well when first released. Now it’s a cult classic. It only grossed $1.1 million, although it had a budget of $3 million. The movie later became so popular and well-acclaimed that it was adapted into a hit musical.
“Footloose” (1984)
- Director: Herbert Ross
- Cast: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, Dianne Wiest, John Lithgow
During the 1980s, musicals and dance movies were growing in popularity. Possibly one of the best musicals of the decade is “Footloose.” It’s an unforgettable film released in 1984. This movie had a budget of $7.5 million and grossed $80 million domestically. It was nominated for many awards, including an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
“Dead Poets Society” (1989)
- Director: Peter Weir
- Cast: Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles, Gale Hansen
This film was the fifth-highest-grossing film of 1989. It’s an incredibly popular film and received high ratings from both audiences and critics. The film had a budget of $16.4 million and grossed $235.9 million. On Rotten Tomatoes, the audience score for “Dead Poets Society” is 92%.
“Pretty in Pink” (1986)
- Director: Howard Deutch
- Cast: Molly Ringwald, Harry Dean Stanton, Jon Cryer, Annie Potts, James Spader, Andrew McCarthy
Molly Ringwald was in everything during the 1980s. One of her best ’80s films is “Pretty in Pink,” released in 1986. This cult classic still holds up today. On Rotten Tomatoes, the audience score is 81%, while the Tomatometer is 75%.
“Raiders of the Last Ark” (1981)
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott
Indiana Jones came to life during the 1980s. Now, the main theme song and the character’s iconic outfits are recognizable worldwide. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” had a budget of $20 million, but grossed an astonishing $389.9 million. This film still has incredible ratings. On Rotten Tomatoes, the audience score is 96% while the Tomatometer is 93%.
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986)
- Director: John Hughes
- Cast: Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey, Alan Ruck
Ferris Bueller is the king of breaking fourth walls. Who can forget this film? “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is so much fun. It had a budget of $5 million and grossed $70.7 million at the box office. The movie still holds up today. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an audience score of 92% and an 82% on the Tomatometer.
“Top Gun” (1986)
- Director: Tony Scott
- Cast: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, Tom Skerritt
This excellent action film has a lot of heart and was extremely successful upon its release. It had a budget of $15 million and grossed $357.3 million. The film won multiple awards, including an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
“The Goonies” (1985)
- Director: Richard Donner
- Cast: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Ke Huy Quan
“The Goonies” is a spectacular movie of the 1980s. It’s a favorite for many for a lot of good reasons. This fun adventure comedy tells the story of a group of friends that call themselves “the Goonies” and their strange adventure during their final weekend together. “The Goonies” was moderately successful at the box office. This film has a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 91%.
“Sixteen Candles” (1984)
- Director: John Hughes
- Cast: Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, Anthony Michael Hall
“Sixteen Candles” was a box office success. It’s an adorable coming-of-age film starring Molly Ringwald. While watching this film, it’s so easy to root for Samantha. The budget for this movie was $6.5 million and it grossed $23.6 million. The film has a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 85%.
“The Princess Bride” (1987)
- Director: Rob Reiner
- Cast: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant
This film is one of the best adventure movies of the decade. It has a little bit of everything, including romance, revenge, comedy, action, and more. This cult classic was moderately successful but has become even more popular and beloved throughout the years. It had a budget of $16 million and grossed $30.9 million.
“E.T.” (1982)
Henry Thomas talking with ET in a scene from the film 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial', 1982. (Photo by Universal/Getty Images)
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Cast: Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore
Steven Spielberg directed many movies during the 1980s, including “E.T.” This film did incredibly at the box office. It had a budget of $10.5 million and earned nearly $800 million. “E.T.” was nominated and won over a dozen awards. The movie was so popular, it even got a ride at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.
“Poltergeist” (1982)
- Director: Tobe Hooper
- Cast: JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Beatrice Straight
The 1980s also produced some of the best horror and supernatural films. One of these is “Poltergeist.” It was released on June 4, 1982, in the United States. You don’t have to watch the film to recognize the iconic scene of a spirit crawling out of a TV. The movie had a budget of $10.7 million and grossed $121.7 million.
“The Karate Kid” (1984)
- Director: John G. Avildsen
- Cast: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue, William Zabka
“The Karate Kid” is a wonderful movie about an underdog. How can you not want to root for Daniel LaRusso as he learns and trains in karate? This movie is frequently referenced, especially in scenes like when LaRusso is training and doing mundane chores to learn muscle memory. The movie was so popular that decades later it received a spinoff television series called “Cobra Kai,” about LaRusso’s enemy, Johnny Lawrence.
“Beetlejuice” (1988)
- Director: Tim Burton
- Cast: Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O’Hara, Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton
“Beetlejuice” starred Winona Ryder and had some of the most beautiful and strange costumes. Beetlejuice, the titular character, is easy to spot. The movie was popular and received positive reviews from the beginning. It also won multiple awards, including the Academy Award for Best Makeup. The film had a budget of $15 million and grossed $74.7 million at the box office. On Rotten Tomatoes, this film has an audience score of 82% and an 86% on the Tomatometer. (Ready for more? Read our article on the most underrated movies of the 1980s.)