The Top 250 Movies of the 1980s

2

Raiders of the Lost Ark https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F8FD895F02 1981, 115 min.

Steven Spielberg  •   Starring: Harrison Ford, Paul Freeman, Karen Allen

Action  •  Adventure  •  Costume Adventure

4

Back to the Future https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F6AF86D9BB 1985, 116 min.

Robert Zemeckis  •   Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

Adventure Comedy  •  Adventure  •  Americana

6

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade https://www.flickchart.com/movie/124FCD9CDD 1989, 127 min.

Steven Spielberg  •   Starring: River Phoenix, Harrison Ford, Sean Connery

Action Comedy  •  Action  •  Adventure Comedy

8

Ghostbusters https://www.flickchart.com/movie/757A806672 1984, 105 min.

Ivan Reitman  •   Starring: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis

Comedy  •  Fantasy Comedy  •  Fantasy

10

Blade Runner https://www.flickchart.com/movie/DD16A87882 1982, 117 min.

Ridley Scott  •   Starring: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature  •  Cyberpunk / Tech Noir  •  Cyborg / Android / Robot

12

Ferris Bueller's Day Off https://www.flickchart.com/movie/EE19A792B4 1986, 103 min.

John Hughes  •   Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara

Comedy  •  Coming-of-Age  •  Teen Movie

14

The Terminator https://www.flickchart.com/movie/36CDE31D02 1984, 108 min.

James Cameron  •   Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn

Action Thriller  •  Action  •  Cyberpunk / Tech Noir

16

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom https://www.flickchart.com/movie/E3566992EA 1984, 118 min.

Steven Spielberg  •   Starring: Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan

Action  •  Adventure  •  Costume Adventure

18

Stand by Me https://www.flickchart.com/movie/EAFDB8E846 1986, 89 min.

Rob Reiner  •   Starring: River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Richard Dreyfuss

Adventure Drama  •  Adventure  •  Buddy Film

20

The Breakfast Club https://www.flickchart.com/movie/9BB9D83899 1985, 97 min.

John Hughes  •   Starring: Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall

Comedy Drama  •  Coming-of-Age  •  Drama

22

Fanny and Alexander https://www.flickchart.com/movie/3E86CAB3E3 1982, 188 min.

Ingmar Bergman  •   Starring: Ewa Fröling, Gunn Wållgren, Jan Malmsjö

Childhood Drama  •  Drama  •  Family Drama

24

Back to the Future Part II https://www.flickchart.com/movie/23D139D550 1989, 108 min.

Robert Zemeckis  •   Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

Adventure  •  Adventure Comedy  •  Comedy

26

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial https://www.flickchart.com/movie/6B86766C53 1982, 115 min.

Steven Spielberg  •   Starring: Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote

Adventure Drama  •  Adventure  •  Drama

28

Scarface https://www.flickchart.com/movie/9EFDC2A2C3 1983, 170 min.

Brian De Palma  •   Starring: Al Pacino, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michelle Pfeiffer

Crime Drama  •  Crime Thriller  •  Crime

30

Airplane! https://www.flickchart.com/movie/BF8E12D881 1980, 88 min.

Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker  •   Starring: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Peter Graves

Absurd Comedy  •  Comedy  •  Ensemble Film

32

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind https://www.flickchart.com/movie/DBF5E988AE 1984, 117 min.

Hayao Miyazaki  •   Starring: Sumi Shimamoto, Ichirô Nagai, Mahito Tsujimura

Adventure  •  Animation  •  Anime

34

The Untouchables https://www.flickchart.com/movie/C56B1B95F0 1987, 119 min.

Brian De Palma  •   Starring: Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Charles Martin Smith

Crime Thriller  •  Crime  •  Gangster Film

36

The Blues Brothers https://www.flickchart.com/movie/7803150BBF 1980, 148 min.

John Landis  •   Starring: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy

Absurd Comedy  •  Action Comedy  •  Adventure Comedy

38

Wings of Desire https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D98476A333 1987, 128 min.

Wim Wenders  •   Starring: Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander

Fantasy  •  Foreign Language Film  •  Magic Realism

40

This Is Spinal Tap https://www.flickchart.com/movie/0DF245BB9E 1984, 82 min.

Rob Reiner  •   Starring: Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest

Comedy  •  Mockumentary  •  Musical

42

Do the Right Thing https://www.flickchart.com/movie/1820A44DEC 1989, 120 min.

Spike Lee  •   Starring: Spike Lee, Rosie Perez, Giancarlo Esposito

Drama  •  Ensemble Film  •  Hyperlink Film

44

Castle in the Sky https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D9B986EA8C 1986, 124 min.

Hayao Miyazaki  •   Starring: Keiko Yokozawa, Mayumi Tanaka, Kotoe Hatsui

Adventure  •  Animation  •  Anime

46

Crimes and Misdemeanors https://www.flickchart.com/movie/252D0127F6 1989, 104 min.

Woody Allen  •   Starring: Martin Landau, Mia Farrow, Anjelica Huston

Comedy Drama  •  Drama  •  Ensemble Film

48

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan https://www.flickchart.com/movie/A26305DF6C 1982, 113 min.

Nicholas Meyer  •   Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

Action  •  Action Thriller  •  Adventure

50

Hannah and Her Sisters https://www.flickchart.com/movie/8237617870 1986, 103 min.

Woody Allen  •   Starring: Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Michael Caine

Comedy Drama  •  Ensemble Film  •  Hyperlink Film

52

Beetlejuice https://www.flickchart.com/movie/5284EC7FE7 1988, 92 min.

Tim Burton  •   Starring: Geena Davis, Catherine O'Hara, Alec Baldwin

Black Comedy  •  Comedy  •  Fantasy Comedy

54

An American Werewolf in London https://www.flickchart.com/movie/5142BE4437 1981, 97 min.

John Landis  •   Starring: Jenny Agutter, John Woodvine, Griffin Dunne

Black Comedy  •  Body Horror  •  Horror Comedy

56

Stop Making Sense https://www.flickchart.com/movie/9A047CF169 1984, 88 min.

Jonathan Demme  •   Starring: Alex Weir, Steve Scales, David Byrne

Concert Film  •  Documentary  •  Music

58

The Road Warrior https://www.flickchart.com/movie/457F726596 1981, 95 min.

George Miller  •   Starring: Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Michael Preston

Action Thriller  •  Action  •  Australian New Wave

60

Raising Arizona https://www.flickchart.com/movie/80506D6CD4 1987, 94 min.

Joel & Ethan Coen  •   Starring: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, Trey Wilson

Comedy  •  Crime Comedy  •  Crime

62

Videodrome https://www.flickchart.com/movie/56FF443D8A 1983, 89 min.

David Cronenberg  •   Starring: James Woods, Sonja Smits, Deborah Harry

Body Horror  •  Cyberpunk / Tech Noir  •  Horror

64

Big https://www.flickchart.com/movie/C68C6CEE63 1988, 104 min.

Penny Marshall  •   Starring: Robert Loggia, Elizabeth Perkins, Jared Rushton

Comedy  •  Coming-of-Age  •  Fantasy Comedy

66

The Purple Rose of Cairo https://www.flickchart.com/movie/3DDC24D01F 1985, 82 min.

Woody Allen  •   Starring: Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, Danny Aiello

Comedy  •  Fantasy Comedy  •  Fantasy

68

After Hours https://www.flickchart.com/movie/FAD36916DF 1985, 97 min.

Martin Scorsese  •   Starring: Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Linda Fiorentino

Black Comedy  •  Comedy  •  Urban Comedy

70

Big Trouble in Little China https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D1C9267920 1986, 99 min.

John Carpenter  •   Starring: Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, James Hong

Action  •  Action Comedy  •  Comedy

72

The Right Stuff https://www.flickchart.com/movie/B44DD2C366 1983, 193 min.

Philip Kaufman  •   Starring: Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris

Adventure Drama  •  Adventure  •  Based-on-20th-Century-Literature

74

Once Upon a Time in America https://www.flickchart.com/movie/A57A6F2134 1984, 229 min.

Sergio Leone  •   Starring: Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature  •  Crime Drama  •  Crime

76

The Verdict https://www.flickchart.com/movie/3AB845433C 1982, 129 min.

Sidney Lumet  •   Starring: Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, Jack Warden

Courtroom Drama  •  Drama

78

Possession https://www.flickchart.com/movie/044AF02050 1981, 123 min.

Andrzej Zulawski  •   Starring: Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Margit Carstensen

Avant-garde / Experimental  •  Drama  •  Horror

80

The Killer https://www.flickchart.com/movie/2B3DECD1B9 1989, 111 min.

John Woo  •   Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh

Action Thriller  •  Action  •  Buddy Film

82

A Christmas Story https://www.flickchart.com/movie/CF408C3440 1983, 93 min.

Bob Clark  •   Starring: Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley

Americana  •  Comedy Drama  •  Domestic Comedy

84

Planes, Trains & Automobiles https://www.flickchart.com/movie/3123970A41 1987, 93 min.

John Hughes  •   Starring: Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins

Comedy of Errors  •  Comedy  •  Holiday Film

86

The Decalogue https://www.flickchart.com/movie/11B82CB6AD 1989, 550 min.

Krzysztof Kieslowski  •   Starring: Artur Barcis, Olgierd Lukaszewicz, Olaf Lubaszenko

Anthology Film  •  Drama  •  Ensemble Film

88

First Blood https://www.flickchart.com/movie/3D5C8B549A 1982, 94 min.

Ted Kotcheff  •   Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy

Action Thriller  •  Action  •  Adventure Drama

90

The Fly https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D5D0774F1C 1986, 95 min.

David Cronenberg  •   Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature  •  Body Horror  •  Horror

92

Trading Places https://www.flickchart.com/movie/C9DDB77644 1983, 116 min.

John Landis  •   Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Lee Curtis

Comedy of Manners  •  Comedy  •  Satire

94

Say Anything... https://www.flickchart.com/movie/38E06F086D 1989, 100 min.

Cameron Crowe  •   Starring: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney

Comedy Drama  •  Coming-of-Age  •  Romance

96

The Thin Blue Line https://www.flickchart.com/movie/354C463EEF 1988, 103 min.

Errol Morris  •   Starring: Randall Adams, David Harris, Dale Holt

Biography  •  Culture and Society  •  Documentary

98

The Natural https://www.flickchart.com/movie/15F4F9476E 1984, 134 min.

Barry Levinson  •   Starring: Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger

Americana  •  Based-on-20th-Century-Literature  •  Drama

100

Clue https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D904B98FC2 1985, 94 min.

Jonathan Lynn  •   Starring: Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn

Comedy Thriller  •  Comedy  •  Mystery

102

The Long Good Friday https://www.flickchart.com/movie/91A5CDA963 1980, 114 min.

John Mackenzie  •   Starring: Bob Hoskins, Dave King, Eddie Constantine

Crime Drama  •  Crime  •  Drama

104

The Return of the Living Dead https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F7952B1B8E 1985, 91 min.

Dan O'Bannon  •   Starring: Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa

Comedy  •  Horror Comedy  •  Horror

106

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life https://www.flickchart.com/movie/95DF545681 1983, 107 min.

Terry Jones  •   Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle

Absurd Comedy  •  Anthology Film  •  Based-on-Television

108

Better Off Dead https://www.flickchart.com/movie/187E787080 1985, 97 min.

Savage Steve Holland  •   Starring: John Cusack, David Ogden Stiers, Demian Slade

Comedy  •  Teen Movie  •  Romantic Comedy

110

A Fish Called Wanda https://www.flickchart.com/movie/75B27F393D 1988, 108 min.

Charles Crichton  •   Starring: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline

Caper  •  Comedy  •  Con Artist / Hustler

112

Fast Times at Ridgemont High https://www.flickchart.com/movie/418100E2D5 1982, 90 min.

Amy Heckerling  •   Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold

Comedy Drama  •  Comedy  •  Coming-of-Age

114

RoboCop https://www.flickchart.com/movie/8F1EAF1F74 1987, 103 min.

Paul Verhoeven  •   Starring: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy

Action Thriller  •  Action  •  Crime Thriller

116

The Abyss https://www.flickchart.com/movie/3E0CB63BF9 1989, 138 min.

James Cameron  •   Starring: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn

Adventure  •  Adventure Drama  •  Alien Invasion Films

118

Hoosiers https://www.flickchart.com/movie/97835C0FE8 1986, 114 min.

David Anspaugh  •   Starring: Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper

Docudrama  •  Drama  •  Rural Drama

120

Ordinary People https://www.flickchart.com/movie/3B5286DC1E 1980, 124 min.

Robert Redford  •   Starring: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch

Drama  •  Family Drama  •  New Hollywood

122

Stranger Than Paradise https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D8C20CF1D5 1984, 89 min.

Jim Jarmusch  •   Starring: John Lurie, Eszter Balint, Richard Edson

Buddy Film  •  Comedy  •  Road Movie

124

Empire of the Sun https://www.flickchart.com/movie/1CFAE797E7 1987, 154 min.

Steven Spielberg  •   Starring: Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Joe Pantoliano

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature  •  Based-on-a-True-Story  •  Childhood Drama

126

Zelig https://www.flickchart.com/movie/FCA00751C3 1983, 79 min.

Woody Allen  •   Starring: Woody Allen, Deborah Rush, Mary Louise Wilson

Comedy  •  Fantasy Comedy  •  Magic Realism

128

When Harry Met Sally... https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F3CBAEBF58 1989, 96 min.

Rob Reiner  •   Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher

Comedy Drama  •  Drama  •  Romance

130

House of Games https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F99097D7AA 1987, 102 min.

David Mamet  •   Starring: Lindsay Crouse, Joe Mantegna, Mike Nussbaum

Con Artist / Hustler  •  Crime Thriller  •  Crime

132

A Nightmare on Elm Street https://www.flickchart.com/movie/3376A41299 1984, 91 min.

Wes Craven  •   Starring: John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Heather Langenkamp

Horror  •  Slasher Film  •  Supernatural Horror

134

The Little Mermaid https://www.flickchart.com/movie/34DB7D9868 1989, 83 min.

Ron Clements, John Musker  •   Starring: Jodi Benson, René Auberjonois, Pat Carroll

Animated Musical  •  Animation  •  Based-on-19th-Century-Literature

136

The Sacrifice https://www.flickchart.com/movie/2B19C891B1 1986, 149 min.

Andrei Tarkovsky  •   Starring: Erland Josephson, Susan Fleetwood, Tommy Kjellqvist

Drama  •  Foreign Language Film  •  Psychological Drama

138

Tampopo https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F9E87C0634 1985, 114 min.

Jûzô Itami  •   Starring: Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ken Watanabe, Nobuko Miyamoto

Comedy of Manners  •  Comedy  •  Foreign Language Film

140

Witness https://www.flickchart.com/movie/50098BF888 1985, 112 min.

Peter Weir  •   Starring: Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Alexander Godunov

Crime Thriller  •  Crime  •  Drama

142

Field of Dreams https://www.flickchart.com/movie/4A8F61713C 1989, 107 min.

Phil Alden Robinson  •   Starring: Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, Burt Lancaster

Americana  •  Drama  •  Fantasy

144

Day of the Dead https://www.flickchart.com/movie/8CC3D9EF56 1985, 102 min.

George A. Romero  •   Starring: Lori Cardille, Terry Alexander, Joseph Pilato

Horror  •  Monster Film  •  Post-Apocalyptic Film

146

Fright Night https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D00FD29543 1985, 106 min.

Tom Holland  •   Starring: Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale, Amanda Bearse

Comedy  •  Horror Comedy  •  Horror

148

Body Heat https://www.flickchart.com/movie/045BD7BA5F 1981, 113 min.

Lawrence Kasdan  •   Starring: William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna

Crime Drama  •  Crime Thriller  •  Crime

150

The Color of Money https://www.flickchart.com/movie/6EC93B5A88 1986, 119 min.

Martin Scorsese  •   Starring: Tom Cruise, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Helen Shaver

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature  •  Con Artist / Hustler  •  Drama

152

Broadway Danny Rose https://www.flickchart.com/movie/B99C039250 1984, 84 min.

Woody Allen  •   Starring: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte

Comedy of Errors  •  Comedy  •  Showbiz Comedy

154

Sixteen Candles https://www.flickchart.com/movie/BCDC09448E 1984, 93 min.

John Hughes  •   Starring: Molly Ringwald, Justin Henry, Michael Schoeffling

Comedy  •  Coming-of-Age  •  Romance

156

To Live and Die in L.A. https://www.flickchart.com/movie/AB08BDB5FE 1985, 116 min.

William Friedkin  •   Starring: William Petersen, Willem Dafoe, John Pankow

Action Thriller  •  Action  •  Based-on-20th-Century-Literature

158

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters https://www.flickchart.com/movie/BA07ACD331 1985, 121 min.

Paul Schrader  •   Starring: Ken Ogata, Masayuki Shionoya, Yasosuke Bando

Based-on-a-True-Story  •  Biopic  •  Drama

160

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels https://www.flickchart.com/movie/51F365DFC0 1988, 110 min.

Frank Oz  •   Starring: Steve Martin, Michael Caine, Glenne Headly

Comedy  •  Con Artist / Hustler  •  Crime Comedy

162

History of the World -- Part I https://www.flickchart.com/movie/7BB0BA83D0 1981, 92 min.

Mel Brooks  •   Starring: Mel Brooks, Dom DeLuise, Ron Carey

Absurd Comedy  •  Anthology Film  •  Comedy

164

Night of the Creeps https://www.flickchart.com/movie/4664B0DCE4 1986, 88 min.

Fred Dekker  •   Starring: Jason Lively, Steve Marshall, Jill Whitlow

Alien Invasion Films  •  Body Horror  •  Comedy

166

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! https://www.flickchart.com/movie/017730541B 1988, 85 min.

David Zucker  •   Starring: Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalban

Absurd Comedy  •  Based-on-Television  •  Comedy

168

Mystery Train https://www.flickchart.com/movie/51D038F203 1989, 110 min.

Jim Jarmusch  •   Starring: Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Elizabeth Bracco, Tom Noonan

Anthology Film  •  Comedy Drama  •  Drama

170

Police Story https://www.flickchart.com/movie/5F538E6820 1985, 90 min.

Jackie Chan  •   Starring: Jackie Chan, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung

Action Comedy  •  Action Thriller  •  Action

172

Superman II https://www.flickchart.com/movie/757EA6792F 1980, 127 min.

Richard Lester  •   Starring: Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Ned Beatty

Action  •  Adventure  •  Alien Invasion Films

174

Diner https://www.flickchart.com/movie/1E2E637C37 1982, 110 min.

Barry Levinson  •   Starring: Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Mickey Rourke

Buddy Film  •  Comedy Drama  •  Coming-of-Age

176

Creepshow https://www.flickchart.com/movie/1237B0110B 1982, 130 min.

George A. Romero  •   Starring: Fritz Weaver, Leslie Nielsen, Carrie Nye

Anthology Film  •  Black Comedy  •  Body Horror

178

48 Hrs. https://www.flickchart.com/movie/FEC972A1A1 1982, 96 min.

Walter Hill  •   Starring: Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy, Annette O'Toole

Action  •  Action Comedy  •  Comedy Drama

180

Shoah https://www.flickchart.com/movie/AAED017E41 1985, 503 min.

Claude Lanzmann  •   Starring: Simon Srebnik, Michael Podchlebnik, Motke Zaidl

Documentary  •  Foreign Language Film  •  History

182

Terms of Endearment https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F29D441231 1983, 132 min.

James L. Brooks  •   Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson

Comedy Drama  •  Drama  •  Family Drama

184

Coming to America https://www.flickchart.com/movie/3890C6E3EA 1988, 116 min.

John Landis  •   Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones

Comedy of Errors  •  Comedy of Manners  •  Comedy

186

The Name of the Rose https://www.flickchart.com/movie/6245919E3D 1986, 130 min.

Jean-Jacques Annaud  •   Starring: Sean Connery, Christian Slater, Feodor Chaliapin Jr.

Detective Film  •  Drama  •  Gothic Film

188

Repo Man https://www.flickchart.com/movie/E1EDDA1ACC 1984, 92 min.

Alex Cox  •   Starring: Harry Dean Stanton, Emilio Estevez, Tracey Walter

Black Comedy  •  Crime Comedy  •  Crime

190

The Dark Crystal https://www.flickchart.com/movie/EADCE7B8C9 1982, 93 min.

Jim Henson  •   Starring: Jim Henson, Kathryn Mullen, Brian Muehl

Adventure  •  Family  •  Family-Oriented Adventure

192

Drugstore Cowboy https://www.flickchart.com/movie/DE1F2676D6 1989, 102 min.