Teen Wolf
1985 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 1,277 votes
When a shy teenager's new-found powers help him score at basketball - and with the popular girls - he has some pretty hairy decisions to make. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Curated by SceneIt · United States
Best 1980s Movies
Revisit standout releases from 1980 through 1989, selected for viewers who want a strong starting point instead of an exhaustive catalog.
Updated 2026-08-04 · Ratings from TMDB
How we chose these titles
Titles are ranked by TMDB audience rating with a minimum vote threshold, then checked for relevance to the release decade.
Rambo III
1988 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 3,530 votes
Combat has taken its toll on Rambo, but he's finally begun to find inner peace in a monastery. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Friday the 13th Part 2
1981 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 1,947 votes
Five years after the horrible bloodbath at Camp Crystal Lake, new counselors roam the area, not sensing the ominous lurking presence that proves that the grisly legend is real. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Spies Like Us
1985 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 720 votes
Two bumbling government employees think they are U.S. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Dune
1984 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 3,473 votes
In the year 10,191, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice Melange. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
American Gigolo
1980 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 739 votes
Julian makes a lucrative living as an escort to older women in the Los Angeles area. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
3 Men and a Baby
1987 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 1,115 votes
Three bachelors find themselves forced to take care of a baby left by one of the guy's girlfriends. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
We're No Angels
1989 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 554 votes
Two escaped cons' only prayer to escape is to pass themselves off as priests and pass by the police blockade at the border into the safety of Canada. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Cujo
1983 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 1,152 votes
A friendly St. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
House
1985 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 635 votes
A divorced horror novelist coming to terms with the disappearance of his young son inherits an old mansion home to malevolent supernatural residents. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
1988 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 2,083 votes
Ten years after his original massacre, the invalid Michael Myers awakens on Halloween Eve and returns to Haddonfield to kill his seven-year-old niece. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
K-9
1989 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 1,069 votes
The extravagant cop Michael Dooley needs some help to fight a drug dealer who has tried to kill him. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
National Lampoon's European Vacation
1985 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 1,013 votes
The Griswolds win a vacation to Europe on a game show, and so pack their bags for the continent. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Throw Momma from the Train
1987 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 667 votes
Larry Donner, an author with a cruel ex-wife, teaches a writing workshop in which one of his students, Owen, is fed up with his domineering mother. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The Cannonball Run
1981 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 709 votes
A cross-country road race is based on an actual event, the Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, organized by Brock Yates to protest the 55 mph speed limit then in effect in the U.S. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Cobra
1986 · TMDB 6.2/10 · 1,990 votes
A tough-on-crime street cop must protect the only surviving witness to a strange murderous cult with far reaching plans. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Conan the Destroyer
1984 · TMDB 6.1/10 · 1,693 votes
Conan is commissioned by the evil queen Taramis to safely escort a teen princess and her powerful bodyguard to a far away castle to retrieve the magic Horn of Dagoth. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Return
1985 · TMDB 6.1/10 · 2,701 votes
After reading an article about hypnotic regression, a woman whose maternal grandfather died when she was only three years old contacts the hypnotic subject named in the article believing that he is the reincarnation of her grandfather, and hoping that she can learn the truth about how he died. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The Blue Lagoon
1980 · TMDB 6.1/10 · 2,053 votes
Two small children and a ship's cook survive a shipwreck and find safety on an idyllic tropical island. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Above the Law
1988 · TMDB 6.1/10 · 813 votes
Nico Toscani is an Italian immigrant, American patriot, ex-CIA agent, aikido specialist and unorthodox Chicago policeman. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.