The 10 Best Films of the 1980s, Ranked

Image via 20th Century Studios Published Aug 31, 2026, 5:54 PM EDT Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts! On Block Talk, he interviews nightlife personalities, covers the wide world of entertainment through features, ranking episodes, and recaps ALL of Drag Race, as well as Dragula and Survivor. He has interviewed hundreds of RuGirls that span the globe at DragCon NYC, DragCon LA, and DragCon UK. In his free time, he makes one-of-a-kind jewelry and gift baskets with his mom. He is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. Sign in to your Collider account Every decade has its cinematic touchstones that establish its placement in movie history. The 1980s were no different. The decade saw an extraordinary number of sensational films that shaped Hollywood history. The decade featured feel-good films, high-concept original stories, groundbreaking practical effects, and the precursor to the rise of box office blockbusters. Through bold storytelling, earnest characters, and niche genres coming to the surface, the big screen ruled the '80s. We are here to celebrate the decade's best; we have compiled a range of titles spanning all genres, including science fiction, action-adventure, psychological thrillers, and genuine dramas. From sci-fi films that made us wonder to the introduction of iconic characters, these films brought us high-quality entertainment. Directed by some of cinema's greatest visionaries, these films have stood the test of time, influencing pop culture in the process. Though there are certainly quite a few films that nearly made this list, these 10 are the best of the best. Get in the DeLorean and let's celebrate a blast from the past! 10 ''Blue Velvet' (1986) Image via De Laurentiis Entertainment Group We toss around the term visionary quite loosely, but if there’s one individual who exudes it, it’s David Lynch. In the psychological thriller Blue Velvet, it tells the story of college student Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) as he returns to his small hometown of Lumberton, where an unfortunate discovery of a human ear leads to the unraveling of a dark, violent criminal underworld. Suspecting that troubled, enigmatic lounge singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini) is tied to his discovery, he becomes entangled with the deranged, sadistic criminal Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper). Blue Velvet masterfully mixes a bright, perfect small-town look with a dark, terrifying morally secret underbelly where the ordinary is nothing but. Through precisely curated metaphors, striking imagery, and themes of acceptance versus resistance, temptation, and primal desire, Blue Velvet is a dangerous, addictive thriller. Lynch’s mission is to prove that evil hides right next door to normal, everyday life. Through Jeffrey's eyes, curiosity leads us into a descent into darkness, where the monsters we track may be eerily similar to those we suppress within. Lynch establishes his infamous tone and directorial style by establishing a visual vocabulary. Every shot is striking through vibrant colors. The scenes are paired with a striking soundscape that establishes the atmospheric tension. Blue Velvet was a subversive entry for the decade by ripping away the hyper-sanitized, nostalgic, and commercialized visions of the American Dream for a story of deep rot, sexual deviance, and psychological terror emerging out of the picture-perfect, idealistic life. Blue Velvet jump-started the postmodern Neo-noir thriller that refused to conform. 9 'Ran' (1985) Image via Toho Perhaps it’s not as revered as many of the other films on this list, but the Japanese epic historical action drama Ran deserves the same praise. Directed, co-written, and edited by Akira Kurosawa, the 1985 film takes inspiration from William Shakespeare’s King Lear. The film tells the story of an aging 16th-century warlord, Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai), who decides to divide his vast domain among his three sons. He makes his eldest son, Taro (Akira Terao), the supreme ruler, and his second son, Jiro (Jinpachi Nezu), and youngest son, Saburo (Daisuke Ryu), are given command of the Second and Third Castles, with the expectation that they will support Taro and keep the clan united. Instead of peace, the decision unleashes a devastating war of betrayal and madness. Pairing a brutal retelling of a classic story with breathtaking scale and visual design, Ran brings 16th-century feudal Japan to the big screen. Through a great exploration of how human greed, family betrayal, and past violence destroy generations, Ran's high-stakes narrative showcases the inescapable consequences of brutal human ambition. It's a story about reaping what you sow. To keep the film viscerally authentic, Kurosawa used thousands of extras in handcrafted costumes and hundreds of horses to lend the battles a massive scale. There was even a full-scale castle constructed to be explicitly burned in a single take. Through bold and vibrant colors and loud chaos, the fight scenes were largely tragic. Paired with a hauntingly mythic score, the scenes were elevated to capture the sweeping sorrow. Ran epitomized maximalism, proving there was artistic merit in pop culture sans synthesizers and neon lights. That said, it did thrive on over-the-top melodrama and a major boss villain in Lady Kaede (Meiko Harada), giving it that '80s feel. Ran is an important epic whose influence is felt still today. 8 'Amadeus' (1984) Image via Warner Bros./ Courtesy: Everett Collection One might not think that a classical rivalry would lead to a profound epic period drama, but then you likely haven't seen Amadeus. Adapted from Peter Shaffer's stage play, the Miloš Forman-directed Academy Award-winning film fictionalizes the intense rivalry between composer Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) and the musical mastermind Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce). Salieri battles inner turmoil between his admiration for the composer and his disdain and fervent desire to ruin Mozart's career as a form of retribution against God. Through themes of jealousy, genius, and faith, Amadeus weaves a tantalizing story of genuine humanity that goes beyond historical documentary to explore how art and religion can clash because of the individuals on either side. Amadeus is a highly relatable story because, whether we want to admit it or not, its core is facing someone who is effortlessly better at something they care more about. Mediocrity is not an answer for Salieri, so in order to compensate for his misgivings, he makes it his mission to diminish his rivals' light. Abraham brings a burning intensity to Salieri, earning the Academy Award for Best Actor. Opposite him, Hulce brings a vibrant nature to the genius of the 18th century. To drive the action, Amadeus uses Mozart's masterpieces to elevate the emotional stakes with tangible merit. Salieri has good reason to be jealous of literal greatness. Through a wildly stunning recreation of 18th-century Vienna, Amadeus drops audiences straight into the era. Though it's not a strictly accurate historical retelling, Amadeus capitalized on the '80s obsession with rockstar underdogs. Collider Exclusive · Oscar Best Picture Quiz Which Oscar Best PictureIs Your Perfect Movie? Parasite · Everything Everywhere · Oppenheimer · Birdman · No Country Five Oscar Best Picture winners. Five completely different visions of what cinema can be — and what it can do to you. One of them is the film that was made for the way your mind works. Ten questions will figure out which one. 🪜Parasite 🌀Everything Everywhere ☢️Oppenheimer 🐦Birdman 🪙No Country for Old Men FIND YOUR FILM → 01 What kind of film experience do you actually want? The best movies don't just entertain — they leave something behind. ASomething that pulls the rug out — that makes me think I'm watching one kind of film and then reveals I'm watching another entirely. BSomething overwhelming — funny, sad, absurd, and genuinely moving, all at once. CSomething grand and weighty — a film that makes me feel the full scale of what I'm watching. DSomething formally daring — a film that pushes what cinema can even do. ESomething lean and relentless — pure tension with no wasted frame. NEXT QUESTION → 02 Which idea grabs you most in a film? Great films are driven by a central obsession. What's yours? AClass, inequality, and what people are willing to do when desperation meets opportunity. BIdentity, family, and the chaos of trying to hold your life together when everything is falling apart. CGenius, moral responsibility, and the catastrophic weight of a decision you can never take back. DEgo, legacy, and the terror of becoming irrelevant while you're still alive to watch it happen. EEvil, chance, and whether moral order actually exists or if we just tell ourselves it does. NEXT QUESTION → 03 How do you like your story told? Form is content. The way a story is shaped changes what it means. AGenre-twisting — I want it to start in one lane and migrate into something completely different. BMaximalist and genre-blending — comedy, action, drama, sci-fi, all in one ride. CEpic and non-linear — cutting between timelines, building a mosaic of cause and consequence. DA single unbroken flow — I want to feel like I'm living it in real time, no cuts to safety. ESpare and precise — every scene doing exactly what it needs to do and nothing more. NEXT QUESTION → 04 What makes a truly great antagonist? The opposition defines the protagonist. What kind of opposition fascinates you? AA system — invisible, structural, and almost impossible to fight because it has no single face. BThe self — the ways we sabotage, abandon, and fail the people we love most. CHistory — the unstoppable momentum of events that no single person can stop or redirect. DThe industry — the machinery of culture that chews up talent and spits out irrelevance. EPure, implacable evil — a force so certain of itself it becomes almost philosophical. NEXT QUESTION → 05 What do you want from a film's ending? The final note is the one that lingers. What do you want it to sound like? AShock and inevitability — a conclusion that recontextualises everything that came before it. BEarned emotion — I want to cry, laugh, and feel genuinely hopeful, even if the world is a mess. CDevastation and grandeur — an ending that makes me sit in silence for a few minutes after. DAmbiguity — something that leaves enough open that I'm still thinking about it days later. EBleakness — an honest refusal to pretend the world is tidier than it actually is. NEXT QUESTION → 06 Which setting pulls you in most? Where a film takes place shapes everything — mood, stakes, what's even possible. AA gleaming modern city with a hidden underside — beauty masking rot, wealth masking desperation. BA collapsing suburban life that opens onto something infinite — the multiverse of a single ordinary person. CThe corridors of power and science at a world-historical turning point — where decisions echo for decades. DThe grimy, alive chaos of New York and Hollywood — fame as both destination and trap. EVast, indifferent landscape — desert and highway where violence arrives without warning or reason. NEXT QUESTION → 07 What cinematic craft impresses you most? Every great film has a signature — a technical or artistic element that makes it unmistakable. AProduction design and mise-en-scène — every frame composed to carry meaning beneath the surface. BEditing and tonal control — the ability to move between registers without losing the audience. CScore and sound design — music that becomes inseparable from the dread and awe of what you're watching. DCinematography as performance — the camera not recording events but participating in them. ESilence and restraint — what's left unsaid and unshown doing more work than any dialogue could. NEXT QUESTION → 08 What kind of main character do you root for? The protagonist is the lens. Who you choose to follow says something about you. ASomeone smart and resourceful who makes increasingly dangerous decisions under pressure. BSomeone overwhelmed and ordinary who turns out to be capable of something extraordinary. CA brilliant, tortured figure whose gifts and flaws are inseparable from each other. DA self-destructive artist whose ego is both their superpower and their undoing. EA quiet, principled person trying to make sense of a world that has stopped making sense. NEXT QUESTION → 09 How do you feel about a film that takes its time? Pace is a choice. Some films sprint; others let tension accumulate slowly, deliberately. AI love a slow build when I know the payoff is going to be seismic — patience for a devastating reveal. BGive me relentless momentum — I want to feel breathless and emotionally spent by the end. CEpic runtime doesn't scare me — if the material demands three hours, give me three hours. DI want it to feel propulsive even when nothing is technically happening — restless energy throughout. EDeliberate and unhurried — I want dread to accumulate in the spaces between the action. NEXT QUESTION → 10 What do you want to feel walking out of the cinema? The best films leave a mark. What kind of mark do you want? AUnsettled — like I've just seen something I can't fully explain but can't stop thinking about. BMoved and energised — like the film reminded me what actually matters and gave me something to hold onto. CHumbled — like I've been in the presence of something genuinely important and overwhelming. DExhilarated — like I've just seen cinema doing something it's never quite done before. EHaunted — like a cold, quiet dread that stays with me for days. REVEAL MY FILM → The Academy Has Decided Your Perfect Film Is…Your answers have pointed to one Oscar Best Picture winner above all others. This is the film that was made for the way your mind works. ParasiteYou are drawn to films that operate on multiple levels simultaneously — that begin in one genre and quietly, brilliantly migrate into another. Bong Joon-ho's Parasite is a film about class, desire, and the architecture of inequality that manages to be darkly funny, deeply suspenseful, and genuinely shocking across a single extraordinary running time. Your instinct is for cinema that hides its true intentions until the moment it's ready to reveal them. Parasite is exactly that — a film that rewards close attention and punishes assumptions, right up to its devastating final image. Everything Everywhere All at OnceYou want it all — and this film gives you all of it. The Daniels' Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most maximalist films ever made: action comedy, multiverse sci-fi, family drama, existential crisis, and a genuinely earned emotional core that sneaks up on you amid the chaos. You are someone who responds to ambition, who doesn't want cinema to choose between being entertaining and being meaningful. This film refuses that choice entirely. It is overwhelming by design, and its overwhelming nature is precisely the point — because the feeling of being crushed by infinite possibility is exactly what it's about. OppenheimerYou are drawn to cinema on a grand scale — films that understand history not as a backdrop but as a force, and that place their characters inside that force and watch what happens. Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer is a film about the terrifying gap between what we can do and what we should do, told with the full weight of one of the most consequential moments in human history behind it. You want your films to feel important without feeling self-important — to earn their ambition through sheer craft and the gravity of their subject. Oppenheimer does exactly that. It is enormous, complicated, and refuses easy comfort. BirdmanYou are drawn to films that foreground their own construction — that make the how of the filmmaking part of the what it's about. Alejandro González Iñárritu's Birdman, shot to appear as a single continuous take, is cinema examining itself through the cracked mirror of a fading actor's ego. You respond to formal daring, to the feeling that a film is doing something that probably shouldn't be possible. Michael Keaton's performance and Emmanuel Lubezki's restless camera create something genuinely unlike anything else — a film that is simultaneously about creativity, relevance, self-destruction, and the impossibility of ever truly knowing if your work means anything at all. No Country for Old MenYou are drawn to cinema that trusts silence, that refuses to explain itself, and that treats dread as a form of meaning. The Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men is a film about the arrival of a new kind of evil — implacable, arbitrary, and utterly indifferent to the moral frameworks we use to make sense of the world. It is one of the most formally controlled films ever made, and its controlled restraint is what makes it so terrifying. You want your films to haunt you, not comfort you. You are not interested in resolution if resolution would be dishonest. No Country for Old Men is honest in a way that most cinema never dares to be. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 7 'Cinema Paradiso' (1988) Image via Miramax Films A true masterpiece of the '80s is Giuseppe Tornatore's astonishing Cinema Paradiso. A timeless classic and one of the finest films ever made, the nostalgic coming-of-age film follows a famous filmmaker, Salvatore Di Vita (Jacques Perrin), as he looks back on his childhood in a small Sicilian village. A young "Toto" (Marco Leonardi and Salvatore Cascio) grows up without a father who died in the war, while Alfredo (Philippe Noiret), the sweet projectionist at Cinema Paradiso, becomes a father figure to Toto, sparking a lifelong love for cinema. A deeply moving love letter to film, Cinema Paradiso is a bittersweet tale of outgrowing your hometown, the power of companionship, and the beacon that the movie theater serves for the community. Winning several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Cinema Paradiso transcends language for a universal, unforgettable movie experience. Cinema Paradiso explores the magic of movies and how they shape a community. The village priest and owner of Cinema Paradiso, Father Adelfio (Leonardo Trieste), censors romantic scenes that feature kissing. They become significant in the end, serving as a parting gift to Salvatore as Alfredo compiles all the cut scenes into one final montage. It's a sublime and heart-wrenching conclusion in movie history. Ennio Morricone's breathtaking musical themes elevate the emotional resonance. Cinema Paradiso celebrates the power of storytelling and the importance of memory. It's a film that every movie lover must watch at least once in their life. 6 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981) Image via Paramount Pictures The 1980s saw the launch of some of pop culture's most infamous franchises, making the decade one of the most influential of all time. Case in point, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Though the first film lacked the "Indiana Jones" moniker, it proved just how eager audiences were for nostalgic action-adventure movies. Directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Lawrence Kasdan from a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman, Raiders of the Lost Ark chronicles the adventures of archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), who is hired by the U.S. government to find the biblical Ark of the Covenant. He races against Nazi forces who want to harness the artifact's supernatural power to achieve world domination. A globe-trotting adventure that reignited nostalgia for classic action stories, Raiders of the Lost Ark tapped into practical filmmaking to introduce an iconic, humanized hero. Raiders of the Lost Ark is a greatest hits reel of extraordinary action scenes. And it all starts off with a perfect opening sequence where a resourceful Indy runs out a giant boulder in a Peruvian temple to safety, where he reveals his fear of snakes. Not only is it a high-octane sequence, but it also shows the hero as a vulnerable, anything-but-invisible man. It sets the tone for the rest of the film as well as the future adventures. Through the reliance on practical stunts and effects, from bar brawls to truck chases, Raiders of the Lost Ark is a tangible adventure that puts you straight into the action with Indy. Ford is beyond charismatic, proving he is a capable leading man, creating an iconic image with his rugged good looks, leather jacket, and fedora. And when it comes to capable composers, John Williams delivered another sweeping, iconic theme that anchored the film. Raiders of the Lost Ark reignited the thrill of the Saturday matinee-style adventure. 5 'Back to the Future' (1985) Image via Universal Pictures If there is one film that defines the '80s, it's Back to the Future. The Robert Zemeckis sci-fi comedy adventure follows Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), a teenager from the present, who, alongside the eccentric Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd), accidentally travels back in time in a DeLorean in order to ensure his teenage parents fall in love to save his own existence. Blending pop culture, fast-paced action, and undeniable chemistry, Back to the Future is an accessible time travel adventure that reminds viewers of the domino effect through a deeply emotional and comedically thrilling story. Back to the Future features an airtight script by Zemeckis and Bob Gale that never confuses the audience. Instead, the time-travel logic is straightforward, allowing an emotionally balanced comedy to take center stage. Every single beat in the first act serves a greater purpose by the end, making it a well-plotted story. The silliness of watching Marty interact with his parents in the past offers him a chance to understand them in the present. It ensures that his mission is not largely selfish. Fox and Lloyd have sensational chemistry, making them one of the most dynamic duos of the '80s. Through timeless iconography, a sensational mix of music from the eras, and effortless genre blending, Back to the Future remains a time capsule film that resonates still today. 4 'Do the Right Thing' (1989) Image via Universal Pictures A touchstone of the time, Do the Right Thing is Spike Lee's magnum opus. Set in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, the drama centers around a local pizzeria owned by Italian-American Sal Frangione (Danny Aiello) and his sons, Pino and Vito (John Turturro and Richard Edson), and their young Black delivery guy Mookie (Lee). As the sweltering heat rises, small arguments and underlying prejudices begin to rise to the surface when local resident Buggin' Out questions why the pizza place's "Wall of Fame" only features Italian-American icons, boycotting until famous Black figures are included. Tension reaches a breaking point when a physical fight inside spills out onto the street, leading a white police officer to choke a resident to death. A harrowing story that remains poignant, Do the Right Thing captures the raw racial tension, political frustrations, and cultural shifts of the late '80s through the rise of hip-hop culture. Do the Right Thing is a living, breathing depiction of the neighborhood. Lee captures the block through effortless realism. The ensemble is filled with authentic individuals who both present clear flaws and good traits. Their truths arise as the pressure cooker of the time takes over. Lee uses the title to pose a question to the audience: who is actually doing the right thing, or is anyone? The moral question carries the film until the conclusion, where Lee uses contrasting quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, leaving viewers with a lasting impression. Do the Right Thing is an unfortunately timeless film because the strife Lee presented then still overwhelms society. The cross-section of police brutality and gentrification through the themes of miscommunication, community struggles, and racial justice remains deeply relevant. Do the Right Thing was the perfect antithesis of glossy Hollywood escapist films. 3 'Raging Bull' (1980) Image via United Artists Every decade sees Martin Scorsese define his evolution through a single film. In the '80s, it was Raging Bull. The biographical sports drama is based on Jake LaMotta's 1970 memoir. Robert De Niro takes on LaMotta, the former middleweight boxing champion whose turbulent personal life is beset by rage and jealousy. Charting his brutal rise in the ring as "The Bronx Bull" and his subsequent self-destructive fall, LaMotta’s jealousy and paranoia ruin his marriages and friendships, showing how his ferocity outside the ring was just as destructive as inside. A visceral biopic filmed in black and white, Raging Bull is a deep dive into toxic masculinity, self-destruction, and the dark side of ambition, fame, and affirmation. One of the greatest biopic, Raging Bull centers on a raw, uncompromising character study of self-destruction rather than championing a star. Through the psychological turmoil, LaMotta is presented as a deeply flawed, insecure, and violent individual driven by jealousy and paranoia. Shooting in stark black-and-white, Scorsese ensures a gritty documentary-style essence that feels universally timeless. Though boxing is at the center of the ring, the fight scenes are not presented as tactically perfect, but as the emotional chaos inside. Through a visceral soundscape, Scorsese's masterful direction makes the film a strong K.O. Raging Bull is a dissertation on toxic masculinity and unchecked rage. It's by no means an easy film to watch; it's an uncompromising cinema classic that sets a course for the future of intense thrillers that dare to pack a punch. Image via Universal Pictures Thanks to Steven Spielberg, science fiction doesn’t always have to be terrifying. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial tells the tale of a gentle alien who is accidentally stranded on Earth. He befriends a lonely 10-year-old boy named Elliott Taylor (Henry Thomas). Together with his siblings, Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and Gertie (Drew Barrymore), Elliott hides the alien, helps him build a device to "phone home," and protects him from government agents. E.T. is more than just accessible science fiction; it is an emotional portrait of childhood, friendship, and belonging crafted through immaculate, authentic storytelling. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, through empathy and heart, explores the bittersweet reality of loving someone and knowing they eventually have to return home. If there was any film that served as a generation’s entry point into science fiction, it’s this one. Spielberg based the film on his own childhood loneliness and his parents' divorce. By having an emotional experience to pull from, he ensured a sincerity that could be felt by children experiencing wonder, and adults through nostalgia. Much of the framing comes from a child’s height to ensure the story is told through their eyes and perspective. In doing so, it ensures that it’s their story, with the adults on the periphery. A visually beautiful film, its wonder soars thanks to John Williams’ iconic score. We can’t help but think we’re flying when we hear the film’s theme. Not only did E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial epitomize the decade, but it also marked a genuine shift in science fiction storytelling. Through real-world emotions, Spielberg reshaped the genre by telling fantastical stories with immense heart. 1 'Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back' (1980) Image via Lucasfilms / courtesy Everett Collection It’s rare that a sequel is better than the original; then Star Wars: Episode V— The Empire Strikes Back recontextualized that conversation. Directed by Irvin Kershner, the second film in the franchise centers on the Rebel Alliance running from the evil Galactic Empire while Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) learns the ways of the Jedi through the mentorship of Yoda (Frank Oz). As Luke is lured into a trap, he learns the devastating truth of his lineage. Through one of the greatest revelations in cinema history, The Empire Strikes Back not only shocked audiences but also served as a reminder that the heroes will not always prevail. The Empire Strikes Back cemented Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) as one of the greatest sci-fi villains of all time. The Empire Strikes Back built on the success of its predecessor, taking it even further. Taking extraordinarily brazen risks, The Empire Strikes Back explored a darker, more mature tone to examine themes of failure, duality, and sacrifice. The space opera became more grounded in realism, even through the lore and mythology established in the previous film. The already established characters were enriched, with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) given a more romantic dynamic, while new characters were organically introduced as important advancements to the story, including Yoda and Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). The Empire Strikes Back is remembered for many things, but the Darth Vader parentage remains cinema's biggest twist. Perhaps that’s we accept the defeat of Luke at the hands of Vader, pun slightly intended. The Empire Strikes Back set the tone for cinema and pop culture for the remainder of the decade.