Ranked List

Iconic 80s

The 1980s gave us films with unmistakable energy, looks and lines that still turn up in conversation. This list reaches across genres to find the ones I think remain enjoyable as films, beyond the nostalgia attached to them. My order favours the movies I would happily put on again today.

#1 Back to the Future poster

Back to the Future

Release 1985 Genres Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction IMDb 8.5 Runtime 116 min Language English
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Eighties teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955, inadvertently disrupting his parents' first meeting and attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by rekindling his parents' romance and - with the help of his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown - return to 1985.
#4 Stand by Me poster

Stand by Me

Release 1986 Genres Drama, Adventure IMDb 8.1 Runtime 89 min Language English
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After learning that a boy their age has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four boys decide to go see the body. Gordie, Vern, Chris, and Teddy encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, but they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys' adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.
#8 The Breakfast Club poster

The Breakfast Club

Release 1985 Genres Comedy, Drama IMDb 7.8 Runtime 98 min Language English
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Five high school students from different walks of life endure a Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal. The disparate group includes rebel John, princess Claire, outcast Allison, brainy Brian and Andrew, the jock. Each has a chance to tell his or her story, making the others see them a little differently -- and when the day ends, they question whether school will ever be the same.