The 100 Best Movies of the 1980s (No Fluff List)

This is our “no fluff” list. That means that we only include the rank, name of the movie and the year it was made it. We have another version of the list that also include the director, major actors, a plot summary, some witty commentary about the movie and a picture of the official movie poster. If you’d prefer this extra information you can see it here.

• 25 Honorable Mentions
• #100 – # 76
• #75 – #51
• #50 – #26
• #25 – #1

Before we get to the top 100 list, please enjoy these 25 Honorable Mentions.

#125 – The Cook, The Thief, The Wife and Her Lover (1989)

#124 – The Jazz Singer (1980)

#123 – Staying Alive (1983)

#122 – Poltergeist (1982)

#121 – Nuts (1987)

#120 – On Golden Pond (1981)

#119 – A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

#118 – Drugstore Cowboy (1989)

#117 – Big (1988)

#116 – Aliens (1986)

#115 – Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)

#114 – Roger and Me (1989)

#113 – Little Mermaid (1989)

#112 – Valley Girl (1983)

#111 – Pretty in Pink (1986)

#110 – Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

#109 – Revenge of the Nerds (1984)

#108 – Risky Business (1983)

#107 – Porky’s (1981)

#106 – Fame (1980)

#105 – Tron (1982)

#104 – 48 Hrs (1982)

#103 – Caddyshack (1980)

#102 – Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

#101 – Die Hard (1988)

#100 – Heathers (1988)

#99 – Ran (1985)

#98 – Flight of the Navigator (1986)

#97 – The Killing Fields (1984)

#96 – Jean de Florrette (1986)

#95 – Gallipoli (1981)

#94 – Glory (1989)

#93 – Endless Love (1981)

#92 – Annie (1982)

#91 – Sudden Impact (1983)

#90 – A Room with a View (1986)

#89 – Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989)

#88 – Out of Africa (1985)

#87 – Bull Durham (1988)

#86 – Rocky IV (1985)

#85 – The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

#84 – Blue Lagoon (1980)

#83 – The Cannonball Run (1981)

#82 – Escape from New York (1981)

#81 – First Blood (1982)

#80 – White Nights (1985)

#79 – Red Dawn (1984)

#78 – Romancing the Stone (1984)

#77 – The Big Chill (1983)

#76 – Blue Velvet (1986)

#75 – The Last Emperor (1987)

#74 – The Accused (1988)

#73 – Full Metal Jacket (1987)

#72 – Akira (1988)

#71 – A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

#70 – Betty Blue (1986)

#69 – Gremlins (1984)

#68 – Broadcast News (1987)

#67 – Footloose (1984)

#66 – Moonstruck (1987)

#65 – Willow (1988)

#64 – Elephant Man (1980)

#63 – The Blues Brothers (1980)

#62 – Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987)

#61 – Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)

#60 – Do the Right Thing (1989)

#59 – The Terminator (1984)

#58 – Platoon (1986)

#57 – Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982)

#56 – Mask (1985)

#55 – Hoosiers (1986)

#54 – Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

#53 – The Road Warrior (1981)

#52 – National Lampoons Vacation (1983)

#51 – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

#50 – Flashdance (1983)

#49 – Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

#48 – Taps (1981)

#47 – Scarface (1983)

#46 – The Untouchables (1987)

#45 – Beetlejuice (1988)

#44 – Tootsie (1982)

#43 – Sixteen Candles (1984)

#42 – Urban Cowboy (1980)

#41 – Dangerous Liaisons  (1988)

#40 – Reds (1981)

#39 – St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)

#38 – Say Anything (1989)

#37 – War Games (1983)

#36 – Wall Street (1987)

#35 – Purple Rain (1984)

#34 – Friday the 13th (1980)

#33 – Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980)

#32 – Terms of Endearment (1983)

#31 – Field of Dreams (1989)

#30 – The Outsiders (1983)

#29 – Sophie’s Choice (1982)

#28 – The Goonies (1985)

#27 – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

#26 – Raging Bull (1980)

#25 – Cinema Paradiso (1988)

#24 – The Princess Bride (1987)

#23 – Fatal Attraction (1987)

#22 – Dead Poet’s Society (1989)

#21 – Ghostbusters (1984)

#20 – Good Morning Vietnam (1987)

#19 – The Breakfast Club (1985)

#18 – Top Gun (1986)

#17 – Chariots of Fire (1981)

#16 – Batman (1989)

#15 – When Harry Met Sally (1989)

#14 – Dirty Dancing (1987)

#13 – Amadeus (1984)

#12 – The Color Purple (1985)

#11 – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)

#10 – The Karate Kid (1984)

#9 – Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

#8 – Children of a Lesser God (1986)

#7 – Gandhi  (1982)

#6 – My Left Foot (1989)

#5 – The Shining (1980)

#4 – Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

#3 – E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

#2 – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

#1 – Back to the Future (1985)