Best Movies/TV Shows of the 1980s

100 titles that travel well across time — a personal watchlist for best movies/tv shows of the 1980s.

#TopMovies#TopTV#BestMovies#BestTV#GreatestFilms#GreatestTV#MostImportantMovies#MostImportantTV#MustWatch#OTTWatch#CantMiss#Watchlist#1980s
#PosterTitle
1 Raiders of the Lost Ark(1981)
Movie | Action, Adventure | USA | English, German
2 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back(1980)
Movie | Action, Adventure | USA | English
3 Back to the Future(1985)
Movie | Adventure, Comedy | USA | English
4 Nuovo Cinema Paradisoaka Cinema Paradiso(1988)
Movie | Drama, Romance | Italy, France | Italian
5 The Terminator(1984)
Movie | Action, Adventure | UK, USA | English, Spanish
6 Seinfeld(1989)
TV | Comedy | USA | English, Spanish
7 Das Boot(1981)
Movie | Drama, War | Germany | German, English
8 Ran(1985)
Movie | Action, Drama | Japan, France | Japanese
9 Hotaru no hakaaka Grave of the Fireflies(1988)
Movie | Animation, Drama | Japan | Japanese
10 Aliens(1986)
Movie | Action, Adventure | UK, USA | English, Spanish
11 Tonari no Totoroaka My Neighbor Totoro(1988)
Movie | Animation, Adventure | Japan | Japanese
12 Once Upon a Time in America(1984)
Movie | Crime, Drama | Italy, USA | English, Italian
13 Paris, Texas(1984)
Movie | Drama | Germany, France | English, Spanish
14 My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brownaka My Left Foot(1989)
Movie | Biography, Drama | Ireland, UK | English
15 Fanny och Alexanderaka Fanny and Alexander(1982)
Movie | Drama | Sweden, France | Swedish, German
16 Kaze no tani no Naushikaaka Nausica of the Valley of the Wind(1984)
Movie | Animation, Adventure | Japan | Japanese
17 Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro(1983)
Movie | Comedy, Crime | India | Hindi
18 Dragon Ball Z: Doragon boru zettoaka Dragon Ball Z(1989)
TV | Animation, Action | Japan | Japanese
19 Tenku no shiro Rapyutaaka Castle in the Sky(1986)
Movie | Animation, Adventure | Japan | Japanese
20 Nayakan(1987)
Movie | Crime, Drama | India | Tamil
21 Kireedam(1989)
Movie | Action, Drama | India | Malayalam
22 The Last Emperor(1987)
Movie | Biography, Drama | China, Italy | English, Mandarin
23 The Simpsons(1989)
TV | Animation, Comedy | USA | English
24 Salaam Bombay!(1988)
Movie | Crime, Drama | India | Hindi
25 Dekalog(1989)
TV | Drama | Poland, Germany | Polish
26 Oru Vadakkan Veeragathaaka A Northern Story of Valor(1989)
Movie | Drama, History | India | Malayalam
27 Star Trek: The Next Generation(1987)
TV | Action, Adventure | USA | English, Klingon
28 Nadodikkattu(1987)
Movie | Comedy | India | Malayalam
29 Chithram(1988)
Movie | Comedy, Drama | India | Malayalam
30 Thoovanathumbikal(1987)
Movie | Drama, Romance | India | Malayalam
31 Amadeus(1984)
Movie | Biography, Drama | USA, France | English, Italian
32 Dead Poets Society(1989)
Movie | Comedy, Drama | USA | English, Latin
33 Platoon(1986)
Movie | Drama, War | USA, UK | English, Vietnamese
34 The Shining(1980)
Movie | Drama, Horror | UK, USA | English
35 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial(1982)
Movie | Adventure, Family | USA | English
36 Blade Runner(1982)
Movie | Action, Drama | USA, UK | English, German
37 Rain Man(1988)
Movie | Drama | USA | English, Italian
38 Full Metal Jacket(1987)
Movie | Drama, War | UK, USA | English, Vietnamese
39 Stand by Me(1986)
Movie | Adventure, Comedy | USA | English
40 Die Hard(1988)
Movie | Action, Thriller | USA | English, German
41 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade(1989)
Movie | Action, Adventure | USA, Italy | English, German
42 The Princess Bride(1987)
Movie | Adventure, Comedy | USA | English
43 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi(1983)
Movie | Action, Adventure | USA | English, Kikuyu
44 Gandhi(1982)
Movie | Biography, Drama | UK, India | English, Hindi
45 The Elephant Man(1980)
Movie | Biography, Drama | USA, UK | English, French
46 Ramayan(1987)
TV | Adventure, Drama | India | Hindi
47 Akira(1988)
Movie | Animation, Action | Japan | Japanese
48 Au revoir les enfants(1987)
Movie | Drama, War | France, Germany | French, German
49 Der Himmel uber Berlinaka Wings of Desire(1987)
Movie | Drama, Fantasy | Germany, France | German, English
50 Idi i smotriaka Come and See(1985)
Movie | Drama, Thriller | Russia | Belarusian, Russian
51 Majo no takkyubinaka Kiki's Delivery Service(1989)
Movie | Animation, Family | Japan | Japanese, English
52 Jean de Florette(1986)
Movie | Drama | France, Italy | French, English
53 Dom za vesanjeaka Time of the Gypsies(1988)
Movie | Comedy, Crime | Yugoslavia, Italy | Romany, Serbo-Croatian
54 Dragon Ball: Doragon boruaka Dragon Ball(1986)
TV | Animation, Action | Japan | Japanese
55 Das Boot(1985)
TV | Drama, War | Germany, France | German, French
56 Masoom(1983)
Movie | Drama, Family | India | Hindi
57 Angoor(1982)
Movie | Comedy | India | Hindi
58 Thaniyavartanam(1987)
Movie | Drama | India | Malayalam
59 Pushpaka Vimana(1987)
Movie | Comedy, Drama | India
60 Mr. India(1987)
Movie | Action, Comedy | India | Hindi
61 Aha Naa Pellanta(1987)
Movie | Comedy | India | Telugu
62 Only Fools and Horses(1981)
TV | Comedy | UK | English
63 Sagara Sangamam(1983)
Movie | Drama, Music | India | Tamil, Telugu
64 Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak(1988)
Movie | Drama, Musical | India | Hindi
65 Cosmos(1980)
TV | Documentary | USA, UK | English
66 Mouna Ragam(1986)
Movie | Drama, Romance | India | Tamil
67 Blackadder Goes Forth(1989)
TV | Comedy, War | UK | English
68 Heerak Rajar Desheaka The Kingdom of Diamonds(1980)
Movie | Comedy, Drama | India | Bengali
69 Married with Childrenaka Married... with Children(1987)
TV | Comedy | USA | English
70 Raging Bull(1980)
Movie | Biography, Drama | USA | English
71 When Harry Met Sally...(1989)
Movie | Comedy, Drama | USA | English
72 Scarface(1983)
Movie | Crime, Drama | USA | English, Spanish
73 Ghostbusters(1984)
Movie | Action, Comedy | USA | English
74 Who Framed Roger Rabbit(1988)
Movie | Animation, Adventure | USA, UK | English
75 The Untouchables(1987)
Movie | Crime, Drama | USA | English
76 The Thing(1982)
Movie | Horror, Mystery | USA, Canada | English, Norwegian
77 Mahabharat(1988)
TV | Action, Adventure | India | Hindi
78 Kagemushaaka Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior(1980)
Movie | Drama, History | Japan, USA | Japanese
79 Tanpopoaka Tampopo(1985)
Movie | Comedy | Japan | Japanese
80 Krotki film o milosciaka A Short Film About Love(1988)
Movie | Drama, Romance | Poland | Polish, Portuguese
81 Khane-ye doust kodjast?aka Where Is the Friend's House?(1987)
Movie | Adventure, Drama | Iran | Persian
82 Sadma(1983)
Movie | Drama, Romance | India | Hindi
83 Moondram Pirai(1982)
Movie | Drama, Romance | India | Tamil
84 Thillu Mullu(1981)
Movie | Comedy | India | Tamil
85 Ramji Rao Speaking(1989)
Movie | Comedy, Drama | India | Malayalam
86 Cheers(1982)
TV | Comedy, Drama | USA | English
87 Poirot(1989)
TV | Crime, Drama | UK | English, French
88 Sankarabharanam(1980)
Movie | Drama, Music | India | Telugu
89 Apoorva Sagodharargal(1989)
Movie | Action, Comedy | India | Tamil
90 Oru CBI Diary Kurippu(1988)
Movie | Mystery, Thriller | India | Malayalam
91 Saaransh(1984)
Movie | Drama | India | Hindi
92 Ginga Eiyuu Densetsuaka Legend of the Galactic Heroes(1988)
TV | Animation, Action | Japan | Japanese
93 Brazil(1985)
Movie | Drama, Sci-Fi | UK, USA | English
94 The Little Mermaid(1989)
Movie | Animation, Adventure | USA | English, French
95 Do the Right Thing(1989)
Movie | Comedy, Drama | USA | English, Italian
96 Predator(1987)
Movie | Action, Adventure | USA, Mexico | English, Spanish
97 The Breakfast Club(1985)
Movie | Comedy, Drama | USA | English
98 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom(1984)
Movie | Action, Adventure | USA, UK | English, Sinhala
99 Back to the Future Part II(1989)
Movie | Adventure, Comedy | USA | English
100 A Fish Called Wanda(1988)
Movie | Comedy, Crime | UK, USA | English, Italian

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Updated November 29, 2025 · FlickRatings