Best movies of the 80s: my favorites from every year of the decade are streaming on Netflix, Prime Video, and more

There’s a changeless travel of new movies being released each twelvemonth but I emotion thing much than rewatching a classic, truthful I’ve delved backmost into nan standout films from each decade, starting pinch nan iconic 80s – a decade packed pinch unforgettable films.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find each movie connected nan best streaming services aliases nan best free streaming services, which intends my hand’s been forced successful places but I’ve made judge to sift done nan agelong database of titles twelvemonth by twelvemonth to bring you nan champion you tin watercourse correct now. So, particulate disconnected your flares and subordinate maine for a nostalgic travel down representation lane.

1980: The Shining

That stare! The Shining forever changed Jack Nicholson for maine (it was only successful The Departed that he was capable to shingle disconnected that Jack Torrance characteristic successful immoderate meaningful way). This is Stanley Kubrick’s astir eeriest movie and nan best Stephen King adaptation (even if nan scary writer doesn’t deliberation so). Its astir unsettling scenes person go ingrained successful popular civilization and are still often resurfaced successful nan best scary movies of each time. Mountain hotels, mazes and elevators person ne'er been nan same.

• Watch The Shining on Max successful nan US
• Rent/buy The Shinning on Apple TV
• Watch The Shining on Foxtel Now successful Australia

1981: American Werewolf successful London

When you image films from nan 80s, what is it that stands out? The cheesy 1 liners, nan synth scores aliases really astir nan now stylised successful its ain correct blend of applicable and ocular effects? If you person a emotion for nan latter, past you've sewage to watch 1 of nan best scary movies American Werewolf successful London – nan translator segment unsocial still lives pinch maine to this day. Don't hap person a subscription to immoderate of nan services below? You're successful luck, because nan movie is besides disposable connected nan best free streaming services for illustration Tubi, Amazon Freevee aliases The Roku Channel successful nan US.

• Watch American Werewolf successful London on Prime Video successful nan US
• Watch American Werewolf successful London on Shudder successful nan UK
• Watch American Werewolf successful London on Stan successful Australia

1982: Blade Runner

What 80s database wouldn't beryllium complete without an introduction (OK, location are 3 successful this list) from 1 of nan standout stars from nan decade? Harrison Ford has travel a agelong measurement since being a carpenter for writer Joan Didion and he does not disappoint successful Ridley Scott's adjustment of Philip K Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. This movie arguably group nan style for each nan neon-washed skyscraper cyberpunk cities that would follow, and is 1 of nan best sci-fi movies of each clip for its chopped atmospheric setting.

• Rent/buy Blade Runner on Prime Video successful nan US
• Watch Blade Runner connected Sky successful nan UK
• Watch Blade Runner on Foxtel Now successful Australia

1983: Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of nan Jedi

Did you cognize that nan Ewoks introduced successful Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of nan Jedi weren’t primitively going to beryllium successful nan movie? George Lucas has since revealed that he intended for Wookiees to beryllium nan autochthonal type connected nan satellite of Endor, and I’m truthful gladsome he changed his mind because those fierce teddy bears are nan standouts for maine (R2D2 serving drinks aboard Jabba's luxury sail barge 'The Khetanna' is simply a adjacent second) and rightly merit their spinoff movie: Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure. Don't retrieve wherever this fits into nan timeline? Here's how to watch nan Star Wars movies successful order.

• Watch Star Wars: Return of nan Jedi on Disney Plus successful nan US
• Watch Star Wars: Return of nan Jedi on Disney Plus successful nan UK
• Watch Star Wars: Return of nan Jedi on Disney Plus successful Australia

1984: Ghostbusters

I still emotion nan premise of this movie: what do you do erstwhile you’re a successful but eccentric intelligence who loses their job? Start a shade catching business, of course. I’m besides still not judge if I had nan prime of one, would I opt for nan Ghostbusters car aliases proton battalion pinch a Neutrona wand to adhd to my imaginary backstage collection. It’s a reliable call, but I’d astir apt thin toward The Ecto-1, let's beryllium honest.

• Watch Ghostbusters on Starz successful nan US
• Watch Ghostbusters on Netflix successful nan UK
• Watch Ghostbusters on Binge successful Australia

1985: The Breakfast Club

What tin I opportunity astir The Breakfast Club other than that it's nan cleanable Sunday day film. Surely, John Hughes is connected everyone's 80s list? He's made truthful galore classics, it's difficult to prime a favourite but nan coming-of-age stories that nan 'Brat Pack' are known for are nan astir memorable – I person my sister to convey for introducing me.

• Watch The Breakfast Club on Prime Video successful nan US
• Watch The Breakfast Club on ITVX successful nan UK
• Watch The Breakfast Club on Paramount Plus successful Australia

1986: Flight of nan Navigator

A batch of group missed this one, and I benignant of get why – it’s weird! But that’s precisely what I emotion astir nan 80s: location was truthful overmuch experimentation and Flight of nan Navigator was nary exception. For those unfamiliar pinch nan story, it follows David, an eight-year-old who takes a travel into nan future, changing his life (and astir apt each kid's astatine nan time) forever. As acold arsenic my champion 80s movie pets database goes, nan upside down hanging Puckmaren alien is simply a adjacent 2nd to nan Fizzgig from The Dark Crystal.

• Watch Flight of nan Navigator on Disney Plus successful nan US
• Watch Flight of nan Navigator on Prime Video successful nan UK

1987: Predator

My cardinal takeaway from Predator? If I’m ever trying to outrun a technologically precocious alien, I request to screen myself successful mud. Arnie delivers successful this first installment of nan now-iconic franchise, and if you’re aft a large action flick pinch classical 80s lines, look nary further. “Get to nan chopper!”

• Watch Predator on Hulu successful nan US
• Watch Predator on Disney Plus successful nan UK
• Watch Predator on Disney Plus successful Australia

1988: They Live

Did anyone other get freaked retired by these aliens? No? Really? OK, moving on. They Live is a spot bizarre pinch its operation of sci-fi and scary arsenic it's much of an action movie than anything, but it has 1 of nan champion performances from wrestler 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper. Who could hide that iconic line: "I person travel present to chew bubble gum and footwear ass. And I'm each retired of bubble gum."

• Watch They Live on Peacock successful nan US
• Watch They Live on ITVX successful nan UK

1989: Indiana Jones and nan Last Crusade

This is my favourite of nan Indiana Jones bid – tin we telephone it a trilogy and conscionable compartmentalize nan newer ones into a different universe? Maybe it’s nan summation of Sean Connery aliases nan crisp script, but thing astir merging religion, story and warfare made for unforgettable cinema. Make judge to return a look astatine our ranking of every Indiana Jones movie next.

• Watch Indiana Jones and nan Last Crusade connected Prime Video successful nan US
• Watch Indiana Jones and nan Last Crusade connected Prime Video successful nan UK
• Watch Indiana Jones and nan Last Crusade connected Paramount Plus successful Australia

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