The 80s was a decade of groundbreaking films that defined the era and shaped the future of cinema. From iconic blockbusters to lesser-known gems, the 80s had it all.
But, according to Redditors, many movies didn’t get the recognition they deserved. Here are their top fifteen choices for 80s films that deserve more recognition.
1. The Monster Squad (1987)
Directed by Fred Dekker, The Monster Squad stars Andre Gower, Robby Kiger, and Stephen Macht. The Monster Squad is a horror comedy film about a group of pre-teen kids who form a club to hunt monsters.
2. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
Directed by Frank Oz, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels stars Steve Martin, Michael Caine, and Glenne Headly. It’s a comedy film about two con men, one a suave, sophisticated crook and the other a small-time hustler, who compete to swindle a wealthy heiress.
3. Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
Adventures in Babysitting, directed by Chris Columbus and starring Elizabeth Shue, Keith Coogan, and Anthony Rapp, is a comedy film about a babysitter who takes her charges on a wild night out in the city when the parents fail to come home.
4. Better Off Dead (1985)
Better Off Dead, directed by Savage Steve Holland and starring John Cusack, David Ogden Stiers, and Kim Darby, is a comedy film about a high school student who is heartbroken after his girlfriend breaks up with him. He tries to win her back while dealing with his eccentric family and their various problems.
5. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
Big Trouble in Little China stars Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, and Dennis Dun and is directed by John Carpenter. It is an action comedy film about a truck driver caught up in a mystical battle in San Francisco’s Chinatown when he tries to rescue a friend’s fiancée from a powerful sorcerer.
6. They Live (1988)
They Live is a science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter. It stars Roddy Piper as a drifter who discovers that the ruling class is aliens disguised as humans. Piper’s character uses unique sunglasses to reveal the aliens and fights against their control of the world.
7. Innerspace (1987)
Innerspace is a science fiction comedy film directed by Joe Dante and starring Dennis Quaid as a test pilot who is miniaturized and injected into the body of a hypochondriac, played by Martin Short. Together, they go on a wild adventure as Quaid’s character tries to find a way out of Short’s body before it’s too late.
8. Real Genius (1985)
Real Genius is a comedy film directed by Martha Coolidge and starring Val Kilmer as Chris Knight, a genius college student who becomes embroiled in a scheme to use a high-powered laser for cooking popcorn.
One user noted, “It’s a cult classic, but it deserves more attention. The aesthetic, the music, not to mention young Val Kilmer, what’s not to like?”
9. Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)
Some Kind of Wonderful is a romantic drama film directed by Howard Deutch and starring Eric Stoltz as Keith, a working-class high school student who falls in love with Amanda Jones, played by Lea Thompson, a famous and wealthy student.
10. Vision Quest (1985)
Vision Quest is a coming-of-age film directed by Harold Becker and starring Matthew Modine as a high school wrestler obsessed with defeating the state champion, played by Michael Schoeffling.
11. Three O’Clock High (1987)
Three O’Clock High is a comedy film directed by Phil Joanou and starring Casey Siemaszko, Anne Ryan, and Richard Tyson.
The film follows high school student Jerry Mitchell (Siemaszko) as he tries to avoid a fight with a fellow student, Buddy Revell (Tyson), who has challenged him to a fight after school at three o’clock.
12. The Burbs (1989)
The Burbs is a horror-comedy film directed by Joe Dante and starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, and Carrie Fisher. The film follows a suburban neighborhood that becomes increasingly paranoid when a new family moves in and strange occurrences happen.
One Redditor confessed, “The Burbs is the movie that scared me so bad as a kid and got me chasing the dragon with more horror movies. But, of course, as an adult, it’s silly to think about it being scary. It’s so funny. But I didn’t understand the humor as a kid, which terrified me.
13. Dreamscape (1984)
Dreamscape is a science fiction film directed by Joseph Ruben and starring Dennis Quaid, Kate Capshaw, and Max von Sydow. The film follows a psychic research project that allows scientists to enter people’s dreams.
14. Midnight Run (1988)
Midnight Run is an action-comedy film directed by Martin Brest and starring Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, and Yaphet Kotto. The film follows a bounty hunter (De Niro) hired to bring a mob accountant (Grodin) back to New York.
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15. Miracle Mile (1988)
Miracle Mile is a romantic thriller directed by Steve De Jarnatt and starring Anthony Edwards, Mare Winningham, and John Agar.
The film follows a musician who falls in love with a waitress after a chance meeting at the La Brea Tar Pits, only to receive a phone call that a nuclear war is about to happen. He must race against time to find her before the bombs fall.
We hope you enjoyed this Reddit picks list of 80s films that deserve more recognition. This article is inspired by the internet and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Boss Level Gamer.
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