The Best 80s Movies Of All Time – And Where To Watch Them

Starting the list off strong we've got The Goonies. Teaching us about friendship and first loves and introducing us to future acting legends Sean Astin, Josh Brolin and Ke Huy Quan, The Goonies is one of - if not the - greatest film of the 80s.

The story follows a makeshift group of kids as they attempt to find the long lost treasure of legendary pirate One-Eyed Willy in order to prevent their homes from being foreclosed on.

The action-comedy film may seem like it's aimed at kids, but it's really not.

The Goonies is currently available to watch on Prime Video.

Although this 1989 classic had a recent resurgence in June last year when Gwyneth Paltrow admitted that Dead Poets Society was one of her favourite films (and that she'd kissed multiple members of the cast), this 1989 American drama film has also been a cultural staple.

Robin Williams as an inspirational English teacher who encourages his students - including Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard - to pursue their dreams? Sign us up.

And you can watch it on Disney+.

Eventually turned into a major franchise - and a West End musical - Back to the Future introduced us to one of our first crushes: Marty McFly aka Michael J Fox.

The plot follows Marty as he is accidentally sent back to 1955 by scientist Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and manages to stop his parents from falling in love, accidentally threatening his entire existence. It's then a race against time to put things right before he heads back to present day.

Back to the Future is available to stream on NOW TV.

Featuring Tom Cruise at his finest, Top Gun was another hugely successful franchise that began in the 80s. The latest sequel Top Gun: Maverick was released last year and starred Miles Teller and Jennifer Connelly alongside Tom.

The original 1986 instalment stars Tom Cruise as Maverick as young naval pilot training at the Top Gun school in California. The perfect 80s movie choice should you be after a bit of action.

It's available to watch on Paramount+.

One of the best films of the 80s, Beaches, starred Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey as BFFs who meet as kids, grow up together, and end up fighting over the same man. But the film is about oh-so much more than that: friendship, love and tragedy. No spoilers, but you'll need the tissues to hand.

Beaches is available on Apple TV and Prime Video – but you'll have to pay £3.49 to watch.

Receiving a reboot last year with The Little Mermaid's Halle Bailey in the lead role, the original version of The Colour Purple with Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey makes for powerful viewing.

The Golden-Globe winning film tells the story of Celie Harris (Goldberg) as she navigates North Carolina as an African-American woman.

The original is available to watch on Apple TV and Prime Video for £3.49, or the 2023 remake is available on NOW TV.

Another classic 80s film that's had a revival is Beetlejuice starring Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz and Michael Keaton as the eponymous Beetlejuice.

This fantasy-horror film (although we use the word horror very loosely) revolves around a deceased couple who contact Beetlejuice, an exorcist of sorts, to rid their home of ghosts.

Definitely one to watch for any Tim Burton fans, Beetlejuice seems silly on the surface but it's become a real cult classic in recent years.

The original is streaming on Netflix while this year's reboot, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is available on Apple TV and Prime Video for £13.99

The Breakfast Club has been criticisedin recent years for having not aged especially well, and whilst that's undeniably true, it was one of the most successful films of the 80s and has a long-standing legacy so we'd be remiss not to include it.

The coming-of-age, comedy-drama tells the story of five different students - including Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson - from different high school cliques who are forced to come together and spend Saturday in detention.

The Breakfast Club is available to watch on NOW TV, or you can pay £3.49 to watch it on Apple TV or Prime Video.

Phone home... and tell them tonight you'll be watching one of the greatest films of the 80s: E.T.!

This sci-fi drama film follows Elliott as he befriends an extraterrestrial creature who is left behind on Earth.

Starring Drew Barrymore in one of her first every film roles, we're telling you now that this 80s movie makes for some more heartbreaking viewing.

E.T. is available to watch on NOW TV, or you can pay £3.49 to watch it on Apple TV or Prime Video.

Another hidden gem that's one of Grazia's favourite films of all time is Stand By Me. It's beautiful, timeless and absolutely heartbreaking at points.

Another coming-of-age drama - the 80s did do them really well to be fair - based on Stephen King's The Body, Stand By Me stars Will Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell as four young boys who embark on an adventure in an attempt to find the dead body that they've been hearing about on the news.

Stand By Me is available to watch now on Netflix.

Another 80s films that has received multiple sequels and reboots over the years is Ghostbusters, although we're still waiting on the West End musical version.

The supernatural comedy is an 80s movie staple and stars Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd and Harold Ramis as three eccentric 'scientists' who start a ghost-capturing business in New York.

Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!

The original Ghostbusters is available on Netflix.

It might be yet another 80s film starring Tom Cruise, but Rain Man couldn't be further from Top Gun.

Starring Tom and Dustin Hoffman as brothers who are polar opposites of each other (Hoffman's brother is an autistic savant whilst Cruise's brother is a bit of an unlikeable dickhead), this film is an often overlooked classic.

You can watch Rain Man on Prime Video for £2.49.

It wouldn't be a list about the 80s without David Bowie being included in some form. In this case it's as Jareth in Labyrinth, the musical fantasy film which sees him play a goblin king at the centre of an otherworldly maze.

Labyrinth is available to watch on ITVX.

A hugely successful film franchise that began in the 80s, Indiana Jones has everything you could want from a fast-paced action film.

Harrison Ford running around with a whip and fighting baddies? Check. A magical wooden chest that is said to make an army invincible? Check. A smart and sexy love interest? Check.

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark is streaming on Prime Video.

Let's not forget that the 80s were also a great time for musicals, with Little Shop of Horrors just one of the many brilliant ones to be released.

The comedy musical stars Rick Moranis as Seymour Krelborn, a nerdy plant shop worker who discovers a magical plant that requires blood instead of water to stay alive.

Little Shop of Horrors is streaming on Prime Video.

The only animation to have made the list is My Neighbour Totoro - the critically acclaimed Japanese fantasy film.

Now one of the best loved animated creatures, Totoro is a fantastical spirit discovered by two sisters when they move into a country house after their mother falls ill.

Fancy watching it tonight? It's available on Netflix.

You'll have the time of your life watching Dirty Dancing, an absolute classic that never fails to delight.

Starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, this romantic-drama tells the story of Frances 'Baby' Houseman who falls in love with dance instructor Johnny Castle whilst at a vacation resort with her family.

Dirty Dancing is available to watch on ITVX.

A swashbuckling adventure film that is widely considered one of the best films of all time, not just the 80s.

The plot follows a farmhand names Westley who must rescue his true love Princess Buttercup from the evil Prince Humperdinck.

Almost as ridiculous as it sounds, The Princess Bride is a great, escapist 80s film.

The Princess Bride is streaming on Prime Video.

John Hughes films were what the 80s were all about and Ferris Bueller's Day Off was definitely up there with the best of them.

With the title pretty much explaining the plot, this 80s comedy follows Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller who fakes being sick in order to skive off school for the day with his two friends.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off is streaming on Paramount+ and Prime Video.

Ah, a young Kevin Bacon dancing his way into our hearts. Footloose never fails to put a smile on our face.

The musical drama tells the story of Ben McCormack (Bacon) who attempts to overturn the ban on dancing in the small town that he's just moved to from Chicago.

Footloose is streaming on Paramount+ and Prime Video.

Empire of the Sun is a 1987 American coming-of-age film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on J.G. Ballard's novel of the same name. It stars a young Christian Bale, a young boy who goes from living with his wealthy British family in Shanghai to becoming a prisoner of war in an internment camp during World War II.

Empire of the Sun is available quite widely – but it will cost you to watch. It is on YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV and Prime Video for £3.49.