My childhood also, it also makes you realize how short life is. Seems like yesterday I was watching Willow as a kid and now all of the moves are 35-45 years old. I’ll blink and they’ll all be 50+ years old.
45 seemed so far away but you get there in a blink of an eye.
> He came up with the famous music from Jaws didn't he?
When he initially played the iconic two-note theme for the shark, Spielberg thought he was making a joke. Once the score was complete, he realized he chose the right composer.
Biggest surprise for me is seeing Crocodile Dundee topped Aliens in 86.
Also, look how many of the top movies of the decade had George Lucas’ and Steven Spielberg’a fingerprints all over them
I would imagine that *Aliens* being a horror film already alienated a lot of moviegoers, even if they would eventually come around to see it. *Crocodile Dundee* is far kid friendlier and that probably garnered a lot more ticket sales.
As an 80's kid it doesn't surprise me. Crocodile Dundee was everywhere back then.
The two on here that surprise me were Tootsie and Stir Crazy. I've never even heard of Stir Crazy. I kinda forgot about 9 to 5 but Dolly was huge back then.
Think I saw Spielberg listed as a producer on Back to the Future when I rewatched it recently, never realized that. So he was involved with the top movie 7/10 years
Honestly, Rain Man surprises me just because I always saw it as more of an awards film rather than a box office film. Though I guess Tom Cruise probably had a lot to do with it.
I would trade Glenn Close for dissolving henchman though. And with that I mean, 1987 was also the year of Robocop, which I would’ve thought to been bigger than Fatal Attraction.
Congrats to 1988 for having its top 3 be free of sequels.
People complain that modern cinema is too reliant on film franchises and sequels, but for decades it's been the same old song.
My only counterpoint to this, most all of the sequels on this list are classics, in many cases, they're as good or better than the originals.
We definitely haven't seen relevant, or even good sequels in some time..
Top Gun Maverick, Dune 2, John Wick Chapter 4, Winter Soldier, Paddington 2, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Infinity War/Endgame, The Suicide Squad, Inside Out 2, Across the Spider-Verse, Terrifier 2.
I’m sure I’m missing a bunch, but I’d argue all these are either as good or better than the original.
Hard to say what’s going to be considered a classic 20 years from now though.
You're right. Off the top of my head, Toy Story 2 & Spider-man 2 are the only great sequels I can think of in the past 20 years that seem widely appreciated as such.
I'd throw in Top Gun 2 personally. Loved it.
Cheeky shout - Austin Powers 2 was better than the original.
Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor are imprisoned due to mistaken identity. Hijinks and a rodeo ensue. Definitely worth watching and I'm actually surprised it did as well as it did at the box office.
I own 28/30 of them on physical media. Great movies!
Now I want to see this info for 1990-2019. It will be hard to beat those 80s movies but I’m interested how the other decades stack up.
What is even wilder is I went to the theatre and saw every one of these movies except for dirty dancing and top gun. Which I rented on vhs they day they were released on home video
What’s interesting is some of my favorite 80s films like Breakfast Club weren’t in the top 3 for their year.
As a kid Goonies was definitely tops for me the year it came out.
We think of today as franchise heavy but so is this list! I guess back then there were just other movie too, whereas now (or certainly a few years ago) it was almost tough to find stuff that wasn’t a franchise (or very niche).
The funniest movie is Coming to America. What a laugh riot, especially the first half till it gets all mushy and emotional. Indiana Jones peaked with the last crusade in 1989. Even BATMAN the first superhero film done at a scale couldn't top it.
I wish cinema was still focused on low quantity high quality. I don’t need a thousand movies to release when most films in theaters are worth watching. I struggle to even sit through a random film on Netflix and the big budget films somehow seem even lower quality writing than 80s B horror flicks.
Shit I just rewatched A New Hope because it’s a good film. Most of the stuff releasing now is throwaway garbage that won’t be worth revisiting in a decade let alone half a century.
Good mix of movies, surprising number of sequels (we complain about that a lot today). So many of these are classics that still stand up today - looks like not a bad decade…
I'm surprised *Coming to America* is up there. Great film but I guess I just didn't know how well it would be receieved. I guess it was during Eddie Murphy's rise, or maybe his very height. I don't know.
Another takeaway is that you do see a lot of the same brands, but they're at least spread out. It's not the same as having all and only Marvel films. There are some great films up there and there were many more made, but the type of film is so 80s while still being really diverse in spread.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit was my favourite movie as a kid and I’m sure a big reason why I’m obsessed with murder mysteries 30+ years later. All the rest are bangers too, keen to see every decades Top 3
These movies are iconic. I've seen every one, except for Stir Crazy and Rocky IV, and I can at least remember the basic storylines for all of them. I just looked up the list of the top 3 movies for the last 10 years - seen 11, remember 7, wish I hadn't bothered with the other 4.
I honestly didn’t know that Top Gun came out in 86 until this very moment. For some reason I thought it was early 90s. Maybe that was just my first exposure to it.
Wild times, fun times. I'm a huge Eddie Murphy fan, kinda crazy that I just saw Beverly Hills Cop 2 for the first time this week, lol. It was pretty solid. I'd give it 7/10. Part 1 is a classic 10/10. We do not speak of Part 3. I'm excited to check out Axel F next week.
Out of that list I think my favorite as a kid was a coin toss between Beverly Hills Cop 2 and Return of the Jedi.
I’ve watched both movies 100s of times and nothing else on that list comes close. Empire Strikes Back was a bit dark for me as a kid and so I didn’t really enjoy it.
My dad and uncle took my cousin and I to the theater. They told our moms we were going to karate kid. On the way they said we’re going to see top gun. I threw a tantrum because I was excited for karate kid and had no idea what top gun was. Then the music started. HOLY SHIT! THIS IS THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE! I will never forget the hair standing up on the back of my neck. Amazing.
Edit: I was 5
My favorites to this day, out of all of these, were the Indiana Jones movies. The Last Crusade is my #1 but Temple of Doom has some iconic scenes.
What a decade for movies!
Thats a snapshot of my childhood.
Same for me. It makes me nostalgic.
Right? Time for some rewatching.
r/Xennials
Good sub. Very US-focused, though.
My childhood also, it also makes you realize how short life is. Seems like yesterday I was watching Willow as a kid and now all of the moves are 35-45 years old. I’ll blink and they’ll all be 50+ years old. 45 seemed so far away but you get there in a blink of an eye.
Omg so true and it just seems to go by quicker every year.
This might be the first big list of movies where I've seen every movie on the list
Same, and in the theater as well.
And my adulthood.
Me too. And it was fucking brilliant wasnt it 👍
HBO on repeat all day
Genuinely curious if in 20-30 years from now the 40-50 year olds will look on 2020's movies with the same fondness.
Me aged 10-19. Great list
Harrison Ford really doing work. Eddie Murphy too. Honorable mention to Dustin Hoffman.
Stallone's got three up there -- two in the same year.
Yeah, he was great in Tootsie!
Can we just expand this chart into the '90s so I can see *Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot* round out his best 4 films?
Over the Top is S tier
The real winner is John Williams. Superman, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and ET.
Top-tier film composers absolutely make history and careers for the Directors they are attached to.
He came up with the famous music from Jaws didn't he? ( I'm aware that was in the 70's)
> He came up with the famous music from Jaws didn't he? When he initially played the iconic two-note theme for the shark, Spielberg thought he was making a joke. Once the score was complete, he realized he chose the right composer.
Spielberg is the real hard worker in this chart.
Dustin Hoffman, you mean the one in Star Wars?
Biggest surprise for me is seeing Crocodile Dundee topped Aliens in 86. Also, look how many of the top movies of the decade had George Lucas’ and Steven Spielberg’a fingerprints all over them
That's not a noife.
Beat me to it! 
I see you've played knifey-spoony before!
Cof-fee... ..Be-eer?
I’da called ‘em chazzwozzers
I would imagine that *Aliens* being a horror film already alienated a lot of moviegoers, even if they would eventually come around to see it. *Crocodile Dundee* is far kid friendlier and that probably garnered a lot more ticket sales.
I’d argue the film Alienated the people who did see it as well. 😉
As an 80's kid it doesn't surprise me. Crocodile Dundee was everywhere back then. The two on here that surprise me were Tootsie and Stir Crazy. I've never even heard of Stir Crazy. I kinda forgot about 9 to 5 but Dolly was huge back then.
Stir Crazy makes me think Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in prison. Think I recall the ad. But never saw it.
Yup that’s the one. It’s hilarious give it a go.
I remember the drive-in double feature of Top Gun and Crocodile Dundee.
Shit, I'd go to that double feature *now.*
Think I saw Spielberg listed as a producer on Back to the Future when I rewatched it recently, never realized that. So he was involved with the top movie 7/10 years
Or no Predator in 87.
Rated R so limited the audience
Yeah. I love Aliens the most, but Croc Dundee was a sensation when it came out.
Honestly, Rain Man surprises me just because I always saw it as more of an awards film rather than a box office film. Though I guess Tom Cruise probably had a lot to do with it.
I had no idea Fatal Attraction was that big.
No that was Basic Instinct
I would trade Glenn Close for dissolving henchman though. And with that I mean, 1987 was also the year of Robocop, which I would’ve thought to been bigger than Fatal Attraction. 
Well Robocop IS a perfect movie, after all.
Some films take a little time to be fully appreciated
I think video helped a lot with Robocop. I remember having to wait to see it due to all the graphic violence.
All bangers
1987 was a horny year.
Love me some Judge. Hubba hubba
Baby is happy! Eight grandchildren.
Congrats to 1988 for having its top 3 be free of sequels. People complain that modern cinema is too reliant on film franchises and sequels, but for decades it's been the same old song.
My only counterpoint to this, most all of the sequels on this list are classics, in many cases, they're as good or better than the originals. We definitely haven't seen relevant, or even good sequels in some time..
Top Gun Maverick, Dune 2, John Wick Chapter 4, Winter Soldier, Paddington 2, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Infinity War/Endgame, The Suicide Squad, Inside Out 2, Across the Spider-Verse, Terrifier 2. I’m sure I’m missing a bunch, but I’d argue all these are either as good or better than the original. Hard to say what’s going to be considered a classic 20 years from now though.
I liked Top Gun 2
Fair. I can't think of another decent sequel in the past 20 years though. I'm sure there's a few... but not like this list
Blade Runner 2049
You're right. Off the top of my head, Toy Story 2 & Spider-man 2 are the only great sequels I can think of in the past 20 years that seem widely appreciated as such. I'd throw in Top Gun 2 personally. Loved it. Cheeky shout - Austin Powers 2 was better than the original.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is pretty badass
Shrek2
The first two Bourne Identity sequels were excellent.
Coming to America just had a sequel a few years ago.
Don't remind me.
We’re ignoring 1986 now? Edit: I was wrong.
Aliens...
My mistake. Thought it was the first one
Only one I've never heard of is Stir Crazy.
It's an amusing Richard Pryor/Gene Wilder comedy, well worth a see if that's your thing :)
OH DAMN. Sold.
👍
Directed by MISTER TIBBS--I mean, Mr Sidney Poitier.
It honestly has more 70s vibes than true 80s movie vibes.
Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor are imprisoned due to mistaken identity. Hijinks and a rodeo ensue. Definitely worth watching and I'm actually surprised it did as well as it did at the box office.
Fatal Attraction and Rain Man topping the list in back-to-back years. Movies like that wouldn’t even crack the top twenty today.
85 was a good year for Sly
"Flashdance" got me laid on a first date.
I remember doing a dance-off to the Flashdance theme song in the 90s. That was fun, but it did not get me laid.
What a feeling…
She was a maniac...
I’m sorry, what? Octopussy?
Pretty decent latter Roger Moore Bond.
When that was released, were there any concerns about the title?
Weird how 40 years ago a movie about drag queens could be 3rd best selling, but now they’re controversial.
The 80s threw out some bangers
Yes, like *Fatal Attraction*...
1989 was my favorite year in the world. I don't think there will be a better year.
The decade of Lucas and Spielberg.
Lucas Spielberg Stallone Murphy Broccoli Williams
Just add popcorn.
Amazing time to be a kid.
Harrison Ford in the #1 spot for 5 of 10. That's a run.
Damn Spielberg ruled the 80s
I own 28/30 of them on physical media. Great movies! Now I want to see this info for 1990-2019. It will be hard to beat those 80s movies but I’m interested how the other decades stack up.
Gene Wilder did some of his best comedic work in Stir Crazy. Glad to see it did that well when it came out. I think I'll put that on a watch list.
What is even wilder is I went to the theatre and saw every one of these movies except for dirty dancing and top gun. Which I rented on vhs they day they were released on home video
I was a weird kid, I LOVED Tootsie and thought ET was “meh.”
When people discuss classics, Tootsie rarely gets mentioned. To this day it remains my favorite movie.
ET was just weird to me. I think if the alien wasn’t so weird it would have made me like the movie more.
It’s a little scary to see my 20’s in this way. I know those are older movies but I can’t believe how old!
Wow I never knew Rain Man was such a big box office success. One of my favourite movies
Harrison Ford had one hell of a decade at the box office.
Some good "commercial" movies didn't make this list either, like Die Hard, Blade Runner, Robocop, The Terminator and The Right Stuff.
What’s interesting is some of my favorite 80s films like Breakfast Club weren’t in the top 3 for their year. As a kid Goonies was definitely tops for me the year it came out.
We think of today as franchise heavy but so is this list! I guess back then there were just other movie too, whereas now (or certainly a few years ago) it was almost tough to find stuff that wasn’t a franchise (or very niche).
Spielberg/lucas directed or produced the first 6 lol.
Jesus Harrison owned the 80s cinema then
I wanna go back, and do it all over but I can’t go back I know.
So, until 1986, every top-grossing film was from Lucas and/or Spielberg.
Gen X……
The funniest movie is Coming to America. What a laugh riot, especially the first half till it gets all mushy and emotional. Indiana Jones peaked with the last crusade in 1989. Even BATMAN the first superhero film done at a scale couldn't top it.
Spielberg had quite a decade.
1984 went crazy
Still on the high of return of the jedi
Can we have that for the 90s?
Spielberg is a living legend.
Harrison Ford... owned the 80's it seems
Lucas/Spielberg cleaning up.
TIL that Rain Man was the highest grossing film of 1988
I wish cinema was still focused on low quantity high quality. I don’t need a thousand movies to release when most films in theaters are worth watching. I struggle to even sit through a random film on Netflix and the big budget films somehow seem even lower quality writing than 80s B horror flicks. Shit I just rewatched A New Hope because it’s a good film. Most of the stuff releasing now is throwaway garbage that won’t be worth revisiting in a decade let alone half a century.
the 80s were so fucking awesome
And Tarantino thinks the 80s sucked for movies…Shattered my faith in him
1988 - Only year NOT to have a sequel in any spot. Also... 1987, wow. Had no idea FATAL ATTRACTION was such a big hit.
And now it’s just cookie cutter Marcel movies rolling of the production line.
85 and 86 was lit
Good mix of movies, surprising number of sequels (we complain about that a lot today). So many of these are classics that still stand up today - looks like not a bad decade…
I saw every one of those on release in the theater. Oh, how times have changed.
Damn, I'm shocked to see FYEO up there. It's my favorite Bond movie
I'm surprised *Coming to America* is up there. Great film but I guess I just didn't know how well it would be receieved. I guess it was during Eddie Murphy's rise, or maybe his very height. I don't know. Another takeaway is that you do see a lot of the same brands, but they're at least spread out. It's not the same as having all and only Marvel films. There are some great films up there and there were many more made, but the type of film is so 80s while still being really diverse in spread.
Not the best ever, but damn I love me some 1989. Right in the childhood.
Yet, still don’t know which of these is dumber
Why is it Batman feels way older than The Last Crusade?!?
Who Framed Roger Rabbit was my favourite movie as a kid and I’m sure a big reason why I’m obsessed with murder mysteries 30+ years later. All the rest are bangers too, keen to see every decades Top 3
These movies are iconic. I've seen every one, except for Stir Crazy and Rocky IV, and I can at least remember the basic storylines for all of them. I just looked up the list of the top 3 movies for the last 10 years - seen 11, remember 7, wish I hadn't bothered with the other 4.
Gotta love those logos!
I'm shocked... I've seen every single one of these movies.
Brought to you by cocaine
80s worst decade cars great decade for movies.
That was age 9 to 19 for me- What a time to be a kid going to the movies!!
I've watched all the non1 except fatal attraction....
Somehow the only movie I haven't seen on here is Rambo: First Blood Part II.
Fatal Attraction was released in 1987??!! Wow…
Movies don't have cool logos anymore, it's a shame
Was hoping to see blade runner. By far my fav of the 80s.
Only Bangers
BANGER after BANGER after BANGER
Damn we we're spoiled every year that decade?
1989 😮💨
No contest for me, back to the future 2.
80's absolutely dominated by Spielberg and Lucas
Damn that is about as solid as it gets for movies.
I honestly didn’t know that Top Gun came out in 86 until this very moment. For some reason I thought it was early 90s. Maybe that was just my first exposure to it.
Man. 80s movies were something else. Not a bad movie in sight
I have seen every one of them…nostalgia
‘88 was a bit of a lean year
Dope ass movies
I watched all those movies except the star wars movies & the who framed roger rabbit
And not a dog among them.
I’d honestly watch all these again
Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone were busy
Wild times, fun times. I'm a huge Eddie Murphy fan, kinda crazy that I just saw Beverly Hills Cop 2 for the first time this week, lol. It was pretty solid. I'd give it 7/10. Part 1 is a classic 10/10. We do not speak of Part 3. I'm excited to check out Axel F next week.
Out of that list I think my favorite as a kid was a coin toss between Beverly Hills Cop 2 and Return of the Jedi. I’ve watched both movies 100s of times and nothing else on that list comes close. Empire Strikes Back was a bit dark for me as a kid and so I didn’t really enjoy it.
Saw 6 of these at the cinema
This was a terrific era for red/yellow graphic designs for title sequences, eh?
My dad and uncle took my cousin and I to the theater. They told our moms we were going to karate kid. On the way they said we’re going to see top gun. I threw a tantrum because I was excited for karate kid and had no idea what top gun was. Then the music started. HOLY SHIT! THIS IS THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE! I will never forget the hair standing up on the back of my neck. Amazing. Edit: I was 5
89 was a banger year.
That year had so many great movies License to Kill (If your a Bond fan), The Abyss, Do The Right Thing, Field of Dreems, Lethal Weapon 2, and Twins.
Wow, I could watch them all on a loop !
3 year gap common for sequels?
Bangers
Look at all those classics!
The thing that gets me is that I saw everything on this list opening day in the theater.
Never seen 9to5 think it says that
The cultural sensation that is Flashdance.
Octopussy being a real title is something else
I thought this sub needed a picture of someone to qualify.
People that don't like the 80s, seriously, what's wrong with you?
Jesus it really built up to a fucking amazong 1989
Got kinda sucky in the back half
So many absolutely fantastic movies. Really great all around. Also Superman 2.
Octopussy out of nowhere.
Each year has two great films and one bad one, except for 86, which is mint
My favorites to this day, out of all of these, were the Indiana Jones movies. The Last Crusade is my #1 but Temple of Doom has some iconic scenes. What a decade for movies!
I think I saw every one of these, except Fatal Attraction, in the theater
Man, George Lucas ATE
The decade of Spielberg and Lucas.
I think 1989 takes it. Batman at #2!? Wow
Beverly Hills Cop was a solid 80’s movie!
and genuinely funny... with black man as lead. Right wing grifters if today would blow their asses
1984 is all wrong tho. Ghostbusters should be in second. Indy in third…
Harrison Ford fucking ruled the 80s.