The Best ’80s Movies Streaming on Netflix
When it comes to cinema, the ’80s sure had a lot going for it: we witnessed the golden age of the slasher genre, the rise of Amblin-era Steven Spielberg, an explosion of blockbuster action films—the decade practically reshaped the summer movie season forever. Not only that, but it was the decade where cinephiles often made new discoveries on VHS while walking down the aisles of video stores on a Saturday night. With video stores now extinct, your Netflix queue is the next best thing, and thankfully, the service often provides a solid selection of ’80s classics if you’re feeling nostalgic. In the mood to spend a day in detention with The Breakfast Club? Or perhaps you want to go on a ride-along with the original Beverly Hills Cop before you watch Axel F ? Or how about time-traveling back to 1985 with Marty McFly in Back to the Future? Fret not, Netflix has got you covered.
The following are the best ’80s flicks currently streaming on Netflix. And act quick, because these titles aren’t always available forever. So check back often, as we plan to keep this list updated on a monthly basis.
1980s Top Summer Blockbusters
July 2019
Celebrate the biggest summer movies of the ’80s, when moviegoing morphed from mere entertainment to blockbuster events.
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Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). Stream it now.
After visiting 2015, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) must repeat his visit to 1955 to prevent disastrous changes to 1985…without interfering with his first trip. Stream it now.
Eddie Murphy stars in this 1984 comedy that follows Axel Foley, a freewheeling Detroit cop pursuing a murder suspect who finds himself dealing with a very different culture when his investigation takes him to Beverly Hills. Stream it now.
Detroit detective Axel Foley returns to Beverly Hills to help his friends in the police department solve a series of violent robberies linked to a ruthless arms dealer. Stream it now
Based on a true story, Tom Cruise stars in this drama about the life of Ron Kovic, a paralyzed Vietnam War veteran who becomes an anti-war activist after feeling betrayed by the country he fought for. The role earned Cruise his very first Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Stream it now.
In this seminal ’80s classic from John Hughes, a teen wrestler, a rebel, a brain, a beauty, and shy girl endure a Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal. Stream it now.
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in this classic ’80s fantasy flick about a Cimmerian warrior who teams up with a thief and a bandit queen to reclaim his father’s sword from the murderous Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), an evil wizard who killed his father when he was a young boy. Stream it now.
Dune
Based on the novel by Frank Herbert and directed by David Lynch, this space opera set in the year 10191 follows Paul Atreides (Kyle MacLachlan) as he leads his warriors in a fight against a galactic empire to free his people from the rule on an evil baron. At the center of the conflict is a vital substance known as spice, a mind-altering drug that slows the aging process. Stream it now.
Fatal Attraction
Michael Douglas and Glenn Close star in this sultry thriller about a married man’s one-night stand that comes back to haunt him when that lover begins to stalk him and his family. Stream it now
Uncle Buck
When parents in a pinch ask the lazy, carefree Uncle Buck (John Candy) to babysit, he must change his bachelor lifestyle if he wants to be a responsible caregiver. Stream it now.