1980s Best Movies

Airplane! (1980)

This spoof comedy takes shots at the slew of disaster movies that were released in the 70s. When the passengers and crew of a jet are incapacitated due to food poisoning, a rogue pilot with a drinking problem must cooperate with his ex-girlfriend turned stewardess to bring the plane to a safe landing.

The Wraith (1986)

A high-school hero returns from the dead to take revenge against the psychotic drag racer who killed him. The murdered boy transforms himself into a hi-tech spirit in black leathers and sets out to do battle with a gang of desert-based car thieves led by the man who destroyed him.

Tango & Cash (1989)

Police officers Ray Tango (Sylvester Stallone) and Gabe Cash (Kurt Russell) are narcotics experts working to bring down drug lord Yves Perret (Jack Palance). In an attempt to stymie their efforts, Perret sets up Tango and Cash, making it look as if they’ve killed an FBI agent. Arrested and put in prison, the two cops formulate an escape plan and, once out, team up with Tango’s exotic dancer sister, Katherine (Teri Hatcher), in order to clear their records and takedown Perret once and for all.

Return to Oz (1985)

Dorothy discovers she is back in the land of Oz, and finds the yellow brick road is now a pile of rubble, and the Emerald City is in ruins. Discovering that the magical land is now under the control of an evil empire, she sets off to rescue the scarecrow, the tin man and the lion with the help of her new friends.

Splash (1984)

A young boy saved from drowning by a beautiful mermaid falls in love with her 20 years later when she returns to seek him out. Before he can choose between life on dry land or a deep-sea paradise with his dream woman, the lovers are rudely interrupted by the intervention of a scheming scientist.

Halloween III: Season of The Witch (1982)

Hospital emergency room Dr. Daniel “Dan” Challis (Tom Atkins) and Ellie Grimbridge (Stacey Nelkin), the daughter of a murder victim, uncover a terrible plot by small-town mask maker Conal Cochran (Dan O’Herlihy), a madman who’s planning a Halloween mass murder utilizing an ancient Celtic ritual. The ritual involves a boulder stolen from Stonehenge, the use of Silver Shamrock masks and a triggering device contained in a television commercial — all designed to kill millions of children.

Stripes (1981)

Hard-luck cabbie John Winger (Bill Murray) — directionless after being fired from his job and dumped by his girlfriend — enlists in the U.S. Army with his close pal, Russell Ziskey (Harold Ramis). After his barely satisfactory performance in basic training, the irreverent Winger emerges as the figurehead for a ragtag band of Army misfits. However, his hijinks threaten to cause an international scandal when he inadvertently commandeers a military assault vehicle behind enemy lines.

The Name of The Rose (1986)

“The Name of The Rose” is a movie that features the exact same robe worn by Obi-Wan Kenobi in “Star Wars.” It’s also the 1986 unholy whodunnit that reinvigorated Sean Connery’s career. Blessed with an incredible set and impeccable sound, plus an all-star cast including Christian Slater, F. Murray Abraham...