The 1980s produced many significant films both in Hollywood and worldwide. The decade saw the continued rise of the blockbuster, an increased amount of nudity in film and the increasing emphasis in the American industry on film franchises, especially in the action, science fiction, and horror genres. Much of the reliance on these effect-driven blockbusters is due in part to the Star Wars films at the advent of this decade and the new cinematic effects it helped to pioneer alongside it. Another genre that saw popularity during this decade was the teen comedy; some notable films are Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Breakfast Club, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
A
- Abyss, The (1989)
- The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989)
- After Hours (1985)
- Against All Odds (1984)
- Airplane! (1980)
- Aliens (1986)
- Amadeus (1984)
- An American Werewolf in London (1981)
- Annie (1982)
- As Tears Go By (1988)
- Au revoir les enfants (1988)
B
- Back to the Future (1985)
- Back to the Future Part II (1989)
- Bad Boys (1983)
- Batman (1989)
- *batteries not included (1987)
- Beaches
- Beetlejuice (1988)
- Beverly Hills Cop
- Big
- Big Business
- The Big Red One (1980)
- Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
- Blade Runner
- Blue Velvet (1986)
- The Blues Brothers (1980)
- Brazil (1985)
- Breaker Morant (1980)
- Breakfast Club, The
C
- Caddyshack (1980)
- Cat's Eye (1985)
- Cat People (1982)
- Chariots of Fire (1981)
- Children of a Lesser God
- Clash of the Titans (1981)
- Cobra (1986)
- Cocoon (1985)
- Cocoon: The Return (1988)
- Colors
- Coming to America
- Commando (1985)
- Conan the Barbarian
- Conan the Destroyer
- Crocodile Dundee (1986)
D
E
- The Elephant Man (1980)
- The Emerald Forest (1985)
- Empire of the Sun
- Escape from New York
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1983)
- Excalibur (1981)
F
G
- Gandhi
- Ghostbusters (1984)
- Ghostbusters II (1989)
- Glory (1989)
- Goonies, The
- Gorillas in the Mist (1988)
- Great Mouse Detective (1985)
- Gregory's Girl (1980)
- Gremlins (1984)
H
- Hamburger Hill
- Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
- Heat and Dust (1982)
- Heimat (1984)
- Hellraiser
- Hope and Glory (1987)
- Hoosiers
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1982)
I
- Indiana Jones series:
- Inferno (1980)
J
- Jagged Edge (1985)
- Jean de Florette (1986)
- Jesus of Montreal (1989)
K
L
M
- Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
- Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
- Manon des Sources (1986)
- Masters of the Universe
- The Mission (1986)
- Mr. Nice Guy (1987)
- Mona Lisa (film) (1986)
- My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)
N
O
P
R
S
T
- Tender Mercies (1983)
- Terms of Endearment (1983)
- Time Bandits (1981)
- Tootsie
- The Toy
- Trading Places
- Tron
- Twilight Zone: The Movie
- The Terminator
U
- Under Fire (1983)
- The Untouchables (1987)
V
- Vice Versa
- View To A Kill, A
- Vacation (1983)
W
Z
- Zelig (1983)