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Netflix Is Going Back to the '80s With Its Selection of Totally Tubular Movies
by
nick maslow
Everett Collection
What’s old is new again thanks to Netflix’s massive collection of iconic movies. Now that you’ve relived all your ’90s favorites, it’s time to take a trip back to the outrageous and materialistic time of the ’80s. The movie-streaming service has no shortage of coming-of-age classics, laugh-till-you-cry comedies, and iconic rom-coms that will make you swoon. Whether you want to go on an adventure and watch an Indiana Jones flick for the hundredth time or you feel like kicking back and watching Back to the Future, these tubular movies are sure to make you feel all kinds of nostalgic. No matter what bodacious ’80s movie you want to stream, Netflix has a treasure trove of great flicks that’ll take you right back in time. Keep reading to discover all the best ’80s movies waiting for a spot in your queue on Netflix.
– Additional reporting by Lauren Harano
Related: 80 of the Most Swoon-Worthy Romantic TV Series on Netflix Right Now
Everett Collection
Clash of the Titans (1980)
Complete with drama, mythology, and heroes of all kinds, this 1980 film has got it all. Follow along as Perseus battles Medusa and the Kraken to save the Princess Andromeda from eternal misfortune.
Watch Clash of the Titans on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / Orion Pictures Corp/Courtesy Everett Collection
Platoon (1986)
Writer and director Oliver Stone takes viewers on a dramatic, heart-wrenching, and unbelievable journey in the film Platoon. When a young soldier serving in Vietnam is faced with a moral dilemma, he is ultimately confronted with the horrors of war and the importance of humanity.
Watch Platoon on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / Courtesy Everett Collection
Strange Voices (1987)
In this 1987 drama, a couple’s daughter starts to hear voices, and her family must seek out treatment to treat her schizophrenia. This movie might make you cry, so be sure to have a pack of tissues nearby.
Watch Strange Voices on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Glory (1989)
This wartime drama is set during the Civil War and follows the United States’ first all-Black regiment, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The group is a strong unit that fights with everything they have in them to win a war that’s ultimately against them.
Watch Glory on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
Always
If you want to watch a romance movie that will make you sob, this is it. Always tells the story of a recently deceased pilot whose spirit mentors a newer pilot all while watching him fall hard for the woman he loved before he died.
Watch Always on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / Island Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
She's Gotta Have It
Spike Lee’s indie film She’s Gotta Have It forever changed the landscape of independent filmmaking as it became a critical and popular hit with a budget of only $175,000. It’s about a young Black woman named Nola Darling who prizes her independence above any of her three suitors.
Watch She’s Gotta Have It on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
Back to the Future (1985)
Young teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) time-travels 30 years into the past after his scientist friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) tests an experiment.
Watch Back to the Future on Netflix now.
Everett Collection
Back to the Future Part II (1989)
The duo are at it again! This time, Marty’s heading to the year 2015 to help save his future son from disaster. Buckle up, because this movie is a wild ride.
Watch Back to the Future Part II on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / Cannon Films/Courtesy Everett Collection
Bloodsport (1988)
This classic Jean-Claude Van Damme movie may be bloody, but it also tells the story of a military officer who escapes to Hong Kong to learn martial arts and falls in love along the way.
Watch Bloodsport on Netflix now.
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Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
In the first Indiana Jones movie, you can follow the infamous archaeologist as the government hires him to track down the Ark of the Covenant.
Watch Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Indiana Jones takes a trip to India to find a mystical stone in this action-packed flick. When he stumbles upon a secret cult, he do everything he can to stop its unjust practices.
Watch Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom on Netflix now.
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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
This Indiana Jones flick follows the man, the myth, and the legend as he embarks on the search for the Holy Grail, all while trying to find his own father who is missing.
Watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection
WarGames (1983)
A computer game begins to control the real world in the ’80s drama WarGames. The adventure follows a young Matthew Broderick, who possibly starts World War III.
Watch WarGames on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection
Poltergeist (1984)
One of the most famous haunted-house movies of all time, this flick revolves around a suburban family whose new home in California becomes haunted by malevolent beings, eventually taking the youngest member of the family, Carol Ann, captive. The family then must work together with the help of a parapsychologist and exorcist to get their daughter back.
Watch Poltergeist on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
Airplane! (1980)
This classic movie isn’t just a parody of an airplane flight disaster but has also been parodied plenty of times in sketch shows, stage shows, and more.
Watch Airplane! on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
In Steven Spielberg‘s classic 1982 movie, a young boy named Elliott befriends a good-natured alien and brings him home with the intention of raising him in secret. However, when government officials get word of E.T.’s presence, Elliott must help his alien friend return to his home.
Watch E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection
The Evil Dead (1981)
Sam Raimi’s low-budget horror cult film takes us to a remote cabin in the woods where a group of kids turn into zombies. If you’re hooked onto the supernatural story, the good news is that there are two more sequels to indulge in.
Watch The Evil Dead on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection
Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)
Love a scary movie with a comedic twist? Killer Klowns From Outer Space serves up just that, with its plot revolving around a group of murderous aliens who look like creepy clowns.
Watch Killer Klowns From Outer Space on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection
Little Monsters
This family-friendly horror comedy stars Fred Savage and Howie Mandel. Prior to the friendly monsters in Monsters, Inc., Little Monsters introduces a world where monsters sneak into children’s rooms at night and prank them.
Watch Little Monsters on Netflix now.
Everett Collection / Courtesy Everett Collection
Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story (1988)
This tear-jerking drama tells the story of Charlie Wedemeyer, who was a former football player turned high school coach. When he was only 32 years old, he was diagnosed with ALS and told he only had a year to live. Against the odds, he continued coaching football and led his team to victory.
Watch Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story on Netflix now.