My top ten films for each year of the 1980s. These are always up for revision as I watch more films, revisit ones I’ve seen before, and think about them over time. The films as listed in the “Best of Year” section are held fast at the end of the year (and include a listing of all films I saw that year as well as films released that year).

Oh, and I don’t really believe in top “ten” lists, despite using the common nomenclature for the title of this page. This is going to be the top several films of each year, down to whatever point I think the films stop being worthy of inclusion. Might be eight one year, might be twenty-three another.

1989

1. Henry V
2. Crimes and Misdemeanors
3. Do the Right Thing
4. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
5. Back to the Future Part II
6. When Harry Met Sally…
7. Batman
8. The Little Mermaid

TOP TEN YET TO SEE
The Decalogue
The Abyss
Heathers
Kiki’s Delivery Service
sex, lies, and videotape

1988

1. Cinema Paradiso
2. Die Hard
3. Wings of Desire
4. Grave of the Fireflies
5. Akira
6. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
7. The Last Temptation of Christ
8. A Fish Called Wanda
9. Scrooged
10. Rain Man
11. The Unbearable Lightness of Being
12. My Neighbor Totoro

TOP FIVE YET TO SEE
They Live
A Short Film About Killing
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Frantic
The Vanishing

1987

1. The Princess Bride
2. The Untouchables
3. Au revoir les enfants
4. Radio Days
5. Evil Dead 2

TOP FIVE YET TO SEE
Full Metal Jacket
Predator
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Broadcast News
RoboCop

1986

1. Hannah and Her Sisters
2. Aliens
3. A Room With a View
4. Jean de Florette
5. Manon of the Spring
6. Blue Velvet

TOP FIVE YET TO SEE
The Fly
Big Trouble in Little China
Little Shop of Horrors
Stand By Me
A Better Tomorrow

1985

1. The Breakfast Club
2. After Hours
3. Clue
4. Ran
5. Back to the Future
6. Brazil
7. 28 Up
8. The Purple Rose of Cairo

TOP FIVE YET TO SEE
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
The Goonies
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Detective
Legend

1984

1. This is Spinal Tap
2. Blood Simple
3. Boy Meets Girl
4. The Terminator
5. Amadeus
6. The Neverending Story
7. Gremlins

TOP FIVE YET TO SEE
Once Upon a Time in America
Paris, Texas
The Karate Kid
Sixteen Candles
Stranger Than Paradise

1983

1. Return of the Jedi
2. A Christmas Story

TOP FIVE YET TO SEE
Scarface
The Meaning of Life
Zelig
Confidentially Yours
Le dernier combat

1982

1. Blade Runner
2. The Man from Snow River
3. The Thing
4. Koyaanisqatsi
5. Annie

TOP FIVE YET TO SEE
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Fanny and Alexander
The Dark Crystal
Passion
Fast Times at Ridgemont High

1981

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. Chariots of Fire
3. Excalibur
4. An American Werewolf in London
5. The Evil Dead
6. Blow Out

TOP FIVE YET TO SEE
Das Boot
Time Bandits
Scanners
Thief
Clash of the Titans

1980

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. The Shining
3. Raging Bull
4. The Elephant Man
5. The Fog

TOP FIVE YET TO SEE
The Blues Brothers
Stardust Memories
The Last Metro
Kagemusha
Superman II