9 Totally Awesome 80s Movies Streaming On Netflix Right Now

You know you love the 80s. Who doesn’t? All that big hair music and epic burly man action. Right now, as nostalgia has Hollywood in a frenzy to reboot and rework anything and everything they can from that era, maybe it’s time to go ahead and watch actual movies that came out during that time. Good thing there’s a way to do that. And we went ahead and picked out some of the best that are just a click away waiting for you to tune in. Here are 9 totally awesome 80s movies streaming on Netflix right now.

The Dark Crystal

This 1982 classic from Jim Henson was a wonder on release and still holds up as a master class in puppetry with an inventive story and a wildly creative production. A magical story that follows a Gelfling as he sets out to find a shard from a mythical crystal that holds the key to saving his world, there is a no shortage of adventure and spectacle. With an upcoming sequel finally coming (to Netflix), it’s time to give this a watch.

Road House

By 1989, Patrick Swayze was just about a household name, still riding high off his success in Dirty Dancing, but went in a different direction for this Rowdy Herrington-directed action flick about a bouncer at a roadside bar trying to keep things clean. Critics savaged it at the time but it’s become a must see now decades on, Swayze tearing things up in full 80s glory, making this a fun, over-the-top thriller that just oozes machismo.

Mr. Mom

In 1983, Michael Keaton was still a few years away from superstardom and his first stint as Batman, here in his second film playing a working dad out of a job and forced to stay home while his wife (Teri Garr) goes to work. Written by John Hughes, this playful comedy is pretty funny, playing loose with some logic but a frazzled good time thanks to Keaton and Garr, both of whom really sell this from the start. Well worth a look at 80s suburban living.

Platoon

Oliver Stone‘s seminal Vietnam War film is best remember now for its iconic moment with Willem DaFoe, but there’s a lot more to this astonishing soldier’s story. Following the volunteering and service of a young man named Chris (Charlie Sheen) in Vietnam, who falls under the mentorship of two very different men, this jarring, blistering look at the horrors of combat is one of the most important movies to come out of the decade and is essential viewing for anyone calling themselves a movie fan.

Caddyshack

It’s the summer of 1980 and you’re looking for something funny to watch at the local cineplex. You see a poster for a new comedy starring a couple of guys from that Saturday Night Live show you’ve been hearing about and take a chance. Well lucky you because you just watched the Bill Murray and Chevy Chase-led golf movie that would decades later be considered as one of the funniest movies ever made. And thanks to Netflix, we can now all do the same.

Harry and the Hendersons

If you haven’t seen this 1987 family staple, then drop what you’re doing right now and get this done. John Lithgow stars as a mild-mannered dad taking his wife and kids into the woods for some camping, only to accidently hit a Bigfoot with his car. What’s he to do, leave it on the side of the road? Nope. He takes it home and there it decides to move in. This is funny and heartwarming with a terrific performance by Kevin Peter Hall as Harry. Good stuff.

Gremlins

In 1984, we all learned a few valuable lessons about taking care of a certain kind of fuzzy pet. Director Joe Dante‘s mix of horror and comedy made the story of a cute little creature who, by accident, spawns a gaggle of horrific toothy monsters all on Christmas Eve a big box office success. Creative and funny, with some truly memorable rubbery gremlins, this is still one of the most unusual movies ever made, earning the cult classic status it now has among growing fans.

Scarface

This 1983 remake from Brian De Palma is one of those movies that is certainly important for a lot of reasons but all outshined by the performance of its lead actor Al Pacino chewing up everything in sight in a role that he has yet to really find any equal. Telling the violent rise of a Cuban immigrant in Miami as he climbs his way to the top of the drug world, this is a jarring, epic piece of acting helmed by a director at the very peak of his career. Hold on tight, this one is a wild ride.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

In 1981, when Steven Spielberg‘s now legendary adventure film released, no one was prepared for how big is was going to be, recalling the golden age of cinema. It stirred imaginations young and old, mixing old school heroism with modern wit and humor with new big screen leading man Harrison Ford creating one of the most influential characters to ever hit the silver screen. Absolute must see. Again. And Again.