Top 84 Ranked

Best 1986 Movies of All Time

Relive the Greatest Cinematic Masterpieces of the Eighties

Explore the definitive ranking of classic cinema, from sci-fi horrors and teen comedies to award-winning war dramas and timeless cult favorites.

Draft Best 1986 Movies with friends and our judges will crown a winner!

About Movies in 1986

If you want to understand the exact moment when the blockbuster era finally figured out how to grow up, look no further than 1986. It was a year that functioned like a bridge between the neon-soaked fantasies of the early eighties and a more grounded, visceral realism that would come to define the end of the decade. It was the year that proved high-concept movies could have high-level stakes, and that the multiplex was a place for both pure adrenaline and genuine soul-searching.

The dominant force of the year was undoubtedly Top Gun. While it became the ultimate shorthand for Reagan-era bravado and high-octane spectacle, it also signaled a shift in how movies were sold to the public. It was slick, fast, and fueled by a soundtrack that lived in constant rotation on MTV. More importantly, it solidified Tom Cruise as the definitive movie star of his generation. But while Pete Mitchell was chasing MIGs, other filmmakers were using the studio system to explore much darker, more complex corners of the human experience.

Oliver Stone changed the visual language of the war film with Platoon. Eschewing the lone-hero tropes of previous years, Stone brought a haunting, mud-caked authenticity to the Vietnam War that resonated deeply with veterans and general audiences alike. It was a massive commercial success that also managed to sweep the Oscars, proving that audiences were hungry for challenging, adult narratives alongside their popcorn entertainment.

That appetite for the visceral extended into the realm of science fiction and horror. James Cameron pulled off a near-impossible feat with Aliens, taking Ridley Scott’s quiet haunted house in space and transforming it into a relentless, tactical war movie. It gave us one of the greatest female protagonists in cinema history with Ellen Ripley, a character who transcended the damsel in distress tropes of the era. Meanwhile, David Cronenberg’s The Fly turned a B-movie premise into a heartbreaking meditation on disease and decay, anchored by a career-best performance from Jeff Goldblum.

In the fringes of the mainstream, 1986 was also a banner year for the weird and the wonderful. David Lynch released Blue Velvet, a film that tore back the white picket fences of suburban America to reveal a rotting, voyeuristic underworld. It was a polarizing masterpiece that pushed the boundaries of what a commercial film could look and feel like. On the other end of the spectrum, Rob Reiner gave us Stand By Me, a pitch-perfect coming-of-age story that managed to capture the fleeting, painful beauty of childhood friendship without ever sinking into cheap sentimentality.

When film fans look back at 1986, they see a year where every genre was firing on all cylinders. You had the cult appeal of Labyrinth and Big Trouble in Little China, the satirical bite of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and the historical prestige of The Mission. It was a year of incredible range. It showed us that cinema could be a recruitment poster, a history lesson, a nightmare, and a nostalgic dream, often all in the same weekend visit to the local theater. It remains a foundational year because it taught us that the biggest movies could also be the best movies.

The Complete Rankings

Based on the top picks in drafts on SnakeDrafts

See Top Ten
84
1986 in Deadly Friend (1986)
Deadly Friend
1986

When tragedy strikes his remarkable robot and the beautiful girl next door, lonely teenage genius Paul tries to save them by pushing technology beyond its known limits into a terrifying new realm.

Horror
Science Fiction
Matthew Labyorteaux, Kristy Swanson, Michael Sharrett, Anne Twomey
83
1986 in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
1986

A radio host is victimised by the notorious cannibal family while a former Texas Marshal hunts them.

Horror
Comedy
1h 40m
Tobe Hooper
Dennis Hopper, Caroline Williams, Bill Johnson, Jim Siedow
82
1986 in Avenging Force (1986)
Avenging Force
1986

Martial arts expert Matt Hunter was one of the most promising operatives in Army intelligence until his parents were killed by terrorists, and he retired to the family's farm in Louisiana to take care of his 12-year-old sister Sara and their grandfather Jimmy. Larry Richards, a black man running for the Senate, is one of Matt's best friends. Larry has become the target of The Pentangle, a racist organization led by a man named Glastenbury, and Glastenbury doesn't want Larry to be elected. In an attempt on Larry's life during a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans, The Pentangle kills one of Larry's sons. Matt lets Larry, his wife Daisy, and his other son move to the remotely located farm so they can hide from Glastenbury and the Pentangle, but the Pentangle strikes again, setting the farmhouse on fire. Matt and Sara escape as the only survivors. Then the Pentangle kidnaps Sara, sending Matt on a mission to rescue Sara from Glastenbury and the Pentangle

Action
Drama
1h 44m
Sam Firstenberg
Michael Dudikoff, Steve James, William Wallace, John P. Ryan

Draft this topic with friends

Think you'd pick differently? Start a draft with your crew and see who really has the best taste in Best 1986 Movies.

81
1986 in Quicksilver (1986)
Quicksilver
1986

Jack Casey used to be a hot-shot stock market whiz kid. After a disastrous professional decision, his life in the fast lane is over. He loses his nerve and joins a speed delivery firm which relies on bicycles to avoid traffic jams of San Francisco, is attracted to a fellow bicycler, Terri, and befriends Hector, a budding entrepreneur. Can Jack regain his nerve and his self-respect, and rebuild his life on a more sound basis?

Action
Adventure
1h 45m
Thomas Michael Donnelly
Kevin Bacon, Jami Gertz, Paul Rodríguez, Rudy Ramos
80
1986 in Hardbodies 2 (1986)
Hardbodies 2
1986

A film crew is travelling from America to Greece to produce a movie. Before their work is done they will have to face many unusual situations, along with numerous opportunities for the actresses to take their clothes off.

Comedy
1h 28m
Mark Griffiths
Brad Zutaut, Fabiana Udenio, James Karen, Alba Francesca
79
1986 in Home Protector (1986)
Home Protector
1986

A political and social play in which the old narrator preaches and guides during the Iran-Iraq war, the bombings that occurred in Kuwait and the attempted assassination of the Emir of the State of Kuwait during that period, and the clear difference in opinions between support for stopping the war on Iran and the positions of the President of Iraq.

Drama
Comedy
2h 55m
Abdulameer AlTorky
Saad Al-Faraj, Khaled Al-Nafisi, Ali AlMufeedi, Jassim Al-Nabhan
78
1986 in Jason Lives - Friday the 13th Part VI (1986)
Jason Lives - Friday the 13th Part VI
1986

Tommy Jarvis, tormented by the fear that maybe Jason isn't really dead, unwittingly resurrects the mass murderer for another bloody rampage.

Horror
Thriller
1h 26m
Tom McLoughlin
Tony Goldwyn, Thom Mathews, Jennifer Cooke, Darcy DeMoss
77
1986 in The Wraith (1986)
The Wraith
1986

Packard Walsh and his motorized gang control and terrorize an Arizona desert town where they force drivers to drag-race so they can 'win' their vehicles. After Walsh beats the decent teenager Jamie Hankins to death after finding him with his girlfriend, a mysterious power creates Jake Kesey, an extremely cool motor-biker who has a car which is invincible. Jake befriends Jamie's girlfriend Keri Johnson, takes Jamie's sweet brother Bill under his wing and manages what Sheriff Loomis couldn't; eliminate Packard's criminal gang the hard way...

Action
Science Fiction
1h 33m
Mike Marvin
Charlie Sheen, Nick Cassavetes, Sherilyn Fenn, Randy Quaid
76
1986 in Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation (1986)
Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation
1986

This animated adventure goes back in time to the Care Bears' first-ever Caring Mission, when True Heart Bear and Noble Heart Horse touch down on Earth to boost the spirits of some unhappy kids at summer camp. But the evil Dark Heart has other plans, and convinces one of the campers to help him capture the Care Bears. Will our lovable heroes' Care Stare be enough to vanquish the villain -- and convince his apprentice that good's the way to go?

Animation
Adventure
1h 16m
Dale Schott
Hadley Kay, Chris Wiggins, Cree Summer, Alyson Court
75
1986 in Clockwise (1986)
Clockwise
1986

School headmaster Brian Stimpson is obsessed with timeliness, order, and discipline. Brian misses his train after meticulously preparing a speech for an education conference. With no one else to turn to, he asks young former student Laura Wisely for a ride. Laura, upset over a break-up, agrees to drive him in her parents' car - which alarms her mother and father, who worry that she has run away with a married man and subsequently alert the police.

Comedy
1h 36m
Christopher Morahan
John Cleese, Penelope Wilton, Alison Steadman, Stephen Moore
74
1986 in The Clan of the Cave Bear (1986)
The Clan of the Cave Bear
1986

Natural changes have the clans moving. Iza, medicine woman of the "Clan of the Cave Bear" finds little Ayla from the "others"' clan - tradition would have the clan kill Ayla immediately, but Iza insists on keeping her. When the little one finds a most needed new cave, she's allowed to stay - and thrive.

Adventure
Drama
1h 38m
Michael Chapman
Daryl Hannah, Pamela Reed, James Remar, Thomas G. Waites
73
1986 in Ratboy (1986)
Ratboy
1986

A failed window dresser exploits a being with rat-like features in an effort to make money.

Comedy
Crime
1h 44m
Sondra Locke
Sondra Locke, Robert Townsend, Larry Hankin, Sydney Lassick
72
1986 in Cobra (1986)
Cobra
1986

A tough-on-crime street cop must protect the only surviving witness to a strange murderous cult with far reaching plans.

Action
Crime
1h 27m
George P. Cosmatos
Sylvester Stallone, Brigitte Nielsen, Reni Santoni, Brian Thompson
71
1986 in The Delta Force (1986)
The Delta Force
1986

A 707 aircraft jetliner, en route from Athens to Rome and then to New York City, is hijacked by Lebanese terrorists, who demand that the pilot take them to Beirut. What the terrorists don't realize is that an elite team of commandos have been called in to eliminate all terrorists on the jetliner.

Action
Thriller
2h 9m
Menahem Golan
Chuck Norris, Lee Marvin, Martin Balsam, Joey Bishop
70
1986 in Betty Blue (1986)
Betty Blue
1986

A lackadaisical handyman and aspiring novelist tries to support his younger girlfriend as she slowly succumbs to madness.

Drama
Romance
2h 0m
Jean-Jacques Beineix
Jean-Hugues Anglade, Béatrice Dalle, Gérard Darmon, Consuelo De Haviland
69
1986 in No Mercy (1986)
No Mercy
1986

An unconventional undercover Chicago cop and his partner are recruited to commit the murder of a New Orleans criminal kingpin.

Action
Crime
1h 46m
Richard Pearce
Richard Gere, Kim Basinger, Jeroen Krabbé, George Dzundza
68
1986 in Shanghai Surprise (1986)
Shanghai Surprise
1986

Glendon Wasey is a fortune hunter looking for a fast track out of China. Gloria Tatlock is a missionary nurse seeking the curing powers of opium for her patients. Fate sets them on a hectic, exotic, and even romantic quest for stolen drugs. But they are up against every thug and smuggler in Shangai.

Romance
Adventure
1h 37m
Jim Goddard
Sean Penn, Madonna, Paul Freeman, Richard Griffiths
67

FBI Agent Will Graham, who retired after catching Hannibal Lecktor, returns to duty to engage in a risky cat-and-mouse game with Lecktor to capture a new killer.

Crime
Horror
William Petersen, Tom Noonan, Dennis Farina, Brian Cox
66
1986 in Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Maximum Overdrive
1986

When a comet passes close to the earth, machines all over the world come alive and go on homicidal rampages. A group of people at a desolate truck stop are held hostage by a gang of murderous 18-wheelers. The frightened people set out to defeat the killer machines…Or be killed by them.

Horror
Action
1h 38m
Stephen King
Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington, Yeardley Smith
65
1986 in SpaceCamp (1986)
SpaceCamp
1986

Andie Bergstrom, an astronaut eagerly awaiting her first trip to space, runs a summer camp for teenagers with her NASA-employed husband, Zach. One night during an engine test, Andie and four teenage campers are accidentally shot into space. Together, the group -- which includes Kathryn, a pilot-in-training, and Tish, a ditz with a perfect memory -- must work together to operate the spacecraft and return home.

Family
Adventure
1h 47m
Harry Winer
Kate Capshaw, Lea Thompson, Kelly Preston, Larry B. Scott
64
1986 in The Manhattan Project (1986)
The Manhattan Project
1986

A gifted high school student steals plutonium from the secret nuclear weapons facility in his home town in order to construct his own nuclear bomb, win a national science fair, and expose the government's secrets.

Science Fiction
Thriller
1h 58m
Marshall Brickman
John Lithgow, Christopher Collet, Cynthia Nixon, Jill Eikenberry
63
1986 in Legal Eagles (1986)
Legal Eagles
1986

District Attorney Tom Logan is set for higher office, at least until he becomes involved with defence lawyer Laura Kelly and her unpredictable client Chelsea Deardon. It seems the least of Chelsea's crimes is the theft of a very valuable painting, but as the women persuade Logan to investigate further and to cut some official corners, a much more sinister scenario starts to emerge.

62
1986 in Extremities (1986)
Extremities
1986

A woman escapes from the man who is about to rape her, but leaves her purse behind. Afraid that her attacker might come after her, she goes to the police, but with no proof of the incident, they can do nothing. In fact, the man does use the information in her bag and comes to her apartment with the intent of rape, but she sprays him in the face with insect repellent, and then holds him captive. She is then faced with deciding whether to go to the police who might not believe her and release him, or to kill him.

Thriller
Drama
1h 29m
Robert M. Young
Farrah Fawcett, James Russo, Alfre Woodard, Diana Scarwid
61
1986 in Cat City (1986)
Cat City
1986

In the year 80 AMM (After Mickey Mouse) on planet X the crime-syndicated Cats try to erase the Mouse-population once and for all. A scientist of the mice, prof. Fushimishi seems to have found the weapon against the threat - so Intermouse calls its best (albeit retired) agent, Nick Grabowsky, to get the plans. As a distraction for the Cats, they also send a second agent - Seargent Lazy Dick - for the mission.

Animation
Adventure
1h 36m
Béla Ternovszky
Miklós Benedek, László Sinkó, Gyula Bodrogi, Ilona Béres
60
1986 in Tough Guys (1986)
Tough Guys
1986

Harry Doyle and Archie Lang are two old-time train robbers, who held up a train in 1956 and have been incarcerated for thirty years. After serving their time, they are released from jail and have to adjust to a new life of freedom. and soon realize that they still have the pizzazz when, picking up their prison checks at a bank, they foil a robbery attempt.

Comedy
Crime
1h 44m
Jeff Kanew
Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Charles Durning, Alexis Smith
59
1986 in Vamp (1986)
Vamp
1986

Two fraternity pledges go to a sleazy bar in search of a stripper for their college friends, unaware it is occupied by vampires.

Comedy
Horror
1h 33m
Richard Wenk
Grace Jones, Chris Makepeace, Sandy Baron, Robert Rusler
58
1986 in Armed and Dangerous (1986)
Armed and Dangerous
1986

After policeman Frank Dooley is framed for theft and loses his job on the force, he joins a security guard agency and teams up with inept former defense lawyer Norman Kane. When the two botch a job guarding a local warehouse, they begin to uncover corruption within the company and their union.

Action
Comedy
1h 28m
Mark L. Lester
John Candy, Eugene Levy, Robert Loggia, Kenneth McMillan
57
1986 in 'Round Midnight (1986)
'Round Midnight
1986

Inside the Blue Note nightclub one night in 1959 Paris, an aged, ailing jazzman coaxes an eloquent wail from his tenor sax. Outside, a young Parisian too broke to buy a glass of wine strains to hear those notes. Soon they will form a friendship that sparks a final burst of genius.

Drama
Music
2h 11m
Bertrand Tavernier
Dexter Gordon, François Cluzet, Gabrielle Haker, Christine Pascal
56
1986 in ¡Three Amigos! (1986)
¡Three Amigos!
1986

A trio of unemployed silent film actors are mistaken for real heroes by a small Mexican village in search of someone to stop a malevolent bandit.

Comedy
Western
Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Alfonso Arau
55
1986 in April Fool's Day (1986)
April Fool's Day
1986

As soon as Muffy St. John and her college friends arrive on her parents' secluded island, someone starts trimming the guest list... one murder at a time.

Horror
Mystery
1h 28m
Fred Walton
Amy Steel, Ken Olandt, Deborah Foreman, Deborah Goodrich
54
1986 in Peking Opera Blues (1986)
Peking Opera Blues
1986

In 1913 Beijing, three fierce women—disguised rebel Tsao Wan, jewel-seeking Sheung Hung, and opera heiress Pat Neil—embark on a daring quest filled with intrigue and betrayal, challenging societal norms amidst political turmoil and the vibrant world of Peking Opera.

Action
Comedy
1h 45m
Tsui Hark
Brigitte Lin, Sally Yeh, Cherie Chung Cho-Hung, Mark Cheng Ho-Nam
53
1986 in Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986)
Jumpin' Jack Flash
1986

Terry works for a bank, and uses computers to communicate with clients all over the world. One day, she gets a strange coded message from an unknown source. After decoding the message, Terry becomes embroiled in an espionage ring. People are killed, and Terry is chased. Throughout, she remains in contact with this mysterious person, who needs Terry's help save his life.

Romance
Comedy
1h 45m
Penny Marshall
Whoopi Goldberg, Stephen Collins, John Wood, Carol Kane
52
1986 in At Close Range (1986)
At Close Range
1986

Brad Whitewood Jr. lives in rural Pennsylvania and has few prospects. Against his mother's wishes, he seeks out his estranged father, the head of a gang of thieves in a nearby town. Though his new girlfriend supports his criminal ambitions, Brad Jr. soon learns that his father is a dangerous man. Inspired by the real events that led to the end of the Johnston Gang, who operated in the northeastern United States in the 1970s.

51
1986 in Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
Poltergeist II: The Other Side
1986

The Freeling family move in with Diane's mother in an effort to escape the trauma and aftermath of Carol Anne's abduction by the Beast. But the Beast is not to be put off so easily and appears in a ghostly apparition as the Reverend Kane, a religious zealot responsible for the deaths of his many followers. His goal is simple - he wants the angelic Carol Anne.

Horror
Thriller
1h 31m
Brian Gibson
Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Heather O'Rourke, Oliver Robins
50

At her 25th high school reunion, Peggy Sue faints and awakens in 1960—back in her senior year, before her marriage and all her regrets. Given a second chance to relive her youth, she must decide whether to change the choices that shaped her life or embrace the past that made her who she is.

Comedy
Drama
Kathleen Turner, Nicolas Cage, Barry Miller, Catherine Hicks
49
1986 in The Money Pit (1986)
The Money Pit
1986

After being evicted from their Manhattan apartment, a couple buy what looks like the home of their dreams—only to find themselves saddled with a bank-account-draining nightmare. Struggling to keep their relationship together as their rambling mansion falls to pieces around them, the two watch in hilarious horror as everything—including the kitchen sink—disappears into the Money Pit.

Comedy
Romance
1h 31m
Richard Benjamin
Tom Hanks, Shelley Long, Alexander Godunov, Maureen Stapleton
48
1986 in Running Scared (1986)
Running Scared
1986

Two street-wise Chicago cops have to shake off some rust after returning from a Key West vacation to pursue a drug dealer that nearly killed them in the past.

Comedy
Crime
1h 47m
Peter Hyams
Gregory Hines, Billy Crystal, Steven Bauer, Darlanne Fluegel
47
1986 in Captain EO (1986)
Captain EO
1986

Captain EO and his crew journey to a dark, mechanical world to deliver a gift to the tyrannical Supreme Leader, using the power of music and dance to transform her realm from darkness into light.

Science Fiction
Music
Michael Jackson, Anjelica Huston, Dick Shawn, Tony Cox
46
1986 in F/X (1986)
F/X
1986

A movies special effects man is hired by a government agency to help stage the assassination of a well known gangster. When the agency double cross him, he uses his special effects to trap the gangster and the corrupt agents.

Action
Thriller
1h 49m
Robert Mandel
Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy, Diane Venora, Cliff DeYoung
45
1986 in Raw Deal (1986)
Raw Deal
1986

Mark Kaminsky is kicked out of the FBI for his rough treatment of a suspect. He winds up as the sheriff of a small town in North Carolina. FBI Chief Harry Shannon, whose son has been killed by a mobster named Patrovina, enlists Kaminsky in a personal vendetta with a promise of reinstatement into the FBI if Patrovina is taken down. To accomplish this, he must go undercover and join Patrovina's gang.

Action
Crime
1h 46m
John Irvin
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kathryn Harrold, Sam Wanamaker, Paul Shenar
44
1986 in The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
The Transformers: The Movie
1986

The Autobots must stop a colossal planet-consuming robot who goes after the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. At the same time, they must defend themselves against an all-out attack from the Decepticons.

Animation
Science Fiction
1h 25m
Nelson Shin
Judd Nelson, Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, Leonard Nimoy
43
1986 in A Better Tomorrow (1986)
A Better Tomorrow
1986

A reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break.

Action
Crime
1h 35m
John Woo
Ti Lung, Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, Emily Chu Bo-Yee
42
1986 in Howard the Duck (1986)
Howard the Duck
1986

A scientific experiment unknowingly brings extraterrestrial life forms to the Earth through a laser beam. First is the cigar-smoking drake, Howard, from the duck's planet. A few kids try to keep him from the greedy scientists and help him back to his planet, but then a much less friendly being arrives through the beam...

Fantasy
Comedy
1h 50m
Willard Huyck
Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Jones, Tim Robbins, Ed Gale
41
1986 in Heartbreak Ridge (1986)
Heartbreak Ridge
1986

A hard-nosed, hard-living Marine gunnery sergeant clashes with his superiors and his ex-wife as he takes command of a spoiled recon platoon with a bad attitude.

War
Drama
Clint Eastwood, Marsha Mason, Everett McGill, Moses Gunn
40
1986 in Gung Ho (1986)
Gung Ho
1986

When a western Pennsylvania auto plant is acquired by a Japanese company, brokering auto worker Hunt Stevenson faces the tricky challenge of mediating the assimilation of two clashing corporate cultures. At one end is the Japanese plant manager and the sycophant who is angling for his position. At the other, a number of disgruntled long-time union members struggle with the new exigencies of Japanese quality control.

Comedy
Drama
Michael Keaton, Gedde Watanabe, George Wendt, Mimi Rogers
39
1986 in Invaders from Mars (1986)
Invaders from Mars
1986

A boy tries to stop aliens that have taken over his town and are brainwashing its inhabitants.

Horror
Science Fiction
1h 40m
Tobe Hooper
Hunter Carson, Karen Black, Timothy Bottoms, Laraine Newman
38
1986 in The Golden Child (1986)
The Golden Child
1986

After a Tibetan boy, the mystical Golden Child, is kidnapped by the evil Sardo Numspa, humankind's fate hangs in the balance. On the other side of the world in Los Angeles, the priestess Kee Nang seeks the Chosen One, who will save the boy from death. When Nang sees social worker Chandler Jarrell on television discussing his ability to find missing children, she solicits his expertise, despite his skepticism over being "chosen."

Action
Adventure
1h 34m
Michael Ritchie
Eddie Murphy, Charles Dance, Charlotte Lewis, J.L. Reate
37
1986 in The Boy Who Could Fly (1986)
The Boy Who Could Fly
1986

Milly and Louis, and their recently-widowed mom, Charlene, move to a new neighborhood. Once there, they all deal with a variety of personal problems, but Milly finds a friend in Eric, her autistic next door neighbor. Eric has a fascination with flight, and as the story progresses, he exerts an enthralling force of change on all those around him.

Drama
Family
1h 54m
Nick Castle
Lucy Deakins, Jay Underwood, Fred Savage, Bonnie Bedelia
36

Sam Stone hates his wife Barbara so much that he wants her dead. He's ecstatic when she's taken by a duo of kidnappers who want $500,000 ransom in exchange for her life. Fully intending to ignore every one of the kidnappers' demands in the hopes that they do him a favor and murder her for him, the two confused kidnappers have to figure out how they're going get their money, and what they're going to do with the overbearing Barbara.

Comedy
1h 33m
Jim Abrahams
Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater
35
1986 in Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)
Down and Out in Beverly Hills
1986

Beverly Hills couple Barbara and Dave Whiteman find their lives altered by the arrival of a vagrant who tries to drown himself in their swimming pool.

Comedy
1h 43m
Paul Mazursky
34
1986 in Back to School (1986)
Back to School
1986

Self-made millionaire Thornton Melon decides to get a better education and enrolls at his son Jason's college. While Jason tries to fit in with his fellow students, Thornton struggles to gain his son's respect, giving way to hilarious antics.

Comedy
1h 36m
Alan Metter
Rodney Dangerfield, Sally Kellerman, Burt Young, Keith Gordon
33
1986 in The Sacrifice (1986)
The Sacrifice
1986

Alexander, a journalist, philosopher and retired actor, celebrates a birthday with friends and family when it is announced that nuclear war has begun.

Drama
2h 29m
Andrei Tarkovsky
Erland Josephson, Susan Fleetwood, Allan Edwall, Guðrún Gísladóttir
32

A young mouse named Fievel and his family decide to migrate to America, a "land without cats," at the turn of the 20th century. But somehow, Fievel ends up in the New World alone and must fend off not only the felines he never thought he'd have to deal with again but also the loneliness of being away from home.

Animation
Comedy
1h 20m
Don Bluth
Phillip Glasser, Erica Yohn, Nehemiah Persoff, Amy Green
31

He fought his first battle on the Scottish Highlands in 1536. He will fight his greatest battle on the streets of New York City in 1986. His name is Connor MacLeod. He is immortal.

Adventure
Action
1h 56m
Russell Mulcahy
Christopher Lambert, Roxanne Hart, Clancy Brown, Sean Connery
30
1986 in Pretty in Pink (1986)
Pretty in Pink
1986

Andie is an outcast, hanging out either with her older boss, who owns the record store where she works, or her quirky high school classmate Duckie, who has a crush on her. When one of the rich and popular kids at school, Blane, asks Andie out, it seems too good to be true. As Andie starts falling for Blane, she begins to realize that dating someone from a different social sphere is not easy.

Romance
Drama
1h 37m
Howard Deutch
Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Jon Cryer, Annie Potts
29

Arriving in Chicago, Henry moves in with ex-con acquaintance Otis and starts schooling him in the ways of the serial killer.

Crime
Horror
1h 23m
John McNaughton
Michael Rooker, Tracy Arnold, Tom Towles, Mary Demas
28

Truck driver Jack Burton gets embroiled in a supernatural battle when his best friend Wang Chi's green-eyed fiancée is kidnapped by henchmen of the sorcerer Lo Pan, who must marry a girl with green eyes in order to return to the human realm.

Action
Comedy
Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, James Hong
27

On a stormy night, young Jim, who transports a luxury car from Chicago to California to deliver it to its owner, feeling tired and sleepy, picks up a mysterious hitchhiker, who has appeared out of nowhere, thinking that a good conversation will help him not to fall asleep. He will have enough time to deeply regret such an unmeditated decision.

Horror
Action
1h 38m
Robert Harmon
Rutger Hauer, C. Thomas Howell, Jeffrey DeMunn, Billy Green Bush
26
1986 in Castle in the Sky (1986)
Castle in the Sky
1986

A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle.

Adventure
Fantasy
Keiko Yokozawa, Mayumi Tanaka, Minori Terada, Kotoe Hatsui
25

Seymour Krelborn is a nerdy orphan working at Mushnik's; a flower shop in urban Skid Row. He harbors a crush on fellow co-worker, Audrey Fulquard, and is berated by Mr. Mushnik daily. One day, Seymour finds a very mysterious unidentified plant which he calls Audrey II. The plant seems to have a craving for blood and soon begins to sing for it’s supper.

Horror
Comedy
1h 34m
Frank Oz
Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Levi Stubbs
24

After a lightning bolt zaps a robot named Number 5, the lovable machine starts to think he's human and escapes the lab. Hot on his trail is his designer, Newton, who hopes to get to Number 5 before the military does. In the meantime, a spunky animal lover mistakes the robot for an alien and takes him in, teaching her new guest about life on Earth.

Science Fiction
Comedy
1h 38m
John Badham
Ally Sheedy, Steve Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens, Austin Pendleton
23

An inventor spurns his city life and moves his family into the jungles of Central America to make a utopia.

Drama
Adventure
Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, River Phoenix, Jadrien Steele
22
1986 in The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
The Great Mouse Detective
1986

When the diabolical Professor Ratigan kidnaps London's master toymaker, the brilliant master of disguise Basil of Baker Street and his trusted sidekick Dawson try to elude the ultimate trap and foil the perfect crime.

Animation
Family
1h 14m
Ron Clements
Barrie Ingham, Vincent Price, Val Bettin, Susanne Pollatschek
21

Starting his new job as an instructor at a New England school for the deaf, James Leeds meets Sarah Norman, a young deaf woman who works at the school as a member of the custodial staff. In spite of Sarah's withdrawn emotional state, a romance slowly develops between the pair.

Drama
Romance
1h 59m
Randa Haines
William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie, Philip Bosco
20
1986 in Labyrinth (1986)
Labyrinth
1986

Frustrated with babysitting on yet another weekend night, Sarah, a teenager with an active imagination, summons the Goblins to take her baby stepbrother away. When little Toby actually disappears, Sarah must follow him into a fantastical world to rescue him from the Goblin King. Guarding his castle is the labyrinth itself, a twisted maze of deception, populated with outrageous characters and unknown dangers.

Adventure
Family
1h 41m
Jim Henson
David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, Toby Froud, Shelley Thompson
19

January 1978. After their success in England, the punk rock band Sex Pistols venture out on their tour of the southern United States. Temperamental bassist Sid Vicious is forced by his band mates to travel without his troubled girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, who will meet him in New York. When the band breaks up and Sid begins his solo career in a hostile city, the turbulent couple definitely falls into the depths of drug addiction.

Drama
Romance
1h 54m
Alex Cox
Gary Oldman, Chloe Webb, David Hayman, Debby Bishop
18

14th-century Franciscan monk William of Baskerville and his young novice arrive at a conference to find that several monks have been murdered under mysterious circumstances. To solve the crimes, William must rise up against the Church's authority and fight the shadowy conspiracy of monastery monks using only his intelligence; which is considerable.

Drama
Thriller
2h 10m
Jean-Jacques Annaud
Sean Connery, Christian Slater, Helmut Qualtinger, Ilya Baskin
17
1986 in Mona Lisa (1986)
Mona Lisa
1986

George is a small-time crook just out of prison who discovers his tough-guy image is out of date. Reduced to working as a minder/driver for high class call girl Simone, he has to agree when she asks him to find a young colleague from her King's Cross days. That's when George's troubles just start.

Crime
Drama
1h 45m
Neil Jordan
Bob Hoskins, Cathy Tyson, Michael Caine, Robbie Coltrane
16
1986 in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
1986

When a huge alien probe enters the galaxy and begins to vaporize Earth's oceans, Kirk and his crew must travel back in time in order to bring back whales and save the planet.

Science Fiction
Adventure
1h 58m
Leonard Nimoy
William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan
15
1986 in A Room with a View (1986)
A Room with a View
1986

When Lucy Honeychurch and chaperon Charlotte Bartlett find themselves in Florence with rooms without views, fellow guests Mr Emerson and son George step in to remedy the situation. Meeting the Emersons could change Lucy's life forever but, once back in England, how will her experiences in Tuscany affect her marriage plans?

Drama
Romance
1h 57m
James Ivory
Helena Bonham Carter, Julian Sands, Maggie Smith, Denholm Elliott
14
1986 in Manon of the Spring (1986)
Manon of the Spring
1986

In this, the sequel to Jean de Florette, Manon has grown into a beautiful young shepherdess living in the idyllic Provencal countryside. She plots vengeance on the men who greedily conspired to acquire her father's land years earlier.

Drama
1h 55m
Claude Berri
Yves Montand, Daniel Auteuil, Emmanuelle Béart, Hippolyte Girardot
13
1986 in Jean de Florette (1986)
Jean de Florette
1986

In a rural French village, an old man and his only remaining relative cast their covetous eyes on an adjoining vacant property. They need its spring water for growing their flowers, and are dismayed to hear that the man who has inherited it is moving in. They block up the spring and watch as their new neighbour tries to keep his crops watered from wells far afield through the hot summer. Though they see his desperate efforts are breaking his health and his wife and daughter's hearts, they think only of getting the water.

Drama
2h 2m
Claude Berri
Yves Montand, Gérard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil, Elisabeth Depardieu
12
1986 in Crocodile Dundee (1986)
Crocodile Dundee
1986

When a New York reporter plucks crocodile hunter Mick Dundee from the Australian Outback for a visit to the Big Apple, it's a clash of cultures and a recipe for good-natured comedy as naïve Dundee negotiates the concrete jungle. He proves that his instincts are quite useful in the city and adeptly handles everything from wily muggers to high-society snoots without breaking a sweat.

Adventure
Comedy
1h 37m
Peter Faiman
Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, Mark Blum, David Gulpilil
Why it ranks

Paul Hogan’s fish-out-of-water routine succeeds through a rare, unassuming charisma that bridges the gap between the Outback and the urban jungle. The film’s rhythmic comedic timing and breezy confidence make it a quintessential cultural crossover.

11

When a Spanish Jesuit goes into the South American wilderness to build a mission in the hope of converting the Indians of the region, a slave hunter is converted and joins his mission. When Spain sells the colony to Portugal, they are forced to defend all they have built against the Portuguese aggressors.

Adventure
Drama
2h 5m
Roland Joffé
Why it ranks

Roland Joffé presents a visually staggering exploration of faith and colonialism set against an unforgiving landscape. Ennio Morricone’s transcendent score elevates the internal struggle for redemption into a soaring, cinematic prayer.

10

Between two Thanksgivings, Hannah's husband falls in love with her sister Lee, while her hypochondriac ex-husband rekindles his relationship with her sister Holly.

Comedy
Drama
Why it ranks

Woody Allen orchestrates a sophisticated, multi-layered comedy of manners that feels exceptionally lived-in. Its brilliance lies in the effortless navigation of intellectual insecurity and the messy, rhythmic complexities of family life.

9

Failed college coach Norman Dale gets a chance at redemption when he is hired to coach a high school basketball team in a tiny Indiana town. After a teacher persuades star player Jimmy Chitwood to quit and focus on his long-neglected studies, Dale struggles to develop a winning team in the face of community criticism for his temper and his unconventional choice of assistant coach: Shooter, a notorious alcoholic.

Drama
Family
1h 54m
David Anspaugh
Why it ranks

Dennis Hopper crafts a masterclass in fragile redemption as the town drunk Wilbur Shooter Flatch. This role revitalized Hopper's career by proving he could channel his volatile kinetic energy into a deeply human, sympathetic figure rather than just another cinematic villain. He anchors the film's emotional stakes with a jittery, heartbreaking desperation that feels raw and entirely unvarnished.

8
1986 in The Fly (1986)
The Fly
1986

When Seth Brundle makes a huge scientific and technological breakthrough in teleportation, he decides to test it on himself. Unbeknownst to him, a common housefly manages to get inside the device and the two become one.

Horror
Science Fiction
Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz, Joy Boushel
Why it ranks

David Cronenberg utilizes state-of-the-art practical effects to craft a heartbreaking tragedy disguised as a creature feature. The film transcends its biological horror to become a devastating metaphor for aging and terminal illness.

7

Former pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson decides he wants to return to the game by taking a pupil. He meets talented but green Vincent Lauria and proposes a partnership. As they tour pool halls, Eddie teaches Vincent the tricks of scamming, but he eventually grows frustrated with Vincent's showboat antics, leading to an argument and a falling-out. Eddie takes up playing again and soon crosses paths with Vincent as an opponent.

Why it ranks

Paul Newman breathes weary, wolfish life into Fast Eddie Felson, trading his youthful arrogance for a shark-like gravitas and a masterclass in stillness. It is the role that finally secured his long-overdue Oscar by proving he could command the screen with a single, calculating squint. He manages to pass the torch while simultaneously reminding us that nobody holds the table better than an old pro with nothing left to lose.

6

The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.

Why it ranks

David Lynch peels back the white picket fences of suburbia to reveal a nightmare of voyeurism and psychosexual decay. It is a haunting, surrealist achievement that forces the viewer to confront the rot beneath the American Dream.

5

After learning that a boy their age has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four boys decide to go see the body. Gordie, Vern, Chris, and Teddy encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, but they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys' adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.

Crime
Drama
Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell
Why it ranks

While many teen films favor neon artifice, Rob Reiner finds a profound, dusty melancholy in the transition from childhood. It captures the fleeting gravity of youth with a literary grace that resonates long after the credits roll.

4

As a young and naive recruit in Vietnam, Chris Taylor faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man.

Why it ranks

Oliver Stone’s visceral, dirt-under-the-fingernails perspective strips away the artifice of previous war epics. It is a harrowing descent into the moral duality of the American soul, anchored by a raw authenticity that feels less like a movie and more like a trauma.

3
1986 in Aliens (1986)
1986

Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.

Action
Thriller
Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser
Why it ranks

James Cameron achieves the impossible by pivoting from gothic horror to high-octane kinetic warfare without sacrificing an ounce of tension. Sigourney Weaver’s command of the screen redefines the action archetype, making this a masterclass in sequels that expand rather than replicate.

2

For Lieutenant Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell and his friend and co-pilot Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, being accepted into an elite training school for fighter pilots is a dream come true. But a tragedy, as well as personal demons, will threaten Pete's dreams of becoming an ace pilot.

Action
Drama
Why it ranks

Tony Scott’s slick, high-contrast aesthetic creates a definitive visual language for the eighties blockbuster. It is a sensory assault of adrenaline and machismo that transformed naval aviation into a glittering, pop-culture phenomenon.

1

After high school slacker Ferris Bueller successfully fakes an illness in order to skip school for the day, he goes on a series of adventures throughout Chicago with his girlfriend Sloane and best friend Cameron, all the while trying to outwit his wily school principal and fed-up sister.

Comedy
1h 43m
John Hughes
Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones
Why it ranks

John Hughes crafts a stylish, fourth-wall-breaking anthem for the modern idler. Beyond the exuberant charm, the film serves as a vibrant, impeccably paced celebration of teenage autonomy and the looming anxiety of adulthood.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts

'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' tops the list due to its timeless charm, iconic performances, and John Hughes' masterful direction. This comedy perfectly captures the carefree spirit of youth while still resonating with audiences decades later, making it a definitive classic of 1986.

'Aliens', directed by James Cameron, is celebrated for elevating the sci-fi horror genre with intense action, compelling characters, and groundbreaking special effects. Its blend of suspense and strong female protagonists set a new standard for sequels and genre films in 1986.

The list showcases a wide range of genres from comedy ('Ferris Bueller's Day Off'), to war drama ('Platoon'), to sci-fi horror ('The Fly'), and coming-of-age tales ('Stand by Me'). This diversity reflects 1986's unique cinematic landscape bridging neon-soaked fantasies and gritty realism.

'Platoon' is a critically acclaimed war drama that provides an unflinching, realistic portrayal of the Vietnam War. Directed by Oliver Stone, its raw intensity and social commentary earned it both commercial success and multiple Academy Awards, solidifying its importance in 1986 cinema.

One notable inclusion is 'Blue Velvet', a David Lynch mystery-thriller that stands out for its stylistic boldness and unsettling narrative, which was unconventional for mainstream movies in 1986. A surprising omission might be 'Little Shop of Horrors', which, despite its cult following, didn’t make this particular definitive ranking.

Films like 'Top Gun' and 'Aliens' exemplify high-concept storytelling with emotional depth and intense action, raising the stakes beyond simple thrills. This theme is a hallmark of 1986 cinema, where blockbuster entertainment also offered substantive narratives and complex characters.

'Jean de Florette' and 'Manon of the Spring' are two parts of the same critically acclaimed French drama series, showcasing powerful storytelling and beautiful cinematography. Their inclusion highlights 1986's international cinematic excellence alongside Hollywood hits.

The list successfully balances commercial successes like 'Top Gun' and 'Crocodile Dundee' with critically acclaimed dramas such as 'The Color of Money' and 'Hannah and Her Sisters'. This approach gives a holistic view of 1986 cinema, honoring both audience favorites and artistically significant works.
Join Thousands of Drafters

Think You Can Pick Better?

Challenge your friends, make your picks, and let AI + human judges decide who has the best taste!

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play