Fans of Netflix's hit show Stranger Things have fallen in love with the show's 1980s vibe. Someone in a popular entertainment forum asked for recommendations for movies set in the 80s, noting they are “on the younger side and missed out on the 80s and 90s.” Here are 80s movies that totally fit the bill.
1 – Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
For the ultimate 80s comedy, it's hard to beat Ferris Bueller's Day Off, starring Matthew Broderick as the title character. Ferris skips school and lives the day to the fullest with his friends. As he so wisely points out, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
2 – Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
Never has a babysitter had so many crazy adventures! Chris (Elisabeth Shue) sets off to rescue her friend in the city, taking the kids along with her. They get wrapped up in a series of unlikely circumstances, which includes singing the blues so they can leave a nightclub.
3 – The Princess Bride (1987)
One fan wrote, “You MUST watch The Princess Bride. Now. Do it now!” Another added, “And don't forget, Cary Elwes (Westley in Princess Bride) played mayor Larry Kline in Stranger Things Season 3.”
The film shows a young boy's grandfather reading him the story while home sick in bed. The story involves a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters several enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love.
4 – The Goonies (1985)
The Goonies features a young Sean Astin as Mikey (Bob Newby), the leader of a pack of kids who call themselves “The Goonies.” They find an old map and go on a hunt for pirate One-Eyed-Willy's lost treasure. It's full of Stranger Things vibes — only the monsters are a trio of escaped convicts who also want the gold.
5 – The Lost Boys (1987)
The Lost Boys is a supernatural black Comedy Horror Film that has a classic campy 80s feel. There are two groups of kids, older and younger, so multiple audiences can relate to and enjoy the characters.
It follows two brothers who move into their eccentric grandfather's home in Santa Carla, California, with their mom. Vampires plague the town and a group of kids work together to save Michael, the older brother.
6 – Back to the Future (1985)
In Back to the Future, teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) accidentally gets thrown back to the 1950s after an experiment with Doc Brown goes awry.
Marty runs into the younger versions of his parents and has to ensure they fall in love or he'll cease to exist and won't make it back to 1985. Back to the Future II is equally enjoyable, if not more so.
7 – E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Steven Spielberg‘s 1982 classic, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, gives Stranger Things ambiance, right down to the government agency spying on the kids to track down E.T.
It follows Elliott, a young boy who befriends an extraterrestrial dubbed E.T. He was left behind on Earth and Elliott must find a way to help E.T. find his way home. It also features Drew Barrymore as a kid.
8 – The Monster Squad (1987)
The Monster Squad is a 1987 black comedy horror film and a cult classic. It includes a mishmash of Universal Monsters, led by Count Dracula. However, a group of pre-teens who idolize classic monster movies is there to ensure the monsters aren't able to control the world.
9 – Ghostbusters (1984)
Ghostbusters is a supernatural comedy film following three eccentric parapsychologists. After being fired, the trio starts a ghost-catching business in New York City.
They inadvertently discover a gateway to another dimension that will unleash evil upon New York, invoking complete devastation, unless the Ghostbusters close the gate. It's not teenagers, but it has that same campy feel, Slimer, and a giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
What other movies deserve to be on this list?
Source: Reddit
