Romantic Comedy / Comedy Drama / Melodrama / Comedy
1986
About Last Night...
About Last Night...: family and friendship, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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The year was
1986
1986 found 1980s cinema firing in almost every direction at once. Action became louder, horror became more inventive, teen movies remained a force and filmmakers continued pushing science fiction and fantasy into new territory.
Aliens, Top Gun, The Fly, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Stand by Me, Highlander and Labyrinth are surrounded by cult favourites ranging from Big Trouble in Little China to Manhunter and Night of the Creeps.
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Essential movies from 1986
66 movies so far
Movies from 1986
Action / Horror / Thriller / Science Fiction Horror / Adventure / Science Fiction / Monster / Suspense / War / Science Fiction Action
1986
Aliens
Motherhood, marines and monsters: why Ripley still makes Aliens sing.
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Drama / Family
1986
An American Tail
An American Tail: family and freedom, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Horror / Slasher / Mystery
1986
April Fool's Day
April Fool's Day: friendship and mortality, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Heist / Comedy / Buddy Cop
1986
Armed and Dangerous
Armed and Dangerous: parents protecting their children and loss, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Crime / Drama / Neo-noir
1986
At Close Range
At Close Range: family and authority, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Comedy
1986
Back to School
Back to School: family and corporate power, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Action / Fantasy / Martial Arts / Comedy
1986
Big Trouble in Little China
A swaggering trucker, ancient sorcery and a Chinatown that hides a very odd basement — this is John Carpenter being playful and dangerous at the same time.
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Mystery / Thriller / Drama
1986
Blue Velvet
A severed ear, a curious student and a town that isn’t what it seems.
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Romance / Drama
1986
Children of a Lesser God
Children of a Lesser God: family and love, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Action / Horror / Science Fiction
1986
Chopping Mall
Chopping Mall: our relationship with technology and freedom, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Comedy
1986
Club Paradise
Club Paradise: corporate power, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Action / Thriller / Crime
1986
Cobra
Cobra: courage and authority, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Science Fiction / Adventure / Comedy Horror / Horror / Comedy / Action
1986
Critters
Critters: freedom and family, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Adventure / Romantic Comedy
1986
Crocodile Dundee
A bushman's grin in Manhattan — watch Crocodile Dundee and you remember why that mismatch still makes you laugh.
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Comedy
1986
Down and Out in Beverly Hills
A tramp in a pool, a wealthy family with holes in their living room — and satire that still has teeth.
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Teen / Coming-of-age / Comedy
1986
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off: family and the safety of home, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Sci-Fi / Adventure / Family
1986
Flight of the Navigator
A boy, eight missing years and a chrome spaceship that needs him as much as he needs home.
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Horror / Slasher
1986
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives: parents protecting their children and family, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Splatter / Science Fiction
1986
From Beyond
From Beyond: freedom and our relationship with technology, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Romantic Comedy / Drama
1986
Hannah and Her Sisters
Hannah and Her Sisters: love and greed, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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War
1986
Heartbreak Ridge
Heartbreak Ridge: parents protecting their children and mortality and lifespan, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Fantasy / Adventure / Thriller / Action / Swashbuckler
1986
Highlander
Immortality, loneliness and very sharp swords.
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Teen / Drama
1986
Hoosiers
Hoosiers: family, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Superhero / Science Fiction Comedy / Action / Comedy
1986
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck: courage and heroism, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Action / Thriller / War
1986
Iron Eagle
Iron Eagle: parents protecting their children and heroism, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Spy / Comedy Thriller / Romantic Comedy
1986
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Jumpin' Jack Flash: our relationship with technology and freedom, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Fantasy / Musical / Adventure / Children's / Coming-of-age
1986
Labyrinth
A teenager, a goblin king and a maze that asks you to grow up.
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Romantic Comedy / Crime / Comedy Thriller
1986
Legal Eagles
Legal Eagles: loss and family, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Science Fiction / Science Fiction Comedy / Musical / Comedy Horror / Horror / Comedy
1986
Little Shop of Horrors
A doo‑wop musical about bad decisions, worse plants and one man’s awkward climb out of obscurity.
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Teen / Coming-of-age / Comedy Drama / Drama / Romantic Comedy / Romance / American Football
1986
Lucas
Lucas: friendship and family, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Neo-noir / Independent / Crime Thriller / Psychological Thriller / Crime / Horror / Thriller / Mystery / Drama / Crime Drama / Psychological Drama / Psychological Horror
1986
Manhunter
Profiling, loneliness and the thin line between hunter and hunted.
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Action / Horror / Science Fiction / Comedy
1986
Maximum Overdrive
Maximum Overdrive: humanity and freedom, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Romance / Drama / Crime / LGBTQ-related
1986
Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa: friendship and authority, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Crime / Action / Thriller / Buddy Cop / Drama
1986
Murphy's Law
Murphy's Law: parents protecting their children and mortality, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Zombie Comedy / Science Fiction / Comedy Horror / Comedy
1986
Night of the Creeps
Night of the Creeps: the safety of home and mortality, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Romantic Comedy / Fantasy / Science Fiction / Drama / Time-travel / Comedy / Melodrama
1986
Peggy Sue Got Married
Peggy Sue Got Married: family and growing up, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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War / Drama / Action
1986
Platoon
A soldier’s education in moral compromise — and why Chris Taylor still matters.
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Crime Comedy / Action / Slapstick
1986
Police Academy 3: Back in Training
Police Academy 3: Back in Training: authority, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Romantic Comedy / Teen / Coming-of-age
1986
Pretty in Pink
A working‑class girl, a prom dress and a triangle that still stirs up arguments.
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Sport
1986
Rad
Rad: greed and family, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Crime / Action / Thriller
1986
Raw Deal
Raw Deal: authority and family, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Crime / Comedy / Action / Buddy / Buddy Cop
1986
Running Scared
Running Scared: heroism and freedom, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Comedy / Crime
1986
Ruthless People
Ruthless People: authority and family, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Drama / Biographical / War
1986
Salvador
Salvador: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Romantic Comedy / Comedy Drama / Drama
1986
She's Gotta Have It
Nola Darling: not needy, just complicated — and still brilliant company.
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Sci-Fi / Comedy / Family
1986
Short Circuit
A lightning-struck robot, a handful of humans who care, and an argument about what counts as being alive.
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Biographical / Musical / Drama
1986
Sid and Nancy
Sid and Nancy: love and friendship, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Romantic Comedy / Comedy Drama / Crime
1986
Something Wild
Something Wild: authority and love, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Coming-of-Age / Drama
1986
Stand by Me
A small-town road trip that quietly teaches you how to become an adult.
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Science Fiction / Science Fiction Comedy / Adventure / Time-travel
1986
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Humpback whales, a stranded starship crew and Admiral Kirk’s habit of ignoring the rulebook — in other words, proper Star Trek business.
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Drama / Sport / Action / Thriller
1986
The Color of Money
Fast Eddie returns, and the lesson is not just about pool.
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Action / Thriller
1986
The Delta Force
The Delta Force: parents protecting their children and heroism, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Horror / Science Fiction / Monster / Drama / Romance / Body Horror / Science Fiction Horror / Romantic Drama / Romantic Horror / Thriller
1986
The Fly
The Fly: humanity and our relationship with technology, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Action / Fantasy / Comedy / Adventure
1986
The Golden Child
The Golden Child: parents protecting their children and mortality, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Action / Horror / Thriller / Slasher / Road Movie
1986
The Hitcher
A lift you regret for the rest of your life.
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Romance / Drama / Teen / Martial Arts / Coming-of-age / Action
1986
The Karate Kid Part II
A seaside sequel about duty, dancing and learning when not to fight.
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Drama / Historical
1986
The Mission
A soldier who drags his armour to the altar — and a priest who answers with music.
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Comedy
1986
The Money Pit
The Money Pit: the safety of home and love, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Drama
1986
The Mosquito Coast
The Mosquito Coast: family and our relationship with technology, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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Crime / Thriller / Mystery / Horror / Drama / Medieval
1986
The Name of the Rose
A murder mystery where books are as fragile — and dangerous — as secrets.
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Slasher / Comedy Horror / Splatter / Crime Thriller / Crime Drama / Psychological Drama / Psychological Horror / Suspense / Comedy / Psychological Thriller / Body Horror / Drama / Thriller / Crime / Satirical / Black Comedy / Horror
1986
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
A chainsaw, a grieving ex‑ranger and a very loud 1986 satire — bloody ridiculous and oddly stubborn.
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Action / Science Fiction / Adventure / Super Robot
1986
The Transformers: The Movie
A loud, fast, slightly brutal toy advert that somehow turns a brash kid into a leader.
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Comedy / Western
1986
Three Amigos
A vaudeville-sized comedy about showmen who must learn to be something more than a good performance.
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Action / Drama / Romance / Melodrama
1986
Top Gun
A roaring, macho thrill ride — but it’s Maverick that keeps the heart beating.
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Teen / Drama / Romance
1986
Youngblood
Youngblood: family and courage, and why this 1986 movie still matters.
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