Horror / Teen / Drama / Slasher / Fantasy / Independent
1987
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Nancy comes back to teach a new generation to fight Freddy — and she brings a team.
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The year was
1987
1987 was loaded with movies that would become shorthand for the decade. Action, horror, comedy, romance and science fiction all produced films with an afterlife far beyond their original theatrical runs.
Predator, RoboCop, The Lost Boys, Lethal Weapon, Dirty Dancing, Full Metal Jacket and The Princess Bride headline a year that also gave us Evil Dead II, Hellraiser, Near Dark and countless cult favourites.
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Essential movies from 1987
72 movies so far
Movies from 1987
Teen / Comedy / Action
1987
Adventures in Babysitting
A one-night odyssey that turns babysitting into a crash course in grown-up choices.
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Neo-noir / Fantasy / Mystery / Erotic Thriller / Erotic / Horror / Satanic
1987
Angel Heart
Angel Heart: family and the safety of home, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Drama / Coming-of-age / War
1987
Au revoir les enfants
Au revoir les enfants: family and friendship, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Romance / Drama / Musical
1987
Babette's Feast
A refugee, a single extravagant dinner and the curious way generosity becomes a kind of worship.
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Science Fiction / Science Fiction Comedy / Children's / Fantasy / Comedy
1987
Batteries Not Included
Batteries Not Included: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Action / Buddy Cop / Comedy
1987
Beverly Hills Cop II
Beverly Hills Cop II: authority and family, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Crime / Erotic Thriller
1987
Black Widow
Black Widow: greed and mortality and lifespan, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Romantic Comedy / Comedy Drama / Drama
1987
Broadcast News
A newsroom rom‑com that prefers arguments to punchlines — and Tom Grunick makes those arguments pay.
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Romantic Comedy / Teen / Coming-of-age / Sex Comedy / Drama
1987
Can't Buy Me Love
Can't Buy Me Love: friendship and peer pressure, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Monster / Comedy Horror / Horror / Comedy / Fantasy / Anthology / Thriller / Black Comedy / Mystery / Slasher / Science Fiction Horror
1987
Creepshow 2
Creepshow 2: freedom and family, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Biographical / Drama
1987
Cry Freedom
Cry Freedom: authority and the safety of home, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Crime / Action / Thriller / Vigilante
1987
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown: freedom and family, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Romance / Musical / Drama / Teen / Dance
1987
Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing: family and love, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Horror
1987
Dolls
Dolls: family and fear, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Crime / Comedy / Buddy Cop
1987
Dragnet
Dragnet: authority and exploitation, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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War / Coming-of-age / Drama
1987
Empire of the Sun
A child's obsession with flight becomes the lens for war, survival and a very awkward apprenticeship in adulthood.
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Comedy Horror / Zombie / Splatter / Parody
1987
Evil Dead II
A one-man brawl with the Book of the Dead: nasty, daft and brilliantly alive.
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Crime / Action / Western / Thriller / Drama
1987
Extreme Prejudice
Extreme Prejudice: greed and authority, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Psychological Thriller / Erotic Thriller / Mystery / Drama / Thriller / Erotic
1987
Fatal Attraction
Fatal Attraction: family and the safety of home, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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War / Drama
1987
Full Metal Jacket
Two halves, one soldier: Joker carries Kubrick’s Vietnam from drill yard to Huế.
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Comedy Drama / War / Comedy
1987
Good Morning, Vietnam
A loud, furious hello from a man who thinks radio can fight censorship and loneliness at once.
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Fantasy / Buddy / Monster / Science Fiction / Comedy
1987
Harry and the Hendersons
Harry and the Hendersons: love, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Horror / Teen / Ghost
1987
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II: mortality and loss, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Horror / Body Horror
1987
Hellraiser
A puzzle box, a family that’s already broken, and a heroine who refuses to be another victim.
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Drama / Comedy Drama
1987
Hope and Glory
Hope and Glory: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Comedy Horror / Zombie / Horror
1987
House II: The Second Story
House II: The Second Story: family and the safety of home, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Science Fiction / Science Fiction Comedy / Comedy
1987
Innerspace
Innerspace: our relationship with technology and freedom, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Biographical / Musical / Drama
1987
La Bamba
La Bamba: family and friendship, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Romance / Drama / Crime / Coming-of-age / LGBTQ-related / Christmas
1987
Less Than Zero
Less Than Zero: family and friendship, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Crime / Action / Thriller / Buddy / Buddy Cop / Christmas
1987
Lethal Weapon
A buddy cop movie with a suicide note in its pocket and an unpredictable heart.
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Romantic Comedy / Fantasy
1987
Mannequin
Mannequin: love and corporate power, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Fantasy / Adventure / Superhero / Action / Sword And Sorcery
1987
Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe: heroism and freedom, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Romantic Comedy
1987
Moonstruck
Moonstruck: family and love, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Horror comedy / Teen comedy / Romance
1987
My Best Friend Is a Vampire
The Lost Boys made them cool. Fright Night made them frightening again. Once Bitten turned vampirism into a dating problem. And then there was My Best Friend Is A Vampire.
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Horror / Vampire / Western
1987
Near Dark
A road romance that turns into a hunt — and Caleb is the moral compass that keeps you watching.
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Crime / Action / Political Thriller
1987
No Way Out
No Way Out: mortality and friendship, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Sport / Drama / Action
1987
Over the Top
Over the Top: family and greed, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Romantic Comedy
1987
Overboard
Overboard: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Buddy / Comedy
1987
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
A road trip comedy that keeps its feet — and its heart — firmly on the tarmac.
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Comedy / Crime
1987
Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol
Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol: authority and the safety of home, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Action / Science Fiction / Horror / Thriller / Suspense / Science Fiction Horror / Adventure / Monster / Science Fiction Action
1987
Predator
A squad of soldiers, a silent hunter — and mud becomes a weapon.
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Horror / Fantasy / Zombie / Supernatural Horror / Supernatural / Religious Horror / Suspense / Mystery / Thriller
1987
Prince of Darkness
Prince of Darkness: fear and family, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Comedy Drama / Romantic Comedy
1987
Radio Days
Radio Days: family and the safety of home, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Comedy / Action / Crime / Black Comedy / Comedy Drama / Thriller / Crime Comedy / Crime Drama / Crime Thriller
1987
Raising Arizona
A robber who wants a nursery more than a life of crime — and it’s the contradiction that keeps the laughs coming.
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Sci-Fi / Action
1987
RoboCop
A murdered cop rebuilt as a product — RoboCop still asks who gets to sell justice.
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Romantic Comedy
1987
Roxanne
Roxanne: family and love, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Science Fiction Comedy / Adventure / Parody / Science Fiction / Comedy
1987
Spaceballs
A madcap space spoof where a reluctant hero, a man-dog and a merchandising gag steal the show.
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Action / Buddy / Buddy Cop / Comedy / Romantic Comedy / Detective
1987
Stakeout
Stakeout: the safety of home and love, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Teen / Horror / Comedy
1987
Summer School
Summer School: family and authority, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Science Fiction / Action / Speculative Fiction
1987
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace: courage and parents protecting their children, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Neo-noir / Horror / Drama / Mystery
1987
The Believers
The Believers: the safety of home and family, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Fantasy / Musical / Family / Children's
1987
The Brave Little Toaster
The Brave Little Toaster: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Children's / Musical
1987
The Chipmunk Adventure
The Chipmunk Adventure: family and parents protecting their children, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Horror
1987
The Gate
The Gate: family and the safety of home, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Science Fiction / Action / Horror / Buddy Cop / Thriller
1987
The Hidden
The Hidden: mortality and lifespan and mortality, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Drama / Biographical / Historical / Epic
1987
The Last Emperor
A throne without power: Puyi’s life as a study in being acted upon.
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Thriller / Action / Spy
1987
The Living Daylights
A leaner Bond, a staged defection and a Cold War that still bites.
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Comedy Horror / Vampire / Fantasy
1987
The Lost Boys
A seaside teen vampire movie about belonging, bad choices and the family that refuses to let you go.
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Fantasy / Children's / Comedy Horror / Crossover Fiction / Vampire / Werewolf
1987
The Monster Squad
A band of kids, Van Helsing’s diary and a rooftop full of monsters — Sean Crenshaw leads the charge.
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Romantic Comedy / Fantasy / Pirate / Swashbuckler / Sword And Sorcery / Cinematic Fairy Tale
1987
The Princess Bride
A swashbuckling love story told like a bedtime tale — and still disarmingly good company.
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Comedy Drama / Teen / Action / Hood / Drama
1987
The Principal
The Principal: authority and courage, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Action / Science Fiction / Dystopian
1987
The Running Man
Television as theatre of cruelty — and one man who won't shoot.
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Comedy
1987
The Secret of My Success
The Secret of My Success: corporate power and family, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Horror / Slasher
1987
The Stepfather
The Stepfather: family and mortality, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Gangster / Historical / Action / Biographical / Drama / Crime / Historical Drama / Thriller / Crime Thriller / Crime Drama / Police Procedural / Suspense / Trial / Period Drama
1987
The Untouchables
A straight-arrow in crooked times: mentorship, morality and a very noisy stairwell.
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Fantasy / Female Buddy / Comedy Horror / Horror / Comedy
1987
The Witches of Eastwick
Seduction, sisterhood and a very inconvenient devil — and yes, it's still worth the trouble.
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Buddy / Comedy
1987
Three Men and a Baby
Three Men and a Baby: family and the safety of home, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Comedy / Crime / Black Comedy
1987
Throw Momma from the Train
Throw Momma from the Train: family and friendship, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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Drama / Crime
1987
Wall Street
Greed, schooled and sold — and yes, Gordon Gekko still talks like someone you half-admire.
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Fantasy / Drama
1987
Wings of Desire
Angels with notebooks, a city that remembers and one angel who wants to feel.
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Buddy / Comedy Drama / Black Comedy
1987
Withnail and I
Withnail and I: the safety of home and friendship, and why this 1987 movie still matters.
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