Throwback 1980s Movies Master List

[cicada88]

These have been a thing for awhile now, but they're becoming harder to keep track of due to the sheer number.

Blending the line with very late 1970s & early 1990s is fine, too. It's more about the themes and setting than specific dates.

Series as well as movies welcome!

We're looking for movies set in the 1980s but made post 2000(ish). Not looking for remakes of 1980s franchises unless they HEAVILY reference / cater to the 1980s in some way (e.g. Cobra Kai streaming series).


Movies:
- 23 – Nichts ist so wie es scheint [1998] German film about hackers in the 1980s
- 8-Bit Christmas [2021] (set in modern day, but majority of movie is flashbacks to 1980s)
- Commando Ninja [2018] (partially set in the 1980s, some in 1990s?)
- Donnie Darko [2001]
- The Final Girls [2015] (set in modern day but majority of the film takes place in a 1980s slasher film)
- Hobo with a Shotgun [2011]
- The House of the Devil [2019]
- It [2017]
- Jobs [2013] (another Steve Jobs biodrama set from the 1970s through his death)
- Joker [2019]
- Kung Fury [2015]
- Micro Men [2009] (BBC TV film about the nascent personal computer industry in England from 1979 onwards)
- Pirates of the Silicon Valley [1999] TV movie about the early PC industry story starts in late 1970s up until 1990s
- Ready Player One [2018] (set in the future, but a future heavily inspired by 1980s pop culture)
- Rock Star [2001]
- Straight Outta Compton [2015] starts in the mid 1980s, ends in mid 1990s
- Steve Jobs [2015] Steve Jobs bio drama which starts in 1980s
- Summer of 84 [2018]
- Super 8 [2011] (set in 1979)
- Take Me Home Tonight [2011]
- Turbo Kid [2015] (Set in alternate 1990s, but heavily 1980s themed)
- Underground: The Julian Assange Story [2012]
- We Summon the Darkness [2019]
- Wonder Woman 1984 [2020]
- WNUF Halloween Special [2013]
- X-Men: Apocalypse [2016]

TV/Series:
- The Americans [2013]
- Chernobyl [2019]
- Cobra Kai [2018] (not set in the 1980s, but tons of references, call backs etc)
- Deutschland 83 / Deutschland 86 / Deutschland 89 [2015] (3 seasons of German Cold War thriller)
- Freaks and Geeks [1999]
- The Goldbergs [2013]
- GLOW [2017]
- Halt and Catch Fire [2013] (series starts in 1983, but later seasons decidedly 1990s)
- Narcos [2015]
- Narcos: Mexico [2018]
- Red Oaks [2015]
- Stranger Things [2016]

[spaceball-one]

X-Men: Apocalypse
Rock Star (shot in 98, released 2001)
Joker

[Jay H.]

WNUF Halloween Special (2013)

[levcore]

The Barn

[cicada88]

Thanks for the replies, I’ll update the list in the OP every so often so keep them coming.

I remembered another television series:

- Freaks and Geeks [1999]

[Leslie Dame]

The Final Girls (2015) (set in modern day, but majority of movie takes place inside a 1986 slasher movie)



Take Me Home Tonight (2011) (takes place in 1988)

[DR Herbert West]

[levcore]

We Summon the Darkness

[Monterey Jack]

The House Of The Devil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F913LrBAMSg

[DR Herbert West]

[Leslie Dame]

It (2017) (takes place in 1988/1989)

[cicada88]

Damn, didn't realize how many modern super hero and horror movies were set in the 1980s

[Leslie Dame]

Dirty Girl (2010) (takes place in 1987)

just noticed this never got a blu release in the US? wow.

[Johnny Blu]

The Conjuring 2 – late 70’s
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It – 1980’s

[Monterey Jack]

Bumblebee (set in 1987).

[Batmon77]

The Wood

Whats Love Got to Do With It

[cicada88]

Soul Strut repping

[DR Herbert West]

The Thing (2011)

[DR Herbert West]

[PipesDonatello]

Vicious Fun (2020 - 1983)
No Country For Old Men (2007 - 1980)
Everybody Wants Some (2016 - 1980)
Let Me In (2010 - 1983)
Adventureland (2009 - 1987)