Anyone brave enough to scour the wilds of Letterboxd is familiar with the refrain, “They don’t make movies like they used to anymore.” While that sentiment might be up for debate, there’s one thing that’s not: Viewing American film classics is good for the soul and a delightful way to spend the weekend. So whether you were lucky enough to catch these blockbusters in theaters, or you’re watching for the very first time, it’s time to take a trip down memory lane with these illustrious ’80s and ’90s movies. And since you’ll be expanding your cinephile street cred, get ready to debate your favorites with family, friends, and maybe a few online foes. Keep reading to decide which of these iconic films to stream first.

Ghostbusters

When Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) discovers a demonic creature in her fridge chanting the name Zuul, she knows she needs the help of New York City’s most available paranormal investigators. Despite being ridiculed by their peers, Columbia University parapsychology professors Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) are more than up to the task. As they investigate Dana’s case — as well as other ghostly occurrences around the city — they realize there’s a supernatural force trying to bring about the apocalypse, and they’re the only ones standing in the way. Directed by Ivan Reitman (Twins), the 1984 hit comedy went on to spawn a legion of sequels and a woman-led reboot. The original also stars Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson, Will Atherton, and David Margulies.

Ghostbusters

1h 45m   PG   1984

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She's Gotta Have It

Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) isn’t just a cool Brooklyn artist, she’s also a fiercely independent woman who refuses to follow a conscripted path to romance. Eschewing the classic narratives of monogamy and marriage, she dates three suitors at once: Greer Childs (John Canada Terrell), a rich, self-obsessed model; Jamie Overstreet (Tommy Redmond Hicks), an overprotective alpha male whose good manners hide a dark side; and Mars Blackmon (Spike Lee), an immature geek with a kind heart. When Nola’s three boyfriends finally meet each other, the race to make her their one and only is on. She’s Gotta Have It also stars Raye Dowell, Bill Lee, Aaron Dugger, S. Epatha Merkerson, Joie Lee, and Cheryl Burr. The 1986 seminal rom-com is directed by Spike Lee and was adapted into a two-season Netflix show in 2019 starring DeWanda Wise.

She's Gotta Have It

1h 24m   R   1986

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Labyrinth

Once upon a time, 16-year-old Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) made a diabolical wish for her annoying infant half-brother to be kidnapped by the goblins. Imagine her surprise when the Goblin King, Jareth (David Bowie), appears, offering to make all of Sarah’s dreams come true in exhange for the baby. Instantly regretting her choices, Sarah refuses, and Jareth reluctantly gives her 13 hours to solve his labyrinth and find her brother before he’s turned into a goblin forever. Will Sarah manage to charm her way through the unsettling realm before time runs out? The 1986 musical fantasy film comes from the mind of puppeteer Jim Henson (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) and also stars Anthony Asbury, Ron Mueck, Kevin Clash, Brian Henson, Karen Prell, Shari Weiser, Dave Goelz, and Frank Oz.

Labyrinth

1h 41m   PG   1986

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Glory

Based on a true story and directed by Edward Zwick (The Last Samurai), Glory showcases the uphill battle of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, one of the first African American units to fight in the Civil War. Despite being assigned the most laborious of dirty jobs, enduring bigotry from fellow Union soldiers, and facing the threat of execution by the Confederates if captured in combat, the 54th fought hard for a combat assignment at the second battle of Fort Wagner, which eventually turned the tide of the war. The 1989 historical epic stars Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher, Alan North, Donovan Leitch Jr., John Finn, Jihmi Kennedy, JD Cullum, and Cary Elwes.

Glory

2h 2m   R   1989

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My Girl

Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky) isn’t your average 11-year-old. She lives in a funeral home with her widowed father, Harry (Dan Aykroyd), who loves her but doesn’t understand her, and often worries she’s the reason her mother died. During the summer of 1972, Harry falls in love with Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis), the new beautician at the funeral parlor, and Vada’s life spins out of control. She turns to her best friend, Thomas (Macaulay Culkin), for comfort, but as in all coming-of-age stories, unexpected grief is right around the corner. Howard Zieff (Private Benjamin) directed the 1991 drama, which also stars Jane Hallaren, Griffin Dunne, Peter Michael Goetz, Ann Nelson, Anthony R. Jones, and Richard Masur.

My Girl

1h 42m   PG   1991

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Mrs. Doubtfire

Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams), an out-of-work voice actor, has a major problem. After his ambitious and successful wife, Miranda (Sally Field), divorces him, his financial woes cost  him custody of his kids. Once-a-week Saturday visitations aren’t enough for the devoted father of three, so Daniel transforms into an eccentric British character by the name of Mrs. Doubtfire — complete with prosthetics — in order to snag the nanny job Miranda is hiring for. When he, or rather, she, lands the gig, everything seems to be going great until an old flame of Miranda’s steps into the picture and tries to steal Daniel’s family. Starring Anne Haney, Pierce Brosnan, Mara Wilson, Polly Holliday, Matthew Lawrence, Harvey Fierstein, Lisa Jakub, and Robert Prosky, the 1993 comedy is directed by Chris Columbus (The Thursday Murder Club).

Mrs. Doubtfire

2h 5m   PG-13   1993

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Desperado

After a drug lord named Bucho (Joaquim de Almeida) mercilessly kills the girlfriend of El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas), a guitar player with a violent streak, he goes on a epic quest for revenge. Aided by his friends and the locals in a small Mexican town, El Mariachi hunts down Bucho’s men one by one until innocents accidentally get caught in the crossfire. As El Mariachi weighs the true cost of vengeance, Bucho decides to end the pesky thorn in his side once and for all. The 1995 action flick, directed by Robert Rodriguez (We Can Be Heroes), also stars Abraham Verduzco, Albert Michel Jr., Tito Larriva, Carlos Gallardo, Danny Trejo, Salma Hayek, Quentin Tarantino, Cheech Marin, Steve Buscemi, David Alvarado, Carlos Gómez, and Angel Aviles.

Desperado

1h 44m   R   1995

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Independence Day

When spaceships darken the skies over every major city in the world, the President of the United States (Bill Pullman) declares DEFCON 1, but before the military can muster a defense, aliens wipe out LA, NYC, and Washington, DC. President Whitmore and several other survivors flee to Area 51, where Capt. Steven Hiller (Will Smith), a fighter pilot, and David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum), a goofy scientist, concoct a Hail Mary plan to disable the heavily shielded extraterrestrial attackers. Will the ingenuity of humanity be enough to save the world? Or is the invading force too powerful to defeat? Directed by Roland Emmerich (The Patriot), the 1996 sci-fi thriller also stars Mary McDonnell, Brent Spiner, Margaret Colin, Judd Hirsch, Harry Connick Jr., Vivica A. Fox, James Rebhorn, Mae Whitman, Harvey Fierstein, Randy Quaid, and Robert Loggia.

Independence Day

2h 24m   PG-13   1996

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You've Got Mail

Directed by the queen of rom-coms, Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally), You've Got Mail is twisty romance about mistaken identity. As independent children’s bookshop owner Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) fights to keep her mother's beloved Upper West Side business open, a mega-franchise bookstore owned by Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) opens up right around the corner. When the two meet, they’re enemies on sight. But what neither of them realize is that the charming stranger they’ve been exchanging messages with on AOL — and slowly falling for — is, in fact, their greatest adversary. The 1998 film also stars Dabney Coleman, Jean Stapleton, Heather Burns, Dave Chappelle, Steve Zahn, Parker Posey, and Greg Kinnear.

You've Got Mail

1h 59m   PG   1998

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