15 Best ’80s Movies on Disney Plus

The Disney+ streaming platform offers pretty much everything for everyone when it comes to content. There are a lot of new and old movies and series here. However, sometimes we can become nostalgic and try to rewatch old flicks and relive those feelings that older cinematography gave us. Many of the titles below have won awards, have been pioneers in some way, and have star-studded casts.

However, you need to subscribe to Disney+ in order to access these titles. So, if you want to enjoy a movie from the 1980 decade, here's a list of the best '80s movies on Disney Plus to watch right now.

15. Three Men and a Baby (1985)

This movie follows three handsome Manhattan bachelors portrayed by the great Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson. As one of them's bringing a love child into the group, they try to adapt their lives in a comedy directed by Leonard Nimoy. It was the biggest American box office hit of the year, surpassing Fatal Attraction and later winning the 1988 People's Choice Award for Favorite Comedy Motion Picture.

14. Tron (1982)

The 1982 movie is the first installment of the Tron saga. Jeff Bridges plays computer programmer and video game developer Kevin Flynn, who tries to hack the mainframe computer belonging to his ex-employer. He is transported inside an astonishing CGI world and tries to escape cyberspace, fighting evil Master Control Program with the help of Tron, a security program. Over time, Tron became a cult film and spawned multiple video games and a franchise, including comic books and an animated TV series.

13. Willow (1988)

This is an epic dark fantasy drama film produced by George Lucas that stars Warwick Davis as the reluctant farmer called Willow. He has to protect a baby girl from a tyrannical queen who wants her dead and take over the world, so he teams up with a rogue swordsman played by Val Kilmer to stop the evil queen. A TV series based on the film is in development, scheduled to be released on Disney+ in 2022.

12. The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Based on the children's book series Basil of Baker Street by Eve Titus, this musical adventure follows a Sherlock Holmes-type heroic mouse while he investigates the disappearance of a toymaker. He follows clues on the cobblestone streets of 1897 London in the company of his assistant Dr. Dawson and his loyal dog Toby to discover that villain Ratigan kidnapped the toymaker to create a clockwork robot that mimics the Queen of the Mice so that Ratigan can rule England.

11. Flight of the Navigator (1986)

This science-fiction adventure film brings forth the story of a 12-year-old ordinary boy named David who is destined for an outstanding adventure. He's abducted by an alien spaceship and transported from 1978 to 1986 and returns possessing vast knowledge about the farthest edges of the universe, learning how to fly the fantastic ship to anywhere he likes in the company of bizarre alien creatures and a robotic commander. This is one of the first Hollywood movies to use extensive CGI.

10. The Journey of Natty Gann (1985)

The Journey of Natty Gann is a coming-of-age drama set in 1935 after the Great Depression, and it follows a teenage tomboy venturing from Chicago to Washington alone to find her father - who left in a hurry to secure a job and is waiting for her there. Throughout this marvelous cross-country adventure, she befriends a majestic protective wolf and a hardened drifter (John Cusack). The film introduced Meredith Salenger (as Natty) and also starred Lainie Kazan and Ray Wise.

9. Splash (1984)

Tom Hanks plays a workaholic man who is convinced he can never fall in love. That is until he suddenly and mysteriously gets rescued at sea by a mermaid who happens to be the person of his dreams - and to get legs, at some point. A timeless light and heartwarming romantic comedy, Splash had quite a cast, including Daryl Hannah as the mermaid, the hilarious John Candy, and Eugene Levy. 

8. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)

This science-fiction comedy shows us how inventor Wayne Szalinski's (Rick Moranis) kids his next-door neighbors' children are taken out with the trash and try to survive their back garden after being accidentally turned into 1/4 inch tall humans by their father's shrinking ray. Upon launch, the movie became the highest-grossing live-action Disney film ever, a record it held for five years.

7. The Fox and the Hound (1981)

This heartwarming and heartwrenching story about the forbidden and unexpected friendship between a hound pup and a baby fox who vow to be best friends forever is something you could rewatch anytime. As Copper grows and becomes a hunting dog, his friendship with his best buddy Tod takes the ultimate test. This is definitely one of the best '80s movies to watch on Disney Plus.

6. The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

Miss Piggy is framed for a series of burglaries that occurred in London. This motivates investigative reporters Kermit the Frog, Fozzie, Gonzo, and many other Muppets favorites to go searching for the real author of the heists. This song-filled, star-studded extravaganza involving a priceless diamond necklace and a Piggy and Kermit love story is a timeless classic.

5. The Little Mermaid (1989)

The classical Disney tale of the mermaid Ariel, who falls in love with a human prince, is always a great story to watch again. Her love for all things human doesn't let her respect her father's wish to keep away from the surface, so she goes to a devious sea witch to trade her beautiful singing voice for a pair of legs to meet her prince. After the deal is done, she's told she needs to gain her true love's kiss by midnight, or she'll turn to sea foam - and being mute doesn't help at all.

4. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

This Bob Hoskins-fronted movie presents a world where people and toons live together - the world that brought us Jessica Rabbit. We see private investigator Eddie Valiant trying to absolve Roger Rabbit, a toon who has been framed for the murder. It renewed people's interest in the Golden age of American animation, and it won three Academy Awards for Best Film Editing, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Visual Effects and got a Special Achievement for animation direction.

3. The Princess Bride (1987)

The Princess Bride is an entertaining lighthearted comedy full of action and adventure following the romantic story of a princess and a prince (Robin Wright and Cary Elwes), in the form of a fairy tale told by a man to his ailing grandson. We can see touching romance, great swordplay, wry satire, and creative fantasy in an excellent balance, resulting in a very popular movie.

2. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)

In the next Episode, after Luke finds out who his father is, he follows the Empire trying to crush the Rebels with an even more powerful second Death Star, and we get to see Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford again. Of course, the rebels launch a counterattack on the space station, and Luke ends up fighting Darth Vader again, this time in a climactic duel under the eyes of the Emperor.

1. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Surely this is one of the best '80s movies on Disney Plus, right next to the previous entry. Of course, all the Star Wars saga makes for some of the most sought-after content on the streaming platform, but only these came out in the '80. This is the iconic movie of the series where, after training with Jedi Master Yoda, Luke Skywalker learns the truth about his father while battling Lord Darth Vader.

Which one do you like best of these best '80s movies on Disney Plus? If you have anything else to add to this list, leave a comment using the button below. And finally, thank you for visiting TechNadu!