8. Aliens (1986)
The original Alien was released in 1976, and therefore doesn’t qualify for this list. However, its sequel, Aliens, is by far one of the best sci-fi movies of the ’80s, very much qualifying it for inclusion. See how that works?
Shifting the tone gently away from outright horror and closer to action territory, Aliens was exactly what the franchise needed. It follows Ripley (Signorney Weaver), the survivor of the Xenomorph attack on the Nostromo as she investigates a missing colony on a distant planet. Naturally, she runs into more of the deadly aliens, and must fight her way to safety with a group of space marines.
It’s widely considered not just one of the best sci-fi movies ever made, but also one of the best sequels, too. Many (ourselves included) consider it at least as good, if not better, than Alien. It’s filled with high-intensity, action-packed sequences which establish its protagonist as one of the ultimate cinematic badasses, making it an obvious choice for inclusion here.