#1 of 126 Best of 1987
Best Movies of 1987, Ranked
1,880 films on the site were released in 1987, and 126 have enough critic or audience ratings to be ranked. Tampopo tops the list, ahead of My Life as a Dog and Full Metal Jacket. The biggest hit was Fatal Attraction with $320.1M worldwide, and The Last Emperor won Best Picture at the 1988 Oscars.
- films released in 1987
- 1,880
- ranked by rating
- 126
- worldwide, top 10 hits
- $1.6B
- award wins
- 42
#1 of 1987
What Is the Best Movie of 1987?
Tampopo is the best-rated film of 1987, with a rank value of 83/100 from critics and audiences, ahead of My Life as a Dog (82/100). Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases).
#1 of 126 Ranked
Top 25 Movies of 1987, Ranked
My Life as a Dog and Full Metal Jacket follow Tampopo. Drama is the most common genre in the top 25 (15 films). Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases).
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2. My Life as a Dog 82 Metascore (Metascore 82 out of 100 (15 critic reviews))1987 · Drama, Comedy · 1h 41m
Dir. Lasse Hallstrom No Echo Score: ranked 82/100 on critics & audiences
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3. Full Metal Jacket 78 Metascore (Metascore 78 out of 100 (20 critic reviews))1987 · Action, Drama · 1h 56m
Dir. Stanley Kubrick No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences
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4. Moonstruck 83 Metascore (Metascore 83 out of 100 (18 critic reviews))1987 · Drama, Comedy · 1h 42m
Dir. Norman Jewison No Echo Score: ranked 81/100 on critics & audiences
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5. The Princess Bride 78 Metascore (Metascore 78 out of 100)1987 · Adventure, Fantasy · 1h 38m
No Echo Score: ranked 80/100 on critics & audiences
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6. The Untouchables 79 Metascore (Metascore 79 out of 100)1987 · Drama, History · 1h 59m
Dir. Brian De Palma No Echo Score: ranked 79/100 on critics & audiences
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7. Broadcast News 84 Metascore (Metascore 84 out of 100 (17 critic reviews))1987 · Drama, Comedy · 2h 13m
No Echo Score: ranked 78/100 on critics & audiences
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8. The Last Emperor 76 Metascore (Metascore 76 out of 100)1987 · Biography, Drama · 2h 43m
Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci No Echo Score: ranked 77/100 on critics & audiences
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8. Withnail & I 84 Metascore (Metascore 84 out of 100)1987 · Drama, Comedy · 1h 47m
No Echo Score: ranked 77/100 on critics & audiences
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10. Near Dark 78 Metascore (Metascore 78 out of 100 (18 critic reviews))1987 · Action, Drama · 1h 34m
Dir. Kathryn Bigelow No Echo Score: ranked 77/100 on critics & audiences
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10. No Way Out 77 Metascore (Metascore 77 out of 100 (18 critic reviews))1987 · Action, Drama · 1h 54m
Dir. Roger Donaldson No Echo Score: ranked 77/100 on critics & audiences
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12. Maurice 75 Metascore (Metascore 75 out of 100 (14 critic reviews))1987 · Drama, Romance · 2h 20m
Dir. James Ivory No Echo Score: ranked 77/100 on critics & audiences
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13. Matewan 73 Metascore (Metascore 73 out of 100 (15 critic reviews))1987 · Drama, History · 2h 15m
Dir. John Sayles No Echo Score: ranked 76/100 on critics & audiences
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13. Evil Dead II 72 Metascore (Metascore 72 out of 100 (18 critic reviews))1987 · Mystery, Thriller · 1h 24m
Dir. Sam Raimi No Echo Score: ranked 76/100 on critics & audiences
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13. Sign 'o' the Times 72 Metascore (Metascore 72 out of 100)1987 · Music, Documentary · 1h 25m
Dir. Albert Magnoli No Echo Score: ranked 76/100 on critics & audiences
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16. House of Games 78 Metascore (Metascore 78 out of 100 (13 critic reviews))1987 · Thriller, Crime · 1h 42m
Dir. David Mamet No Echo Score: ranked 76/100 on critics & audiences
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17. Tin Men 75 Metascore (Metascore 75 out of 100)1987 · Drama, Comedy · 1h 52m
Dir. Barry Levinson No Echo Score: ranked 75/100 on critics & audiences
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18. The Big Easy 77 Metascore (Metascore 77 out of 100)1987 · Drama, Thriller · 1h 42m
Dir. Jim McBride No Echo Score: ranked 74/100 on critics & audiences
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19. Radio Days 74 Metascore (Metascore 74 out of 100)1987 · Comedy · 1h 28m
No Echo Score: ranked 74/100 on critics & audiences
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20. Hollywood Shuffle 74 Metascore (Metascore 74 out of 100 (14 critic reviews))1987 · Comedy · 1h 18m
Dir. Robert Townsend No Echo Score: ranked 74/100 on critics & audiences
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21. Planes, Trains & Automobiles 72 Metascore (Metascore 72 out of 100)1987 · Comedy · 1h 33m
Dir. John Hughes No Echo Score: ranked 74/100 on critics & audiences
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22. Raising Arizona 69 Metascore (Metascore 69 out of 100)1987 · Adventure, Mystery · 1h 34m
Dir. Ethan Coen No Echo Score: ranked 72/100 on critics & audiences
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23. Swimming to Cambodia 68 Metascore (Metascore 68 out of 100)1987 · Drama · 1h 25m
Dir. Jonathan Demme No Echo Score: ranked 72/100 on critics & audiences
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24. Prick Up Your Ears 72 Metascore (Metascore 72 out of 100)1987 · Biography, Drama · 1h 45m
Dir. Stephen Frears No Echo Score: ranked 72/100 on critics & audiences
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25. Lethal Weapon 68 Metascore (Metascore 68 out of 100 (23 critic reviews))1987 · Action, Thriller · 1h 50m
Dir. Richard Donner No Echo Score: ranked 71/100 on critics & audiences
Box office
What Were the Highest-Grossing Movies of 1987?
Fatal Attraction earned $320.1M worldwide, ahead of Beverly Hills Cop II ($300M). The top 10 took $1.6B together; 259 films released in 1987 have a box office record here. Grosses that look like data errors are left out.
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#1 $320.1M worldwide Fatal Attraction $156.6M domestic · Drama -
#2 $300M worldwide Beverly Hills Cop II $153.7M domestic · Action -
#3 $214.6M worldwide Dirty Dancing $64.6M domestic · Drama -
#4 $167.8M worldwide 3 Men and a Baby $167.8M domestic · Drama - #5 $120.2M worldwide Lethal Weapon $65.2M domestic · Action
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#6 $111M worldwide The Secret of My Succe$s $67M domestic · Comedy -
#7 $98.3M worldwide Predator $59.7M domestic · Action - #8 $80.6M worldwide Moonstruck $80.6M domestic · Drama
- #9 $76.3M worldwide The Untouchables $76.3M domestic · Drama
- #10 $67.3M worldwide Broadcast News $51.2M domestic · Drama
Awards
Which 1987 Movies Won the Most Awards?
The Last Emperor leads with 13 wins from 26 nominations, then Moonstruck and Empire of the Sun with 3 wins each. The Last Emperor won Best Picture at the 1988 Oscars. In all, 52 films released in 1987 have award nominations on the site, with 42 wins between them.
- The Last Emperor 13 / 261987 · Biography, Drama · 13 wins from 26 nominations
- Moonstruck 3 / 151987 · Drama, Comedy · 3 wins from 15 nominations
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Empire of the Sun 3 / 151987 · Action, Drama · 3 wins from 15 nominations - The Untouchables 2 / 101987 · Drama, History · 2 wins from 10 nominations
- Radio Days 2 / 91987 · Comedy · 2 wins from 9 nominations
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The Witches of Eastwick 2 / 91987 · Fantasy, Horror · 2 wins from 9 nominations - The Princess Bride 2 / 71987 · Adventure, Fantasy · 2 wins from 7 nominations
- Dirty Dancing 2 / 61987 · Drama, Romance · 2 wins from 6 nominations
By genre
What Is the Best 1987 Movie in Each Genre?
The highest-ranked 1987 film of 12 genres, from Comedy (Tampopo) to Crime (House of Games). Each film appears once, under its first genre that is still free.
- Tampopo 87 Metascore
- My Life as a Dog 82 Metascore
- Full Metal Jacket 78 Metascore
- Moonstruck 83 Metascore
- The Princess Bride 78 Metascore
- The Untouchables 79 Metascore
- The Last Emperor 76 Metascore
- Near Dark 78 Metascore
- No Way Out 77 Metascore
- Evil Dead II 72 Metascore
- Sign 'o' the Times 72 Metascore
- House of Games 78 Metascore
Release months
When Were 1987's Movies Released?
October was the busiest month of 1987 with 167 releases; its best-rated film is Near Dark. January shows 399 because films whose exact release day is unknown are stored on January 1.
- January Best: Radio Days399
- February Best: Black Widow123
- March Best: Evil Dead II126
- April Best: Project X108
- May Best: Tampopo160
- June Best: Full Metal Jacket114
- July Best: La Bamba109
- August Best: No Way Out123
- September Best: The Princess Bride160
- October Best: Near Dark167
- November Best: Sign 'o' the Times143
- December Best: Moonstruck148
- January (Best: Radio Days): 399
- February (Best: Black Widow): 123
- March (Best: Evil Dead II): 126
- April (Best: Project X): 108
- May (Best: Tampopo): 160
- June (Best: Full Metal Jacket): 114
- July (Best: La Bamba): 109
- August (Best: No Way Out): 123
- September (Best: The Princess Bride): 160
- October (Best: Near Dark): 167
- November (Best: Sign 'o' the Times): 143
- December (Best: Moonstruck): 148
Languages
Which Languages Were 1987's Movies In?
53% of 1987's films with a known language are in English (989). Japanese comes next with 117 films, out of 56 languages in all.
English 
Japanese 
French 
Spanish 
Italian 
Cantonese 
Russian 
Portuguese 
Turkish 
Arabic 
German 
Hindi 
Chinese Every year
Best Movies by Year
A best-of page for each of 55 years, from 1900 to 2026 (so far). Before 1980 there is one page per decade, for its first year (1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970); from 1980 every year has its own.
2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
FAQ
Best Movies of 1987: Questions & Answers
Quick answers about 1987's best-rated films, biggest hits and awards, from the lists above.
What is the best movie of 1987?
Tampopo is the best-rated film of 1987 on What's After the Movie, with a rank value of 83/100 from critics and audiences. My Life as a Dog is second and Full Metal Jacket third. Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases).
About Tampopo What was the highest-grossing movie of 1987?
Fatal Attraction earned $320.1M worldwide, the most of any 1987 release on the site. Beverly Hills Cop II follows with $300M.
1987 box office Which 1987 movie won the Oscar for Best Picture?
The Last Emperor (1987) won Best Picture at the 1988 Academy Awards.
The Last Emperor Which 1987 film won the most awards?
The Last Emperor has the best award record of the 1987 releases on the site: 13 wins from 26 nominations.
1988 awards season How many movies were released in 1987?
The site lists 1,880 films released in 1987. 126 of them are ranked, and October had the most releases with a known day (167).
How are the best movies of 1987 ranked?
Ranked by a blend of Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings (Echo Scores start with 2017 releases). Only feature films count (60 minutes or longer, no concert recordings), and a film needs enough ratings, box office or award attention to be ranked.