Jean de Florette – Sherman's March – Blue Velvet – The Fly – She's Gotta Have It – The Mission – Street of Crocodiles

1986: World Premieres
1986: U.S. Releases
1986: Still Left to See

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The Movies of 1986: U.S. Releases
 By Title // By Grade // By VOR // Last update: December 9, 2025

Top Ten List

1. The Green Ray Dir. Éric Rohmer. Marie Rivière, Vincent Gauthier, Rosette A
2. Aliens Dir. James Cameron. Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser A
3. Hannah and Her Sisters Dir. Woody Allen. Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey A
4. Sherman's March Dir. Ross McElwee. Documentary about elusive search for love A
5. Vagabond Dir. Agnès Varda. Sandrine Bonnaire, Setti Ramdane, Joel Fosse A–
6. Thérèse Dir. Alain Cavalier. Catherine Mouchet, Hélène Alexandridis A–
7. The Fly Dir. David Cronenberg. Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz A–
8. And the Pursuit of Happiness Dir. Louis Malle. Documentary A–
Blue Velvet Dir. David Lynch. Kyle MacLachlan, Laura Dern, Isabella Rossellini A–
10. A Room with a View Dir. James Ivory. Helena Bonham Carter, Julian Sands A–


Full Listing of Films Screened
= Full Review   /   = Capsule   /   = Feature or Blog Post   /   = Grain of Salt

Aliens Dir. James Cameron. Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser A
The Green Ray Dir. Éric Rohmer. Marie Rivière, Vincent Gauthier, Rosette A
Hannah and Her Sisters Dir. Woody Allen. Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey A
Sherman's March Dir. Ross McElwee. Documentary about elusive search for love A

And the Pursuit of Happiness Dir. Louis Malle. Documentary A–
Blue Velvet Dir. David Lynch. Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini A–
The Fly Dir. David Cronenberg. Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz A–
A Room with a View Dir. James Ivory. Helena Bonham Carter, Julian Sands A–
Thérèse Dir. Alain Cavalier. Catherine Mouchet, Hélène Alexandridis A–
Vagabond Dir. Agnès Varda. Sandrine Bonnaire, Setti Ramdane, Joel Fosse A–

Caravaggio Dir. Derek Jarman. Nigel Terry, Sean Bean, Tilda Swinton B+
Home of the Brave Dir. Laurie Anderson. Concert documentary B+
The Making of 'Fanny & Alexander' Dir. Ingmar Bergman. Documentary B+
Platoon Dir. Oliver Stone. Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe B+
Pretty in Pink Dir. Howard Deutch. Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy B+
'Round Midnight Dir. Bertrand Tavernier. Dexter Gordon, François Cluzet B+
The Sacrifice Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky. Erland Josephson, Allan Edwall B+
Something Wild Dir. Jonathan Demme. Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith B+

Betty Blue Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix. Jean-Hugues Anglade, Béatrice Dalle B
The Color of Money Dir. Martin Scorsese. Paul Newman, Tom Cruise B
Desert Hearts Dir. Donna Deitch. Helen Shaver, Patrice Charbonneau B
Lucas Dir. David Seltzer. Corey Haim, Kerri Green, Charlie Sheen B
Manhunter Dir. Michael Mann. William Petersen, Tom Noonan, Dennis Farina B
Marlene Dir. Maximilian Schell. Documentary about actress Marlene Dietrich B+
Ménage (Tenue de soirée) Dir. Bertrand Blier. Michel Blanc, Gérard Depardieu B
Mona Lisa Dir. Neil Jordan. Bob Hoskins, Cathy Tyson, Robbie Coltrane B
The Money Pit Dir. Richard Benjamin. Tom Hanks, Shelley Long B
My Beautiful Laundrette Dir. Stephen Frears. Gordon Warnecke, Saeed Jaffrey B
Parting Glances Dir. Bill Sherwood. Richard Ganoung, John Bolger B
Psycho III Dir. Anthony Perkins. Anthony Perkins, Diana Scarwid, Jeff Fahey B
Salvador Dir. Oliver Stone. James Woods, James Belushi, Elpidia Carrillo B
She's Gotta Have It Dir. Spike Lee. Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks B
Turtle Diary Dir. John Irvin. Glenda Jackson, Ben Kingsley, Michael Gambon B

Heartburn Dir. Mike Nichols. Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson B–
Little Shop of Horrors Dir. Frank Oz. Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene B–
Shadowlands Dir. Norman Stone. TV. Joss Ackland, Claire Bloom, David Waller B–
Stand by Me Dir. Rob Reiner. Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman B–

Extremities Dir. Robert M. Young. Farrah Fawcett, James Russo C+
The Name of the Rose Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud. Sean Connery, Christian Slater C+
Poltergeist II: The Other Side Dir. Brian Gibson. Craig T. Nelson C+

9½ Weeks Dir. Adrian Lyne. Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke, Margaret Whitton C
Children of a Lesser God Dir. Randa Haines. William Hurt, Marlee Matlin C
The Decline of the American Empire Dir. Denys Arcand. Rémy Girard C
Ferris Bueller's Day Off Dir. John Hughes. Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck C
Miss Mary Dir. María Luisa Bemberg. Julie Christie, Donald McIntire C
The Mission Dir. Roland Joffé. Jeremy Irons, Robert De Niro, Ray McAnally C
The Morning After Dir. Sidney Lumet. Jane Fonda, Jeff Bridges, Raúl Juliá C
Otello Dir. Franco Zeffirelli. Plácido Domingo, Justino Díaz, Katia Racciarelli C
SpaceCamp Dir. Harry Winer. Kate Capshaw, Lea Thompson, Tate Donovan C
Top Gun Dir. Tony Scott. Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards C
Top Gun Dir. Tony Scott. Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards C

Back to School Dir. Alan Metter. Rodney Dangerfield, Keith Gordon C–
Big Trouble in Little China Dir. John Carpenter. Kurt Russell, Dennis Dun C–
The Clan of the Cave Bear Dir. Michael Chapman. Daryl Hannah C–

American Anthem Dir. Albert Magnoli. Mitch Gaylord, Janet Jones D+
Hoosiers Dir. David Anspaugh. Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper D+
Legend Dir. Ridley Scott. Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry, David Bennant C–
Power Dir. Sidney Lumet. Richard Gere, Julie Christie, Gene Hackman D+

Peggy Sue Got Married Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Kathleen Turner D

Crimes of the Heart Dir. Bruce Beresford. Diane Keaton, Sissy Spacek D–