The decade saw machismo taking hold, with stars like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger competing for action movie stardom. Why You Should Trust Me: I love 1980s action thriller movies, having grown up regularly watching Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jackie Chan. My past articles have highlighted the decade through underrated action movies and genre-defying masterpieces. The Rambo franchise begins as a contemplative action movie where the protagonist endures mental and physical suffering. 'They Live' (1988)John Carpenter's Sci-Fi Action Thriller Still Feels RelevantUniversal PicturesIMDb Score 7.2/10 Rotten Tomatoes Critics/Audience Score 86%/80%Watch This If: You love campy sci-fi with gritty action and humor.