8 Best Movies of 1979

By Vlad Zakh · June 27, 2026

1979 balanced gritty thrillers with comedies and sci-fi classics. Escape from Alcatraz has an inmate plotting a meticulous breakout, The Warriors has a gang fighting their way home across New York, and Being There has a simple gardener mistaken for a sage. Kramer vs. Kramer, Manhattan, Life of Brian, Alien and Apocalypse Now round out the eight.

Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

TMDB ★ 7.5

An inmate at the supposedly escape-proof Alcatraz prison plots a meticulous breakout.

Directed by Don Siegel · 1h 53m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Philo, Paramount+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Warriors (1979)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A street gang falsely accused of murder must fight their way home across the city by subway.

Directed by Walter Hill · 1h 34m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Being There (1979)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A simple-minded gardener's literal remarks about plants are mistaken for profound political wisdom.

Directed by Hal Ashby · 2h 10m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: TCM, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A father fights for custody of his young son after his wife unexpectedly leaves the family.

Directed by Robert Benton · 1h 45m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Manhattan (1979)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 93% Metacritic 83

A twice-divorced comedy writer's relationships tangle across a black-and-white love letter to New York.

Directed by Woody Allen · 1h 36m · Rated R

Nominated for 2 Oscars16 wins & 24 nominations

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Life of Brian (1979)

TMDB ★ 7.8

A man born in the stable next door to Jesus is repeatedly mistaken for the messiah.

Directed by Terry Jones · 1h 34m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Alien (1979)

IMDb ★ 8.5 RT 93% Metacritic 89

The crew of a commercial spaceship is hunted one by one by a nearly unkillable creature.

Directed by Ridley Scott · 1h 57m · Rated R

Won 1 Oscar19 wins & 22 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, fuboTV, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Apocalypse Now (1979)

IMDb ★ 8.4 RT 91% Metacritic 94

A captain travels up a war-torn river to kill a renegade colonel who has set up his own jungle kingdom.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola · 2h 27m · Rated R

Won 2 Oscars21 wins & 33 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

8 Best Movies of 1979

Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

The Warriors (1979)

Being There (1979)

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Manhattan (1979)

Life of Brian (1979)

Alien (1979)

Apocalypse Now (1979)

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