1. Clueless (1995)
Writer/director Amy Heckerling’s mid-1990s take on Jane Austen’s novel Emma turned Alicia Silverstone into a star—and introduced viewers to a whole new teenage vernacular. Rich, privileged Beverly Hills high schooler Cher match-makes her friends and teachers, sometimes with hilarious results—but can she get her own love life right? As if! Clueless also featured awesome fashion and focused on strong, if flawed, young women in the sea of movies about teen boys that had come before.
2. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Charming Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) has a knack for getting out of trouble, so he hatches an ingenious plan for a fake sick day from school. His best friend and his girlfriend come along for an epic ditch day in Chicago, but his snarling principal and his jealous sister (Dirty Dancing’s Jennifer Grey) are hot on his tail. This classic 1986 movie has surprisingly good character development and meditations on life. We should all live by Ferris’s motto: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
3. Mean Girls (2004)
New girl Cady (Lindsay Lohan) had been educated with her zoologist parents in Africa, so when she starts at an all-American high school, she can’t help noticing similarities between her classmates and primates in the wild. As she joins in the social behavior of normal teenagers, she has to decide whether to hang out with her new down-to-earth buds, or join popular mean girls the “Plastics” led by Regina George (Rachel McAdams). Screenwriter Tina Fey takes a hilarious and searing look at high school cliques and the mean girls that inhabit them. This 2004 flick is so fetch!
4. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
It’s hard to believe this 1982 teen classic starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold and Phoebe Cates is nearly 40 years old—it’s just as real, raw and raunchy as it was back then. While it certainly has funny moments, it also tackles tough subjects like losing your virginity, abortion—and getting caught in a compromising position by your crush. The movie also features Sean Penn’s legendary performance as stoner surfer dude Jeff Spicoli. Penn—though not playing Spicoli—is set to lead a new virtual, unrehearsed read-through of the script with stars including Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt.
5. American Graffiti (1973)
Before they starred on 1950s-set Happy Days and spinoff Laverne and Shirley, Ron Howard and Cindy Williams were Steve and Laurie in this 1973 film about the last night of summer before back-to-school in 1962 California. Former class president Steve is headed to college, but head cheerleader Laurie is still in high school. From a sock hop in the school gym to cruising in cars, this movie was the first of “one night in the teen life” movies. Richard Dreyfuss and Harrison Ford also star in writer/director George Lucas’s pre-Star Wars classic.
6. Dazed and Confused (1993)
This 1993 “night in the life” film was no doubt inspired by American Graffiti. Set over the course of the last day of school in 1976 Texas, it also features high school teens riding around in cars and coming to terms with their futures—plus throwing a kegger in the woods and smoking a lot of pot. The large ensemble cast includes Jason London, Parker Posey, Ben Affleck and Matthew McConaughey, uttering his now trademark line, “Alright, alright, alright!” The flick also boasts a groovy soundtrack of ’70s tunes.
7. Sixteen Candles (1984)
The first of many classic ’80s teen comedies from writer/director John Hughes, this 1984 movie features Molly Ringwald as a teen who feels like she’s invisible, even on her 16th birthday, and especially to her crush, Jake Ryan. In light of #MeToo and the recent takedown of rape culture, some scenes in this movie are totally dated by today’s standards of consent—which Ringwald has talked about herself. But for many children of the ’80s, the movie still holds a certain nostalgia.
8. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
The late, great Heath Ledger stars with Julia Stiles in this 1999 retelling of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. Popular girl Bianca can’t date until her older sister—smart, angry feminist Kat (Stiles)—does, so ne’er-do-well Patrick (Ledger) takes a bribe to romance her. But, surprise, it doesn’t go so well, until the couple end up genuinely falling for each other. The film remains fresh and witty as it undercuts misogyny; yet viewers can’t help but thrill as Ledger sings “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” to Stiles in the school’s Greek amphitheater-like stadium. Stay for the stunning end-credits scene featuring Letters to Cleo covering “I Want You to Want Me” from the roof of the castle-like high school overlooking Tacoma, Washington’s Puget Sound.
9. High School Musical (2006)
If you’re looking for a fun flick to watch with your kids, go for this 2006 Disney movie with then-teen heartthrob Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens as a star-crossed couple from different high school cliques. She’s the new girl challenging the reigning drama queen—er, queen of the dramatic arts, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), and he’s the school basketball star. With catchy songs and decidedly Disney-esque feel-good messaging, the flick reminds us, as its show-stopping number says, that “We’re All in This Together.”
10. She’s All That (1999)
In the sub-genre of “teen boy takes stupid bet that he can transform girl into prom queen,” this 1999 tale has popular guy Zack (Freddie Prinze Jr.) pretend-falling for, and then real-falling for, artsy geek Laney (Rachel Leigh Cook). A twist on the age-old Pygmalion story about a man who falls in love with his creation, this sweet movie costars familiar faces including Gabrielle Union, Kieran Culkin, Anna Paquin, Usher and the late Paul Walker.
11. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
The OG teen angst flick, starring James Dean in his famous red jacket, former child star Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo, made its mark in 1955 as one of the first of the genre. Its exploration of a generation gap between parents and teenagers was groundbreaking—and heartbreaking for viewers. The new kid in school (Dean) runs afoul of a knife-wielding, chicken-running gang while falling for wild child Judy (Wood). The ending, which involves a shooting at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, is teen melodrama at its finest.
12. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Imagine if the whole school read your diary. This hit Netflix film with a similar theme burst onto the teen rom-com scene in 2018. Based on the YA book series by Jenny Han, it spawned a 2020 sequel and a third upcoming film. High school junior Lara Jean (Lana Condor) wrote secret letters to five past crushes that she never meant to send, but when they are mysteriously mailed, she has to confront the boys about her true feelings. With a female writer and a female director, the film also broke ground in diversity with a female Asian-American lead character; however, the film did face some criticism for not including any Asian-American boys among her crushes.
13. The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
This 2016 film actually does feature an Asian boy (Canadian Hayden Szeto) as a potential love interest. Your best friend and your older brother aren’t supposed to date—but that’s exactly what happens to high school junior Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), putting a strain on both her family and her relationship with her bestie. Instead, she turns to her friendship with a geeky classmate (Szeto) and sympathetic teacher (Woody Harrelson). The film handles some tough topics with grace, including Nadine’s father’s death several years ago, her insecurities and thoughts of suicide, mistreatment from boys and feeling like an outcast. The edgy teen dramedy is also notable for being written and directed by a woman (Kelly Fremon Craig).
14. Carrie (1976)
High school can be hell—literally, as this classic 1976 adaptation of Stephen King’s novel shows. Outcast Carrie (Sissy Spacek) has telekinetic abilities, and when the verbal and emotional abuse of her mother and the kids at school become too much, she enacts her bloody revenge at the school prom. It’s a chilling reminder of the trauma that classmates can inflict on each other through bullying, as well as the lasting damage parents can impose on their children.
15. Grease (1978)
Although there’s been talk lately about how the musical Grease is so not appropriate for a high school theater production, for adults the 1978 film version is a classic. In the 1950s, good girl high schooler Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) is taken in by wild girl gang the Pink Ladies, who hang with the greaser T-Birds, led by Sandy’s love interest Danny (John Travolta). Should she give up her strait-laced ways (and, some critics would say, her own identity and self-worth) for Danny? Even with its faults, fans are “hopelessly devoted” to the fun tunes and nostalgia of this high-school musical.
16. Bring It On (2000)
“They’re sexy! They’re cute! They’re popular to boot!” This peppy cheerleading flick from 2000 has depth beyond the catchy cheers: When Torrance (Kirsten Dunst) becomes the captain of her elite high school squad, she learns their routines have actually been stolen from an East Compton high school team, the Clovers. She struggles to come up with their own original routine in time for Nationals, as well as make things right with the Clovers.
17. The Breakfast Club (1985)
Easily one of writer/director John Hughes’s best ’80s teen movies, this 1985 film feels more like a play, as a group of high schoolers spend one Saturday in an all-day detention pondering life. They couldn’t be more different, calling themselves “a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal.” But as they goof off, argue, conspire against the assistant principal, and reveal much about their lives to each other, they all come out just a little bit more sure of themselves. Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall and Ally Sheedy lead the ensemble cast.
18. Love, Simon (2018)
This thoughtful 2018 comedy earned praise not only for its warm and funny take on coming out, but also because it’s the first mainstream teen rom-com to focus on a gay main character. After Simon (Nick Robinson) starts emailing with another closeted gay teen at his school, a third student finds out and threatens to expose him. Although it treads the familiar ground of teen blackmail, relentless gossip and friend/crush drama, it marked a new era in the teen genre, and spurred a spinoff streaming Hulu series, Love, Victor.
19. Easy A (2010)
This 2010 take on The Scarlet Letter shows that life in high school isn’t so different from Puritanical times: It’s super easy to get labeled for something you may (or may not) have done. When Olive (Emma Stone) gets a reputation for being “easy” after a rumor circulates that she slept with a college boy, she embraces her new notoriety by allowing geeky classmates to say she had sex with them in return for gift cards and various favors. But when her scheme backfires and she’s offered money for actual sex, Olive has to find a way to come clean.
20. Stand and Deliver(1988)
In the sub-genre of “teacher changes students’ lives,” we see your Mr. Holland’s Opus and raise you a Dangerous Minds—but the winningest flick may be this 1988 drama. Edward James Olmos was nominated for an Oscar for his role as a real-life East LA math teacher who motivates a group of inner-city teens to try for the AP Calculus test in their senior year, with inspiring results.
21. Election (1999)
Before she went to law school in Legally Blonde, Reese Witherspoon played determined high school student Tracy Flick, who has a ruthless ambition to win the election for class president. But when her teacher nemesis (Ferris Bueller’s Broderick) gets wind of it, he enters his own candidate, in this smart and sassy 1999 satire of the political process.
22. American Pie (1999)
This teen sex comedy has a group of high schoolers making a pact to lose their virginity before they graduate—with varying results. Although the female characters are a step up in empowerment from their 1980s counterparts, there are some moments in this funny 1999 flick—such as setting up a webcam to watch a hot girl undress—that should remain strictly in the 20th century.
23. Dead Poets Society (1989)
“O Captain! My Captain!” Not all secondary education is of the anything-goes, suburban public school variety. This 1989 tearjerker features the wealthy students of an all-boys boarding prep school in 1959, where a new teacher (Robin Williams) inspires them to carpe diem (“seize the day”) and rebel against the status quo—through classic poetry, of all subjects. In a tragic reminder of Williams’ real-life death, the film also deals with one student’s suicide.
24. House Party (1990)
The majority of movies in the high school genre tend to be about the mostly white residents of the suburbs, but this groundbreaking 1990 comedy features black teenagers having similar high school experiences. There’s the fight with bullies in the school cafeteria, sneaking out to go to a party and trying to avoid getting in trouble, elevated by energetic hip-hop tunes and the charismatic starring duo Kid ’n Play.
25. Superbad (2007)
What is it with high school boys and vowing to lose their virginity? This super-successful 2007 comedy on that very topic is just the odd mix of sweetness and lewdness you’d imagine producer Judd Apatow, cowriter Seth Rogan, and stars Jonah Hill and Michael Cera to come up with. Some of the over-the-top sight gags and raunchy antics may be a bit much for some viewers, but it’s still hard not to laugh at the mere thought of the super-geek nicknamed McLovin (Christopher Mintz-Plasse).
26. Booksmart (2019)
If women wrote and directed Superbad, this 2019 hit indie film (which does actually boast female writers and actress Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut) would be the result. Clever and outlandish, the film features booksmart besties (Kaitlyn Dever and Superbad star Hill’s sister, Beanie Feldstein) on their last day of high school. When they realize that the hard-partying girls got into good colleges just like they did, they decide to go crazy and make up for lost times. Yes, there’s sex and drugs, but also wit and heart.
27. Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
Imagine if you could live high school all over again—what would you do differently? In this “what if” 1986 Francis Ford Coppola-directed fantasy, Peggy Sue (Kathleen Turner) got married, and got pregnant, right after high school graduation in 1960. Twenty-five years later in the midst of a divorce, she faints while at her reunion—when she wakes up, she’s 17 again and has time-traveled back to high school. Should she dump her boyfriend (Nicolas Cage) while she has the chance?
28. Back to the Future (1985)
The ultimate in time-traveling high-school movies, this 1985 flick has teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) sent back 30 years via a time-hopping DeLorean. He meets his teenage parents and, in an oddly sweet love triangle, his mother falls for him instead of his father. It all comes down to the school dance, where Marty must put things right before he ceases to exist. No matter what era you went to high school in, it’s hard not to be charmed by this ’80s classic.
29. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Ultimately uplifting, this 2012 film tackles some heavy topics, such as depression, suicide, sexual abuse and homophobia in addition to your average teen bullying, make-out sessions and casual drug use. But the performances, including those from Percy Jackson’s Logan Lerman and Emma Watson, fresh off the Harry Potter films, give this coming-of-age drama depth, nuance and maturity.
30. Better Off Dead (1985)
On the opposite end of the dramatic spectrum of suicide-focused films is this 1985 dark comedy. Teen Lane Meyer (John Cusack) tries—and repeatedly fails—to kill himself after his girlfriend dumps him, but then falls for a French foreign exchange student. Cusack’s trademark sullen charm is on full display, although the offbeat humor definitely walks the line between inappropriate and absurd. This is one film that probably couldn’t get made today, but has become a cult classic viewers either love or hate.
31. Heathers (1989)
Talk about dark: High school life doesn’t get much more morbid than this shocking 1989 satire. Veronica (Winona Ryder) and her new bad-boy boyfriend JD (Christian Slater) start revenge-killing the mean girls in her clique, who all just happened to be named Heather, as well as some other school bullies—then staging the murders to look like suicide. Heathers was a flop when it was first released, but later earned props for its subversive, disturbing depiction of teen bullying and violence.
32. Scream (1996)
The first self-aware “meta” teen horror movie, 1996’s Scream plays on the genre with wit and a fair amount of blood. A killer is stalking the students of a California high school, including Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), whose mother was murdered a year ago. Particularly frightening scenes include Sidney’s narrow escape in the school bathroom, and the murder of the school principal (Henry Winkler), all leading up to the gory showdown at a massive after-school party.
33. Pretty in Pink (1986)
Now back to some feel-good Hughes flicks: His muse, Ringwald, stars again in this 1986 film about class differences at a suburban Chicago high school. Andie (Ringwald) and her friend Duckie (Jon Cryer), who’s secretly in love with her, are from the wrong side of the tracks. When rich boy Blane (Andrew McCarthy) expresses interest in her, she’s not sure if she can trust him, especially since his friends—including perhaps the best actor ever at playing an ’80s-era jerk, James Spader—make fun of her. The plot isn’t exactly fresh, but it’s infused with a sweet sensibility that’s lacking in some of writer Hughes’ other films.
34. Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)
This 1987 film, also written by Hughes, is basically the same movie as Pretty in Pink, but with gender roles reversed and the opposite ending. Light spoiler: If you think Andie should have always ended up with Duckie, you’ll appreciate this movie, which stars Eric Stoltz and Mary Stuart Masterson as friends Keith and Watts from the poor side of town. When Keith asks out rich classmate Amanda (Back to the Future’s Lea Thompson), Watts realizes she’s actually in love with him. While not as good as Pretty in Pink, it’s a good complement for a night of binge-watching.
35. Can’t Hardly Wait (1998)
Although most of this admittedly derivative 1998 movie takes place at a high school graduation party rather than at school itself, it’s still a fun romp with much less misogyny than the many similar flicks in the teen genre. In interwoven storylines, the characters (the stereotypical prom queen, jock, geek, sensitive guy and outcast) learn about life, each other and what they want from their futures. The film features an ensemble cast of familiar 1990s faces, including Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, Lauren Ambrose and Seth Green.
36. Lucas (1986)
No movie ever expressed the pain of being rejected by a crush as well as this 1986 tearjerker starring the late Corey Haim, The Goonies’ Kerri Green and Winona Ryder in her debut role. Shy, geeky freshman Lucas (Haim) develops a sweet connection with pretty, older new girl Maggie (Green), but he’s stuck in the friend zone. Desperate to win her attention and despite being repeatedly attacked by jocks, he joins the high school football team with near-tragic consequences. Although (light spoiler alert) Lucas is ultimately redeemed in the end with a cheesy slow-clap, we dare you not to get a lump in your throat.
37. Fame (1980)
This isn’t your typical high school—unless you were a super-talented actor, singer or dancer (or better yet, all three) attending New York City’s High School of Performing Arts. As this 1980 film shows over the course of their four high-school years, besides your usual academic and parental drama, these urban teens have the added pressure of perfecting their art—not to mention dealing with drugs, coming out, unplanned pregnancy and the gritty underside of show business. Bonus: We get to see the kids show off their talents in lively musical numbers.
38. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
This has to be the quirkiest high school movie ever. The 2004 indie flick featuring llamas, ChapStick and tater tots follows the titular Idaho teen (Jon Heder) and his equally awkward classmates, Deb (Tina Majorino) and Mexican transfer student Pedro (Efren Ramirez), who runs for class president. The bizarrely funny flick struck a note with audiences, turning it into a breakout hit.
39. Varsity Blues (1999)
This 1999 high school sports flick stars Dawson’s Creek’s James Van Der Beek as popular student and reluctant football player Mox, who’s at odds with his football-focused father and his domineering coach Bud Kilmer (Jon Voight). When he becomes the new quarterback after another player has a career-ending injury due to Kilmer’s tactics, the two go head to head. Although the melodrama can go a bit overboard (cue Mox shouting to his dad, “I don’t want [dramatic pause] your life!”), the movie reminds us of the dangers of putting too much pressure to win on young athletes.
40. Friday Night Lights (2004)
Make it a double feature of Texas high school football movies with this 2004 film, based on a nonfiction book about a real town’s team, and which would eventually go on to become a critically acclaimed television show. More inspiring and more serious than Varsity Blues, this flick focuses on America’s obsession with high school football while also exploring race, class, abuse and alcoholism. Plus, in this film, the coach (Billy Bob Thornton) actually cares about his players, as well as the game.
41. School Ties (1992)
Often overshadowed by fellow 1950s-set elite prep school movie Dead Poets Society, this underrated gem focuses on a football player on scholarship who at first hides his Jewish heritage from his anti-Semitic classmates, and is later blamed for a cheating scandal. The 1992 film is also a whos-who of young male actors from the 1990s, including Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Chris O’Donnell, Cole Hauser and Ben Affleck. Unfortunately, the subject matter is still relevant today, but the film also stresses important lessons about prejudice and inclusion.
42. Rushmore (1998)
Remember when we said Napoleon Dynamite was the quirkiest high school comedy? This 1998 Wes Anderson film might give it a run for its money. Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) thinks he’s an innovative genius, but really he’s the worst student at Rushmore Academy—and things don’t get any better for him when he develops a crush on a teacher (Olivia Williams). After eventually being expelled, Max has to figure out where he belongs in the world of public high school. Weird yet still warm and witty, it’s one of cowriter/director Anderson’s best movies.
43. Cooley High (1975)
Almost two decades before director John Singleton’s groundbreaking story of South Central LA teens Boyz N the Hood, this 1975 movie examined the coming-of-age among Black youth in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green housing project. Like other teen “slice of life” stories, the seniors at Edwin G. Cooley Vocational High School ditch class, hang out with their crushes and go to parties. But the film takes a tragic turn as one character, who’s just received a scholarship to college, becomes the victim of violence.
44. Jawbreaker (1999)
This 1999 dark comedy was part of a turn-of-the-millennial sub-genre of popular girls doing very bad things, which also includes the murderous beauty queens of 1999’s Drop Dead Gorgeous and the bank-robbing cheerleaders of 2001’s Sugar and Spice. Perhaps the best of the devious bunch, this now cult classic has three mean girls covering up the accidental death of their fourth member after a prank goes awry. When shy, awkward classmate Fern Mayo (Judy Greer) gets wind of what really happened, the trio buys her silence by allowing her to join their clique. Well played, Fern, well played.
45. Hairspray (2007)
This bubbly 2007 movie musical follows plus-size teen Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky), who ditches school to audition for a local TV dance show that some of her classmates are also on. Based on the stage musical, which was in turn based on the 1988 film, this version features catchy numbers including the high-spirited “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” as well as important messages about inclusion and body positivity. The film, which takes place in 1962 Baltimore, also handles the subject of racial segregation and integration.
46. Lady Bird (2017)
This five-time Oscar nominee written and directed by Greta Gerwig stars Saoirse Ronan as an angsty senior at a Catholic high school in California who calls herself Lady Bird and wants nothing more than to get away and go to college on the east coast. As she struggles in her relationship with her mother, she ditches her best friend (Beanie Feldstein) and the school play to hang with the popular kids. The 2017 coming-of-age movie deftly deals with familiar struggles (college applications, friend drama, crushes) in a refreshingly honest way for today’s’ audiences.
47. Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004)
Although it doesn’t approach the genius of Mean Girls, this 2004 movie makes a lighthearted companion for a night of Lindsay Lohan bingeing. New girl in school Lola (Lohan) befriends the straight-and-narrow Ella (Alison Pill) and incurs the wrath of popular girl Carla (Megan Fox) by stealing the lead in the school play. But Lola is also a compulsive liar, and eventually her dishonesty catches up to her.
48. Just One of the Guys (1985)
Along with the 2006 Amanda Bynes movie She’s the Man, this 1985 film explores the unfairness of sexism for young women in a take-off of Shakespeare’s gender-bending play Twelfth Night. Convinced her teachers are unfairly judging her because she’s a girl, Terri (Joyce Hyser) goes undercover as a boy at a nearby school. One of the few ’80s teen flicks to be directed by a woman (Lisa Gottlieb), the movie presents a subversive counterpoint to the boy-focused flicks of that decade.
49. Can’t Buy Me Love (1987)
This 1987 movie is interesting in that instead of the girl undergoing a massive makeover, it’s the geeky boy who does so. Ronald (Patrick Dempsey) pays a cash-strapped cheerleader $1000 to pretend to be his girlfriend, and he’s soon “in” with the popular crowd at school—but he soon becomes in danger of losing himself and turning into one of the very mean kids that once spurned him.
50. The Spectacular Now (2013)
This 2013 indie film might not have been widely seen, but it gained rave reviews in praise of Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller’s authentic performances as small-town seniors on the cusp of adulthood. Sutter (Teller) is a popular partier; Aimee (Woodley) is not. They form an attachment when their paths cross, but their new relationship is tested as they both try to figure out where they are headed next year—if anywhere.
51. The Hate U Give (2018)
Unfortunately, the themes of this 2018 movie are even more relevant two years later, as it deals with the killing of an unarmed Black teen by police that leads to protests as well as riots. The film’s central character, Starr (Amandla Stenberg), is a witness to the crime whose identity is kept confidential. She attends a mostly white private school, but strain arises when her classmates realize who she is as she speaks out publicly about what happened. The film garnered much critical acclaim as it explores how systemic racism affects today’s youth.
52. Never Been Kissed (1999)
If high school wasn’t exactly the best years of your life, you’ll probably relate to this cute 1999 rom-com. Reporter Josie (an appealing Drew Barrymore) is assigned to go undercover at a high school for an exposé—forcing her to relive the worst years of her life, as she runs afoul of the popular crowd and develops a crush on her English teacher (Michael Vartan), who doesn’t know she’s really 25.
53. Dope (2015)
This smart comedy incorporates the crazy Risky Business-like antics of the teen genre while challenging notions of what it’s like to grow up in a poor, high-crime area. Malcolm (Shameik Moore) is a geeky straight-A student who wants to get into Harvard—but when he gets mixed up in a drug deal, he has to find a way to get rid of the stash without getting caught. Fresh and funny, the film plays on stereotypes about race, crime and “the hood.”
54. The Princess Diaries (2001)
Every awkward girl has secretly dreamed of becoming a princess, and that’s exactly what happens to Anne Hathaway in this sweet 2001 story. Ugly duckling teen Mia (Hathaway) learns she’s actually the heir to the throne of the fictional European country Genovia, ruled by her grandmother, Queen Clarisse (Julie Andrews). Cue awesome makeover—and the internal dilemma about whether to stay true to yourself and your real friends, even after being elevated out of geekdom.
55. Remember the Titans (2000)
This inspiring 2000 high-school football movie based on a true story isn’t just about winning the big game—it “tackles” (pun intended) the tougher subject of race at a newly integrated Virginia school in 1971. When a new coach, Herman Boone (Denzel Washington), who is Black, takes the job, he’s tasked with not only leading the team to victory, but battling racism among the players, the school board, the community and even the referees. The nuances of the issue might be a bit simplified due to its PG rating, but that also makes it a great starting point to address the topic with younger viewers.
56. Save the Last Dance (2001)
This 2001 film is unique among teen movies that both came before and, unfortunately, after, for depicting an interracial teen romance. After a tragedy, Sara (Julia Stiles) gives up on her dream of studying ballet at Juilliard and begins attending a mostly-Black inner-city Chicago high school, where she falls for Derek (Sean Patrick Thomas) with college dreams of his own. Although the film has been criticized for some cultural appropriation—not to mention Stiles’ less than stellar dance moves—it earns props for dealing with race issues that aren’t often addressed in the teen genre.
57. John Tucker Must Die (2006)
This shockingly-named 2006 revenge comedy isn’t actually about murder, but the takedown of the title character is still fun to watch. High-school jock John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe) has quite an ingenious scheme: He simultaneously dates three girls (Ashanti, Sophia Bush and Arielle Kebbel) from different cliques so they don’t run into other. But when a chance meeting leads them to find out about each other, they team up to enact their fury. Their Trojan horse is the newly made-over Kate (Brittany Snow), who is secretly sent in to break his heart—if he has one.
58. Take the Lead (2006)
Can ballroom dancing save a group of teen misfits in detention? That’s the premise of this 2006 film with Antonio Banderas as a teacher who thinks he has a new approach to turning around the kids at a school in a rough neighborhood. As the students learn to dance for a competition, they gain a drive to succeed—and to stay out of trouble. Like other teacher-focused teen flicks, the somewhat predictable story is ultimately uplifting and inspiring; plus, it features some great dance numbers.
59. A Cinderella Story (2004)
Disney darling Hilary Duff (aka Disney’s Lizzie McGuire) stars in this 2004 update of the classic fairy tale. After her father is killed, high schooler Sam (Duff) must endure the torments of her stepmother and stepsisters, as well as the bullies at school. She secretly exchanges emails with an anonymous friend, who’s really the popular, but kind, quarterback of the football team (One Tree Hill’s Chad Michael Murray). They arrange to reveal themselves to each other at the Halloween dance, but Sam wears a mask and must leave early. If you know the fairy tale, you know the ending—but the fun of this frothy concoction is in how it gets there.
60. Love and Basketball (2000)
The reasons Love and Basketball stands the test of time are endless. But for now, we’ll just say, following Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Q (Omar Epps) from when they were childhood frenemies to their high school experiences as basketball stars to college freshman year woes and dreams of going pro, never gets old. While only part of the film takes place in high school, the part of it that does it memorable enough to include in your high school movie marathon. Can’t get enough of the 1980s?Check out our list of the best movies of the ’80s.
