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The teenage years are notorious for being strange and uncomfortable. There's an ongoing quest for popularity and social acceptance, sexual awakening and heartbreak. Though there is no set definition on what makes a 'teen movie', multiple genres have tackled the various aspects of adolescence in different ways. From the feel-good to the fragile to the frivolous, here's our list of the best teen movies.
You've seen movie love triangles before but never one quite like this. For a film about love in this day and age that has something new to say is nothing short of a triumph. Aside from being one of the best movies of 2020 so far, Alice Wu's film took a step away from the typical glossy high school fare and gave us characters who felt real and familiar. The Half Of It is a sad, lonely and hopeful movie that also offers a much-needed education on the use of emojis.
You can watch the film on Netflix
We've all been through that time when we've felt like bad things are happening only to us. The charming high school dramedy starring Hailee Steinfeld is light on the surface and yet deeply affecting. The Edge Of Seventeen follows high school junior Nadine who has serious issues with the world and firmly believes it's out to get her, be it her self-involved mother or her ex-best friend who's now dating her insanely popular brother. This is one of the most empathetic depictions of teenhood in recent memory,
You can watch the film on Netflix
The iconic high-school girl-gang comedy from Tina Fey made an indelible mark on pop culture and for good reason. Both a fun movie and a great piece of social satire, the extremely quotable Mean Girls inspired a generation of gifs, memes and attitude. Funny, clever and pointed, it remains a treat which even has its own holiday (October 3 is Mean Girls Day. Never forget).
Available on YouTube
A touching teen rom-com which follows a closeted high school student who is afraid to come out to his friends and family. He finds love online when he connects with an anonymous classmate via email. Despite being the first teen movie from a major studio about a gay romance, the heart-warming film doesn't make a point about being groundbreaking. Instead, it feels like it should, just another feel-good love story that is comfortable, endearing and accessible.
You can watch the film on Disney+ Hotstar
Starring an endlessly charming Emma Stone, Easy A captures the comedy and drama of the high school experience by examining the pressures and stigma of virginity. The film deals with the double standards attached to a girl losing her virginity and how it affects her reputation. Easy A is a triumph in how it makes statements in the guise of a stellar comedy.
You can watch the film on Netflix
We tend to assume that the 'high school movie' is a light, fluffy flick that's heavy on comedy and/or sweeping love stories. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower changes that. The film follows Charlie (a beautiful performance from Logan Lerman) a high school junior with clinical depression attempting to adjust to a new school and new people. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is a delicate film which is remarkable in how it captures pain, fragility and love.
You can watch the film on Netflix
A modern take on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, this 1999 film revolves around the romance between a fiery high school senior Kat (Julia Stiles) and brooding new arrival Patrick (Heath Ledger). Two decades on and 10 Things I Hate About You is just as funny, sharp and romantic. Who can forget Kat finally letting her guard down and breaking into tears while reading a poem in class or Patrick iconically breaking into song, performing I Can't Take My Eyes Off You in front of the entire school to declare his love?
You can watch the film on Disney+ Hotstar
Which teenager doesn't dream of getting a call to inform them they are, in fact, royalty? To be swept away from the hassles of high school to a far off land where they are pampered and given world-altering responsibility?
The Princess Diaries is the definitive escapist teen drama. A cosy, pulpy fairy tale brimming with life lessons and wisdom from the perfectly cast Julie Andrews. I think we could all use a Queen Clarisse and a Joe to give us some stellar life advice right now.
You can watch the film on Disney+ Hotstar.
Teen movies tend to explore the teenage years as a single, fixed point in time. But Richard Linklater shows it as a journey. He shot Boyhood over 12 years, giving us an intimate look at one boy's journey to becoming a man. Boyhood wasn't trying to be overly relatable or give us neatly packaged life lessons, but it did so nonetheless.
You can watch the film on Youtube.
Pitch Perfect-writer Kay Cannon's directorial debut about three friends who decide to lose their virginity on prom night, only to have their parents stop them is both funny and sensitive. But amidst all the raunchy hilarity, it offers a progressive and mature take on virginity and sex and remains one of the funniest comedies of the last few years.
You can watch the film on Netflix