The Top 10 Teen Movies We Actually Love
For those of you who’ve been living with their head under a rock for the past few weeks,
The Inbetweeners Movie has hit cinemas all over the UK. What’s the story? Four lads drinking too much, dancing like idiots and behaving like sex pests in Malia, the Mecca for holidaying teens everywhere. To be honest, it didn’t make me nostalgic for my carefree teenage past; I doubt it inspired many pre-teens to follow in the boys’ footsteps, as the BBFC has (wisely) slapped a 15 certificate on it. But which teen movies DO dish out the good stuff? I think that calls for an utterly personal Top 10 list…
#10 – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Kicking things off, we have Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Cue a young and fresh-faced Matthew Broderick, ripping down the fourth wall and taking the audience along for an amazing day bunking school. He fakes out his parents with non-specific ‘clammy hand syndrome’, busts his BFF and girlfriend outta school, takes a Ferrari for a spin, checks out some priceless artwork, sings in a parade, drives his principal to twitchy-eyed insanity and, of course, does it without getting caught. Take inspiration from this, because “life moves pretty fast; if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it!”
#9 – The Harry Potter Series
How would you like to take your average high-school movie and amp it up with some hardcore magic, goblins and a battle between good and evil? A big hello to the Harry Potter films, which do just this. And, unlike many teen flicks, we get no less than SEVEN sequels, which means we can watch our wide-eyed innocents make their way through the angsty stages of puberty and into early adulthood, waving their wands and accidentally wiping out the most evil wizard of all time as they go. Sort of like an extended and magical episode of Scooby-Doo, only better.
#8 – Scream
I know what you’re thinking, but Wes Craven’s Scream is one of my favourite teen movies ever, probably because most of the more annoying stereotypes are horrifically murdered as the plot unfolds. There’s cheerleaders putting out, guys forcing their girlfriends to go ‘all the way’ and a serial killer with a penchance for prank phonecalls. So, in a way, it’s pretty much a normal depiction of High School. Full of OTT jumps, wry witticisms, clever comebacks and outrageous twists. This is a definite must-see.
#7 – Bill And Ted’s Bogus Journey
This may seem like a daring choice, but what more could you ask of a teen flick? First up, we have two exceedingly stupid teenage boys, one of whom is Keanu Reeves. Yup, he of Matrix fame. And we have a time machine, two evil androids, some females in distress. Too bad the boys are killed pretty early on. What’s a teen to do? Challenge the Grim Reaper, of course! But why stick to chess when you can throw a game of Twister into the mix? Always hilarious, completely stupid and totally excellent!
#6 – Kevin And Perry Go Large
It’s time to bask in the glow of Kevin and Perry, two fifteen year olds desperate to lose their virginity… not unlike most fifteen year old boys, to be honest. Best way to do this? Head to Ibiza! (Note to The Inbetweeners… this is how to do it!) Sadly for the boys, their parents decide to tag along… but that doesn’t stop them packing enough sunscreen and condoms to last them a decade in a desert harem. Definite one to watch when you’re in need of serious LOL factor.
#5 – The Virgin Suicides
Hmm, can there be such a thing as a deep and meaningful teen movie? If you even have to ask such a thing, you’ve obviously never seen The Virgin Suicides. With a strong cast, including a young Kirsten Dunst and Josh Hartnett, this is based on the book of the same title. Deliciously alternative, wonderfully arty and simultaneously depressing and joyful, it tells the story of a group of male friends who’ve become absolutely obsessed with the beautiful sisters who live across the road. But when the youngest commits suicide, the girls are withdrawn from society by their insanely strict parents, further heightening the boys’ fascination with them. Can they ever rescue them from unspeakable tragedy? (Hint: look at the title…)
#4 – Grease
For those of you looking for a film that makes peer pressure sound like a fabulous idea, look no further than Grease, where a young and naive Olivia Newton-John is convinced to change her entire image (and start smoking!) in order to win the attention of bad boy John Travolta. Sure, it’s got some catchy tunes, likeable characters and a pretty nailbiting drag race, but… you know. Can I really condone a film that teaches us to bow to bullying? Yup. Just this one time, mind, so don’t go telling everybody!
#3 – Pretty In Pink
It wouldn’t be a teen movie collection if we didn’t have at least one flick starring 80s icon Moly Ringwald. And yeah, sure, most of you might have been expecting The Breakfast Club, but I’m throwing a curveball into the mix. Pretty In Pink showcases class divides, high school stereotypes and a gal from the poor side of town, caught in a vicious love triangle. Should she choose the rich guy with the nice clothes (Harry Dean Stanton) or her quirky best guy friend (Jon Cryer), who’d do anything for her? I know who I’d pick but, sadly, I’m not the one choosing…
#2 – Teen Wolf
The 80s were filled to the brim with total teen classics, as this fun and funky flick proves with seemingly little effort. The story is pretty simple; Michael J. Fox is a werewolf. But, hey, that’s not the biggest problem in the world. When you throw into the mix that he’s a werewolf in high school, that’s when you really start to feel sorry for the guy! His new lunar-dependent powers turn him into a top notch basketball player, but can he ever win the girl when he sprouts fur and claws every other night? Probably. It’s that kind of movie, after all… but we sure do have a helluva lot of fun finding out!
#1 – The Lost Boys
So who made number one? Well, for those of us who are far too cool to be Twilight fans (and, let’s face it, we all want to be that kind of cool!) we have The Lost Boys. Why? Because it showcases real teenage vampires; forget the disgruntled, brooding and sparkly kind the Twi-hards are so fond of and have some proper bloodthirsty fanged types instead! The story starts with two brothers, Michael and Sam, moving into the kind of town that makes Sunnydale look normal. And, as time goes by, the boys separate into two cliques… one filled with blood-sucking undead and the other with comic book nerds. But which is better, I hear you ask? There’s only one way to find out…FIGHT!
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