Given that it's almost Halloween - a time for teenagers to dress up as slutty bunnies or get slashed to death by the likes of Michael Myers when running up the stairs instead of out the door (not in real life, don't worry) - we got to thinking about the trials and tribulations of this dermatologically unfortunate and sexually promiscious age group. Yes, teens have a hard time of it but hey, this can only make for great movies. To honour our years spent purchasing Clearasil and Wrigley's Extra chewing gums (the old school ones) and totting up the number of lads/lasses we'd necked at the local disco, we take a look out our favourite teen movies of all time. No doubt there'll be some you'd like to add yourself so feel free to do so below.
In no particualr order we have:
1. 10 Things I hate About You. The movie that put Heath Ledger on the map as a fully fledged heart throb/badass and Julia Stiles on the map as a perpetual headwrecker. Based loosely on Shakespeare's The Taming of The Shrew (the Shrew being Stiles,) 10 Things I Hate About You takes an age old story and sets in a modern day high school. Featuring hunky douchebags, poetry loving 'losers' and hot girls aplenty, this is also the movie where we fell madly in love with Joseph Gordon Levitt.
Memorable Quote:
Chastity: I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?
Bianca: I think you can in Europe.
2. Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Indulging in what many teenagers dream of on a daily basis, this is a 1986 teen classic in which our central protagonist Ferris Beuller bunks off from school, much to the annoyance of his Dean of Discipline, for a day of frivolity. Needless to say, when his friend's (the catatonic Cameron) dad's Ferarri gets involved, it all gets a bit out of hand. A satisfying coming of age story that launched the career of one Matthew Broderick.
Memorable Quote:
Economics Teacher: Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
Simone: Um, he's sick. My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious.
Economics Teacher: Thank you, Simone.
3. Mean Girls. The quintessential teen movie. When Lindsay Lohan was a normally functioning human being. Pandering to all the stereotypical social groups ever defined by a teen movie, Mean Girls has bitchiness to boot, handsome jocks, Asian nerds, slutty Halloween and Christmas outfits, school talent shows, Kevin Gnapoor's rap, Tina Fey's dry wit, the list goes on. A film that made us all secretly wish we were part of The Plastics and no doubt inspired more than a few 'Burn Books'.
Memorable Quotes:
Damian: [delivering candy canes] Taylor Zimmermann, two for you. Glenn Coco? FOUR for you, Glenn Coco! You go, Glenn Coco.
Karen: If you're from Africa, why are you white?
Gretchen: Oh my God, Karen, you can't just ask people why they're white.
4. Bring It On. Spawning a multitude of spin-off projects - including a musical - this Kirsten Dunst starrer is another definitive teen flick. Turning cheerleading into a hormone-fuelled competitive sport, Bring It On tells the story of champion high school cheerleading squad the Toros who discover their previous captain (Big Red) stole all their best routines from an inner-city school. The group must scramble to compete and win at this year's championships. Really short outfits, hot birds flying here there and everywhere and cheating bastard boyfriends; what's not to love? And who could forget The Clash loving romantic underdog, Cliff.
Memorable Quotes:
Isis: You wanna make it right? Then when you go to Nationals... bring it. Don't slack off because you feel sorry for us. That way, when we beat you, we'll know it's because we're better.
Torrance Shipman: Oh, I'll bring it. Don't worry.
Isis: I never do.
5.Clueless. Probably the best teen movie of the 90s, Clueless centres on rich princess Cher (named after the actual Cher) whose days are spent match making, giving makeovers and choosing outfits from her computerised walk in wardrobe. If there was one thing I dreamt of owning as a teen, it was that wardrobe... along with the contents inside it. A fantastic cast spouting original one-liners at every turn, Clueless is a smart, funny take on Jane Austen's Emma. Were you as in love with Paul Rudd's Josh as I was? Dreamboat!
Memorable Quotes:
Mel: Anything happens to my daughter, I got a .45 and a shovel, I doubt anybody would miss you.
Cher: I was surfing the crimson wave. I had to haul ass to the ladies'.
6. She's All That. One of the most quotable teen movies EVER, She's All That is now, in retrospect, pretty damn funny. Remember when Paul Walker played arseholes? She's All That is of the coming of age, Ugly Duckling variety wherein hot jock Freddie Prinze Jr makes a bet that he could pull just about any girl in school. This is where unpopular quiet art student Laney Boggs come in. However, after spending time with Laney - who conviently gets made over to look shit hot half way through the movie - he realises there's more to him than being a grade A jock, that he's not destined for the career his pushy father has set out for him and, shocker, that he's fallen for the girl he least expected to find attractive. Nawww. Full of b*tching and backstabbing, if you haven't seen She's All That, you really ought to.
Memorable Quotes:
Taylor Vaughan: You didn't think you became popular for real, did you? Oh, you did? That's so sweet.
7. The Breakfast Club. Another blast from the past here and another coming of age story. Starring Emilio Estevez, The Breakfast Club features five high school students, all pertaining to very different stereotypes who meet in detention, where they open up to each other, discovering that they've more in common than they originally thought. Despite featuring lots of laugh out loud moments - there's plenty - the fact that this movie served to dismantle many stereotypes rather than indulge in them, makes The Breakfast Club the most mature film on this list.
Memorable Quotes:
John Bender: Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?
8. Pretty In Pink. This 80s classic tells the tale of a poor girl who must choose between the affections of her doting childhood sweetheart played by a hilarious looking Jon Cryer and rich but sensitive playboy McCarthy (who would later steal our hearts in Mannequin.) A lot more cerebral than many other films on this list, this teen flick takes a pretty smart look at class divides. Pretty In Pink also boasts a stellar soudntrack featuring New Order and The Psychedelic Furs.
Memorable Quotes:
Duckie: God, Andie, Id've died for you!
Duckie: I'm off like a dirty shirt.
9. Get Over It. Another cracker of a film starring teen idol Kirsten Dunst, Get Over It borrows from quite blatantly from A Midsummer Night's Dream. When Berke Landers, a popular high school basketball star, gets dumped by his life-long girlfriend, Allison, he naturally thinks the whole world's about to end. Along comes his best friend's sister Kelly (Dunst), who helps him win back his ex by performing in the school's spring musical of, you guessed it, A Midsummer Night's Dream. And there you have your love triangle. Starring Shane West who should win an award for the worst English accent ever in a movie, Mila Kunis and - for some bizarre reason - Sisqo, we recommend this for a girly Saturday night in. Martin Short's Dr Desmond Forrest Oats is hilarious.
Memorable Quotes:
Dr. Desmond Forest Oates: Keep icing your front bum. Swelling continues if you don't ice. And I need you... not really.
Berke Landers: O fair Hermia, thou art so incredibly hot and stuff.
10. Whatever It Takes. So bad it's actually good, here we have another he-loves-her-but-she-loves-him-and-he's-not-interested-'cause-he fancies-her scenario. Starring Shane West (as someone quite likeable this time) and James Franco (before he got all cool 'n shit), this is a modern day remake of the Cyrano DeBergerac tale. Another quotable teen classic, make sure you include this for girly Saturday night in. Although having said that, you'd probably struggle to find it on anything other than VHS.
Memorable Quotes:
Ashley Grant: I love you Brian Ryan!
Ashley Grant: A tiger can't change his spots.
