So you've successfully survived your teenage years; kudos to you! And though at the time, the stuff you were going through seemed like the end of the world, now you look at those careless days of your youth with nothing but a bittersweet nostalgic feeling lodged between your upper ribs. Because what's sweeter than your first love, your first wild party, graduation, and all the reckless mischief you've gotten yourself into because of the lack of functioning brain cells? Not much, I daresay! Now, if you could only experience the same things with your ever-mature outlook on life... While that's quite impossible, you can always jump into your favorite sweatpants, grab a bucket of ice cream, and turn on one of these teen movies!
And you know what the greatest thing about watching these teen-oriented films is? Well, the part where you can reminisce about it all, without reliving the actual cringe and awkwardness of the typical high school and teenage horrors. You can even say I told you so to the characters after the consequences of their youthful neanderthal behavior fall upon them. And isn't that just the greatest? Well, anyhow, whether you're here for the humor, the swooning romances, or just a chance to commemorate the horseplay of your past - every one of these teen movies will be an excellent choice!
This post may include affiliate links.
#21 Footloose
Though it might sound bizarre, Footloose is freely based on a completely true story of Elmore City, Oklahoma. There, since the town's inception in 1898, all dancing was prohibited in hopes of decreasing the amount of heavy drinking. Similarly, in the movie, all dancing is prohibited in Bomont, yet for a more heartbreaking reason. Anyway, the protagonists get their happy ending, and we'll be re-listening to the movie's uber-cool playlist right about now!
Report
42points
#22 The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is a coming-of-age story that follows a teenager Charlie through his freshman year of high school. Unfortunately, his triumphs are set back, unbeknownst to him, by a post-traumatic stress disorder, and his mental health rapidly deteriorates. However, with the help of his friends, Sam and Patrick, he gets his life back on track and even learns to love. A truly heartfelt story elevated by excellent performances of a star-studded cast.
Report
33points
#23 A Cinderella Story
As the name dictates, A Cinderella Story is a modernized version of the ancient fable. This time, it follows Samantha - a teenager with big aspirations, stuck under the tyrannic rule of her stepmother. There's most definitely the Prince line, too - now, he's a pen pal, hoping to meet our protagonist at a high school Halloween dance. Just like in a fairy tale, Sam's dreams come true, the awful stepmother is put in her place, and love conquers all. A sweet movie for a cozy evening!
Report
32points
#24 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2
The eighth and final installment in the Harry Potter series, The Deathly Hallows - Part 2, gave us a bittersweet conclusion to the story we'd all been following for years. There are deaths and defeats, triumphs and thrills - a gripping film and a final (theoretically) goodbye from everyone's beloved trio. And yes, the One Who Must Not Be Named is defeated at the end, but not without some tear-jerking demise of our favorite characters.
Report
32points
#25 13 Going On 30
Though it's a bit unclear if this movie was meant to be for the thirteen-year-olds who at heart are at the age of thirty or vice versa, 13 Going On 30 is a thoroughly entertaining, magically nostalgic romantic comedy. The movie's protagonist Jenna, played by the charming Jennifer Garner, wakes up one morning at the age of thirty instead of thirteen and gets into a whole lot of funny misunderstandings figuring it out. Besides being quite a funny film, it also carries a strong and important message; though you'll have to watch the movie to know what it is!
Report
32points
#26 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows - Part I
With Harry's story nearing the end, he's challenged with a mammoth task - to find and destroy Lord Voldemort's secret to immortality, the Horcruxes. Although the movie moves slowly initially, this penultimate installment presents the viewer with a couple of the biggest tearjerkers in all of the franchise's history. We won't spoil them if you haven't seen The Deathly Hallows - Part 1 already, but be advised to keep a pack of tissues nearby.
Report
27points
#27 Bring It On
High school cheerleading can get brutally competitive, and Bring It On shows the grit needed to stay on top of this game. Starring a young Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union, this cheerleading comedy is a thoroughly enjoyable watch. Because of the success of the initial film, Bring It On was made into a series with six installments, following different cheerleading teams while still maintaining the tasteful comedic elements of the original.
Report
27points
#28 Superbad
A raunchy coming-of-age story, Superbad follows two teenagers, Seth and Evan, as they are about to finish high school. In light of the upcoming grand event or, in short, graduation, the boys go on a quest to lose their virginity. One thing leads to another, and the pair gets mixed up in unbelievable events that, luckily for them, end up fortuitously. Funny, bawdy, and more than at one instance gross, Superbad depicts quite an authentic high school experience.
Report
26points
#29 21 Jump Street
Though categorized as a buddy cop action comedy film, 21 Jump Street shows more than enough of the ins and outs of a high school's functioning. Thus, ultimately making it an excellent candidate for our top teen movies list. It follows two undercover police officers, Shmidt and Jenko, who had to go undercover and infiltrate a high school. Their hopes are to stop the spreading of a new drug; their demise is their shoddy disguise. With a premise like this, you just know that this movie will make you laugh!
Report
26points
#30 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1
A sort of a prelude to the ultimate conclusion in Mockingjay Part 2, this installment isn't any less thrilling. Here, Katniss learns about District 13, sparks a full-on uprising against Capitol, and learns that Peeta has been 'hijacked' to kill her. Plenty of stuff going on in this teenager's life! Interestingly enough, Katniss' rebellion was so impactful in real life that several groups of protesters (in Thailand and Hong Kong in 2014 and in Catalonia in 2015) have used the three-finger salute as their way of expressing their unity against governments.
Report
21points
