Every decade has its fair share of teen movies. The '80s had classics like The Breakfast Club (1985) and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), two movies that hit home with critics and audiences alike. Then, the 90s saw releases such as Clueless (1995) and American Pie (1999).
From sports dramas to psychological thrillers, a lot of these titles fall into vastly disparate genres of film. However, most of them have an overarching focus on humor. Style and tone aside, though — these ten teen flicks will resonate with audiences for many decades to come.
10 Remember the Titans
Come on — it’s in the name. Based on the life of Coach Herman Boone, Remember the Titans (2000) will be looked back on for its cast. Of course, Denzel Washington stars as the aforementioned coach. But there were also big names like Ryan Gosling and Hayden Panettiere appearing in breakthrough supporting roles. And they all performed wonderfully.
A poignant and comedic adventure of teamwork, this movie received criticism for the predictability of its plot, but most opinions were positive despite that one qualm. Film fans will be remembering this high school football team for generations to come.
9 The Princess Diaries
This coming-of-age comedy launched Anne Hathaway into stardom while reinvigorating the career of Julie Andrews. Though critics were so-so on The Princess Diaries (2001) upon release, one element was widely praised: Hathaway’s performance. As a teenager from America who discovers she is the heir to a European throne, her character’s comedic timing steals the show entirely.
It made a shocking amount of money at the worldwide box office, and it even spawned a couple of sequels. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement released in 2004, and the third entry is set to go into production once casting is complete. Pretty impressive numbers for a film expected to fail.
8 Bring It On
A teen comedy film that revolves around a cheerleading team as they prepare for a high school national championship. Its tone is rough around the edges, but the plot and characters epitomize the teenage comedy. After receiving decent scores from critics, Bring It On (2000) eventually developed a cult following — much like many others on this list.
But it also produced a whopping four sequels, all of which were direct-to-video. A new entry actually released this year: a horror film with the subtitle Cheer or Die (2022). It’s an interesting direction, but none of the sequels hold a candle to the original. We’ll likely forget about them very soon.
7 Friday Night Lights
The 2000s had some tremendous teen movies, sure — but they were also replete with films about football. Based on a true story, Friday Night Lights (2004) follows a high school football team as they battle their way to the Texas state championship.
Its legacy is already locked away in the trophy case: for starters, it inspired the fan-favorite television show of the same name. But it was also revered upon release, making AFI’s list of the top ten films of 2004, and it has since come in at number 37 on EW’s list of the “Best High School Movies.”
6 Superbad
Despite its overtly crude humor, Superbad (2007) is structurally solid from a narrative perspective, with relatable character arcs and a pinpointed plot. It’s also witty, well-acted, and hilarious to the end.
High School seniors Seth and Evan — played by Jonah Hill and Michael Cera, respectively — both aim to get with a girl before going off to college. It’s essentially American Pie (1999), but written by Seth Rogen. It’s a great plot with hilarious characters — none as memorable as Fogel, also known as McLovin. The scene where he flaunts his fake I.D. is iconic for its generation, and ultimately, it’s why Superbad will never be forgotten.
5 Napoleon Dynamite
With Jon Heder starring as the titular character, Napoleon Dynamite (2004) will be remembered for being so unforgettable. Its awkward moments, quirky characters, and disconcerting style will stay glued in the viewer’s mind for years after an initial viewing. And there’s plenty of rewatch value, as well.
Characters like Pedro (Vote for Pedro!), Uncle Rico, and Kip have enough memorable lines to fill this whole entry with their dialogue and leave you entertained. Everyone is such an oddball that you can’t stop watching out of anticipation of their next exchange. Tina is still the best character, though.
4 Donnie Darko
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal in his breakthrough role, Donnie Darko (2001) follows Gyllenhaal as a schizophrenic teenager who recently stopped taking his medicine. Donnie one night sleepwalked out of his house and avoided an unidentified object crashing through his bedroom.
Things get strange when visions of a sinister figure dressed as a rabbit materialize in Donnie’s head. But it’s that abnormal plot that warranted the film’s praise from critics and the cult following from fans. It’s number two on Empire’s list of “50 Greatest Independent Films of All Time.” And on the same publication’s list of “500 Greatest Movies of All Time,” it took the 53rd spot. That’s a solid legacy.
3 Juno
A favorite of the fans and darling of the critics, Juno (2007) starred Elliot Page in their breakthrough role. And at the 80th Academy Awards, this teenaged rom-com was nominated in four categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Original Screenplay. While it didn’t win much, Diablo Cody did walk away with the golden statuette for her script.
It will be best remembered for its many character quirks, like Juno’s hamburger phone and Paulie’s track clothes. It’s worth noting, too, that this might be the most notable social commentary on unplanned pregnancies in the history of cinema. For that, it won’t be forgotten.
2 Almost Famous
Perhaps the best overall film on the list, Almost Famous (2000) really only features one teenaged character — the lead, played by Patrick Fugit. He appears as William Miller, a budding music journalist who schemes his way into covering a story for Rolling Stone Magazine. The task is to follow a rock band on tour and chronicle the events thereof. So, essentially, he’ll be watching grown musicians partying with fans and groupies.
The result is one of the most unforgettable cinematic experiences of the whole decade. Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, the film garnered four nominations at the Academy Awards. It won for Best Original Screenplay with unquestionable reasoning.
1 Mean Girls
This is the preeminent teen movie of the 2000s — perhaps of the century, even. Written by Tina Fey, Mean Girls (2004) is endlessly quotable, sturdy in structure, and ambitious in its filmmaking tactics — particularly with Cady’s sporadic daydreaming sequences.
Considering it’s the second collaboration between director Mark Waters and actress Lindsay Lohan (following Freaky Friday in 2003), the tangible chemistry between the two makes sense, and results in the best performance of Lohan’s career. Many of its scenes have remained trademarks of American pop culture, and the film has a massive cult following as a whole. That won’t change anytime soon.