Best Teen Movies

15 June 2013

Spike Island

Spike Island follows four teenage boys as they make their way to see their idols, The Stone Roses, play at the concert that will define their generation.

To honour these four lads in their high school prime, we put together a list of the top 10 teen movies of all time.

- The Breakfast Club (1985)

Probably one of the most beloved films of the 80’s, The Breakfast Club follows 5 teens stuck in Saturday detention as they work through their similarities and differences with each other.

One of the most relatable films of all time, this coming of age story has everyone seeing a little bit of themselves in either the brain (Anthony Michael Hall), the athlete (Emilio Estevez), the basket case (Ally Sheedy), the princess (Molly Ringwald), or the criminal (Judd Nelson).

- 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

As an angsty teenage girl struggles to hate everything about life, her perfect younger sister fights to climb the social ranks of high school.

When boys and backstabbing best friends get added to the equation, the recipe for a perfect teen movie is made.

10 Things I Hate About You provided break out roles for Julia Styles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the late Heath Ledger.

- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Ferris Bueller (Matthew Brodrick) was definitely the kid everyone wanted to be in high school.

This lovable rebel decides to take a ‘sick’ day from school with his rule abiding best friend (Alan Ruck) and popular girlfriend (Mia Sara) as they take a wild adventure around Chicago.

With their suspicious Principle nipping at their heels, the gang spends the day having fun and out-smarting everyone all in the name of a day off from school.

- Mean Girls (2004)

Taking a literal approach to the cliques of school, Mean Girls follows Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) as she tries to survive the ‘jungle’ that is high school.

From dealing with ‘the plastics’ to having boy issues, Cady struggles to just make it through her Junior year. After going from the home-schooled new kid to the most hated girl in school, she is finally able to figure out who she is.

Mean Girls also stars Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried and Tina Fey, who also wrote the screenplay.

- Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

A semi-true story based on observations from a reporter going under cover in a San Diego high school, Fast Times at Ridgemont High follows the day to day lives of 6 different teens at various ages as they try to make it through high school.

From relationship issues, drug use, mediocre jobs, and gossip, there’s no topic teens deal with that this movie doesn’t address. The movie also serves as a starter role for many future Academy Award winners including Sean Penn, Forrest Whitaker, and Nicolas Cage.

- American Graffiti (1973)

Set in 1962 in Modesto, California, American Graffiti follows a group of teenagers within the span of one night.

Thoughts about college, the future, and relationships are all discussed and analyzed throughout the film. As George Lucas’ brain child, the film stars notable names such as Ron Howard, Harrison Ford and Richard Dreyfuss.

- Easy A (2010)

As Emma Stone’s first leading role, Easy A takes the classic book The Scarlett Letter and uses it in a modern high school setting. When Olive (Stone), spreads a rumour about herself to help out a friend, her reputation at school is tarnished.

Before she knows it, the rumours are spiralling out of control and she can’t help but feel branded like Hester Prynne.

As she tries to fix everything, Olive learns just how complicated life can be. Easy A also stars Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, and Patricia Clarkson.

- Sixteen Candles (1984)

Sam Baker’s (Molly Ringwald) life is tragic, at least according to her. Her family has forgotten her sweet 16, the biggest nerd in school is hitting on her, and her crush, Jake Ryan, doesn’t know she’s alive.

In this classic John Hughes film, these teenagers lives all cross in unexpected ways. After a high school dance, raging after party and drug induced wedding, Sam finally get’s the birthday present she’s been waiting for.

- Grease (1978)

Singing, dancing, and the girl next door falling for the bad boy; what else could you ask for? John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John play Danny and Sandy, two teens who had a summer of romance interrupted by life.

As polar opposites, the two love birds struggle to make their relationship work with pressure from friends tearing them apart. With random outbursts of song and dance, Grease is definitely one of the best high school musicals of all time.

As four boys in an up and coming indie band embark on a trip to Spike Island, they end up on an adventure that will put their friendship to this test.

From fighting over one girl to trying to get tickets to the sold out Stone Roses gig, all four lads discover and change their perception of life. The film stars Elliott Tittensor (Shameless) and Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones).

Spike Island is in UK cinemas 21 June