Top 10 Teen Movies You Forgot Were Amazing
#10: “The Craft” (1996)
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One of the best things about the ‘90s was how much pop culture embraced teenage girls’ obsession with witchcraft. There were a shocking number of TV shows and movies based on the subject and 1996’s “The Craft” has to be one of the best. Telling the story of a girl who gets mixed up with the wrong crowd at her new Catholic school, the film was retroactively described by Complex as one that "feels much more progressive than many of the movies that come out today." It wasn’t a big financial success when it was released nor was it universally praised by critics, but it did manage to develop a cult following in the ensuing years.
#9: “Josie and the Pussycats” (2001)
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Here is an early aughts movie that was clearly made with popular appeal in mind. “Josie and the Pussycats” may have bombed when it was released in the spring of 2001, but if you were a tween girl at the time, you were surely watching it at home with your friends every weekend once it hit home video. The way it brought the popular Archie comics characters into the real world felt both fresh and familiar and we bet that if you heard some of the songs from the film, you’d still remember the lyrics even two decades later.
#8: “Never Been Kissed” (1999)
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Though this rom-com had reasonable financial success upon its release, it certainly wasn’t a hit with the critics. The Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus reads, "Unoriginal and unremarkable high school satire adds little to the genre." Ouch! But Drew Barrymore’s performance makes this film a memorable one and even today it’s a story that still charms us. The plot features a journalist going undercover at a high school and pretending to be a teenager. This definitely seems a bit unbelievable, but hey - since when are the movies about accuracy to reality? And Barrymore is bright and hard not to love.
#7: “Pleasantville” (1998)
This comedy-drama has such a unique and engaging premise that we’re surprised it was never a bigger hit. It stars Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon as modern teenage siblings who find themselves suddenly transported into the fictional world of “Pleasantville.” which they previously believed to be just a 1950s’ TV show. The pair has to figure out how to adapt to their new surroundings and see if there’s any way to get back to the real world. Even though Roger Ebert called it “one of the best and most original films of the year”, it still made less money than it cost to produce.
#6: “Empire Records” (1995)
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This comedy-drama seems like it should rank among the most popular teen films of the ‘90s, but it sadly seems like it has received much less pop culture attention than its contemporaries when it comes to modern audiences. Perhaps it’s because the setting of a record store feels foreign to viewers today. “Empire Records” tells the story of a group of record store employees who want to prevent their beloved shop from being sold to a larger chain. It also features an all star cast that includes Robin Tunney, Renée Zellweger and Liv Tyler.
#5: “The Way, Way Back” (2013)
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This is the newest entry on our list by a pretty wide margin, but despite the fact that it was released so recently - in 2013 - it still seems to have been largely forgotten. This low budget film was made for just $5 million, but had an A-list and award nominated cast, which included Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Maya Rudolph, and Sam Rockwell. It managed to pull in nearly $27 million at the box office and received largely positive reviews. Perhaps the mixed tone made it a harder sell, considering it featured serious storylines alongside comedic ones.
#4: “Jawbreaker” (1999)
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Before we had “Mean Girls”, we got the similarly satirical take on female high school friendships with “Jawbreaker”, released in 1999. Popular senior Liz is kidnapped by her friends on her birthday as a prank and they put a jawbreaker in her mouth to gag her before putting her in the trunk of one of their cars. Things don’t go to plan though, and Liz chokes and dies. While the plot may seem a tad over the top, the concept is used to emphasize the ways that teenagers can lie and manipulate one another to get what they want.
#3: “Saved!” (2004)
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How this movie managed to fly under the radar, we have no idea. “Saved!” features a hilarious storyline that manages to tackle a lot of issues present among youth in the United States. Despite the fact that it came out in 2004, some of the themes are perhaps even more relevant today. The story focuses on the ultra religious teen Mary Cummings (played by Jena Malone) who loses her virginity to her boyfriend after he tells her that he’s gay. She then gets pregnant in the process. It’s poignant and funny, and the young cast features many familiar faces.
#2: “The Slums of Beverly Hills” (1998)
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This supremely underrated movie should, for all intents and purposes, be a ‘90s classic, but we wouldn’t be surprised if you had never heard of it. “Slums of Beverly Hills” stars a young Natasha Lyonne and is set on the outskirts of Beverly Hills in the ‘70s. She plays Vivian, who has to contend with the fact that her family is completely broke along with a slew of other typical teenage problems. The critics seemed to agree on giving this film positive reviews, but few people saw it in theaters and it seems as though it has been forgotten by the general population. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “A Cinderella Story” (2004) “Stick It” (2006) “Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead” (1991) “Can't Buy Me Love” (1987) “Lucas” (1986)
#1: “Ghost World” (2001)
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Roger Ebert said of this film, “It takes such a risky journey and never steps wrong” and we’d have to agree. While the black comedy may have seemed outside the box in the early aughts, it’s clear now that it paved the way for so much that came after. While Enid and Rebecca are portrayed as outcasts of sorts in “Ghost World”, it shows us just how much pop culture has changed since 2001, considering the fact that they’d probably be considered pretty cool today. Movies centered on teenagers rarely fare well during awards season, but Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff still earned an Oscar nod in the category of Best Adapted Screenplay for the film.
