Our 12 Favourite High School Movies of All Time
By Distributel
No matter how long ago a great teen movie was created, those coming-of-age feelings are timeless. And, as an extra bonus, teen flicks also highlight the craziest parts of a particular time and place.
Here are our top 12 favourite high school movies of all time.
Grease (1978)
Joy, fun, and a hefty amount of cheesiness go together like a wop ba-ba lu-bop and wop bam boom!
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
A massive cast capped off with Sean Penn as the ridiculous and lovable stoner, Jeff Spicoli. This is exactly what high school was like in the ’80s. The film even made it into the US National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
The Breakfast Club (1985)
The definitive high school movie of all time. By the legendary John Hughes, and starring his favourite Brat Pack members, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, and Ally Sheedy in the most well-rounded coming-of-age story in his catalogue.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
In the history of skipping school, no one has ever done it as well or as fully before or since Ferris Bueller.
Heathers (1988)
Veronica is tired of the awful job of popularity with her three best friends, Heather, Heather, and – you guessed it – Heather. When mystery boy J. D. rolls into town with some pretty twisted ideas, the rest is dark comedy gold. Besides, any movie with Winona Ryder and Christian Slater gets our thumbs-up.
Say Anything (1989)
All we have to say is: Lloyd Dobler, a rainy day, and a stereo blasting Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes.” Just watch it and fall in love.
Dazed and Confused (1993)
It was the last day of school – but it was the party they threw that night that made it memorable. And if there’s one high school movie character as legendary as Spicoli, it’s Matthew McConaughey as Wooderson: “alright, alright, alright …”
Clueless (1995)
It’d be, like, way harsh if you haven’t seen this one. It’s that one where the world fell in love with Paul Rudd for the first time.
Election (1999)
You’ve never seen a darker, more satirical look at high school politics than in this feature starring Reese Witherspoon and her arch-nemesis, a teacher played by Matthew Broderick.
Love & Basketball (2000)
All’s fair in love & basketball. This story of childhood friends who share the same dream of getting into the NBA and how that dream could tear their love apart is just too good to miss.
Bring It On (2000)
It’s already been brought! This one is as much a fun, feel-good romp as it is about playing fair.
Mean Girls (2004)
Lindsay Lohan as Cady and Rachel McAdams as the iconic Regina George, Queen of the Plastics, and of course, Amy Poehler as the hilarious “cool mom.”