The 1990s were quite the decade. Pop stars like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were rising to fame, chokers were the highest form of fashion, and an entire generation was only a few years away from witnessing the turn of the century. Many industries adopted a particular style, and that includes, of course, cinema.
It was in the '90s that teen movies cemented themselves as one of the most popular genres in the world. Many classics hit the silver screen, classics that would become the inspiration for movies like Mean Girls and 13 Going On 30. The best and most famous teen movies of that decade still seem so close, yet so far away, from the modern day. Ranked according to the Rotten Tomatoes audience score, there are definitely some standouts from the dozens of releases.
Updated on March 2nd, 2022 by Amanda Bruce: Some of the best teen movies of the 1990s didn't release to huge box office numbers or critical acclaim. In fact, movies like Dazed and Confused didn't rake in cash at the box office but became cult classics as an audience found it on home video. The audience's consideration of the best of the decade is certainly an eclectic group.
American Pie (1999) – 61%
- Available to rent on AppleTV
The 1999 movie that launched a myriad of pie jokes and had a never-before-seen take on sexuality, American Pie spawned sequels and spinoffs for years after its release. Following four friends who make a pact to lose their virginity by prom night, American Pie quickly became of the most quotable and recognizable movies of all time, due to its original nature.
American Pie wasn't afraid to be what it was, a hilariously and unapologetic telling of what it feels like to be a teenage boy who's paving the world of love, girls, and sexuality.
Never Been Kissed (1999) – 69%
- Available to stream on Disney+
Another 1999 movie classic arrives in the form of Never Been Kissed, starring a young Drew Barrymore as a newspaper reporter who's never experienced what it's like to be in love and intimate with someone else. As she enrolls in high school in order to do research for a story, Drew's character, Josie, gets to relive her years as a youngling, this time around in a much more exciting and revolutionary way.
The movie definitely requires a suspension of disbelief on the part of the audience as it's hard to continue to buy that Josie would fit in with a bunch of teenagers. Luckily, much of the comedy comes from her difficulty in doing just that.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999) – 69%
- Available to stream on Disney+
William Shakespeare's plays have been told and retold time and time again on several mediums. But this late '90s take on "The Taming of The Shrew" remains one of the most beloved attempts to bring the English writer's characters to life.
Julis Stiles and Heath Ledger share unbelievable chemistry throughout the entire movie and the underlying messages of female empowerment and unexpected love make this a movie fit for every generation. And the poem Julia Stiles' character reads towards the end of the movie? An epic scene that few will be able to forget! 10 Things I Hate About You is so beloved amongst '90s teen movies that a remake in the form of a television series was attempted years later.
Clueless (1995) – 76%
- Available to stream on HBO Max
On the topic of book adaptations, this one is from another English author who's also seen her work be a source of inspiration several times - Jane Austen. While Austen's novels take place in the 18th century, this modern retelling of Emma remains an iconic piece of filmmaking by many people's standards.
Starring a young Alicia Silverstone as Cher and a dashing Paul Rudd as Josh, Clueless is a fresh new point of view in of coming of age stories. Even Austen herself would be proud of this 1995 classic! It's become the must-view '90s teen movie for movie lovers.
Cry-Baby (1990) – 77%
- Available to rent on AppleTV
A young Johnny Depp starring in a 1990 musical as a typical leather jacket-wearing bad boy? Perfect! And that's probably what many teenagers at the start of the decade thought. Even though the premise is far from original and has been done 1000 times before, Cry Baby still stands on its own.
With amazing performances and a new set of characters taking on a tale as old as time, viewers had plenty to revel about, including Depp's hairstyle, the musical numbers, and the '50s inspired outfits
Romeo + Juliet (1996) – 77%
- Available to stream on Roku
Unlike 10 Things I Hate About You, this Shakespeare adaptation keeps the bard's lines intact. The movie is modernized with gangs, guns, and costume parties, but it retains all of Shakespeare's dialogue and stage directions.
The fusion of classic and modern in Titanic hit theaters a year later in 1997.
Election (1999) – 79%
- Available to stream on Hulu
In the late '90s, Election was one of Reese's most successful movies at the time, going as far as being nominated for an Academy Award.
Reese plays the overachiever Tracy Flick, who will stop at nothing to achieve her goal of becoming student body President. Starring alongside Matthew Broderick, the two make for an incredibly entertaining watch.
Scream (1996) – 79%
- Available to stream on Paramount+
The horror movie to end all horror movies, Scream premiered in 1996, and became so popular, that it gave birth to endless franchises, including Scary Movie and its many sequels, television shows, and endless pop culture references.
A masked maniac goes around town killing teenagers and terrorizing Sydney Prescott in particular. The twist is out-of-this-world-amazing, and audiences got to see fan favorites such as Courtney Cox, Skeet Ulrich, and Rose McGowan put on quite the show.
Pleasantville (1998) – 79%
- Available to stream on Redbox
Though other actresses are ed more for their time in teen movies, Reese Witherspoon really was the queen of '90s teen cinema. She appears in three of the top-ranked movies of the decade in very different roles. While Election sees her as a neurotic overachiever, Pleasantville has her as the family rebel when she and her brother end up sucked into the universe of a black and white TV show. There, the residents are awakened to the world of color when they start opening themselves up to the possibilities beyond their scripted lives.
Released in 1998, Pleasantville came out before both Election and Cruel Intentions, beginning the Witherspoon trifecta.
The Virgin Suicides (1999) – 81%
- Available to stream on Paramount+
Sofia Coppola's unique style of filmmaking shines through in her 1999 masterpiece starring Kirsten Dunst, The Virgin Suicides. Adapted from a 1993 book with the same name, the movie sees a group of teenage boys become increasingly obsessed with five mysterious sisters.
Set in the 1970s, The Virgin Suicides explores themes of family, mental illness, and love in a unique way, which eventually leads to the tragic ending of the five Lisbon girls.
