So you’ve successfully survived your teenage years; kudos to you! And though at the time, the stuff you were going through seemed like the end of the world, now you look at those careless days of your youth with nothing but a bittersweet nostalgic feeling lodged between your upper ribs. Because what’s sweeter than your first love, your first wild party, graduation, and all the reckless mischief you’ve gotten yourself into because of the lack of functioning brain cells? Not much, I daresay! Now, if you could only experience the same things with your ever-mature outlook on life… While that’s quite impossible, you can always jump into your favorite sweatpants, grab a bucket of ice cream, and turn on one of these teen movies!
And you know what the greatest thing about watching these teen-oriented films is? Well, the part where you can reminisce about it all, without reliving the actual cringe and awkwardness of the typical high school and teenage horrors. You can even say I told you so to the characters after the consequences of their youthful neanderthal behavior fall upon them. And isn’t that just the greatest? Well, anyhow, whether you’re here for the humor, the swooning romances, or just a chance to commemorate the horseplay of your past – every one of these teen movies will be an excellent choice!
#1 The Breakfast Club
A group of five delinquents from entirely different high school social groups get to spend an entirety of a Saturday in detention. And with such a premise, you know there will be teenage drama, some serious coming-of-age-moments, and, very expectedly so, romance. By the way, the iconic poster of The Breakfast Club was shot by none other than the uber-famous photographer Annie Leibovitz herself.
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#2 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Raise your hand if you’ve ever tried to relive Ferris’ exemplary truancy right after watching the movie. Besides being a joyful and heartwarming watch, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off also has a very serious message that’s even more important now than it was back in 1986 – to stop and take a look around. An expression of freedom, this teen comedy has earned its place in the movie hall of fame.
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#3 Mean Girls
A staple movie of the naughties, Mean Girls gave us the Plastics, the Burn Book, and trying to make fetch happen. Not to mention wearing pink on Wednesdays and making us understand that the limit does not exist. And though you’ve probably already watched it, here are some facts about Mean Girls. This legendary teen movie was based on a book called Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman. It depicts the lives of high school teenagers so well that it is basically like watching a reality show (just so much better). The funnies in this movie are also not accidental, as the dynamic duo – Tina Fey and Amy Poehler – are playing vital parts both on- and behind the screen. And what these two touch always turns into comedy gold!
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#4 10 Things I Hate About You
A modernization of Shakespeare’s late-16th-century comedy The Taming Of The Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You blessed us with breakthrough roles for Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Together with Julia Stiles, it makes up for a very naturally-charming cast that elevates this movie to new heights. Centered, of course, around a high school setting, this movie’s full of teenage drama and love.
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#5 Back To The Future
While meddling with the past isn’t usually the greatest idea, it’s the best thing that could’ve happened in the case of Marty McFly’s family. And only by a lucky coincidence that he meets this eccentric scientist Emmet ‘Doc’ Brown and takes a trip twenty years back, changing the course of time for his family in the most positive way. Back In The Future is so ingeniously made that it shaped American pop culture in many ways, making it an influential and iconic film.
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#6 Clueless
Classical novels seem to be an excellent inspiration for iconic teen movies. This time it’s Jane Austen’s Emma that has gotten a chance to broaden its appeal to the teens of the ’90s (and the decades to come). Starring such sweethearts as Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Paul Rudd, and the late Brittany Murphy, this movie instantly gained a cult-like following for its fashion, catchphrases, and relatability. A thoroughly entertaining film even almost thirty years after its release!
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#7 The Karate Kid
It’s more than karate; it’s the life lessons that made this movie into an iconic one. And also made karate hugely popular in America. It follows the story of Daniel LaRusso, who takes on karate to stand up against his bullies. His sensei, Mr. Miyagi, helps Daniel learn the art of karate while also instilling precious lessons in him. It’s one of those rare movies where the message is as clear as the azure sky of mid-summer, yet it’s quite profound and far from annoying. A great movie that’s inspired by a real story; you just know that it will be great!
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#8 The Princess Diaries
How do you amp up a regular Ugly Duckling story? Why by making said duckling an heiress to a European kingdom! And that’s precisely what we get to see in The Princess Diaries – a regular, clumsy, and unkempt American teenager transforming into a beautiful princess, fit to rule a country. Besides having the most iconic makeover sequence (which Anne Hathaway later repeated in several other movies), The Princess Diaries also gave us love, enjoyable humor, and awesomely played characters.
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#9 The Goonies
The Goonies tells a story of a group of kids who find an old treasure map and embark on a quest to find the long-lost bounty of One-Eyed Willy, a 17th-century pirate. The group lives in the Goon Docks area of Astoria, Oregon, hence The Goonies. The treasure would be the only thing saving their homes from foreclosing, so there’s no question whether to search for it or not. But the task proves to be an arduous one, and The Goonies step up to the challenges with the help of, of course, their friendship.
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#10 Stand By Me
Stand By Me, an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novella The Body, follows four boys on their quest to find the body of a missing boy. And though we usually associate King’s adaptations with horror and chills, Stand By Me is a heartwarming coming-of-age movie that centers around the importance of friendship. A timeless movie that will give a feeling of nostalgia to anyone watching!
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#11 Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing, a romantic dance film based on its writer’s Eleanor Bergstein childhood, waltzed straight into the movie hall of fame upon its release. A love story between an uptown girl on vacation at a Catskills resort and a lower-class dance instructor will raise the temperature of any room and will have you spraining an ankle in trying to copy the legendary dance moves. The chemistry between leading actors, Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, is so strong you can almost touch it, and it definitely adds up to the charm of Dirty Dancing.
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#12 Grease
Set in the 1950s, Grease follows the trials and tribulations of Danny’s (John Travolta) and Sandy’s (Olivia Newton-John) love. What seemed like a summer fling at first continues well into the year as the duo find out they aren’t actually separated by different continents and are indeed attending the same high school. Praised for its musical numbers, superb acting, great depiction of ’50s teenagers, and a charming cast, Grease went on to be a great success critically and commercially.
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#13 Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
Both critics and fans agree that The Prisoner of Azkaban is the best film in the Harry Potter series. So, if you’ve somehow skipped the Potter craze and want to spare your time trying to watch only one adaptation, then The Prisoner Of Azkaban should be your choice. While it isn’t a typical teen movie (if you think of a teen movie in terms of romance or coming-of-age topics), it does show teens, albeit not entirely regular ones, coping with troubles anyone could relate to. In addition, the movie itself gives us plenty of drama, thrills, and heartwarming moments – a thoroughly entertaining watch.
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#14 The Parent Trap
The Parent trap, an adaptation of Erich Kästner’s 1949 German novel Lottie and Lisa (Das doppelte Lottchen), stars Lindsay Lohan as both of the twins in her debut role. The twins, Hallie Parker and Annie James, are separated at birth but meet at a summer camp years later. Though immediately disliking each other, the girls figure out their family ties and come up with a plan to get their parents back together. Their plan is not without mischief and roadblocks, but it’s all the more fun for us, the viewers!
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#15 The Outsiders
The Outsiders, an adaptation of S. E. Hinton’s 1967 novel of the same name, follows a gang of greaser boys and their rivalry with the wealthy kids, also called the socials. With the case made out of such future stars like Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon, and Ralph Macchio, this Francis Ford Coppola movie is genuinely good and thoroughly entertaining. Especially with such a plot twist right at the end! Although it garnered only lukewarm reviews from critics upon its release, later on, The Outsiders gained a cult-like following among the fans.
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#16 Easy A
Easy A follows the demise of a very quirky-yet-charming and reputable (also way smarter than her years) Olive Penderghast, played by the very quirky-yet-charming Emma Stone. The movie involves a hugely inflated, not really real coitus scandal that unravels some of the darker secrets in Olive’s high school. But, of course, it all ends up better than expected and not without the help of our protagonist’s dance-and-song number. Witty, funny, and quite unique, Easy A is one of our all-time favorites.
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#17 She’s The Man
She’s The Man, a movie inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (see a pattern here?), follows Viola Hastings as she enters a boarding school in her brother’s place. Of course, she has to pretend to be a boy to study there and play on the school’s soccer team, so a “Sebastian” is born. She’s The Man perfectly depicts the baffling experience of teenage love and the drama that comes with it; even with a girl in a boy’s disguise, it’s still very relatable.
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#18 Sixteen Candles
Sixteen Candles follows Samantha ‘Sam’ Baker on her sixteenth birthday. Though she has high hopes for the celebration, everyone seems to have forgotten all about it, and the day just keeps getting worse. Of course, in the end, Sam’s wishes come true, but it wasn’t a walk in a park to get there. A sweet and mild-tempered movie, with relatable performances by the young actors, it will definitely be up to anyone’s taste.
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#19 Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire
With each Harry Potter book and movie, the plot keeps getting darker. And with the fourth installation – The Goblet Of Fire – the action is already quite grim. Of course, it is still centered around the beloved trio, but the challenges lead to demise, and a happy ending is seemingly nowhere in sight. If you haven’t seen it – The Goblet of Fire shows us the uber-dangerous Triwizard Tournament in which Harry, involuntarily, takes part. And here’s where the bad stuff starts happening.
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#20 Pitch Perfect
Pitch Perfect, a loose adaptation of Mickey Rapkin’s non-fiction book, titled Pitch Perfect: The Quest For Collegiate Acapella Glory, follows a rivalry between two acapella groups aiming to win the Nationals. Of course, as with any group of young adults, there’s drama, and there’s love. Though with Pitch Perfect, there’s also a dose of awesome humor and the coolest comedic performances from a star-studded cast.
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#21 Footloose
Though it might sound bizarre, Footloose is freely based on a completely true story of Elmore City, Oklahoma. There, since the town’s inception in 1898, all dancing was prohibited in hopes of decreasing the amount of heavy drinking. Similarly, in the movie, all dancing is prohibited in Bomont, yet for a more heartbreaking reason. Anyway, the protagonists get their happy ending, and we’ll be re-listening to the movie’s uber-cool playlist right about now!
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#22 The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is a coming-of-age story that follows a teenager Charlie through his freshman year of high school. Unfortunately, his triumphs are set back, unbeknownst to him, by a post-traumatic stress disorder, and his mental health rapidly deteriorates. However, with the help of his friends, Sam and Patrick, he gets his life back on track and even learns to love. A truly heartfelt story elevated by excellent performances of a star-studded cast.
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#23 A Cinderella Story
As the name dictates, A Cinderella Story is a modernized version of the ancient fable. This time, it follows Samantha – a teenager with big aspirations, stuck under the tyrannic rule of her stepmother. There’s most definitely the Prince line, too – now, he’s a pen pal, hoping to meet our protagonist at a high school Halloween dance. Just like in a fairy tale, Sam’s dreams come true, the awful stepmother is put in her place, and love conquers all. A sweet movie for a cozy evening!
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#24 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2
The eighth and final installment in the Harry Potter series, The Deathly Hallows – Part 2, gave us a bittersweet conclusion to the story we’d all been following for years. There are deaths and defeats, triumphs and thrills – a gripping film and a final (theoretically) goodbye from everyone’s beloved trio. And yes, the One Who Must Not Be Named is defeated at the end, but not without some tear-jerking demise of our favorite characters.
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#25 13 Going On 30
Though it’s a bit unclear if this movie was meant to be for the thirteen-year-olds who at heart are at the age of thirty or vice versa, 13 Going On 30 is a thoroughly entertaining, magically nostalgic romantic comedy. The movie’s protagonist Jenna, played by the charming Jennifer Garner, wakes up one morning at the age of thirty instead of thirteen and gets into a whole lot of funny misunderstandings figuring it out. Besides being quite a funny film, it also carries a strong and important message; though you’ll have to watch the movie to know what it is!
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#26 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part I
With Harry’s story nearing the end, he’s challenged with a mammoth task – to find and destroy Lord Voldemort’s secret to immortality, the Horcruxes. Although the movie moves slowly initially, this penultimate installment presents the viewer with a couple of the biggest tearjerkers in all of the franchise’s history. We won’t spoil them if you haven’t seen The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 already, but be advised to keep a pack of tissues nearby.
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#27 Bring It On
High school cheerleading can get brutally competitive, and Bring It On shows the grit needed to stay on top of this game. Starring a young Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union, this cheerleading comedy is a thoroughly enjoyable watch. Because of the success of the initial film, Bring It On was made into a series with six installments, following different cheerleading teams while still maintaining the tasteful comedic elements of the original.
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#28 Superbad
A raunchy coming-of-age story, Superbad follows two teenagers, Seth and Evan, as they are about to finish high school. In light of the upcoming grand event or, in short, graduation, the boys go on a quest to lose their virginity. One thing leads to another, and the pair gets mixed up in unbelievable events that, luckily for them, end up fortuitously. Funny, bawdy, and more than at one instance gross, Superbad depicts quite an authentic high school experience.
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#29 21 Jump Street
Though categorized as a buddy cop action comedy film, 21 Jump Street shows more than enough of the ins and outs of a high school’s functioning. Thus, ultimately making it an excellent candidate for our top teen movies list. It follows two undercover police officers, Shmidt and Jenko, who had to go undercover and infiltrate a high school. Their hopes are to stop the spreading of a new drug; their demise is their shoddy disguise. With a premise like this, you just know that this movie will make you laugh!
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#30 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1
A sort of a prelude to the ultimate conclusion in Mockingjay Part 2, this installment isn’t any less thrilling. Here, Katniss learns about District 13, sparks a full-on uprising against Capitol, and learns that Peeta has been ‘hijacked’ to kill her. Plenty of stuff going on in this teenager’s life! Interestingly enough, Katniss’ rebellion was so impactful in real life that several groups of protesters (in Thailand and Hong Kong in 2014 and in Catalonia in 2015) have used the three-finger salute as their way of expressing their unity against governments.
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#31 Edward Scissorhands
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#32 Dead Poets Society
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#33 Pretty In Pink
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#34 Back To The Future Part II
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#35 Juno
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#36 My Girl
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#37 The Lost Boys
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#38 Gremlins
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#39 Heathers
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#40 Weird Science
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#41 The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe
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#42 Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure
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#43 Carrie
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#44 Teen Wolf
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#45 Never Been Kissed
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#46 Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead
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#47 Napoleon Dynamite
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#48 Adventures In Babysitting
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#49 Romeo + Juliet
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#50 What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
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#51 Risky Business
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#52 American Graffiti
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#53 Red Dawn
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#54 Fast Times At Ridgemont High
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#55 The Blind Side
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#56 Cruel Intentions
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#57 Scream
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#58 Alice In Wonderland
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#59 Donnie Darko
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#60 Buffy The Vampire Slayer
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#61 Say Anything…
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#62 West Side Story
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#63 Empire Records
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#64 Five Feet Apart
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#65 Some Kind Of Wonderful
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#66 17 Again
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#67 Dazed And Confused
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#68 Tangled
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#69 The Duff
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#70 Step Up
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#71 Remember The Titans
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#72 Can’t Buy Me Love
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#73 Revenge Of The Nerds
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#74 Almost Famous
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#75 Bend It Like Beckham
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#76 Friday Night Lights
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#77 Meatballs
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#78 Lady Bird
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#79 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
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#80 She’s All That
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#81 The Fault In Our Stars
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#82 The Craft
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#83 What A Girl Wants
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#84 Spy Kids
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#85 American Pie
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#86 Spider-Man
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#87 A Walk To Remember
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#88 Divergent
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#89 The Maze Runner
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#90 A Nightmare On Elm Street
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#91 Princess Protection Program
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#92 Camp Rock
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#93 Nerve 2016
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#94 Nancy Drew
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#95 John Tucker Must Die
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#96 The Edge Of Seventeen
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#97 Wild Child
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#98 Can’t Hardly Wait
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#99 If I Stay
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#100 Ice Princess
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#101 Nick And Norah’s Infinite Playlist
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#102 The Pacifier
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#103 Yours, Mine And Ours
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#104 Varsity Blues
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#105 Love, Simon
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#106 Paper Towns
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#107 The Longest Ride
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#108 Eighth Grade
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#109 The Last Song
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#110 The Lizzie Mcguire Movie
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#111 Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen
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#112 Booksmart
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#113 Aquamarine
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#114 Road Trip
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#115 Twilight
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