In the 90s, cinema and culture began to open up to alternative perspectives in new ways. This led to more gripping stories, relatable characters, and beautiful visuals.
Letterboxd users have rated some of the most highly acclaimed coming-of-age films from around the world. Some of these films feature burgeoning actors who were launched into stardom and others who made their indie debut. Here are some of the best teen movies from the final years of the 20th century.
Dazed And Confused (1993) - 3.93
Streaming On Peacock
Dazed and Confused is an amalgam of the intersecting lives of high schoolers on their last day before summer. This coming-of-age classic comes from acclaimed filmmaker Richard Linklater, director of the Before trilogy.
This film was a breakout role for now-renowned actor Matthew McConaughey. He plays a skeevy older guy whose efforts to score high school girls produced some of the most iconic movie lines of all time. Whether starting high school, finishing it, or reflecting on days gone by, Dazed and Confused is an essential piece of the teen movie canon.
Rebels Of The Neon God (1992) - 3.94
Streaming On Amazon Prime Video
Rebels of the Neon God is a breathtaking, slow-burning movie about a soft-spoken teenager who quits school without his parents' knowledge and engages in progressively more delinquent behavior.
This visually spectacular film from early on in the established career of Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-Liang is perfect for fans of meditative cinema-like Drive (2011) or Tokyo Story (1953). Those who might be deterred by subtitles can breathe easily— dialogue in this film is sparse anyway.
Trust (1990) - 3.96
Available To Rent On Amazon Prime Video
Trust is a cult classic by prominent independent filmmaker Hal Hartley. The movie centers around a high-school dropout left aimless in suburbia who falls in love with an unemployed electrician.
This teenage romance is perfect for fans of campy cinematography and droll dialogue like Ghost World (2001). It is cynical and heartfelt all at once, sporting dry humor and unmistakable charm. Hartley bottles the essence of teenage angst at its cultural height in 90s Long Island.
Boyz N The Hood (1991) - 3.97
Streaming On HBO Max
Boyz n the Hood is a popular coming-of-age film about black teenagers growing up in South Los Angeles, where gun violence and drug deals are a part of their daily routine.
This touching film bears a harsh contrast to popular teen movies of the 80s like Ferris Bueller's Day Off set in comfortable white suburbia. It marks the acting debut of both Ice Cube and Cuba Gooding Jr. and earned director John Singleton the first-ever Oscar nomination for a black director.
But I'm A Cheerleader (1999) - 3.98
Streaming On Youtube And Tubi
This LGBTQ+ romance stars Natasha Lyonne as a cheerleader thoroughly committed to denying her homosexuality. When her parents send her to a conversion camp, she is finally forced to face these feelings head-on.
The film is perpetually re-introduced to new rounds of adolescent girls through social media sites like Tumblr and Tiktok. Recent resurgences in popularity have fans itching for a reboot, and some are already speculating about actors that would suit a potential recasting.
10 Things I Hate About Y0u (1999) - 3.98
Streaming On Disney+
This high school romance is an adaptation of Shakespeare's beloved play, The Taming of the Shrew. It features a stellar performance from the late Heath Ledger as the reluctant suitor for hard-headed feminist Kat.
The film also features the breakout role of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a French tutor with his heart set on taking Kat's younger sister to the prom. 10 Things I Hate About You is a feel-good movie that anyone can enjoy. It has everything from quirky witticisms to complex character development.
Ratcatcher (1999) - 3.98
Streaming On The Criterion Channel
Ratcatcher is the debut film from Scottish director Lynne Ramsey, who would later go on to direct We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) and You Were Never Really Here (2017). It follows a boy on the verge of adolescence. Alienated from his family, he falls in love with a slightly older girl.
Ratcatcher captures the aimless yearning of pre-adolescence. All the anxiety and potential of the world feel within grasp without the experience or maturity of years to guide feelings in one direction or the other. It is perhaps at this age more than any that we might have a tendency to desire something that is, in essence, entirely out of our reach.
A Summer's Tale (1996) - 4.01
Streaming On Archive.Org
This light-hearted romantic comedy comes from the mind of Eric Rohmer, a prominent director of the French new wave. It centers around three flings that a young man gets into over an aimless and unemployed summer.
Fans of colorful and touching romances like La La Land (2017) or quirky comedies like Frances Ha (2012) would likely enjoy the tonal and aesthetic qualities of A Summer's Tale. This is one of many highly acclaimed films from Rohmer that center around themes of youth and love.
Love & Pop (1998) - 4.07
Streaming On Asian Movies Online
Love & Pop features experimentation with videography from the creative mind behind the internationally popular anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. It follows a group of teenage girls that go on paid dates in hopes of buying coveted items at the mall like an expensive ring.
Love & Pop finds refreshingly contemporary metaphors for age-old concepts like feminine purity in the age of consumerism. It illuminates the naivete, power, and potential for danger that comes in the transition from girlhood into womanhood. It is a must-see for fans of distinctly '90s aesthetics.
Brighter Summer Day (1991) - 4.45
Streaming On The Criterion Channel
Edward Yang's touching (albeit lengthy) drama centers around an adolescent Taiwanese boy experiencing his first instances of love, friendship, and loss.
Those able to endure its nearly four-hour runtime are in for an immersive and entrancing viewing experience. The relatable tales of youth are thoroughly endearing, while the politically turbulent backdrop of 1960s Taiwan provides an engaging dramatic layer for history buffs.