List Washington Post

List of Wahsington Post

The List:

1. The Breakfast Club -- The first of two John Hughes-directed movies on the list, the movie's genius is summed up in the letter composed by the main characters at the end, breaking down what divides and connects all teens:

2. Sixteen Candles -- Sure, some of it is slapstick, but Molly Ringwald's portrayal of a girl coming into her own is spot-on.

3. Dazed and Confused -- From Jason London's rebellious football player to Matthew McConaughey's creepy guy who can't let go of his teens, Richard Linklater not only nailed beautifully mundane ups-and-downs of high school, but cast a list of future all-stars including McConaughey, Parker Posey, Ben Affleck and Renee Zellweger.

4. Fast Times at Ridgemont High -- All post-1982 high school movies should thank this genre-defining film from Amy Heckerling and Cameron Crowe.

5. Donnie Darko -- Sure, Jake Gyllenhaal's Donnie is probably cuckoo, but his earnest portrayal of a boy out to save the world reminds us just how poignant adolescent emotion can be. And that teens are smart enough to grasp a complex storyline.

6. Mean Girls -- Pay close attention: This 2004 movie about the often-ruthless world of teen girls may just stand as Lindsay Lohan's best performance ever.

7. Dead Poets Society -- Because before being beat down by the work-a-day world, all of us were once inspired.

8. Lucas -- That's right, this understated movie starring a young Corey Haim, is a touching and sometimes heartwrenching look at what it's like being an outcast in love.

9. Clueless -- Okay, so we may not all live in Beverly Hills lives loosely modeled on the plot of Jane Austen's "Emma," but Amy Heckerling's 1995 movie does a good job of chronicling one teen's quest for her true self.

10. Heathers -- Remember those girls you hated in high school? The ones who seemed to have everything, but you somehow knew they'd end up as tanning salon receptionists? Well, if you ever wondered what it would have been like if they'd started murdering each other, this movie's for you.