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The Throwback Teen Movies You Need To Watch In Lockdown

We promise they're better than watching To All The Boys for the hundredth time. - by Maddison Leach
  • 16 Aug 2021

Finished watching The Kissing Booth 3 and not sure what to stream next?

You’ve seen all the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before flicks, and The Perks of Being A Wallflower is old news.

So what do you watch to pass the time in lockdown?

WATCH: Jacob Elordi stars in The Kissing Booth 3

Why not try one of these OG teen movies – we’re talking throwbacks to the 2000s, 90s and even 80s.

With most of us stuck in lockdown, a movie is the perfect way to pass the time, especially if it’s one you’ve never seen before.

And given most of these movies were made before you were born, we reckon you probably haven’t seen them all.

Don’t worry, we won’t throw you in blind with a bunch of random 80s flicks, instead we’ve created a handy list of the best throwback movies to suit your tastes.

There’s something for all The Kissing Booth fans, something for The Fault In Our Stars lovers, and everything in between.

Scroll through to see which OG teen movie you need to watch next.

Scroll through for all the best teen movie throwbacks.

These are the OG teen movies you need to see.

If you liked The Kissing Booth, try Pretty In Pink

Featuring the original teen movie sweetheart, Molly Ringwald (ask your mum who she is), Pretty In Pink was one of the OG teen flicks. It’s about a girl torn between her bestie and the hot, popular guy she has a crush on. Sound familiar?

The best bit: The wild 80s fashion!

Where to stream it: Binge or Stan.

Pretty In Pinl

Molly Ringwald caused controversy with this dress in Pretty In Pink.

Paramount Pictures

If you liked To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, try 10 Things I Hate About You

Fake dating? Check. Teen shenanigans? Check. Dramatic love confessions that will leave you sobbing? Triple check. 10 Things I Hate About You is one of the ultimate 90s teen movies and features heaps of actors you’ll recognise when they were super young.

The best bit: Every time young Heath Ledger smiles.

Where to stream it: Disney+ or Apple TV.

ten things i hate about you

Heath Ledger was so cute in 10 Things I Hate About You we still haven't gotten over it 20 years later.

Touchstone Pictures

If you liked The Fault in Our Stars, try A Walk to Remember

Get out the tissues and ice cream – this one’s a tear-jerker. Starring Mandy Moore in one of her earliest roles, the movie follows her tragic love story with the local bad boy. We won’t spoil it, but you’ll definitely cry before the credits roll.

The best bit: Mandy Moore sings several of the songs that play in the movie.

Where to stream it: Amazon Prime or Apple TV.

a walk to remember

Mandy Moore was a total breakout star in A Walk To Remember.

Warner Bros. Pcitures

If you liked Mean Girls, try the original Heathers

Okay, Heathers is a bit more out there and full on than Mean Girls, but if you enjoy an edgy black comedy this is the movie for you. In fact, even Riverdale has referenced the musical version of Heathers in its musical episode. As for the Heathers reboot… we don’t talk about that.

The best bit: Winona Ryder’s badass attitude.

Where to stream it: Netflix and Amazon Prime.

heathers

The OG Heathers is so much better than the reboot.

New World Pictures

If you liked 17 Again, try Never Been Kissed

Instead of literally ageing back into her highschool self like Matthew Perry/Zac Efron does in 17 Again, Never Been Kissed sees a super young drew Barrymore return to high school as an undercover journalist. There are some… problematic parts of this movie, but overall it’s pretty cute.

The best bit: Drew’s outfit for her first day of school. Trust us, it’s wild.

Where to stream it: Disney+.

never been kissed

Drew Barrymore was an absolute sweetheart in Never Been Kissed.

Fox 2000 Pictures

If you liked The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, try The Breakfast Club

Sad teens and interpersonal drama, what more could you want? John Hughes was the original king of the teen movie, and The Breakfast Club is without a doubt his biggest success. Starring Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson (the OG hot bad boy), this was the coolest movie out when your parents were teens and it holds up today.

The best bit: When Don’t You Forget About Me by Simple Minds plays at the end.

Where to stream it: Binge, Apple TV and Google Play.

the breakfast club

The Breakfast Club is probably the movie your parents were obsessed with as teens.

Universal Pictures

If you liked Love, Simon, try But I’m a Cheerleader

Queer coming of age movies were harder to come by in the 90s, but But I’m A Cheerleader was the most iconic! You’ll recognise heaps of the cast in this comedy and most gay girls will end up with a crush on either Natasha Lyonne or Clea DuVall… or both. It’s a little racy at times, so don’t watch with your parents.

 The best bit: When you realise that yes, that IS RuPaul from RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Where to stream it: Google Play or Amazon Prime.

but im a cheerleader

We stan the OG wlw couple in But I'm A Cheerleader.

'But I'm A Cheerleader'/Lions Gate Films

If you liked literally any dance movie, try Centre Stage

Dance movies were a big thing in the 90s and early 2000s, but Centre Stage never got enough credit for being one of the best. Set in an elite ballet school, it has it all; intense love triangles, hunky guys in tight black singlets, girl drama and all the dancing you can handle.

The best bit: When they drive a motorbike across a theatre stage in the final performance. We’re not kidding.

Where to stream it: Google Play or Apple TV.

centre stage

You literally can't get more iconic than this scene from Centre Stage.

Columbia Pictures

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Maddison Leach

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