5 Must-Watch '90s Teen Movies That Defined A Generation

From an ungodly obsession with the "Macarena" to glow-in-the-dark alien t-shirts, Spice Girls platform sneakers, and Doink the Clown at WrestleMania, the '90s was a vibe. In terms of film, there was a bit of everything on offer, as Hollywood tried it all and then some. Teens were certainly never left out, as the decade offered up a slew of movies that are now heralded as generation-defining.

This doesn't mean they're the best movies of the '90s, or that they still hold up to this day; instead, it's the simple fact that someone will watch them now and say, "Oh, that was so '90s." These films stand out like time capsules. Rather than hand over a history book or photos, one could just send VHS copies of these flicks to showcase what humanity's teens were like in this era — for better or worse.

From comedy to horror and scandalous drama, let's look at the '90s teen movies that defined a generation. Honorable mentions to "Can't Hardly Wait," "She's All That," and anything else that Freddie Prinze Jr. appeared in.

The opening scene of "Clueless" sees Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) wake up and use her computer to pick out the outfit for the day. In 1995, this looked innovative and highlighted how Cher was ahead of the curve and using a "fashion app" for style selection. Decades later, you giggle at the 2D blocky graphics and wonder if Cher also had floppy disks for "Doom" and "Wolfenstein." As if!

From the colorful clothing to the lingo and early adoption of computer technology, "Clueless" captures the essence of being a teen in the fast-moving '90s. Yeah, the story is a little crass and outdated, as the shallow Cher feels sorry for the "ugly duckling" student Tai Frasier (Brittany Murphy) and gives her a makeover, but somehow finds her own social status questioned and wonders if all this stuff really matters. Ultimately, the film evolves into a tale about there being more to people than meets the eye — even if the lesson is delivered in a heavy handed manner and sees Cher fall in love with her stepbrother Josh Lucas (Paul Rudd) in a questionable plot twist.

"Clueless 2" never happened, but the legacy lives on, as it received its own TV show and the 1995 film was included in the United States National Film Registry. Also, can we agree that Cher is still a fashion icon to this day?

Teen comedies in the '90s featured this weird premise where people tried to manipulate others to get what they want — and yeah, some of their actions were nasty and didn't cast them in the best light. Case in point: the plot for "10 Things I Hate About You."

The story is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew" set in Seattle. Cameron James (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) wants to date Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik). There's a problem, though: Bianca isn't allowed to date until her older sister, Kat (Julia Stiles), does. So, a wider convoluted plan occurs where Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) is paid to woo Kat so several interested parties can date Bianca. Of course, you can see how this will go when Kat finds out what's happening. However, the twist is that Patrick actually falls for Kat.

What stands out most about "10 Things I Hate About You" is the cast who really make this film. Gordon-Levitt had already been notable for his stint on "3rd Rock from the Sun," but this movie elevated Stiles and Ledger to greater heights. The latter, in particular, turned into a teen heartthrob, utilizing the 1999 film as a launchpad to build himself a remarkable — albeit short — Hollywood career before he passed away in 2008. Ledger's rendition of Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" in "10 Things I Hate About You" still stands out as one of the best musical moments in teen movies.

The '80s had a number of generation-defining horror movies, but the '90s? There's one that stabs harder than the rest: 1996's "Scream." Combining tongue-in-cheek observations about the slasher genre with a genuinely compelling whodunit, Wes Craven's "Scream" keeps everybody on their toes trying to figure out who's killing off the teens of Woodsboro.

The film introduces Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) as the main protagonist, as she and her high school buddies attempt to uncover the identity of Ghostface, the masked killer murdering them. It doesn't take too long for them to suspect that the culprit is hiding among them and the call might be coming from within the house. After several misdirections and fakeouts, the twist turns out to be wickedly delicious.

While the "Scream" movies continued the story and similar setup thereafter, this is the film that had everybody talking about it in the '90s and prank calling their friends to ask which is their favorite scary movie. It's the shot in the arm that the slasher genre desperately required after Freddy, Jason, and Michael had grown a little long in the tooth at the time. It not only turned out to be one of the defining teen movies of the decade, but also one of the best horror flicks of the '90s, period.

While many '90s teen movies explore despicable behavior under the veneer of comedy, 1999's "Cruel Intentions" isn't afraid to be more serious about it. There are also serious consequences for their actions, as not every character laughs off their behavior and gets away with being a tool to others.

Based on Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' "Dangerous Liaisons," the film follows manipulative stepsiblings Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe) and Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar), who come up with a devious challenge: Sebastian aims to seduce the headmaster's daughter Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon). If he succeeds, Kathryn will sleep with him. If not, he gives Kathryn his car.

While a romance develops between Sebastian and Annette, the film is mostly about Sebastian finding his conscience and realizing the error of his ways. Yet there's a tragic element to this story in the same vein as "Romeo & Juliet." Combining seduction and drama, "Cruel Intentions" is a more serious teen movie that makes full use of its talented cast to captivate the audience. It also features a series of morally bankrupt characters who make the drama that much more juicier and demonstrate how ordinary people often turn into playthings for the rich and demented. As it turns out, money can't buy you humanity.

Teen movies often play a part in discussing sexuality and the raging hormones of that period of life. Resultantly, these films often double up as naughty comedies. In 1999, "American Pie" established itself as the "Porky's" of its generation, as it centers on high school friends who pledge to lose their virginity before they head off to college.

In their quest to do the horizontal tango, they find themselves in awkward and hilarious situations, such as the time in which Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs) decides to test out a theory about how warm and comforting an apple pie is. There's also the real star of the show, Steve Stifler (Seann William Scott), who is an absolutely abhorrent and crude teenager, but it's hilarious how he gets his own back here and the subsequent "American Pie" movies.

Now, there are various scenes of "American Pie" that haven't aged well, but this is a product of its time and the typical '90s frat boy humor. It might not be winning awards for its writing, and some of the life lessons are highly questionable, but there's no disputing that this film had the audience in stitches back then with all its shenanigans and helped to launch one of comedy's most famous franchises.