Random Most Underrated Teen Movies Of Decad (15 items)

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  (#14) My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea

  • Jason Schwartzman, Reggie Watts, Maya Rudolph, Lena Dunham, Susan Sarandon, Thomas Jay Ryan, Alex Karpovsky, John Cameron

  My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea is radically different from every other teen movie on this list in that it's an animated feature. The story concerns newspaper reporter Dash (Jason Schwartzman) and how his life changes when an earthquake rocks his high school, sending it into the sea, where it promptly begins to sink. Needless to say, the potential obliteration of everyone he knows is an occasion for personal reassessment.

  This is not a traditionally animated film like the Disney classics, nor is it a work of CGI animation. Instead, it's an exercise in experimental animation where things purposefully are not as detailed or realistic as you might expect. In fact, you wouldn't be incorrect to say it has an impressionist vibe. Aside from those hypnotic, stylized visuals, the movie has fun spoofing the conventions of teen cinema, which adds a whole extra layer of entertainment.
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  (#11) Tragedy Girls

  • Alexandra Shipp, Brianna Hildebrand, Josh Hutcherson, Craig Robinson, Kevin Durand, Jack Quaid

  One of the big, if inconsequential, concerns for teens these days is achieving sufficient social media attention. Tragedy Girls is a stinging satire of that concern. Brianna Hildebrand and Alexandra Shipp play Sadie and McKayla, besties who decide to boost their Twitter and Instagram followings by slaying people from their town then offering commentary about the "mysterious" passings online. They quickly establish themselves as celebs, until Sadie’s would-be suitor, Jordan (Jack Quaid), gets wise to their scheme.

  Tragedy Girls uses horror to look at adolescent preoccupation with social media influence. It's bloody but also hilariously funny at times, as it simultaneously sends up horror movie and teen cliches. Imagine Mean Girls crossed with The Purge and you get some idea of how this delightfully twisted film plays. 
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  (#2) Dope

  • Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Kimberly Elise, Chanel Iman, Keith Stanfield, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, ASAP Rocky

  Dope is a coming-of-age story told through the prism of adolescent obsession. In this case, the lead character, Malcolm (Shameik Moore), is obsessed with '90s hip-hop music and fashion. He also plays in a band with best friends Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) and Jib (Tony Revolori). One day, Malcolm does a favor for a local dealer in exchange for an invite to a hot party. Through a series of mishaps, he ends up in possession of a substance that another, less benevolent dealer wants.

  The title Dope has two meanings: it refers to the synonym for "awesome" but also to the substance Malcolm needs to get rid of. Writer/director Rick Famuyiwa has fun using the whole '90s hip-hop style to tell a story about a good kid who's forced to do some ethically questionable things in order to get out of a situation he never wanted to be in. The film is funny, substantive, and filled with classic rap tunes. 
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  (#15) The Myth of the American Sleepover

  • Megan Boone, Amy Seimetz, Jade Ramsey, Amanda Bauer, Nikita Ramsey, Jean Louise O'Sullivan, Melanie Leanne Miller, Hali Lula Hudson, Louis Yuen, Steven Sutherland, Michaela Myers, Claire Sloma, Brett Jacobsen, Gino Raona, Alpha Takahashi, Lauren Romanowski, Kimberly Lilly, Olivia Cote, Douglas Diedrich, Danny Agar, Narisa Suzuki, Stephen M. Francis III, Marnie Lewbel, Cat Navarro, Catherine Linebarger, Jimmy Shin, Paris Bowery, Mai Hlee Xiong, Robert Harmon, Annette DeNoyer, Shelley Fager-Bajorek, Peter Flannery II, Hannah Nelson, Claire R. Call, Laura Ortiz, Drew Machak, Wyatt McCallum, Marlon Morton, Shayla Curran, Dane Jones, Monica Klimczak, Walter McCarthy, Madi Ortiz, Tiffany Bowery, Diane LaRue, Josh Hartkorn, Amelia Anderson, Christopher Simon, Kathleen McEneaney, Mary Wardell

  Following in the estimable footsteps of The Breakfast Club and Dazed and Confused, David Robert Mitchell's The Myth of the American Sleepover uses an ensemble to dive into its themes. Four teens from the Detroit area spend the last night of summer looking for romance and excitement before going back to school. As they cross paths in various ways, the characters reveal their thoughts on love, popularity, and the insecurities that come with growing up.

  One of the most exciting things about The Myth of the American Sleepover is that it has a certain purity to it. These kids aren't getting drunk or hooking up, they're trying to find meaning in a period of life where meaning can be difficult to grasp. Mitchell gives it all a nostalgic feel that will make you yearn for the innocent days of your own youth. 
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  (#4) The Spectacular Now

  • Shailene Woodley, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Brie Larson, Bob Odenkirk, Miles Teller, Kyle Chandler, Kaitlyn Dever, Andre Royo, Dayo Okeniyi, Gary Weeks, E. Roger Mitchell, Masam Holden, Christian Higgins, Nicci Faires

  There are two great reasons to make sure you've seen The Spectacular Now. First, it provided early roles for Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, and Brie Larson. Second, it's a potent look at adolescent self-destruction.

  Teller plays Sutter Keely, a guy who presents as Mr. Happy on the outside but is really just masking a lot of pain, thanks to an absentee father and a devastating breakup with his ex (Larson). Meeting new girl Aimee (Woodley) should be a positive turning point in life, except that the drinking he uses to blunt his feelings gets in the way. Thanks to sharp writing and dynamic performances, Sutter's journey to rock bottom and, potentially, back up again is unforgettable. 
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  (#13) Super Dark Times

  • Owen Campbell, Charlie Tahan, Elizabeth Cappuccino, Max Talisman, Sawyer Barth, Amy Hargreaves

  You need to have a strong disposition to watch Super Dark Times. As the title implies, the story told is super dark. Zach (Owen Campbell) and Josh (Charlie Tahan) are best friends who hide the body of a classmate after the latter accidentally stabs him with a sword. The rest of the film follows the repercussions of this action, both in general and on their friendship. 

  Director Kevin Phillips and writers Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski have created a mature, provocative film. Rather than being lurid or exploitative, Super Dark Times reflects on how violence - both the exposure to it and the repressed anger that leads to it - can have a devastating effect on teenagers. It's the kind of picture that rattles you to your core. 

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