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As the 90’s influence across all creative industries shows no signs of wavering, we here at Fuzzable also can’t help but ride the vintage wave of nostalgia, finding ourselves referencing elements of the iconic decade in all aspects of our everyday lives – from our style choices, to the music we listen to, to the visual entertainment we subscribe to and watch – we must confess, we are ‘totally’ 90’s obsessed!
For many, the 1990’s was a re-awakening, and the start of a whole new beginning. The 80’s were now a distant memory, and what lay ahead was a decade full of promise, that symbolised the dawn of a new era and the start of an exciting and invigorating time in the lives of many young people. Gone were the ideals and values of the past – there were now no limits as to how your life could or should be…
In hindsight, it’s no wonder that with all of that intoxicating energy, and new sense of freedom in the air, so many of the worlds most creative and forward thinking souls at that time felt inspired to head out into the unknown, and create a plethora of entertainment and art that would ultimately go on to shape and change the world in which we knew it, forever!
Team Fuzz loves nothing more than a good old throwback movie moment – especially when said movie was made, created and/or set in the glorious years between 1990 and 1999, so take a trip down memory lane with us, and check our pick of some of the best 90’s teen movies that we know, you will LOVE…
CLUELESS
Regarded by many as being the defining teen movie of the 90’s, Clueless captured the imagination of a generation upon it’s cinematic release back in 1995.
Loosely based on Jane Austin’s 1815 novel Emma, the film tells the story of uber popular Beverley Hills rich kid Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone), who’s carefree lifestyle and pampered, privileged world is turned upside down by her less than satisfactory school report card and the arrival home of college-educated step-brother Josh (Paul Rudd).
Feeling hard done by and incensed by Josh’s persistent questioning of her character, Cher sets about turning her fortunes around by ‘doing good’ for others, in the only way she knows how.
Heartfelt and hilarious, charming and timeless… Clueless was a fresh take on the teen movie formula, with it’s biting, ironic sense of humour and soft satirical feel, the movie perfectly encapsulated a remarkable moment in time.
10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU
Based on Shakespeare’s comedy The Taming Of The Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You tells the story of Katarina “Kat” and Bianca Stratford – two sisters who couldn’t be more different if they tried.
Kat is smart, driven and abrasive. Bianca is blonde, pretty and popular. Bianca is boy crazy, Kat is not… and there lies the problem! As strict Stratford family rules state that younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) cannot date until older sister Kat (Julia Stiles) has a boyfriend, and much to Bianca’s frustration, that doesn’t appear to be happening anytime soon.
So in a bid to get what she wants (a date with her teenage crush Joey Donner) Bianca and new friend/potential love interest Cameron James (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) go about setting her unassuming sister up, to find love… enter Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger), a bad-boy with a mysterious reputation, who – on paper – is the complete and total opposite, in every way possible, to Kat. But as the saying goes, ‘opposites attract’… don’t they?
What transpires throughout the film is is a funny, fresh perfectly executed take on a tried and true, ageless fairytale, love story.
SHE’S ALL THAT
On face value, some may dismiss 1999’s She’s All That as being just “another teen movie” – devoid of original plot and nothing but a social commentary on social cliques, high school relationships and teenagers obsessed with sex – and to a certain extent they may be right, but with it’s A-List cast, unique take on the classic teen love story, epic soundtrack and iconic dance scene, the Robert Iscove directed teen flick is one of our faves!
When popular high school jock Zack (Freddie Prinze, Jr.) makes a rather churlish bet with friends to orchestrate a way to take a dorky, “unpopular” girl and turn her into a Prom Queen (all as a way to get revenge on his ex-girlfriend, Taylor), the last thing he expects to do is to fall in love with the unknowing target of his superficial affections – Rachel Leigh Cook’s character Laney.
Following a series of chance encounters, random events and awkward dates, Zack manages to woo art student Laney and convince her to undergo a full image make-over and… well, you can maybe guess the rest!
Fun and cute, and even though it maybe a little dated in it’s message for first time viewers of the movie in 2020, She’s All That is still a must-see for any die-hard fan of all things 90s.
AMERICAN PIE
Responsible for singlehandedly reviving the ‘gross-out comedy’ genre at the close of the decade, American Pie was the talk of the town upon its release back in 1999, due to its lewd humour, jaw-dropping storylines and blatant exploration of teen sexual themes and fantasies.
High School seniors Jim (Jason Biggs), Oz (Chris Klein), Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) and Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) are four best friends with one thing on their minds… sex! Desperate to not end their High School experience as virgins, the four best friends make a pact they they will all lose their virginity by prom night at the end of the school year! As you can probably imagine, what follows is a certainly eventful adventure of horny hijinks, as the guys find themselves in a number of compromising and outrageous situations in a bid to fulfil their trusted promise to one another.
Crude, rude and crass, yet utterly hilarious, endearing and even, at times, really rather heartwarming, American Pie is without doubt one of the funniest, most outrageous teen movies of the 90s!
NEVER BEEN KISSED
Have you ever longed to go back in time to relive your high school days, old, wiser and with a little bit more life experience? Well that’s exactly what Chicago Sun-Times junior copywriter Josie Gellar (Drew Barrymore) gets to do in the classic romantic comedy Never Been Kissed.
But instead of feeling superior to her peers and being more at ease with her now adult self, Gellar slowly reverts back to her old, insecure teenage ways, feeling just as self-conscious and just as isolated as she once did, as all of her uncomfortable high school memories and buried emotions return to haunt her.
However with the support of her brother Rob (David Arquette), new BFF Aldys (Leelee Sobieski) and a budding relationship/romance with ‘teacher’ Mr Coulson (Michael Vartan), Josie eventually finds the inner confidence and the powerful voice she has longed for her whole life.
A ‘coming-of-age’ movie with real heart, that tells a story of which we all most probably relate, Never Been Kissed is an absolute teen movie must-see!
