High school is a memorable time in many people's lives, for better or for worse. The fact that it collides with massive hormonal changes and growth makes it all the more challenging and unexpected for the teenagers that attend. For this reason, it also provides a great setting for both drama and comedy.

Take a look through some of the best high school movies of the past few decades.

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'Mean Girls' - In 2004, the most iconic high school movie since 'Clueless' was released. The film remains highly popular to this day, and many of the lines from the script are instantly recognizable.

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'Rebel Without a Cause' - James Dean stars in this 1955 classic. He plays a rebellious teenager, when the whole concept of a "teenager" was a very new idea. He died the same year, cementing his image as a true icon.

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'Heathers' - 1988 saw the release of one of the darkest and funniest high school movies of all time. Christian Slater and Winona Ryder lead the cast in this cult classic about teenage suicide and murder.

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'Bring It On' - Kirsten Dunst plays a high school cheerleader in this 2000 comedy. The film looks at rivalries between different competing cheerleading squads and has a positive message about respect.

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'American Pie' - This 1999 slapstick comedy arguably set the tone for a cycle of "gross-out" high school or college movies. The outrageous content remains memorable to this day.

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'Superbad' - 2007 saw the start of a different and daring type of comedy hitting the big screens. People like Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill became main staples of the genre. This was an early and successful example.

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'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' - In 1982, this high school comedy was released. It features a very young Sean Penn and was directed by Amy Heckerling, who went on to direct 'Clueless.'

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'Napoleon Dynamite' - This financially profitable film was released in 2004, and follows a socially awkward student who has to deal with the pitfalls of bullying. The heartwarming tale was a runaway success.

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'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' - Released in 1986, this film is one of many 1980s classics directed by John Hughes. Matthew Broderick plays Ferris Bueller, and talks to the audience throughout, breaking the fourth wall.

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'Grease' - This 1978 romantic comedy was the most financially successful film musical of all time upon its release. The 1950s-set high school movie still remains hugely popular, as does its soundtrack.

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'Ten Things I Hate About You' - This 1999 high school movie is a modern-day take on Shakespeare's 'The Taming of the Shrew.' Its young stars, such as Julia Stiles and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, went on to have further success.

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'Say Anything...' - Cameron Crowe's 1989 film was his first as a director. John Cusack plays the lead character, who becomes infatuated with a girl who is "out of his league." It is an iconic film that was praised by critics.

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'American Graffiti' - George Lucas made this coming-of-age film in 1973. It was a critical success and enormously profitable. It concentrates on teenage and youth subcultures.

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'Dazed and Confused' - In 1993, this iconic film was released. While it was not a big success originally, over time it has become a cult classic, gaining both profits and critical acclaim.

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'Carrie' - Brian De Palma's sinister 1976 horror film is not typical high school movie fare. It revolves around a girl who is horrifically bullied by her cruel peers. The film ends with a terrifying climax.

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'Election' - The 1999 film was not a financial success by any means. It bombed at the box-office, but was highly critically acclaimed. This satirical dark comedy stars Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick.

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'To Sir, with Love' - This British film from 1967 stars Sidney Poitier as a teacher in a tough school in the East End of London. The film was both successful and iconic, and has a soundtrack featuring Lulu (who also stars).

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'Peggy Sue Got Married' - This 1986 comedy fantasy, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, sees Kathleen Turner's character go back in time to her high school days. Turner and Nicolas Cage notoriously feuded during filming.

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'The Last Picture Show' - Peter Bogdanovich's classic 1971 film was nominated for many Academy Awards. Starring Jeff Bridges and Cybill Shepherd, the film has been selected for preservation by the National Film Registry.

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'Half Nelson' - The 2006 film stars Ryan Gosling as a high school teacher with an unfortunate cocaine habit. It is a critically acclaimed independent film and earned Gosling an Academy Award nomination.

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'Bad Teacher' - Cameron Diaz stars in this 2011 bad taste comedy. She has plans to earn money for breast augmentation surgery, until other events change her perspectives.

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'Pretty in Pink' - Written by John Hughes, and very typical of his 1980s output, this 1986 film stars Molly Ringwald and is a teenage romantic comedy with a classic 1980s soundtrack.

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'Clueless' - Amy Heckerling's 1995 high school comedy is endlessly quotable and fun. It propelled Alicia Silverstone to stardom and has a cult following to this day.

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'Lady Bird' - Greta Gerwig's 2017 independent film received critical acclaim and numerous Academy Award nominations. The film stars Saoirse Ronan as a high school student going through teenage troubles.

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'The Breakfast Club' - This seminal 1985 John Hughes high school comedy epitomizes its decade and the trials and tribulations of its ensemble cast. The film was hugely successful and remains highly iconic.

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'She's the Man' - This 2006 film was inspired by Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night.' The plot centers around Amanda Bynes having to pretend to be a boy so she can continue to play soccer, as the girls team was disbanded.

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'Coach Carter' - The 2005 film stars Samuel L. Jackson as Coach Carter. Based on a true story, the uplifting tale received praise from critics for Jackson's forceful performance.

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'Fame' - This musical 1980 film details the lives of students within a high school dedicated to the performing arts. The film didn't receive great reviews upon release, but has since gained a cult reputation.

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'Class of 1984' - This controversial 1982 film centers around a high school where the students are so out of control that they are completely criminal. A running battle between a teacher and his students concludes the film.

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'Risky Business' -

This iconic 1983 film stars Tom Cruise as a wealthy high school student. The film did very well both critically and commercially, and covers many themes such as materialism and loss of innocence.