Five Best: High School Movie Parties

courtesy of movies.about.com

I know, it's a bit specific, but I didn't want to include non-high school films. If we included college parties, it would be a bit out of hand. So, in a nostalgic callback to how we used to try and celebrate when we were still underage, let's look at how the movies do it. Sure, these all involve underage drinking, drugs, and premarital sex of some kind, but what a good time it was to be young and free, right? So here they are - the best parties high schoolers can throw on film in chronological order.

Kid N' Play in "House Party" courtesy of ewinsidemovies.com	House Party (1990) Well, this kind of had to be done. It was one of the first movies about teenagers that never seemed to have any self-control. Who cares about growing up...let's just party! Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin (rap team Kid N' Play) star in this silly little movie about rebellion, having fun, and freindship. Okay...I'm not going to pull a greater meaning out of this movie. It's just fun.
Scene from "Dazed and Confused" courtesy of jinni.com	Dazed and Confused (1993) Richard Lanklater takes us to the last day of school in May 1976 and introduces us to a collection of characters, all looking for the same thing - a good old fashioned visceral experience. Get drunk, do drugs, and all that stuff that comes with it. The cast of misfits assemble at the water tower to throw a crazy bash as they say goodbye to last year and prepare fort the next step in their lives. Fantastic performances from people you didn't even think had it in them.
Seth Green in "Can't Hardly Wait" courtesy of nydailynews.com	Can't Hardly Wait (1998) Before I get any criticism, try to watch this movie again and not feel some sense of nostalgia. The last night of high school, so you have to throw a party. Well, between people trying to sleep with each other, breaking up, reconciling with a former friend, and telling the girl of our dreams how we feel, we are in for a pretty crazy night. A cast that's a who's who of late 90's young actors, it's just so much fun and almost doesn't care what you think.
Thomas Ian Nicholas and Jennifer Coolidge in "American Pie" courtesy of listal.com	American Pie (1999) I tried to avoid adding this as much as possible, but it was inevitable. The final senior party at Stiffler's (Sean William Scott) house is the capper on these boys' search for self, love, and, well, you know. This original in the series feels a tad dated, but you can't argue with the truth behind the story. Whether we wanted to admit it or not, every high school guy went through this (in a way) and hopefully came out a better person on the other end.
Scene from "Superbad" courtesy of film.com	Superbad (2007) An honest movie about two high school seniors who are heading in different directions. Jonah Hill and Michael Cera lead a hilarious cast on a wild night that takes us from house party to house party, as they try to provide the apples of their eyes with the alcohol they need to make the night perfect. Just like every other teen movie, they grow in a matter of two hours to understand the true meaning of their friendship, but in a much more enjoyable way. True story: I saw this in the theater with my girlfriend (now wife) and she got carded at the door. She was 29 at the time.

Confession: lots of these lists are built around my desire to include one of my favorites in a list. Thanks to Sara for giving me a suggested outlet, which led to this category. So, if you have a problem with it, let me know in the comments and we'll have a civil argument about why you are wrong.