With 2012 proving to be the best twelve months for teen movies in quite literally donkey’s years, all eyes are now on 2013 to deliver on the promise of its predecessor. Here are five titles due out this year that should have no trouble bolstering the reputation of the much-maligned teen genre.
Fresh from not making the last two Twilight films, Sofia Coppola follows up 2010′s exquisite Stephen Dorff-fest Somewhere with The Bling Ring, a rare crossover of the teen and true crime genres. Based on the antics of the real-life Bling Ring who — between October 2008 and August 2009 — repeatedly broke into Paris Hilton’s house, stole her jewellery, did her coke and danced around in her shoes, the film sees Emma Watson taking on her first bona fide lead role since the 2007 BBC One drama Ballet Shoes. And, presumably, giving her first half-way decent performance — Coppola wouldn’t steer us wrong, would she?
Foremost purveyors of supernatural romance Summit Entertainment trade sparkly vampires for existential zombies in Warm Bodies, the new one from The Wackness writer-director Jonathan Levine — not to mention the latest in a long line of attempts by Nick Hoult to crack the States. The trailer promises a maximum of charm, a minimum of cringe and only a very small amount of Rob Corddry, so with a UK release set for February 8th, this could be a good Valentine’s Day choice for those not brave enough to tackle Run For Your Wife.
It’s easy (and perhaps even wise) to hate on a remake of a near-perfect film that has stood the test of time and remained an uncontested horror classic for 37 years, but let’s not forget that this new Carrie does represent one of 2013′s most exciting alliances of director and star, with Boys Don’t Cry‘s Kimberly Peirce teaming up with 15-year-old freak talent Chloë Grace Moretz. And if the (hopefully standalone) teaser trailer is anything to go on, they haven’t totally fucked up what was so great about the original.
After the seven-hour documentary trilogy Paradise Lost and last year’s Amy Berg doc West of Memphis, you might think enough had been said on the big screen about the wrongfully-or-rightfully-convicted West Memphis Three. Well, think again, because Devil’s Knot tells that very same story but with added Reese Witherspoon, Colin Firth and Ultra Culture favourite Dane DeHaan. The script comes courtesy of Paul Harris Boardman and Scott Derrickson (the dream team behind Sinister and Urban Legends: Final Cut) but don’t worry about that because Dane DeHaan.
After a mystifying debut at last year’s Venice Film Festival, Harmony Korine‘s uncategorisable teen oddity Spring Breakers secured UK distribution late last year and will hit British screens in the coming months. Featuring R-rated turns from tween stars Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson and Vanessa Hudgens, and a soundtrack jointly composed by Cliff Martinez and Skrillex, the film returns Korine to his teen movie roots and audiences to a state of alternating bliss and confusion.