high schools

• Apt Pupil directed by Bryan Singer (1998)

  [6/10]

  "Ian McKellen and Brad Renfro provide the life force in Apt Pupil, but even with such good efforts, the final act leaves us wanting more."

• Density of Souls, A by Christopher Rice (2000)

  [5/10]

  "Even though I had some problems with the construction of A Density of Souls, I found the plot reasonably well formed for a first novel. The story keeps you reading because you find the characters interesting although ultimately underdeveloped."

• Girl Next Door, The directed by Luke Greenfield (2004)

  [6/10]

  "Director Luke Greenfield has created a well constructed teen comedy with a bit of a plot twist at the end."

• High School Musical directed by Kenny Ortega (2006)

  [5/10]

  "It can happen -- a made for TV movie from Disney that doesn't suck. In fact High School Musical does a pretty good job at providing snappy songs, occasionally interesting choreography, and a less than lame plot."

• Juno directed by Jason Reitman (2007)

  [8/10]

  "Juno does a good job at portraying a particular girl's experience with teen pregnancy, although I don't think you can extend this portrait much beyond Juno's character since she has more self-confidence and personal determination than most adults."

• Step Up directed by Anne Fletcher (2006)

  [5/10]

  "When you watch a movie like Step Up, you wish the producers had just left out the lame, connect-the-scenes plot and just given us twice as much dancing."

• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (2005)

  [8/10]

  "Meyer does an excellent job at building the tension to a nerve-splitting peak, and her exposition about her vampires never gets boring or preachy."

• Walk to Remember, A by Nicholas Sparks (1999)

  [5/10]

  "Some stories tug at your heartstrings. Others, like Nicholas Sparks's A Walk to Remember try so hard to tug at your heart that you can't help but grow annoyed at the attempt."

  Average score: 6.00