— by Ben Cosgrove The prom. It's a rite of passage — and like most rites, it often involves as much pain and anxiety as pleasure. And who better to exploit, explain, chronicle and celebrate the wonder and the weirdness than Hollywood? Not surprisingly, over the years the subject has been approached from just about every possible angle — romantic, comedic, horrific — and the fact that it still has not been exhausted as a cinematic plot device just goes to show how deeply it's ingrained in our collective consciousness (or how bereft of imagination the studios are). Here they are, then: ten of the finest prom movies you'll ever watch while making out. Dim the lights. Find a partner. Enjoy. "A Cinderella Story" (2004) Okay, so it's not exactly, strictly a prom movie — but pretty much any list of high school dance films that doesn't mention at least one take on the Cinderella myth just isn't doing its job. Hilary Duff stars as a modern Californian version of the young girl bullied by her stepmother and longing for something more. At a Halloween dance, she meets her mystery man (Chad Michael Murray, sporting what looks like a self-administered haircut); drops her cell phone instead of a glass slipper while running off; and the rest is history — or at least romance. "Napoleon Dynamite" (2004) A comedy that makes some people angry; a satire that makes some people weepy — however you approach "Napoleon Dynamite," it's pretty certain that you'll come away feeling like you've seen something utterly new. And the prom scene? Let's just say that if Napoleon can find happiness (or even merely a little peace) in this crazy world, then there's hope for all of us. "Mean Girls" (2004) High school dating and dancing resemble tests of Darwinian survival-of-the-fittest theories as Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams and the rest of the uniformly fine cast bring Tina Fey's sharp script to life. Best of all, the movie's dark humor feels utterly genuine — and as Homer Simpson occasionally reminds us whenever horribly awkward situations arise: "it's funny because it's true." "Never Been Kissed" (1999) Is this the quintessential prom movie? Probably not. ("She's All That" wins the title, hands down.) But who can resist a movie in which Drew Barrymore plays a newspaper copyeditor who gets sent back to high school, undercover, to see what the kids are up to nowadays, and report on it for all the world to see? We sure can't. Drew in a prom dress: all's well with the world. "She's All That" (1999) The set-up is kind of disgusting, but the payoff is worth it: studly Zach (Freddie Prinze, Jr.) takes a bet that he can turn the class she-geek (Rachael Leigh Cook) into the prom queen. How anyone could see anything but beauty and light in Cook — even if she was covered in ashes and wearing a burlap sack — is beyond imagining, but this updating of George Bernard Shaw's classic play, "Pygmalion," has a good heart and some real soul. "American Pie" (1999) What is there to say about this groundbreaking film that hasn't already been said by members of that vocal fringe advocacy group, Americans United in Unholy Love of Baked Desserts? Jason Biggs, Tara Reid, Sean William Scott and the rest of the cast gamely play it to the hilt. But wait: will the lads succeed in their pact to lose their virginity before prom night? Ask the pie. "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" (1992) Yes, people: Buffy originally appeared on the big screen. And you know what? She kicked ass there, too. In fact, this movie warrants a mention not only because it's an excellent prom movie, but because it's just a really smart, fun popcorn flick, with some amazing actors (Donald Sutherland, Rutger Hauer) having a good time chewing the scenery, and Kristy Swanson blazing the path that SMG would tread so expertly a few years later on the tube. "Pretty In Pink" (1986) Can we talk about the cast for a second? Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Andrew McCarthy, Gina Gershon, Andrew Dice Clay, Harry Dean Stanton — it's like the misfit island of misfit misfits. But together? Ah, chemistry. Ringwald, Cryer and McCarthy form the film's love triangle (poor girl, weird guy and rich weird guy), and the prom in this one actually feels like proms are supposed to feel: a beginning, and an end. "Prom Night" (1980) The queen of scream, Jamie Lee Curtis, stars in this heartwarming tale of murder, revenge and very bad '80s hair. Four kids swear each other to secrecy when a child they're playing with is accidentally killed. Six years later, it's prom night — and a witness to the crime is ready to make someone pay. (Note: The movie also has an excellent tagline: "If you're not back by midnight... you won't be coming home.") "Carrie" (1976) Stephen King's horror novel became director Brian De Palma's first mainstream hit — and what a way to make a splash: with a bucket of pig's blood dumped on poor, picked-on high schooler Carrie (Sissy Spacek). If you've never seen this, you're in for a treat; if you've seen it, but haven't watched it in a while, brace yourself: it can still scare the bejesus out of you. Check out these and literally thousands of other DVDs in The MTV Shop. Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, interviews, trailers and more.
	Photos: Miramax Films