(DML Top 20 Lists - Teen Drama Films ranked)

Honorable Mention

Chronicle (2012), Director: Josh Trank, rated PG-13

Boys will be boys

Starring: Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw, Bo Petersen, Anna Wood, Luke Tyler, Rudi Malcolm, Crystal-Donna Roberts

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"See, it's different, 'cause you've always had friends, and people want to talk to you and be around you. I never had any of that. I mean, before this, I barely even hung out with Matt, and he's my cousin. We were close when were little, but- I don't know. In high school, everything changed." - Andrew Detmer to Steve

Why watch this? What if your wish to become a super-powered being came true?

Plot Summary: In this film, three high school students stumble across a large hole in the forest. After exploring its inner cave, they discover a massive crystal object. A few days later, they realize each has new telekinetic abilities. They start to practice their new powers on school pranks and simple object levitation. Each time they do, their noses bleed. Before long, they are able to fly. The most vulnerable of the three, Andrew, who has been filming the entire journey, is having a hard time controlling his powers, especially since he has been a victim of constant bullying and his home life is a wreck.

Dad's Preview: Most people as kids wished they could fly, or be invisible, or become invincible. Many of our greatest fictional heroes are supers: Thor, Wonder Woman and certainly Superman. This story ponders the subject of unnatural abilities and how different people, based on their life experiences, will channel that power. We would prefer to think we'd use it only to do good deeds, but man, I'd sure like to get even with that jerk who gave me wedgies everyday in 7th grade. Now, without fear, I can. This movie is exciting, thought-provoking and a whole lot of super-entertaining, but it's not all fun and games - by its dark end, things get very, horribly serious.

Davis Entertainment Co., Dune Ent.;
20th Century Fox

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #20 Top

Sense and Sensibility (1995), Director: Ang Lee, rated PG

Lose your heart and come to your senses.

Starring: Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Imogen Stubbs, Greg Wise, Gemma Jones, Harriet Walter, James Fleet

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Always resignation and acceptance. Always prudence and honour and duty. Elinor, where is your heart?" - Marianne Dashwood

Why watch this? Verdant English country sides, unrequited love, British stoicism... it's all wonderfully here.

Plot Summary: Upon the death of their father, the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, along with their mother, face a significant reduction in their fortune, forcing them to seek financial security, primarily through marriage. Elinor, the sensible and reserved sister, forms an attachment to Edward Ferrars whose family disapproves of the match. Meanwhile, Marianne, the passionate and impulsive sister, finds herself drawn to the dashing John Willoughby and also attracts the attention of the older Colonel Brandon.

Dad's Preview: This critically-acclaimed film, based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name, whose screenplay was penned by Emma Thompson, transports the audience smack-dab into the middle of 18th century England. I fully admit I am no expert on the dramas from that time period, but I can attest that there is a definite realness at play here. This may stem from director Ang Lee's deft hand, but it mostly comes from incredible performances by Thompson and Winslet. I was also delighted to see a young Alan Rickman among the cast.

Columbia Pictures, Mirage Enterprises;
Sony Pictures Releasing

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #19 Top

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), Director: Mike Newell, Rated PG-13

Everything is About to Change

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emily Watson, Rubert Grint, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I haven't a clue who put your name in that goblet, Harry, but whoever did is no friend to you. People die in this tournament." - Sirius Black

Why watch this? As the young wizards become teens, things start to get real.

Plot Summary: Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts takes a dangerous turn when he is unexpectedly chosen to compete in the Triwizard Tournament, a perilous competition against students from other wizarding schools. Facing a dragon, a challenge in a lake, and an enchanted maze, Harry must navigate these tasks while suspicions grow around his unexplained entry into the tournament. As the competition progresses, a sinister plot unfolds, leading Harry to confront a dark wizard.

Dad's Preview: It's great to see nerdy Rupert Grint sporting a lovely red mop hairstyle. In this film the lead characters' personalities shine amid the awkward interactions with the opposite sex as the Tri-Wizard Tournament takes center stage. This marks another change in the series when, for the first time, a central character is actually murdered, and that devious deed was conducted by none other than He Who Must Not Be Named.

Heyday Films; Warner Bros. Pictures

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #18 Top

Boys Don't Cry (1999), Director: Kimberly Peirce, rated R for language, drug use, brutal rape scene

A true story about finding the courage to be yourself.

Starring: Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Brendan Sexton III, Alicia Goranson, Jeannetta Arnette, Matt McGrath

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Shut up. That's your business. Look, I don't care if you're half monkey or half ape, I'm gettin' you out of here." - Lana

Why watch this? This is the true story of Brandon Teena, a trans-man who was murdered.

Plot Summary: Based on the true story, Brandon Teena, a trans man, living in rural Nebraska, navigates his life and identity while seeking love and acceptance in his community. He falls for Lana, a girl who wants to get away from her small town. When "friends" around them find out the truth, fear and bigotry surfaces and does what it often does - hate what it has been taught to hate, and destroy what it doesn't understand.

Dad's Preview: This painful and shocking film introduced the world to Hilary Swank. Her performance elevates the film. When it comes to the trans community, I just don't understand why people can't just leave them alone. I'm talking to you - the bigots, Christians, Jews, Muslims, bullies, and anyone else who thinks they have the right to hurt fellow human beings. Because of that, the boy inside the man writing this review is heart-broken. But know, trans community, I stand with you.

Independent Film Channel Prod., Killer Films,
Hart-Sharp Ent.; Fox Searchlight Pictures

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #17 Top

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Director: Amy Heckerling, rated R for language, crude humor, nudity, drug use

At Ridgemont High Only the Rules get Busted!

Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Brian Backer, Robert Romanus, Ray Walston, Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman, he's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." – Spicoli

Why watch this? As a teen I loved this crude flick. As an adult, I appreciate it even more.

Plot Summary: The school year of several Southern California teenagers is chronicled as they navigate the challenges and excitements of adolescence. The film explores themes of romance, first jobs, and self-discovery, showing how these young people cope with the ups and downs of growing up. It captures the atmosphere of 1980s youth culture, highlighting social trends like mall culture and the shift towards more casual relationships.

Dad's Preview: This could have been just another irreverent, nudity-filled 80's high school comedy (which it is), but it's so much more than that. There are some great tales to tell about high school and teenagers coming of age. Some are working evening jobs, some are playing sports, some are smoking dope, and all are struggling to find success with the opposite sex. This film has a lot of really funny, and embarrassing moments, you know, like real high school. This raunchy comedy introduced the world to newcomers Judge Reinhold, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and, of course, the scene-stealing Sean Penn, whose portrayal of Spicoli, the surfing stoner who loves to have his pizza delivered to Mr. Hand's history class.

Refugee Films; Universal Pictures

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #16 Top

Juno (2007), Director: Jason Reitman, rated PG-13

A comedy about growing up... and the bumps along the way.

Starring: Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, J. K. Simmons, Rainn Wilson, Olivia Thirlby

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"Nah... I mean, I'm already pregnant, so what other kind of shenanigans could I get into?" – Juno

Why watch this? This is a wonderfully unique film about Zoomers and teen pregnancy.

Plot Summary: Faced with an unplanned teenage pregnancy, the precocious and witty Juno MacGuff decides to carry the baby to term and place it for adoption. She finds prospective adoptive parents, Mark and Vanessa Loring, and begins navigating the complexities of their lives and her own relationships as her pregnancy progresses. Throughout the four seasons of her pregnancy, Juno deals with the emotional and physical challenges, and comes to a deeper understanding of herself, family, and the meaning of love.

Dad's Preview: This quirky little movie is so easy to watch. Perhaps it's Ellen Page (today he is Elliott Page) and her tomboyish, no-nonsense wit. Maybe it's Michael Cera as the loveable slacker, Bleeker. Regardless, it's fun see them stumble through the process of her pregnancy... and her tough decision to give the baby up for adoption. Also helping the film is a great soundtrack from their generation.

Mandate Pictures, Mr. Mudd;
Fox Searchlight Pictures

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #15 Top

Moonrise Kingdom (2012), Director: Wes Anderson, Rated PG-13 for language

A tormenting and surprising story of children and adults during the stormy days of the summer of 1965.

Starring: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Bob Balaban

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"It helps me see things closer. Even if they're not very far away. I pretend it's my magic power." – Suzy, talking about binoculars

Why watch this? Set in a fictitious New England scout camp, two misfit teens flee to pursue their true love.

Plot Summary: Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, the story follows two twelve-year-olds, Sam and Suzy, who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As various authorities try to hunt them down, including the island's police captain and the scout leader of Sam's Khaki Scout troop, a violent storm brews offshore. The peaceful island community is turned upside down as the search intensifies and the storm approaches.

Dad's Preview: There is a refreshing, almost unnatural, sweetness to this film (common for other Wes Anderson efforts). At no time did I feel it's going go off the rails. This movie, with a big nostalgic heart, says a lot about innocence, and how much we miss a time when that was the norm. It is an all-star cast who all see the value in supporting this kind of film about innocence.

Indian Paintbrush, American Empirical Pics;
Focus Features

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #14 Top

Winter's Bone (2010), Director: Debra Granik, rated R for language, violence

Everyone's got a secret

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Kevin Breznahan, Dale Dickey, Garret Dillahunt, Sheryl Lee, Tate Taylor

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"So, I guess come the nut-cutting, blood don't really mean shit to the big man. Am I understanding that right?" - Ree

Why watch this? Man, life is rough if you're poor and live in the Ozark Mountains.

Plot Summary: In the poverty-stricken Ozark Mountains, 17-year-old Ree Dolly cares for her younger siblings and mentally ill mother. When she learns their house was put up for bail by her drug-dealing father, who is now missing, she must find him before the family loses their home. Facing a community bound by a code of silence, Ree navigates treacherous terrain and confronts dangerous relatives in her desperate search for answers.

Dad's Preview: Jennifer Lawrence - damn - she can act... like "move-over-Meryl" act. Here she stars as a hard-scrabble Ozark teen, Ree Dolly, who is trying to find her missing father to keep from being evicted. She also has to care for her two younger siblings and mentally ill mother. In desperation, she starts asking questions. There is resistance from everyone, especially her hillbilly relatives. These tight-lipped folks (because of nearby meth labs) don't like questions, even from family. Lawrence simply dominates the screen as she fights, completely alone, to keep her family safe.

Anonymous Content; Winter's Bone
Prod.; Roadside Attractions

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #13 Top

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Director: John Watts, rated PG-13 for super-hero violence

Homework can wait. The city can't.

Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Jon Favreau, Gwyneth Paltrow, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr.

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"No, this is where you ZIP IT, alright? The adult is talking! What if somebody had died tonight? Different story, right? Because that's on you. And if you died, I think that's on me. I don't need that on my conscience." – Tony Stark

Why watch this? How can Peter Parker be a high-schooler and Spider-Man? Let's see.

Plot Summary: Peter Parker, navigating his dual life as a high school student and Spider-Man, seeks to prove himself worthy of becoming a full Avenger to his mentor, Tony Stark. This desire is tested when Adrian Toomes, a disgruntled salvage worker driven out of business by Stark Enterprises, emerges as the winged villain Vulture, selling advanced alien weaponry sourced from the Battle of New York. Peter finds himself trying to balance his burgeoning heroic responsibilities with his academic and social life.

Dad's Preview: We first were introduced to Tom Holland's spunky Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War (2016). This film shortly followed. Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, plays a major role in Peter's early development and costume enhancements, however there are a few bumps along the way, mostly centered on Peter's juggling duties as high school student and super-hero. The villain, Vulture (played wonderfully by Michael Keaton), just happens to be the father of Peter's love interest. That means the Vulture has two reasons to dislike the teen web-slinger. This has a slimmed-down feel, meaning more character-building as fewer massive battles. I like that here.

Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios,
Pascal Pictures; Sony Pictures Releasing

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #12 Top

The Last Picture Show (1971), Director: Peter Bogdanovich, rated R for language, nudity

Anarene, Texas, 1951. Nothing much has changed...

Starring: Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Ben Johnson, Cloris Leachman, Ellen Burstyn, Eileen Brennan, Clu Gulager, Sam Bottoms, Randy Quaid

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"You wouldn't believe how this country's changed. First time I seen it, there wasn't a mesquite tree on it. Or, a prickly pear neither. I used to own this land, you know." – Sam the Lion

Why watch this? A bittersweet story about living in a dying Texas town in 1951.

Plot Summary: This coming-of-age story is set in the early 1950s in a small, dying Texas town where two best friends navigate their senior year of high school. They confront love, betrayal, and the struggle to escape their stagnant surroundings, while an older generation grapples with the decline of their community and changing times. The closure of the town's only movie theater symbolizes the broader cultural and economic shifts affecting their lives and prospects.

Dad's Preview: There ain't much to do in the Little oil town of Anarene. For the population, it is a painful existence. As we get to know them, we wonder who will be swallowed up and who will escape. This well-crafted film perfectly sets the mood, and we can picture scenes like this playing out in real Texas hamlets like Morton, Abilene, Waco or Mineral Wells. Many of this film's young actors became majors stars, but it's veteran actor Ben Johnson who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor as Sam the Lion.

BBS Productions; Columbia Pictures

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #11 Top

Dazed and Confused (1993), Director: Richard Linklater, rated R for drug and alcohol use, language

It was the last day of school in 1976, a time they'd never forget...
if only they could remember.

Starring: Jason London, Wiley Wiggins, Matthew McConaughey, Joey Lauren Adams, Milla Jovovich, Shawn Andrews, Rory Cochrane, Adam Goldberg, Sasha Jenson, Marissa Ribisi, Michelle Burke, Cole Hauser, Parker Posey, Ben Affleck

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"All I'm saying is that if I ever start referring to these as the best years of my life - remind me to kill myself..." - Pink

Why watch this? It's a walk down (my) memory lane with a killer soundtrack.

Plot Summary: A group of Austin teenagers celebrate their last day of high school in 1976 by seeking out parties, cruising the town's central hangout spots, and engaging in classic end-of-year traditions. As the sun sets, the younger students navigate the challenges presented by the older seniors while various cliques search for the biggest and best keg party of the night. The intersecting lives of these high schoolers and recent graduates capture the anticipation of growing up and the freedom of a single, memorable summer evening.

Dad's Preview: Like other films regarding school hijinks, such as American Graffiti (1973) and Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), this coming-of-age story captures the late 1970's with all the off-kilter, bong-filled honesty it deserves. Alcohol use was standard fare, and pot was just coming into its own as a recreational drug. This was before MTV when happiness was a cool hard rock song blaring on your Camaro's 8-track. There were heads, jocks, brains, band nerds, poindexters, and teasers. A few were cool. The rest, however, didn't know what the hell they were doing, or where they were going. This film captures all that and more. It features many young stars destined for fame. I do have to say, any soundtrack featuring classic rockers like "Fox on the Run" and "Love Hurts" is gonna resurrect some old, fun memories.

Alphaville, Detour Filmproduction;
Gramercy Pictures

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #10 Top

Dirty Dancing (1987), Director: Emile Ardolino, rated PG-13 for adult situations

First dance. First love. The time of your life.

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes, Jack Weston, Jane Brucker, Jack Weston, Lonny Price

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Nobody puts Baby in a corner." - Johnny

Why watch this? A great coming-of-age story centered on summer camp and dancing.

Plot Summary: Frances "Baby" Houseman is a young woman vacationing with her family at a Catskills resort in the summer of 1963. There, she becomes infatuated with Johnny Castle, the resort's dance instructor. As Baby steps in to help Johnny with a performance, their relationship deepens, exploring themes of love, class differences, and personal growth.

Dad's Preview: Much has been written about this romantic dance movie, and with good reason. It's smart, fun and very saucy. The leads are great. It has been rumored that Swayze and Grey fought the duration of filming. On screen, though, they make beautiful music. I also must tip my hat to supporting actors Jerry Orbach, as Baby's concerned father, and Cynthia Rhodes, a pregnant dancer with no one to turn to. Finally, my sweet Mom loved this little flick about naughty dancing. Perhaps Mom wasn't as sweet as I thought! And yes, I'm blushing.

Great American Films, Limited Partnership;
Vestron Pictures

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #9 Top

The Cowboys (1972), Director: Mark Rydell, rated PG for violence, language

All they wanted was their chance to be men...and he gave it to them.

Starring: John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Brown, Bruce Dern, Colleen Dewhurst, Adolfo Martinez, Slim Pickens, Stephen Hudis

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I'm thirty years older than you are. I had my back broke once, and my hip twice. And on my worst day I could beat the hell out of you." – Wil Anderson

Why watch this? Wayne has never been better, as a man desperate to drive his cattle to market.

Plot Summary: Wil Andersen, a rancher needing help for his cattle drive, is forced to hire on a group of inexperienced schoolboys after his regular crew leaves for the gold rush. He trains these youngsters, who learn about life and the responsibilities of being a cowboy during their arduous journey. Their challenging drive is complicated by the presence of a gang of rustlers who are after their herd.

Dad's Preview: This is a superb non-standard Western. Wayne has to holster his pistols and become a surrogate father for the young boys he has hired for the trail drive. I'll forever love Roscoe Lee Brown as Mr. Nightlinger, the cook, who breathes real life into his role. And who will ever forget Bruce Dern as "Long Hair", the film's creepy, murderous antagonist. I love it when the Dukes tells the boys each early morning, "We're burnin' daylight!"

Mark Rydell; Warner Bros.

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #8 Top

CODA (2021), Director: Sian Heder, rated PG-13 for language

Every family has its own language.

Starring: Emilia Jones, Eugenio Derbez, Troy Kotsur, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Daniel Durant, Marlee Matlin

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You know why God made farts smell? So deaf people could enjoy them too." - Frank Rossi

Why watch this? It's so unique, and necessary, to watch such a wonderful film!

Plot Summary: CODA follows Ruby, a high school senior who is the only hearing member of her deaf family. She helps her family run their struggling fishing business, acting as their interpreter and connecting them to the hearing world. When Ruby discovers her passion and talent for singing, she finds herself torn between her obligations to her family and her aspirations to pursue her dreams.

Dad's Preview: CODA grabbed me from the first minute. It pulls you in. You cannot take your eyes off the screen. It requires your dedicated focus and concentration. That's the point. The film exposes us to the stark reality that the deaf community lives with every second of every day. This soulful film is funny, painful, inspirational, light, heavy - everything. Troy Kotsur, as Ruby's father, really captured my heart; man, I felt every pang of anguish emanating from his eyes... and his deepest soul.

Vendôme Pictures, Pathé; Apple Original Films

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #7 Top

What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Director: Lasse Hallström, rated PG-13 for mature themes

Life is a Terrible Thing to Sleep Through.

Starring: Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juliette Lewis, Darlene Cates, Laura Harrington, Mary Kate Schellhardt, Kevin Tighe, John C. Reilly

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I'm not gonna let her be a joke." - Gilbert, speaking about his mother

Why watch this? This heart-rendering story is superb thanks to its incredible cast.

Plot Summary: Gilbert Grape is a young man burdened by the weight of caring for his morbidly obese mother and his intellectually disabled younger brother, Arnie, in their small, stagnant Iowa town. Gilbert struggles to balance his family responsibilities with his own desires for happiness and freedom, feeling trapped by his circumstances. His life takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of Becky, a free-spirited woman who challenges his perspective and offers him a glimpse of a different future.

Dad's Preview: A lot of warranted attention went to 19-year-old Leo DiCaprio, who garnered a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, but it's Johnny Depp who makes it all work. You can just feel the weight he bears each and every day supporting his dysfunctional family. Yet, for as bad as it is, he still manages to keep going, hoping that things will someday change for all of them. Why the Academy disrespects Mr. Depp is beyond me.

Matalon Teper Ohisson; Paramount Pics

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #6 Top

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), Director: Stephen Chbosky, rated PG-13

We accept the love we think we deserve.

Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Mae Whitman, Kate Walsh, Dylan McDermott, Joan Cusack, Paul Rudd

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You can't just sit there and put everybody's lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love." - Samantha "Sam" Button

Why watch this? It is an interesting, relevant, coming-of-age story that most of use can relate to.

Plot Summary: The film follows un-extraordinary Charlie, a freshman high school student. He suffers from clinical depression and is therefore incredibly shy. He meets two seniors, Patrick (an extremely animated and rebellious gay boy) and his step-sister Samantha "Sam" (a quite, awkward and adorable girl who is in a steady relationship). Patrick and Sam decide it's a good idea to bring Charlie into their small group of social outcasts; sorta take him under their wings. The brainy Patrick quickly develops a crush on Sam, and he helps her study to improve her SAT score. Then normal high school stuff occurs and starts to un-repress Charlie's mental issues.

Dad's Preview: About ten minutes into this film, I felt it grab me. It felt fresh, creative and from the heart. This often-poignant story centers on the over-blown concepts of being "cool", and the ever-present pressures of high school. Why can't kids just be who they are? It has a lot to do with parents who demand that their kids stand out, make A's, be exceptional. How will mediocre get the scholarship or big job? This film begs to differ. Life is wonderful because of these "wallflowers" exist, filling the spaces and giving many delightful misfits a place to feel safe... and even loved.

Mr. Mudd Productions; Summit Ent. thru
Lionsgate

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #5 Top

Stand By Me (1986), Director: Rob Reiner, rated R for language, crude humor

For some, it's the last real taste of innocence, and the first real taste of life.
But for everyone, it's the time that memories are made of.

Starring: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, Casey Siemaszko, Frances Lee McCain, Richard Dreyfuss

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Boy, you don't know nothing. Mighty Mouse is a cartoon. Superman's a real guy. There's no way a cartoon could beat up a real guy!" - Teddy

Why watch this? I was one of these kids, going on long adventures, playing in the woods, worrying my mom.

Plot Summary: Four young friends are on a journey through the Oregon wilderness in the summer of 1959, as they search for a missing boy. During their quest, they face various adventures and challenges, which test their bonds and force them to confront personal struggles. This journey becomes a coming-of-age experience, shaping their individual paths and deepening their understanding of friendship and loss.

Dad's Preview: This is yet another film created from a Stephen King story (The Body). It follows four 12-year-old boys who venture to find the body of a boy who was killed along a remote stretch of railroad tracks. The strength of this film is simply the mannerisms and interactions between the boys. Each one is different, with unique skills and problems. Yet they stick together, as they get closer to their grim destination.

Act III Productions; Columbia Pictures

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #4 Top

Napoleon Dynamite (2004), Director: Jared Hess, rated PG

He's out to prove he's got nothing to prove.

Starring: Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell, Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino, Diedrich Bader

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Napoleon, don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day. Besides, we both know that I'm training to be a cage fighter." - Kip

Why watch this? ... the quote-ability! I literally know every line from this film. Gosh!

Plot Summary: In a small Idaho town, the awkward and socially isolated Napoleon Dynamite navigates high school life while dealing with his eccentric family, which includes his internet-obsessed older brother Kip and get-rich-quick scheming uncle Rico. He finds unexpected friendships with a shy, artistic girl Deb and a quiet exchange student who decides to run for class president, Pedro. Napoleon's journey involves supporting his friends and discovering his own unique way of belonging in a world that often misunderstands him.

Dad's Preview: You'll either get this film, or you won't. When I laud this, some folks look at me like I'm crazy (hint: that's how I can tell you grew up as a bully). The plot is really about nothing, just some kids at high school. They are nerds. One in particular, Napoleon, just won't accept that he's not destined for greatness. My kids and I watched this film over and over. We still quote its lines. We rejoice when the nerds actually win one! Because, honestly, there's alotta nerd in many of us.

Napoleon Pictures; Fox Searchlight
thru 20th Century Fox

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #3 Top

Dead Poets Society (1989), Director: Peter Weir, rated PG-13

He was their inspiration. He made their lives extraordinary.

Starring: Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, Josh Charles, Kurtwood Smith, George Martin

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world." – John Keating

Why watch this? It shows the wonder found in new, controversial ideas; and the lengths some people will go to suppress them.

Plot Summary: At a strict all-boys preparatory school in 1959, an unconventional English teacher uses poetry to inspire his students to embrace individuality and challenge societal expectations. He encourages them to "seize the day" and pursue their passions, leading to both inspiring self-discovery and direct confrontation with school officials used to doing things more conservatively.

Dad's Preview: Robin Williams really changed his career trajectory with this film. It established him as more than just a comedic actor. It is a wonderful, albeit painful, story of a prep school English teacher who is ahead of his time. He desperately strives to tap into the passions within his young male students (using his witty comedy style). The film is uplifting, wonderful and simultaneously tragic. Everyone will forever remember the phrase, "Carpe Diem!"

Touchstone Pics, Silver Screen Partners IV;
Buena Vista Pictures Distributing

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #2 Top

Your Name (2016), Director: Makoto Shinkai, rated PG-13

Experience Japan's #1 film of 2016, from visionary director Makoto Shinkai.

Starring: (the English voice talents of:) Michael Sinterniklaas, Stephanie Sheh, Kyle Hebert, Cassandra Lee Morris, Ben Pronsky, Ray Chase, Laura Post, Glynis Ellis, Catie Harvey, Scott Williams, Michelle Ruff, Katy Vaughn

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"What should I do? Would I annoy him? Would it be awkward? Or maybe he'd be a bit glad to see me?" - Mitshuha, regarding a chance encounter with Taki

Why watch this? More attention needs to be paid to anime films, including this masterpiece.

Plot Summary: The story follows a high school girl in rural Japan and a high school boy in Tokyo who begin to mysteriously swap bodies. They learn about each other's lives and build a connection by leaving notes and messages. When the body-swapping suddenly stops, the boy goes on a quest to find the girl, only to discover a heartbreaking truth about their connection.

Dad's Preview: This intelligent, completely entertaining sci-fi film covers a lot, makes you think, and knows what it is: an impossible love story. It's plot is hard to explain, and that is why it works so well. The viewer is asked to fill in the blanks, based on an incomplete set of facts. It eventually gets where it's going, but is is like savoring a great slice of cheesecake one fork at a time. The part-CGI-part-traditional animation is truly eye-popping. The soundtrack is catchy in a kind of 90's vibe. However, it's the creative story that drives this spanning epic about two longing souls who somehow cosmically connect, and are forced to battle inner and outer obstacles to be together.

CoMix Wave Films; Toho

Top 20 Teen Drama Films #1 Top

Almost Famous (2000), Director: Cameron Crowe, rated PG-13 for language, sexual situations

Stillwater Runs Deep!

Starring: Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Jason Lee, Frances McDormand, Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk, Philip S. Hoffman, Zooey Deschanel

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #31 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Almost Famous

"Aw, man. You made friends with them. See, friendship is the booze they feed you. They want you to get drunk on feeling like you belong." - Lester Bangs

Why watch this? It's the swan song about rock and rock in my era, you know, the awesome 70's!

Plot Summary: William Miller, at 15-years-old, is an aspiring journalist who gets a dream assignment: to write a cover story for Rolling Stone magazine. He embarks on a tour leg with the up-and-coming rock band Stillwater, experiencing the highs and lows of life on the road. William navigates the world of rock and roll, forming relationships with the band members and a groupie named Penny Lane, all while trying to maintain his journalistic integrity.

Dad's Preview: Much of the film's earnestness comes from the film's director, Cameron Crowe, who lived a life similar to young William Miller. He too was a Rolling Stone writer, and his wife is none other than Nancy Wilson, guitarist for Heart - So the man knows the rock world. Bill Crudup, as the incendiary Russell Hammond, is unforgettable. Kate Hudson's pretty darn good, too. It has great musical performances and a wonderful soundtrack documenting the last great years of Rock 'n' Roll.

DreamWorks Pics, Columbia Pics, Vinyl Films;
DreamWorks Dist. LLC