childhood/innocence/coming of age movies

[Guest godthedog]

one of my favorite genres when it's done right, the "i'll never forget that summer" kind of movie. you know, the kind where the main character is growing up and may or may not learn some valuable lesson about life.

 

so, what movie do you think does it best?

 

my personal pick is 'ghost world'. i know i'll get shit for it, but i don't care.

 

special mention also for 'the 400 blows' for capturing the general random atmosphere of childhood so perfectly.

[Guest the pinjockey]

Camp Nowhere

[Guest Youth N Asia]

The Goonies

[Guest LooseCannon]

I liked "ghost world" a lot. Do people not like that movie for some reason?

 

I think "Lovers of the Arctic Circle" falls into this category, but if not, then "Malena."

[Guest C.H.U.D.]

Dazed and Confused without a shadow of a doubt. I wish I could be there when I watch that movie.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

Bah.

 

None of those even rank.

 

The best movie about innocence and coming of age is SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER

[Guest LooseCannon]

Dazed and Confused without a shadow of a doubt. I wish I could be there when I watch that movie.

*slaps forehead*

 

I'm changing my vote to Dazed and Confused.

[Guest MrRant]

Stand By Me

[Guest godthedog]

Bah.

 

None of those even rank.

 

The best movie about innocence and coming of age is SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER

^should be shot for pissing on 'the 400 blows'

 

loose: actually, the only person i know on the board who doesn't like it is chirs3. but he really, really, REALLY doesn't like it. as in, he thinks it's one of the worst movies ever made (maybe even THE worst movie ever made, i can't quite remember). so i was pretty sure i'd get a response from him.

[Guest Incandenza]

Bah.

 

None of those even rank.

 

The best movie about innocence and coming of age is SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER

^should be shot for pissing on 'the 400 blows'

 

loose: actually, the only person i know on the board who doesn't like it is chirs3. but he really, really, REALLY doesn't like it. as in, he thinks it's one of the worst movies ever made (maybe even THE worst movie ever made, i can't quite remember). so i was pretty sure i'd get a response from him.

Chris' opinion should not be considered. Ghost World rocks wid it.

 

Cannon mentioned Malena. I hated that movie. Hated it with a passion.

 

A recent fave in this category woud be Y Tu Mama Tambien.

[Guest godthedog]

damn, that's right, i forgot about 'y tu mama tambien'.

 

but was that masturbation scene at the pool not fucked up? i understand they were trying to show the homoerotic undertones, but jesus...who jacks off right next to his best friend, TALKING to him while they both do it?

[Guest Incandenza]

damn, that's right, i forgot about 'y tu mama tambien'.

 

but was that masturbation scene at the pool not fucked up? i understand they were trying to show the homoerotic undertones, but jesus...who jacks off right next to his best friend, TALKING to him while they both do it?

Best friends sexually attracted to each other, that's who. Those guys would've brushed it off if anyone confronted them about it, noting that it wasn't like they were looking at each other while doing it.

 

In Amarcord, there was a scene of a group of teenagers engaged in a circle jerk, so, be it Mexico or Italy, I'll chalk it up to cultural differences.

[Guest godthedog]

eh...i dunno, fellini's pretty weird. i wouldn't take that as a typical example.

[Guest Incandenza]

There's brotherly masturbation in Angela's Ashes.

[Guest LooseCannon]

Cannon mentioned Malena. I hated that movie. Hated it with a passion.

The thing is, I don't watch a lot of movies in this genre. It was about the only thing I could think've at the time. I didn't think it was that bad.

[Guest notJames]

Stand By Me

Definitely.

 

I'd also go with Ghost World, The Ice Storm, and my all-time favourite The Breakfast Club.

[Guest NoCalMike]

Stand By Me

Ghost World

Goonies

Dazed & Confused

Can't Hardly Wait

[Guest Incandenza]

Cannon mentioned Malena. I hated that movie. Hated it with a passion.

The thing is, I don't watch a lot of movies in this genre. It was about the only thing I could think've at the time. I didn't think it was that bad.

I merely disliked 2/3 of it--I found it too trite and precious; the final third, though, filled me with contempt.

[Guest areacode212]

Dazed & Confused rules it. Whenever I watch that movie, it makes me feel nostalgic for growing up in Texas in the late 70s, even though I've never been anywhere near Texas, and was a year old when the movie takes place.

[Guest Lethargic]

Last House on the Left

[Guest C.H.U.D.]

Last House on the Left

Yeah, I get the warm fuzzies whenever I watch that movie. Especially the part where he carves his name in her chest, then rapes her.

 

Those were the days.

[Guest Banky]

Stand By Me gets it hands down no question.

 

I don't consider Dazed and Confused to really be a coming of age movie. Movies like that, Can't Buy Me Love, Can't Hardly wait are just teenage high school flicks. Nobody really learns anything from them. Stand By Me shows a pivotal change in these boys life. Heh, Im probably talking outta my ass here, but I don't think the aforementioned movies fit in with Stand By Me.

[Guest godthedog]

Stand By Me gets it hands down no question.

 

I don't consider Dazed and Confused to really be a coming of age movie. Movies like that, Can't Buy Me Love, Can't Hardly wait are just teenage high school flicks. Nobody really learns anything from them. Stand By Me shows a pivotal change in these boys life. Heh, Im probably talking outta my ass here, but I don't think the aforementioned movies fit in with Stand By Me.

it could easily be argued that neither 'ghost world' nor 'the 400 blows' have anybody really learning anything either.

[Guest Ravenbomb]

Last House on the Left

Breakfast Club

Almost Famous

[Guest notJames]

it could easily be argued that neither 'ghost world' nor 'the 400 blows' have anybody really learning anything either.

I would say Ghost World charts Enid's realization that she can't live the über-non-conformist teen misanthrope lifestyle in that small town forever. The world is evolving around her and she has to make a choice between staying there and falling in line, or taking the next bus out and finding herself "out there". I think it's a powerful statement about the life of a social misfit and how she adapts or, in this case, refuses to adapt.

 

If for nothing else, I love that Indian music video at the beginning. Good stuff!

[Guest TheHulkster]

This Boy's Life

Stand By Me

[Guest notJames]

Would What's Eating Gilbert Grape be considered a "coming-of-age" film? If so, then I'd put that on my list also.

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

Dazed & Confused rules over all. I can't watch that movie sober without wanting to go out and party.

 

The Goonies and The Sandlot were good too.

[Guest Michael Joel Benoit]

I picked the Sandlot. Not just a good sports movie but a good story about a friendship that lasts a lifetime. I still get chills during the end when each boy disappears. And the boy and the Rodriguez kid do the hand signal after he wins.

[Guest redbaron51]

Stand By Me

Breakfast Club