When it comes to college, it’s hard to dedicate time to watching TV, much less an entire movie. There are too many to choose from and, honestly, I’d rather spend my time watching TikTok than browsing through my Netflix home page.
So, to help you regain that attention span you’re quickly losing with each scroll through your FYP, I’ll point you toward some films that have truly left an impact on me through beautiful cinematography, complex characters, great soundtracks, and amazing plots.
Here are five coming-of-age movies you NEED to watch.
1. Girl, Interrupted
The first movie, my personal favorite, is Girl Interrupted. Starring Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder, this 1999 film will throw you into the troublesome world of Susanna Kaysen, a recent high school graduate with Borderline Personality Disorder. Set in the late 1960’s, this movie dives into complicated topics regarding mental health and relationships. Several mental illnesses are portrayed quite accurately through characters struggling to navigate their lives in early adulthood. Each character has layers and viewers who have dealt with mental challenges will likely see parts of themselves exemplified in the women of McLean Hospital (a real hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts!). The acting in this film is brilliant, impactful, and realistic to the time. This movie will leave you with questions, lessons, and in pure awe at how absolutely breathtaking Angelina Jolie is.
2. All the Bright Places
Grab your tissues for this one. All the Bright Places follows a seventeen-year-old girl named Violet Markey and her journey to finding happiness following the devastating loss of her sister. When Violet and fellow student Theodore Finch begin working together on a school project, Finch slowly teaches her to laugh, love, and truly live again. The catch is, Finch is burying his own pain within. Personally, my favorite thing about this movie is the portrayal of Finch’s bipolar disorder. As someone who also struggles with this diagnosis, I relate to him deeply. Seeing yourself in a character serves as a wonderful reminder that you’re never alone. This movie also has stunning cinematography, showcasing beautiful landscapes across Indiana, and teaches impactful lessons about friendship and the importance of opening up to new opportunities and the people who care about you most.
3. Bones and All
Bones and All is another movie that I adore, but it’s a little different from the rest. It’s actually about… cannibals. I know, it sounds nasty and is quite unsettling, but the symbolism in this film is unlike any movie I’ve seen before. While it is technically about cannibalism, it’s also about being different, feared, loved, and finding yourself. The film follows eighteen-year-old Maren as she travels across the country in hopes of finding her mother, or at least someone to accept her, “bones and all.” Each character in this film has an essential role in the development of the plot and such strong, defining traits, that it’s impossible to pull your eyes away from the screen. By the way, f*ck you, Sully. Between the shock factor, cinematography, and enthralling romance with another cannibal played brilliantly by Timothee Chalamet, this is truly one of the most unique, disturbing, and beautiful films I’ve ever seen. The ending will leave your jaw on the floor as your brain tries to make sense of whatever the hell that movie just was. 10/10.
4. I Believe in Unicorns
I Believe in Unicorns is an incredibly underrated movie starring none other than Natalia Dyer, aka Nancy from Stranger Things. The story is told through the eyes of sixteen-year-old protagonist Davina, a naive girl navigating her first relationship. As the film progresses, the relationship takes a dark turn and Davina begins to lose her innocence, showcased through stop motion involving a dragon, unicorn, and huntress. The blend between live action and animation connects the real world to Davina’s mind to help the viewer better understand her thoughts and how they fuel her actions. The cinematography is also stunning. Warm and cool-toned colors combined with the stark contrast of lights and darks perfectly match the mood of each scene, changing as the relationship grows more and more toxic. Finally, to top it all off, the soundtrack perfectly aligns with the vibe of the film. Similarly to the rest of these coming-of-age films, you’ll likely ponder the loopholes within the movie, but that’s what makes it so intriguing.
5. The Fallout
The last movie stars Jenna Ortega and Maddie Ziegler. The Fallout tackles the tragically relevant topic of school shootings and the impact they leave behind on a community. I think the acting in this film is natural and realistic, a strong indication of a good movie. Each character struggles to cope in their own way, and the relationships that develop as a result are both complex and essential to pushing through the aftermath of a horrifying crisis. Survivor’s guilt, trauma, and the journey to healing are all examined through captivating scenes that are terrifically acted by Ortega and Ziegler. Few movies address school shootings, and this film does so in a raw and honest way that combines the highs and lows of growing up with learning to move on without forgetting.
These movies held my full attention and left me thinking about them for, clearly, quite a long time. So grab your popcorn and tissues and turn off your phone for a while to check out these mind-altering recommendations. You won’t regret it!