What are some films that describe and show youth/the feel of youth well?
Jonathan, indeed. Yeah, I tried thinking up a few titles where the characters are not kids, but they have a very youthful thing going. There has got to be a lot of such films, but I didn’t think of much right off.
to name a few:
Jacques Rozier’s Adieu Philippine
Cuaron’s Y Tu Mama Tambien
Kusturica’s Do You Remember Dolly Bell? and When Father Was Away on Business
Mike Leigh’s Meantime
Alan Clarke’s Made in Britain
Ravi Bharwani’s Jermal
Erice’s El Sur
my reco goes to LORD OF THE FLIES (’63) – Peter Brooks… if you want to see juveniles forced into adult situations and the life and death decisions that depend upon them, there is no better.
Zero de Conduite
The World of Henry Orient
Rushmore
Hamlet 2
Adieu Phillipine
Y Tu Mama Tambien (which was inspired by Adieu Phillipine)
If. . .
You know what would’ve made some fairly effective portrayals of youth. Films based on Beverly Cleary’s charming Ramona stories. Too bad nobody will ever make one.
I don’t know if anyone’s mentioned this already, but My Neighbor Totoro captures youth rather well – not my youth exactly, but that’s something else entirely.
Summer with Monika?
I’m just waiting for someone to throw out Gummo, heh.
Gummo
It may be a bit on the younger side of the spectrum, but there is no more accurate picture of American childhood than Michael Ritchie’s film of THE BAD NEWS BEARS.
Has no one mentioned LInklater’s DAZED AND CONFUSED?
@ Mike Spence – They did just make a movie based on Beverly Cleary’s Ramona books called “Ramona and Beezus”.
Mean Creek.
Igby Goes Down.
How young are you looking for? This list here should cover a pretty wide age range.
Cidade de Deus.
Spirited Away.
Voices of a Distant Star (anime short film).
Y Tu Mama Tambien.
Kids.
Elephant.
La Haine.
Leone (The Professional).
Slumdog Millionaire.
American Beauty.
Lolita.
The Graduate.
Edge of Heaven.
Pan’s Labyrinth.
Jeux d’enfants.
Les choristes.
Mr. Nobody.
The Reader.
Tsotsi.
Kids
Murmur of the heart
Rushmore
Welcome to the Dollhouse
Palindromes
I’m sure there are a lot more though.
There are some good shows that portray the feel of youth well like Freaks & Geeks and The Wonder Years.
Ozu’s Good Morning, elicited a feeling extraordinarily similar to the pure emotions, associated with youth.
“@ Mike Spence – They did just make a movie based on Beverly Cleary’s Ramona books called “Ramona and Beezus”.”
Oh no, they didn’t…;)
This…
…ain’t Beezuz!
@ Mike Spence – haha miscast, but what’s done is done. I didn’t bother seeing it and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 was one of my favorites as a kid.
Mon Oncle Antoine – Not the most well known film, but take my word this is one the few essential coming of age films of all time. I’ve seen it 25 times and i always see something new. The film is a flawless portrait of a youth in the midst of the corrupt adult world. Masterpiece
@ DRSATISFACTION: OH YEAH LA HAINE!! _
this is a good thread, I am happy
Billy Elliot
Where the Wild Things Are
Kes
The Black Stallion
Toy Story
The Red Balloon
Au Revoir les Enfants
My Life as a Dog
Pelle the Conqueror
Ice Storm
At least for where I’ve come from:
Accattone (1961, Pasolini)
Mouchette (1967, Bresson)
Elephant (2003, Van Sant)
Brick (2005, Johnson)
Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006, Archer)
Paranoid Park (2007, Van Sant)
Oh, and Accattone (1961, Pasolini).
…and now we can add A SERIOUS MAN. (2009)
SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS (Elia Kazan, 1961)
Stand By Me
Whistle Down The Wind
Quadrophinia
2004’s “Love in Thoughts”, directed by Achim von Borries, includes a 15- or 20-minute party scene of such youthfulness that I thought it should be mentioned in this thread.
The Enigma of Kasper Hauser
Two Plus Two
I totally forgot
I Vitelloni by Fellini- A masterwork