Juno
Between a stellar cast owning the feel and energy that the film seeks to capture and a script that refuses to become overtly caught up in the “issues” at the heart of its story, instead highlighting the humans that engage with those issues, Juno is more than deserving of recognition among the all-time greats.
Precious
Precious is a deeply moving film carried by its front and center performances that has plenty to say about poverty, literacy, and the ways that humanity can overcome in even the darkest of places with the right support systems in place, well-deserving of a place among the Greatest Films of All Time.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is ultimately a triumph of both the animation craft and of storytelling, though, more than deserving of a place among the greats.
Rebel Without a Cause
James Dean carries a strong trio of leads in this teen drama that transcends generation and genre to cement itself in the annals of cinema history, earning a spot among the Greatest Films of All Time.
The Quiet Girl
The Quiet Girl tells a beautifully crafted story about the impact of love and its importance in children as they develop within a deeply moving narrative that’s sure to stick with you, earning its spot among the film greats.
The Florida Project
The Florida Project benefits from strong performances and an original story as it highlights the realities of childhood and poverty alongside one another on its way to cementing a spot among the greats.
Song of the Sea
Anyone looking for an excellent coming-of-age tale that also has poignant themes and gorgeous animation will be hard pressed to find many films better than this one, cementing its place among the cinematic greats.
My Life as a Zucchini
My Life as a Zucchini brilliantly portrays its coming-of-age story with stellar writing and strikingly unique animation, earning a spot among the greats along the way.
Billy Elliot
The characters and story of Billy Elliot, portrayed excellently by its leading cast, turn this coming-of-age tale into something even more universal and topical and earn this film a place among the greats.
I Vitelloni
For me, the stories told in I Vitelloni present a universally relatable look at young adulthood and the changes that the world forces on us, offering the best and worst ways to handle those changes, which certainly earns it a spot among the all-time greats.
An Education
Between its artful, innovative, and unique coming-of-age story and the wonderful performance from Carey Mulligan, An Education more than earns its place among the Greatest Films of All Time.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
The combination of Blume’s universal story and strong acting from Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, and Kathy Bates makes Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. an instant success and a film worthy of a place among the greats.
Monster
By framing its story around the nature of relationships and perceptions, Monster invites its audience to better appreciate and accept the “others” in our lives and to seek to consider others’ circumstances before slapping them with labels or accusations, a sentiment more than deserving of a place of greatness.
Io Capitano
Thanks to the dynamic and enthralling performance of Seydou Sarr, Matteo Garrone’s vision for Io Capitano is brough to full fruition, earning the film a place among the all-time greats.
My Life as a Dog
My Life as a Dog has some of the best characters, performances, and scenes of any coming-of-age film, winning over the audience in its universality despite the seeming uniqueness of its situations, which earns it a guaranteed spot among the Greatest Films of All Time.
Licorice Pizza
The leading performances of Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman help anchor Paul Thomas Anderson’s combination love letter to the 1970s and coming-of-age tale to a place that is worthy of mention alongside the greats of cinema.
Y Tu Mamá También
In these two tales told side by side, Cuarón has crafted one of the most devastating looks at young adulthood and growing up and friendship that still manages to escape nihilism through the life of its most doomed character, earning it an undeniable place among the Greatest Films of All Time.
Better Days
A strong leading duo and innovative additions of romance and crime to the typical trappings of an anti-bullying high school drama make Better Days a refreshingly original film from Hong Kong filmmaker Derek Tsang that is worthy of its place among the greats.
Only Yesterday
Takahata’s examination of the ways that our childhoods (good, bad, and average) are inseparable from our adult lives elevates the sometimes-simplistic narrative of Only Yesterday and makes it into something great, worthy of mention among the greats.