Coming-of-age films to watch this fall

While the cozy seasons of fall and winter finally rear their frosty heads, little else sounds better than snuggling up with a good blanket, a hot drink, and a movie marathon. No movie genre better fits this idyllic scene than the time-true coming-of-age category. These films usually bring with them a nostalgic and perfectly “teenaged” feel that harbors both wonderfully unsettling secondhand-cringe and endearing depictions of youth milestone moments, generally relating to school, which seamlessly ties in a natural “fall feel.” With this, I will leave you some of my most notable recommendations for those looking to dip their toes into this timeless genre. 

The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

Every time I watch this movie, I think to myself these writers remember what it was like to be a teenager. It captures that sensation of awkwardness and insecurity around identity and relationships so realistically that the secondhand embarrassment in this movie sometimes makes me physically uncomfortable. It is so cringy that it becomes masterful and solidifies to itself that it is a movie unafraid to face the genre’s cliches in fresh yet familiar ways. Woody Harrelson is also in this film, playing the “tough love” emotional-support teacher for the film’s tornado-of-a-main character, Nadine, so if nothing else convinces you to give it a watch, I hope maybe this will.

Juno (2007)

I have always forgotten how famous everyone in this movie is. We have Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, and J.K. Simmons in this early 2000s staple. The soundtrack is composed of banger after banger, and Kimya Dawson’s raw vocals over the film’s events really bring out the movie’s honest feel. The imagery of so much of this movie is picturesquely autumnal, and each set is filled with purposeful and genre-appropriately quirky props that make an enjoyable blip anywhere you look on the screen. This is a passion project turned blockbuster from this era that many often forget about, but how touching, funny, and engaging this film is remains watch after watch. I also think Juno (Elliot Page) is maybe the only other person in the world who loves orange juice as much as I do, so I might be biased. 

The Half of It (2020)

A more modern take on this genre, The Half of It (2020) truly takes all the best aspects of its tropes and adds a twist. The main three characters, Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis), Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer), and Aster Flores (Alexxis Lemire), are deeply lovable archetypes who will stick with you long after the film is over. They are all so wonderfully rich and well-developed that even Paul Munsky, who on the surface is just a comic relief “himbo,” will make your heart swell with the moments of tenderness and vulnerability. I will say, if you are anything like me, be prepared to cry! The way this movie confronts topics like small-town culture, tradition, first-generation life, queerness, and cynicism is not for the faint of heart.    

Now, I send you off into this brisk seasonal change to really immerse yourself in the feel that is a signature of this time of year. I hope you can find the time to sit down and truly enjoy the naturally campy and cozy coming-of-age genre half as much as I do.