Teen Must-See Cinema Selection on Netflix Unveiled

Teen movies have been making a comeback in recent years, especially on Netflix, but they’ve never really gone out of style. These films include Netflix originals and some old-school picks and serve everything you’d expect from the genre: heartache, romance, coming-of-age lessons, and the timeless tradition of parties without parental supervision.

01

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Skater Girl (2021): A Film About Blazing Your Own Path

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.7/10

Genre : Drama

Starring : Amy Maghera, Waheeda Rehman, Rachel Saanchita Gupta

Director : Manjari Makijany

Motion Picture Rating : PG

Runtime : 1 hour, 47 minutes

This Indian film is about a young girl who discovers skateboarding and dreams of competing in the sport but faces opposition from her traditional parents and the rest of her village.

Meanwhile, the young woman who introduced her to skateboarding seeks to support her and the other village girls by building a skatepark.Skater Girl promises to be a heartwarming story about following your dreams.

Watch ‘Skater Girl’ on Netflix

02

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Mixtape (2021): A Movie About Discovering Who Your Parents Were

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.6/10

Genre : Comedy, Drama

Starring : Julie Bowen, Gemma Brooke Allen, Nick Thune

Director : Valerie Weiss

Motion Picture Rating : TV-G

Runtime : 1 hour, 33 minutes

Beverly Moody (Gemma Brooke Allen) is an orphan teen raised by her grandmother. One day, she discovers a broken mixtape her parents made before they died.

Seeing this as an opportunity to learn more about her parents, she seeks to find all the songs on the tape with the help of a quirky neighbor and curmudgeonly record store owner.

Watch ‘Mixtape’ on Netflix

03

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We Have a Ghost (2023): Beetlejuice Meets E.T.

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.1/10

Genre : Adventure, Comedy, Family

Starring : Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Anthony Mackie, David Harbour

Director : Christopher Landon

Motion Picture Rating : PG-13

Runtime : 2 hours, 6 minutes

Kevin (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) moves into a new home with his family only to discover that it’s already occupied by a ghost named Ernest (David Harbour). When his video of Ernest goes viral, they end up in the government’s crosshairs.

We Have a Ghost , a fun comedy for teens and adults, puts a modern spin on age-old movie tropes.

Watch ‘We Have a Ghost’ on Netflix

04

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Moxie (2021): A Film About Fighting Toxic School Culture

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.7/10

Genre : Comedy

Starring : Hadley Robinson, Lauren Tsai, Alycia Pascual-Pena

Director : Amy Poehler

Motion Picture Rating : PG-13

Runtime : 1 hour, 51 minutes

This teen comedy from_Parks and Recreation’s_ Amy Poehler stars Hadley Robinson as Vivian, a shy 16-year-old who decides to rebel against her school’s toxic atmosphere by publishing an underground zine called Moxie.

Her writing sparks a movement amongst female students and throughout the entire school. Fans of Poehler will appreciate her writing and comedy influence on this project—and her on-screen presence as Vivian’s mom.

Watch ‘Moxie’ on Netflix

05

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Enola Holmes (2020): There’s a New Holmes Detective In Town

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.6/10

Genre : Action, Adventure, Crime

Starring : Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin

Director : Harry Bradbeer

Motion Picture Rating : PG-13

Runtime : 2 hours, 3 minutes

When 16-year-old Enola’s older brothers refuse to help her find their recently missing mother, she heads to London alone to solve the mystery.

This spirited caper will appeal to true mystery-loving Sherlock Holmes fans or Millie Bobby Brown (from_Stranger Things_ ) fans alike.

Watch ‘Enola Holmes’ on Netflix

06

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The Magician’s Elephant (2023): A Fairy Tale in the Fallout of War

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Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.6/10

Genre : Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Starring : Noah Jupe, Benedict Wong, Natasia Demetriou

Director : Wendy Rogers

Motion Picture Rating : PG

Runtime : 1 hour, 39 minutes

After a war that left him an orphan, Peter (Noah Jupe) desperately searches for his sister Adele (Pixie Davies). Following the advice of a fortune teller, he sets out in search of an elephant.

The Magician’s Elephant is an adaptation of a 2009 book by Kate DiCamillo. The movie isn’t quite as dark as the novel, but in the tradition of classic kid’s films like_Bambi_ ,Lion King , and_Land Before Time_ , it has a serious message about coping with loss.

Watch ‘The Magician’s Elephant’ on Netflix

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07

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To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: A Charming Rom-Com for Fans of All Ages

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 7.0/10

Genre : Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring : Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish

Director : Susan Johnson

Motion Picture Rating : TV-14

Runtime : 1 hour, 39 minutes

The setup: Lara Jean’s young sister secretly mails the love letters she’s written to five crushes. Lara Jean enlists the help of one letter recipient, Peter, to convince neighbor and crush Josh (and fellow letter recipient) that she and Peter are in a relationship and that she’s moved on.

If you’re a rom-com fan of any age, there’s plenty to love in this sweet movie with two follow-up installments.

Watch ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ on Netflix

08

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Dog Gone (2023): A Boy, His Dog, and His Dad

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.1/10

Genre : Biography, Drama, Family

Starring : Rob Lowe, Johnny Berchtold, Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Director : Stephen Herek

Rating : TV-PG

Runtime : 1 hour, 35 minutes

A wayward college student sets out on the Appalachian Trail to find his missing best friend. Determined to heal their strained relationship, his dad joins the search.

Based on a true story,Dog Gone is a feel-good movie that boasts impressive performances from the human and canine cast.

Watch ‘Dog Gone’ on Netflix

09

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All the Bright Places (2020): An Important Mental Health Conversation Starter

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.6/10

Genre : Drama, Romance

Starring : Elle Fanning, Justice Smith, Alexandra Shipp

Director : Brett Haley

Motion Picture Rating : TV-MA

Runtime : 1 hour, 47 minutes

Violet and Finch start spending more time together while working on a school project about the wonders of Indiana. While both struggle differently, they look to each other for solace and hope for the future.

This story highlights the importance of finding support and looking out for one another—a meaningful message for all ages.

Watch ‘All the Bright Places’ on Netflix

10

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Finding ‘Ohana (2021): For Anyone Who Misses The Goonies

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.1/10

Genre : Action, Adventure

Starring : Kelly Hu, Ke Huy Quan, Lindsay Watson

Director : Jude Weng

Motion Picture Rating : PG

Runtime : 2 hours, 3 minutes

If you’re a fan of movies where precocious teens go on an adventure for hidden treasures, you may want to spend a weekend watching_Finding ‘Ohana_ . It just might fill that_Goonies_ -sized hole in your heart.

The film is about two Brooklyn kids who go to Oahu to care for their ailing grandfather and discover a pirate’s journal leading to a 200-year-old shipwreck. But they also learn to appreciate their Hawaiian heritage along the way.

Watch ‘Finding ‘Ohana’ on Netflix

11

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The Half of It (2020): A Hopeful Love Story

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.9/10

Genre : Comedy, Drama, Romance

Starring : Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire

Director : Alice Wu

Motion Picture Rating : PG-13

Runtime : 1 hour, 44 minutes

When a lovesick football player named Paul begs loner Ellie to help him woo popular-girl Aster with a love letter, Ellie finds herself in a confusing love triangle.

This intelligent and sincere story tackles friendship and self-discovery and offers a texting-era twist on_Cyrano de Bergerac_ -style love letters and mistaken identity.

Watch ‘The Half of It’ on Netflix

12

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Home Team (2022): A Feel-Good Football Comedy Loosely Based on a True Story

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.0/10

Genre : Comedy, Sport

Starring : Kevin James, Taylor Lautner

Director : Charles Francis Kinnane, Daniel Kinnane

Motion Picture Rating : PG

Runtime : 1 hour, 35 minutes

Sean Payton has the dubious honor of being the first modern NFL football coach suspended for an entire season. During his downtime, he took over coaching his son’s football team.

This comedy sports film starring Kevin James is based on real-life events.

Watch ‘Home Team’ on Netflix

13

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Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie (2022) — Heroes in a Half Shell Go Intergalactic

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.2/10

Genre : Animation, Action, Adventure

Starring : Ben Schwartz, Jim Pirri, Haley Joel Osment

Director : Andy Suriano, Ant Ward

Motion Picture Rating : TV-Y7

Runtime : 1 hour, 22 minutes

Casey Jones (Haley Joel Osment) travels through time to warn Leonardo (Ben Schwartz) and his brothers about an extraterrestrial threat. Will the team rise to protect the world from Krang (Jim Pirri) and his army?

This movie is based on the 2018 Nickelodeon TMNT series, not to be confused with the 2012 Nickelodeon TMNT series. If you like the movie, you can watch all ofRise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Netflix.

Watch ‘Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ on Netflix

14

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You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023): A Different Shade of Sandler

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 6.0/10

Genre : Comedy

Starring : Sunny Sandler, Idina Menzel, Adam Sandler

Director : Sammi Cohen

Motion Picture Rating : PG-13

Runtime : 1 hour, 43 minutes

With their coming-of-age ceremonies quickly approaching, lifelong friends Stacy (Sunny Sandler) and Lydia (Samantha Lorraine) begin to feud over boys and who will have the bigger bat mitzvah.

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah is a more grown-up Adam Sandler movie than say,The Waterboy , but it’s targeted toward young adults like his daughter (who plays the lead role).

Watch ‘You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah’ on Netflix

15

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JJ+E (2021): A Swedish Romance About Class and Cultural Barriers

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 5.4/10

Genre : Romance

Starring : Mustapha Aarab, Elsa Öhrn, Magnus Krepper

Director : Alexis Almström

Motion Picture Rating : TV-14

Runtime : 1 hour, 30 minutes

Based on one of the most famous books by the award-winning Swedish author Mats Wahl,JJ+E is a modern-day story about two young people who fall in love despite the cultural and class barriers between them.

Elisabeth and John-John couldn’t be more different economically and socially, but when they start in the same high school class, they become friends and fall in love. The Swedish setting and actors help put a fresher spin on an old romance trope.

Watch ‘JJ+E’ on Netflix

16

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Vampires vs. The Bronx (2020): Best Gentrification Metaphor Since Candyman

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 5.7/10

Genre : Comedy, Horror

Starring : Jaden Michael, Gerald Jones III, Gregory Diaz IV

Director : Oz Rodriguez

Motion Picture Rating : PG-13

Runtime : 1 hour, 25 minutes

Miguel, Bobby, and Luis are a bunch of normal teens with an unusual problem—vampires have invaded their Bronx community and are eating their neighbors.

Plucky teens protect their neighborhood from invading monsters is not a new concept.Vampires vs. the Bronx wears that trope like a comfy blanket. But in between the fun frights and the witty one-liners is a clever meditation on gentrification and whitewashing.

Watch ‘Vampires vs. the Bronx’ on Netflix

17

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Chupa (2023): E.T. Meets Mexican Folklore

Netflix

IMDb Rating : 5.5/10

Genre : Action, Adventure, Drama

Starring : Demián Bichir, Christian Slater, Evan Whitten

Director : Jonás Cuarón

Rating : PG

Runtime : 1 hour, 35 minutes

While visiting his family in Mexico, Alex (Evan Whitten) meets a baby chupacabra. Although he believes Chupacabras to be ferocious, Chupa is adorable and friendly, so Alex vows to protect his new friend from the scientists who want to experiment on him.

In the long tradition of “boy and his (fill in the blank)” movies,Chupa hits all the familiar notes, but the connection to Mexican folklore puts a fresh spin on the concept.

Watch ‘Chupa’ on Netflix

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