New and notable coming of age films: 'The Spectacular Now'

Over the weekend, I somehow managed to watch not one, but three John Hughes movies: The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink. And I finally realized just how much I truly love coming of age movies. Before you roll your eyes and say "Yes, but coming of age...the term just sounds so lame," allow me to explain. I came of age during the Hughes heyday. The teen movies of the 1980s are a great part of who I am as a movie lover. Watching Hughes' movies takes me back and makes me all nostalgic, even now, all these (many!) years later. I also loved darker coming of age films, most notably Stand By Me.

In recent years, Hollywood has seen a slew of so-called coming of age films. Some were excellent and some were instantly forgettable. I wanted to touch on some of the former examples, because I just saw one last night that's blown me away: The Spectacular Now. I realized that yes, there are a number of great ones and some have flown so far under the radar, I feel the need to let you know - so you can run out and rent them right now.

2013 was a good year for cinema in general, and as such, I think a lot of films were really overlooked by the masses. I focus so hard sometimes on the blockbusters, that I miss the gems. The Spectacular Now is one of those gems. This is an honest, authentic look at adolescence. I remember thinking that this was a comedy. It is, but it isn't. It's more of a dramedy, and at times, it's downright painful (just like adolescence).

Director James Ponsoldt (Smashed) does a beautiful job with The Spectacular Now. And I cannot say enough about the performances of leads Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley as high school seniors Sutter Keely and Aimee Finecky, two teens who couldn't be more different. Somehow, the ever-so-charming Sutter falls for "nice girl" Aimee. The result? A charming, very real-feeling teen film that deals with very real teen problems.

The plot of The Spectacular Now could easily be contrived, but it isn't. Woodley and Teller have major chemistry together, and thanks to their efforts, and the rest of the supporting cast (including Bob Odenkirk, Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kyle Chandler), this film feels extremely real. Sure, some of the plot points are a bit cliche, but in my opinion, sometimes cliches work, because they have elements of universal truth. In the case of this film, this is certainly true.

The Spectacular Now was a critical success, but overall, it didn't perform well at the box office. It never had a wide release, and that's a terrible shame, because it might well be one of my favorite movies of 2013. As I write this, the movie is still in my DVD player, and I might be late returning it, because I just want to see it one more time.  

And for the record, I'm really shocked and disheartened that Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley didn't get any recognition during this awards season. They deserve to be recognized for their work here.

I've already given you an extensive review of The Way Way Back, which I watched over the holidays and loved. Until The Spectacular Now, I believed that The Way Way Back was my favorite coming of age film of  2013. Now it's a really close second. You need to see this one too, if you love this kind of film.

The Way Way Back is a wonderful example of how, in spite of the moronic adults around him, one kid manages to find one person who loves and accepts him for who he is - regardless. Also? Steve Carrell gives a great dramatic performance as one of the aforementioned moronic adults.

If I had to name a couple of other fairly recent coming of age films that I think worked beautifully, I'd say Mud and The Perks of Being a Wallflower qualify. I've gushed about Mud before, and I'll remind you to rent it if you haven't already. As for Perks, well, it's becoming a classic for me. The film features great performances and it's based on a fantastic book. See it, too.

Speaking of books into movies, can I just make a public plea to Hollywood? Please do not ruin John Green's incredibly moving novel The Fault in Our Stars. I haven't read the book in a while, but I am still so moved by the story. Don't screw it up. I'm begging you.

I'm curious: What coming of age films, if any, are your favorites?

Photos courtesy of Zap2It.com and Patheos.com