The Perks of Being a Wallflower
main cinema has always been a breeding ground for creation and unexpected additions to motion picture history , withThe Perks of Being a Wallflowerbeing a great late example . Within the niche of independent film there ’s no deficit of teen - oriented movies , as filmmakers often use these projects to chronicle semi - autobiographical story . However , this does n’t mean that indie film are pet labor or wo n’t unite with audience of all sort . It’sthrough their unique experience that these writers and manager craft universal worldly concern .
DuringSean Baker ’s platter - break Oscar winsat the2025 Oscars telecast , the writer - director continuously phone for renew exertion to center and uplift independent picture show . Each of these movies ca-ca an excellent eccentric for independent filmmaking , as they might have lowly budget and conventionalize visual elements , but they still appeal to a broad array of audience and teach us something newfangled about humanity . Many of the best independent production houses have become successful by taking a chance on emerging filmmakers , kickstarting the careers of fantastic director and screenwriters .
10The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012)
Directed by Stephen Chbosky
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower features a feel - ripe soundtrack and a storyline about hope in a fourth dimension of uncertainty . Here ’s a list of every main song .
With an unforgettable soundtrack that explore how magical and momentary these year can be , The Perks of Being a Wallflowerunapologetically appeals to the young audiences it ’s in conversation with . However , The Perks of Being a Wallfloweris also easy to observe well into maturity , when Charlie ’s tarradiddle can be understood through a stratum of nostalgia and view . With Emma Watson giving one of her good performances alongside Lerman , the movie has everything a heartfelt indie cinema should .
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Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
The Perks of Being a Wallflower ( 2012 )
Custom Image by Ana Nieves
85 %
89 %
9Eighth Grade (2018)
Directed by Bo Burnham
A24 is still an independent production company , even if its turn slate of plastic film has received some wide-eyed releases and mass of accolades . However , this has n’t break off the company from uplifting new voices and smaller films , which is what it did withEighth Grade . When the adult standup comedian Bo Burnham decide to make a movie that explore the life of a 13 - twelvemonth - former miss , it seemed like a chip of a reach , butEighth Graderemains one of the unspoiled fare - of - age cinema of the twenty-first century .
As Kayla , Elsie Fisher gives one of thebest functioning in A24 movies , paint a raw and deeply painful portrayal of the awkwardness of this period of aliveness . Eighth Gradeis a uncommon movie that is n’t hurt by its topical extension and spell that roots it in its metre period . Kayla ’s kinship with her phone and societal medium prove just how much technology has worsened this already tumultuous meter . With a budget of only $ 2 million , Eighth Gradeuses its small scale to its advantage , putting the audience straight in the story .
Eighth Grade ( 2018 )
99 %
82 %
8Submarine (2010)
Directed by Richard Ayoade
The director ofSubmarine , Richard Ayoade , is best know for his performance in the hit sitcomThe IT Crowd , but his directorial debut , Submarine , demonstrates his considerable abilities as a filmmaker . Also penned by Ayoade , Submarineis based on the novel by Joe Dunthorne and is n’t afraid to show how the intensity of adolescence pull the great unwashed in unmanageable directions . Starring Craig Roberts and Yasmin Paige as Oliver and Jordana , Submarinefollows the course of their human relationship and Oliver ’s come of age .
Everything he does realise sense in the context of the film and furthers our understanding and empathy for Oliver .
While watching his parent ' marriage have and realize that people and life can change in an blink of an eye , Oliver contend to devote himself to his relationship with Jordana . Oliver ’s fear taint his judicial decision and makes him do thing he never believe possible , but we never hate Oliver or feel alienated by his action at law . Everything he does makes sense in the context of the film and foster our sympathy and empathy for Oliver .
Submarine ( 2010 )
88 %
7Juno (2007)
Directed by Jason Reitman
A immature Elliot Page stars inJuno , the teenager dramedy written by Diablo Cody that place a major twist on the traditional coming - of - age formula . BeforeJuno , the matter of teenaged pregnancy plausibly would n’t have been considered something that would make for a poignant drollery . However , Cody ’s expert script and the anchoring execution from Page madeJunosomething relevant and unexpected . Full of nostalgic stylization and made - up slang , Junohas make out to ward off becoming dated .
alfresco of the optical and daddy refinement constituent that have ensuredJunoremains relevant , the narrative itself is timeless and , first and foremost , treat Juno as a person going through a big alteration like anyone else . ThoughJunois still considered a beloved cult classic , it ’s shake up contestation over the film ’s portrayal of issues like abortion and adoption . However , what ’s most enduring aboutJunois the fact thatit ’s unapologetically dear , even when it ’s crack antic .
Juno ( 2007 )
93 %
6Rushmore (1998)
Directed by Wes Anderson
Max is one of Anderson and Owen Wilson ’s well - written characters , as the fairly off - putting adolescent is looking for espousal like everyone else .
Anderson ’s erotic love for shimmer and the artifice of stage productions is at the head ofRushmore , as the characters find it easy to explore their hurt feelings through the filter of the dramaturgy . However , likewise to Anderson ’s to a great extent stylized study , it becomes vindicated that this filter and separation between art and life is paper thin . Max is one of Anderson and Owen Wilson ’s best - drop a line characters , as the moderately off - putting teen is await for acceptance like everyone else .
Rushmore ( 1998 )
90 %
91 %
5Lady Bird (2017)
Directed by Greta Gerwig
The long and fruitful collaborative relationship between Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan began withLady Bird , Gerwig ’s directorial debut . Though each of Gerwig ’s films has maturate in sizing and scope sinceLady Bird , the photographic film holds a special place in the hearts of every young someone who find it . Lady Bird ( Ronan ) is weak , stubborn , and painfully relatable as she comes to price with the fact that she loves her past and wants to escape it in equal measure .
Few movies perfectly capture the tenuous and painful nature of the mother - girl relationship during the teenage twelvemonth , butLady Birddoesn’t shy away from the good and risky persona of this moral force . Laurie Metcalf is unforgettable as Marion , Lady Bird ’s mother , and she and Ronan have seen an easy chemistry ; it ’s hard to believe they ’re not related . As funny as it is emotional , Lady Birdtracks one of the most crucial and fugitive periods of our lives .
Lady Bird ( 2017 )
79 %
4Boyhood (2014)
Directed by Richard Linklater
One of Richard Linklater ’s good movies and most ambitious , Boyhoodtook twelve years to filmand is think back for the time and effort it took to make such a truthful portrait of growing up . Frequent cooperator with Linklater , like Ethan Hawke , star alongside Ellar Coltrane , the young role player who play Mason . watch over the fictitious character Mason grow and change throughout the story , as the actor did himself , is part of whyBoyhoodwas so well received by audiences and critics .
It ’s not just Mason who change , but also the people and cosmos around him in style that Linklater could never have planned .
Linklater has played with time as a aspect of his filmmaking for many years , as seen in his work onThe Before Trilogy . However , the scope ofBoyhoodand loyalty to create an honest piece of mass medium is what congeal it aside . It ’s not just Mason who changes , but also the mass and world around him in ways that Linklater could never have planned . The willingness on Linklater ’s part to adapt and evolve based on the thespian ’s experience of the populace allowsBoyhoodto feel so naturalistic and pictorial .
Boyhood ( 2014 )
97 %
80 %
320th Century Women (2016)
Directed by Mike Mills
Told through the lense of Jamie ( Lucas Jade Zumann ) , the teenage son of Dorothea ( Annette Bening),20th Century Womenisn’t just an adolescent coming - of - years write up but an geographic expedition of how we get on during different period of aliveness . Since Dorothea feel alienated from Jamie because of their differences , she invite dissimilar women into his life history to try on to help raise him and show him the part of the human race she ca n’t . Though20th Century Womencould be name as a movie about nothing , its character - driven script relishes the mundane .
Each persona grapples with a different battle and attempts to prevent Jamie from make the same mistakes they did . However , both20th Century Womenand Dorothea finally earn that there ’s no stopping life ’s bragging moments . distinguish using non - running narrative elements and the sparse enjoyment of voice - over,20th Century Womenstrikes a brilliant and specific look . Set in the late 1970s,20th Century Womenmight be a period piece , but it say a fresh tale that is relevant today.
20th Century Women ( 2016 )
74 %
2But I’m A Cheerleader (1999)
Directed by Jamie Babbit
This camp craze classic has number to be remembered as one of the great LGBTQ+ coming - of - age movies , as it takes the heavy subject of transition therapy and pee it into something satiric , touching , and fun . The undertide ofBut I ’m A Cheerleaderis well mindful of how damaging and terrific conversion therapy is . However , the picture satirize the ridiculous attempts made by the level ’s antagonists to adjudicate and change Megan ( Natasha Lyonne)and shines a light on the laughable nature of gender stereotypes .
Coming - of - age movies give insight into the hardships and pitfalls of growing up and having that representation for LGBTQ+ youth is very important .
Lyonne is a standout inBut I ’m A Cheerleader , thanks to her as hilarious and earnest performance . Her interpersonal chemistry with Clea DuVall , who plays Graham , displays the flick ’s emotional core . Though contemporaneous reviews felt that the over - the - top stylisation and color were too much , these aspects of the motion picture have get on well and are part of the longevity and charm of the project . As time has passed , audience and critic have come to agnise the merits ofBut I ’m A Cheerleader.
But I ’m A Cheerleader ( 1999 )
43 %
75 %
1My Own Private Idaho (1991)
Directed by Gus Van Sant
River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves are at their good inMy Own Private Idaho , one of Gus Van Sant ’s early works . generally based onHenry V , the play by William Shakespeare , My Own Private Idaho , follows Mike ( Phoenix ) and Scott ( Reeves ) as the pair travel the U.S. and Europe in search of Mike ’s alienated mother . Heralded as one of the most prominent work of the New Queer Cinema crusade , My Own Private Idahosees these young men grapple with their emerge desire and sexuality in the thick of repressive environments .
My Own Private Idahograpples with the boys ' experience as gender workers and their complex attraction toward each other , which might seem more tired now but was boundary - push in the other 1990s . It was thanks to the success of Van Sant’sDrugstore CowboythatMy Own Private Idahogot made , as well as the combined adept force from Reeves and Phoenix . Made on a shoestring budget of $ 2.5 million , My Own Private Idahohas far survive its limited resources , becoming an essential moving picture for film lovers .
My Own Private Idaho ( 1991 )
Sources : Box Office Mojo&The Numbers .
