I have always enjoyed this subgenre of movies—the contrast between/meeting of "childhood innocence" and the darkness of adulthood is interesting to me. "Mean Creek" and "River's Edge" come to mind. What are some other good ones?
Pixote (1981) from Brazil
Full-length on YouTube but not subtitled, so find elsewhere. Worth watching.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | July 23, 2020 1:20 PM |
The Mudge Boy
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | July 23, 2020 1:21 PM |
Il Ladro di Bambini (Stolen Children) (1992) from Italy
One of my favorite films. Very understated.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | July 23, 2020 1:23 PM |
Salaam Bombay! (1988)
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | July 23, 2020 1:31 PM |
When I started reading your title, Rivers edge came to mind before I saw it. That one benefitted from a lot of big names. Keanu, Crispin (one of my favorites), Roebuck, and of course the indisputable king of twisted roles, Dennis Hopper. I could spit out quotes from that movie all day. But my favorite scene was watching Hopper drag his blow up doll through the convenience store looking for “bud in bottles”.
How odd that Keanu and Hopper reunited in that steaming hot turd, Speed.
I actually teared up when I heard we had lost the tourist.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | July 23, 2020 1:33 PM |
Foxes. Times Square. Rich Kids.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | July 23, 2020 5:50 PM |
Welcome to the Dollhouse
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | July 23, 2020 6:10 PM |
Happiness is probably one of the most cringe worthy movies I've ever seen. ... and I'm twisted!
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | July 23, 2020 6:18 PM |
12 and Holding, costarring a naked Jeremy Renner crying in the shower.
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | July 23, 2020 6:53 PM |
R17, that won’t win you an Oscar, Jeremy. I tried already.
| by Anonymous | reply 18 | July 23, 2020 6:55 PM |
Over the edge - 1979 Bully - 2001
| by Anonymous | reply 19 | July 23, 2020 7:55 PM |
^^Nick Stahl is heartbreaking and gut wrenching in that one. But then, he’s like that in everything.
| by Anonymous | reply 20 | July 23, 2020 8:35 PM |
If you catch it in the right mood, the dingy sticky grinding ‘70s teen biopic LORDS OF DOGTOWN (2005) is apt. Guess Emile Hirsch cornered a market on these types of movie for a while.
This film is probaby a little overcooked sentimentally-speaking and takes too much dramatic license for what is meant to be a serious nuanced slice-of-life, but damn it if that bittersweet downer ending doesn’t get me every time. Can’t hear ‘Old Man’, ‘Maggir May’, or ‘Wish You Were Here’ on the radio anymore without welling up.
| by Anonymous | reply 21 | July 23, 2020 8:40 PM |
The Lords of Discipline (1983). Dark military school drama. Great book, too.
| by Anonymous | reply 22 | July 23, 2020 9:14 PM |
Lord of the Flies.
| by Anonymous | reply 24 | July 23, 2020 9:16 PM |
British drama ,The end of the f**king world.
| by Anonymous | reply 25 | July 23, 2020 9:31 PM |
R22 - never saw the movie, but I read the book because I'm a huge Pat Conroy fan
| by Anonymous | reply 27 | July 24, 2020 12:59 AM |
Donnie Darko
Kids, Bully or any Larry Clark movie.
It
Igby Goes Down
| by Anonymous | reply 28 | July 24, 2020 5:38 AM |
The 400 Blows (1959)
| by Anonymous | reply 29 | July 24, 2020 5:39 AM |
Mysterious Skin
| by Anonymous | reply 30 | July 24, 2020 6:45 AM |
A Clockwork Orange
The Warriors
Angels with Dirty Faces
Christiane F.
Kes
| by Anonymous | reply 31 | July 24, 2020 6:52 AM |
Alpha dog. Haunting film.
| by Anonymous | reply 32 | July 24, 2020 7:11 AM |
Honey boy with Shia Labeouf . It's about a child actor coming of age and his relationship with his alcoholic father and the long term effects of his dysfunctional upbringing.
Very moving and very underrated. I'm surprised the film wasn't talked about more.
| by Anonymous | reply 33 | July 24, 2020 7:17 AM |
Fish Tank with Michael Fassbender.
| by Anonymous | reply 34 | July 24, 2020 7:17 AM |
I keep meaning to stream Honey Boy. Thanks for the reminder and recommendation.
| by Anonymous | reply 35 | July 24, 2020 7:20 AM |
R35 No problem, it's free with Amazon prime by the way. Lucas Hedges, Shia LaBeouf and the child actor Noah Jupe are all excellent.
| by Anonymous | reply 36 | July 24, 2020 7:29 AM |
Alan Clarke’s Scum, Catherine Breillat’s Fat Girl, and an additional vote for my usernamesake, Pixote.
| by Anonymous | reply 37 | July 24, 2020 8:05 AM |
Ken Park.
It: Chapter 1.
| by Anonymous | reply 38 | July 24, 2020 8:43 AM |
R37 glad you mentioned Clarke’s SCUM, it’s one of my all-time favourites - like most things the sainted chuffers at the BBC try to ban! It probably seems tame by today’s standards, but at the time it was incredibly dark bolshy unapologetic television. The dialogue is perfect; it’s one of those films I wish I’d written. Archer is one of my all-time favourite characters of screen, and even today I still find myself wondering what he’d do when I’m faced with sticky situations opposite authority figures.
Only the original uncensored version in all its grit and glorified misery for me, though. The controversial homoerotic deleted scene between Carlin & Rhodes (“you want me, Carlin?”/“I’m the top, here”/“you’re my Missus...” “ok....”) still hurts my heart a bit, even after all this time.
| by Anonymous | reply 39 | July 24, 2020 11:51 AM |
L.I.E.
| by Anonymous | reply 40 | July 24, 2020 12:10 PM |
BRICK, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Written and directed by Rian Johnson.
| by Anonymous | reply 41 | July 24, 2020 12:51 PM |
The Bad Seed (1956)
| by Anonymous | reply 43 | July 25, 2020 12:47 AM |