tonymontana313

I just got through watching Stand By Me for the umpteenth time and realized that I just absolutely love "coming of age" films. They just seem to bring out the kid in you. I know there are many film veterans among us here so would like to see what other ones I have not seen yet. Thanks

TREX1993

The Sandlot
Brighton Beach Memoirs

(and sadly not on DVD except for two 2-espisode discs)
The Wonder Years

Cosmic Bus

In a similar vein:

My Life as a Dog
George Washington
Ratcatcher
The Virgin Suicides
The Ice Storm

FilmFanSea

Also a favorite genre for me. Although there's no official definition of a coming-of-age film, I think of one centering on a pre-teen or teenager who undergoes some transformation through experience in the course of the movie. A few of my faves:

The 400 Blows (Truffaut/1959/Criterion: The Adventures of Antoine Doinel--[also includes Antoine and Collette (1962) and Stolen Kisses(1968)]
Y tu mamá también (Cuarón/2001/MGM/UA)
Rebel Without a Cause (Ray/1955/Warner)
My Life as a Dog (Hallström/1985/Criterion)
Sweet Sixteen (Loach/2002/Lion's Gate) being released 10/7
La Promesse (Dardenne/1996/New Yorker)
Billy Elliot (Daldry/2001/Universal)
Beautiful Thing (MacDonald/1996/Columbia Tristar) [gay theme]
To Kill a Mockingbird (Pakula/1962/Universal)
Il Posto (Olmi/1961/Criterion)

Lastblade

Good Will Hunting. I love this movie, I can never get enough of it.

mookiemeister

Here are some more coming-of-age movies:
Almost Famous
A Christmas Story
Ghost World
Lucas
Malena

audrey

The Last Picture Show

DeeKay

Breaking Away
Lucas
Almost Famous
The Breakfast Club
The Sandlot
My Bodyguard
Finding Forrester
Footloose
Say Anything
Real Genius

I know that there are more, but these are the ones in my collection. Hopes this helps.

tali219

The Man in the Moon (Reese Witherspoon)
Almost Famous
Empire of the Sun
Hearts in Atlantis
Hope and Glory
I'll Remember April
Igby Goes Down
The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
Now and Then
The Outsiders
The World of Henry Orient
Wide Awake
Just Looking
Cross My Heart and Hope to Die ( Ti kniver i hjertet )
Peppermint
Tito and Me ( Tito i ja )
Tex
Secrets of the Heart
Butterfly
Cinema Paradiso
Pixote

D-Ball

Lot of good recommendations so far. My suggestions would be:
Almost Famous
The Cider House Rules
The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys
Dead Poet's Society
Footloose
The Goonies
Igby Goes Down
The Karate Kid
School Ties
Tex

devilpants

Rumblefish

Numanoid

Don't forget the '80s classics:

Fast Times at Ridgemont High
The Last American Virgin
The Sure Thing
Can't Buy Me Love
Valley Girl
Sixteen Candles
The Breakfast Club
Weird Science
etc.

Buttmunker

Firstborn
Uh, and let us not forget about Toy Soldiers

theneobez

Rushmore
Royal Tenenbaums
About a Boy

Groucho

The Year My Voice Broke
Flirting

Matt925

Blue Velvet

Milt Fargus

Encino Man

ianholm

Almost any Winona Ryder flick from 1985-1990.

MasterCXtreme

Almost Famous
Good Will Hunting
Finding Forrestor
Breakfast Club
...all good movies.

DFWMovieGeek

Stephen King's It
has a similar set of kids coming of age with a horror element

xDareDevilx

"a better place"...it's a view askew film (so it's exec. producers are kevin smith and scott mosier). probably one of my top fav. 20 films of all time...GET IT!

DVDGUY1116

my suggestions:

Sandlot
Hearts in Atlantis
Almost famous
Empire of the Sun
The Goonies
Rushmore
Good Will Hunting

and I am surprised no one has mentioned it yet:

Road To Perdition

jessecrx

Stand By Me
The Wood

joeydaninja

just saw two dark ones recently

Fat Girl
Swimming Pool (though this one wasn't as dark, and some would say it was actually kind of bright.)

chowderhead

so many great choices:
I will add and echo some of my favorites.
With Honors
Hearts of Atlantis
Igby Goes Down
The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys
The Cider House Rules
The Emperor's Club
Finding Forrester
The Lion King (hehe)

Hoop Dreams - except that there is no DVD version yet.