Movies for Teens

05 Oct Movies for Teens

Recommended movies to help you with your family’s movie selection. I cannot guarantee that you will like every single one and I personally have not seen all of them, but list them on the advice of dear friends. Although we all are concerned about our teenagers, we have different tolerances regarding language, content and violence. As a result, I encourage you to check out a review on the following movies to determine their suitability for the age and stage of your teenager.

Good movies, like good books, are even better when you talk about them.  Take advantage maybe the day after to ask your children, “What did you like about it?” “Your favorite part?”  “A character you admired?” “A line that sticks with you?”  “Any part you didn’t like or thought was a flaw in the film?” “Did the movie have a message?” In this way, you help your children articulate and develop a critical eye, sound judgement and clear principles. Have fun with movies!

12 Mighty Orphans – 2021 – PG – sports/drama based on a true story about a football team

21 Bridges – 2019 – 14A – action/thriller good cop/bad cop movie

23 Blast  – 2013 – PG 13-sports drama based on a true story of a blind high school football player

42: The Jackie Robinson Story -2013 – PG13 –  biographical drama of a famous baseball player

1917 – a 2019 film rated 14A , WWI war drama

90 Minutes in Heaven – 2015 – PG – drama – true story of a man who was dead for 90 minutes and returned to life

A Hidden Life – 2019 – PG- biography/drama about an Austrian farmer who refuses to fight for the Nazis in WWII

A Million Miles Away – PG 2023 – true story – history/drama about a Mexican-American farmer who becomes an engineer and then an American astronaut,

A United Kingdom – PG -2016 – true story – drama/romance of a King and the woman he marries

The A-Team – PG-13 – action/adventure/comedy with Liam Neeson

All About Eve – old B&W drama with Bette Davis, great for girls

All Quiet on the Western Front – 1920 war movie

All the President’s Men – PG – drama/thriller

Amazing Grace – PG – drama

American Underdog – PG -2021 football drama about Kurt Warner’s life

Ant-Man and the Wasp – 2018 – action/adventure Marvel super hero movie

Apocalypse – from the Bible Collection series – 2000 – with Richard Harris – award winning biblical drama

Apollo 13 – PG – based on the true story, drama

Arlington Road – R for violence and some language – action/thriller/suspense/horror for older teens

Babette’s Feast – foreign film, drama

Back in Time for Dinner – a documentary  6 episode series that has a real family experience what life was like over the decades

Bad Day at Black Rock – an old western with Spencer Tracy

Batman Begins  – PG13 – fantasy action with Christian Bale

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – PG- 2019 – drama, based on the true story of Fred Rogers, featuring Tom Hanks

Beautiful Mind – PG-13 – drama

Belle – PG- 2013 – period drama, romance

Beneath Hill 60 – PG – WWI action/drama based on a true story of the war effort of Australians

Bella – PG-13 drama

A Better Life – 2011 – PG-13 – drama about an immigrant father and son seeking a better life in America

Blackhawk Down – R – war movie for older teens because of level of violence

Bleak House – based on Charles Dickens book, made by BBC – 7 hours

The Blind Side – PG-13 – football drama biography

Blood Diamond – set in Africa, re: child soldiers, for older teenage boys

The Book Thief – PG-13 –  2013  war/drama about a girl during WWII Germany

Bourne Identity; Bourne Supremacy; Bourne Ultimatum; Bourne Legacy; Jason Bourne – PG-13 – action/thriller

Bridge on the River Kwai – war movie

Bruce Almighty – PG-13 – comedy/fantasy

Captain America – PG-13 – action/adventure based on superhero comics

Captain Marvel – PG –  2019 action/adventure/science fiction in the Marvel movie series

Captain Phillips –  PG-13 – 2013 thriller/drama – a true story of the 2009 Somali pirate hijacking of a US cargo ship featuring Tom Hanks

Charade – 1963 – Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn – comedy/mystery/romance/thriller

The Chosen – TV drama series on the life of Jesus Christ (season 1 on Youtube; others on The Chosen – free App)

Cinderella Man – PG-13 – drama, boxing, true story

Clear and Present Danger – PG-13 – action/drama/thriller with Harrison Ford

Close Encounters of the Third Kind – 1977 – science-fiction drama

Confessions of a Shopaholic – PG – romantic/comedy

Conspiracy Theory – R – older teens, spoof on FBI

Cool Runnings  – PG – comedy with John Candy

The Count of Monte Cristo  –PG-13 – 2002 historical drama/adventure with Jim Caviezel

Courageous – PG-13 – 2011 drama about the importance of fathers

The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler – PG – 2009 – WWII drama based on a true story

Cranford – 2007 – social drama – TV Mini-series featuring Judi Dench

Crown for Christmas – 2015 Hallmark movie, romantic comedy

Dance With Me – drama/romance/music

The Day After Tomorrow – PG-13 – sci-fi/fantasy thriller, a disaster movie

Death Race- R for violence, sci-fi thriller for older teenagers

Deja Vu – PG-13 – action/thriller/romance for older teenagers

Die Hard (1 and 4) – R –  action/thriller with Bruce Willis, for older teenagers

Doctor Zhivago -1965 – drama/romance/war

Dry Bar Comedy – a YouTube site providing all kinds of clean, decent comedy acts for the family

Edge of Darkness – 1943 war drama with Errol Flynn

The Emperor’s Club – PG-13 – drama about students in a private school

The Endurance – 2000 documentary – survival story of Shackleton’s last expedition to Antarctica

Enemy at the Gates – R for war violence and some sexuality – action/romance/war for older teens

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed – 2008 independent documentary on truth and freedom in academia

Facing the Giants – PG – football sports/drama

Fill The Void -PG – 2012 – drama/romance

The Finest Hours – 2016 – PG-13 – action/drama true story of Coast Guard’s 1952 rescue of oil tanker survivors

FireProof – PG – drama/romance pertaining to marriage

Flags of our Fathers – R – action/war/drama – for older teens – graphic war violence and language

Flash of Genius – PG-13 – 2008 drama based on a true story

Florence Nightingale – 1985 with Jaclyn Smith – biography/drama set in Victorian times

Flight of the Phoenix – 1965 – adventure/drama in the Sahara desert, starring James Stewart and Ernest Borgnine

The Flying Scotsman – 2006- PG-13 – sports/drama  based on the true story of Graeme Obree, Champion cyclist and his struggles

Ford vs Ferrari-  PG-13 – 2019 – action/biography/drama about sports car racing

Foyle’s War – TV series – WWII British detective drama series

Freedom Writers – PG-13- crime/drama

Friday Night Lights – PG-13 – football sports/drama

Funny Girl – musical, romance with Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn

Genesis – from the Bible Collection series – 1994 – well done biblical drama

G.I.Joe: Rise of the Cobra – PG-13 – science-fiction thriller

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story – 2009 – true story about a boy who becomes a neurosurgeon

Gladiator  – R for violence – historical action movie with Russell Crowe for older teens

God’s Not Dead – PG – 2014 – drama about a student who challenges a professor on God’s existence

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – western with Clint Eastwood

The Good Lie – 2014 – PG-13 – drama – Sudanese refugees come to America to start a new life

The Great Debaters – 2007 –  PG-13 –  drama based on a true American story with Denzel Washington

Great Expectations – 1946 adventure/drama/mystery

The Great Global Warming Swindle – 2007 documentary on global warming

The Great Wall – 2016 – PG-13 – fantasy/action/adventure with Matt Damon

Greater  – PG – 2016 – sports/drama about true story involving football

The Greatest Game Ever Played – 2005 – PG – sports drama based on a true story

Green Book – 2018 PG-13 -based on a true story of an African-American classical pianist travelling southern USA in the 1960’s

Groundhog Day – PG – humor

Harriet – 2019 – PG-13 – biography of Harriet Tubman during the American Civil War

Hidalgo – PG-13 – modern western adventure

Hearts of Christmas – 2016 Hallmark movie, romantic comedy

Hidden Places – drama/ romance produced by Hallmark

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – PG-13 – adventure fantasy

Holiday – romance/comedy/drama with Gary Cooper

How to Steal a Million – Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole – romantic comedy

Hunt for Red October – PG – action thriller

I Am David – PG – war drama with Jim Caviezel

I Am Sam – PG-13 – drama

I Can Only Imagine – 2018 – PG – drama

The Illusionist – PG-13 – fantasy, drama, romance

Impossible Engineering – TV series 2015 -2017, impressive engineering feats from around the world

In A Colt’s Shadow – 1965 spaghetti western

The Incredible Hulk PG-13 – Edward Norton, super hero/sci-fi

Inspector George Gently – British crime/drama/mystery TV series 2007-2017

The International – R – for violence and language – crime/thriller with Clive Owen

Invictus – PG-13- Rugby drama featuring Matt Damon, based on a true story

Invincible – football drama based on a true story

The Island – PG-13 – action/thriller/sci-fi

It Happened One Night – romantic comedy with Clark Gable

The Italian Job – 2003 – PG-13 – action/crime/thriller

Jeeves and Wooster movies – British humor great for teens

John Adams – 2008 biography/drama/history – TV mini-series about the first 50 years of the U.S.

Juno – PG-13 – comedy romance drama

Jurassic Park – PG-13 – science fiction adventure

King Kong – PG-13 – monster movie with Jack Black

The King’s Speech – PG 13 – based on the life of King George VI starring Colin Firth

King Richard – PG-  2021 sports/drama about tennis based on a true story starring Will Smith

La Neuvaine – french with english subtitles, drama

The Last Samurai  – R for violence – Japanese historical action, for older teens, with Tom Cruise

Leap Year – PG- Romantic comedy featuring Amy Adams

Leatherheads- PG-13 – romantic comedy/football drama starring George Clooney

Legend of 1900 – R for language – drama

The Legend of Zorro – PG – adventure romance comedy (sequel to Mark of Zorro), with Antonio Banderas

Les Choristes – PG-13 – french with english subtitles, drama

Les Miserables – 2012 – PG-13 – drama, musical, romance

Letters to Iwo Jima – R for war violence – WWII Japanese drama

Letters to Juliet – 2010 – PG – romantic comedy

Life is Beautiful – PG-13 – World War II drama

Like Stars on Earth – PG – 2007 – drama that explores the life of imagination of an 8 year old dyslexic boy

Little Women – PG – 2019 – historical drama

The Long Walk Home – PG – drama

The Longest Day – 1962 -WWII action/drama

Lord of the Rings – PG 13- fantasy/adventure

Lorenzo’s Oil – PG-13 – drama

Love Come Softly; Love’s Enduring Promise; Love’s Long Journey; Love’s Abiding Joy; Love’s Unending Legacy; Love Takes Wings series – pioneer/drama/romance for girls

MacGyver – 1985-1992 TV series – PG – adventures of a secret agent who is resourceful in problem-solving.

Maiden – PG – 2018 sport documentary about an all female sailing crew that competed in sailing around the world in 1989

The Majestic – PG – drama/romance

Man on a Ledge – PG-13 – 2012 – action/crime/thriller

The Man Who Knew Too Much – mystery with Jimmy Stewart

Man for All Seasons – life of St. Thomas More

Manchurian Candidate – 1962 with Frank Sinatra – action/suspense

Mansfield Park – 2007 – TV drama starring Blake Ritson and Billie Piper

The Mark of Zorro – PG – adventure romance comedy with Antonio Banderas

Marvin’s Room – PG-13 – comedy/drama

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World – PG-13 – naval drama

Matrix (the first movie) – R for violence – science fiction action

Meet John Doe – a 1941 Gary Cooper drama

Men of Honor – 2000 – R for language – biography drama of first African-American U.S. Navy diver – for older teenagers

Midnight Masquerade – 2014 Hallmark movie, romance/comedy

Miracle at Midnight – war drama movie

Miracle in Cell No. 7 – PG-13 – 2013 – Korean comedy/drama

Miss Potter – PG – romantic drama about the biography of Beatrix Potter

Mission Impossible (the first movie) – PG-13 – action/thriller

Mr. Holland’s Opus – PG – drama

Mr. Roberts – war/comedy/drama with Henry Fonda

Moby Dick – an old B&W, based on the classic novel about the sea

Moms’ Night Out – PG – 2014 – comedy

Mostly Martha – PG – comedy/romance

Mother Teresa: No Greater Love – 2022 – PG – documentary of her life

Murder on the Orient Express – 2017 – PG –  crime/drama/ mystery  based on Agatha’s Christie book

My Big Fat Greek Wedding – PG – comedy/romance

Napoleon Dynamite – PG – comedy

National Treasure – PG – action/adventure/mystery

Nicholas Nickelby – 2002 – social drama

North and South – 2004 BBC mini-series set in England– social drama/romance

Nicky’s Family – 2011 – documentary of someone who helped Jewish children escape in WWII

O Brother, Where Art Thou? – PG-13 – comedy

October Sky – PG – drama based on a true story

Of Gods and Men – PG-13- drama based on a true story of monks in Northern Africa

Ong Bak –R- for violence and language, kung fu action movie for older teens

The Other Side of Heaven – 2001 – PG – adventure/bio/drama based on the true story of a young missionary to Tonga

The Others – PG-13 – horror/thriller/suspense

Our Mutual Friend – BBC 1999 – mystery/romance

Overcomer – 2019 – G – sports/ drama involving cross country running

Passion of the Christ – R for violence – movie about the passion, death and resurrection of Christ

Paycheck – PG-13 – drama/thriller for older teens

Pay It Forward – PG 13 – drama

Peanut Butter Falcon – PG – 2019 adventure/drama

Pele: Birth of a Legend – 2016 – PG – biographical drama of a famous soccer player

Persuasion – 1995 with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, based on Jane Austin’s book, great for girls

Persuasion – 2007– romantic drama with Rupert Penry-Jones

The Phantom of the Opera – 2004 – musical/drama/romance

Phar Lap – 1983 – sports drama about a famous racing horse

The Pianist – R – war, life in the Polish ghettos during WWII

Pirates of the Caribbean – PG-13 – action/fantasy/adventure

Poirot – PG –  1989-2013 TV crime/mystery series based on Agatha Christie’s writings,  featuring David Suchet

Pride – PG-  2007 sports/drama on swimming loosely based on a true story

Pride and Prejudice  – drama/romance for girls, with Colin Firth

Pride and Prejudice – PG – drama/romance for girls, with Keira Knightley

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time – 2010 – PG – action/adventure/fantasy

Push – 2009 – PG-13- sci-fi/thriller

Queen of Katwe – 2016 – PG –  biographical drama about a girl who’s life changes through playing chess

Rabbit-Proof Fence – PG – drama

Race – 2016 – PG-13 – biography sports drama. True story of Jesse Owens, track and field athlete who competed in Olympics during WWII.

Rear Window – 1954 – An Alfred Hitchock thriller/mystery with Jimmy Stewart

Rebecca – 1940 B&W – An Alfred Hitchcock romance/mystery/ thriller.

Red – PG-13 – action/comedy with Bruce Willis

Remember the Titans – PG – sports drama

Rescue Dawn – PG-13 – action/drama war movie

Ride Like A Girl – PG- 2019 – sports/drama true story of first female jockey to win Melbourne Cup in Australia

Risen – 2016 – PG-13 – mystery/historical fiction about finding the body of Christ

Roman Holiday – 1953 – drama/romance for girls with Audrey Hepburn

Run Lola Run – R for violence and language – foreign – action/adventure/drama/thriller – for older teens

Sabrina  – 1954 -drama/romance for girls with Audrey Hepburn

Sabrina  – PG – 1995 – drama/romance for girls with Harrison Ford

Sahara – PG-13- 2005 – action/adventure/comedy

St. Guiseppe Moscati: Doctor to the Poor – 2007  Italian TV movie with English subtitles – biography/drama

St. Paul – PG 13- 2018 – historical drama about St. Paul the Apostle

St. Philip Neri: I Prefer Heaven – 2010 Italian TV movie with English subtitles – biography/drama

The Scarlet and the Black – drama/adventure based on true story with Gregory Peck

Scarlett Pimpernel – 1982 – action/drama/romance during French Revolution with Jane Seymour

Scarlett Pimpernel – 1934 – action/drama with Leslie Howard

Sea Biscuit – PG-13 – true story about horse racing

Sense and Sensibility  – romance drama for girls based on Jane Austen’s novel, with Hugh Grant

Serenity – PG-13 – action/thriller/sci-fi

Seven Years in Tibet – 1971 – PG-13 autobiographical war/drama about life in Tibet during WWII

Shadow of a Doubt (1943 version) – Alfred Hitchcock suspense

Shall We Dance – musical, romantic comedy with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers

Sissi – 1955 romance drama on the lives of Princess Elizabeth of Bavaria and Franz Josef of Austria

Sissi The Young Empress – 1956 drama (second of the trilogy)

Sissi – Fateful Years of an Empress – 1957 drama (last of the trilogy)

16 Blocks with Bruce Willis- PG-13 – action thriller

Something the Lord Made – 2004 – true story of two heart surgeons who help blue babies in the 1940’s

The Song – PG-13 – drama, music, romance

The Spanish Prisoner – PG – drama/thriller/crime/gangster

Spiderman  (the first movie) – PG-13 – superhero action movie with Tobey Maguire

Spitfire Grill – PG-13 – drama for older teens and adults

The Sting– PG – action/comedy/gangster  with Robert Redford

Stop That Marriage – 2016 made for TV movie – comedy/romance

Storming Juno – Docudrama of the Canadian assault of Juno Beach on D-Day

Straight from the Heart – romance/drama for girls

The Stratton Story – 1949 – true baseball drama of Monty Stratton played by Jimmy Stewart

Surrogates – PG-13 – science-fiction/thriller with Bruce Willis

Swing Kids – PG-13 – war drama

Take the Lead- PG-13 – Antonio Banderas, based on true story, drama, dance

The Terminal – PG-13 – comedy/romance/drama

Terminator 2: Judgement Day – R – sci-fi action thriller for older teens

The 39 Steps – 1935 Alfred Hitchcock action/mystery/suspense movie

They Shall Not Grow Old – 2018 – history of WWI made my Peter Jackson

Timeline – PG 13- 2003 sci-fi action adventure

The Truman Show – PG 13 – drama/comedy

Twelve Angry Men – drama with Henry Fonda

U-571 – PG-13- WWII  U-boat thriller

Unbroken – PG-13  2014 biography/drama. True story  of  American Olympic athlete’s life  before and during WWII

Unbroken: Path to Redemption – PG-13 2018 biography/drama that continues the earlier movie, beginning when WWII ended.

Undefeated – western with John Wayne and Rock Hudson

Under the Greenwood Tree – 2005 – BBC – romance/drama for girls

Unstoppable – 2010 – action/adventure/thriller with Denzel Washington

Up Documentary series – Beginning in 1964, this British documentary series follows 14 children every seven years during their lifetime. Watch 7 Up, 14 Up, 21 Up, 28 Up, 35 Up, 42 Up, 49 Up, 56 Up and 63 Up to see where life takes a variety of children from England.

Waking Ned Devine – PG – comedy

A Walk in the Clouds  – PG-13 – good for older teenagers and adults, starring Keanu Reeves

A Walk to Remember – PG-13 – drama/romance for girls

War and Peace – Russian historical drama (great to see before reading book)  with Audrey Hepburn

War Horse – PG-13 – WWI drama about a boy and his horse

We Were Soldiers – R – war movie for older teens because of level of violence

When the Game Stands Tall – PG – 2014 inspiring true sports drama with Jim Caviezel

Where Eagles Dare – 1968 with Clint Eastwood – action/adventure

Wives and Daughters – 19th century romance/drama

Woman of the Year – romantic drama with Katharine Hepburn

The Young Victoria – PG – romantic drama based on the true story of Queen Victoria