•  

    the top 51 teen GANGS+coming of age films & tv

          Movies & TV series about Teenagers and their Coming of Age is one of my many hobbies since I was a teenager. That famous "Age of 17," the high-school graduation year, where you enter into the Real World Realm, in your own terms, or not. Teen Rebellion against the mess previous generations inherited them, Teen Angst when one can't find an exit out of this "low-morale" adult world, and most importantly a year where you're as perceptive as ever about what is life in general. Because, at 17, you're standing in the middle of these two worlds, and you can clearly spot the differences and all the things that "suck" in the jungle of "real life."

         A jungle created by ex-teens who conformed even to something they detest. But, many "Peter Pan's" choose never to grow up, and they remain teenagers for life. The funniest story is that, even if the whole world is dictating you to conform to this social monster in order to succeed in life, this narrow-minded zone of: "be realistic"; those that make it big times are mostly: "Eternal teenagers who never grew up to become cold-blooded adults." These are the world famous authors who mesmerize us with their sensibilities and perception, the world famous singers and bands, the world famous artists in all mediums, and even the entrepreneurs. The uncomfortable truth about all who conformed, "the realists", is that they're the 9 to 5 office employees who despise their jobs, praying for Friday to finally arrive. Meaning that conforming is NOT a necessity. It's a choice. And before you take this boring and uninspiring route, you should know where it leads to.

         This list of the Top 51 Films & TV Series about teenagers during their coming of age offer choices, entertainment and very clear point of views. I grew up with them, and did become a combo of all of them. Beauty, adventures, new solutions, a change to our perspective, and finally this New friendly World that all we dreamers hope for. The list with my order of preference is in imdb, one can find it here:

         Please, find more F...king Amazing Film lists from me here:

    8 FILM LISTS SUGGESTIONS FROM FILIPPOS

     

  • END OF THE F***ING WORLD [TV DARK COMEDY]
    2018-? []             IMDB: 8.1/10 (97,000 votes)


        
    Official Plot: “James is 17 and is pretty sure he is a psychopath. Alyssa, also 17, is the cool and moody new girl at school. The pair make a connection and she persuades him to embark on an adventurous road trip in search of her real father.”


  •    In this British/Netflix dark comedy show, the audience laughs when the actors rarely smile. Cute, smart, it runs at a good pace and without the plot compromises you observe in other TV series. It’s characterized by many internal monologues that often show us the difference of our thinking compared to our acting. Another example for the existence of a second person inside us, as proved by the Decoding of the Mona Lisa. It’s based on Charles Forsman's comics (his Twitter), and I eagerly await for Season 2. And of course I also love their clothes!

       Season 2, unfortunately was very boring. I mean that it had all the technical elements I loved in Season 1 like the eerie feeling, great photography and music, very interesting protagonists, but it lacked the suspense and the excitment/ originality of the first season. I mean the plot was too predictable, boring and veeeeeeeeery slow. Something one woudn't expect since each episode is only 22 mins. Also the new female character was very whatever.
    [To the right is the Official Trailer by Netflix]

    Writen by: Charlie Covell
    Stars: Jessica BardenAlex LawtherSteve OramSee full cast & crew  OFFICIAL WEBSITE

     

  • EL ANGEL (2018) [Biography, Crime, Drama film]
    ARGENTINA                  IMDB: 7/10 (6,000 votes)

    EL ANGEL [Biography, Crime, Drama film] 2018

     

      Official Plot: “Buenos Aires, 1971. Carlitos (Lorenzo Ferro) is a seventeen-year-old with movie star swagger, blond curls and a baby face. As a young boy, he coveted other people’s things, but it wasn’t until his early adolescence that his true calling — to be a thief — manifested itself. When he meets Ramon at his new school, Carlitos is immediately drawn to him and starts showing off to get his attention. Together they will embark on a journey of discovery, love and crime. Killing is just a random offshoot of the violence, which continues to escalate until Carlitos is finally apprehended. Because of his angelic appearance, the press dubs Carlitos “The Angel of Death.” Showered with attention because of his beauty, he becomes an overnight celebrity. Altogether, he is believed to have committed over forty thefts and eleven homicides.”

     

    Carlos Eduardo Robledo Puch  



        In this Based on a Real-Story film, the pace, feeling and authenticity is sparkling deep inside you. You're one with them, as if you're witnessing their robberies and murders. Talking about a "real life" feeling throughout this "experience-film." The off-beat life in Argentina, the roofs, the smell, the dreams, the will, the decadence and the glory... The acting & directing & photography are also superb, plus the "Angel of Death" looks unbelievably close to the real Carlito, a.k.a. Carlos Eduardo Robledo Puch, as one may see from his picture to the right. And yes, this is not Leonardo di Caprio, this is the real "Angel of Death" and the "Black Death", aged 17. If you want to know his real story, go here:


    3 Awards & 21 nominations.

    See "El Angel" awards & nominations

    DIRECTED BY: Luis Ortega
    WRITTEN BY: Luis Ortega, Rodolfo Palacios, Sergio Olguín
    CAST: Lorenzo Ferro, Chino Darín, Daniel Fanego, Mercedes Morán, Luis Gnecco, Peter Lanzani, Cecilia Roth  | See full cast & crew


    OFFICIAL "EL ANGEL" WEBSITE

     

     

     

    THE CIAMBRA (2017) [CRIME ROMA DRAMA FILM]
    ITALY                          IMDB: 7/10 (1,700 votes)

      Official Plot: “In A CIAMBRA, a small Romani community in Calabria, Pio Amato is desperate to grow up fast. At 14, he drinks, smokes and is one of the few to easily slide between the region's factions - the local Italians, the African refugees and his fellow Romani. Pio follows his older brother Cosimo everywhere, learning the necessary skills for life on the streets of their hometown. When Cosimo disappears and things start to go wrong, Pio sets out to prove he's ready to step into his big brother's shoes but soon finds himself faced with an impossible decision that will show if he is truly ready to become a man.”

        In this Italian road film, one gets the rare opportunity to go deep into the Roma communities. Learn about their rules, their loves, their "partying all the time," their understanding of what's right and what's wrong, and how to prove themselves worthy. The hero and local Pio Amato, is a natural talent and open to share his most inner emotions on camera. What I mostly loved was the film's honesty! One of these rare opportunities you get on cinema to enter a forbidden and seductive foreign universe. Do the Roma's have the answer for a joyful life? Are they a menace, or a blessing? They certainly though, don't abide to our very strict rules, and for very good reasons. Such a lovable film!

    The film's backstory: The director and his crew had a Fiat Panda full of film equipment stolen while filming the short film A Chjàna (2012). They went to the Romani community in the Ciambra to negotiate for their car. This is how the director first met the Amato family, who he depicts in this film. It was Italy's submission to the Foreign Language Film Award of the 90th Annual Academy Awards.

    13 Awards & 20 nominations.  See "The Ciambra" awards & nominations

    13 reasons why [TV drama/mystery] 2016-?

    Salto Angelo in Venezuela.     Official Plot: "Thirteen Reasons Why, based on the best-selling books by Jay Asher, follows teenager Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette) as he returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers a group of cassette tapes recorded by Hannahh Baker (Katherine Langford) -his classmate and crush-who tragically committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannahh unfolds an emotional audio diary, detailing the thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Through Hannahh and Clay's dual narratives, Thirteen Reasons Why weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect viewers."
    [To the left is "Clay"]

    Salto Angelo in Venezuela.             A very realistic, honest and compelling TV show with smart, lovable and realistic characters, strong friendships, amazing acting and a "teenage feeling," dedicated to "teenagers suicides;" after their teen angst, which originated from bullying. This time it's the lovely, beautiful and very intelligent girl, Hannahh, aged 17, who unfortunately commits suicide, because she doesn't know that no matter how traumatizing the bullying is at school, it only lasts these very few years, and then, you have a whole life without any bullying. Because, after school we have this thing called "Law" -putting bullies to prison, since they're not minors anymore. The best solution to stop bullying is to "call them out" as soon as possible, to people with authority, and insist on ending the problem until it's solved. Then, not only will you have a very strong ally, but, it's also their lawful obligation to put an end to it. Hannahh, recorded 7 tapes, addressed to 13 people who according to her were "The 13 Reasons Why" she committed suicide at the age of 17. Each tape's side is one episode. My favourite character/actor is the "Rebel without a Cause" Alex, played by Miles Heizer. The Hannah Baker story ends in Season 2, and Season 3 was boring to death. Therefore, either skip Season 3, or jump directly to its 11th episode, if you're that curious of what happened to "Bryce." [To the right is "Hannah", and below is "Alex"]

              The statistics about teenage suicide are jaw-breaking. In the U.S. only, 3,041 teenage suicide attemps (12-18 y.o.) occur, EVERY DAY! Almost all of them have a psychological disorder at the time of death, meaning that you can "see the signs", if you're a parent who pays close attention to your children. Suicidal teens are very often depressed, bored of everything, find no interest in our world, lonely, don't believe in anyone, bullied, angry at everything, and as a result most of them take drugs or drink lots of alcohol, alienating them even more.

    Salto Angelo in Venezuela.
              If a good friend or a parent wants to help them out, or to minimize the suicidal risk, the most important thing is to UNDERSTAND your child or friend. First listen to him, and then be OPEN to his new ideas. And that means that you may have to stop being the "All-knowing" stiff parent, or the cop-parent, who pressures the teenager even more. Try not to forget that we were all very bored of school's classes and homework, and having to spend half of our day with something that you don't like at all, naturally makes you angry. Teenage years though, have also the potential to be the most "eye-opening" years of your life. But, if your parents don't believe in you, or if they only listen to themselves, they may darken your teenage years and may lead you to the misconception that our world "sucks big times," and there's no way out of it. With that in mind, committing suicide doesn't sound that crazy... But, this is a misconception, due to teenagers' lack of experience.

     

              And this is the key point I want to underline to depressed teenagers. Don't judge by what you experienced during only these 12-18 years, and pretty much in the exact same "boxed environment," with the exact same police-rules. After high-school graduation sets off a completely new level, and when you used to hate everything around you, now you can be surrounded by people just like you, sharing similar interests. And trust me, there always are. An example for the above is a very talented artist, born in a small farmer's village, where none can appreciate his talent and they make a joke out of his artistic efforts, making him depressed to the bone. Then he moves to the city, shows his artwork to the right eyes, and... BOOM! He's now an Artist, and as happy as can be, since his love, his hobby, can also be his means of survival. From depressed and suicidal, to being a happy & successful man. And dear parents, please don't be easily dissappointed by your children, believe in them, UNDERSTAND THEM, and help them to spread their wings, even if their dreams are far away from yours.

    Salto Angelo in Venezuela.          Series Backstory: Surprisingly, two studies in the U.S. claim that: "There was a nearly 30% increase in suicides among kids 12 to 18 years old in the month following the release of the show." And that's really a lot and can't be easily ignored. That's why the Production of "13 Reasons Why" built a suicide prevention website with all kind of resources, worldwide: https://13reasonswhy.info/ The only reason I can think of, is that maybe teens with similar to Hannahh's issues "realized" through the show, that their issues may even lead to suicide, as Hannah did in the show. Even if Hannahh had loving parents who loved her, and many friends who cared about her, even if they temporarly belittled her, plus she was very pretty -and that's VERY rare. Obviously, they're teens out there with much much worst problems, and the truth is that almost all of them moved on after high school. And that's the truth that the troubled teens should listen to. Teens with much more traumatic lives got over it, to show you that you can do it to no matter the sh** you're now facing. There's ALWAYS a solution, even if "I've never been a 14 years old girl" as said in "The Virgin Suicides", an amazing & mesmerizing true-story film by Sofia Coppola, with a similar subject. If you're reading this and you can't find your solution no matter what, feel free to email me at contact(at)filippos.com and we can try to find it together. Life has the potential to be too f** amazing to kill yourself.

              Furthermore, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center offers very valuable resources to help parents to talk about the "13 Reasons Why" TV series and suicide risk and prevention to their teenage children.

    official website

     

    13 reasons why.info

     

    THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES (2016-2017)
    [Fantasy/adventure/teen TV series-
    2 seasons]
                                    IMDB: 7.3/10 (50,000 votes)

    Mona Lisa Code here?

     


    Official Plot:
    "The Four Lands are protected from the hordes of demons through the magic of the mystical tree known as the Ellcrys behind the Forbidding, the barrier keeping the demons locked away. But when the magic begins to fail and the demons threaten to overtake the Four Lands, it is up to Wil Ohmsford, grandson of legendary Shea Ohmsford, with the help of the druid Allanon to repel the impending hordes from the prison sealed shut by the Ellcrys. To do this, he must open himself to a magic closed inside him and use the Elfstones to protect the Ellcrys' Chosen on a perilous journey. Together, they must race against the demons' march toward the Elven capitol Arborlon to a place called Safehold to figure out the riddle of restoring the magic held by the dying Ellcrys, but an unknown terror tracks them relentlessly..."

     
             The Shannara Chronicles is based on the Terry Brooks trilogy novel and follows the story of three teenagers. A half-elf, half-human is the main hero, with pointy ears as all elves have (duh), with the goal of saving humanity from Demons in the world of the Four Lands. And because it’s MTV, many scenes take place in the bathroom, the rivers and anywhere else it would seem natural for the heroes to take their clothes off…

              The presence of Crixus from much adored “Spartacus”, as the Last Druid in Shannara adds volume to the show and even some really strong emotional moments. In the picture we see the half-elf Will. During its first season it broke all MTV records for young audiences as it reached 16 million views on MTV’s digital platforms. The second season was shown by Spike, and it was also a pleasure to watch. I hope it gets a third season, its producers are seeking for a new home/network. They didn't find one, though, and the show ended in two seasons.

     

     

     

    GAME OF THRONES X-SEASON
    [FANTASY/DRAMA/DEATH ROW
    ]                                  IMDB: 9.4/10 (1.5M votes)

    Click to watchTHE FIRST FACT that you get to know after the 7th season is that when a hero reaches his maximum, he’s also a foot away from the next world. Their sudden deaths shocked us the first twenty times, now I don’t want to be too fond of a character, because I’ll certainly lose them. And a few episodes later they won’t even be mentioned. GoT creators built issues and puzzles, and they’re the reason you’re hooked on their story, and instead of seeing how the heroes can pull through all these obstacles, they die. It might come from the whatever final episode of “Lost”, but I’m hoping that the Game of Thrones creators in the next season will put their heroes against even more obstacles and not kill them when they reach their peak, because I’m starting to get the impression that the characters are built so high, only because the creators know that their story will shortly end, since they’ll soon kill them. Unexpected Death #35.

    On the other hand, you have so many reasons to watch it that you move on from the above complaint, and get into the rivalries of about a handful of kings/queens/contesters of the Throne, with each having an epic background and the certainty that they are “the one”. In brief, it has Dragons! Yeah! :)