50+ Of The Best Films For Teenagers (With An Educational Twist)
This post is part of our archived content. While we’ve shifted focus, it still may be useful.
Your kids get to a certain age and it’s goodbye CBeebies and Disney Channel and hello Netflix and YouTube!
What are some good films for teenagers and older kids when you want to have movie night that they’ll actually sit down with you and enjoy?
Our picks for the best movies for teenagers mainly have an educational twist leaving room for conversation once the film is done.
We love films that make you think, challenge your preconceptions and entertain. The best educational movies for teens provide valuable learning opportunities for young viewers.
Even better if they’re based on a book.
Anything to encourage a love of reading!
Some of our picks are old-school but they’re good enough that your teens won’t mind watching films from what they consider the past (eye roll) and you consider your youth.
Best 12 Rated Films
A surprising number of characters die in this film and it’s a little depressing but it’s a look at the worst-case scenario of global warming.
Could be used in a conversation about climate change.
Familiar faces Ant and Dec star in a silly take on what may or may not have happened in Roswell, New Mexico.
A historical look at one day in the battle of Dunkirk.
An inspiring tale of Mandela and rugby.
If your child is doing History at secondary school, this film could be a nice supplement to what they’re learning.
Baz Luhrmann’s sparkly remake of the Bard’s classic tale featuring vintage Leonardo DiCaprio.
A funny look at NASA’s attempt to get hold of the world’s biggest satellite dish sitting in a sheep paddock in Australia.
A 3 hour film about the Titanic’s final journey.
Based on the brilliant Michael Morpurgo book, younger teens may be frightened by the scenes of death and animal cruelty.
Best Movies For 13 Year Olds
A true story retelling the life of an autistic young woman.
To Kill A Mockingbird – Rated U
An absolute classic based on Harper Lee’s excellent book.
Lord Of The Flies (1963) – Rated PG
We prefer the old black and white version (less violence) and we suggest getting the kids to read the book and then watch the film.
A brilliant adaptation of the famous book your child is bound to study at some point during secondary school.
Pride And Prejudice – Rated PG
Bring the GCSE text to life.
Remember The Titans – Rated PG
A historically accurate look at sport and racism in 1970s America.
The Madness Of King George – Rated PG
A historical drama based on the mental health struggles of King George III.
A look at the civil rights movement in the USA.
Akeelah And The Bee – Rated 12
An inspiring story of Keke Palmer as a black girl standing up for herself, being smart and facing her fears.
Plus, lots and lots of spelling.
A good vehicle for secondary school-age kids to discuss the horrors of apartheid.
Use the film in a conversation about the environment to discuss natural disasters.
Robin Williams is in excellent form as an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry.
The scene at the end will have you in tears.
Controversial when it was released, the film is a bittersweet comedy set during the Holocaust.
Discusses racial tension in America and the perils and benefits of standing up for what you believe in.
A story based on the last mission of an American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, the Memphis Belle, based in England during World War II.
It’s emotional (and excellent) but better suited to teens ready to discuss mature themes like child abuse/trafficking.
A biblically inaccurate and slightly violent retelling of the story of Noah and his ark.
Your kids may have been into the Cups song (aka ‘When I’m Gone’) when the film came out in 2012.
Rebel Wilson plays an annoying character but the songs are catchy and the movie is generally quite upbeat.
A masterpiece of a film looking at Martin Luther King’s fight for civil rights.
Based on the best-selling novel, the film is a historical drama set in Germany during World War 2.
Borrow the books from the library then sit with your kids and watch the films.
A dystopian look at how far humans will go to survive.
Historical drama that looks at the role of cryptologists and mathematicians in World War 2.
Good to show kids how maths applies in the real world.
The Theory Of Everything – Rated 12
A riveting Stephen Hawking biopic.
Best Movies For 14 Year Olds
Don’t be fooled by the low age rating, this film is best suited to secondary school kids due to the violence.
Darkest Hour – Rated PG (Streaming on Netflix)
Use as a history discussion on Churchill.
Not the most historically accurate film but an entertaining look at the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Could your kids try and compose their own piece of music afterwards?
The story of mathematician John Nash who had schizophrenia and won the Nobel prize.
Features scenes of shock therapy and some rude language.
A realistic look at Harriet Tubman’s life during the slave trade. The N word is used so be prepared for discussions about race, slavery and history.
After a plane crash in the Andes, a rugby team go to extreme lengths in order to stay alive.
Better suited to mature teens.
A multiple award-winning film about the life and politics of American President Abraham Lincoln.
A great film about American history.
Don’t let the low rating make you think this is child friendly.
It’s emotional (and excellent) but better suited to teens ready to discuss mature themes like child abuse/trafficking.
An action-heavy drama based on a WW2 battle.
The Pursuit Of Happyness – Rated 12
Will Smith is in fine form in this sad but uplifting tale of perseverance, family, love and loss.
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas – Rated 12
Heartbreaking, excellent film about the Holocaust told through the eyes of an 8 year old boy. Your kids probably read this at school.
Oscar-winning movie telling the story of two black maids in 1960s America.
Older kids might enjoy a look at the origins of Facebook.
Follow up with a discussion on the dangers and business motives of social media companies.
Best Movies For 15 Year Olds
A heartbreaking and violent look at the Khmer Rouge rule in Cambodia.
1492: Conquest Of Paradise – Rated 15
A fictional look at Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the New World.
A gruesome yet accurate look at Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne.
The story of an aeroplane malfunction where the pilot tries to save the passengers by flying upside down.
In the movie, he saves most of them but there are no survivors in the true story.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – Rated 15
A John Hughes classic where a young Matthew Broderick pretends to be ill so he can have a day off school. He soon realises his headteacher is on to him!
A graphic and violent look at the Bosnian war.
The violence is intense and graphic but it’s an honest look at the inhumanity of slavery. Definitely stick to the age recommendation on this one.
Will Smith does a great job portraying Muhammad Ali’s journey from Cassius Clay to a global superstar.
An excellent John Grisham adaptation about civil rights in southern America.
The rating is a good indicator of the language and violence involved.
Use as the basis of a history discussion.
This film is a masterpiece but it’s incredibly sad.
A look at economics (for older teens) and the financial crisis of 2008.
The King – Rated 15 (on Netflix)
A violent story about the reign of Henry V.
They Shall Not Grow Old – Rated 15
Documentary from Peter Jackson about World War I as told by the men who were there.
Brad Pitt stars in this Iliad-based, battle scene movie.
If you’re looking for something slightly more entertaining (but still educational), try a Netflix series or film based on a book.
Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit, Bridgerton, Lupin and Firefly Lane are all based on books.
In fact, led by Bridgerton, half of the Top 10 titles on The New York Times Best Sellers list in February 2021 were books tied to Netflix series.
As it became Netflix’s biggest series, the popularity of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels ballooned.
At one point five books from the series were on the New York Times Best Sellers list, with The Duke and I holding steady at number 1 for four weeks.
Kristin Hannah’s Firefly Lane first appeared on the Top 10 list a month ahead of the show’s release as interest in the series grew.
The book hit #1 just three days after its Netflix premiere, and 13 years after its first publication.
Three weeks after the Netflix limited series premiered, Walter Tevis’ The Queen’s Gambit appeared on the list for the first time since it was published 37 years ago; and went on to stay in the Top 10 for 11 weeks.
After Lupin premiered, Maurice Leblanc’s original book (written in 1907!) began trending in several countries such as Italy, Spain, the US, the UK and Korea, with sales reaching the equivalent of one year’s worth in just 15 days.
If your teen would be interested in books that made it to the big (small) screen, try:
- Jennifer Mathieu’s Moxie
- Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s YES DAY
- Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone
- Things Heard & Seen based on Elizabeth Brundage’s All Things Cease to Appear
- A.J. Finn’s The Woman in the Window
- Maurice Leblanc’s Lupin
- R.L. Stine’s Fear Street Trilogy
- Jojo Moyes’ The Last Letter From Your Lover
- Beth Reekles’ The Kissing Booth
- Caroline Kepnes’ YOU
- Robyn Carr’s Virgin River
- Sherryl Woods’ Sweet Magnolias
- J.A. White’s Nightbooks
- Stephanie Land’s Maid
- Concrete Cowboy, based on Gregory Neri’s Ghetto Cowboy
If you’re after pure entertainment, we suggest the following movies for older kids and teenagers:
- Get Out
- Kidulthood
- Clueless
- Mean Girls
- Back To The Future
- Goonies
- The Inbetweeners
- Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse
- Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
- Any and everything from the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
- Black Klansman
- Knives Out
- Superbad
What do you think are the best movies for teens?