The Best Teen Movies on Netflix (August 2021)

Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild (2021): A More Faithful Adaptation of Capcom's Popular Game Series

If the 2020 Monster Hunter film adaptation starring Milla Jovovich felt lacking, give this new animated movie a chance. Focusing on the character Aiden (a.k.a the "Excitable A-Lister" last seen in the video game Monster Hunter: World), it promises to stick more faithfully to its source material. During the film, Aiden and his fellow hunters track down and battle a fearsome Elder Dragon to protect their village. Fans of the video game franchise can expect plenty of nods and Easter eggs, and even a quippy, adorable Palico!

The Kissing Booth 3 (2021): Elle Evans Goes to College

Based on author Beth Reekles' The Kissing Booth novels, this film adaptation sees protagonist Elle Evans preparing for college. With one summer left between her and dorm life, she sets out to fulfill a bucket list with her boyfriend, Noah, and her best friend, Lee. While the films veer too often into rom-com cliche, fans of the novels should enjoy this third outing.

The Secret Diary of an Exchange Student (2021): A Brazilian Fish Out of Water Rom-Com

In this Brazilian import, Barbara (Larissa Manoela) and Talia (Thati Lopes) are best friends who decide to travel to the U.S. as exchange students. Barbara winds up in Woodstock, NY, and acting as a nanny for her stern sponsor. Talia stays with a conservative couple and meets a cute Brazilian teen named Lucas (Bruno Montaleone) who works at the local ski resort.

Sisters on Track (2021): Best Documentary About Kids Overcoming Adversity

Tai, Rainn, and Brooke Sheppard are three talented sisters with a fascinating backstory. In 2016, they all qualified for and won medals in track-and-field events at the Junior Olympics. And they did it while living with their mother in a homeless shelter. The media attention that followed got them on the cover of Sports Illustrated and they soon moved into their own home. This documentary film follows their lives as athletes and students as they navigate all the growing pains of adolescence and dream of a brighter future.

Audible (2021): Best Documentary for Teen Athletes Who Want to Be Inspired

This documentary short follows teen athlete Amaree McKenstry-Hall, who plays football for the Maryland School for the Deaf. He and his fellow players are on an unprecedented winning streak. During the film, they deal with the stress of protecting it while also struggling with their senior year, their futures in the hearing world after graduation, and the death of a friend.

Skater Girl (2021): A Film About Blazing Your Own Path

This Indian film is about a young girl who discovers skateboarding and dreams of competing in the sport but faces opposition from her traditional parents and the rest of her village. Meanwhile, the young woman who introduced her to skateboarding seeks to support her and the other village girls by building a skatepark. Skater Girl promises to be a heartwarming story about following your dreams.

Vampires vs. The Bronx (2019): Best Gentrification Metaphor Since Beetlejuice

Miguel, Bobby, and Luis are a bunch of normal teens with an unusual problem—vampires have invaded their Bronx community and are eating their neighbors. Plucky teens protect their neighborhood from invading monsters is not a new concept. Vampires vs. the Bronx wears that trope like a comfy blanket. But in between the fun frights and the witty one-liners is a clever meditation on gentrification and whitewashing.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010): A Cult Classic Comic Book Adaptation

Scott Pilgrim is a Toronto teen who plays bass for an indie garage band called Sex Bob-Omb. But when he meets and starts dating an American girl named Ramona Flowers, he finds himself in epic battles against her seven ex-boyfriends. This cult classic film bombed (pun intended) when it released in theaters over a decade ago. Which is a shame because it's a fun and flashy film full of inventive video-game-like visuals and a cool soundtrack.

Mirai (2018): A Lovely Animated Film About Family and Time Travel

This lovely Japanese animated film is an emotional story about family. Kun is a four-year-old boy who has a new baby sister, Mirai. Jealous of the newcomer, he flees to the family's garden, which is magical and allows him to travel through time to meet different versions of his relatives—including the teenaged version of his new sister. Throughout the movie, Kun learns that his family members are people with personalities separate from his own and that he's not quite the center of the universe.

Four Sisters Before the Wedding (2020): Best Filipino Teen Movie

This Filipino dramedy is a prequel to the 2013 film Four Sisters and a Wedding. In the present day, the Salazar sisters are preparing for their brother's wedding to a woman he's only known for four months. Meanwhile, they reminisce about a time their parents were having their own relationship problems and the girls conspired to get them back together. The film manages to walk a fine line between funny and emotional, but you might get the most out of it if you watch the original movie first.

Concrete Cowboy (2020): Because Idris Elba on a Horse, That's Why

This new drama from director Ricky Staub (Snow White and the Huntsman) takes a look at a little-known part of Black culture—urban cowboys who ride their horses on asphalt streets instead of dirt. Cole (Stranger Things' Caleb McLaughlin) is a 15-year-old boy from Detroit who's sent to live with his father Harp (Idris Elba) in Philadelphia. Harp is a part of Fletcher Street Stables, a (real-world) 100-year-old riding club that's often a refuge to troubled youth. Critics call the film an endearing and emotional father/son drama.

Moxie (2021): A Film About Fighting Toxic School Culture

This teen comedy from Parks and Rec comedienne Amy Poehler stars Hadley Robinson as Vivian, a shy 16-year-old who decides to rebel against her school's toxic atmosphere by publishing an underground zine called Moxie. Her writing sparks a movement amongst the female students. While Poehler is relatively new as a film director, she's proven herself a talented comedic writer and actress, making this movie promising.

Finding 'Ohana (2021): For Anyone Who Misses The Goonies

If you're a fan of movies where precocious teens go on an adventure for hidden treasures, you may want to spend a weekend watching Finding 'Ohana. It just might fill that Goonies-sized hole in your heart. The film is about two Brooklyn kids who go to Oahu to take care of their ailing grandfather and discover a pirate's journal that leads to a 200-year-old shipwreck. But, they also learn to appreciate their Hawaiian heritage along the way.

Bombay Rose (2019): A Beautiful Animated Tale That Celebrates Love

This beautifully animated Indian film is about a young dancer who escapes from child marriage and falls in love with an orphan. It's also a love story between two women in a country where their relationship was illegal until 2018 and the love of Bollywood. Based on actual events, Bombay Rose's three tales can feel a little disjointed, but it's a visual treat and an homage to the filmmaking that influenced it.

The Half of It: A Hopeful Love Story

When a lovesick football player named Paul begs loner Ellie to help him woo popular-girl Aster with a love letter, Ellie finds herself in a confusing love triangle.

This intelligent and sincere story tackles friendship and self-discovery and offers a texting-era twist on Cyrano de Bergerac-style love letters and mistaken identity.

Lady Bird: The Best Depiction of Senior-Year Struggles

Christine (Lady Bird) desperately wants independence from her high school existence. Nothing seems to be going very smoothly—not her relationship with her mom, best friend, or first real boyfriend.

This film is a heartfelt look at the anticipation and uncertainty wrapped up in leaving high school behind.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: A Charming Teen Rom-Com for Fans of All Ages

The setup: Lara Jean's young sister secretly mails the love letters she's written to five crushes. Lara Jean enlists the help of one letter recipient, Peter, to convince neighbor and crush Josh (and fellow letter recipient) that she and Peter are in a relationship and that she’s moved on.

If you’re a rom-com fan of any age, there’s plenty to love in this sweet movie with two follow-up installments.

Superbad: A Raucous Yet Sincere Buddy Movie

Seth and Evan are best friends focused on attending an epic graduation blowout rather than worrying about parting ways in the fall for college. That turns out to be nearly impossible to achieve—and fun to watch as they try.

While there are plenty of laugh-out-loud, raunchy moments, this high school party movie is a sincere nod to friendship.

All the Bright Places: An Important Mental Health Conversation Starter

Violet and Finch start spending more time together while working on a school project about the wonders of Indiana. While they're both struggling in different ways, they look to each other for solace and hope for the future.

This story highlights the importance of finding support and looking out for one another—a meaningful message for all ages.