It can be said that coming of age films are sometimes cliché. Each of these movies present a character that experiences life changing events in order to become a fully developed person. However, it is no surprise that we love them! We love the way we connect with the characters, the way the movie touches our hearts, and the way it helps us grow up.

Here's 5 of my favorite coming of age movies that will always hold a special place in my heart.

1. The Harry Potter Films

Harry Potter, a boy who throughout his journey, faces life changing experiences that made him develop into a strong and independent human being. Harry is clearly known as the boy who lived, but people tend to forget the fact that he was forced to grow up at a very young age since his parents were killed by Voldemort when he was a baby. He was raised by the Dursleys, who considered Harry a burden to carry. The unappreciated kid that is presented at the beginning of the series emerges into the hero who risks his own life to save his magical world. J.K. Rowling once said, “Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.” And that's true! Harry Potter lives in us forever and ALWAYS.

2. Sixteen Candles

One of the many coming of age films by John Hughes is “Sixteen Candles”. This movie presents a young teenage girl, Samantha, who on the day of her sixteenth birthday wakes up to the worst day of her life. Her family forgets her birthday and to make things worse, her crush has no idea she exists! Every teenage girl dreams of becoming sixteen. As Samantha reaches the golden age, she wants people to stop seeing her as a kid and wishes to be treated as an adult. The process of entering the teenage years is clearly exposed in the film. Samantha, throughout her experiences gets a sense of the real world. She struggles with her family’s ignorance and realizes that there are times where she can't always get what she wants. As the movie develops, one can see a girl with poor self esteem since she's afraid to speak to Jake, her crush, but by the end of the film, she unknowingly manages to acquire the boy of her dreams. Finally, Samantha, just like any other typical sixteen year old girl, enters a new chapter in her life along the love of her life.

3. A Cinderella Story

The famous tale of the runaway princess is reborn. However, this time the film comes with a twist since the princess is a normal teenager who instead of leaving behind a shoe, drops her phone from her shoe (such a normal place to shelter a cellphone just saying). Sam, is forced by her stepmother to work in her dead father’s dinner and is treated as a slave in her own home. Just like Harry Potter, Sam was raised by an abusive heartless family and therefore was forced to mature at a very early age. Of course, bullies play a huge role in this film. Sam is the unpopular, but unique dinner girl who falls in love with the most popular boy in school, Austin Ames. As a teen in the process of self-development she faces a great amount of judgment by society and her own “family”. However, by the end of the film, the roles are switched since she finally builds up the courage to claim her father’s belongings. Her evil stepmother and sisters end up working for her and of course, she gets her prince charming (with that unforgettable under the rain kiss every girl dreams of). But most important, she learns to stand up for herself and finally takes control of her own life.

4. Say Anything

“Say Anything” presents the love between two completely different people who come from different social classes but ignore society’s rules in order to be together. As a coming of age film, one can see how Diane Court, the high school beauty and straight A student slowly opens up to Lloyd Dobler, causing her to fall deeply in love with him. As the film develops, Diane’s personality drastically changes since she begins to make her own decisions. Lloyd, not only teaches Diane how to love, he teaches her how to be herself in the most honest way possible. For young adults, the movie is one of the many coming of age films to which they can relate to because it presents real life situations such as forbidden love and the disapproval of society. Lloyd Dobler not only provides Diane Court her with love, but also he brings adventure and excitement to her life. By the end of the film Diane stands up to her dad in order to build her own future. And of course, who doesn't want John Cusack holding a boombox outside of their window! "In your eyeeeeees!!!"

5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This movie presents how a young boy entering high school falls into peer pressure with the hopes of living up to his friends’ expectations. From being a naïve and innocent boy, Charlie becomes an experienced young man. During his journey finding his true self, he deals with sex, drugs and alcohol. Many high school students are able to relate to Charlie because just as many other young adults he struggles with self-discovery. He grows into a strong young adult who manages to escape his haunting past. From being an unrequited lover, he grows into a man who throughout all of the pain he has faced, gets the girl of his dreams. He becomes more aware of his issues and immediately proceeds to seeing things clearly. He stops being so narrow minded and finally begins to face reality. He learns to appreciate life as it is, something precious and at that moment, he was truly infinite.

If you haven't seen some of these movies, please gather your friends and make some popcorn because I smell a movie night!