Whether it involves intergalactic adventures or some futuristic setting with high-tech equipment, sci-fi films are a great avenue for younger audiences to learn a variety of life lessons and to grow through this experience. Here are some of the best coming-of-age sci-fi movies that left a lasting impact on the audience, ranked:
Produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial centers around a boy named Elliott who becomes friends with an extraterrestrial creature, referred to as E.T. Left behind on Earth, E.T. has no way back home. Elliott, along with his brother and sister, tries to help E.T. find his way home. Things take a drastic turn when E.T. falls sick and the government ends up becoming involved in the matter. E.T. is the perfect coming-of-age film as it deals with themes of loyalty and trust. The friendship between Elliott and E.T. is very wholesome and is one that’s easy to understand by a younger audience.
9 Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future is perhaps one of the greatest (if not the greatest) sci-fi films of all time. The movie follows Marty McFly, portrayed by Michael J. Fox, who accidentally ends up traveling back in time to 1955. Marty accidentally prevents his parents from meeting, and falling in love, which ends up threatening his own existence. Marty sets out to ensure that his parents meet again and fall in love to prevent himself from disappearing into nothingness.
Not including the time paradox and the complexity surrounding time travel, Back to the Future brings to the screen a good balance of science fiction, humor, adventure, and even a sprinkle of romance, making it a great film for younger audiences.
8 The Iron Giant (1999)
Based on Ted Hughes's novel of the same name, The Iron Giant is set during the Cold War in 1975. It centers around a young boy named Hogarth Hughes, who discovers a giant robot and decides to befriend it. Hogarth, along with an artist named Dean McCoppin, works to prevent the US army from attacking and destroying the Giant.
The movie can get a little dark when it comes to some of the battle scenes between the US Army and the Giant. However, it has a variety of themes that make it a great coming-of-age sci-fi movie. For instance, the friendship between Hogarth and the Giant is heart-warming. Through the Iron Giant, the film tries to make the audience understand that things aren’t always the way they appeared to be.
7 Home (2015)
DreamWorks’ Home brings to the screen a hilarious, yet wholesome film set amidst an alien invasion of Earth. Centering around a friendly alien, who doesn’t fit in with his kind, and a teenage girl who got separated from her mother during the invasion. The movie follows the two as they form an unexpected friendship and, as the title of the movie indicates, find a home for themselves.
To add to the entertaining and engaging narrative of the film, one can’t help but sing along to the two musical numbers from the film, “Towards the Sun” and “I Feel the Sun”.
6 WALL-E (2008)
Set in the year 2805, WALL-E follows the titular character, a solitary robot, as he cleans up garbage on an uninhabited Earth. Having spent around 700 years on Earth, tidying up the planet as much as he can, WALL-E develops quite a personality. When Earth is visited by EVE, a more advanced probe, WALL-E falls in love with her and flies across the galaxy in pursuit of her.
At the heart of the film’s narrative is a message about being more self-aware, of one’s own self and others around. It also highlights the consequence of global warming and consumerism, making a great film for younger audiences.
5 Big Hero 6 (2014)
Set in the futuristic, fictional city of San Fransokyo, Big Hero 6 is a wholesome film that centers around the idea of grief and healing from the loss of a loved one. The film follows 14-year-old Hiro Hamada, who loses his older brother in an explosion. Struggling to cope with the loss of his older brother, Hiro finds a companion in the form of Baymax, a healthcare companion created by his brother. Hiro, along with his friends and Baymax, work together to uncover the secrets surrounding the explosion that ended up killing his brother.
Big Hero 6 touches upon all the key elements that comprise the coming-of-age story. Hiro loses the innocence of his youth when he loses his brother, but with the help of Baymax and those around him, he eventually heals and learns to grow. Fall Out Boy’s feature song ‘Immortals’ is also quite a banger.
4 Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
Joe Johnston’s directorial debut, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, is a comedic science fiction film and is the first installment in the franchise. It follows inventor Wayne Szalinski, who accidentally shrinks his kids using a shrink ray gun that he invented. To make matters worse, the kids are accidentally thrown outside with the trash. They must venture through the wilderness that is their backyard to get back inside and to their usual size.
Through a well-maintained balance between humor and adventure, the film highlights the importance of learning to get along and appreciate differences.
3 Treasure Planet (2002)
Adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, Treasure Island, Treasure Planet follows Jim Hawkins, a young boy who dreams of going on adventures and discovering treasures. When Jim stumbles across a treasure map, he embarks upon an adventure of a lifetime. Through his journey to Treasure Island, Jim learns important lessons surrounding trust and loyalty.
2 Robots (2005)
Directed by Chris Wedge, Robots is an animated science fiction comedy film. T follows a robot named Rodney Copperbottom, who dreams of becoming an inventor like his idol Bigweld. Rodney travels to Robot City in hopes of working with his idol, only to have his hopes shattered as he discovers that it’s all a ploy to cheat older robots into buying expensive upgrades. Not only do Robots promote individual creativity and freedom, but it also pushes one to value close relationships.
1 Meet the Robinsons (2007)
Meet the Robinsons centers around a young, orphan inventor, Lewis, who is trying to look for his birth mother. Things take a strange turn when Lewis is visited by a mysterious boy named Wilbur, who takes him to the future to meet the Robinson Family. The movie is quite wholesome as through his interaction, Lewis learns the importance of family. It teaches a valuable lesson about embracing one's failures and learning how to grow despite these setbacks.
The movie also has a nice, hopeful, and wholesome ending, making it quite memorable.
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