friday flicks – movies for your inner child

When we were younger, we probably believed that being a grown-up meant a lot more time jet-setting across the world, eating sweets whenever we wanted and being able to land a super-luxe job with ease, which isn’t exactly the case for the vast majority of adults today. Instead, we’re usually treated with a daily onslaught of emails, bills upon bills upon bills and an understanding that we’ll probably never be able to buy a house.

In other words: being an adult isn’t as fun as it’s cracked up to be. We reckon that the best way to beat the grown-up blues is to sit down and watch some movies that explore the trials and tribulations that come with growing up, which can hopefully remind you of what life used to be when you were a young’un. Peep our list of recs below.

AQUAMARINE Discovering a mermaid in a local pool with your best mate is probably a fantasy we all dreamt of in our tween years (and if it wasn’t, you probably imagined something just as magical and ridiculous), and this 2006 fantasy-comedy coming-of-age flick explores just that. The film, starring a young Emma Roberts and singer Jojo as life-long besties – with Sara Paxton in the titular role as a mermaid escaping from her underwater home – follows the two friends teaching their aquatic pal about human life while she attempts to prove ‘true love’ exists. Look, it’s a bit silly, but why is that a bad thing? After all, movies about mermaids and the power of friendship are just what our world needs a bit more of these days.

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO This list would be void if we didn’t mention at least one Studio Ghibli flick, and there’s nothing better for healing your inner child than arguably the studio's most iconic movie from 1988. We bet you’ve already seen the majority of magical happenings in this one: the always-grinning cat bus, lush landscapes brimming with spirits and, of course, the super-fluffy Totoro himself (who we’ve always wished we could snuggle with). Despite the adorable exterior, it also explores topics such as handling the effects of having a sick parent as a child as well as the concept of animism – a belief that all objects, living or inanimate, have a distinct spiritual essence and free will. If you haven’t already given this enchanting movie a watch yet, then definitely get on it, ASAP.

EIGHTH GRADE If there’s a time in our lives that we absolutely, under any circumstances, would never ever want to repeat again, it’s the experience of being 13–14 years old. Puberty is affecting our bodies in ways we are never prepared for and we’re just beginning to figure out who we are, which is a pretty daunting experience in itself, but add social media into the mix and it’s downright nightmarish. This film, directed and written by internet-born comedian Bo Burnham, stars Elsie Fisher as the main character Kayla, a shy and socially awkward tween girl who uses the internet as an outlet for her non-existent social life. Eighth Grade, which we can only describe as an emotional punch to the gut, offers a realistic and unflinching take on an era usually defined by superficial portrayals of adolescence.

TURNING RED Another film focusing on tween culture and the importance of female friendship, this animated 2022 Pixar coming-of-age fantasy-comedy set in the early 2000s in Toronto follows 13-year-old Mei undergoing the normal experiences of being a young girl. Mei is obsessed with an NSYNC-inspired boyband, has loyal pals and, oh yeah, she transforms into a giant red panda due to a centuries-old spell magically bound to her family. You know, the usual stuff. This film is brimming with bright visuals and even talks about the experiences of being a young girl in a way we’ve never seen before (talking about periods in a Disney flick!? How exciting!), but still doesn't skimp out on the type of magic and whimsy we’ve come to love and expect with a Pixar film. It also features the incomparable Sandra Oh, which is always a big plus in our eyes.

UPTOWN GIRLS Starring the late, great Brittany Murphy and a young Dakota Fanning, this 2003 comedy-drama is one of the best and most underrated 2000s flicks ever made. The film follows Molly (played by Brittany), a free-spirited young woman living off the fortune made by her ill-fated rockstar parents. After her inheritance is lost, Molly becomes a nanny to the dry and hypochondriac eight-year-old Lorraine (played by Dakota). You might already be aware of this movie and the iconic spinning teacups scene, but there’s a lot more to this unassuming picture that gets swept under the rug. It’s a lot more heartfelt than one would expect, as the two girls teach each other how to grow up, how to be a kid and how to open your heart to change.