From the opening scene, it’s obvious that Juno isn’t like other teen comedies. Elliot Page’s wry commentary as the title character sets the tone for a unique tale about growing up. 5r123i

Like many teenagers, Juno (Page) is at odds with herself. In love with her best friend, Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), she is unable — or unwilling — to tell him. Instead, the two have spontaneous sex, resulting in an unplanned pregnancy. This event sets Juno on a course that teaches her about love, friendships, and what is important to her. While no films are a one-for-one comparison of this classic, there are many with similar tone and themes that fans should explore after watching Juno.

1. Jennifer’s Body (2009) – Hulu uzj

High school is never easy, especially when your best friend is a literal man-eating beast. Jennifer’s Body was wildly underappreciated at the box office when it premiered, but Diablo Cody’s follow-up to Juno should not be discounted. With equal parts gore and humor, the film is a feminist text about how society views women and the intricacies of female relationships. 

Jennifer (Megan Fox) may seem like a hateful demon, but it is only because society made her that way. Particularly when an indie rock band sacrifices her to Satan for a shot at fame. Or so they think. Turning into a succubus, she starts eating her way through the boys in town. The irony featured in the film is a horror spin on Juno and remains a cult classic.

2. Easy A (2010) – Amazon Prime 2y655l

Following the success of Superbad, Emma Stone kept going with the high school theme. This time, it was an extremely loose, modernized telling of The Scarlet Letter. Stone stars as Olive, a girl whose little lies amount to a massive reputation. After lying to her best friend that she lost her virginity, she gets a reputation as the school harlot. 

She allows boys to claim they’ve slept with her to boost their egos, and starts pinning an A on all her clothes, like Hester from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel. A love letter to many high school films of the ‘80s, Easy A constructs a clever narrative with a hilarious take on a classic.

3. Little Miss Sunshine (2006) – Hulu x7071

It is hard to pull off a movie that is quirky as well as sincere, but Little Miss Sunshine fits the bill. A celebrated film at Sundance, the movie stars a young Abigail Breslin as Olive Hoover, an aspiring beauty queen. Though not who you think of as a beauty queen in a traditional sense, her family s her implicitly as they drive from Albuquerque to California for a contest. The ing cast — which includes Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Greg Kinnear, and Alan Arkin in an Oscar-winning turn — is just as important, as they all experience emotional setbacks during the film. Serious as well as comedic, Little Miss Sunshine earned all of its accolades.

4. Booksmart (2019) – Peacock j3p

Before the media firestorm that was Don’t Worry Darling, Olivia Wilde had a much more successful run in her directorial debut, Booksmart. A back-to-school movie from the female perspective, it follows best friends Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever), who have sacrificed high school social lives to get into good schools. 

On the last day of school, Molly is flabbergasted to learn that the popular kids also got into good colleges. Realizing that they wasted years of having fun, Molly and Amy decide to have one last hurrah at a high school party. Friendships are tested and laughs are had in a movie that shows nerds can have fun too.

5. The Edge of Seventeen (2016) – Amazon Prime 2d3b4z

No, the Hailee Steinfeld vehicle sadly does not have vocals from Stevie Nicks. But it does accurately portray the loneliness of coming of age. Steinfeld plays Nadine, a high schooler dealing with the trauma of growing up.

Still dealing with the death of her father, she feels even more alone when her best friend, Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) starts dating her popular brother (Blake Jenner). With a mother she can’t agree with, and a best friend being phased from her life, the only person she can seemingly connect with is her dry teacher, Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson). Many teen comedies can show the awkwardness of growing up, but The Edge of Seventeen does it with a level of truthfulness rarely seen. 

6. Ghost World (2001) – Apple TV 3o432f

Based on the Dan Clowes-penned comic of the same name, the 2001 cult film is a dark take on growing up. Though humorous, it posits themes of loss of individuality and the pain of moving on. After Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) graduate high school, they languish aimlessly in their hometown, unsure of what they should do with their lives. As summer progresses, the two grow apart, with their cynicism taking over the trajectory of their lives. Growing up is hard to experience and sometimes even harder to watch. But at least you can laugh while doing git.

7. Moonrise Kingdom (2012) – Apple TV 3pt3r

As with all Wes Anderson films, Moonrise Kingdom has a specific perspective. Set against the backdrop of a fictional New England town, the film takes heavy inspiration from the French New Wave of the ‘60s. Lighthearted and humorous, it follows two adolescents, Suzy (Kara Hayward) and Sam (Jared Gilman), who find love in a hopeless place. They run away together, incurring a panic from the town as authority figures try to track them down. Moonrise Kingdom balances quirkiness with a nostalgic appreciation for young love.

8. Lisa Frankenstein (2024) – Amazon Prime 6t123

Allegedly set in the same universe as Jennifer’s Body, Lisa Frankenstein takes a gothic look at young love. Kathryn Newton stars as Lisa, a teenager in the ‘80s who can’t connect with anyone. She spends her time talking to the corpse of a dead Victorian man in a graveyard (Cole Sprouse) until one day, he comes to life. Despite being from different times, the two find common ground and, of course, love. Lisa Frankenstein posits that there really is someone for everyone in a twist on the classic Mary Shelley tale.

9. Clueless (1995) – Hulu 1y372c

Adapted from the Jane Austen classic, Emma, Clueless takes the story of the oblivious matchmaker and sets her in a 1990’s California high school. Cher (Alicia Silverstone) seems to have it all. Looks, wealth, and no worries. After a new student, Tai (Brittany Murphy), transfers schools, Cher takes it upon herself to remake her in her own image. 

While these intentions come from a good place, everything Cher does ultimately backfires. She realizes she doesn’t understand anything, let alone her own heart. Despite Cher’s cluelessness, the film views the protagonist with love and appreciation as she finally realizes that love is in front of her the entire time.

10. Ladybird (2017) – Tubi 6e73l

Mother-daughter relationships are often fraught, and this is explored deeply in Greta Gerwig’s personal film, Ladybird. As with many teenage girls, Ladybird (Saoirse Ronan) is in transition. Though her given name is Christine, she has insisted on going by her self-proclaimed nickname as she traverses her final year of high school. Though her coming of age is painful, it is also humorous, and she ultimately accepts herself as she is and not who she is pretending to be.

11. Adventureland (2009) – Amazon Prime 6w316b

A period comedy set in the late ‘80s, Adventureland features the difficult period after college. When James (Jesse Eisenberg) realizes he doesn’t have enough money to travel abroad, he takes a job at an amusement park. There, he forms memories but also falls for a fellow employee, Em (Kristen Stewart). 

The chemistry between the two actors makes for a comedy for the ages, but it also shows the realism of relationships. Both make mistakes and come to with their shortcomings. With Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, and Ryan Reynolds in ing roles, this offbeat dramedy is highly underrated. 

12. Saved! (2004) – Amazon Prime 6m2e2s

Teen pregnancy is complicated enough, but throw in organized religion, and it’s a whole different set of circumstances. Mary (Jena Malone) believes herself to be a good Christian girl, but that changes when her boyfriend, Dean (Chad Faust), comes out to her. 

In an effort to save him, they have sex, which results in a teen pregnancy. Dean gets sent away to a Christian reform school, leaving Mary alone to deal with the ramifications. The further she gets along in her pregnancy, the more she sees the hypocrisy of her religious high school. Saved! sets the typical trope of teen pregnancy in an uncommon setting to show that love and acceptance comes out of the most unexpected places. 

13. Whip It (2009) – Hulu 1g735z

In Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, Whip It celebrates individuality in a world of conformity. Bliss Cavendar (Elliot Page) lives in small-town Texas, enduring her mother’s love of beauty pageants. Only when she discovers the world of roller derby, does she find out who she truly is. Page excels in the material that shows humor as well as the merits of finding your — well — bliss.

14. Young Adult (2011) – Amazon Prime j3o4r

Sometimes coming-of-age stories don’t always happen in our formative years. Sometimes achieving maturity takes a while, like in the case of the 2011 film, Young Adult. The dark comedy stars Charlize Theron as Mavis Gray, a recent divorcee who returns to her hometown to strike up a relationship with an old flame. 

The only problem is that her high school ex is now married with a baby. Mavis takes no part in the logic of those around her, such as Matt (Patton Oswalt), who urges her to seek therapy. Throughout her experiences, Mavis learns to become a better person — whether she wants to or not.

In many teen films, pregnancy is a consequence often followed by lessons to be learned. In Sugar & Spice, however, it is just the inciting incident. After a whirlwind romance, Jack (James Marsden) and Diane (Marley Shelton) get pregnant and quickly learn the realities of the world. 

The relationship between the two remains strong, but they still need to get ahead. And what can two high school students with no real-world experience do to get ahead? By robbing a bank, of course. Diane enlists the help of her cheerleading squad to be able to provide for her family. There is no moral lesson to be learned in this film. Just hilarious, campy fun.

16. Empire Records (1995) – Hulu 494p3n

Oh, the days when music was sold in record shops, and you could spend all day jamming with your friends. Empire Records is a relic of a different time, but always worth a rewatch. Taking place in the day of the life of working at the record store in question, five friends experience the trials of growing up while their boss tries to keep the store afloat. Accompanied by the classic music of the era, the film is a time capsule about love, loss, and the best times of your life.

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Few films bottled up a complex mix of melancholy and optimism quite like Little Miss Sunshine.

The 2006 dramedy, directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton, follows an eclectic family as they venture across the country so that budding beauty queen Olive (played by Abigail Breslin) can compete in a beauty pageant. 

The all-star ensemble cast, which includes Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carrell, and Paul Dano, deliver performances that touch on both the funny bone and the heartstrings — to the point where Little Miss Sunshine is rightfully considered an indie cult classic.

The film went on to receive four Academy Award nominations, and is ed for its heartfelt depiction of unconventional family dynamics, mental health, and remaining hopeful in the face of life’s obstacles. 

The effect of the movie can’t quite be put into words, but a few similar films have hit us in the feels in much the same way as Little Miss Sunshine. If you’re craving that slice of bittersweet wholesomeness, here’s 14 movies like Little Miss Sunshine (and where you can watch them). 

1. Ladybird (2017) 5t1a6q

Ladybird and Little Miss Sunshine share a similar wavelength in that they both follow young female protagonists going about their ordinary lives. Both Olive and the titular Ladybird (played by Saoirse Ronan) have dreams to make it out of their small towns, but their journeys are complicated by family . Ladybird is big on both laughs and tears, and ends on a note of optimism despite the roadblocks the characters face. You can watch Ladybird on Amazon Prime or Apple TV. 

2. Silver Linings Playbook (2012) 4y5v4h

In what follows like a grown-up version of Little Miss Sunshine, David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook delves deeper into themes of mental health, and the connections we make to soothe it. Carrell’s character finds a match in Bradley Cooper’s Pat Solitano, who wrestles with his demons with both humor and heart. Both Silver Linings Playbook and Little Miss Sunshine end on a somewhat musical note, speaking to the optimism that courses through both films. Silver Linings Playbook is available to stream on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV. 

3. Booksmart (2019) rh56

Leaning moreso into the comedic aspects of the dramedy genre, Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart feels like the older sister of Little Miss Sunshine. The misadventures of the protagonists — played by Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever — might be what Olive would face as she enters highschool, with all three characters possessing the same loveable misfit energy. While it is certainly a comedy, Booksmart hits emotional touchpoints with a sense of levity much like Little Miss Sunshine. Booksmart is available to stream on Amazon Prime or Apple TV.

4. (500) Days of Summer (2009) 1mg6

There’s a cheerful quirkiness that courses through both Little Miss Sunshine and (500) Days of Summer, despite the two films’ depiction of sad themes. (500) Days of Summer follows the demise of a relationship between Tom (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (Zoey Deschanel), and while romance doesn’t play a big role in Little Miss Sunshine, both films explore the complexity of relationships. Both movies sustain the “feel-good” factor even when their characters are in crisis. (500) Days of Summer is available to stream on Hulu or Apple TV.      

5. Ruby Sparks (2012) 3h1h6c

The parallels between Ruby Sparks and Little Miss Sunshine might boil down to the fact that they are both directed by Faris and Dayton. The duo reunite with Dano for Ruby Sparks, which follows a struggling novelist who wills his female protagonist into existence and promptly falls in love. Like Little Miss Sunshine before it, Ruby Sparks packs an emotional punch while delivering rom-com style laughs. Ruby Sparks is available to stream on Amazon Prime or Apple TV. 

6. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) 527248

While it is undoubtedly bigger in scale, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty possesses much of the same thematic points as Little Miss Sunshine. Both Olive and Walter (played by Ben Stiller) are eager to outgrow their current situations, and embark on a tumultuous journey filled with laughs, tears, and important lessons. Stiller, who also directed Walter Mitty, even cited Little Miss Sunshine as an influence while making the film. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is available to stream on Amazon Prime or Apple TV. 

7. Juno (2007) u5f1e

Juno and Little Miss Sunshine share a similar sense of humor, and both find ways to make us laugh even during challenging moments. The 2007 movie follows the pregnancy journey of a teenage protagonist (played by Elliot Page), warming hearts with its endearing wit and optimistic sheen. Juno is available to stream on Hulu or Apple TV.

8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) 533k58

While it certainly heads to darker corners than Little Miss Sunshine, Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower treads similar territory in its depiction of adolescence and mental health. Logan Lerrman stars in the coming-of-age tale as Charlie, a highschool student navigating the complexity of friendships and growing up. It might not pack the comedic chops of Little Miss Sunshine, but it certainly dances in the sweet spot of feel-good and emotionally resonant. Watch The Perks of Being a Wallflower on Hulu or Amazon Prime. 

9. Eighth Grade (2018) e1nb

The influence of social media on a young person’s life comes to the fore in Eighth Grade, an A24 film directed by Bo Burnham. Much like Olive before her, Kayla Day (played by Elsie Fisher) is a quirky heroine you can’t help but root for, even as the weight of social expectations seems pinned against her. In some alternate universe, Kayle and Olive are best friends. Eighth Grade is available to stream on Hulu or Amazon Prime.  

10. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 5y4f3w

You might think the only similarities would be in the word “sunshine,” and while Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is certainly headier than Little Miss Sunshine, both films are driven by sentimentality. The latter stars Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey as a recently separated couple who undergo surgery to remove their memories of each other. Needless to say, many tears and fond memories ensue, making for a happy-sad tale with all the traces of Little Miss Sunshine. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is available to stream on Peacock or Apple TV. 

11. About A Boy (2002) 5m1l1n

Another precocious protagonist is given the spotlight in About A Boy, the heartwarming 2002 film starring Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, and Nicholas Hoult. About A Boy is more schmaltzy than Little Miss Sunshine, and follows more like a rom-com in its depiction of an unlikely friendship, but it certainly possesses that same feel-good, childlike factor.  About A Boy is available to stream on Amazon Prime or Apple TV. 

12. Mid90s (2018) 323tj

Complicated family dynamics and the struggles of adolescence inform Jonah Hill’s 2018 directorial debut film Mid90s. Like Little Miss Sunshine before it, the coming-of-age movie details a quirky young protagonist’s journey to growth, influenced by family and guided by their tenacity. Both Little Miss Sunshine and Mid90s also have the naturalistic visual style that makes the story feel authentic. Mid90s is available to stream on Hulu or Amazon Prime. 

13. The Way, Way Back (2013) 5v6h68

Carrell and Collette reunite on The Way, Way Back, a coming-of-age story about a hapless teenager who finds from adults. Duncan (played by Liam James) escapes his chaotic family to befriend a worker at a local water park, with hilarious hijinks and emotional moments unfolding along the way. The Way, Way Back is available to stream on Amazon Prime or Apple TV.  

14. Captain Fantastic (2016) 663y5h

The Hoover family of Little Miss Sunshine met their match with the Cash clan, the dysfunctional family at the centre of Captain Fantastic. The film follows two parents (played by Viggo Mortensen and Kathryn Hahn) as they raise their children in the wilderness, chronicling the fallout after Hahn’s character dies. Fans of chaotic family dynamics will find much to laugh at (and almost cry) in Captain Fantastic. It is available to stream on Hulu or Amazon Prime.

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It’s that time of year again. starting to see those “Back to School” commercials on TV in between re-runs of The Dukes of Hazard and The Flintstones and thinking, “nooooooooooo!!!!!!!”? If adults had three months out of every year off, they would understand the pain of early mornings, homework, and physical education. The only thing to ease your weary mind was your favorite movie – the one that every time you see it, you’re emotionally transformed back to that time in your life. So we’ve compiled a list of our favorites, and you can even cheat off of our paper, if you want.

Independence Day (1996) 6h4n4h

Ah, Independence Day — the perfect summer film! Watching it in the dog days of August just before the beginning of the school year became something of a rite of age for my friends and me. And what’s not to like? Mind-bending good special effects that hold up even today; an on-point Will Smith playing against the irrepressible Jeff Goldblum in top form; a slew of brilliant ing performances from Bill Pullman, Alicia Fox, Judd Hirsch, and Brent Spiner; and baddies in the form of vicious aliens that it was OK to boo.

Back in the pre-social media era of the 1990s, it you wanted to experience blockbuster season buzz, the classroom was the place to do it. That first week back was full of discussion of the movies and TV shows we had watched over the summer, but in 1996, everyone in school agreed on one thing — Independence Day was the film of the year, or possibly the decade. Sorry, The Phantom Menace fans… — Craig Jones

Napoleon Dynamite (2004) 3r3t6a

In the same way that director John Hughes sharply defined high school archetypes only to shatter them in The Breakfast Club, so too did Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess firmly establish teenage awkwardness as the target of our collective laughter, only to underpin it with genuine human emotion. At the heart of the story is a meditation on the importance of friendships in high school, illustrated by Napoleon (Jon Heder) and his pals Pedro (Efen Ramirez) and Deb (Tina Majorino), and finding one’s soulmate as you become an adult, as the ing Kip (Aaron Ruell) and his romance kindled online with LaFawnduh (Shondrella Avery) illustrate.

At the end of the day, Napoleon Dynamite is a celebration of the time between being a child and being an adult, when stuffing tater-tots into your sweatpant pocket still seemed acceptable, and it urges you to find the joy in that. Plus, the opening credits of a montage of colorful-yet-questionable cafeteria food set to The White Stripes’ “We’re Going To Be Friends” absolutely cements Napoleon Dynamite as a back-to-school classic in what is otherwise a somewhat anachronistic tale. — Danny Peterson

21 Jump Street (2012) 6o3r5a

Starsky and Hutch. Stabler and Benson. Schmidt and Jenko. Some partnerships just make sense. 2012’s 21 Jump Street reboot created an iconic duo, having the inspired idea to combine the comedic talents of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. Hill had already made waves as Seth in Superbad, while Tatum continued to prove that comedy is where he shines best.

Fully aware of its ridiculous concept, 21 Jump Street leans into the hallmarks of the original television series. After Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) botch a routine arrest, they are sentenced to go undercover in a high school to take down a newly emerging drug trade. Chosen for their resounding immaturity, returning to school is their one chance to redeem themselves and become better people. The two reject their stereotypes with the typical jock, Jenko, embracing his intelligent side, while Schmidt learns to be more sensitive.

What makes the film so humorous is how it plays on the stereotypes of high school movies. As soon as the two partners go undercover, their conceptions about what high school should be like are wrong. The jocks want to do well in school, and all the cliques are unrecognizable. Schmidt and Jenko find out that the yearbook editor is not just nice, but also behind the drug trade at school. But even while Eric (Dave Franco) is dealing drugs, Schmidt can’t help but form a connection with him. He isn’t a bad person, and after all, he does care about the environment. 21 Jump Street preaches themes that strike at the core of many coming-of-age stories. As with most high school movies, it isn’t about the destination. It is about the friends we made along the way. — Carolyn Jenkins

Billy Madison (1995) 2e66v

Not just a swell throwback to the first layer of bread in the sedimentary Villain/Hero/Villain situation that is Bradley Whitford’s career trajectory sandwich – write that sentence, A.V. Club A.I. – Billy Madison is a reminder that it’s never too late for Adam Sandler to go back to school and change careers. It’s a lesson that’s worth revisiting, now more than ever. — Tom Meisfjord

Mean Girls (2004) c1w3e

Did you really expect us to make a list of back-to-school movies without including Mean Girls? Give us a break! This 2004 gem is only the most iconic movie of our time! Sure, it’s on every back-to-school list, but does it look like I care? Being iconic never goes out of style. Whether you find the first day of school exciting or daunting like it was for Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan), Mean Girls is the balm to calm all your jitters. Birthing timeless phrases such as “She doesn’t even go here!”, “That’s so fetch,” “You go Glen Coco,” and even “Boo, you whore,” you’d be hard-pressed to go throughout your school year — heck, your life — without rubbing shoulders with a Mean Girls reference at some point.

Find me someone who doesn’t love Mean Girls, and I say to them: “You can’t sit with us!” Just kidding, I won’t do that. But I will shove them in front of a bus. Kidding, I won’t do that either. I’ll just discreetly sneak them a Kalteen bar to make them fat right before prom. Okay, okay, fine, I won’t do that either. But you see the point I’m trying to make, right">Danny Peterson

Micheal Cera will make an appearance in the Barbie movie. Though the actor hit his stride in 2007 with films like Superbad and Juno, it was around this time that he also felt most like giving up.

Cera was still young when he truly broke into the film scene, starring in the aforementioned teen comedies when he was only 19 years old. Granted, many have been thrust into the limelight at a much younger age, but we’d imagine it could still be a lot to take in. It was during this time when the actor felt like he wasn’t sure if he was going to continue, telling Deadline that he found the new fame “overwhelming.”

Suddenly being recognized by almost everyone was something that Cera struggled with, “I didn’t know how to handle walking down the street. Fame makes you very uncomfortable in your own skin, and makes you paranoid and weird.” Who wouldn’t be weird if every time you walked down the street strangers looked at you, tried to take your picture, or stopped you just to chat?

He acknowledges that his profession and his fame have granted him some fantastic opportunities, such as getting to meet “a lot of amazing people,” but it also has its downsides, some of which he didn’t feel “equipped to handle.” The actor pointed out one group in particular, and no, this time it isn’t paparazzi (they are their own special breed of nightmare), but drunk people. He recalls how interacting with inebriated strangers and fans can be an uncomfortable experience.

“If people are drunk, and they recognize you, and they’re very enthusiastic…it can be kind of toxic too. When you’re a kid, people also feel they can kind of grab you — they’re not that respectful of you or your physical space. I didn’t know how to respectfully establish my own boundaries.”

One particular incident, after Superbad was released, left him feeling very exposed, when he went to a bar with some friends only to have everyone’s eyes on him. Cera recalls “it was like a burning feeling the whole time, just like everybody was so aware of me.” This led Cera to start turning down roles and gigs he felt would draw more attention to him, such as hosting SNL, with thoughts of packing it all in altogether. He was signed on for one project though, Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World which has since become a cult classic.

The actor is thankful for the experience he had on that movie as it helped him realise what he wanted to get out of this profession:

“I knew that it wasn’t just like constantly fanning the flames to get bigger and bigger. I knew that wasn’t really my goal. I think I wanted to be a working actor who can enjoy my day-to-day life, and the world that I’ve created for myself. I think that was the overall thing I was trying to figure out.”

He has appeared in numerous projects since, branching out from comedies into more serious dramas as well such as Molly’s Game and, more recently, Black Mirror. His next appearance will be as Allen, the only non-Ken male living in Barbie Land in the highly anticipated film by Great Gerwig.

There’s a lot of Elliot Page news lately around the actor’s new memoir Pageboy, which has quite a few unknown revelations about him. One of the most salacious is a secret relationship Page had with a co-star that was so hidden, not even some of his closest friends knew about it.

In an excerpt of the book provided to People, Page shared a few tidbits about his life. One was that an A-list star told him he “wasn’t gay,” he was just “afraid of men.” Another is that he had a relationship with actress Kate Mara, who was dating Max Minghella at the time.

The relationship with a “closeted female co-star” happened on a movie set. Page calls the person “Ryan” and said they would hold hands secretly on set and pretend to be just friends in public. The secret couple would be followed by paparazzi and have to exit hotels from separate doors.

“Ultimately, I do think she loved me. We loved each other and that was very real in our bubble. It was fantastic. You know, it was really beautiful. I ired about her and how she inspired me in many ways. But feeling hidden was far too painful. That was impossible and not a sustainable relationship at all. And it taught me that I was not gonna do that again.”

The secret was well kept and went on “for a decent amount of time,” Page said. “I mean, that is next level.”

Page’s book comes out on June 6, and it is already a bestseller on Amazon.

Mental health conditions are often stigmatized and barely ever accurately depicted in modern media. As a result, cinematic portrayals of mental illness can be overplayed and often drowning in stereotypes, making those of us that suffer feel horrendously misrepresented. Nevertheless, along with the degrading, insensitive enactments of mental illness that paint these disorders in a dangerous light, some exceptions approach the delicate topic with maturity, consideration, and insight.

For sufferers all around the world, informative representation is a crucial stepping stone to stomping out ignorance and reaching a sensitive sense of mutual understanding regarding the disastrous and long-standing effects of living with a progressively worsening condition. Here are some respectable cinematic portrayals of mental illness that capture the experience with precision and empathy.

Ratched (2020) – Dissociative Personality Disorder 5332j

Ratched is a suspenseful drama series that premiered on Netflix in September 2020. Its premise follows Mildred Ratched (Sarah Paulson), a nurse who begins to infiltrate a leading psychiatric hospital and bend its operations to her will. Within Lucia State Hospital, many patients are suffering from various mental health conditions. Sophie Okonedo (Death on the Nile) portrays Charlotte Wells, a patient at Lucia State with dissociative identity disorder, previously known as multiple personality disorder, which is diagnosed by the maintenance of at least two distinct and relatively enduring personality states.

As Ratched progresses, Okonedo delivers a convincing performance of the complicated behavioral disorder. Another compelling cinematic portrayal of this specific mental illness can be seen in Split (2016), wherein James McAvoy’s character, Kevin Crumb, maintains 23 distinctive personalities. Okonedo received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal in 2020, but ultimately lost out to Succession‘s Cherry Jones.

To The Bone (2017) – Anorexia Nervosa 35554j

Premiering in 2017 on Netflix, To The Bone tells the heartbreaking story of Ellen (Lily Collins), an unruly 20-year-old anorexic girl who spent the better part of her teenage years in various recovery programs. Determined to find a solution, her dysfunctional family agrees to send her to a group home for youths, where Ellen must discover for herself how to attempt self-acceptance.

Collins’ character suffers severely from an eating disorder known as anorexia nervosa, wherein you feel a need to keep your weight as low as possible and will achieve this by eating very little or missing meals. To The Bone depicts an eating disorder with divine sensitivity, but never shies away from hard-hitting moments that shed light on the reality of mental illness and the devastation it can cause.

Jessica Jones (2015-2019) – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder x453g

Another Netflix hit, Marvel’s Jessica Jones chronicles the life of the titular Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), a former superhero turned alcoholic private investigator. After an incident involving a mind-controlling psychopath known as Kilgrave (David Tennant) results in an unwitting murder, Jessica begins to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks, nightmares, feeling very anxious, and difficulty sleeping.

Throughout Jessica Jones, its titular protagonist relives the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks and experiences feelings of isolation and irritability for unintentionally committing a crime under the influence of Kilgrave’s mind control. She also suffers from survivor’s guilt for walking away from a car crash that killed the rest of her immediate family. Jessica feels wholly responsible, despite knowing that Kilgrave forced her to kill, which allows her PTSD to fester and riddle her with unbearable guilt. Krysten Ritter portrays the symptoms with empathy and understanding, having worked especially hard to focus on representing PTSD to the best of her ability.

Joker (2019) – Antisocial Personality Disorder 4i3el

Joker was a commercial success and global sensation when it hit theaters in 2019. However, audiences may be unaware that what lies beneath The Joker’s sadistic and murderous tendencies is far more than a desire to harm. DC Comics’ most notorious villain suffers from a mental illness called antisocial personality disorder, commonly associated with psychopathic tendencies within a fictional context. Joker is manipulative, deceitful, reckless, and otherwise emotionless and lacking empathy or remorse. He lacks guilt, blames others for his behavior, and repeatedly breaks the law.

Joaquin Phoenix delivers a believable depiction of antisocial personality disorder, especially since it manifests itself as an important character trait for The Joker and provides further insight into his motives. Joker even mentions the stigmatization of mental illness when Arthur Fleck writes a age in his joke journal that reads: “The worst part of having a mental illness is people expect you to behave as if you don’t.”

Donnie Darko (2001) – Schizophrenia 5hr6v

Set in October 1988, Donnie Darko follows its titular character, Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal), a troubled teenager who narrowly escapes a bizarre accident. He has visions of Frank, a mysterious figure in a rabbit costume, who informs him that the world will end in about a month’s time. Frank begins to manipulate Donnie to commit several crimes, but his hallucinations are reminiscent of schizophrenia, which is a mental illness that causes someone to see, hear or believe things that are not real.

Due to his confused thinking, Donnie blurs the lines of morality and begins to lose his sense of morality. Frank uses the illness against him, which is an on-the-nose example of how someone suffering from mental illness can be mistreated.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012) – Bipolar Disorder 70625k

Silver Linings Playbook is a romantic comedy-drama that follows Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper), a man with bipolar disorder. Pat is released from a psychiatric hospital and moves back in with his parents, determined to win back his estranged wife and rebuild his life anew. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes extreme mood swings, usually fluctuating between mania and depression. They are described as episodes of extreme highs and lows.

Pat has periods of sleeplessness and paranoia, hatches wild plans to win back his wife despite her restraining order, and resists taking medication. He blurts out his uncensored thoughts, flies into triggered rages, and hallucinates when stressed. There aren’t many thoughtful portrayals of bipolar disorder because not only is it a more taboo condition but it isn’t as openly discussed as something like depression or anxiety. There are also many misconceptions about bipolar individuals, such as the assumption that they’re inherently dangerous or abusive.

World’s Greatest Dad (2009) – Depression 2h378

In World’s Greatest Dad, Lance Clayton (Robin Williams) is a high school teacher whose son accidentally kills himself. Subsequently, Clayton writes a fake suicide note to evade scandal, which is published in the school paper. Lance claims the literary renown he always dreamed of and continues the ploy by writing a diary. However, it becomes explicitly clear that Lance suffers from severe depression that stems from his growing guilt.

Depression is a low mood that lasts for weeks or months and severely affects daily life. Symptoms include feeling unhappy or hopeless, low self-esteem, and finding no pleasure in activities that one would usually enjoy. Having lost his son, it is perfectly reasonable for Lance to plummet into a deep depression and mask his sadness by coveting the fame he so desperately desires. Major depressive disorder is among the most commonly misdiagnosed conditions, second only to bipolar disorder. Oftentimes, personality disorders are masked as clinical depression, therefore patients are treated purely for persistent low mood, not for a fluctuating emotional state.

Adaptation (2002) — Generalized Anxiety Disorder 6o4h6d

Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep heading the cast of Adaptation is all the persuading you need to give it a try. Cage stars as Charlie Kaufman, a self-loathing screenwriter seeking to adapt Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief into a screenplay. Alongside an anxiety disorder, Kaufman also struggles with social phobia, depression, and low self-esteem. While suffering from severe writer’s block, Charlie learns that his free-loading twin brother Donald has found success as a screenwriter and envies him. Adaptation is based on the true story of Charlie Kaufman (ironically the screenwriter for the film), who actually endured a crippling sense of inadequacy when attempting to adapt Orlean’s novel.

In a general sense, anxiety disorder is diagnosed from constant feelings of stress or nervousness, a sense of impending danger, having trouble concentrating/sleeping, dizziness or heart palpitations (during an anxiety episode, commonly referred to as a ‘panic attack’), and inescapable restlessness.

Juno (2008) – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 515r6c

In 2008, the drama-comedy, Juno, introduced its audience to an accurate representation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD). Its premise revolves around Juno, a social misfit who protects herself with a caustic wit, but an unplanned pregnancy begins to drastically change her life. Juno MacGraff, the titular character of this 2007 coming-of-age story, often acts or speaks without thinking — frequently with uncomfortable or even life-changing results. She is immensely confident in herself — a challenge for many with ADHD — but struggles to control her impulsive actions.

ADHD is a condition that includes symptoms such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Someone suffering from ADHD will typically have a short attention span, constantly fidget, and act without thinking. Elliot Page, who portrays Juno, provides an essential cinematic portrayal of mental illness that would otherwise go unseen. Like bipolar disorder, ADHD is rarely mentioned or addressed as much as it should be.

Girl, Interrupted (1999) — Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) 4s3p6o

Straight from the mind of Oscar-winner James Mangold, Girl, Interrupted stars powerhouse duo Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie as two mentally ill individuals whose lives intertwine. Ryder plays Susanna Kaysen, who was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (also called emotionally unstable personality disorder) at the age of 18. As for Jolie, she portrays Lisa Rowe, who was diagnosed as a sociopath for exhibiting charismatic, manipulative and abusive behavior. After attempting suicide, Kaysen spends 18 months in a psychiatric hospital from 1967 and 1968, where she meets Lisa. As if the leading ladies weren’t enough star power alone, the ensemble cast includes Clea DuVall, Brittany Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg, Elisabeth Moss, Angela Bettis, Vanessa Redgrave, and Jared Leto. 

The screenplay was adapted from the autobiographical memoir of the same name by Susanna Kaysen, wherein the author details her time in a psychiatric hospital. As for BPD, the symptoms are grouped into four main categories; emotional instability – the psychological term for this is affective dysregulation; disturbed patterns of thinking or perception – cognitive distortions or perceptual distortions, impulsive behavior, and intense but unstable relationships with others. These symptoms usually emerge from childhood and persist into adulthood.

As Good as It Gets (1997) — Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder 6u62h

Jack Nicholson? Sign us up. If you don’t know him as the Joker, you might know him from As Good as It Gets, a romantic-comedy directed by James L. Brooks that sees Nicholson as Melvin Udall, a misanthropic, bigoted, and obsessive–compulsive novelist, and Helen Hunt as a single mother with a chronically ill son. Interestingly, this was the first film to win both lead acting awards since Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins in 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs.

Similar to BPD, the symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are categorized into three main elements; obsessions — where an unwanted, intrusive and often distressing thought, image or urge repeatedly enters your mind, emotions — the obsession causes a feeling of intense anxiety or distress, and compulsions — repetitive behaviors or acts that a person with OCD feels driven to perform as a result of the anxiety and distress caused by the obsession. Essentially, symptoms manifest in some such ways; contamination/washing; doubt/checking; ordering/arranging; and unacceptable/taboo thoughts. There’s a common misconception that OCD purely revolves around an aversion to mess and an intense focus on cleanliness.

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (En Español: 1-888-628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 1-800-799-4889) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. A list of international crisis resources can be found here.

Diablo Cody was hardly known by the public at all in 2007 when the little movie she wrote titled Juno became a breakout smash hit. A decade and a half later, the screenwriter can’t help but think that the world her movie was set in no longer exists.

The film told the tale of a young woman who, finding herself pregnant, elects to keep the child. The movie stirred a fair amount of debate, with some even arguing that the film was anti-choice, even though Cody has maintained that she is a staunch er of reproductive freedom. According to a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cody at the time “stayed out of the discourse” that surrounded the film. A few years back, following Georgia’s ing of House Bill 481, which prohibited abortions in the state after six weeks, Cody told The Crooked Media podcast that she even regretted writing the movie, considering how it had been misinterpreted.

Cody later told The Hollywood Reporter:

“I wrote the movie in 2005, which is 17 years ago. The film is officially older than the protagonist, which is crazy to contemplate. When I look back on that time of writing the script, I feel wistful, because at the time it never occurred to me that my reproductive rights could be in danger. If somebody had said to me at the time — as a carefree, younger, third-wave feminist — that in 2022, Roe v. Wade would be overturned, I would have been horrified and I would have assumed we were hurtling toward some kind of inconceivable dystopia, and maybe I would have been right. But at the time, it just seemed impossible. I took Roe for granted, and many of us did. I was just creating; I never intended the movie as any kind of political statement at all. I can’t imagine being that innocent again.”

— Diablo Cody

Cody also stated that she has taken on the subject of the movie, given the current political climate, to provide the clarity it may have lacked upon its release. “It kind of feels like something that should stay preserved in amber,” she stated. “But I would rather have this be out there than [my] silence being misinterpreted.”

Since 2019, the world has watched actor Elliot Page on The Umbrella Academy, and in 2020, the performer came out as trans. While the world is, in many ways, more accepting of this today, it was not as much before, and Page felt this at the premiere of Juno.

“When Juno was at the height of its popularity, during awards-season time, I was closeted, dressed in heels and the whole look — I wasn’t okay, and I didn’t know how to talk about that with anyone. I going in and having the thing I wanted to wear, and then understanding the degree of expectation of how fancy someone is supposed to look. So, I said I wanted to wear a suit, and Fox Searchlight was just basically like, ‘no, you need to wear a dress,’ they had me wear a dress and …. that was that.”

The 35-year-old reveals the order dictated when promoting the 2007 film in an article published yesterday by Esquire. In the piece, Page also notes that it shouldn’t have mattered that he wasn’t out at the time; it was wrong to tamper with his self-expression at the moment.

“And it’s easy for people to roll their eyes, but you know what? No. That was really extremely, extremely fucked up. I shouldn’t have to treat it like just this thing that happened—this somewhat normal thing. It’s like: No. Regardless of me being trans! I’ve had people who’ve apologized about things: ‘Sorry, I didn’t know, I didn’t know at the time.’ It doesn’t matter! It doesn’t matter if I’m trans or cis. Lots of cis women dress how I dress. That has nothing to fucking do with it.”

Page will be doing voice work next in Ark: The Animated Series later this year.

Last night, at the 94th Academy Awards, Elliot Page and his Juno co-stars, Jennifer Garner and J.K. Simmons, reunited to present Belfast screenwriter Kenneth Branagh his award for Best Original Screenplay. In Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody’s coming-of-age comedy-drama, Page portrays Juno, a free-spirited teenager who confronts the complications of an unexpected pregnancy.

Jennifer Garner, who plays Vanessa Loring — the prospective adoptive mother of Juno’s child — commented that the Juno screenplay “felt new and exciting” ahead of its 2008 Oscars win. Page added that “Juno had me hooked from the very first page and was completely infused with Diablo Cody’s distinctive voice. It was unlike anything I’d ever read before.”

J.K. Simmons, who won an Oscar himself for his performance in Whiplash, fondly recalled some memories from the screenplay that reflected the unique charm that Juno brought to the table: “[There were] definitely some phrases I have not read before. A couple that come to mind: ‘Your Eggo is preggo’ and ‘pork swords.'”

Elsewhere during the star-studded event, Will Smith and Chris Rock had an evening-defining domestic moment after a joke the latter made at the expense of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Smith delivered a hefty slap to Rock’s face during the ceremony, proceeding to tell the stand-up comedian to keep his wife’s name out of his “f**king mouth”. A gross overreaction on Smith’s part?

Far be it from us to be the judge in that regard, but the situation may not be as simple as it appears. Smith later apologized to the Academy and everyone in attendance during his acceptance of the ‘Best Actor’ gong for King Richard, though has yet to offer anything similar to Rock.

By definition, it seems, romantic comedies are synonymous with cheesy rubbish. And so, many of us (I don’t know what category “we” fall into but we know who we are and there are plenty of us) dread the types of movies that get released around Valentine’s Day. How did it get to be this way? In my estimation, it’s kind of like with any genre of storytelling when the rhythms and subjects of a certain style of story or movie become so popular that they grow tired and cliché. They probably began in the right place, and were tapping into some aspect of human experience that was relatable and emotionally satisfying, but are so overused and outdated that they’re dull at best and horribly irritating at worst. There remains reason to hope, however. Despite the allure of pumping out rom-com trash that will inevitably make money because there will always be a market for selling people their own tears, there are plenty of movies that are able to quench our thirst for emotional catharsis without exploiting our uncontrollable lust for romance. They tend to require some sneakiness on the part of the filmmakers, but deep down they hit us right where romantically comedic or humorously heartfelt movies always have: right square in our heartbones. Here are 6 movies that tell other romantic comedies, “Don’t associate me with you! I’m different and actually good.” Is it clear what I’m trying to say about them? I’m saying they don’t suck. We’re going to be inundated with romantic movie talk this week so we might as well make the best of it. Continue reading on the next page…

According to Daemon’s TV, Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) will guest star on an episode of The Simpsons, set to air this Fall. He’ll voice a character named Nick, a charming boy who becomes a potential love interest for the brainy Lisa Simpson. Unfortunately for Lisa, Nick isn’t exactly what she expected. The 22-year-old Canadian actor is best known for his role on television’s Arrested Development and on the big screen in Superbad, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, and Juno. In 2008 he won the Canadian Comedy Award for Best Male Performance for his work on Superbad. Look, or listen, for him in the Simpsons’ episode entitled “The Daughter Also Rises.”

Of late, character actor J.K. Simmons has made a career in appearing in small parts for well established directors. Most prolifically with writer/director Jason Reitman, he has appeared in every film that Reitman has directed and also produced and with Reitman’s new film, it won’t be much different. Simmons revealed to ComingSoon.net that he is set to narrate Reitman’s next film Young Adult.

Not unlike True Grit with the Coen Brothers, you will not see me in Young Adult but you will hear me. They asked me to do the voice-over when they were in post-production and then Jason asked me to do the voice-over in Young Adult, because at this point, I’m his good luck charm. I’ve been in every feature he’s directed.

Young Adult sees a new collaboration between Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody who worked together on Juno (which Reitman directed) and Jennifer’s Body (which Reitman produced). Both were written by Cody and both starred J.K. Simmons in brief but integral roles. Simmons also appeared in the brilliant Thank You For Smoking briefly as Aaron Eckhart’s boss and was one of the number of the people fired in Up in the Air, where Simmons steals the movie in a brilliantly moving scene. Young Adult is about a female writer who comes back home to stalk her ex-boyfriend who is now married with a whole new life. It stars Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson and Patton Oswalt.