The Best Teen Movies on Netflix (April 2023) (2023)

The Magician's Elephant (2023): A Fairy Tale in the Fallout of War

In the aftermath of a war that left him an orphan, Peter (Noah Jupe) desperately searches for his sister Adele (Pixie Davies). Following the advice of a fortune teller, he sets out in search of an elephant.

The Magician's Elephant is an adaptation of a 2009 book by Kate DiCamillo. The movie isn't quite as dark as the novel, but in the tradition of classic kid's films like Bambi, Lion King, and Land Before Time, it has a serious message about coping with loss.

We Have a Ghost (2023): Beetlejuice Meets E.T.

Kevin (Jahi Di'Allo Winston) moves into a new home with his family only to find out that it's already occupied by a ghost named Ernest (David Harbour). When his video of Ernest goes viral, they end up in the crosshairs of the government.

A fun comedy for teens and adults, We Have a Ghost puts a modern spin on age-old movie tropes.

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.

He's All That (2021): Gender-Flipping a Classic '90s Rom-Com

The 1999 rom-com She's All That stars Freddie Prinze. Jr. as a popular high school kid who makes a bet that he can turn a socially awkward art student (Rachael Leigh Cook) into the prom queen. This gender-flipped remake sees a social media influencer (Addison Rae) bet that she can turn a scruffy loner (Tanner Buchanan) into the prom king. Of course, the two fall for each other, which complicates things.

Dog Gone (2023): A Boy, His Dog, and His Dad

A wayward college student sets out on the Appalachian Trail to find his missing best friend. Determined to heal their strained relationship, his dad joins the search.

Based on a true story, Dog Gone is a feel-good movie that boasts impressive performances from the human and canine cast.

All the Bright Places (2020): 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.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: A Charming 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.

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

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.

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.

JJ+E (2021): A Swedish Romance About Class and Cultural Barriers

Based on one of the most famous books by the award-winning Swedish author Mats Wahl, JJ+E is a modern-day story about two young people who fall in love despite the cultural and class barriers between them. Elisabeth and John-John couldn't be more different economically and socially, but when they start in the same high school class, they become friends and fall in love. The Swedish setting and actors help put a fresher spin on an old romance trope.

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!

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.

Enola Holmes (2020): There’s a New Holmes Detective In Town

When 16-year-old Enola's older brothers refuse to help her find their recently missing mother, she heads to London on her own to solve the mystery. This spirited caper will appeal to true mystery-loving Sherlock Holmes fans, or Millie Bobby Brown (from Stranger Things) fans alike.

Home Team (2022): A Feel-Good Football Comedy Loosely Based on a True Story

Sean Payton has the dubious honor of being the first modern NFL football coach to be suspended for an entire season. During his downtime, he apparently took over coaching his son's football team. This comedy sports film starring Kevin James is based on those real-life events.

Mixtape (2021): A Movie About Discovering Who Your Parents Were

Beverly Moody (Gemma Brooke Allen) is an orphan teen being raised by her grandmother. One day, she discovers a broken mixtape her parents made before they died. Seeing this as an opportunity to learn more about her parents, she seeks to find all of the songs on the tape with the help of a quirky neighbor and curmudgeonly record store owner.

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.

Confessions of an Invisible Girl (2021): A Sweet Comedy About Not Fitting In

This Brazilian teen film stars Klara Castanho as Tetê, a socially awkward loner who feels unaccepted at school and at home. But, when she's forced to move to a new city and start over at a new school, she tries her best to change her life for the better. This cute comedy will strike a nerve in anyone who's ever felt they don't quite fit in.

The Half of It (2020): 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.

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.

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