Young adult movies became extremely popular during our childhood, but now that we’re all grown up, it’s so fun to go back and reminisce. On spring break with my friends a few weeks ago, we visited Triple Falls Trail in North Carolina, coincidentally where parts of The Hunger Games (2012) were filmed. We knew that we needed to watch the movie again to pick out the waterfall we had seen, and it was so entertaining. Watching a movie that you haven’t seen in years is a unique experience because you look at it with older eyes and a new point of view. I encourage everyone to revisit your favorite old movies to experience this, including four of my favorites.
1. The Hunger Games (2012)
I remember watching this movie for the first time in our basement with my parents and brother. I was so intrigued by the film’s concept and loved the story so much that I decided to read the novels, which in turn made me realize my passion for reading. This was such a huge hit that it even initiated the trend among filmmakers of turning young adult books into blockbuster movie frachises. Also, Katniss Everdeen’s bravery and selflessness should be an inspiration to us all and I will forever be grateful for this series.
2. Twilight (2008)
This movie and book series started the movement of fangirling and fandoms. While this series was released ever so slightly before my prime fangirl time, I still remember the hype around the series. Nowadays, I find it very impressive that they were able to produce the entire series, seeing as some shorter series (e.g., Divergent) didn’t put out the final film. This movie is also unique on this list because it’s the only one to be based on supernatural creatures and elements. Once you rewatch the first one, you’ll be hooked and watch the whole series again!
3. Divergent (2014)
The best memory I have from this trilogy is sitting in the theater for one of the first showings of this movie, and I still hadn’t finished the book. For some reason there was a malfunction in the theater and the movie didn’t play for about thirty minutes and in that time, I was able to finish the last couple chapters. While this series didn’t pan out the way we all wanted, I think it still sends a powerful message about identity, family and loyalty. Shailene Woodley was a wonderful Tris and she’ll always have a special place in my heart.
4. The Maze Runner (2014)
As maybe the least popular movie on this list, this series closed out the run of dystopian young adult films. Because Dylan O’Brien is one of my favorite actors, this is my favorite movie on the list and I think it deserves more credit. I rewatched The Maze Runner a few months ago, and it was nice to reminisce on fangirling with my old friends from home and the amount of times we watched it together. This movie really rounded out my childhood and readied me for new and exciting films, but I’ll always enjoy a rewatch here and there.