Sex Drive

Sex Drive is part endearing emo love story, part gross-out semen gag-fest, and, very occasionally, a smart, inspired, non-sequitur-laden hoot.

"...Alice Greczyn, Katrina Bowden, Charlie McDermott and Mark L. Young. It's not Sixteen Candles, but it's not Road Trip,..."

Oct. 17, 2008 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Toto the Hero

Belgian writer/director Van Dormael delicious little film examines – through flashbacks, mainly – the life of a now-elderly man who believes that he was switched at birth with a neighbor child and has thus been denied the privileges and wealth he might otherwise have enjoyed.

"...have enjoyed. The three distinct ages of Thomas – young, adult, and elderly – are played to brilliantly by..."

May 1, 1992 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Gimme Shelter

Vanessa Hudgeons stars in this bland exercise in very serious and meaningful young-adult drama.

"...An exercise in very serious and meaningful young-adult drama, Gimme Shelter is so overloaded with simplistic good..."

Jan. 24, 2014 Movie Review by Louis Black

Coraline

An unparalleled master of the phantasmagoric image returns with this children's film.

"...stop-motion screen puppets from versatile author Neil Gaiman’s prize-winning young-adult novel. The storyline is a classic “grass is always..."

Feb. 6, 2009 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Nim's Island

This girls adventure story that stars Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, and Gerard Butler bears the reminder that we should all be the heroes of our own life stories.

"...film Nim’s Island, which is adapted from Wendy Orr’s young-adult novel, comes to the rescue with its South Seas..."

April 4, 2008 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Blood and Chocolate

Lycanthropy and young love: not as yummy as it sounds but nowhere near as godawful as Van Helsing, a small mercy but very much appreciated.

"...Katja Riemann, Bryan Dick and Chris Geere. Lycanthropy and young love: Even more than those eternally chic "nosferatim," the..."

Feb. 2, 2007 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The Man in the Moon

"...these novice teen actors in setting standards that these young performers will spend the rest of their careers trying..."

Nov. 22, 1991 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Jason June's Gay YA Agenda

The author makes a sex-positive, funny, queer addition to the genre

"...in Jurassic Park; and, as exemplified in his newest young adult novel Jay’s Gay Agenda, the simple magic of..."

June 1, 2021 Arts Post by James Scott

Mortal Engines

Dystopian YA adaptation relies on spectacle over character

"...Mortal Engines, the long-awaited adaptation of Philip Reeve’s award-winning young adult novels of the same name...."

Dec. 14, 2018 Movie Review by Matthew Monagle

Paper Towns

Paper-thin teen tale is based on a John Green YA novel

"...The well-intentioned but thin Paper Towns thematically charts familiar Young Adult territory (unrequited first love, high school’s bittersweet end,..."

July 31, 2015 Movie Review by Steve Davis

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

Katniss Everdeen goes from Hunger Games victor to emblem of the revolution

"...go at the final book in Suzanne Collins’ bestselling young-adult trilogy uncaps a fat, neon highlighter to underscore a..."

Nov. 21, 2014 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

The Giver

This movie based on a Newbery Award-winning novel presents teens in a dystopic society that's a manmade invention born of good intentions.

"...1993 Newbery Medal-winning novel The Giver is a modern young-adult classic that’s been celebrated as well as reviled. Required..."

Aug. 15, 2014 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Divergent

Yet another dystopic YA book series gets translated to film – and one that resembles thebestseller: engrossing yet flimsy.

"...The bestselling first book in yet another dystopic Young Adult series, Veronica Roth’s Divergent is engrossing enough to..."

March 21, 2014 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Second verse, much the same as the first: The Games may have changed but Katniss Everdeen is still our favorite pawn.

"...the first film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ bestselling, alternate-history, young-adult book series about a nation of have-nots under the..."

Nov. 22, 2013 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

"...Based on Cassandra Clare’s bestselling series of young adult novels, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is..."

Aug. 23, 2013 Movie Review by Louis Black

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This film adaptation of the bestselling, much-loved YA novel about young social outcasts finding their way is marred by its its sunny optimism.

"...Stephen Chbosky is working with, adapting his bestselling, much-loved Young Adult novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Ripe..."

Sept. 28, 2012 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

This third film in the tween series is funny without being in any way condescending to its target audience.

"...will rejoice in this third adaptation of the bestselling Young Adult author Jeff Kinney's Wimpy Kid series. It's funny..."

Aug. 3, 2012 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

It's Kind of a Funny Story

When a 15-year-old overachiever checks himself into a mental ward, he learns to affirm the good things in life without ever whitewashing the bad.

"...in a way that is typically anathema to the young-adult market. Cannily recognizing how much noise attends adolescence –..."

Oct. 8, 2010 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

A teenager's Greek mythology book comes to life and thrusts him into an adventure to recover Zeus' stolen lightning bolt.

"...to check out this adaptation of novelist Rick Riordan's young-adult-oriented Percy Jackson series, but precious few of them are..."

Feb. 19, 2010 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

Unlike Twilight, the other vampire series based on young adult novels, Cirque du Freak isn't afraid to laugh at itself or the conventions of the genre.

"...it, but since both franchises are based on voluminous young adult book series, you never can be certain who..."

Oct. 23, 2009 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Twilight

One is human and the other's vampire: What's a pair of young soulmates to do?

"...dark beloved tells me) series of "don't call them young adult" novels by Stephenie Meyer, Twilight is the first..."

Nov. 28, 2008 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

City of Ember

Despite some inventive production design and a comically villainous turn from Bill Murray, this film based on a young-adult novel never really picks up much steam.

"...Mary Kay Place and Liz Smith. Based on the young-adult novel by Jeanne Duprau, City of Ember digs deep..."

Oct. 10, 2008 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

Starring Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, and Jason Bateman, and directed by the writer of Stranger Than Fiction, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium has whimsy coming out of its ears.

"...the baggage that comes with making a movie for adults. What he’s come up with is a toy store..."

Nov. 16, 2007 Movie Review by Josh Rosenblatt

Hoot

First-time producer Jimmy Buffett turns outs an eco-friendly coming-of-age movie based on Carl Hiassen's Newberry Award-winning young-adult novel.

"...the Newberry Award-winning novel by Carl Hiaasen (the first young-adult novel by the Floridian journalist and author), the film..."

May 5, 2006 Movie Review by Toddy Burton

Me & Mr. Cigar

Butthole Surfers singer Gibby Haynes debuts a deeply weird and wonderful young adult novel.

"...soul of Butthole Surfers frontman Gibby Haynes stems a young adult tale of wonder, peculiarity, and adventure of the..."

Feb. 21, 2020 Music Review by Alyssa Quiles

Texas Teen Book Festival Announces Lineup

YA authors Adam Silvera, E. Lockhart, and more scheduled to attend

"...Festival announced the authors for its ninth celebration of young adult literature. This year's lineup? Thirty-eight authors ranging from..."

Aug. 2, 2017 Arts Post by Jennifer Murphy

As Both Writer and Editor, David Levithan Is at the Heart of the Explosion of Queer YA Literature

Young stories, queer voices at the Texas Book Festival

"...Young adult literature has exploded over the past few years..."

Nov. 4, 2022 Arts Feature by James Scott

The Sense of an Ending

A man's past comes back to haunt him in the form of a letter

"...of present day and the early Sixties. Turns out adult Tony doesn’t know the whole story behind a long-ago..."

March 24, 2017 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Ricki and the Flash

Meryl Streep, Jonathan Demme, Diablo Cody combine talents, but where's the magic?

"...from Indianapolis, where her estranged family lives. When Ricki’s adult daughter Julie (Gummer) tumbles into a suicidal depression, ex-husband..."

Aug. 7, 2015 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Can You Spell I-N-E-B-R-I-A-T-E-D?

"...457-0172), and participate in the sixth annual Austin Chronicle/Fadó All-Adult Spelling Bee...."

Oct. 22, 2007 Sports Post by Sofia Resnick

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