“Harold and Maude” 1971. The ultimate May-December romance becomes the coolest coming-of-age film ever made; a seriocomic masterpiece featuring jaw-dropping set-pieces and a magnificent musical score by Cat Stevens.

“I Vitelloni” 1953. Federico Fellini’s seminal story about a group of ne’er do well Italian youths who can’t seem to let go of the last vestiges of adolescence became a blueprint for countless films that followed. Re-made by George Lucas as “American Graffiti.”

“Rushmore” 1998. Director Wes Anderson’s second effort is a warm and witty look at three lost souls whose lives intersect at an uppity prep school; masterfully acted and written with a lively pop score, it’s the best high school movie ever made.

“The Wanderers” 1979. The 1950s give way to the decade of change as a good-natured neighborhood gang grapples with the country’s loss of innocence and their own first steps onto the slippery slope of adulthood, buoyed by a wonderful period score.

“Ghost World” 2001. Two longtime best girlfriends find their friendship beginning to fray as they head in different directions following graduation. A splendid study of individuality and the price one pays for it.

“The 400 Blows” 1959. French filmmaker Francois Truffaut’s debut feature is a tale of benign neglect and its impact on a young Parisian whose parents’ self-involvement sentences him to fend for himself.

“Just Looking” 1999. Hilarious story about a pubescent Jewish boy from the Bronx whose singular goal is to watch two people making love. Highly overlooked and underrated, it’s a loving homage to family and friends.

“Wondrous Oblivion” 2003. Magical, multi-character story looks at two outcast families—one Jewish, the other black—in post-war London who become neighbors with unexpected results and consequences. Beautifully done all around.

“Stand by Me” 1986. Stephen King’s “The Body” is the basis for this magnificent (and frequently hilarious) look at four young friends who set out to find a dead body. Full of winning vignettes, moving set-pieces and heartfelt insight, there’s nothing quite like it.

“Breaking Away” 1979. Another variation on Fellini’s “I Vitelloni,” this box-office hit follows a group of best friends during their last summer together following graduation, culminating in a bike race that will change each of their lives forever.