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. 1t1p2b

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 2x1x6c

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 2173h

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 2z5w1e

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 5w3q4r

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 5l4623

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 2h323w

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 596e4u

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 2t6q1v

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 5t5051

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 3k104l

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 6b6f3z

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 q6fi

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 244u1i

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 3r2o1l

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 57524

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) w5v5

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) 5j1g7

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) 2o1sy

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) 6m522v

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) 3v5g4u

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) z3x1s

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) 676p4e

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) kc4o

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) b6vl

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) 2c2z17

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) 346567

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) 3f3t3b

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) xc3l

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) 565we

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.

We Got This Covered is ed by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small commission. Learn more

The world of entertainment lost an icon in the death of Oscar-winner Alan Arkin. The 89-year-old, whose career spanned multiple decades, was as known for his dry humor in roles like Edward Scissorhands as he was turning in genuinely emotional performances, such as Little Miss Sunshine, the 2006 film that saw him win the Best ing Actor Academy Award.

The Brooklyn-born great-grandfather was adored by his family, according to a statement from Arkin’s children — Adam, Matthew, and Anthony — who called him “a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man,” according to ABC News.

Arkin lit up not only the silver screen but stage and television as well, having also won a Tony and Golden Globe throughout his career. However, today we will be focusing on counting down his most memorable film performances that will surely stand as ageless testaments to the craft of cinema and acting.

10. The Rocketeer  4b6u64

The Rocketeer represents Disney’s foray into live-action adventure films that would set the stage for Marvel movies to come decades later, with director Joe Johnston even helming 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger. Arkin would serve as A. “Peevy” Peabody in the film, the airplane mechanic and right-hand man to Billy Campbell’s stunt pilot Cliff Secord. Arkin is a delight in the movie, which is well worth checking out if you’re in for something in the vein of Indiana Jones and a proto-Iron Man-type hero origin story.

9. Slums of Beverly Hills 1r5bh

Arkin’s portrayal as a well-meaning but financially struggling single father to a young teen girl coming into her own is a role well-suited to the seasoned actor in Slums of Beverly Hills. However, it is the chemistry that sparks between Arkin and a young Natasha Lyonne, as well as a surrogate daughter played by Marisa Tomei, that truly makes this film worth seeking out, especially considering the now-legendary status of both those aforementioned actresses.  

8. Sunshine Cleaning 2nu17

Another film about a down-and-out family with Arkin as the patriarch, Sunshine Cleaning represents the actor’s spiritual follow-up to Little Miss Sunshine, complete with the same producers behind the film. This time around, Arkin gets to share scenes with BAFTA nominee Emily Blunt and Oscar nominee Amy Adams, who play two sisters that put together a ragtag cleaning service for mopping up after brutal crime scenes. Fans of indie dark comedies, in the same vein as Little Miss Sunshine, would surely find much to like in this film, whose central theme revolves around the aimlessness of a thirty-something woman’s life and her journey to get back on track for the sake of her struggling young son.

7. The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming  153c22

Arkin’s comedic chops which he no doubt picked up as part of Chicago’s legendary Second City ensemble in the 1960s are in full display in the Cold War send-up The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming. The Norman Jewison-directed 1966 film sees Arkin in one of his most career-defining roles as the Russian Lieutenant Yuri Rozanov, who is part of the submarine crew that accidentally sparks an international incident when it is grounded on the New England coast. The classic comedy earned Arkin his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

6. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter  1p4f3f

As a testament to Arkin’s range as an actor, the second Academy Award nomination he earned wasn’t for another comedy, but an understated drama in which he plays a deaf man who gains the quiet but unfulfilled affection of a teenage girl. Their budding friendship becomes complicated by the small-town drama surrounding them, which ultimately ends in tragedy. It wouldn’t be a list of Arkin’s most memorable performances without The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, which also earned co-star Sondra Locke an Academy Award nomination for her debut role. 

5. Argo 4p263v

Argo’s ensemble cast — which includes the likes of director and star Ben Affleck, John Goodman, and Bryan Cranston — is rounded out nicely by Arkin, who plays a seasoned Hollywood film producer tasked with pitching a fake movie for a clandestine CIA rescue operation in Iran in the 1970s. Arkin’s foul-mouthed performance no doubt draws from the actor’s own background as an accomplished director, producer, and author, among other talents. Speaking of talent, Argo earned Arkin his fourth and final overall Oscar nomination — for Best ing Actor. 

4. Gattaca 5m5a35

In the thought-provoking sci-fi thriller Gattaca, in which gene manipulation technology creates a futuristic but oppressive society, Arkin plays the detective on Ethan Hawke’s trail. Hawke’s character has assumed the identity of a genetically superior human to realize his space travel dreams but unwittingly becomes a murder suspect in the process. Arkin once again makes for an important puzzle piece in an excellent ensemble that also includes Uma Thurman and Jude Law that any fan of science fiction owes it to themselves to check out. 

3. Edward Scissorhands 3y145c

Tim Burton’s fairytale Edward Scissorhands has a memorable cast of colorful characters, such as Johnny Depp’s goth-like titular creation. However, in a movie with such a fantastical premise, it is the normal characters who can sometimes stand out even more. This contrast is perfectly encapsulated by the friendship between Depp’s character and the fatherly suburban working stiff portrayed by Arkin. The straightforward kindness of Arkin’s everyman makes us wish he was a close relative with whom we can divulge our darkest secrets. It’s a somewhat basic role on paper but Arkin elevates it to being one of his most memorable performances, grounding the tale in a sense of realism that is just as important as Depp’s blade-handed main character. 

2. Glengarry Glen Ross h4w3a

Arkin brings his Broadway best to the cinematic adaption of Glengarry Glen Ross, a play about the toxic pressure that salespeople face at a big city real estate firm. The dialogue-heavy and profanity-infused script serves as something of a deconstruction of male machismo and delivers some memorable pieces of dialogue along those lines from the likes of Alec Baldwin, Al Pacino, and Jack Lemmon, with the latter portraying the most desperate salesman of the bunch. Even though those previously mentioned actors often get recognized for their iconic lines in the movie, Arkin’s typically understated performance once again grounds the audience with a relatable everyman, proving that his role in the film typifies the expression “there are no small parts, only small actors.” Arkin was certainly a larger-than-life figure in this regard, as this film so beautifully illustrates. 

1. Little Miss Sunshine  1q3w8

The runaway hit dramedy Little Miss Sunshine would be lacking its very soul without the seminal performance of Arkin’s gutter-mouthed grandfather character who united a family plagued with various personal failings. That is quite the compliment for a film that represented a major touchstone for its impressive cast, including breakout performances from Steve Carrell, Paul Dano, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, and its titular star Abigail Breslin. The road trip movie centering on one little girl’s dream of performing in a cringingly overly-sexualized beauty pageant would probably not come together as well as it did if it weren’t for Arkin’s part as an unorthodox role model who preaches the virtues of the elderly doing heroin and getting laid to his grandchildren. The sole movie which finally brought Arkin his long-eluded Oscar for Best ing Actor, we could not imagine any other movie to top our list other than Little Miss Sunshine, which so perfectly marries Arkin’s penchant for both comedy and drama. 

After beginning his career on the Broadway stage in the 1960s, Alan Arkin delivered eight decades of brilliance in the acting field, standing out as a rare cut gem. The 89-year-old actor, director, and screenwriter ed away on June 29, 2023, at his home in Carlsbad, California, but he has left an unmatched legacy behind that will be cherished throughout time immemorial.

Stardom did not come difficult to Alan Arkin, as he gained popularity with his very first full-length feature film appearance as Lt. Rozanov in The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming in 1966. But along with the flow of popularity, Arkin achieved a rare feat by getting nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his debut screen appearance.

Alan Arkin was the last actor to receive an Academy Award nomination for their first screen appearance 6p3b6f

Arkin is ed by only six other actors who boast the achievement of getting nominated for an Academy Award for their first film role. But no other actor came close to this accomplishment since Alan Arkin’s nomination in 1966. Paul Muni, who received the nomination for his performance as James Dyke in The Valiant in 1929, was the first actor to pull off this feat. Soon after, Lawrence Tibbett took his lead and was nominated for The Rogue Song in 1930.

Orson Welles ed the list for his debut feature film Citizen Kane in 1941, along with Montgomery Clift for The Search in 1948. After that, James Dean — who was also nominated for his debut picture East of Eden (1955) — became the first performer to earn a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

Alan Arkin has been a recipient of three more Oscar nominations alongside The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, which includes The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1968), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), and Argo (2012). His third nomination resulted in a win in the category of Best ing Actor for his role as the elderly irascible grandfather Edwin Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine in 2006. He has also won two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award for his meticulous performances.

Arkin’s versatility in acting and critically acclaimed merit in comedic and dramatic roles have etched him as an inspiration for younger generations of actors. His final performance was voicing the character Wild Knuckles in the 2022 animated film Minions: The Rise of Gru, which was released to critical and commercial success. Following his ing, his sons Adam, Matthew, and Anthony issued a t statement echoing the sentiments of all his fans,

“Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.”

As film after film rolls into our theatres, we generally give little thought to the process that brought them there – beyond, perhaps, appreciating the technical prowess on display. The fact is, for most movies, the process begins long before, and involves screenplay purchases, re-writes, production financing and detailed scheduling, among other challenges. In reality, getting any film into a theatre is, in itself, an achievement of perseverance, ambition, and dedication. Stories of troubled productions are legion, with the most famous often generating their own films. Possibly the greatest example of this is The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, which is a film adaptation of the book Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Terry Gilliam has made a reported seven attempts to film this project between 1998 and 2014, with the most spectacular occurring in 2000, when cameras actually rolled, but were halted by catastrophic flooding, illness and financial difficulty. The 2002 documentary Lost In La Mancha started life as a ‘Making Of’ featurette, but grew into a full-length record of the apocalyptic difficulties that can befall a movie production. The common theme in any ‘almost didn’t make it’ movie story is the refusal to throw in the towel. Even this is shared by The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, as it is currently back underway with a planned release date of 2016. There are countless examples of films that were hauled – exhausted and bleeding – across the finish line and into theatres, where they found legendary status and influence. Where would modern cinema be without Blade Runner, for example? These types of films contradict the negative assumption that production problems create bad films – something that the team behind the Jane Got A Gun will be hoping holds true. This is a Western, the screenplay for which featured on the 2011 Black List, penned by Brian Duffield. It tells the tale of a woman – Jane Hammond – who must turn to an ex-lover for help when a gang sets out to kill her outlaw husband. Natalie Portman has remained loyal to the project through the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, during which her castmates have rotated through roles or departed completely, her original director (Lynne Ramsay) simply didn’t show up, the script faced numerous rewrites, and the company that acquired it – Relativity – spiralled into bankruptcy. It has had no less than four release dates cancelled, and is now expected to appear early in 2016. Audiences might be tempted to write off Jane Got A Gun before ever having the chance to see it. How can anything possibly survive that many heavy body blows? Hold off on the condemnation, however, because stranger things have happened. Here are five films that almost never were – but now that they are, we couldn’t imagine cinema without them.

In 2013, Pacific Rim blasted its unavoidable way into the movie world, arriving in a mad blitz of constant action, retina-melting visuals, and relentless noise. Although many audiences were distinctly unimpressed with the slight (it’s caught me on a generous day) lack of attention that was paid to plot or script, so immense was the scale of this movie that it pummelled through regardless. Anyone who doesn’t like it, it simply punches in the face. In fact, anyone who does like it, it also punches in the face – just for good measure. Punching stuff is just what this film does best. But there was one part in among this cinematic riot that wasn’t like all the rest. ittedly, it only happens as a result of anti-monster machine Gypsy Danger having just slammed its fist through the wall of an office tower – but for once it is not the obvious action of the sequence that is the focus: It is a short moment at the end of it. After tearing through the inside of the building, the robot’s arm is now gradually slowing down, the noise dying away at the same time. Suddenly, the shot changes to a desk in a deserted office space, a Newton’s Cradle desk pendulum standing on its surface. From the right hand side of the screen, the fist slowly comes into view as the arm gradually nears the end of its reach. As it finally comes to a complete stop, the fist makes the just the slightest with the edge of the desk – and sets off the off the Newton’s Cradle. For a few brief seconds – which have that sort of startled feeling that comes when you step out into a suddenly deserted street and wonder if you’ve missed the rapture – all other sound and motion stop, leaving nothing but the tiny swing and click of the desk pendulum’s miniscule arm, before the fist slowly retracts. The specific intention here behind every frame of decreasing action is the creation of that contrast with the rest of the film; the shot is meant to stand out for what it is not doing, rather than what it is. It is, in short, an example of a very common and hugely important filmmaking device: The understatement.

Most often, the moments we in movies consist of catchy one-liners we can repeat with our friends over and over for days, weeks, months, even years after seeing a particular movie for the first time. Sometimes, though, a character is memorable for what they don’t say. These are sometimes referred to as mute characters, even though they’re not technically, like, physically mute. They just don’t say much. They speak more through their actions, reactions and body language. And in some cases they steal the show. There’s a history for this in film, since the birth of movies was a silent one. Movies were a silent medium for the first couple decades of the medium’s inception, and so emphasis was put on a performer’s physicality, and once the close-up came into fashion, much was made of a character’s facial expression. Although sound came to provide dialogue and music and dancing and general loudness, moments of silence still had tremendous efficacy in on-screen storytelling. In fact, the contrast between noise and silence may have made these quiet moments even more effective. Mute movie characters, or characters who just say very little, can therefore be extremely compelling. It makes the few words they sometimes say, or the little expressions they make if they never do get around to using their words, that much more crucial and a source of much closer attention. Here are 7 characters who have used silence to outstanding effect long after sound came to dominate the landscape of movies.