I view quite a few kid movies... not Cody Banks but
serious films about kids such as Gus Van Sant's Elepahant
and another that comes to mind is "Thirteen". Elephant
has a Palme d'Or from Cannes. _Thirteen_ has nothing as far
as I know.

But I think Thirteen is a better film. A few more fit this
category like one on drug abuse called "Spun." Another
international film is "City Of God" about the seamier side of
Rio.

The list of these (even of current vintage) is quite a
bit longer.

But what struck me was the arrival of a new study about
childhood in America called _Huck's Raft_.

For a film that seems to take all it's cues from the
message of "Huck's Raft" which is "leave your kids alone
so they can grow" my pick for the ideal (or best, whatever)
film about growing up in America is Alan Arkush's
"Detroit Rock City". I like this film so much I requested
that my local library acquire it. And they did.