No respect: The Oscars ignore young people

Filmmaker John Hughes was a master of teenage angst -- and romance, as seen here in "Sixteen Candles" (1984) with Molly Ringwald and Michael Schoeffling. From "The Breakfast Club" to "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" to "Pretty in Pink," Hughes' movies are as relatable as they are quotable. Yet his work as a writer or director was never nominated for an Academy Award. See other more recent films about youth that Oscar has overlooked:

"The Kings of Summer" (2013): This coming-of-age comedy features three teenage boys Joe (Nick Robinson, left), Patrick (Gabriel Basso, right) and Biaggio (Moises Arias) who run away from home to build a house in the woods.

"The Way, Way Back" (2013): A touching, witty new take on "How I Spent My Summer Vacation," the film stars Liam James, left, as a 14-year-old who joins his mother (Toni Collette) and her unbearable boyfriend (Steve Carell) and his daughter at a beach resort town. Duncan survives by striking up an unexpected friendship with water park manager Owen (Sam Rockwell). AnnaSophia Robb, right, as a next-door neighbor, also wins his affection.

"The Spectacular Now" (2013): Miles Teller, who made CNN's Fresh Faces list, stars as Sutter Keely, a sweet guy who falls in love with Shailene Woodley's "good girl" Aimee Finecky in this film adaptation of Tim Tharp's novel.

"Short Term 12" (2013): This full-length version of director Destin Daniel Cretton's 2008 short film portrays Mason (John Gallagher Jr.) and Grace (Brie Larson) as a couple in their 20s who run a home for troubled teens and help themselves in the process.

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" (2013): Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen must return to the Hunger Games arena that nearly took her life for the sadistic Quarter Quell. Here, past Hunger Games winners have to re-compete and fight to the death again. Katniss is paired with Josh Hutcherson's Peeta Mellark, both a lifesaver -- and at times a liability -- to the courageous Katniss.

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" (2012): Based on the best-selling novel by Stephen Chbosky, this coming-of-age story with Logan Lerman, pictured, and Emma Watson captures the agony and the ecstasy of what it's like to be an adolescent.

• The Academy Awards tend to overlook movies about young people


• Films such as "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" and "Short Term 12" were snubbed


• Some of these movies brought in more money or accolades than many Oscar nominees

(CNN) -- When people talk about the cinematic geniuses of the 1980s, one name invariably comes up -- John Hughes. For young people growing up then and even today, the writer-director's name conjures up memories of unforgettable films.

From "Sixteen Candles" (1984) and "The Breakfast Club" (1985) to "Pretty in Pink" (1986) and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986), Hughes was responsible for a series of films that openly and honestly explored the exhilaration and tumultuousness of adolescence.

It's been nearly three decades since those movies arrived in theaters, but audiences still watch and enjoy them as if they were made yesterday. However, despite the love audiences have shown for his work, Hughes was never nominated for an Academy Award.

Hughes isn't alone in being an outstanding filmmaker whose features about people under 30 were overlooked during awards season. It's unfortunate but undeniable that award shows -- and the Oscars in particular -- have a history of ignoring great movies made for and about young people.

In 2013 alone, several such films received raves from critics, earning spots on "best of" lists. "The Kings of Summer" and "The Way, Way Back" scored approval ratings of 76% and 85% of critics, respectively, on RottenTomatoes.com, while "The Spectacular Now," written by the duo behind 2009's underappreciated "(500) Days of Summer," earned the approval of 92% of critics.

"Short Term 12" received a 99% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, a higher ranking than any of this year's best picture nominees. "Spring Breakers," starring James Franco and Selena Gomez, may have divided some moviegoers, but the film was also lauded for its provocative depiction of disaffected youth. And it's not for nothing that "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" was the top grossing film of 2013.

Yet not one of these movies earned a single Oscar nomination.

Meanwhile, "The Wolf of Wall Street -- which secured a 77% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes -- received five Academy Award nods, including ones for best picture and best adapted screenplay.

2014 Oscars nominees list

That's not to say that "Wolf" didn't deserve recognition, but these other movies focused on characters in the early stages of adulthood. From three teenage boys running away from home to build a house in "The Kings of Summer" to a couple in their 20s managing a treatment facility for troubled children in "Short Term 12," these films were about young people finding their way -- a seeming disadvantage in the academy's eyes.

In an e-mail interview, Dana Polan, a professor of cinema studies at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, noted that "Hollywood associates youth with escapist entertainment. (There) is the assumption here (no doubt, a biased one) that to be important, a theme has to be adult and mature, and youth films just don't make it."

Over the years, there have been some exceptions to this rule. For example, "Rebel Without a Cause" (1955) received three Oscar nominations, and "American Graffiti" (1973) grabbed five nods -- though both films ultimately walked away empty-handed. "Juno," the 2007 comedy about a pregnant high schooler (Ellen Page), was nominated for four Oscars, including best picture and best director. The film took home the award for best original screenplay -- a win that one could argue had more to do with the quirkiness of Diablo Cody's script than the subject matter itself.

Film critic Nell Minow (the Movie Mom) also observed that "Oscar voters skew older."

"They are more interested in stories about grown-ups and more likely to have relationships with actors and filmmakers who are 30 and older," Minow said via e-mail.

That may be part of the reason why movies such as "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," which delighted critics with one of 2012's best scripts and stellar performances from Logan Lerman and Emma Watson -- also didn't receive any recognition from the academy.

Such snubs seem particularly egregious, partly because the academy often blatantly attempts to appeal to a younger demographic. In 2011, the Oscars chose James Franco and Anne Hathaway as hosts in hopes of attracting younger viewers. The plan failed, with the ratings dipping and the duo receiving poor reviews.

The intention may have been a noble one, but perhaps a better idea would have been for the academy to begin honoring movies that speak to what it's like to be a young person today.

"The Youth," a song performed by MGMT on "The Kings of Summer" soundtrack, speaks of the transition between adolescence and adulthood. It includes the following lyrics:

The youth is starting to change.

Are you starting to change?