Judy Blume’s classic tale becomes a sweet movie

started seeing movies in theaters with friends, not parents. When movies are something you’ve chosen – or believe you’ve chosen – to see, they hit a little differently. Some stay with you always, regardless of quality. I had the good fortune to turn 11 in late 1994, when, for whatever reason, Hollywood seemed to be making movies just for me. This is, of course, not true at all. At the very least, most of the movies were simply not NOT for me, and as a white, hetero girl in suburbia, it was not a niche target to hit. But there were a slew of not insignificant films made with a tween girl in mind: “Little Women,” “Clueless,” “A Little Princess” and “Now & Then,” the most direct descendant of Blume and Margaret, and, on television, “My So-Called Life.”

Movies like these barely exist anymore, and certainly not in theaters. Tween girls would do well to seek “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” out. It has all the makings of a classic for the next generation.

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” a Lionsgate release in theaters Friday, is rated PG13 by the Motion Picture Association for “thematic material involving sexual education and some suggestive material.” Running time: 105 minutes.

MPA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.