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Whether you went to college or not, everyone feels like they have been due to Hollywood’s long history of college-centered films. They’re the perfect setting for any situation, from exposing the vulnerability of young adults away from their family for the first time, to showing what some will do to succeed, or just simply, how much a teenager will drink and party when their parents are out of the picture. From comedy to horror, and musicals to dark dramas, some of the most memorable films ever made are about the college years. Here are the best.
National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
Whenever someone mentions the best college themed movies, this is the one that gets mentioned first. Co-written by Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters) and directed by John Landis, this film made Saturday Night Live standout John Belushi a household name. Set in 1962, Belushi plays John “Bluto” Blutarsky, a drunken student at Faber College. The film centers on a raucous fraternity and their hilarious battles with the uptight dean (John Vernon). It would go down as one of the best and most profitable comedies of all-time.
Revenge of the Nerds (1984)
The success of Animal House would usher in a mass release of jocks vs nerd college films in the 80s. This is the best of them. Anthony Edwards and Robert Carradine star as two computer geeks at Adams College who go to war with the jocks at the Alpha Beta fraternity. This is a great slapstick adventure, crude and rude, but full of heart, that sees the downtrodden nerds rise up to overpower and defeat their bullies. The film’s success would spawn three sequels, none of which could match the magic or the success of the original.
Real Genius (1985)
Val Kilmer starred in this film, in what was only his second film role. Here he is a genius engineering student named Chris Knight at Pacific Tech. He is paired with another student, Mitch Taylor (Gabe Jarret), to build a laser. Little do they know that it’s being built for the CIA as a weapon. While there are plenty of hijinks to be found (who could forget the popcorn scene finale), the film works through its characters, especially Kilmer’s carefree Chris. They are portrayed more as real people than stereotypical tropes. Before even Top Gun a year later, this is the film that made Kilmer a moviestar.
Back to School (1986)
It’s not often you see a 65 year old man going to college, but that’s the plot of this comedy, starring the legendary comedian Rodney Dangerfield. Here he plays Thornton Melon, a self-made millionaire who goes back to school to be with his son who is at the college and struggling to succeed and fit in. There’s the usual self-deprecating humor and one liners that you’ll find in any Dangerfield film and comedy routine, but at its core, the film is about what you’ll do to support your family. The film is also known for being one of Robert Downey Jr.’s early roles and features a cameo from none other than writer Kurt Vonnegut.
School Daze (1988)
This is the second film of writer and director Spike Lee. Starring the likes of Laurence Fishburne and Giancarlo Espositio, Lee looked at the experiences of Black students at Mission College in Atlanta. As with many of his early works, the film focuses on deeper sociological themes like race and classism, but here, Lee takes a unique approach by including musical bits and taking a more comedic approach. There is still a seriousness underneath the laughs, and you won’t forget the last line, where Fishburne turns toward the camera and looks at the audience, breaking the fourth wall, as he pleads, “Please, wake up.”
Rudy (1993)
You don’t have to be a sports fan to love this heartwarming flick. This true story is the ultimate underdog tale. Thirty years later, coaches still show it to their players to motivate them. Sean Astin stars alongside Jon Favreau, Ned Beatty, and Charles S. Dutton as Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, a walk-on football player at the prestigious Notre Dame, who against every obstacle imaginable, realizes his dream to step on the field and play for the Fighting Irish. This feel good film will make you believe in yourself and your own dreams.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Good Will Hunting is the film that made Matt Damon and Ben Affleck megastars in Hollywood. Written by the pair (they would win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for their effort) and directed by Gus Van Sant, this powerful tale tells the story of young Will Hunting, a troubled genius working as janitor at MIT. After an incident sees him agreeing to therapy to avoid jail time, we’re introduced to Will’s therapist, Dr. Sean Maguire, played to perfection by Robin Williams, who would win an Oscar as well. The film works by tugging at your heart and soul without being predictable and sappy. Two decades plus later, it’s still the best thing everyone involved has ever done.
Old School (2003)
Before Will Ferrell was a moviestar, he was a Saturday Night Live icon, known for his brilliant impressions of George W. Bush and Alex Trebek. This comedy launched his film career, with Elf and Anchorman coming soon after. Here, in this movie written and directed by Todd Phillips, Ferrell is one of a trio of men, along with Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson, who as sad adults, decide to relive their college days by starting a fraternity. Many critics trashed it for being a tamer version of Animal House, but audiences loved it. It made Ferrell a hot commodity, and twenty years later, it’s still a staple of cable television.
The Social Network (2010)
There’s few laughs to be found in The Social Network, a biopic about the college days of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher, it starred Jesse Eisenberg, who was coming off the success of Zombieland the year before. He was so convincing as the eccentric Zuckerberg that he would be nominated for an Oscar. Everything works here, from the acting, directing, writing, editing, and even the score by Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails. The film would win three Oscars, powered by the usual wit of Sorkin’s characters, but underlined with a deep sense of pain.
Pitch Perfect (2012)
A star studded ensemble featuring the likes of Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, and Anna Camp carries this musical comedy. The film focuses on the Barden Bellas, an all female a capella singing group at Barden University, as they compete against another group. The plot is a rehash of similar movies, but it’s the musical performances that set this apart. Kendrick showed why she was more than worthy to become an even bigger star later in Frozen. The film was a huge commercial success, inspiring two well received sequels.
Monsters University (2013)
Monsters, Inc. is one of the best films in Pixar history. The 2001 computer animated comedy, starring the voices of Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski and John Goodman as James P. “Sulley” Sullivan, about the monsters that hide under your bed, was a huge hit. Twelve years later audiences were blessed with a follow up prequel. While it’s not the instant classic that the original film was, this is a witty wink to every college trope. We follow Mike and Sulley as they roam the halls of Monster University, learning to become Scarers. It takes the formula of other popular films on this list, even paying homage to them, but gives the plot its own pinch of originality to go with it.
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