With Oscar season behind us and summer blockbusters just around the corner, the movie buzz this spring has quieted somewhat for the time being. However, by third quarter, we’re all looking for any excuse to take a break from our studying. Here’s a list of the top 10 movies to get your mind off of school as the weather warms up.
1. Divergent
If you haven’t seen this movie yet, get out from under your rock and join the party! The incredibly talented Shailene Woodley and Theo James star in this dystopian thriller based on the bestselling trilogy by Veronica Roth. For a page-to-screen adaptation, the plot is surprisingly complex yet easy to follow. Set in a post-apocalyptic Chicago, Beatrice Prior (Woodley) must navigate the strict faction system of her society, all while trying to keep a dangerous secret about her identity with the help of her hunky faction leader, Four (James). If you’re not going for the storyline, go for the shirtless Theo James.
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Chris Evans is back as America’s favorite super hero in the second installation of the “Captain America” franchise. While responses to the first movie were generally lukewarm, The Winter Soldier is being praised as a brilliant and engrossing action film. This sequel follows Steve Roger’s discovery of the dark inner workings of SHIELD, and his fight to preserve justice and liberty for all. He is helped along the way by Marvel fan favorites like Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).
3. The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson’s newest quirky film is a delightful balance of hilarious and bizarre. The story follows the escapades of the legendary hotel owner Gustave H. and his trusted lobby boy, Zero Moustafa, as they travel in search of a mysterious painting. Their odd companionship is equally ridiculous and heartwarming. Ralph Fiennes steals the show as a magnificently endearing Gustave H., who will capture your heart and send you out of the theater with a smile on your face.
4. Muppets Most Wanted
The incredible success of Frozen this year proved that movies can be both family-friendly and enjoyable for college students. The newest Muppet movie is a similar case. While on a world tour headed by Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais), Kermit the Frog gets mistaken for his uncanny lookalike Constantine, a criminal mastermind. Kermit is thrown in a Russian gulag in Constantine’s place, and Constantine joins the Muppet crew. Hilarity and an incredible amount of celebrity guest stars ensue.
5. Le Week-End
This is a beautiful story of an elderly British couple visiting Paris again for the first time since their honeymoon. While there are an ample amount of heartwarming moments and frolicking around the city of light, Nick (Jim Broadbent) and Meg (Lindsay Duncan) are forced to address their differences and the nature of their relationship head-on in the absence of their kids. They embark on a quest to rekindle the spark of romance that they once had and realize what it means to love each other.
6. Non-Stop
Liam Neeson stars as Bill Marks, an air marshal who receives text message warnings that someone on his flight will die every 20 minutes unless $150 million is transferred into a certain bank account. As people start dying, he teams up with members of the flight crew to find the culprit. Get ready to have your fear of flying multiplied by 10. Bonus points for a star-studded cast, including Lupita Nyong’o, Julianne Moore, and Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery.
7. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
How can you not be excited for the return of Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker? The adorably awkward photographer doubling as a super hero by night captured our hearts in 2012 and is back and better than ever. This time, Peter is up against more supervillains than ever before, including the Green Goblin, Electro, and the Rhino. More importantly though, I cannot wait to see more witty banter between Peter and his girlfriend, Gwen Stacey (Emma Stone.) In theaters May 2.
8. The Neighbors
Zac Efron and Dave Franco as frat boys. ‘Nuff said. In theaters May 9. See you there.
9. Cesar Chavez
Do we really know the incredible story behind this man? Michael Peña stars as the civil rights activist who fought to secure a living wage for his fellow farm workers and created the United Farm Workers union. His passion and non-violence that launched a national movement speaks volumes to the ability of a single man to make a difference. Let’s find out what we’re celebrating.
10. Noah
This isn’t your grandmother’s Noah’s Ark. Noah (Russell Crowe) gets word from God that there’s going to be an apocalyptic flood, so he builds an ark to save his family and some animals. From there, the biblical fantasy film takes some artistic liberties. Though the similarities to the story you know are slim, the film still provides an edge-of-your-seat good time.