Celebrating the ups and downs of high school and college, while providing some memorable moments along the way, this list of 5 must-see classic movies are a great way to prepare for the rapidly approaching fall semester by getting into some school spirit!
1. Mean Girls
A high school comedy, the plot centers around protagonist Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) who enters public high school for the very first time. She finds her experience to be a daunting one, learning the rules of popularity that separate “the plastics” from the rest of the school’s many different cliques. Everyone wants to be popular, the cool kid at the center of attention, but Cady soon realizes that her new friends aren’t as cool as she first thought. This film puts a unique spin on a tired formula and provides something fresh. The characters are unforgettable and the lines are forever stuck in our heads: “It’s so fetch.”
2. 10 Things I Hate About You
This film should be considered a classic purely based on Heath Ledger’s performance alone, but he’s not the only unforgettable character. You’ve got Kat Stratford who is beautiful and incredibly athletic and also rather unmoved by the boys in her school. Her younger, and completely opposite sister, however, isn’t allowed to date until Kat gets a boyfriend. Enter Patrick who might just have what it takes to win over Kat. This teen romantic comedy is a prototypical high school movie with the right mix of drama and laughs. It’s definitely a must see 90s cult classic that will remind us of just how hard high school can be.
3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Interesting choice, right? I think a lot of people forget that behind the magic spells and flashy robes, this is just a film about a group of friends trying to navigate their way through a rather dangerous school. After all, Harry and crew are teenagers too! Although any Harry Potter movie could conceivably make this list, the first one is all about the gangs initial entering of Hogwarts and learning how to fit in with their new lives away from home. It’s the one that started it all, introducing us to unforgettable characters and a world that we so desperately wish we could be a part of too.
4. Monster’s University
You see? I managed to sneak in a Disney movie on this list. Why? Because Monster’s University fits perfectly on this list! After all, us college students can certainly relate to a movie about our favorite Monsters attending University and chasing their dreams. Monster’s University certainly feels different from its predecessor, and that’s because it is different. It is a movie about finding your place in the world, even if there might be a few road bumps along the way. Sully and Mike endure what we as college students can relate to; late night studying, Sororities and Fraternities, dorm life, and so much more.
5. Easy A
Yes, I saved my personal favorite for last. This film, starring the wonderful Emma Stone, is fantastic because of its themes and characters. You have the average high school student Olive who, through a seemingly small lie about losing her virginity, manages to become the center of attention and the source of her high school campus’ gossip mill. Olive is suddenly popular, but for the wrong reasons, and trying to fix her newfound reputation proves to be rather problematic. The ideal high school drama film that tackles such risqué topics is a perfect end to our back to school themed list. After all, who wouldn’t want to watch a film inspired by the Scarlet Letter?