The Best Films about College Life
As college students, we all know just exactly how college works at this point. We know the ins and outs, the dos and don’ts, and all of the tricks to making life on campus a much more rewarding and fun time. But sometimes you want to just kick back, relax, and watch a movie. What better than a movie that relates to your experiences in some way? A movie about college life. We thought we’d share a few suggestions.
Animal House (1978)
If there’s any film that’s synonymous with college, it’s probably Animal House. Although at times crude and full of actions taken by the characters that I do not recommend imitating, Animal House remains a consistently funny watch even all these years later. Directed by John Landis, it’s funny, charming, and full of fun.
Real Genius (1985)
Directed by Martha Coolidge, Real Genius is an incredibly funny college comedy following a group of brilliant slackers as they navigate through college with only their sharp wit to protect them. This movie gets kind of ridiculous at points, but it still remains incredibly clever in its humor, and always good for a hearty laugh.
A Serious Man (2009)
A Serious Man has a very different tone from the rest of the list. For one thing, it follows a college professor instead of a student, and it is also a lot more tonally serious, although it still has its comedic moments. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man follows a middle-aged Jewish teacher in the 1960s, who after a series of misfortunes and untimely events in his life begins to question his faith and what it all means. Although this film is darker that the rest of the suggestions at times, and can get rather thought-provoking, A Serious Man is a genuinely fascinating look at what it means to believe and why we do so.
The Social Network (2010)
Although the entirety of The Social Network doesn’t take place at college, the majority of the film does. Directed by David Fincher, this film is incredibly well-paced, brilliantly acted, and entertaining from start to finish as you watch the rise of a young Mark Zuckerberg as he becomes the CEO of the biggest social media website of all time. It’s an exciting ride from start to finish, with a great college backdrop, and highly recommended to anyone and everyone, regardless of age.