The precious college years are considered by many to be the best years of one’s life. It is a time to figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life. It is also a chance to learn independence and responsibility. With that said, we have learned through several movies that college is also a time to party hard, drink some beers, and make some epic mistakes. Throughout the years, Hollywood has delivered several comedic films about college. National Lampoon’s Animal House sets the bar for a hilarious college flick filled with memorable performances from John Belushi and more. With that said, there have been several dramatic films about college that showcase self-growth.
Although college isn’t for everyone, it is certainly a once in a lifetime experience where you find out about yourself and what you love. Small dorm rooms, questionable food, and lots of cheap beer all add to the charm of college. In David Fincher’s The Social Network, we saw how one of the biggest companies in the world was created on the campus of Harvard University. Institutions like Harvard produce some of the greatest minds who push to better the world we live in. Grab a slice of pizza and let’s dive into ten of the greatest college films of all time.
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10 Happy Death Day
Blumhouse Productions
Happy Death Day was a perfect example of showcasing the college experience through a horror film. The film tells the story of a college student, Tree (Jessica Rothe) who finds herself in a time loop where she relives her birthday everyday. At the same time, each day she is murdered by an unknown person in a baby costume. It is up to Tree to figure out who the killer is while trying to escape this dreadful time loop. The film was a critical success and even spawned a sequel.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Everybody Wants Some!!
Richard Linklater’s followup to Dazed and Confused tells the story of college life in the 1980s. Jake (Blake Jenner) is a baseball-playing freshman who moves into an off-campus house with his teammates. While there, he navigates college life with his hilarious new friends. The film showcases several superb supporting performances and Richard Linklater once again captures the essence of freedom and youth in this fantastic college comedy.
8 The Rules Of Attraction
Lionsgate
This underrated drama was adapted from Bret Easton Ellis’ 1987 novel. The film follows a group of privileged college students on a New Hampshire campus as they navigate sex, drugs, and love. Roger Avery, who wrote and directed the film, took many creative risks in the shooting and editing process. James Van Der Beek plays the lead role of Sean Bateman, a character who is actually the brother of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho, even though it is never actually stated in the film. The film received mixed reviews, likely because it was definitely ahead of its time.
7 Old School
DreamWorks Pictures
Todd Phillips’s classic comedy Old School follows three thirty-something aged friends (Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, and Will Ferrell) who start a college fraternity. The only catch is that most of the fraternity members aren’t even students. The film is non-stop laughs from beginning to end, and it proved that Phillips is a master of comedy. Will Ferrell particularly shines in his epic performance of the beer guzzling Frank The Tank.
6 Revenge Of The Nerds
20th Century Studios
The 1984 comedy classic Revenge Of The Nerds tells the story of a group of misfits who take on the Alpha Beta fraternity of jocks in this hilarious college tale. The slapstick, goofy comedy might not be for everyone, but it is the perfect film to turn on for a Saturday night. The film was a success and spawned several sequels. The cast includes Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Timothy Busfiel, among others.
5 Rudy
TriStar Pictures
If you are looking to be inspired, Rudy is the film for you. The true story follows Daniel E. ‘Rudy’ Ruettiger who follows his dreams to become a Notre Dame football player against all odds. Rudy has no support from his family, and he is constantly being told to quit. Rudy never gives up, and he proves everybody wrong in this triumphant story of chasing your dreams. The movie also showcased the film debuts of Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn.
4 National Lampoon’s Animal House
National Lampoon’s Animal House is a go-to college flick. The film takes place on a college campus in 1962 and follows a group of partying fraternity members who enrage their college dean. Animal House is a classic film and it is definitely one of National Lampoon’s best movies in the series. The film has a stellar cast including John Belushi, Karen Allen, and Kevin Bacon.
3 Whiplash
Blumhouse Production
Whiplash takes you into the world of college arts, as we follow a talented drummer (Miles Teller) who becomes the focus of the incredibly ruthless Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). The film is a perfect showcase of the torment and struggles of chasing your dreams while trying to do right by your superior. The film, directed by Damien Chazelle, was a huge success and went on to win three Oscars.
2 The Social Network
Columbia Pictures
David Fincher’s masterpiece tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook. Aaron Sorkin’s dialogue is sharp and filled with drama and conflict throughout. It is a Shakesperian-like tale about the true accounts of Facebook, and Fincher’s precise direction makes it all that much better. The film could be considered among the best of the decade and the cast, particularly Jesse Eisenberg, is top-notch.
1 Good Will Hunting
Miramax
Gus Van Sant’s classic story follows Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who is also a genius prodigy. Hunting goes under the wing of Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) who introduces him to Dr. Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) for therapeutic help. The film perfectly showcases the Boston college scene and the script, written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, is pitch perfect.
