Top 5 movies about student life
Whether you're signing up for an online college degree or heading back to school to complete your qualifications on campus, there's no better way to get in the academic mindset than by enjoying a classic college movie. Higher education has been the subject of some of cinema's most memorable moments, and here are five flicks you've got to see before you go back to school:
• "National Lampoon's Animal House": John Landis' 1978 classic features Delta Chau Ti's outrageous frat parties, daring pranks and a legendary performance by the late John Belushi. "Animal House" enjoys a unique place in popular culture and remains one of the all-time greats of higher education movies. As fun as this riotous movie is, don't emulate any of the behavior featured in the film. As the saying goes: "Don't try this at home..." or college.
• "How I Got Into College": If you've ever wondered how people get through the college admissions process unscathed, you're not alone. This 1989 movie starring Lara Flynn Boyle and Anthony Edwards was one of the first college films to focus on the rigors of the application and admissions process. Hopefully, you'll have had an easier time getting into your school than Boyle did in the movie.
• "Revenge of the Nerds": Featuring one of the most iconic dance sequences of any college movie, this 1984 classic went down in cinema history for its hilarious depiction of a group of socially challenged students' attempts to gain entry into a traditionally African American fraternity, Lambda Lambda Lambda. If you've ever sympathized with the plight of the kids in the audiovisual club, this movie is for you.
• "Old School": Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson bring their unique comedy talents to the big screen in this lively tale of how a group of aging friends decide to start their own fraternity in an attempt to relive their glory days. Featuring some outrageous humor and genuinely charming moments, "Old School" could be essential viewing if you've been out of the education system for a while.
• "Legally Blonde": Who doesn't enjoy a movie in which the hero - or heroine, in this case - beats the odds and challenges expectations? Reese Witherspoon delivered a memorable performance in this fun 2001 outing as Elle Woods, a sorority queen who discovers a talent for all things legal when she follows her ex-boyfriend to law school.
