Coming back to school after a long summer of fun is no easy task. It’s difficult trading pool parties for pre-nursing presentations and wakeboarding for waking up before noon.
Fortunately, we can all gain some back-to-school courage and inspiration from school legends such as Ferris, Napoleon and Coach Boone. Based on a small survey of BYU students, here is a list of the five best school movies to get you back into learning mode.
No. 5: Take a journey back in time to Rydell High for some sing-along fun with “Grease.” Whether it’s your first time or your fifth time watching this classic, you’ll find yourself tapping your toes in no time as the musical story of Danny and Sandy unfolds.
No. 4: Another popular name in attendance (hint hint) is the 1986 hit, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Why is it so good?
“It’s kind of like my dream of what I want to do but can’t,” said Zach Lonsdale, a mechanical engineering student from Los Angeles, Calif. When asked why, Lonsdale said, “Because I want to have a future.”
Watch the movie—you’ll understand.
No. 3: For you Shakespeare fans out there, the number -three pick “She’s the Man” is actually a retold version of the play “Twelfth Night” with all kinds of interesting twists. The protagonist, Viola, pretends to be her twin brother Sebastian at a new school.
Nicole Law, a physiology and developmental biology major from Nampa, Idaho, said her favorite scene is when Viola, posing as Sebastian, and her crush/male roommate scream in terror when they see a huge spider. In fear, they grip each other in a tight grasp, until they realize that they are two 'men' hugging each other cheek to cheek. For more male/female awkwardness, be sure to watch this one.
No. 2: If you love quoting movies, “Napoleon Dynamite” is the perfect way to start your semester. It will have you saying things like “Gosh,” “Heck, yes!” and “Is that because you think you’re fat?” before Grandma gets home from the hospital. Plus, if you need some fashion advice for this semester, this movie might as well be a three-credit course.
No. 1: Finally, the number-one–back-to-school movie chosen by BYU students is the inspirational, true and powerful story of one Virginia football team’s struggle for unity and equality in “Remember the Titans.”
“In general, sports are a big part of my school experience,” said Mariana Garcia, a film student from Mexico City, Mex. “It gets me pumped for what school can do for people, like how that coach changed their lives.”
Whether you watch it with some buddies or a date, this feature is sure to evoke some emotion and possibly some tears.
There you have it—the top five movies to get you back into school mode. So, before you grab your backpack or hit the books, grab some buddies and hit the couch and be amused, entertained, and inspired by these classic films of education.