Some of the best movies ever produced circle around the suffering and distress of attending school. Whether it’s that nerve-racking initial day as a freshman or the bittersweet desire of unreciprocated love, it doesn’t matter. Everyone knows how it feels to be an adolescent and the anguish that comes with not being part of a clique. This is the material that writers and directors live for. They can incorporate danger, fun, and pure romance into a movie that fits the masses.
With that said, here are our top 4 back to school movies that made going to school a bit more, well, let's just say, "interesting".
Michael J. Fox plays the high school nerd, Scott, who just so happens to be a werewolf. He wants to play off his freakish trait and becomes the basketball team's superstar. While his new hero status is great, all he really wants is Pam. Pamela Wells is the love of his life and throughout the movie, Scott has to make a decision. He either keeps impressing everyone else when he’s the wolf or be who he really is, which is what Pam wants. Scott is celebrated more as a novelty and less of a real person, and near the end, he starts to open up his eyes and sees what's going on. This movie brings plenty of laughs, but it also has a good story about trying to fit in when you're so different.
With a cast like Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn playing Beanie and Frank, it's sure to be an awesome and hilarious movie. I mean, who can forget "Frank the Tank" or the famous line, "We're going streaking", seriously, simply funny. The story is based around three men trying to relive their college days. After Mitch finds his wife in a love triangle in their bedroom, he gets a house near the college campus. To keep his expensive house, he turns it into a frat house. The over the top events just roll one after another, and it's a constant frat party to remember. Who can forget when they slam the black van into another car in the supermarket parking lot and kidnap an older man? Poor Frank, he's trying to stay sober, but his friends just won't let him. When there's alcohol involved, anything can happen.
Who doesn't love Ferris Bueller? He shows us that sometimes the best lessons are the ones we learn outside the classroom. When young Ferris pretends he's sick to skip school, the mayhem is never-ending. From attending a game to singing with rock stars on TV, he does everything he can to get under his sister’s skin and the principal’s skin as well. His inventions are ingenious, and this movie plays on everyone's desire to skip school for a day of fun. Who can forget that annoying Principal Ed Rooney?
When five high school students get stuck in Saturday detention, it's nothing but normal. Each student gets to relieve their version of events from the day. The all-star cast of greats like Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, and Molly Ringwald make for some impressive acting. These are no students that any teacher would want in their class. Though the movie is 30 years old, it helped to launch the careers of the greats aforementioned. Remember the song "Don't You Forget About Me?" Simple Minds recorded this one-hit-wonder just for this movie. This was the perfect song for this movie to describe how each one of these students got to learn more about each other, and that's something they won't ever forget.
We can learn life lessons through movies. Ferris Bueller taught us how to skip school and get away with everything but murder. Frank "The Tank" showed us in Old School that if you have a drinking problem, staying away from those who drink is advisable. And lastly, Teen Wolf's Scott shows us that just because you're different doesn't mean that you can't be great. Even though they are made for our viewing pleasure, school-based dramas can still educate us on how to have a good time and learn a few cool life lessons.