movies
Check out movies that discuss, portray or deal with college and college life in some way!
Fictional films
Goats (2012)
Goats is a film about 15 year old Ellis who is the most adult member of his eccentric family at 15 years old, with a New Age hippie Mom that spends all of her time working on self-help rituals with her hustler boyfriend and a father who left home years ago and is more focused on his family. Then there is Goat Man, the goat-herding sage who has lived in their pool house since Ellis was a child, teaching him the meaning of stability, commitment, and expanding one's mind. Ellis decides to leave Tucson to go to the same East Coast prep school that his father went to. There he easily assimilates to his new environment but as he re‐connects with his estranged father, he finds Goat Man’s influence and his life out West thrown into stark contrast.
we 3 (2011)
We 3 is a film centered on "Three young people arrive from different parts of the country to go to college in Sao Paulo. On their first day there, a strange and intense attraction unites them. Together, they rent an apartment and begin living together, in close quarters. Sharing kisses and fond embraces. They exchange words of endearment with the naturalness of ordering a sandwich at a diner. They threaten to break up and the next moment they are all laughing together again. College days however soon come to an end and, with each having different paths to trail, separation is imminent. And consequently, their gestures, words and attitudes take on a new weight. Touching each other now takes on a new significance. Words of love are weighed down by consequences." (Written by Os3 Production at IMDB.com)
the kids are all right (2010)
The Kids Are All Right is a film about Nic and Jules who are in a long term, committed, loving but
by no means perfect relationship and their two children Joni and Laser. Nic, a physician, needs to wield what she believes is control, whereas Jules, under that control, is less self-assured. During their relationship, Jules has floundered in her "nine to five" life, sometimes trying to start a business -
always unsuccessfully - or being the stay at home mom. They have two teen-aged children, Joni and Laser, Nic who is Joni's biological mother, and Jules who is Laser's biological mother. Joni and Laser are also half-siblings, having the same unknown sperm donor father, shortly after Joni's eighteenth birthday and shortly before she plans to leave the house and head off to college her younger brother convinces her to contact the sperm bank to meet with the sperm donor their mothers used. His arrive causes current conflicts and issues to come into the open, causing the family to face their problems.
by no means perfect relationship and their two children Joni and Laser. Nic, a physician, needs to wield what she believes is control, whereas Jules, under that control, is less self-assured. During their relationship, Jules has floundered in her "nine to five" life, sometimes trying to start a business -
always unsuccessfully - or being the stay at home mom. They have two teen-aged children, Joni and Laser, Nic who is Joni's biological mother, and Jules who is Laser's biological mother. Joni and Laser are also half-siblings, having the same unknown sperm donor father, shortly after Joni's eighteenth birthday and shortly before she plans to leave the house and head off to college her younger brother convinces her to contact the sperm bank to meet with the sperm donor their mothers used. His arrive causes current conflicts and issues to come into the open, causing the family to face their problems.
Acceptance (2010)
Acceptance is a comedy-drama that looks at the sometimes extreme pressures that modern day teenagers face when thinking about and applying to college. While the movie places overt blame for this stress on the teens' mostly well-intentioned parents it also points out that teens can become so focused and obsessed with getting admitted into the "right" school that they sometimes use the college admissions process as a way of defining their self-worth. The story follows a top student in an academically-intensive Singapore charter school who compromises his identity, his friendships and reputation in hope of getting accepted into an Ivy League school.
post-grad (2009)
Post Grad is a film about Ryden Malby, who graduates from college during a recession and is forced to move back in with her parents because her dream job has been given to her arrogant college nemesis Jessica Bard. Ryden must cope with living with her eccentric family again while she attempts to find a job, the right guy, and just a hint of where her life is headed.
College Road Trip (2008)
College Road Trip is a film about an overachieving high school student, Melanie, who decides to travel
around the country to choose the perfect college. Her overprotective cop father, who wants her to stay closer to home and attend a nearby college, decides to accompany her in order to keep and eye on her.
around the country to choose the perfect college. Her overprotective cop father, who wants her to stay closer to home and attend a nearby college, decides to accompany her in order to keep and eye on her.
Happy Days (2007)
Happy Days is a film that "revolves around eight youngsters, who become good friends in their freshman years when they join the college for their Bachelors in Engineering (B.E.). The life of these young minds, be it personal or that in college, is dealt with aplomb. The first-half deals with the relationship of these freshmen with their seniors, who try to gain an upper hand over their juniors. In the second half, the movie also shows love and affection among one another, but does not ignore to emphasize the main aim of going to the college, i.e., to evolve from a young person with fruity dreams, to a more purposeful professional." (Written by Mahendra Nutakki at IMDB.com)
Accepted (2006)
Accepted is a movie about a high school slacker who has been rejected by every school he applied to. He then with the help of a few friends, creates his own institution of higher learning, the South Harmon Institute of Technology, on a rundown piece of property near his hometown. Trouble comes when the fake school websites was made active, accepting the applications of hundred of students who arrive believing the school to be real and their last hope as well.
American Desi (2001)
American Desi is a film about college freshman Krishna Reddy, who has never cared for
his Indian-American cultural heritage and distanced himself form it as much as possible. He is looking forward to a new life on campus away from his families pressure to accept a life rooted in Indian culture but he is surprised to find that he has been assigned Indian roommates. However Kris meets Nina, a girl he falls for, who is Indian and quite involved with Indian culture. The movie revolves around him making mistakes and trying his best to win Nina over and concludes with Kris eventually enjoying the company of his roommates, all of whom put together their knowledge and skill to help Kris impress Nina various aspects of Indian culture, which he eventually comes to love as well.
his Indian-American cultural heritage and distanced himself form it as much as possible. He is looking forward to a new life on campus away from his families pressure to accept a life rooted in Indian culture but he is surprised to find that he has been assigned Indian roommates. However Kris meets Nina, a girl he falls for, who is Indian and quite involved with Indian culture. The movie revolves around him making mistakes and trying his best to win Nina over and concludes with Kris eventually enjoying the company of his roommates, all of whom put together their knowledge and skill to help Kris impress Nina various aspects of Indian culture, which he eventually comes to love as well.
October Sky (1999)
October Sky "In 1950's mining town called Coalwood, Homer Hickam is a kid with only one future in sight, to work in the local coalmine like his father. However in October 1957, everything changes when the first artificial satellite, Sputnik goes into orbit. With that event, Homer becomes inspired to learn how to build rockets. With his friends and the local nerd, Homer sets to do just that by trial and a lot of error. Unfortunately, most of the town and especially Homer's father thinks that they are wasting their time. Only one teacher in the high school understands their efforts and lets them know that they could become contenders in the national science fair with college scholarships being the prize. Now the gang must learn to perfect their craft and overcome the many problems facing them as they shoot for the stars." (Written by Kenneth Chisholm at IMDB.com)
higher learning (1995)
Higher Learning is a 1995 American drama film that follows the changing lives of three incoming freshmen at the fictional Columbus University: Malik Williams a black track star who struggles with academics, Kristen Connor a shy and naive girl, and Remy, a lonely and confused man seemingly out of place in his new environment. In this movie people from all different walks of life encounter racial tension, rape, responsibility, and the meaning of an education on a university campus.
rudy (1993)
Rudy is a film about a boy named Rudy who "grew up in a steel mill town where most people ended up working, but wanted to play football at Notre Dame instead. There were only a couple of problems. His grades were a little low, his athletic skills were poor, and he was only half the size of the other players. But he had the drive and the spirit of 5 people and has set his sights upon joining the team." (Written by Brian W Martz at IMDB.com)
revenge of the nerds (1984)
Revenge of the Nerds is a comedy film featuring a group of nerds at a big campus, who are bullied outcasts and misfits that resolve to fight back for their peace and self respect by trying to stop harassment by the persecuting jock fraternity, the Alpha Betas.
Documentaries
In 500 Words or less (2009)
Going to college is a rite of passage for many American high school students, but the process can be overwhelming: college fairs, tours, SATs, applications. And then there's the personal essay. How does a seventeen-year old define herself to total strangers when she's only beginning to discover who she really
is? And how can she be expected to do it in an essay of 500 words or less? Point Made Films takes you on the journey to college with four very different young people as they spend their last year with their families trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be." (Film Synopsis from official website)
is? And how can she be expected to do it in an essay of 500 words or less? Point Made Films takes you on the journey to college with four very different young people as they spend their last year with their families trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be." (Film Synopsis from official website)
Look, I’m in College (2008)
Look, I’m in College "is the story of what happens when four young men with autism, from a public school, are chosen to pilot a college inclusion program in NYC. Look, I'm in College! follows four NYC kids through an extraordinary time in their lives. Terence, Benny, Donald, and Rayquan are African-American students from challenging socioeconomic backgrounds, and all are autistic. For students with developmental disorders such as theirs, going to college was rarely an option... until now" (Written by Ouisie Shapiro at IMDB.com)
The Pact (2006)
The Pact "is a gritty, provocative true-life story of three friends from the 'hood, Rameck Hunt, Sampson Davis, and George Jenkins, who made a pact in high school to find a way to go to college and then medical school. They not only accomplished this, but they're now spreading the word to inspire other inner-city kids to stay off of drugs, out of gangs and to take the educational route to a better life." (Written by Andrea Kalin at IMDB.com)