The beginning of a new semester comes with its own excitements, but as we get back into study mode, leaving our comforters and the vacation mindset behind can be a struggle. If you are trying to hustle your way through university (or are just a dark academia/ cinema admirer), this list of five university movies is for you.
1. Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird (2017)
When Saoirse Ronan said “What if this is the best version?”, every teenager felt it. Tired of her life in Sacramento, Christine (Lady Bird) plans to get out by applying to universities on the East Coast. In an attempt to keep up her grades at school and navigate through heartbreaks, friendships, and her relationship with her mother— who is reluctant to her dreams— she starts to understand herself better. Ladybird is not only one of the most real portrayals of teenage struggles but also incredibly heartwarming and witty. And oh! One cannot leave out the astounding cinematography; every frame is visually pleasing.
2. Peter Levin’s Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story (2003)
Homeless to Harvard is the story of Liz, a 15-year-old girl who goes through hardships at a young age. When life takes away everything from her, she is presented with an opportunity to go to Harvard, but she has to fight for it. Her grief and perseverance leave a deep impact on you. It is a heartbreaking and thought-provoking tale that teaches one to hold on to a little confidence and optimism in times of misery.
3. David Fincher’s The Social Network (2010)
When a group of friends at Harvard work together on a new project, which goes on to become one of the greatest innovations in the world of social networking, it does not take long for this group hustle to turn into a tussle when one friend feels betrayed. An emotional roller coaster that deals with the insecurities and anxieties that come with a great vision for innovating in this modern fast paced world, a large part of which is money.
4. Peter Weir’s The Dead Poets Society (1989)
A cliche? Maybe. A classic, for sure. This film can be officially declared the epitome of ‘dark academia’ aesthetic. A perfect fit for anyone who has a love for poetry and literature. A professor passes on his love for the ink to his student and tries to plant a seed of poetry in his students. In turn, the students form a society which comes with its own prices and consequences. This bittersweet piece of cinema perfectly portrays the push and pull between one’s true calling and societal expectations, and more than that, the importance of a mentor in a student’s life.
5. Gus Van Sant’s Good Will Hunting (1997)
A brooding teenager who is also a hidden mathematical genius finds himself in the midst of parole, poverty, a complicated romance, and daily life struggles. When an opportunity presents itself, he starts to learn the importance of taking responsibility for himself and embracing the world around him. A realistic and poignant portrayal of a teenager who tries to tame the darkness within him as he reluctantly tries to find the way to light with the help of a therapist.
“Brunel University student study group” by Brunel University London is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.