OK, you’ve got one week left, and it’s full of tests. Or you’re a senior, with nothing to do but kill time.
No matter what, you’re looking for one thing: distractions. That’s right, regardless of how much work you’ve got to do, you want something other than said work to bust your butt on. Here’s a few ideas.
“Animal House” - There comes a time in every student’s life when he or she knows, absolutely, that he or she is going to fail. When that happens, we all know what to do - enjoy ourselves. And no one does it better than the Delta house of Faber University. Not only does it feature John Belushi in his best role, but it captures all the things, both wrong and right, that we all end up remembering about school anyway.
“American Pie 2” - By now, we all know all the characters of the “Pie” movies all too well. Watch them as they leave their first year of college for summer break. We’ve all been there, and we all know what it’s like to try to get your swerve on - with your parents waiting at home.
“Good Will Hunting” - Just like all of us, a character who knows he’s way too smart for school anyway. Or, we can at least tell ourselves that as we watch Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Robin Williams in the pretentious, yet entertaining movie that won three Oscars.
“Revenge of the Nerds” - These movies have a way of making it onto my lists. The reason? Because all college kids can relate to a bunch of awkward guys trying to make a go of it at college. Best of all, the nerd gets the girl. And you can see John Goodman and realize that yes, he has been that big all his life.
“Evil Dead 2” - If you go to MSU, this should be handed out with your acceptance letter. This horror masterpiece was made years ago, and it still rings true today. And by rings true, I mean makes you laugh so hard you pee your pants. At least I do.
“Reservoir Dogs” - I’ll admit, I’m from an older school, one with Nirvana rocking and the word “angst” implanted firmly in our vocabulary. But if anyone at this school can’t remember watching this packed into a dorm room or at least having a friend with a poster of it on his or her wall, I’m disappointed. Take the time to gather all your friends and watch it again.
“Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” - If anyone can resist the high-energy fun of this movie, you’re stronger than I. Four friends get in deeper than they’d like in a big-risk caper and manage to bail themselves out by the skin of their teeth. Yeah, it’s a “Pulp Fiction” rip-off. So was every other movie of the late ’90s. Get over it.
“Billy Madison” - the single best movie Adam Sandler ever will make, period. If you haven’t seen this movie, quit being Amish and go rent it, right now. Hands-down hilarious as Sandler plays the title character going through school all over again and asks the burning question, “Do you have any more gum?”
“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” - highly underrated and funny all over, watching Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro get blitzed on drugs and terrorize Vegas is required viewing.
“Scarface” - another college essential and a movie poster that’s sure to make its way onto the walls of dorm rooms all across campus. Al Pacino as a Cuban-turned-paranoid drug lord. “Say hello to my little friend.”
“The Big Lebowski” - I’ve used this one before, and I’ll use it again, damn it. One of my personal favorites and quickly becoming a comedy standard in classrooms. If you don’t like “The Dude,” then you’re pure evil. Because I said so.
“The Secret of Nimh” - a true landmark of animation and a great story to boot. This flick probably will remind many people of their childhoods, while others will wonder how the heck it took them so long to find it. And no, it’s not that “let’s-get-stoned” type of animation. It’s just plain cool.
“Memento” - This is a fairly new entry onto my lists, and with good reason. A truly remarkable movie that runs backward and yet manages not to be a gimmick; you can’t help but watch every second in amazement. Guy Pearce gives one of his best performances as a man with no memory trying to get revenge for his murdered wife.
Well, there you go. Like everyone, I’ll spend the next week trying to finish papers. But that’s just maybe. Good luck on finals, and have a good summer.
Drew Harmon, State News film reporter, can be reached at harmondr@msu.edu.
