Thursday, August 22, 2013

"Back to School" at the Movies!

The lazy days of summer are quickly coming to an end -- and the kids are heading back to school.  For a change of pace, we're putting the spotlight on a few of the films in the library's collection -- this time featuring some of our favorite "high school" movies.  Grab some popcorn and soda -- and let's head back to the Blackboard Jungle (yet another great movie about high school)!


The Breakfast Club (1985)

 Possibly the best high school movie ever!  Five kids from totally different cliques --  a jock, a nerd, a princess, a rebel, and a loner -- are forced to spend Saturday detention together after committing a variety of misdeeds at school.  This classic coming-of-age film was written and directed by John Hughes, and was filmed on location just down the road at Deerfield High School. 



 
The lives of students at an elite prep school in Vermont are forever changed by an eccentric English teacher and his determination to inspire them through his love of poetry.   Robin Williams scored an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his dramatic performance in the film.  You’ll spot both Ethan Hawke (Before Midnight) and Josh Charles (The Good Wife) among the young actors playing the school boys. 



  
Freshman Charlie navigates his way through a tough first year of high school with the help of a pair of older students who befriend him, learning important lessons about friendship, rivalries, trust, and loyalty along the way.  Another great coming-of-age story – adapted for the screen by Stephen Chbosky, from his award-winning novel.  Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame shines in her role as a free-spirited senior who takes Charlie under her wing.  



No sooner is school back in session than kids start dreaming of a day off!  For the ultimate ditch-day adventure -- hang out with Ferris Bueller on his infamous day off from school.  Matthew Broderick stars.  The movie was filmed in and around Chicago -- how many city landmarks can you spot?



 
Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta  star in the mega-hit musical that serves as a campy tribute to the 1950’s.  The two play a pair of teenagers who enjoy a sweet summer romance -- but when they return to high school in the fall – their relationship seems doomed when his greaser pals clash with her goody two-shoes friends.   With great songs and choreography, and a wonderful supporting cast, the classic film remains as much fun today as it was in its original release. 



The headmaster of a British prep school brings in an enigmatic new faculty member to help a group of eight gifted but unruly boys prepare for their entrance exams to Oxford and Cambridge.   The comedy features the entire original cast of the play from which the film was adapted and is a truly funny look at the British educational system.



The Class (Entre les Murs) (2009)

A dedicated teacher and his colleagues struggle to reach their students in an inner city school in Paris.  Though fictional, the film has the feel of a documentary, and uses real teachers and students to depict what actually goes on in classrooms everyday.  The winner of the Palme d'Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival -- the film also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009.



A high school with a great twist!  Follow the lives of four talented high school students attending the New York High School of Performing Arts -- from their auditions for acceptance to the school through their graduation day.  A great soundtrack really kicks the film into high gear -- with many of the songs written and performed by Irene Cara, who also stars.  The film was remade in 2009 -- but the original is still the best!


 
A British schoolgirl gets an education of a different sort when she sets aside her dreams of attending Oxford after falling for the charms of an older man.  Cary Mulligan shines in her breakthrough role as a naïve 1960’s teen swept off her feet by the equally talented Peter Sarsgaard.  The film scored Oscar nominations for Mulligan as Best Actress, Best Picture and Best Screenplay.



 






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