Neuman’s Movie Monday: College Life

Since we did the top 10 movies about high school, let's do the top 10 movies about college. (Again, omitting movies about college sports. That will be a future list.)

10. Accepted

Regardless of what classes you are taking, if you are going to a class, this one counts. A bunch of kids who didn't get into a college, make up their own school to fool their parents. What would kids do if they had the money their parents are using to pay for your higher education? This movie shows you the answer.

9. American Pie 2

The movie starts on the last day of freshman year, and then the rest of the movie is about college life over the summer break. We've all had the college summer job while at the same time trying to avoid being back at mom and dad's house. It also does a good job of showing what it's like when all the high school friends are back from being gone for the school year.

8. Back to School

When your rich dad becomes the big man on campus, it would be difficult for anyone. Jason is kind of a punk throughout the movie, but it is still a good one. Thornton does give the guys a pretty sweet dorm room and even tries to get his team to do their homework for them.

7. Old School

Anyone out of college misses it. Even the reminiscing rarely involves the classroom. Old School takes the Greek life into the work-a-day world but creating their own frat.  When the kid they used to pick on is now the Dean of Students, he's trying to get them kicked off campus. This movie proves my favorite saying, "Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional."

6. National Lampoon's Van Wilder

The other movies were about going back to college, Van Wilder never left. Going on year 8 of his undergrad, he's still the one everyone turns to when it comes to having a good time on campus. His dad figures out that he hasn't graduated and cuts off the cash-flow for his tuition and it's up to Van raise the money.

5. Road Trip

The great college tradition. The road trip. This one is to recover and inappropriate video tape sent to the protagonist's girlfriend. Told from the perspective of the never-graduating friend at a perspective students group tour, the movie is better than how the plot sounds. From the same creator as "Old School" and the "Hangover" movies, "Road Trip" is a fun one to watch without overthinking.

4. PCU

I like "PCU" probably more than I should. Jeremy Piven and David Spade are great rivals in this movie. "PCU" has a very "Caddyshack" feel to it where its the slobs versus the snobs. In this movie, the slobs are also battling all of the overly politically correct college kids. This is a funny movie and do to all the protests there are now, ahead of it's time. Plus, anytime you can get a cameo by Geroge Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic, you know it's going to be good.

3. Mona Lisa Smile

Set in the 1950's, these girls at an all-girl college have the mindset that it's their role to meet a man and get married. Katherine Ann Watson (Julia Roberts) has to convince them that they are in college because they are bright young women and can have their own career and not just be domesticated arm-candy. The teacher is the main character, but you still get a look at college life in the 50's.

2. Revenge of the Nerds

A classic. Pure and simple. Anyone who has been picked on, teased, or hazed knows what it's like to want to fight back. The nerds do. I watched this movie as a kid and had no appreciation or how funny it is. Even James Cromwell has some good lines as the dad dropping off his son and his best friend. You are cheering for the underdogs throughout the whole film and you get great 80's songs this flick. A true classic.

1. National Lampoon's Animal House

This movie is almost 40 years old and it is still above and beyond any other college movie. It's hands-down the best. Not only has it not been surpassed, it hasn't been matched. College kids now still try to have the parties that Delta had. Each character (good guy or villain) is completely different and original. Not enough praise can go to Animal House.