This list is not supposed to show the best movies in a genre, but rather present recommendations for college students based on cult status, popularity, and critic ratings. Also, this is all just my opinion, any other recommendations can be added in the comments.
High School Movies
Detention, crappy teachers, and skipping class are all the plot points that tie together a great movie about the emotional, pubescent high school years. These movies consist of a "sick day" odyssey in Chicago, consisting of fast cars, clueless parents, and Charlie Sheen in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", a life-changing teacher and the horrors of private school in "Dead Poets Society", and the classic fist pump scene from "The Breakfast Club". But the one everyone needs to see in college is Richard Linklater's "Dazed and Confused". This movie is about the last day of school in 1976 Texas, which consists of partying, rebelling, and contemplating . Quentin Tarantino calls this the "ultimate hangout movie" and it truly is, whether you wanna hang out with Pink, Slater, Jodi, or even the semi-creepy but hilarious Wooderson, played by Mathew McConaughy, you totally can. Just make sure you're packin skinny jeans, a muscle car, Zig-Zags, and some kick-ass tunes.
College Movies
Besides the themes of high school movies, college movies add a sense of independence, real-life experience, and pre-life lessons. It can be the pursuit of excellence in "Whiplash", a game-changing idea that becomes a reality in "The Social Network" or a comedic ode to rowdy Fraternity living in "Animal House". But none of them compare to the uncomfortable, dark comedy "The Graduate". Dustin Hoffman stars in the role of a graduate student who is coaxed into an affair with a married woman. When he begins to admire the daughter of the woman he has an affair with, things start spiraling out of control. This movie will make any viewer laugh and cringe, but with beautiful cinematography and a soundtrack done by Simon and Garfunkel, this movie will have you on a roller coaster of emotion, and the ending will feel like the roller coaster de-railed.
Comedy
These can range from satire to dark-humor to fart jokes. There’s one about a flight gone wrong called "Airplane", another about two British guys going to a pub during the zombie apocalypse called "Shaun of the Dead", and another classic about King Arthur, swallows, and killer rabbits called "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (which can be streamed on YouTube). But the one every college kid needs to see is "The Big Lebowski". This movie combines stoner comedy with dark comedy to create a storyline about a “dude” who just wants his rug back after some thieves confused him with another man named Lebowski. In fact, that’s the entire plot. Filled with unforgettable characters like Walter, a Vietnam vet with a surprise trigger finger, and Jesus, a bowling legend and local child molester, this movie will arm you with quotable scenes and a pointless plot that altogether make a great comedy.
Sci-Fi
Space, technology, and time travel all collapse into the science fiction genre. This includes "Children of Men", which is about a world where all women are infertile, "2001 A Space Odyssey", which is about the evolution of man and evil computers, and "The Matrix", which includes impossible fight scenes and conspiracy theories. But the one college kids need to enjoy is "Donnie Darko", a movie about the philosophy of time travel. Donnie is a troubled teenager who sees a giant deformed rabbit named Frank who knows how to time travel. The plot gets confusing, which is why I’d suggest the Director’s Cut to watch this. This movie introduces so many scenarios about life including love, doom, and death, that it shows itself to be a deeply insightful film worth seeing more than once.
These are those movies some of your hipster friends love and have on VHS or something. They include "Submarine", a film about a quirky prep school boy who is searching for love, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", which is a love story collapsing onto itself, and "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World", which is about a Canadian boy who has to fight his girlfriend’s seven evil exes in order to win her over. Without breaking from the common romantic theme in hipster movies, the one you need to see is from Wes Anderson, the master of hipster movies, called "Moonrise Kingdom". Now, before the Wes Anderson fans go nuts about me picking "Moonrise Kingdom" and not the "Royal Tenenbaums" or the "Grand Budapest Hotel", ALL Wes Anderson movies are fantastic and worth watching. "Moonrise Kingdom" follows two children who run away together to escape the lives they were living. That’s mixed in with military-styled Boy Scout troops, odd theatre productions, and an all-star cast to deliver a quirky feel-good movie that’ll pull you into the world of Wes Anderson.
Horror
To all the horror junkies wanting a good fright, certain movies worth a viewing in college are not afraid to deliver their scares lightly. They include "An American Werewolf in London", about…well…an American werewolf in London, "Cabin in the Woods", which gives a little twist on the idea of the classic horror movie, and "Psycho", which is the classic horror movie everyone should be familiar with. But the one to watch in college is arguably one of the scariest movies of all time, Stanley Kubrick’s "The Shining". This movie’s vibe is just inherently creepy. From the insane father to the nightmarish visions seen by the son, this movie will present the audience with a sense of doom that will creep up like a shadow whenever this movie is talked or thought about.
Weird
These movies bathe in obscurity and give the audience some time to say “what the f***.” They include "A Clockwork Orange", a disturbing film about the attempt at extinguishing evil, "Being John Malkovich", which is about a door into the mind of John Malkovich, and "Eraserhead", a surrealist film about the nightmares formed from the fears of fatherhood. But the weird movie college kids need to see is "The Lobster", a film that takes a metaphorical look at our culture’s view of love. This movie is unbelievably funny, filled to the brim with dark humor that only a stale dialog can pull off. From humans becoming animals if they are single, to being upset by the screams of someone who tried committing suicide, this bizarre film will make you think about love in your own life while entertaining you with odd imagery.
Animated
Aside from all the Disney movies you watched as a little kid, there are many that can be enjoyed in college. They can include "Fantastic Mr. Fox", which is a stop-motion film about a quirky fox helping his fellow furry friends, "Coraline", which is a Claymation horror flick that I personally think is too creepy for children, and "Inside Out", which is a recent Pixar movie about a girl and her emotions. But the classic college kids need to see is Miyazaki’s "Spirited Away". This film is like a Japanese version of "Alice In Wonderland". A girl wanders into a spirit world after her parents have become pigs and proceeds on an adventure in an unfamiliar place. This film is fun, fantastical, and nostalgic, making you feel like a little kid watching your favorite cartoon.
DirectorialThese are must-see masterpieces by famous directors that everyone should be familiar with. They include Martin Scorsese’s "Taxi Driver", a film about an anti-hero who’s sick of humanity, David Lynch’s "Mulholland Drive", which is an erotic drama about the dreams associated with the movie industry, and David Fincher’s "Fight Club", the anarchist’s bible full of masculine characters and quotable rules. But the must-see is the cult classic by Quentin Tarantino, "Pulp Fiction". This film with a non-linear timeline is one of the most re-watchable movies ever. Consisting of an all-star cast, hit men, dance competitions, ball gags, a kick-ass soundtrack, and Tarantino’s bloody, violent imagery, this film is a must-see for anyone and everyone.
Honorable Mentions:
"American Beauty"
"American Psycho"
"Bridesmaids"
" Mean Girls"
"Into the Wild"
Do you have any other ideas for must-sees during the college years? Comment! And just a reminder:
