August marks new beginnings in university life—whether you’re a careful freshman treading lightly, or a sentimental senior hoping to leave a legacy. But whatever your starting point, you can always ease your first-day jitters with a good movie and great company. To get you settled in, Vantage has curated some relatable films for your ongoing college journey.
Whiplash (2014): For those who chase their passions
Unconventional college degrees may be difficult to pursue. However, there are people who go to great lengths for their passions as seen in Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash. Growing up with drumsticks for most of his life, music student Andrew (Miles Teller) aims to be just like renowned drummer Buddy Rich. The young and determined musician unfailingly surmounts challenges—from facing his vulgar instructor Terence Fletcher (JK Simmons) to navigating complicated personal relationships—to achieve that goal. Although met with setbacks, Andrew eventually returns to playing the drums. Similarly, college may occasionally push us to our limits, but we eventually come back stronger.
Legally Blonde (2001): For those who are out to prove themselves
The pressure to stand out among thousands of other students can be overwhelming. Nonetheless, Robert Luketic’s Legally Blonde suggests that this worry shouldn’t be the case. Although entering Harvard Law School for selfish reasons (i.e. to win back an ex who downplayed her skills), protagonist Elle (Reese Witherspoon) establishes that assumptions don’t define an individual. As part of the respected Professor Callahan’s (Victor Garber) training pool, Elle proves herself capable of solving legal cases despite her initial reputation as an airhead. Her story shows that people—even those whom we least expect—may try to drag us down, but the right mixture of hard work, passion, and resilience molds us into the best versions of ourselves and allows us to rise above.
First Day High (2006): For those who are soul searching
Sometime in college, we may find ourselves feeling out of place on campus or among other people. Mario Cornejo’s First Day High features a common apprehension: Fitting in. This Filipino film features five personalities—the influencer, campus crush, nerd, jock, and rebel—who, despite their differences, go beyond their stereotypes. The coming-of-age movie tells the story of how these freshmen become friends during a school-wide investigation into a water contamination scandal. They try to navigate their way out of the sticky situation and discover more about themselves in the process. As college is a time for self-discovery, we learn that people are more than their labels.
Everybody Wants Some! (2016): For those who are just starting out
The people you surround yourself with play a pivotal role in your college adventures. In Richard Linklater’s ‘80s comedy Everybody Wants Some!, we see this in full effect. This highly nostalgic film follows Jake (Blake Jenner), an incoming college freshman, as he joins the rest of the baseball team in their off-campus dormitory. Together, they enjoy the magical few days before everyone arrives at school. Jake spends his time meeting new people, falling in love, and finding his bearings. The episodic plot offers poignant vignettes of the college experience as well as a touching look into Jake’s struggle to create an identity around his new set of friends. In the film, we see how college is an entirely new chapter of our lives and how we are given a blank slate to make the most out of it.
Alone/Together (2019): For those who are idealists-turned-realists
Most of us enter college as wide-eyed freshmen, convinced that we can change the world. But with every challenge, every tough professor, and every defeat along the way, we may realize that things don’t always turn out the way we want them to. Enter Antoinette Jadaone’s romantic drama Alone/Together—a film that follows the love story of Tin (Liza Soberano) and Raf (Enrique Gil) who reunite eight years after college and find out that they are not the same people they were. Tin is no longer the idealistic magna cum laude and Raf is no longer the perpetually delayed slacker. The film not only reminds us of the dreams we had and the people we may have lost along the way, but also of how much we’ve grown and how life ends up the way it’s supposed to—eventually.
I’m Drunk, I Love You (2017): For those who want to graduate without regrets
Graduation is a scary prospect because it comes with saying heartfelt goodbyes to people who have been with you for four years. JP Habac’s romantic comedy I’m Drunk, I Love You superbly captures this nostalgia. Set to sawi (i.e. wistfully lovelorn) tunes by local independent bands, the film follows college best friends, Carson (Maja Salvador) and Dio (Paulo Avelino) as they go on one last road trip before graduation to settle how they really feel for each other. After seven long years of friendship, their bond is put to the test with one drunken conversation. It goes to show that graduation might very well be the last time you can do what you’ve always wanted to do—unless you’re willing to look back on a bunch of what-ifs.
All these films are snapshots of different college adventures. No matter how relatable these may be, at the end of the day, you are responsible for your journey in the Ateneo. The challenges you undertake and the choices you make will determine its course. From starting as a wide-eyed freshie to becoming a senior on your way down the hill, college is a ride to savor every second of the way.