Best Movies About School

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Best Movies About School

by Kevin Gardner

Almost everyone has had to attend a public school at some time in his or her life. It's a setting that everyone can recognize and relate to. Below is a short list of some of the best movies about elementary and high school. If you haven't seen one of these movies, then you are missing out!

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Perhaps one of the best movies about school is about skipping school Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a famous cult classic. If you've never seen it, the film revolves around a day in the life of a teenager, Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) who is skipping school. For some reason, rumors go around the school that he is terribly ill. All the while, Ferris and his friends are out on the town, pulling off all kinds of shenanigans while trying to avoid trouble from their parents and the law.

Pay It Forward (2000)

Pay It Forward is one of Haley Joel Osment's lesser-known films, but a great one nonetheless. In this movie, Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) is encouraged by his social studies teacher (Kevin Spacey) to pay it forward. Whenever someone does something good for/to Trevor, he tries to do something nice for someone else.

This movie came out in 2000, long before the pay-it-forward trend started in real life. It's possible that this movie has some influence on it. Since the movie has come out, everyday people have been paying it forward by paying for someone else's coffee order. The trend has also spread to bigger causes, like schools and companies doing a double the donation event. In a way, the movie did a lot to pay it forward in real life.

Matilda (1996)

Both the 2023 and 1996 Matilda movie was based on the book of the same name written by Roald Dahl. While both films have received wonderful reviews, it's still a bit early to tell if the newer Matilda musical movie will have the same lasting cultural impact as the 1996 version.

Both movies tell the story of a young girl named Matilda who seems to have some kind of advanced intelligence or magic powers. She is an avid reader, is great at math... and can move things with her mind. She uses her powers to prank her terrible parents and to help her teacher and schoolmates defend themselves against their evil principal.

School of Rock (2003)

The School of Rock was a great movie made by Nickelodeon, which starred Jack Black. The movie was so famous that it led to a television spin-off that started in 2016. Since this show took place over ten years later, it did not feature any of the same actors, but the spirit of the show stayed true to the original movie.

The plot of the original movie revolved around Dewey Finn (Jack Black), a musician who was recently kicked out of his band. He's broke, desperate, and willing to lie about who he is when a school calls his house asking for a sub. He pretends to be his roommate, who is a real sub, and goes to work in a private school. He knows nothing about teaching, but everything about music. He spends most of the school day teaching the kids about music and eventually forming a band of elementary students. The students must practice music in secret to avoid Dewey getting fired (all the while, the kids don't know he's not a real sub). The band eventually joins a battle of the bands, but you'll have to watch the movie for yourself to find out who wins.

It's great how many movies about school there are that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. All of these movies have proven to become classics over the years. Watch one tonight to see them for yourself!