8. "The Breakfast Club" And "Liberal Arts"
Why "Breakfast Club"?: If recognition of the name alone isn't enough to draw you in, suffice it to say that John Hughes' seminal film about the "high school experience", the stereotypes that abound to this day, and the people beneath those labels is a great watch no matter your age. Sure, it may mean something different to you when you watch it as a 20-something than it did when you were 15 - but that's one of the marks of a great film. There's always something new to discover.
Why "Liberal Arts?": Written and directed by, and starring, Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother), Liberal Arts is an under-appreciated gem of a film. Calling it the "Breakfast Club" of college movies might be boxing it up too tightly, but the two films certainly share some similar themes, and as a viewer you might find yourself asking some of the same questions. At its core, the film is a character-driven meditation on the value of a Liberal Arts education system. Elevated by both an intriguing theme and truly engaging performances from the likes of Allison Janney (The West Wing) and Elizabeth Olsen, Radnor's movie is a quiet, lightly intellectual affair well worth a watch.
Why Double Up?: If "The Breakfast Club" was the '80's rumination on high school education, "Liberal Arts" is the same sort of film for this generation of 20-somethings who are in, or have just finished, college. Both films are fun and clever in their own rights, and both are also clever in unexpected ways. Neither preaches an ideal for the viewer to subscribe to, rather, each film asks the audience to engage, to think, and to enjoy in their own way.