Graduation flicks
Student Life Cadenza Staff
Issue date: 5/5/08 Section: Cadenza
Congratulations seniors! In honor of your awesome accomplishment, we here at Cadenza have compiled a few reviews of classic graduation movies. Now sit back, relax and watch one of these greats. And then maybe think about getting a job.
Benjamin Braddock (one of Dustin Hoffman's first, and arguably best, roles) is newly graduated and at sea about his future when Mrs. Robinson tries to seduce him. The summer is an eventful one, and the film is ideal for graduates not only as entertainment but as a cautionary tale. Do not, repeat, do not sleep with the mother of the woman you fall in love with. Things can get sticky, and the next thing you know you'll be pounding on the window of a church, which is so totally freshman year.
-CECILIA RAZAK
-STEPHANIE SPERA
And yet, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone here who hasn't once wanted to be the greaser Danny, both in driving skills and hair consistency. And who doesn't want to waste a summer night at the barbie with Sandra Dee and hopefully catch a glint of what she's looking for? Sure, I wouldn't do a lot of the things those Rydell kids got into, but even if I had, you don't want to hear all the horny details.
Endless allusions aside, there are good things to take away from "Grease." School spirit runs rampant and so do strong personalities. Rivalries are won and (gasp!) Beauty School is considered. And believe it or not, the best part is when school ends.
Yes, when May rolls around, all the drama seems to melt away. "Grease" gives us a taste of the euphoria at the start, but it doesn't really blossom until the summer comes around again. They laugh, they cry, they take revealing photos, and they enjoy themselves. Remember that, as you go traveling down life's highway, from here on out you're on an endless Wash. U. summer vacation.
Oh, those summer nights.
-PERCY OLSEN
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The Graduate
You may be wondering what "The Graduate" has to do with graduation. You may be questioning what on earth it could be doing here amidst these other, more legitimate movies which focus so much more clearly on the prestigious and hallowed tradition of graduation. Yes, when it comes right down to it, "The Graduate" doesn't really have much to do with graduation.Benjamin Braddock (one of Dustin Hoffman's first, and arguably best, roles) is newly graduated and at sea about his future when Mrs. Robinson tries to seduce him. The summer is an eventful one, and the film is ideal for graduates not only as entertainment but as a cautionary tale. Do not, repeat, do not sleep with the mother of the woman you fall in love with. Things can get sticky, and the next thing you know you'll be pounding on the window of a church, which is so totally freshman year.
-CECILIA RAZAK
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Billy Madison
Adam Sandler's first movie after graduating from Saturday Night Live, "Billy Madison" is easily one of the most quotable movies of the '90s. (Remember shouting 'Stop looking at me, swan!,' 'O'Doyle Rules!,' 'Peeing your pants is cool' when you were 11?) When the movie opens, Billy Madison is living the dream; he is a 27-year-old slacker who lives in his father's backyard and drinks all day with his similarly-indolent friends. But in order to inherit his father's hotel chain, or at least prevent his nemesis, the ruthless entrepreneur and old schoolmate, Eric, from taking over, Billy must prove to his father that he is a capable human being and graduate from first through 12th grade in 24 weeks. Billy is happiest in the third grade where he is revered by his classmates and in love with teacher Veronica Vaughn. Yet, Billy soon realizes work, school and life become more difficult as one progresses through school. Eventually, a quiz-bowl type showdown takes place between both Eric and Billy. After Billy compares the Industrial Revolution to "The Puppy Who Lost His Way," he is told, "Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it." To win the competition and the hotel, Eric is asked to discuss business ethics. Yet, he is so iniquitous he doesn't even try to answer, whips out a gun and consequently gets tacked by wrestler and shot by a crazed Steve Buscemi. (Let this be a lesson to all you B-School grads: If you lose all your morals, you will eventually be shot by that guy from Fargo.) And, Chris Farley's uncredited cameo as the manic middle school bus driver provides the movie with some the most memorable scenes: "That Veronica Vaughn is one fine piece of ace." By the end of the movie, Billy has decided he is going to go onto college, become a teacher and hand the company over to one of his father's quality businessmen. Underneath all of the Sandler-esque humor, "Billy Madison" is simply a movie about growing up and accepting responsibility, which are major themes at every graduation.-STEPHANIE SPERA
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Grease
You know, when you really think about it, and I mean really think about it, "Grease" sells some pretty odd morals, doesn't it? If you don't fit in, change yourself, silly. If you don't use protection, just don't get pregnant, duh. And if you do get pregnant, just ride on a Ferris wheel and say you didn't. Life was so simple in the '50s, wasn't it?And yet, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone here who hasn't once wanted to be the greaser Danny, both in driving skills and hair consistency. And who doesn't want to waste a summer night at the barbie with Sandra Dee and hopefully catch a glint of what she's looking for? Sure, I wouldn't do a lot of the things those Rydell kids got into, but even if I had, you don't want to hear all the horny details.
Endless allusions aside, there are good things to take away from "Grease." School spirit runs rampant and so do strong personalities. Rivalries are won and (gasp!) Beauty School is considered. And believe it or not, the best part is when school ends.
Yes, when May rolls around, all the drama seems to melt away. "Grease" gives us a taste of the euphoria at the start, but it doesn't really blossom until the summer comes around again. They laugh, they cry, they take revealing photos, and they enjoy themselves. Remember that, as you go traveling down life's highway, from here on out you're on an endless Wash. U. summer vacation.
Oh, those summer nights.
-PERCY OLSEN
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