Homecoming Week and Homecoming Weekend are best spent among friends. But, whether that means real friends or on-screen friends, it’s up to you.
Not everyone’s homecoming has to be spent parading, cheering and competing. Sometimes, the best way to spend a week made for celebration is spent on the couch in front of the TV.
Hailey Stewart | Argonaut
Round up some friends, some ice cream and a bottle of wine. Make the weekend fit for you with these must-watch films during homecoming.
“Grease”
After suave Danny and innocent Sandy fall for one another over the summer, they are thrust back into reality when the school year begins. When they realize they’ll be unexpectedly spending their senior year together, they must figure out how to be themselves among new friends.
Starring Olivia Newton John and John Travolta in the prime of the ‘70s, “Grease” is an all-American classic perfect for a week of nostalgia. A dance, a football game, a pep rally and a carnival all make appearances in this film fit for homecoming.
“Rudy”
A pure football classic, “Rudy” makes this list as one of the top college football movies. This film will make you laugh and cry, but in the best way possible.
“Rudy” follows main character Rudy, as he attempts to get away from his blue collar life and into one of the most prestigious schools in the country, Notre Dame. Even without all the stature and skill required of a Notre Dame football player, Rudy’s heart and faith is what places him on the famous team.
Notre Dame’s fight song is so similar to the University of Idaho’s, you might not even notice you stayed at home in your pajamas.
“Remember the Titans”
What good is a definitive homecoming films list without two of the best movies about friends and football?
If you’re not up for watching “the big game” at the Kibbie Dome, then watch a film filled with “big games.”
In 1970s Virginia, football isn’t just a sport, it’s a religion. When the football team of a local powerhouse high school is integrated, the emotions fly high and social change takes a back seat to the beloved game of football.
A true favorite among football fans everywhere, “Remember the Titans” should be on your film list this weekend.
“Animal House”
Think of all the partying that takes place after a big win, or in many cases at UI, a big loss. Why go through all that trouble of finding the perfect party place, when you can click play on “Animal House?”
A classic college movie in its own right, “Animal House,” details the life of fraternity members while the university dean has it out for their charter. All the shenanigans that come with drunken college life play out perfectly in this film.
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”
If you’re going to ditch the traditional homecoming festivities, you may as well watch a film that is highly educational in the art of skipping out. In addition to all you can learn from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” it is the epitome of school movies.
When Ferris Bueller, played by Matthew Broderick, skips a day of school and takes his friends along, his principal and sister take it upon themselves to catch them in the act. Little does everyone know, Bueller is highly skilled at tricking nearly everyone into thinking he’s a perfect student and son.
If you won’t be attending the Homecoming Parade, you may as well get the next best thing: a sing-along montage of Broderick singing on a float in downtown Chicago.
Hailey Stewart can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @Hailey_ann97