Sienna Stone | Writer
March 28, 2025
With so much upcoming free time, what better way to bask in a week of relaxation than enjoy a good film? While procrastinating studying for finals over spring break, you can indulge in a watch of one of these recommendations.
Dead Poets Society
For the overachieving academics seeking a taste of inspiration, a movie composed of intellectual ideas and a heartfelt plot will serve well. For one, the coming-of-age film, Dead Poets Society (1989), offers the relatable characters of high school students as they grapple with personal identity and the pressures of finding passions and others’ expectations of them. Literary elements of shared poems and radical ideologies challenge the traditional educational system while also encouraging the pursuit of following your own aspirations.
Little Miss Sunshine
Students facing the stress of increasing school responsibilities and scary changes in life, the comfort of a quirky yet uplifting watch is my best recommendation. Little Miss Sunshine (2006) recounts the story of an offbeat family each struggling with their own challenges whether it be the inability to be a pilot due to color-blindness or the difficulty of meeting the standards of a beauty pageant. To such students, like San Clemente High School junior Arie Acuna shares that this “movie tells that trying your best is all that matters.”
13 Going on 30 or About Time
Those that wish to unwind with the viewing of a lighthearted, feel-good movie are most likely to enjoy the watch of a heartwarming romance with a happy ending. In this case, I recommend you stay as far away from La La Land (2016) as possible and instead soak in the nostalgia of 13 Going on 30 (2004). Or if you’re willing to shed a tear or two— About Time (2013). Either pick is a show of love between two people who find the “happily ever after” you’re hoping for them to achieve throughout the course of their story.
Office Space
If you happen to be dying of boredom during the break and are desperate for the escape of some mindless entertainment, maybe it’s in your best interest to invest in the viewing of a comedy. This is more difficult to recommend because comedies are a hit or miss depending on your kind of humor. In my opinion, Office Space (1999) not only encourages the message of taking advantage of your life by doing the things you desire, but also incorporates original humor that junior MJ Shalvoy agrees can “easily take your mind off of all those upcoming exams.”
This break may be the time to catch up on school work, study up on subjects, and get some spring cleaning done. Or possibly the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the cinematic experience of some great films.
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