5 iconic American college movies to round out your summer

By Danny William dw85@iu.edu | @deepwizardry_

“Breaking Away” (1979)

“Breaking Away” is the quintessential IU film. Filmed almost entirely in has inspired countless fans of IU’s Little 500 bike race and IU students alike. The Cutters, a Little 500 team inspired by the film’s events, won their fifteenth title this year.

The film follows a group of disillusioned high school graduates searching for purpose in their late teen years. As they navigate discrimination from university students, troubles with love and competition in their dreams of bike racing, the group seeks to create their own destiny.

If you watch the film, you’ll notice many classic IU landmarks, like the Indiana Memorial Union and Wells Library. Visiting campus after seeing the movie is like walking through a huge film set.

The movie also captures the conflicting realities of life in your late teens. It’s hard to know what to believe, who to follow and how you should spend the rest of your life. Life isn’t one straight shot, but taking the curves in the road in stride can help you end up with fewer skinned knees. If there’s one film you should watch before coming to IU, it’s most definitely “Breaking Away.”

“Monsters University” (2013)

The prequel to Pixar’s “Monsters, Inc.,” “Monsters University” is a heart-warming tale about the trials of college life. Though none of us are furry with purple and blue spots — at least, I hope not, because you might need to get that checked out — the film still gives a great message for human college students.

“Monsters University”