With final exams and projects occupying most of the time in the weeks ahead, don’t forget to plan a respite to end the quarter on a positive note. After finals, find some time to settle down with a good book, music or perhaps binge a couple of great movie picks. Pair that with a comfy blanket to snuggle up with and spread some snack choices to indulge in.
From the Harry Potter film series to “Legally Blonde,” here are a few films that promise great entertainment to wind down the mind and body in preparation for the holiday break.
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (2001)
The first installment of the Harry Potter film series offers a refreshing escape into the Wizarding World, deviating from the distinct mundane reality of college life at an ordinary educational institution. Following a central character, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), who discovers his magical heritage on his eleventh birthday, the film explores his past and his first encounters with this fantastical world as he enrolls as a student at Hogwarts, an English boarding school for wizards. While watching the first film, the viewer is fully immersed and invested in the early stages of the perilous and transformative journey of danger, friendship and self-discovery. A movie marathon is a must with this franchise; it’s always exciting to see which side some characters end up taking in the end.
“Legally Blonde” (2001)
There isn’t a more iconic role model than Reese Witherspoon as the leading lady, Elle Woods, in this film. In the wake of a harsh break-up with her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III (Matthew Davis), Woods is on the grounds of not fitting into her future plans of becoming an affluent lawyer and politician. Her devastation sets up the plot for an unforgettable rom-com with a reciting message for self-love, confidence and perseverance.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001)
This literary epic comes to life in its film retelling of the adventures of a young Hobbit from the Shire and his eight companions who set out to save Tolkien’s fictional world, known as Middle-Earth. This hero’s journey starts with this film but is completed by watching the remaining five. Compounded by the meticulous world-building elements of the classic novel trilogy of the same name, the journey is further amplified by the personal and profound delivery of dialogue, its sensational musical score and breathtaking visuals. The first film is a spectacular triumph, resulting from the director, co-producer and writer Peter Jackson’s eye for creativity and ability to make a three-hour film highly engaging.
