Have A Break, Watch A Movie: Finals Season Watchlist

Hannah Smith ’26

Executive Entertainment Editor

With finals season just around the corner, you and I both know you’re not going to be studying for two weeks straight. Instead of scrolling through Instagram reels, watch a movie! There’s a set time of entertainment and as soon as it’s done, you can get back on your grind. Here’s a list of films for you to break up your study sessions. And get ready, I’m going to rattle these off quick.

The shortest films on this list, all 90 minutes or less, are the following: “Jenny Slate: Stage Fright” is a genuinely hilarious and heartwarming standup special about childhood and adulthood. “What We Do in the Shadows” is a mockumentary about a group of vampires living in an increasingly hipster world. “Frances Ha” is one of Greta Gerwig’s (“Barbie”) earliest works in which she stars as a dancer in her early 20’s trying to make a life for herself in New York City. “Hot Rod” is about a man-child stunt man played by Andy Samberg (“Brooklyn 99”) who puts together a massive stunt to raise money for a heart replacement for his stepfather so that he lives long enough to beat him up to prove to him that he’s a man. “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” is another mockumentary, but this time about a tiny shell with tiny shoes and a grandmother who is also a shell. “Office Space” is a great reminder that it can always get worse and we should only be so lucky to be studying for finals. The final two are “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” two classic comedies that I cannot recommend enough. They are certain to elevate all stress that has built up over the semester.

If you’re looking to procrastinate as long as possible, I recommend two limited series: “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp” and “Middleditch & Schwartz.” Both are comedies while “Middleditch & Schwartz” is an improv series—don’t let that scare you away! It stars Thomas Middleditch (“Silicon Valley”) and Ben Schwartz (“Sonic the Hedgehog”) as hundreds of characters they create off the top of their heads. “Wet Hot American Summer” has an Avengers-level cast, including Paul Rudd (“The Perks of Being A Wallflower”), Amy Poehler (“Parks & Recreation”), Bradley Cooper (“The Hangover”) and Molly Shannon (“Never Been Kissed”). These series might be worth staying awake all night to finish your paper if it means you can watch these.

These miscellaneous films deserve watchlists all on their own, but for now they’ll have to share: “I Love You, Man” and “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” are comedies both starring Jason Segal (“The Muppets”) and Paul Rudd and that’s all I’ll say about that. “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “Howl’s Moving Castle” are perfect picks if you need a little extra comfort. “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” “Chef” and “Captain Fantastic” are three underrated greats that I will never stop recommending. You can’t go wrong with “50 First Dates,” “Adventureland” or anything directed by Edgar Wright. And lastly, my favorite film of all time, “Almost Famous.” Trust me.