11 Films to Watch Before You Graduate

Jul 12

Elaine (Katharine Ross) and Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) sit in a bus together, faces neutral — You may have heard about movies to watch before you die, but what about movies to watch before the death of your adolescence?
We turned to 11 of our recently-graduated alumni to ask what’s a film you should watch before you graduate.

Published July 12th, 2026, Compiled by Cyane

Ting’s Pick — The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Richie (Luke Wilson) sits alone on the bus — dir. Wes Anderson

“It’s a good movie to watch not only before graduation, but also before any major life transition. It has a unique take on coming of age and maturing at any phase of your life.”

Hannah’s Pick — Pitch Perfect (2012)

Aubrey (Anna Camp) presents her plan — dir. Jason Moore

“It’s kinda the perfect, not too serious college movie with an undeniable cultural legacy!”

Kevin’s Pick — Detachment (2011)

Henry (Adrien Brody) sits in a classroom. — dir. Tony Kaye

“Because it teaches people to be self-aware and to be good humans no matter what stage you are in life.”

Rachel’s Pick — Now You See Me 2 (2016)

Walter (Daniel Radcliffe) takes a picture of the Four Horsemen — dir. Jon M. Chu

“It is peak cinema, true fun and a good time. You will not have a better time watching anything, just experience it.”

Caitlyn’s Pick — Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Clementine (Kate Winslet) and Joel (Jim Carrey) lie on a frozen lake together — dir. Michel Gondry

Caitlyn picked this beloved film—directed by former music video director Michel Gondry—about a couple who’ve erased their memories of each other.

Justin’s Pick — Knives Out (2019)

Storyboard and final shot of Marta (Ana de Armas) surrounded by knives — dir. (and sketched by) Rian Johnson

“An incredibly fresh take on the whodunnit genre all while being humorous and beautifully entertaining! Honorable mention to Expedition 33. While not actually a movie, the combined cutscenes from this game form one of the most surprisingly beautiful human stories.”

Courtney’s Pick — Little Women (2019)

Jo (Saoirse Ronan) lies on the ground — dir. Greta Gerwig

“This movie is visually beautiful, well written, and so intentionally put together! I love how Greta Gerwig can tell this story in a way that both honors the original and makes it relevant and relatable to any viewer.”

Arnold’s Pick — Soul (2020)

Joe (Jamie Foxx) walks through New York City — dir. Peter Docter

“It talks about passions and what can keep a person motivated. Even if the main character is a little older than us, I think it shows what you can expect and encounter from adulthood, that it's okay to be lost sometimes, and how through living life you make it worth it.”

Ben’s Pick — The Social Network (2010)

An enraged Eduardo (Andrew Garfield) approaches Mark (Jesse Eisenberg) — dir. David Fincher

Ben chose this Fincher drama—based on the book “The Accidental Billionaires” by Ben Mezrich—about the messy origins of Facebook.

Jai’s Pick — The Last Jedi (2017)

Speeders cross the planet of Crait — dir. Rian Johnson

“Not that I really like the movie. I think it does a lot wrong, but I watched it recently with the weight of graduation heavy on my head and I kinda realized that it teaches you a lot about moving ahead: to appreciate the past and learn from it without living in it. No matter how good things used to be, if you don’t move forward, you’re going to stay stagnant and things won’t get better.”

Siya’s Pick — Make It Count (2026)

A man (Joseph Hunt) stares at an animated dinosaur — dir. Arnold Villagrana

Siya recommends this mixed-media film about a young man who turns once more to his imaginary friend.

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