B(l)ack to School Movies

From Bring It On to School Daze.

Bring It On (2000) - Students all over the country are returning back to school. Many flicks have captured the ups and downs of college and high school. Check out our list of favorite back to school movies.Gabrielle Union had her big break after playing Isis, the head cheerleader of the East Compton Clovers in Bring It On.  The 2000 film has the key elements of any good high school movie: "backstabbing" plot twists and hot cheerleaders.(Photo: Beacon Communications)

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Bring It On (2000) - Students all over the country are returning back to school. Many flicks have captured the ups and downs of college and high school. Check out our list of favorite back to school movies.Gabrielle Union had her big break after playing Isis, the head cheerleader of the East Compton Clovers in Bring It On.  The 2000 film has the key elements of any good high school movie: "backstabbing" plot twists and hot cheerleaders.(Photo: Beacon Communications)

Stomp the Yard (2007) - This film, which should have been renamed Drumline 2, features Columbus Short, R&B singer Ne-Yo and the stunning Meagan Good. Though not considered a true depiction of life at a HBCU, it's still a memorable film that sparked a franchise.(Photo: Rainforest Films)

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Stomp the Yard (2007) - This film, which should have been renamed Drumline 2, features Columbus Short, R&B singer Ne-Yo and the stunning Meagan Good. Though not considered a true depiction of life at a HBCU, it's still a memorable film that sparked a franchise.(Photo: Rainforest Films)

Class Act (1992) - Because House Party and House Party 2 weren’t enough, Kid ‘n Play teamed up once again for this remake of the classic Mark Twain novel The Prince and the Pauper.  A hi-top fade makes any movie entertaining — even this one.(Photo: Warner Brothers Pictures)

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Class Act (1992) - Because House Party and House Party 2 weren’t enough, Kid ‘n Play teamed up once again for this remake of the classic Mark Twain novel The Prince and the Pauper.  A hi-top fade makes any movie entertaining — even this one.(Photo: Warner Brothers Pictures)

Cooley High (1975) - The inspiration for the television sitcom What’s Happening!!, this 1975 film was voted No. 23 on Entertainment Weekly’s “50 Best High School Movies.”(Photo: Warner Brothers Pictures)

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Cooley High (1975) - The inspiration for the television sitcom What’s Happening!!, this 1975 film was voted No. 23 on Entertainment Weekly’s “50 Best High School Movies.”(Photo: Warner Brothers Pictures)

Dangerous Minds (1995) - Who knew a film with Michelle Pfeiffer wearing a leather jacket would be such a box office hit? Dangerous Minds grossed nearly $180 million worldwide but will always be remembered for the soundtrack that featured Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise.”(Photo: Hollywood Pictures)

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Dangerous Minds (1995) - Who knew a film with Michelle Pfeiffer wearing a leather jacket would be such a box office hit? Dangerous Minds grossed nearly $180 million worldwide but will always be remembered for the soundtrack that featured Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise.”(Photo: Hollywood Pictures)

Photo By Photo: Hollywood Pictures

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Drumline (2002) - Both Nick Cannon and Zoe Saldana got their start on the big screen thanks to this 2002 film. Drumline earned over $56 million at the U.S. box office. Shout out to A.J. and Free, who appear at the end of the movie!(Photo: Fox 2000 Pictures)

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Drumline (2002) - Both Nick Cannon and Zoe Saldana got their start on the big screen thanks to this 2002 film. Drumline earned over $56 million at the U.S. box office. Shout out to A.J. and Free, who appear at the end of the movie!(Photo: Fox 2000 Pictures)

Freedom Writers (2007) - Based on the book The Freedom Writers Diary, Hillary Swank plays a teacher at an inner-city high school in Long Beach, California. R&B crooner Mario made his big screen debut in this touching 2007 film.(Photo: Paramount Pictures)

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Freedom Writers (2007) - Based on the book The Freedom Writers Diary, Hillary Swank plays a teacher at an inner-city high school in Long Beach, California. R&B crooner Mario made his big screen debut in this touching 2007 film.(Photo: Paramount Pictures)

Higher Learning (1995) - Singleton tackled issues of class and race in this ensemble film set on a college campus. Omar Epps played a track star who relies heavily on his scholarship to pay his fees, while Michael Rapaport portrayed a white student from Idaho who is unable to make friends and gravitates toward a group of neo-Nazi skinheads. The cast included Tyra Banks, Ice Cube and Busta Rhymes.(Photo: Columbia Pictures)

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Higher Learning (1995) - This cast features a number of Black stars including Omar Epps, Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne and Tyra Banks. Director John Singleton based Higher Learning on his experiences as a student at the University of Southern California. (Photo: Columbia Pictures)

Hoop Dreams (1994) - Arguably the greatest sports documentary ever made, Hoop Dreams follows William Gates and Arthur Agee, two basketball prospects from St. Joseph High School in Illinois. Five years of filming and 250 hours of footage were condensed into a three-hour look at the youths' struggles to become professional basketball players.(Photo: Kartemquin Films) 

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Hoop Dreams (1994) - Arguably the greatest sports documentary ever made, Hoop Dreams follows William Gates and Arthur Agee, two basketball prospects from St. Joseph High School in Illinois. Five years of filming and 250 hours of footage were condensed into a three-hour look at the youths' struggles to become professional basketball players.(Photo: Kartemquin Films) 

Lean on Me (1989) - Morgan Freeman has played more prestigious roles in his long career, but it doesn’t get much better than Principal Joe “Crazy Joe” Clark. All it takes is watching Lean on Me once before you get the Eastside High school song stuck in your head. “Fair Eastside, by thy side we'll stand, and always praise thy name.”(Photo: Warner Brother Pictures)

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Lean on Me (1989) - Morgan Freeman has played more prestigious roles in his long career, but it doesn’t get much better than Principal Joe “Crazy Joe” Clark. All it takes is watching Lean on Me once before you get the Eastside High school song stuck in your head. “Fair Eastside, by thy side we'll stand, and always praise thy name.”(Photo: Warner Brother Pictures)

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Stand and Deliver (1988) - Based on a true story about Jaime Escalante, a teacher at an East Los Angeles High School, Stand and Deliver made calculus look like fun…almost. This movie is responsible for popularizing the term “ganas,” which means the state of mind that drives a person and makes them work hard.(Photo: Warner Brothers Pictures)

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Stand and Deliver (1988) - Based on a true story about Jaime Escalante, a teacher at an East Los Angeles High School, Stand and Deliver made calculus look like fun…almost. This movie is responsible for popularizing the term “ganas,” which means the state of mind that drives a person and makes them work hard.(Photo: Warner Brothers Pictures)

Blackboard Jungle (1955) - Starring the legendary actor Sidney Poitier, Blackboard Jungle sparked the enduring film genre of "tough-but-tender teachers who tame a classroom full of disruptive teenagers." If it weren’t for this 1955 film, there would be no Dangerous Minds.(Photo: MGM)

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Blackboard Jungle (1955) - Starring the legendary actor Sidney Poitier, Blackboard Jungle sparked the enduring film genre of "tough-but-tender teachers who tame a classroom full of disruptive teenagers." If it weren’t for this 1955 film, there would be no Dangerous Minds.(Photo: MGM)

The Great Debaters (2007) - You can’t go wrong with the production team of Denzel Washington and Oprah Winfrey. A true story about the historically Black Wiley College debate team, the film failed to open in the top ten during its first week in theaters. However, it’s worth renting on DVD for Jurnee Smollett’s performance alone.(Photo: Harpo Films)

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The Great Debaters (2007) - You can’t go wrong with the production team of Denzel Washington and Oprah Winfrey. A true story about the historically Black Wiley College debate team, the film failed to open in the top ten during its first week in theaters. However, it’s worth renting on DVD for Jurnee Smollett’s performance alone.(Photo: Harpo Films)

School Daze (1988) - Spike Lee took his experience at Morehouse College and turned it into a musical-comedy. Several actors from School Daze (Kadeem Hardison, Darryl M. Bell and Jasmine Guy) would later go on to work together on the television series A Different World.(Photo: Columbia Puctures)

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School Daze (1988) - Spike Lee took his experience at Morehouse College and turned it into a musical-comedy. Several actors from School Daze (Kadeem Hardison, Darryl M. Bell and Jasmine Guy) would later go on to work together on the television series A Different World.(Photo: Columbia Puctures)