Films ease studies

The weekend is here, mid-terms linger in the air. Have no fear, Video Picks are here! Okay, a little weak, but the weekend movie distractions are designed specifically to help students relax and forget about school and study, in that order.

The first pick is "Fletch," starring Chevy Chase and Geena Davis. The 1986 hit has a plethora of laughs in store and the storyline is sure to make even the most studious student forget all about school.

Chase plays the part of an overworked investigative reporter named Fletch who writes under the name of Jane Doe. On this particular assignment, he is working on beach drug trafficking and finds out that the entire story only goes deeper and deeper into city politics. 

"Fletch" is destined to keep people amused and guessing, guranteed to keep a mind that should be studying occupied with more fun things. Astute viewers will be quick to notice some of the Long Beach locales.

Another movie to help students feel inspired to study and do well and yet still keep the entertainment flow is "Stand and Deliver." In this 1988 flick, Edward James Olmos and Lou Diamond Phillips come head-to-head as a teacher and his student adversary. Olmos is sent to Garfield High School in Los Angeles to teach mathematics and is overwhelmed by the amount of disrespect, fear and general chaos going on at the school. 

Olmos refuses to look at these kids as anything less than kids with some social disadvantages. And in that spirit, he convinces them that they can do anything the want, so long as they don't dwell on what they don't have and choose to work with what they do have. Soon, the students like him a great deal, with the exception of a few minor infractions.

This movie lends a light of hope to all students trying to get through mid-terms in one piece. It shows that anyone can overcome most any obsticle and that rewards are even greater when the challenge is higher. To further that, the story is true.