North Texas Daily

Cole Clay / Intern Writer

With the Mean Green football team in the midst of its best season since 2004, school spirit is at an all-time high on the UNT campus. Because of team’s success, we know you are marking down the days until our Homecoming game against UTEP on Nov. 9. We thought of a few movies to help you channel that school spirit that has been brewing all week.

“Bring It On” (2000)

Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku

Nothing will get your “sprit fingers” moving more than a bunch of cheerleaders hopped up on Adderall for 90 minutes. “Bring It On” is a genuinely funny take on the small, but lucrative, world of competitive cheerleading, This “cheer-tastic” flick simultaneously parodies and celebrates the spunky teens. You know it has to be a winner if celebrated film critic Roger Ebert labeled the movie as “The Citizen Kane of cheerleading movies.”

“Varsity Blues” (1999)

Starring: James Van Der Beek, Paul Walker, John Voight

“Varsity Blues” is the quintessential football movie of the ‘90s. This teen drama gave us pop culture gems such as the whip cream bikini and the awesomely bad phrase “I don’t want your life!” Van Der Beek shines here as the underdog quarterback Jon Moxon, in one of his only leading roles after he achieved fame starring in the hit television show “Dawson’s Creek.” This flick has just the right balance of comedy and drama that makes for a highly enjoyable watch.

“Napoleon Dynamite” (2004)

Starring: Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez

This off-beat cult classic about the high school misfit Napoleon Dynamite hits the sweet spot for us to tap into our inner geek. The film is laugh out loud funny, but it is the sly and subtle humor that will have you grinning ear to ear. This film appears on our list because of the infamous dance sequence where Dynamite grooves to Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat.” If that doesn’t get you pumped up, nothing will.

“Necessary Roughness” (1991)

Starring: Scott Bakula, Robert Loggia

This underdog comedy is about The Texas State Fightin’ Armadillos – a rag-tag group of football players who are trying to overcome impossible odds and win a game. Let’s be honest, this is not a good movie, but it was filmed right here at UNT. The film has some amazing shots of our beautiful campus. There are plenty of buildings you might recognize in a scene or two, including Willis Library and our dearly departed Student Union (1941-2013).

“Friday Night Lights” (2004)

Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Garret Hedlund

Quite possibly the most inspiring sports film of the past 20 years, “Friday Night Lights” perfectly captures life in the football obsessed town of Odessa, Texas. With a great performance from Thornton and riveting scenes of in-game action, this sports drama will have you rooting for the Odessa Permian Panthers on their quest for another state championship. But do they have what it takes to go all the way?

Feature photo: UNT Green Squad cheerleader Jordyn Solorzano and other cheerleaders pep up the crowd before the beginning of the Halloween home game against Rice. Photo by Ryan Vance / Staff Photographer