Freshman Films: Ultimate Guide
Movie nights may not be the first thing you want to do with the newly-found freedom that university life will give you, but the truth is that they are still a great way of bringing people together. A good DVD collection paves the way for loads of great nights in when the wallet feels empty or when the hangover refuses to subside. So, in order to help you make your choices wisely, here’s a list of the top 10 films the Felix office recommends you keep on hand to entice all those new interesting people you’ve met back to your room for a night of celluloid gold. They can bring the popcorn.
1. Y Tu Mama Tambien
Sun, sea and sex may not seem like London on a rainy winter night but this is the ultimate ‘buddy flick’ that would make Hitler and Churchill put aside their differences. The theme of seizing the day will make you want to make the most of every minute of these years, the best of your life, so set aside the two hours for it as an investment. You’ll laugh, cringe and smile relentlessly and if you screw up spectacularly at any point with your new best mates (and you inevitably will), this film will make them realise it’s not worth fighting over.
2. Breathless (A bout de souffle)
French New Wave Cinema is the Louis Vuitton of your DVD collection. You don’t have to understand it, just accept that cinema was never cooler than this quintessentially French offering that kicked off the 60s. There aren’t many films out there as historically important as this and every frame oozes an old Hollywood glamour with the modern edge that kicked cinema into gear.
3. Mean Girls / American Pie
Yeah, they’re, like, ‘high school’ movies, but you’re in a position to look back now and have a retrospective over your school days. Watch and learn; you may not have been as cool as you think and remember that you’ve now got a chance to be whoever you want without the same social constriction of ‘band geeks’ or ‘plastics’ hanging over your head. The double package here implies MG for girls and AP for guys but don’t feel constricted. Personally I prefer MG despite a loathing for Lohan but the pretty-in-pink packaging was a bad move on the distributors part. So I’ll just settle for the Pie.
4. Die Hard
Diminishing returns don’t hurt the fact that this is the most solid blockbuster of the 80s, perfect for that Friday night when everywhere has a cover charge higher than the GDP of most developing countries. Bruce Willis steps into the messianic boots of John Maclain and takes you on a ride so thrilling you’re left with a post-coital sigh to finish. Look around you, because in a group viewing these are people who you just shared an intense experience with. Best friends are nothing on Die Hard friends.
5. Inland Empire
David Lynch is always a great talking point, and for those of you who’ve already seen Mulholland Drive, you’ll know what to expect. Is it Hollywood satire? Why are there talking rabbits? Does it all, in fact, mean anything at all?
Who knows, but watch this one with all the lights off, sound up full and it feels like you could be in one of those sensory depravation tanks, at the mercy of the master of modern surrealism. You’ll feel assaulted afterwards but one day your corneas will recover and when your mind stops asking questions about what it’s been through, you’ll be able to return to life. But you won’t forget it. Especially the fantastic performance from Laura Dern.
6. Empire Records
Easy viewing all the way here and a killer soundtrack straight out of any self-respecting student union. The danger here lies in the fact that you may want to give up entirely on University and leave to work in a record shop, but with any luck you have slightly more sense than that. Just put it on, dance around and lay back after a hard day at uni when you don’t fancy the mind bending of Inland Empire. A great one to watch with a can of beer early on a Friday night.
7. The Seventh Seal
This is one for the intellectuals out there who want to show off. Ingmar Bergman’s signature piece has all the doom and gloom you’d expect from death personified but there’s a lot more to this than playing chess with the reaper himself. Recognise a new stage in your intellectual development and step beyond the Bill and Ted parody. Go back to the original, and at least give it a try. It’s not for everyone perhaps, even Bergman said he couldn’t watch it in later life. But give it a chance as a fitting last tribute to this cinematic genius, it’s the cinematic equivalent of Ulysses on your bookshelf.
8. Blade Runner
For Imperial students, this list may seem seriously lacking in science fiction, but that’s because Ridley Scott’s dsytopian vision is the first and last word in all things sci-fi. Los Angeles in the year 2019 as Scott envisaged it in 1982 may not look like it’s just around the corner, but his panoramic cityscape has become iconic for it’s postmodernist clash of cultures. Visually stunning, thematically relevant and eternally entertaining, Blade Runner is the reason why the Director’s Cut of films has become so appealing. On initial release it was panned, but Scott’s cut is now hailed as a classic so make sure to see that one. You might want to try his new cut which just premiered in Venice, but it’s a mystery why he’s attempted to try and fix what was certainly not broken.
9. Withnail & I
The ultimate in cult is one of British cinema’s finest moments, as well as perhaps being the progeny of some of the deadliest drinking games you’ll find. Drink when they drink, not what they drink. We would never advise lighter fluid for a beverage no matter how long it will take you to find an off-licence after midnight, but while seeing Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann drink their way out of London may not seem like the healthiest way to live, the classic antiheroes hold a charm that captures you throughout. Watch it, but demand you have some booze present.
10. Fight Club
Student anarchy may have taken a bit of a back seat since its sixties heyday but don’t think that you can’t wage your own private war against the forces of capitalism. Embrace the mantras of Tyler Durden: “You’re not your job. You’re not how much money you have in the bank. You’re not the car you drive. You’re not the contents of your wallet. You’re not your fucking khakis. You’re the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.” Remember it, and go out there and make your mark on the world. Plus, if you get bored of your newly inspired war, you’ll have a fantastic DVD to come home to.
