Best Film I watched at College and Uni...

Films that defined my college and Uni years?!

Hey everyone and welcome to a rather special Blog Post for this week. Instead of simply just doing another Film Review, like I have been putting out for the past weeks now, I wanted to change things up a bit by doing another one of my film/T.V. centric lists. However, this isn't just any simple list, as this is a record that will go through the many best films that I had to watch through the time I spent learning about Film at college and at Salford University. For sure, there have been many eccentric and unique films that I've encountered in recent years when studying a subject like Film that is ever expansive and as interesting compared to other entertainment mediums. So, selecting the best that I've had to watch, discuss and write about in the many essays and exams that I did, will involve some films being left-out. Although, I have no worries that I have selected well and will be list filled with films that you will go out looking for to watch. I hope you enjoy the list down below and I'll speak to you all at the very bottom once you've finished reading my film recommendations. Without further delay, lets get into this!!!...

1. La Haine: Mathieu Kassovitz - 1995

I think there is no better place to start this list, than to firstly mention one of the first films that I watched in Film Studies back at college, the black-and-white film of La Haine. This Mathieu Kassovitz film centralises its story around around 3 young French hooligan men and their time spent in the French suburbs over a span of 24 hours. This film, along with two other foreign language films (one of which is mentioned down below!), were the very first films that we had to watch in preparation for one of the first Film exams that simply focused on the cinematic aspects that were utilised. Obviously, it stands out due to it's original monochrome colour gradient. Yet, La Haine is one of these foreign films that I could go back and comfortably watch due to it having characters that contribute and contrast each other and a grounded narrative which places the central character in a minute bijou situation. A must watch for sure...

2. Eagle vs Shark: Taika Waititi - 2007

The next film that is on this list, and certainly a film that I'm sure my Film group from uni will approve of, is the New Zealand comedy of Eagle vs Shark, directed by Taika Waititi. This is romantic comedy that pits two socially awkward misfits and the strange ways they try to find love; whether that's confronting old high-school bullies, or through food and video-games. As part of our learning the Film Histories module in the first year of University, one of the film ares/industries that we did quickly look at was Australian film and how much the infrastructure of their films have indeed changed. Right from the first minute of watching this in one of our lectures, Eagle vs Shark was something that everyone enjoyed watching and is a nuanced film that is filled with quirky humour that everyone can relate to...

3. A Clockwork Orange: Stanley Kubrick - 1971

As part of watching other 1960 films with Alfie (Lewis Gilbert, 1966) and A Hard Day's Night (Richard Lester, 1964), A Clockwork Orange, directed by the lauded Stanley Kubrick, was one of the standout films that I had to watch in my first of year of doing Film Studies at college. Indeed, I think I can speak for everyone who was in my film class at A-S level when I say that A Clockwork Orange, was a film that was completely different, yet, oddly intriguing to watch. Comparing it to the other films that we had to watch in this 'section', it was a completely different filmic beast that was filled with controversy and cinematic quality that you would expect to see from Kubrick. I will have to check out this film soon in my spare-time...

4. The Killer: John Woo - 1989

While I was at first naturally disappointed seeing the fact that we weren't going to look through Japanese animation when we did Cinema Asia in the 2nd year of doing Film Studies at University, it wasn't all doom and gloom as I did have the chance to delve into Hong Kong cinema. More specifically however in my case, I purposefully chose to analyse and write about John Woo's action flick The Killer, which was the perfect film to answer my written assignment about Hong Kong's political and social anxieties. I know!... I know. It does sound like a nightmare to get your head around. However in actuality, it proved to be one of the better essays that I did at uni and was a film that not only was entertaining ans stylistic in its choreography and cinematography (and his use of the white dove!!), but was an important action that inspired a fair few well-known film-makers. It was a influential piece for Shichiro Watanabe's anime series Cowboy Bebop!!... (I know!... I'm sorry. I couldn't help but mention it!!).

5. Ferris Bueller's Day Off: John Hughes - 1987

So not only did we have to learn and analyse specific films that were foreign language in one section ,and films form the 1960's in another, but we also had to look at American films that contextually dealt with young characters growing up and finding themselves in an ever-growing and changing capitalist society. While the one film we looked at, which was Larry Clark's Kids (a good film to watch by the way!), focused on the perspective of kids growing in the 90's that were living in an urban environment that had to deal with teen issues on a grounded and realistic tone, the other film we also looked at was John Hughes' Ferris Bueller's Day Off, a light and fun film that was the complete opposite of the other film that we were looking at in this 'section'. This 1987 is a good example of a film that you can re-watch from time-to-time, and never get bored of...

6. Made In Britain: Alan Clarke - 1982

While this isn't strictly a full-length feature, more on the lines of being a one-off T.V.-film, Alan Clarke's Made In Britain, compared to the other things that I did watch in the many Film lectures I was in, does have to be added to this list for just how different it was. This television play revolves around the racist 16 year-old skinhead Trevor, who constantly confronts authority figures and makes his voice known when he vocally battles the corrupt and individualistic state of the Thatcherite system. As part of series that comments on the British educational and political system, Made In Britain can very much be seen as an evolved televised work that embodies and improves on the social-realistic traits that were first used in 60's British cinema. It depicts the English working-class in a realistic yet complex manner; placing a character like Trevor, played brilliantly by Tim Roth, in a alienating and trapped circumstance. For sure, if you do have the free-time to watch anything, be sure to watch this!...

7. Fight Club: David Fincher - 1999

Ah yes... Fight Club. A film which was not only directed by David Fincher, but was a film that was the main focal point in my A-Level studies for Film. This was the first film that we studied which enabled the use of multiple theories such as, the Feminist film theory 'the gaze', the 'Mytho-poetic' masculinity and Nietzche's 'Nihilism' theory. Indeed, this was a film that we watched multiple times; carefully analysing significant scenes and the many quotes that matched the consequent theory. Even without the theory aspects to it, which was explained rather simply by the teacher we had, Fight Club is both an entertaining and thought-provoking film that features good story-telling elements and performances, from both Edward Norton and Brad Pitt, that all culminate to contextual trope that you don't see happening in the first-viewing...

8. Moonrise Kingdom: Wes Anderson - 2012

Now one of the more obscure films that I had to watch in my Film Studies course at University, along with Eagle vs Shark, was Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom, an eccentric, whimsical and oddly humorous film that we enjoyed watching. Even though this wasn't necessarily a film that I went on to talk about in the many presentations and written assignments that I had to do, Moonrise Kingdom was probably the film that stood out in the Contemporary American cinema module that our Film Studies group were involved in, as well as others in different courses. As you would expect, if any of you have seen The Grand Budapest Hotel, this is a film that is filled with spontaneous comedy and camera set-ups that both set up a story about two young lovers running away with each other, which results in various people looking for the two loving pen-pals. If you loved watching The Grand Budapest Hotel, than you'll surely like watching this...

9. City Of God: Fernando Meirelles - 2003

Although I really enjoyed watching La Haine in my first year of learning Film at college, I think it would be criminal if I didn't go ahead and mention another foreign language film that was part of our exam revision, which was Fernando Meirelles' City of God. This Brazilian crime drama, based loosely on true events, depicts the story of Rocket and his growth within a violent neighbourhood of Rio De Janeiro between the years of 1960 and 1980. While I could go on and take praise for how Meirelles exploits the use of the camera to tell such an engaging and intersting story, I think it's best if I actually leave you to go ahead and watch this film; a film that manages to conjure up beauty in an environment/scenario that is breathtakingly terrifying...

10. Brass Eye: Chris Morris - 1997

Now I understand that what I'm about to talk about next isn't strictly a film, but Brass Eye, which was created and starred Chris Morris, was one of the better things that me and other film students watched during our time at University. While I could have easily chosen any film from the British Comedy module, such as Monty Python's Life of Brian, I did want to share with you something different that was ultimately funny. Overall, The British Comedy module was one of the best lessons I had at uni, and Brass Eye definitely added to this; with its dark humour and parodying general issues of society. I know there are many notable British comedic shows that watch and engulf yourselves into, which is really good to see. However, I do think you can go wrong with Brass Eye as well, considering it has a very unique and dark comedic style that you won't see in any other witty platform...

11. Reservoir Dogs: Quentin Tarantino - 1992

Being that I'm sure most of you have this film in your spare time, I won't go much into detail of this. Still, it has to be said that Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs was one of the more enjoyable films that we did watch in a Critical Approaches II module that was significantly hard to handle, I can't lie about that. I think the point of watching this film was they way in which Tarantino interweaves lots of other stories and characters together which culminates in a clear and impactful climax. It's a film, along with others, that doesn't have a cohesive story-structure; it flips and folds between different perspectives and time-frames that feels progressive. While it's not one of my personal favourite Tarantino films, Reservoir Dogs is still an entertaining piece of filmic work that you appreciate...

12. Night Mail: Basil Wright & Harry Watt - 1936

Uhm... yeah. Hehe. So er, here is the last film that I'll be talking about. A film that I'm sure some of you will know ;) haha. I mean, I had to mention Night Mail, because it was part the Documentary section that we did in A-Level and it did have an ending was oddly funny at first viewing, which was the way in which John Grierson narrates W.H. Auden's poem. In all seriousness, while it was only 20 minutes long and relatively easy to write about in the exam that we did back in college, it was an important film that experimented with European film-tactics that bolstered Britain's war propaganda. Night Mail's significance and known apparatus, is due to it's combination of documentary aesthetics and commercial prowess. If you're someone studying Film at A-S level right at this moment, don't be surprised if you do in fact watch Night Mail... (Believe me, the W.H. Auden poem is quality!! haha).

And on that note, it's time to for me to end. So, did you enjoy the list? Leave a comment down below if you did. I do get the feeling however, that I did leave some notable films out. I don't want to make any excuses, but I have watched a lot of films for 5 straight years studying film!! I guess I could do another list, similar to this one, that goes through the other films that I did watch for Film at college and Uni? Who knows. Anywho, I do hope that you enjoyed a different Blog Post from me this week. Next week, I will be heading into the final stages of the Harry Potter Film Review series, where I'll be reviewing The Deathly Hallows Part 1 which should be a good watch considering I haven't seen that film in a few years. Thank you once again to everyone that has enjoyed reading this brand new Blog Post. I think I will have to extend on this list on a future date!! Alright, I'll be seeing all of you next week!! Have a nice day!! Adieu!! :)

Alex Rabbitte.