In choosing these films, I’ve bypassed childhood or recent favourites and will focus on the films that marked my adolescent life. As a teenager, I would speak fervently about independent cinema with just about anyone who would listen in quiet corners of pubs, and dreamt of being a script writer or film critic. That was until I studied English and Film for a year at university. I immediately lost all interest in writing about film or even engaging with it at all. My interest in cinema is slowly returning but for now it remains inexorably tied to my teenage years.
Submarine (2010) dir. Richard Ayoade
Like many teenagers with a Tumblr account, I’d become fond of coming-of-age stories with a JD Salinger-esque awkward male protagonist. Richard Ayoade’s adaptation of Joe Dunthorne’s novel fits perfectly into this genre. Maybe in the same manner that Jordana’s unpopularity makes her accessible to Oliver, my fondness at the time for awkward boys came from a notion that they were suitably matched to my own shyness. Oliver’s wish for a film crew to follow his every move encapsulated my own teenage desire to romanticise every aspect of my life. The editing and consistent colour palette seems to be a homage to French New Wave cinema, a genre I’d later come to love after watching Jean-Luc Goddard’s Breathless. Although I’ve never been a fan of the Arctic Monkey’s, Alex Turner’s soundtrack for Submarine still has a place on my Spotify liked songs.
Amélie (2001) dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Although an excellent film for a myriad of reasons, the soundtrack is the primary reason Amélie is on this list. ‘Comptine d’un autre été’ is a hauntingly good song that I’ve heard played by my brother on the piano and by violinists in the cobbled streets of European cities. For me, the film teeters on becoming overly whimsical, but it is ultimately a feel-good movie that leaves you with a sense that everything in your own life will somehow fall into place. I think there’s also something in the observant natures of Amelie and Nino and the way they weave together others’ stories that resonates with aspiring writers.
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008) dir. Gurinder Chadha
Does this qualify as a cult classic? Maybe Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging is better described as a rite of passage. Myself and my friends decided to copy the fun sleepover game invented by Georgia and her pals and rated each other’s physical attributes. We decided to take it one step further and note each other’s best and worst character traits. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t a healthy choice during our highly self-conscious teenage years. Alan Davies shines as Georgia’s father and the cringe-inducing moments are made bearable by the lovable nature of the characters. The film is set in Eastbourne, and after visiting the campus there for my masters course I am in agreement with Georgia’s claim that the town is “God’s waiting room.”
Into the Wild (2007) dir. Sean Penn
What drew me to this film was it resonated with my desire to be on the move, and to feel unsettled in a new city or country. It tells the true story of Christopher McCandless, a graduate who rejects a traditional path and journeys through North America towards Alaska. My view of the protagonist has continued to change the more I watch the film. Initially, I admired Christopher’s rejection of material possessions and related to the tension of living with parents who were in a marriage that had become rocky. Later, I found the way he severed ties with his family to be selfish. I’ve since found out that his sister has stated this was an understandable act after a traumatic childhood that is not explicitly revealed in the film. The result is an expansive tale that makes me want to be on the road again; albeit with a more fortunate ending than that encountered by Christopher.
Hot Rod (2007) dir. Akiva Schaffer
Watching Hot Rod with my brother has become a family tradition after we both become inexplicably obsessed with it. I was baffled by why its critical reception was initially poor, but it is one of those films that is looked at more favourably with retrospect. I’m going to go out on a limb here and argue the humour was just too before it’s time. I’ve laughed far too much at the film’s dumb jokes and highly quotable scenes. Andy Samberg plays Rod; a man with a plan to become a ‘stuntman extraordinaire’ so that he can save his stepfather’s life and subsequently beat him up. The result is a fantastic pastiche of the 1980’s zero to hero trajectory.
Honourable mentions: True Romance (1993), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), American Beauty (1999), Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Words by Anya Loudon
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