Pretty Woman (1990)
Dir: Garry Marshall
Many of my earliest memories from my childhood revolve around film, and many of them around Pretty Woman in particular. Even though I was far, far too young to comprehend the basic premise of a rich bachelor and a strong-willed prostitute falling in love , this classic film never failed to enchant me. It made me laugh, made me cry, and sort of made me fall in love with Richard Gere. Looking back, I think what made this film so special to me was how effortless Julia Roberts’ performance is. As much as Vivian loves Edward, she doesn’t physically need him. Her self-reliance and devout intention to never stray too far from her true self was really important to me, and probably helped to shape me into the person I am today. Cheers, Julia.
Life of Brian (1979)
Dir: Terry Jones
Life of Brian, in my opinion the greatest Monty Python project of all time, is probably the film that sparked my love for comedy. Raw, cutting, and wonderfully uncompromising, I always got the impression that it was very ahead of its time. Religion has always been a slightly taboo subject in the world of cinema, but what makes Life of Brian so special is its no holds barred approach to a highly controversial issue. As someone who’s always had trouble with the idea of faith, I think it was really important for me to see that it’s okay not to believe. Who said religion had to be so serious in the first place? It’s true: life really is a piece of shit when you look at it.
Mrs Doubtfire (1993)
Dir: Chris Columbus
Where some would reach for a bowl of mash potato for comfort, I would reach for Mrs Doubtfire. Robin Williams had the ability to make you forget all of your troubles at the drop of a hat (or in this case the donning of a latex face mask and fetching permed wig), which made his untimely death earlier this year one of the saddest losses the industry has suffered to date. A film that perfectly captures the uncompromising love of a family whilst refusing to shy away from the very real impact of divorce, Mrs Doubtfire is one of those rare gems that appeals to audiences of all ages and genders. The characters are beautifully written and the chemistry between all those involved is undeniable. But the shining light in all of this is Williams; a truly enigmatic force of nature that can make you laugh and cry with the twitch of an eye. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell where Daniel ends and Robin begins, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Fight Club (1999)
Dir: David Fincher
Fifteen years after its release, Fight Club is perhaps more relevant than ever. At a time when the media is playing god with our lives more and more, Fincher’s interpretation of Chuck Palahniuk’s cult novel serves to shine a light on the vast emptiness of our modern materialistic society. Fight Club, in typical Fincher fashion, is completely up to individual interpretation. There’s never an impression that you’re forced to feel a certain way: the film avoids favouring the life of The Narrator over Tyler and vice versa. In the end it becomes clear that you just can’t win. Who wants to be stuck in a dead-end job that they hate just so that they can buy things that they don’t really need? Sure, it’s lovely to dream. But at the end of it all, the everyday man will always be the everyday man. As Tyler says, you are not special. But who says that’s gotta be a bad thing? Fight Club was probably the first film I watched that truly made me take a step back and question the world we live in. Although there’s nothing outwardly wrong with Hollywood Blockbusters, it made me realise that there’s more to film than big action sequences between narcissistic superheroes and giant aliens. In Tyler Durden We Trusted.
Pusher (1996)
Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn
In his first directorial role since he was chucked out of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and dropped out of the Danish Film School, Nicolas Winding Refn hit the streets of underground Copenhagen to present a gritty tale of the life of a helpless drug dealer pusher. With the help of then amateur actors Kim Bodnia and Mads Mikkelsen, he was catapulted into the big wide world of cinema. Now working with Hollywood big shots (most notably Ryan Gosling in the incredible Drive and Only God Forgives), Refn is managing to branch out into new horizons whilst retaining his gritty, no holds barred approach to the world. Pusher was one of the first Danish films I watched, and since then I’ve had somewhat of a love affair with the happiest country on earth. Whilst many people may turn their heads at world cinema, I believe that it stands testament to the notion that film can transcend the barriers of language and location. We may speak a different language, but we experience the same emotions, feel the same things, and all have an overwhelming need to belong. World cinema has the ability to connect us with people and places we may never have even considered to be a possibility. All things considered, isn’t that what cinema is all about?
HONOURABLE MENTIONS: An American Werewolf in London (1981), The Sixth Sense (1999), The Shining (1980), Taxi Driver (1976), Se7en (1995), Pulp Fiction (1994), Festen (1998), Nightcrawler (2014)
Words by Sophie Mace.