At a time when social networks are gaining in popularity, reaching an ever wider audience, and when we are spending more and more time on them, culture is threatened. Ever fewer young people are visiting UK cinemas. Between 2011 and 2017, admissions by 15-24 year-olds to British cinemas fell by 20.6% (Follows and Michlin, 2019).

What is left of our time for culture?

Through this blog I would like to persuade students to get back into the cinema.

Why is cinema important?

Cinema was born in Lyon in France in 1895. It is considered to be the seventh art, which makes it a relatively new art form compared with other art forms such as painting and music, which have existed for thousands of years. Cinema can be thought of as the art that synthesises other art forms to create itself. In this way, a film is reflected in an image that can be linked to drawing and painting. Music plays a major role in the works. Literature can be found in the way a story is told. And finally, the theatre, which guides the acting.

I therefore think that cinema should be seen as a gateway to all these other art forms.

Oscar Wilde said that ‘All art is quite useless’. I am not going to go into that philosophical question here. Instead, I am going to recommend 3 films that will teach you something and be useful to you.

3 Recommendations : 

 La La Land

Alternative poster by The Stan & Vince

I am starting this recommendation with my favourite film. La La Land is a romantic musical that explores themes such as love, dreams and ambition. The film is a true love letter to the art of cinema. The action takes place in contemporary Los Angeles, where Mia, our main character, is doing her best to make it as an actress in the tough world of Hollywood. She meets Sebastian, a jaded pianist who dreams of a jazz renaissance.

This film reminds us that achieving your dreams takes perseverance and hard work. It shows us that the road to success is strewn with obstacles. The film celebrates the power of art and music to inspire us and bring us together.

La La Land won 6 Academy Awards. It is impossible for this film to leave you indifferent. Its story, its rhythm, its sets and its actors… Nothing is left to chance, everything is well thought out and magnificently realised. Let yourself be carried away by this sun-drenched Los Angeles that is sure to stir your emotions.

Interstellar

Alternative poster by Michael George Haddad

If you prefer science fiction that deals with a topical issue, then Interstellar is for you. The film takes place in the near future, when Earth has become an arid planet where only maize can be grown. Cooper, a former pilot turned farmer, lives alone with his son and daughter. After several sandstorms hit his house, he discovers that a force he cannot explain has given him the coordinates of a secret NASA base. He is then recruited to embark on an expedition to try to save humanity.

The film deals with a number of subjects, including ecology, family and space travel. Furthermore, you will travel to the farthest reaches of space where you will have to show courage, and learn the hard lessons of hope and sacrifice for the future of humanity.

This space odyssey is enhanced by the music of Hans Zimmer. Director Christopher Nolan’s universe is realistic, thanks to the collaboration of several meta physicists to make the film credible. Over the years, Interstellar has become a cult film, winning numerous awards. Let yourself be carried away by this space adventure.

The Truman show

Alternative poster by SG Posters

The latest film I recommend is one of a kind. The Truman show explores themes of reality, freedom and the power of the media. The film stars Truman as an almost ordinary American. He does not know it yet, but he is the star of a reality TV show in which his entire life since birth is filmed and staged, all without his knowledge. Truman lives on an island that is in reality a huge film set. He does not realise that his life is a lie, because he has never left his island and is unaware of the outside world.

While watching the film, several questions come to mind. What is the nature of truth, and the illusion of happiness? Truman seems happy in his near-perfect life, but is it right to hide the truth from someone in order to keep them happy? We can draw parallels with authoritarian regimes like North Korea, where the inhabitants are cut off from the world and spied on by the government. Despite the fact that the film was released in 1998, it tackles a topical issue: the power of media. It looks at the impact of media on our society and the way we consume information. Let yourself be lulled by the poetry of this film.

So… 

To conclude, I hope I have inspired you to discover these films. I am sure that these films will leave their mark on you, transport you and leave you dreaming. Cinematographic works are often linked together. What I mean by this is that every great creator is inspired by something or someone, and that cinema is an open door to other types of art.

So the aim of these recommendations is to get students back into the cinema. But also to rediscover the curiosity that lies dormant in all of us.

Art can give us a sense of hope and beauty, even in difficult times. And let’s never forget that art plays a role in shaping our identity.

Do not hesitate to tell me in the comments what you think of each film, and I will try to find you other movies that suit you.

While we wait to see these films, I invite you to listen to this playlist.