20 Years of

design by: AMELIA FIELD

20 A very years of happy birthday to ... these films

ALMOST FAMOUS Phoebe Bowers BILLY ELLIOT Bronte Spargo

“Something tells me twenty years from now, we’ll remember her…”

Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous, recipient of Best Original Screenplay in 2001 and Grammy winner for Best Compilation Soundtrack is still the perfect form of escapism – a time reminiscent of when rock was at its peak. In this semi-autobiographical narrative Crowe fuses a mixture of tonalities of the nostalgic, satirical, and dramatic variety without the film becoming corny or incarnating any romanticised rose-tinted envision of the past.

Almost Famous is of course iconic for its nostalgic feel and 70s score ranging from Simon & Garfunkel to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin and Bowie. The balance is maintained between the fun, the whimsical and the dark ongoings behind the scenes of these major rock stars lives. One of the reasons Almost Famous is great is because it gives a voice to how young female groupies at the time were manipulated and abused by older and more powerful men. Kate Hudson’s character Penny Lane is not merely a sex object, she is a three-dimensional and fully realised character with her own complexities. Almost Famous is a definite film for the bucket-list, and the perfect feel-good away from these current uncertain times.

AMERICAN PSYCHO Sahina Sherchan

American Psycho, well loved and acclaimed is a gut wrenching movie and a book about a banker turned into a killer. But even more disturbing than the murder is the comments the storyline makes about our society. Right off the start, the protagonist, Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) is showcased as a materialistic consumer whose life consists of fine dining and luxury branding.

The movie’s backbone theme is the lack of identity, as everyone is surrounded by a sea of people with the same ambitions and characteristics. While watching the movie, you can’t help but relate it to the central idea of the American Dream and the vision of what success looks like. Following Bateman’s spiral you realise pretty quickly that he has a delusional sense of reality where he holds a contradictory idea of fitting in but also standing out. No one wants to be a carbon copy of anyone but we also fear being outlandish and unaccepted.

The movie isn’t about elaborate murder, but it points out the masked truth within the society. In showing the darkness of one person, the movie does a really good job of highlighting some societal issues that are still relevant and will likely always be relevant. Now is the great time to binge watch some of those movies you’ve been meaning for ages to watch, and with Billy Elliot turning twenty this year, why not check it out? Twenty years down the line, this film is still a perfect movie with a message that remains relevant and important.

Billy Elliot follows the eponymous character as he discovers a passion for ballet, and tries to keep this hidden from his father. Growing up in County Durham during the 1984-85 miners’ strike, Billy is surrounded by helplessness as his widowed father is on strike, amidst small-minded and crushing ideas about gender roles which prohibits Billy from pursuing his dream.

A distinctly British film, Billy Elliot will make you laugh, cry, (and hate Margaret Thatcher). This movie gives an insight into a part of British history that many of us do not know much about. This story about an average boy from an average town trying to be himself and do what makes him happy is something that will warm anybody’s heart, and remind us that all we need is hope and resistance to just be ourselves.

MISS CONGENIALITY Pui Kuan Cheah

“Smilers wear a crown, losers wear a frown.”

This is a line from one of the comedy greats of the early 2000s: Miss Congeniality starring Sandra Bullock, which turns the big 2-0 this year. Well recognised for her dramatic work in movies like Gravity and The Blind Side, Bullock’s comedic roles unfortunately tend to be more under the radar in comparison. Pity, as she is undoubtedly an excellent comedy actress. One of these roles include FBI agent Gracie Hart in the movie, who has a less-than-feminine demeanour and is tasked to go undercover at the Miss United States beauty pageant.

There are many things that make this movie something you would instantly fall in love with, never getting old on subsequent repeat viewings. It may be turning 20, but the comedy is timeless and still holds its own today – a great late night popcorn movie. Apart from this, the movie also has romance and comedy, coming together to entertain pretty much anyone. Bullock’s likeable personality and incredible screen presence are also a treat to watch. If you have yet to watch this movie, take this time to give this gem a shot!

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