trinity film review
coming
of age
fresher special
A Note from the editor Welcome Freshers! It is my honour to present the first ever Fresher’s Week issue of Trinity Film Review. Coming of age is a crucial part of the college experience, which our team thought was a fitting theme for this week in particular. Coming of age can mean a lot of things. It’s figuring out what you want to do with your life, following your dreams, or just being independent for the first time. Our writers have looked at the things that make these kinds of movies fun, memorable, and representative of life itself. This issue is shorter than our standard magazine, but the quality has not wavered. Our contributors have helped put together an outstanding edition that I hope will launch a year of exceptional film writing. On behalf of the editorial team, I hope you enjoy it. Be a lot cooler if you did.
- Hiram Harrington 1
the tfr team: Editor Hiram Harrington Assistant Editors Lora Hartin Eoin O’Donnell Alison Traynor Layout & Design Hiram Harrington Contributors joey fanthom Sadhbh hanna peter horan liam kelly Grace Kenny Mairead McCarthy Grace McEntee Niamh Muldowney Barry Murphy Cait Murphy Marieke Oggel Kate L. Ryan Conal Scullion mia sherry emily thomas hugh whelan Special thanks to lauren boland and milena barnes of the trinity publications committee
GOT FILM?
This publication is funded partly by The DU Trinity Publications Committee. This publication claims no special rights or privileges. All serious complaints may be directed towards chair@ trinitypublications.ie or Chair, Trinity Publications, House 6, Trinity College, Dublin 2. Appeals may be directed to the Press Council. Get involved with Trinity Publications on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or email secretary@trinitypublications.ie
e g a f o g n i m co sue 1 e Volum
s 11, i
Contents Netflix Gems
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Grace Kenny | Niamh Muldowney | Conal Scullion
Best soundtracks
5-6
7
Barry Murphy | RUSHMORE
underrated film
Marieke Oggel | GHOST WORLD Hugh Whelan | SUPERBAD
Alternative coming of age 11-12
growing pains
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Mia Sherry | LADY BIRD Kate L. Ryan | KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE
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Grace McEntee | CRAZY MOON
coming of age characters
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Cait Murphy | LA MALA EDUCACION Liam Kelly | RAW
Sadhbh Hanna | Joey Fanthom | Peter Horan
overrated film
friendships on film
reviews
14
Emily Thomas | BOOKSMART Five Word Reviews
9
Alison Traynor | Lora Hartin | Mairead McCarthy
a movie horoscope back Hiram Harrington
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netflix gems It’s rare one comes across a film that was filmed and produced over the course of twelve years, let alone one that boasts a cast of both young and established actors. Boyhood (Richard Linklater, 2014) tells an age-old story in a unique way: a boy grapples with adolescenthood, but his actual age is depicted from start to finish. Following Mason (Ellar Coltrane) the plot of Boyhood could be described as ‘what it says on the tin’. The viewer watches Mason deal with childhood in the American Twenty First Century from age six to age eighteen. With no specific plot details, the cast gave writing contributions from real life experiences and Linklater developed his characters in line with how his actors were changing and growing in real life. Boyhood is 165 minutes long but the film does not feel long enough - it only takes two and a half hours for Mason to grow up in front of our eyes.
Our contributors have chosen their best of the best from their watchlists for these Netflix Gems. If there were ever a time to catch up on films about high schooL, college, and growing up - it would be now!
Boyhood Grace Kenny Boyhood is an ode to the highs, the lows, and the mundane of childhood, but it is also a love letter to the mothers who make sacrifices to raise their children. Linklater’s portrayal of his boyhood is divided into chapters of Mason’s mother’s struggles and triumphs. Patricia Arquette’s performance as Olivia is compelling and beautiful. Watching her progress from college student to lecturer and flee from toxic relationships while emotionally and financially providing for her two children is both heart-wrenching and full of hope. Although a long watch, Boyhood is worth the time as an honest story and perhaps the teen movie genre’s own coming-of-age tale.
derry girls niamh muldowney The coming of age series has always been a very American-dominated genre, with multiple retellings of proms, pool parties and the epic highs and lows of high school football. As a young Irish teen I was left at a loss for a show that felt familiar. And although a little late for me, Lisa McGee’s 2018 comedy Derry Girls has filled this gap. The show follows the lives of teens Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), Orla (Louisa Harland), Michelle (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), Clare (Nicola Coughlan) and James (Dylan Llewellyn) in 1990s Derry. The series prides itself on its
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quick wit and purely Irish situational humour. And while humour may be the series’ strong point, Derry Girls also treats its characters and more serious subject matter with an appropriate amount of respect. The show as a whole walks a fine line that humour relating to delicate topics has to. Even the first and last episodes of the season are testimonials on how
to handle the Troubles in a comedy.
21 jump street
years, the boys truly do come of age. Jenko learns to be more compassionate and emotional while Shmidt becomes more bold and romantic. That this film can do excellent buddy comedy, and a coming of age story at the same time, and switch effortlessly between the two, is testament to these directors’ skills and vision.
conal scullion At face value, 21 Jump Street plays out less like a coming-of-age flick and more like a buddy cop movie: the story follows enemies-turned-friends Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schmidt (Jonah Hill), who have one more chance to prove their worth as police officers. Naturally, by infiltrating a high school to find the suppliers of a deadly new drug.
One last thing in particular that bears remarking on is the series’ wonderful 90s pop soundtrack. I can guarantee that after binging this show you won’t be able to listen to Dreams by the Cranberries in the same way.
From here, directors Chris Lord and Phil Miller create a farcical high school adventure with some surprisingly galaxy-brained jokes and inventive sequences, taking a simple premise to its logical extreme with brilliant and hilarious results. However, this film also smartly works as a coming-of-age film. The two cops begin the film as immature man-children, one insecure and the other childish, and both unwilling to work on bettering themselves. 21 Jump Street shows us a hilariously ruthless depiction of the early 2000’s that originally ruined each character’s own chance to come of age, but as the film progresses, their return to high school serves as a second chance. In this unexpected repeat of their teenage
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soundtracks fo
the best movie scores and songs for romance, nostalgia, and more....
THE Perks of Being a Wallflower Sadhbh Hanna
The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows naïve and introverted Charlie (Logan Lerman) through high school as he is befriended by a group of seniors and begins to find his place in the world. His newfound friends introduce him to drugs, dating, and most importantly, new music. The film’s soundtrack is comprised of songs the characters listen to and share with each other, and because of this the whole soundtrack sounds just like a high schooler’s mixtape from the early 90s. Many of the songs in the film are diegetic, appearing on radios or playing in the background at a house party. The songs in Perks play a significant part in the
the graduate joey fanthom
The Graduate is a coming of age film that centres around Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) a character struggling with a sense of aimlessness and uncertainty post-college and the soundtrack – a mix of Simon and Garfunkel tracks and original instrumental compositions by Dave Grusin – help to accentuate his lack of direction, perhaps none more so than ‘The Sound of Silence’. Before its use for comedy in Arrested Development and internet memes, the Paul Simon-penned song about emotional isolation was used to great effect here.
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lives of the characters. ‘Asleep’ by The Smiths appears twice on Charlie’s mixtape for Patrick, Sam and Patrick dance to ‘Come On Eileen’ by Dexys Midnight Runners at a school dance, and ‘Heroes’ by David Bowie plays during the iconic tunnel scenes. Also featuring music by New Order, Sonic Youth, and XTC, The Perks of Being a Wallflower’s soundtrack is a perfect 90s indie playlist and a beautiful insight into the minds of the characters. Playing over both the opening and closing of the film, it perfectly captures Benjamin’s selfdoubt about his future, particularly at the end. He finally manages to run off with Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross) and the two have a moment of pure joy before the question of ‘What now?’ slowly dawns on them, their smiles fade to faces of contemplation and uncertainty, and the song begins again. ‘April Come She Will’ with a roll call of the months (and the aid of some clever editing) seamlessly depicts the passage of time during Benjamin’s affair with Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), while ‘Scarborough Fair/Canticle’ and its story of lost love accompanies scenes of Benjamin searching the Berkeley campus for Elaine. Dave Grusin’s contributions should not be underestimated either. The seductive ‘Sunporch Cha-Cha-Cha’ and sleazy-sounding ‘On the Strip’ complement theirscenes effectively, but it is the sombre folk stylings of Simon and Garfunkel that make this soundtrack so utterly memorable.
or the summer
.... and yes, they are available on spotify.
call me by your name peter horan “Nature has cunning ways of finding our weakest spot,” warns Mr. Perlman (Michael Stuhlbarg) towards the end of Luca Guadagnino’s 2017 masterpiece, Call Me by Your Name. It is fitting, then, that the Italian director should exploit his audience’s weakness for a well-positioned song. Rather than creating an original score, Guadagnino curated a soundtrack using pre-existing music. The result is effortlessly tasteful; elegantly juxtaposing Bandolero’s sensual Europop with Ryuichi Sakamoto’s cerebral orchestration; apt for a film concerned with both the high culture of academia and the lustful tension of youthful desire. The film opens to the sound of John Adams’ “Hallelujah Junction,” a classical piece with a galloping staccato which complements the
film’s collage-like sensibility. And what a collage it is. Finding himself falling for Oliver (Armie Hammer), Timothée Chalamet’s Elio feels his heart swoon to the woozy piano of André Laplante’s “Une barque sur l’océan before we find Armie on the dancefloor, releasing all kinds of inhabitations to the tune of “Love My Way” by The Psychedelic Furs (the opening line literally proclaims, “there’s an army on the dancefloor;” could Guadagnino have picked a more pun-tastic song?). The musical heartbeat of the Call Me By Your Name, however, comes in the form of the two original songs composed by Sufjan Stevens. Acting as a kind of quasi-narrator, these songs chart Elio’s emotional flux, from the naïve hope of “Mystery of Love” to the crushing despair of “Visions of Gideon.” A perfectly elegant soundtrack for a perfectly elegant film.
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overrated? wes anderson’s rushmore (1998) If you browse any online list of the top coming of age films, the usual suspects appear; The Breakfast Club, Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused and Almost Famous - all worthy of their places on such lists. Another film that often appears, rather regrettably, is Wes Anderson’s Rushmore (1998). Beloved by craft beer brewers and baristas, Rushmore is a ‘semi-autobiographical’ tale about the childhood of Wes Anderson himself. Anderson also enlisted the help of intellectual heavyweight and acclaimed comic genius Owen Wilson to write the script alongside him. It is a meeting of minds of cosmic proportions. The movie, or film as Wes would surely have me call it, follows Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) a precocious fifteen year old scholarship student at prestigious private school Rushmore. How did he get his scholarship you ask? By writing a one-act play on Watergate. He loves his school for the extracurricular activities – he has a finger in every pie, whether it be chess club, fencing, debating society or theatre (we all know the type). When Max’s grades reach a critical low point, he is threatened with expulsion from the school around which his life revolves.
“As ever, Anderson is more concerned with creating oddball characters rather than making them do anything.” Max is a deluded, manipulative and selfish young boy who does little to garner sympathy from the audience. He is ashamed of his blue collar father, telling people that he is a neurosurgeon rather than a barber. He is sexually aggressive towards his teacher, starts a vicious rumor about the mother of his best friend and cuts the breaks of Bill Murray’s car in a typically incongruous Wes Anderson revenge plot. Hollywood’s silver sweetheart and one trick pony, Bill Murray, wheels out the role upon which he built his career: a successful businessman who hides his inner loneliness by posturing behind sharp suits, cigarettes, bourbon and women half his age. It’s good work if you can get it, but it does not salvage this film. As ever, Anderson is more concerned with creating oddball characters rather than making them do anything. It is a comedy with remarkably few laughs, and despite the abundance of meticulously symmetrical shots, corduroy jackets and the cute ukulele and low fi indie-rock soundtrack, if you scratch the surface of this film, you will find very little worth keeping.
BARRY MURPHY 7
Allan Eastman’s 1987 coming-of-age romance Crazy Moon sees Kiefer Sutherland playing completely against type, his two most prominent roles before this film being Ace Merrill (Asshole Teenager With Knife) in Stand By Me and David (Asshole Vampire With Earring) in The Lost Boys. To summarise, Brooks (Sutherland) is a painfully shy teenager with a love of 1930’s music (giving the film its cheery soundtrack) and a feeling of loss over the unexplained absence of his mother since he was a baby. He’s manipulated by his party-loving brother and misunderstood by a stern father. He meets Anne (Vanessa Vaughan) and is smitten before even talking to her, and when he does get to talk to her, he realises that she’s deaf. They fall in love and it’s very sweet and lovely. Contrary to what you might expect of a film from this time, although Anne is deaf, she is not portrayed as helpless. In fact, the first thing we see in their relationship is Brooks coming into her world as an outsider and adjusting to her way of communication as a deaf-mute person. It’s through this relationship that Brooks gets the courage to stand up to his sickeningly douchey brother in a climactic scene that’s as satisfying (finally seeing Brooks refuse to be a doormat) as it is saddening (realising that his brother’s behaviour is a result of the same feeling of abandonment that Brooks is dealing with).
“sutherlanD’s portrayal of brooks is so innocently good-natured that it’s honestly heartbreaking....” Sutherland’s portrayal of Brooks is so innocently good-natured that it’s honestly heartbreaking, but not as heartbreaking as how forgotten this film has become over time in favour of other coming-of-age romances
from the 80’s (I’m looking at you, Sixteen Candles, with blatant racism and dodgy understanding of consent). Crazy Moon shares the watchability of these films while being adorably quirky and ahead of its time. It’s obvious from how Anne talks about her plans to go to Europe on her own how important they are for her as a deaf teenager. As Brooks struggles with the fact that his first love is going to leave him, it’s easy to assume that the film will end with her taking Brooks with her, or deciding to stay and be with him. However (spoilers ahead), what we actually see is Brooks accepting how important this trip is for Anne and that she goes alone. Crazy Moon ends with Brooks chasing Anne’s plane on his motorbike, not to convince her to stay, but to say goodbye and wish her luck. It’s an ending that is unexpectedly progressive, and one that can and will melt even the most frozen of hearts. If you’re looking for a quirky feel-good film about growing up and falling in love, look no further.
grace mcentee
allan eastman’s crazy moon (1987)
underrated?
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the coming of age characters the tropes and stereotypes that make the genre
The MISFIT Alison Traynor
The trope of the misfit character is an extremely common element of many cinematic genres, but coming of age films and misfits go together like tea and biscuits. The misfit takes many different forms. There is, of course, the introverted, intellectual kind of misfit, which is exemplified by the adorable Sam Shakusky in Moonrise Kingdom. There is the belligerent, staunchly non-conformist misfit, such as Christine McPherson in Lady Bird. Likewise, many misfits characters are represented as damaged, misunderstood youths who hide their troubles beneath layers of aggression and anger (think John Bender in The Breakfast Club). There is also another type of aggressive misfit - one whose hostility comes from a more disturbing and potentially sociopathic place, such as J.D. Dean in Heathers. You may call these characters clichéd, but there is no denying that they have made the coming of age genre what it is today.
The Hidden Hottie Lora Hartin
Ah, the hidden hot girl; a makeover trope so absolutely absurd that Hollywood has actually stopped in its tracks to parody and subvert it on more than one occasion (see Not Another Teen Movie and The Duff for context).
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It’s Cinderella without the pumpkin carriage: geeky girl wants beautiful boy who’s WAY out of her league. Geeky girl elects to change herself utterly in order to win boy’s favour (with the help of her quirky and/or camp side-kick). Boy notices girl. They fall instantly in love. Happily. Ever. After.
The Hollywood take on this tale often involves a blatantly beautiful actress taking off a dodgy pair of glasses to reveal the equally beautiful, slightly visually impaired girl that was right in front of us. How could we have missed it? Probably because glasses are for ugly people. This message behind this trope is simple: the real fairytale is the notion that anybody is going to fall for your ‘great personality’. Get real; it’s what’s on the outside that counts.
The Jock Mairead McCarthy
The American jock is a staple feature of any cheesy film. Armed with a lacrosse stick, basketball or football, these fitness fanatics grace our screens suffering under the unbearable attention of female students. The jock may fall under three types: Bully, Airhead or Secretly Sweet; each of them balancing their love for sport alongside this single personality trait. Who could forget Chad Michael Murray’s iconic role in Cinderella Story; a quarterback whose football career and overwhelming popularity prevent him from crushing his dad’s dreams by studying poetry? Or Andrew Clarke: the original Jock from The Breakfast Club? Andrew combines all three categories becoming one of the most recognisable characters of all time, and immortalises the beloved film trope of Sporty Guy, falling for Dorky, Misfit Girl. The Jock stereotype has presented us with many memorable characters: Troy Bolton, Aaron Samuels, John Tucker and even Ron Weasley. So long live The Jock. May their athletic endeavours continue to grace our screens.
Ghost World Marieke Oggel Terry Zwigoff’s Ghost World features best friends Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson). They are snarky, sarcastic, and have a shared disdain for everyone and everything. Soon after they leave high school to enter the “real world”, their friendship begins to crumble. Having to navigate their way through life forces the girls to make decisions and choose their priorities. Personal growth inevitably results from this, but people grow in different ways and they begin to do so apart. While both girls decide not to go to college,
Rebecca follows a traditional path of getting a job and moving out to rent an apartment. Though Enid tries, she simply cannot make herself follow this route. She procrastinates getting a job, and when she does, gets fired on her first day. Her inability to integrate irritates Rebecca, who is more interested in buying cups for their apartment than Enid’s latest news about Seymour (Steve Buscemi). There are no big fights, no pivotal moments: just a slow drift as two individuals evolve equally, just apart. Such a gradual change is is difficult to depict on film, but Ghost World achieves it by featuring more conventionally dramatic events as plot-points, while Enid and Rebecca’s friendship disintegrates in its midst. Friends grow apart, and that’s okay.
BEST FRIENDS FOREVER? The movie friendships that taught us Greg Mottola’s Superbad is a coming of age classic that centres around the friendship between two high schoolers on the cusp of graduation. Released in 2007, the era-defining film depicts the friendship between Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera). At the very bottom of the social hierarchy in school, Seth and Evan have only eachother for company, and their quest to get alcohol whilst navigating sexual relationships for the first time offers a perfect storm of explosive comedy and heart-warming friendship. The strength of Superbad is in its portrayal of the relationship between two young men at the peak of their awkward teen years. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg co-wrote the script and based it on their own exploits as highschool kids in Vancouver, and the authenticity of the script is elevated to new heights by the performances of Hill and Cera. The on-screen
chemistry between the duo is palpable, and the fact that they remain friends to this day is a testament to the deep friendship that was born between the pair during the production. There are too many classic moments in Superbad to name. But for all its comedy, the endearing moments of friendship between the two leads offer some of the most nuanced moments. Towards the end of the film, a heavily drunk Seth carries an unconscious Evan away from a house party in order to escape the police. As they reconcile back at Evan’s house in their sleeping bags, Seth says “I just wanna go to the rooftops and scream: I love my best friend, Evan!” Rare moments of intimacy like these are what make friendships great.
Superbad Hugh Whelan 10
Growing Up
Almodovar Style
Cait murphy examines pedro almodovar’s seminal film la mala educacion through the lens of an alternative comingof-age perspective. There, moving in sublime images, was Pedro Almodóvar’s La mala educación (Bad Education, 2004) from an inherited Almodóvar DVD collection I discovered at 14 and projected onto a chunky television.
In the film-within-film, Bernal plays Zahara with immense gusto. The younger realisations of the boys depict the monstrous effects of abuse in a mockingly beautiful mise-en-scène. Off set, Enrique and Ignacio become intimate despite Enrique’s uneasiness with his strange and distant schoolmate. What unravels is both neo-noir and melodrama in the excess of the screen, its subjects, and the culmination of deceit and revenge. Combining Éric Rohmer’s sumptuous colours and Sirkian calamity with noir archetypes, Mala not only ‘queers’ and rejects conventional narrative and genre, but also objectivity. There’s no ‘truth’ in Mala and there doesn’t have to be.
Mala is many things. To briefly define the film’s unfurling would render it moot. It is, from the exterior, a drama set in Francoist Spain moving into the liberated 80s. A story of clerical sex abuse, trauma, and redemption. Gael García Bernal, who has the uncanny ability to maintain a boyish expression of naivety even now, stars perfectly as Ignacio Rodriquez. In 1980, Ignacio approaches former Catholic boarding school friend, Enrique (Fele Martínez), now a Madrid-based director. Ignacio proposes fictionalising their boyhood: revisiting the abuse inflicted by one Father Manolo (Daniel Giménez Cacho), Enrique’s expulsion out of Manolo’s jealousy, and their imagined reunion. Ignacio being the ambitious actor, wishes to play himself as a beautiful trans woman, Zahara, who blackmails Manolo.
“Mala not only ‘queers’ and rejects conventional narrative and genre, but also objectivity.” 11
When Mala was released after Almodóvar had mulled over a decade on the project, the revelation of the Church’s endemic sex abuse was surfacing. It utterly rejected the narrative that the Church had acted immaculately. However, Almodóvar cunningly paints this coming-ofage with a brush which doesn’t distinguish moral from immoral, exposing each character’s performativity. To see more of the auteur, catch Dolor y gloria (Pain and Glory, 2019), Almodóvar’s latest fictionalisation of his own coming-of-age.
RAW
It is surprising to me how Raw has slipped under a lot of people’s radar. The French horror drama received universal international acclaim and was successful at the Cannes Film Festival. Despite this, it only had a limited theatrical release. Raw came to my attention after Observer critic Mark Kermode regarded it as the best film of 2017. The premise was also intriguing to me; a teenager coming from a family of vegetarian veterinary school students reluctantly tastes rabbit kidney for the first time as part of a freshman hazing ritual. What develops as a result of this is a monstrous appetite for meat, including human flesh. If I were to sum up my experience of watching Raw, I would say that it was intense and engaging unlike anything I’ve seen before. Garance Marillier delivers a riveting, multi-dimensional performance as the protagonist Justine. Initially reserved, awkward, and eager to fit in to college life, she goes on a journey of self-discovery. Marillier manages to balance an impressive vulnerability with an incredible ferocity, best demonstrated in the character’s complex relationship with older sister Alexia (Elle Kempf). All of these elements help to humanise a character most people would regard as inhumane.
under-appreciated french horror raw doubles as a stirring tale of youth, writes liam kelly. Director and writer Julia Ducournau approaches the taboo subject of cannibalism in a very human way, examining the animalistic instincts of humans that we suppress: “Cannibalism is part of humanity”. Raw is more of a comingof-age story than a typical horror one. It still manages to ground itself in reality, exploring themes like identity, femininity, sisterhood, loss of innocence and lust. A special mention goes to composer Jim Williams’ whose score contrasts gentle guitar music with more harsh, electronic sounds. A highlight is “Plus putes que toutes les putes” by ORTIES, which adds an edge to a typically innocuous make-up scene.
“Cannibalism is part of humanity.” Character-driven, original, funny, dark, thrilling and moving, more people need to see Raw. Sure, the film won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, it certainly doesn’t shy away from the gory moments. However, this doesn’t detract from the film in any way. Ducurneau is another example of a filmmaker with huge potential who has made a name for herself through horror, along with the likes of Jordan Peele and Ari Aster. I would liken Raw to a rare steak: bloody, juicy, and tough to digest but ultimately satisfying.
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Growing pains coming-of-age cinema is funny and relatable, but sometimes growing up is a struggle - and these films show that.
LADY BIRD Mia Sherry Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird stars Saoirse Ronan as its titular lead, with Beanie Feldstein, Timothèe Chalamet and Lucas Hedges in supporting roles. Lady Bird (real name Christine) is a senior in high school, juggling school, romantic relationships, friendships and more. It would seem at the outset that this film is not unlike the others in its genre. But Lady Bird revolves around the duality of who we are and who we aspire to be, as Lady Bird grapples with forging her new-found identity as ‘Lady Bird’ and the ties she has to ‘Christine’. The beauty of coming-of-age films is that they provide a mirror for each of us to see ourselves, but Lady Bird exemplifies the ‘growing pains’ aspect of coming-of-age films because at its core, it’s just about an eighteen year old girl growing up.
Ladybird shows us what it is to be on the fragile cusp of adulthood, when you think you have all the answers (you don’t) or that every bad decision is going to massively impact your life (it won’t!). It teaches you, most importantly, that it’s okay that you’re not who you thought you were. It’s okay that it’s maybe more painful for you than others. Lady Bird comes to this conclusion herself, when she, for the first time, revokes her self-constructed identity. Gerwig exemplifies all this in one of the most singularly beautiful lines: “Hey Mom. It’s me. Christine.”
Kiki’s Delivery Service Kate L. Ryan Studio Ghibli is known as a master of animation, but it’s easily argued that it has made some of the best coming-of-age films. Many of its films focus on young protagonists making their way in uncertain worlds, such as the Oscar-winning Spirited Away. One of the studio’s earliest works, Kiki’s Delivery Service, is about the titular Kiki, a young witch who must move away from home to complete her training but faces difficulty adjusting to her new life. Despite being the story of a 13-year-old witch, it captures the emotions that come with trying to be independent. Kiki meets many supportive adults, who want to help her, but Kiki struggles with the pressure of expectations she places on herself. It’s quite heartbreaking to watch a 13-yearold doubt herself for every minor mistake but it’s also extremely relatable. I, like many other teenagers, was never rebellious. The worry of not being good enough and trying to make the best decisions for the future were the biggest themes of my “coming-of-age” and Kiki’s Delivery Service quietly reflects this struggle.
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Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart is a heartwarming story that celebrates fierce female friendships. Produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McCay, the film is a joyous, emotional and feel-good look into the lives of teenagers as they finish high school. We meet the studious Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) on the last day of school. Upon discovering that their fellow party-mad students achieved equally high grades, and that the pair’s academic snobbery has only isolated them further, they decide to make some memories on the night before graduation. The pair attempt to crash a series of parties throughout the night as they learn to see beyond the stereotypes their classmates appear to embody. The star-studded cast is peppered with comic actors: Jason Sudekis stars as the weary principal/ unsuspecting Lyft driver, while Lisa Kudrow and Will Forte feature as Amy’s adoring parents. Skyler Gisondo and Billie Lourd are fantastic as Jared and Gigi, the school oddballs who crave acceptance from their classmates. The film’s soundtrack establishes the tone from the very beginning; Lizzo, Salt-N-Pepa and M.I.A play as Amy and Molly embark on their journey of self discovery. Featuring a dance sequence and a drug-induced hallucination in which the pair turn into Barbies, the unique spirit and relentless energy of the film make it a joy to watch from start to finish. Booksmart perfectly captures the essence of being a teenager, and the need to categorize
five word reviews
REVIEW: Booksmart emily thomas
oneself in order to find a place in high school. The sparkling humour and beautiful friendship between the leads makes this film stand out from your run-of-the-mill coming-of-age story. Touching and verisimilar moments abound, including hilarious scenes where the girls wildly compliment each other’s outfits. Their outlandish adulation, cries of “call the police” and fake fainting are typical of any teenage girl hyping up her friend in the bathroom of a party. The film I needed as an eighteen year old, Booksmart is a fresh, original take on the high school genre, and should be essential viewing for anyone who has ever been to school.
old & new editorial teams “Clowns? Time to leave, boys.” It - Hiram Harrington, Editor
“Mulan in the Middle East.”
“Not a croissant in sight.”
“Poison, bullies, and garden croquet.”
“That stereo looks kinda heavy.”
“Your new favourite sleepover film.”
“One for the quirky girls.”
The Breadwinner - Robyn Kilroy, Past Editor
Heathers - Oisin Walsh, Past Asst. Editor
Booksmart - Dara McWade, Past Asst. Editor
The Breakfast Club - Lora Hartin, Asst. Editor
Say Anything - Eoin O’Donnell, Asst. Editor
Juno - Alison Traynor, Asst. Editor
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movie horoscope Don’t spend forever looking for something to watch this freshers week.
Aries | Mar 21 - Apr 20
taurus | apr 21 - may 20
WATCH: STAND BY ME (1986)
WATCH: saved (2004)
gemini | may 21 - jun 20 WATCH: mean girls (2004)
Keep your friends close, and your enemies preferably far away.
You’re gonna have a rollercoaster of a time. Just remember to call your mom.
The hardcore Workman’s Wednesday friend group of your dreams is closer than you think.
cancer | jun 21 - jul 22
Leo | jul 23 - aug 22
virgo | aug 23 - sep 22
WATCH: y tu mama tambien (2001)
WATCH: almost famous (2000)
WATCH: dazed & confused (1993)
Sometimes in life, you just need a good cry. The Rose Garden is always quiet in the morning.
Keep killing the game, until the game kills you, queen.
Ask the American on a date. Make it stupid, make it fun.
libra | sep 23 - oct 22
scorpio | oct 23 - nov 22
sagittarius | nov 23 - dec 21
WATCH: Boyz n the hood (1991)
WATCH: donnie darko (2001)
WATCH: edge of seventeen (2016)
Tell your friends how much they mean to you.
There are some spooky things in this college. Find them. Be kind to them.
Jealousy may be hot this time of year, but remember: you’re hotter.
capricorn | dec 22 - jan 19
aquarius | jan 20 - feb 19
pisces | feb 20 - mar 20
WATCH: sing street (2016)
WATCH: the virgin suicides (1999)
It’s been a long year. Treat yourself to a damn good time.
Dreamy, and you know it. Lose the too-cool exterior, and just relax.
WATCH: BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER (1999) Find the girl with the strongest perfume in your class. She is fearless. You will be too.
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