By Emma Coleman, Film & TV Subeditor
As a second year student, I am very fortunate to be able to cling onto the university bubble for another year and, trust me, I am holding on tight with both hands. However, for those of us who have just finished their final year and will be graduating in July, the ‘real world’ awaits. This can be both exciting and terrifying. It’s normal to be feeling very nostalgic for the golden years at Bristol, so, let’s turn towards some on screen comfort with five nostalgic film recs.
- Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003)
This provides nostalgia because it’s one of those films you always come back to and because we get to watch Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) use her Harvard Law degree in the real world when creating ‘Bruiser’s Bill’. Elle has a clear goal to ban animal testing for cosmetic purposes, but her path is neither easy nor streamline. She is mocked by politicians and her co-workers, being named ‘Capitol Barbie’, just for being her authentic self and discovers her mentor, Victoria Rudd (Sally Field), has been working against her. Nonetheless, she perseveres in passing the law and saves Bruiser’s mother. Whilst this may be a silly and unrealistic narrative of what Bristol Law graduates will be doing next year, it is an inspirational story of what you can achieve post-uni and that you never have to change yourself for anyone.
- American Reunion (2012)
Continuing with the comedic and light-hearted theme, American Reunion - film four in the American Pie tetralogy – delivers some powerful nostalgia (especially if you have a proper binge and watch all four together!). The five leading men, Jim, Stifler, Oz, Kevin and Finch (Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Chris Klein, Thomas Ian Nicholas and Eddie Kaye Thomas), come together for their high school reunion, 13 years after leaving. There is the rekindling of romance, honesty about the past and chaotic celebration. This film shows the party doesn’t have to stop after growing up and the importance of nurturing long-term friendship. In a truly hilarious way, its key message is that adulthood doesn’t have to be boring – a worry I am sure we are all facing after our last OMG Thursday night out.
- 13 Going on 30 (2004)
This classic reminds us to cherish every stage of life – a message important for our new graduates. Jenna Rink is your typical unpopular schoolgirl, doing other students' homework and falling victim to cruel pranks. On her 13th birthday she makes a wish to be 30, hoping for a better life, and lo and behold when she wakes up 17 years have passed. However, her adult life is no walk in the park either – whilst she is an editor for ‘Posie’, her favourite fashion magazine, her job is at risk, and she learns that she is involved in an affair. Both her childhood and adulthood are imperfect, so when she returns to her child-form she accepts that life isn’t supposed to be easy. We may wish to have magic dust that can return us to our familiar first year halls but, unfortunately, this does not exist. Your university journey, wonderful or a shit-show, has now ended and, alike Jenna, we must embrace the stage of life that we are in.
- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
I could not write about nostalgic films without mentioning Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, basic choice as it may seem. The film that coined the iconic phrase ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it’, becomes the perfect reminder of the chaotic, spontaneous and fun world that is the university experience. Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) decides to take the day off school and make it the most memorable day he can – driving a Ferrari, visiting the Art Institute of Chicago and finally starring in a parade. There were many times at uni where completely random plans turned into some of the best days/nights out. University, for many people, is their first taste of freedom and I feel like this film really captures the essence of this. Want to remind yourself what the unleashed teenage spirit looks like? Then this film is for you.
- Booksmart (2019)
Along the same lines as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) experience what unfortunately is highly common for recent graduates – regret. After realising their party-loving peers also got into the top colleges, they decide to make up for four years of missing out on the fun in one wild night. Whilst I think it is probably rare to look back on university and think you didn’t party enough, you still may wish you did some things differently. With one of the producers being Will Ferrell, it is unsurprising how hilarious this film is, which is sometimes exactly what you need when you’re feeling a bit down in the dumps about leaving university.
Poppy Heath
I hope these recommendations make it onto your watchlist whether you’re a graduate or still have a few years left at Bristol, as all of them show how important it is to live in the moment and to cherish every second. If you want to be immersed within the chaos of university all over again or a simple reminder that you will be okay being, for the first time, out of education, there is something for everyone.
Featured Image: IMDb / Emma Coleman
What films do you recommend for our recent graduates?
