love

Author Topic: Films For A Film Club  (Read 2094 times)

exskiman

  • Member
  • **
  • Posts: 219
Films For A Film Club
« on: October 04, 2009, 09:52:25 AM »
There have probably been other topics similar to this so sorry if this is somewhat of a repost. I am currently a Junior in High School and am trying to create a Film Club in my school. I am trying to start it with modern movies (1970s+ but really more so 1990s+) as there seems to be a general backlash among people my age to things that are old, hopefully 1990s is not going too far back. I am looking to show smaller films that teenagers have probably never seen (possibly never heard of) expose them to the films that are playing more on IFC than in the local United Artist. On top of this I also need films that I can show in a High School setting so I can probably convince the teacher coordinator to show films that are light Rs (some violence and cursing) but nudity seems to be the big no-no. Finally the biggest problem seems to be length, whereas the club meetings (to my knowledge) are all about 1hr and 30 mins long meaning (unless I can somehow hide in the school the needed extra 20-30mins) many films will have to be shown in 2 parts (the parts being a week apart). Yes this is nowhere near ideal but these are the conditions I seem to have. Suggestions for films?

skjerva

  • Godfather
  • *****
  • Posts: 9448
  • I'm your audience.
Re: Films For A Film Club
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2009, 01:49:53 PM »
But I'm a Cheerleader is great and seems to meet most of your criteria but has brief nudity.  i showed it in a high school setting.

Chain Camera is cool, a doc set in an LA-area high school, different teens take a camera for a week and record footage from their lives, Kirby Dick stuck it all together for 6 (i think) student portraits.  maybe not quite what you're looking for in terms of fun

those are maybe too school-centric...have fun with the club :)
But I wish the public could, in the midst of its pleasures, see how blatantly it is being spoon-fed, and ask for slightly better dreams. 
                        - Iris Barry from "The Public's Pleasure" (1926)

Verite

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 4479
  • Maybach School of Film Studies
Re: Films For A Film Club
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2009, 04:55:48 PM »
La Haine - French film from 1995 following three late teens/young adults in the aftermath of two teenagers' death.  Perhaps it will be eye-opening for your classmates.  It's urban, it's gritty, and it has an urgency to it in regards to racial and cultural tension.  Classic.

The Class - Recent French film about a h.s. teacher and his students.  I'd imagine they'd find most of it engrossing and relatable.  Like La Haine, it could be eye-opening for your classmates.

High School - the great documentary by Frederick Wiseman.  Takes place in a Philadelphia h.s.  The time is the late 60s, but I think your classmates would find it refreshing to see that they can relate to it and that they're not alone which teens often forget.

Dazed and Confused - how familiar are today's h.s. folk with this Linklater classic?

Breakfast Club - how familiar are today's h.s. folk with John Hughes?

Take Care of My Cat - an overlooked Asian gem that could serve as a cautionary tale in ways in regards to  post-h.s. graduation

American Graffiti - how familiar are today's h.s. folk with this classic?

Games of Love and Chance -  Another French film.  Like the aforementioned French films, it has immigrant/ethnic French teenage characters.  A teenage boy joins a play in order to hopefully get with his crush.  Slower paced than the aforementioned films and not as great, but an overlooked little film.

Linda Linda Linda - not in love with this Asian film as some are, but the scenes in which the band are playing music are fantastic
« Last Edit: October 05, 2009, 03:51:19 PM by Verite »
"When in doubt, seduce."
                   -Elaine May

FLYmeatwad

  • An Acronym
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 28785
  • I am trying to impress myself. I have yet to do it
    • Processed Grass
Re: Films For A Film Club
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2009, 05:09:52 PM »
Hercules

¡Keith!

  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 26774
  • Bitch, I been around since LimeWire.
Re: Films For A Film Club
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2009, 05:12:12 PM »
nice list V.

I'd add American Movie - awesome doc about a struggleing director making his feature film: Coven.  This (1hr 50) + Coven (40min - on the dvd) are about 2.5 hrs together so you can do them in two meetings with some discussion. The doc is rated R for language, no nudity though.

Are you planning on sticking only with english language films or wouldn't the club mind reading their films ;)

exskiman

  • Member
  • **
  • Posts: 219
Re: Films For A Film Club
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2009, 07:56:30 PM »
nice list V.

I'd add American Movie - awesome doc about a struggleing director making his feature film: Coven.  This (1hr 50) + Coven (40min - on the dvd) are about 2.5 hrs together so you can do them in two meetings with some discussion. The doc is rated R for language, no nudity though.

Are you planning on sticking only with english language films or wouldn't the club mind reading their films ;)

I know there are a lot of people who are really against reading films (I should not read their language THEY should learn english!) but I think (I hope) that the people in my school are open enough to watch and read films. Making mental lists I never really left off foreign films so much as put an asterisk next to them. I've been hearing American Movie tossed around a lot, in general not specifically for this. I am quite interested in seeing it and playing it with the film he finally makes sound like a really fun thing to do.

As to Verite I got to actually admit I've never seen a single Hughes film completely through. In fact actually the only film I have seen of your list is The Class and have never even heard of Take Care of My Cat, Games of Love and Chance, or Linda Linda Linda though I am now interested in further researching all of them and if not showing them in the club at least watching them myself.

Verite

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 4479
  • Maybach School of Film Studies
Re: Films For A Film Club
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2009, 04:13:22 PM »
In fact actually the only film I have seen of your list is The Class and have never even heard of Take Care of My Cat, Games of Love and Chance, or Linda Linda Linda though I am now interested in further researching all of them and if not showing them in the club at least watching them myself.

I forgot to note that LLL is a Japanese film, but your classmates won't have to do a lot of reading because dialogue is sparse.  I don't think the silence and many non-dramatic scenes work.  It's a weak recommendation, but I do encourage you to give the DVD a spin since I know some fans of the film.


You'd probably want to screen some films that aren't teen and high school related.  Some that come to my mind:

Best in Show - Comedy Central and USA used to show this, I think, but that was probably years ago.  Anyway, I'm unsure as to how familiar your classmates would be with this mockumentary masterpiece.  

The Daytrippers - excellent comedy-drama and one of my favorite American film of the 90s.  Greg Mottola's best film by far and vastly different from the director's other inferior and unfortunately more well-known efforts - Superbad and Adventureland.  

Flirting With Disaster - an enjoyable 90s comedy

« Last Edit: October 05, 2009, 04:19:24 PM by Verite »
"When in doubt, seduce."
                   -Elaine May

exskiman

  • Member
  • **
  • Posts: 219
Re: Films For A Film Club
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2009, 08:54:24 PM »
Best in Show was on my original list of possible films actually.

BlueVoid

  • Elite Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1841
    • Movie Fodder
Re: Films For A Film Club
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2009, 09:20:13 PM »
Best in Show was on my original list of possible films actually.

...but 'This is Spinal Tap' is so much better..
Former blog on FlickChart: The Depths of Obscurity
Letterboxd 
iCM
Twitter

The Liar

  • Junior Member
  • *
  • Posts: 35
Re: Films For A Film Club
« Reply #9 on: October 07, 2009, 11:21:52 PM »
Brick- Don't know if the drug references are okay in your setting, but I can't think of a better film to introduce people to the broader world of film. Everybody I showed it to in High School loved it.

 

love