Films to watch at university: A Warwick fresher’s guide

University life is a lot to take in at first: new lectures, new friends, late-night chats, and the freedom to do whatever you want (even if that means watching three films back-to-back before a 9 am lecture). One of the best ways to make memories at Warwick is through watching films. From chaotic student-run marathons to quiet, moving screenings at the Warwick Arts Centre, cinema at Warwick is more than entertainment – it’s a way to bond, to reflect, and sometimes just to escape. Here are the films I think every fresher should experience while at university.

In my first year, the Shrek All-Nighter at the Student Cinema was a rite of passage: a packed lecture theatre with an entire room quoting “Do the roar!” at 3 am.

Childhood Classics
There’s something comforting about going back to the films that made you laugh as a kid, especially when everything else around you is changing. In my first year, the Shrek All-Nighter at the Student Cinema was a rite of passage: a packed lecture theatre with an entire room quoting “Do the roar!” at 3 am. By the time the credits rolled, I had already cemented bonds with new friends. I would really encourage you to look out for an all-nighter and do the same.
Then there are the smaller moments, like the night where five of us squeezed onto my friend’s bed to watch Tangled. Rapunzel’s journey to discover the world beyond her tower felt pretty apt after Freshers’ Week, when everyone is expanding their circles, and with each of us singing along – half ironically and half wholeheartedly – it really connected us as a group.

Emotional Releasers
Sometimes university life can feel overwhelming, and that’s when cinema can be the perfect emotional outlet. These films certainly provide that:
Femme is a film I watched in my first year and I haven’t stopped thinking about it. It’s a taut, stylish drama about a drag performer who, after being assaulted, crosses paths again with his attacker and contemplates revenge. Forcing you to think about identity and vulnerability in ways that linger, it’s sharp and painful, but also beautifully layered.

Watching it at the Warwick Arts Centre felt like being let into someone’s life, reminding me of how beautiful the little things can be even when everything else feels overwhelming.

Lady Bird is practically made for students. It’s funny, raw, and painfully relatable, capturing the push and pull between independence and home. Watching it in my room, I felt both nostalgic for my teenage years and comforted by the laughter of my friends around me.

And then there’s We Live in Time, which is a romantic drama that traces a relationship across years, lingering on fleeting, ordinary moments: shared meals, quiet conversations, the silence of just being together. Watching it at the Warwick Arts Centre felt like being let into someone’s life, reminding me of how beautiful the little things can be even when everything else feels overwhelming. These films aren’t always easy watches, but that’s exactly why they are so powerful. They help you process the highs and lows of university life, offering a release when you need it most.

Hidden Gems
One of the best parts of university cinema is stumbling into films you might never have picked otherwise. Hard Truths is one of those – it’s unflinching, raw, and unwilling to look away from the messiness of modern life. It wasn’t an easy watch, but it covers an important topic: hidden grief and loneliness, which may not be brought up with new friends otherwise.

Days of the Bagnold Summer sits on the opposite end of the spectrum: gentle, awkward, and quietly hilarious. It follows a moody teenage metalhead and his quiet mum as they muddle through a summer neither of them expected. It’s the perfect film for reliving your emo phase and appreciating the weird beauty of growing pains.

So, the best part? You don’t have to wait long to start building your own film memories at Warwick. This term at the Student Cinema, Sinners kicks things off on Sunday during Welcome Week – and it’s completely free, making it the perfect chance to dive into campus cinema culture. On Saturday, Lady Bird is back, ready to make you laugh, cry, and maybe phone home after. Then on Tuesday comes Shutter Island, Martin Scorsese’s eerie thriller about two marshals investigating a missing patient in a remote asylum. Watching it with an audience is half the fun – you can feel the tension grow in the room as the twists unravel.

Grab some popcorn, drag a friend along (or make one there), and let Warwick’s cinemas show you great stories – and help you make better ones of your own!