The times are changing: Film faves that offer new beginnings

T
hree writers at The Boar share their movie recommendations…

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) dir. Hayao Miyazaki
By Nikolai Morton

Nothing evokes new beginnings to me more than Studio Ghibli protagonists finding their feet in fantastical worlds. Any film in the fabled anime giant’s canon could go here, but my pick would be the 1989 Kiki’s Delivery Service, a relatively simple tale of a young witch spreading her proverbial wings and moving to the large coastal town of Koriko. Kiki is a film I haven’t seen in a number of years, but it deftly encapsulates that feeling of uprooting yourself from home comforts and being forced to grow up – the university experience in a nutshell.

Kiki really is a perfect choice if you’re looking for a sweet and charming story to relieve the anxiety of new beginnings.

With our heroine’s daily adventures come trials, tribulations, and also laughter, with new ties forged in unexpected places. The reality of never knowing what’s around the corner – a central idea in the Japanese studio’s works – is something that the spirited Kiki and her feline friend Jiji duly come to find, as she begins her own courier service delivering baked goods, finds an adopted home, and develops affections for a geeky boy named Tombo. After venturing out into the world, Kiki comes to realise that it is indeed her oyster, and that beautiful things are primed to blossom in every corner. Elsewhere in this classic, you get the usual Ghibli fare – that is, gorgeous natural scenery and a colourfully intricate world to escape into. Kiki really is a perfect choice if you’re looking for a sweet and charming story to relieve the anxiety of new beginnings. And, in our determined protagonist’s journey, you may just find some inspiration to get out there and try something new.

Booksmart (2019) dir. Olivia Wilde
By Naomi Pandey

Booksmart is a coming-of-age film for the academically inclined. At the turn of my life, from a rather sheltered childhood to a rapidly realistic adulthood, the coming-of-age film has repeatedly helped me reckon with the changing times. I recently discovered Booksmart, directed by Olivia Wilde, which spoke to the very specific niche I was looking for.

The niche being: the academically inclined. The person who spends most of their school years continuously studying and chasing extra-curricular experiences. That was me and there were only a few films addressing what it’s like to be the stressed, overly ambitious teenager who does far more than they really have to. The film starts when the soon-to-graduate high school seniors, Molly and Amy, realise that school is over and they’ve barely lived any of it. What follows is a painfully desperate but eventually successful attempt to, essentially, have all these supposedly quintessential experiences overnight. It’s also hilarious – and being made in 2019, fresh, progressive, and relatable.

Its true message, however, is that the best experiences are found in unexpected contexts, and that it’s crucial to value your friendships even if you think you will drift – especially if you think you will drift. Needless to say, Booksmart is an excellent, five-star film when coming to university, because it tells you that it’s still time to have fun but that there’s no race, nor any compulsion to live the fabled ‘best years of your life’. Your university experience can mean what you want it to mean, and yes, if you have an amazing friend from school, keep in touch. Life is just beginning!

Dead Poets Society (1989) dir. Peter Weir
By Sam Ripley

For me, the magic of Dead Poets Society has only grown with age. For those unaware, Dead Poets Society tells the story of teacher John Keating, who inspires his students with his passion for poetry and literature. While I first watched (and ultimately forgot about) the film as a child, I rewatched it last November – at this very University’s Student Cinema no less. It spoke to me in ways that my younger self simply could not have comprehended. Now as a student of English Literature, Robin Williams’ impassioned performance is delightful. There is one scene in particular that amazed me, and I have continued to revisit it since that November evening.

Dead Poets Society depicts an honest perspective on the emotional complexity of one’s academic journey

Todd Anderson, the film’s introverted protagonist, is made to perform poetry by Keating: while shy at first, the words begin flowing out of Todd as John stands back, enraptured by the sudden ability of his student. The scene masterfully represents the ability of words – even when used by the least experienced – to change and unite people, and the sheer joy, freedom, and friendship that academic encouragement can produce. The film is not without tragedy, as Keating’s methods do not succeed with everybody, yet director Peter Weir does not wish to entirely break his audience. Dead Poets Society depicts an honest perspective on the emotional complexity of one’s academic journey, a journey that – in all its importance – will never be forgotten by its characters.