We human beings sure love our own destruction don’t we? From alien invasions to governmental coups to superheroes saving the world while simultaneously murdering hundreds of thousands (looking at you Man of Steel) numerous films, particularly in recent cinema, seem showcase absurd amounts of destruction with the overhanging sense that the end of the world is upon our characters.
Illustration by Isabelle Ribe
We at qmunicate know all too well that exam-time is a season wrought in caffeine and tears. Thus, in a gesture to all those labouring in the cold grasp of deadlines, and those lucky few who’ve drifted carefree into summer, we’ve compiled our favourite comfort viewing in an effort to spark a little cinematic warmth within you.
Illustration by Julia Rosner
Twin Peaks, like much of Lynch’s work, doesn’t seem to lend itself well to lukewarm reception. Everyone I’ve spoken to or heard of who has sampled the surrealist cult series has either come out of the experience with a new favourite TV show, or has a scripted diatribe at the ready slating it as meaningless, difficult-to-follow and (at worst) masturbatory and disingenuous.
(Illustration by Verity Pease)
Remember Deadpool? Of course you do. After years of development hell, and even a botched attempt in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, 2016’s Deadpool saw the fan favourite superhero finally translated to the big screen. The film exploded in popularity, not only because it was cleverly written and made with such passion but due to its self-awareness of how juvenile and absurd it was, something that rang true about the source material. Like all popular media however there was a faction of the internet outraged at the film, proclaiming that its overreliance on self-deprecating humour and fourth wall jokes made it childish and were an attempt to disguise its flaws by poking fun at them, even if it was faithful to the comics.
Since the start of 2015, I have seen 222 films at the cinema; that’s one every three and a half days give or take. I can count on two hands (and maybe a foot) the number of times I have been with another person. I have heard all of the archetypal queries and opinions on this habit and they usually boil down to “but don’t you like other people’s company? or “don’t you like to talk about the film afterwards?” Admittedly these have died down slightly as I have moved from school age through university, but occasionally I still encounter some raised eyebrows.
Movies are a grand form of escapism. They help us momentarily forget the problems or events of our current lives and offer us the ability to be entertained for their runtime. But sometimes movies can be pretty damn tough to sit through. Whether they deal with traumatic themes or they’re based off of a tragic event from history, some films seem less like light hearted pastimes and more like endurance tests in intensity.
Going to the cinema is and has been a joy for millions of people for about a century now. Even if the film you end up seeing turns out to be putrid, there’s something special about sitting down in your seat, whether you’re by yourself, with friends, on a date etc., watching the lights dim down and waiting for the film to start. But every so often, when you skip the current blockbuster and chose to see that indie film that you’ve been hearing whispers about, you find yourself unsure of what to think afterwards and pondering what the film meant.
