Stuck in the midst of homework and deadlines, there are certainly many excuses to give your brain a break. Grab a cuppa, get snuggled in, and let these Netflix must-watch masterpieces whisk you away to a place where assignments are a distant memory.
Friday night – A Knight’s Tale – Genre: Adventure/Comedy
With a cast of the likes of Paul Bettany and Mark Addy, along with the loveable tongue-in-cheek puns, this 2001 classic is just as cinematically quintessential as Gil Junger’s 10 Things I Hate About You. Featuring the swoon-worthy Heath Ledger as a peasant who fakes knighthood for the promise of gold, this tale is as equally sobering as it is comedic. Brian Helgeland’s exceptional blurring of 14th-century Europe with 21st century culture is what makes this movie so iconic, and this is especially shown through a recital of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” by an avid jousting audience. Promises of exciting romance alongside aspects of secrecy and mystery, A Knight’s Tale is a must for anyone looking for an adventurous retake on the classic Rom-Com.
Saturday night – PALO ALTO – Genre: Drama
Based on James Franco’s collection of short stories, Gia Coppola’s 2013 American drama is an off-the-wall narrative of the lives of young teenagers in California. The plot follows high-schooler April (played brilliantly by Emma Roberts) as she attempts to navigate her way through the trials of love and trust. The complexity of differing relationships are explored through the likes of Teddy (Jack Kilmer) and Franco himself, who plays football-coach-turned-sexual-predator, Mr. B. While the quirkiness of the seemingly improvised script can be a little distracting, Coppola’s use of imagery and film aesthetic in this piece truly does compensate for anything found lacking. Drugs, delinquents, sexual deviance and self-acceptance: Palo Alto has it all.
Sunday night – Ghost – Romance/fantasy/thriller
Well-known for its infamous pottery scene, Jerry Zucker’s 1990’s American romance/fantasy thriller is one which should be a favourite amongst all love-crazy teens. The heady romance between uber-couple Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and Molly Jensen (Demi Moore), followed by an incredibly heartbreaking fight-scene means this movie grapples with all ranges of emotion. Swayze’s portrayal of everlasting love tugs at the heartstrings enormously, and while the special effects aren’t quite as effect-ive during this two-hour non-stop-tear-shop, the transfixing plot line and themes of danger threaded throughout make this piece something masterful. This one is most definitely a necessary watch for any avid film-lover.
Emily Moscrop
(Image courtesy of Columbia Pictures)