A great movie follows a person around no matter where they go. As you learn valuable lessons from the movie, you’ll apply them to new situations and circumstances. In fact, a great movie serves as a close friend. You find comfort and solace in it.
At Cambridge Home School Online, we encourage students to develop healthy interests, hobbies, and passions like reading, going to the cinema, drawing, playing sports, and so on. While our students secure top grades, they also enjoy a wide range of personal, social, and extracurricular interests that contribute to their growth and development.
In this blog, we’ll round up six movies that teach important lessons and serve as lifelong cinematic friends. If you’ve been on the lookout for a great movie, you’re in luck. Keep reading!
Important: Please note that these movie recommendations are exclusively for A Level students (ages 17 and up). If you’re under the age of 17, certain recommendations like Whiplash may not be appropriate for you. Please speak with our teachers to understand which movies are suitable for you, or wait for our upcoming blogs that cover movie recommendations for your age.
1. The Way, Way Back
Do you often feel like an outcast? Do you struggle to fit in? Are you more introverted than extroverted? If you answered “yes” to even two of these questions, The Way, Way Back is for you.
A brilliant, heartfelt, insightful, funny, and inspiring movie, The Way, Way Back helps young students come into their own and feel comfortable, confident, and content in their own skin.
As 14-year-old Duncan goes on vacation with his mother, he has trouble fitting in. His mom’s boyfriend doesn’t make things any easier. As you watch Duncan navigate the pitfalls of life and stay true to himself, the message will hit home harder than you may think. This is a must-watch for A Level students.
2. The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club is a powerful, funny, and inspiring coming-of-age drama. As five high school students from completely different cliques serve Saturday detention, they realise that they actually have a lot in common.
The quintessential 80s teen comedy takes you by the hand and traces the teenage struggle of fitting in, navigating high school social constructs, and being misunderstood by adults.
Filmmaker John Hughes accurately understood teenage problems and didn’t attempt to gloss over them. Emotional, simple, and relatable, The Breakfast Club should be on every A Level student’s list of movies to watch.
3. Whiplash
Whiplash is a movie that sticks with you forever. Strictly for A Level students aged 17 and up, this intense, powerful, and fierce movie unpacks the downsides of wanting to be brilliant. We all want success. We all want to be remembered. But things can quickly take a turn for the worse when you overwork yourself to the point of a breakdown.
Whiplash explores the tricky demarcation between perseverance and unnecessary abuse. How much encouragement is too much encouragement? When should you take a break? What is the cost of brilliance?
At CHS Online, our teachers actively discuss this movie with students to help them achieve their full potential while maintaining good mental health, a healthy personal and social life, and excellent grades. Whiplash reminds us of the importance of balance. At the same time, it compels us to push our boundaries to some extent and achieve an outcome that takes everyone’s breath away.
4. Anna Karenina
If you’re an English Literature student, Anna Karenina should top your list of movies to watch this year. Based on the labyrinthine yet brilliant novel by Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina is a powerful tragedy that follows the life of a Russian aristocrat and socialite.
Tolstoy constantly points readers towards the truth, and Tom Stoppard does justice to the storyline by creating a brilliant movie that stays true to the book (as much as a movie can stay true to a book).
Played by the incredible Keira Knightley, Anna’s character is solid, real, relatable, and raw. There’s nothing embellished about her emotions. Behind the fancy gowns, ornate jewellery, luxurious coats, and glamorous hats, there’s raw internal turmoil that grows and grows until it’s about to burst.
5. Colette
Keira Knightley offers another brilliant performance in Colette, a movie that follows the story of a talented young woman who agrees to ghost-write a novel for her husband. As Colette is pushed to the side and her husband is glorified for the remarkable body of work, how does she navigate the circumstances? A fierce feminist movie and rare period drama, Colette doesn’t leave your mind for weeks to come. It’s a must-watch for young women.
6. Little Women
Last but definitely not least, Little Women is a brilliant new adaptation of the famous coming-of-age novel by Louisa May Alcott. Starring Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, and Meryl Streep, the life-affirming, heart-warming, and heart-breaking movie follows the March sisters on their respective and collective journeys.
There’s a lot to ponder over and learn. Greta Gerwig’s charming movie is a masterclass in character development and organic relationship progression. Nothing about this movie is forced or fabricated. It captures the novel’s authenticity and brings something new and exciting to the table.
Utterly captivating and beautifully made, Little Women celebrates the love, laughter, joy, heartbreak, sorrow, and indestructible bond of sisterhood.
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