Film school is a fantastic way for moviegoers who like to create their own vivid narratives to gain specialized knowledge and abilities in a variety of filmmaking techniques. Best films for film students to study At film schools like NYFA, students may work with peers and mentors to develop basic skills, create unique material, and work on a variety of projects, including directing, screenplaying, cinematography, and editing. Students at NYFA, which was recently named one of Backstage's Top 30 Film Schools, may learn best practices and the newest trends in the business since their instructors are passionate filmmakers who are actively involved in their field of study.
How to Choose the Best Films For Film Students To Study
Movies to See Before Enrolling in Film School
Take a look at these amazing filmmakers films below if you're preparing to start film school! Both contemporary and vintage films on this list, which are included in no specific order, ought to be added to any film student's filmography database.
With their skilled application of cutting-edge methods in lensing, blocking, lighting, color, composition, imagery, sound or silence, working with actors, etc., these films exhibit the pinnacle of directing.
If you haven't seen some of these films, start studying At least it's not dull arithmetic.
Movies to See Before Enrolling in Film School
Cléo, aged 5–7 (1962)
Agnès Varda was a daring pioneer of the French New Wave, and the art-house film industry held her in high regard due to her independent spirit and unquenchable curiosity. The life of a young singer named Cléo, who is awaiting the results of a medical test that may indicate a dangerous disease, is followed in Varda's ground-breaking film Cléo from 5 to 7.
In order to create a tangible sense of intimacy and immediacy, the film demonstrates her inventive use of filmmaking techniques such as real-time narrative, handheld cameras, point-of-view shots, non-linear storytelling, mirrors, and the use of sound and music. This gives the audience the opportunity to witness Cléo's journey of self-discovery and introspection up close.
These methods establish Cléo from 5 to 7 as a landmark in Varda's remarkable career and an enduring masterwork that still enthralls viewers today, showcasing her unmatched talent and inventiveness as a director. You might wish to look at Agnès' remarkable career, which includes The Gleaners and I (2000), if you liked Cléo from 5 to 7.
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Rashomon (1950)
Akira Kurosawa's auteur style of tight collaboration with all crew members, especially the cinematographer, helped him become a rising star in his home country of Japan by 1950. Best films for film students to study Despite having had moderate success in his native country, Rashomon (1950) is recognized as the movie that first brought Japanese filmmaking to the international scene.
The film's idea is that each participant offers a unique interpretation of the same events, sometimes at odds with other interpretations, in the narrative of the samurai murder probe. Rashomon's narrative form is so well-known that the Rashomon effect is the term used to describe the following use of tales with opposing points of view.
Rashomon showcases Kurosawa's visual aesthetic in addition to his audacious storytelling. For instance, his creative use of screen wipes supports the narrative's transitions between points of view. Although Kurosawa's effect on all forms of filmmaking is evident around the world, it is arguably most evident in George Lucas's Star Wars flicks.
Men's Children (2006)
The films of Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón Orozco are known for their technical inventiveness, stunning imagery, and emotionally stirring narratives. Children of Men, his 2006 masterwork, is a dystopian thriller set in a future in which an unexplained infertility epidemic threatens to wipe out civilization.
The film's gloomy and eerie settings mirror the hopeless condition of society, while Cuaron's use of long takes, natural lighting, and handheld camera work provides an emotional and immersive experience that places the audience at the center of the action.
The film's tense and hopeless atmosphere is further enhanced by Cuaron's brilliant use of sound design and music.Children of Men is a must-see movie that powerfully demonstrates Cuaron's extraordinary creativity and capacity to push the frontiers of filmmaking. You may explore Alfonso Cuarón's many other outstanding works, like Y Tu Mamá También (2001).
Moonlight (2016)
Three stages of a young Black man's life are examined in Moonlight (2016), an innovative coming-of-age drama from A24 that addresses the nexus of race, class, sexuality, and masculinity. Playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney and director Barry Jenkins worked together to adapt McCraney's semi-autobiographical drama In Moonlight, Black Boys Look Blue.
The picture, which had stunning color and cinematography, was nominated for eight Oscars and took home Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali, the first Muslim to win an acting Oscar.Vox image.
2019's Portrait of a Lady on Fire
French director Céline Sciamma examines the feminine gaze and lesbian desire in this late 18th-century period piece. It tells the tale of Marianne, a young lady who is sent to Brittany to paint a picture of Heloise, who is scheduled to marry a nobleman. Since Heloise is opposed to marriage, she does not wish to pose.
While painting covertly at night, Marianne poses as her friend. Heloise and Marianne become friends via their daily walks along the untamed coast. After completing the portrait, Marianne feels awful and tells Heloise why she did it, after which she burns the painting.
Marianne is about to be sent away by Heloise's mother, who commissioned the painting, when Heloise says she would pose. Marianne has five days to finish her new painting before Heloise's mother departs for the mainland.
Atlantics (2019)
The 2019 Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix winner, Mati Diop's debut film Atlantics, is a genre-bending magical love tale with a social realism foundation. It is set in Dakar and centers on 17-year-old Ada, whose sweetheart, a young construction worker named Souleiman, goes missing at sea.
It seems to be recounted from Penelope's point of view, much like The Odyssey.Atlantics is renowned for its hypnotic, immersive audiovisual elements and tackles issues like arranged marriage, class struggle, and the migrant problem.
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Everything at Once, Everywhere (2022)
The story of Evelyn, a Chinese immigrant woman (played by Michelle Yeoh), whose family business is being audited by the IRS on the same day her conservative father is arriving for a Chinese New Year celebration, is told in Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022), which fans affectionately refer to as Everything, Everywhere.
Her daughter is attempting to persuade her to acknowledge her relationship with a non-Chinese woman. And a lot more! In the primary world from which all of her parallel universes spin, Evelyn receives a visit from her husband, Alpha-Waymond (Ke Huy Quan), as they attempt to persuade the IRS not to close them down.
The Piano (1993)
Although New Zealand filmmaker Jane Campion has won several accolades during her career, her 1993 film The Piano cemented her as the first female director to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Piano, written and directed by Campion, tells the tale of a mute lady in an arranged marriage in New Zealand in the middle of the 1800s. The danger of wants is a common theme in Campion's stories, which are strikingly depicted with a contrast between cruelty and beauty.
Driver of a taxi (1976)
Isolation in a gritty metropolis is examined in Martin Scorsese's character study of a lonely cab driver. The primary character, Travis Bickle, is isolated by the artistic cinematography and Scorcese's mix of close-up, above, and wide-angle shots.
Scorcese defies accepted film norms and conventions to depict Bickle's decline and growing disassociation from reality. Jodie Foster's portrayal of 12-year-old prostitute Iris earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards.
The Dust's Daughters (1991)
A masterpiece of independent American film, Daughters of the Dust (1991) has award-winning photography, acting, and directing. The film, which is seen through the eyes of an unborn child, chronicles the tension that arises around the beginning of the 20th century when an African-American family from the Gullah Islands off the coast of South Carolina seeks to relocate to the American mainland.
The younger generation is excited to take advantage of all the opportunities and advancement possibilities that the mainland will offer, while the matriarch of the family is reluctant to leave for fear of losing the distinctive traces of West African culture that they have managed to preserve by living in isolation.
1972's The Godfather I and II
The director of Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark, NYFA Guest Speaker Steven Spielberg, was so impressed by the degree of confidence and skill in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (1972) that he felt he should quit attempting to be a filmmaker. Since its release more than 50 years ago, the picture has consistently ranked highly on lists of the greatest movies ever because of its plot, characters, performances, chiaroscuro lighting, and cinematography.
A masterwork of narrative, The Godfather introduces the concepts of commerce, family unity, and power while thematically examining whether or not they can coexist. Coppola bemoaned the fact that, in spite of The Godfather's success, viewers praised Michael Corleone as a magnificent hero rather than as a more nuanced and even sad character. He narrates the Corleone family's narrative in greater detail, complexity, and clarity in The Godfather Part II.
He and co-writer Mario Puzo used a non-linear plot structure that inspired future directors to take chances, and Robert Deniro would win his first Oscar for his depiction of young Vito Corleone. Other outstanding examples of Coppola's work include The Outsiders (1983), Apocalypse Now (1979), and The Conversation (1974).
Kane, Citizen (1941)
In this 1941 masterpiece, director Orson Welles, who also co-wrote, produced, and acted in Citizen Kane, transformed cinema at the age of 25. Pay close attention to the film's cinematography (particularly its use of mise-en-scene and deep focus), editorial techniques (such as the use of wipes for transitions), shot composition, contrast, and narrative structure to fully appreciate his distinctive directing style. These elements were entirely novel for their time and remain relevant today.
(2008). The Hurt Locker
One of the most difficult things a filmmaker can do is make a war movie. In addition to being up against society's collective imagination on the war at the time, you are pushed to portray a tale about individuals rather than politics.
Kathryn Bigelow skillfully conveys a tale of loss, sadness, regret, and our fixation with the structure and excitement that come with fighting in war in The Hurt Locker (2008). with timeless films such as K-19 The Widowmaker (2002), Strange Days (1995), and Point Break (1991).
Jaws (1975)
One of the greatest films ever produced is undoubtedly Steven Spielberg's Jaws, the first contemporary blockbuster. Jaws is sometimes categorized as an action drama, yet it might be more accurate to call it a horror film.
A local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an experienced seafarer are inspired to track down the killer shark when it causes mayhem in a seaside hamlet off Cape Cod.
In addition to the delicious irony of the protagonist's psychology—the sheriff sent to kill the shark is terrified to enter the water—the movie includes thrills, horrors, emotional conflict, and character bonding.
Masala, Mississippi (1991)
A brilliant example of filmmaker Mira Nair's work is her 1991 play Mississippi Masala, which is renowned for its examination of ethnic identity. In the movie, an Indian woman and an African-American guy in rural Mississippi have a forbidden love affair. Nair skillfully directs the performances in the picture, highlighting the characters' compassion and fragility while capturing the warmth and sensuality of the story's location through the use of vibrant colors, music, and dancing.
Furthermore, Nair uses montage scenes and flashbacks to illustrate the motivations and histories of the individuals. Her skillful treatment of the film's racial, social, and cultural conflict issues results in a complex and compelling narrative that appeals to viewers.
In addition, Nair uses a number of methods to illustrate the intricacy of the cultural conflict at the center of the movie, such as close-ups and medium shots to emphasize the characters feelings and relationships and the use of montage, framing, and contrasting images to contrast the Indian and African-American cultures. Together, these strategies produce an engrossing and poignant tale that is still regarded as a modern film masterpiece.
(1989): Do the Right Thing
Do the Right Thing (1989) by Spike Lee is a masterwork of American cinema and cinematic technique. The narrative takes place over one day on one street in a neighborhood, but it's the hottest day of the year, and social and racial tensions are building to a climax.
For students studying filmmaking in particular, there are a lot of reasons to view this film. It's a striking illustration of social realism enhanced by dancing, emotive design, and camera work. Take note of the production design by Wynn Thomas, the costumes by Ruth E.
Carter, the photography by Ernest Dickerson, and the music by Public Enemy, whose song "Fight the Power" serves as both the ensemble's hymn and the soundtrack to the amazing performances.
The Matrix (1999)
The world was not prepared for The Matrix (1999), even if it's difficult to imagine now. The Wachowski twins' second film, The Matrix, was a genre-defying mash-up of philosophy, high-concept science fiction, Hong Kong-style action, and a heavy dose of religious allusion that had never been seen before.
Perhaps most remembered for introducing the bullet time camera method, the picture is as much a technological marvel as a narrative one. Along with promoting the use of computer-generated imagery and realistic set design, it also assisted in popularizing Hong Kong's "wire-fu" style among Western viewers.
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(2000) In the Mood for Love
It should come as no surprise that Wong Kar Wai's In the Mood for Love (2000) is regarded as one of the first masterpieces of the twenty-first century; the picture has had a significant impact on cinema throughout the last twenty years, from the plot to the performances, production design, photography, and soundtrack.
The plot: After both neighbors accuse their husbands of extramarital affairs, they develop a close friendship. To avoid repeating the same mistakes, they try their best to maintain a platonic relationship. It would be an understatement to describe this movie as a love tale, it is about love, heartache, sadness, and grieving, but it also explores how emotional destruction may present us with a special chance for rebirth.
The cinematography is stunning; Wong masterfully employs depth in the frame rather than broad views to set scenes and emphasize solitude. The montages are captivating because they provide a lighthearted blend of intricate production design, sumptuous costumes, and hypnotic music.
1. Wings [Silent Film]
2. Safety Last [Silent Film]
3. Psycho
4. The Gold Rush [Silent Film]
5. Metropolis [Silent Film]
6. Fight Club
7. Ed Wood
8. Pulp Fiction
9. The Jazz Singer
10. A Streetcar Named Desire
11. Rebecca
12. It happened one night.
13. Full metal jacket.
14. Apocalypse Now
15. Blade Runner
16. The Ring [Japanese Version]
17. The Shawshank Redemption
18. Jaws
19. Jackie Brown
20. Top Hat
21. Goodfellas
22. Lawrence of Arabia
23. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
24. Thelma and Louise
25. Singin' in the Rain
26. Chinatown
27. Rear Window
28. Forrest Gump
29. True Romance
30. Some Like It Hot
31. City Lights
32. E.T.
33. Gone with the Wind
34. Eyes Wide Shut
35. Barry Lyndon
36. Don't Look Back
37. Battleship Potemkin
38. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
39. Inglorious Basterds
40. Strangers on a Train
41. Bram Stoker's Dracula
42. My left foot
43. Patton
44. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
45. Lolita
46. The Rainmakers
47. Don Juan DeMarco
48. 12 Angry Men
49. A man with a movie camera
50. There Will Be Blood
51. 28 Days Later
52. Interview with the Vampire
53. Good Will Hunting
54. Dial M for Murder
55. This Is Spinal Tap
56. West Side Story
57. Spartacus
58. Die Hard
59. The Departed
60. Gangs of New York
Conclusion
To sum up, the best films for film students to study offer a unique blend of creativity, technical ability, and story. While modern films like Inception and Parasite present the power of visual effects and creative storytelling, classics like Citizen Kane and The Godfather offer insights into the craft of cinematography and narrative structure.
Students can grasp the rise of cinema and endless opportunities in filmmaking by studying films from a variety of genres and eras. Aspiring filmmakers can enhance their grasp of cinematic methods and form their own unique creative voices by looking at these films.
FAQ's: Best Films For Film Students To Study
What films are studied in film studies?
- Casablanca (Section A: Hollywood 1930 - 1990 - Classic Hollywood)
- Vertigo (Section A: Hollywood 1930 - 1990 - Classic Hollywood)
- Some Like It Hot (Section A: Hollywood 1930 - 1990 - Classic Hollywood)
- Bonnie and Clyde (Section A: Hollywood 1930 - 1990 - New Hollywood)
What films do you watch in film studies A-level?
- Attack the Block (AS Level - Understanding British Film)
- Sunrise (Film History, Section A: Film Form in US Cinema - Silent Era)
- Singin' in the Rain (Film History, Section A: Film Form in US Cinema - 1930-1960)
- Vertigo (Film History, Section A: Film Form in US Cinema - 1930-1960)
How do I prepare for film studies?
Reading books that people have written about filmmaking, keeping up with industry news through sites such as Screen Daily and Deadline, and watching videos on the behind the scenes creations of your favourite shows and films – to watch other filmmakers overcoming obstacles and applying their knowledge – are all things
Is there scope for film studies?
A dynamic professional path in the entertainment and media industries is provided by film studies. Graduates in this subject can work in visual effects, sound design, stage design, film production, and post-production, among other areas.
Is film studies useful?
Is a degree in cinema studies worthwhile? Indeed! Choosing to major in cinema at university gives you the technical, artistic, and analytical abilities needed to comprehend and produce film. In addition to having the opportunity to write, shoot, edit, and display films, you will gain knowledge of the technical aspects of filmmaking.
Is film studies a soft subject?
Some A-level topics that are seen as less scholarly are controversially referred to as "soft subjects." Media studies, business studies, film studies, design technology, health and social care, and criminology are among the topics on this list, which is frequently more recent.
