Grab your popcorn!
With exams fast approaching, there’s a lot of pressure to work every minute of the day. Exhausting ourselves will not help the learning process, it will only be detrimental to our physical and mental wellbeing. My suggestion for taking a break? Watch a movie! Being whisked away to a fantastical world with great stories will help take your mind off any stress in reality. What’s perfect is that they can easily fit into your revision schedules, utilising their designated start and end times. Here are my suggestions for fun films to check out over the coming weeks.
Polite Society; Release Date: 28 April 2023, Age Rating:12A, Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Already out in cinemas at the time of writing, Polite Society poses to be an early smash-hit across the UK! Teenager, and aspiring stuntwoman, Ria (Priya Kansara) is literally fighting against all odds to achieve her dream. However, when her older sister and biggest supporter Lena (Ritu Arya) falls head over heels in love, Ria has a new goal: stop the wedding. Directed by Nida Manzoor, the film combines fast-paced martial arts action with quick British comedy-drama through a feminist lens. A great concoction for staying strong this May!
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3; Release Date: 5 May 2023, Age Rating: 12A, Runtime: 2hr 30 mins
The next chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally here, and it’s shaping up to be a big one. Reprising their roles for potentially the final time, the crew are adjusting to life following Avengers: Endgame. However, trouble from Rocket the Raccoon’s past (voiced by Bradley Cooper) threatens their very existence. Guardians of The Galaxy reinvented the Marvel formula in 2014, so I’m looking forward to how it all ties together. Tissues are a must, whether you’re crying with laughter or trying to hold back tears.
Spiderman: Across The Spider-Verse; Release Date: 2 June 2023, Age Rating: TBD, Runtime: 2 hours
Sticking on the theme of superheroes, I cannot wait for the new Spider-Verse film coming out in June. Unlike its MCU contemporary, this animated feature focuses on Miles Morales – a mixed-race Brooklynite also bitten by a radioactive spider. Hence, writers could take more risks in terms of story for the first film, flexing their creative licence. Using a multiverse allowed for plenty of fun and interesting characters not featured before on the big screen. Add in the beautiful animation style and you have the perfect kid-friendly movie! The sequel has a big costume to fill…
Chicken Run; Now available on Netflix, Age Rating: U, Runtime: 1 hr 21 mins
Whilst we’re talking about animated sequels, Chicken Run is making one of the most surprising returns later this year. Subtitled ‘Dawn Of The Nugget’, it releases twenty-three years after the original, making it the perfect time for a rewatch. Handily, streaming service Netflix have just made the film available to watch (we can’t always go to the cinema!). Bristolian creators Aardman Animations also have some of their other films on the platform as well as BBC iPlayer. Just remember to get back to revising after!