Freshers week can be an overwhelming time, and there’s no better way to relax and escape reality for an hour and a half than with a good film or TV show. Films act as a great bonding experience; getting to know your flatmates is easier when you have some shared references to build on, or a new favourite to talk about. These cultural connections matter and can make for great conversation starters.
Why not recreate the cinema experience with lights off, popcorn, ice cream, and a few drinks? You could make this a regular activity, organising a film night for every couple of weeks or binge-watching a Netflix show over the weekends.
Here are my top 7 picks of the best films and television to watch with your new flatmates:
Hot Fuzz
Hot Fuzz is a British institution. Whether you’re watching it for the 30th time or the first, it never loses its impact.
The same goes for any instalment of Edgar Wright’s beloved Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead and The World’s End make up the trio), but Hot Fuzz is my personal favourite. It has the most gags per minute, the funniest running jokes, and the best cast of characters with appearances from Olivia Colman, Timothy Dalton and Bill Nighy.
Arguably, the best part of Hot Fuzz is its sheer number of quotable lines. You’ll be quoting it around the house in no time. “It's alright Andy, it's just bolognese!”
Ratatouille
If you’re feeling homesick, anxious, or hungover, you can’t go wrong with a classic Pixar film. It’s a piece of comforting nostalgia which is guaranteed to lift your mood or slow your brain down. There were many contenders for this choice, but Ratatouille is one that always delivers. Its masterful animation, captivating soundtrack, and heartfelt message of following your passions in life no matter the obstacles, make it the perfect comfort watch.
Scream
Scream is a smart, satirical horror which still manages to be genuinely scary – it will have you running round the house to check all your locks! Set on a sleepy US college campus, a grisly double murder takes place in the first five minutes and you’ll be on the edge of your seat from there on in.
What sets it apart from the usual slasher movie is that it manages to play with the genre – there are multiple references to Halloween, Friday the 13th and other horror classics - while always remaining unpredictable, and one step ahead of the audience.
Just don’t switch all the lights off . . .
Grand Budapest Hotel
This film is a small slice of cinematic perfection. It’s witty with moments of poignancy set against adventure, prison break sequences, and slapstick comedy. Ralph Fiennes delivers an unforgettable performance as the hotel’s exuberant concierge, M. Gustave. The ensemble cast is also stunning, with appearances from Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Tilda Swinton and Harvey Keitel.
And, like all Wes Anderson films, it is gorgeous to look at. The symmetry, pastel colour scheme and immaculate set pieces make for a wholly immersive experience, as the film moves from grand hotel to characterful old town to snowy mountain range. There’s no better choice for losing yourself in another world.
Fresh Meat
It might seem like a cliché to include this student-led sitcom on the list, but the award-winning series has genuinely astute observations to make about university life. The six main characters work fantastically as archetypes of the different kinds of students you are sure to encounter, who have all been thrown together in mismatched accommodation. There’s well-meaning but idiotic posh boy JP, pretentious yet insecure Oregon, tough thrill-seeker Vod, awkward indie boy Kingsley, sweet but uptight Josie, and eccentric mature student Howard. Most of us will remember meeting a JP, a Vod, or an Oregon within our first few weeks of Uni.
Mad Max: Fury Road
For those craving a fast-paced action film, Fury Road is the perfect choice; it’s a relentlessly exciting post-apocalyptic masterpiece. That being said, for all its gripping action sequences, it never sacrifices character development. Tom Hardy is powerful and complex as he clings to sanity in the lead role, but the standout performance comes from a shaven headed Charlize Theron as Furiosa, who holds the whole film at her mercy.
Spaced
For me, this list wouldn’t be complete without another Edgar Wright creation, and Spaced is the ultimate cult sitcom. It’s surreal, inventive, hilarious, and full of pop culture references. Plus, the episodes are only 20 minutes long – great for leaving on in the background. The chemistry between Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes is the heart of the show, but Nick Frost also puts on a great performance as a disgraced army corporal, and young Mark Heap as tortured artist Brian. To top it off, it’s all themed around a house share.
