A new edition to the University Times this year, ‘Four Films and a TV’ is a very special column giving out very special recommendations. Every month, the editor will be making a list of underappreciated but unparalleled films (four) and (TV) series (one) united by a topical theme, plot device or personality. The intentions of this no-nonsense column range from the dissemination of lesser known films and the promotion of non-Anglophone cinema to the need for refining critical thinking abilities, and the betterment of film and TV-related choices. This first column, coming out at the start of the academic year, is all about first-year college experiences.
Four Films
S#!%house (2020)
American writer-director Cooper Raiff’s gem of a debut is a film where feelings, especially big feelings, are cool. The story – Alex (Cooper Raiff) has just moved to college and is not having a very good time. One particular night looks promisingly friendship-prone, but is it really? Raiff’s portrayal of college is one of the most authentic ones I have seen. It is de-romanticised, tender, teary, funny and sweet. It even includes a turtle’s funeral.
Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet (2016)
College but make it historical, politically dangerous and Japanese. Lee Joon-ik’s brilliant biographical drama is a monochromatic non-linear retelling of the life of one of Korea’s greatest poets. The story – it’s 1942 and Japan has passed a law that makes Japanese the medium of education in Korea, when Dong-ju (Kang Ha-Neul) and Mong-kyu (Park Jeong-min), move to Japan for college. A year later both are arrested for alleged anti-imperialist activities. In the current social climate, this film is an important reminder that being a student means more than just attending lectures and writing essays.
Munna Bhai MBBS (2003)
The acclaimed and much beloved powerhouse of Bollywood, director Rajkumar Hirani made his debut with this hilarious and heart-warming film. The story – Munna Bhai (Sanjay Dutt), a Mumbai gangster with a heart of gold, gets himself enrolled in a medical college to please his father. In his adventures, he is joined by his sidekick best friend, the playfully nicknamed Circuit (Arshad Warsi). While the film’s comedy is sure to get you rolling with laughter, its more poignant moments will not leave a single eye dry.
Educating Rita (1983)
Of course, I had to include a film set on the beautiful campus of Trinity. Although this is a British drama (directed by Lewis Gilbert) and many characters have a Scouse accent, it was shot entirely in Dublin. The story – Rita (Julie Walters), a 26-year-old hairdresser, wants to do something profound and so she joins a literature course at the Open University (played by none other than Trinity College Dublin). The film is a witty and deconstructing look at the pretentious world of academia.
And a TV
Istanbul Encyclopaedia (2025)
Based on twentieth century Turkish writer and historian Reşad Ekrem Koçu’s monumental work of the same name, this Netflix mini-series (8 episodes) is the brainchild of writer-director Selman Nacar. The story – a bright eyed and excited Zehra (Helin Kandemir) comes to Istanbul to study architecture and moves in with Nesrin (Canan Erguder), a doctor and an estranged family friend. For Zehra, Istanbul is opportunity, freedom and hope, for Nesrin, it is a cage she cannot wait to break out of. The series is remarkable for its polished handling of complex themes and its actors’ stellar performances. If you watch one thing from this list, watch this.
