Contemporary cinema: the best films of the year
Time: 18:00 - 19:30
Location: Keeley Street
Choose a start date
- Course Code: HF012
- Dates: 06/01/25 - 24/03/25
- Time: 18:00 - 19:30
- Taught: Mon, Evening
- Duration: 12 sessions (over 12 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: John Wischmeyer
Course Code: HF012
Choose a start date
Duration: 12 sessions (over 12 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
This film studies course is a part of film history as it’s being made as we view and rate current films, mainstream or arthouse, as they become highlighted by various awards events week by week until the Oscars in March. These are our films of the year, curated by us, regardless of awards, a guide to the current state of contemporary cinema, the state of the art. The class is a forum, an important centre for social networking, news, and film gossip - plus - wonderful films to explore and enjoy: films you might otherwise have missed or not chosen as your kind of thing. The goal or theme of the course is exposure to a wider variety of cinema.
What will we cover?
- Weekly ‘What’s on previews/reviews of films seen in previous week as students report back.
- Current films placed in the context of film history by the tutor.
- Technique and style of contemporary films analysed.
- How does the class list agree with/differ from critics’ choices?
- Do awards have any value?
- Do you watch in the cinema or online?
- Do you prefer mainstream or arthouse?
- Which films were under the radar - wonderful films you may have missed?
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Analyse the current state of the cinema and of cinemas
- Discover common themes or motifs in contemporary films
- Practice film analysis
- Become more open-minded to the opinions of others
- Gain more confidence in your own critique of films, verbally or in writing.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a course for those who are interested in cinema. No previous experience or film study is necessary but for those who have done previous study it will build on that intermediate knowledge.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Brief opening lecture illustrated by film clips followed by small group discussions feeding back to the whole group. No outside work necessary (although going out to the cinema would benefit you, the class and the film industry). Digital handouts for further research.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No other costs. Please bring notepad/device for note taking.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
For a wide range of film courses on offer - ranging from one-day weekend courses to term-long courses both in the day and the evening please see our website at www.citylit.ac.uk/History, Culture and Writing/Film Studies.
John Wischmeyer (MA in Film Theory) set up, ran and programmed his own cinema in West London and has since taught film studies at the former Gainsborough studio, the BFI and City Lit since 1999, Hitchcock’s centenary year. John has covered a wide range film topics under the banner ‘Cinema Investigates America’ and has a particular interest in and considerable knowledge of Hitchcock, Hollywood studios, American independent cinema and film noir, film technique and style.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.