Celebration In Cinema
Five Films That Explore The Theme Of Celebration
Ross Hunter
Cinema and special occasions go hand in hand. Over the years I have found myself fascinated with audience’s film rituals; whether that’s watching The Muppet Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve, Annie Hall on Valentine’s Day or Groundhog Day on… Groundhog Day, I love the connection between celebration and what we watch.
This had me thinking about films that specifically take place during a celebration. Aside from the obvious Christmas films, what films explore what it means to celebrate a landmark? The five films below explore the theme of celebration in their own unique ways.
Coco: Pixar’s effervescent animation throws us into the kaleidoscopic Land of the Dead, inspired by the Mexican holiday of Dia De Los Muertos. Pixar takes the melancholy mood of loss and inverts it, honouring the tradition of celebrating those we have loved in a luminous, joyful way.
Festen: Translated to ‘The Celebration’ from its native Danish, Thomas Vinterburg’s groundbreaking film explores a birthday party thrown into turmoil by deep rooted family revelations. A collision of dark humour and heartfelt explosions masqueraded by the shallow nature of the revellers at the party. A must-see movie.
The Great Gatsby: The most recent adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel by Baz Luhrmann is successful in landing audience members straight into the middle of the glitzy, decadent and energetic parties that the title character throws. Who needs a reason to celebrate when you’re rich and it’s the roaring twenties? As the superficial façade is stripped away by Gatsby’s singular desire for love, we yearn for the simpler times of his dizzy soirees, devoid of heartbreak.
The Hangover: Responsible for single handedly revitalising the ‘Party Film’ genre, The Hangover picks up in the aftermath of one of the wildest nights ever witnessed by Sin City. A love letter to fun and frivolity, the film heralds nonsense in its highest form and is unapologetic in its commitment to chaos.
Four Weddings and a Funeral: As the title suggests, it really has it all! The beginning of the well-established relationship between Tony Curtis and Hugh Grant, the film glides through a number of very quintessentially British social occasions, poking fun at our stiff lips and steadfast traditions. A light-hearted, charmingly awkward breeze of a film.
