Lessons in Movie Night Nostalgia

You can learn a lot from a classic film, here’s how you can school yourself by watching some Hollywood hits from the past two decades

Newly transferred from Africa to an American high school, Cady is completely unaware of the rules of high school socialisation in the United States. Cady is quickly drawn into the school’s group of ‘Mean Girls’, nicknamed the ‘Plastics’, led by Regina. She quickly learns she needs to conform to their fashion standards and society soon discovers the group is full of competition and betrayal. 

Life Lessons:

‘Calling someone else fat won’t make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn’t make you any smarter’

‘You don’t have to wear a crown to be a queen’

‘You know, you could be a really great person if you just stopped trying to be so… mean’

Elle, a fashion major, breaks up with her boyfriend because he doesn’t think she’s smart enough, to Harvard Law School. Despite doubts and disdain for her abilities, Elle’s intelligence, perseverance, and fashion-forward personality ultimately set her apart in law school but her style of dress is not just about attracting attention, it is part of her confidence and love for life. She expresses her personality through also reflects her unwillingness to succumb to stereotypes of her appearance and abilities.

Life Lesson:

‘If you’re going to let one stupid prick ruin your life, you’re not the girl l though you were.’

‘You must always have faith in people. And, most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself’.

Rebecca, an avid shopper, has a job as a magazine editor in New York, but her heavy shopping habit has landed her in massive debt. In an attempt to escape her financial woes, Rebecca starts blogging, tries to find a side hustle to pay off her debts, and starts dating a successful investment banker. Her transformation from shopaholic to mature and rational allows her to gradually begin to spend wisely, discover her true happiness and regain control of her life.

Life Lesson:

‘I’m not just a shopaholic, l’m a shopaholic who is trying to make the world a better place.’

‘Maybe we don’t have to fix everything. Maybe we just need to learn how to live with it.’

‘Being a grown-up means taking responsibility, and that’s not always easy.’

When you’ve been a bridesmaid as many times as Jane (27 to be precise) you might never want to attend any wedding. But Jane, who seems to be externally single, keeps every single one as a specific romantic memory of her life and ultimately finds her way towards true love. Those dresses held the emotions and fond memories of her commitment, so she couldn’t afford to throw them away, it represented her fantasies and expectations of an ideal marriage. In the end, she decides to move on from her past, stops sacrificing herself for others, and finds her true happiness.

Life Lesson：

Sometimes you have to give up the things you want for the things you need.’

‘You can’t just wait for the perfect moment. Sometimes you just have to jump.’

‘I’ve been the bridesmaid for 27 times, and never once thought that l should be the bride.’

Have you ever imagined working in the fashion industry? How would you continue to get your work done under high pressure if the boss you dealt with on a daily basis was that fashion magazine diva who would break you down even to buy a coffee.

Andy, who has just graduated with dreams of becoming a journalist, joins the editorial staff of Runway, the top magazine in the global fashion industry. However, she soon discovers that she is not doing the job she wants to do, but has become the personal assistant to her boss, Miranda. Miranda is not only the queen of the fashion industry, but also a know-it-all, demanding femme fatale who presents Andy with nearly impossible tasks.

Life Lesson:

‘You want to be successful, you have to be willing to sacrifice.’

‘You’re at a crossroads in your life. You’re either going to keep doing what you’re doing or you’re going to make a decision and change.’

‘When you’re in this world, you need to be willing to put your whole self in. That’s how you make it.’

Other Movies Worth Watching: