Hot Press Student Survival Guide: Culture Vultures

MUSIC

 The College Dropout – Kanye West
Proof positive that there’s light at end of a failed module tunnel. Kanye may have moved onto self-proclaimed god-like status (and who are we to argue with him?) but The College Dropout catches Yeezy in simpler, happier times. Almost a decade on, the record still packs a wallop, with the likes of ‘Through The Wire’ and ‘Jesus Walks’ still boasting unbelievable skill for a debut album. Best of all, it’s unlikely to offend when thrown on at a party. Probably.
 
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel
Something of a rite of passage for any student, Neutral Milk Hotel’s second and final (as of now, at least) album is nothing short of a masterpiece. Based on the life of Anne Frank, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is a gorgeous, sombre waltz full of surreal turns. Regularly cited as a major influence by Arcade Fire and countless others, Aeroplane is one of those rare perfect moments in music. It even scored a perfect ten on Pitchfork, but it’s still great, honest.
 
Homework – Daft Punk
If you’re one of those cool cats who was sick of ‘Get Lucky’ after about a week (hello!), then return to a time when Daft Punk were innovators (if not entirely original – their controversial addiction to samples would begin here) and inspired a great deal more than cheesy karaoke perfomances (Linda Martin, what were you thinking?) Homework is wall-to-wall gold, guaranteed to get even the most rigid Trigonometry obsessive on the floor. Disclaimer: We do not take responsibility for what follows.
 
Before the Dawn Heals Us – M83
Speaking of groundbreaking French electro, no iPod is complete without some M83. Having broken through to the mainstream in 2011 with the sensational ‘Midnight City’ (still can’t get used to it soundtracking the opening credits of Made In Chelsea!), Anthony Gonzalez’s baby continues to mesmerise. Boasting a pretty flawless catalogue, it’s tricky to pick a favourite, but 2005’s Before the Dawn Heals Us stands as either a perfect introduction or career-best highlight. Cinematic splendour that’s sure to go down well with arty foreign types.
 
Christmas Interpretations
– Boyz II Men
Oh yes. You think I’m joking? You think I’m joking. Son, I ain’t joking. Take it from someone who once spent a cold winter night stuck in a lab, bus service suddenly cancelled and a suspicious janitor for company. Grim. Should you find yourself in the same situation, fret not, for there are four ridiculously soulful men from Philadelphia on hand to get you through. Christmas Interpretations may not feature stone cold classics ‘End Of The Road’ and ‘I’ll Make Love To You’, but you already have them on your iPod, right?

FILM

Grosse Pointe Blank
It should be considered a mortal sin to go through college without taking in the (selected) filmography of one John Paul Cusack. No stranger to third-level education, Cusack has cropped up and come a cropper in the likes of The Sure Thing, Say Anything… and, er, Hot Tub Time Machine. And yet, we strongly urge you to check him out in post-education wistful assassin mode in the ace black comedy Grosse Pointe Blank. The Joe Strummer-curated soundtrack is also required listening.
 
Dead Man’s Curve
Starring Matthew Lillard (him out of Scream), Keri Russell (her out of Felicity) and Michael Vartan (erm…), this wickedly dark tale centres around a group of student friends who decide that offing one another in exchange for top marks is a really novel way of getting around that whole “studying” thing. Filled with twists, turns and shots of that campus that gets used in every American college film, it’s a blast. Just remember kids, it’s a cautionary tale, not a how-to.
 
The Rules of Attraction
Which brings us nicely to 2002’s The Rules of Attraction, adapted from the Bret Easton Ellis novel of the same name. Ellis has a penchant for dead-eyed emotional vampires stalking college grounds in desperate search for any kind of connection, and Roger Avary’s manic depiction of debauchery is a perfect realisation. Round of applause for James Van Der Beek as the most rotten apple of the bunch (and it really is quite the bunch). Who knew Dawson could be downright nasty?
 
Bad Boys II
Yep, unashamedly cribbing from Hot Fuzz here but it bears repeating; Bad Boys II is completely, utterly bonkers. If you’ve not seen the majesty that is Bad Boys, don’t worry, it matters not a jot. Plot ain’t exactly Michael Bay’s strong suit. No, he’s much more at home blowing things up and killing lots and lots and lots of people. Not in real life, of course. We think. Regardless, this slice of insanity essentially coined the phrase, “Bayhem”.
 
The Blair Witch Project
I got one hour’s sleep after seeing this. In fact, that last scene regularly pays a visit to my brain when I’m trying to shut down for the night. But here I am, not ashamed to reveal such reputation-damaging information, because The Blair Witch Project is a master-class in suspense, paranoia and shoestring-budget filmmaking. Switch off from the narrative and it’s basically a crash course in how to go about constructing your own underground classic-in-waiting. Just don’t watch it alone.
 
BOOKS

Less Than Zero – Bret Easton Ellis
Before he became an absolute nightmare on Twitter, Bret Easton Ellis usually confined his twisted imagination to his work, satirising society like few others. His debut novel is littered with the tropes that would follow him throughout his career – sex, drugs, murder, apathy, designer labels et. al – and yet, even at just 19 years of age, Ellis brought heavy grace and tremendous sadness to the most superficial of scenarios. Every college bookshelf (they still have those, right?) could use some Ellis, so if you’re a newcomer, best start at the beginning.
 
A Song of Ice and Fire – George R. R. Martin
Or, as it is now more commonly referred to, Game of Thrones. George R. R. Martin’s long-running fantasy series has been running since all the way back in 1996, long before HBO came along and assembled one of the biggest casts in television history (and subsequently killed off about half of them with extreme prejudice). Like the much-loved TV adaptation, Martin’s series is powered by multi-dimensional characters, vicious power struggles and genuinely shocking plot twists. Oh, and tons of sex and violence, obviously.
 
How I Escaped My Certain Fate: The Life and Deaths of a Stand-Up Comedian – Stewart Lee
Wordy title, that. Who’s he trying to impress, eh? To be fair, Stewart Lee may be the greatest living stand-up comedian. If you’re unfamiliar, get onto YouTube immediately (by “immediately” we mean “the second you’ve finished reading Hot Press cover-to-cover”) and sort that out. Then get stuck into these side-splitting transcriptions of three of Lee’s most famous shows. What’s more, the razor-sharp comedian keeps you company as you go in the form of regular footnotes that are often as interesting and humorous as the material itself.
 
Your Movie Sucks – Roger Ebert
Another essential non-fiction purchase, this second collection of some of film critic Roger Ebert’s most scathing reviews is a must for aspiring Tarantinos and assorted cinephiles. Ebert sadly passed away this year following a long battle with cancer, but his legacy is second to none. A writer who followed no style but his own, Ebert was obsessed with the silver screen and could write lovingly about the subject like nobody else. However, when the guy hated a movie, it got more gruesome than a Game of Thrones episode.
 
A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess
Dripping with venom, sharp wit and wonderfully inventive language, A Clockwork Orange is that rare thing – a novel that breezes by in no time at all and refuses to leave your head for years. We’ve all seen the Stanley Kubrick film adaptation (and if we haven’t all seen it, for the love of god, guys, get on it!) which is still magnificent but Burgess’ text – written in the fictional, cartoonish Nadsat – is the real ‘orrorshow.