So general parameters. I teach an English unit at a university that includes film and the politics of representation, with each film receiving one week of study and then students choosing one of those three films to develop out a coherent 6-page argument utilizing three academic sources. I have room for three films and this semester I am using Justin Lin's Better Luck Tomorrow and Justin Simien's Dear White People, focusing on race, satire, and cultural resistance.
For the third film, I want to draw from a female filmmaker who has received enough academic study to allow students critical angles into the film. My planned options are Sophia Coppola's Lost in Translation, Andrea Arnold's Fish Tank, or Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker. On some level, I'm looking for a contemporary, approachable film that students can identify with on some level. More than that, though, I'm looking for whichever film has the most fertile cultural commentary.
Any advice is naturally welcome.