Desert Island Films – Joanna Nadin

Tue Mar 2024

Desert Island Films Ed. 6

Imagine being trapped on an island with nothing to do; no phones, no laptops, no wifi and the boring old commodities like food and water. But have no fear! Your island does, for some reason, come complete with a state of the art cinema with a lovely big screen and eight of your most beloved, favourite films of all time!

We have interviewed a number of people of note that are connected to the historical city of Bath. Sixth, is the bestselling author Joanna Nadin.

Joanna Nadin

Joanna Nadin is a former political speechwriter, and the author of more than 90 books for children and adults, including the Sunday Times bestselling The Worst Class in the World series, and the Carnegie-nominated Joe All Alone, which is now a BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated BBC drama. Joanna is also an Associate Professor in Creative Writing at the University of Bristol. 

Joanna grew up in Essex, and has lived in Bath for eighteen years.

1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Steven Spielberg, 1982

“Cinema trips were rare as a child, and this was only the second film I saw on a big screen. The ‘what if’ is genius, and has inspired a lot of my own writing: What if a boy finds an alien and has to hide it from his mum and the government?”

2. Paddington 2, Paul King, 2017

I never had a bear as a child (I was all about the rabbits) and am not a fan of them now, bar one: Paddington, as played by Ben Wishaw. This film is possibly perfect – whimsical, hilarious, tearjerking, plus Hugh Grant tap dancing. What more could you want? 

3. Son of Rambow, Garth Jennings, 2008

It’s a long, hot summer in the 1980s, and the unlikely duo of a Plymouth Brethren kid and the younger brother of the local hard nut try to make an action film. Glorious, heartwarming stuff.

4. When Harry Met Sally, Rob Reiner, 1989

The ultimate enemies to friends to lovers, complete with a midnight dash across New York, Carrie Fisher, and *that* diner scene. I rewatch it every New Year’s Eve, and can recite every killer line. Nora Ephron’s writing at its best. 

5. Mean Girls, Mark Waters, 2004

The original, not the musical version, obvs. Geeky (suspend your disbelief) Lindsay Lohan infiltrates The Plastics clique and ends up becoming one of them. Amanda Seyfried has a perfect comic turn, but it’s Rachel McAdam playing against type as queen bee Regina George who really steals the show. 

6. Jurassic Park, Steven Spielberg, 1993

Dinosaurs. Jeff Goldblum. Say no more. 

7. Top Gun: Maverick, Joseph Kosinski, 2022

I don’t like Tom Cruise. I don’t like airplanes. I don’t even like action films. But if I was stuck on a desert island, I’d want high octane entertainment, and the hope that a hero might be coming to save me, and this is it. 

8. Dirty Dancing, Emilie Ardolino, 1987

Yes, it’s mostly Patrick Swayze sweating in a vest (win) as he and Jennifer Grey (nobody puts Baby in a corner) compete in a dance competition, but  the film’s commentary on abortion rights, misogyny and class make this a wonderful wolf in sheep’s clothing. 

Thanks to Joanna for her Desert Island Films! Look out for the next in our series, coming out in August!