Job Discussion Forums

jonniboy · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:18 pm Post subject: Movie nights - what to show?

So against my better judgement I've taken over a movie night after a language centre made me an offer I couldn't refuse. The gig is a simple enough one: twice a week for 90 minutes I show them a film(s) in English, preteach them a few words and pause it every so often to explain unfamiliar terms. Simple enough but I'm really stuck for ideas on what to show them. The people who come are generally women, intermediate level aged 30 to 50. However my DVD collection mostly consists of male favourites like horrors, violent thrillers and sci-fi and somehow I can't imagine Star Wars, The Godfather or Trainspotting going down too well with that demographic.

So are there any films you've shown your students that meet the following criteria:

*Not too much slang or jargon, sex or violence, no strong regional accents

*interesting storyline

*preferred genres: comedy, drama, light action... a bit of romance thrown in perhaps

*running time ideally 80-90 minutes (I don't mind extending it a bit)

*well known actors a bonus

So far I've shown them Under a Tuscan sky and Sliding Doors. The latter was well received but at times the accents caught them out.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

We used to show
A Beautiful Mind
What about Bob
The Wedding Planner

hollysuel · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 225 Location: Connecticut, USA

The Truman Show
Groundhog Day (wonderful because of repetition)
Back to the Future trilogy

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

What Women Want (this one's brilliant)

rusmeister · Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 867 Location: Russia

I'll second Groundhog Day. It really is a great EFL film.

For low-level kids I'd recommend Disney's "Homeward Bound"

For anyone at all on a total beginner level (but at least 3-6 months - a year for kids), Spielburg's E.T. There are few minutes early on in the film where they talk fast, but once Elliot meets ET, it's ESL 101.

jonniboy · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 3:15 am Post subject:

johnslat · Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2008 4:08 am Post subject:

Pay It Forward - great movie

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

I just looked in my folder of movies that I've downloaded and actually want to keep, and they're virtually all in French. So, let me think of some English chick flicks.

- Double Jeopardy (with Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones)
- Now and Then (dual storylines w/ teen girls and middle-aged women)
- Mona Lisa Smile (with Julia Roberts)
- Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion (80s music!)
- Never Been Kissed (w/ Drew Barrymore)
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding
- Mean Girls
- How Stella Got Her Groove Back (Taye Diggs, Taye Diggs, Taye Diggs...)

Ummm... all the movies I chose are fluff. Double Jeopardy would have the widest appeal to males, followed by MBFGW, Mean Girls and then Romy and Michelle, probably.

father Mackenzie · Joined: 10 Oct 2008 Posts: 105 Location: Jakarta Barat

Try Forrest Gump (bit long but great language and easy to follow, as there are many stories in one film)
The Terminal is ok
In Pursuit of Happiness

Mr Bean is always fun as there is not a lot speaking so you could get the students to write their own scripts and voice overs.

dove · Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Posts: 271 Location: USA/Japan

I taught a movie class once and the movie that generated the most discussion and interest was that old John Hughes movie starring Molly Ringwald, PRETTY IN PINK. It's very mid-80's but the scenes of American high school life still ring true and they fascinated my students (both male and female students).

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

jonniboy · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject: