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Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

I agree with roadwalker. Family-type stuff. We are not there to proselytise our own world view or fave movie. I taught with one woman who showed ALL her classes Thelma and Louise. I don't know what she was thinking - if at all.
The movie should be an extension of whatever we're teaching which is mostly Oral English.
Maybe have Chinese subtitles 'on' for the first movie of the semester but not for the last. I only show movies twice per semester. I time them for after my assessments (2) as a reward.
A good one I used recently was 'The Parent Trap' - the Lohan one.
Well defined characters (nice and a bit nasty/romantic etc). Physical comedy and sassy kids who come out on top.
Even my too cool for school boys grin inanely (unobserved) at the romantic bits.
The current travails of la Lohan give the thing a bit of spice, but that's off the screen.

thebrandynabides · Joined: 12 Jun 2011 Posts: 31 Location: Shaoguan

Thanks for all of the suggestions and words of wisdom.

Cars to American History X is quite a range. Haha.

I'll look through my collection for the simpler, more straightforward films.

Part of the reason I asked this question was to avoid just showing my favorites-I'll reserve forced viewings of my favorites for friends and family.

Peace

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

I only show movies as a reward. I let the students know that if they put in the work we can have a class with a movie. I attach a homework to the movie, so students need to note down their feelings during the movie. I showed "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and got some interesting papers afterward. Showing movies that have complicated cultural referencing need a good lead in. If you can introduce the students to the plot, theme, and main characters before. Have them discuss what they think will happen.

Cyberkada · Joined: 04 Dec 2011 Posts: 306 Location: Xi'an, China

I shown only 2 movies in class (I teach business, computer science and maths).. I really have appreciation for the ESL teachers here. Too hard and exhausting for me. Wall Street I and II... I was told after that NOT to show movies unless they have Chinese subtitles. As I ripped these from legal store-bought DVDs bought in Germany, they will not have Chinese. What are my legal options? (I'm against IP theft)

Additionally strange on the order of Chinese subtitles, as these students all are in an Australian-based English-speaking prep program...

In Maths and Physics I have this great Australian-series from FXPHD that I bought...

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

Beyond1984 · Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 462

"Has anyone ever tried showing Animal Farm?" -GWOW

I googled [Animal Farm movie] and found one from 1954 and another from 1999. Have you seen them both? Which might be more interesting for Chinese students?

-HDT

Kiwi303 · Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:23 am Post subject:

Some of my students came up after class and asked if I could suggest any movies that they might like... All first year girls... I gave them the sugesstions of "Notting Hill" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral"

They're a bit old and unlikely that an 18 yr old chinese girl would have downloaded and seen and family friendly enough for a naive innocent girl...

I wouldn't suggest Caligula... But a too-cool-for-school boy might get "Waterworld" or "Mad Max". They'd probably like the action, but they aren't out and out gruesome like SAW...

askiptochina · Joined: 26 Feb 2010 Posts: 488 Location: Beijing

Here's a list of movies I enjoy and share http://jadarite.wikispaces.com/movielist

I edit for younger ones when the movie isn't appropriate (and also I didn't download all sequels, that doesn't mean I don't recommend them).