As many of you know, I have been teaching English in Guiyang, China for several years now. I am at Guizhou Normal University now and will have about 100 freshmen students this semester, studying (practicing) oral English. I have been given two tasks: 1) Teach students about Western Culture, and 2) Help them practice their oral English skills.
I have decided to use movies to teach the culture of the West and to give students something to talk about in class. I will show one movie a week and we will have students talk about these movies in class. We will practice famous sentences from the movie, such as “Houston, we have a problem, and “I’ll be back”. One problem with talking to 20 year olds is that they have little life experience and little to talk to an old guy about. These movies are a way of motivating these discussions. Another consideration is that the movies should be sufficiently stimulating to capture their interest.
The following is a list of movies and a description that I will show the students. They will have a chance to give input about the the movies that they want to see. My questions for you all is, in your opinion:
1) Are the movies the right movies, considering the objectives?
2) Are the descriptions appropriate?
3) Are there other movies that should be included in the list?
Here’s the list:
1) Appolo 13
The USA lost 17 people in it’s space program. This movie explores the reasons why it is so important to explore outer space. Appolo 13 was supposed to be a space mission to the moon, but got into trouble. This is a true story.
2) Rocky
Rocky Balboa is a loser. He had a chance to do well, but he was too lazy. Nobody respects him, not even himself. He meets a girl and gets another chance to be a winner.
3) Doctor Strangelove
Doctor Strangelove is a German scientist that helped Hitler in his efforts to conquer the world. The US captured him and used him for the US military. One day a crazy US General attack Russia with nuclear weapons and tries to force a war that will destroy Russia, and maybe the world.
4) The Matrix
How do we know when we are dreaming and when we are awake? The machines take over the world and use their technology to enslave the humans in a dream condition. Neo discovers this secret and finds friends to fight the machines.
5) The Duchess
A 17 year old girl in old England was noticed by an old bachelor Duke, who marries her in order to get an heir to his estate. Georgina becomes the Duchess of Devonshire when she marries the Duke in 1774 and becomes the most loved woman in England, but she has an unhappy marriage. This is a true story.
6) Moneyball
Billy Beane is the manager of a baseball team that is losing too may games. His team doesn’t have enough money to get the best baseball players. He knows that he will always be a loser against the big money unless he changes his way of doing business. He is worried about losing his family too. This is a true story.
7) How to Train your Dragon
The boy is a Viking in ancient times. His village is fighting the dragons and his father is the leader of the village. His father is very fierce, but the boy is weak, and his father is ashamed of him. The boy can never satisfy his father unless he can kill a dragon. The boy goes out at night alone to catch a dragon and kill it.
8) Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter
Abraham Lincoln is known to be the most important President of the United States, after George Washington. This is a story about what might have happend to him when he was growing up.
9) Hunt for Red October
The Red October is a Russian Submarine that was so advanced that it could maybe win the cold war if it attacked the USA. The captain of Red October was the best submarine commander in Russia. He knew that this could start World War III and destroy the world so he stole the submarine in order to bring it to the USA. He told the Kremlin his plans, but couldn’t tell the USA. The USA knows he is coming and thinks he is attacking, so the USA is chasing him. The Russians are also chasing him and both countries are trying to sink the Red October.
10) Enemy at the Gates
The Russians are being destroyed by the German Nazi army in World War II. The leader of Russia makes his last stand in Stalingrad and refuses to surrender the city. A simple soldier is an excellent sniper and, with the help of a propaganda officer, inspires the Russians to resist the Facists.
11) Mud
Two teenage boys find a man hiding from the police on an island. They decide to help the man get away from the police and find his girlfriend.
12) Ghost Warrior
A Japanese Samurai is killed while he defends his bride. He falls into the icy water and is frozen. He wakes up hundreds of years later in Los Angeles where American scientists bring him back to life. He has trouble adjusting to modern living.
13) Little Miss Sunshine
A little girl wants to compete in a pageant but has a very poor family and has trouble going to the event. Her family tries to take her there, but has a lot of trouble.
14) Best in Show
The owners of beautiful dogs will compete around the world. The best of the dogs all come to a dog show to compete and become the best dog in the world.
15) Independence Day
The earth is attacked by aliens that want to exterminate the humans and take over the world. Two young men fight the aliens, but have trouble with their girlfriends while they are fighting.
16) The Wizard of Oz
Dorothy has her dog Toto taken away by the evil landlord, but the dog escapes and returns home. To save the dog Dorothy runs away from home, but gets caught in a tornado. She gets hit in the head and while she is sleeping everybody tells her she is dead. She doesn’t believe it and keeps trying to go home.
17) Casablanca
Rick owns a bar in North of Africa during World War II. An old girlfriend who broke his heart comes into the bar and asks him to help her and her husband escape from the Facists. Rick has two visas (letters of transit) that could let her go to the USA with her husband, but he still hates her and doesn’t want to give them to her.
18) Terminator
The world has been taken over by machines, but the machines are losing out to the rebels. The rebels are led by John Connors who taught the humans how to fight the machines. The last chance for the machines is to send a terminator (killer cyborg) back in time to kill the mother of John Connors. Sarah Connors, who knows nothing about the future, becomes the target. Kyle Reese goes back in time to defend her from the terminator, but the terminator is almost indestructable.
19) The Last Samurai
The Americans have come to Japan and are selling weapons to the Emperor in the 1880s. The US navy visits Japan and a naval officer has to fight a samurai warrior. After the fight he must live with the Samurais. These Samurais don’t want the Emperor to buy weapons from the US, but they are loyal. The officer has a mixed loyalty.
20) Star Wars
Darth Vader is taking over the universe and is controlled by the leader of the “Dark Side” of the force. Princess Liah is against him and tries to get help from her uncle’s friend, Obewan Kenobie. Luke Skywalker gets the message. He tries to help her and save the universe from the Dark Side of the force.
21) True Grit
A 13 year old girl goes after the man who killed her father in the old west. This is a true story.
22) Friday Night Lights
In the US, people unite behind their teams. A Football coach in a small town gets a lot of pressure to win a State championship. The high school students also get a lot of pressure from everybody. This is a true story.
23) Rain Man
A rich man dies and gives just a car to the younger son and millions to take care of the older son who has mental problems. The younger brother kidnaps the older brother to try to get more money.
