movies
 

I would put this in Entertainment but I need more exposure to get quicker answers. A friend of mine is using culture as a subject matter to teach reading. She doesn't watch movies much and neither do I. So, does anyone know what movie would be good to depict these different cultures: American, Latino, Asian, African American, British. Comedy is preferred, and nothing deep. These high school kids won't get it. Thanks!

Blazing Saddles?

Hahah....I forgot about that. Hmm....it's not quite up-to-date. Still good? I'm gonna put it down on the list though. Thanks! :D

Not really comedies - but good portrayals of culture without being too stereotypical.

Asian:Joy Luck Club
Latino: Mi Familia (My Family)
African American: anything by Tyler Perry

Reno 911

did I miss the memo on the suspension of the "we don't do homework" policy?

I am not sure with comedies you get a true representation. They are mostly exaggerations but I came up with a good list. I think,maybe.



Leap Year - Irish/American ( comedy )
Under the Tuscan Sun - Italy ( comedy/drama)
Namesake- India (drama)
The Breakfast Club U.S. (comedy drama)
Mr. Hollands Opus U.S. ( Drama )
October Sky U.S. ( Drama - True Story)
Mean Girls U.S. ( comedy )
Tortilla Soup U.S./Mexican ( comedy)
American Graffiti U.S. (old Comedy

Renaissance Man U.S. (Comedy )
Private Benjamin, Wild Cats, Overboard .U.S. (comedy)
Moonstruck U.S. Italian/American comedy
Breakfast at Tiffiany's U.S. (old comedy)

To Sir With Love - set in London / drama ( oldie but goodie)
Stand and Deliver. U.S. ( drama )

Babies ( documentary/ babies around the world )

The Color Purple U.S. ( drama )
Where the Heart Is U.S. ( drama)
Places in the Heart U.S. ( drama)

Using movies to teach reading counts as work? :eyebrow:

Breakfast at Tiffany's was a comedy????

British:
Any Ealing Comedy (tell her to Google it)
The pronunciation is always RP and easy to understand.
But they're all black & white and therefore might be "too old".
The original The Lady Killers or Kind Hearts and Coronets are excellent though.

The original St Trinians films might speak to a young audience - black & white though they are. She'll have to view them first though! Attitudes have changed!

Otherwise maybe Four Weddings...? Again, I'm not up on the age of the kids. It was a 15 over here (15 being the lowest age to watch the film at) but I remember there being bad language.

Shakespeare in Love? They'd probably hate it.

Brazil?
Maybe too avant garde. And shows nothing of culture really, just subversive attitude.

Can't she show them a Dr Who episode instead?
The Christmas specials run to an hour.... And they're nearly films (in that they're mostly stand alone and therefore accessible). And there are Dr Who books and figures to turn them onto after all....

Or an episode of Morse or Midsomer Murders (both modern day murder mysteries that are shown at teatime, so aren't violent). Both of those show beautiful countryside - ahem, from around my part of the world - AND rural values. Even if they are stereotyped. But isn't anything relating to culture?

If she can deal with Edwardian England there is also The Railway Children (film from a book). I'd be suspect of that in a culture lesson though. You'd have to teach that it was from a bygone era of steam trains and nostalgia.

It's tricky, because we make mostly period films, horror (and I mean REAL horror) or comedies with significant adult content.
I'll keep thinking though.

Did my best for you on the British front babba.
Good luck to her anyway.

Sundae aka Ultimate Brit.

American: I can't think of a movie that better exemplifies the complexity and nuances of American culture, its deeply ingrained tradition, its basis in honor and courage and duty, than Porky's.

While I was searching earlier, what you said is what I was thinking as well. Very tricky.


The Importance of Being Earnest
The Kings Speech
Sliding Doors
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain
Bridget Jones

Lot's of Hugh Grant out there.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. And now an update. My friend just got fired from teaching summer school. She let her students teach her Spanish and guess what they had her say and was videotaped on the student's phone? "Shut up you fucking idiots." :lol: When she realized the student recorded her, she tried to delete it but the assistant principal walked in. He reported her. The principal looked at the recording and asked, "Did you know what you said in Spanish?" Apparently, my friend thought she was learning good, proper Spanish from her high school students. :rolleyes: What an idiot. :lol:

.... come on.

being fired for falling for a school kid prank? there's got to be more to the story. and, though being out of work *SUCKS* (trust me, I know what I'm talking about here), working for an outfit that is wrapped that tightly.... no matter what happens, being out from under such a tightass is a blessing. good grief.

Tarzan's Secret Treasure! (1941)