A Brave Writer’s Life in Brief

Ordering info can be found here.

Due to the popularity of last summer’s movie discussions on the Brave Writer forums, we are offering a “summer of movies” again this year. Jon and I will co-lead the discussions and will combine students from both the Boomerang and Slingshot Companion classes, as well as any new students who’d like to join us. We had a fabulous time last summer.

Here’s how we run the discussion. We watch six movies in two months (one movie per week with one week off each month). We discuss each movie for a week, going over things like plot, characterization, setting, theme, foreshadowing and other very relevant literary and cinematic elements. Those of you who have read Help for High School know that movie reviews are part of that curricula. Also, for those who don’t know, we are finding out from Brave Writer college kids that movie reviews are sometimes a part of English 101 curricula. Bonita’s son had to write an “ethnographic movie review” in his freshman English class, for instance. I had another student who had to write a comparative movie review.

Even without these incentives, though, the movie discussions are just plain fun. Kids love to discuss these films and we enjoy developing their insight. Participation is only $10.00 per month; $20.00 for the two months.
Here’s this year’s movie list (rottentomatoes.com is a movie review site):

• June 11 – 15 “Remember the Titans” PG 2000 72% Rotten Tomatoes Rating (racism, teamwork, pride)
• June 18 – 22 “Sense and Sensibility” PG 1995 100% Rotten Tomatoes Rating (reason vs. heart in love; loyalty, modesty)
• June 25 – 29 “Sergeant York” unrated 1941 No Rotten Tomatoes Rating (duty to God and duty to the state)
• —– Fourth of July Week Off —–
• July 9 – 13 “Chariots of Fire” PG 1981 85% Rotten Tomatoes Rating (obeying one’s conscience, sportsmanship, integrity)
• July 16 – 20 “Hoosiers” PG 1987 92% Rotten Tomatoes Rating (teamwork, self-control, discipline)
• July 23 – 27 “Casablanca” PG 1942 98% Rotten Tomatoes Rating (intrigue, effects of war, human interpersonal drama)

Ordering info can be found here.

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