Movie Prompts
Try writing a film review or analysis on one of the following movies. Watch the movie with paper and pen handy and jot down any key dialogue that strikes your interest. (This will save you time when writing your review!)
Juno
I recently viewed the movie Juno, which was a pleasant little flick about the teenage pregnancy, living in a small town, friendship, among other things…family.
Juno is a loveable and unique character. She wins the audiences’ hearts immediately by drinking a gallon of Sunny D, straight out of the carton, so that she can take yet another pregnancy test. There’s just something about Juno’s laid-back, quirky (and flirty!) personality that makes you want her to be your friend too.
Juno’s ultimate decision to give the baby to the Vanessa demonstrates a significant theme in the movie which is that of FAMILY. Juno, as a character, develops and evolves throughout the movie as she tries to understand what a family is and what a family is not. What does it take to be family and stay family?
The theme of family is introduced immediately as Juno narrates her life situation to the audience. Her mother, she states, has two new, “replacement” kids, but still manages to send her a cactus every year. The absurdity is obvious to the audience, why would someone send a sixteen-year-old girl a cactus? And, why a cactus every year? Clearly Juno’s birth mother is disconnected and out of touch form Juno’s life. The cactus itself is a pokey and unpleasant symbol of the relationship. In the family introduction, Juno appears to have a negative and distant relationship with her stepmother, but through out the movie we learn otherwise.
Juno’s relationship with her mother and her step mother demonstrate an important dimension of family dynamics that Juno understands fully when she decides to give Vanessa the baby despite her divorce. What is Juno saying about family when she gives the baby to Vanessa? What do you think she has learned about family through the movie?
Try crafting your thesis as “In the movie Juno, the main character discovers that being a family is about family.” Now, brainstorm at least three significant
The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters, starring Denzel Washington is about a debate team in the 1940’s who is the first African American debate team to ever debate a white team. The movie begins with Dr. Farmer giving a speech about education and the future. This inspirational speech serves as an introduction to the “power of education” theme that runs through out the film.
Tolston (Washington) and Farmer (Whittaker) push the boundaries by embracing education as the true form of social change and progress. In Tolston’s stirring speech to his debaters he states that by destroying the mind the cycle of bigotry and slavery has continued – only be restoring the mind can this cycle end. And, of course, the only way to do this is through education (or the rehabilitation of the mind = the ability to think critically).
Several times, throughout the movie, the characters are challenged to use their minds to overcome a hardship or difficult situation. Not only do the characters have to use their brains and intelligence, but they also must articulate their thoughts and reasoning in a convincing way.
Prompt # 1
Think of a time when each character uses their intelligence and skills of debate to change the outcome of a situation. Outline each of these situations for you readers, and give them ample evidence or proof as to how and why the character uses debating skills.
Prompt # 2
The movie follows several characters, but who do you think changes the most through out the story? Give your reader some examples of when and how this character changes/evolves.
I Am Legend
Will Smith had a pretty big job when he accepting the leading role in I Am Legend. Of course, he always does blockbuster films, but this one was bigger then most because he has to hold the audiences’ attention all by himself for the first 45 minutes of the movie. The only dialogue is between him and his loyal German Sheppard, Sam.
The story has a pretty simple plot with a few suspenseful twists. The plot consists of: Smith trying to survive in an empty, urban landscape surrounded by the human-eating night-dwelling ex-human population that was infected with a rabies-like virus (originally meant to cure cancer). The sci-fi elements are largely overshadowed by the suspense which keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
Prompt #1
What scenes in I Am Legend demonstrate the over-arching feeling of isolation in modern society? (Remember the mannequins? In one scene Fred, the mannequin outside of the video store, is actually used as bait. Why and how does this tactic work?)
Prompt #2
Do you think that Will Smith’s character responds to the real humans he meets in the 2nd half of the movie, in a realistic way? Why or why not? (You may need to do some research on the psychological effects of isolation in order to support your thesis.)
The Process Essay
Process writing is a pattern of development which traces the steps of a particular process. Many people think of the process essay as “the how to” because the author will often times explain how to accomplish a particular task, hobby, or experiment.
But...process writing is not limited to the dogmatic “how to” approach. Process can be rich & complex, especially if applied to the sciences or other disciplines beyond the typical ‘personal hobby’. Take for instance the life stages of a butterfly or other insect. This is a classic “process,” and when examined in detail, is a beautiful & ornate activity.
Process writing is heralded as an easy way to develop understanding of structure & organization within the traditional five paragraph essay format. The thesis statement typically contains the topic, and a mild judgment. For instance, “Carving pumpkins can be an artistic and enjoyable activity.”
The primary support is, naturally, the steps involved in carving pumpkins in an artistic & enjoyable manner. The author, of course, must maintain & reinforce the thesis statement throughout the piece by reiterating how pumpkin carving allows for artistic achievement and can be carefree & enjoyable. Transitions are required to help the reader navigate through the steps.
The key to process writing is to write the steps in a detailed fashion. The process essay should be so specific and detailed that the reader could do one of two things after reading the essay:
1. Complete the task or activity discussed in the essay.
2. Explain or teach someone else how complete or participate in the activity discussed.
A seemingly “simple” process essay requires thoughtful analysis of the activity. The author must take the activity seriously & examine it as if they were an expert. If the author doesn’t know much about the activity, they many need to do some research. Try it! Write a process essay on a typical holiday activity or tradition like carving pumpkins, wrapping gifts, or carving a turkey.
I'm excited to meet the family, and it's got me thinking about my home. What would I take with me if I was forced to leave with only what I could carry? We have everything we need here in the United States. Even with a minimal income, our homes over-flow with excess. At the grocery store we have hundreds of choices. Even our tooth-paste selection takes up an entire aisle. Try picking one of the following to brainstorm on...
1. If you had to leave right now, what would you take & why? Perhaps your choices reflect your values, needs, and desires.
2. America is dominated by capitalism. Capitalism creates choices, but sometimes these choices cloud or vision. Do choices make life easier or harder?
3. Think of the phrase: Live simply so others may simply live. What does this mean to you?What are some ways that we, as Americans, could simplify our lifestyles and decrease our comsumption of resources?
4. If you have been in a situation were you were/are a refugee, how do you feel that experience colors your view of "choices" in America?
He had gained a few pounds, but looked as jolly as ever as he told a lively story. His cheeks were basically glowing as he recounted a waitress's flirty behavior. His story was only stopped for a momentary puff off a dangling cigarette and a cough. Around him stood a circle of similar-looking late-twenties pseudo-athlete guys who had all had one too many. Apparently, his story was quite the tale as his audience of praise laughed occasionally and exploded in expletives.
The strange thing was how we walked right past, as if walking back in time 5 years, everything about him and his personality came pouring back into my mind. Nothing had changed, nothing at all! He appeared to be the exact same man, with the wild gestures, and gawking demeanor that made him seem oddly younger than his age. What made the whole situation stranger was the way we waltzed pass, no strings attached, no shocking encounter, no raised eyebrows. It could be just my pride talking, but it was oddly apparent how he hadn't changed at all, and I was utterly unrecognizable to him.
Do people change? Do some people change and others don't? What causes change and why do we fear it? Change seems like a double-headed dragon that we both fight off & coddle. We want it, but we are deathly afraid of the ultimate consequences change might bring. Likewise, we live in an acute awareness of the change the surrounds us. Every day brings something new to our universe -- the CD was invented a short twenty years ago, and yet it has entirely dominated the music, entertainment, and computer industry.
Is everything ephemeral, or are there some aspects of human nature that will never change? Are their some aspects of culture, society, or technology that will remain longer than others? What are these unchangeable elements of society, and why do you think they change at a slower rate than other elements of society?
When we re-name something, we stake claim or ownership over it. When we got our cat from the shelter her name was Dragonfly. Even though some people may like the name Dragonfly, we detested it – but why? Because we hadn’t given her that name. We promptly re-named her. The concept of re-naming goes back thousands of years to religious texts where pagan names were replaced with Christian names. Even Adam got to name the animals. Likewise, as parents we have the esteemed right to name our children – and why? Because they are ours. In suit, parents change their names as well when they have children, and they become Mom or Dad to their child. A sure sign of a good friend is a nickname or a re-naming of each other. Likewise, most women change their name to their husband’s name when they get married.
Think of the names you’ve held in your life. What do they mean & how or why did they change? What do your names tell about you? What does your name signify or mean to you, and what, perhaps do you dislike about your name/names that you’ve been called? In short... what is in a name?