Tuesday, October 31, 2006
The devil Wears Prada - discussion idea
Just come back from watching this film. It would be an interesting film to use with a discussion about choices, image, life style.
- Near the start of the film Andy goes for a job interview and is openly criticised because of what she is wearing and what she looks like. Later on Andy decides to dress like everyone else and all of a sudden, those who were pouring scorn on her start to accept her. During this part of the movie, Nigel takes her to the dressing room and find her some outfits...he flippantly says that it's going to be difficult as she's a size 6...all the clothes will be a size 2 or 4!!!
- As the film progresses Andy gets more and more sucked into her job. It gets to a point where all she does is her job, it takes precedence over everything. There's maybe a clip somewhere around the bit where it's Nate's birthday (her boyfriend) - she misses it because she has to work. Maybe this could be used with a discussion about life's priorities.
- Further on, Andy becomes Miranda's favourite assistant (she gets promoted to number 1 assistant). As part of this she has to tell the Emma (who was number 1 assistant) that she is taking her place...harsh! There are a number of scenes in the film like this where there are difficult choices to make - what would be the right thing to do?
Labels: Video clip ideas
Sunday, October 29, 2006
The Guardian
I went to see The Guardian on Friday night - a bit of a predictable film. It was a bit like Top Gun - it had all of the same elements in it. This would be a good film to show to discus sacrifice and currage. The rescue swimmers are trained to save life realising that it is highly dangerous and it might mean they loose there own life. Anyway, the last part of the film is all about this. Without giving the ending away too much, there's a scene near the end where two rescue swimmers are been winched up into the helicopter in a terrible storm. It becomes apparent that the cable is going fail. So rather than them both falling to their death, one of them chooses to detach themselves in the hope of saving the other.
Labels: Video clip ideas
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Yesterday in parliament
I listened this morning on the way to work...its about black teenagers / rap music lyrics / crime and the criminal justice system: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/todayinparliament/todayinparliament_20061024-2300_40_pc.mp3
Note you need to Fast forward to about 7 mins into the pod cast
Kanye - cracking song
It's an old one, but I do like this song...
Cuts - video edits
Here's something interesting: http://www.cuts.com/index
This tool allows you to create custom edits of DVD's etc. that you can share with your friends and other users.
See demo video on the blog: http://www.cuts.com/blog/
Sunday, October 22, 2006
But I'm a Cheerleader - talk idea
We watched But I'm a Cheerleader last night - great satire on the subject of homosexuality. I think this would make a better clip for the homosexuality talk I did here. You'd probably just show the first bit the film where the send her off to rehab and she had to admit she's a "homosexual".
Labels: Sex, Video clip ideas
Friday, October 20, 2006
EVIL and TEACH illusion
Check out this page. Scroll down to the graphic "GOOD" a little further down is the word "Teach". Maybe this would make a good discussion starter....
Labels: Illustrations
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
New year questionare / talk
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
My Frappr Map - please add yourself
You'll notice that I've added a Frappr map to the side bar - if you have chance, please add yourself to it. Either click on the add button try click here
Monday, October 16, 2006
Volkswagen Polo Volkswagen Polo - Guardian Angels
I don't know if you've seen it but there's a new advert for the VW polo. This video shows a city full of people and each person has an angel following them around. I found an mov file you can download here.
Maybe if could kick start a discussion based around Psalm 91
Labels: Video clip ideas
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Accepted
Just come back from the Cinema where we watched Accepted. It has all the typical stuff you'd expect of a "teen flick", but it does raise a few interesting questions about education. Basically the film is about a guy who doesn't get accepted to collage and as a result is deemed a failure who will never achieve anything. So as a way out of this situation he creates this fake collage(with a building, dorms and everything) - it's enough to convince his parents and as it turns out, lots of parents to send their kids there. Anyway loads of people turn up after been "accepted" at the collage, all paying 10k a term.
This film raises all kind of interesting questions about the nature of education - basically it argues for what we might call informal peer-lead education. While this movie is no master piece I think it's one of those films that youthworkers and young people can relate to. It was interesting that there were lots of cheers / applause from the audience during the screening (mostly youth). I can't remember that last time that happened while I've been at the cinema...interesting.
You could certainly use the start of the film with the Life after school talk I outlined here. There would also be scenes that you could use about rejection, acceptance, bullying (Sherman is made to do all these humiliating things in order to become a member of a fraternity) and the purpose of education...
Labels: Bullying, Video clip ideas
Friday, October 13, 2006
www.screenit.com - looking for a movie topic?
See the "topics to talk about" section on each of the reviews: http://www.screenit.com/all_titles.html
For example, see http://www.screenit.com/movies/1996/the_nutty_professor.html#tt
Labels: Video clip ideas
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Pictinary - ideas
As part of the Rock Solid session tomorrow night we're doing a quick game of Pictinary. The theme is on "light". Here is my extended list things that are vaguely "bright":
- Bonfire, Sunshine, Fire work, Light bulb, Torch, Eye, Glasses, Candle, Lightning, TV, Moon, Stars, Snow, Christmas tree, Traffic lights, a match
In process of looking for ideas I found this which could be an excellent starting point for a guessing game - i.e., remove the answers and they have to guess what they are.
Labels: Activities, Rock Solid
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
The Pacifier - talk ideas
I watched The Pacifier last week - quite funny, it's a bit like a cross between School of Rock and Kindergarten Cop. Here are some scenes that could be used to stimulate discussion:
- Chapter 5 (30 min - 31 mins 40). Seth is in a fight - 6 against 1. The Vice principle says that's a good thing! Use it to talk about bullying? The Vice also does some big talking and challenges Shane to a session on the mats.
- Chapter 6 (31 min 40 - 34 min 40). The children all have to wear these GPS style tags so Shane knows where they are. One of them flushes there tag down the toilet and Shane goes to get it. He ends up in the sewer covered in you know what. You could use this to talk about how committed you are...how far would you be willing to go for your cause / job...
- Chapter 7 (31 mins to 38 mins). The girls get bullied by the boys...the girls run and hide. Later in the film the girls have learnt to stand-up for themselves - see chapter 12 (1 hour 2 - 1 hour 3).
- Chapter 8 (39 min 25 - 44 mins 44). Two intruders break into the house...Shane fights them off. This could be used as an alternative clip for the fighting talk I did here.
- Chapter 11 (55 mins 10 - 49 mins 20). This has got to be the best scene in the whole movie. Basically, the vice principle, the "meminator", has been bullying Seth. As a result of this Shane challenges him to a fight (wrestling match). Anyway, basically Shane wins. Again, this could be an alternative to the fight talk, or maybe a talk about pride or similar.
Labels: Bullying, Video clip ideas
Sunday, October 08, 2006
The Pirates of the Caribbean trailer
Here's the link for The Pirates of the Caribbean trailer:
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Movie trailers / teasers for Rock Solid session 4
Session 4 of this terms Rock Solid material is themed on Movies. In addition to what the material we're going to have some trailers running at the start, end and during the break. We'll have them going on a loop. If you don't know how to do this, either just queue them up in Windows Media player or use Windows Movie maker to merge the films together into one file.
Most of these were taken from http://movies.apple.com/trailers/
The Queen
Jackass 2
Tenacious D In The Pick Of Destiny
The Simpsons movie:
- http://images.apple.com/movies/fox/the_simpsons_movie/the_simpsons_movie-tsr_h320.mov
- http://images.apple.com/movies/fox/the_simpsons_movie/the_simpsons_movie-tsr_h480.mov
Spiderman 2
The break up
Ant Bully
The Santa Clause 3
- http://www.dreamworks.com/trailers/wg/wng_tsr_wm_750.wmv
- http://www.dreamworks.com/trailers/wg/wng_tsr_qt_640.mov
Click
Just like heaven
There are other trailers here:
Labels: Rock Solid
Friday, October 06, 2006
Schools Ministry Network - lesson plans
I've just noticed this site: http://www.schoolsministrynetwork.co.uk/
It looks like it's got a lot of potential - see the lesson plans section.
Labels: Talks
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
RS Session 3 "Strike a light" - hidden talents
This session attempts to look at our qualities and talents. In addition to the published material we're going to show a clip from Bring it on in which Missy show's off her gymnastic talents. The clip can be found in chapter 4. Start the scene just after the line "I don't like wearing underwear". Finish just after the line "I'm overruling you". The Missy obviously has talent as she does everything she's asked to (back flips etc), however, this is not immediately apparent at the start of the clip...this is because she doesn't look like the kind of girl who would be into that stuff.
Other clips could include:
- the scene in Forest Gump where Forest discovers he has a talent for ping pong..."like a fish in water". There are other scenes that you could use...he discovers he can "run like the wind"
- the bit Water boy where he tackles some guy. See the clip reference in this talk I did here
- in Sister Act, there's a bit where the younger nun discovers she can sing
- School of Rock also has a scene where the Alacia goes to see Dewey (Mr S). She tells him she wants to sing...so she does...he says something like "nice horns"
- Billy Elliot the bit where he dances for his dad. If I remember right, the scene starts when his dad is returning home from the pub and they find the lights are on in the sports hall. It finishes when did dad tells him to go home.
- Happy Gilmore - an obvious one...Happy is a hockey player who discovers he has a talent for golf.
Alternatively, you could use some extreme sport type videos...there are some links here, but they are not that good:
- http://www.cpdsa.org/modules.php?name=S_pics&file=video-index
- http://www.inline.spb.ru/video/day-const/day-const2001.mpg
- http://www.archive.org/details/fashitzit_skate
- http://grouper.com/video/MediaDetails.aspx?id=932337&ml=o%3d7%26fk%3dextreme%26fx%3d&
Labels: Video clip ideas
Monday, October 02, 2006
Sponsor / petition forms
I've just made a form for a petition for my step daughter wants to do (she's 8). As a result of this I thought I'd upload a couple of forms that took me a while to put together - maybe it will save someone a bit of time:
- Sponsor form (great north run)
- Petition form
Labels: Template
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