Cinema

-

Image by Eva Rinaldi. en.wikipedia.org CC BY SA
Do you know the man on this photo? Just read the words behind and you'll guess.

That's right, it's Baz Luhrmann, the director of The Great Gatsby.

This post is about cinema. You will learn vocabulary for talking about and reviewing films. You will also be able to watch an interview with an actor and write a book/film review.

Baz Luhrmann

How much do you know about this director? What other films has he directed? Where is he from? What awards has he received?

Click on this link to find out.

Film glossary
Do you know the meaning of "blockbuster" or "cameo". How about "props"? This is a sample of the vocabulary that you need to know when talking about films.

 Visit this Imdb page to learn film-related words.



Speaking
Think of  a film that you have enjoyed. Make some notes and get ready to talk about it in class.
Watch this interview
Watch Leonardo DiCaprio talk about the film The Great Gatsby.

Before you watch
Look up the meaning of the following words and expressions:
  1. I work my socks off
  2. mirage 
While you watch
Take notes on DiCaprio's answers:
  • Do you feel pressure after you take on a role like this?
  • What does he say about the director, Baz Luhrmann?
  • How do you make things look so effortless?
  • What does he say about Gatsby? and Daisy?

After you watch
  1. Make a list of 5 new words or expressions that DiCaprio uses in his interview.

Watch more interviews
If you would like to watch more cast being interviewed follow this YouTube link.




Reading film reviews by film critics

Have you seen the film? Did you like it? Is it better than the book?

  1. How did American film critics greet the film? Read this article published on The Telegraph article and take notes. 
  2. Read this article by American film critic Charles Moore published on The Telegraph, too.
  3. Do you think that British film critics received the film with great acclaim? Read this article by Philip French published in The Guardian.
Do you agree with the reviews?

Reading film reviews by the public

Read now some reviews by the public on Imdb and compare with the film critics. Who is more positive?

If you would like to read more film reviews, you can visit Rotten Tomatoes.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ADVANCED C1:Describing works of art

-
Image
Art beyond sight Look at the painting by John Sloan and answer the questions below: John Sloan. Sunday, Women drying their hair, 1912 What is the focal point (the place your eyes are drawn to? What can you see in the foreground? What can you see in the background on the right? and on the left? What is happening in the painting? Do you think there is a story behind the painting? If so, what is the story? Which of these words would you use to describe the light in the painting?                      bright         dazzling         harsh          rich          glowing       warm                     dim             gloomy          faint           soft   ...
Read more

Civil rights movement

-
Image
Martin Luther King Jr. Do you know that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated in America on 20th January? He is one of the greatest and most influential figures in the American civil rights movement. We had the pleasure of listening to a visiting American speaker who came to our school to give a talk on the history and the impact of the civil rights movement. He talked about Martin Luther King Jr., but also about those who are not so well-known but paved the way for freedom . His life How much do you know about Martin Luther King Jr? Click on this BBC link and take notes. A bit of history of the civil rights movement. Reading and Speaking Look at the photos below. Do you know who they are? What did they do to pave the way for African-Americans? Click on the history of the civil rights movement and learn about the timeline of the civil rights movement in America. Takes notes. You are going to report your findings in class. The beginning of the civil rights...
Read more

Nelson Mandela: a year on

-
Image
Photo by Pep Fernández. Flickr.com CC-BY-NC-SA Nelson Mandela (1928-2013) died a year ago. He was 95 years old. He did nothing but fought throughout his entire life for peace and reconcilation in South Africa, a country notorious for racial oppression and apartheid . Is South Africa a peaceful country today? Reading and Listening Read this article about how South Africans are celebrating Nelson Mandela's life today. You can also watch an interview with his grandaughter, Ndileka Mandela, who talks about his gradnfather's legacy. And meanwhile, demonstrators fill the streets of New York Have you watched or read the news recently? What's going on in America? How much do you know about Eric Garner? Reading  Read this Wikipedia article about him and take notes When and where did it happen? Who was involved in the incident? What happened to Eric? What was the outcome of the investigation and the grand jury?  Watch this video Visit this New York T...
Read more