welcome to movie club Fall semester 2011!

dear students,
watch this page for updates on what's coming up for viewing this semester!!!
Ms. ranja

Movie Club pictures!!!

elllo #1076 Men and Shopping

elllo #1076 Men and Shopping

elllo #1082 Technology and Kids

elllo #1082 Technology and Kids

About A Boy: Read the Summary & Questions on the film

About A Boy (Film)

Author: James Murkett

Keywords: relationships, family, commitment, selfishness, shallowness, morality, truth

Book title: About a Boy

Author: Nick Hornby

Publisher: Indigo

Publication Date: 1998

Film title: About a Boy

Tagline(s): Growing up has nothing to do with age

Director: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz

Screenplay: Peter Hedges based on the novel by Nick Hornby

Starring: Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Weisz, Victoria Smurfit

Cinema Release Date: 2002

DVD Distributor: Vision Video (UK); Universal Studios (USA)

DVD Release date: 02 December 2002 (UK); 14 January 2003 (USA)

Certificate: 12 (UK); PG-13 (USA)

Buy the book from Amazon.co.uk or from Amazon.com
Buy the DVD from Amazon.co.uk or from Amazon.com

NB. There are significant differences (in the content and underlying message) between this film and the book on which it is based. You will find it helpful to look at a study guide on the book and an article on the book. See links at the bottom of this page.

Summary

Will (Grant) is a 38-year-old single man who spends his days watching TV, playing snooker, buying CDs and having his hair manicured. He describes himself as an island, complete in himself: 'I like to think I'm Ibiza'. In an attempt to meet available single women he creates a fictional son so he can attend a single parent group. He is content with his life, and aware of its shallowness. This status is threatened when he meets Marcus (Hoult) - a 12 year old with a troubled family background - who finds it hard to be accepted as he is bullied at school: 'I just didn't fit'.
Through the film Will and Marcus develop a complex relationship with beneficial results for both of them - Will improves Marcus' fashion credibility: 'He knows what kids need'; while Marcus prompts Will to be less self-centred, giving him a chance of redemption: 'This was definitely not island living'. Will is forced to admit the shallowness of his life: 'I am blank. I'm really nothing'. The film explores the nature of relationships - where Marcus and Will learn similar lessons - with Marcus coming to the conclusion: 'I don't think couples are the future, you need more than that, you need back-up'.

Background

About a Boy is an adaptation from the book of the same name by Nick Hornby, although changes have been made to the story. The title was a take on the Nirvana track About a Girl (The Guardian, April 26, 2002). Nick Hornby was born in 1957, studied English at Cambridge and is a former teacher who has established himself as a very popular and influential novelist. He has a son and is separated from his wife. His other works include High Fidelity, Fever Pitch (both adapted for film) and How to be Good, which made the 2001 Booker long-list.
This film comes from the makers of Bridget Jones's Diary and the directors of teen-comedy American Pie. The soundtrack was recorded by Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) and the title track has received extensive radio airplay.

Questions

1. Did you like the film? Why?
    
2. Have you read the book? If so, did you prefer the book or the film?
    
3. Who is the 'boy' the film is about? Why?
    
4. How did you react to Will? Did your impression change through the film?
    
5. How do the characters develop through the film?
    
6. What 'moral code' does each of the characters follow?
    
7. What are the parallels between Will and Marcus in the film? What do you think this means?
    
8. Did Will or Marcus have the biggest influence on the other? Why?
    
9. What model of relationships does the film appear to be promoting?
    
10. What conclusion does Marcus come to about relationships? Is this positive or negative?
     
11. What conclusion does Will come to about the state of his life in the film? Do you think this a common experience?
     
12. What is Will's main problem?
     
13. What is said about the need to help others in charity?
     
14. What does the film say about 'fitting in'? How is this done?
     
15. What part does 'truth' play in the film? Which characters value it most? Why?
     
16. How do the concepts of love and commitment seen in the film compare and contrast with those expressed in the Bible?
     
17. What would you say to people who have come to the same conclusion as Marcus?
     
18. 'I increasingly see the truth that what you really need is friends and family and all these corny things' (Hugh Grant, Empire Magazine, May 2002). Do you think this is a common view in society? Do you agree? What would you say is missing from this list?
     
19. 'Ultimately, you have to settle down. And I worry that I've made the wrong choice being unmarked and without a family. Although I take satisfaction from the hugely prevalent failures of my friends' marriages. Ninety-five per cent them have f***ed up now. That is a great comfort' (Hugh Grant, Empire Magazine, May 2002). How is this view seen in About a Boy?
     
20. What do your friends think about marriage? How does it compare with a Christian view on the role of marriage?
     
21. 'I've always regarded it as the height of hypocrisy for anyone to try and bluster on moral grounds because I believe that everyone's a dirty beast' (Hugh Grant, Empire Magazine, May 2002). Is there any truth in this statement?

Movie Winter Mania begins!!

The AGUMOvie club begins an exciting new Winter 2011 chapter with an award winning  movie,
ABOUT A BOY! (se the link)
time: 12:30pm
r.no:124

refreshments will be provided!!!

listen to a short audio clipping abt Football Factories...click on the link below!!

http://www.elllo.org/english/0400/440-FootballFactories.htm

after listening to the audio, click on language exercises on the right.