Feel like going to the movies? As art imitates life, movies are a great way to take you out of your reality and plunge you into someone else’s. Let’s go take a look at the Rotten Tomatoes reviews to see what picks our fancy.
The site features both trailers and written reviews. It’s up to you how you want to fuel the vocabulary for this lesson.
Pre discussion
- What are some of your favourite movies?
- What genre do you like most?
Useful Vocabulary
Blockbuster: A highly popular, big-budget movie
Indie (Independent) Film: A movie produced outside of major film studios, often focusing more on character and story than special effects.
Sci-Fi (Science Fiction): Films featuring futuristic technology, space travel, or parallel universes.
Binge-worthy: A movie series or show that is so gripping you feel compelled to watch multiple episodes or instalments in a single sitting.
Coming-of-age: A story that focuses on a main character’s growth from youth to adulthood.
Evocative / Thought-provoking: A film that makes you think deeply or triggers strong mental images and memories
Lighthearted: Carefree, cheerful, and easy to watch; not serious or depressing.
Griping: Holding your attention completely; incredibly exciting.
Cheesy / Corny: Predictable, overly sentimental, or dramatic, but often still highly entertaining
Visually stunning: Having breathtaking cinematography, special effects, or art direction.
To be into (something): To like or be highly interested in a specific genre or style.“I’m really into psychological thrillers lately.
Not my cup of tea: Not something you personally enjoy or prefer.“Slapstick comedies are not my cup of tea; I prefer dry humor.”
To be on the edge of one’s seat: To be extremely excited, nervous, or tense while watching.“The movie had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.”
Mindless entertainment: Something easy to watch that doesn’t require deep thinking.“After a long day of work, I prefer some mindless entertainment like action flicks.”
The site: Rotten Tomatoes
Discussion Questions
- Scan the titles and have participants pick one and say why (other than “it looks interesting”)
- Go to the description, at the bottom, and do a quick Tell Back of the summary, pulling out key vocabulary.
- Watch the trailer. Make a list of actions you see.
- Describe the characters. What makes them interesting.
