I’m in a bit of a fix: what movie should I screen for the forthcoming Young Writer’s Camp end of May? It’s a session on understanding worldviews which I thought would be better served by a movie than a lengthy lecture.
I’ve had suggestions to screen Memento (mind twisting), A Beautiful Mind (couldn’t stand Crowe in this one), and Fight Club (R-rated). Now I’m going to be speaking to campers between 12 and 19 years (facilitators excluded). So, as much as I think Fight Club makes for an interesting and soul-searching discussion, screening it would get be flayed and quartered.
Then there were suggestions of Tuck Everlasting (too childish), Babette’s Feast (excellent, but I screened it once to college kids and they called it an ‘auntie movie’), Seven (too morbid) and even Kung Fu Hustle ( too common, but I have to admit I enjoyed it). Someone asked for V for Vendetta (but I don’t have the dvd). Should I even think about Rashomon, or maybe Purple Rose of Cairo?
Decisions, decisions. 2 hours for a movie. 45 mins for discussion.
For better or worse, I’m sticking with safe ones. Like Capote (excellent morality study) or Finding Neverland (beautiful romantic excursion, with Johnny Depp too). Both tales have writers as protagonists. Both explore the extent genius is willing to traverse to find truth: the first was manipulative, and the other imaginative. On an existential level, both provide meaty food for thought and I enjoyed them tremendously. But Neverland made me cry.
Which shall it be?
1 comment:
Hmm...I haven't seen Finding Neverland, but I have seen Capote. It (Capote) would make for some interesting discussion- but only for those who highly analytical ones. When I first saw it, I didn't actually see anything much to discuss, other than Capote's character.
I highly doubt people like me (hehe) would've have easily spotted out the more philosophical underpinnings of Capote. And with that said, I would go for Neverland. But then again, I haven't seen it, so I'm really not sure.
2 Cents, for what it's worth.
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