I have seen this movie over 100 times...literally. There was documentary on about the mission a month ago. I was astrounded at how many lines they took verbatim from the actual footage/recordings.

 

Apollo 13 is one of those movies I never get tired of watching. I also saw the documentary you are referring to and was impressed that Hollywood chose to portray the actual events so closely.

Has anyone seen the movie on Nixon? What about Watergate movies?

 

Any other WWI movies besides Sergeant York? Any movies on the wars between Civil War and WWII?

 

Any depression era movies?

All Quiet on the Western Front is a classic WW1 movie.

Before he became UberLiberal Michael Moore did a great documentary on the Auto Companies and Big Corporations called "Roger and Me" that was really good and focused on greed and corruption on a corporate level. I might be tempted to show parts of "Bowling for Columbine" in the right class. The scene towards the end where the kid that is paralyzed from the Columbine shooting hands the bullets that were removed from his back to the K-Mart CEO (where the gunmen bought the bullets) was very powerful.

 

In high school I don't remember watching many movies. In Coach Stanley's History Class we watched "Schindler's List" that had just come out on video at the time. In Junior English I remember watching a few films like Moby Dick, My Fair Lady, and Dead Poet's Society. Dead Poets Society is must to show in any High School English class.

 

I work at a college now and the Professors rarely show movies. Some of the English professors will show "The Grapes of Wrath" or "The Great Gatsby" but the Professors generally stick to Documentaries if they even show a movie. most of the time they won't show films in class but make you go watch the films on your own and write a paper about them.

 

In eighth grade I watched "To Kill A Mockingbird" in Mr. Webb's History class. Now that was powerful. Seems like after Elementary School we never got to watch movies. I guess if I taught the following subject areas I would show the following movies to the 9-12 crowd:

 

Political Science

All the Kings Men

JFK

Roger and Me

Citizen Kane

V for Vendetta

 

Science

Contact

Apollo 13

Twister

Awakenings (De Niro at his best)

October Sky

Good Will Hunting

 

History

Amazing Grace

Roots

Schindler's List

Inherit the Wind

Glory (my Middle School art teacher was in Glory!)

Band of Brothers

Cars (great for a unit on Route 66)

Gettysburg

U-571

Gandhi

Gangs of New York (did have to watch this one in college, once in American History and again in Film as Literature)

 

English/Literature

Dead Poet's Society

To Kill a Mockingbird

Romeo and Juliet (90's version with Leo and Claire Danes)

A River Runs Through It

The Ten Commandments (especially if you teach the Old Testament as Literature)

Animal Farm

Othello (90's version with Lawrence Fishburne)

Odyssey NBC Miniseries

O Brother, Where Art Though?

 

Math

Old Episodes of Mathnet on SquareOne! LOL!

 

Back to "Crash" I think if I were teaching the right class I would show it with parental consent. It's such a powerful film that needs to be seen and discussed. If anything the evolution of Matt Dillon's character in the film is one of the most moving you will ever see. I don't recall ever hating a character so much only to end up, still not liking him, but understanding him in the end. Crash is just powerful powerful stuff.

 

Movies are a great way to reach kids. I know a lot of movies based on classic literature me want to go out and read the books. Obviously everyone's mileage may vary on any of these. Just some suggestion for a guy who grew up surrounded by teachers and recently moved into the Academic Affairs area of Higher Education.

We watched "Roots" when I was in eighth grade. I can still remember being blown away by what had occurred in my country. It was a very powerful experience for me, one that I still remember quite vividly.

We watched "Roots" when I was in eighth grade. I can still remember being blown away by what had occurred in my country. It was a very powerful experience for me, one that I still remember quite vividly.

 

Been thinking of this one strongly.

 

I teach alternative students who don't really care about much and I want to give them a better appreciation of the country they live in and somehow, someway teach them.

 

Thanks for the list Red Rambler. Wow.

I have already done the Leo Romeo and Juliet this year.

 

Would LOVE to show Gridiron Gang but the language is beyond awful.

Also, "Black Hawk Down" is an awesome movie. It is very accurate as to what actually occurred. It's rated R, but maybe you could view parts of it, like when Michael Durant is captured. Also, I would highly recommend his book "In the Company of Heroes." I've met the man and he is a true inspiration.

Also, "Black Hawk Down" is an awesome movie. It is very accurate as to what actually occurred. It's rated R, but maybe you could view parts of it, like when Michael Durant is captured. Also, I would highly recommend his book "In the Company of Heroes." I've met the man and he is a true inspiration.

 

I have shown this one too. They are quiet throughout and riveted on the screen. It gives them a good sense of what military duty is really like when you get into a hostile area. They left more respectful for our military.

Maybe my school was a little more strict then... It was hard to pass anything rated over PG13... And being that Crash has lots of foul language, violence, and some nudity, I just figured that it wouldn't play.

 

At my school we probably watched more movies that were rated R than not....

 

We watched....Love Actually, Schindler's List, Full Metal Jacket, Traffic, and The Usual Suspects just to name a few.

 

Basically we just had to have our parents sign a permission slip to watch them.

At my school we probably watched more movies that were rated R than not....

 

We watched....Love Actually, Schindler's List, Full Metal Jacket, Traffic, and The Usual Suspects just to name a few.

 

Basically we just had to have our parents sign a permission slip to watch them.

 

I watched Schindler's List in a teacher's class who just didn't care...

All Quiet on the Western Front is a classic WW1 movie.

I agree with you on this one. The last scene in the film is awesome, and sent a wonderful message for peace and negotiation instead of war. The message was so strong that the movie was banned in the U.S. in the WW II years, when propaganda for war sacrifices from American citizens were needed.

Great movie, and it was made in 1929, I believe, just when "talkies" were in their infancy.

That is a big IF

 

Refering to Dr Stranglove^^^

 

I agree, thats a big IF. Kind of a weird movie.

Lean on Me with Morgan Freeman is still a great one.

 

Dangerous Minds with Michelle Pfeiffer, while I know the idea of teachers and her students clashing and then coming together has been done to death. Dangerous Minds is based on a true story and came out 12 years ago, long before the trend really picked up.

 

12 Angry Men will always be a classic.

 

I agree with this selection. Even if they do not cover core content :sssh:

 

 

Band of Brothers

One of the best movies for your purposes would be "Amistad". Nothing too offensive, and very powerful, plus it is modern enough to keep their attentions. You probably know, but it covers the slave trade, early American politics, abolition, and a strong dose of ethics related to politics.

 

The best movie I saw was in religion class, about relationships with family and friends was "The Great Santini". Don't know if that fits into your classes or not. Thats a good era of movie, because again it's modern enough to relate too, and old enough to pass the censors.

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington