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Rob_Hugo@PortNWMovie night information below
Anonymous"Not One Less" (Yi ge dou bu neng shao), 1999
Director: Yimou ZHANG
Rating: G
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209189/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Not-One-Less-Minzhi-Wei/dp/0767853512/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248885442&sr=8-1
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Directions to office:
USC U.S. - China Institute office, Figueroa Building, Suite 202, second floor
- enter Gate 3, Figueroa Building is located to the left of the basketball and volleyball courts
- Enter through door under red awning marked "USC U.S. - China Institute"
AnonymousI have a mixed review of the movie. Adorable kids and great look at Chinese country life. While I think my students would enjoy seeing what school was like in other countries, I don't know that the pacing of Not One Less would hold their attention. Where would I put this in my curriculum? It's not exactly a 'life under Mao' story.
Any ideas?
AnonymousI liked the film...it started a bit slow but did grab my attention. However while watching it I was distracted by the editing, I know China is not, Hollywood but I felt I could do a better job...I digress..Although I liked it I do not believe my students would have the patience to watch it. I do not believe it is a matter of liking it ( I don't think they would) but sitting through it would be problematic for my class. So I would not show the entire film.
So how would I use it...I think I may be able to use clips when discussing the education system or to show the poverty in the rural areas. The concept of the one room classroom is different for them so possibly discussing schools in general.
Maybe some one else can enlighten me on uses for this film b/c I am lost and I use a great deal of films in my classes. š
AnonymousI enjoyed the movie last night. Parts of it brought tears to my eyes. At first I thought it would have a tragic ending. I think it would be fun to use the first few minutes of the film for staff during the first few days of school before the students return. Given the recent budget cuts, teachers might enjoy the opening scene. In terms of application for student use, I think my APWH students would enjoy the film. If I show it during the year, I would choose a few selected scenes such as the opening, the city scene where the boy is in the market looking for food, and the T.V. station scenes. If after the AP exam, I'd show the entire film. Overall, I'd recommend the film.
AnonymousI have seen most of Yimou Zhang films, and this one was pretty good. It was also short, To Live, was long, but the dress, the acting, I thought was much the same (only more peasant wear obviously). I think the movie itself was good, the subtle change the teacher (loosely termed) goes through as she finds her student can be powerful.
It is always amazing what people do when a story comes up about someone or something in need. The donations given just because the TV station aired a story about a missing boy is something many done all the time. It also boosts ratings and looks good for the Station (government, in this case?). Not being cynical, just observant.
AnonymousI was not really sure what to expect going into the movie last night. I had hoped for more of a historical movie. However, this was an interesting way to show some of the challenges within the educational system, especially in parts of the country in China.
I agree with the other posts in regards to my students probably struggling through the film with their limited attention span and lack of patience. My students generally have a hard time with subtitles unless the film is very interesting. I am also unsure where Iād show this in the curriculum as well.
Overall, it was good for my own educational benefit but not so sure about bringing it into the class.
AnonymousI very much enjoyed this film. The demonstration of persistence and almost maniacal obstinacy in the face of bewildering circumstance is worth it. The depiction of simple country life and especially that of scarcity is powerful. The children singing a patriotic ode to chairman Mao as they stand in dirt and dust outside their pitiful classroom is instructive.
As a cultural telescope, we get a good look at how the Chinese(as portrayed here) relate to each other in their speech and tone and 'other regard'.
AnonymousAs with many films we only have a chance to show clips from them. For a class lesson, what about a question/discussion with students about what they think China is today. If they think about it at all, it is about cheap labor and factories. A few perhaps hear about the burgeoning economy. Few would picture this, even if it is just the beginning of the film, showing the classroom, the scarcity of chalk, and some of the students living at the school.
AnonymousMy students think this movie is not relevant to their thinking of what Chinese classroom should be like. Previously when I watched this film, I felt a young girl like the substitute teacher of this movie has no other choice except to accept a duty of what she was told to do. If she were an urban school substitute teacher, she definitely would encounter many interesting, adventuresome hurdles in her classroom as well. Overall, it is a very authentic movie to portray how the rural schools are running in China. julie
AnonymousI'd have to agree with it being descriptive of rural china and its poorer conditions. it may give students a better idea on conditions there. however, it is a fairly long film and editing would be a must to get your point across. the pace of the movie at first may not be fast paced enough for them...
AnonymousFrom all the reviews it sounds like a must see. I ordered it through Netflix and am eager for the experience.
AnonymousI found the movie bring home the concept that education can truly bring hope even to the most deprived. The sustitute teacher starts out as a door keeper but unknowingly keeps that desire for learning alive in the young minds. I was amazed at her outpouring of emotions of caring and concern for the one she would not accept as "less."
AnonymousTonight we will be showing a snippet of "The Way Home," followed by "Joint Security Area."
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"The Way Home" (Jibeuro), 2002
Director: Jeong-hyang LEE
Rating: PG
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312841/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Way-Home-Eul-boon-Kim/dp/B00008K76Y
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"Joint Security Area" (Gongdong gyeongbi guyeok JSA), 2000
Director: Chan-wook PARK
Rating: Not rated
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0260991/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Joint-Security-Area-Yeong-ae-Lee/dp/B0000687FL
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Directions to office:
USC U.S. - China Institute office, Figueroa Building, Suite 202, second floor
- enter Gate 3, Figueroa Building is located to the left of the basketball and volleyball courts
- Enter through door under red awning marked "USC U.S. - China Institute"
AnonymousI know it is late but...
I am not sure how my students would take the movie. But I really enjoyed the second half of this movie. I think that the movie does do a very good job at showing what life was like in the rural areas of China. It was interesting to see how underdeveloped rural China is.( And we think we have it bad in CA. with the budget cuts) I was amazed to see how much they valued chalk; to the extent that the teacher would use the last bit of dust to write a character before he would use another piece of chalk. The movie was actually kind of sad to see the state of affairs with the kids and their education.