Unit Thirty-one: Movies

1. What is your all-time favorite movie? What do you like about it?

2. What is the worst movie you have ever seen? What dont you like about it?

3. Talk about a movie that you have seen recently; you should mention: Where and when you saw this movie Who the main characters were A brief summary of the story What you liked/ didnt like about the movie

4. What kinds of movies do you like better? Why?

5. Are there any kinds of movies you dislike? Why?

6. Do you prefer to watch movies at home or at a movie theater?

7. How often do you go to the movies?

8. What are the advantages of watching a movie at a movie theater?

9. What are the advantages of watching a movie at home?

10. If a book has been made into a movie, which do you prefer to do first, see the movie or read the book? Why?

11. How do you think modern technology has influenced the movie industry?
By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 1

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

12. Would you like to be in the show business? Why or why not?

13. What kinds of movies do you think are not good for children?

14. What kinds of movies parents should encourage their children to watch?

15. Who is your favorite director? Why? 16. Who is your favorite actor/actress? What do you like about them?

17. Rank the following genres on a scale of one to ten (with ten being the most favorite and one being the least favorite):

a. Action

adventure animation biography comedy crime documentary drama

family fantasy film-noir history horror musical mystery romance sci-fi short sport thriller war western

18. What do you think about censorship? Do you think it is sometimes necessary?

19. How is watching a movie different from reading a book?

20. What is your favorite soap opera/sitcom? What do you like about them?

21. What kind of people go to the cinema? Is it a good experience for a child to go to the cinema? Is the price for a ticket fair?
By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 2

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

22. How do you think watching a movie could affect your mood?

23. How do you think the film industry could help a society enhance?

24. Do you think the movie industry is now a servant of politicians?

25. Who is your favorite movie character?

26. What do you think makes a good film?

27. What do you think makes a good star? Give examples of people you think have star quality. 28. What kinds of movies frighten you most? Why?

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 3

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

Star (intransitive)= if someone stars in a film, television show etc, they are one of the main characters in it:

Eastwood starred in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

DeVito stars opposite Dreyfuss in the movie.

Hugh Grant stars as the romantic hero.

The Freshman was Brandos first starring role (=the most important part in a film) in ten years.

Star (transitive) = if a film, television show, or play stars someone, that person is one of the main characters in it = feature

The movie stars Russel Crowe.

A film starring Meryl Streep

The movie starred Orson Welles as Harry Lime.

The film featured Brando as the Godfather.

He has the starring/ leading role in the movie.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 4

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

The supporting roles are filled with British actors.

He handles his difficult role pretty well.

It took her three years to land/ win/ get her first film role.

He landed himself a role/ part in a Broadway show.

He was very good in the role.

Al Pacino stars as Vito and fits the part well.

She played the role/ part of Juliet.

I couldnt follow the plot.

The plot was a little confusing.

We discover that Jack isnt as innocent as he seems, as the plot unfolds (=gradually becomes clearer).

The plot thickens = used to say that events seem to be becoming more complicated often used humorously

A simple/ complex/ complicated plot

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 5

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

She has constructed a complicated plot, with a large cast of characters.

The car chase does nothing to advance the plot.

The main plot revolves around a suspicious death.

There is a clever plot twist near the end of the film.

There are several unexpected twists in the plot before the murder is revealed.

The movies theme is the conflict between love and duty.

Betrayal is a recurrent theme in his movies.

Most of his other movies were variations on the same theme.

Theme music/song/tune = music or a song that is often played during a film or musical play, or at the beginning and end of a television or radio program: The theme song from The Brady Bunch

The movies haunting musical theme stayed in my head for days.

The same theme runs through all her movies.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 6

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

The credits = a list of all the people involved in making a film or television program, which is shown at the beginning or end of it:

Opening/ closing/ end/ final credits

We left the cinema before the final credits began to roll.

Cast = to choose which people will act particular parts in a play, film etc: Cast somebody alongside/opposite somebody (=choose people for the two main roles): Pfeiffer was expected to be cast alongside Douglas in Basic Instinct. Cast somebody as something: Coppola cast him as Sodapop in The Outsiders. Cast somebody in a role/a part/the lead: The producer finally cast Finsh in the male lead.

The characters are one-dimensional.

The characters didnt come alive for me.

Its the sort of movie in which the characters are just cardboard cut-outs.

She started her career as an extra in TV soap operas.

He will play the lead in a new version of Dracula.

Daniel Radcliffe is the star of the Harry Potter films.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 7

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

The hotel is popular with movie stars.

Her co-star Jodie Foster won the Best Actress Award.

He co-starred with Bruce Willis in the movie Die Hard.

The movie had a happy ending.

It is based on a true story.

It depicts real events.

Julia Roberts gave an inspired performance.

They shot the whole film in six months.

The movie was not all/everything it is cracked up to be. = not as good as people say it is

It is one of the greatest films ever made. It is a masterpiece. It is a brilliant story. The actors' performances are outstanding.
By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 8

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

It's compelling to watch.

That was a really gripping film; I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

The story was absolutely intriguing- you were never sure what was going to happen next and the ending itself was particularly thrilling.

The way the music came in was remarkable, that haunting melody was going through my head for two days.

I thought the cast was pretty impressive, too.

There wasnt a dry eye in the cinema.

It was a sequel to his latest film.

The movie had English subtitles.

Blue movie = a film that shows a lot of sexual activity

B-movie = a film that is made cheaply and is of low quality

The movie was very well acted.

Come of age = if something comes of age, it reaches a stage of development at which people accept it as being important, valuable etc: During this period the movies really came of age as an art form.
By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 9

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

A-lister = a very famous film star, musician etc used especially in newspapers and magazines: Several A-listers are expected to be at the movie premiere.

Anime = Japanese cartoons and computer animation (=pictures, films etc produced using a computer)

Manga = Japanese comic books. The pictures in the stories usually go from right to left in the same way as Japanese writing, and the characters often have very large eyes.

The technical aspects of the movie were incredible.

The average cost of making a movie has risen by 15%.

The movie has won a number of awards.

Blockbuster = a book or film that is very good or successful: the latest Hollywood blockbuster Blockbusting (adj.)

A made-for-TV movie

Motion picture formal (also picture) = a film used especially by people who make films or by critics: a major Hollywood motion picture | Tell us about your latest picture.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 10

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

Flick (very informal) = a film: an action flick

Feature film = a film made to be shown in cinemas: The book was later made into a full-length feature film starring Sean Penn.

Comedy = a film intended to make people laugh: Monroe appeared in a number of comedies.

Romantic comedy (also romcom British English informal) = a film about two people who are in love, which is intended to make the people who watch it feel happy: Notting Hill is a romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.

Thriller = an exciting film, especially about murder or serious crimes: The Birds is a classic Hitchcock thriller.

Film noir = a film that shows strong feelings of fear or evil and whose characters are often immoral, or these films in general: The Big Sleep is a classic Hollywood film noir.

Action film/movie = a film that has lots of fighting, explosions etc: Stallones latest action movie

Horror film/movie = a frightening film about ghosts, murders etc: She loves watching old horror movies.

Western = a film with cowboys in it: John Wayne is famous for making westerns.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 11

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

Science fiction film/movie (also sci-fi film/movie informal) = a film about imaginary events in the future or in outer space: 2001 is probably the most famous sci-fi movie ever made.

Gangster film/movie = a film about violent criminals

Silent film/movie = an old film without any sound: The 1920s were the golden age of silent movies.

An independent film/movie = a film made by a small film company

Animated film/movie/cartoon = a film with characters that are drawn or made using a computer: One of his first animated films was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Anime /nme, -m/ = a type of Japanese animated film, which often has a science fiction story: Miyazakis anime film Spirited Away became an international success. | An anime character

CGI = the use of computers to create characters and images in a film: The film uses CGI. | Disneys latest CGI movie

Short = a short film, usually shown before a longer movie in the cinema: an animated short

Trailer = a series of short scenes from a film or program, shown in order to advertise it in a cinema, on television etc: We had to sit through all the trailers.

The movie contains scenes of violence and bloodletting. (= killing people)

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 12

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

Id like to watch a movie in the comfort of my own home.

The humor in the movie sometimes goes beyond the bounds of good taste.

Independent films are, broadly defined, movies that appeal to sophisticated audiences.

Over budget (=using more money than planned): Feature movies always run over budget.

Low-budget movies

I normally wait for the movie to come out on cable.

Hollywood is the capital of the movie industry.

The main/central/leading character: Alec is the central character in the movie. The lead character (=in a play, film, or television series): DiCaprio played the lead character in Titanic. A minor character: Two of the minor characters get killed. A television/movie/cartoon character: My favorite movie character is John Keating played by Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society. A comic/tragic character (=a funny or sad one): Homer Simpson is a great comic character.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 13

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

The best bit in the movie was the car chase through the city.

The movie is set in the 18th century.

The movie is an epic fantasy full of CGI.

Films like Ben Hur have a cast of thousands. The entire cast of Les Misrables A strong supporting cast (=everyone except the main actors) A strong cast (=a lot of good actors) The play has a strong cast of new young actors. A talented cast: It's a fantastic production with an enormously talented cast. An all-star/a star-studded/a stellar cast (=a lot of very famous actors): The movie features an all-star cast. A supporting cast (=all the actors except the main ones) Theres also a fine supporting cast. Have a cast: The play had a cast of almost unknown actors. Head the cast (=be the main actor) Al Pacino heads the cast of this political thriller. A cast member/a member of the cast: Everyone remembers the cast members of 'Friends. The cast list (=list of members): The movie has an impressive cast list.

Fictional/fictitious (=not existing in real life): People sometimes forget that television characters are fictional.

Convincing (=seeming like a real person): The characters were totally convincing.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 14

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

A sympathetic character (=one you like): In the book, Jeff isnt a sympathetic character. Play a character: Robert De Niro plays the character of Danny. Portray a character (=show one in a play, book, film etc): The main characters are brilliantly portrayed. Develop a character (=make a character become more interesting): The movie didnt develop his character as well as the book did. Character development (=the process of developing characters): I thought the plot was boring and there wasnt much character development. A character actor (=an actor who plays interesting or unusual characters): Hes a well-known character actor.

A multiplex cinema (=with several different screens for showing films): You can see the movie now at your local multiplex cinema. A cinema audience (=the people who watch a film) His new movie is sure to bring in big cinema audiences. A cinema chain (=a group of cinemas owned by the same company) He works for a well-known cinema chain. Cinema release (=the showing of a new film at the cinema) His film was banned from cinema release for some years.

A comedy series (=a regular TV program about the same characters): I used to like the comedy series 'Friends. A comedy show (=a performance): She has her own comedy show on TV. A comedy actor/actress: He was voted the top TV comedy actor. A comedy star (=a very famous comedy actor or actress): The main role in the film is played by comedy star Whoopi Goldberg. A comedy film: They were the most successful comedy films of all time.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 15

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

A comedy duo (=two people who perform together regularly): the legendary comedy duo Laurel and Hardy Slapstick comedy (=in which the performers do silly things like falling over, getting dirty etc): The tradition of slapstick comedy goes back to the early days of cinema. High comedy (=intelligent and with very funny conversations and situations): The director wanted actors who could play high comedy. Low comedy (=about very silly situations etc): Hes a popular actor who excels at low comedy. Light comedy (=about subjects that are not very serious): He is clearly talented at light comedy. Black/dark comedy (=about subjects that are usually sad or serious, especially death): The plot contains plenty of black comedy. Alternative comedy (=that is different from traditional types of comedy): Hes making a name for himself on the alternative comedy scene. A romantic comedy: 'Four weddings and a Funeral' is a well-known romantic comedy. A black comedy (=about serious subjects, especially death): There are several murders in this black comedy set in Florida. A musical comedy (=with music and singing): As far as musical comedies go, this is one of the most successful. A sentimental comedy (=about emotions such as love and sadness): The film is one of those tearful sentimental comedies. A situation comedy/ a sitcom (=a regular comedy TV program about the same characters): She starred in a situation comedy about a family with teenage kids, which ran for ten years. A TV comedy: The actor played the character Baldrick in the TV comedy 'Blackadder'.

The movie closes with an emotional reunion in Prague.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 16

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

Much of the movie is shot in close-up.

Josie doesnt come into the movie until quite near the end.

Commercially, the movie was a flop. (=total failure)

Comparison with his previous movies shows how Lee has developed as a director.

A film adaptation of a novel

The movie jumps backwards and forwards in time, which causes considerable confusion.

The movie is a cut above recent thrillers. (=much better than)

The movie has a few serious defects.

A movie that degrades women

The gleaming white teeth are de rigueur for movie stars.

It was a boring movie full of bad dialog.

The movie was an unmitigated disaster. (=complete failure)

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 17

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

Meet your doom (=die in an unpleasant way): At the end of the movie, the bad guys met their doom.

The movie drew praise from critics.

The movie is nothing but a drippy melodrama. (=very emotional in a silly way)

The ... to end all ... = used to describe something that is the best, most important, or most exciting of its kind: the movie with the car chase to end all car chases

The movie is suitable family fare. (=sth as a form of public entertainment)

The movies fidelity to the original book

As the suspense builds up, the movie sets off an amazing chain of events.

Its an incredibly startling movie and its direction shows startling originality.

Its certainly a bold experiment to cast Leonardo DiCaprio as a man twice his age, but Leo is a very accomplished actor and a consummate professional.

The rest of the star-studded cast gave a dazzling display of their talents.

At the beginning the movie flashes back to Billys first meeting with Schultz.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 18

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

Hed had a role in one or two forgettable movies. (=not very interesting or good)

Watch a film: He stayed in and watched a film on TV. See a film: We saw a good film last night at the cinema. Appear in a film: She once appeared in a film with Al Pacino. Star in a film (=be one of the main characters in a film): Robert Mitchum starred in a film called 'River of No Return' with Marilyn Monroe. Direct a film: The film was directed by Jean-Luc Godard. Edit a film: The film was edited using the latest digital technology. Make/shoot a film: Sutton has been making a film for Australian television. Show/screen a film: The film is being shown in cinemas all across the country. Distribute a film: Warner Bros became the first major studio to distribute its films over the Internet. A film stars/features somebody: The film starred Brad Pitt. A film is released/comes out (=it is made available for people to see): The film is due to come out in May. A film is showing (also a film is on British English) (=it is being shown at a cinema): The film is on at the Odeon Cinema. A horror/adventure/war film: He likes watching horror films. A cowboy/gangster etc film: John Wayne was best-known for his roles in cowboy films. A feature film (=a full-length film shown in the cinema): Shane Meadows first feature film was 'Twenty Four Seven'. A documentary film: He has just completed a documentary film about Thomas Jefferson. An independent film (=a film made by a small film company): Young directors began making small independent films.
By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 19

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

A foreign-language film (=a film in a language that is not the audiences native language): Foreign-language films seldom do well at the box office. A low-budget film: Hes currently producing his own low-budget film. A big-budget film: a big-budget film aimed at the mass market A silent film (=made in the time before films had sound): a star of silent films The film industry: Scorsese is a highly respected figure in the film industry. A film company/studio (=a company that produces films): a European film company trying to compete with the major Hollywood studios A film studio (=a special building where films are made): Many of the scenes were shot in a film studio. A film actor/star: John Voight, the American film star, is perhaps best known for his Oscar winning performance in 'Midnight Cowboy'. A film director: This years festival includes a tribute to the French film director Bertrand Tavernier. A film producer (=someone who controls the preparation of a film): British film producer Alexander Korda decided to make a movie about Vienna. A film maker (=someone who makes films, especially as a director): He is one of several exciting young film makers. A film soundtrack (=the recorded music for a film): The films soundtrack was composed by Ennio Morricone. Film music: In 'La Strada', Nino Rota demonstrates the poetic power of film music. A film festival: The Berlin Film Festival attracted more than 400 films from around the world. A film premiere (=the first showing of a film): Film premieres tend to be glamorous occasions. A film crew/unit (=a group of people working together to make a film): The film crew are making a documentary about village life. A film camera: The company produces digital film cameras.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 20

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

A film buff (=someone who is interested in films and knows a lot about them): Film buffs will enjoy reading 'The 100 Best Movies of All Time'. A film critic: The review was written by 'The Daily Telegraphs' film critic. A film school: He graduated from film school in 1998. Film studies: Shes studying for a diploma in film studies.

The movie went down very well in the US.

I like movies with plenty of blood and gore. (=violence)

A gory horror movie (=violent)

The movie has already grossed over $10 million.

One of the heavyweights of the movie industry (=an important and influential person)

The movie is going to be this summers hot ticket (=an event that is very popular or fashionable, and that everyone wants to go and see).

His latest movie has failed to live up to all the hype.

Despite the media hype, I found the film very disappointing.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 21

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

The remake of Casablanca was a pale imitation of the original movie. (=something that is much less good than the thing it imitates)

Opiate = something that makes people stop thinking about the problems in their lives so that they stop trying to make their lives better used to show disapproval: Hollywood movies were seen as an opiate for the people.

The romance is peripheral to the main plot of the movie.

The film is full of anachronisms.

The movie is no great shakes/nothing to write home about/ banal/ mediocre/ unoriginal/ clichd/ hackneyed/commonplace.

The plot stretches/strains credulity to the limit.

The plot is pretty far-fetched/ incredible.

A run-of-the-mill performance

I think films in the past were very strict to their genre.

Its very difficult to pigeonhole the genre of a movie these days.

I think western as a genre has had its day.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 22

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

Art house/arts cinema = a cinema that shows mainly foreign films, or films made by small film companies: art house films

I think the key to what makes a good movie is if carries you into that movie and involves you in it and has you somewhere else for two hours.

I think a good movie is an escapist thing; it carries you away and takes you from your normal life for a couple of hours.

There is that bit in Brave Heart when the camera keeps cutting to the car coming back.

La Grande Illusion is one of the classics of French cinema.

I highly recommend the movie if you can bear the suspense.

The movie keeps you in suspense for over two hours.

Suspense novel/story/movie etc (=one which is exciting because you do not know what will happen next): I love suspense movies.

The movie was a (huge) box office hit/success/smash.

The movie was a box office failure/ flop.

The musical has done very well/badly at the box office.

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan Page 23

Unit Thirty-one: Movies

A (big) box office draw (=a successful actor who many people will pay to see): Angelina Jolie is a big box office draw.

Cliffhanger = a situation in a story, film, or competition that makes you feel very excited or nervous because you do not know what will happen or have to wait a long time to see how it will end: The movies cliffhanger ending.

Whodunit = a book, film etc about a murder case, in which you do not find out who killed the person until the end

The movie is a dismal failure.

I admire the producer because he is such a consummate professional. (= complete professional)

A bed/mediocre movie A cheesy/sappy movie A/An entertaining/popcorn/feel-good movie A drive-in/in-flight/silent/teen movie A violent/gory movie A blue/dirty/porn/porno/X-rated movie A movie buff/fan/lover

By Behrooz Yaghmaeyan

Page 24