The adventure and comedy movie, belonging to the subcategory of buddy films, is set in the Outerbanks of North Carolina, where Zak, a young man with Down syndrome, has a dream- a dream bigger than living peacefully in a care home with the authorities watching over him. The young boy’s goal is to attend his […]
In his true-crime novel, Eli Sanders addresses the actual crime case of the culprit Isaiah Kalebu and his two victims, Jennifer Hopper and Teresa Butz. On a summer night in 2009, Kalebu broke into the house of Hopper and Butz, an engaged lesbian couple, where he proceeded to rape and attack both women and, in […]
This documentary is a wonderful way to introduce discussions around multiculturalism and intercultural contact to the EFL classroom. Set in post-industrial Ohio, the camera team follows the opening of a Chinese factory. Due to the employment of 2000 American workers, conflicts arise as high-tech China clashes with working-class America.
This Black Mirror episode is about (digital) memory records, privacy rights, surveillance, holding grudges, and the importance to let the past go. A world in which an implant allows people to replay their memories for themselves but also on screens for others. During the episode, Liam becomes more and more obsessed with his wife’s relationship […]
This Black Mirror episode is dealing with helicopter parents, surveillance, the issues with surveillance technology, and the importance of stressful experiences. When little Sara gets lost for a while because she was following a cat, her mother Marie takes her to get an “Arkangel”-implant letting Marie not only access Sarah’s location but also see and […]
This Black Mirror episode deals with the ethics of talent shows, consumerism, surveillance, and sensationalism.It features a system making people ride stationary bikes in order to earn “Merits”, a digital currency. Living in a room plastered with monitors they are forced to watch commercials or pay Merits if they want to skip them. When main […]
Based on the novel by John Grisham, this legal drama film deals with racism, rape, and the American legal jury system. A ten-year-old Afro-American girl is raped and beaten up by two white men who are arrested but will probably walk free. Upon hearing that, Carl Lee, the girl’s father in a mood of rage […]
This short story with its dystopian notion deals with blatant racism and the resulting splitting of society. The society described from the view of Emmanuel, a young black man, is a highly racist one leading to constant monitoring of behaviour. Emmanuel talks about how he changes according to how black he wants to seem depicting […]
This dystopian short story deals with the definition of justice, justification of killing, killing as entertainment, racial profiling, and also hints at the effect watching acts of violence might have on children. Isaiah works as an actor in an entertainment park where people can buy experiences of committing acts of violence firsthand including gunshots. All […]
This short story describes the destructive effect of consumerism on a human level. To this end, the shopping frenzy is brought to absurd perversion. The story is written from the perspective of a salesman working his shift on Black Friday. Especially on this occasion, shopping has become an endeavour of life and death. People turn […]
Nora Seed has been unhappy in life for a long time. When the last sources of happiness fall away, she attempts to take her life; only to end up in a magical library. The librarian explains that this library will let her undo all her regrets in life and “try out” other versions of her […]
Set in the 19th century, this novel tells the story of two slaves, Cora and Caesar, forced into labour on a plantation in Georgia. Desperate to escape their inhumane living conditions, they follow the Underground Railroad, a railroad transport system complete with secret routes and safe houses. They are hunted by a slave catcher, Ridgeway, […]
The musical drama West Side Story is the recent film adaptation of the stage musical by the same name. Set in 1957, the film tells the story of territorial and personal conflict between two gangs in Manhattan’s West Side. Prior to a planned ‘rumble’ between the Jets and Puerto Rican Sharks, Tony and Maria meet […]
Cadence Sinclair lives a life of luxury. Every summer is spent on a private island, called Beechwood Island, with her family and best friends. Her family comes from old money, Cadence being the eldest grandchild. Everything in their life is cushy and perfect, or so they pretend. The reality is that Cadence has had debilitating […]
This film is a classic in the dystopian science fiction genre. Gattaca presents a world driven by eugenics, in which children are genetically selected and modified during pregnancy. This leads to a society full of genetic discrimination where individuals are hired or disqualified for certain jobs solely due to their genetic makeup. The main character […]
Jurassic Park is the first installment of the science-fiction franchise of the same name. On the fictional island Isla Nublar, wealthy businessman John Hammond has created a wildlife-park like none other. His team of geneticists manages to bring formerly extinct dinosaurs back to life through the help of prehistoric mosquitos and cloning. When an employee […]
Based on a short story, this award-winning comedy tells the story of an unusual friendship. Victor and Thomas both live in the Coeur D’Alene Reservation in Idaho and have known each other their whole lives. Thomas was saved from a burning house by Victor’s father, Arnold, as a baby. Victor on the other hand mainly […]
This Postmodern utopian/dystopian novel is about artificial intelligence, religion, genetic engineering, and coping with death and guilt.Klara is an Artificial Friend sold to the sickly girl to help her cope with the loneliness and help with her daily challenges. Klara narrates the story and has a remarkable observational capability particularly noticing the little things. Because […]