The List

Here is the list of the films that would benefit you as IB students and as educated individuals. Remember none of these films are mandatory. Please do not watch anything that you or your parents would find objectionable. The ratings range from G to R. If you watch any of these films, please blog about what you thought about them, and why you think they were included on the list. Have a fabulous Winter Break. You deserve the rest. I am so very proud of each and every one of you!

These films appear in no particular order.

1) The Star Wars movies (this has become our modern mythology)

2) Forrest Gump (a comedy, a tragedy and a history lesson all in one)

3) Scarface (a commentary on the American Dream. Gatsby for modern times)

4) Gone With The Wind (yes its four hours long but it is an amazing story. I want Scarlett's red dress. You will know the one)

5) Fight Club/American Psycho***(neither are for the faint of heart or squeamish. Especially American Psycho. Both are examples of post modernist films and came from amazing books)

6) O Brother Where Art Thou? (a retelling of The Odyssey)

7) I Am Legend (a social commentary on the race for cures with dire consequences)

8) The Last Samurai (Amazing story about the end of the Samurai culture in Japan)

9) Saving Private Ryan (a historical WWII film that is one of the best)

10) The Lion King (best Disney cartoon. Every literary element appears in this film)

11) Seven Pounds (the ending will leave you speechless)

12) Blade Runner (a haunting, visually stunning dystopian society)

13) Alien (one of the scariest movies ever)

14) The Graduate (life after college with no answers)

15) Moulin Rouge! (sappy story, amazing visuals. Same director remaking The Great Gatsby)

16) The Breakfast Club/Ferris Bueller's Day Off (no better 80's movies exist that stand the test of time)

17) Psycho (Alfred Hitchock, the pioneer of horror movies)

18) The Silence of The Lambs (no more evil, creepy genius serial killer exists)

19) Legends of The Fall (amazing story of an American family post WW1)

20) Anchorman/Zoolander (ridiculous satire and just plain fun)

Start with these and I will publish Part II another time. Happy watching!

IBelieve

You have now completed your Group 4 project, an IA and your IOP's. Even though these were trying times and a tremendous amount of work, you should feel extremely proud of yourselves for your accomplishments. That being said, what have you learned about yourself? What have these tasks revealed about your strengths and areas that you need to improve on? Reflect on these tasks and what you have learned.

The List

I am putting the finishing touches on the list of films all IB students need to see. I will have it up in time for winter vacation so you can watch when you have the time.Some made the list because they are masterpieces in film making. Some because of their amazing storylines and other because of characters you never forget. A few are also thrown in for ridiculous fun. Before I upload the final list, what films do you think need to be added? Are there any that have stood out to you? That for one reason or another you can watch over and over and never get tired of? Give me your suggestions and explain why. (I am just warning you now, do not bother suggesting any Twilight crap, they will not be included)

There are no hard distinctions between what is real and what is unreal, nor between what is true and what is false. A thing is not necessarily either true or false; it can be both true and false.”

We talked briefly about post-modernism when we were reading the "bog" poems by Seamus Heaney. The novel of next semester, Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a post modern novel. The new Batman films as well as films such as "Fight Club" and "American Psycho" are also considered Postmodern. But what does that really mean? Where do you see literature and film going as time moves forward? Is there anything left to do? To say? Have humans come to the edge of their creative threshold? Comment. (Also, IB_Fergie is up and running on Twitter)

Luke: "I can't believe it"...Yoda: "That is why you fail"...

  I know you are probably wondering why the random quote from Yoda and the "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster in this blog. I know we are coming upon the first round of your IB assessments. You are overwhelmed with IA's, IOP's, CAS and a thousand other things related to IB. I know many of you are frustrated, scared, and wondering if all of this is worth it. IB is completely out of your realm of experience and is the unknown. Your whole academic life you have been taught to listen to your teachers, memorize and recite back what you have been taught. For the first time, you are being asked what YOU think. YOU are being asked to come up with a thesis, a theory an idea and support it. You are not being asked to regurgitate what the teacher is telling you. You have a say, a voice, a brain. You are being asked to use it. Yes, there are rules and guidelines about how you use it, but you get to think for yourself. This is very scary but also very cool. Just remember. You are smart, you are talented and you can do this. Trust your instinct, trust in what you have learned and most of all trust yourself. I am lucky to be one of those teachers who you vent to, complain to, and run to when you're scared. I listen to what you have to say and I will always be there to help you. I am also the one who is taking off your training wheels and making you think for yourself. You are the best and brightest of Lake Weir. Remember that. Most of these battles you are waging are within yourself. Trust yourself. Believe. And to quote Yoda and Nike: just do it, there is no try. I believe all of you can do this. You have a gift. Many students would kill for the brain you have. Don't waste it. I want to watch all of you walk out of here with your IB diploma and go out and be successful, make more money than me, and maybe change the world. Don't let me down. And more importantly, don't let yourself down. Please feel free to comment on my little pep talk.

Love and eternal support,

Fergie/Madame Yoda

"Linda, on the contrary, cut no ice; nobody had the smallest desire to see Linda"

There are several scenes throughout Brave New World which can be thought of as humorous and even out and out hysterical. The scene where Lenina first visits the savage reservation, Bernard's erratic behavior and comments, Linda's reunion with Tomakin, and John's reaction to the feelies just to name a few. Do you think Huxley meant these scenes to be funny? If he did, why would he include them in an otherwise nightmarish dystopian novel? If he did not mean for them to be funny, why do we find them so? Is it our culture? Our comedic perception? Or something else.... Please comment.

" I do love new clothes..."

As we discuss Huxley's Brave New World, we focus on all of the negative aspects of the society: the control, promiscuity. lack of individuality and drug induced manipulation. However, for all of the obvious negative aspects, the new society has eliminated crime, poverty, disease, greed and many other deplorable human conditions. Are there any positive aspects of the new society? Is there anything to be learned from Huxley's vision? Is the price of this kind of society too high for humans to pay? Please comment.