Most pupils will be familiar with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its main character: Willy Wonka. Yet, how much do we know about him? This new film by Paddington director Paul King– starring Timothée Chalamet as Wonka – explores Willy Wonka’s young adult life, his wishes and how he started his chocolate empire with … Continue reading “Wonka”
This A1+ worksheet is based on the trailer of the new Matilda musical, directed by Matthew Warchus and released on Netflix on 25 December 2022. It was adapted from Roald Dahl’s famous story and the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Matilda the Musical. The story is faithful to Dahl’s orginal: Matilda Wormwood is an extraordinarly … Continue reading “Matilda the Musical”
A Star Is Born is so popular with Hollywood that the new version with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper is the fourth feature film based on the “rags to riches” fame story. We thought it would be interesting to compare the trailers for the four versions. The first two versions of the story are set … Continue reading “Teaching with Trailers: A Star is Born”
A Star is Born stars Bradley Cooper and music superstar Lady Gaga, in her first leading role in a major film. Cooper makes his directorial debut with this third remake of a classic Tinseltown story. In this new take on the tragic love story, Bradley Cooper (“Very Bad Trip “, “Happiness Therapy”, “American Sniper”, “American … Continue reading “Born Again”
Ten years after the smash-hit original film, Mamma Mia is back with a “prequel and sequel”. It’s the feel-good movie of the summer. Perfect for an open-air or drive-in showing, with a cocktail in hand, your dancing shoes on and singing voice ready. For a couple of hours, we can all be Dancing Queens (or … Continue reading “Here We Go Again!”
In this A2-level article your students will read about the latest musical featuring the well-known characters of Beauty and the Beast. They will probably have seen the animated film on which this version is based when they were younger, but may not be familiar with the unfolding of the plot. The parallel drawn here between … Continue reading “Beauty and the Beast”
According to the theme song, it’s a “tale as old as time” – the classic fairytale “Beauty and the Beast” returns to cinema screens in a live-action remake of the 1991 Disney animation. Emma Watson stars as a Disney princess who doesn’t sit around waiting for anyone to save her. The Beauty and the Beast … Continue reading “Beauty and the Beast Again”
“La-la Land” is usually an affectionately insulting nickname for Los Angeles, home of Hollywood and purveyor of unrealistic dreams. The film La La Land, however, is a hymn to the City of Angels, the golden age of cinema and musical comedies. La La Land is making a sensation, having won seven Golden Globes, more than … Continue reading “La La Land: Singing and Dancing all the Way to the Oscars”
Sing is a feelgood movie about a singing competition designed to save a failing theatre in a city entirely populated by animals. From the animators who made Despicable Me, The Minions and The Secret Life of Pets, Sing is full of humour, hit songs and anthropomorphic animals. It is based on a trope we’re all … Continue reading “Born to Sing”
See a play in English… at the cinema! The National Theatre Live brings broadcasts of acclaimed West End productions to cinemas around the world. Coming up in France, performances in Valbonne, Aix en Provence, Strasbourg and Paris. London is a mecca for excellent theatre productions, and the National Theatre’s productions starring the crème de la … Continue reading “National Theatre Live”