Help me with my magical realism unit that just got dismantled - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

wilbjammin · 11-22-2004, 05:06 PM

I am teaching Creative Writing at a high school charter school. I was going to use the film "Big Fish" as the finale to the unit on magical realism before having the students write their own magical realism stories. I just got an e-mail from the art/drama teacher telling me that she showed Big Fish to the same students for her storytelling unit because they're going to write "big fish" stories.

So, now, I need some help. I'm looking for ideas on what to do instead to wrap up the unit. I'm thinking that I'd like to find another movie in the "magical realism" vein, but I can't think of any good ones off the top of my head.

I'm looking for suggestions, anything would help. I'm pretty angry right now with how this all transpired, and I'm looking for ideas. Thanks.

Bamrak · 11-22-2004, 05:19 PM

Wow.. that stinks. That movie was interesting to say the least..

What about the old Incredible Stories series? I can remember them being kinda close to that?

MooseODV · 11-22-2004, 05:39 PM

I'm not all that familiar with "magical realism". However, O, Bother Where Art Thou? popped to mind. Don't know if this is really practical for a class room experience due to the fact its an hour and forty-five minutes long.

Did a little searching online whilst reading this and another good movie that popped up with association to "magical realism" was Unbreakable. Another long one though...

Good luck!

Moskie · 11-22-2004, 06:15 PM

Well, what about another classic Tim Burton flick: Edward Scissorhands.

hm... Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind?

Maybe I'm being dense, but are you looking for something that can simply be called "magical realism", or something that also has quirky story-telling attributes to it?

edit: you might want to poke around IMDB, checking out the "Recommendations" link for a couple movies....

ARTelevision · 11-22-2004, 06:23 PM

Peter Weir's "The Last Wave" is good.

T.U.B. · 11-23-2004, 03:42 AM

I was thinking of Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (by Jean-Pierre Jeunet)...
I really enjoyed that movie.

FngKestrel · 11-23-2004, 03:57 AM

Yeah, I'd have to agree with Amelie, that's a good choice.

I just looked up magical realism on google, and I think I've got a sense of what you're trying to convey.

I'm not sure if this movie falls under the category, but Vanilla Sky definitely has that moment in the film where it transitions from his reality to the fantasy that he created for himself.

flamingdog · 11-23-2004, 04:11 AM

What about something like The Green Mile or The Shawshank Redemption? Green Mile is probably more magical. You have the novellas there too to back it up.

ratbastid · 11-23-2004, 05:36 AM

I second (third?) Amelie. Or, for a more darkly humorous choice, Delicatessen, also be Jeunet.

11-22-2004, 05:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
wilbjammin * * *	Help me with my magical realism unit that just got dismantled I am teaching Creative Writing at a high school charter school. I was going to use the film "Big Fish" as the finale to the unit on magical realism before having the students write their own magical realism stories. I just got an e-mail from the art/drama teacher telling me that she showed Big Fish to the same students for her storytelling unit because they're going to write "big fish" stories. So, now, I need some help. I'm looking for ideas on what to do instead to wrap up the unit. I'm thinking that I'd like to find another movie in the "magical realism" vein, but I can't think of any good ones off the top of my head. I'm looking for suggestions, anything would help. I'm pretty angry right now with how this all transpired, and I'm looking for ideas. Thanks. __________________ Innominate.

11-22-2004, 05:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
MooseODV Upright Location: People's Republic of Boulder	I'm not all that familiar with "magical realism". However, O, Bother Where Art Thou? popped to mind. Don't know if this is really practical for a class room experience due to the fact its an hour and forty-five minutes long. Did a little searching online whilst reading this and another good movie that popped up with association to "magical realism" was Unbreakable. Another long one though... Good luck! __________________ If that makes any sense...

11-22-2004, 06:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
Moskie Pure Chewing Satisfaction Location: can i use bbcode [i]here[/i]?	Well, what about another classic Tim Burton flick: Edward Scissorhands. hm... Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? Maybe I'm being dense, but are you looking for something that can simply be called "magical realism", or something that also has quirky story-telling attributes to it? edit: you might want to poke around IMDB, checking out the "Recommendations" link for a couple movies.... __________________ Greetings and salutations. Last edited by Moskie; 11-22-2004 at 06:21 PM..

11-22-2004, 06:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
ARTelevision I change Location: USA	Peter Weir's "The Last Wave" is good. __________________ create evolution

11-23-2004, 03:42 AM	#6 (permalink)
T.U.B. Crazy Location: Belgium	I was thinking of Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (by Jean-Pierre Jeunet)... I really enjoyed that movie. __________________ Amerika by Franz Kafka “As Karl Rossman, a poor boy of sixteen who had been packed off to America by his parents because a servant girl had seduced him and got herself a child by him, stood on the liner slowly entering the harbour of New York, a sudden burst of sunshine seemed to illumine the Statue of Liberty, so that he saw it in a new light, although he had sighted it long before. The arm with the sword rose up as if newly stretched aloft, and round the figure blew the free winds of heaven.”

11-22-2004, 05:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bamrak Enter Title Here Location: Tennessee	Wow.. that stinks. That movie was interesting to say the least.. What about the old Incredible Stories series? I can remember them being kinda close to that?

11-23-2004, 03:57 AM	#7 (permalink)
FngKestrel Junkie	Yeah, I'd have to agree with Amelie, that's a good choice. I just looked up magical realism on google, and I think I've got a sense of what you're trying to convey. I'm not sure if this movie falls under the category, but Vanilla Sky definitely has that moment in the film where it transitions from his reality to the fantasy that he created for himself.

11-23-2004, 04:11 AM	#8 (permalink)
flamingdog Still fighting it.	What about something like The Green Mile or The Shawshank Redemption? Green Mile is probably more magical. You have the novellas there too to back it up.

11-23-2004, 05:36 AM	#9 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	I second (third?) Amelie. Or, for a more darkly humorous choice, Delicatessen, also be Jeunet.