📘 Part 3: Films

This episode's vocabulary

Social commentaries (n) – films that criticize social institutions or comment on social issues. → Example: Our country produces a lot of social commentaries on poverty and inequality.

Scathing (adj) – severely critical and scornful. → Example: The critic wrote a scathing review of the director's latest movie.

Mediocre (adj) – of only average quality; not very good. → Example: Despite the hype, the film's plot was predictable and the acting was mediocre.

Uncritical (adj) – not expressing criticism or using critical judgment. → Example: He has a very uncritical acceptance of everything the reviewers say.

Comprehensive (adj) – including or dealing with all or nearly all elements or aspects of something. → Example: I read a comprehensive review that covered the plot, acting, and cinematography.

Draw people in (phrasal verb) – to attract someone to something and make them want to get involved. → Example: A big-name actor can draw people in to watch a film they might otherwise ignore.

Boost sales (collocation) – to increase the amount of something that is sold. → Example: Hiring a famous star for the lead role is a sure way to boost sales at the box office.

Household name (n) – a person or thing that is very well known by the public. → Example: After starring in that blockbuster, she became a household name overnight.

Visually appealing (collocation) – attractive or pleasant to look at. → Example: Anime is popular partly because its art style is so visually appealing.

Non-entities (n) – people of no importance or influence. → Example: The film cast complete non-entities, but it still became a huge success.

Do well at the box office (idiom) – to be financially successful by selling a lot of tickets. → Example: Everyone was surprised when the low-budget movie did so well at the box office.

Harrowing (adj) – acutely distressing or disturbing. → Example: Schindler's List is a harrowing film that is difficult to watch more than once.

Bigger budget film (n) – a film with a large amount of money available for its production. → Example: Avatar is a classic example of a bigger budget film with massive special effects.

Questions and Answers

Maria: What are the different types of films which are popular in your country?

Rory: Maybe the same as everywhere else, really. We show dramas and comedies and science fiction at the cinema, to name just a few, but I don't think we have anything wildly different to elsewhere. Maybe we have more social commentaries, as we're seemed to be a very socially aware country. But I don't think that's very unique to Scotland. Other countries will also be aware of social issues.

Maria: Are historical films popular in your country?

Rory: Definitely. I think everybody loves Braveheart, which is a very inaccurate film about medieval Scotland. But there are others like that and period dramas which people really love, even though everyone knows what will happen because the history is so well known. So it must be the drama around the whole thing.

Maria: Do people believe movie reviews?

Rory: Sometimes, although that probably depends on the source rather than what it is. Some reviewers and critics like to make names for themselves by being particularly scathing, even about things that aren't that bad. So they're just mediocre. And of course, some people are completely uncritical about everything. So you need to be able to recognize these things and find balanced points of view.

Maria: And is it better to read the reviews before watching a movie?

Rory: I think it could be helpful if you're trying to work out if the film is good in certain respects, but it's probably not the end of the world if you don't see a very comprehensive review before you go and watch it.

Maria: Should the director pay a lot of money to famous actors?

Rory: I don't know, really. It probably depends on the budget and what gets negotiated by the different people involved. I can see why it would be a good idea, though. Big names often draw people in to watch things they might not otherwise. So it could boost sales. At the same time, just because someone is a household name, doesn't mean they're entitled to a lot of money. They could be given other things instead if the budget isn't very high.

Maria: Why are Japanese animated films so popular?

Rory: You'd have to ask someone who watches them, really. I can't remember the last time I watched any anime. Off the top of my head though, I think the art style is quite visually appealing and often the narratives they have can keep people's attention for long periods, so it might be that.

Maria: Do you think films with famous actors or actresses are more likely to become successful?

Rory: It certainly seems that way, doesn't it? I think it's true for a lot of the bigger budget films, yes, but that's not universally so. There have been films that have cast complete non-entities that have done very well at the box office as well. They might need a bit more effort or luck to do well, though.