1. Upper-Intermediate Lesson 37
Book and Film reviews
Upper-Intermediate Lesson 37

2. Today we are going to learn:
Language used to describe books and films.
Phrases for giving examples.

3. What was the last film you saw. What was the last book you read
What was the last film you saw? What was the last book you read? What about a film based on a book? Which one did you like more?

4. Glossary: author novel plot prose role scene screenplay sequel
trailer trilogy weighty bestselling blurb cast classic credits
series
setting
soundtrack
engrossing
flashback
genre

5. Glossary: Books: bestselling, prose, novel, author, blurb
Both/either: weighty, classic, engrossing, plot, flashback, setting, scene, series, sequel, genre, trilogy
Films: credits, role, cast, soundtrack, screenplay, trailer

6. Robert Ebert:
a film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times
hosted a hugely influential television show for several decades
the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism

7. From Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen review, June 23, 2009: "If you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination."

8. From Battlefield Earth review, May 12, 2000: "Battlefield Earth is like taking a bus trip with someone who has needed a bath for a long time. It's not merely bad; it's unpleasant in a hostile way."

9. From Valentine’s Day review, February 10, 2010: "Valentine's Day is being marketed as a Date Movie. I think it's more of a First-Date Movie. If your date likes it, do not date that person again. And if you like it, there may not be a second date."

10. Peter Ackroyd:
won the Somerset Maugham Award and two Whitbread Awards
a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
a Commander of the Order of the British Empire

11. "Rioting has always been a London tradition
"Rioting has always been a London tradition. It has been since the early Middle Ages. There's hardly a spate of years that goes by without violent rioting of one kind or another. They happen so frequently that they are almost part of London's texture."

12. "The 16th-century theatre witnessed the particularly English manifestation of 'the history play.' There can be no doubt that Shakespeare's presentations of 'Henry V' and 'Richard III' have been incalculably more influential than any more sober historical study."

13. “And when I was young, did I ever tell you, I always wanted to get inside a book and never come out again? I loved reading so much I wanted to be a part of it, and there were some books I could have stayed in for ever.”

14. Review layout:
1. What is the title of the book/film? 2. What genre is it? 3. What is it about? 4. If it’s a film, is it based on a book? 5. Where and when is the book/film set? 6. If it’s a film, who stars in it? Who plays the main role(s)? 7. Who is your favourite character in the book/film (Why?) 8. What kind of person would like this book/film?

15. Giving examples: Let’s take ... as an example.
Then of course, there’s ...
... is nowhere better illustrated than in ...
Take ...
... be seen in ...
... illustrates ...
Let’s take the case of ...
Another case in point is ...

16. Write a review of: an engrossing fiction book a run-of-the-mill tale
a popular mainstream sequel
a series with vivid character development

17. Today we have learned: Language used to describe books and films.
Phrases for giving examples.