I hope they didn't cut the scene where I get carried out of the school on the shoulders of the kids.

[raybear]

Hey look, they made a movie about me as a teacher. I guess two years have passed and we were due for another attempt at capturing the magic of Dangerous Minds.

Also, when did Hilary Swank become the dead ringer for Jennifer Garner?

Comments

[raybear.livejournal.com]

i have no beef with the real-life tactics. i mean, i wasn't being totally facetious when i said they made a movie about the type of teaching writing i do/want to do. i'd probably be interested in reading her book or seeing her speak. i just personally don't need to see a watered down movie version of people's real lives, especially when it's a story that's already been told in movies.

[ladisastre.livejournal.com]

is that the teacher or writer speaking? as an english teacher who has read her students' book, met her and developed as a teacher with their experience in mind, i will support this movie -- even if it is annoying. i will organize groups of teachers in my department to see the movie. i will take students with me to see the movie. i will watch the movie with my friends and my lover. this is my rent.

it's important to me, and it makes me sad that you're letting the writer in you take over and write this off as a story you've already seen. i don't know of a successful movie critic who can write about a movie he hasn't seen. if you hate it after seeing it, then fine. spread the word and don't see it. but this if this is about your life and who you want to be, then by god, put aside what you think the movie will be like and go see it! in fact, tell me what showing you want to go to, and i'll buy your ticket.

there are a group of people in real life who had stories to tell. their book was published. now their movie is out. they're looking out at us to see if we'll watch the movie, or if we'll stay home because their movie, their life looks to many like a movie they've already seen before. i've already read this same discussion about the movie on the imdb chat boards. critics who thought it would be like dangerous minds came out impressed and encouraged others to not make the same mistake.

now, the movie will be free to you -- tell me what time and what theater. give me your address, and i'll send you the book. it means that much to me.

[sharkysmachine.livejournal.com]

I think I just find the subject matter trite. White savior, brown kids, EDUCATION ENSUES.

What kind of narrative is that for a conscious teacher to support.

I personally wouldn't think much of teacher who in 2007 still thinks this is a story that NEEDS to be told.

that's just craziness.

[mintwaster.livejournal.com]

thank you

[raybear.livejournal.com]

i don't think i have to separate out myself as the writer or the teacher. and this is probably because the type of writing i teach is different, i'm not in the full time public education environment, my creative writing experience and leanings come from more of a teaching art perspective that's able to be more youth-led, youth-focused, because it's not happening during a school day.

instead of a multi-million dollar movie that tells the story that *might* inspire others, i would prefer a multi-millions dollar campaign to implement the curriculum directly into school systems. i'm sure some would argue the movie can help with that, but it feels too much like a sort of trickle-down economic theory.

i can totally appreciate the passion and fervor you have -- not only for this movie, but for your teaching in general. and thank you for the offer to buy me a ticket, but i cannot accept. curiosity will probably get the best of me and i might rent sometime in the future. but i'm not interested in partaking in this narrative again, because of the reasons mentioned by others -- the white teacher savior redeems the troubled teens of color. i KNOW that overall it's more complicated than just that -- which is why i said i would be more likely to read the book -- but that doesn't mean i can just ignore the problematic framing either, or that i have to support it, just because there's nothing else out there better.

now if the kids themselves made a movie about their experience, i'd see that in a heartbeat.