by Bill Cumming

Are there times when you want to raise issues of character with your pre-teen or adolescent children?

Are there topics you want to discuss and don’t really know how to get into them without sounding preachy or overbearing?

Does it feel to you as if the most important issues get overlooked at times, such as how is it you want the character of your life to be?

Is it sometimes a challenge to speak with your children or students about important choices in life?

Film, movies, even some series television can be a terrific facilitator of conversations dealing with values, human behavior, the capacity in all children, attitudes and results. Following is a list of a few films, all terrific entertainment and that can be used to spark great conversations with your children about a wide range of topics.

They are organized alphabetically by topic area. In each case the topic area is listed, the name of the film, then questions that might be interesting to ask in conversations during breaks (take at least two) and before and after the film.

Appearances Are Deceiving
Good Will Hunting

Custodians are not very bright people?

Do all people who have exceptional intelligence approach things from the same perspective?

What does it mean if I seem distant or angry with the world?

How do you know if someone really cares about you?

Caring versus the duty of Family Obligation
The Secret Life of Bee’s

Who seemed more concerned about Lily’s well-being, her biological family or here “adopted” family?

What was the only type of person not welcomed in the Boatwright home?

Why had nobody bothered these folks for many years?

Causes of Violence:
Monster

Was Aileen violent throughout the film?

What was the primary source of her rejection and self-loathing?

What part did “average” citizen play in the development of her sickness?

Why was Aileen able to shoot an innocent man?

Character
It’s A Wonderful Life

Only people with money can have a significant impact on the world.

The most important aspect of doing business is being liked?

Everything makes a difference, the only question is will it be positive or negative?

Sometimes the clearest picture we can get of our lives is to imagine we were never here.

If I see that this second is precious, where do I have to look to see a miracle?

Communicating Effectively
The Miracle Worker

The reason Anne Sullivan could get through to Helen Keller is that she was so bright?

What made Anne Sullivan’s experience different?

Why was Anne to “tough” on Helen?

Did Helen learn from Anne’s experience of her ideas?

Context
Life is Beautiful

What “context” (i.e. imagined frame of reference) did the Father create for the son about the concentration camp?

How do you know that the boy believed it to be true?

Why was the boy able to stay in a “good mood?”

“The last of the freedoms, to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” What is the movie’s connection to this quote by Victor Frankel?

Discipline
The Last Samurai

What is the connection between mental discipline and producing physical results?

Why would the wife of a wounded warrior tend to the wounds of the man who killed her husband?

What is the nature of the relationship between warriors?

What are the true characteristics of a strong relationship?

Discipline
Gandhi

How could The Mahatma bring the entire United Kingdom to its knees without firing a shot?

Does loving-kindness has a role to play in real world politics and the running of governments?

How did Gandhi treat his wife in the early stages of his life versus later on?

Is loving kindness the same as passivity?

Discipline
The African Queen

When are the circumstances overwhelming?

What is it that really attracts people to one and other?

At what point would it have been wise to give up their quest toward the lake?

How can two people so unlike each other, come to a place of loving-kindness?

Injustice
Dance’s With Wolves

What are some of the great contributions by Native American’s to our global consciousness?

Which group of people actually come from the most unreasonable point of view in the movie?

Which group of people would have been really good stewards of our natural resources?

Which group of people actually have strong bonds of friendship amongst their closest friends?

Loving-Kindness
Essential Character
The King’s Speech

What did the teacher demand of The King?

What did The King not experience as a child that was at the root cause of his fear of speaking in public?

What is the connection between disciple and loving-kindness in terms of producing long term results?

Why did the teacher require the King to come to his studio at the beginning of their work?

Peer Pressure
The Accused

In order to contribute to the damage in the world must one actually commit acts of violence?

If I allow something to take place I know is morally wrong, what is my responsibility in the matter?

If a woman acts suggestive in any way or encourages sexually advances, does she become partially responsible for any inappropriate behavior on the part of others?

What other people do has nothing to do with me, right?

Peer Pressure, Friendship in the Early Years
Stand By Me

When others agreed to do something you knew was wrong, you refused to participate?

What other people do does not cause me to be any less responsible?

The reason I get in trouble is because I pay attention to what others are saying and doing.

If I wanted to be popular, I know how to do that.

Sanity
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Which group of people acted more humanely, those who were “patients” or those who were staff?

What does mental “illness” really mean?

What percentage of the “patients” seemed incapable of dealing with the outside world?

What percentage of the staff actually cared about the well-being of the patients?

Knowing we have value.

Let us know your favorite movies and why they are useful in encouraging dialogue with our youngsters. Special attention will be given to parents and films from other cultures!
With all my love and every blessing!