An American Tail, www.EFLsuccess.com Story: This charming Stephen Spielberg cartoon tells the story of mice who immigrate from Russia to America (in 1886, because of persecution from dangerous cats). Lured by tales of unlimited opportunity and “no cats,” the Mouskewitz family (of mice) … Continue reading →
Jungle Book, www.EFLsuccess.com Story: The jungle is filled with laughter, song, suspense and friendship, in one of the funniest and best cartoons Walt Disney (1901-1966) ever made. A human orphan is raised by wolves, but when a tiger threatens the wolf … Continue reading →
Writing News Articles, www.EFLsuccess.com Unit 17 of my book, Successful Writing for the Real World, presents how to write news articles. Today, “the news” is often an attempt to persuade the reader by presenting the author’s (or editor’s) side of a story, … Continue reading →
The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 狮王,女巫,衣橱, www.EFLsuccess.com Story: Four British children (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie) go to the countryside to escape World War 2 bombing. There, they magically travel to Narnia, a land … Continue reading →
The Family Man, www.EFLsuccess.com Story: Jack is a rich, successful stock broker. One Christmas Eve, he gets a glimpse of what his life would have been like if he had made different choices. What did he give up by not marrying his college girlfriend … Continue reading →
The Road to Redemption; www.EFLsuccess.com Story: This comedy is about life in our times. Amanda’s money problems lead her to “borrow” money from her boss (without permission). After gambling it away, she soon finds the mob (deadly criminals) chasing her. … Continue reading →
The Sand Lot (1); www.EFLsuccess.com Story: How do kids spend the summer in America? In this film, you’ll see July 4 fireworks and a local fair (tiny, moving amusement park), but you’ll mainly see the guys play baseball by the hour … Continue reading →
Ever After, A Cinderella Story, www.EFLsuccess.com Story: Cinderella wouldn’t have needed a magic pumpkin if she’d had Da Vinci! France’s Crown Prince wants to run away from his overbearing father until a “modern-thinking” young woman captures his heart. But will 16th century … Continue reading →
A Charlie Brown Christmas (Snoopy’s Christmas); www.EFLsuccess.com Story: In much of the world, you can easily see Snoopy on clothes, handbags, jewelry, and much more, but did you know that this family dog is part of a popular comic-strip family? … Continue reading →
Finding Nemo, www.EFLsuccess.com Story: A “down under” undersea cartoon adventure. After tragedy makes Marlin (a clownfish) an overprotective father, his only surviving son (Nemo) rebels, and is captured off Australia’s Barrier Reef by a Sydney dentist. While Nemo and new fish-friends … Continue reading →
Steel Magnolias; www.EFLsuccess.com Story: Mix beauty-salon gossip, family love, a protective mother, a pretty wedding, a new baby, the Easter rabbit, Christmas lights, a funeral, and a big dog, and the result is “the funniest movie ever to make you cry.” … Continue reading →
Bend it Like Beckham, www.EFLsuccess.com Story: No one plays soccer like Beckham, and a young woman shouldn’t play soccer at all—at least, not according to two traditional moms in this British comedy. Our past and heritage certainly affect our future, so … Continue reading →
