Make ‘Em Like ‘Beckham’
“A number of independent movies that focused on the lives of teenage girls won big at the box office, attracting not only girls, but their parents and probably more than
a few boys”, including Bend It Like Beckham, Whale Rider, and I Capture the Castle. Thirteen is a more somber, gritty look at teen angst.
Dr. Michael Rich
, Director of CMCH, welcomes such movies, “saying that attention to girls is ‘long overdue’. But what really pleases him is not just
the heroines but that the plots ‘are about what is heroic and special in human beings: people behaving honorably, people listening to
their better angels.'”
“‘If images of gratuitous violence can negatively affect kids, then movies with positive images can help kids learn positive behavior,’ he believes. ‘Every moment is a teachable moment – this includes the time in front of TV or movie screen or video game,’ he said.”
Although Thirteen shows explicit scenes
of self-destructive teens, the context makes it a teachable moment. ‘One could hardly say that MacBeth encourages violence, yet it’s all
about violence,’ Rich said. The makers of Thirteen ‘show all these negative behaviors but they all show how they hurt the person who takes it on.'”
a few boys”, including Bend It Like Beckham, Whale Rider, and I Capture the Castle. Thirteen is a more somber, gritty look at teen angst.
Dr. Michael Rich
, Director of CMCH, welcomes such movies, “saying that attention to girls is ‘long overdue’. But what really pleases him is not just
the heroines but that the plots ‘are about what is heroic and special in human beings: people behaving honorably, people listening to
their better angels.'”
“‘If images of gratuitous violence can negatively affect kids, then movies with positive images can help kids learn positive behavior,’ he believes. ‘Every moment is a teachable moment – this includes the time in front of TV or movie screen or video game,’ he said.”
Although Thirteen shows explicit scenes
of self-destructive teens, the context makes it a teachable moment. ‘One could hardly say that MacBeth encourages violence, yet it’s all
about violence,’ Rich said. The makers of Thirteen ‘show all these negative behaviors but they all show how they hurt the person who takes it on.'”