One of ways my students like to handle movies is Movie Trivia.  I create a series of flashcards with multiple choice questions about the movie.  Some of the items are clearly part of the plot, others are clearly "trivia".  You can find an example from the movie Selena here (you may have to scroll down the page a bit...).  I choose the questions and answers based on  structures that I want to reinforce.  In the sample above, we were really just beginning to look at the past tense and so there is plenty of preterite and imperfect in the trivia questions.

How do we use them?  If the structures are not super-cemented, we do them as a class.  If the students don't need that much support with the language they are a great class or homework activity.  (my students love to highlight the answers)   The questions can be used in a chart form as is, or cut up into cards.  The questions themselves then become a great resource for a Jeopardy game, a board game, a volleyball game (games are a completely different post...use what you already play!!) whatever! 

For groups that get very excited about movie trivia, I may have contests as well.  I can run different movies off on different colored papers, cut up the questions, and drop them all into one envelope for a giant trivia competition.

If the questions are primarily plot-driven, you can have the students use the cards a review or summary sheet for writing. 

Remember, the questions/cards do not have to be only about the plot.  It's a great way to get in information about related material, actors, directors, music, history etc.

This is the media generation.    I love tuning in with them!!

with love,
Laurie