News Mash-up: Movies

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Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. go to great lengths to (do something) / goʊ tu greɪt lɛŋkθs tu / (idiom) – to try really hard or put so much effort into achieving something
    Example:

    Aki went to great lengths to get his promotion.


  2. postpartum / poʊstˈpɑr təm / (adj.) – related to the period after the birth of a child
    Example:

    Lisa was given postpartum care at the clinic after her first son was born.


  3. come to fruition / kʌm tu fruˈɪʃ ən / (idiom) – to succeed and produce the results intended or hoped for
    Example:

    His dream of becoming an architect finally came to fruition after six years of hard work.


  4. fruitless / ˈfrut lɪs / (adj.) – producing no good results; unsuccessful
    Example:

    All peace talks became fruitless when one of the countries decided to launch another attack.


  5. exclusively / ɪkˈsklu sɪv li / (adv.) – referring to only the thing or things mentioned
    Example:

    The book is available exclusively in the company’s official bookstore.


Article

Read the text below.

Amanda Seyfried film about postpartum depression had a long road to the screen


Hollywood actor Amanda Seyfried has gone to great lengths to see her new movie A Mouthful of Air about postpartum depression hit the cinemas.


Based on the 2003 book of the same name by Amy Koppelman, who wrote about her own experience, the film came to fruition after Koppelman heard a woman talking on the radio about having the condition. She then reached out to Seyfried to see if they could make a film to shed light on it.


After a fruitless search for a director, Koppelman took the helm of the project despite having no filming experience, because of her understanding of the condition.


The film was picked up for distribution by Sony Pictures and was released on Oct. 29. Seyfried wants more to be done to tackle postpartum depression. (Reuters)


Dune to get sequel, with theater-only release set for October 2023


Legendary Entertainment announced Oct. 26 that Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, which adapts the first half of Frank Herbert’s 1965 science-fiction epic, will get a sequel. Whether that would be the case had been an unanswered question throughout the film’s release, which was delayed a year by the pandemic.


Warner Bros. Chairman Toby Emmerich said the studio will release Dune: Part II in October 2023. This time, the release is expected to be exclusively in theaters.


It stars Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa and Zendaya. Some actors would potentially have larger roles. (Reuters)


These articles were provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Book author Amy Koppelman decided to direct A Mouthful of Air herself despite having no filming experience because of her understanding of postpartum depression. Do you think this is better than hiring an experienced director who doesn’t understand the said condition that much? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • This film tackles postpartum depression, which can help spread awareness about it. Do you think films are effective in spreading awareness about mental health conditions? Why or why not? If a movie is meant to spread awareness about a certain condition, what characteristics should it have to be effective (ex. accurate, respectful)? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Dune was adapted from the first half of Frank Herbert’s 1965 science-fiction epic and the sequel will be from the second half. What do you think about movies that are based on novels or book series? Which do you think is better, knowing a story through reading a book or through watching a movie? Why? Discuss.
  • The release of Dune: Part II is expected to be exclusively in theaters. Do you think movies shown only in theaters but not on streaming apps like Netflix or Amazon Prime are more valuable? Do you think they can become more successful? Why or why not? Discuss.