Tough to watch and inconsistent at times, but it remains a great movie.

Precious is a film that will give you many emotions throughout the movie, and let me warn you a lot of it is really tough to get through, especially Monique's portrayal of Precious's mother and the treatment she gives her. I know that was the point to get you sympathy for Precious, but that doesn't change the fact that it was incredibly hard to witness the torture that Precious was going through and I got to be honest, it turned me off the movie sometimes, because it was too much. It helps though that they have blended in a few likable characters to help the torture that Precious went through. My favorite relationship had to be between Precious and her teacher later in the movie Mr.s Rain(Paula Patton) because it felt real and at last somebody wasn't trying to make her feel stupid. My favorite scene had to be when Precious is hungry so she goes to get some Chicken but bolts with it without paying, it was funny and quite cute in my opinion.

Performances. Gabourey Sidibe is a revelation here. She is definitely Oscar worthy and I completely felt for the girl and the torture she was going through. Mo'Nique plays one of the most terrible characters I have ever seen in a movie. She has no likable qualities and I felt no sympathy for her, I was glad when she got what she deserved. Paula Patton is very pretty and does great as Mrs Rain. Her kindness helped soothe the movie for me. Mariah Carey is surprisingly terrific in her role. She displayed likability and charisma.

Bottom line. It's grueling to watch, it's not always consistent, but in the end it had me thinking when it was over. The performances are one for the ages, and if you have the strength to get through this movie, I highly recommend it. Simply precious.

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

“In Harlem, an overweight, illiterate teen who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction.”

Gabourey Sidibe plays the title character, an illiterate, overweight teenage black girl in 1987 Harlem. She lives with her abusive mother (Mo'Nique) and already has one child and another on the way, both of which came from getting raped by her father. Their world is one of the grittiest ever brought to screen: aside from the scuzzy surroundings, everything's always about to explode in their apartment.

When the bullied Precious gets expelled from her school, she gets reassigned to an alternative school. So begins a new adventure in her life. But not without some tough spots along the way.

Clever and understated pseudo-documentary

With a droll sense of humor and a flair for gentle satire, the filmmakers poke affectionate fun at the life of a teacher, while at the same time evincing a genuine respect for the characters and what it is they are trying to do. The movie acknowledges that teaching is a difficult profession, yet it doesn't insult those who dedicate their lives to it by pretending that all one need have to be successful is a magical combination of motivational speeches and good intentions.

The cast members, most of whom are newcomers to the movies, never undercut the joke by winking at the camera or treating the material with anything less than total earnestness. They genuinely appear to be ad-libbing their lines, lending to the film the air of spontaneity and improvisation befitting a documentary. And the movie ends on a note of quiet poignancy that reminds us of just how powerful a tool restraint can be in making a point.

By refusing to resort to either melodrama or hyperbole, "Chalk" paints about as realistic a portrait of life in the classroom as I've seen in quite some time.

Chalk

The low-budget comedy "Chalk" provides a welcome antidote to all those inspirational, cookie-cutter crowd-pleasers like "Freedom Writers" and "Dangerous Minds" that Hollywood routinely proffers in answer to our troubled schools.

Although this is a scripted, fictional film, co-writers Mike Akel (who is also the director) and Chris Mass (who also plays one of the teachers) have given "Chalk" the look and feel of a slice-of-life documentary. Director Akel has trained his cameras on a handful of young teachers and one first-year administrator as they go about the business of molding young minds at a fictional school called Harrison High (though the location remains unidentified, the movie itself was filmed in Austin, Texas). Yet, these are not your typical movie "super teachers" who, through sheer force of personality and a series of well-crafted lessons, are able to convert their initially hardened students into lifelong lovers of learning. Rather, the teachers here are well-meaning but imperfect mortals who wage a daily battle with students who won't learn, copiers that won't copy, and colleagues who often don't see eye-to-eye even on the most rudimentary aspects of teaching and learning, let alone on how best to run a school. Frankly, it's a good day for these teachers if the students aren't fighting in the lunch area, hiding the chalk as a lame practical joke, or arguing about why they aren't allowed to use a cell phone in class. And there are times in which the teachers themselves come across as more insecure, petty and immature than even their own students. Yet, there are also those special moments when the teachers and pupils manage to connect on a meaningful level - those little flashes of hope that the whole frustrating ordeal might just possibly amount to something worthy in the end.

A winner despite conventional story elements

"Because of scoring exceptionally high on a state wide standardized exam and being an exceptionally good basketball player Jamal Wallace is sent to a prestigious prep school in Manhattan. He soon befriends the reclusive writer, William Forrester. "

Inspiring story of an ambitious urban African-American teenager, a prodigy of the Bronx who's not only a great athlete but academically brilliant as well, and his unlikely bond with a reclusive writer who teaches him the merits of good writing and invaluable insight to life after he enrolls in a predominantly white, upper-class prep school. The premise is simple and familiar, to say the least, but it's acted with conviction and always involving with some poignant messages about friendship, as well as the pursuit and discovery of a true life's dream. More profane than it needs to be, but overall a thoughtful and in-depth drama with newcomer Brown making a formidable on-screen presence for old pro Connery.

This is a highly intelligent film with a strong story, steady direction and marvelous acting. Despite an all too familiar storyline, it differentiates itself by its wide-ranging excellence. For those who enjoy good dramatic performances and intriguing character studies, this film is not to be missed.

Finding Forrester

William Forester once wrote a Pulitzer Prize winning book, but now is a recluse, hiding from his fame, who never leaves his book-filled apartment in the Bronx, but spends his time reading and bird watching, as well as watching the teenagers of the neighborhood play basketball in the park outside his window. Jamal Wallace is one of these teenagers. He hides his love of reading, and his brilliant writing skills, and chooses instead to gain the acceptance of his peers through his skill at basketball. A prep school has offered Jamal a scholarship because of his high test scores, and their need to win a basketball championship. The two characters meet, and Forester becomes a sort of teacher/mentor, but both learn many things from each other. The friendship leads to William to overcome his reclusiveness and for Jamal to overcome the racial prejudices and pursue his true dream - writing. Symbolism is important in this film, and it makes many good points about people, how we relate to each other, and how we deal with the difficulties of life.

Strong acting helps overcome the familiarity of the material

Morgan Freeman is perfectly cast as Joe Clark, a newly appointed principal at a deteriorating, gang-ridden school who gets through to his students with a tough, opinionated, no-nonsense approach to the pursuit of academic excellence. The odds are stacked against him as the education board threatens to shut down East Side High School, but with his burning desire, devoted staff and administration, and some bright students who actually want to succeed, he rallies them for what will be the final chance for the school to remain open.

Clark turned Eastside around, appearing on the cover of "Time Magazine" and becoming a national symbol of tough-love education. "If you don't succeed in life," Clark tells his students, "don't blame your backgrounds. Don't blame the Establishment. Blame YOURSELVES." His message is simple: Don't lean on excuses, drugs, crime, or anger. LEAN ON ME...and learn.

Based on a true story the premise is familiar and the script has its ups and downs, but it's meaningful and acted with strength and conviction, especially Freeman who is nothing short of superb.

Lean on Me

When a school in Paterson, New Jersey, has less-than-average basic skills test scores, it faces the possibility of being taken over by the state. So the mayor asks the school superintendent for help, and he suggests that they appoint the controversial Joe Clark as the school principal. Clark begrudgingly agrees. And when he arrives, he shakes things up by reassigning teachers and calling all of them incompetent. And it isn't long before a lot of people want him out, but at the same time, he gains the respect of some of the teachers and the students.

Lean on Me is about an arrogant and unorthodox teacher returns as principal to the idyllic high school from which he had earlier been fired to find it a den of drug abuse, gang violence, and urban despair. Eventually his successful but unorthodox methods lead to a clash with city officials that threatens to undo all his efforts. Based on a true story.

Inspiring and heart-warming story for the love of words

"The old saying . . . that style is the man himself is as near the truth as we can get—but then most men mistake grammar for style, as they mistake correct spelling for words or schooling for education." - Samuel Butler

This is one movie the whole family can see. The story of Akeelah is an inspirational and heart-warming one that was made for all ages. The storyline of an underdog 11 year-old girl living with her working mother, single mother sister, and gang member brother, making it big in the world of the national spelling-bee is a classic. The film has humor, charm, success, a positive image, drama, and a happy ending which we all like to see in a movie. The movie shows you all the hard work and pressure it takes for someone to actually compete in the national spelling-bee. Battling over 100 other contestants, Akeelah has deeper motivations at the tournament than just winning.

Although banal and predictable, Akeelah and the Bee has a great message: not denying who you are. The typical hero's journey infuses the script, something we've seen millions of times (from ROCKY to HARRY POTTER).

Akeelah and the Bee

The plot in this movie focuses on 11-year old Akeelah Anderson, an under-motivated but obviously gifted child living in scarifying South Central LA. Wanting to fit in with her schoolmates, she resists entering the school spelling bee despite the encouragement of her teacher and principal. When she does, her mind is sparked by her own possibilities, even though her distracted, tough-minded mother is suspicious of this new interest. The principal has convinced a testy academic, Dr. Larrabee, to coach Akeelah, and his training regimen involves tough-love tactics and jump rope. As the possibility of making it all the way to the Scripps National Spelling Bee looms, Akeelah could provide her community with someone to rally around and be proud of -- but only if she can overcome her insecurities and her distracting home life. She also must get past Dr. Larabee's demons, and a field of more experienced and privileged fellow spellers.

Inspirational, true story, suited for both adults and kids

I am no theatrical pundit so this review is strictly from a laymen's perspective. If you like films that are inspiring, you'll love this movie. This film is full of valuable life changing lessons and is motivational for kids as well as adults. I found it highly enjoyable and moving. The storyline is well developed and while there are a few unrealistic points, I think that it's still a good movie. The children were portrayed very realistically, as were the challenges of teaching such a group. Knowing that it was a true story only heightened my enjoyment of the entire movie.

It is based on the true story of Ron Clark who was selected Disney's American Teacher of the Year in 2000. Clark moved from rural North Carolina to New York City during the 90s in pursuit of his teaching profession. He landed a job teaching a 5th grade class in a Harlem elementary school. The class was totally undisciplined and unconcerned about education. Before Ron's arrival, six other teachers had tried teaching the class during that very same school year but simply gave up in despair. The students are primarily from a disadvantaged background and were living out the low expectations that everyone had for them including their own perception that they were destined for failure.

Clark began by instilling much needed order and discipline into the classroom using rules that he calls "The Essential 55", which were subsequently published in his New York Time's bestseller, is distributed to over 25 countries and is in its 11th printing. However, this film does not concentrate on discipline but in a teacher believing in the worth of every human being and finding ways to convince even the lowest performing students of their own potential. Most would not have endured the frustration and initial defeat that Clark endured and would have simply given up on these kids, leaving them to continue unabated down a pathway of personal tragedy. Ron fights his own self doubt along the way as he teaches the students to believe in themselves, to set high goals, and guides them to recognizing their hidden potential. In the end, you are compelled to applaud the students for the miracle that has been wrought in their lives and are filled with admiration for what this man was able to accomplish in the worst of circumstances.

P/s: I have an untrained eye but I thought that Mathew Perry's performance was excellent. The young actors also gave great performances.

The Ron Clark Story

This is the true story of Ron Clark, a teacher in rural North Carolina, who had a dream to teach in the toughest area of New York City. The dream wasn't just for himself, it was for that indifferent young boys and girls, against great odds, could become successful in life if only they could believe it was possible. Not only were the odds great against any of his students going beyond elementary school, the odds seemed even greater against Ron Clark making it through his first year of teaching in the toughest school in Harlem. But he had a dream and he was 'naive' enough and idealistic enough to believe he could reach that goal. While optimism and belief are essential, it is also helpful to have talent and Ron Clark is a very gifted and creative teacher. He was willing to experiment with various ways to reach these “rebellious kids” who wanted nothing to do with school or him. If making a fool of himself trying to 'double dutch' jump rope would get their attention, then so be it. The kids were more important than his ego. His relationships with parents should be an example for any teacher who really wants to make a difference with their students. This is one of those truly inspirational films and stories that comes along once in a great while. Not only has he helped students reach their potential but he has written a bestselling book of classroom rules called “THE ESSENTIAL 55” for teachers.

P/s: We may not all have the same talents as Ron Clark but we can all be inspired to use what we have to the best of our ability and for the benefit of others.

Extraordinary and splendid film about the relationship among a wonderful teacher and her pupils

The 'inspirational teacher' film has a long history and most of it have used the central figure to criticize the assumptions on which the existing educational system is based. For an instance, in `Dead Poets' Society' Robin Williams plays a teacher who leads his students to question the conformist ideas which lie at the heart of the educational philosophy of their elite boarding school.

In `Mona Lisa Smile', Julia Roberts plays Katherine Watson, in many ways a female version of Robin Williams's character. Like `Dead Poets' Society', the film is set in the 1950s. Katherine arrives at Wellesley College, an elite women's university in New England, to teach History of Art. She is a woman with a mission, or rather a woman with two missions. Her first is to increase her students' appreciation of modern art, which does not form part of the official curriculum. Rather than teach the approved syllabus (about which the girls seem formidably knowledgeable), Katherine prefers to lecture them on Picasso or show them works by Jackson Pollock.

The other cause dear to Katherine's heart is feminism, which in this particular context is a far more radical one. Although Wellesley College is officially a women's university, its ethos (as Katherine points out) is much more that of a girl's finishing school whose purpose is to give its students an advantage in the marriage market. Courses on offer include elocution, deportment and, it would seem, how to give a dinner-party for your future husband's boss. Students are not only permitted but positively encouraged to get married while studying. The college establishment find the idea of a working married woman, or of a woman pursuing a traditionally male career, particularly objectionable. It does not, therefore please them when Katherine encourages Joan to apply to law school and become a lawyer.

The main weakness of the film is that, although Katherine is supposed to be a woman with passionately held views, there is something cold and formal about her demeanor, which means that her opinions never seem to be expressed with much conviction. She lacks the passion and commitment that Robin Williams brought to his role in 'Dead Poets' Society'.

Yet, there were other good points about the film, for example, the soundtrack was nice, the costumes were perfectly designed, everyone was cast perfectly, and the direction was flawless.

Mona Lisa Smile

Set in 1953, Katherine Ann Watson (Julia Roberts) is a free-spirited graduate of UCLA who accepts a teaching post at Wellesley College, a women-only school where the students are torn between the repressive mores of the time and their longing for intellectual freedom. Katherine is a very modern woman, particularly for the 1950s, and has a passion not only for art but for her students. For the most part, the students all seem to be biding their time, waiting to find the right man to marry. The students are all very bright and Katherine feels they are not reaching their potential. Altough a strong bond is formed between teacher and student, Katherine 's views are incompatible with the dominant culture of the college. Nevertheless, she decides to instill into her students her own beliefs of what is important in learning.

Arranged Vs Love Marriage

“Keep the eyes wide open before marriage and half shut afterwards.” -Benjamin Franklin

It is argued that love marriages suggest more independence and liberty as compared to arranged marriages where the girl/boy is chosen by the parents so there is stress to conform to parental expectations like producing a male inheritor, taking part in family rituals and traditions, putting up with sisters-in-laws, contributing to family expenses etc.

One of the usual questions against an arranged marriage is that how can you marry somebody you don't know. Knowing someone before marriage allows partners to have better respect and understanding for each other's needs and desires. This way they are better adjusted in the marriage when they finally take their wedding vows. This does not mean arranged marriages are the ideal sort of marriages. Having an arranged does not mean that the married couple remains happily ever after or that there is harmony in the relationship. Women have been known to stay on in abusive relationships for the sake of family pride, respect in society etc.

It becomes difficult therefore to predict the ideal sort of marriage. So ultimately it is up to the individual to decide whether he wants to have a love or an arranged marriage after all it is a question of being happy in love.

Fable

“All cartoon characters and fables must be exaggeration, caricatures. It is the very nature of fantasy and fable.” - Walt Disney

The combination of fables and teaching is necessary. Since in an interesting and inspiring way, fables usually express the truth metaphorically, enabling children to acquire the underlying meanings spontaneously after appreciating the stories, and the “acquisition” therefore brings about the effect of education. The effect of this “spontaneous education” cannot be forced but naturally acquired. It gives children happiness and joy, and is extremely welcomed.

Fables are characterized by simple languages, vivid stories, vibrant images, and definite subjects. The complicated is usually simplified, and the abstract is concretized. It helps to improve the language competence for children to comprehend the sophisticated society and interrelationships, understand certain difficult philosophies, and develop morality. Children can tell right from wrong, good from evil, true from false, and beauty from deformity.

Consequently, the veil of mind is discovered, the wisdom is inspired, and the thoughts are brightened.