©CINE DOPE
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- surreal /suh-REEL/
- grumpy /GRUHM-pee/
- hurtle /HUR-tl/
- macabre /muh-KAH-bruh/
- avant-garde /uh-vahnt-GAHRD/
[adjective] – strange; not seeming real; like a dream
The play was a surreal blend of reality and fiction.
[adjective] – easily annoyed and complaining
She gets grumpy when she has stomachaches.
[verb] – to move very fast, especially in a way that seems dangerous
His speedboat hurtled down the river.
[adjective] – used to describe something very strange and unpleasant because it is connected with death or violence
The police discovered the macabre truth about the accident.
[adjective] – avant-garde ideas, styles, and methods are very original or modern in comparison to the period in which they happen
His works of art are a little too avant-garde for our professor.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
We all love a good movie, and Cannes Festival 2021’s opening-night film featured a surreal rock opera directed by Leos Carax. During the first hour of the film, it showed the fraying relationship between two performers, with their tale revolving around each other’s careers, where the woman’s rises while the man’s falls. It seemingly appears to be a cliché trope similar to “Beauty and the Beast,” but it gets more bizarre.
Adam Driver plays the role of Henry McHenry, a grumpy comedian who likes to wear a dressing gown and a pair of slippers in his stand-up show, The Ape of God. Marion Cotillard, who casts as Henry’s girlfriend, Ann, is an opera diva believed to be “too good for him.” Despite the vast difference in how they are seen by the public, Henry and Ann marry and have a child, Annette. However, she takes the form of a hideous-looking wooden puppet possessing the glowing heart of ET. Henry and Ann do live up to the expectations of those anticipating a musical: The couple is always singing, whether they are fending the paparazzi off or hurtling through California on a motorbike. The second half of the film is where things get more interesting, and a little macabre. Annette, still in her wooden toddler form, starts singing along Ann’s miraculous voice in short and high-pitched tones. From a melodrama, the movie eventually shifts to a dark fairy tale.
“Annette” is truly an explosive blend of crowd-pleasing Hollywood charm and European oddity. Regardless of its divisive nature, it’s an intriguing piece that must be seen by adults. Avant-garde rock operas are rare, but sometimes, it’s for the best.
Adam Driver plays the role of Henry McHenry, a grumpy comedian who likes to wear a dressing gown and a pair of slippers in his stand-up show, The Ape of God. Marion Cotillard, who casts as Henry’s girlfriend, Ann, is an opera diva believed to be “too good for him.” Despite the vast difference in how they are seen by the public, Henry and Ann marry and have a child, Annette. However, she takes the form of a hideous-looking wooden puppet possessing the glowing heart of ET. Henry and Ann do live up to the expectations of those anticipating a musical: The couple is always singing, whether they are fending the paparazzi off or hurtling through California on a motorbike. The second half of the film is where things get more interesting, and a little macabre. Annette, still in her wooden toddler form, starts singing along Ann’s miraculous voice in short and high-pitched tones. From a melodrama, the movie eventually shifts to a dark fairy tale.
“Annette” is truly an explosive blend of crowd-pleasing Hollywood charm and European oddity. Regardless of its divisive nature, it’s an intriguing piece that must be seen by adults. Avant-garde rock operas are rare, but sometimes, it’s for the best.
Discussion Questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What musicals have you seen recently?
- What musical genres are well-known in your country?
- How would you respond if a wooden puppet sang alongside you?
- Do you believe satire musicals are appropriate for all audiences?
- What is your overall impression of “Annette” after reading the synopsis?
Summarization
Please summarize the whole article using your own words and expressions. You will have one minute to prepare before you answer.
Describe:
Please explain the definition of each word listed below based on your understanding. You can provide example sentences if needed.
- tale
- cliché
- opera diva
- fend (something or someone) off
- oddity