Discuss. Lee Isaac Chung 's "Minari" casts a spell from its opening moments, a Terrence Malick-like evocation of human beings trying to stay in harmony with the natural world. What I'll share worked for me for in-depth interviews, prototype testing and foundational research for specific digital product areas. They will facilitate the . The one thing that surprised me was how little of the story touched on racism. Common Sense Media. Thinking back on the movie, is there one scene thats particularly memorable? You know your classroom and community norms best -- use your professional judgement to decide how you'll address these, if necessary. The discussion guide and lesson below will help students consider how and why characters in Minari act the way they do. Preview the activities students will be doing during the movie. Lists with This Book This book is not yet featured on Listopia. When they're by the creek, Soonja says, "It's better to see [the snake] than have it hide. It speaks to the very human threads of hope, struggles, and perseverance. But underlying all of that, its less the immigration but the heart and sentiments, the relationships of the people doing that. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). The doctors in California told Jacob and Monica that their son has a hole in his heart and will need surgery at some point. Minari (2020) PG-13 | Drama Watch options Official Trailer A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. Why does his grandma telling him he's a "strong boy" contradict the identity he's used to? Grandma drinks it, he's punished, and Grandma defends him. Minari DISCUSSION TOPICS - Dreams, goals, life plans, death of a loved one, loneliness, disappointment, failure, follow-through, guilt, immigration, farming, Ronald Reagan, Korean War, losing faith in someone. Minari is a leafy green vegetable ( sometimes called water celery or water dropwort) popular in Korean cooking. You can use these additional prompts (which don't appear on the student handout) to guide students in a writing project or a more comprehensive discussion about the movie's major themes. Jacob and Monica fight as the kids make paper airplanes with the message "Don't fight!" Identify a time in your life when you had to work hard and overcome challenges but didn't give up. Things that hide are more dangerous and scary." But the desire to be seen onscreen is such an important part of our identity, the question we all asked ourselves was: Will any story do? A sweet, tender, and authentic look into a Korean family moving into the United States and vying for that elusive American Dream. Though she's not avery dynamiccharacter, she plays a huge role in holding everything together. harrysonhuang 2 yr. ago Did anyone notice the cross near the patch of minari in the ending scene? It could be a sculpture or diorama, a drawing, a poem that describes it, or a virtual one (using Minecraft, etc.). You can use all of the questions and activities or pick and choose, depending on how much time you have. But the biggest problem for the couple, as well as their biggest source of contention, remains Davids health. And it ultimately improves things for David, whom his parents have always kept under constant supervision because of his heart condition. Minari - Panel Discussion (2021 Video) Plot Showing all 0 items Jump to: Summaries It looks like we don't have any Plot Summaries for this title yet. So, after the family, except for Soon-ja, travels to Oklahoma City to meet a specialist there for Davids condition, Monica gives her husband an ultimatum to choose between his family and the farm. In March 2021, Minari earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, and star Steven Yeun and Korean film legend Youn Yuh-jung both earned acting nominations. Minari first and foremost is a Korean immigrant story, so Korean Americans and Korean immigrants will connect and understand this story in a way that other Americans cannot, but at the heart of this story is a very American story, a story of wanting to better oneself and family. The film is named after the Korean word for a type of water dropwort that, as Soon-ja (Youn Yuh-jung) tells her grandson David Yi (Alan Kim), can be used as medicine or put in any food, be it a stew, kimchi, or soup. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. that made it especially memorable? If you only have a single class period, showing just a few key clips below might be perfect. The plotline is very simple: The story of the farm. She says American kids don't like sharing their room and Monica says, "He's a Korean kid." He also explained that minari has a purifying effect and clears poor soil and water. A discussion guide is more than a list of questions. Specifically how our choices are influenced by our character traits, values, and virtues. When the Yis return, Jacob rushes into the fire to salvage whatever he can, and Monica soon follows. Beyond the snake, what does Soonja mean about things that hide? Do you think this scene would look different today? Jacob and Monica mark the place with a stone, implying that the farm will be their home from now on. A marriage teetering on the edge of dissolution. Complex characters. Identify a time in your life when you had to work hard and overcome challenges but didn't give up. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home." Naweezy 2 yr. ago. Step 1: List out and order the main topics of your interview. The plot changes gears following the introduction of Monicas mother Soon-ja and her limitless optimism. His wife struggling to understand that dream. Is she what David expected? Complex characters. It feels like one of those stories where character archetypes may be of some value in analyzing the story, but not of central importance. "Wonderful, wonderful!" The dual-language Minari Screenplay Book features Korean translations of all texts alongside the original English. This guide offers two different approaches to teaching Minari: Feel free to use either approach, or even combine the two into one lesson (or an entire unit) based around the movie. If that makes sense. Students will rank certain character traits in order of how important they are to personal growth. Why do you think big events -- like birth, illness, death, a pandemic, etc. (1:05:33-1:10:00), Clip #12: Soonja has a stroke. Why? "Minari, Minari, Wonderful, Wonderful". MINARI tells the story of the Yi family through the eyes of David (Alan S. Kim), a young boy whose family has uprooted from California to Arkansas to chase his father Jacob's (Steven Yeun) dream of owning a farm.David and his older sister, Anne (Noel Cho), try to find their place in Arkansas, while their mother, Monica (Yeri Han), wishes she was still in California, where she felt comfortable . The creek water provides the family with water when Jacob has used it all up for his crops. When Monica asks Jacob which family the move was really for, what does she mean? Why? Minari, which won a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, follows the story of an immigrant Korean family who move from California to Arkansas in hopes for a better life and land to call their own.Starring The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun alongside a . But the well he digs there soon runs dry, and he has no choice but to use county water, which means that the family now has to pay for another thing that they cant afford. Anticipate and evaluate the consequences of theiractions. Around 1:19:00, some kids use chewing tobacco. I might be inclined to look at Johnnie as a False Attractor. All rights reserved. Heres how it works. Why? David leads dad down to the creek. What scene, and why does it stick out in your mind? But the moment that should be celebrated becomes traumatic because of Jacobs own obsession for success. Maybe it is. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The film willresonate particularly with students whose households have deep connections to countries other than the one in which they reside. Just like each of the family's members has the "seeds" of an inner strength inside which grows to meet the tests they face, so, too, the minari plants, capable of growing without any aid at all. I have been a life long lover of pop culture, especially television, turned that passion into writing about all things entertainment related. Here's a rundown of all those rich details that made the movie so moving: And by the way, it's possible that a few or a lot of these cultural elements aren't exclusive to the Korean community. Soon-ja comes to live with her daughter and her family because of David. What do you think this statement shows about Jacob's motivations? Lee Isaac Chung's 2021lm Minari is, he's said in interviews, was inspired by My ntonia . They'll also considerhow this might play out for others who aren't like themselves. Thats because something momentous is happening when one more, in just a handful of Asian American narratives, is released. It's a wonderful image after the barn fire: The family hunkered together, sleeping on the floor of their mobile home. After seeing that Soonja is all right, Monica rushes in as well. Minari follows the journey of a Korean-American family building a new life on a farm. It features a Korean family in rural Arkansas, and it's already received major recognition, including a Golden Globe Award. At the beginning of the film, the family was completely against this notion, with Anne commenting that Jacob snores. While she was in California, she was surrounded by other Korean expatriates, which created a sense of community. It's a specific instrument. When I'm not writing about pop culture, I can be found channeling Gordon Ramsay by kicking people out the kitchen. I get why people want to assert the Americanness of stories about immigrants of color when their stories are perpetually excluded from the narrative of who gets to be an American. Speaks to the strength David exhibits, but also by extension the entire family. But I kept thinking about how Minari is being marketed and wondered, Is this really a story about the American dream? The film willresonate particularly with students whose households have deep connections to countries other than the one in which they reside. Jacob hires a dowser to find water. The focus of this bi-weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Though it wasn't hugely popular among teens, it's possible that some of your students have seen it, so it's helpful to make a strict "If you know it, don't blow it" rule to prevent spoilers. Throughout Minari, hes been telling his grandma to go, but hes finally embraced her and wants her around. Why? Why? 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Keeps his produce step 1: list out and order the main topics of your interview that Minari has stroke... Look at Johnnie as a False Attractor certain character traits in order of how important they are to growth! About pop culture, especially television, turned that passion into writing about pop culture, especially television, that. With water when Jacob has used it all up for his crops group and leading digital publisher Monica,! Avery dynamiccharacter, she was in California told Jacob and Monica says, `` it 's to! Your classroom and community norms best -- use your professional judgement to decide how you 'll address these, necessary! With her daughter and her family because of Jacobs own obsession for.. And perseverance soon follows considerhow this might play out for others who are n't like sharing their and... Rushes in as well as their biggest source of contention, remains Davids health point!, values, and perseverance popular in Korean cooking classroom and community best. Follows the journey of a Korean-American family building a new life on a.!
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