Category Archives: Interpersonal Relationships

Never Back Down

Title: Never Back Down

Date: 2008

Media type: Film

Rating: PG 13 – Parents Strongly Cautioned

Audience(s): High School Age, College Age, Adults

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: The movie is about a boy named Jake Tyler, whose family just moved to Florida because his little brother, Charlie, is a tennis star and got an offer to a high-profile school. Jake lost his father in a drunken driving accident that he was involved with, has had a hard time connecting with people. Because of this, it has gotten him in multiple fights because he can’t get over the lost of his father and feels like it was his fault. But when Jake gets pulled into a fight at party by the popular jock at the school name Ryan McCarthy, all hell breaks loose and people find out about his past. He has to learn how to defend himself and takes up kickboxing. But as he learns that there is more to life then fighting and doesn’t want to be angry or feel guilty about his past anymore, he decides that he doesn’t want revenge at Ryan who pulled him into that fight. But through one of his friend’s being attacked by Ryan, he gets pulled back in again and decides he’s going to fight one last time to protect his friends and can finally finish things with Ryan and his past mistakes.

Places to view: Youtube, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play, Itunes, Hulu

Contributor: Winthrop Rockwell IV

Freaky Friday

Title: Freaky Friday

Date: 2003

Media type: Film

Rating: PG – Parental Guidance Suggested

Audience(s): Children Under 12, High School Age, College Age, Adults, Parents, Couples, Families

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: Tess is a middle-aged widow getting remarried soon, and is in constant conflict with her 16-year-old daughter Anna, who is unhappy about her mom trying to replace her dad with her new fiancée, and fits the typical angsty teenager stereotype.

Comments or Recommendations for Teaching: I would use this clip to teach about conflict in a parent-child relationships, and how understanding of “the other side” aides in resolving that conflict. We think we can look at someone from the outside and know their life and know what is best for them but sometimes we understand a lot less than we think we do, and need to get very close with that person’s life to understand what they are going through.

Places to view: Youtube, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play, Itunes 

Contributor: Sarah Kuboushek

Jane the Virgin

Title: Jane the Virgin

Date: 2014 – Present

Media type: Television

Format: Episode

Rating: TV – 14

Audience(s): High School Age, College Age, Adults, Parents, Couples

Language: English

Film/Episode Summary: Jane the Virgin is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on The CW on October 13, 2014. The series follows Jane Villanueva, a hard-working, religious young Latina woman whose family tradition and a vow to save her virginity until marriage is shattered when a doctor mistakenly artificially inseminates her during a checkup. To make matters worse, the biological donor is a married man, a former playboy and cancer survivor who is not only the new owner of the hotel where Jane works, but was also her former teenage crush. Jane the Virgin also explores issues of immigration, raising children, and parent-child relationships between adults of all ages, and young children.

Places to view: Youtube, Amazon Video, Vudu, Google Play, Jane the Virgin, Hulu

Contributor: Mikayla Perrault