Films by season & age - Outsiders (Ages 8-12)

Seasons are a great way to explore different ideas through watching a group of films. Why not try watching all the films in a season and make some time for discussion. Topics and discussion points are included.

Whether kids or adults, many of us feel or have felt like outsiders. It's a subject brought unforgettably to life in the classic movies collected in this FIlm Club season - movies which, as well as being incredibly entertaining,shine a light on how any one of us could be misjudged and misunderstood.

Although some of the outsiders here aren't human (ET: The Extra-Terrestrial, The Iron Giant), those that are draw dazzling performances from the actors playing them - anyone who sees John Hurt in The Elephant Man or Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands, for instance, couldn't fail to be touched as a result.

But there are some great light-hearted moments here too from outsiders who are oblivious or even proud of their outsider status - so perhaps a screening of a film as poignant as The Elephant Man could be followed by, say, the sweet-natured and hilarious Elf or the off-beat Napoleon Dynamite?

Talking points:

What do the outsiders in these films have in common?

Have you ever felt like an outsider yourself? Did the film change the way you felt about yourself in any way?

Would you have dealt with the problems faced by the characters in these movies in the same way that they did?

Guidance:

Although it is a beautiful and rewarding film, certain scenes of The Elephant Man may be upsetting for very sensitive viewers.