“Movie Club”: A Community
For movie lovers who want to understand and speak authentic English and connect with others through films.
Watch movies, build confidence in your listening and speaking skills through structured, smart, regular practice, and have great conversations with other movie lovers like you, in English.
- Do you feel like something’s missing when you watch movies in English? Like there is some cultural nuance or expression you didn’t quite understand…
- Maybe it feels like you’re not improving…Or not quite connecting to the culture behind the film.
- Maybe you’re tired of watching a great film…and having no one to talk to about it?
The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone.
“Movie Club” is a community where you watch, understand and discuss movies with other film lovers. You’ll find new confidence in your listening, speaking and pronunciation skills because you’ll use short, regular activities that work to help you improve. And you’ll have a native speaker watching alongside you to offer a quick explanation…or a little feedback when you need it.
Even better, you’ll get a chance to really connect. With the cultures behind the films, with the language, with other movie-lovers like you.
So, I really enjoy connecting with other people while discussing movies. I can learn a lot from their views and opinions. I especially like it when people from other countries share with me things I don’t know about (their customs, habits, cinema and tv in their country).
Movies are (almost) always starting points for deeper conversations, such as relationships, death, mental health and so on … That’s why I enjoy discussing these kinds of topics when discussing a movie. It helps me express deeper thoughts in English and helps me reflect on life.
The film club is a safe space because I can be sure that people listen and never judge, we are always very respectful.
A Community for Movie Lovers Who Want to Understand Authentic Spoken English, and Speak It Too
You’re the perfect movie club member if:
✅ You love movies
✅ You have an upper intermediate or above level of English. (B2 on the CEFR)
✅ You want to be able to understand fast-spoken English in the films you watch, without subtitles
✅ You want specific, targeted listening and speaking tasks that will help you begin to understand native speakers in the films we watch…and start speaking more like them too
✅ You can devote 1-2 hours a week (maximum) to movie-related exercises and/or participating in the chat, so you can get the most from this programme
✅ You want to connect with other movie-lovers and have great conversations about movies–and what they have to teach us about life
I decided to join “Movie Club” because I wanted to learn more vocabulary, slang and phrases as well as continue improving my listening comprehension as a non-native English teacher. “Movie Club” is a worthwhile and entertaining way to improve your listening comprehension and speaking. It’s not a traditional course – you can choose the topics, so you are really a part of it. You’re not a passive member.
The Results You’ll Get Thanks To “Movie Club”
After connecting with other movie lovers, immersing yourself in films and having lively discussions in English you’ll:
- understand each movie we watch so well that you won’t need subtitles
- realise you now understand native speakers better–the way they really speak and in a variety of accents
- feel that you’ve truly connected with the cultures behind the films because you pick up on cultural references you would have otherwise missed
- feel confident using new, authentic expressions that you’ve learned
- feel more natural and confident talking more about movies, and life in general
- have the strategies you need to keep watching, understanding and discussing films in the future
- know that you can go beyond ‘small talk’ and have meaningful, authentic conversations in English
- feel the connection and fun that comes with having a club of movie fans with you meet with, laugh with and talk about films…and life
Cara’s “Movie Club” has helped me to get in touch with the real language, the one used in everyday conversations, which is what I needed to make progress in English. In a movie, it is often difficult to understand the spoken language of some characters, and this leads you to stop watching the film before the end, especially when watching it alone. Watching a movie in a study group like “Movie Club” is an incentive to watch to the end. So, you make time to learn something new and alongside people who share your interests. The WhatsApp discussions and exercises (listening, speaking) helped me understand what I missed while watching the whole movie. But it was by repeating the experience in several editions of the club that I achieved continuous improvement.
What’s Inside “Movie Club”
Each month you watch and discuss a movie and you’ll follow this 4-week schedule designed to build your confidence in understanding the native speakers in the films…and discussing them too.
Week 1: Watch and Talk
🍿watch the movie using reflection questions to get you thinking about the film and ready for some great conversations
🍿connect with other film lovers and share your opinions of the movie on WhatsApp for fascinating discussions
🍿check out the extra resources I’ll curate just for you so you can truly connect with the film and the culture behind it: articles, videos, interviews, etc
Week 2: Listen and Understand
📽 build your confidence in understanding movie dialogue with training exercises I’ll create for you based on clips from the movie
📽 learn authentic new expressions and catch all those cultural references with selected lines of dialogue to listen to and write out
📽know you’ve truly understood the dialogue and connected with the culture because I’m right there with you providing feedback on WhatsApp
Week 3: Speak and Communicate
🎞 watch selected clips from the movie with questions I’ll send you to get you talking
🎞 record your answers to think in English, speak whenever it suits you and express yourself more accurately
🎞 use the authentic new expressions you learned watching and discussing the movie so that speaking English is more natural, flexible…and fun
Week 4: Discuss and Connect
📺 connect with other movie lovers to discuss the movie live on Zoom
📺 use those new expressions you’ve learned with confidence and have a great conversation in English on WhatsApp thanks to daily question prompts
📺 NEW FOR 2023 ON BOTH LEVELS: bi-monthly meet-ups with other club members to discuss the movie together for 30 minutes on Meetsy
Here Are Some Of The Movies We’ve Watched So Far
Ready to Immerse Yourself in Movies, Boost Your Confidence in Your Listening and Conversation Skills and Connect with Other Movie Lovers?
Enrol in “Movie Club”
The lights dim and the curtains open again for enrolment in autumn 2023. Have your popcorn at the ready!
Choose how long you want to join for: 1 month (one payment of €90) or 6 months (6 payments of €75)
After you make your payment, you’ll receive a confirmation email with your welcome pack within 24 hours.
Meet Your Teacher
Hi, I’m Cara Leopold, online English listening skills coach, and movie fan. I help expats improve their English listening skills so they can understand and connect with native speakers through their love of films.
My programmes help you learn smart strategies and structured practice that you can use to keep improving your English through films for a lifetime. And they will help you find the confidence to really listen to others, talk about what matters to you and have meaningful conversations in English, wherever you go.
I’ve been living in France since 2007. I love working with people who know what it’s like to travel to and live in new places and helping them feel more comfortable and connected in English. And I believe that movies and cinema are the perfect place to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does "Movie Club" start and end?
Movie Club runs every month, but enrolment opens and closes at specific times of the year, usually once in the autumn and once in the spring. To know when the club is opening, make sure you join the waiting list.
Which movies will we watch?
The club members choose both the theme and the film – so as a member, you’ll have the chance to suggest movies you’d like to watch. Past themes have included movies by the Coen Brothers (Fargo, Burn After Reading, The Big Lebowski), movies set in Detroit and movies starring Bill Murray.
Do you provide the movies?
No. Each member has to find a way to watch the movie by streaming it or buying the DVD for example.
I do provide you with links to clips from the movie on YouTube that you’ll use to work on your listening, speaking and pronunciation skills. But I won’t provide you with the full movie – I’m not a cinema!
When are the live discussions?
The live discussion happens in week 4 and we usually organise it on a Saturday. We organise it so that as many people as possible can attend. But it’s 100% optional. Some members always attend, while others have never been to a single one!
Is it a problem if I can't attend the live discussions?
No, not at all! If you can’t attend the live discussion, you’ll get a recording of it (apart from the parts where we split into small groups).
I don't have WhatsApp, can I still join?
Yes. The discussion group is a crucial part of “Movie Club” as it’s how we stay connected. But, if you don’t have WhatsApp or a smartphone, I can move the discussion to a different platform, such as Telegram, Slack or Discord which you can access from a computer.
I'm on holiday for part of the club, can I still join?
Yes, why not! The good thing about “Movie Club” is that you can do almost all the work from your phone. And you’ll only need about 1-2 hours maximum per week for it.
Even if you’re away, you can catch up with the discussion in our chat group later. And as I mentioned, you can still have a great “Movie Club” experience without the live elements.
Why should I pay to join the club when I can just watch movies for free?
The question is – do you understand them? Not just the English, but also the cultural references? And is just watching movies helping you improve your English? In many cases, students believe that it helps, but it’s often a waste of time, especially if you can’t catch many of the words and expressions. This is why I created “Movie Club” – foreign language movies are hard to understand. But when you have a guide to help you and others to support you in the process, you can understand them better, enjoy watching them and improve your English with them.
How is the club different to online Skype or Zoom lessons? And is it effective?
The big difference is that this programme is mostly asynchronous, not live. There is one live group discussion in the final week of each month (on premium level). But that doesn’t mean it’s not effective. In fact, the way the programme is designed, in “Movie Club” you’ll work on your English almost every day, in small, manageable pieces. If anything, this method is more effective for language learning which is a skill you develop through consistent, regular contact with a language. Instead of lessons, you receive tasks to do where you work on listening, speaking and pronunciation. You also practise skills like speaking and writing in a real world context, by participating in discussions in the WhatsApp group and live on Zoom at the end of the programme.
Why Should I Join “Movie Club?
Five reasons: films, fun, friends, fluency and feedback
Films
You not only watch them, but you also understand and discuss them to improve your listening and speaking skills. Instead of struggling to understand movies on your own, you improve your English with them, thanks to the support of the group.
Fun
Instead of doing boring exercises or talking about topics that don’t interest you, you’ll practise your English by immersing yourself in the magic of the movies. Thanks to the rich context of a film, you’ll learn and remember new vocabulary and grammar more easily, without textbooks, or “studying”.
Friends
The pandemic has made us realise how important it is to connect with each other regularly. And thanks to “Movie Club” you make friends with other movie lovers from around the world. Chatting to like-minded people about your passions in English helps you forget you’re a learner and motivates you to participate in the club.
Fluency
When you talk about what you love the words flow more easily. And when you’re motivated to watch movies, you’ll never get bored. Learning English becomes something you look forward to, not something you put off till later.
Feedback
The members make “Movie Club” a special place. But I’m with you 100% of the way to answer your questions, help you understand difficult parts of the movies and give you feedback on your English.
Ready for Films, Fun, Friends, Fluency and Feedback?
Enrol in the community for just €90 for a month. Pay €75 per month when you join for 6 months.
Why wait to make your movie watching meaningful, fun and good for your English? The club will open for enrolment in autumn 2023.
- Take your passion for movies and use it to find your confidence in English.
- Improve your listening and speaking with efficient, fast and fun ways to practice your English daily.
- Never miss a cultural reference or expression, because you’re watching with a native speaker at your side.
- Stop feeling like you’re watching films alone: have fun conversations and connect with other film lovers.
After you make your payment, you’ll receive a confirmation email with your welcome pack within 24 hours. Pay for month 1 now to enrol in the club. Join from as little as a single payment of €90.
Before I joined the club, I wasn’t sure what to expect and I was worried that it was either too demanding or not useful for my needs. But I guess I loved the idea of working with others, being part of a group, at the same time work on my own and work with something so cool like movies.
“Movie Club” gave me the tools to improve my listening and speaking skills. The weekly tasks are amazing – well-made and fun. Plus it’s lovely to have the chance to interact with others in the chat every day. “Movie Club” is a unique, useful, and unmissable learning experience that I am sure you won’t find with any other English course. Go for it!
Before joining the club, I used to watch movies with captions on. But that was quite taxing as my mind was split between the captions and the real action. I am now more able to enjoy movies with the captions off. I still don’t fully understand everything but that’s already a big improvement. The cohort-based learning is a key element of the club, with other participants following the same schedules. Though I don’t contribute much to the discussion, knowing you’re part of a group is essential to keep the motivation.