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Hancock

Hancock

Date: Jul 16 2008

Themes: Holidays, Pop Culture

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Why are superheroes always so super? Like, who decided that anyone with super powers would either fight crime or create it? What if there were a superhero who was just lazy?

Well, that’s not quite the situation in Hancock, but the hero might be better off if it was. Even though he’s drunk and poorly dressed, he continues to fight crime anyway. He gets a bad reputation with the media so he hires a PR agent to make him popular. Mason, for one, is buying it.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Mason

Marni

Marni

Mason:  So I celebrated my freedom in the traditional fashion, by seeing a Will Smith movie this weekend.

Marni:  Because there’s always a Will Smith coming out around Independence Day?

Mason:  He is the king of Fourth of July.

Marni:  Well, hence Independence Day and…

Mason:  Yeah so Hancock.

Marni:  Hancock. How was it? Do tell.

Mason:  You know, I liked it.

Marni:  It looks very intriguing.

Mason:  There’s been a lot of buzz going around. There’s quite a heated debate over whether it’s good, whether it’s not. There’s some plot twists that I’m not gonna give away here.

Marni:  OK, don’t because I do want to see it.

Mason:  Definitely though there’s room for discussion as to whether or not it was good or bad, I think.

Marni:  I’ve heard a little plot twist may be unnecessary, but hearing from you, you approve.

Mason:  No, it’s interesting. If I were to give you one piece of advice, it would be to go in with your eyes open and just know you’re going to be entertained. It’s a Will Smith Fourth of July movie.

Marni:  Action movie. What do you want?

Mason:  Mm-hm. But it is intelligent. It’s an interesting addition to the superhero genre that’s being pretty saturated at the moment. It fits in there nicely. And Jason Bateman. I gotta give him props.

Marni:  I know. I totally love him.

Mason:  He’s just totally hilarious, brings a nice edge to the movie.

Marni:  Good. That’s good to hear.

 

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

It seems like Will Smith always releases a new movie around the Fourth of July, the day Americans celebrate independence from British rule in 1776. In 1996, Smith starred in a movie called Independence Day. In 1997 Men In Black came out around Independence Day and so did Wild Wild West in 1999. So although the Fourth of July is normally celebrated with fireworks, Mason thinks it makes sense that he saw Hancock on the Fourth this year.

Mason liked it, although it has gotten some bad reviews. Mason doesn’t want to ruin the movie, but he says there’s a plot twist that may or may not be necessary. In any case, it’s an interesting take on the superhero genre.

What kind of superhero would you be? Or would you be a super villain? Does your country have a holiday like Fourth of July? How did you celebrate it this year?

 

Comments

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zoebaby

zoebaby

China

i'm a big fan of WILL SMICH, so i definitely caught the movie, that's another side of superheroes who always regards to be super, there is a heated debate about this movie, but i think there is no doubt to be worth catching.Will is cool!!

06:41 AM Sep 15 2008 |

江水灵

江水灵

China

i have already seen the film on  net.

03:14 AM Jul 23 2008 |

Cookiez

Cookiez

Morocco

It's a good film

03:13 PM Jul 22 2008 |

franchu3

franchu3

Spain

Will smith is my favourite actor , I love his films

07:37 AM Jul 22 2008 |

franchu3

franchu3

Spain

Will Smith is my favourite actor, i love his films

07:26 AM Jul 22 2008 |

Cool_Lucky

Cool_Lucky

Ukraine

CoolLaughingand nice, I like to drink too ,LOL

05:48 PM Jul 21 2008 |

figi

figi

Turkey

yeah u r right..some parts r bored..i wish i had kept laughing along the movie..but although some funny parts satisfied me:P

05:33 PM Jul 20 2008 |

figi

figi

Turkey

yeah i watched it too,it was funny;)

specially combination part: ass and head:)

09:48 AM Jul 20 2008 |

1 person likes this

nad1a

nad1a

Greece

i just can’t think of any will smith movie that i don’t like.

04:59 PM Jul 18 2008 |

michaels

michaels

Ecuador

the movie is different, and for that it is awsome… besides the example given by the superheroe at the end of the movie is fantastic.  We can change and if we are in this way is because of … so nobody needs judge me, just help me to become better.  It is fantastic.

05:58 PM Jul 17 2008 |

195854255

195854255

United States

WILL SMITH is a funny and talented guy. But it seems that this movie is not so wonderful as his previous ones.

I can't imagine why~

12:09 AM Jul 17 2008 |

SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

It sounds like a nice movie! Will Smith as a drunk superhero, it must be great!! lol

06:39 PM Jul 16 2008 |

mh2m16

mh2m16

Saudi Arabia

hancock is a great movie i've seen it yesterday and i liked it 

03:37 PM Jul 16 2008 |

Merry KHO

Merry KHO

Indonesia

ow..

Hancock.. this is the first movie of Superhero that is totally different with other superhero's movies.. First time, i was surprised and i didn't know he was a superhero… Because of his bad behavior and attitude, lazy and others… But, yes.. from that, there are characteristic from this movie "hancock". And there are some part that make me feel sad when will smith met women with same like him. Actually, they were husband and wife eighty years ago, and if they were close to each other, they would loss their power. finally, they had to be apart… But, Will smith did it greatly. This is the most part i am touched. Good movie….

01:03 PM Jul 16 2008 |

tatiamoire

tatiamoire

Algeria

Cooli llike theKiss movie

12:43 PM Jul 16 2008 |

Cool_Lucky

Cool_Lucky

Ukraine

all movies with him – always were very cool!!!!!!!!!

08:40 AM Jul 16 2008 |

dofkele15

dofkele15

Lithuania

Oh i like Will Smith and all the films there he's taking a part.I haven't seen Hancock yet, but I will…

07:30 AM Jul 16 2008 |

designmakerr

India

I like review conversation. It push me to see the movie immediately Cool

06:51 AM Jul 16 2008 |

mayom

mayom

Thailand

I love to drink too Laughing

03:39 AM Jul 16 2008 |

Snailflying

China

Innocent

03:11 AM Jul 16 2008 |

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