Films studied at RHS
The films listed may be viewed in English or Humanities. They are either studied as part of a film unit, or as supplementary material to develop students’ understanding of a theme or context. The wide range of films allows for us to differentiate when necessary. All of the films listed explore themes that are age level appropriate. Please note, these films are shown in class under teacher supervision. If you have an objection to your child watching a film with one of these ratings, we ask you to please contact the school and speak to your child’s English or Humanities teacher.
Year 7
‘How to train your dragon’
PG – Mild Violence
Young Hiccup dreams of being a true Viking, killing dragons and defending his people. His father Stoick is the leader of the Vikings. He is the strongest and most fearless of them all, while Hiccup is a scrawny youth who feels he will never be worthy of his father’s attention or praise.
Hiccup’s life changes when tries out one of the inventions he has been working on and manages to take down a Night Fury, the one dragon that has never been seen and that is believed to be the most dangerous of all. No one believes him when he tells them what he has done, but when his father goes off with a fleet of ships in search of the dragon’s nest Hiccup sets off to find the dragon that fell from the sky. On the brink of giving up, Hiccup stumbles across the trapped and injured creature that is more magnificent and terrifying than anything he has ever imagined.When faced with the chance to kill the dragon Hiccup finds that he cannot. Instead he slowly befriends the creature, whom he calls Toothless. When Hiccup discovers that Toothless cannot fly he fashions a prosthetic tail, teaches Toothless to fly again and, in the process, discovers that everything his people know about dragons is wrong.
Hiccup begins to win the respect of the Viking village as they watch him control dragons with the little tricks he has learned. More importantly he begins to get noticed by Astrid who is an aspiring dragon slayer on whom he has a huge crush.Stoick is furious when he learns that his son will not kill dragons and launches a mammoth attack on the dragon’s lair. Hiccup and Toothless now have to show the villagers, and also the dragons, what can be accomplished by simply working together.
Year 8
‘Ferris Beuller’s Day Off’
PG – Mild course language
Ferris Bueller. Larger than life. Blessed with a magical sense of serendipity. He’s a model for all those who take themselves too seriously. A guy who knows the value of a day off. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off chronicles the events in the day of a rather magical young man, Ferris. One spring day, toward the end of his senior year, Ferris gives into an overwhelming urge to cut school and head for downtown Chicago with his girl and his best friend, to see the sights, experience a day of freedom and show that with a little ingenuity, a bit of courage and a red Ferrari, life at 17 can be a joy!
The Big Steal
PG – Occasional low level course language, sexual allusions
On Monday Danny Clark is the reluctant recipient of a birthday present he would rather forget, his father’s old Nissan Cedric. By Tuesday he has asked the beautiful Joanna Johnson out on a date… only problem is, he promised to pick her up in a Jaguar. In a tight fix and desperate to impress, Danny trades the Nissan Cedric in for a Jaguar only to be ripped off by a dodgy used car salesman, Gordon Farkas. With his mates in tow and revenge on their minds, Danny sets out to rectify wrongs and finish his dream date better than it started.
Tomorrow, When the War Began
M – Violence, drug use and course language
Ellie and her friends never thought their quiet country life would ever change much. Heading into their last year of high school, they decide to camp for the weekend in a remote bush clearing. When they return, their parents have disappeared, their phones are dead, and all power is out. Soon, the horrible realisation becomes all too clear — while they were away, thousands of foreign soldiers invaded their country. The war has begun. Now Ellie and her seven friends must band together to stay alive…and fight back.
Rabbit Proof Fence
PG – Adult Themes, some distressing themes
It’s the 1930’s in outback Australia. Three young Aboriginal girls – sisters Molly and Daisy and their cousin Gracie are snatched from their mothers’ arms in Jigalong, Western Australia and sent to a remote settlement at Moore River. 1500 miles away from home, distanced from their mothers and forced to adapt to a strange new world, the girls attempt the impossible and embark on a daring escape. What ensues is an epic journey across an unforgiving landscape that will test the girls’ very will to survive. Their only resources – tenacity, determination, ingenuity and each other. Their one hope – find the rabbit-proof fence that might just guide them home.
10 Things I Hate About You
PG – Mild sexual references, coarse language, drug references
New kid in school Cameron is smitten with the beautiful Bianca. The problem is that Bianca isn’t allowed to date unless her surly older sister Kat does. Cameron’s only hope is to enlist the help of Patrick, the school troublemaker with a reputation as nasty as Kat’s.
The Blind Side
PG – Mild coarse language, infrequent violence, drug references
The Blind Side is a 2009 American biographical sports drama film written and directed by John Lee Hancock. Based on the 2006 book of the same name by Michael Lewis, the film tells the story of Michael Oher, an American football offensive lineman who overcame an impoverished upbringing to play in the National Football League (NFL) with the help of his adoptive parents Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy.
Holes
PG – Medium violence and adult themes
Elya Yelnats forgets to repay the gypsy Madame Zeroni. His family is cursed with bad luck for eternity. When Stanley Yelnats IV steals a baseball player’s cleats, he is sent to Camp Green Lake.
The Incredibles
PG – Action/violence
From the Academy Award-winning creators of Finding Nemo comes the action-packed animated adventure about the mundane and incredible lives of a house full of superheroes. Bob Parr and his wife Helen used to be among the world’s greatest crime fighters, saving lives and battling evil on a daily basis. Fifteen years later, they have been forced to adopt civilian identities and retreat to the suburbs where they live ‘normal’ lives with their three kids, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack. Itching to get back into action, Bob gets his chance when a mysterious communication summons him to a remote island for a top secret assignment. He soon discovers that it will take a super family effort to rescue the world from total destruction.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
PG – Mild themes and coarse language
The story of misfit kid Ricky and his grumpy foster uncle Hec. The unlikely duo evade child services and the law by going bush. Raised on hip-hop and foster care, defiant city kid Ricky gets a fresh start in the New Zealand countryside. He quickly finds himself at home with his new foster family: the loving Aunt Bella, the cantankerous Uncle Hec, and dog Tupac. When a tragedy strikes that threatens to ship Ricky to another home, both he and Hec go on the run in the bush. As a national manhunt ensues, the newly branded outlaws must face their options: go out in a blaze of glory or overcome their differences and survive as a family.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
PG – Medium level violence, low level coarse language, sexual references
The Monty Python team are at it again in their second movie. This time we follow King Arthur and his knights in their search for the Holy Grail. This isn’t your average medieval knights and horses story – for a start, due to a shortage in the kingdom, all the horses have been replaced by servants clopping coconuts together!
Year 9
Looking for Alibrandi
M – Adult themes and low level coarse language
Josie is struggling to cope with her teenage existence. She lives with her single mother, Christina, and attends a prestigious private school, where her snobbish classmates mock her Sicilian heritage. She contends with the dramas of teen romance, divided between John and Jacob. When her family receives a visit from Michael, her mother’s former lover, Josie is overwhelmed when she discovers that he is also her father.
The Hunger Games
M – Mature themes, violence
Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
Red Dog
M – Mild themes, coarse language, sexual references
It’s the film that captivated cinema audiences across the nation and became an instant Aussie classic. Funny, moving and a total charmer, Red Dog is the incredible true story of the wandering, dust-covered Kelpie who hitched his way to the mining town of Dampier and into the hearts of each and every one of its residents. Red Dog wags a great emotional tale of adventure, love and lasting friendship. Based on the best-selling book by Louis de Bernieres.
Gallipoli
MA15+ – Strong war themes and violence
Archy and Frank are two young Australian sprinters who want to join the army to fulfill their sense of duty. Turned down because they are too young, the pair hop a freight train to Perth, where they are allowed to join up. They board a troop ship headed to Cairo and, after training in the shadows of the Great Pyramids, the boys are finally sent to the front line, where their speed makes them candidates for messengers in one of the war’s bloodiest battles.
Australian Rules
M – Medium level violence, drug use, adult themes
Australian Rules is the story of 16-year-old Gary Black – average football player, budding wordsmith and reluctant hero. Gary helps his local Australian Rules football team win the local championship by accident, but celebrations turn to violence when Gary’s Aboriginal best friend, Dumby Red is denied the “Best and Fairest” medal because of the racism of local officials. In a night when the town’s racial tensions boil over, Dumby Red is shot and killed and Gary becomes entangled in a conflict with his fellow townspeople, including his father. Australian Rules is the story of the bravery of one young man in a town ready to explode.
Little Miss Sunshine
M – Moderate coarse language, moderate themes, moderate sexual references and infrequent drug use
Olive is a little girl with a dream: winning the Little Miss Sunshine contest. Her family wants her dream to come true, but they are so burdened with their own quirks, neuroses, and problems that they can barely make it through a day without some disaster befalling them. Olive’s father Richard is a flop as a motivational speaker, and is barely on speaking terms with her mother. Her uncle Frank, a renowned Proust scholar, has attempted suicide following an unsuccessful romance with a male graduate student. Her brother Dwayne, a fanatical follower of Nietzsche, has taken a vow of silence, which allows him to escape somewhat from the family whose very presence torments him. And Olive’s grandfather is a ne’er-do-well with a drug habit, but at least he enthusiastically coaches Olive in her contest talent routine. Circumstances conspire to put the entire family on the road together with the goal of getting Olive to the Little Miss Sunshine contest in far off California.
The Sapphires
PG – Mild violence, mild themes, coarse language, sexual references
The Sapphires is an inspirational tale set in the heady days of the late ’60s about a quartet of young, talented singers from a remote Aboriginal mission, discovered and guided by a kind-hearted, soul-loving manager. Plucked from obscurity, the four spirited women with powerhouse voices – called The Sapphires – are given the opportunity to entertain American troops in Vietnam. Catapulted onto the world stage as Australia’s answer to the Supremes, their journey of discovery offers them not only the chance to show off their musical skills, but find love and togetherness, experience loss and grow as women. The Sapphires is an adaptation of the hugely successful Australian stage musical of the same name, and is inspired by the remarkable true story of writer Tony Briggs’ mother and three aunts. The four Sapphires are joyfully played by AFI Award winner Deborah Mailman, Australian pop sensation Jessica Mauboy and newcomers Miranda Tapsell and Shari Sebbens. Bridesmaids actor Chris O’Dowd delivers a tour de force comic performance as their manager, that is at once incredibly funny, likeable and genuine. Receving a ten minute standing ovation at the prestgious Cannes Film Festival, The Sapphires is a crowd-pleasing combination of comedy, heart and romance and an unbeatable soul music soundtrack, set against the racial and social upheaval of the late 1960s. A jewel-bright charmer and an Australian classic, The Sapphires is not to be missed.
Rabbit Proof Fence
PG – Adult Themes, some distressing themes
It’s the 1930’s in outback Australia. Three young Aboriginal girls – sisters Molly and Daisy and their cousin Gracie are snatched from their mothers’ arms in Jigalong, Western Australia and sent to a remote settlement at Moore River. 1500 miles away from home, distanced from their mothers and forced to adapt to a strange new world, the girls attempt the impossible and embark on a daring escape. What ensues is an epic journey across an unforgiving landscape that will test the girls’ very will to survive. Their only resources – tenacity, determination, ingenuity and each other. Their one hope – find the rabbit-proof fence that might just guide them home.
The Dish
M – Low level coarse language
It is a date that will be remembered for all time, 20th July 1969 – the day man first set foot upon the moon. That one shining moment was witnessed by a television audience of 600 million people across the globe. Remarkably, those immortal images came via a “dish” in outback Australia. It may have been one small step for man, but for a handful of Aussie scientists, it was a giant leap. And one that almost didn’t happen.
The Secret River
M – Adult themes, coarse language, violence
Based on the award winning novel, the compelling drama series follows Sal and William Thornhill as they struggle to take ownership of Hawkesbury River land already inhabited by local Indigenous people.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
PG – Mild threatening themes
Acclaimed director Tim Burton brings his vividly imaginative style to the beloved Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, about eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka and Charlie, a good-hearted boy from a poor family who lives in the shadow of Wonka’s extraordinary factory. Long isolated from his own family, Wonka launches a worldwide contest to select an heir to his candy empire. Five lucky children, including Charlie, draw golden tickets from Wonka chocolate bars and win a guided tour of the legendary candy-making facility that no outsider has seen in 15 years. Dazzled by one amazing sight after another, Charlie is drawn into Wonka’s fantastic world in this astonishing and enduring story.
Stand By Me
Rated M – Adult themes, coarse language, violence
After learning that a stranger has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four Oregon boys decide to go see the body. On the way, Gordie Lachance (Wil Wheaton), Vern Tessio (Jerry O’Connell), Chris Chambers (River Phoenix) and Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman) encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, as they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys’ adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.
Year 10
To Kill a Mockingbird
PG – Mild themes and violence
Experience one of the most significant milestones in film history like never before with To Kill A Mockingbird. Screen legend Gregory Peck stars as courageous Southern lawyer Atticus Finch—the Academy Award winning performance hailed by the American Film Institute as the Greatest Movie Hero of All Time. Based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about innocence, strength and conviction and nominated for 8 Academy Awards, this beloved classic includes hours of unforgettable bonus features. Watch it and remember why “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
East is East
M – Adult themes, medium level coarse language
George Khan, proud Pakistani and chip shop owner — Ghengis to his kids — rules his family with a rod of iron. He thinks he’s raising his seven children to be respectable Pakistanis. But this is Salford in the North of England, in 1971. Much as George’s English wife, Ella, loves and tries to honour her husband, she also wants her kids to be happy. The children, caught between bell-bottoms and arranged marriages, simply want to be citizens of the modern world.
The Outsiders
PG – Low level violence
In 1966 Tulsa, teenagers come two ways. If you’re a “soc”, you’ve got money, cars and a future. But if you’re a “greaser”, you’re an outsider with only your friends… and a dream that someday you’ll finally belong. Francis Ford Coppola’s powerful film of S.E. Hinton’s classic novel captures how it feels to be caught between childhood’s innocence and adulthood’s disillusionment. With an all-star cast including Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Diane Lane, Patrick Swayze and Rob Lowe. Movingly and in an intensively visual style, Coppola has made these street rats and their struggle heroic… and unforgettable.
Hidden Figures
PG – Mild themes and coarse language
Hidden Figures tells the incredible untold story of Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) – brilliant African-American women working at NASA who served as the brains behind the launch into orbit of astronaut John Glenn, a stunning achievement that turned around the Space Race. The visionary trio crossed all gender and racial lines and inspired generations.
Gallipoli
MA15+ – Strong war themes and violence
Archy and Frank are two young Australian sprinters who want to join the army to fulfill their sense of duty. Turned down because they are too young, the pair hop a freight train to Perth, where they are allowed to join up. They board a troop ship headed to Cairo and, after training in the shadows of the Great Pyramids, the boys are finally sent to the front line, where their speed makes them candidates for messengers in one of the war’s bloodiest battles.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
M – Holocaust Themes
Based on the best-selling novel by John Boyne, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is the tale of curious 8-year-old Bruno. Bored in his new home, Bruno wanders off into the nearby woods where he discovers an unusual fence, behind which is a boy strangely dressed in black-and-white pajamas. Bruno embarks on a most unusual friendship with the boy, one that proves both ordinary and remarkable, both inspiring and tragic in this “unforgettable motion picture experience”.
Mississippi Burning
M – Occasional coarse language and violence
When a group of civil rights workers goes missing in a small Mississippi town, FBI agents Alan Ward and Rupert Anderson are sent in to investigate. Local authorities refuse to cooperate with them, and the African American community is afraid to, precipitating a clash between the two agents over strategy. As the situation becomes more volatile, the direct approach is abandoned in favor of more aggressive, hard-line tactics.
Kokoda
M – Moderate battle scenes, moderate coarse language
During World War II, a squad of Australian soldiers battles Japanese forces in New Guinea.
Schindler’s List
M – Medium level violence, coarse language, adult themes, nudity
Winner of seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, this incredible true story follows the enigmatic Oskar Schindler, who saved the lives of more than 1100 Jews during the Holocaust. It is the triumph of one man who made a difference and the drama of those who survived one of the darkest chapters in human history because of what he did. Meticulously restored from the original film negative and supervised by Steven Spielberg, Schindler’s List is a powerful story whose lessons of courage and faith continue to inspire generations.
The Bone Collector
M – Medium level violence, medium level coarse language
Quadripeligic ex-cop Lincoln Rhyme was looking forward to his assisted suicide when he got the news: some sicko was abducting people in a taxi and leaving them to die in particularly sadistic ways. With time counting down between each abduction and possible death, Rhyme recruits rather-unwilling Amelia Donaghy, haunted by her cop father’s suicide and thinking she’s next, into working the crime scenes to track down the killer.
Billy Elliot
M – Low level coarse language, low level violence
Billy Elliot is the heart-warming story of a young boy from a working-class family who discovers a passion that will change his life forever. Eleven-year-old miner’s son Billy Elliot is on his way to boxing lessons when he stumbles upon a ballet class. Billy secretly joins the class, knowing that his blue-collar family would never understand. Under the guidance of his teacher Mrs. Wilkinson, Billy’s raw talent takes flight. But when his father discovers his son’s ambition, Billy must fight for his dreams and his destiny. The triumphant tale of one boy who reaches beyond his place in the world to follow his heart’s desire.
Confessions of a Shopaholic
PG – Mild coarse language
Living in glamorous New York, Becky desperately wants a job writing for a high-fashion magazine. She gets her stilettos in the door when she gets a job writing a personal finance column at a sister publication. Much to her surprise, her column, “The Girl In The Green Scarf,” not only becomes a hit, but she falls head over high heels for her overworked yet handsome boss. But Becky has a secret that leads to some hilarious high jinks that could unravel it all. From the best-selling novel, and featuring the perfect comedic cast, it’s the feel-good must-have romantic comedy you’ll fall in love with over and over again.
All Quiet on the Western Front
PG – Mild content
At the rise of World War I, German patriot Paul Baumer and his friends enlist in the Imperial German Army. In search of adventure and eager to assert the superiority of their nation, the young men endure a brutal training camp and soon find themselves face to face with the full horrors of war when they are sent to the front lines to fight… and likely die. As the conflict rages, Paul grows from an eager boy to a disillusioned man who bears the scars of war on both his body and his soul.