Nick-Davis.com: Biographical Index
Nick Davis
Associate Professor
Department of English,
Program in Gender and
Sexuality Studies,
Northwestern University
Blog / Twitter / Email
Buy my first book!
Guide to my ratings
Optimal on Firefox
Resolution: 1280 x 800
|
|
|
In 2014, the two conveners of a new film discussion group for Chicago-area women hired me to be their facilitator. Their requests were that I pick an interesting new release each month that our 30+ members would have ample time and ability to see; that I formulate discussion questions and offer some insights about production histories and formal choices in each movie; and that, despite their eagerness to recruit a professor, I treat our monthly, two-hour meetings as real conversations, not lectures. The "Gold Coast Film Group" is still going strong after several years, and all the gals (click that photo to the left) have become my treasured friends.
I'm sharing the sheets I prepare for each of our meetings, which everyone reads ahead of time. When possible, I prep these after seeing the movie twice. Sometimes our discussions hew to these prompts, and sometimes they don't. I'm sharing them as examples of the kinds of thematic interest and formal nuance I'm looking for while watching an ambitious film. Since I rarely have time to review movies in full anymore, these give a sense of what resonated with me in recent releases. Please enjoy them... and please don't plagiarize them! And by the way, for folks who often ask if I'm reading too much into these films...
"How do I love this? Let me count the ways. Even the parts you didn't dig. Love it. Thanks for really seeing the film. Can I tweet it?" — Ava DuVernay, writer-director of Selma
"Ummmmm, I've never seen something like this study sheet done before, wow... Nick, the thoroughness of your study sheet is astounding, much respect!" — Barry Jenkins, writer-director of Moonlight
|
| Season 6: Sep 2019 – Jun 2020 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Season 5: Sep 2018 – Jun 2019 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Season 4: Sep 2017 – Jul 2018 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
| Season 3: Sep 2016 – Jun 2017 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Season 2: Sep 2015 – Jun 2016 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Season 1: Sep 2014 – Jun 2015 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
