Have you ever had a day, or a few days, where you watched a movie in each of your classes?
Isn't it great? No notes, no handouts, and it's interesting, most times.
Thing is, there are tons of movies out there that apply to our courses. There are even movies that are made, or specifically designed for specific courses. I am a strong advocator of in-class movies, and I think they are a great way to learn, and engage the class.
Now, I know that sometimes the movies can be painful, and some people will argue that it's just the teacher 'copping out' and an excuse not to do work. I can see where they're coming from, but there is a right way and a wrong way to do that.
First, when choosing the movie, the teacher needs to keep in mind that it has to relate to the topic. If not, nobody will pay attention, and they'll just talk all the way through. Besides, if it's not that relevant, the teacher will permit the talking to go further, because she/he will acknowledges that the movie isn't really essential to the course.
Second, the handout thing is old. They just become so bothersome that it's better to just watch the movie, and try and fill in the answers after. If the purpose of the handouts is to make sure that the student actually watched the movie, then it has failed. Let the student watch the movie, and ask questions about it after the film is done.
Third, the ultimate way to incorporate a film/movie into a lesson plan is to stop it when points of importance come up. You'd think this would be a negative point, but I found it to be very helpful. In two of my classes, the teachers interrupt the movie at certain points to either relate it to the unit/lesson, or to point out certain aspects we have been discussing. Students don't expect to watch the movie uninterrupted, in complete silence anyways.
So when it comes to movies, teachers, embrace the 'historical drama', the National Geographic archaeological documentary and even CSI, you'll be happy you did, and so will your students.