Algarabía is a Mexico City-based magazine with a distinct quirky and ironic style. They publish pieces on science, language, history, art, and, according to their website, “little explored aspects of cotidianity.” Examples of their articles (which can be found on their website) include “Position Changes in Erotic Art”, “People don’t know how to drink coffee”, and “The Science on Cursing”. Better suited for advanced Spanish learners, articles in this magazine are characterized by playful yet accessible prose. Their series on etymologies is particularly good; sometimes poignant, often hilarious, always informative.
Kanopy: free access to award-winning films
I’m a senior at Reed, and I have one recommendation for you during your time here — visit Kanopystreaming.com. This is really one of the hidden secrets of Reed that will change your life when you find out about it. I didn’t discover Kanopy until this year and I am sad to have missed so many opportunities to watch films in foreign languages for free. Kanopy offers films in 28 languages and almost all films have English subtitles available. This is one of the best features and sets Kanopy apart from most other streaming sites.
To use Kanopy on or off campus, just add Reed College as your institution. Next, you can customize Kanopy by creating an account, which allows you to access features like creating playlists. Or you can just watch the films without logging in.
We are privileged that all members of the Reed community have free access through the institutional subscription. Kanopy is only available through libraries and academic universities. Check it out today and you’ll see a hugely diverse collection of award-winning films! The first Arabic movie I watched on Kanopy turned out to be one of the best movies I’ve seen all year. Take a look, or log onto the site to find your next favorite movie!
Tickling Giants: Uniting Egypt Through Laughter in Tumultuous Times
This documentary follows the rise and fall of Egyptian talk show host Bassam Youssef, the Jon Stewart of Egypt. But where Jon Stewart has 2 million views per episode, Youssef typically has 30 million. The film depicts the consequences of political comedy in a country where retribution is swift and harsh for any journalist who criticizes the government. When free speech is not a guarantee, people need space to laugh and relieve their fears. Youssef becomes a necessary and beloved outlet for an entire country of people under repressive rule. He faces threats, protests and lawsuits in his quest to keep comedy alive in Egypt. This movie is funny, emotional and informational about recent Egyptian politics since the 2011 revolution.
恨海 ‘The Sea of Regret’
This novel was written by Wú Jiǎnrén in 1906. In ten chapters, the reader follows the story of two couples and their families as they head to Shanghai to escape the turmoil during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. This would be recommended for intermediate to advanced learners, but the translated version also provides insight into the discussion around family, marriage, and the status of women at the time.
12 Contemporary German Films
Watching full-length films in German is one of the best ways to practice your language skills while also having fun. German cinema, dating back to classics like “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1929), is full of incredibly beautiful films. What’s sometimes harder to find are films released within our lifetimes, so here are 12 Contemporary German Films (in alphabetic order) from several genres, all of which are available at the Reed Instructional Media Center.
“Barbara” (2012): Barbara, an East German doctor, is sent to work in a small town hospital as punishment for requesting to leave the country. While planning an escape to the West, she discovers she has reasons to stay. A personal and touching drama, Barbara is also a vignette of life in East Germany.
“Bella Martha” / “Mostly Martha” (2001): A touching German romantic comedy about Martha, a woman trying to balance her passion as a chef with the difficulties of caring for her stubborn niece. Martha herself is as fiery and stubborn as her niece, and they often butt heads, but the introduction of a friendly, good-looking Italian chef seems to have an effect on their relationship.
“Das Experiment” / “The Experiment” (2001): Loosely based on the Stanford prison experiment, Das Experiment imagines the psychological toll on a group of people randomly assigned roles as “prisoners” or “guards”. Moritz Bleibtreu, one of Germany’s most famous actors, stars in this dark thriller.
“Das Leben der Anderen” / “The Lives of Others” (2006): Possibly the most acclaimed modern film to come out of Germany, Das Leben der Anderen is about East German surveillance during the Cold War. A Stasi officer, listening in on a young couple, becomes fascinated with their lives. The film has won numerous awards for its dramatic brilliance and accurate display of the historical atmosphere, and is a must-see.
“Der Untergang” / “Downfall” (2004): An epic drama about the final days of the Nazi regime, Der Untergang is told from the perspective of Traudl Junge, Hitler’s personal secretary. The film dramatises the events that lead up to Hitler’s downfall, while dealing with themes of responsibility and guilt.
“Fack ju Göhte” (2013): The German equivalent of a Jack Black film, Fack ju Göhte is about a former bank robber who mistakenly gets hired as a substitute teacher. Although you’ll probably never see this film on a syllabus, it’s universally well-known in Germany as one of the funniest and stupidest films of our generation.
“Good Bye, Lenin” (2001): Set during the Reunification of West and East Germany, Alex has to protect his mother, who awoke from a coma to a brand new world. He reconstructs a mini-GDR in her apartment, but the deception goes too far and he starts to blur reality and fiction. An excellent watch for those interested in post-unification German culture, history, and comedy!
“Herr Lehmann” / “Berlin Blues” (2003): Just before the German reunification, Herr Lehmann introduces us to Frank Lehmann, a twenty-something bartender living lazily in West Berlin. When his parents come to visit, his depressingly boring life is upset, and he has to reevaluate his lifestyle. If you’re looking for an enjoyable and fun film, this isn’t it, but it’s a great period piece full of clever dialogue.
“Lola Rennt” / “Run Lola Run” (1998): Lola is thrust into a dangerous situation by her boyfriend, Manni, and has twenty minutes to collect 100,000 deutsche Marks, and so she runs…and runs…and runs. The rest can only be described as an MTV-inspired thriller with as many experimental techniques as you can hope to cram in an 80-minute film. A cult classic action-thriller with a plot and characters so energetic, you’ll be breathless yourself by the end.
“Sophie Scholl: Die letzten Tagen” (2005): Based on a true story, this epic drama recreates the final days of Sophie and her brother, two members of an underground resistance group in Nazi Germany called the “Weiße Rose”. Although the film is tragic and may leave you weeping, it’s narratively excellent and cinematographically beautiful.
“Türkisch für Anfänger” (2012): One of the more ridiculous suggestions on this list, this film is essentially a goofy spin-off of “Lost”. Four teenagers get stranded on a beautiful desert island and have to put aside their caricaturised differences and get along. Full of politically-incorrect stereotypes and language, Türkisch für Anfänger will set you up perfectly for a trip to Germany.
“Vincent will Meer” / “Vincent Wants to Sea” (2010): A young man with Tourette’s wants nothing more than to escape his mental institution and take a trip to Italy. With the help of Marie, a woman with an eating disorder, the two break out and take a road trip full of misadventures.
German Comedy
If you’re getting bored of German grammar and vocabulary exercises, try spicing up your learning with some comedy! Here are seven of Germany’s funniest sketch series and cartoon strips. (Please note that some content may be inappropriate.)
- Knallerfrauen and Ladykracher: Two of Germany’s funniest short, SNL/Monty Python-sketch style episodes, Knallerfrauen features Martina Hill, a young German woman who runs into troubles with family, dating, and other irreverent topics; Ladykracher is about a somewhat oblivious and socially-awkward woman.
- Kesslers Knigge: A short sketch series, these videos take the from of “10 Dinge, die Sie nicht tun sollten, wenn…” (“10 Things You Shouldn’t Do, If…”). Sketches cover a wide variety of topics, from things you shouldn’t do in a museum, to things you shouldn’t do at a burial.
- Ruthe.de and NICHTLUSTIG are popular comedy websites, featuring cartoons in the style of “Far Side”, and TV commercial parody videos. Although the humor can be advanced, as it features German sarcasm, irony, and sometimes obscure references, most jokes are accessible through context.
- ApoRed and Julien Bam: Two of Germany’s most famous YouTubers, ApoRed and Julien Bam make parody videos and songs, vlogs, and prank sketches. Although aimed more toward teens, some videos are quite funny.
News in Slow and Easy German
It’s easy to find German-language podcasts, videos, and radio stations that are aimed at either absolute beginners, or those for native speakers. But what if you want to immerse yourself in intermediate German without having to strain yourself or be bored? Here are a few resources for listening comprehension for the intermediate German learner (i.e. German 220).
Nachrichtenleicht by Deutschlandfunk: The best resource for slow German news, Nachrichtenleicht presents short German audio clips (approx. 2-3 minutes) about relevant news, accompanied by a written transcript, so you can follow along while you listen.
Langsam Gesprochene Nachrichten by Deutsche Welle: Daily German news on current topics. Episodes are about 10 minutes long, and can also downloadable on iTunes.
News in Slow German by Linguistica 360: Dialogue-based German news, released weekly in slow German, accompanied by written transcripts. Episodes run approx. 8 minutes, and can be downloaded from iTunes as well.
Slow German mit Annik Rubens: Short segments in German on just about every topic, from contemporary German slang to an introduction to German literature. Episodes are about 4-7 minutes long, and are downloadable from iTunes as well.