Abstract
Gifted children have held many pivotal roles in modern, popular cinema. The Neverending Story (1984) and Beauty and the Beast (1991) both featured misunderstood young adults who spent more time with their nose in a book than in reality. The plots of Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), Explorers (1985), and The Goonies (1985) all depended on ingenious, mischievous, and clearly gifted children. Movies like The Cutting Edge (1992), The Natural (1984), and The Sandlot (1993) center around children or young adults with remarkable athletic talents. Despite the abundance of characters, the actual children are typically presented as one-dimensional oddities or abnormalities. By being aware of how the media portray gifted children, teachers, parents, and other adults may have a better idea how the gifted children in their lives perceive themselves.
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