Tristan and Isolde is quoted as being, "...a sweeping tale of love and loss, myth and fate, based on the timeless Celtic myth of star crossed passion." In the midst of a war Tristan (James Franco) and Isolde (Sophie Myles) find love with in one another but unable to be with each other. Even in peace, these two lovers are bound to be within the same walls but decicated to another. It truly is a tale of the forbiden love, one which treatens to bring down a nation.
Friday, March 23, 2007
"Before there was Romeo and Juliet..."
Looking for that perfect date movie? Something that she's sure to love but still enough battle scenes to make you still feel like a man? Here a movie that's garunteed to leave her teary eyed and you begging for more. Don't believe me? Watch the trailer.
"Crash" in review
"Look around! You couldn't find a whiter, safer or better lit part of this city. But this white woman sees two black guys, who look like UCLA students, strolling down the sidewalk and her reaction is blind fear. I mean, look at us! Are we dressed like gangbangers? Do we look threatening? No. Fact, if anybody should be scared, it's us: the only two black faces surrounded by a sea of over-caffeinated white people, patrolled by the triggerhappy LAPD. So, why aren't we scared?" Anthony (Played by Ludacris)
The movie "Crash", written and dirceted by Paul Haggins, is a mixture of irony and stereotypes. It takes the viewer through the lives of several different main characters, each having differnent backrounds and upbringings, that just so happen to be involoved one way or another with the other main characters lives.
Throughout "Crash" we find one major, and obvious, theme, being racism. Haggins uses characters and irony to show that each person, be it subtle or obvious, has some bit of prejudice or racist thoughts. Lippman would say that we have preconcieved pictures in our heads of they ways in which people of a certain race or gender are to act. We, finding out the opposite is also true, tend to be shocked and awed. Although Haggins does show racism in a few scenes subtly, most of the time his tactics are a bit over the top. This, among other things, makes the movie most unblievable.
That is probably the biggest downfall of the movie. Something like this should be able to send a message, really make the viewer feel it and want to act, or atleast think, differently after having watched it. It should be powerful, not poking fun or over the top.
I'm not saying I've wasted part of my life by viewing the movie, but I wouldn't take the time to watch it again.
Think I've crashed and burned? Read this...
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
"The Bluest Eye", By Toni Morrison
While this book is primarily meant to be read by African American women, it is an important read for most everyone else in society. Through out this novel, the read follows through the life of a young, colored girl named Pecola Breedlove and her obsession with beauty. While looking at the tragic life of this young girl, we also learn about the community and culture in which she lives. When looking at the culture we begin to see the many different people and objects that only nurture Pecola’s want for blue eyes and the ideal of American beauty. For exmple, we learn that both Pecola and her mother Pauline have a great interest in the movies or picture films. At the time of the novel, the actresses were all represented the ideal of American beauty which consisted of pale white skin, blonde curly hair, and of course blue eyes. Pecola is haunted with these thoughts and images throughout the entire book, ultimately leading to her self-hatred. Not all of the women of color in The Bluest Eye, feel the need to meet this social ideal.
Claudia, Pecola’s friend, shows the reader that it is perfectly acceptable and almost better for a person to be an individual who is not pressured by the social norms. Claudia helps Morrison to clearly show her purpose in writing this, which is to make women of color realize that they should not feel pressured to achieve the ideal social status that the media portrays. She wants women of color to be strong and confident in what and who they are. Morrison achieves this through the actions of Pecola, showing that if you soul purpose in life is achieving the ideal social status it will ultimately lead to your own destruction.
Throughout the book, you cannot help but to think of yourself and your place in society. Each person, or at least many of people, can see a little bit of Pecola within themselves. I couldn’t help but to think of the affect of media upon many young people in today’s society while reading about Pecola’s struggles. This is what makes The Bluest Eye such an important read for anyone feeling the pressure from the media or the culture in which they live. It brings the reader to the realization that a person cannot reach this ideal status with out some sort of damage, and that in the end that status is not worth your happiness.
Claudia, Pecola’s friend, shows the reader that it is perfectly acceptable and almost better for a person to be an individual who is not pressured by the social norms. Claudia helps Morrison to clearly show her purpose in writing this, which is to make women of color realize that they should not feel pressured to achieve the ideal social status that the media portrays. She wants women of color to be strong and confident in what and who they are. Morrison achieves this through the actions of Pecola, showing that if you soul purpose in life is achieving the ideal social status it will ultimately lead to your own destruction.
Throughout the book, you cannot help but to think of yourself and your place in society. Each person, or at least many of people, can see a little bit of Pecola within themselves. I couldn’t help but to think of the affect of media upon many young people in today’s society while reading about Pecola’s struggles. This is what makes The Bluest Eye such an important read for anyone feeling the pressure from the media or the culture in which they live. It brings the reader to the realization that a person cannot reach this ideal status with out some sort of damage, and that in the end that status is not worth your happiness.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Define a Documentary
How do you define a documentary?
This has a very broad range that it can cover. To me, a documentary is a film that depicts a person or particular person. Not a biography of a particular person, but something that tells their story or usually a struggle. It can also be an informational film on an event or new technology. For example, I found a documentary on the Bulletin Board System and the changes that have occured due to the rise of the internet.
Recently, many Americans have become aware of Documentary Director Michael Moore. He's been known for documentaries such as Farhenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine, Roger and Me, and Canadian Bacon. He's shed light, or at least his opinion, on events such as September 11th and the tragic school shooting in Columbine.
Roger and Me, however is not based on a particular event but the decline of a city. This documentary is based on Flint, Michigan and the decline of the economy. Through out the film, Moore attempts to interview Roger Smith, CEO of the Flint branch of General Motors. The GM plant had been a major source of income for the city, until it began to outsource jobs.
In reality, I guess a documentary can be an informational or persuasive film on almost any topic.
This has a very broad range that it can cover. To me, a documentary is a film that depicts a person or particular person. Not a biography of a particular person, but something that tells their story or usually a struggle. It can also be an informational film on an event or new technology. For example, I found a documentary on the Bulletin Board System and the changes that have occured due to the rise of the internet.
Recently, many Americans have become aware of Documentary Director Michael Moore. He's been known for documentaries such as Farhenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine, Roger and Me, and Canadian Bacon. He's shed light, or at least his opinion, on events such as September 11th and the tragic school shooting in Columbine.
Roger and Me, however is not based on a particular event but the decline of a city. This documentary is based on Flint, Michigan and the decline of the economy. Through out the film, Moore attempts to interview Roger Smith, CEO of the Flint branch of General Motors. The GM plant had been a major source of income for the city, until it began to outsource jobs.
In reality, I guess a documentary can be an informational or persuasive film on almost any topic.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
30 Day's in regards to Stereotypes etc.
The 30 Days program did show many stereotypes of immigrants. For instance, Rigo does hard jobs for very low wages. It also shows the conditions that many Mexican immigrants are attempting to leave. Even though they are under or close to the poverty level in the United States, they are still better situated here than their former home in Mexico. Finally, it shows the sadness they feel because they are unable to return to their families in Mexico. For example, Pati was unable to see either of her parents before they passed away and it was clearly an emotional topic for her.
Armida represents the quest for the “American Dream,” or that which most Americans (and immigrants too) want to strive for. She breaks many of these stereotypes, or preconceived pictures in our heads, about illegal immigrants. She is very successful in school and an accomplished golfer. Armida has dreams to become the first in her family to attend a college and has high hopes of attending Princeton.
By airing this episode, producers were able to shed light on both sides of the illegal immigration controversy. They did not, however, show bias toward either side. Both were represented equally with valid arguments. I think that it was important to air this because illegal immigration is such a controversial topic right now in the media and politics.
Armida represents the quest for the “American Dream,” or that which most Americans (and immigrants too) want to strive for. She breaks many of these stereotypes, or preconceived pictures in our heads, about illegal immigrants. She is very successful in school and an accomplished golfer. Armida has dreams to become the first in her family to attend a college and has high hopes of attending Princeton.
By airing this episode, producers were able to shed light on both sides of the illegal immigration controversy. They did not, however, show bias toward either side. Both were represented equally with valid arguments. I think that it was important to air this because illegal immigration is such a controversial topic right now in the media and politics.
30's Days, Immigration in Review
Illegal immigration has become an important topic in current news and politics. This controversial subject was featured in FX’s “30 Days” program. It begins when a Frank George, radical minuteman from the border, moves in with an illegal immigrant family in East L.A. This family of seven lives in tight quarters which become even smaller when another person comes to live there.
The Gonzalez family consists of Rigoberto (father), Pati (mother), and 5 children. The two youngest of the children were born in the United States, thus making them citizens. The other three however, are still in the States illegally. The most outspoken of them all was oldest daughter Armida.
Frank must leave all of his identification papers behind, do manual labor, and live in their home for 30 days. He himself was an immigrant from Cuba, however he and his family did so legally. Upon his arrival to his new temporary home, he is instantly reminded of Cuba. Frank is immediately put to work with Rigoberto, who works for low wages as a handyman. This consisted of many strenuous jobs and chores. Rigoberto says that he is “doing the jobs that Americans don’t want to do.”
Frank also spends time with the rest of the family and really begins to become a part of their family and lives. He is genuinely touched by the family and feels a bond of kinship between them. During his time there he states, “…we really start to appreciate life.” But was that enough to change his radical ways?
This is not meant to persuade the viewer in either direction. If anything else, the producers of this episode were attempting to inform the viewer. Both sides of the argument are shown, one through Frank and the other through the family and their friends. It informs the viewers of the conditions that immigrants are leaving behind and their dreams of the future yet to come. It is most defiantly an episode worth watching.
The Gonzalez family consists of Rigoberto (father), Pati (mother), and 5 children. The two youngest of the children were born in the United States, thus making them citizens. The other three however, are still in the States illegally. The most outspoken of them all was oldest daughter Armida.
Frank must leave all of his identification papers behind, do manual labor, and live in their home for 30 days. He himself was an immigrant from Cuba, however he and his family did so legally. Upon his arrival to his new temporary home, he is instantly reminded of Cuba. Frank is immediately put to work with Rigoberto, who works for low wages as a handyman. This consisted of many strenuous jobs and chores. Rigoberto says that he is “doing the jobs that Americans don’t want to do.”
Frank also spends time with the rest of the family and really begins to become a part of their family and lives. He is genuinely touched by the family and feels a bond of kinship between them. During his time there he states, “…we really start to appreciate life.” But was that enough to change his radical ways?
This is not meant to persuade the viewer in either direction. If anything else, the producers of this episode were attempting to inform the viewer. Both sides of the argument are shown, one through Frank and the other through the family and their friends. It informs the viewers of the conditions that immigrants are leaving behind and their dreams of the future yet to come. It is most defiantly an episode worth watching.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Blogmania #2
Defining stereotype… this really shouldn’t be difficult, but I’m finding that it is actually hard to think of what the word actually means. So I decided to look it up in the dictionary, seemed like a good idea at the time.
According to Webster’s Dictionary:
Stereotype
(Noun): A conventional or formulaic conception or image: "regional stereotypes have been part of America since its founding.”
(Verb): Treat or classify according to a mental stereotype; "I was stereotyped as a lazy Southern European".
This didn’t make things much clearer for me. So I turned to Lippman. From what I understood, he explained Stereotypes almost as a predisposition based on a person’s life experiences and that we cannot fully understand why they perceive those stereotypes until we’ve seen experiences through their eyes. I’ve always thought of Stereotype as a derogatory word, like all stereotypes were a bad thing. I think that’s mainly because I was always faced with them growing up. However, the more I read and the more I listen in class I find myself thinking that stereotypes are not necessarily a derogatory outlook on someone unlike your self but this predisposition based on your own experiences. Especially since no one is going to think of or believe the same stereotypes about certain types of people.
According to Webster’s Dictionary:
Stereotype
(Noun): A conventional or formulaic conception or image: "regional stereotypes have been part of America since its founding.”
(Verb): Treat or classify according to a mental stereotype; "I was stereotyped as a lazy Southern European".
This didn’t make things much clearer for me. So I turned to Lippman. From what I understood, he explained Stereotypes almost as a predisposition based on a person’s life experiences and that we cannot fully understand why they perceive those stereotypes until we’ve seen experiences through their eyes. I’ve always thought of Stereotype as a derogatory word, like all stereotypes were a bad thing. I think that’s mainly because I was always faced with them growing up. However, the more I read and the more I listen in class I find myself thinking that stereotypes are not necessarily a derogatory outlook on someone unlike your self but this predisposition based on your own experiences. Especially since no one is going to think of or believe the same stereotypes about certain types of people.
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