The Film "Skateland" is a fantastic social text dealing with the changes one encounters after graduating high school. The story takes place in east Texas but I could not tell the scenery apart from the forests of California or Washington. The film is partly feel-good and part heart wrenching.
The main character of the film deals with family trouble when his parents get a divorce, this effects him greatly and makes him become more withdrawn and stagnant. He constantly repeats his catchphrase "I don't care" reaffirming his apathy. He doesn't know what college to go to, he doesn't even know if he wants to go to college.
The supporting roles in this film truly shine, and are very related to this class. All of the women in his life are strong, active, educated women. His mother supports herself, his little sister constantly encourages him to attend a university and even fills out applications for him. His love interest goes even further and submits an essay he wrote to a scholarship.
The film sends fantastic messages about parenthood, friendship, loss and love. The decisions the main character is faced with are mental weight enough to push most of us over the edge. I highly recommend this movie for anybody who has lived a imperfect life, who is everybody.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Actresses
The Korean film "The Actresses" deals with feminine issues. The six starlets reflect different stages of woman in relationship to their carers. in addition to these stages the film also brings up and highlights the issue of movies and society linking beauty with thinness. When ever one of the stars met another character they would complement each other on how skinny their face was. Asian culture is very different from American culture, but they have similar problems with beauty.
All of the actresses were in different stages of social development. The older, veteran actress would guide her younger associates as well as learn from them what it meant to be youthful. The younger stars spoke about problems they encounter being young in such a difficult industry. The time constraints on each of them were appalling. all of them had work prior to and immediately after the photo shoot.
The film also encouraged the idea that only males could be high level misuse, stating that the stronger hands are needed for a massage. This concept is ridiculous, any woman could give an excellent massage.
In conclusion, "The Actresses" is a great film that addresses a big problem in media, lack of strong female leaders. The wide spread range of ages targets all women and sends them the message of empowerment. The highly emotional scenes I did not care for. The budget for this film must have been very little because all filming took place in one studio with multiple make up stations, just like a regular photo shoot.
All of the actresses were in different stages of social development. The older, veteran actress would guide her younger associates as well as learn from them what it meant to be youthful. The younger stars spoke about problems they encounter being young in such a difficult industry. The time constraints on each of them were appalling. all of them had work prior to and immediately after the photo shoot.
The film also encouraged the idea that only males could be high level misuse, stating that the stronger hands are needed for a massage. This concept is ridiculous, any woman could give an excellent massage.
In conclusion, "The Actresses" is a great film that addresses a big problem in media, lack of strong female leaders. The wide spread range of ages targets all women and sends them the message of empowerment. The highly emotional scenes I did not care for. The budget for this film must have been very little because all filming took place in one studio with multiple make up stations, just like a regular photo shoot.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Modern medicine has come a long way to make our everyday lives easier. Also it has all but wiped out diseases like polio and malaria in the first world, and advancements in technology push medicine to new heights each day. Already there is much talk about extending the lifespan of humans to new lengths. This exciting discussion has drawn some of the brightest minds together and without a doubt we will develop some sort of technique to extend our lifespans. However, it is unlikely that everyone will be able to benefit from these hypothetical procedures and they will most likely be expensive, as is all new medicine.
Even though the vaccine for polio has been around for decades, polio still remains unchecked in the third world. Our lack of ability to spread health to all classes of people around the world reflects our elitist attitudes. Those with power simply do not care about the villages in Africa suffering from TB, malaria and AIDS.
So it seems that this new, exciting, and expensive medicine would only be available to upper class citizens living in the first world. Since population growth is already a concern among world leaders, it can be assumed that these ''philosophers stones'' would not be handed out like cell phones, even if they were that easy to produce. At this point we would enter a world where the social elite live longer and longer lives, while the life expectancy of the rest of the world stay static. It sounds like science fiction and even mythology but in order to avoid population explosion that would be the likely distribution.
So what would be the social risks and consequences of this future? Is death something to be feared and loathed, or is it to be embraced? These unanswered questions need to be brought up in this discussion of longevity. If we are able to become permanent, should we?
much of my inspiration for this blog came from
http://www.prb.org/pdf06/NIA_FutureofLifeExpectancy.pdf
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/national/class/OVERVIEW-FINAL.html?_r=1
Even though the vaccine for polio has been around for decades, polio still remains unchecked in the third world. Our lack of ability to spread health to all classes of people around the world reflects our elitist attitudes. Those with power simply do not care about the villages in Africa suffering from TB, malaria and AIDS.
So it seems that this new, exciting, and expensive medicine would only be available to upper class citizens living in the first world. Since population growth is already a concern among world leaders, it can be assumed that these ''philosophers stones'' would not be handed out like cell phones, even if they were that easy to produce. At this point we would enter a world where the social elite live longer and longer lives, while the life expectancy of the rest of the world stay static. It sounds like science fiction and even mythology but in order to avoid population explosion that would be the likely distribution.
So what would be the social risks and consequences of this future? Is death something to be feared and loathed, or is it to be embraced? These unanswered questions need to be brought up in this discussion of longevity. If we are able to become permanent, should we?
much of my inspiration for this blog came from
http://www.prb.org/pdf06/NIA_FutureofLifeExpectancy.pdf
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/national/class/OVERVIEW-FINAL.html?_r=1
Thursday, April 29, 2010
"Lost Boyz" in tha Hood
Trey Styles and his childhood friends are definitely more dynamic than your average African American in films. Each individual brings something different to the table concerning life in the inner city. Their friendship is incredibly important to breaking stereotypes in my opinion, their differences show audiences how different black youths can be. Once you break the idea of "they are all the same" you can go on and reverse other misconceptions about their race.
Dough Boy plays the role of the stereotype that the film attempts to break. What the writer-director, Jason Singleton accomplished with Ice Cube's character was to challenge the idea of a drug dealer. D-Boy had limited access to positive male role models while he was growing up and received no love from his mother, this is established early and throughout the film. The film needed a character with no support as a child to contrast with Trey and Ricky to fully teach the value of parenthood.
The film does little to address drugs, the root of all violence in the hood. The only drug deal is early in the morning after Dough Boy avenges his brother. The cinematic decision to save the drug deal scene for the end was a fitting choice and sent a definite message of oppression.
Little Chris has a limited role in the film but is important to the messages the film gives. Violence is a central idea as well as parenthood and Chris represents the possible cost of violence. This youth was taken by the police with Dough Boy and after the time skip he is confined to a wheelchair for unexplained reasons. Only when Trey is contemplating retribution with his fathers gun in his hand does Furious bring up Chris and his disability.
"Boyz in tha Hood" challenges many ideas about race, gives reasons for behavior such as drug dealing and violence, and stresses heavily the importance of parents and positive role models. The message that was most clear to me was the idea of brotherhood and friendship. Never did any of the main characters betray their hommies. Always Chris was given assistance when he was unable to make it up stairs, that image is truly heart warming.
Dough Boy plays the role of the stereotype that the film attempts to break. What the writer-director, Jason Singleton accomplished with Ice Cube's character was to challenge the idea of a drug dealer. D-Boy had limited access to positive male role models while he was growing up and received no love from his mother, this is established early and throughout the film. The film needed a character with no support as a child to contrast with Trey and Ricky to fully teach the value of parenthood.
The film does little to address drugs, the root of all violence in the hood. The only drug deal is early in the morning after Dough Boy avenges his brother. The cinematic decision to save the drug deal scene for the end was a fitting choice and sent a definite message of oppression.
Little Chris has a limited role in the film but is important to the messages the film gives. Violence is a central idea as well as parenthood and Chris represents the possible cost of violence. This youth was taken by the police with Dough Boy and after the time skip he is confined to a wheelchair for unexplained reasons. Only when Trey is contemplating retribution with his fathers gun in his hand does Furious bring up Chris and his disability.
"Boyz in tha Hood" challenges many ideas about race, gives reasons for behavior such as drug dealing and violence, and stresses heavily the importance of parents and positive role models. The message that was most clear to me was the idea of brotherhood and friendship. Never did any of the main characters betray their hommies. Always Chris was given assistance when he was unable to make it up stairs, that image is truly heart warming.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
elementary school teachers, a femeniarchy
It is common knowledge that among elementary school teachers there is a woman majority, and this was unjustly offset in the past due to the administrative positions being held my mostly men. In 1964 the civil rights act was passed and those higher paying positions were opened up to all genders, but for sexist reasons the lower paying teacher positions remained mostly women. These positions, held by women, are critical to all youths development and we should be shared by both genders.
There are many experts who will say that men in these positions is a horrible idea, that these men are probably pedophiles. I too had these preconceived notions until read an article on the new york times website about a perfectly capable male kindergarten teacher.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/26/nyregion/a-woman-s-work-don-t-tell-that-to-this-kindergarten-teacher.html?pagewanted=2
This article along with discussions in class has shown me that my preconceived notions that females are more nurturing than males is oppressing males who are capable to teach young children. Only 9% of elementary school teachers are male according to a study released by the National Education Association. Perhaps one day society will look past the "differences" men and women have when it comes to education, just like we have looked past how women are just as good as men in higher paying jobs such as politics and medicine.
There are many experts who will say that men in these positions is a horrible idea, that these men are probably pedophiles. I too had these preconceived notions until read an article on the new york times website about a perfectly capable male kindergarten teacher.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/26/nyregion/a-woman-s-work-don-t-tell-that-to-this-kindergarten-teacher.html?pagewanted=2
This article along with discussions in class has shown me that my preconceived notions that females are more nurturing than males is oppressing males who are capable to teach young children. Only 9% of elementary school teachers are male according to a study released by the National Education Association. Perhaps one day society will look past the "differences" men and women have when it comes to education, just like we have looked past how women are just as good as men in higher paying jobs such as politics and medicine.
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