Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Violence in the Media

Does violent imagery in film, television, and video games encourage violence or merely reflect our violent tastes? Some argue that watching (or inflicting virtual) violence causes people to engage in aggressive behavior in the real world, while others (like Stephen King) see it as a release, a chance to exorcise violent feelings in a benign way. What do you think?

Monday, November 5, 2012

Cyberbullying Video Essay

Cyberbullying is a serious issue in which many people have become familiar. In recent years, cyberbullying has grown from harassing teasing to lethal threats (in some cases). What techniques should we take advantage of in our presentation? What types of images and background music will make our video more powerful? Furthermore, how can we use media to form a compelling argument?

Sunday, October 28, 2012

What We've Got Here...Is Two Similar Characters.

Lucas Jackson and Randall Patrick McMurphy serve as iconic American heroes, brazenly defying authority, helping a group of emasculated men recover some semblence of their manhoods in the face of an oppressive authority. Moreover, each takes on a Christ-like role, leading his respective disciples (prisoners or mental patients) toward dignity, suffering and deteriorating under the burden of leadership, and eventually sacrificing himself in a selfless defiance of the demand for conformity. Discuss some of the more interesting parallels between the characters. How do Kesey and the director/screenwriter of Cool Hand Luke cast their main characters as a religious figures? What significant differences exist between the two?

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Supersize Me!

In the documentary Supersize Me, Morgan Spurlock focuses a section of his story on a lawsuit against McDonald's by two young girls. The girls are suing the fast food restaurant for the supposed cause of their obesity. Do you think that's fair? Give me your thoughts.