Comm 229: A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

I came across this photo Stumbling, I thought it was pretty good.


It's interesting how one thing that happens on one media source the VMA awards then gets translated into different media works. I had also found a video of a stand up comedian telling a joke about Kanye's little problem with interrupting people. It was really good. I'm going to have to try and find it and post it for you guys.

Comm 300: I am Joaquin

I just watched this film clip and I really enjoyed it. It's a very interesting film using only still photographs instead of the movies we are used to seeing. I thought that this did a wonderful job of allowing you to focus in on the narrator's words, instead of what you are seeing on the screen. Since watching this film I want to try and watch the other two films that Noriega talks about in his first chapter, though I'm not sure if they will be available. I'll post links if I find them.

Comm 229: The Belgariad

I am taking a Women's History course with Professor Lowe this semester, and it's really interesting. Of course we have gone into the discussion of the Republican Mother, and the Ideology of True Womanhood. What a bunch of crap that is..
But, I am rereading The Belgariad, by David Eddings. It is an awesome series, filled with monsters and adventures and romance of course. But, it's interesting because books are a media source, though we often forget about it. And in these books Polgara, who is a sorceress and a character of great importance is basically spoon feeding us the Ideology of True Womanhood. What crap is that?? She is constantly being shown contently sewing up shirts or cooking food and things. And her life's dream is to get married settle down and do housework!!!!
I find it so disappointing that the books I love are trying to get me to think that a woman's perfect place is within the home, tending to torn shirts and food...

Comm 229: Observe and Report

First off, let me tell you that this movie blows. Truly you don't want to waste your money on it. Unfortunately, I watched the whole thing last night, but I figured I wouldn't let this horrid experience go to waste.
A couple of chapters ago our book was discussing how visual and audio clues will inform you as to what type of movie you are going to see. Every single commercial I saw for this movie showed it as being a comedic movie about a mall cop, who terrorizes the citizens. They lied. This movie was not funny at all, and it was more a look into the life of an average citizen who does the same job over and over again, who is being pushed around by the system.
Now, why would we think this is a comedy???? SETH ROGAN. They chose him for this role, and we all assumed that he would be doing another funny movie. Horrible misconception. What is interesting though is for the 'bad cop' they chose the actor from the 'Goodfella's'. Though, he wasn't very mafia like in this movie, he was definately a bad ass.

Comm 300: Exclusion from the beginning

I had my women's history class on Tuesday and we are currently looking at women's experience during westward expansion. Of course, when you first think about women, I think about white women, it isn't until a bit later that you realize that you have forgotten about the Mexican women who had already occupied California and the southwest, or the Native American women who helped these traveler's over the course of their journey, or the Chinese women who came over with their husbands during the gold rush.
During this class Professor Lowe (who's great), asked us all to close our eyes and think about the West. All of us in the classroom thought of the same thing: a vast land with empty grasslands, perhaps some savage native Americans roaming around, but mostly nothing but expectations. This of course isn't the truth, but it is an idea that we have thought of since the 1800's!!! It is incredible how ingrained these thoughts become, and of course all of them came from media sources, even way back when. The Buffalo Bill show was the first one to start it, and it has persisted to today.
No wonder it is so hard to change these ideas. They get ingrained, and before long the whole nation just sits back and thinks that that is exactly how things are supposed to be.

Comm 300: Action Heroes

Allright, so I'm watching Transporter 2, and that got me thinking about how many action heroes aren't white. And honestly, I can't think of very many. Of course, the first one that comes to mind is Blade but he's not really an action hero, I don't think that being a half vampire, killing machine really counts in this catagory. It's a great movie, but it's not a role that could happen in real life, unlike the Transporter, there could be some guy somewhere working for the mafia dropping packages off. There probably really is.Though, I would have to argue that Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp fiction was a pretty awesome character, but wouldn't really categorize him as a hero.
Now of course I tend to focus on African Americans, because they are the first minorities that come to mind. But what about Asian good guys? Is Jackie Chan really the only one? Some of his original movies made in China are really awesome, but there aren't that many Chinese heroes in Hollywood films, that focus upon an action theme. I wonder how different Star Wars or Indian Jones would be if they had a minority as the main character...

Comm 229: Movies as a Commercial

So, in the book it talks about how televisions shows and movies now a days seem to only be a commercial for certain product. I was just watching Transport 2, and couldn't help but notice that the entire movie is an Audi commercial. Every time they went to do a stunt in the car, they made sure to show the emblem. I mean, don't get me wrong, it is a sweeet looking car. But, really? Are they that desperate for money from
Audi that they need to be that obvious about it.
So, over the next couple of days I want to watch some t.v. and see what other brands come out in the television shows I am watching. I know some of them are quite obvious but others are hopefully not so.