ATTENTION ALL OF MY FOLLOWERS! FROM NOW ON, I WILL BE WRITING REVIEWS ABOUT MOVIES/PLAYS AND TV SHOWS THAT I WATCH!!!!
TV SHOWS WILL INCLUDE:
24 LOST THE OFFICE AMERICAN IDOL HEROES CHUCK DEXTER FLASHFORWARD GLEE
Monday, February 22, 2010
Looking at Matt's Thoughts on Native Americans
While I browsed Matt's blog/presentation about Native Americans, I found myself agreeing with so many of the ideas that he proposed. It wa fvery factual and seemed like it could be in a museum. I never knew that the Native Americans sided wityh the British during the Revolutionary War. This is actually pretty reasonable, since the British seemed to be the stronger side, and American colonists only took away from them since they landed on Plymouth Rock. The fact that they did this has seemed to haunt them to this day. Many Native American tribes are very poor and do not receive a lot of help. Native Americans never really got the proper benefits of American citizenship, but who is to say that they wanted it? Like Matt said, we forced our ways onto them when we came here to THEIR land. It's funny to look at the immigration problem now in contrast and see how we contradict ourselves because we were those immigrants in 1492, and instead of learning the way of Native Americans, we forced our ways onto them while immigrants today are forced to learn our language if they are to be so successful in this country. It is very true that being American means that we feel that our way is the best. Like Obama said in his State of the Union address, "There is no 2nd place for the United States of America!" We really do feel that we are superior, and although that makes us seem cocky, it also gives us a confidence that we need to help others in the world. But that should include helping our own citizens, both regualr and Native American. They should definitely not be on the lower end of the spectrum, because their ancestors were the ones who first claimed this land, and in a way, we should almost be grateful to them. We do not give enough credit to Native Americans. We should help them by learning more about their culture and becoming more familiar with it. There are many ways to do this. For example, I go to a camp that is very in touch with Indian culture, and that has changed some of my values in life and has made me more aware of who they are as a tribe and a people. Hopefully, others will learn to "paint with all the colors of the wind."
Learning about the Views and Rights of Homosexuality
This topic is one that I was very interested in at the beginning of the research project. I have very mixed feelings about this issue. While I would love for everyone to be accepted by their different sexualities, I can see how others find homosexuality as an uncomfortable thing to know about someone. Personally, I don't care as much, but it is surprising how many people make such a big deal of it. This SAME EXACT THING has happened for blacks Jews, women etc.. It seems like our country is always very slow when it comes to accepting people who are different. It is interesting that this argument has been around for so long, and that it is still being debated to this day. I was surprised to hear about the Stonewall Riots on Jan. 27th 1969. The gay community did exactly what MLK and Malcolm X did for the blacks during that same time period, when they resisted arrest and publicly spoke out against their discrimination. I feel that this is the best way to bring change...Fight for it! Those who did it during the Stonewall Riots were brave enough in 1969, and I like hearing those who speak out against the government today. I have the most mixed feelings about the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy. I am already familiar with this policy, and while i believe that anyone should be able to join the military, it is obviously uncomfortable for soldiers who are living in the same close quarters as a soldier who is a homosexual. While the army wants to be fair to everyone, they should also think about the soldiers who might reconsider the army based on this right for gays. But, honestly, when you put it in perspective, these people are trained to kill; they dodge bullets and work day in and day out fighting against opposing forces. I feel like they should be able to handle feeling comfortable around someone who does not share the same sex appeals as they do.
There are so many different subtopics when it comes to this issue, and I feel that each one should be addressed individually according to different situations. It is not an easy thing to agree upon, but, hopefully, they will soon conclude this fued.
There are so many different subtopics when it comes to this issue, and I feel that each one should be addressed individually according to different situations. It is not an easy thing to agree upon, but, hopefully, they will soon conclude this fued.
Learning from the Thoughts of Kolis
After watching Chris's final presentation, I was very intrigued to see the relationship between rap and violence. I never knew that hip-hop was started in the 1970s, or that one of the purposes of it was to reduce violence and give kids on the street an alternative to it by beatboxing or breakdancing. There are many activities today that appeal to other adolescents if they want to stay busy and stay out of trouble. Like many activities that start out harmless, society usually finds a way to make it so that it is more risque, and that is normal for us now. I agree that artists should tone down their language about "shooting hoes" and "smokin' dope". It is kind of pathetic that rappers don't want to change their music to something more appropriate just because they will lose their image that way. In this sense, rapping seems to be like a drug. While it may not have a healthy benefit to society, those that make it are enjoying success too much to worry about what is right and what is wrong. That also appears to be happening more often in American society, and it is sad that awe can't really change it without taking money out of others' pockets.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Final Piece: Works Cited
Adams, Brooks. 1971 [1896]. The Law of Civilization and Decay. New York: Books for Libraries Press.
American Arts Alliance. "Federal Funding of the Arts Should Not End." Current Controversies: Free Speech. Ed. Scott Barbour. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .
Brice Davis. "Easy on the Ratings." Opposing Viewpoints: The Film Industry. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Lake Times Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .
David Goldenberg. "The Film Industry Should Not Be Blamed for At-Risk Behavior." Opposing Viewpoints: The Film Industry. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. “Crazy Sunday.” The Short Stories. Ed. Matthew J. Bruccoli. New York: Scribner, 1989. 713-728. Print.
Harmon, Justin, et. al. "Cole Porter." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2010..
"Shirley Temple Black." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2010..
Valente, Jose. "Ginger Rogers." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 30 Jan.2010..
Zoglin, Richard. "Full-Monty Fever: Female nudity? Ho-hum. Now it's the guys who are baring it all in an effort to shock stage audiences.(The Arts/THEATER)(Brief Article)." Time. 160. 14 (Sept 30, 2002): 90. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .
American Arts Alliance. "Federal Funding of the Arts Should Not End." Current Controversies: Free Speech. Ed. Scott Barbour. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .
Brice Davis. "Easy on the Ratings." Opposing Viewpoints: The Film Industry. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Lake Times Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .
David Goldenberg. "The Film Industry Should Not Be Blamed for At-Risk Behavior." Opposing Viewpoints: The Film Industry. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. “Crazy Sunday.” The Short Stories. Ed. Matthew J. Bruccoli. New York: Scribner, 1989. 713-728. Print.
Harmon, Justin, et. al. "Cole Porter." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2010..
"Shirley Temple Black." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2010..
Valente, Jose. "Ginger Rogers." American History. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 30 Jan.2010..
Zoglin, Richard. "Full-Monty Fever: Female nudity? Ho-hum. Now it's the guys who are baring it all in an effort to shock stage audiences.(The Arts/THEATER)(Brief Article)." Time. 160. 14 (Sept 30, 2002): 90. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The Current State of the Arts
In these modern times, many people enjoy being entertained by seeing a movie, watching a favorite TV show, or going to see a play. So many people use this as a chance to get away from everyday life and get lost in the magic of entertainment. However, it has become more common for people to critique a show and point out its flaws, rather than appreciating the art of it all. As more criticism comes from the productions that are put on, the idea of federal funding of the Arts seems useless to some.
There are people who think that the Arts should not continue to be funded by the government. They feel that it is not important enough in society for the government to spend the tax dollars they pay, and use it to support these kinds of programs. However, there are many who think otherwise. The NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) uses the money that it receives from the government to allow performing arts group to travel among the United States. People do not realize that these productions help to make other people aware of the different cultures in this world. When people see plays like “The Color Purple” and “Les Mis”, they are able to get a better understanding of what those different people went through at that time, and are able to have more appreciation for what they went through. When the NEA was created in 1965, Congress stated, “An advanced civilization must not limit its efforts to science and technology alone, but must give full value and support to the other great branches of scholarly and cultural activity in order to achieve a better understanding of the past, a better analysis of the present, and a better view of the future." This shows how, when it comes to the progression of society, the arts are of equal importance to business and new inventions. The arts explore different aspects of life that are not covered elsewhere. For many people, theatre gives the ability to solve real life problems, and to learn to be comfortable with oneself and speak with confidence, which is especially important in interviews for jobs. Through the arts, people learn to view these aspects of life with a new perception.
A lot of the entertainment industry is based off of perception. The way a director sees something may be different than what the audience believes. This can cause conflict, because many people do not like going to a show where their views and opinions are refuted. Others believe that that is the magic of entertainment. It is supposed to cause the audience to leave with a different set of opinions than what they came with. Those who are offended do not need to see the show. On the same subject, those who are not meant to see a show should not view it. A 10 year-old boy should not see an R-Rated film about anti-Semitism or drug dealing because he is not mature enough to comprehend that material in a healthy manner. The content in shows should remain the same; it should not change based on the various views of the people. At the end of his article about censorship, the author writes, “Displaying questionable content is not a crime; the crime belongs to the people who try to censor that content.” This describes how the entertainment industry should be able to get away with displaying these ideas, because it is their freedom and duty to do so.
The entertainment industry takes advantage of this freedom, because it has become more common to see content in shows that would have usually been outrageous for the view of the public. One of these more common aspects is nudity, not only onscreen, but onstage as well. Male nudity, in particular, has become increasingly popular, especially with shows like Monty Python or Equus. There are some who believe that nudity is not necessary, and that it is only used to make a show more unique, but others, like director Richard Greenberg, believe that it is just another artistic choice. He says, “Nudity is the right metaphor for what the play is about." This shows how the use of nudity acts as a tool to help tell the story of a play. It is not just for show, it has a purpose.
Besides nudity, there are other aspects in entertainment (movies, in particular) that some viewers are not comfortable with. A major worry among these people is the portrayal of sex in movies, and how it does not display the healthy ways of sexual behavior, as well as the consequences of those that do not. They feel that, too often, movies like He’s Just Not That Into You show the unhealthy ways in which people make love, without taking the time to show what really happens in real life when this occurs. Then there are others who believe that the entertainment industry does not need to do this. They note that there are films that do display safer ways to have sex, and that there are also films that show what happens as a result when a couple does not. In rebuttal to those that believe that safe-sex situations are not displayed in movies, David Goldenberg, the writer of this viewpoint essay says, “There are plenty of serious movies with major actors who suffer consequences as a result of unprotected sex, and it's not Hollywood's fault that more people want to see There's Something About Mary than Philadelphia. This shows how the movie-making industry does take notice of these real life situations and how they are applied in film. Earlier, he also says, “Maybe people would simply rather see escapist movies that didn't stop to explain that a pus-filled infection could result from careless sex.” This is a key argument against the other side, because one of the main reasons people go to any type of show is to get away from reality, and to forget about consequence. The audience cares more about what is going on in the story rather than the reality of the situation.
As more shows are featured, there will always be those who disagree with the ideas of them and their content. But entertainment is not meant to go along with the ideas of the public. It is meant to question those ideas and come up with different ones in alternative situations. Some will disagree with these views, and others will be able to identify with them. As long as there is entertainment, the productions will continue to challenge the audience, and the audience will accept that challenge by enjoying the show.
There are people who think that the Arts should not continue to be funded by the government. They feel that it is not important enough in society for the government to spend the tax dollars they pay, and use it to support these kinds of programs. However, there are many who think otherwise. The NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) uses the money that it receives from the government to allow performing arts group to travel among the United States. People do not realize that these productions help to make other people aware of the different cultures in this world. When people see plays like “The Color Purple” and “Les Mis”, they are able to get a better understanding of what those different people went through at that time, and are able to have more appreciation for what they went through. When the NEA was created in 1965, Congress stated, “An advanced civilization must not limit its efforts to science and technology alone, but must give full value and support to the other great branches of scholarly and cultural activity in order to achieve a better understanding of the past, a better analysis of the present, and a better view of the future." This shows how, when it comes to the progression of society, the arts are of equal importance to business and new inventions. The arts explore different aspects of life that are not covered elsewhere. For many people, theatre gives the ability to solve real life problems, and to learn to be comfortable with oneself and speak with confidence, which is especially important in interviews for jobs. Through the arts, people learn to view these aspects of life with a new perception.
A lot of the entertainment industry is based off of perception. The way a director sees something may be different than what the audience believes. This can cause conflict, because many people do not like going to a show where their views and opinions are refuted. Others believe that that is the magic of entertainment. It is supposed to cause the audience to leave with a different set of opinions than what they came with. Those who are offended do not need to see the show. On the same subject, those who are not meant to see a show should not view it. A 10 year-old boy should not see an R-Rated film about anti-Semitism or drug dealing because he is not mature enough to comprehend that material in a healthy manner. The content in shows should remain the same; it should not change based on the various views of the people. At the end of his article about censorship, the author writes, “Displaying questionable content is not a crime; the crime belongs to the people who try to censor that content.” This describes how the entertainment industry should be able to get away with displaying these ideas, because it is their freedom and duty to do so.
The entertainment industry takes advantage of this freedom, because it has become more common to see content in shows that would have usually been outrageous for the view of the public. One of these more common aspects is nudity, not only onscreen, but onstage as well. Male nudity, in particular, has become increasingly popular, especially with shows like Monty Python or Equus. There are some who believe that nudity is not necessary, and that it is only used to make a show more unique, but others, like director Richard Greenberg, believe that it is just another artistic choice. He says, “Nudity is the right metaphor for what the play is about." This shows how the use of nudity acts as a tool to help tell the story of a play. It is not just for show, it has a purpose.
Besides nudity, there are other aspects in entertainment (movies, in particular) that some viewers are not comfortable with. A major worry among these people is the portrayal of sex in movies, and how it does not display the healthy ways of sexual behavior, as well as the consequences of those that do not. They feel that, too often, movies like He’s Just Not That Into You show the unhealthy ways in which people make love, without taking the time to show what really happens in real life when this occurs. Then there are others who believe that the entertainment industry does not need to do this. They note that there are films that do display safer ways to have sex, and that there are also films that show what happens as a result when a couple does not. In rebuttal to those that believe that safe-sex situations are not displayed in movies, David Goldenberg, the writer of this viewpoint essay says, “There are plenty of serious movies with major actors who suffer consequences as a result of unprotected sex, and it's not Hollywood's fault that more people want to see There's Something About Mary than Philadelphia. This shows how the movie-making industry does take notice of these real life situations and how they are applied in film. Earlier, he also says, “Maybe people would simply rather see escapist movies that didn't stop to explain that a pus-filled infection could result from careless sex.” This is a key argument against the other side, because one of the main reasons people go to any type of show is to get away from reality, and to forget about consequence. The audience cares more about what is going on in the story rather than the reality of the situation.
As more shows are featured, there will always be those who disagree with the ideas of them and their content. But entertainment is not meant to go along with the ideas of the public. It is meant to question those ideas and come up with different ones in alternative situations. Some will disagree with these views, and others will be able to identify with them. As long as there is entertainment, the productions will continue to challenge the audience, and the audience will accept that challenge by enjoying the show.
Crazy Sunday Analysis
In the short story, “Crazy Sunday”, the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, shows the darker side of show business by telling about the hardships that a person in Holyywood goes through. In this story, the main character faces problems while striving for success in this industry. On the other hand, another character, who has already found great success, still has personal issues of his own. Fitzgerald shows that even the life of a celebrity can be as troubling as that of a normal citizen.
This story follows the life of Joel Coles, who is a young screenwriter in Hollywood, eager to please in order to achieve his goal of success. While describing Cole, the author writes, “He was twenty-eight and not yet broken by Hollywood” (Fitzgerald, 713-714). This illustrates how the town of Hollywood is a tough one, and though many may find success in this “City of Stars”, there are thousands more who find their dreams cut short. It may seem to be that everyone finds success here, but like every other job, some people are not as qualified as others. Luckily, Joel Coles got his foot in the door from some other projects he had been working on. Early in the story, he is invited to a cocktail party hosted by the famous director, Miles Calman. There, he meets his old firend, Stella, who he knew as a struggling actress in New York. She is now married to Miles, and is enjoying the life of luxury; but she is not happy with her marriage with him. He has cheated on her with her best friend, yet she stayed with him. This fact illustrates how Stella basically depends on Miles for happiness. Although she loves Miles, the fame and fortune that he has definitely factors into her infatuation for him. She is willing to settle for less in her marriage as long as she gets what she wanted when she was struggling in New York.
Joel is invited back by Stella, with whom he starts spending more and more time. He is able to see how bad their marriage really is, and how it affects them as individuals. Joel can clearly see the difference between Miles’ life at work in contrast to his private life. “The fine instinct that moved swiftly and confidently on the set, muddled so weakly and helplessly through his personal life” (Fitzgerald, 722). This shows how the life of a celebrity is not a perfect one. While they may achieve fame and fortune, it is not always enough for them to be happy. Their personal lives are separate from their success in entertainment.
At the end of the story, Joel and Stella have made love, and following that, they get a call with the news that Miles was killed in a plane crash. Although Stella wants Joel to stay with her, she has already told him that Miles is who she really loves. She only wants him so that he can remind her of Miles. Realizing this, Joel leaves her in during her sorrow.
The main message in this story shows that the life of an entertainer is not a perfect one. In fact, it tends to have many flaws. It seems that it would be a dream come true to be an actor or a producer, but these people go through the same issues as everyone else., what is worse thing about their problems is that so many people can find out about them. It takes hard work for someone to make a name for themselves in the entertainment industry, and even if they do, there are going to be more that lie ahead.
This story follows the life of Joel Coles, who is a young screenwriter in Hollywood, eager to please in order to achieve his goal of success. While describing Cole, the author writes, “He was twenty-eight and not yet broken by Hollywood” (Fitzgerald, 713-714). This illustrates how the town of Hollywood is a tough one, and though many may find success in this “City of Stars”, there are thousands more who find their dreams cut short. It may seem to be that everyone finds success here, but like every other job, some people are not as qualified as others. Luckily, Joel Coles got his foot in the door from some other projects he had been working on. Early in the story, he is invited to a cocktail party hosted by the famous director, Miles Calman. There, he meets his old firend, Stella, who he knew as a struggling actress in New York. She is now married to Miles, and is enjoying the life of luxury; but she is not happy with her marriage with him. He has cheated on her with her best friend, yet she stayed with him. This fact illustrates how Stella basically depends on Miles for happiness. Although she loves Miles, the fame and fortune that he has definitely factors into her infatuation for him. She is willing to settle for less in her marriage as long as she gets what she wanted when she was struggling in New York.
Joel is invited back by Stella, with whom he starts spending more and more time. He is able to see how bad their marriage really is, and how it affects them as individuals. Joel can clearly see the difference between Miles’ life at work in contrast to his private life. “The fine instinct that moved swiftly and confidently on the set, muddled so weakly and helplessly through his personal life” (Fitzgerald, 722). This shows how the life of a celebrity is not a perfect one. While they may achieve fame and fortune, it is not always enough for them to be happy. Their personal lives are separate from their success in entertainment.
At the end of the story, Joel and Stella have made love, and following that, they get a call with the news that Miles was killed in a plane crash. Although Stella wants Joel to stay with her, she has already told him that Miles is who she really loves. She only wants him so that he can remind her of Miles. Realizing this, Joel leaves her in during her sorrow.
The main message in this story shows that the life of an entertainer is not a perfect one. In fact, it tends to have many flaws. It seems that it would be a dream come true to be an actor or a producer, but these people go through the same issues as everyone else., what is worse thing about their problems is that so many people can find out about them. It takes hard work for someone to make a name for themselves in the entertainment industry, and even if they do, there are going to be more that lie ahead.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)