Horton Hears a Who and Politics in America

Even though Horton Hears a Who is a cartoon presented to viewers of a younger age, it still has a very good story line and very valuable lessons. There is a saying that says if you can not hear, feel or see something that it does not exist. This is not true. This movie proves this because even though the animals in the jungle could not see the Whos, they were still there. This movie taught that it takes faith to believe in things that we may not be able to see, hear, or feel. Another lesson that this movie tries to teach kids is learning to accept other people and their differences. The saying in the film " A person is a person, no matter how small" tries to say that even though a person is different or small than you, they still deserve respect. Everyone deserves acceptance and compassion, no matter how different they are. This film had a lesson about team work. The Whos worked together to make themselves known because that was the only way. This teaches that sometimes things can not happen unless you work together as a team. This film also teaches forgiveness. Although Horton was put through hell and back by Jane the kangaroo, he still forgave her. Practicing forgiveness is the only way it will happen more often. It is a give and take world. Something else I learned about the film is that is shows that caring for others will help make you feel better about yourself at the end of the day. If you are so caught up about caring for only yourself, you can never see the happiness that you can bring to other people's lives by helping them.

Walker State of Play Blog

In State of Play, we see the relationship between government and the influence the media has on the public's perception of politics. The amount of coverage given to certain issues and the amount of slant put on the issues affects the public's exposure to, and knowledge of such issues. The media is the public link to the government, and greatly effects public perception of current events. In the scene where Sophia’s death as a suicide is being headlined, it is clear that there aren’t hard facts behind that assertion. This shows that the press can choose what information to describe and what to ignore. That's not to say the media is always purposefully biased and deceitful, but it is a sobering thought that facts could easily be skewed by the media for political gain. It is our duty as American citizens to not just take the news at face value but to use varying sources of information in order for us to form our own opinion based on facts and not on biases fed to us by the mainstream media.

Gentner State of Play REVISED

Without the press, we would be unable to see both the good works and failings of politicians running for office. The press has the ability to allow us to make an educated decision regarding whom we want in our political offices. The press, though, easily abuses this power. The press has the ability to slant stories in order to fit what they desire to write about and what they think will sell. A sex scandal, for instance, will get much more publicity than a good deed performed by a politician because it is more interesting to read about. This is one of the large downfalls of press for our government. On the other hand, if the newspaper were to use the paper for good, it has the power to transform our society into active members of government, keeping us informed as to what is going on in the world and our country without bias.

The film allows us to see this delicate relationship between the press and politicians first hand. For example, take the scene between Cal and the Congressman towards the end of the film. Cal basically threatens the Congressman into cooperating with him. Although the Congressman does not cooperate, this dialogue shows the power that the press has over politicians – REPUTATION. The press can so easily destroy a person’s reputation, and similarly, it can easily create a hero out of someone. We are able to see, then, the problem with both free press and government: everyone is working in their own self interest.

Gentner State of Play

Tricamo-Palmer-State of Play

State of Play shows the relationship between the press and democracy in America, or at least how it is suppossed to work. The idea, as I see it, is that with a free press, able to report anything that happens, will give people the truth about politicians so that people know who they are voting for. Politicians are then expected to keep their image up so that they can get re-elected.

The scene in State of Play where the main guy meets with the congressman on the steps of the congress building shows this relationship. The main guy threatens to print some bad stuff about the congressman. This is not exactly how the relationship between democracy and free press is supposed to work, but when we see this we understand how the press is able to keep the politicians in check.

However, the movie also shows how this system is failing, for two reasons. The first is demonstrated in that same scene. After the congressman is threatened, he completely dismisses the main guy and it is clear that he actually has more power than the press. The other way in which the system is failing is shown in every scene with the editor. She continually explains that their job is not to dig around and do police work but to print stuff that will make them money. The movie is saying the the press has chosen non-important news over difficult subjects that need to be dealt with, because that is what makes them more money.

Tricamo-Palmer-Horton

Horton hears a Who is a a kids movie but it full of political and social commentary. The main political messages come from the conflict between Horton and the kangaroo, and The who and the rest of his town. The conflicts here are the same for Horton and the Who. They believe one another exist, while everyone else thinks that they are crazy for thinking this. In response, the other people try to stop them from telling people about each other. This is good social commentary, showing how new ideas have often been dismissed and punished, even if they ended up being true.

The political implications became clear to me when I saw what years the movie came out. It seems it was released during the 2008 presidential election. I believe the political message of the movie was the same message that liberals have been trying to throw at young people for a while now. That is, "You can change the world if you stick to your beliefs" or something like that. It was a movie celebrating new ideas and change, which are what the democratic used as the selling point for Barack Obama in his campaign.

I think that the movie has a pretty heavy handed in trying to get its message across, but I guess it was for kids, who might not get it immediately.

Duhe's Horton Hears a Who

Horton hears a who was one of the best animated films I have seen in a good while. The not so subtle undertones of this film serves the purpose of reinforcing the rather serious concepts the film is based on. A large focus of the political message of this film is one of the "Big Brother" crisis being pointed out around our country. At what point does the opinion of the leaders surpass the opinions of the individual. If we believe something to be a truth (i.e Marijuana should be legal) then why does the opinions of our leaders preside over the opinions of the citizen? It doesn't and that that is the message this movie sends across. We should always question those that lead and order us and always fight for what we believe to be right regardless of authority. The themes and undertones were very complex and refreshing in the this film and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Denton- State of Play

When most people go into the ballet booth to vote for president they are not too familiar with where the candidates stand on the issues, this is not because they are lazy uninformed voters, but when watching the news, reading a newspaper, online news, etc., the topics covered are not on where the candidate stands on the issue, but rather, what the Republican candidate for president did last summer.
The press is not free. They belong to the Government and too the sales. Sensationalist stories will sell more newspapers or gain more viewers than a dry story about health care. I feel this is best seen in the scene where Della, played by Rachel McAdams first approaches Cal, played by Russell Crowe. In this scene she introduces herself as the “White House Blogger.” She says to him that she is writing a story about Congressmen Collins, played by Ben Affleck, and specifically his recent affair with Sonia Baker. She simply approached Cal, because he was roommates with Collins, this is all her research. But she knows that this is what people want to read about.
This is further supported in the scene where the character of Congressmen Collins, Affleck, says that despite all of his work and trials with PointCorp, he will only be remember for this, referring to his affair. No one is covering the story about his trials but only about his affair and deterioration of his marriage, because that is far more entertaining then a few trials.

DiIorio - Last Post

What I learned about film:

1. How to do a mise-en-scene analysis
2. What a rhyming element is and how to identify one
3. Every detail is deliberate and has meaning
4. Even the films that seem like they wouldn't have political meaning do (Harold & Kumar)
5. Films can be one of the most influential tools to enact change or to expose truths to the masses (Bowling for Columbine)

What I learned about politics:

1. The military's policy on homosexuals in the military
2. The military's policy on stoploss
3. The relationship between the press and the government
4. politics can be an effective way to get things done but can also be corrupt
5. The government's relationship with drug trafficking

Everything I learned about politics and film have greatly affected my opinions on many topics. Although for the most part, my opinions haven't really changed. In many cases, the topics of the films we watched were things that I was not completely knowledgeable about. What I mean is that if I never had an opinion on a matter in the first place, there is no opinion to change. What this class did enable me to do is to watch films that educated me on their subject matters. For example, before watching Bowling for Columbine, I knew too little about the NRA and our country's gun control laws to form an educated opinion on the matter. Despite the fact that the movie's views were biased, it did present many facts on which I have based and formed my own opinions. Another aspect of this class that has changed my perception of American film is mise-en-scene analysis. Although sometimes tedious, using mise-en-scene analysis is an extremely effective tactic. If used correctly, mise-en-scene analysis can reveal the message that the director is trying to convey to his audience. For example, by analyzing the character proxemics in a particular shot, we can learn a great deal about the characters' relationship at that particular moment in the film. In terms of politics, I think this class has actually diminished my confidence in our government. Every film we watched in this class disagreed with a government policy or attacked a government procedure. I think a good addition to this class would be to include at least one film that supports our government in an area.

Antoon - Final Post

5 things about film:

1) Paying more attention to mise-en-scene as a means of revealing important info
2) How films about past events are often commentary on today’s issues
3) How character proximics reveal relationships between characters
4) How lighting can foreshadow or reveal important info about a character
5) What a docu-drama is

5 things about politics

1) Information about the military’s policy towards homosexuals
2) The effects stop loss has on members of the military
3) Information on the U.S.’s use of torture
4) Media’s bias of presenting news
5) America’s views on guns and violence

Film can be one of the strongest means available for one to express his or her views on any topic imaginable, and watching films over the semester that spanned many political messages has been very enjoyable. Even though I did not always agree with the statement each film was making, I found it very beneficial each week discussing and hearing other’s insight on these issues. Although this would not always change my mind, it at least allowed me to familiarize myself with the arguments for the other side of the issue at hand. In addition, some of the topics covered by the films in class I was not very familiar with, such as Stoploss policies, and the discussions allowed me to formulate my own opinion about the subject at hand. Also, I have begun to look for more social commentary about political issues in other films even if they don’t appear to be “political” films on the surface. Overall, I found the class very enjoyable and educational.

Katuran - End of the Class

Five Things I’ve Learned About Film:
1.All of the elements put in to filming scenes reveal aspects that viewers cannot see
2.Mise en Scene is the title for the elements of scenes
3.There are 14 elements in which you can evaluate a scene
4.Film can have more than one meaning, and each meaning can pertain to the real world
5.Parody and satire films do not come up with or present a solution. They usually just present the idea and lighten it by making fun of it.

Five Things I’ve Learned About Politics:
1.Civil disobedience – there are certain times where man should break the law but not just any law only when it is morally unjust. This goes with the movie Good and the Nazi regime.
2.The drug war affects most people, and it is never ending. The government has very little idea on how to end the drug war and begin relieving those who were affected horribly by it.
3.Although this does not only stand for politics, government officials have both a private life and a public life. They can’t wear their private life on their sleeve do to the perfect life they must pretend to live so the public doesn’t judge them for that as well as every other mistake they make
4.Americans tend to have blinders on until an event affects our country. In terms of Rendition our country would have never shown any remorse or worry if it did not have to do with an American citizen.
5.Most Americans live in fear and live in a world where there is no trust, so they resort to buying guns. If there was no fear, there would be no need for guns (at least that is the theory from Bowling for Columbine).

--Since enrolling in this class my mind set on film and politics has changed greatly. I never knew the deeper meaning of movies; I always just watched them for the joy of getting away from the real world. It never occurred to me that the issues going around the world are what the movies were inspired from. When watching any Harold and Kumar film I wouldn’t think to look at the way they portray the president or the way they are fighting for the legalization of marijuana. I would just think it was a stupid movie that people though was funny. I also learned about politics. I was never a big politician and I don’t follow the news. I was enlightened to the ideas fear and guns, terrorism, racial tension, and torture. I knew these issues were around but I never knew they would be the back seam to movies. This class has opened my eyes to the aspects of film and all the work that gets put into them to release the award winning movies.

Katuran - Harold and Kumar

I find that Harold and Kumar deals with a lot of underlying issues in the society of America. Most of their issues are brought about through stereotypes to make it funny and appealing to a younger crowd. One issue is terrorism and racial profiling. Kumar was searched in the airport, and then once he got past security an old lady imagined him as a terrorist. They made it funny by having all hell breaks loose in the movie, but racial profiling is a huge issue that government officials are dealing with right now. Another form of racial profiling was when there was Harold and Kumar get into a car crash. After crashing the proceed to run away because a big black man comes but they are afraid just because of his race. Another stereotype being presented in a funny matter is the stereotype of prison guards. No one knows how they treat their prisoners at guantamo bay, but in this film they all want “cock meat sandwiches”. Obviously the bong hitters of society are going to find that funny, yet it is an issue that the world is dealing with. Although this movie is funny and is appealing to those who do relate to marijuana, it does deal with important issues that are going through the system today.

Dupuis 5 Things

5 Things I've Learned About Film

1) I have learned how to look deeper into the film to find the hidden content.
2) I have learned how to tear a film apart to expose the hidden meaning of scenes.
3) I have learned how Mise-En-Scene is used in every film in order to tell the story of its characters and of the storyline.
4) I have learned how movies can influence a society as a whole and how in can be used to influence children.
5) I have learned how movies can be specifically designed to hit target groups even though they are released to the broader audience as a whole.

5 Things I've Learned About Politics in America

1) I have learned that journalists used to follow a high moral code when reporting the news.
2) I have learned that some policies of our government are designed to be futile but designed to produce profit for other organizations.
3) I have learned that some laws are throw backs to an earlier era but have turned into such hot button topics and cash cows that the government , and citizenry, are unwilling to change them.
4) I have learned that our political view is far to narrow. This narrowness allows for interest groups to parse the nation into sections for maximum control and profit.
5) I have learned that our national policies produce a high toll on other countries either by design or by accident. The designed policies are then masked in patriotism to prevent the citizens of this country from fully understanding the policies effect.

How This Knowledge has Changed my Perception of Film

Before this class I only watched a film with my eyes and ears. The tools that have been given to me by this class has allowed me to delve deeper into the true meaning of films by looking at all aspects of a scene and of the film as a whole by also using my brain. Before this class I had never heard of Mise-en-scene or of its constant application to every film I have seen.
I have re-watched several films I had already watch and discovered added meaning to the film by analyzing it as I watched. I had not realized that the 14 aspects of Mise-en-scene influence every director and added subtext to every film. Every film I have watched since this taking this class have seemed far more real and intense that before. I had been missing so much of every story being told to almost invalidate my understanding of every movie I have watched.
When watching a DVD at home, I found that I would sometimes pause some scenes when I noticed the heavy use of Mise-en-scene. I would pick apart these scenes to understand the added meaning being placed in them. When I watched movies with my wife, I would point out the extra content of scenes to show her what the director was getting at.
I believe the general public should be exposed to the Mise analysis process since all the added effort a director puts into the film is being missed by 99% of the viewers. If everyone were exposed to Mise, most movies would be even more powerful to them. Viewers would see how a bright light close to a character could tell a story about his morals. That story of the characters morals might not be explicitly told by mouth, but only in the subtext of the film. I completely missed that reference to morals in the movie "Good" where the director placed an extremely bright light near Vigo. Since noticing this application, I look for these added things in films.
I thoroughly enjoyed this class since all the films we watched used Mise constantly to tell the story behind the story. This added tool has allowed me to immerse myself in every film I now watch. Films that have heavy moral implications or strong political implications now will make more sense be imbued with more power since I can now see the complete story.

Final Day of Class Blog

5 Things I Learned About Film

1. How character Positions in a shot, affect the mood or actual meaning of a scene.
2. I learned the differances of camera views in a scene
3. The genre of Docudrama (didnt know those actually exist)
4. How lighting and positioning directs your eyes to a certain person or object
5. Learned what a bookend is and its purpose

5 Things I learned about Politics
1. I learned that democrats have a firm grip on todays media
2. I learned that Micheal Moore is worse than I thought he was
3. I learned that the academy awards are also very liberal by picking "Brokeback Mountain" as a best picture
4. I learned that we are fighting the drug war the wrong way and that people use it to rise to power.
5. I learned that Oliver Stone lives in a Fantasy world


I have learned so much about film from this class. I have learned how to critque and read a scene in a movie. When watching a movie, I find myself repedativly pausing the movie in order to properly critique the scene. If I am watching a movie with friends or family, my mind is watching the movie differently than everyone elses. I am looking for the things I have learned. Things like lighting, proxemity, placement, camera angle and much more. I also pay more attention to what is being said and actually absorb the words. As an aspiring director, I think to my self, "How would I shot this scene differently?"

I also learned alot about politics. I learned that the mainstream media is very liberal. They are trying to sway americas youth into beliving in what they belive. They are tryin to make it cool to be liberal. Im not saying that it is a bad thing to be democrate, but when you have a monopoly on the media, then things have to change. I learned that movies have and are still changing peoples opinions about certain topics. In good ways and in bad.

I learned alot in this class and had an amazing time. Alot of things happened in my life during this semester, and my only regret is that I wasnt able to give my all to this class. HAVE A GREAT SUMMER EVERYONE

Ganthier 5 Things I learned about film

5 Things About Film

1. I learned that every movie that has every been made can be analyzed using Mise-en-scene

2. The political messages of films are written ever so stubly that you barely know they are there, but the message is strong.

3. I learned about the importance of rhyming elements in a film.

4. How bookends establish the proper connection between the beginning of a movie and the end.

5. I learned that everything in a film can be deciphered differently, and a different message can be portrayed to different people.

5 Things about Politics in America

1. People utilize film to get across political messages

2. Everyone has a different political message, and no two people have the exact same opinion on every issue

3. Film is the strongest platform for political messages to get across

4. America's tolerance of free speech have also allowed for defamation of the government, yet sometimes it is deserving

5. There is a film for almost every message that is out there.

Film is an excellent format for political messages. People begin to ask questions when they see films that they dont normally ask. I personally have developed an even deeper love of film by taking the course. Film was always a very strong topic for me. But now I respect it on a whole other level. The writing for certain films hint ever so gently at political messages that people don't normally notice the underlying political messages. I find all of this even more interesting than I ever did and look forward to watching new films and trying to indentify the underlying themes

Patterson Final Blog

5 Things about Film

1. Mise-en-Scene can be looked at to reveal deeper meaning in each scene

2. Every single detail in a well-made film adds to the feeling, mood and meaning of the frame

3. Film is a form of expression and art and it can be used to make political messages

4. Use of mise-en-scene elements in a film can completely sway an audience a certain way, and can effectively change people’s perspectives

5. Although documentaries contain factual evidence, they are not bias-free

5 Things about Politics in America

1. A lot of historical events, such as the McCarthy hearings and the Holocaust are just as relevant now as they were at the time they occurred. History continues to repeat itself with the same issues in different forms.

2. Almost every political issue can be simplified into the idea of “the other”, the person or group that is subversive and does not conform to everyone else.

3. Marijuana should be legalized.

4. The values that America supposedly upholds, freedom, individuality, and family are basically the opposite of what actually occurs in the country, consumerism, racism, infidelity, sex, drugs, rock and roll, etc.

5. The United States has a very shady position regarding torture and rendition, and the government itself seems to be awfully secretive and powerful for a “democracy.” In addition, Americans do not really have freedom of speech or the press.

Film seems to be one of the few ways people can truly speak their opinions and address certain political messages. The government is controlling altogether too many of our rights, and I’ve come to realize this through the films and discussions from this class. The government infringes upon our rights in the constitution, and then argues against ideas that are “unconstitutional.” If nothing else, I now have the perception that the government is completely hypocritical. America is made up of ideals, but the actual actions that occur do not match those ideals. It’s as if American people are experiencing cognitive dissonance and the worst part is, everyone realizes it but keeps going anyways. People are against racism, but continue to discriminate. People fight for equality, and yet there are so many gender, and sex inequalities even in this country. People want to protect themselves and provide security in their families, but their actions only cause more deaths. The fact that people see these inconsistencies occurring, yet fail to take a stand against it is the exact same situation as John Halder failing to resist the Nazis. It is so easy to insult and criticize others, but Americans really should reflect on themselves. This is where the importance of film and other expression come in. Through film especially, different scenarios and outcomes can be portrayed to audiences in hopes of making a change. The power of a film and the ideas behind it can point out issues and offer solutions. Not only that, films can surpass the restraints the government still seems to hold on our freedom to speech and freedom of the press. I believe now that films can change ideas and cause a big enough stir to affect enough people to the point of taking action. Film is a powerful tool, and it can definitely be used to aid seemingly sinking America.

Denton- Final Class Blog

5 Things I Learned About Film

1)Mise En Scene
2)Bookends
3)Rhyming Elements in Film
4)Despite that Major Motion Pictures are backed by big corporations the films still contain controversial political messages
5)Modern films are studied for their aesthetic, and literary elements

5 Things I Learned About Politics in America

1)Machiavelli is alive and well in Washington, D.C.
2)The Bush Regime forbid the image of American Flag covered coffins
3)The restrictions our government has over the press
4)The Stop Loss Policy
5)No two people ever agree 100% politically

Whenever I watch a film now, I Mise en Scene it. As a theatre major, in my classes we had talked about political theatre, I was excited for this class to see how they compare. Some days it seems that theatre is dead and film has taken over. But I have learned that political films are an expansion of political theatre. They can be just as overt and forward in their message as theatre, or they can be just a subtle as theatre. Film has the capacity to reach many, many, many, many people across the country at the same moment. Theatre is limited to the audience. Film is not replacing theatre, it is no more important, and theatre is no more important than film, they are simply two different mediums using similar techniques. This summer I will be attending a month long theatre intensive in Massachusetts with a theatre company, Double Edge. They attempt to create community involved political theatre, I plan on taking some of the things I learned about film in this class with me, thus giving me a better understanding of the whole picture.

Denton- W.

The 2008 Oliver Stone film, W. is a film interpretation of George Bush’s presidency, and his life in whole. The film is not told in sequential chronological order, but instead jumps between Bush as president and Bush before becoming the 43rd President of the United States. Overall the film makes the claim that what Bush did has leader of the free world was a reflection of what his father could not do.
One scene that I feel is an honest evaluation of the Bush presidency is in the beginning of the film, it is the second scene, just after the prologue scene in the baseball diamond. It takes place in the oval office. George W. Bush is there with his advisors and they are discussing an address Bush must make to the American people. They specifically discuss how to represent the enemy, the word choice. They decide on the infamous Axis of Power.
This scene is an honest evaluation because essentially in the scene they are fabricating a phrase to associate with the countries, Bush declared war on. The Bush administration was often criticized for fabricating things to tell the Congress and the American people, specifically, the infamous Weapons of Mass Destruction. I believe Oliver Stone makes a point that the first bit of presidential work we see George W. Bush do in the film is a fabrication of information.
This is carried on later in the scene inside Bush’s “think tank” when they actually do begin to fabricate, or embellish the story.

DiIorio - Last Post

List 5 things you learned about film and 5 things you learned about American politics and then write a 250 word piece on how the above ten things have changed your perception of film and of American politics.

What I learned about film:

1. How to do a mise-en-scene analysis
2. What a rhyming element is and how to identify one
3. Every detail is deliberate and has meaning
4. Even the films that seem like they wouldn't have political meaning do (Harold & Kumar)
5. Films can be one of the most influential tools to enact change or to expose truths to the masses (Bowling for Columbine)

What I learned about politics:

1. The military's policy on homosexuals in the military
2. The military's policy on stoploss
3. The relationship between the press and the government
4. politics can be an effective way to get things done but can also be corrupt
5. The government's relationship with drug trafficking

Everything I learned about politics and film have greatly affected my opinions on many topics. Although for the most part, my opinions haven't really changed. In many cases, the topics of the films we watched were things that I was not completely knowledgeable about. What I mean is that if I never had an opinion on a matter in the first place, there is no opinion to change. What this class did enable me to do is to watch films that educated me on their subject matters. For example, before watching Bowling for Columbine, I knew too little about the NRA and our country's gun control laws to form an educated opinion on the matter. Despite the fact that the movie's views were biased, it did present many facts on which I have based and formed my own opinions. Another aspect of this class that has changed my perception of American film is mise-en-scene analysis. Although sometimes tedious, using mise-en-scene analysis is an extremely effective tactic. If used correctly, mise-en-scene analysis can reveal the message that the director is trying to convey to his audience. For example, by analyzing the character proxemics in a particular shot, we can learn a great deal about the characters' relationship at that particular moment in the film. In terms of politics, I think this class has actually diminished my confidence in our government. Every film we watched in this class disagreed with a government policy or attacked a government procedure. I think a good addition to this class would be to include at least one film that supports our government in an area.

DiIorio - State of Play

I think that to have one, you must have the other. Without a free press, the democratically elected government wouldn't be so democratic. The government needs the press to keep them in check and to let the public know what is happening within their government. Of course when government figures start doing illegal or questionable things, the press is always there to expose them. One such example of this in State of Play is the scene where Cal confronts Ferguson about Sonia Baker. Ferguson knows what Cal is uncovering and at first doesn't even want to talk to him. But when Cal reveals just how much he knows already, he can't refuse. When Cal asks Ferguson if he was aware that Sonia Baker was in fact a "double agent," posing as a Congressman's assistant while working for PointCore at the same time, he responds with some bull-shit excuse about how he was only helping out a family friend and "the wholesome ideal upon which this country was founded." Of course when Cal asks him the first name of Sonia Baker's mother, he doesn't know. This is an example where the press is keeping the government in check.

However, at the same time, the government keeps the press in check. One example of this in the movie is when Cal and Della are compiling all of the clues they have about this story. What Della points out is that what they really have is evidence about a murder case. When Cal asks how long they have until they need to turn over the evidence, Della says, "If this is evidence, don't we need to turn it over now?" Of course they all look at Della accusingly because she is a rookie and doesn't know how they operate. But Della is right. The Government has laws that require the press to turn over any evidence so police detectives can bring the right people to justice. Of course, Cal doesn't hand the evidence over to the police right away and they are confronted about it from the police.

Knoepfler, W

The scene when George was in the basement of the Fraternity house getting hazed accurately depicted Bush during the beginning of his presidency. In the scene, George is seen giving all he had to take charge and do his best. This scene shows how Bush is very motivated to get things done, just as he was during the beginning of his presidency. Bush went into it with a plan and went into it to win it, just as he did in the Fraternity when he knew all of the Brothers’ names and nicknames.

The ending scene where bush is speechless at his press conference also accurately depicts a very stressed George Bush at the end of his presidency. George knew that he messed up, and doesn’t really know what to do about it. It sort of makes you feel sorry for George W. Bush, as he knew his mistakes and knew that they weren’t necessarily his fault.

Knoepfler, State of Play

After watching sate of play, I started to notice a very apparent relationship between the media and the political world. This controversial relationship uncovers sex scandals, such as Bill Clinton, and money scandals, such as good ole’ William Jefferson and his money in the freezer. The media is often categorized as a left wing supporter, or a right wing supporter. They will also often have subliminal messages in their newscasts. In the film, they were hesitant to publish the story due to fear of it not making enough money. This only confirms my suspicion that both the media and politics are working together only for the gain of profit. When the purpose of media is only for the gain of profit, the stories start to become more and more skewed and aimed toward the purpose of entertaining the masses, rather than spread the truth. This issue is addressed in State of Play, which is a form of media. State of Play is a form of media warning people about the bad forms of media and not to listen to them.

Denton-Harold and Kumar, High Society

Bong films are no more attractive to my age group than any other age group since Cheech and Chong. Harold and Kumar could be argued to be my generation's Cheech and Chong. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, is a sequel to the original, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, and there are rumors of a third film.
However, bong films are more prevalent due to the increase in tolerance for films to depict cannabis smoking. Since the 1970s cannabis use has been decriminalized in eleven states, and now in California there are attempts to legalize it not only for medical use but recreational use as well.
America is beginning to fallow in Amsterdam’s footsteps, when the Dutch government began decriminalizing cannabis in the late 1970s, (America actually began decriminalizing much earlier, as California decriminalized the “wacky tobaccy” in 1973). It seems as though this “modern” prohibition is coming to a close. And young people want to be a part of that. A soon as “weed” is decriminalized the drug subculture of “stoners” will vanish.
Unlike the prohibition of alcohol, the prohibition of “reefer” has sparked its own subculture, that has now reached mainstream. Stoner music, songs about pot or reference pot, (e.g. Cypress Hill), stoner films, such as the Harold and Kumar series, Pineapple Express, etc., and now even stoner television shows, like HBO’s Weeds, seem to be everywhere.
Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, although contains a political message and an interpretation as such is supported, it is above all a stoner film appealing to a culture that seemed to start in the seventies with Cheech and Chong, and has grown now out of it’s prohibition.

Denton- Rendition, Music as a Weapon

You're pretty much a complete asshole if you say you believe that torture is good. No person, without displaying sociopathic tendencies agrees with torture; however it is a necessity, especially in war. It is ridiculous to think otherwise. Ever since our ancestor monkeys invaded another tribe of monkeys because they suspected them of weapons of mass destruction. Torture is the best way to get information out of someone who is not talking.

Because, we as human beings who are empathetic to other human beings, hate torture but accept it as an inevitability, we chose to report and listen to the non-violent “fun torture.”
The United States military has been reported to have special psychological operations officers drive around Afghanistan blaring music such as Metallica, Thin Lizzy, the Offspring, Eminem, Dr. Dre and Bruce Springsteen’s song Born in the U.S.A.
The technique is called acoustic bombardment, or aural bombardment. What the point in this is I do not know, however, it is almost certain to not be working. Just think about it, could you be tortured simply by having to listen to the soundtrack to Glee or any other musical favorites. Personally, I’d be annoyed at first, but eventually I would just learn to tune it out.
My suspicion, the military uses such techniques as so to hide their atrocious actions of sensory deprivation and sexual humiliation. Reports surfacing about the military blaring “Enter the Sandman” by Metallica, leads people to just think how funny and forget about the violent side of torture.

Denton- Stop Loss

The Stop-Loss policy is enacted by the U.S. Military to extend a service member's active duty service. It is a policy agreed to in the contract. The question is not, however SHOULD the military do it, but IF the military enacted this policy on a certain soldier, what that soldier can do.
This being the subject of the 2008 film, appropriately titled, Stop-Loss. In the film the protagonist is stop-lossed and goes AWOL, before deciding to Seek Asylum in Mexico, and eventually succumbing to orders and shipping back to Iraq. Other than those three choices the only other option for a stop-lossed soldier is jail.
As depicted in the film, being an AWOL soldier is a very difficult life. When the protagonist of the film meets with another soldier who went AWOL after being stop-lossed, he finds out that this man cannot provide for his family, because he cannot get a job, because he is a fugitive.
No one wants to go to jail, despite personal and political beliefs, and some soldiers can’t and won’t succumb to orders and ship back over. The clear option is seeking asylum in another country.
But, since there is no draft enact the majority of soldiers willingly joined the military. Thus it is reasonable to say that they feel a patriotism for their country. The option of seeking asylum in another country, Canada or Mexico, is not an option. It’s unpatriotic and goes against everything they have worked for in the past few years.
The stop-loss policy for the stop-lossed soldier is a catch 22.

Webster- state of play

State of Play definitely shows the relationship between the government and the free press; although whether or not this is a true depiction of how the relationship truly works is unknown. I say this because in the movie Cal, played by Russell Crowe, was college roommates with congressman Collins, played by Ben Affleck. State of Play shows a story of a politician who has just been caught for having an affair because his mistress dies, and a journalist trying to uncover the truth about what truly happened. One of the first scenes we see is congressman Collins coming to stay with Cal after his wife has kicked him out, that is when Cal decides to start investigating the story. Then the Collins’ come into the Washington Globe offices to give what they believe to be the truth of the story, and then finally we see Cal invite congressman Collins to a motel where Cal has the mistress’s friend answering questions about her shady background. This movie really portrays the relationship between the government and the press as a very close one, as if they both protect each other’s secrets. We see Cal helping Congressman Collins get out of being targeted, and in return Cal is allowed exclusive rights to the story, albeit a false one. I don’t know what the true relationship between the government and the free press is, but State of Play seems to suggest that the government feeds the information they want the public to believe to the press, and in return helps them sell papers.

Alex D., What I've Learned

5 Things I Have Learned about Film
-Mise-en-scene is the best friend of both a filmmaker (to get their message portrayed most effectively) and their audience (to best understand a scene).
-No matter the subject or genre, every film has a deliberate message for the audience to understand (Except for Uwe Boll -- he just vomits into a camera for 90 minutes and calls it a tax write-off)
-Directors love using rhyming elements, like the pen in State of Play and the ocean in American History X, to tie certain parts of a film together.
-Films can be very powerful allegories for current events; for example, although Good Night and Good Luck was about the McCarthy hearings, it also served as a metaphor for covering up information about the Iraq war.
-Thanks to Blackboard's streaming video services, I have been able to re-watch parts of films that I might have missed or ignored.

5 Things I Have Learned about Politics
-Simply tolerating an evil act is equivalent to supporting it. (Good)
-Even many proponents of the War on Drugs are not exactly optimistic about the outcome, perhaps comparing it to a Pyrrhic victory. (Traffic)
-Many political leaders did not plan to spend their lives in government service; in fact, most of them would be happier if they worked in different job areas. (W)
-Appealing to fear, or "boogeyman tactics", is very profitable. (Bowling for Columbine)
-You can love your country but disapprove of your government (Harold and Kumar)

Before I took this seminar I had some speculations about the political leanings of films and how directors get their message across (e.g. Micheal Moore generally supports left-leaning causes, while Clint Eastwood is more libertarian in his beliefs.) And I knew that some films had very heavy messages, their political leanings non-withstanding (Elephant: nobody knows what goes through the minds of mass murderers, and anyone who claims they have found the "magic bullet" is merely pushing their own agenda. Tropic Thunder: Actors should not take themselves and their antics too seriously.) Now that I have taken this seminar, I might be able to characterize films by their political analyses.
Also, many of the 14 characteristics of mise-en-scene will probably pop every time I watch something, whether it be something at a film festival or a comic-book movie. Whether or not this will enhance my film-going experience remains to be seen.

Duhe's State of Play Post

I believe that the relationship between that of the current media and our government is one of complacency and fear. Our media strikes out at our government and officials but only in superficial and non-integral ways. The media is complacent to gives the viewers what they want, watered down information and shock value. While this serves its purpose of selling copy's and making people money behind the scenes it also serves a much more sinister purpose the government quite well in distracting us from relatively important issues. Our media fears our government and its wrath for disturbing the quite waters of America therefore they delve into only things of no true value to the viewer.

Duhe's Post

5 Things You Have Learned About Film

1.I have learned of the huge amount of work that goes into the creative processes behind the outlay of scenes in film.

2. I have learned about the use of film to outline current and past political issues.

3.I have learned about the use of film and media to curb peoples attention in and around our country..

4. I have learned that no matter what you think about a film, that is only one perspective.

5. I have learned about the dynamics and materials involved in composing a scene.

5 Things You Have Learned About Politics

1. I have learned about the current issues of homosexuality in the military and listening to both sides of the argument.

2. I have learned to be able to laugh at political satire because for the most part I understand some of it now whereas before I did not.

3. I have learned that film and the media can be used in many ways to warp and shape the viewers vie of reality.

4. I have learned that information relayed in film with always be with a spin, no matter what.

5. I have learned for a definitive fact that no one has a valid argument as to why marijuana should be illegal.

How This Has Changed Your View about Film and Politics in America

As I learned more and more about the intricacy and time involved in developing concepts in film and the media the more I learned that everything we see is spun in one way or another. It is almost impossible to see anything in the media that does not involve trying to alter the statements of fact. It really hasn't changed my opinion in anyway other than giving me a more pronounced understanding the processes involved.

Keegan -- W

A seen in the move W that I think accurately illustrates President Bush’s political career is the scene where he says that he will not be “out Texaned or out Christianed” by anyone. This is important because it is at this point in his career that the developed the strong Texas accent and employed God in his speeches. Also, the scene where the President has lunch with Chaney is important because it depicts how Chaney tries to use his influence over the President to make important decisions.

Elgin, What I learned

5 Things I Learned About Film:
1. how to analyze film using mise en scene
2. the importance of small details in each scene
3. the use of rhyming elements and symbolism in film
4. red herring
5.macguffin

5 Things I Learned About Politics in America
1.truths about stop loss and military
2.private defense contractors
3.the loss of our privacy/ the fact we have no privacy
4. rendition/ US torture practices
5. corporate control of media and influence over government

Knowledge of mise en scene has helped me to better understand all aspects of a film and the importance of detail in almost every scene. This has also made me appreciate films more and look at film from different angles. I learned how the popular political opinion in America influences films made at the time.

Knoepfler- Reflections

This class has been an interesting one, to say the least. I’ve learned a lot of things. These things I’ve learned usually pertain to American politics in film, but often teach me other life lessons such as the effects of April 20th on students in a class discussing film. In addition to that buffoonery, I’ve learned about certain artistic aspects of film I have never before noticed. Mise en scene was a completely new idea to me, and I’m sure a lot of people can say the same thing. I have never before considered the dominant, the subsidiary, the lighting, and even the frame of a single scene of a movie. I thought I was a movie buff by simply analyzing the message of a film. This class taught me about a little more than the hidden messages behind a movie. Symbols were also another curveball thrown at me in this class. I’ve never seen so much focus put on a lamp in a frame and what meaning it has. I’ve learned about many new methods of filming. I’ve learned about things that I was too focused on other aspects of a movie to notice.
The class also taught me a little something about politics in the good ole’ U S of A. Politics is a dirty business. Only the toughest get out on top. I’ve learned that filmmakers not only influence the public in their voting, but can also have a very influential impact on national politics. For example, Bowling for Columbine not only shocked the public into rethinking their views on gin control, but also sent a very clear message to politicians about what the public really thinks. I’ve learned that politics is a very big stress on one’s life. I thought the movie W was going to be non-stop ridicule of Bush. To my surprise, however, the movie showed how stressful the job of president is and its impact on Bush’s life, public and private.
Possession of this enlightened knowledge has brought great change in my perception of film in America. It’s not as stupid as people (such as my British friend) make it out to be. There’s actually a lot of power in American film, and I hope to be a part of that voice one day.

Ciao

Krotulski - Final Blog :(

5 Things You Have Learned About Film

1. I have learned that there is much more behind a film. Now when I watch a film I am always looking for the 14 elements.

2. I have learned to look deeper into a topic or controversy because usually my first guess is completely wrong.

3. I have learned that directors and film crews put a lot more into a movie than I used to give them credit for.

4. I have learned that political films are more interesting than I would have ever thought. I probably would have never picked Good off the shelf to watch but I enjoyed it.

5. I have learned that everything in a film has a purposed whether it be a person or a small table.

5 Things You Have Learned About Politics

1. I have learned that Politics in America are very diverse and some people think very passionately about their own side.

2. I have learned to be able to laugh at political satire because for the most part I understand some of it now whereas before I did not.

3. I have learned that film and media has a great impact on the way people perceive political figures and can have a dramatic impact on one’s point of view and opinions.

4. I have learned that politics can be hidden in movies that one would never assume politics was in.

5. I have learned a lot about politics in general. I never really knew about the stop-loss program or anything about drug trafficking. Also I learned a lot about W’s presidency. I didn’t know that he was very heavily influenced by Cheney, but now I do.

How This Has Changed Your View about Film and Politics in America

Like I explained in the first part, I now look at films completely differently than I did before. I used to just watch a movie for the entertainment but now I find myself examining the different scenes and thinking about why characters are placed where they are, why lighting is they way it is, why the camera is so close or so far, ect. Also this class has helped me like political films more. Some of the films we have watched I would have probably thought were boring and uninteresting, but now I have come to like them. All of the movies this semester have been very good or at least okay. I will forever think back to this class when watching a film, political or not, and apply the great knowledge I have learned.

Calder, What I've Learned

5 Things I learned about film.
1. I learned that mise en scene is an important tool in analyzing scenes in film.
2. I learned what a rhyming element is.
3. I learned to watch for small details that the director puts in.
4. I learned what a McGuffin was.
5. I learned about the importance of the music in a film.

5 Things I learned about politics in America.
1. I learned that political sex scandals will always get more attention than actual issues.
2. I learned that we now have little to no privacy.
3. I learned that even stoner comedies can have a political message.
4. I learned that the media is now owned by giant corporations.
5. I learned that we send prisoners to foreign countries, where they will be tortured.

I learned that film in America is strongly shaped by the popular political attitude. Even if it is not the most popular view, very few movies say anything that is not already an opinion by a large part of the public. In contrast Good, a European film, asks hard questions about the individuals responsibility in an unjust system. Unlike American films with similar themes, Good shows no punishment for someone implicit in crime.

Castellini Final Blog

5 Things I learned about film
1) I learned that there are many subliminal messages
2) I learned that the characters can often time reflect a group of people, or a type of person or face of people in America, and one must really analyze to see who or what they represent.
3) I learned the significance of mise-en-scene, and the role in which all those components play and how they affect the viewing of a film, and the meaning that can be found in it.
4) I learned how to look for or recognize rhyming elements in a film.
5) I learned the impact and how much information and education can be incorporated into a documentary.

5 Things I learned about politics in America
1) I learned that there is a lot of corruption, and information that I was unaware of until this class.
2) I learned about racial profiling, and how far it can go, and the effects it can have on a person, their family, and the way we understand our countries true usage of torture.
3) I have come to understand and learn about our country and our politics’ home land security, and the flaws that are involved within it.
4) I learned the importance and relevance of journalism and media in politics.
5) I learned the significance of “fear” in our culture, and politics ways of manipulating the people by using “fear”.

This knowledge has allowed me to become much more educated, it has allowed me to question things in the American Politics that I would not have ever known otherwise to do. Getting this information and learning as much as I have has brought me to be a part of conversations here and at home, that before hand, I could never have played any role in, because I was unaware or ignorant to the subject matter. This information and the knowledge that I have gained has allowed me to gain an interest in our politics and question things I never thought I could have, prior to now.

Gentner Last Blog

Five things I learned about film:

(1) Camera proxemics-this is the relationship of organisms in space, and there are four of them: intimate, personal, social, and public. The greater the distance of the camera from the subject, the less intimate the proxemic is.

(2) Angles-the camera angle can tell you a lot about a frame. If the angle is tilted up towards the character, the character looks overwhelmingly large and powerful. If tilted downwards, the character looks smaller.

(3) Lighting-the lighting in a film tells you a lot about the mood of the film. A frame with a sepia tint might give the film an old feel to it. A blue filter could give a gloomy and dark feel to a film.

(4) Rhyming elements-there are certain objects or images that show up in film repetitively and these objects are representative of certain feelings or situations in the film.

(5) Form-there are both open and closed forms. Open form is more informal than closed form and is used for natural scenes. Closed form is for a more formal setting.

Five things that I have learned about politics:

(1) Everyone is working in their own self-interest. (TRUE STATEMENT)

(2) There is a lot of corruption of the people who are in government, not necessarily in the system itself.

(3) There is a stop-loss policy in place that can legally force a soldier to serve another term even after their contract is over.

(4) There is a policy called extraordinary rendition which basically outsources torture to other countries for suspected terrorists.

(5) Marijuana should be legal.

Thanks to this class, I am completely unable to watch a film without analyzing, in depth, everything that is happening. I am, however, able to better understand what is happening in film. In addition, the things that we have been talking about in class have educated me as to what is going on in politics because I was unaware of many things we have discussed in class.