Film festival

So this is a late post but o well here goes. The Film fest was quiet enlightening. Out of all the films, I liked four particularly. The Chamber, Roommates, Face to Face, The Missing Window. It was so weird watching these films with all the effects and stunts. For example, The Roommates, since I knew the people in it, I was just blown away. I guess having watched Star Wars; I became more appreciative of the movies and the whole visual effects that went into the movie making. Seeing those stunts being done by people that I see and talk to everyday was an eye opener. The sound quality in that film was not very good but overall, I liked the effects and stunts.
I think that editing in films is just one of the greatest things in film making. The fact that in the process of story telling, you can twist and mix, to make a film longer yet be able to make sense out of it. Each film created its own diegetic world, drawing me as a viewer in its form of story telling. Then there was The Chamber where I recognized a myth. The coming of the messiah was suggested when the main character, became the only one, or the two. I was confused until someone pointed out that this was a funny remake of the Matrix (which I haven’t seen)
Face to Face was my favorite movie, not because it had great film making or great stunts but because of the content. I found that this was the case with many of my friends who I talked to. They liked the film because of the content. I however talked to a few who didn’t think that it was that great. We all see different things in a film and what we like about it might be very different. My knowing most of the actors in the film might have also influenced the balance to tilt toward them.
The Missing Window being the best film was creatively made. Albeit it has similar storylines as most war movies I’ve seen but the whole mise en scene attracted me to the characters and the story. The change from present and past, keeping your suspense drew me in wanting to know exactly what happened.

I am not one of them

Retract...third person effect. Romance. Love. Chick flicks....three words that should be associated with my name. I love them. Love reading books, love watching chick flicks. But somehow, I think that it has affected everybody but me. Or maybe I think that my small group of friends who love these romance movies and books are exceptionally different. WEll, what can I say, there is a whole lot in those books that I really don't buy into. Infact, I think they are ridiculous, but the fun of it is that I like reading or watching them to make fun of people and see how ridiculous they can act. LOL yeah for real. I would like to see what happens in my own love life persay, but that is yet to be seen since I don't have an existin one yet. Back to third person affect. I think that I am exceptional from this rule but as we all kno, that aint true. I am not. I just want to believe that I am. Those books affect me as much as media affects other people.
Well, this is my two cents on that and this

Let it be known

Labels have been given to people according to the media they take part in. I could be labeled as a book worm..because I simply luv to read books. I could also be labeled as a soccer fanatic because when it comes to soccer, well I am there with my eyes wide open. so, given that we all give people labels, there is no escape from it. We tend to categorize pple according to who and what they engage in.

Be a Christian...and a Fan?

Today in class matt braught the topic of being a Christian and a fan at the same time. people did bring up some very interesting issues. YEs God IS to be the top of everything. He should not be compromised or be collaborated with anything. As Andrew said in class, the world is God's and everything that is in reflects to Him and Him alone. As I said, I love soccer and I enjoy watching it every opportunity I get. it's very hard for me to pass up a game of soccer especially when i have some time to seat and shout at the TV or the field...GO FIGURE. Oh can't forget, I love Beckham too and enjoy mosly seeing him play. Yes I will collect anything when i get the chance to, but so far, I haven't been deprived in my spiritual life. I believe that worship is in everything I do. meaning that In everything that I do, I do it to my best ability. So if it is being a fan, I am going to do it well. If God so it best for me not to be a fan, and I was straying away, I am very sure, He will find a way to knock me down and bring me to my senses. You know, thinking about God, 24/7 doesn't mean that you are a christian. It's like standing in a garage all day thinking u r gonna be a car. WOn't happen. Being a Christian is about finding a balance. i don't think we should be so obsessive about something that God becomes a one week acquaintance. We should become healthy fans...what that means? I am reading about it

WOW...Slow down Trekkies

Ok...shoot me in the head, atleast that is what was going in my head when i was watching the film. I mean, I thought I was a fan, but I discovered otherwise. Ok, maybe I am fan, but just another kind of fan. Cause that was crazy. I know, I know...third person effect. Yes, I admit it, I think that star trek has messed up those people's minds. Something I can say that beckham and soccer hasn't done yet. I haven't gotten to the stage where I have tons of posters of the rich and the famous soccer players or Beckham's virus(if indeed he has one). haven't gone and designed a website, although...I have my xanga background with his picture. I baught his book, have pictures,( not all over the room tho). Ok...lemme see, I joined an on-line forum on Beckham and Manchester united...and I think that's as far as my craziness goes. Although I would love nothing better than to fly to spain and have a chat with beckham plus go to Manchester and watch my favorite team play. I know there are some fans who have died because of soccer but I don't see that happening to me. I would like to think of myself as a sensible fan who keeps things in perspective...sometimes. I mean, i did get upset when the team that I wanted to win lost and happened couple of times....but nothing serious I am sure

SOCCER...I shall have none other

In class we talked about how a certain text that you are interested in can restrict your identiy with other texts. I find that to be true when it comes to soccer. When it come to sports...there is only three...track and field, Basketball and Soccer( the real football if you will) Soccer being the top of the three. All the other sports are nothing to me, infact I am not very fond of these sports at all. Well for starters, I think that football is for sissies (maybe very dogmatic there) not everybody in the team has to be very fit so...yeah. baseball, i totally don't get and just don't waste my time watching it. I think since like the four years I've been in the US, i've gone to only one game...in Canada ( the blue Jays against Red sox) That was the end of my baseball watching. I don't understand it at all. I mean, I will go to school football games and because I am big on school spirit, i will shout and yell like every football lover, but honestly, don't get it. Same goes for baseball. Tennis, golf, and other sports are just not my thing...and I don't honestly care about them. YES YES...I am dogmatic when it comes to soccer. I think it is the greatest sport in the world...tht's why everybody is good at it..but well that is another story. but then, even in this same text, i am closed minded. For example, the Brazil national team will always be my favorite team. And in my eyes they might as well win all the world cups, then Manchester United and Euro football is my second fav. but I totally do not like American soccer...for reasons that will not be discussed here. IF you want my discussions on Soccer, you will have to go to my other website. cause there is a whole lot of...this and that on football( I mean the real football)

The best or just a market? part two

I like beckham because he can really bend the ball. Some of the best shots that were ever made, can be traced back to him first. Yes, I love soccer, other than maybe basketball, soccer is my first passion. Albeit i don't follow it as much as I used to, but I love it. So the first thing I love about Becks comes from my love of the game. Then off course don't deny the fact that he looks good. Yes, he is very cute. I mean i don't envy Victoria or anything but he is a good looking man, who plays soccer, doesn't drink (prefers water), passionate about what he does, definately dances...what more could a gal want.
He is also a soccer Icon. Even though Pele is the best playa of all time, it's Becks that people recognize first. Dare I say it? Yes David Beckham is a little exergerated. He is over dramatized and his publicist does a wonderful job on advitising him. I mean getting married to a spice gal made him even more popular. I have seen Beckham in all types of label jeans, in suits, his shirt off, yes in even basketball jerseys...American jerseys for goodness sake. What looks good on beckham will look good on you and as faithful fans, we will rush out there and buy it.
So other than that, my para social relationship with Beckham grows stronger as i interact with more fans. We get blogs about him and our friends read them, out of curiosity they want to hear about this Beckham guy and off course being the fan iam, I freak out at first because :who hasn't heard of becks/" but then I get over it and explain to them who Beckham is and then another fan is born. The circle then goes on and on, before you know it, you have a lot of people liking Becks too.

The best, or just a market?

Just the other day I baught the new book of David Beckham. I am so excited about this cause it's Becks. I mean it's Beckham..come on. By just a mere glance at my website <http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=africanqueen78> you will be able to recognize that Manchester United with beckham in it is like my perfect team. He been my favorite playa for a long time. can't remember when I started liking him so much. So then there is the Manchester united fan site, and the many beckham forums that I am involved with. But the funny thing is, beckham is not the best playa out there. I mean, Pele was so much better and right now...I can still count a few playas who are so better that Becks. take Ronaldinho for example, I will wear his jersey proudly because he is really one of the best playas out there. then there is Ronaldi, Ronaldo, Zidane, figo....all these players are good, but the funny thing is, you never really hear or them or have movies about them. "Bend it like Beckham" was a revolutionary film for soccer playas in America, atleast in my opinion. It made beckham an icon, not only in soccer and so many commercials, but in the movie industries. Soccer became a sport that could be talked about in the mainstream media. now back to beckham, you might be really wondering by now where all this is going to. I mean, if Becks is not the best, and he is not really an American, then why the heck do I like him?

The great Pop Culture Arrrrrgggh

Well, thinking that maybe I have underestimated my knowledge of the pop culture...so I took the quiz given by the "entertainment weekly" magazine and thought I had a good chance of atleast getting maybe half or the questions. Well let's just say, if I was trying to get a job in the media industry, I would need to go from scratch. I got like one question right, out of a hundred. Pathetic huh? yeah I know. Now I know why I watch media, and my primary motivation...entertainment. I mean how else would u explain my lack of knowledge? I watch a movie, and if it makes a big impression on me, i might remember a line or two or maybe watch the movie again and again. For example, if there was a question about the NEWSIES, I can pretty much quote the movie. Too bad there weren't any. So how can I move from just being media illeterate to media literacy, (wait...just movies), maybe I should start applying the things we learn in class like having the double consiousness, emerging myself into some semiotic domain/affinity group and make it my business to know what is going on. also be aware of the diagetic world in these groups...wow too much to do? It will take a while

The great Pop Culture Arrrrrgggh

Well, thinking that maybe I have underestimated my knowledge of the pop culture...so I took the quiz given by the "entertainment weekly" magazine and thought I had a good chance of atleast getting maybe half or the questions. Well let's just say, if I was trying to get a job in the media industry, I would need to go from scratch. I got like one question right, out of a hundred. Pathetic huh? yeah I know. Now I know why I watch media, and my primary motivation...entertainment. I mean how else would u explain my lack of knowledge? I watch a movie, and if it makes a big impression on me, i might remember a line or two or maybe watch the movie again and again. For example, if there was a question about the NEWSIES, I can pretty much quote the movie. Too bad there weren't any. So how can I move from just being media illeterate to media literacy, (wait...just movies), maybe I should start applying the things we learn in class like having the double consiousness, emerging myself into some semiotic domain/affinity group and make it my business to know what is going on. also be aware of the diagetic world in these groups...wow too much to do? It will take a while

US??? U sure about that?

So I am at work( in the admissions) and I sport US WEEKLY...and off course being nosy I jump to it and start scrolling through the pages. Then the Dean comes in and he is like what are you reading...aand I am like hmmm Us weekly? He makes a comment that goes in the lines of..So you are becoming like us Americans who are obsessed with Holliwood. Then one of my co-workers makes a comment that hasn't left me to this day..she was like.."you know because as American citizens we absuletly need to know that Demi Moore is having Ashton Kutcher's baby, we need to know that Charlie Sheen and Denise Richardson are separating, and that Jen and Brad are separating" I was like WOW...so these people don't have a life and if they do then it's for the public to see and scrutinize. WHy do we admire them so much? are their lives our business? DO we really have to know what is going on with their lives, and if we do why? I mean they become the heroes and everything in movies and stuff, and the public tries to identify with them. Otherwise, why do we have tabloids? who ever is the publisher knows that celebrities are really looked to..so they will try and give the public all the gossip they can. Media has an influence on us, more directly than we would wnat to admit.

Conglomeration terror- part two

On the other hand, I can't just be so close-minded not to see that there might another side of this story. These media coglomerates might be good for something after all. Although the growth might be unwelcome at first, conglomeration might bring a new experience to these countries. In class, the issue of economy was braught up. I might have to agree to a certain point that this might boost the poor economy in most of the third world countries. It might bring new opportunities that might be otherwise unavailable to these people. Maybe if this conglomeration takes place, we might actually have some of the Ideals discussed in class. For example, there might be a more awareness of international news coverage. Who knows, good does come from evil and this might not be so different. But again, at what cost? What will have to be lost for all this to take place?

Conglomeration terror- part one

Conglometion brings one word to mind..dictactorship, only it's not really of people but of the media industry. Let me take that back, the media is influencing how we think so I gues that it could be some kind of terror there. Being and African, can't help but worry about my ol' continent there. If conglometion comes to an upper scale that it is right now, Africa is going to be taken over. The simplist of media which we enjoy so much there will be gone. Infact, there is signs of that already. Go to S. Africa and the media industries in America are taking over slowly. AOL is already being used by the teens who are becoming obsessed with cyber space. Africa needs a chance to be creative, and if these monopoly companies take over, then it will crush many Ashleys (if you know what I mean) There are those Ashleys who are doing well and putting out their ideas in Africa, but if the companies takes over, that little flame is going to be blown away. The American Conglomerates are becoming a monopoly for the world. This is going to cost the people..it will be forcing them to have values that might end up not being so good. No offence to Americanism, but what will be the point if everyone becomes like American. WHere will the individuality play a role? The issues of abortion, homosexuality and all these conflict issues will become an acceptable thing just because the media accepts it. In my opinion. somethings are to stay where they belong.

usher and the Cross

So its' like 12 and usher's one night concert is on... he is in Puerto Rico and off course any sensible hip-hop lover would sit down and watch it..if only for his moves..sleek. Anyways, I notice that usher's shirt has a cross neatly done on the back of his shirt. ok, call me naive but I was like hmm so he still acknowledges God, however for two minutes, he becomes micheal jackson and the question is which God is he acknowledging. What message is he sending out? cause the next minute he comes out singing " he reminds of a gal" with the dancers almost naked.
He sings the songs and pauses enjoying the power he has on the growd. His body moves and the crowd shouts, he pauses and they breathe waiting for what is next. He is technically selling two of his greatest assets; his body and voice. He takes his shirt off enjoying the shouts he gets from ther women.
Derives the power from crowd.
Then my favorite part, his outfits, especially when he comes out with the Cavaliers jersey, shoes and cap. Then adresses Lebron James. Convergence at best. Wonder how much the Cavs paid for that. Right ther he approves the cavs and off course he likes the cavs everyone likes the cavs. Sometimes we think that we enjoy a certain sport, but in reality, we have been sold that sport without our knowledge. The " I was born in church, here is my cross that artists seel is not very attractive anymore. Sadly, people are buying it.

Ashamed...Anyone?

Spring break yohooo! yeah right, even on the dinner table mass media follows me. Anyhows, I was eating dinner today when I saw the current issue of Parade. Yeah, real fun. But what captured my attention was not so much the title as the pictures that were displayed on the top. Now I could talk about semiotics in this particular cover, but that is not what I want to really go into. Basically the main article is about TV as a media text and how things have really changed. it takes a timeline to what used to be clean tv, and what is now shameless tv. Go figure, the American culture in search of self identity has led them to not being ashamed at their so much media intake. I remember that andrew said once in class that things aren't really getting worse they are just what they are. They are on their steady pace. What used to be a 58 second kiss is now a blown out love scene on TV. I honestly don't know what to think about this. I want to say that our culture is wacked out and call it hell but I don't completely agree with that. I try to understand this media industry but I fail. There are so many semiotic domains inside this semiotic domain that I fail to comprehend.
I wonder if there is any possible way we can find our self identity without having to follow the pop culture. I mean reading that sentence, it sounds ridiculous, but in search of identity we have lost our identity. How? we define ourselves by what we see the mass media selling us.

Watcha u selling Cont'd

I asked the question of what Holliwood is exactly selling and I am going to try and answer that. I am not very knowledgable when it comes to this kind of things but I am going to give it my best shot. I have watched a lot of movies, certainly not as much as some of my peers but enough to grasp a finite understanding of what the Holliwood industry is giving(selling) to the consumers. There is that American Mono-myth of a utopian society where everything is a happy ending and the guy always gets the gal. The problems are always solved and when you work hard there are rewards. There is always the pull yourself by the bootstraps indication which always ends up with a good ending. The bad guy is always caught and the good guy always rewarded. so u see everything is just good and perfect. Then look at the models in form of actors/actress. They are selling an image where everyone is going to try to fit in that image. What have you baught from Holliwood? Everyone has been a consumer of the Holliwood cultural capital. We have at one time tried to look like some actor/actress or even copied their lines and imitate them. Everyone seems to want to have that holliwood love ending or that love story. I admit that I have been buying a lot from that industry. For example, for those who have watched "The Cinderella Story", you might have to agree with me that it was very cute. Now even tho' I wouldn't have particularly chosen Hilary Duff for that character, the story was pretty cute. I was talking to my friends and we all agreed that a secret admirer would be pretty cute and then that perfect smart couple who all end up going to Harvard. Anyway, the point is that they are selling and we are buying what they are selling.

Watcha u selling?

It's bizarre to even think that people can sell and buy things without using money. I mean in this culture where almost everything is about money, you wouldn't imagine that our dress, clubs, types of cars we drive sell some kind of an image. Then I think back about what one of my classmates said about cars and restaurants. It's so true that we do have price tags for things according to what is culturally valuable. And whether we know it or not, we have placed ourselves in this range of I can afford..., and I can't afford... I remember going to Hershey park Hotel, and seeing all the beautiful gardens, rooms and the service. It was not long that I resigned myself to never being able to go there unless in the coming future, I strike it rich. Thinking back we also have this racial issue that we give value to. I was watching Selena, and for those of you who have watched the movie, you can recall the scene where Selena goes dress shopping for her friend. The minute she started looking at that expensive dress, the owner came and was like, excuse me maam, but I would advice you to look elsewhere cause this dresses are definately not your type. Now why was that the woman(manager) had that attitude? It either had to do with the way they were dressed or their race; maybe even both. So here is hispanic women wearing nothing fancy but jeans. They are looking at a dress that is really expensive, conclusion, they can't afford it. Price tag, with no basis at all.
So what is our culture selling to us? Specifically, what is Holliwood selling to us?

ok...Holliwood

Man!!! Today's class excise was kinda of an eye opener just a little bit of what might be going on in the world of film making. I was supposedly a writer trying to get my script through the hands of the production companies. What stuck the most was that no matter how much money you put into the movie, you have to get paid. So I was in the beginner's luck club and I had this good storyline that seemed really promising. So what I didn't expect to see was the politics that are involved in the whole business. There are those companies who know they are good and they can hire anyone becauese of their reputation and stuff. Then there are those companies which are looking for the upcoming star and to become the next big thing. With that are those screen writers who are looking to write the next big story. There are those who succeed and those who just end up compromising to be able to get their ideas out.
Then the politics come forth with the titles cause as the Dr. Rudd called the people I realized that semiotics played a big role in the whole movie making business, especially when it comes to the advitisement. These people have to chose their signs and codes very careful because both the sigmatic codes and progmatic signs have to apeal to a particulat audience. it's all about the popular actors/actress and what kind of advitisement is there. For real, as I look back, there is no movie trailer that has all the boring lines in there. They want the lines that will attract the attention of the viewer and leave them in suspense.
Note to all, I have so little knowledge as far as the industries are concerned so don't take me at my word. i was just making observations from class today.

my world, our world

Civil discourse is described as public talk. Hmm so if gossip is not necessarily Civil discourse...but we gossip a lot,then most of us who think that we are doing the human race some good by jabbering about nothing in particular should be a little disappointed. However, with the American's freedom of speech, each individual has participated in the Civil discourse one or the other. You watch television and there is a lot of public speaking involved. Mass media is full of civil discourse whether it is in movies, sitcoms, talk shows, or even sports. We can't help but be part of it because it is part of our lives. Everyday we are involved in some kind of discussion that slowly determines our culture. We probably never think about it as we talk or watch it on Tv, because it becomes us. We are shaping our world slowly.

You gotta love Hope, Lucy and Faith

So in honor of hybridity, i think I have come up with the perfect show for those who love "I love lucy" and "Hope and Faith". The perfect show....according to me off course. SO I haven't come up with the perfect title yet but I am thinking that "I love Lucy" has become a little to fabricated. It will definately be a sitcom about a holliwood wannabe. It is the ulticamate compromise between Lucy's burge into show biz and faith/Hope's already acclaimed fame in the holliwood political realm. Blonde off course and hmm a clutzy. There has to be a family involved because it will be cool to see and inserts some "moral" lessons(good luck with that). Then there has to be a husband, cause in both cases they do make the shows very interesting. They have to be there to bring us back to reality. It would be interesting if famous (or pretend famous) actors/actresses would make an appearance once in a while. There will be other family members who will be showing up whenever a famous person makes an appearance, if only to have those embarrassing moments. So a character who is Lucy, hope and faith all in one. She will have those embarrassing moments, those sensible moments and the very out of the ordinary moments that would make the marriage perfect.
Anyway, this was just a thought. If anything jumps out, I will add on as I continue to watch both shows.