Lauren Rule- Dharm (Other Topic #4)

Dharm is a movie all about religion. Professor Rose showed us the movie in Wisdom Traditions of India. It wasn't a film that I would have watched on my own, 1. because it has subtitles and 2. because it was a little sad. The story is based in India with the protagonist a Hindu priest, Pandit Chaturvedi. The priest is incredibly respected and devoted to the ancient values and morals of Hindu teaching. At the beginning of the movie, the priest is sort of a prick. A common man accidentally bumps into him after he has already cleansed himself and some of his followers beat up the man for this! The priest does nothing to stop the abuse and instead continues back to the river to re-cleanse. One day his daughter brings him an abandoned baby boy. The priest wants to send the baby to be raised in an orphanage when the mother isn't found; his wife, however, insists that the boy was brought to them for a reason and they should raise him as their own. The priest is reluctant at first and is annoyed with the child because the boy cries while he is trying to meditate. Eventually, the boy wins over the priest, until the boy's mother returns. It turns out that the Hindu priest had been caring for the child of a Muslim. After finding out the boy's true origins, the priest feels like he has betrayed his religion and God himself. In order to redeem himself, the priest takes a series of vows, such as fasting and not speaking. When riots break out in the city, Hindus v. Muslims, the mother returns and begs for the family to take back the boy because he will be safer with the family of a respected Hindu priest; the priest refuses. I think refusing sanctuary to a child because of his or her religion is a sin. The priest came to his senses and went looking for the boy. What he found was horrifying. The men that he guided were ransacking Muslims and their homes. The priest found the boy and took him to safety and showed the angry Hindus what they were doing was wrong. I like the happy ending, but it boggles my mind to think about the blood shed that occurs over religion. Also in the movie, a young Hindu falls in love with and marries a white man against her families wishes; her husband dies while she is pregnant and returns to her family. The priest comes to see the family, but shuns the girl; he walks passed her without even acknowledging her existence. Religion is a dangerously strong motivator to some people. I once attended a youth group with a friend of mine, I am not Christian but we were having a sleep over, and the leader told the group of young kids that a Christian friend will always be better than a Jewish friend. I don't identify with Judaism either, but my mom is Jewish. I will never forget those girl's words at youth group. I find denying love (to a significant other, child, friend, etc.) due to religion inexcusable, I don't care how many 'hail marys' someone does. If God loves all, why does religion (inadvertently at times) teach discrimination?

Lauren Rule- Gran Tornio (Other Topic #3)

Gran Torino was supposed to be Clint Eastwood's last movie. in this movie, he plays an old, racist, Korean war veteran who has a particular prejudice against him Hmong neighbors. One day when the young boy, Thao, next door attempts to steal Walt's (Clint Eastwood) prize possession, his Gran Torino, Walt decides to take Walt under his wing. The friendship between the two (and an even more unlikely friendship between Walt and Sue, Thao's sister) blossoms throughout the film. Walt's perception of his Asian neighbors is highly effected by his time as a soldier. Walt has difficulty letting go of his old views. During the movie, Walt receives news that he has a advanced form of cancer. The obvious theme of the movie is racism. Walt seems to have an aversion to all Asians, his neighbors, new doctor, etc. Other racial stereotypes including a white boy dating an Asian girl and a group of boys harassing the couple. Walt, I think represents the average American during his time, but of course the country is changing. He is a white, patriotic, owns a house with a groomed lawn, and a classic muscle car. The image that stands out in my mind, as a religious symbol, is by far Walt's death. A Hmong gang kidnapped, beat, and possibly raped Sue and Walt went to take revenge. Thao insisted on going with Walt, but Walt refused. Walt stood on the lawn of the gang and began to reach into his jacket pocket. The gang, who had previously been frightened by Walt with his finger 'gun', without hesitating open fired on Walt right on their lawn. Walt's body fell to the ground, his legs together and his arms spread out. The last image of Walt is him lying dead on the ground, his body shaped like a cross. As it turned out, Walt was merely reaching for his lighter. I think the way Walt died is really sad, but I don't think he would have wanted it any other way. Walt was a tough man, a soldier; he died protecting people he grew to love and with his views altered for the better.

Lauren Rule- Serenity (Other Topic #2)

Serenity. Peace. Serenity is one of my favorite movies of all time. It is a total syfy thriller. The main topic of our class that I could relate to Serenity would be the theme of chaos.  The film takes place in the future when Earth is no longer the only planet in which humans reside and spaceships are the main form of transportation. The protagonist, a veteran space captain named Mal, is joined by a scrappy but loyal crew. Mal volunteered in a rebellion against the reining 'government', called the Alliance. The rebels lost the war and Mal was forced into a life of petty crime and thievery. During the movie, there is chaos threatening to collapse in on Mal and his crew at any point. River, a young psychic who was experimented on by the Alliance, eventually brings the chaos and all it entails down on Mal. The troubled psychic has a deteriorating mental state due to a secret she uncovered in the mind of an Alliance member. Mal, at first, is desperate to keep the chaos away from his life; once it seems to be inevitable, he forces the rest of his crew on a mission to discover the secret.  The revers, aggressive humans who engage in rape, murder, self mutilation, and cannibalism, are at the heart of the chaos. They are the product of an overstepping government. Throughout the movie, Mal and his crew attempt to uncover the secret or die trying. In Mal's eyes, exposing the secret is the only was to restore order. Exposing the Alliance will once again bring peace (serenity) to him and his ship. One of Mal's confidents was a Sheppard. Even though the Sheppard was not part of the ship's crew, he was still very important to Mal. The final words of the Sheppard to Mal is what encouraged him to face the chaos and try to restore order. The Sheppard said to him, "I don't care what you believe, just believe". Earlier in the film it is also noted that the assassin who is after River, and by consequence Mal, is so dangerous because he is a believer. When Mal embraces the belief that exposure is the only way for order, he becomes just as dangerous as the assassin. This film is amazing. It has undertones of religion and themes such as chaos while it is also incredibly entertaining.

Lauren Rule- Oz (Movie Blog #1)

I love field trips! I am so glad that we got to go see Oz: The Great and Powerful.  I mean seriously, who does not love Mila Kunis and James Franco?!  Anyway, I really enjoyed the movie.  I thought that it added perspective to The Wizard of Oz.  Oz (James Franco) played a con man in the beginning of the movie (and arguably the entire movie) who worked for a traveling circus.  He used his charm to pull 'fast ones' on his audiences and the women in his life.  I liked how the characters in Kansas were mirrored in Oz.  The young girl who begged the magician to make her walk was also the porcelain doll in Oz who had her legs broken.  Oz was unable to, or unwilling, to help the young girl in Kansas; however he uses his wit to fix the legs of the glass doll with "magic".  Oz's assistant, who is always dismissed, became his partner and friend in Oz.  The only woman in Kansas who knew the true identity of Oz turned out to be Glenda.  The glass doll allowed Oz to find his power which was in his wit.  The monkey stood by Oz's side, even after he learned he was a fraud (although he did make an oath of faithfulness..).  Glenda in Kansas and Oz saw through the facade he put on.  She saw the decent man within, in both worlds.  One of the themes that ran throughout the film was Oz's inability to see his own inner goodness.  When Oz has to pass through a barrier that does not allow evil to pass, he is afraid he is going to die.  Even in the end, when everyone believed he had abandoned them, Oz was pulling his biggest con yet.  The idea of power is also prominent in the film.  Power comes when people believe you have power.  When the people in Emerald City revolted against the two evil witches, the power transferred to Oz.  It also plays into the theme of facades.  The elder wicked witch was beautiful on the outside and hideous on the inside.  This film was heart filled and interesting.  I thought Mila would have a better part; green skin and pointy nose is not her best look. 

The Great and Powerful Oz Patrick Leegan

During our class trip to the movie theater we watched the new Wizard of Oz movie.  Overall I thought the move was just ok.  I was really hoping that they would reference more characters from the original Wizard of Oz like the Tin Man.   There were some interesting parts and it really showed how the characters developed.  It seems that the common theme was that each character had a major flaw that would change them drastically.  One witch was totally consumed by the thirst for power, the other was filled with jealousy and rage and Oz was controlled by greed.  The two witches could not overcome there character flaws which led to their demise.  Oz on the other hand decided to help the people, not just for his own profit but because he actually cared about their well being.  He had grown into a more caring person.  Overall it seems that the movie was portraying good vs. evil and of course good wins.  The movie was not really my cup of tea but it was nice to go out and see a movie.

Stephen Mason - Decalogue

               The Decalogue series that we watched addresses the Ten Commandments and attempts to portray the penalties that one must face through acting against them. The two segments that we watched, “Thou shalt not kill” and “Thou shall have no other Gods before me” both have main characters that suffer the consequences because of not following these commandments. Although the stories are presented rather simply, the situations that the characters in these stories find themselves in can lead one to question not only their actions, but the status-quo of society as a whole.

               In the first commandment that we watched, “Thou shall have no gods before me”, the son of a university lecturer dies by falling through the ice of a lake that had frozen over. Teaching the concept of artificial intelligence and technological advancements that can be attained through science, the man believed that everything can be measured and that scientific facts were the most important thing. The main issue that is addressed in this story is this over reliance on technology and the promotion of the computer to a god-like status within our society. The father had fully relied on the computer to tell him that the ice was solid enough to be skated on, but in the end the ice did not support his son. The idolatry of the computer is what led to the death of his son and supports the commandment that you should have nothing before God.

               The second commandment that is addressed is “Thou shalt not kill” and follows the life of a young man who is put to death because of the murder of a cab driver. One thing that stuck out to me in this story was the brutality of the murder of the cab driver and how the same brutality was translated in the speed and cruelty found in the scene with the state putting the kid to death. This brings up the central idea that if “Thou shall not kill”, is the state also to be held to the same standard. I believe that this movie argues that they should, and argues that the state putting the young man to death is no better than the original act of murder that is being condemned.