In this class I found the main focus to be on how people were viewed in Films and media, but what I felt was most focused on was how people/groups were portrayed negatively. This makes sense though we often notice the negatives more than the positives, this is how change is made. Often positive things go unnoticed because its just the way life should be and really positive changes do always need the attention because it is just the way it should have been from day one. But people often draw more attention to negative things to change the way it is being done and make a difference and then when that idea that has been constantly negative is changed to a positive that is when it then is rewarded and gets recognition for the big change in a positive direction.
In this class we watched many films and focused on how the characters were portrayed. For instance in the movies like The Mask you Live in, The Full Monty and Boys Don’t Cry are all about how the male image is portrayed and reflects on how males who watch these movies have to live up to those standards. There was also movies who did that but with women like Hot Girls Wanted, Enchanted, Dream Girls,Vertigo and Adam’s Rib but all of these had a set image that was very negative in a way and very limiting to the males and females watching. The movie Killing us softly 4 was about how these images like the ones in the films listed above and advertisements are make us strive for these images that are unreal, and essentially killing who we really are. All of these seemed to portray both female and males in a negative way.
Although there were some films that were positive and had very empowering messages to them. These movies were Lemonade, The intervention and Wonder Woman where they all showed that women can do what they want and they shouldn’t have limits. It is movies like these that show that women are equal to men therefore they get the positive recognition for making a change in the way people think. As movies have continuously portraying both men and women in negative ways, so when they portray these characters in good ways as both equal it shows a positive change which will hopefully influence society to think this way as well.
All in all, these movies made me realize what movies do to people. They influence the way we think and they essentially brain wash the society in one way of thinking. That is why it is important to criticize movies and have your own opinion, to be able to stand up for what is right. With this I have learnt to do that, and from now on I will never watch a movie the same and will have my own to hopefully make a difference in the world when I take a stance to say something is wrong.