Journey to Greenland

Explaining film analysis, even on a very basic level, to someone who doesn't know anything about it, nor cares about it, is kind of hard. My best approach in doing so is to compare a bit of the Netflix Original documentary Journey to Greenland that I watched to a more well known movie to this particular audience for this week, The Intouchables.

For starters, Journey to Greenland is almost nothing like The Intouchables, other than the fact that they're both French foreign films. The former is about two 30-ish year old guys, both named Thomas, who take a spontaneous trip to visit Thomas 1's father in a super remote part of Greenland. Typical to the movie genre, there is no dramatic structure, in that there is no rising action, no climax, no falling action, and not a single shocking aspect to the resolution. Could be boring, watching an hour and a half summary of some guys' trip to Greenland with no action, but the point of documentaries like these are actually to make you pay attention to aspects of film other than the plot line. For instance, I don't think there were more than ten shots out of the whole film that weren't draped with excellent lighting, breathtaking landscapes, or rich emotion from the immersion into a completely new culture. 

The types of shots in more dramatic movies, like The Intouchables, in contrast, kind of revolves around the type of action happening per scene. There are tons and tons of close up shots of both Driss and Phillipe to express their emotions in the moment and rarely does the audience see more than waist up. Generally, you can tell what's most important in a scene based on the type of shot and also the colors, among many other things. Check out the difference between the two screen clips from the movies:

 

Even though they're both long shots, they have completely different focuses. In the clip on the left from Journey to Greenland, the focus is clearly on the background because of the contrast in colors that really highlights the white of the snow everywhere. In the clip on the right, the colors are much more muted, leaving room for the small contrasts (i.e. white teeth in the smiles, shininess of the faces,  and shadows in the clothing) to be the main focus.

Hopefully this gives some insight to film analysis and makes paying attention to something as simple as the type of shot and colors introduced a little more interesting. And also is more motivation to rewatch the Intouchables/foreign films in general. 

Christina P: Mother Inferior

Molly McGrady

            This week I decided to watch a Netflix original comedy special done by Christina P. called Mother Inferior. It was actually pretty perfect because a lot of the topics she was covering were about things like parenting and younger generations, I know my mom would love the type of humor.

She just recently had a baby so she talked a lot about what that’s like in the beginning, and mostly it just made me appreciate all that my parents have done for me in my life, especially my mom. She put a funny twist on it of course but the jist of it is that people only talk about the awesome mushy gushy parts about parenting and the reality of it is that it’s actually extremely difficult at times. There is no doubt in my mind that this true. Having children is definitely something that I want to do someday, but I’m guessing it will be the most challenging thing that I’ll ever do but also the most rewarding I’m sure.

The next major topic that Christina covered was the differences between millennials and the Gen. X’s in her opinion. She said something that I think most older generations would agree with (heck I agree with it for sure), which was that the reason why the younger generations are hated on so much right now is because we all have too high of self esteem and like ourselves too much. I think people throughout the ages have been obsessed with their image for a long time, but it’s a lot worse now because we’re all over social media and get used to all the attention we get from it. Not everyone, but I do think a lot of us are very self-interested. I can admit that I am sometimes guilty of having an obsession with my image and the way people perceive me. In some ways it’s almost hard not to in this day and age. At the end of the day everyone just needs to surround themselves with people who keep them down to earth and remind them that we are all just people like the other eight billion on the planet; you’re not any more special than anyone else. Something that gives me a lot of hope and excitement though is the fact that I am at the very head of the new generation after the millennials and we haven’t really had a chance to prove ourselves to the world yet, since the oldest of us are still just getting into our twenties. Hopefully we can turn around the trend of young people being too egotistical and self-interested.

The other thing she talked about that I know you really agree with is how annoying it is that everyone is constantly getting offended by everything these days. She is very right about that and the way she talked about it was hilarious. Basically, the next time you have a day off (maybe this Thursday when I’m home with you 😊) you should really watch this comedy special. I feel like there are few people in this world I know as well as you and  I just know that you’d love it.

I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore

I bet you are attracted by the title, but disappointed to find out this blog post was written in other languages. The audience for this week is parent, so I decide to write in my native language, Chinese.

无处为家

在搜索Netflix最好的原创电影时，我被这部电影的名字吸引住了。进一步搜索发现这部电影的评价不错，而且考虑到这周写作的受众为父母，我就决定看这部电影了。《无处为家》讲述了露丝如何与自己的邻居一起找回家中被盗之物，以及如何发现犯罪团伙并且成功逃脱。露丝是一名患有抑郁症的医院护工，在某天下班时，她发现她家中被盗。她的电脑、抗抑郁症的药和她奶奶留下来的银餐具都被偷走了。原本就有抑郁症的她就这样崩溃了。露丝去找到她的闺蜜诉说，而她的闺蜜并没有为她提供有效的帮助。警察的不作为更让露西对这个世界感到失望。充满失望的露西在回家的路上遇到了那个经常在她家门口拉屎的狗的主人并对狗主人发了一下脾气。在露西挨家挨户问人们有没有看到可疑的人时，她再次遇到了狗主人汤尼。听了她的遭遇后，汤尼决定帮她找回失物。在找回失物的过程中，露西发现了真正的小偷并且记下了小偷的车牌号，然而警察还是选择不作为。在这种情况下，露西决定和汤尼一起找到小偷，却意外发现一个犯罪团伙。

在看这部电影时，我并没有过多地关注电影手法，而是深深地被电影情节所吸引。导演在电影中运用不同背景音乐来渲染环境和人物心情。其中一首音乐一直在唱“无处为家”，进一步强调了这部电影无处为家的主题。这部电影给我带来了很大的感触。电影中，没有警察帮助的露西对这个世界感到非常的失望，并无法感觉到家的存在。在现实生活到中，我们可能会遇到一些不愉快的需要警察来处理的事，然而很多警察都选择不作为。在这种情况下，很多人就只能选择自认倒霉。然而电影中的主角露西并没有选择自认倒霉，而是选择以一己之力找出小偷。在露西找到小偷家里时，小偷的父亲问露西，她想要多少钱。露西说，她不想要钱，她只想要人们不再是混蛋。露西是一个非常正直并敢做为的人。很多人在看到犯罪时选择沉默，生怕惹上什么麻，然而正是人们的沉默助长了坏人们的气焰。露西的精神是非常值得我们学习的。

电影中的男主角汤尼和露西一样没有很多朋友。露西的出现让他感觉到了这世界的美丽。汤尼也是一个非常正直的人，在他看到露西耍小孩子脾气偷走小偷父亲家的草坪装饰虎时，他决定离开露西。然而他对露西的感情远胜过与他的原则，于是他决定回去找露西，却发现露西失踪了并且极有可能遇到了麻烦。在救露西的过程中，他不幸身受重伤。然而露西并没有抛弃汤尼独自逃亡，而是带上这个随时可能离开人世的人一起走。在露西逃离了犯罪团伙的魔抓时，汤尼如死尸一般躺在小舟末端。在片尾，露西和她的闺蜜坐在院子里休憩，露西回过头看到汤尼的脸出现在氤氲的阳光中。这一场面让我以为汤尼已经死了，然而并没有。露西所看到的是汤尼在夕阳西烧烤的样子。导演巧妙地在夕阳的照射下，让烟雾围绕在汤尼面前以产生虚幻的效果，让观众以为汤尼已经死了。

总的来说，这是一部非常不错的电影。与题目相反，这部电影的主旨是让我们相信，即使世界让我们很失望，我们依然有一个充满爱的家。

The Color of Money: House of Cards and Netflix

Kevin Spacey as a ruthless politician in a slow burn political thriller. 2013. Wait, Kevin Spacey in a TV show?! This all seems like a winning formula. It was a formula, in fact. Netflix found that the people interested in Kevin Spacey also liked the British House of Cards series. This same target audience liked David Fincher movies. From somewhere in the innards of the Netflix algorithm, David Fincher is slotted to direct. This was Netflix’s first Netflix Original; they did their research. As they should, considering they dropped one hundred million bucks developing the first two seasons. Failure wasn’t an option. An algorithm may seem a bit inhuman, but cold and calculating was in order. This first step into new territory had to be on sure footing. A winning formula was called for.

And it’s undeniable that just such a thing was delivered by House of Cards. It lit up Twitter. Anecdotally, everyone around seemed to be talking about this new and exciting television show. My parents became House of Cards junkies. Netflix subscriptions rose in number, this much is not anecdotal. Further evidence is speculative, however. Netflix does not release pure audience numbers. Without advertisers, they have no need to. The only metric they regularly share is subscriber numbers. One could look at social media to gauge interest; @houseofcards has 1.7 million followers. Not too shabby. Still not quite comparable to Game of Throne’s twitter account which has a whopping 5.4 million followers. But, these are fairly meaningless metrics.

Symphony Advanced Media assembled a 15,000-strong panel of US subscribers and tracked their viewing on mobiles, tablets and computers. This data isn’t fit for comparison against a regular TV show’s viewership. Netflix has disputed these numbers as being wildly inaccurate. However, some degree of analysis can be made between the different Netflix shows Symphony gathered information on. Symphony ranked the top streaming service programs in the US in 2016 as Orange is the New Black, Stranger Things, Fuller House, Marvel’s Luke Cage and Marvel’s Daredevil and estimated that the fourth season of House of Cards, in sixth place, was watched by less than half the number of US viewers (8.8 million) who pressed play on Orange is the New Black (23 million).

What happened to House of Cards? In the heat of an intense presidential election, a political drama seems to be at its highest potential. One would think Trump against Hillary offers a situation that House of Cards was in the perfect position to capitalize on. Right? Yet this is not the situation the (admittedly sketchy) numbers reflect. House of Cards was on its fourth season in 2016, and its source material stopped at three. Like Frank Underwood, Netflix’s greed led them to hunger ever for more. They went past their source material and decided they would write a new path for themselves. They attempted to make House of Cards into a monster, but fizzled in execution. The compelling narrative was somehow lost. Even my parent’s stopped watching, in favor of the next shining novelty.

This is one of the problems with the Netflix algorithm. It’s not designed for quality, it’s designed to be the most bang for Netflix’s buck. In other Netflix shows, the hallmark’s of House of Cards are not present. Super star actors are nowhere to be seen. There aren’t popular directors ensuring a level of quality. The level of dough being dropped isn’t there. These are the things that made House of Cards alluring! The hallmark of House of Cards that is seen in other Netflix Originals is a series length that goes beyond the show’s ability to deliver. Breaking Bad knew when to stop. The Wire knew when to stop. These show’s weren’t created from an algorithm. A refined human touch is still a necessity when attempting to make a quality show. However, this is obviously not Netflix’s primary motivation.

Burning Sands

Every weekend for my Netflix writing class, each student choses a Netflix original movie or show to view and then write a blog post over. This week for my assignment, I watched a movie called Burning Sands. This movie depicts the intensity and dangers of students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who attempt to join sororities or fraternities. The movie follows the story of Zurich, a new pledge who comes from a history of Lambda Lambda Phi brothers, as he loses his relationship with his girlfriend and falls behind in his coursework. I feel like you would appreciate the movie a lot. I feel like it’s the type of movie that you would add to your wide collection of movies and watch a few times.

Do you remember that Alpha Phi Alpha HBCU college tour that I went on during my senior year? Well this movie reminded me a lot of that trip. Since that tour was hosted by the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and essentially co-hosted by the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, we learned a LOT about pledging during that week. However,  I remember very clearly how reluctant that the alumni were to speak on their experiences with hazing. I’ll never forget what one AKA woman said to a group of us about that subject in particular. She told us that you can avoid the violence and humiliation of hazing, but you won’t have any respect among the sorority or fraternity. Your brothers or sisters will refer to you as just “paper” because your commitment to the organization was only on paper. In Burning Sands, the pledges couldn’t speak to anyone about what they were experiencing, and this is how I imagine it is for most pledgees.

Of course people hear about hazing and its dangers, but this movie gave a new, personal perspective on what actually happens and how it affects the lives of students.

I know that this movie has to be somewhat of an exaggeration because (spoiler alert!) one of the pledges dies on Hell Night, the last night that pledges needed to complete  before they were officially members of  Lambda Lambda Phi. I know that death in these situations is an occurrence that happens more than anyone would like to admit, but I’m confident that it doesn’t happen all too frequently.  

Another reason that I enjoyed Burning Sands is because it reminded me as to why I wanted so badly to attend an HBCU in high school. I have forgotten how different the social aspects are at HBCUs versus at a school like Truman. I also imagine that hazing at Truman isn’t nearly on the same level that it was depicted in the movie. Also, greek life here is way different than I expected. I remember at the college tours how each organization had either a square on a sidewalk or a certain bench or tree with their artwork on it, and non-members weren’t allowed to trespass on this area at all.

All in all, Burning Sands gave me something interesting to compare my current college experience with, as well as my pre-college expectations. The next time that I’m home, we should watch it so that you can see it for yourself.

ARQ

Dear Mom and Dad,

This movie is based around a future world where the amenities have run dry causing war and chaos. An engineer created an device he called the Arq that was an unlimited energy source and could be used to win the war. When intruders come to take it the Arq puts them on a continuing time loop where the day plays over and over again.

The idea of time looping over and over again is a very unoriginal thought. But this movie did have a lot of detail that is original and different than any other movie of the sort. The name of the engineer is Renton and his ex girlfriend is Hannah together they become aware of the time loop and figure out how to stop them from taking it. This creates a certain drama and finesse between the two characters and begins to rekindle their love for one another. This adds a lot of drama along with the fact that there are two sides of the war and Hannah is on one who’s main goal is to just get money from him in the begging, she along with 2 of the 3 guys just want money while the 3^rd is secretly on the other side and wants the Arq. This confusion on who to trust and who not to and trying to figure out how to get past it keeps it even that much more interesting. Also one of the 2 guys has been in a romantic relationship with Hannah which adds a little more drama and keeps you wondering who she likes more. Near the end it is very clear that her heart lies with Renton but during the beginning of the movie she didn’t even really know that herself.

The end was also very intriguing; unlike most movies about a time loop it does not end. They discover that they have been living the day over more times then they think they have then it ends by them starting over yet again but this time instead of him remembering first it’s her. This really intrigued me and left me guessing about what would happen next or what would be different now that she woke up before he did. Or it could be that nothing has changed and she has remembered before him in another series of loops but the world may never know.

I know that generally you guys don’t like a lot of the science fiction genre but I think there are aspects of this movie both of you would really enjoy. Mom would really enjoy the romantic parts and how the two bonded over the time. Dad would really like the action aspects of this movie and the problem solving going into how they approach the different days. Overall I think it would be a good movie to give a chance and watch together sometime.

To Smoke or Not To Smoke

In today's society, especially among st the youth young adults, marijuana has been a topic of controversy for years. Why you may ask ? Well this is because there are always two sides of the spectrum. there is how marijuana can benefit your health and there is how it can harm your health. My side to this story or my argument for marijuana is that it should be legalized because of its numerous health benefits and should be closely monitored on how it is used medically and used when recreational.

The documentary that I watched on Netflix some time ago is called "The Culture High". This documentary is about the marijuana prohibition and the war on drugs in the United states. The Culture High tears into the very fiber of the modern day marijuana debate to reveal the truth behind the arguments and motives governing both those who support and oppose the existing pot laws. So this post will be directed towards the individuals in the movie who oppose marijuana be used.

Firs tlets going into law. According to what was stated in the movie, there are budgets to fight marijuana going into the billions, all to keep marijuana away. Not only could be using those billions to further research marijuana and its potential benefits to society, but we could also be using those billions to further other projects such as restoring clean water to Flint or putting those funds to aid the poor in other countries. According to the movie, there has also been numerous studies proving the benefits of marijuana. In one scene a study was shown conducted by the University of California, San Diego showed that a series of small human trials found cannabis to be effective in treating pain in patients with multiple sclerosis and HIV. Another scene showed a study conducted by Harvard showed that in a sample size of 1000 with multiple sclerosis, 93% showed a relief in pain for long periods of time.

What other rebuttal could there be? One of the only harms of marijuana is illegal distribution. Right now Marijuana is a illegal in a couple of different places so people are obviously finding ways to get marijuana in the states they reside in, thus resulting in unnecessary arrests. Besides this I cant find any other harm in Marijuana. If Marijuana is regulated and monitored closely by the FDA then there is little to no harm in the usage. That is just my argument.

Disjointed Opinions

I was a little hesitant when picking a show for my viewing this week. I ended up watching the show Disjointed. Disjointed is a show that is all about selling cannabis and the film producers use a handful of old styled cigarette and pot ads that are intertwined within the show just like they would have shown up in old the network series. I thought that this would be a good show to write about this week because the legalization of marijuana is a controversial subject.

It is a standard multi-camera show. There is a studio audience that has a laugh track in the background. A laugh track is where jokes are told that lean on the predictable side of things for example: there are so many jokes about stoners being out of it. These remarks are basic and do not add anything important to the show. For example: In the first few minutes of episode 1, Jenny (an Asian-American employee at Ruth’s Alternative Caring), introduces herself to camera with: “Hey, I’m your token Asian.” The theme of Disjointed is basically a montage of:  “When we get high, we also go low.”

The conflict between Ruth (the main character) and Travis (Ruth’s son) erupts within the first few episodes. Just like the average mother and son have arguments, so do Ruth and Travis. The two argued over how to run and promote “Ruth’s Alternative Caring”. This is controversial because it brings up the issue about how different age groups use marijuana. Even though “Ruth’s Alternative Caring” has a variety of herbs and edibles that people can choose from, Ruth has a tough time comprehending why millennials have made marijuana a normalized drug. Travis comes to this issue with a different view point. Travis sees “Ruth’s Alternative Caring” as a prospective profitable business with the same potential to make money as any other enterprise.

The legalization of recreational marijuana is controversial nationwide and has been legalized in some states, like Colorado, but not others. The states that have legalized it have rationalized this decision by contributing tax money brought in by weed revenue, back to the community programs and public school systems. As well as the money saved on the law enforcement aspect of it as they do not have to jail petty drug offenders. The health benefits or lack of a shown detriment to your health also contributed to the decision to legalize.

On the flip side some state have not yet “caught onto” this trend. The first and foremost reason is that on a federal level, it's still illegal. If President Donald Trump wanted to send in federal marshals to Colorado tomorrow, he could do that and they could shut down all the weed dispensaries. Besides that many states are still very conservative and the public opinion/social norm on weed is negative. They also argue the health risks; Marijuana is technically a Schedule 1 drug. That is the same category that cocaine and meth are in. It is looked upon as harmful to your body, or a gateway drug at the least.

Disjointed

One of the most controversial topics that I can think of that has influenced the last few decades is the debate over the use of marijuana. In the beginning of debate in America, most arguments focused on the morality behind it all: could we as a country allow people to legally use a drug that had such a strong influence on their mental state?

To this day, not very much research has been conducted on the concrete effects of marijuana use. Studies are being conducted, but there needs to be a larger amount of years studied before we can draw conclusions about its benefits or negative effects on us.

The “weed debate” is a current issue that affects everyone, but it is specifically important to the millennial generation. Our parents grew up in the 60s and 70s when marijuana culture was just beginning to find its place in society. Now, the drug has a very devoted following, and has been legalized (for medical use) in 29 states. In fact, recent studies show that 61% of Americans support the legalization of marijuana. This presents us with the two groups that surround this issue: those who support the legalization of marijuana and those who do not.

Personally, I stand for the legalization of marijuana. I don’t have any true reason to oppose it, and I don’t think that it is the government’s place to regulate its use. Thus when I discuss the various social issues brought up in the Netflix Original Disjointed, I will be addressing my arguments to those who stand against the legalization of marijuana.

Disjointed is a new Netflix show about “Ruth’s Alternative Healing”, a cannabis shop in Los Angeles. The owner of the shop, Ruth Whitefeather Goldman, campaigned her whole life for the legalization of marijuana, and once it was granted, she opened her own dispensary. Other characters in the show include her son and business partner Travis, who recently graduated with an MBA, a security named Carter who suffers from PTSD due to his time in Vietnam, and three “bud-tenders”, each with their own complex reasons for coming to work at the shop.

The show paints marijuana use in an extremely casual light, and often shows the employees smoking on the clock. It also emphasizes the medical benefits and emotional relief that marijuana can provide. Unfortunately, Disjointed shows Ruth, the owner of the dispensary, as unwilling to expand her business or consider smarter business plans. This plays into the stereotype that marijuana users are lazy, which prevents the show from altering the opinion of those who oppose marijuana.

Even people who are opposed to the recreational or medical use of cannabis can learn a few things from this show. First, many weed users are seeking the calming effects of marijuana, and not just wanting to get “high” for fun. In the first few episodes of the show, we see a housewife who’s struggling with feelings of stress and discontentment. After “medicating” (smoking marijuana) at Ruth’s Alternative Healing, she feels much calmer and satisfied with her life.

We also see a consistent character in the show, Ruth’s security guard Carter, struggle with his PTSD. He does not smoke marijuana, but the show seems to suggest that if he did, he might be able to calm some of the nervous feelings that he experiences.

I think that that the view of “normal” people smoking marijuana is very beneficial in expressing that not everyone who smokes marijuana is a lazy, free-riding hippy with no respect for the laws of our country. The fact of the matter is, regular people use marijuana for a variety of different reasons, and Disjointed does a good job of showcasing that. While the show has its faults, it goes a long way in normalizing the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana.

In the end, do I expect this show to change your mind about current drug laws in this country? No, I don’t. I don’t think its message is strong enough to do that (nor is it trying to be). But, I hope that through watching this show, you might disregard the stereotypes that typically surround cannabis users. Those stereotypes are neither helpful nor true, and shouldn’t be a factor in the debate over the legalization of marijuana.

The Choice Between Two

While watching Bojack Horseman, I started reading online what people thought about the show. One opinion that had almost split sides was who Diane should be with; Bojack or Mr. PeanutButter. I think that Diane needs to stay with Mr. PeanutButter and not Bojack. While I thought this was an opinion shared by the whole community, I realized that it isn't and it's time to share my thoughts as to why.

Whenever one thinks about Bojack Horseman, nothing but negative thoughts come to mind. As stated in my previous blogs, he's only ever cared about himself. He doesn't care if something bad happens to those around him, as long as he's okay, everything else is okay. However, when it comes to Diane, he assumes that they had something together. However, she loves Mr. PeanutButter and Bojack should have respected that. However, Bojack purposefully tries to take her away in different forms, and that isn't okay. Regardless of if Bojack likes Mr. PeanutButter or not, he still has to respect the idea that Mr. PeanutButter and Diane want to be together. They're even married. However, Bojack sees that they're struggling in their marriage and he tries to take advantage of this.

While some might say that Mr. PeanutButter and Diane don't belong together because he doesn't care enough about her, I disagree. Not only does he push her to follow her dreams, he also tries to do everything he thinks would make her happy. While he isn't always 100% correct, he still tries to make it work. Mr. PeanutButter cares abut her, and if Bojack had his way, he'd take Diane and then forget all about her, leaving her truly alone.

Bojack has already had two different girlfriends, and on both occasions, he uses them to get what he needs. It's never about them and what's good for them. It's always about how he feels. Bojack is a danger for all the people around him because he fails to deal with the responsibilities of his actions, To Bojack, everything he does is correct, even when he kissed Diane. He ruined their friendship, nearly ruined his friendship with Mr. PeanutButter, and still failed to understand that.

Overall, it's better for Bojack to not be with Diane, and for Diane to be with her husband, Mr. PeanutButter.

Seeking for Advanture or Living a leisurely life?

Another week to choose an episode to write my blog. This week, unlike other blogs which I have written before, I am going to write a blog about a specific scene in the movie which contains two different opinions. Everybody will think that cartoon cannot have any two opposite viewpoints because it only focuses on one typical aspect. However, if the viewer only pays attention to a general plot of the episode without focusing on every detail, he or she cannot recognize a hidden angle which a cartoon has. In this blog, Dragons: Race to the Edge episode 4 season 1 will be my primary choice because in overall, people will think that this cartoon does not have anything to mention, but actually it does. This scene may not play a role in conveying the main plot of the episode, but it is a highlight of the whole movie. When Hiccup figures out a dragon eye is a new map which leads his gang to a new adventure of finding a new land and new dragon species, he right away goes to the Council asking for a permission. However, the Council does not allow him to seek an adventure because they are afraid that he will bring trouble to Berk. Three years living in peace, the Council does not want to relate to any problem. I think the Council's decision is acceptable to adults who want to stay out of the mess. Adventuring the whole life, fighting bad guys, killing many dragons, they have the right choosing retirement. Avoiding the danger and enjoying the peaceful life are the wonderful reward for the bravery and dedicated warrior just like the members of the Council. However, the Council is all Vikings, and the Viking is not an ordinary warrior. They are more than that. They are all sons of Odin, a mighty and powerful god in the Norse Myths, and the sons of Odin never stop seeking an adventure for any reason. Therefore, it is not right, on the other words not acceptable for the Viking to rest and live a leisurely life. Based on the spirit of the Viking, the chief of Berk, Hiccup's dad, gives an example of his and all the members of the Council's adventures to persuade the Council allowing his son to discover a new land. At the end, the Council has to agree with the chief's decision and approves Hiccup to go. The opposite opinions in this scene are one chooses to live in leisurely life and one wants to seek adventure. However, we have to look at the reality that the Council cannot apply their thought to a young person who wants to explore new things like Hiccup. A young person is similar to a baby bird. They only grow up when they leave their home to seek for adventure. At that time they will gain more experience and will grow up day by day. I think both options all have an acceptable purpose. The Council wants Berk to be safe and peaceful. Hiccup also wants good things to happen to Berk by finding a new frontier and new dragons. Because I also a young teenager who love travel and explore mysterious things, I will approve Hiccup to pursue his dream. Furthermore, if anyone wants to reject my judgment, they have to prove that the map is totally fake and there is no such thing called new continent and new dragon species.

Shows always used advanced technology?

The Killing. The Killing is a 2011 Netflix original about a homicide cop who is trying to move but gets caught up in another murder case. 2011 really wasn’t that long ago, we had almost all of the technology we do today. We had smartphones, impressive laptops, flat screen TVs, and the newest iPad. So, the question is why did Netflix put so much effort into making this show look like it was filmed in the late 1990s to the early 2000s? Because, if you have seen it you would know how old this show looks.

When watching the first season of The Killing it becomes apparent that either this show was filmed some time before it was aired on Netflix or that they put more effort into making it look as if the show is older than when they filmed it. Starting with the equipment they use as props. In many of the scenes you are shown old flip phones, old box TVs, and laptops that, in comparison to the ones we have now, are huge.

In one scene the main characters are interrogating a suspect and they need to show a video. They wheel in an old box TV with a combination DVD and VHS player. Those aren’t produced anymore. To be fair, VHS tapes were made up until 2015 but by 2011 most people only used DVD players because VCR players were discontinued in 2002. So, to have this giant TV and VCR player shows just how outdated this show was becoming even as they were filming it. Plus that isn’t the only time these are seen by the audience, making it seem that they are more widely

While they were using a DVD for the video, in another scene they are reviewing a piece of evidence that was made by the deceased. A movie. This piece of evidence is a short film made with 35mm film that had to be played in an old film projector. Those kinds of projectors are viewed as antiques and are extremely valuable nowadays. In 2011, film movies were dying. People were using digital cameras to make movies. To still be using a film camera to record shows a lag in the technology available to people.

In almost every scene you see someone using a flip phone. By the time this show was made the iPhone had been out on the market for 4 years, Blackberrys had been out for 8 years, and Android had been making their phones for three years. By the time of this show smartphones were easily accessible. Some were relatively cheap. So if smartphones were readily accessible, and semi-cheap why does everyone in this show only have a flip phone?

There are many other things that indicate just how old this show is, even for it’s time period. Did Netflix make it intentionally old or was that just what was readily accessible? I’ve done the research and there were more advanced forms of technology that could have been used and were most likely being used in everyday life by detectives. This show just screams it was filmed in an older way with older tech, and is even more apparent when watching it in today’s technology. What do you think? Is it that old?

Worrywart!

Sam’s mother Elsa is portrayed as an antagonist from the beginning of Atypical. She is a worrywart, a fussyboi, a negative nancy. With Elsa built up as a strawman, it’s easy to dismiss her point of view. She is a helicopter parent, choking her autistic son’s potential. However, her argument is less self important and more nuanced than it seems. In the show, she obsessively rewashes the dishes after her daughter, and fusses over ordering the correct material of shirt for Sam. The idea of him dating scares her. This paints her in the harsh light of the control freak. However, It’s not as simple as she can’t stand not having control over her son.

Her protective nature towards Sam may seem extreme, but it was born out of necessity. As a young child, Sam couldn’t pick up on facial cues. It was Elsa who taught him how to function. Her husband, Doug, is easier to like. Worry free. However, he didn’t play the role of guiding Sam through his youth. He has been afforded the luxury of not having to worry, as Elsa took on the burden. Sam still doesn’t understand how to navigate social situations. It’s cause for celebration that he hasn’t had a meltdown in over a month. He walks into the street with his eyes closed. He has needed her protection in the past. It’s only natural for her to be protective still. This instinct is in moms of neurotypical children, so you can imagine how these motherly instincts would be amplified with an autistic son.

Elsa’s behavior is completely understandable. However, that does not mean I agree with her actions. She has to loosen her hold on him for him to grow. I was the baby of a family with six children. This means my mom coddled me as much as she could. She made all my meals and didn’t make me do chores. She kept track of my grades and made me complete my assignments. The result was, I never learned to be independent. I don’t know how to take care of myself. I can’t cook. Boil water? What am I, a chemist? I know my mother was only being the best mother she knew how to be. I know Elsa is too. But in trying to protect sam, she is stifling him.

If Sam wants to begin dating, I believe the best motherly decision would be to support him in his endeavors. If not now, when? Surely Elsa doesn’t want him to feel alone throughout his life, yet that is the likely outcome of her well intended actions. His interest in others is something to be celebrated, not condemned. Dating does rely on all the things he doesn’t understand, like body language and jokes. This scares Elsa. However, This means his interest in dating provides the perfect opportunity for him to learn. She is afraid of him failing, but failing is an important part of understanding. Learning social cues and body language naturally just isn’t possible when you are coddled in your mom’s protective grasp. Her help is hurting, now. Maybe he’s not ready. But that’s okay.

Jessica Jones AKA Accordion Show

Jessica Jones, wow um, I'm not entirely sure what to say. I feel like I should equate this to an accordion show, because no one should watch it, whoops guess I revealed my opinions a little too early. Don't worry the show did that as well. I'm about a quarter of the way through the series, and I really don't want to watch anymore. For a show that should be incredibly intriguing, unpredictable, and exciting I only managed to feel bored. Boring is how I would describe the show, that and predictable. I get that I'm only about a quarter of the way in but I have yet to be surprised or delighted.

The plot follows super powered, private eye, Jessica Jones, as she tracks down the villain Kilgrave. While dealing with her post traumatic incidents with said character. The show heavily falls in the noire, superhero, and draws on psychological thriller genres. Well this is a recipe for a good show and has all the elements of a good show. It seems to be lacking an enjoyable quality to me. I want to like it I really do, but this is me telling you why I don't like it.

I personally feel that Jessica is a very interesting character in plot. In show however she is a very boring, dull, and flat character. She seems to exist in scenes to progress the plot and let the way more interesting characters bounce off of her, or her to let out the occasional witty remark. There are moments that she does shine, and those moments are the psychological thriller aspects of the show. Clearly the show writers have dealt with, know, or have simply talked to people who have dealt with both anxiety and PTSD. From my experience with [redacted] this portrayal is one of the closest I have seen to reality, and is by far one of the best parts of this show, shame they don't utilize it in enough interesting ways.

I think we should talk about the only other real highlight of the show so far, the villain Kilgrave. So Kilgrave and Jessica have a rather unpleasant shared history, that involves things I shouldn't say for fear that I will be removed from the site. I like this guy, off screen atleast. On screen he's not all that interesting, (although the actor is very good),and I feel like he was revealed too early. Off screen however, he has this magical cinematic power that gives him a presence in almost every scene. Even if he feels a little generic his portrayal is quite strong in the power he holds over Jessica.

So I asked around for what people liked about the show, and they gave me a few answers. One of my friends loves that we finally have a female protagonist who's main trait isn't that she's a woman. Yeah I agree that works in the favor of all media, I have nothing against that statement and I agree with it. The other one I hear the most is that its a full on rated R superhero, and I have some thoughts on that. Everything they have shown so far can be tackled in a PG 13 or TV 14 rating. I've seen more sexually explicit content shown in PG 13 movies and a few shows that cover PTSD and anxiety at the TV 14 level. Drinking and purchasing alcohol won't push the grade so what makes it so high? All I've got is blood and a lot of swearing. Well please put the brakes on this roller coaster, I don't think my heart can handle the boundaries you're pushing Jones.

Drugs are Still Bad, Especially Cocaine

It is not difficult to make an argument against drug trafficking and the effects it has on human productivity and economic matters among other things, but for Pablo Escobar, it may just be a necessity.  From the show Narcos, Escobar got his start by selling illegally obtained electronics, but then made the switch to selling and smuggling cocaine when he found out how much more profitable it was.  Concerning people, drugs, especially cocaine, have an extremely detrimental effect on the brain, which Pablo probably understood when he saw how people fell into crippling addiction.  The economic costs, especially on the Mexican economy, where Escobar works from, is notable.  The effects on humans and the economy are only two of the many reasons why drug trafficking has had such a harmful effect on both the U.S. and Mexico.

Beginning with the effects that drugs, especially cocaine has on humans, long term effects and disorders are common.  For one, when the brain is exposed to prolonged use of cocaine, neurons begin to die, which ultimately can cause the brain to cease function.  "People who struggled with cocaine addition also show reduced levels of glucose metabolism in many areas of the brain, suggesting that neurons underperform or begin to die" (What Are the Effects of Cocaine on the Brain?).  Additionally, brains contain gray matter, which is generally parts of the brain that contain more neural cell bodies than white matter.  Moreover, when people grow older, the amount of gray matter naturally reduces; however, when the brain is exposed to cocaine, the amount of gray matter lost doubles.  This means that between a prolonged user of cocaine and someone who does not use cocaine, the person who uses cocaine will experience a substantial reduction in brain activity much sooner in their lifetime (What Are the Effects of Cocaine on the Brain?).  The effects that cocaine has on the brain are numerous, but nonetheless, experiencing a reduction in brain activity can eventually lead to death, which also ties into a reduction in economic activity overall. 

Cocaine has grown to be known to cause reduced levels of economic activity but also levels of economic instability.  For one, cocaine trafficking has been known to bring about violence.  Generally, increased violence can bring about labor productivity loses which can, in turn, affect economic matters.  "[...] there are a number of ways in which violence e results in direct and indirect financial costs: the loss of productivity associated with death or injury, the loss of human capital investments and the costs of medical care and legal services" (Rios).  Additionally, increased violence has a social impact which can affect the economy.  When a population perceives a rise in violence, this can cause a drop in social interaction.  This can reduce the night life of a community and reduce the use of public transport which can both have damaging economic affects (Rios). Once again, these are just a few of the innumerable crippling effects that cocaine has been seen to bring about concerning economy. 

In the show, it is explained that while Escobar was a drug trafficker, he was also a family man who did what was best to support his family; however, there is overwhelming evidence that cocaine ultimately hurts entire communities.  Cocaine has both immediate and long-term effects.  As aforementioned, human brain activity is largely inhibited using cocaine, aside from the many other biological effects it has.  Economically, reduced human producitivty and increased violence both can have severe impacts on community economics and macroeconomics.  Ultimately, while some families, such as Escobar's may have experienced an increased quality of life due to Escobar's drug dealing, the bigger picture looks much bleaker. 

Rios, Viridiana. "Evaluating the economic impact of Mexico’s drug trafficking industry". Harvard University, 2008. scholar.harvard.edu/files/vrios/files/rios2008_mexicandrugmarket.pdf. Accessed on 8 Oct. 2017

"What Are the Effects of Cocaine on the Brain?". American Addiction Center, n.d., americanaddictioncenters.org/cocaine-treatment/effects-on-the-brain/. Accessed on 8 Oct. 2017.

Real Rob: Really Strange

This week I decided to watch the docudrama Real Rob about the life of Rob Schneider. Not only was the pilot episode unamusing, the vibe of the show was similar to one of those shows you watch in middle school about the life of a good kid gone drug user. By that I mean that the acting is horrible and predictable, overall aesthetic is sub-par, and the message is overdone. I was really not a fan of this one and not sure what the point of this show is, but it seems to me that it's Schneider's last ditch effort to remain relevant.

The show begins with an odd cuddling scene between him and his wife in which she doesn't let him touch her boobs because all he does is touch himself, then his face, then his phone... Understandable. After a brutally staged baby cry, Schneider does the ritual that she accuses him of. I found this to be an incredibly dry and predictable format that carried out in the rest of the show. I suppose the point was to be comedic, but it didn't reach that point for me at all.

Later, Schneider's assistant fails to pick him up on time from the airport and the whole encounter is just a mess of terrible acting. Apparently, the assistant had a bad break up with his girlfriend and had to move out, leaving very little room for anything in his tiny car packed with his personal items. Schneider's reaction is horribly cookie cutter and at this point I'm not quite sure how "docu" this docudrama really is.

The scenes are interjected with random interview portions, like a documentary, but they seem scripted out of the wazoo. The effect I think they were going for was like a Modern Family, awkward-funny style, but unfortunately it fell short and again, missed the point of what should've been achieved.

The remainder of the show follows suit in such a way that exploring more examples would be a cycle of cliche repetition. Overall, this show was a 1/10 for quality of the acting, originality, and comedic effect. I'm kind of sad that Netflix gave it a 97% match for me.

As far as the opposition of my opinion, one could argue that the weird, failed awkward effect is exactly what they were going for and that, perhaps, it mirrors Schneider's life quite well. To that I would say how sad. If that's the case, it gives you a glimpse into the utterly tragic life of the "Real Rob."

Santa Clarita Diet

This week I watched the first episode of Santa Clarita Diet. It revolves around two realtors, Joel and Sheila, their daughter, and a character present in only this episode, Gary. Gary is a realtor that comes to town to begin working at the same place as Sheila and Joel. As the episode develops, you learn, along with the characters, that there is something abnormal happening to Sheila. It starts as a weird stomach pain, continues with a insane amount of vomit, and reaches a terrifying point when she discovers she does not bleed and cannot find her heartbeat. Most might say that it is weird and wrong that Sheila is wanting to sneak around, ultimately eating raw meat and people, instead of get help, however I believe that this decision is the best decision for her.

When people are exhibiting abnormal symptoms, such as throwing up a ridiculous amount, the appropriate thing would be to go to the hospital. When the emergency department takes too long to evaluate Sheila, the next move would be to immediately head to a prompt care or her primary care physician. Instead Sheila does not do this, and I support that. I understand well how important it is to get a health problem diagnosed and treated, especially when you pose a threat to others, however the risks for Sheila’s life to be destroyed far outweigh the benefits to society. She raises concerns about the potential of being trapped in the health care system and laboratories for the rest of her life, which is definitely what would happen to her. She would likely become the focus of many clinical trials, be sequestered for evaluations, and ultimately be deemed a threat to society as she has a hankering for humans. She likely would end up as a viral video or the centerpiece of American news for multiple weeks, making herself and her family miserable with all of the attention and comments on social media. When they go and visit their neighbor who takes a look at her, he gives them a fair diagnosis, that she is dead and undead. This amount of information is enough for Sheila, but not for Joel. He wants to be more informed about what is going on and what he can do to help his wife. While I empathize with the desire to need to know all of the facts, I believe that in some circumstances, just knowing the basics is enough. They know to keep her fed otherwise disaster will occur (which they neglected to do and it was proved). Clearly a change has already occurred and they just need to keep their attitudes up and do what they know will work.

The last few minutes of the episode deal with Gary coming to Joel and Sheila’s house and trying to woo Sheila after what he feels is a missed connection from flirtations the previous night. Majority would say she should have told him off at her house, or the previous night, and reaffirmed her love for her husband. Some might argue she should’ve even gone off with Gary. However I believe she did the right thing. While biting someone’s fingers off and then eating them is never okay, ff she was going to eat anyone, Gary is the best choice. He is new to the area, generally aggressive and looks like he would get along well with the boss of the realtor company, who is a rude businessman. Having two people who are powerful and not exceptionally nice would make the culture of the office negative, and harder for Joel and Sheila to thrive in that environment. While perhaps a change of job or a sit down conversation between Joel and Gary about Sheila would’ve been a better way to handle it, it also would have resulted in more negative emotions and perhaps a fight between the men which is not a productive way to handle conflict. Overall, Sheila and Joel make the appropriate decisions for their family during this time of uncertainty, however I’m not sure how they will recover from the dining of Gary.

To All Amateur Launderers

This week for my post I've decided to delve into Netflix's new 2017 original The Ozarks. I choose this since I'd seen multiple people watching this show and thought it might be interesting to check out. Also having been born and raised in Missouri it's nice to see a show that's a little bit closer to home (location-wise... not subject wise).

Bossgirl

     I was casually scrolling through Netflix and found Bossgirl. I am unsure about how I feel just yet but I know the main character could use some maturing. I only watched the first episode but I believe that Sophia will conquer whatever is thrown her way through willpower.

    Bossgirl begins with the song, "The Wild One" and I knew that the main character was going to have some spunk and indeed, she does. The first line of the song is “All my life I've wanted to be somebody and here I am.” So those few words I knew that the main character would have issues finding herself and I was correct. She dealt with eviction notices, being fired, and not having the greatest appearance. She was a rebel, which was another song that played through the series that described her too well. She was fired from her job because she was too much of a rebel. Her boss yelled at her and she thought it was only right to yell back at her but that's not wise to do in the workplace. Consequently, Sophia’s reckless decisions does not put her in a desirable place which is why she struggled so much with life and hasn't matured yet. However, that does not mean she doesn't have a plan, and the song, “I Have a Dream, explains that very well. There's a scene in Bossgirl where Sophia meets with her father, saying that she'll have things together soon. Her father wants her to move back in with him because he doesn't believe that she can make it on her own. Sophia however, knows that he doesn't believe in her and wants to prove to him otherwise. Even though Sophia does not make wise decisions, I have faith that she'll soon understand the way of adult life.

    Sohpia is not a main character that I can relate to so it was difficult for me to understand what she was going through. However, Sophia is still trying to better herself. She encounters an old woman on the bench while waiting on the bus and said that, “Adulthood is where dreams go to die.” So she believes that once she became an adult, that anything she dreamt of before, will never be possible. Throughout the episode, I felt like she was one step closer to changing that belief. The dinner with her father helped her realize that maybe adulthood isn't where dreams go to die, especially when someone doubts you. Instead, it gives you that extra motivation you needed to fulfil that dream.

    Bossgirl is definitely different from shows that I usually watch but I'd be willing it give it a chance. Sophia gave me the impression that she's willing to change even though she isn't the greatest person. If her dad doesn't believe in her then maybe her viewers will.