Final Project: Teen Pregnancy is on the Rise and is it any Wonder Why?

Bell-bottoms, side ponytails, boy bands, and tamagotchi are all fads that have come and gone in the last 40 years. The unfortunate fad that swept the nation in 2009 was teen pregnancy, whose rates are on the rise for the first time in the last 15 years. Just fewer than one million teenage girls in the last year became pregnant. Some people see this as shocking in a day and age where anyone, male or female, 15 or 56 can walk into a neighborhood CVS Pharmacy or Wal-Mart and stock up on condoms. However, no matter how easily available contraception is made, it does not change the abundance of teen pregnancy in popular culture and media, whether it be Bristol Palin, Jamie Lynn Spears or fictional characters. There is a double standard that television series and films about teen pregnancy create; it is bad to get pregnant as a teenager but the aftermath will be happily ever after. By creating this double standard, these television series and films are glorifying teen pregnancy and making it appealing to the youthful audience watching.

The first television broadcast of a pregnant woman took place in 1953 on the sitcom “I Love Lucy.” Onscreen pregnancy was controversial at the time because it was thought morally improper to discuss such a private matter publicly. Imagine how Lucy and Ricky would respond to ABC Family’s hit series “The Secret Life of an American Teenager.” The plotline of “The Secret Life” is constructed around the life of Amy Juergens after a boy she hardly knew impregnated her at 15. Throughout the pregnancy, Amy’s parents stumble over themselves to make sure she is given everything she desires. Granted she is treated differently at school, but this poor treatment only lasts a couple episodes and (what a surprise) she ends up with an adorable boyfriend who loves her and her unborn child. When the baby arrives at the end of the first season, Amy’s life pretty much returns to normal. But wait, now she has a whole new set of responsibilities. She now suffers through the pains of a part time job, which the audience hardly ever sees her at, and has to care for her fatherless child, who is a dream newborn; no crying, rare dirty diapers, and is hardly ever hungry. “The Secret Life” creates quite a nice picture for teenage girls of what motherhood is like at 15. It is a picture that is completely fabricated.

If life as a teen mother was truly that simple, ABC’s Primetime would have had no reason for it’s special in June of 2009 about teen pregnancy. Hannah McLaughlin was in the fall of her senior year at Eisenhower High School in Yakima, Washington when her life was rocked by the news that she would be delivering triplets days before graduation. Life for her was not like that portrayed on “The Secret Life.” In a tearful interview with ABC Hannah states, “Nothing has changed for him, but everything has changed for me.” In the real world Hannah and the father of her triplets (all of whom passed away) are estranged, and people still see her as “that girl”—the one who got pregnant—and in her words she continually has an “audience of over 2,000 people and everyone’s watching.” Unlike Amy, who enjoyed her sophomore year with little to no glares from her peers and fit right back in once she had the baby, Hannah feels as though she “missed out on [her] whole senior year” and is constantly judged. Hannah hoped that teenaged girls faced with the question of sexual activity would see her story on Primetime and rethink it. In other words, learn by example not experience.

It has been argued that shows glamorizing teenage pregnancy, like “The Secret Life” or the film “Juno,” do not have a big impact on the way impressionable teenage girls see pregnancy. The people who think this should have a nice chat with the 4.4 million 12-17 year old girls, the show’s target demographic, who tuned into the second premier of “The Secret Life” last January, or the teens who rushed to the theatres to see “Juno” and helped it become Fox Searchlights first film to gross over $100 million. Teenage girls are unbelievably susceptible to the pictures of happiness that these flicks portray. If asked to discuss pregnancies, these adolescents will ignore stories like Hannah’s, instead discussing pregnancies sans the holier-than-thou stares, financial issues, and tearful confrontations that realistic teenage childbearing holds.

One main exception to the portrayal of pregnant teens as happy-go-lucky, non-vulnerable, spoiled girls is the character of Quinn Fabray on the widely popular television series “Glee.” Quinn begins the first season as the head cheerleader and president of the abstinence club but is soon removed from both positions when her pregnancy becomes common knowledge. The only support Quinn receives is from her teammates in the glee club, leading to multiple tear-filled scenes. Although this aspect of Quinn’s life is closer to the reality of teen pregnancy, she still maintains the handsome and talented boyfriend and keeps her perfect figure with just a slight baby bump protruding from her middle section.

Popular culture and media bombards young girls with distorted accounts of teen pregnancy, but what message is it sending to the young boys? Although males do not make up large portions of these show’s followings, the image of ease that they portray is applied to the father characters, if any 16 year old boy can be called that, as well. Where these shows should be terrifying boys by the responsibility they will have to take on by fathering a child, they actually expose fully functional relationships involving little to no encumbrance.

Television and film is about fantasies and fabrication. In the case of teen pregnancy, the fantasy of no complication that television and films create is detrimental. It is an inveterate fabrication that prematurely sexualizes boys and girls, creating an unrealistic and unfortunately appealing view of teen pregnancy.

Audience: "The New York Times"

The Oscars Review

Audience: “The Index”

Last year, Hugh Jackman hosted the 81^st Annual Academy Awards with ease; laugh out loud humor and unbelievable talent. Apparently in an attempt to meet Jackman’s amped up version of the Oscars, the producers felt they needed two hosts this year. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, two usually uproariously comedic men, completely flopped.

Unfortunately, not even the most beautiful ball gowns, cutesy clips of animated characters, or intricate dance performances could save what was supposed to be the biggest night in the film industry. Martin and Baldwin’s attempts at humor were pathetic and fell flat on the audience. They appeared onstage a couple times, and also completely failed at every attempt of a transition. Sorry guys, but “Oh my god! There’s Matt Damon!” does not serve as an effective subject changer and it’s just plain awkward.

Equally as awkward were the “Avatar” allusions: Martin and Baldwin asked, “is that the director of “Avatar,” James Cameron?” and donned 3D glasses, Neil Patrick Harris sang, “Take James Cameron from his CGI,” and Ben Stiller was painted blue like an avatar because the show was “Hitler heavy.” These allusions seemed particularly out of place since “Avatar” only ended the evening with three awards: best art direction, outstanding achievement in cinematography, and outstanding visual effects. Three awards that would have caused a huge upset had “Avatar” not won considering this film introduced an entire new type of visual effect.

The worst part of the awkwardness created by Martin and Baldwin was that this should have been a huge night for the Academy Awards. For the first time since 1943 ten films were nominated for best picture. Also for the first time a woman, Kathryn Bigelow, won best director.

In fact Bigelow stole the show from Martin and Baldwin. Her film, “The Hurt Locker,” took home six of the nine awards it was nominated for. These awards included best picture, best original screenplay, best sound editing and mixing, and best film editing. Bigelow likely took a little extra joy in her films dominance over Cameron’s “Avatar,” considering they are ex spouses.

Although “The Hurt Locker” was well deserving of all the awards it received, it was hard not to think of “Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” and feel sorrow for their lack of recognition. Although stand up comedian Mo’Nique surprisingly took best supporting actress, and Geoffrey Fletcher emotionally accepted the award for best adapted screenplay, it is safe to say Sandra Bullock stole the best actress in a leading role from Gabourey Sidibe. However, Bullock gracefully acknowledged all the other nominees in the category highlighting their talents in an extremely classy manner.

Jeff Bridges, who more than deserved his best actor in a leading role award, was unfortunately not as classy as Bullock. Bridges came off as an uneducated hippy-surfer with his abundance of “man’s” and “woah’s.”

Bridges’ acceptance speech was, unfortunately, not the worst part of the night. Martin and Baldwin set the tone for an overall graceless evening. An evening that should have been unforgettable was made easily forgotten by uncouth hosts.

Rewrite: English Department Reading Review

Audience: “The Index”

The snow danced outside the window in the deep blue sky and the smell of wet wood filled the Olmsted Room. Illuminated by chandelier, the room was filled with Kalamazoo residents, students, and family members. The Kalamazoo College English Department Faculty Reading brought people a diverse group together to enjoy multiple, assorted, and impressive pieces of literature.

All members of the Kalamazoo College English Department, aside from Amy Smith who is on sabbatical, contributed to the event, which began at 7:00pm on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010. The evening consisted of various works of short fiction, poetry, and nonfiction read by ten professors.

Nonfiction, which with five pieces dominated the evening, can be seen as too dense for a live reading. Aside from Babli Sinha’s piece, however, this was not the case. Unfortunately, Sinha’s monotone voice and lack of facial expressions made it hard to enjoy the content of her thoroughly researched and educated discussion of gender and media.

In complete contrast with Sinha’s lack of passion, but matching her intelligence came Gail Griffin. Griffin read a piece about the murder and suicide ten years ago in the DeWaters Residence Hall on Kalamazoo College’s campus. Griffin’s voice caught in her throat when she rhetorically asked herself and the audience “What is my wound compared to theirs?” Read with the strong conviction and raw emotion of a person living with the pain of such events, Griffin’s piece was beautifully written.

Another emotionally charged nonfiction piece was Marin Heinritz’s stellar reading about her mother’s illness, “Craft Wide Open By Proximity.” This piece had similar emotional content as Bruce Mills’ reading about his son’s autism from his book “An Archeology of Learning.” Although Mills showed some signs of a nervous public speaker, it did not take away from the power of his reading. In fact, it added to the personal nature of his selection.

Amelia Katanski introduced an original style of nonfiction. Broken down into four parts, Katanski’s piece “Noble Truths” lined up with Buddhist beliefs and was a refreshing break from the abundance of simplistic prose the evening provided.

Although nonfiction dominated in terms of numbers and personal content, the short fiction pieces of the evening were the most entertaining. Andy Mozina, English Department Chair and first reader of the evening, opened with comedy. “My Non-Sexual Affair” though funny by itself, was made even more captivating and enjoyable through Mozina’s phenomenal timing and eye contact.

Equally as enjoyable was Amy Rodgers, a visiting English professor. Rodgers’ dark piercing eyes and vivid facial expressions made her process piece about Robert Frost’s son Carol completely enthralling. In the enchanting last line, “He does not look like his father,” Rodgers’ powerful writing could not be questioned.

Next came Glenn Deutsch pleasing the audience by reading different characters with different voices, in his two selections of “The Monkey Version of My Father.” When Deutsch’s voice changed from it’s typically soothing deep tone to a lisping, cussing teen, it was impossible to not be captivated.

Beth Marzoni and Di Seuss were the only two professors who chose poetry selections, and they were starkly different from each other. The content of Seuss’ poems were comic and crude whereas Marzoni’s was more historic and factual. This contrast made Seuss’ poems, “It Wasn’t a Dream I Knew William Burroughs” and “Birthday Confession”, more exciting than Marzoni’s “Rothko’s Room”. But Seuss, being a practiced performer, is used to attention and praise for her crass, over-the-top humor.

It is always great to glimpse a piece of a prestigious college professor’s life outside of the classroom. This reading allowed for insight into the inner workings of a group of brilliant people. It is an insight that all in attendance were lucky to have.

"Crazy Heart" Review

Audience: “The Kalamazoo Gazette”

Cruising around in a two-toned 1978 suburban, cigarette or whiskey in hand, shirt halfway unbuttoned, adorned with a cowboy hat and sunglasses, Bad Blake is the epitome of a country music star past his prime. Unfortunately Bad’s life story is no breath of fresh air. The phrase “recycled plotline” is far too gentle when describing “Crazy Heart.” It is still impossible to deny Scott Cooper’s cleverly written and directed adaptation of Thomas Cobb’s novel.

From the moment Bad rushes off stage mid-performance to vomit into a trashcan behind a bar and proceeds to pick his sunglasses out of the soiled can, his alcoholism and all around poisonous lifestyle become obvious. Just as obvious is the inspiration that will make him decide to turn his life around, which comes in the form of Jean Craddock, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, a younger aspiring journalist. With his winning charm, Bad tells Jean, “I wanna talk about how bad you make this room look. I never knew what a dump it was until you came in here” and so a predictable romance ensues. A romance complicated by career, children and life choices that ends in the stereotypical way that all savior romances end: not happily ever after but lesson learned ever after.

Jeff Bridges, who released his album “Be Here Soon” in 2000, stars as the country has-been Bad Blake. Bridges pulls off the hard living star in an inescapably eccentric and, with pants unbuttoned, surprisingly charming manner. His one flaw, if it can even be called that, is his phenomenal chemistry with Jean’s son Buddy, played by Jack Nation. Their chemistry overshadows that of Bad and Jean but in a way that contributes to the couple’s connection. Any woman would fall for a man who could light up their child’s face with a simple game of table football, and Gyllenhaal portrays that woman magnificently. With every flip of her hair and crease of her brow, Gyllenhaal’s pain of loving an alcoholic is clear.

The most surprising performance comes from playboy Colin Farrell who plays Tommy Sweet, Bad’s old time friend. Farrell plays the on-again, off-again bromance with Bridges perfectly. Whether pleading with his big brown eyes or stealing the show, Farrell wins the hearts of all with his charisma.

Bridges and Farrell impressively contribute their own vocals in the film with help from vocal coach Roger Love. It is hard to find fault in their soothing harmonies when singing together, or Farrell’s pure diction and Bridges gravely tone. Both men added personality to “Crazy Heart’s” original music written by Stephen Bruton and T-Bone Burnett.

Cinematographer Barry Markowitz uses simplistic yet stunning camera angles to add to the allure of “Crazy Heart.” Utilizing the reflection in a window for dramatic effect is just one of the many notable cinematographic wonders that Markowitz creates in this film, contributing to the overall appeal of the flick.

Although “Crazy Heart” has a plotline that can be predicted within the first fifteen minutes, the other aspects of the film more than make up for it, creating an outstanding way to spend an evening.

Stars Making Less Money...

I found this article to be very very intriguing. The discussion of stars making less money than they were a couple years ago, I do not think is a bad thing. Stars make so much more money compared to almost every other profession, and I'm talking professions that have huge impact on the world and truly effect people.

However, I found the part of the article discussing how DVD sales were down because stars only appeal to a 30 and over crowd a bit ridiculous. I love movies. I enjoy reading in the newspaper and online about stars, whether it be in movies, tv, music, or theatre. I am only 19 and yet I enjoy stars a great deal, so I think the generalization that this article makes is unfounded and poorly researched. Overall though it was a very interesting article, and I was shocked to find out that the amount of money stars are making is decreasing instead of increasing.

John Mayer Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed this article about John Mayer. Recently, I have not been the biggest Mayer supporter (not really even because of his controversial Playboy interview), and I really enjoyed what this article pointed out. I also find it very interesting that society does somewhat just let him get away with saying crude and inappropriate things without making him truly apologize. It slightly annoyed me that the article says "Most of the apologizing, though, he did with his hands." By saying this, Caramanica is basically saying that it is okay to not apologize for unacceptable actions if you are talented. However, Caramanica does not completely write off what Mayer did, which I truly appreciate. I think that as a society we hold celebrities to different standards and etiquette and it is ridiculous. If these are the people who we all look to and represent our country, we should consider the standard we are holding them to. I really liked that this article addressed how "dangerous" it is that people are still accepting Mayer in the same way as before, even after some abhorrent behavior.

Live Review: "The Cripple of Inishmaan"

Martin McDonagh’s play “The Cripple of Inishmaan” should have been titled “Irish Stereotypes in Two Hours or More.” Packed with obscenities, alcoholism, Catholicism, violence, gossip, and more climaxes than seemingly possible, “The Cripple of Inishmaan’s” saving grace was the refreshing acting of Kalamazoo College students.

Set in unstable Ireland in 1934, “The Cripple of Inishmaan” is about a young cripple, “cripple Billy” as the townspeople viciously call him, who dreams of fame in America. When a director comes to film his movie off the coast of Ireland, Billy leaves his two off-the-wall aunts with the hope of becoming famous. This 9-scene play follows the lives of the people Billy leaves behind and, eventually, returns to.

McDonagh has been critically acclaimed for his black comedies, comedies that contain morbid, gloomy, or dark situations as key plot points. “The Cripple of Inishmaan”, however, was filled with too much darkness and over complication to be truly comic. A witty script was juxtaposed with depressing content, and therefore not humorous. Billy’s parents died when Billy was very young; various characters tell four different tales of their death, each equally tragic and twisted. When the first adjustment to the story is made, there is a sweet raw emotion that connects the characters. By the second and third adjustment, the connection is lost, the dialogue feels forced, and the sincerity is gone.

Outfitted in authentic, time period appropriate Irish clothing, the cast of “The Cripple of Inishmaan” was exceptional. The chemistry of the nine-person cast was palpable. Whether Billy, a believably crippled, senior Theatre Major Michael Chodos, was flirting with Helen, the bold and brazen first-year, Rudi Goddard, being teased by Bartley, a goofy, tall first-year, Alden Phillips, or watching his crazy Aunt Kate, a loopy Laura Fox (senior English major), their rapport was utterly charming.

First-year Sierra Moore’s Eileen, one of Billy’s aunts, and sophomore Sam Bertken’s Johnny, the town gossip, were the post impressive performances of the evening. These two were a step above the rest with phenomenal physicality, precise and unfailing diction and poignant facial expressions. Moore is the only actress whose expressions weren’t overshadowed by her stage makeup. Bertken would trick anyone into spilling their guts by flashing an easy smirk and batting his eyes. Whether it was Moore’s believably elderly waddle or Bertken’s inebriated stumbling, the duo was positively stellar and impossible to look away from any time they graced the stage.

Due to the set up of the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse, Director Kevin Dodd had his work cut out for him. Actors struggled to maintain the fourth wall and flaunted their backsides to the audience, two big don’ts of theatre. However, with a simplistic set, the blocking was natural. Flooding the stage with a pale blue light during intense moments and casting long shadows contributed to the magical and dramatic effect that Dodd created with every aspect he had control over.

It is hard to find any fault in the Kalamzoo College Drama Department, other than the selection of such a ridiculous play.

Audience: "The Index"

Shutter Island and this weekends Top Movies

Being a five dollar contributor to the $40.2 million in tickets that "Shutter Island" brought in this weekend, I feel the need to comment on the flick and this article. I did enjoy the movie. Granted it was a little hokey at times and predictable, DiCaprio did not disappoint. The film had a lovely, although at times somewhat frightening setting.

I did not know that this movie was originally supposed to come out in the fall. I agree with this article that it was probably in the best interest of the film to postpone the premier until now. Not only was it more appropriate financially, but I believe the films success is probably due partially to the timing. The other part of its success is because it is a Martin Scorsese film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

I was shocked in this article to find that "Valentine's Day" made the second most money in the box office. I think the ONLY reason this film made such high marks is because of its star studded cast, however, that is the main reason that a lot of films are presently making copious amounts of money. I am also surprised that "Avatar" is still so high at the box office. And who would have thought that "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief" would come in fourth? The top four films in the theaters this weekend are of various genres and financial statuses. I suppose that is to be expected, however, considering the different types of films that different types of people enjoy.

Revised: Pauline Kael Critical Essay

Film criticism is not about raving the most popular and expensive pictures and panning sure misses. It is about making an informed personal decision about a picture and relaying that to the public. An effective critic must be thorough, brutally honest, and have a distinct voice. Pauline Kael was this type of critic.

After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, Kael began her writing career. By 1967 she was a prominent movie critic for “The New Yorker”, where she worked for approximately 24 years, typically reviewing one movie per week. Kael’s reviews are very comprehensive. In her review of “My Left Foot” Kael discusses acting, plot, screenplay, directing, and cinematography. Her commitment to covering all aspects of a film speaks to Kael’s credibility and sincerity.

In her review of “Funny Girl”, Kael states that Barbra Streisand “…conceals nothing; she’s fiercely, almost frighteningly direct.” Kael might as well have been describing herself. When describing multiple aspects of film, Kael’s candor is refreshing. With an acerbic tone, Kael describes “Say Anything” as “…a lovely piece of work—despite a dumb idea at its center”. This type of honesty is present in all of Kael’s pieces and contributes to her integrity as a critic.

In the book “Afterglow”, Francis Davis questions Kael on her desire to write the way people actually speak. Kael wanted to write using the language of movies, not in academic English “…in an attempt to elevate movies, because [I think] that actually lowers them. It denies them what makes them distinctive.” Kael’s vast and varied vocabulary is highlighted with colloquial and crude language that is common outside of a theatre. Employing words like “snub-nosed,” “crummy,” “nuzzles,” “high gloss,” “tootsie,” and “surfer accent,” she is equally as effective as if she used five-syllable, Latin-based SAT terms. Kael wrote for the average audience, nondependent on the color of their collar. By not attempting to elevate her own critiquing, Kael stylized a unique type of critique that became artistically undeniable.

A conversational air comes through with Kael’s use of rhetorical questions. Although they are often seen as a weakness in critical prose, Renata Adler, in a negative critique of Kael (“House Critic”), even admits, “it is difficult to convey the effect of…these questions.” Kael uses rhetorical questions to allow the reader a chance to speculate on her point and the process by which she arrived there. In her review of “Hiroshima Mon Amour”, Kael asks her audience “Where did he get this metaphysical identity with Hiroshima?” If the reader has already seen the film, they can consider his or her own thoughts on the matter. If the reader has yet to see the film, he or she can be prepared to ask that question upon seeing it. Kael’s abundance of rhetorical questions presents an everyman conversation.

Kael’s crisp, frank and unrefined voice brought a new aspect to film critiquing; a strong and lasting aspect that has revived film review as an art form.

Final Pitch

I would like to write my social/cultural critical essay about the growing rate of teen pregnancy in America and how it is tied to pop culture and media. This subject is relevant now because for the first time in over a decade the teen pregnancy rate is on the rise. The argument I will make is due to the glorification of teen pregnancy and the fact that it is no longer incredibly uncommon or particularly shameful, as shown in pop culture and media, teen pregnancy rates are rising.

I plan on using multiple newspaper articles to provide context for my thesis. To support my argument, I will use popular movies and television shows that contain teen pregnancy including “Juno” (2007), “The Pregnancy Pact” (2010 a made for television movie), “The Secret Life of an American Teenager” (ABC Family), “Glee” (Fox), “Teen Mom” (MTV) and possibly an ABC Primetime Special that featured a girl from my high school. I will be using “Juno,” “The Secret Life,” and “Glee” to show the unrealistic way that television and movies illustrate teen pregnancies. My plan for “The Pregnancy Pact” is to use it as an example of the types of repercussions that the glorification of pregnancy can have. I will use “Teen Mom” and the ABC Special as examples of real life teen pregnancies.

I am a prime person to write an essay about the growing rate of teen pregnancy in America because of the huge percentage of teen pregnancies in my hometown, including multiple friends.

Olympic Language...

I found this article about Shaun White at the Olympics very interesting. Not because the coach used obscenities on live television, but because the network didn't catch it before airing it. I was under the impression that there is some kind of delay with television programs that allows room for errors such as inappropriate behavior. Either the network missed their window of opportunity...or I am mistaken. Either way, on world-wide television an American Olympian's coach was showed using inappropriate language.

I agree with the article that the network shouldn't have apologized for Bud Keene, but he should still have to apologize. Even if he is a grown man who can use whatever language he wants, it is painting Americans in a bad light. At the same time I can understand the excitement that a coach and athlete would feel after being successful in their arena. I think it is a complicated issue, but both the network and Keene himself should apologize for the inappropriate language.

Pauline Kael Critical Essay

Being a film critic is not about raving the most popular and expensive pictures and panning the ones that are sure to be box office misses. Critiquing film is about making an informed personal decision about a picture and relaying that to the public. A critic must be thorough, brutally honest, and have a very distinct and original voice. Pauline Kael was this type of critic.

Kael began writing after graduating from the University of California at Berkeley. By 1967 she was a prominent movie critic for “The New Yorker”. Kael worked at “The New Yorker” for around 24 years and generally reviewed one movie per week. Kael’s reviews are very comprehensive. In her review of “My Left Foot” Kael discusses acting, plot, screenplay, directing, and cinematography. Her commitment to covering all aspects of a film speaks to Kael’s credibility and sincerity in film critiquing.

In her review of “Funny Girl”, Kael states that Barbra Streisand “…conceals nothing; she’s fiercely, almost frighteningly direct.” Kael might as well have been describing herself. Kael’s candor is refreshing when describing multiple aspects of film. For example in her review of Cameron Crowe’s “Say Anything” she states it “…is a lovely piece of work—despite a dumb idea at its center”. This acerbic tone carries through and contributes to the integrity in most of Kael’s pieces.

In the book Afterglow, Francis Davis, in a conversation with Kael, states, “You once said that you wanted to write about movies the way that people actually talked about them on leaving the theatre.” Kael’s response was “Yes, the language we really spoke—and the language of movies. I didn’t want to write academic English in an attempt to elevate movies, because I think that actually lowers them. It denies them what makes them distinctive.”

While Kael does use a vast and varied vocabulary, her writing is highlighted with colloquial and somewhat crude language that is common outside of a theatre. She employs words like “snub-nosed”, “crummy”, “nuzzles”, “high gloss”, “tootsie”, and “surfer accent”, all of which are equally as effective as five-syllable, Latin-based SAT terms. Kael wrote for the average audience, nondependent on the color of their collar. By not attempting to elevate her own critiquing, Kael stylized a unique type of critique that became socially undeniable.

Kael’s reviews also take on a conversational air through her use of rhetorical questions. Rhetorical questioning is often seen as a weakness in critical prose; however, Kael uses questions to allow the reader a chance to speculate on what she is telling them. The process by which her came conclusion is also illuminated by these questions. In her review of “Hiroshima Mon Amour”, she asks her audience “Where did he get this metaphysical identity with Hiroshima?” If the reader has already seen the film, they can consider his or her own thoughts on the matter. If the reader has not already seen the film, he or she can be prepared to ask that question upon seeing it. Kael’s abundance of rhetorical questions provides an appearance of a modest, conventional person chatting with a friend.

Kael’s crisp, frank and unrefined voice brought a new aspect to film critiquing. A strong and lasting aspect that has revived film review as an art form.

"The Dream, WIthout the Drive"

On the front page of the Weekend Arts (Movie Performances) section, I was instantly drawn to the photo of four friends at a bar in New York City and the large caption below that says "The Dream, Without The Drive". As I read the review I found myself really wanting to watch this show. Granted I've never seen Entourage so I did not understand a lot of the allusions, but I was still intrigued by the idea that this television show seems to be portraying.

I really enjoyed the way this review is written. Although the critic did not rave about the show, she touches on important aspects of the show that made it seem very appealing to me. For example her statement "The series has great music (the theme song is Aloe Blacc's "I Need a Dollar") and there are some snarky asides about hipster New York" makes the show sound like a witty and stimulating show.

I also found it interesting that Kid Cudi has a role in the show. Usually musical artists in television shows annoy me because their acting skills are so lacking, and I'm not going to go out on a limb and say that Kid Cudi is going to be an exception, but that strangely draws me more to the show to see if he is an exception or if he is just another big musical artist trying to make it in another medium.

Also having seen Bryan Greenberg in multiple other shows (One Tree Hill, October Road, and various movies) attracts me to the show. I find his acting to be charming and understated which is always a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately this show plays on HBO so any hope I have of watching it will either have to be fulfilled online or when the season comes out on DVD and I have the opportunity to rent it.

Arts/Media/Culture Piece

As I was stumbling around on the Yahoo! website in the music section, I came across this video of Justin Bieber. Bieber is a 15 year old new pop artist who was "discovered" on Youtube. I'm not going to lie and say that I don't find his songs catchy and fun to dance around to, but I am appalled by the message that he conveys about the youth of the U.S.

My little brother recently turned 14. He is a normal 14 year old boy; he likes to play video games and hang out with his friends. However, he does not have an iPhone (as a matter of fact he doesn't have any type of cell phone), and is not hanging out in a lavish "crib". Two things that Bieber has in this video. It is so ridiculous to see a boy who can't even drive yet holding an iPhone inviting all of his little buddies over to Usher's pad and talking about how much he loves someone. I think by creating this image of what the life of a 15 year old should look like, our society is limiting the possibilities of its' youth.

When I was 15 I was still walking over to my girl friends houses to sit around and talk about school and our friends. (Keep in mind that these plans had to be made on a home phone, not one of the nicest most expensive cell phones available). I find it deplorable how early children are growing up now. There is nothing wrong with still playing outside or playing house at 14 or 15. The constant interaction that society has obtained with technology is detrimental to our progress as people. I babysit two little boys that have trouble carrying on a conversation because a person responds and asks questions. Our society would benefit hugely from less importance placed on technology and more on personal interaction.

NYT Defense

Claudia La Rocco started her career as a general arts critic for the Associated Press when her editor asked her to review a dance piece. La Rocco spent multiple months, as she says, humiliating herself internationally and online critiquing dances. However, she is now comfortable with her dance criticism ability by realizing that it is a near “impossible endeavor”. She is now a dance critic for The Times.

The review, “Magic, Sparkle and Happily-Ever-Afters Galore”, opens with a general statement about “storybook ballets” and their “conventional magic”, which provides some context about the ballet itself. La Rocco also provides context by discussing the style of choreography (Petipa-based and Balanchine’s “Garland Dance”) and mentioning Tchaikovsky’s score along with the dancing.

The end of the second paragraph and first sentence of the third is where La Rocco places the “but” which states that “The Sleeping Beauty” is one of the occasional ballets that has a more satisfying connection for the audience.

La Rocco uses an informed, authoritative and concise voice. She states the power of the dancers as facts rather than possibilities (e.g. “Mr. Veyette’s walk did that, and it was no small thing.”).

Her tone, while sometimes humorous, is respectful and appreciative. Her excessive descriptions of costumes and movement show her respect for the art of dance in general and in this show.

While discussing the performers, La Rocco addresses specific details about each. She talks about their energy, appearance, and dance capabilities. Through these descriptions she states her opinion about each of them without being flagrantly harsh or blunt (e.g. “The suppleness and amplitude of her upper body worked to grand effect throughout the night”).

This is a very well written review that is both informative and concisely critical.

English Department Reading Review

The snow danced outside the window in the deep blue sky and the smell of wet wood filled the Olmstead Room. The chandelier light illuminated a room filled with Kalamazoo residents, students, and family members. The Kalamazoo College English Department Faculty Reading brought people of all different walks of life together to enjoy multiple, diverse and impressive pieces of literature.

All members of the Kalamazoo College English Department, aside from Amy Smith who is on sabbatical, contributed to the event, which began at 7:00pm on Wednesday, January 27, 2010. The evening consisted of various works of short fiction, poetry, nonfiction, process pieces, and short passages from novels orally portrayed by ten professors.

Andy Mozina, English Department Chairman, was the first reader of the evening. He opened with a humorous segment from his short story “My Non-Sexual Affair”. With phenomenal eye contact and great comic timing, Mozina was captivating and utterly enjoyable. Following Mozina was Beth Marzoni who read the poem “Rothko’s Room”. With a lengthy and somewhat dull poem, Marzoni had troubles matching Mozina’s overall allure. But Marzoni’s poem ended powerfully with “Look…look…look”. This conclusion had such a great effect that it was hard to remember the boredom in the middle.

Marin Heinritz brought a new aspect of literature to the evening with a nonfiction piece. The sentimental and personal subject matter was eye opening and affected. Gail Griffins’ piece matched Heinritz’s emotional intensity by reading about the murder and suicide ten years ago in the DeWaters Residence Hall on Kalamazoo College’s campus. Not only was Griffins’ piece written beautifully, but she also read with strong conviction and raw emotion of a person who lived through the pain that such events would cause.

Glenn Deutsch read two passages from the short story “The Monkey Version of My Father”. Deutsch’s deep voice and explanatory asides made the pieces easy to comprehend and listen to.

With piercing eyes and vivid facial expressions, Amy Rodgers, a visiting English instructor, carried the audience into her past and the process in which she writes dramas. Her detailed stream of consciousness like style of writing was very engaging and, when combined with a stellar physicality, completely enthralling. Rodgers drama was juxtaposed by Di Seuss’ humor. With two poems, “It Wasn’t a Dream I Knew William Burroughs” and “Birthday Confession”, Seuss kept the audience laughing at witty and crude humor.

Changing directions, Amelia Katanski read a piece of creative nonfiction, “Noble Truths”. This piece was written in four parts that lined up with Buddhist beliefs, making it a much different style than any other piece that evening.

Bruce Mills rounded out the evening with another personal piece. “An Archeology of Learning” is a book about Mills’ sons’ autism. Through his reading, Mills emotions were very clearly portrayed. Although Mills showed some signs of a nervous public speaker, it did not take away from the power of his reading, in fact it added to the personal nature of his selection.

Babli Sinha’s piece, though interesting at times, was not read in a stimulating manner. For a reading Sinha’s piece was incredibly dense but her intelligence and spark shone through when discussing gender.

It is always great to get to see a piece of a prestigious college professor’s life outside of the classroom. This reading allowed for insight into the inner workings of a group of brilliant people. It is definitely worth the frigid trek to the cozy Olmstead Room, and is the event to attend in January.

Audience: Kalamazoo College Index

"Velvet Goldmine" Review

Audience: Kalamazoo Gazette Readers

As a long, pale, billowing scarf slowly morphs into the smoke gathering in a poorly lit club, the underground of a sexual awakening is introduced. Every turn brings a new face complete with sparkling blue eye shadow and cheeks highlighted with soft pink blush. This one scene captures the essence of “Velvet Goldmine.” This film is vivid and stunning, however it is too over the top and shocking to fully enjoy.

“Velvet Goldmine” follows the ups and downs of the life of Brian Slade. In this film Slades’ life loosely mirrors the lives of British pop star David Bowie and is filled with Oscar Wilde quotes. The plot revolves around Slade, Curt Wild, an American rock artist, and Arthur Stuart, a journalist attempting to solve the possibly staged death of Slade.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers is completely believable as the bisexual “glam rock” superstar Brian Slade. Decked out in bright colored, wild outfits, Mr. Meyers adopts the persona of an over the top rocker quite easily. Ewan McGregor stars as Slades’ love interest, Curt Wild. Mr. McGregor, a native of Scotland, is amazingly crass as a stereotypical American rock star, even flashing a large crowd at his public concert. Both Mr. Meyers and Mr. McGregor, quite impressively, contribute their own vocals to the multiple engaging rock songs in this film.

Christian Bale stars as the journalist assigned to explore the supposed death of Brian Slade. He does this in a series of flashbacks in which he relives his boyhood days as a “glitter kid”. Mr. Bale portrays a sexually confused boy coming of age flawlessly. His facial expressions alone convey his distress and turmoil.

While Mr. Meyers, Mr. McGregor and Mr. Bale were thoroughly impressive, Toni Collette, who played Brian Slades’ wife Mandy, had to stretch to reach their level. With her British accent fading in and out throughout the film, it was hard to focus on her acting capabilities. Although she does portray the scorned rockers’ wife well, it was hard to get past the presence and lack of an accent.

One of the most magical and dramatic elements of “Velvet Goldmine” is the stark contrast between loud rock and roll scenes and utter silence. This use of noise, and lack thereof, heightens the intense emotions portrayed throughout the film. The songs in the film were easy listening songs in which foot tapping or head bobbing is almost required.

Todd Haynes directed “Velvet Goldmine”, the script of which was also written by Haynes and James Lyons. Haynes previous films, including “Poison” and most recently “Safe”, were as controversial as this film will prove to be. Those who respect the arts will have difficulty denying the amazingly abstract and beautiful film that Haynes created, but it is a bit too bizarre to enjoy without a slight feeling of shock.

With outstanding acting and music, brilliant colors and exciting scenery, it is easy to appreciate “Velvet Goldmine” in some way. However, the film contained an abundance of sensitive material that will make even the most light-hearted people blush.

Helpful Articles for "Avatar" Context

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20299731,00.html?xid=rss-movies-Avatar

This article was very helpful in giving some background information about Cameron's dream and hopes for "Avatar". It also talked about Cameron's other movie ventures which gave context for him going so all out for "Avatar". This article showed that what Cameron did with CGI for "Avatar" really was advanced well beyond what his production company thought possible.

http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/movies/18avatar.html

This review from the New York Times also gave background information that was usable as context. This review was even more detailed in it's knowledge of Cameron which was helpful and beneficial when considering how to go about writing my own review. This review was very thorough and helped me see how to explain multiple things in a limited space.

"Avatar" Revised

In a society that rejects reality and embraces films set in the future with alien races, such as “Star Trek”, “The Terminator” and “District 9”, “Avatar” is bound to round up fans willing to paint themselves blue adorned with glowing freckles. Although the movie received negative press for being a $300 million remake of “Dances With Wolves” loaded with computer generated imagery, this film has much more to offer than just being an amped up version of an old story. “Avatar” is engaging, thought provoking, and utterly enthralling in an unexpected way for a film about a fictional world.

James Cameron wrote and directed this 2009 blockbuster that follows the story of Jake Sully, Sam Worthington, a young paraplegic jarhead sent to the planet Pandora. Jake’s mission is to befriend the native people of Pandora while inhabiting the body of an “avatar,” a being created from both human and native Pandorian DNA. His mission is to find a diplomatic agreement that will achieve access to a valuable element. Jake struggles to fulfill his duty once he forms a deep connection with the land and people. The plot follows the thread of Jake’s internal struggle through to his outward conflicts with scientists, military, and businessmen. The exploration of Jake’s internal conflict coupled with his external hardships leads to a powerful conclusion.

Cameron began writing “Avatar” fifteen years ago. Typically science fiction and action flicks do not have the most scintillating dialogue. “Avatar” is no exception. Although Cameron put many years into this script, it is hard to make conversations about power and destruction incredibly intellectual. However the audience never blatantly scoffed at the dialogue.

Although Cameron did not give the actors much to work with in terms of dialogue, the acting is phenomenal. Worthington portrays Jake with such conviction that his struggles are easily felt. Zoe Saldana is impressive as the native Neytiri. Although the actress is never seen as herself, her verbal intonations easily create a believably exotic character.

Cameron accomplished his dream of a computer-generated world that is incredibly visually stimulating. Pandora, a world with beasts of various sizes, shapes and colors, and floating mountains is completely believable. The breathtaking imagery and luscious depiction of the forest is entrancing. There is not a moment of second guessing the reality of such a place existing.

Cameron makes a bold plot decision considering the issues in the film are relatable to current issues. The film makes a statement about the propriety of exploiting indigenous populations for the United States’ monetary gain. The timing of this film makes that theme incredibly thought provoking.

It seems that in a two hour and forty minute movie, a viewer would begin to notice an uncomfortable stiffness in his or her body. However “Avatar” is so action packed and emotionally charged that it is hard to peel ones eyes from the screen. Although it has a familiar story, “Avatar” is a film that people of all walks of life will enjoy in one way or another.

Avatar Review

While watching television one evening, I saw an extended trailer for Avatar. As I watched I was thoroughly confused. In fact, when it was over, I laughed and scoffed. I had heard about the movie coming out with amazing computer generated imagery that cost around $300 million and had initially been excited. But once I saw the trailer, I was immediately turned off. I had absolutely no interest in seeing a film about partially naked blue aliens. I knew little about the plot, other than that it was a sort of Dances With Wolves meets Fern Gully, but was pleasantly surprised by the film I originally mocked. Avatar evinced many intense emotions and provoked deep thought that kept me engaged and enthralled for the duration of the film.

James Cameron wrote and directed this 2009 blockbuster which follows the story of Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a young paraplegic jarhead sent to the planet Pandora. Jake’s mission is to befriend the native people of Pandora in the body of an “avatar”, a being created from both human and native Pandorian DNA. His mission is to find a diplomatic agreement that will achieve access to a valuable stone. Jake struggles to fulfill his duty once he forms a deep connection with the land and people. The plot follows the thread of Jake’s internal struggle through to his outward conflicts with scientists, military, and businessmen. The exploration of Jake’s internal conflict coupled with his external hardships leads to a powerful conclusion.

Avatar contains incredibly impressive computer-generated imagery. Cameron created a world that seems completely unrealistic and impossible. The special effects, however, made Pandora completely legitimate with beasts various sizes, shapes, and colors. The breath taking imagery and luscious depiction of the forest contributed greatly to the emotional impact the film created. However it was more than the exotic glowing forest that draws the viewer in. The characters were all portrayed very strongly by the actors that audience members truly feel Jake’s confusion when he finds peace and a home on a foreign planet. The struggles of the characters in the film simulate events and conflicts that are very true to today’s society and create a deeper understanding of all sides of current issues. The viewer feels certain empathy towards foreign people that are at times beyond their understanding.

It would seem that in a two hour and forty minute movie, a viewer would begin to notice that his or her legs are falling asleep, or backside is beginning to ache. However that was not the case in Avatar. There was not a single moment in the movie when I was bored or hoping for more action. With so many ups and downs in what appeared to be a fairly simple plot, I found my hands clamped against my mouth in anxiety and excitement multiple times throughout. Avatar is a film that has the power to be life changing, and if not, at least the visual accomplishment to be a truly amazing cinematic experience.