Critical Review
Film Title:
Boyz ‘N the Hood, 1991; Directed by John Singleton or
Selma, 2014; Directed by Ava DuVernay
1.Develop a thesis pertaining to the assigned film text and whether or not it, the film, in your view has the power to transform one’s political sensibilities. Your argument should express your point of view regarding the politics of difference, political sensibilities, and political transformation(s) as related to the film. Remember, you’re writing (developing) an analytical essay. Submit your thesis statement.
2. Develop three (3) topic sentences that articulate the major ideas that will comprise the body of your essay. Remember that your topic sentences should clearly state the argument or point to be made in the respective paragraphs. Submit your topic sentences.
3. Identify three (3) scenes from the film that support your thesis statement. Briefly explain
4. Lastly, fully develop your introductory paragraph. Remember that the best possible thesis will answer some specific question about the text. In this case a question related to the film’s power to transform political sensibilities regarding difference.
Sample:
Film Title and Director: Gus Van
Sant My Own Private Idaho
- Develop a thesis pertaining to the assigned film text and whether or not it, the film, in your view has the power to transform one’s political sensibilities. Your argument should express your point of view regarding the politics of difference, political sensibilities, and political transformation(s) as related to the film. Remember, you’re writing (developing) an analytical essay. Submit your thesis statement in the box below:
1a. I found My Own Private Idaho to be a very complex film and with out any background information the average moviegoer would not see this film as one in which would awaken their sensibilities.
- Develop three (3) topic sentences that articulate the major ideas that will comprise the body of your essay. Remember that your topic sentences should clearly state the argument or point to be made in the respective paragraphs. Submit your topic sentences in the box below:
2a. (1)The average moviegoer is not aware of the Generation X culture/era, male prostitution, nor the plight of someone with a unique illness like narcolepsy as presented by Mike Waters and therefore has difficulty becoming immersed and empathizing with the character’s. challenges. (2) Throughout the film there is no prominent societal involvement, authority figures or anyone opposing the behavior that the Generation X slackers demonstrated. (3) The “cut-up” directors technique made the film hard to follow contributing to the overall difficulty relating to the characters.
- Identify three (3) scenes from the film that support your thesis statement. Briefly explain:
3a. It is difficult to identify three scenes to support my thesis statement because there is not a particular scene in the movie that could do so. It is the technique in which the film was presented and the unique character attributes that leave the average moviegoer confused, lost and walking away saying “what the fuck was that all about?”
- Lastly, fully develop your introductory paragraph. Remember that the best possible thesis will answer some specific question about the text. In this case a question related to the film’s power to transform political sensibilities regarding difference:
4a. My Own Private Idaho, a movie about two young male hustlers, is not a film that has the capability to transform one’s sensibilities. Although one might relate to one of the characters, the film does nothing but leave you confused and or lost, wanting more information about the characters in order to make some conclusions about what the producer/movie is trying to make. I found My Own Private Idaho quite confusing. Only after reading about it in Democracy and Difference did it make some sense to me. I found My Own Private Idaho to be a very complex film and with out any background information the average moviegoer would not see the film as one in which awaken’s their sensibilities.