Professor’s Picks

I’ve already seen a few Cinequest movies this year, all comedies, and the best one was “A Beginner’s Guide to Snuff.” It’s a dark comedy that shows on Friday March 4 at (9:45 p.m.) (Hammer), on Sunday March 6 at 7 p.m. at (Hammer) and again on Friday March 11 at noon at Camera 12.

“A Beginner’s Guide to Snuff” was funny in a dark comedy sort of way. Another recommendation would be the comedy shorts. The good thing about seeing shorts is if one of them is not good then it’s over in 10 minutes and there is another one.

Cinequest runs from March 1-13 in downtown San Jose. See the website Cinequest.org for more information. Your paper is due at the first class meeting after the film festival ends March 13.

 Answer the following questions in your one-page paper:

What did you think about the movie?

If this movie was released in theaters to a nationwide audience do you think it would do well at the box office? Why or why not?

Describe your first Cinequest experience. Any surprises above and beyond the movie?

What it's like to work in Hollywood (Extra Credit)

Read this story from the New York Times about what it's like to work in the movie industry if you are NOT a straight white male. Read about the different experiences actors encounter when looking for jobs and the insults they face because of their gender or ethnicity. Pick the anecdote that surprises and/or shocks you the most and write a couple of paragraphs on it for extra credit. Explain why this story bothered you the most. This extra credit goes in your journal.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/02/24/arts/hollywood-diversity-inclusion.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Extra credit Jesse Owens

"Race" is a new movie about Olympic athlete Jesse Owens who make Hitler look bad in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Hitler's Olympics were all about showcasing Arian supremacy and then Jesse Owens came along and won four gold medals. Unfortunately, he had difficulty finding work in the U.S. despite his Olympic victories because of his race.
For extra credit, see the movie race and tell me what you thought about Owens and the way the movie depicted his life. Please use original writing and tell me your opinion. Nothing from the Internet. The movie comes out February 19. A few short paragraphs is plenty. Put the extra credit in your binder.

Cinequest 2016

Every student is required to see a movie at Cinequest (March 1-13)  next month and write about it. Film festivals are the lifeblood of the movie industry and Cinequest is considered on of the best in the nation. I want you to choose at least one movie and write a short paper on the movie answering the following questions: Do you think this movie would appeal to a wider audience if it was released in theaters? What was the movie about and how did you feel about the movie? Why did you choose this particular movie and was it better or worse than you expected?
Your paper needs to be one page typed using Times 12 pt. font and double spaced. Put a copy in your binder and turn in a copy to me on March 15.
Word of advice: Check the genre and language of the movie. Cinequest has a wide variety of movies in different languages. If you are looking for a movie in English check to be sure. Also, buy your tickets ahead of time because movies are often sold out ahead of time. I've had the best luck over the years with comedies but that's just me. 
http://cinequest.org/