Poetry Slam

You're thinking, "Oh. My. God. She's gonna bag on Diablo Cody, again."

Yes. Yes, I am. I promise one day I'll get to Stephanie Meyer.

So, I'm that one awful English major who hates poetry. SLAP ME!!! However, there is something poetic to me about a screenplay. Perhaps it's the need for structure. I'm not sure, I just love reading screenplays. So, for the sake of argument, my poetry slam is on the "Juno" screenplay. Because, really, what teenager talks the way she does? Screaming out "Balls!", when, everyone knows, every 15 and 16 year old would much rather scream, "Fuck!"? And, quite honestly, if I'd have said "You're a dick! I love it" to my step-mom, regardless of how I meant it, I'd have been slapped.

Really, people? If we're going for the pregnant teen thing, "Saved!" was so much better. The dialogue was real and actually felt genuine, the movie itself was funny, the music actually wasn't too terrible and (!!) you still get your underaged mommy story.

Diorama Drama

Here is my personal diorama. I created a "technology monster" out of a shoebox. What he's meant to represent is the slow death of the art of writing as we slowly move farther and farther into the age of technology, where things like the internet (cough, hack, cough) prevail over things like reading and writing, things that I love and respect. I felt kind of bold creating this, especially for a class that is all about the use of technology. Part of me also felt like a hypocrite, considering my love for movies and where movies have come, even just within the past 20 years, thanks to the growths in technology. Yet, it is something I feel strongly about and I'm glad I put it out there for the class to see, especially for a class that seemed as narrow-minded as "My issue is about how great football is", or the 5,000 people who's issue concerned something about the environment (I'm not bashing the environment and, yes, that is an important issue, but, please, people, be creative).

A diorama that taught me something: the one on the witch killings going on in Nigeria. I had no idea that such a sad and terrible thing was going on. I almost became obsessed with it after seeing that particular diorama. Innocent children and people do not need to be killed over such frivolous matters like superstition. Yet, on the other hand, those are another people's beliefs and who am I to judge?

A diorama that was very creative: The one about losing Pluto as a planet. Aesthetically, it was very creative how they represented the planets and Pluto being left out. I also thought it was a creative, and humorous, topic to make a diorama on.

A diorama that made me think more deeply on the issue: World equality. Sometimes, I feel like I still have a veil over my eyes with the fact that not everyone can see other people as just that: people. It takes a little thing like this diorama to snap me back into reality and remind me that there are still problems with equality in the world today.

A diorama I oppose: The one about how the economy effects one particular student. I'm not disagreeing with the state of the economy. That would just be stupid. I'm disagreeing with the fact that this student had on his diorama prices of things he can't buy, such as a rib-eye dinner or a brand new Ford truck. When the economy is in the state that it's in, you don't do stupid, assinine things like take your dates out for stake. That's just irresponsible and a lack of money sense.

A bold diorama: the one depicting the war in Iraq. I know they were going for the shock factor, but I thought that the fact that the student actually used some of the gorey pictures he used were very bold.

A diorama I agree with: Children that are overly medicated. That is another issue I feel very strongly about and I'm glad one woman brought it up. Using medication to raise our children is a serious problem we are facing today.

Human Struggle

Even though this is meant to be a Science Fiction movie revolving around aliens, it does make a powerful statement about the human condition and the struggle certain people have to go through. Using "aliens" to represent any kind of repressed people, be it illegal aliens, people persecuted because of race, gender, etc., everyone should be able to understand the underlying message within the film. This alien race is facing mass hatred, prejudice, being cast out of society, everything that people have to struggle and fight through. There are actually scenes within the film that had a strong resemblance to the photos taken during the Civil Rights movement that the feelings of persecution really hit home. This really is a great example of the human struggle.