The 1995 film Dead Man Walking portrays the story of Sister Helen Prejean as she struggles to serve as a spiritual advisor to Louisiana death row inmate Matthew Poncelet. The film scrutinizes and criticizes the practice of capital punishment in the United States. The narrative is constructed in such a way that the audience is encouraged to draw their own conclusions, moving through an experience exposed and open to all its effects. It is a sensitive and complex look at Christian forgiveness in the context of the criminal justice system. It is the story of how one woman found the humanity in a condemned man and illuminated the power of Christ 's spirituality in the modern world. Sister Helen argues not only for the abolition of the death penalty but for a reformed criminal justice system that recognizes the humanity of offenders. In Prejean’s view, the use of the death penalty is pressing issue which is indicative of the state of society. This issue and the debate around it illustrates a fundamental divide among Christians and society as a whole. In a discussion between Sister Helen and the Chaplain, he asks, “Are you familiar with the Old Testament? ‘Thou shalt not kill. If anyone sheds the blood of man, his blood shall be shed.” To which Helen responds, “Are you familiar with the New Testament where Jesus talks about grace and reconciliation?" This conversation encapsulates the fundamental divide that persists throughout the film and in our society. This is a conversation
The article “Dead man still walking: Explaining the zombie renaissance” by Kyle Bishop is about the revitalization of the zombie genre. The article talks about the inception in the late 1960’s, the category of zombie films has had its roller coaster ride of ups and downs, starting with its decline in the early 1980’s with the release of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video. Furthermore, during 1990’s, due to the shift in the cultural consciousness that came with the Clinton Administration and the countries isolation from global tragedies, the popularity of these films continued to decline. Cultural consciousness refers to the understanding and awareness a shift in feelings, sensations, thoughts, of not only our own culture, but adjoining cultures.
Society has thrived against adversity with virtues of hope, fueled by the belief of a higher power. In The Book of Martha, by Octavia Butler, the protagonist, Martha, seeks a solution to end humanity’s greed, which will eventually lead to their inevitable demise. For centuries, religion has had an impact in the way societies view ethical and moral issues. Human kindness has always been at the core of each act behind religious beliefs. These acts of kindness have been made with the intention to progress ourselves as a society and as a community. An interview with Father Jesus de la Tapia, from The Parish of Santa Rosa, highlighted the social impact that these acts of kindness can bring to our community. Although Martha’s actions are those set in a fictional story, her belief in God and ability to bring humanity together, are actions which can be seen in our community, making it a better place.
The religious imagery in Flannery O'Connor's 'The Life You Save May Be Your Own' gives the story a cynical undertone along with a healthy dose of irony. O'Connor uses allusions to Jesus and Christianity to examine the hypocrisies of the religion and its adherents. Her character Tom T. Shiftlet is portrayed paradoxically as both the embodiment of Christ and an immoral, utterly selfish miscreant. By presenting these polarities side by side within one persona, O'Connor shows the dichotomies between so-called Christian morality and the reality of the Church.
The society that was made by racial bias has made a “string of work camps and prisons strung across a vast country housing millions of people drawn mainly from classes and racial groups that are seen as politically and economically problematic.” (3) Loury’s explanation of how prisons work today is a fact that no should feel good about themselves. However, Loury makes people feel more shameful and guilty by saying the actions we made are connected to Christ. Loury explains that when someone has committed a crime, the normal reaction of someone will be pointing fingers, “You see that fellow over there committing some terrible sins?” (6) Loury uses Christ as an example to show the reader that no matter who he or she is, everyone is the same and has committed some sort of sin, “Well, if you have ever lusted, or allowed jealousy, or envy or hatred to enter your own heart, then you are to be equally condemned!” (6)
The film Mindwalk consisted of three main characters. Two of the main characters, Jack and Thomas were previous acquaintances. Thomas takes Jack for a stroll around Mont Saint-Michel. While talking philosophically about life, they meet a woman named Sonia who happens to be an ex-physicist turned philosopher who lives on the island. The three main characters spend their day walking around the island talking about theory, politics, science, and many philosophical topics. To me, this film really opened my mind to the problems of the world and the different perspectives people have of these problems. When watching this film I felt as though each character had such a fascinating perspective of their own, but was also
Low angle shot, where a camera points upwards from below, generally make people or things look bigger, more courageous and important. However, same angle shots sometimes will be chosen to emphasize different effects in one film. In the movie “Night of the Living Dead,” the director George A. Romero uses low angles for different purposes.
Night of the Living Dead (Romero, 1968) is a movie that contains a large amount of historical significance. This movie is well known for its incredible relevance to the year that it was released. The movie has been described as “A Newsreel of 1968”, and there is ample reason to make that statement. The year 1968 was a very tumultuous period in American history that saw a great deal of violence overseas and in the United States itself. There were many history altering events that took place during 1968, which would all serve to rile up and instill fear and anger in the American people. 1968 saw the latest presidential election in which there was great division amongst the parties, and was the election in which Robert Kennedy was assassinated. Not only did that year see the assassination of another Kennedy, but it also bore witness to the assassination of the most prominent civil rights leader of the time, Martin Luther King Jr. With these tragedies a war in Vietnam raged which had riled much of the country into protest, especially young people.
The film, Good will hunting (Bender et al., 1997), is an American classic flick which is lauded for its fresh and ordinary approach towards depicting situations that is realistic and relatable. In the film, Good Will Hunting (Bender et al., 1997), this is clearly show up that, savagery Will Hunting experienced as a youngster and after that shows as a grown-up; along with flashes of a sweet attitude towards his companions and mental virtuoso. It is about a young man struggle to find himself. He is unwillingly treated to a psychologist just to keep him out of trouble. In this journey, he finds out what he is and what matters to him the most. This movie uses strong and effective technique on evoking emotions and empathy to the audience through exposing them to various technicities of filmmaking such as color, camera technique and many more. After reading the book (OpenStax 2016), we can have adopted different kinds of psychological theory to explain this movie. Good will hunting is related with Erikson’s psychosocial theory of personal development (Neu-Freudian theory),Freud’s psychoanalytical theory and the five-factor model of personality (Big-five: OCEAN).
Facing Death is a compelling documentary on, oftentimes, the final journey patients and their families will venture through together in life. The documentary seeks to capture how the patients and their families respond to the inevitability of death. The film includes families who respond to the issue by allowing their family member, the patient, to pass through the door of death without aggressive care, while there are yet other families who insist on everything being done to delay the moment of death. This topic of fighting death is attributed with producing much debate. On one hand are those who do not see the point of fighting death, however, on the other hand, there are those who believe that delaying death and staying alive is what ought to be done. Personally, from what I understand of either party, I think that I am a part of the later party. In addition, this issue naturally delves into what one believes occurs after death, as it is an issue dealing directly with death. This also compels me to view this topic from the viewpoint of the later party.
Imagine the world is invaded by aliens. Some of them eat humans, some live among humans, and others live outside of our world. You don’t know it, but many of the people who have shaped our lives and our culture aren’t even human themselves. This is the world of the 1997 film Men in Black, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. Men in Black is a sci-fi comedy about a group of enforcement agents defending and regulating aliens from invading Earth. But if you take their costume off, Men In Black can be seen as far more than a comedy about space aliens. Under the lens of postcolonial criticism, the film reveals itself to be a veiled, political commentary on immigration. A lens is a way for us to look at a piece of literature in a whole new depiction that we may not have thought of the first time we had read or watched a piece of literature. Through the postcolonial lens, I can see the movie as a biased contrast between the immigrants and the immigration police. Interpreting the movie through this lens allows me to see that the Men in Black are the immigration police, and are considered to be the protagonists of the film. On the other hand, the aliens, or immigrants when looking through the lens, are the antagonists of the movie; The Men in Black protect the US from bad aliens, giving immigration police the positive reinforcement of the brutal evictions immigrants received in the 90s.
Martin Luther King’s vision for Beloved community stands out as the most captivating desire for human harmony, transcending the lines of racial, ethnic, cultural, gender, and social stratification. It aims to acknowledge and respect the imago Dei, rather than objectify the human individual. It shouts for the display of justice at, both, the local and global landscapes. The call for justice i.e., social justice, dominates conversational points throughout the media, town-hall meetings, demonstrations, and Sunday sermons. There remains, however, an affiliated point of justice rarely considered. Throughout the contents of this essay, I look at the grounding of justice as it relates to God and human relations. I submit that justice – according
As a lawyer, Drummond seeks an unbiased court, but Hillsboro’s religious fervor stands resolute in the face of intellectual curiosity. As Drummond demonstrates to the court, “An idea is a greater monument than a cathedral” (Lawrence and Lee 2.1.59) that the towns’ oppressive interpretation of the Bible has utterly destroyed, leaving only an emptiness in its wake. “I was afraid of what I might think - so it seemed safer not to think at all” (2.2.77), Rachel ultimately admits to Drummond and Bert. Like Drummond, Rachel does not yet know but she now has the power to think, in which, “there is more sanctity than in all [the] shouted … ‘Hosannas!’” (2.1.59).
The 1968 cult classic, Night of the Living Dead, begins under the credits with brother and sister Johnny (Russell Streiner) and Barbara (Judith O’Dea) bickering about the long journey to rural Pennsylvania after arriving at a secluded cemetery to leave flowers on their father’s grave at their mother’s request. As they make their way back to the car, Johnny begins to tease Barbara. “They’re coming to get you, Barbara… They’re coming for you… Look, there’s one now!” A staggering, pale-faced figure (S. William Hinzman) approaches the two siblings and attacks Barbara. When Johnny comes to her rescue, he is killed during the struggle
''The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!!! ...'' Father Merrin&Father Damien Karras from the movie -The Exorcist-
Differing opinions exist regarding the purpose and usefulness of a college education. While attending college appears to be a legitimate course of action to advance one’s educational and professional aspirations for some, it may seem senseless when considering the rise of college tuitions coupled with the fact that a college degree does not necessarily guarantee a job. Either way, defining the value and worth of a college education remains subjective. However, in the film, Good Will Hunting, the importance or perceived importance of a college education seems to be rejected at large, namely by the main character, Will Hunting, and his psychologist. Specifically, two main perspectives are shown regarding the frame of mind one should possess regarding education, one that values academic achievement and jobs, and the other that rejects those ideals and focuses primarily on self-discovery to figure out what is wanted in life. Consequently, both perspectives result in different behaviors among the characters in the film. Although Good Wil Hunting accurately highlights some of the major downfalls of a college education, it unfairly criticizes the emphasis college cultures places on achievement and future success. Because of this, the film takes devalues a college education and subtly frames it as a waste of resources through overtly ridiculing it.