Film plays an important role in all of our lives; it would be nearly impossible to find a person who has not been affected in some way by a movie. From the films we watch in our childhood, to the classics, and the more challenging cinema we see later as we study the art of filmmaking, the movies offer so much opportunity to consider the principles of art (Janaro & Altshuler, 1984). Because filmmaking is a multimedia endeavor, involving costume design, sound and lighting, music, skillful writing, graphic art, and performance art, considering filmmaking as a whole encourages appreciation of all that goes into just a few minutes of reel. When I consider Tarantino films, for example, I think about how the filmmaker places the music front and center in Pulp Fiction. The soundtrack to that movie is as memorable as the characters. I also appreciate how filmmakers like Tarantino understand exactly how to capture the mood of dark humor. Dark humor is difficult to achieve, which is why I have always admired the work of Tarantino. His films can be incredibly violent, and yet they always leave the audience with a smile because the characters and situations are exaggerated.

At the same time, I also appreciate...

One of my favorite movies is Requiem for a Dream, because it shows different types of addiction in a realistic manner and without any attempt to judge the people who are involved. The characters are lifelike and realistic, not caricatures. Similarly, I appreciate the Spike Lee movie Do the Right Thing, because it captures realistic interactions between people from different ethnic groups. What I really like about the Spike Lee film is the way the filmmaker is sure to make a political statement: urging viewers to take greater consideration of how we are responsible for mistrusting our neighbors and that we have the power to change our communities by building trust and promoting harmony and understanding.
Response to Literature: Exposed to literature mainly through school, I have only recently given myself the opportunity to discover books on my own. I really appreciate Asantewa's post because she lists many authors I have not encountered but now I will be able to seek them out. I am especially interested in literature that comes from countries or cultures that are not…