Brennan Traffic

The "war on drugs" is not winnable on any of these three levels (social, political, and individual) because there is absolutely no way to contain this epidemic. In my opinion, the concept of the "war on drugs" is not a real one. The term war involves two sides fighting for something; it is a one way street.

If I had to choose one of these levels, in which the war on drugs is winnable, I would have to say it is on the individual level. It is possible for an individual to get help when needed, but if no one is there to support them (like Caroline's father Robert), it is not possible for the individual to achieve her goal of quitting drugs. On the social levels, drugs have become an epidemic. People make a living by selling and distributing drugs (like Carlos Ayala), and sometimes their close friends and love ones have aboslutely no idea. Money is so valuable in today's society, that it is impossible for us to win the "war on drugs" on the social level. On the political level, it is too difficult to even imagine. The border is not even close to being up to par, and it is impossible to patrol all areas of the US Mexian border at once. Yes, presidents and congressmen may strive to build a better border, but druglords and dealers alike will find a way to sell their drugs and obtain their reward.

In the film Traffic, the scene that best represents my opinion is the scene where Robert Wakefield is at the party with the congressmen and senators. He discusses the topic of the war on drugs with different individuals, and almost, if not all of them, state the same thing: It is not possible to win this war on drugs, but it is possible to alieviate it, and maybe lessen the intake of drugs in schools. The only way to "win" this war is to "win" it in America. There is no way the American politicians and leaders can even put a dent in the masses of drugs in Mexico. It is a hopeless battle, which will never end.

Brennan State of Play

Large corporations undermine a democracy because a democracy is supposedly a "government by and for the people." Corporations take away from the individualistic aspect of the definition of a democracy. If these large corporations act as individuals, the idea of a democracy becomes skewed and is misinterpreted. These large corporations, like PointCorps., end up buying up other companies and, all in all, form a monopoly, which is illegal. The idea of monopolies is also another factor that argues against a democratic society. These companies have the power and ability to influence other companies and also individuals.

In this film, State of Play, PointCorps, as well as MediaCorps, are examples of these types of corporations, which undermine democracy. The scene that stands out to me is the scene in the seedy hotel, when Cal and (blank) interrogate Dominic. Dominic's response to the questions he is faced with becomes emotional as time goes on. He tells Cal that this company led to the death of an individual, Sonya, and he wants no part in it, and he wants to be "somewhere warm." This entire conversation shows how these large corporations undermine democracy. PointCorps. hires individuals to do what needs to be done, and if something goes wrong, they get rid of them. Democracy, as previously stated, is a government by and for the people. These major corporations do not, in any way, support the idea of a democratic society; they undermine or weaken democracy by weakening the individual.

Brennan American History X

The scene which stood out the most to me as a scene which showed how a group of young people are attracted to this idea of Facism and Naziism is the scene at the basketball court. The scene is one of Danny's earliest memories of his brother's extreme pro-white ideals and actions. The scene, since it is a flashback, is filmed in black and white, like many other flashbacks throughout the film. The scene shows how dedicated Derek is to his (well, Cameron's) cause. The camera follows Derek and his teammates up and down the court during the match between the blacks and whites. Derek is the main person of interest, or the dominant, in this scene, because the entire idea is his thinking. The black and white film doesn't allow the audience members to clearly identify the different races; the two seem to blend in until Derek decides to segregate the teams. The background music also makes this competition seem more important and more warlike than it actually is. Also, the camera goes from filming the actual game to filming the crowd's response to different plays in the game. The slow motion filming shows Derek and the main Crip against each other, and allows for emotional appeal.

This scene specifically targets the younger people because it focuses on a sport and how competition is a way of settling arguments. It is easy to see, after watching this scene, how a group of young kids could fall into this disgraceful attitude and way of living. When older individuals like Cameron, and young adults like Derek and his girlfriend egg this behavior on, it is hard not to say yes. The article states that blacks are depicted as thugs, drug dealers, violent criminals in many films. The specific African Americans in this scene fit this stereotype, allowing Derek and his followers to have a "reason" to dislike them. They ruin the neighborhood where these young whites grew up. The Crips also egg the Whites on by calling them names and shoving them, showing that it was their fault in the first place, making the Whites' action seem justifiable.

Brennan Good Night and Good Luck

I think Edward R. Murrow would be successful in today's media simply because he focused on a scandal unfolding in the United States. All Americans, no matter what they say, are interested in some kind of scandal, whether it be political or for entertainment purposes. Edward R. Murrow's tactics for publicly criticizing McCarthy made his show successful. His strong dedication towards this investigation allowed him to become one of the most prestigious and well-respected newscasters of all time.

His unruly, hard-headed attitude is why Americans liked him so much. He didn't follow the rules presented to him. He worked around those rules to create something so interesting and entertaining, yet also informative at the same time. He took control and never let his superiors ruin his chance of success.

I think his broadcast would bring in millions of viewers simply because it was a once a week show. If a story is showed every day of the week, it becomes boring and uneventful. His once a week slot allowed him, and would allow him today, to have a more successful rating and audience following.

Americans are always looking for a scandal and are always hoping someone will be brave enough to uncover and investigate that scandal. Edward R. Murrow was that individual. He had the guts to investigate one of the biggest scandals in American political history. Everyone sat around and watched or listened to his show, just like we watch and listen to Perez Hilton or entertainment tonight. I am not comparing Murrow's program to these shows, but these shows do have influence over our media involvement. Murrow's educated, gutsy tactics allowed him to be successful then, and I think his success would continue into today's society.

Brennan IngloUrious BastErds

My favorite character from Quentin Tarantino's film Inglourious Basterds has to be Shoshanna Dreyfus (Emmanuelle Mimieux) because she emits a powerful radiance. Shoshanna's character tends to be extremely harsh in many scenes she is present in. Her intelligence is also a key reason why I think she is my favorite and also the most important character in Inglourious Basterds. In the scenes in which is is present, she tends to be the dominant figure, and the camera zooms in on her harsh facial expressions. Her persistence and loyalty to her religion and to her family also shows the audience that she is an extremely strong woman. Her childhood allows her to become a role model (in both the negative and positive sense) for young women who are partaking in something they believe in.

The most important scene that Shoshanna is present in has to be the scene in which she is getting ready for the movie premier. The intense music in the background heightens the suspense leading up to her major plan to burn down the theater with the Nazi leaders inside. The lighting is dark, yet her face is illuminated, focusing strongly on her harsh features. Also, the color of her dress is heightened by the lighting; the red in her dress symbolizes her strength and anger towards the Nazi party. The camera focuses solely on her in this scene, as she hastily prepares for the premier. Her dominance in this long scene proves how powerful she truly his and leads the audience to feel somewhat intimidated by her presence on screen. Her intense beauty and power makes her my favorite character.

Brennan Saving Private Ryan (XC)

Jeremiads are long stories, usually told in prose, that show an imminent downfall of society. As I stated in class, I feel that racism is an element of today's society, which needs lamenting. Throughout my entire life, my parents have stressed the idea to accept everyone equally no matter the color of his skin, his culture, or his religion. My experience with racism is much different than any other 18 year old, Catholic, White girl you will meet.

I grew up knowing that many of my dad's cousins and siblings were in interracial marriages or relationships. I had mixed cousins, and family members of African American descent. Whenever I would tell my friends this, of course they never believed any of it, which is why I feel racism is an element of American society that needs lamenting. In the Declaration of Independence, our country's founders wrote "all men shall be created equal." Even when these words were written, men were far from what the founders considered as "equal." Today, racism is not nearly as prevalent and terrible as it was in earlier times, but it still exists. Knowing that my family members are still seen as minorities and inferior to other races makes me extremely uncomfortable. Laws/ideals and actualities seem to contradict one another in American society. Although Americans have come a long way from the times of the Jim Crow Laws, or the bus boycott, it scares me to know that my country is not practicing what it is preaching. Tradition plays a key role in determining one's moral standing, and when something as horrible as racism is passed down from generation to generation, it tends to stick.

This image is ironic in my experience with it. I watched every World Cup game this past summer, and I witnessed the "Say No to Racism" banner and ceremony on a daily basis. The ceremony was run through so quickly, the players sometimes forgot what they were supposed to say, and the crowd was never reverent. I feel that this shows that racism is not a key issue in many people's lives. I know this image doesn't show Americans, but racism is a global issue. Even if these men truly were against racism ad truly wanted to speak out against it, the fact that there is still an international ceremony and company based solely on promoting an end to racism is a scary thought. There are never exact answers to if, how or when racism will end, which is why I chose it as my jeremiad. I think the founders had it right, but not on every level. Hopefully one day the Declaration of Independence will truly be a declaration of freedom, independence, and social equality.

Brennan Good

I think this film is entitled Good to show the difference between what is morally right or "good," and what seems right or "good" for the situation at hand. We see this struggle occurring during the opening scene of the movie. John Halder's class is interrupted by a massive burning of books right outside the window of his classroom. He is warned by another professor not to interfere because this might lead him to lose his job. Halder questions the morals and beliefs of the book burners, but never takes physical action to stop it; it isn't until later that he realizes he should have done something to prevent it from happening. This is the first time we, as an audience, see Halder in a conflict between what is morally right and what seems right for that specific situation. He debates whether or not he should take action, which shows the audience he has good qualities and morals, but he never lets them rise to the surface because society wont let his views be heard.

What society deems as "good" is much different that what is actually good. Good is the perfect example of a movie that shows a character choose the easy way out, or the "save my own butt," over what is actually the right thing to do. John Halder is morally a good man based on his beliefs and the way he lives his life. Although he has good morals, he still falls into society's wants and needs because it is what he feels he should do during that moment in time.

I think the reason that this film was not distributed in the United States is that it shows an individual in a society not allowed to be himself and have his own voice. The United States is supposedly a country known for its democratic government, in which citizens are allowed to be individuals and voice their own opinions. In this film, John Halder has opinions, but the situations which he finds himself in, don't allow for him to express these opinions. Also, the United States claims moral superiority to other countries, and the government might not want United States citizens to see this movie because they might questions the ethics of our government.

The picture symbolizes what John Halder feels is "good" for the situation at hand. To make an impression at this Nazi commencement, he decides to bring a much younger, more attractive woman to make himself seem powerful. Also, both John and his student seem to be standing in awe of whomever is speaking to them. This is how most German citizens felt in the presence of a Nazi; they felt their opinions were worthless and they felt inferior to these powerful men in uniform. Throughout Good, John Halder's morals are pushed further and further below the surface so he can please the government at hand.

Brennan W

The very last scene of Oliver Stone's W best reveals the character of George W. Bush. In the scene, George Bush is seen in the outfield of the Texas Rangers Stadium attempting to catch a ball that was supposedly hit to him. He stares into oblivion when the ball is nowhere in sight. This scene reveals the president's character almost perfectly. Throughout the movie, Stone depicts the president as a confused Texan, unsure of where his place is in life. The baseball field is a recurring motif in W; the fact that the field is empty and there are no fans allows us, as the audience, to feel sympathy towards the confused "Junior." Bush is not in proximity with anyone in this scene, which reveals a sense of loneliness.
From his childhood to his presidency, Bush lacks full approval from his father. As a young boy, W disappoints his father in many instances. Throughout his life, this disapproval seems to become worse. "Junior" cannot understand why his father praises his younger brother, Jeb. Even during his presidency, he feels unsure and confused, whether it be about something simple or something big like the war in Iraq.
In the scene, Bush looks into the dark sky to catch the ball that he thought was thrown to him. The dark sky could represent W's subconscious mind, where his fears, urges and desires are emerging. He fears the disapproval of his father and the disapproval of his citizens. Also, the bewildered look on his face reveals this feeling of uncertainty, whether it be the uncertainty of his presidency or the uncertainty of his relationship with his father.
Oliver Stone also uses this image of the baseball field in the beginning of the movie, but in this instance, the young Bush seems content and jubilant. One can infer that this scene might depict Bush winning either his first or second term. Here, Bush feels that maybe this once, he will receive his father's approval. At the conclusion of the film, Bush's subconscious mind takes over his happiness and leads him further into oblivion.

Brennan The West Wing

In the opening episode of The West Wing, the president does not appear until the last few minutes of the episode. Even though the president is not seen throughout much of the episode, many issues surrounding his presidency become apparent. The most controversial political issue that the president must face in this pilot episode is whether or not to make his decisions based on the public’s pressure and opinions. In this episode, Josh Lyman, Bartlett’s Deputy Chief of Staff, is invited to be a guest on a Christian talk show led by extreme Christian Conservative, Mary Marsh. During the show, Josh let his emotions get the best of him and he argued against her opinion in an unprofessional manner. Throughout the episode, multiple characters, including Leo, the Chief of Staff, are questioned about the effects of Josh’s outburst. Many Christian activists, including a few ministers, are outraged at the situation at hand.

The president must make a decision whether or not to keep Josh on his team. President Bartlett seems to be the people’s president (as I know from watching later episodes), and he must listen to the views of the people. But Bartlett also refers to his cabinet for guidance. At the conclusion of the episode, the president allows Josh to remain on his team, although the press and the public believe he should do otherwise. This episode helps us, as an audience, to realize that there are many factors that go into a president’s decision, whether big or small. The way president Bartlett is able to mesh the opinions of the public and the opinions of his cabinet allow him to be portrayed as a well-rounded president.

As a fan of The West Wing, I know that president Bartlett is a religious individual, constantly quoting the Bible. The issue dealing with Josh gives the president an opportunity to let his religious views get the best of him, but being an educated, humble president, he puts his emotions and religious views aside; he decides to rely on his cabinet, his peers and his public for support instead of making a rash decision.