Stranger than Fiction

Postmodernism can be defined as a sense of irony where what we expect to happen is played around with. It doesn't provide a "moral" to the story and sometimes there is no point at all. In a way, it's taking a work of art, no matter the type, and unveiling how it is put together in a mocking sort of way. 

The movie, Stranger than Fiction,  could be seen as both a movie about movies and also a story on story telling. As a movie, postmodernism plays in as a way to mock those movies who all have a character who needs some type of change in their life. Harold Crick, our main character, is an IRS agent whose life is run by his watch, numbers, and who follows the same routine everyday. He than meets Ana who is the complete opposite of him. After meeting Ana and finding out about his untimely death that is to come, he himself begins to change. For example, he begins to play guitar and develops a relationship with someone who he knows he shouldn't be with. He's attempting to change his life so that in a way it could change his death from happening.

 It can also be seen as a movie about story telling because it follows the same guideline as a story, even though they could also be found in movies. As a story, qualities of postmodernism that could be found is the narrators voice and Harold Crick's watch that is symbolic of his life. In general, Harold Crick more of a character in a book rather than a real person. The author who is writing the book, Karen Eiffel, tells him what to do, how to do it, what to feel and why. After Crick learns about his death, is when our plot comes into play. In this story, the main symbol is his watch; telling him when to wake up, to go to sleep, catch the bus, and etc. In the end, the climax becomes how he will die. Nothing about how he will is revealed to us but only that he will. 

The twist in the movie is that we don't know whether to think of Crick as a character or real person and what the other characters might be as well. Could the author, Karen, have written herself into the book? Or do their two worlds collide once Harold learns of his death and attempts to stop it? By the end of the movie, Karen and Harold are on the same page as to how the story will end while the audience stands by, clueless.

Fight Club

The id is a component of personality present from birth and makes sure that all physical needs are satisfied. The ego is responsible for dealing with reality. The superego is ones moral judgement of right and wrong. These three components are represented through a character whose name is not implied but hinted is Jack, Tyler Durden, and the society in which Jack lives in. Although Tyler Durden and Jack are one person their personalities portray them as two separate people.

 The id is represented by the character Tyler Durden, the aggressive alter ego of Jack, who helps him satisfy his sexual needs . In the beginning, we see Jack in his bland, behind the desk, suit and tie type of life. In a scene where he's in the bathroom with Ikea magazines on the floor, his first obsession is presented. His need for furniture from Ikea. He is conformed to the ideas of society. What the id does, or Tyler Durden, is help him escape that idea of conformity starting by blowing up his apartment filled with Ikea furniture that Jack thinks is his reason to live. Tyler Durden, with the help of Jack, create Fight Club in order to help other men escape their daily boring lives by beating each other to a pulp.

The ego is represented by Jack, or our Narrator. When things get too out of control or are blown out of proportion because of the id, the ego is there to reason with it and try to stop it before the damage is done. For example, in a scene where Tyler Durden is driving recklessly with Jack and other members of Fight Club, aiming to crash and looking for the thrill, the ego steps in. Jack attempts to grab the wheel and reason with Tyler all while answering his absurd questions about life.

The superego is represented by  the society in which Tyler Durden and Jack live in as one. The superego looks to what is right and wrong. In this case, their society is the one who is right and they are looked at as the wrong ones. They live in a world where the media internalizes itself into ones mind, for example Jacks need for Ikea furniture, and where you are meant to work and live your life like everyone else. Tyler Durden and Jack defy the expectations of society by their means of destruction, aggressiveness, and need for a thrill. 

 The message of this film is that one should live his or her life not to how society has planned it or how it is projected by the media but how they wish to. With all the violence incorporated in the film every few scenes, this message is overshadowed. The audience is then left with the thought of fighting, anger, and thrill rather than asking themselves if they are conformed to societies ideas or living how they truly want to. Like Roger Ebert states in his review of this film, "...a lot more people will leave this movie and get in fights than will leave it discussing Tyler Durden's moral philosophy." The meaning of the movie Fight Club is deeper than just violence and fighting but the way it is portrayed takes away the true message.

Do The Right Thing

The film, "Do The Right Thing", says a lot about race and racism in America. It says that one race is always against another, as if they're competing to see who's better. For example, one of the three old guys who sits on a corner shows his frustration as to why the Chinese guy, who owns the produce store, has a business and he doesn't. He talks about how they're both immigrants who came into the country and how he lost his business that he built.

Like film reviewer, Roger Ebert stated in his review of the film, "Lee makes it possible for us to understand their feelings..." Anyone can agree with this because in the film, Spike Lee has adds a monologue scene where each character looks straight into the camera and vents. 

 This scene helps us understand each characters perspective as well as their feelings on whatever the situation may be. In the movie, it's obvious that one race is always against another. For instance, the scene where Buggin' Out goes to Sal's and throws a fit about how there's only Italians on the wall but no African Americans. What the monologues did was show each persons feelings towards someone or something else around them.

In the scene where Mookie throws the trash can into Sal's window, it's like he's saying he's had enough. After Radio Raheem died, it could be seen as Mookie's way of getting back at the race who has put down his for so long, or as Mookie's way of saying that even though he works for Sal, he is still his own person. That he refuses to be held down. It could be Spike Lee's way of saying that he's had enough. That in order to move on, the racism and hatred between one another needs to end.  

Boyz n the Hood

Ricky, Tre, Doughboy

In the film, Boyz n the Hood, putting on a "tough guise" means a gun in your pocket, showing no emotion, and feeling no sympathy. It also means a chance of survival.

 One of the main characters in the film, nicknamed Doughboy, puts on the "tough guise" as if it's his way of showing how much he doesn't care. In reality, while it may not be the easiest thing to see, he does. For example, when Doughboy had his friends inside his mother's house, he made sure to even tell them to be careful not to sit on the uncovered part. These minor details, though vague, show a deeper level to his character.

 Doughboy is the one who's been to jail, knows what the streets are like from experience, and is the one that can relate to the streets the most. In his case, putting on a "tough guise" is beneficial. If he were to go to into the streets, knowing that he can run into trouble, the gun in his pants might save him. In a neighborhood like the one that these characters live in, they have to put on a "tough guise" because showing fear can be seen as a weakness. So, in order to get anywhere or stand their ground they have to at least pretend to have some power.

 Tre's father, Furious, could be seen as one of the better men. He uses wisdom rather than actions to fight his battles. When Furious takes Tre and Ricky to the neighborhood with the billboard and preaches to them and the people gathering, he shows them how the "white people" are using their resources to kill off the African American without saying a word. Liquor stores and gun stores on every corner. Furious's character goes about things mentally and tries to protect his son from the harms of the streets by teaching him the difference between right and wrong. What actions to take and the ones that he should avoid that will come with consequences. For example, after Ricky got shot, Tre was so angry that all he wanted to do was seek revenge. While in the car with Doughboy and the other boys, he comes to his senses and is reminded of his fathers words. He gets out the car and goes back home. A wise decision. 

In this film, there is no lesson of what it takes to be a real man. There's only the difference between right and wrong and the ways that it is taught. Physically or mentally.

Tootsie and Gender Roles

  In the film, Julie's father tells Michael, "Years ago there was none of this talk about what a woman was, what a man was, you just were what you were. Now they have all this talk about how much you should be like the other sex so we can be more the same." The idea of equality between men and women is not supported in the film, but rather completely contrasted to show how different they are.

 In the beginning of the film, the audience sees how bad Michael's temper is, how aggressive he can be and that he's very serious about acting. This characteristic can be implied as a common male trait. That men are supposed to be the more assertive ones, rather than women who are the more emotional ones. 

 When Michael changes to his new persona, Dorothy, we see some of that seriousness and aggressiveness still embedded in her personality, but she does it in a way where it passes off as an emotion. She could be seen as a powerful symbol to women like she is to Julie. By the end of the movie, Julie has not only become so attached to Dorothy but also grew stronger because of her and learned to stand up for herself and make her own choices.

 In the film, Thelma and Louise, the two main characters also witness the same type of change. Thelma is one who gets taken advantage of more easily. She had a bad experience in her marriage and was looked at by her husband as a piece of property, she was the one who almost got raped, and the one who trusted a guy they just picked up who ended up robbing them of all the money they had. After that, it's as if she's had enough. She takes it into her own hands to return the money by robbing a store. By the end of the movie, Thelma is the one telling Louise, who is the stronger one of the two, to get a grip and focus on what the next move was. In a way, Thelma could be seen as Julie.

 Louise, who is stronger and more assertive, can be seen as Michael and Dororthy. In the beginning, Louise is the one who shoots the man that tried to rape Thelma, takes the lead on their escape to Mexico, but also the one who starts to break down. Like Michael did when he realized that pretending to be a woman will only hide his true feelings and cause more problems.By the end of the movie, the two ladies chose their own fate of driving over the cliff rather than turning themselves in or having their death chosen for them which would be by the cops.  

 The idea of equality in these two movies is not supported, instead the audience sees how different they really are. In this case, how the actions that men take affect what women do and their choices.

Feminism in Film -- Thelma and Louise

Thelma and Louise, final scene

   

 In the film, Thelma and Louise, we see a powerful side as well as a delicate side of our two main characters.

 Louise, the more independent one of the two, takes on the role of a man. She is the one with the job, who lives on her own and is more assertive. On the other hand, Thelma is more emotional, she was married to someone who thought of her as a possession, and in some ways could be thought of as the weaker one of the pair. Throughout their story, they both change because of the obstacles they face.

 In the beginning, they were both two women who wanted a vacation and a piece of freedom. What they got instead was a cop chase and charged with murder. How did this happen? When Thelma was about to get raped, Louise stepped in, pointing the gun at Thelma's attacker and shot him when he refused to apologize. Knowing they would get caught, they immediately drive off, without looking back. Louise, the stronger one, became the leader of their escape and took charge. She told Thelma she would be going to Mexico and it was her choice if she wanted to come along or not.

 Louise, who had been raped when she was younger, never really trusted a man in her life. The audience can see that she has built sort of wall to protect her from the men in her time. Towards the end of the movie, Louise begins to break down and we see an emotional side of her. While on the other hand, Thelma becomes stronger. She begins to grow and break from all the possessiveness she has underwent while with her husband and also from every guy that has took advantage of her. We see these changes in the scenes where she robs a store to return the money that the guy they picked up robbed them and also when she shoots the rude truck drivers truck, making it explode.

 By the end of the movie, Louise doesn't know if she wants to come out of his alive. While being chased by the cops, they reach the edge of a cliff. Do they go for it or turn back and surrender? Go for it. In what can be seen as a powerful ending, our two main characters chose their own deaths instead of being killed by the cops. This last scene also symbolizes an act of power, as if they were saying that they'll choose their own fate rather than being given one.