LITR – 10001 – Movies and Culture

Instructions:

1. Choose and watch a movie or a season (select episodes) of a mini-series and view it with a critical eye. While you’re watching, take note of your choice’s strengths and weaknesses, as both an artistic effort and its underlying ideologies, stereotypes and/or representations.

2. Write a 4-5 paragraph (500-800 word) film review that does the following:

• provides a brief, partial plot summary (without spoilers) and brief description of the main characters and their motives that drive story
• quotes dialogue or paraphrases scenes and/or be specific about elements of the creators’ artistic vision that highlight the film’s strengths or weaknesses OR answers questions below
• includes a clear opinion about whether the movie failed or succeeded in telling a strong story that left you satisfied as a viewer
• refers to at least TWO concepts from ideas used in this class (see the concept review each module) with specific details from your movie choice
• refers to ONE reading from this class that is relevant to your choice OR one other movie example used in class as a comparison

Ensure that following questions are also answered at some point in the review:

• How did your movie disrupt or push back against stereotypes or tropes or problematic representations? How did it fail to do so?
• What would have made this movie stronger in your opinion?

Paragraph 1: Craft a strong opening that gets the reader’s attention and hints at the film’s major theme and your overall opinion of the film.

Paragraph 2: Provide a plot summary, and brief description of main characters and motives or themes

Paragraph 3-5 Discuss the film’s strengths and weaknesses. Make sure your analysis includes all the assigned elements and ends with a 1-2 sentence conclusion.

3. Rate your movie: Rate your movie choice out of four stars and include this rating at the end of your review. (The explanation of your rating system should follow.)

Style: Please use complete sentences and proper paragraph structure throughout. Edit your work for clarity and correct grammar. Select your words carefully and write with college-level vocabulary. Don’t use personal pronouns. Keep the tone moderately formal. While you don’t need a formal reference page or footnotes as yet, make sure to attribute ideas within the text using signal phrases such as, “According to …” etc.

NOTE: Watch or read the storyline of the Bollywood movie DHRISHYAM. Please DON’T use any AI tool for writing. As it is a college-level project DON’T use high-level terms or vocabularies. Please read the instructions carefully as we DON’T miss any element of the project.