Mini Reviews

Mini Reviews

Gym, Tan, Laundry!

One of shows that we ended up watching in class was none other than Jersey Shore. Although Jersey Shore is considered a reality television show, it in no way portrays reality, yet it is still is amusing to watch. I am personally not one to make sure to tune into MTV every Jersday, but I still find watching Jersey Shore entertaining. Seeing the crazy things they do and all of the wild situations that occur in their everyday lives is definitely something that not only me, but millions of people find entertaining to watch. Watching Snooki break down or the crazy fights that go on between the cast makes watching every episode a little different. Watching a “reality show” like Jersey Shore may not show an exact reflection of society, it does show how crazy our society is becoming and what extremes some people will go to. Although it may not be the classiest show to watch, I would consider this to be a good show only for the fact that it is entertaining and funny to watch.

Couponing Gone Wild

One of the reality shows we watched was Extreme Couponing. This show takes clipping 50 cents off a loaf of bread out of the Sunday paper to a whole new level. This show used to be one of my favourite shows to watch, but each show started becoming the same thing over and over again, only with different people. When the first shows of the series came out, it was a good show and was very interesting and surprises to see these people getting hundreds and even thousands of dollars in food and toiletries all for a couple of pennies. Now, it seems as though it is quite greedy and not good for the economy at all if they are getting away with getting all of that stuff for free. It is an alright show to watch when there is nothing else good to watch on TV, but still isn’t one of the better shows that is on the air now. The idea and concept of the show is a good, yet there doesn’t seem to be much of a change between the episodes. It used to be very hyped up, but not so much anymore.

Be Kind, Rewind

Another film that we watched in class was Be Kind, Rewind, a comedy starring Jack Black. This movie was a very funny one to watch, and they didn’t have to use any fancy special effects to make it a good movie. I had never heard of the movie before but was glad I got a chance to watch it in class. Even though comedies now a days are vulgar and full of swearing, this movie was funny without the need for all of the creeds that comedies in the modern day need. The movie has a very unique plotline that has never been done before, and the idea of sweding movies is a very creative. I enjoyed watching it and it was one of my favourite things that we watched in class. I would recommend people to watch it since it is very well thought out and the way they do things is different and cool to see.

Blog #3 - The Essence of Silent Films

1.) After studying the birth of cinema and the silent film era, what is your opinion of the films from this time period? Do you think movies from this time can be considered 'good'? Or are they now simply just of interest historically? By discussing three specific silent films we have watched, explain your answer.

The films from the silent film era are considerably well done and impressive, with the amount of technology that they had available at the time. In a movie such as The Great Train Robbery, the actors had to rely on the actions and facial expressions to get their message across, making it more crafted than what we have today. They didn't have the use of loud sound effects, lighting and other aspects that would come into play while producing a film now in the 21st century. They can be considered well done, because of how much they relied on their physical acting rather than speech, and using more dramatic acting in order to portray themselves. These movies can be both entertaining, and also just a way to look back historically. There is still a fan base for silent films today, and they are still appreciated by many people. Keeping an open mind and watching a movie such as Modern Times and realizing that in the time period that they were made in it was considered revolutionary, as compared to today where movies can be seen in 3-D from your own home. When we see silent films in the modern day, we have to appreciate them for what they show us in modern times. Not only does it show us the historical aspects of that time period, but it serves for entertainment, as the humour portrayed will always be considered funny.

Blog Post #2: Music Video Analysis

Grenade - Bruno Mars

In this music video, reality is expressed with the message in the song but not through the way he portrays it. The reality of this video is what he is trying to say in the song, which is that he would do anything for the love of his life, but he doesn't portray a reality of it because during the music video he is pulling around a piano, which I'm pretty sure most people won't do when they have their heart broken. It does have some realistic elements to it, such as the message he is conveying, which is that he would do anything for her even though she is cheating on him. It is also portraying some part of reality with how hurt he feels throughout singing the song and when he sees his ex with another guy. It's presented in this way because it is showing the idea of the song in a literal way. In the song he says, "I would catch a grenade for you, throw my hand on a blade for you, I would jump in front of a train for you," and this is showing his main message in the song in a bit of a hidden context.

This song is about a guy who falls in love with a girl and even though she cheats on him, he still loves her and would still do anything for her even though he knows she doesn't care about him anymore. In this video, he never smiles and always looks down and heart broken. This is one of the codes and conventions of a break up song. Another code and convention is that he sees the girl with another guy as he is passing by, and most videos that have to do with heart break, you see the girl or guy that has moved on with another person. The lighting in the song isn't very bright, even though he is walking around on a sunny day, they make it a bit darker with editing. The camera angles are wide and show him walking with the piano through out the city.

The creeds and values that are presented in this video are that it is very hard to get over someone who you are still in love with yet they don't love you back.

This video appeals to teenagers because Bruno is tackling a subject that most teenagers can relate to. Bruno Mars is also considered a mainstream artist and the song was always played on the radio when it came out (and it still plays frequently on a lot of radio stations), the music video was always on Much Music when it came out and many teenagers were/are exposed to it. A lot of teenagers are drawn to more mainstream music, but since this song is a mix of different genres like R & B and pop and it is about a break up, many different types of teenagers like this song.

This music video is an alright, not the greatest video and not the worst. It doesn't have much of a story in the video itself, it is basically just him dragging the piano around town. It shows the viewers just how bad he feels. Because Bruno Mars is considered mainstream, this video is pretty successful because of his large fan base and the general curiosity from most of the media every time an artist releases a music video. It's a video that people might watch once or twice, but not the kind of music video people will watch over and over again.

Media Assignment #1

Is Media Important in My Life?

I believe that media is very important in my life. Media revolves around everyone and affects any person that is exposed to it. Without media, I would not be aware of any important news or events, nor would I have the ability to talk to people at any time I want to, without having to go visit them to ask a question or simply just talk. Media also provides entertaiment and just makes life easier overall, which something that I believe anyone would appreciate, no matter the age they are or the lifestyle that they live in.

The Most Important Forms of Media in My Life:
Music: Where ever I go and where ever I am throughout the day, I will always hear music sometime during the day. Music has become such a huge part in society today, and I hear music constantly being played in stores, in cars, buses, at school, on my own, and so much more. Music has so many genres and I believe that everyone can connect through music. There has not been one day where a song has not been stuck in my head, and listening to music has become a part of my daily routine. There seems to always be a song to fit any mood you are in, and there are millions of songs out there, so you can always find something new to listen to. I don't think I will ever get tired of listening to music, although my taste in music might differ throughout the years, I will always find my self reaching for my headphones or turning on the radio in the car to listen to music.


Internet: The internet is definetly one of the most important forms of media in my life. It connects everyone in the world together in one place, and serves for multiple purposes such as social networking, entertainment, academic purposes, and so much more. Everything that I would ever need to know can be found within 30 seconds of typing in what I want to know on Google, and reading from the websites that come up. The internet also helps me connect with people that I may not see everyday, and see what everyone is doing. The web has made everything a lot easier to do, and you can do anything you want, from the comfort of your own home or on your phone. I access the internet everyday, and I instantly log on to my Facebook whenever I get on the computer. I will most often refer to a computer before I look through a book for information, because it's a lot easier for me and I get so much information. People take advantage of things that make life easier, and the internet definetly tops the list.

Television: T.V shows, movies, news broadcasts, documentaries, commercials and so much more can be watched simply by turning on the television in your living room. Although I don't watch television everyday, I still consider to be an important part of my life. The most important news events I have heard are from watching T.V, and I believe that one can learn a lot by watching T.V. Although many say that television just brainwashes you, I truly believe that it depends on the person and what they watch on T.V. that can affect their thoughts. I don't have any shows that I make sure that I watch every week, I usually just flip to TLC or MuchMusic to see what's on. I believe that television will always be an important part because it's effortless and serves for entertainment, two things that human kind will always hold on to, no matter how advanced society will get.

My Thoughts on Modern Day Pop Culture
I believe that today's pop culture may not be the best it can be, but it still portrays some aspects that our generation should be proud of. We may have television shows like Jersey Shore and Teen Mom that do not neccassarily portray a good image on today's society, but there has been major devolpments in technology that have changed how things are done. Over the past ten years, we have seen new, innovative, and advanced technology that surely will be remembered. Blu-Ray players, 3D television at home, iPods, smartphones, and social networking are only a few of advancements we have seen in our modern day. We are advancing more and more every single day, and no one truly knows what the next big thing is. But I believe that our generation should be proud that all of the new discoveries and the amount of innovation our society has come up with is amazing, although the television shows, music, and films are not the best way to portray our generation. These types of media are an exaggeration of what truly happens in today's society.
Some of the aspects that are portrayed may be true, but we must also remember that there are great musicians and new technology that we should be remembered by.
I dislike the way people use media to get attention and money, although people need money to survive, the level of things they do to gain this publicity is astronmical. When celeberties do crazy things and will make up stories just to gain their fifteen minutes of fame (although it may be entertaining), it gets very annoying after you see every popular celebrity go through something crazy just to get attention.
I use media for entertainment, to connect with people, and to research for if I'm going to make a major purchase or just browsing online, if I am doing homework or an assignment for school, and also if I am ever curious, I can simply type whatever I want into Google and then get thousands of results on exactly what I am looking for. I always check my Facebook and email, and I am always texting my friends and family to quickly get a hold of them, instead of having to call them. Anytime I need to do homework or an assignment and I am stuck on a question, I instantly turn to the internet and find out what I need. Anything you need can either be found reading about it online, watching a video, or using any of the forms of media to get the information you need.

The Way Teenagers are Portrayed in the Media
I feel that the media focusses on making all teenagers sound like crazy rebels that only like to smoke, drink, complain and party all of the time. I believe the media puts too much attention on the teens who do things that everyone thinks is horrible, even though this is just a very small percentage of teens who truly act like this. Television shows and movies like Teen Mom that focus around teenagers make teens sound like all they deal with in their lives is drama, even though this is in no way true for most of us. The media focuses on what can get an audience and bring in money, and most of that is dramatic and/or pregnant teens.
I think that the way teenagers are portrayed through the mainstream music is somewhat of a reflection on teenagers in modern society. Although some of the content may not always be an exact reflection of teens, a lot of teenagers listen to hip hop, R & B, and 'party' songs more. I know this may not fit every single teenager, it still relates to a lot of teenagers today. I think that especially in North America with the kind of music we are used to hearing in commercials, television shows, and films. There has been a lot of new music released and there always has been and will be, and some of it is does reflect well upon teenagers in the modern day.

Julius Caesar Assignment 2 - I Dream Of Caesar

14 March 44 BC
Dearest Diary,

Oh today, I experienced such a horrid dream, I shall never forget. I dreamt, I was a thousand miles away from home, in an unknown forest. I vividly remember Julius by my side, as we walked. We wore black cloaks, covering our heads. The trees, the ground, even the birds that flew around, usually in beautiful, bright colours, had feathers, the colour of the dark night. I had no idea what we were walking to, but we had somewhere to go. I had recognized this place, and I remember having this dream several times before, but I for some reason remember this one in great detail. As I recall, Julius & I were walking throughout the cold, dark forest and I saw flashes of Julius' life. Faint images of his close companions, the Romans whom he loved. All the the things that made great deal in his life. I remember, hearing his voice say, "I am the almighty, all hail Caesar!" This line stuck to me, the words on replay in my head. For this, I feared. I woke up, heart beating, my head was spinning, my eyes tearing up. I looked over, to see Caesar fast asleep beside me. I had no idea what this dream had meant, but I know it has to mean something. I fear for the worst, but hope for the best.
Calpurnia

Julius Caeser Assignment - Weather Report

Good evening, Romans! This is your number one weatherman, Markus Humilius, with your weather! Well, my gosh, it's been pretty hectic out there! Where do I begin? I guess the gods have been pretty angry, as we see men running about completely on fire. Man, those guys could start one big bonfire with those flames. And ah, of course we could roast some lamb-dogs, and even get some of those little white marshmallows and-oh what was I saying? Oh yes! We have even had reports of men with their hands completely enlightened with fire. Good thing they got no burns. Hey, at least they don't have to worry about getting some candles! And another thing you good people don't need to worry about is sharpening your swords and daggers! As lions roam the streets, they won't give you any trouble, except the occasional death glare, if your wearing the new line of impostor Caesar cologne, I found that out the hard way this morning... ANYWAYS, going back to my report, we have also been told of the night bird, spotted by the market place, during the day! I mean, its called the night bird for a reason... SO, that's the end of another one of my AMAZING reports, just one thing I would like you folks to ponder about.. are the gods angry? Are they having issues in their lives? Or is this just the end of the world?! *gives camera a meaningful look* On a happier note, expect sunny skies tomorrow and a 10% chance of Caesar being crowned! Goooooood night, Rome!

Confessions of a Shopaholic

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Madeleine Sophie Wickham, also known as Sophie Kinsella, is a New York Times Best Seller. She has written many novels, including the award-winning Shopaholic series, Twenties Girl, Remember Me and The Undomestic Goddess. She was born on December 12, 1969 in London, England. Sophie was a financial journalist herself, but then turned to writing chick lit novels, and turns out she was very successful. She now resides in London, England with her husband and three sons.

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The novel Confessions of a Shopaholic is about Rebecca Bloomwood, a 23 year old woman who has a rather boring writing job at Successful Savings, a financial aid magazine. Aside from her job, she has a peculiar taste in style, and she loves shopping (thus the term shopaholic). She has a great social life. But she soon finds herself thousands in debt, and has to find a way to a.) make more money or b.) cut back. We follow Rebecca, as she struggles to cut back on her shopping obsession, and even has several (failing) attempts to find a different job. Let's just say that most of her tries are a bit stressful, but sure enough there is a happy ending! :)

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The setting of the book is in an upscale part of London, England and mostly takes place in Rebecca's flat, the Successful Savings office, and different stores and restaurants around London. The time of the story is pretty modern, in the early 2000's. It is very modern, because of all the latest designer's, and they have Apple laptop computers and most things we have nowadays. Atmosphere changes quite often in this book, for example in the beginning it is stressful for the protagonist, and then it changes to happy and cheery, then to depressing and she feels like she will never be successful. The book's atmosphere is like a roller coaster, whenever you feel as if it will end and all things are good, it doesn't. But it certainly does keep the whole thing more interesting and more drama unfolds as you read more and more of the book!


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The main character, Rebecca Bloomwood, is very clever and is outspoken. She gets into many risky situations throughout the story and she always finds a way to get out. She is very outspoken, and she speaks her mind most of the time. She is also very intelligent, because she writes for a financial magazine and writes a very strong article near the end. She can be a bit irresponsible, for instance near the beginning, because of her shopping addiction, but further into the story we see that she is very determined and whenever she fails at something, she keeps trying to succeed. She is also a very stylish and bubbly person. She is always trying to get the latest fashion and is obsessed with shopping! She can name any label and always wants to go shopping, even for a wooden spoon. Making the protagonist a shopaholic was very key for the plot, otherwise it would be boring and more like reading a story about some random lady in debt. Not very interesting. It puts a twist on the whole story, and it keeps you interested.


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I found this book to be amazing. I couldn't put the book down. Even if you have already seen the movie, I highly recommend you do read the original book! Books are always better in written form then movie form, most of the time. It doesn't bore you to tears if you have already seen the movie, because it's actually interesting to see how much they changed the novel to go Hollywood. (Sigh, producers.. so overpowering, wanting to change everything *shakes head in disappointment*) Well, I don't want to give away too much of it, although I'm pretty sure a lot of people have seen the movie. I give this book.. *drum roll..* a 4.5 out of 5! That's a pretty good rating, if I do say so myself :)

- Layal Sabeh ;)