Ketchup Reflection #5 - Defining The 2000s [FILM]

01.22.14

FILM 202A:  Opinion Paper #1

Chris Scholten

[Instructor feedback is in square brackets]

After hours of searching for the perfect film that embodies all the social, cultural and political aspects of our present society within the past decade, I have found… nothing. However, I’ve decided on a few great honourable mentions, which I will share with you here. [Interesting approach!]

The first is The Matrix [Italicize] trilogy. Though the first Matrix movie, which by itself changed the way sci-fi films were created, by introducing innovative film techniques (mainly, “bullet time”), [good] while also redefining genres by combining sci-fi with martial arts, was released in 1999, the 2 sequels were released in 2003, and expanded on the romantic and philosophical themes [specify] introduced in the first film. While the first film got a lot of people excited about martial arts and Kantian philosophy for short time, The Matrix Reloaded and the Matrix Revolutions turned a compressed hybrid sci-fi drama into an epic story that really got people thinking about deep topics like reality vs. simulation, the concept of love, and the possible consequences of artificial intelligence. [good details]

Second is the Harry Potter series. Initially released in 1999 and lasting until 2012, the film series and the hype surrounding it summoned forth a wave of closet Wiccans, and created an intense fascination with magic among kids and teens. Unfortunately, it also brought forth the inevitable anti-witchcraft movement from religious radicals who failed to understand the meaning of the word “fiction.” [how/why is this particular to the 2000s?]

Lastly, 2008 saw the release of James Cameron’s Avatar. Almost completely equivalent to a 21^st-century interpretation of Disney’s Pocahontas, this film’s influences were mainly historical and political. On one hand it retells the story of habitants of a “primitive” tribe from another world (literally this time) having their homes invaded; the difference is, however, that the invaders are not coming for the land – not initially. The original prize the humans set after – which they brutally destroy the main village over when their plan of befriending the locals is foiled (another nod to the first European settlers), is but a rare precious metal that would be worth millions of dollars on Earth. This scenario is similar to the kinds of wars going on in the present, whether the sought-after resource is oil, gold, etc. [Again - how is this specific to the 2000s, vs any other decade]

Mark: 4/5 80%