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White Chicks (2004)

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‘The Help’ is a movie produced in 2011 by Tate Taylor in which was set in the Mississippi 1990’s, this story is revolved around a young dream writer ‘Skeeter’ (Emma Stone) and she is surrounded in a society filled of racism where the blacks are considered threats to the ‘white community’ she uses her skills to write a book based on the lives of the blacks, the ‘maids’. The two main casts in which represents the everyday hardship of being a maid are ‘Aibileen Clark’ (Viola Davis) as well as Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer). This movie portrays the everyday hardships for the coloured people and the treatment given by the white community and how these stereotypical women or men portray their views towards those who are in a different ‘colour’.

In the functional side of the chosen movie, people may find this movie interesting based on how Emma Stone (Eugenia / Skeeter) is one of the main protagonists, with her beauty and yet skilled acting creates a wow factor for all audiences. Moreover two well known actresses were focused on in the movie as well, Viola Davis (Aibileen Clark) and Octavia Spencer (Minny Jackson) . These 3 actresses could be the reason why it’d attract viewers, due to their successful acting experience. On the other hand, this movie may also attract viewers due to how, having a movie displaying the harsh reality of the ‘whites’ treating the ‘blacks’ and the importance of unity even after all the troubles may create a touching feel for the viewers. Adding on, people may have wanted to just learn how the days were back in the day, how it was even harsher environment for the ‘coloured’. Nevertheless the sheer fact that showing the strength of women gives plenty of positive feeling for the women, on how ‘Eugenia’ takes things in her own hands and doesn’t focus on trying to find a man.

Looking at this in the cultural perspective, stereotypes on races is the cultural factors that can be seen in the movie, ‘The Help’. The black people get treated unequally by the white people in the movie. For example, black people work as a maid for the white people. Besides, they are not allowed to use the equipments such as toilet, spoons, forks, cups and plates in the house, they are only allowed to use their own equipments that set by their bosses, which are white people. Other than that, their toilet will be located outside the house and the condition of it is unacceptable. In conclusion, this issue of cultural factors on stereotypes on races can be seen in our society as well, not only in the movie, ‘The Help’. Every population are equal, so stereotype on races is a serious issues that need to be abandon before it is getting worse.

All things considered, The Help is an inspirational movie in which allows viewers to learn on the harsh history for the African American people and how they can still raise their heads and continue to stay positive.

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In Front of The Class (2008), analysis by Teo Xiaer

This movie explores the challenge of a person who suffers from Tourette’s syndrome since he was a child but is courageous enough to overcome these challenges, and finally fulfilled his dream as a teacher. Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological disorder that make a person twitches and making noises in an uncontrolled and involuntarily manner. This disease has yet to find a medical cure until today. However, not many people are aware of this disease and they are not sympathetic on the patients who suffer from this disease. The sufferers often isolate themselves as they are not being accepted by the society at large. James Wolk has successfully played the role of Brad Cohen, the character who suffers from this disease. This is a very touching yet inspiring movie, and the moral of the story is never ever give up no matter what challenges that may arise and we must always believe in ourselves in order to attain our dream.

From a functional approach perspective: This movie will definitely appeal to audiences of all ages as it is highly entertaining, humorous and educational as well. It helps to educate the audiences and change their perceptions of Tourette’s syndrome which has yet to find a cure. The society should be more accumulative and receptive to people who suffers from Tourette’s syndrome so that they can fit in and contribute to the community.

Other than making invonluntarily noises and twitches, the sufferers perform like a normal person and therefore should be treated as one. Brad Cohen has undergone numerous interviews and was repetitively rejected, however, he did not give up and finally was accepted to the school to teach second-graded. Brad was performing so well that his students adore and love him very much. Finally, his effort was recognized and he was awarded the best teacher.

From a critical/ cultural approach perspective: The movie explores the experience of a person who suffers from Tourette’s syndrome in a real world, his struggle in overcoming his handicap and setbacks in the course of his pursuance of teaching career. Brad Cohen has tried time and again to gain acceptance of the society and the principal of the school and he has finally succeeded after many dissapoinments. Brad has overcame his social stigma and despite his handicap, he possesses the self-esteem and the confidence to attain his dream even if he was not being taken seriously in the beginning. His repeated attempts and never give up attitude has finally born fruits. The moral of the story is society must give everyone including the handicapped a charge to contribute to society as these people are capable of contributing to the society.

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Group members:
1. Imran Ansari
2. Teo Zhen Ron
3. Shum Zhen Yang
4. Ong Jun Hong
5. Anthony Joshua

THE GREAT GATSBY

The Great Gatsby, a romantic drama set in the summer of 1922 during the boom of wall street that focuses on a love lost but found again within Jay Gatsby & Daisy Buchanan. A story told through the looking glass of Nick Carraway’s eyes.

This movie stars acting juggernaut Leo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, Tobey Maguire in the persona of Nick, the balletic Carey Mulligan, as well as Joel Edgerton, Isla Fischer, & Elizabeth Debicki. Nick finds himself in New York, moving away from his home in the Midwest once he decided to desert his hobby of writing. Not the wealthiest of all men, Nick rents a cozy house in West Egg, beside Gatsby’s mansion. Over dinner with Daisy, & her other half, Tom, Nick was introduced to Jordan Baker by Daisy in hopes that a romance is kindled between the two. When Nick returned home, his eyes set upon a silhouette of a man standing on a dock across the bay, being drawn towards the green light emitted from the dock of the Buchanan’s. This, ladies & gentleman, is where the real story begins.

From a functional approach perspective: A movie of this sort will definitely appeal to those with romantic sensibilities, typically the more mature adult crowd above the age of 18. Set in the 1920s, the grandeur that comes with old-money wealth is very well displayed in this film with Oscar winning set designs & wardrobe, with music supplied by the hip/hop mogul that is Jay-Z. As we delve further into the movie, you can expect to be impressed by the great visuals provided by Baz Luhrmann, while captivated by the intense drama of this tale. If you’re in a complicated place, romantically speaking, you may find relativity in this film even if your situation isn’t tit for tat the same as that of Gatsby’s. Any avid fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald will find intrigue in this film as it’s based on his original book, & any fan of the cast members involved will not be disappointed by their spectacular performances.

From a critical/cultural approach perspective: Great Gatsby as a film provides a dramatic & fictional look into the world of promiscuity, wealth, love, & betrayal that follows the tails of the men & women depicted in this movie. We are shown the excess that the ultra-rich peruse at the height of the ‘Roaring 20s’ from the perspective of a person who of middle-class background who had never been previously exposed to such a lifestyle. We see the power dynamics between the men and women of different pedigrees, of how the antagonist commits and encourages infidelity while simultaneously preventing his wife from doing the same. And the contrast between the super affluent and the poor, of how estranged the two social circles are. The film celebrates the extravagant and hedonistic lifestyle and the people who experienced and perpetuated it, while simultaneously criticizing them.  While it’s true that the events of the film are exaggerated, they’re not without a footing in reality.

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Group members:
1. Jane
2. Eliza
3. Rosanne
4. Krystal
5. Qhailisha

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Group Members:

1. Vanitha Perumal
2. Heng Xin Cheer
3. Jaswini A/P Perumal
4. Lim Zhi Jun

Synopsis:

Fault in our Stars movie is about a 16-year old girl, Hazel Grace Lancaster who is a thyroid cancer patient. She met a 17-year old boy, Augustus Waters from her cancer support group where he was there to support, Isaac, a boy with eye cancer. Augustus also lost his right leg from osteosarcoma. After a conversation, Hazel was impressed with Augustus and went to Augustus house to watch a movie. Then, they decided to exchange each other favourite novels once their relationship gets stronger. Thus, Hazel suggested the novel An Imperial Affliction by Van Houten where the outline of the story is about a girl with cancer who has a similar experience with Hazel. Augustus was frustrated after finish reading the novel because the story is incomplete. One week later, Augustus inform Hazel that he has discovered, Van Houten's assistant and contacted Van Houten through email. Then, she wrote an email to Van Houten to find out the ending of the novel but Van Houten refused to reply her question on email and can only answer her in person. Hazel and Augustus went to Amsterdam to meet Van Houten. While having their meal at one of the expensive restaurant which has been pre-paid by Van Houten, Augustus revealed his love to Hazel. On the next day, both of them went to Van Houten's house for a meeting and dinner with him. There they found that Van Houten is fully drunk and he is also an alcoholic person. Since the assistant arranged the meeting without Van Houten's concern, Van Houten insulted Hazel which make her to leave the place in upset. Then, Augustus informed Hazel that his cancer has return back and has started to spread to his body. Augustus health condition gets worst and was admitted at ICU, after they return back to their hometown. Augustus invited Hazel and Isaac for his pre-funeral and after a few days Augustus passed away. Hazel was shocked when she found Van Houten in the funeral. Van Houten tells Hazel that Augustus has requested him to attend his funeral. At the funeral Van Houten also answer Hazel's question which she has asked him earlier, where the novel is based on his daughter Anna.

From a functional approach perspective: Some people will watch this movie is because the movie is based on the best-selling novel. This film also encourages the cancer patient to be positive and optimistic. The protagonist tries to live their life to the fullest depend they are battling with cancer. They worry about how their parents and loved one will feel when they are no longer in the world. Besides, the film is suitable for all ages, especially teenagers and young adult.

From a critical/cultural approach: The title The Fault in Our Stars is from Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars/But in ourselves, we are underlings". The title gives an argument that occasionally it is not our fault, and at times bad things cannot be avoided. In this movie, Hazel and Augustus did not do anything that caused them to be diagnose with cancer. However, it was a fact that both of them could not avoid. The Fault in Our Stars shows about the desire to be remembered after death. The movie uses Augustus to show that the fear of being forgotten. In the movie, Augustus also recommended his favourite book, Counter Insurgence, to Hazel. The book is based on a video game and it talks about bravery, courage, sacrifice and heroism. The movie also depicts about love. This movie is not the typical tragedy that we see in most movies. Both Hazel and Augustus are star-crossed lovers not because like Romeo and Juliet is separated due to family feud but because of their mere incapability to exist. The movie also presents that orange tulips from a cancer patient can also be about love.

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M O V I E    R E V I E W

Group Members

1. Ho Ving Yeen
2. Theodore Lee Soon Hur
3. Sirinda Vignesh
4. Chong Hoo Yan
5. Winnie Sia

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Group member :
1. Ariel
2. Chia Wei
3. Jayne Tan
4. Sharon
5. Jia YI
6. Yvern

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M30405 DMC Jan 2018
Applying functional and Critical/Cultural Studies Approaches

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A comedy that explores the dynamics of social status and class within the realm of a high school, inspired by Rosalind Wiseman's non-fiction book Queen Bees and Wannabes that offers a searing critique on high school female cliques and how damaging it could be to a girl's self-esteem.

The movie starred Lindsay Lohan in her prime as well as Lizzy Caplan, Rachel McAdams, Jonathan Bennett, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and also featuring the debut of Amanda Seyfried. Lohan plays Cady, who moves to a new school after returning from Africa with her zoologist parents, and promptly  met new friends Janis and Damian. After showing her around, the two warned her to beware of the 'Plastics', a highly popular clique in the school comprising of bratty, spoilt and seemingly perfect-looking members, led by queen bee Regina. The Plastics took an interest to the new girl, and Cady is welcomed to the group... but the friendliness soon descends into chaos and mayhem when Cady falls for Regina's ex-boyfriend whom the jealous Regina stole back, humiliating Cady and sparking of a feud that's going to turn her high school life topsy-turvy!

From a functional approach perspective: This movie will definitely appeal to the teenaged and young adult demographics of 15 to 30, especially among the females. As this is a comedy in a high school setting, one can expect some playground humour and high school shenanigans and other jokes about growing up. One should certainly watch this fun, entertaining movie as it showed Lohan's charms and potential before she spiralled out of control and if one is a fan of Tina Fey's. This movie will also be a good choice if you are planning for an all-girls slumber party! Some people might watch this movie just purely for the entertainment factor while there will be those who will watch this movie for the genre, or for the actors performing in this movie.

From a critical/cultural approach perspective: Mean Girls is an incisive look at the "Girl World" and the meanness, and superficiality of it all within the high-school environment. The movie helps to deconstruct the experience, by using a 16-year-old teenager who has never been to a real school before, is thus, a "clean slate". What is normal to many high schoolers who has lived through the experience shown in the movie, is perceived as strange and abnormal by Lohan's character. It tells us about the desire to be accepted/approved/belong in a group, especially one that is as popular as the "Plastics". The term "Plastics" itself is rather telling - denoting that the group, while flesh and blood, is made up of cold, heartless and emotionless beings who are so consumed with physical looks and social status. This movie is also a commentary on the hegemonical power relationship between the Plastics versus the unpopular crowd - in particular we see how the Plastics are perceived by the rest of the school community and the bulk of the movie saw Cady and her friends try to bring down the Plastics. Last but not the least, another important critique the movie made is related to the concept of self-image and how it is related to the issues of self-esteem, social standing in the high school environment and social acceptance. We see how the Plastics constantly fear losing their popularity and standing, worrying about their self-image despite being beautiful already, proving that they are in fact characters with low self-esteem and plagued with insecurities and lack self-confidence; that their haughty, bitchy persona is a shield that mask these inner flaws of theirs.

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(By Ilyas, Vickey. Kayshana & Janice)

Synopsis:

Ola bola screams patriotism, sportsmanship and racial unity of Malaysia just by its trailer and posters that went crazy all around Malaysia. The struggles are something that we may or may not face at least once in life. The Malaysian team of the 1980s pushed boundaries just to get themselves into the Moscow Olympics, and that already shows unity and patriotism. Which are morals that we, Malaysians, can learn from and apply it into our everyday lives to make Malaysia much better and ourselves a much better person. What the team struggled from was not because of the lack of skills, it was because of their lack of communication and lack of trust. They wanted things to be done their own ways when it was not exactly the best for the team

Functional Approach:

'Ola Bola' will definitely appeal to people of all ages. We don’t have to be a football fan to watch this movie. This movie, should be watched by everyone because it features multicultural cast that every Malaysian can relate to, each with their own personal life struggles and conflicting personalities that threatens to tear their team apart. We as Malaysians should watch this movie simply because this movie creates a big impact to each and every one of us on how to be there for one another at all times.

Critical/Cultural Approach:

Ola Bola brings you back to the Malaysian football history, and how sports can unite us all. During the olden days, society had an ideology that we were all united as one - where we were colour blind to skin colour, and not divided by our races. This is clearly shown in the lyrics of the song "We Believe Again" which sings "Uniting races across beliefs and igniting spirits to cross the field's end".

The movie also portrays good self-image. In this context we can discuss about the high level of sportsmanship by all the Malaysian players. In the movie, Malaysia was playing against South Korea, fighting for a spot compete in the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. After playing the first half, the Malaysian team was informed that they will boycott the Moscow Olympics. However, the team kept on playing and gave their all, knowing that they were not going to compete in the Olympics. The Malaysian team respected their apposing side.

The character Chow, as the team captain, demonstrates hegemonic power towards his team and his coach.  This was shown when he disobeyed his team and coach which led to the downfall of the Malaysian team.

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Team:
Ning
Jack
Ali

Plot

A true story of Pfc. Desmond T. Doss (played by Andrew Garfield) who denied to bear arms in the World War 2 because of  his religious beliefs.  The movie talked about how he persevere through the discrimination of the other fellow soldiers but then earn respect for his brave act by risking his life to save 75 men from the battle ground.

Functional approach

Some people would watch it because of the actor, Andrew Garfield as he is a famous person in the media.He really did melt into this character and his performance in this movie was spectacular.The movie also did a good job on the visual of the movie. The director used the frames, angles and even colors properly throughout the whole movie.This film contains some of the greatest battle scenes ever filmed.

Other than that, It’s also a movie that appeals to wide age range of people ranging from teenagers to elders. Teens would watch it for the action and for the seniors citizens, it would be relatable to them who been through World War 2 or knew what happened during that era.Some might watch it to recall memories from the past.

Critical approach

This film mainly focus on the history of World War 2.It is a historical film which can educate youngsters about the horror of war.Through this, people will know more about how the war was carried out and what actually happened at that time being.The violence,the heartbreaks and the unforgettable moments about it.In a way,It also shows how unity and peace were not portrayed back in the days and compare to now,serious matters like these still have not yet to change.Humans would rather have sacrifices than to unite as one just because of different beliefs and opinions on matters. Not only that, this film also showcases a strong personality of an individual character .How a young soldier Doss,persevere throughout his whole journey as a soldier.The soldier himself has a very strong personality. He stands by his own point of will and he is willing to voice out his opinions on matters.His toughness and never dying spirit makes him stand out among others.This is important because these days, people tend to question their well being if they do not fit in particular crowd or being disapproved.It shows how important it is to have confidence in self.Doss, the soldier really carried out the message throughout the whole film.

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In groups of 3 to 4 pax, each student should discuss about one movie that they have seen recently that has made an impression on them - in whatever language - and share with the group what the movie is about with one another.

Then, study and discuss each recommended movie from a functional and critical/cultural studies approach. Remember, the functional asks the "whys" and "whats" while the critical/cultural approach talks about your interpretation of the movie - the meanings, the symbols, the hidden messages, the life lessons, the philosophies contained in the movie.

Each group will then pick the most interesting movie out of the ones your group discussed that best demonstrates the functional and critical/cultural studies approach and post it here on this padlet. An example has already been done for you using the movie "Mean Girls".