https://padlet.com/samtrefry/CW3S_Film2022 en-us 2022-07-26 05:21:58 UTC 2022-08-12 20:31:19 UTC hello@padlet.com samtrefry https://padlet.com/samtrefry/CW3S_Film2022/wish/2250730198 2022-07-27 18:41:43 UTC https://padlet.com/samtrefry/CW3S_Film2022/wish/2250730198 samtrefry https://padlet.com/samtrefry/CW3S_Film2022/wish/2252621188 After watching the heartwarming film Crip Camp, I noticed just how much their story paralleled other marginalized groups who had to fight for equal rights. Throughout the film, I picked up on how the disabled individuals experiences mirrored countless other groups that endured years of widespread discrimination. Prior to Jened, many of those featured in the film lived in a world that wasn't accommodating or accepting of them. Quite a few were ostracized from society and forced into "institutions" where the living conditions were horrific. The footage taken in the institutions showed just how grim the circumstances were. Aside from that, there was little to no accommodations or protections for the disabled. However, Jened was an oasis of peace and tolerance. It reminded me of the various books and literature that I've read that depicted Harlem, NY as a similar refuge for African Americans that fled the South during The Great Migration. Jened provided a safe space for expression and self-discovery. We see that the camp helped birth a revolution as those who attended went on to be trailblazers and pioneers in the realm of disability rights. The campers that went to Jened discovered their value and self-worth. They would go on to restructure the world around them, especially though the passage of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and Americans With Disabilities Act. I believe Jened was much more than just a “summer camp”, it also served as a place to nurture and inspire. 

https://screenrant.com/crip-camp-disability-revolution-camp-jened-closed-reason/]]> 2022-08-01 06:16:28 UTC https://padlet.com/samtrefry/CW3S_Film2022/wish/2252621188 samtrefry https://padlet.com/samtrefry/CW3S_Film2022/wish/2255105833 One aspect of the film, East Side Sushi that I really enjoyed was how honest it was regarding the way gender and ethnicity influence hierarchies in the restaurant industry. Although at times the movie seemed a little overt in depicting these power dynamics, it is completely accurate. After working for three years (as a cook) in both a diner and upscale bistro, I can attest that East Side Sushi is very accurate in its portrayal of kitchen politics. Women are disproportionately put into positions like server or busser. Often times they are paid less than their male counterparts and only make up 20% of all head chef positions. When we factor in race, only 17.4% of all head chefs are Hispanic or Latino (Source: https://lunchbox.io/learn/restaurant-news/women-in-restaurants-history). Given these statistics, I was impressed at how well East Side Sushi showcased inequality in the kitchen (albeit a little heavy handed). Juana had too contend with not only being a Hispanic women in a male dominated industry but also as a someone who had zero experience making sushi. I loved watching her evolution as she would peek through the blinds to get glimpse of the technique and handwork. Overall I'd give this film 9.25 out of 10! Highly recommended!

Photo credit: https://oaklandside.org/2021/11/01/images-from-the-dia-de-los-muertos-festival-in-fruitvale/]]> 2022-08-04 22:59:36 UTC https://padlet.com/samtrefry/CW3S_Film2022/wish/2255105833 samtrefry https://padlet.com/samtrefry/CW3S_Film2022/wish/2256447192 There was a line in BlackKKlansman near the beginning of the film, that was intended to be funny but also allude to the current state of race relations in America. In this scene detective Ron Stallworth is debating the chances of someone like David Duke (White Supremacist/Grand Wizard of KKK) becoming president of the United States one day. During the conversation Stallworth says, “America would never elect someone like David Duke”. The other cop tells Stallworth, “Just you wait”…Fast forward to January 20, 2017 where Donald Trump sworn in as America’s 45^thPresident. In real life. This overt jab at our nations decision to vote (and elect) someone like Trump speaks how little we’ve come since the era (1970’s) in which this film takes place. The ugly past from that time has never really gone away. It just shifted with the times and saw a renaissance of sorts once Trump was elected. The images of those white nationals in Charlotteville reminded everyone who watched what the face of hate looks like. It’s not a skinhead with Doc Martens and suspenders or some redneck wearing a white sheet and burning crosses. Instead, its “regular” unassuming white people carrying on the legacy of hate, generation after generation. This movie closes with those images from Charlottesville as a stark reminder of the hate that still exists and of a President who remarked that “both sides” had good people. Sometimes the truth is far stranger than fiction. 
(Photo credit) https://www.gq.com/story/face-of-white-supremacy]]> 2022-08-08 05:49:18 UTC https://padlet.com/samtrefry/CW3S_Film2022/wish/2256447192 samtrefry https://padlet.com/samtrefry/CW3S_Film2022/wish/2259644314 There was once scene from Sorry to Bother You that  lingered with me long after the credits. It took place in the beginning when Detroit and Cassius are laying in bed (in the uncles garage).  While they causally chat, Cassius abruptly asks Detroit if she thinks about death. He admits to her that he frequently has existential thoughts about death and dying. Cassius is worried that no one will remember him and after a generation or two, people are completely forgotten. We cease to be a memory for anyone alive. Cassius argues that nothing we do matters. This internal struggle is very relatable. His character is so flawed and vulnerable, which makes him human. I connected to Cassius in that way. Fortunately, Detroit was there to remind him (and the viewer) that is reason why we should live in the moment. Those moments we are alive matter because that is all we get.

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