Mississippi Burning by Alan Parker

           Mississippi Burning is rather a controversial movie of olden times when racial discrimination is still at large. It takes place in the Southern part of America where there were different races living amongst each other in the year 1964 when the Civil Rights Movement took place. This particular movie takes place in the town of Mississippi where racial instability is intense and together in the setting of a cult known as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) whom opposes equal rights among the minorities such as the Blacks. I find this movie to educational and intense because it reflects the dispute between different races and the fight of a better cause such as equal rights. It really portrays the intricacies and the fragility of a multi-racial society to a remarkable extent.

This movie discusses about two FBI agents whom are sent to investigate a series of murders in the town of civil right workers. Two of the protagonists have different views about how to investigate the case. I think this is a smart detailing because it depicts that there are multiple ways to solve a murder instead of the direct approach and also to use, which truly is dependent on the setting.  It also shows the necessity to use unorthodox methods to solve a crime especially when dealing with lies of the local authority and also important figures who are involved in the murder. This movie also managed to depict the struggle of the minority during that time and also the struggle of the whites that supported such a move and dare not do it openly due to aggressiveness of the extremist group such as KKK. For instance, the deputy sheriff assaulted his own wife for exposing details on locations to the FBI.

In my belief, the aggressiveness of the extremist group (KKK) and the series of murders, actually strengthen the resolve for peace by the general population. The irony of instead by using fear to go against the Civil Rights Movement, I believe they are actually one of the catalyst that aid the success of this movement. 

Forget Paris by Billy Crystal

                

           Forget Paris described the love story between Mickey and Ellen. Just like any ordinary romantic movie, Mickey and Ellen met each other in French and fell in love in Paris, the city of love. After getting to know each other in beautiful weekend, they were deeply in love with each other. Despite the distance and difficulty that they face, Mickey and Ellen decided to get married. However, unlike their dating time, married life was not as blissful as they thought. There are various issues that they have to take into consideration, learn to tolerate in order for their relationship to work out.

Unlike other chick flick, Forget Paris depicted conflicts that many couples would eventually face in certain stage of their relationship. Personally I like the issues that were raised in this movie. In fact it reminds me of my relationship because most of the conflicts does present in my own relationship. By taking the struggles that Mickey and Ellen faced in their relationship, it gave me a sense of reality. To me it is important to take all ups and downs into consideration instead of generalizing all relationship as happy and as long as you found the one you love the most in your life, you will be able to live happily ever after just like what fairy tales says. This element of practicality is important because movie has great influence over the audience. By selectively screening the most fruitful part of a romantic relationship and ignoring the routine fighting that a couple might have, a movie could prime the audience and lead them to unrealistic belief such as ‘love is the best thing in the world’, ‘nothing is impossible with love’, ‘as long as you love me, you will never fight with me’, etc. This unrealistic belief then could play a role in all the misery, sadness and dissatisfaction face by the couple these days. It could also mislead the adolescence thus make them susceptible to the lies that they were told. 

Whale Rider by Niki Caro

Whale Rider focuses mainly on the topic of gender discrimination by linking it to the Maori’s tribe. It depicted the experience of Koro, the tribe chief’s struggle in seeking for the next leader. Koro’s granddaughter, Paikea who was name after the great ancestor of Maori demonstrated a strong interest toward the tribe’s tradition. However her enthusiasm was not appreciated by Koro because he insisted that only a male can take the leader position and guide the tribe. Female is perceived to be less valuable as compared to guy and this is similar in the real life.  

Even though the issues of gender stereotype and gender discrimination has receive enormous amount of attention in recent years, is has not been resolve well. There are certain forms of discrimination that are still existed in our daily practice, unfortunately.  Despite the constant attempts in today’s society in demanding for gender equality, there are discriminations that we deem to be ‘normal’ that exist which we should address. One of the examples of that would be the phenomenon of ‘glass ceiling effect’ that exists in the working world. Many female in my family side has sort of accepted the fact that being a female will never get promoted. Instead of viewing this as a form of discrimination, they perceive this phenomenon as something ‘normal’. Unlike them, Paikea does not give in to what she was told. Even though she was scolded and warned by her grandfather to not mess with the traditions, she silently followed Koro’s class and acquired the knowledge that she desire.

I cherish Paikea’s courage in holding onto her own belief. This is something precious that we should learn in our life. Instead of obeying the rules that were set upon us, we need to constantly question ourselves on the rules to make sure that it is worthwhile to follow. 

Strictly Ballroom by Baz Luhrmann

Strictly Ballroom is an Australian dancing comedy in 1992. It focuses on Scott, a young ballroom dancer who was born in a ballroom dancing setting family. He was trained to dance by his dancer mother and is expected to win the Pan Pacific Award on behalf of his parents. Scott loses in a competition because of his attempt to create his own dance step. Everyone was shocked and disappointed with his action and Scott was warned to just stick to the conventional dancing step.

The scene when Scott’s mother was in a meeting with the president of Australian Dancing Federation reminded me of some daily issues and opinion that I always hear from my mother. According to the president, they can’t allow everyone to create their new dance step or else no one is going to attend to any of the dancing class. This scene clearly demonstrated the reality of our society also the use of power to control and manipulate people. There is nothing wrong with creating a new dance step; in fact, it actually encourages the creativity of each individual. However, those with power fear that their personal benefit will be harm, thus restricting every dancer in a little cage. The act to obtain and maintain power is not something new in our society especially to those who often involved in the office politics. I have some friends who make use of this form of power to demonstrate her superiority among her peers. For example, she would gossip and backstab person A to person B and do the same to person A. When person A and person B fights with each other, she would be the one that stand out and be their facilitator. Her worry is that if person A and person B is close to each other, they will no longer need her and she might be left out in the future.

There is no right and wrong when one tries to obtain and maintain his power. It may seem to us that what the president and Scott’s mother is doing is wrong because we are the third party and we are not involve. Hence, I think it is important for us to notice the existence of power and other’s attempt in obtaining it instead of concluding it as a bad act.

Awakening by Penny Marshall

Awakening is an American movie in the 90s that based on a neurologist, Oliver Sack’s real life experience. This video depicted how Dr. Malcolm Sayer tries to cure his encephalitis epidemic patients who demonstrated catatonic symptom by administering drugs and stimulus. In the process of searching for the best solution to cure his patients, Dr. Sayer comes across L-Dopa, a drug that was known to treat Parkinson disease. He notices the similarity of symptom in patient with Parkinson disease and his catatonic patient and has decided to treat his patient with L-Dopa.

I was astonished by Dr. Sayer’s decision to treat his patient with a drug that is not meant for them. Even though he did some reading and attended a lecture on L-Dopa, that doesn’t give him the right to simply administered the drug to his patient simply because he THINK it work. Also, I was having a hard time to accept the fact that Dr. Sayer and his pharmacist simply manipulates the amount of drugs to be administered to Leonard. I was completely stunned when Dr. Sayer silently doubled the amount of drug of Leonard without the assistant of his colleague and administered it to Leonard. Dr. Sayer was gambling with Leonard life by assuming excessive amount of drugs would help Leonard when his colleague suggested reducing the amount of drug to be administered. Even though Leonard does turn better and ‘woke up’. I was disappointed by the fact that Dr. Sayer doesn’t bother to observe Leonard for a period before administering L-dopa to the other patients. He could have prevented the awakening of other patients and safe them from the frustration that they have to deal in accepting who they are now and the deterioration of their health when the drug effect fade off. This inspired me to think about several ethical issues that arise from this movie. I am glad that we (psychology student, medicine study and etc.) were taught to place ethic and the welfare of our clients at the first place as this can guarantee the quality of the treatment provided. At the same time, I manage to better appreciate the rules and laws that we were forced to obey because that seem to be the only thing that can govern the welfare or the consumer from harms. Like it or not but this is the fact that history appears to show.