On Watching Amreeka
Last week I concluded my independent film unit. It’s always one of my favorite units to teach, partly because I am a filmmaker and partly because when I go to the movies, I tend to see independent films. One of the challenges of teaching the unit is choosing which three films to show. One limit [...]
Film, Illusion & Spectatorship, Part 1: Tie It Up With a Bow, Please.
Because I teach film in a high school setting, I have access to audiences – young, raw audiences. Every time we watch a film together, I get to monitor the reactions of about 150 people whose tastes have been primarily shaped by slick Hollywood standards. When they watch a movie, they want a blockbuster: they [...]