"Crash" (update of sorts)
So I'm trying at the moment, to set up a film night to watch and discuss the film "Crash." I've even lined up a faculty member who's volunteered to lead such a discussion. The movie made me think of bell hooks' analysis of the movie "Kids" and of various Spike Lee films. It also made me want to go back and reread her book "Outlaw Culture" and Trinh Minh-ha's book on cultural/critical representations in film as well. I cannot say how much I utterly adore this movie simply because of the fact that every second you think you've stereotyped a character, that you've distilled them down to the hollywood-bullshit essence, the movie turns and you see another layer and then another and then another. I bought this movie because I hope someday to be able to assign unsuspecting students readings such as the ones listed above and have them dissect this film and others, seeing film as a space for critical thinking. "American Beauty" has always topped my list in this regard as has "The Business of Fancy Dancing."
I'm working on my senior project right now for the honors college...of which...I have no clue what I want to do yet so it's a good thing this is just the proposal stage. I'm also researching graduate programs and schools and researching the history of the pride parade in Idaho. I think I would like to find a way to use either my honors project or my interdisciplinary project to truly synthesize all the work I've done so far in human rights studies. So that's where I'm at right now, academically anyhow.
On a side note, I've been assigned to co-present poems by Anne Carson in poetry class and I'm feeling quite privileged at the opportunity to do so. When our professor handed out a list of poets and I realized I hadn't read most of them on there, I felt the need to go browse the library shelves for any poets/books that really caught me. Thanks to this, I know have a lovely selection of poetry books to supplement my assigned readings. These are the books I'm reading right now. Some of which are by authors I have read before but most are not.
Writing Self writing Nation: Essays on Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's Dictee
From the Cables of Genocide: Poems on Love and Hunger (poems by Lorna Dee Cervantes)
When Living was a Labor Camp (poems by Diana Garcia)
Coming Close (poems by Helen Chasin)
Glass, Irony and God (poems by Anne Carson)
Hotel Insomnia (poems by Charles Simic)
From The Devotions (poems by Carl Phillips)
New Letters from Hiroshima and other poems (by Alexander Kuo)
Powers (poems by Marisha Chamberlain)
Post-Nationalist American Studies (thanks to Marcy for the suggestion on this one)
and that's about it, beyond reading the fifth Harry Potter book with my son and The Chronicles of Narnia as well. Update finished...wish me luck on getting this whole film thing down. ~peace~
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I love Crash and I'm so psyched to know you're working on a campus screening and discussion. Such an amazing film. But I wonder what about this film reminds you of bell hooks' analysis of Kids??? Do tell! I think this film is far more complex and interesting than that film ever could have hoped to be.
As usual you're reading lots--and lots of great things! You should check out Mohja Kahf's book of poetry Emails to Sherezade too, when you have time. Cathy told me she would teach it this year, but I don't know if she will or not. Also, Suheir Hammad's newest book of poems is out--Zataar Diva!!
Salam,
Marcy
Hmm, "Crash." Did you find this film believable? I did not. Nobody talks like that, and unfortunately, bad people do not suddenly morph into good people. If only that were the case...
Believability wasn't the focus of the movie for me. I agree that people don't change so easily, certainly not so perfectly in time with a movie score. I do think though that watching such a movie leaves you with questions and offers a fantastic opportunity for dialogue, such as: Is the movie believable? What do you think of the representations of race, gender and class? Are they stereotypical? Are they challenging stereotypes? How so? Why? Thank you for the thoughtful comments. I appreciate them!
I've seen Crash twice and it catered a powerful cast. But it was not the cast that really made the whole movie great. It was the whole story itself. Its' approach on significant and realistic situations made every viewer relate to it.
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