Watching a movie called National Geographic: Moment of Death. They are discussing how to decide if someone is dead, and how death could be defined as the loss of personality. I know that many people would not think that is appropriate, but I do. This really is a thought provoking doc about how the medical establishment has to make decisions regarding brain death and the criteria used to make those decisions.
Next up was Chautauqua: An American Narrative about the town/resort of Chautauqua, which started out as a resort and Sunday school teachers vacation and teaching spot, and has now become a vacation spot for people who are interested in learning. I kinda want to go visit. They have "the 10:30 lecture" every day, which is quite an honor to be asked to speak at. It is a super white place, but they discuss how they wish for more diversity, and that it is getting better. I was impressed they even thought of it.
Office Tigers is about a company that provides office support, technical and administrative to large companies from India. It was very interesting to see how the company trains their workers to be more American. They are incredibly successful in teaching their employees to be successful and once they leave Office Tiger, they are easily able to get jobs outside in other outsourcing companies. It was not very good, and the man who was the President of the company kept asking people where their ties were. It seemed like it was a public relations piece about the good side of outsourcing, and it was pretty clear that the filmmakers were in the pockets of the company.
Family Values: An American Tragedy was a lesbian woman making a doc about trying to get back to having a relationship with her father who is a very strong right winger. The movie was made in 1996, which brought me back to some truly horrible fashion, but it also showed me how much work has been done to change the lives of gay people. The most interesting thing about this movie was how the father’s entire career was about family, but he had completely ignored his first family. This movie brought up a whole issue to me about the word tolerance when it is used to discuss anyone who is different. We should learn "tolerance" of gays, but I don't want to be tolerated. I would rather you didn't tolerate me and was honest about your uncomfortableness.
Classified X, is a anthropological look at how black people are portrayed in film, starting in the very beginning of the film industry and the immense racism that is inherent. It is really disturbing when you see how black people are not allowed to be talented, or sexual, or up front. It’s sad. There were even some black roles that were being played by white actors…sad. The whole movie was depressing. It pointed out that for many many years, black people were kept in the back of films, or made to play specific characters that played into white stereotypes of blacks. Oh wait, that still happens. Guess we aren't so enlightened.
Bangkok Girl, this movie talks about the bar girls, following one girl named Pla, as she goes about her day to day. This young girl, who started working in a bar at age 13 and was part of the booming sex tourism industry in Bangkok. It is depressing and makes me hate the western men, who think that it is their right to go and take advantage of these women who have no other options. I wonder how they would feel if we took one of their teen daughters and started running her to the strip clubs so she could work in the VIP room sucking off people. ARGGG this is so fucking depressing.
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