Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
School Ties (1992)
School
Ties is movie that seeks to address the anti-Semitism prevalent among the upper
classes of American society, as seen in the exclusive learning institutions.
This anti-Semitism is displayed through the story of a young Jewish man who is
awarded a scholarship to a prestigious school that is essentially WASP
dominated. This scholarship is awarded to him not because he would have
otherwise been allowed into the school, but because of the fact that he is
extremely good at football. His being allowed into the school is for him to be
used as a quarterback to ensure that the school wins the competition. The
administration of the school, despite the fact that it is as anti-Semitic as
most of the students who attend it decide to allow the young man, David, into
the football team on condition that he does not reveal his religion to anyone.
This movie is the story of how David struggles with his conscience in order to
attain recognition from his colleagues as well as acceptance. By hiding his
religion, he manages to attain everything he wishes for because his fellow
teammates not only accept him, but his prowess in the field enables him to
attain stardom. His popularity is enables him to mingle freely with those
students who come from more privileged backgrounds from his, and despite the
initial jealousy towards him, Charlie Dillon, who had been put aside in favor
of David, comes to become his friend. At this moment, David has reached the
apex of his popularity and acceptance within this institution.
Things,
however, begin to go wrong for David when he comes to discover that the
school’s administration is just as bigoted as the rest of the students in the
institution. When he misses an important Jewish festival for the sake of a
match, he is found by the principal praying privately and the remarks the
latter makes are certainly not flattering. In addition, David becomes attracted
to and starts seeing Charlie’s girlfriend behind his back, and the jealousy
which the latter feels leads him to seek David’s destruction. When he finds
out, by chance, from a member of staff that David is Jewish; all hell breaks loose
as Charlie spreads the word among the other students. David suddenly falls from
grace, as he comes from being one of the most popular people in the school to
being the most discriminated against. Even his own roommate ends up avoiding
him. His girlfriend, who had only been a part of his life just because he was
popular also, leaves him and in the end, he is left in a lonely place, with no
one around to support him. All the discrimination that he faces is not because
he is any different from his fellow students, but because of his religious
beliefs, because he is a Jew. This discrimination sends a powerful message to
the American society, that anti-Semitism is not the way of the American society.
The anti-Semitism that is prevalent should be avoided because Jews are not
beasts but human beings who have feelings and emotions. Their religious beliefs
should not be a reason for the harsh treatment which they receive.
Charlie,
always the underachiever who tries to uphold his family’s reputation in the
school, decides to cheat in an exam and drops the piece of paper he was using
on the floor. The teacher notices this paper and asks whoever dropped it to
confess otherwise, the entire class would be failed. David and Rip are the only
ones who know that Charlie is the culprit but they choose to keep quiet.
Charlie takes advantage of this, and probably because of his hostility towards
David, denounces him. Despite the fact that he is obviously innocent, his being
a Jew condemns him because everyone prefers to believe that one of them would
never cheat in an exam. Rip, however, takes the initiative and tells the
principal the truth, therefore saving David from expulsion. It is at the
principal’s office that David comes to the realization that no matter what he
does in the school, he will never get the acceptance and recognition of any of
the people within it. he realizes that since he is being used to advance the
school’s football team,, he should also use the school to advance himself in
life. The final part of the movie is based on the empowerment which David
attains when he stops to care what other people think about him, and instead,
he comes to put his own personal interests first.
Control Room (2004)
Control
Room is a documentary whose main intention is to clear the name of the Al Jazeera
reporting of the Iraq war, since in the United States, members of the Bush
administration referred to this channel as the mouthpiece of terrorist
organizations, most especially, Al Qaeda. This documentary seeks to show that
this belief is not true and that it is merely propaganda to discredit its
image. When one watches this documentary, one would not fault the way Al
Jazeera covered the news during the Iraq war because it is revealed that the
coverage was balanced and to the point. Al Jazeera showed the true picture of
the war and not what the American government wished for its people to see; the
realities of the war. In fact, if one carefully considers the information which
this channel broadcast during this war, there would be a realization that the
American public would not have supported such a war had they seen what it did
not, only to the Arabs of Iraq, but also to the American men and women who went
to fight in the war. Control Room is an eye opener towards some of the events
which took place in Iraq and how these events were covered by the Al Jazeera
network. It reveals that, despite the statements made against it by the Bush
administration, none of the statements made were true and were, in fact, an
attempt to cover up the truth about the war from the American public. This
documentary is an attempt to show the news about the Iraq war, not from the
perspective of the media of the west, but that of the region in which the war
occurred.
The
first scenes of this documentary seem to reinforce the belief that it is a
network whose sole purpose is the spread of anti-American propaganda. The
people who are seen working behind the scenes are all dressed in traditional
Arab headgear, and when the American president issues an ultimatum to the Iraqi
president, it is seen that those observing in the room jeer at the former.
While, for many, this would reinforce the stereotype that has come to plague
the Al Jazeera network, the truth is that the scene was inserted in the
documentary to show that this network is not as different from those in the
west as many would think. The documentary reveals that the statements by
President Bush and his secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, that Al Jazeera
was the mouthpiece of Osama bin Laden and that it was the centre of
anti-American propaganda in the United States are completely unfounded. In
fact, it is revealed that the exact opposite is the truth; that Al Jazeera is a
network which is dedicated to presenting balanced news about the Middle East to
the entire world. It is not mired down by state or political interests but in
the interest of providing quality news. This documentary takes the audience
behind the scenes, and reveals the people who are behind the collection of the
news that is presented at Al Jazeera. While this network is much disliked and
thought of in a negative light by some people, it has one of the largest viewer
bases in the world, competing with such channels as BBC and CNN. During the
Iraq war, this network was among the one with the most presence in the country,
and it lost several journalists who were caught in American bombing while doing
their jobs on the ground. In an attempt to achieve objectivity in its coverage
of the war, it showed images of American servicemen and Iraqis who had been
killed in the war, as well as the destruction which accompanied the deaths.
Such images were rarely if at all, shown by the media of the West which reveals
that Al Jazeera was more objective than they were. Such situations came to be
seen as this network working against the interests of America, something which
the documentary reveals to be untrue.
The
documentary is shot at the Al Jazeera headquarters in Doha, Qatar, and it is
here that the image of this network as a producer of anti-American propaganda
is burnished. Instead, what is revealed is an image of people who work hard
just like in other networks to bring the news from the field and present it to
the public. What is shown is that it is not a network of propaganda as some
have put it, but one which functions regularly. In fact, the documentary shows
that the biases against the network do not stem from the network’s actions, but
from the various administrations in the west, particularly the United States.
The documentary does not just reveal information from one side, but it works
towards showing what people from the other side think. Among those who are
interviewed is Josh Rushing who is a media liaison for the American military
and has a strong belief in the correctness of America’s mission in Iraq. There
is also one Hassan Ibrahim, a journalist who works for the BBC and whose only
mission in his work is to find out the truth. Both of these people reveal their
true feelings concerning America’s mission in Iraq and the role of the media in
its coverage. The stance taken by these men on various matters can be a
surprise to many who watch the documentary as they show just how difficult it
is to achieve objectivity in the coverage of any news story. There is also the
revelation from some of those interviewed that they have a strong commitment to
democracy and that they, in fact, immensely admire the constitution of the
United States. This would surprise many in the wet because of the fact that
most of the countries of the Middle East, in which Al Jazeera is based, are
autocracies or absolute monarchies. This crumbles the common western stereotype
that Al Jazeera is for the sole purpose of inflaming the Middle Eastern public
against the American government and people. Instead, the image of a news
network that is dedicated to the objective presentation of news to the world is
revealed. The documentary serves as a redeemer for the tarnished image of Al
Jazeera and presents it as a network deserving of merit for the work that it
does.
Gran Torino (2008)
One of the most important cultural relationships that are depicted in Grand Torino is that between Walt, Thao and Thao’s Hmong family. Walt, a recently widowed white American, ends up striking a friendship with Thao’s family and becomes a mentor for Thao and his sister Sue. Sue also helps Walt learn Hmong culture and this cultural understanding brings him even closer to the Vang Lor family as well as to the rest of the Hmong community in the neighborhood. Furthermore, it should be noted that Sue goes against cultural isolation through her choosing to date Trey; a young white man. Walt becomes so involved with the Vang Lor family to such an extent that they become closer to him than his own family: the latter who he considers to be emotionally detached from him with their only interest being on his estate. Walt’s involvement with the Hmong community also opens his eyes to the cultural diversity that is present in his neighborhood and this allows him to ensure that he not only feels like a part of this community, but also seeks to protect them from Spider’s gang.
The process of acculturation is one where communities, mainly migrant, adapt to the culture of their new countries in order to fit in with the rest of society. This is normally done in a diverse number of ways from matters concerning diet to such aspects as language and names. In Gran Torino, it should be noted that a significant number of individuals in the Hmong community have come to adopt diverse aspects of American culture. Among these, as seen in this film, is that of dating, where both Thao and his sister Sue date; a situation which is not common in Hmong culture. Another aspect of culture that is seen in this film is enculturation, which is a situation where individuals learn the requirements of a new culture and adapt to aspects of its language and rituals to ensure social acceptance. This is the case with Walt who, with Sue’s help, seeks to ensure that he learns aspects of Hmong culture in order to better interact with the community.
Cultural relativism is the judging of an alien culture through its own understanding of its practices rather than one’s own. This is opposed to ethnocentrism which is the judgment of a different culture based on one’s own cultural perspective. Subcultures are the practices conducted by a small group of individuals in a bid to ensure that they differentiate themselves from the larger cultural grouping. In Gran Torino, all these aspects of culture are dealt with, as seen through cultural relativism where Sue encourages Walt to develop and understanding of Hmong culture. This is in contrast with Walt’s previous opinion of his Hmong neighbors where he often judged them based on his own culture and cared nothing for them. A sub-cultural perspective is where Spider’s gang conducts its own rites of initiation into the group and acts to punish those it believes are turning away from its culture. This is especially the case with the gang’s attempt to punish Thao for failing in stealing the Ford Gran Torino that would have allowed him to join the gang.
In conclusion, the discussion above has sought to show that Gran Torino is a film that portrays the diverse aspects of culture in the United States. Most of the instances that take place within this film are based on culture and its aspects such as ethnocentrism, acculturation, enculturation, as well as subculture. All of the latter are shown in the film through the interactions that take place between Walt, the Vang Lor family, and Spider’s gang and this ensures that there is greater cultural understanding; especially in relation to Hmong American culture. The film shows that cultural isolation is detrimental to individual development, as seen in the hostile attitude that Walt has towards his neighbors before the beginning of his interaction with the Vang Lor family and Hmong culture. Therefore, one would suggest that Gran Torino is a film that seeks to show how greater cultural interaction between the mainstream and minority cultures in the United States would allow for greater social development. Not only would it bring out the best of these cultures, but it would also lead to a situation where there is an advancement of social cohesion which is a desirable trait in any nation.
The Hunger Games (2012)
The motion picture gives the viewer a glance into the life of Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the post-apocalyptic state of Panem. In this state, because of a past rebellion, its twelve districts have to provide two tributes, a boy and a girl aged between 12 and 18 annually to fight to the death in an arena, with the sole survivor being declared the winner. Katniss takes the place of her younger sister in the games and because of her skill in archery is able to survive some of the worst attacks by her fellow competitors. In addition, she has a love interest in the form of Peeta, who before they get into the arena declares his love for her in an interview. The plot revolves around the relationships that Katniss develops throughout the film, from the one where she seems to love Peeta to her friendship with Rue, a girl from a different district who saves her life. Katniss looks upon Rue as a little sister and form a partnership with her, but this does not last for long as Rue is killed by a member of another district. It is from this point that we seen a change in the character of Katniss as she becomes more assertive and dares to challenge the authority of the government of Panem through various actions. It is through these actions that Katniss is able to force the hand of the government, to change the rules of the game so that individuals can work as teams. It is as a result of this that Katniss and Peeta emerge as winners, and the film ends with the president of Panem pondering on how best to deal with the emergence of defiance in the games.
There is a sense, around the main characters of the film, of being disconnected and alienated by the government and this helps to increase the excitement that one feels when watching it. This feeling keeps one wondering what is going to happen next, ensuring that one fully concentrates on the film, so the later scenes are not missed out. The characters are, unknowingly, brought together at the beginning of the film, each not having a hint of how interconnected their lives truly are. The participants in the games have to deal with not getting too close to the people around them for fear that they might find it harder to kill them when the time comes, since there must only be one winner. This situation keeps them alien in their new environment as they are not able to form the bonds of friendship, with the people around them, as would happen had they been in a normal situation. This film dares its audience to decide who the hero or the villain is because even those individuals who form partnerships, such as Peeta and Katniss, do not know exactly what the other is about. Despite the fact that they work together hand in hand to keep them alive, there seems to be no hint, especially from Katniss, that she does not have any feelings for Peeta until almost at the end of the film. From the beginning, these two characters are accepted as they are with no questions being asked, their behavior being taken for granted.
What makes this film special is not its plot, but the way the various actors starring in it portray the characters. Katniss is shown to be a woman who would have made a different choice in life had the responsibility of saving her younger sister by participating in the hunger games had not been thrust upon her. She is seen as a tortured woman whose life has been chosen for her, and there is no way for her to get out of this purgatory except as the winner. The lives of some of those involved in the games, such as Peeta, Rue, and Katniss are seen as a form of torture for them, and it is this shared torture that makes them come together to ensure their survival. Their motivation is to do the best they can in order to survive in situations which the fates have thrust upon them. Both Peeta and Katniss, through their acting up their love for each other do extremely well in the situations within which they are placed. Both of them go through the fights, killing all their rivals until they eventually become the joint winners of the hunger games. Therefore, neither of these characters can be described as being either good or evil, and instead, they can be said to be working for their own survival.
This is indeed a bold film which deals with the lives of individuals whose lives are going in a way which they did not expect. It focuses on Katniss’ desire to break away from the chains that are holding her and her society back, and this is despite the fact that if she manages to do so, then it might lead to her destruction. One can also say that the film is a tragedy because characters such as Rue end up dying and these results in a lot of grief for Katniss, with whom she had developed a close friendship. It can, therefore, be said that this film manages to capture the different aspects of human life. It shows the audience the futility of some of the actions that people take in their lives, teaching that one does not always get what they want. It is a film of revelation, as the characters get to assess their lives in different situations and come to find what it is they desire in their lives. The plot, as well as the skills displayed by the actors, has made the film one of the best to be made in recent years. The movie also has emotional twist, as seen where Katniss seems to be confused about her feelings for Peeta, and when the latter realizes that Katniss has been faking her affection for him throughout the games, he is terribly disappointed. Their seeming love affair is played out throughout the film and this receives high ratings from the audience, who are in full support of the couple.
Game of Thrones: The Beginning of the End
Winter is here. It's actually here!
After six years of mild weather, the snowstorm is on our beloved and hated characters. Facing the challenges from within and beyond the Wall, there is no doubt not everyone will survive.
We have been waiting for more than a year since last season. Again, this pesky winter setting was dictated when production could film these bubble scenes - there is only so much a snowmaker can simulate.
But now is the time for season 7 on us. No word yet when George RR Martin will publish his next book. Our bet is never, or the week after never.
Here is what you need to know about Game of Thrones Season Seven.
WHO
The DBs - David Benioff and DB Weiss - remain showrunner of the show, which they created after reading the secrets of George RR Martin, which he so stubbornly refuses to share with his fans by completing the next book. The DBs have known the end game for a while, and we expect a faster dynamic as there are only 13 episodes left over two seasons.
Frequent game of throne director Jeremy Podeswa will play the season opener and the final, while Alan Taylor (who has not led an episode since second season) will be back for the penultimate chapter.
New actors this season are Jim Broadbent and Tom Hopper, while the regular guests and recurring guests who have made it through the bloodbaths of the last two episodes of season six should be back.
Especially the core pieces - Peter Dinklage, Kit Harrington, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke and Nikolaj Coster-Waldeau - whose salaries have pushed up to a reported $ 3 million per episode (thanks to the sweet, sweet syndicate shops).
OK, now we dare in the seasons one to six spoiler territory. And some discussions about what could be in store for season seven - the trailers were very generous to provide clues.So, if you'd rather be as blind as Maester Aemon, we suggest you return now.
WHERE WE ARE EVERYONE
Since it was so long since we saw the Westeros team last, let's take a stock where we've all left:
Starks: Arya walks away from the Riverlands after beating Walder Frey out of her list. Sansa is not in Winterfell Queen of the North, while Littlefinger whispers sweet things into her ear (what could he possibly?). Jon is King of the North, though he is only a strong through the Matriline line, after the series has confirmed the prevailing fan theory in this vision. Bran and Meera slowly enter the wall after the vivid adventures.
Lannisters: Lastly, we saw Cersei ascending the Iron Throne and looking at Jaime with horror as he recognizes his sister / mistress is now the wild queen. What is a King Slayer to do? Tyrion, who wore the insignia of the hand, stood next to Daenerys, when their fleet made way for Westeros.
Targaryens: After six years of meandering from one side of Essos to the other and then back again and back and back again - you get the point - Dany is finally sailing for Westeros, ready to conquer her ancestral land and take the power back from her crazy Papa abducted. Meanwhile Jon Snow is waiting ... is it too early to include Jon?
Greyjoys: Theon and Yara have joined Dany. The mother of the dragons liked to take the breakaway Greyjoy siblings "wood horses". Her murderous Uncle Euron, also known as Grizzly Pacey, tries to marry for an alliance and has vowed to chase his treacherous kinship.
Tyrells / Sandpipes: Well, almost the entire Tyrell line has been killed thanks to Cerseis fireworks, but Olenna is still there and she is plotting, this time with Ellaria Sand and Varys at a Confab in thorns with speech of revenge, fire and blood. Delicious.
Cleganes: The Hound has become under the brotherhood without banners in the riverlands and the mountain, or the reanimierte corpse of the mountain, Frankenstein-ing is around the Red Keep with Cersei.
Tarly: Sam and Gilly certainly made it to the Citadel, where he foams over the bound tones that form the walls. So many books.
WHAT WE CAN DO
Jon / Sansa: Both Sophie Turner and Kit Harrington in interviews have depended on a showdown or at least the tension between the half-siblings as the jostle for the power in Winterfell remains unstable. Sansa is the one who is really responsible for Jons triumph in the Battle of the Bastards, and she is the legitimate heir of the Winterfell throne, but Jon has proclaimed the King of the North. Expect this rivalry to play in the coming season, especially with Littlefinger seeds seeds of suspicion.
Cersei / Jaime: The injuries of the Inkestuous pair could come in this season with a Cersei-Morphing in the Mad Queen, which does not really coincide with the joyful character of Jaime. We also know what Jaime has done in the past with insane monarchs. Can he really be the one who stops Cersei? Could be. But not before he defends the Lannister House, as we've seen in the trailer with him and Bronn, who led the defense in the fight against Dany's Dothraki warriors.
Daenerys: She is on the charge, she and her dragons and the uninvited and the Dothraki and the Grayyys, Tyrells, the Sand Snakes and Tyrion and Varys. OK, she has almost all on her side. The trailers show Daenerys, who touch their hand on Westerosi ground, what Dragonstone looks like, the home of the Targaryens. There are also insights into another landing party at Dragonstone with suggestions that it might be Jon or Davos to make a deal for the real war - the one against the white hikers.
White Walkers: The supernatural threat is only escalating and the trailers have shown us a battle in which Jon and the brotherhood without a banner looks, are largely under the whitewalkers and their zombie minions. We're pretty sure it's the Brotherhood because you can clearly see Beric Dondarrion and his flaming sword. The human group is secured into a circle as they are surrounded, not unlike the movement of Ramsey's forces drawn on Jon at the Battle of the Bastards - how do they get out of this?
Gendry: No clear view of the Baratheon bastard, last seen, row, row, rowing away in this little boat at the end of the third season. He has a strong claim to the Iron Throne and the fans have expected him to recharge. But really, the story has been moving so far since the Baratheon era, and there is a matter of urgency in dealing with the White Walker threat, any Gendry return seems like an unnecessary complication right now. Especially if there are only 13 episodes to finish the series. Leave him out there.
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
This documentary was developed for the purpose of ensuring that the American public as well as the rest of the world was made aware of events leading to the 9/11 attacks as well as its having occurred because of the connections between the Bush, Saud and Bin Laden families. This can be considered to be a political documentary whose main reason was to ensure the President Bush was not reelected for another term as president of the United States. The main message that this film attempts to get to its audience is that the Bush administration had lost all credibility to lead the nation and had to be voted out of office. Furthermore, the documentary attempts to show that the 9/11 attacks were a conspiracy developed to ensure that an environment of fear was developed in the country to such an extent that the Bush administration was able to pursue its political agenda in the global arena. The war on terror is presented as a cover for a sinister plot between the Bush family and its allies to ensure that they have control over resources in the Middle East at the cost of the lives of numerous American servicemen and women.
I knew nothing concerning the subject of the documentary prior to viewing it and what I found out was quite interesting. The issue of the 9/11 attacks having been a conspiracy was the farthest thing from my mind because of my constant belief that they were merely terrorist attacks perpetrated by the al Qaeda network. When I first went to see the documentary, I expected it to elaborate on the events leading to the 9/11 attacks as well as a background of the perpetrators. Furthermore, I expected it to document the progress made by the government in the war on terror and how it was gathering information concerning the eventual capture of Osama bin Laden. However, once I saw the documentary, I was surprised at the different subject matter that it covered and it brought to the fore many questions among which was whether the people of the United States are as free as they believe they are. Furthermore, my curiosity concerning the controversies surrounding the 9/11 attacks was aroused because I came to view them from a very different perspective from what I had gotten used to.
The main subject of Fahrenheit 9/11 are the 9/11 attacks and the events which took place prior, during, and after they happened. This documentary show that the Bush, Bin Laden, and Saud families had a long business relationship spanning decades and because of this, they had developed fast friendships. There is an implication that these three families were responsible for staging the 9/11 attacks to create an excuse for the American military machine to be used in attaining their political and economic interests in the Middle East. The documentary makes a display of the realities of the war on terror and how recruiters are used by military to bring in individuals from poor backgrounds to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Moore shows that despite its being widely touted as a war on terror, the main intention of this war is to ensure that there are further limitations to the freedoms of American people while at the same time working for the economic interests of a limited number of people. The documentary is filmed in the United States while there is footage from other parts of the world in an attempt to put flesh on its subject matter.
Moore makes constructive uses of sound effects in order to make the audience feel the sinister nature of the documentary’s subject. When he describes the manner through which a conspiracy is hatched to deprive Americans of their freedoms, the sound effects in the background enhance this and make the audience fear for their freedoms. In cases where interviews are being conducted, the lighting is quite sharp and this is used as a means of showing the audience the seriousness of what the interviewees are saying. However, when sinister connections between individuals are displayed, the images are darkened and this evokes an eerie feeling within the person watching the documentary. Important images throughout the documentary are brought into sharp focus especially where Moore is attempting to display such instances as where he is denied access to certain places. The interviews are quite interesting because Moore deals with individuals in a more or less informal manner, making them more comfortable and resulting in their saying more than they normally would have.
The part which I liked the most was that which showed President Bush at a classroom in an elementary school after being told that the World Trade Center had been hit by a plane. The moments that he sat still without taking any action seem to suggest that he may have been party to the attacks taking place. In addition, the documentary provides very important lessons one of which is that there is no need for certain legislation, such as the Patriot Act to be passed out of fear rather than being though through carefully. One of the issues which surprised me in the documentary was the association between the Bush and Bin Laden families which had spanned decades; a fact which I did not know before watching Fahrenheit 9/11. However, a drawback occurs where individuals such as President Bush, who are its subjects, are not interviewed in order to give their side of the story and this creates a situation where the documentary can be considered to be one-sided. Despite this, Fahrenheit 9/11 is a documentary which I would be glad to recommend from my friends because it is one which will open their eyes to the workings of the world and show them that not everything is what it seems.
A Possible Surprise in Store for Game Of Thrones
The latest theory of the Game of Thrones that is making the rounds surrounds the importance of Bran in the end of the series.
Since returning to Winterfell as the three-eyed raven, Stark has been busy scaring his brothers, but the future of the character in the series may be about to take a turn in the still more absurd with a theory that suggests He Is the terrifying king of the night.
A YouTube video posted by Game of Theories states that an episode to come could see a time-traveling Bran - now the all-seeing Three-Eye Raven - turned to the man who became White's leader Walker Forest Children create the army of the undead.
The theory says that Bran's transition to the Night King could occur when the Forest Children pierced the man's heart with dragonglass leaving Bran inside his body - a theory that seems most likely to check out the season six scene by showing The creation of White Walkers.
At the scene, Bran watches events unfolding from a distance - not warging here - with the YouTube video arguing that his position is directly reflected with the King of the Night, a producers movement that may well have been intentional. To this is added the fact that the King of the Night can touch Bran when he wins.
In addition, Bran's interaction with Leaf could provide theory with some legitimacy; When asked if the Children of the Forest are the ones who created the White Walkers, Leaf says: "We were at war, we were being killed, our sacred trees cut, we needed to defend ourselves".
Bran then asks who, and Leaf responds: "From you."
Perhaps this line could take on a new meaning later on the line.
The last episode of Thrones - titled 'Eastwatch' - was another fast paced tour (read our review here), which saw the stage for what could be the biggest scene of the HBO show so far and the long awaited return of a favorite of the fans.
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara (2003)
The Fog of War is a film which is based on the life of a man who has, for a long time, been disliked by the American public. This man is former Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, who can be said to be one of the most controversial figures to hold that office. This film analyzes the course of his whole life, in the perspective of McNamara himself. Not only does it look at his childhood, it also looks at the way he was brought up and the education he received. Furthermore, it deals with McNamara’s experience in the service of the public, from the time when he was a strategist in World War Two, to his being appointed Secretary of Defense, and also his tenure as the president of the World Bank. McNamara’s public career is laid bare for all the people of the United States to see, featuring interviews of McNamara himself as he speaks of the motivation behind the controversial decisions he made. One of the major highlights of this film is when he gives reasons for the atrocious actions he took when working as a strategist during World War Two. He is among the people who took part in the planning, and carrying out, of bombings of Tokyo in 1945 which killed many thousands of people. To justify this, McNamara states that the Japanese would have done the same thing to Americans had they been given an opportunity to do so.
The film also analyzes, at length, the years during which McNamara served as the Secretary of Defense during the presidencies of John Kennedy and his successor, Lyndon Johnson. It is stated by McNamara that Kennedy once suggested that the United States should withdraw from the war in Vietnam, but McNamara, in his capacity as Defense Secretary, advised him against it. A first hand view of how the Cuban Missile Crisis was handled by McNamara, with some of the decisions taken at the time being expounded on by the subject of the film, that is, McNamara. This film is divided into eleven parts, each of which deals with a part of McNamara’s career as well as his personal comments on how he handled matters in those times. McNamara displays an immense deal of pride in what he accomplished during his career in the public service, and although it was, he does not make any apologies for the mistaken decisions which he made. On the contrary, he only displays some regrets concerning those decisions and states that perhaps things could have been handled better. According to McNamara, the whole reason for the film being made is to make clear the fact that even reason has limits. What one concludes from this statement is that there are some actions, even of done for good, which sometimes end up producing results which are opposite what was. In fact, this can be said to be true of McNamara’s continued support for the Vietnam War even when it was known by the public that it was a complete failure.
For many people today, Robert McNamara’s term as the country’s Secretary of Defense was a complete failure. It is believed that most of the decisions he made tended to have a negative impact on the United States. This film, however, works towards the clearing of such a negative image of the man who served two administrations. It attempts to show that, like any other person, McNamara was also human, with all faults and failings that are associated with the race. The image of McNamara that is brought about by the film is that of a person with many complexities. It partially burnishes the common public image of McNamara being a heartless individual who would stop at nothing, nor hesitate to use anyone to achieve his goals. It shows that although his actions seemed to be ruthless on the outside, the man still had a conscience, and he often reflected on these actions. Another image of McNamara that comes forth in the film is that of being a player in significant historical events, which ended up being disastrous for those people who were directly affected. McNamara shows some regret for some of the actions he took in his belief that he was serving the best interests of his country. Despite this, he is not apologetic, and it is quite possible that the regret he displays is the closest thing to an apology that he is going to make. The film gives a rare glimpse at a man who was both enormously feared and admired by many.
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
One of the major themes of this movie is one of self sacrifice as seen when Jia-Jen decides to stay at home and look after her father and her sisters. She lives a single life because of this selflessness on her part and it can be said that she fills the role of the mother in the household. Her sister, Jia-Chien, is the direct opposite of her sister due to her selfish nature; not wanting to be bothered by the affairs of the family as long as all her needs are fulfilled. Jia-Ning, the youngest sister, lives a very carefree life and it can be said that this is because of the lack of guidance that she would have received from her mother had she been alive. Chu, their father, is a well meaning man who has chosen not to remarry for the sake of taking care of his daughters himself. He is a man who, despite the fact that his daughters have grown up and are supposed to move out of the home, continues to live with them. This is a sign of a caring father who, instead of choosing the modern way of letting his children go, decides to follow the traditional way of letting his daughters stay at home until such a time as they get married. The fact that his adult daughters are still living at home creates a lot of tension between them; a conflict that can be considered to be one between traditionalism and modernism.
This is an emotional film to watch because it does not have any action but it instead deals with the emotional aspects of the people within it. It has a powerful plot which curiously creates an environment that displays the day to day lives of the characters. It is similar to the the scenes that are increasingly becoming common in Taiwan, where the traditional way of life is coming into conflict with the modern ways. While some people are trying hard to retain their culture, the younger generation seems to be moving away from it. When one watches this movie, one comes to the conclusion that the old ways are losing out and that the best way to handle this transition should not be resistance, but acceptance. In addition, Chu’s slow loss of his sense of taste, something which he depends on to earn a living, is highly symbolic. The sense of taste can be said to be a symbol of the traditional way of life and the way that it is inevitably going to come to an end. The film itself is not boring because of the heavy drama which is involved in every scene. The camera work is done so well that this film can be considered to be a rare phenomenon in the Asian film industry, because the films from this region tend to have very little camera movement. In conclusion, it can be said that this film is highly revelatory of the way of life, and the dilemmas it brings with it, in modern Taiwan.
Infernal Affairs (2002)
The film gives the viewer a glance into the criminal underworld, that is dominated by the Triad, where criminal mastermind Hon Sam believes that he can make his gang live outside the law. To achieve this feat, he sends a group of young men to join the police academy so that when they become police officers, they will be able to keep any attention from his activities from the police. The main aim is to keep ahead of the police, by getting to know what moves the police are planning against him before those plans can be executed. In this way, he will be able to run his operations safely without any fear of getting caught. Unknown to Hon, the police are planning almost the exact thing against him. They want to place a mole within his organization so that the mole can tell them the moves that Hon makes, hence ensuring that he is caught red-handed. Under the supervision of Superintendent Wong, Chan is chosen to become the mole in Hon’s triad organization, and to achieve this, there is a public demonstration where Chan gets kicked out of the Academy despite being the best student. This leads him to enter the criminal underworld as an undercover cop, with only two people in the police department knowing his true identity. The duty, which has been assigned to Chan, is a perilous one indeed because he is tasked to remain with the triads until such a time as they are brought down, no matter how long it takes. Within the same academy as Chan is one Lau, who is a Triad mole tasked with keeping Hon up to date about the police movement against him.
The entire movie is based on the parallel lives which Lau and Chan live as moles in each other’s organizations and how these lives come to profoundly affect them personally. There is a sense, around the main characters of the film, of being disconnected and alienated and this helps to increase the excitement that one feels when watching it. This feeling keeps one wondering what is going to happen next, ensuring that one fully concentrates on the film, so the latter scenes are not missed out. These two characters are, unknowingly, brought together at the beginning of the film, each not having a hint of how interconnected their lives truly are. Both of these men have to deal with not getting too close to the people around them for fear that they might be found out for who they actually are. This situation keeps them alien in their new environment as they are not able to form the bonds of friendship, with the people around them, as would happen had they been in a normal situation. The mental torture these two men undergo in their adopted environments is further examined in the film through the study of the women who have been in their lives, both in the past and present. One woman, Lau’s girlfriend is a novelist who is not able to decide whether a character she is writing about and has modeled on her boyfriend should be good or evil. She does not realize how close to the truth her fictional character is to the reality of her boyfriend’s life. On the other hand, there is an ex-girlfriend who chooses to hide the existence of her daughter from her father for fear that he might be a destructive influence. Finally, there is a therapist, who has conflicting emotions concerning her patient, on one hand desiring him while, on the other, she knows that he might not be the man for her on account of his being a gangster. Chan also has feelings for his therapists, and it is only in her presence that he feels secure enough to be able to sleep. When not in her presence, Chan has insomnia, due to the burden which he has had to carry in the ten years in which he has been a mole within the Triad organization. The use of these three women in the film is done to show the various complications which the two main characters have to go through in their daily lives. They further provide an insight on the individual characters of these two men, and what inspires these women to behave towards them as they do.
This film dares its audience to decide who the hero and the villain is because even those women, with whom these men are involved, do not know exactly what they are about. Despite the fact that they work hand in hand with their coworkers on a daily basis, none of these coworkers even has an inkling that these men are moles in their respective organizations. They accept these two characters as they are with no questions being asked, their enigmatic behavior being taken for granted. The film helps to show just how alluring the life of the underworld can be, and how one can be tempted to go in and never want to leave it again. What makes this film special is not its plot, but the way the two leads starring in it portray the characters. Lau is shown to be a man who would have made a different choice in life had the responsibility of being a mole for the Triads, among the police, not been thrust upon him when he was younger. Lau is seen as a tortured man whose life has been chosen for him, and there is no way for him to get out of this purgatory. The character of Chan, on the other hand, is made to be the mirror reflection of Lau, whose duties as a mole among the Triads have been placed on him at a young age. Chan is also shown to undergo mental torture as he struggles with the temptation of forgetting himself and getting absorbed into the underworld. The lives of these two moles are seen as a form of torture for both of them, and it is this shared torture that makes them so similar. Their motivation is to do the best they can in order to survive in situations which the fates have thrust upon them. Both of these men have done extremely well in the situations within which they have been placed. Lau quickly rises through the ranks of the police, while Chan also rises among the Triads to become one of the most trusted lieutenants of Hon, the Triad boss. Therefore, neither of these men can be described as being either good or evil, and instead, they can be said to be surviving.
Since the film is in Cantonese with English subtitles, there are certain aspects of the film which are lost in translation. This is because it is difficult to translate certain idioms, which are humorous in one language, to another language, as in most cases, the humor tends to be lost. Despite this fact, however, the movie can be said to be excellent, and perhaps may encourage those who would like to get the whole picture of the movie to want to learn Cantonese, the language in which it was made. This is indeed a bold film which deals with the lives of two men whose lives are going in a way which they did not expect. It focuses on their desire to break away from the chains that are holding them back, despite the fact that if they do so, then it might lead to their destruction. One can also say that the film is a tragedy because when the truth about the two men comes to light, it is too late for either to redeem himself. Although Chan accomplishes his mission within the Triad organization by helping in the destruction of Hon, he still ends up getting killed by one of the moles planted by Hon in the police. Moreover, despite the fact that both men strive to redeem themselves through the destruction of the Triad organization, none of them gets the redemption because Chan gets killed while Lau ends up getting arrested when it is found out that he was the mole among the police for all the years that Chan was undercover. It can, therefore, be said that this film manages to capture the different aspects of human life. It shows the audience the futility of some of the actions that people take in their lives, teaching that one does not always get what they want. It is a film of revelation, as the two characters get to assess their lives in different situations and come to find what it is they desire in their lives. The plot, as well as the skills displayed by the actors, has made the film one of the best to come out of Hong Kong.
Saturday, January 13, 2018
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The U.S. Military should shift its focus from Terrorism
There has recently developed the argument that the time has come for military of the United States to shift its focus from terrorism to other matters which are designed to promote international peace. It is for this reason that many policy makers have increasingly started shifting their attention from the war on terror to other initiatives that involve less military involvement in combat and more on peacekeeping and diplomatic initiatives. According to McAllister (2007), the United States in recent years has come to develop some very close relationships with its former adversaries such as Russia, with which it has developed increasing cooperation in matters concerning nonproliferation and counterterrorism. The main reason for the increased cooperation between these countries, according to McAllister is mainly because of the increasing threats to international security through the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by rogue states as well as the development of religious radicalism which further increases international insecurity. As world leaders, both the United States and Russia have come to realize that they have a common interest in the containment of security threats and these have been exemplified through the increasing risk of terrorist attacks against the United States as well as the radicalization that is taking place in the Caucasus region of Russia. It is mainly through military cooperation between these states, as seen through bilateral, unilateral, and multilateral initiatives, which have ensured that there is proper distribution of international power in ensuring security. McAllister concludes that while the American and Russian militaries have in recent years seen some level of cooperation, the fact remains that these two countries still have a long way to go before they can be able to fully cooperate in all matters concerning international security. It is for this reason that cases that deal directly with national security are dealt with informally, on a case-by-case starting point.
The military-led war on terror has led to a situation where a large number of suspected terrorists have been detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and it is for this reason that there has been plenty of agitation for the release of some of them, because they are deemed to be innocent. Foley (2007) states that the supporters of the policy of detaining individuals for long periods of time without trial justify their support by declaring that it provides the president with the capacity to contain terrorists and through vigorous interrogation are able to provide details of planned attacks. According to Foley, this plan has been widely criticized from its beginnings because it is a direct violation of human rights and lacks in any moral grounds making in illegal. This use of the military in the interrogation and detention of suspected terrorists, Foley states, has been a complete failure because it has led to the imprisonment of some innocent people who have only confessed to crimes they did not commit because of the fear of torture. The fact that the military is used in the development of indiscriminate dragnets, incarceration as well as the use of coercive interrogations who have not been proven to be terrorists has led to the discrediting of the American military, which many believed is a tool of American injustice. There has developed the risk of intelligence agencies being provided with false information through the false confessions of individuals who do not know anything about what they are talking about and this has led to the increasing misinformation that has hampered the progress of the war on terror. Because of the abject failure of coercive interrogations, the United States government has come to fail to comprehend the connection between detention, interrogation, and detentions and this has led to the failure to sort those individuals who are terrorists from non-terrorists through the judicial process.
It is a fact that many of the individuals who, through military action, have been detained are not accorded any of the constitutional rights that are commonplace among most Americans. This has led to the increasing disillusionment of the families of the individuals that have been detained that they will receive justice by proving their innocence. According to Jenkins (2006), in the 2004 case of Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, the Supreme Court ruled that the individuals who had been detained by the government on suspicion of being terrorists only had limited rights and that because of this; they had no ability to challenge their status as enemy combatants. Jenkins further states that it was in response to this case that the Bush government formed the Combatant Status Review Tribunal (CSRT), although this tribunal proved not to be effective because it functioned as the propagator of the government’s case against the detainees. This tribunal has proven to apply a broad definition to all of those individuals who have been categorized as enemy combatants and because the detainees are prohibited from having lawyers, they are not able to argue against the tribunal’s decision to detain them indefinitely. The military commissions which were developed by the Bush government to try detainees on charges of terrorism and war crimes have, according to Jenkins, been rigged against the accused. This is mainly because of the fact that these commissions rely completely on the confessions coerced from the detainees through torture, the use of hearsay, as well as the use of soldiers as jurors. Because military commissions have the power of passing the death sentence to those who are brought before them has created a situation where it is extremely difficult for the individuals who have been falsely accused to get out of the situation alive. This is the reason why some innocent detainees, in their attempt to stay alive end up falsely accusing others and confessing to crimes they did not commit as a way of avoiding the death sentence. In addition, Jenkins states that because of the rigged rules that have been put in place in the trials of detainees, it has become the norm for investigators to remain confident that they will win all the cases that are brought before them. This is mainly because investigators have come to see little need to infiltrate terrorist organizations to gain tangible or credible details for their cases, relying on the mostly false confessions of their detainees. Kim and Allard (2008) state that since its development, there have been many challenges faced by the Department of Homeland Security in its attempt to create a common culture within the intelligence agencies under its jurisdiction. It is the development of a common culture between these disparate agencies that, in addition to the military, is essential for the development of a comprehensive antiterrorism strategy. This has not been the case and has led to the failure of intelligence agencies to develop accurate databases, and this has resulted in the failure of some military operations meant to deal with terrorist threats.
The 9/11 attacks on the United States has led to the development of a new American approach to foreign policy which is intimately tied to the security of the nation. According to Miles (2012), the American foreign policy towards Africa has been based on ensuring its security and this has come to rival development as the main reason behind American involvement in this continent. All development programs and projects that are of American origin have attached to them a security dimension, developed by the department of defense, which works hand in hand with such institutions as USAID. Miles argues that the high potential for acts of terrorism to be committed in the United States has led it to adopt policies towards Africa which serve to undermine its development. This is the reason, he states, why it is important for the United States to adopt counterterrorism measures towards Africa which are fairly mild to ensure that it becomes a strategic as well as developmental defense activity. Miles, in the writing of his article uses records as well as a study of the American policies towards the Maghreb region from the Bush through to the Obama administrations. The result of this study is that since the 9/11 attacks, the American policy towards this region has seriously shifted, ensuring that the previously diverse developmental and security initiatives in the region have become converged into one initiative. The result of this has been that there has developed a wide range of sympathetic public opinion throughout Africa towards the American military involvement in their countries, with many believing that they are the best option for deterring terrorism. This, however, has not been the case in American public, where there is a large number of people who question the validity of the military being actively involved in the developmental and security programs of African nations when they can do more in fighting terrorism.
The American military involvement in the war on terror has had an adverse effect on the internal stability of some countries such as Pakistan, which has since the beginning of this initiative, been a staunch American ally. According to Khan (2010), Pakistan’s military alliance with the United States has led to a situation where it is currently facing an internal crisis. This crisis stems from the fact that the government which recently came to power has had to contend with the commitments made by the previous government to the American cause as well as maintaining a stable relationship with its neighbors that has been soured by the war on terror. Khan further states that it is because of Pakistan’s involvement in the war on terror that its security has come under threat not only from India, its longtime rival, but also Afghanistan. Khan therefore offers the opinion that the only solution for this situation is for the United States to restrain the activities of India along the border close to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Moreover, according to Mohamadian (2012), there has been numerous debates among scholars concerning the unilateral military actions that the United States has taken in the Middle East which have come to affect diplomacy and international relations. While the intentions of some of these interventions might have been sound, the result has been arise in sectarian violence, especially in Iraq, as well as the prevalence of terrorist attacks, and these have come to threaten the American-led initiative to rebuild the Iraqi state. Furthermore, Ahmad (2010) states that there has developed some friction between the United States’ counterterrorism initiative and the one of Pakistan and this have created a situation where there is conflict between their national interests. Pakistan’s reliance on irregular warfare in its region is one of its instruments of national security and this has come to be challenged by the United States government which seeks to bring these activities to an end, therefore not serving Pakistan’s national interests.
The Virgin Mary Painting and Religion in Mexican art
As has been mentioned above, Roman Catholicism is the most dominant religion within Mexico and this has been the case since the founding of the state after the Spanish conquest. However, it has been found that the Catholicism that is practiced in this country is highly syncretic, and this is mainly because of the fact that a large number of the indigenous people readily accepted it after the Spanish conquest (Carruthers, 358). While this may have been the case, most of them accepted the new religion by making an association between it and their own traditional religions so that the Virgin of Guadalupe came to be associated with their goddess Tonantzin, and it is in the latter manner that she has been depicted in Mexican art to this day. It is a fact that Catholic beliefs have an influence on the daily lives of many Mexicans and this is because the Church has been a powerful institution within this nation since its founding, at times being in good terms with the state and in others being openly hostile. The Catholic Church has always been a champion for the rights of all the common people in Mexico as they have fought against tyrannical or elitist rule since their independence (Purnell, 222). These actions on behalf of the people have given it massive influence over their lives and this has been based on the respect that many Mexicans feel towards it. It is for this reason that many Mexican artists include aspects of their Catholic beliefs in their artwork and many of them feel that in doing so, they are fulfilling their religious and devotional duty towards the individuals that they depict in their work. In the latter case, most of the images which are depicted in Mexican art involve the Virgin Mary, shown in her incarnation as the Virgin of Guadalupe, and the most respected religious figure in the country.
Most of Mexican art tends to depict the daily lives of the people within this nation and this cannot be done without some form of religious attribute because of the fact that most Mexicans are highly devout individuals. It is therefore common for Mexican artists to include some form of religious symbol in their art, the most common being the image of the crucified Jesus or the image of the Virgin Mary in one of her incarnations, especially as the Virgin of Guadalupe (Pardo, 312). This influence of religion in Mexican art is normally further enforced through the involvement of priests in the daily lives of most Mexicans. This involvement tends to be marked by various important events such as during births, weddings, and death; all of these events being normally officiated by priests. In addition, it has been found that priests also get involved in other activities in the lives of many Mexicans such as when the latter need to have their property, such as newly acquired homes, vehicles and businesses, blessed by a priest. Thus, priests are not only involved in the daily religious lives of many Mexicans, but parish priests tend to be also involved in their social lives as well and this is normally because the priests more often than not know a majority of the members of the communities whom they serve. The priests, being representatives of the church, usually end up emphasizing, albeit unconsciously, the role of the Church in the daily lives of many Mexicans and all of this, one would suggest, has a profound influence on the work of artists. In this manner, the influence of religious practitioners in Mexico cannot be underestimated when one considers the fact that most of the art of this country is very religious in character and this attests to the highly devotional nature of the artists to their religious beliefs as well.
Religious rituals and holy places have been found to play a significant role in the art of Mexico and this is because of the fact that these are very important aspects of life in this country. In most art, it is normal for artists to make depictions of the events leading up to Easter, which is the most important event in the Mexican calendar (Conover, 441). These events, from the Last Supper, Transfiguration, and Crucifixion are among the most revered aspects of Mexican religious belief and because artists want to connect with their audience, they normally include these events in their art. The ability of religion to influence the artists of Mexico can also be attributed to the numerous religious observances that Mexicans often participate in throughout the year in veneration of the large number of Catholic saints according to the religious calendar. These events often attract a large number of people and pilgrims not only from Mexico but also from the rest of the world who come to visit the holy places in this country. It is mainly because of the high religious observance by people from Mexico that artists add aspects of religion in their work and they do this to ensure that they not only connect with their audience, but that they are able to sell their art, because it is through the latter that they make a living. Thus, artists often tap into the emotional attachment that many Mexicans have to religion in order to develop the form of art which is full of religious aspects which are often sold faster than those with secular aspects. For a nation which is highly devoted to Catholic beliefs, it is normal for many individuals, especially those who go on pilgrimage to religious shrines, to want to take religious art back to their homes (Bailey, 191). This is where artists have an advantage because they are able to develop art forms which appeal to the majority of the pilgrims and in this manner; they are able to make a more comfortable living from their work than those who concentrate on nonreligious art. Furthermore, it is a fact that all communities in Mexico, both urban and rural, tend to have their own patron saints and artists have taken advantage of this aspect of Mexican life to make art which is representative of all of these communities.
Because of the religious nature of many Mexicans, it has become common for the artists to make depictions of death and the afterlife in their art. This obsession with death and the afterlife can be attributed to the massive integration of indigenous religious beliefs into the Mexican Catholic culture and this has ensured that many of the artists within this culture are very interested in the subject (Nesvig, 225). For most Mexicans, the need to live a good life so that when they die and reach judgment, they can be promoted to paradise is very essential for them and this leads them to devote at least some of their time to religious observances. Their entreaties to the Virgin of Guadalupe to intercede to God on their behalf have created a situation where artists work very hard to ensure that they present this situation as it is. Death in Mexican culture is not something to be feared but is accepted as a basic part of life and is at times celebrated and it is mainly because of this perception that it has become part of their basic religious beliefs. It is for this reason that many Mexican artists, in their depictions of death, instead of making it gloomy and a sad event, depict it a celebration, as it is believed that those individuals who are dying have moved on to be with their creator (De León, 493). This is in contrast with other cultures, especially those to the north of Mexico, where artists often depict death as something scary which many human beings fear and try to escape it at all costs. Mexican art, on the other hand, is quite open concerning the various aspects of death and this is because of their staunch religious beliefs concerning the matter, since there is the constant belief that there is an afterlife and that the best means to deal with it is not to fear it, but to celebrate it. The best examples of Mexican art concerning death are those inspired by the Days of the Dead, which act as days when the dead within the society are not only remembered but also celebrated.
Artists in Mexico come from very religious backgrounds and their works shows how much it has a massive influence on them. One will find that even in their depictions of the most regular things in life, such as love, hate, nature, and other forms of art subjects, most of these artists often make religious depictions or they create images which more or less have religious connotations (Wolford, 1049). This not only enables them to show their artistic prowess, but it also allows them to ensure that they do so in a manner which is both attractive and devotional. Catholic beliefs are predominant within Mexico and it is very difficult to go anywhere within the settled part of the country where there are no religious depictions in one form or the other (Schroeder, 56). These often serve as inspirations for many artists who base their works on them while at the same time working towards depicting the everyday lives of Mexicans. Because of the highly religious nature of some of the Mexican artworks, there is a lot of demand for it from the extremely devoted members of the local society, many of whom put these artworks in their homes or places of work in the belief that they bring them closer to God. The art of Mexico which has religious aspects has come to also have a high demand internationally, especially from those individuals and states which are devoutly Catholic and this has ensured that there are massive purchases of the same. This demand has also encouraged more artists to concentrate on the creation of works which are religious in nature as this has more demand than secular art. However, in recent years, with the younger generation of Mexicans not being as devout as their parents and previous generations, there has developed a high demand for secular artwork. There has developed a trend where the influence of religion on Mexican art has begun to wane as the population becomes more secularized as a result of the various aspects of globalization. While this has been the case, one will also find that the influence of religion is still strong and while its influence may be waning, it will likely remain a strong part of Mexican art in the coming generations.
In conclusion, it has been found that religion has over the centuries come to have a significant effect on the development of Mexican art and this trend has continued to be the case to the present. It has also been found that Roman Catholicism is the most dominant religion within Mexico and this has been the case since the founding of the state after the Spanish conquest. In addition, it is a fact that Catholic beliefs have an influence on the daily lives of many Mexicans and this is because the Church has been a powerful institution within this nation since its founding, at times being in good terms with the state and in others being openly hostile. Moreover, it is important to note that most of Mexican art tends to depict the daily lives of the people within this nation and this cannot be done without some form of religious attribute because of the fact that most Mexicans are highly devout individuals. Furthermore, in most art, it is normal for artists to make depictions of the events leading up to Easter, which is the most important event in the Mexican calendar. Finally, because of the religious nature of many Mexicans, it has become common for the artists to make depictions of death and the afterlife in their art. Thus, one would say that the artists in Mexico come from very religious backgrounds and their works shows how much it has a massive influence on them.
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