I am a simple man who enjoys simple pleasures. I like drinking my beer cold, playing the occasional round of campus golf and watching movies with friends. I have spent my fair share of weekends on campus doing all three activities. Although I feel passionate about each of these interests, The DePauw would only allot me a column to write about new movies, so here we are.
While contemplating the tone I should use when writing this column, I had trouble figuring out the direction I should take. Should these reviews be educational (putting the movies in cultural and historical contexts), informative (talking about acting, directing, and thematic elements), or solely as entertainment? Ultimately I decided I would implement all three elements, and at the same time keep it lighthearted considering that this column is meant to entertain people and not for an academic journal.
It would be remiss of me to not explain why I like film and movies: I enjoy them because of their links to media. Unlike other types of media, film and movies are consumed through multiple senses. Mainly, visual and auditory. Movies, regardless of what some people might say, are important media texts, much like literature. A good movie review can be very similar to that of a book review. They both deal with social, cultural, and historical issues. Sometimes these are handled well, such as The Purge: Election Year (2016) and its parallels to modern day election tactics. Other times these reviews miss the mark, like Indiana Governor Mike Pence’s views on liberal propaganda in Disney's Mulan (1998). Many people view movies as a diversion for a couple hours, and they can be; however, many are made for deeper purposes beyond superficial entertainment.
You all might be wondering, what qualifies me to review movies for The DePauw? The answer is simple; I like to talk about film. Countless nights have ended with my friends and me talking until early in the morning about either a terrible horror movie we saw, or a classic that someone has not seen. I want nothing more from this column than for it to incite you and your friends to start discussing movies. I have a penchant for pop culture information which is only of real value in writing columns and answering Jeopardy questions. Until Alex Trebek calls, I guess I’ll stick to columns.
These last two paragraphs may seem slightly contradictory, but I promise it will make sense as my reviews progress throughout the semester. Don’t be surprised if my reviews bounce from hysterical dialogue in one paragraph to the social construction in the next.
In this features column, I welcome you all on a trip with me just down the road to Ashley Square Cinema. It’s free, so go enjoy a movie. My next column will be a real movie review, so be on the lookout. Until next time, I’m Jeff at the movies.