The Age of Stupid

DUE: April 17 - Midnight!
Late assignments will be docked 1 point per day. 

You are required to write an "academic film review" of the documentary The Age of Stupid.  We will talk a bit about it in class, and watch the trailer along with some opinions above, but it is your job to watch the entire film outside of class.  

To write this successfully, YOUR opinion and how well you express it is crucial. Write IMMEDIATELY after you watch, and then enrich the content with outside sources and a bit of refinement.  Your goal is write persuasively and engagingly, and to meet the requirements of a typical film review while adding some academic flavor.  Since this is a film about a serious issue, and not Batman Begins, you are expected to argue for or against the views expressed.

I also encourage you to READ and investigate the film a little.  What do other people say?

Google it!  IMDB is a good place to start.

Here are the requirements for your assignment:

After watching the film The Age of Stupid, share your opinions while keeping in mind a few key questions.  How effective was the film?  Did it change any of your views/habits? How valid is the message? Do you think the logical, emotional, and ethical appeals of the film are balanced or particularly one sided?

Do Consider and Investigate The Modes of Persuasion: Logos, Pathos, and Ethos.  Consider how a documentary can manipulate these to deliver a message (or even propaganda)

Word Count:500 - 800.  No more and no less.  Points will be deducted for shorter and longer.

Tone:  Pretend you are writing for a college student newspaper.  You can be a bit more academic and informally engaging with your style of writing.  A bit of  Cracked.com with a bit of Wiki mixed in.

Structure:

• Intro: Paragraph one should have a hook! You can summarize the film and tell us the important details, BUT don't bore us from the start.  Get us interested in the issue and confront us with the essence of the film.
• Body Paragraphs: You can get a bit TOEFL mode here, and analyze and evaluate up to three points/segments of the film that interest you. 
• SUPPORT: your opinion/credibility with: Quotes from the film, quotes from other critics, quotes from the filmmakers.  HYPERLINK with embedded links to your sources. 
• Conclusion: Bookend what you started with by delivering what your "hook" started. Give us your final verdict. 
• INCLUDE:  Relevant video, pictures, links etc. 

Focus on CONCISION and lean sentences. Don't be repetitive or make the same point twice. Keep your reader engaged and moving forward through your review.

REVISE and don't upload a post full of missing articles, ugly paragraphs, and misspelled words.

Scores heavily based on:

The beauty and appeal of your blog post.  Packaging, baby!

Ask yourself these questions:

• Does my post look nice?
• Is it easy to read?
• Do I have appropriate images that complement my content?
• Do I have too many images? Not enough?
• Are my images placed logically in the essay?
• Do I have several embedded links that indicate I've done research and outside reading?
• Do I provide samples of the video and contrasting opinions?
• Is my opinion clear and maintained throughout the review?
• Do I dig deep enough, or just scratch the surface?  

The entire video is embedded below.  Have fun!

UPDATE: The dorm parents have asked that you notify them when you are to view the film so as to avoid any potential violation of the computer regulations.  Please be sure to let them know when you will watch the film!