FILM 121 - Contemporary American Film

Credits: 5
Examines contemporary American movies: directors, actors, style, and themes of cultural diversity. Focuses on the examination of popular films for greater understanding of cinematic aesthetics and greater awareness of how movies today both reflect and influence values of our culture, with special focus on diversity of gender, ethnicity and class.

Satisfies Requirement: Humanities/Fine Arts/English and Diversity
Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Gain an enhanced awareness of, and appreciation for, the cinematic qualities of contemporary American movies.
Examine diversity in our culture, as expressed in current films.
Identify and examine prevailing themes and images in contemporary American films.
Engage interactively with contemporary cultural issues through discussions and analysis of course concepts.

College-wide Outcomes

Critical Thinking - Critical thinking finds expression in all disciplines and everyday life. It is characterized by an ability to reflect upon thinking patterns, including the role of emotions on thoughts, and to rigorously assess the quality of thought through its work products. Critical thinkers routinely evaluate thinking processes and alter them, as necessary, to facilitate an improvement in their thinking and potentially foster certain dispositions or intellectual traits over time.
Written Communication - Written Communication encompasses all the abilities necessary for effective expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas in written form.