Assignment Zero

My name is Charlie (full name Charlotte) and I am an English major. Technically, I think I am a super super senior (took some time off and transferred around a lot so my credits are wack), but for all intents and purposes I am a senior, graduating next Spring. I love movies and I love thinking and talking critically about movies because I'm interested in the ways creators and artists convey story effectively.

I tend to like big budget, high concept, fast paced action movies, like the new Mad Max or the recent influx of Marvel comic book movies. If I had to pick a favorite, I guess I would choose the Lord of the Rings series, simply because I've watched them so many times that I feel sort of beholden to mention them. Also, they're proof that a movie adaptation can be as stimulating and enjoyable to watch as the original book was to read. It can be a frustrating experience, but I enjoy watching movie adaptations of books, because if they're done right, it can be really interesting to see how story translates across different mediums. The adaptation, while not one hundred percent faithful, was able to manipulate the story so that it stayed true to the core of the series. Also, visually decades ahead of its time. (So I guess I'm not beholden, I just really like these movies.)

Some other favorites include Ran, Children of Men, Melancholia, and Braveheart. I've also got a special place in my heart for Miyazaki movies.

I think I'd like to expand my catalog of film knowledge, which is partly why I am taking this class (I'm also a CSCL wannabe, so I try to take as many classes as I can), so I hope we watch a variety of films. I'm always up for a good bad movie, but I draw the line at dead cats. No Re-Animator please.