Geog/Film

Welcome, Fall 2019

This is the class weblog for GEOG 207 Geography & Film at Western Oregon University.

• Get more information about the course.
• Get more information about the blogging requirement.
• Learn more about the Department of Geography & Sustainability @ WOU.

Last week of blogging

A reminder that this is the last week of blogging. The week ends at 11:59 pm on R 12/5.

Comparative Analysis drafts

You should bring a shareable rough draft of your third Comparative Analysis to class on W 12/4.

Topics for M 12/2

Here are, belatedly, some topics for our discussion of X2. Feel free to comment.

• Which characters embody mutation as marginalization?
• Which can “pass”?
• How does the film in particular show mutation as a metaphor for gayness/queerness?
• How does Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) embody mutation as queerness?
• Brian Cox as William Stryker - how does he embody prejudice against mutants?
• How does the film show de-humanization of mutants?
• Logan (Wolverine/Hugh Jackman) - how doe he embody the dehumanization of mutants?
• How do mutant “powers” complicated the idea of mutants as marginalized? How does Magneto, in particular, (Ian McKellen) embody that complication? Which of the “good mutants” also embody this complication?

Final call for theory topics and questions

Last chance to get your film questions answered.

Mutants On The Margins

Are mutants/the X-Men compelling to you as marginalized figures? What do see them as being a metaphor for, e.g., sexuality, gender identity, race and ethnicity, ability? How does X2 show this marginalization?

Reflecting on the films

So, thinking back on all of the films we have screened this term:

• Which film is your favorite?
• Least favorite?
• Which are you likely to watch again?
• Which are you likely to never watch aagain?
• What film are most glad to have seen?
• Least glad?
• Which was most interesting to you in terms of mise-en-scène?
• What was most interesting to you in terms of the theme of On the Margins?

Open thread

Post on other matters from the week here.

Initial reactions to X2

Share your initial reactions to X-Men: United here.

Carol On The Margins

How do Carol (Cate Blanchett) and Therese (Rooney Mara) negotiate their identities in daily life? In what way do they try and flee "to the margins" to live their lives together? Why doesn't this work? What are the power differences between the two of them?

Theory questions

Next to last chance to ask whatever you want about film.