tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post4839002729206850353..comments2024-03-09T07:19:46.311-05:00Comments on The Short Films Blog: Please Vote for MeMiddentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13829095129849712488noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-56276809851569297382017-06-06T02:58:19.432-04:002017-06-06T02:58:19.432-04:00a brilliant film, another like this is post dark b...a brilliant film, another like this is post dark by shotz7<br /><br />never turn an eye away from wrongdoings. a 4 minute short. <br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx61UBfkKKc<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14864653916940540710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-81374278132913689192008-12-14T17:02:00.000-05:002008-12-14T17:02:00.000-05:00A classroom full of young Chinese kids trying to i...A classroom full of young Chinese kids trying to implement democracy in the classroom. This film didn't grab my attention like the others did...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-42717875120842960952008-12-14T16:45:00.000-05:002008-12-14T16:45:00.000-05:00This movie looks awesome, and it brings up the pro...This movie looks awesome, and it brings up the problems inherent to exposing kids to complicated things at a young age. I'm a first grade teacher, and every day i find myself faced with explaining a new tender issue. Thanksgiving was tough ("The pilgrims and indians were friends for a little bit, but then the pilgrims took the indians land and didn't give it back. they didn't share. is that very nice?") <BR/> It's the same kind of thing, as I see it, with teaching Chinese kids about democracy. there's a lot to think about in any election, and if it's not approached from the right angle (if there is a right angle), it could dissolve into the worst kind of playground drama. as it seems to have here. kids need to be ready-- emotionally, intellectually, etc.-- to complex things.<BR/><BR/>on the other hand, can you just explain something like this? i think you need to get your hands dirty to see what it's all about, tears and all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-45097110463469290652008-12-14T16:34:00.001-05:002008-12-14T16:34:00.001-05:00yeah, this scared me too. that kids that young can...yeah, this scared me too. that kids that young can act like that and understand exactly what they need to do to bribe their classmates to vote for them. I don't think I would've understand anything on this level at that age. it's as baffling that I haven't even seen kids my age (20) acting like this.SCWestlindhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10623495122067714065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-44573398658720191892008-12-14T16:34:00.000-05:002008-12-14T16:34:00.000-05:00I'm still kind of hesitant to grant trailers "shor...I'm still kind of hesitant to grant trailers "short film" status. While I'm not denying that a great deal of creativity and artistry goes into making a trailer, I think the line needs to be drawn somewhere, and essentially ignoring the longer work the trailer comes from seems problematic. Maybe the issue we should be addressing is the level of respect people have for trailers as a work of art, rather than whether or not they can be short films unto themselves.Cecilia C-Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05558609901449856336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-91312746066214440092008-12-14T16:22:00.000-05:002008-12-14T16:22:00.000-05:00Along the lines of Pamela's comment, I would have ...Along the lines of Pamela's comment, I would have to say that a trailer could be looked at as a short film in itself. After taking an editing class this semester where I had to cut a trailer for a 100-minute indie feature, there is an abundance of creative decisions and storytelling methods that have to be utilized in the creation of a trailer. Just as this trailer chooses to portray the children in a certain light, the choices facing an editor when cutting a trailer are widespread.Drew Rosensweighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07152855437864024643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-66421175928662119252008-12-14T15:47:00.000-05:002008-12-14T15:47:00.000-05:00I disagree, to me it feels kind of like the direct...I disagree, to me it feels kind of like the director is making fun of the kids, and ESPECIALLY the parents. This brings up interesting questions about responsibility and ethics in documentary filmmaking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-47770323982948433492008-12-14T15:13:00.000-05:002008-12-14T15:13:00.000-05:00I think this is certainly a dark comedy with and u...I think this is certainly a dark comedy with and underlying message. The message or point being concerning itself with the potential of children to be anything, good or evil, corrupt or just, etc etcSteve Erdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07143395773012696879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-11810173926867569052008-12-14T13:20:00.000-05:002008-12-14T13:20:00.000-05:00I have to say I don't see anyting cutesy about the...I have to say I don't see anyting cutesy about the film, I find it a bit creepy. Yes, they are learning about democracy but they are at age 9 or 10 too well versed on trickery and corruption.<BR/>On a different note, I think an argument can presented for the trailer as short in it self. I'd like to know more about it and see the long form. But, the short tells me enough about the politics of the politics that this kids are experimenting with.Pamelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09443073903657408200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-49139364289823260942008-12-14T12:11:00.000-05:002008-12-14T12:11:00.000-05:00This is so depressing! In a 2-minute preview alon...This is so depressing! In a 2-minute preview alone, you see third graders learning the fine arts of bribery and bullying. I do wonder if the presence of the cameras had anything to do with heightening the stakes, although in some ways I think children might be more impervious to the presence of a camera because they're not fully aware of its implications.Alli Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02367208264054150681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-20852799948478933162008-12-14T02:38:00.000-05:002008-12-14T02:38:00.000-05:00I definitely didn't get the sense that this was ne...I definitely didn't get the sense that this was necessarily an anti-democracy film. The kids aren't really given much direction from their teacher re: what democracy actually should be, so they kind of create it themselves. It's a story that hybridizes childhood imagination with politics, and I truly think the result is supposed to be humorous above all else.Cecilia C-Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05558609901449856336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-13283297832291396942008-12-13T23:24:00.000-05:002008-12-13T23:24:00.000-05:00call me ackbar, but i got a distinct "it's a trap ...call me ackbar, but i got a distinct "it's a trap - move the fleet away from the death star" feeling while watching this trailer. meaning that taking heavily indoctrinated communist eight-year-olds and having them experiment with democracy with little or no introduction is kind of like teaching them to swim by throwing them into a stormy sea. which might lead a child to conclude that water is just plain dangerous and swimming isn't a skill worth learning. i haven't seen full movie, but i can see it going either way: as a consciousness-raising experiment, good for the children and the films' viewers, or as a commie propaganda tool (see how upsetting democracy is to our children? why would we want to upset children?!? democracy must be a bad idea!)<BR/>i would've preferred this experiment be conducted in junior high, some time after the kids have had a chance to read both lord of the flies and 1984.johnny in africahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12519027522464374320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27389910.post-67338482555415891472008-12-11T18:19:00.000-05:002008-12-11T18:19:00.000-05:00This was one of my favorite docs this year, not ju...This was one of my favorite docs this year, not just because of my obsession with Cheng Cheng (it's like the first time I saw a gigapet- WHERE CAN I BUY ONE?), but for its insightful and entertaining look at the results of China's one child policy. <BR/>A few interesting implications of what has been dubbed the 'Little Emperor Syndrome': 1) these kids have the biggest buying power in China 2) the parents are completely dependent on their children after retirement 3) only about 10% of these students will be accepted by a college or university.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04345386956469491868noreply@blogger.com