The Time Machine Film Review

If you are one of the students assigned to do the film review for The Time Machine, please add your review as a comment to this post. Post your review no later than midnight, Monday, April 30, 2007. A good review will do the following: Start with a short synopsis (summary) of the film (just the basic setting, conflicts and characters) Address at least three criteria for judging a film (see below); explain how good a job you think the film did in each area Include specific examples to support your judgments of the criteria Make your review free of mechanical errors (spelling, capitalization, grammar) Here are the criteria for judging a film that we brainstormed in class. You must discuss at least three of these in your review: · Special Effects · Acting (expression, movement, emotion, believability) · Soundtrack · Plot (depth, complexity, suspense) · Setting (place, time, ex. Space, new planets) · Sound effects · Satirical element · Costumes · Character development · Originality · Staging · References to outside topics/events · Cinematography · Dialogue · Makeup (goes with costuming) · Props (weapons, phasers, etc) · Transportation · Elements of conflict

Planet of the Apes Film Review

If you are one of the students assigned to do the film review for Planet of the Apes, please add your review as a comment to this post. Post your review no later than midnight, Monday, April 9, 2007. A good review will do the following:

Start with a short synopsis (summary) of the film (just the basic setting, conflicts and characters)
Address at least three criteria for judging a film (see below); explain how good a job you think the film did in each area
Include specific examples to support your judgments of the criteria
Make your review free of mechanical errors (spelling, capitalization, grammar)
Here are the criteria for judging a film that we brainstormed in class. You must discuss at least three of these in your review: · Special Effects · Acting (expression, movement, emotion, believability) · Soundtrack · Plot (depth, complexity, suspense) · Setting (place, time, ex. Space, new planets) · Sound effects · Satirical element · Costumes · Character development · Originality · Staging · References to outside topics/events · Cinematography · Dialogue · Makeup (goes with costuming) · Props (weapons, phasers, etc) · Transportation · Elements of conflict

The Silk and the Song

We read the story "The Silk and the Song" in class on March 14 and March 16. If you did not already discuss in class or write response notes -- or if you want to add to what you've already said -- please post a comment here.

I, Robot, Foundation, Childhood's End, A Canticle for Leibowitz

Post your SF reading journal here if you read one of the following books: I, Robot or Foundation, by Isaac Asimov; Childhood's End, by Arthur C. Clarke; A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter Miller.

Orphans of the Sky, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Left Hand of Darkness, To Your Scattered Bodies Go

Post your SF reading journal here if you read one of the following books: Orphans of the Sky or Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein; The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin; To Your Scattered Bodies Go, by Philip Jose Farmer.

Neuromancer, Ringworld, Gateway, Beggars in Spain

Post your SF reading journal here if you read one of the following books: Neuromancer, by William Gibson; Ringworld, by Larry Niven; Gateway, by Frederick Pohl; Beggars in Spain, by Nancy Kress.

Ender's Game, Doomsday Book, Red Mars

Post your SF reading journal here if you read one of the following books: Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card; Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis; Red Mars, by Kim Stanley Robinson.