Topics

I know from experience that Netflix is very popular among college students as a form of amusement and stress-relieving. I think this might be an interesting topic to talk about how it might be affecting their education and/or social experiences at college. Is this a problem? or does it have the capability to eventually become a problem?

Netflix stands by its method of releasing an entire season of a show at once; House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt are all successful shows that have used this method. How will this change the television series model? Will cable television shows lag behind due to the extra space between each episode's release? Without the concept of screen time on a network, will we see more series produced exclusively for the web, where we have unlimited space and time for television shows? How will this change the structure of each show? Will dramas continue to end each episode with suspense to ensure the viewer's return, or save the big twists for the end of the season? And, as an afterthought, will cable shows garner more fans when they are released online for streaming, versus their original premiere on a network?

When films are claimed to be "based on a true story," it is difficult to discern which parts are based on fact and which are fictional without knowing or researching the true history. But are the majority of viewers concerned with this distinction, or are most simply happy to watch an entertaining movie? Does finding out the actual story 'ruin' the movie, make it more interesting, or have no effect whatsoever?

Analyse the methods/extent of effectiveness of the use of the 'bat-voice' by the likes of Michael Keaton, Kevin Conroy, Christian Bale etc. and how it plays into the different dimensions and tones of their respective series.

Many childhoods involve classic Nintendo games that are still ongoing series, like Mario, Zelda, and Sonic. People still play their games when they are older but have different experiences, some of these games, like super smash and pokemon, are even used in game tournaments. Analyze how some of these games still hold entertainment for all ages, some fail in a certain age group, and maybe what these games should be doing to provide for both audiences. The evolution of certain game series should be taken into account for as well.

Most writers might be aware of the tedious rules that are involved in writing, particularly when they intend to publish in the media. Generally these guidelines are relaxed in the entertainment value of publishing, though there are larger expectations when dealing with other major groups, such as scholarly journals and education platforms.
The subject here pertains to the various formats designated to various organizations, and offers to investigate the reasons/causation for these different writing styles. It is suggested to review the details of what separates one format style from another, and what could it mean about their importance on the academic scale. An idea might also be to argue in favor for benefits to the formatting changes, or perhaps to dispute if a uniform format might serve best in the academic world. What is your contribution to the format standardization in writing?

The harem genre is a term used for anime that have one guy surrounded by a bunch of girls (usually they have a romantic interest in the main character). Sometimes there are 'reverse harems' where it's 1 girl surrounded by a bunch of guys. Take a look at the history of the harem genre in anime, which series have been popular, why the harem genre is popular/interesting and some of the most entertaining, high quality, maybe even odd harem anime. Are love triangles a more effective system?

Have you ever wondered why Comic Books and Video Games (And I mean some class act video games) are never treated with the respect that movies, television shows and novels are? Movies have their Oscars, Television Shows have their Emmys and sometimes, the two share the Golden Globes. Books on the other hand have their Newbery and Caldecott Medals. But where are those ceremonies for mediums that have more than proven themselves in the world of entertainment? It's pretty ridiculous that all these other forms of entertainment are being praised with awards, which just isn't fair. Or is it? Glamorization and glorification of a specific medium (ahem… film… ahem) overhypes and overrates it, to the point where audiences blame ceremony holders for playing favorites. Is it a good thing or a bad thing that comic books and video games aren't subject to this rat race? Is it a bad thing that they weren't considered at all to at least be invited to a race where talent, a fairly subjective quality, is given an award? Maybe it's a good thing, but then again … the article has yet to be written.

Analyze the original Gojira film and its importance as an allegory for the horrors World War II. Maybe offer suggests on how the view of Godzilla has changed over the decades.

The emphasis of a woman’s appearance as a means of fashioning an identity in literature, art, film, or TV. Discuss and explore the ways in which fashion and consumer culture influence individual self-creation (whether it be in literature, film, etc.). Female beauty and self-confidence are consistently linked to male attention in literature, and this “beauty” that attracts the men is, most of the time, some kind of physical beauty. This topic would analyze how beauty is equated with physical appearance (meaning possession of expensive commodities and attractive body shape) and how a woman’s level of attractiveness is often linked to the status, price and brand, of her clothing and commodities in literature, film, or TV. Furthermore, discuss the idea that women’s appearances are emphasized and linked to consumer culture and often times used as a means of connection to wealth and status in literature, TV, film, or any other form of art/ popular culture.

Over the summer a friend expressed an interest in starting to read comics to me, however he seemed overwhelmed and eventually disheartened by the idea. Too many titles, too much history, and too expensive… it can be a little much for people on the outside. It's become a somewhat accepted fact that actual reading of comic books is a subculture. Look into how this small readership (vs cinematic and televisions viewers) effects the industry. What can be done to make people more interested in picking up the titles? How do we help people with the interest start?

A look at what makes great good anime, what's the definition of "anime" and the basic history of anime. Basically, a piece for people who have heard of anime, but haven't jumped into the genre of anime.

Analyse the dynamic between heroes and villains and how those interactions carry the story or if they're bad, how they are a detriment to the plot.

Analyze what about the Grimm fairytales causes them to be recycled artistically age after age. What is their cultural legacy in the Western world? "Children's and Household Tales," now commonly known as "Grimms' Fairy Tales," has supposedly been translated into over 100 languages, and besides the Bible, is the most commonly purchased work throughout the world. These tales continually serve as a source of inspiration for writers, artists, and filmmakers. Include a discussion of Grimm adaptations throughout the centuries: some suggestions are the poem "Der Erlkönig" by Goethe, the Pre-Raphealite painting "The Council Chamber" by Edward Burne-Jones, and a few modern films ("Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters," "Into The Woods," the television show "Grimm," etc.)

Gender violence and female submissiveness is at the heart of Alan Moore's Watchman. It is pivotal to the plot and is at the center of part of the overall drama. But what is the point? How does the attempted rape of Miss Jupiter matter in the overarcing "save the world" plotline and the end of Golden Age comic book innocence?

Analyse the portrayal of freak shows in popular culture. The fascination with the deformed and/or exotic body has been a source of entertainment since the mid-16th century. Although freak shows in circuses have largely died out, the interest in these kinds of shows has persisted in the form of film, books, and movies. What do TV shows such as American Horror Story: Freak Show and films like Freaks say about human fears, anxieties, and culture?

As we all await the release of the new Star Wars this winter, we should consider the fact that this series did not start off in print. That is to say, it was a movie sensation before anyone created a printed version of the story. Since then, there have been numerous novels, short stories, graphic novels, etc…that have been written. This is not unique; many movie sensations have prompted authors to create written versions of the film(s). Is there a use in creating written versions of films that have already been created? Readers often love to see movie versions of their favorite stories because it can help bring them to life. A difficult task for readers is often imagining what certain aspects of a story look like (i.e. characters, settings); therefore, a film version often confirms or disproves their previous assumptions. Unfortunately, for many readers, finding out this information, along with knowing how the story ends, can ruin the experience of reading something. In conclusion, what would the point be of reading a book if you have already seen the entire story in film version?

Scripted television shows have been struggling of late, most especially the sitcom. It used to be that shows lasted for six seasons or more (M*A*S*H with 11 seasons, Friends with 10, Seinfeld with 9, Will and Grace with 8 etc. etc.). These shows were clever and all of which, even a series about nothing (Seinfeld), have had re-runs playing since they went off the air. Now shows follow the same trite scripts: eventually all focusing more on relationships and/or unrealistic story lines. So what could be the solution? Reality shows? No. Even reality shows are not that realistic, having been dramatized by producers to get increased ratings.

So what can be done? It is important that viewers, especially the young and impressionable, see shows that can be simultaneously entertaining and educational. Television is so popular that it has the power to influence one's perception of the events of their own life so it is important that at least some of the shows send positive messages and are relatable.

Disney is known for its unrealistic expectations. Point them out in specific movies like Snow White, Frozen, and perhaps The Little Mermaid to name a few. Also point out the ways in which these expectations impact children and other audiences.

Unrealistic Expectations:
1) Finding love in a short period of time.
2) Female in need of a savior
3) The female who is submissive/desperate to find love.

Do you think the Netflix series Daredevil handled the issue of ableism well? Do you think it was covered too much, too little, or just right? Do you think the show helps diversify the stories we have about disabled people, or do you think it played into old stereotypes and tropes?