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The current political debate in America

Analyse how television and the 24 hour news channels directly influence our bias of political candidates. Narrow down on Australian views of American politics.

  • I'm interested what outsiders have to say about the 2016 Clown vs. Devil debates. – Tigey 8 years ago
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Magic the Gathering: The Gatewatch and its place in the Super-Group Trend

The Gatewatch is a more recent development in the story of the Magic the Gathering Trading Card Game. It is an agreement held between five Planeswalkers, Gideon Jura, Jace Beleren, Chandra Nalaar, Nissa Revane, and Liliana Vess to "Keep Watch" over the menaces of the Multiverse. The grouping up of Magic's "Heroes" seems to be following the trend of many comic book narratives (and adaptations). By its nature, a full story told through occasional shorts and a combination of card art and flavour text is an atypical narrrative, but it might bring something new or refreshing to the game. What is the Magic universe doing – if anything – to set the Gatewatch apart from other Super-Groups and does it have to?

  • MTG has always been unique in the ways you've described. You can get attached to specific cards aesthetically, because they fall into an enticing story line published on the Magic website or because they simply saved a game for you in real life. Furthermore the Magic: Duels games creates a story mode to play through as various Planeswalkers to get attached to them. It would truly be interesting to read an article on how people have responded to Magic and it's various points of interaction in comparison to the typical kind of Super-Group, there are just so many more areas of introduction. Even in drafts it's more interactive now. I remember when everyone got a clan and participated in earning points during the event so one would win. Is this drawing in more youth to the game in a time when other Super-Groups are dominating the media? – Slaidey 8 years ago
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  • I don’t believe that the plot of Magic: the Gathering favors convoluted storytelling but at this point in the games legacy, the issue seems to implode onto itself. Setting the Gatewatch apart from other characters or main aspects of the story seems to be more of a marketing tool than an artistic storytelling device used to further advance the universe. It seems evident that this approach can bring something new to the playing field, and make it easier for newer players to delve into an otherwise extremely convoluted story. The main focus on this aspect of storytelling comes at a time in which a motion picture about the card game’s story is beginning to kickoff and perhaps the Gatewatch are developing into more complicated characters in the hopes that this will begin their transition from flavor-text into a full-length script. – xenoplanet 8 years ago
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  • In the past we've seen stories across the multiverse develop and soon dissolve into dust. Not until the first threats of the Eldrazi had any successful group of Planeswalkers stood together to face such a disastrous threat to the multiverse. Something that might be explored with this topic could be the evolution of what it means to be a Planeswalker, and what they have had to do since they were significantly de-powered a thousand or so years ago. As it is, the Gatewatch represents a guild, or police force for the multiple planes, so this will inevitably draw in more Planeswalkers; it seems this is Wizards of the Coast's way of expanding their ranks, and adding reasoning to the exploration of new planes. The possibilities with the coming of Gatewatch are endless, and Wizards has set themselves up for an easy time when it comes to storytelling from now on. – SEGonzales 8 years ago
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Romanticism Vs. Neo-Classicism: Which Movement is More Moving?

Scholars of literature have argued over Romanticism and Neo-Classicism as one happens to follow the other in writing movements, though the two are starkly different from each other. A huge shift in narrative expression, especially in poetry, is seen as written works shift from the garnished Neo-Classist to the emotional Romantic. Which style is truly more moving to the audience: The grandiose and otherworldly descriptions in Neo-Classicism, or the human and personal confession of Romanticism? Most would say Romanticism as it is easier to relate to for the audience. Rather than describe something as untouchable by all else and remove the audience from the piece (which is what Neo-Classicism tends to do), Romanticism brings the audience in and puts them in the poem or story with the speaker. An audience is more easily moved when they are emotionally and personally engaged.

  • I think this could be an interesting topic, to try to compare several poets from each movement and see what the pros and cons of different styles add up to. However, what is potentially problematic is just how subjective enjoying, or being moved by, poetry/literature is. Most people will simply have personal reactions to different authors and poets, and this could cross the lines of the movements and be from opposite ends of these aesthetic philosophies. This could be interesting though, if the author elaborated on what he/she finds moving from different poets! – Claire 8 years ago
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  • I think this is a very valid topic. I would include the effects of the sublime when it comes to art when you talk about these two eras, especially Romanticism. The sublime connects to a person's emotions and their ability to remove themselves from the situation and think about why the art effects them. – aeolsen17 8 years ago
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Analyze the difference between chick flicks in the early 2000s vs. Now

Analyze the difference of how chick flicks portray women in the early 2000s vs how they portay women now. The focus will be on the relationships they are apart of and how they interact with men and other women.

  • I really like the idea of this topic. The cultural differences between the early 2000s and now should also be included to further analyze the differences in how women are portrayed in chick flicks. A difference in cultural norms could explain why women are portrayed differently. – TaylorNCampbell 8 years ago
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  • You can compare a marylin Monroe chik flick to a chik flick today. – asd5261 8 years ago
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  • In terms of how women look from the past to now, I think it's important to add how women were seen as stay at home moms doing just family stuff early on and now they are shown in a career type role in a love story. They are seen as more independent now looking for love where as before dependent on a man looking for love. – Mal415 8 years ago
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  • Definitely, the world surrounding romantic comedies has changed vastly from the urban dating landscape of the '90s/early 2000's era, with the assertive women of Sex and the City and Sandra Bullock rom-coms, to the increasingly complex films and tv shows of recent years. I think a recent trend has been that of movies focused on men and women trying, and failing, to just be friends. We have almost gotten to the post-romance era. In the film How to Be Single, the female lead, torn between multiple men, finally ends up with... no one. And this seems to be a culturally acceptable story ending now, the anti-romance. This would be a very interesting exploration! – Claire 8 years ago
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  • I wish this topic was one which was talked about more often. The "chick flicks" have changed so much over the past years. You should analyze how woman are starting to be portrayed differently and are starting to become more independent. – sabrinakasymov 8 years ago
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  • I like this topic very much. There is definitely a difference in how women are portrayed in film then versus now and much of that can be seen in chick flicks. I feel as though chick flicks in the early 2000's were centered around "cat fights" between two girls fighting for the same guy in an immature and demeaning manner. The chick flicks today center more around pressing issues that women face that can be taken more seriously. – samriley 8 years ago
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  • I usually assume that all chick flicks are the same so I love this idea! It will be interesting to see chick flicks analyzed as a respected genre, rather than some to cry and eat ice cream to. – nicodipas 8 years ago
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  • You should try the Bechdel test on early chick flicks versus modern ones. I would guess that there are significantly more films from this decade that pass the test. – Amanda 8 years ago
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The shift from past to present tense in amateur writing.

The standard tense that most novels are written in appears to be past tense but more recently, especially in amateur writing like fanfiction, there is a shift towards writing in present tense. Why is it shifting?

Perhaps it is due to the immediacy and the ability to better characterize in the moment that lends itself well to the fast-paced, character-driven structure of fanfiction.

It would be interesting to look at this shift and see if it enhances the writing, if these stories tend to be more popular, and then perhaps compare fanfiction to its published counterpart. Is this same trend happening in novels? If so, why? Does it say anything about the current media-consuming generation's predilections and preferences in story telling?

  • You need to be very careful with this topic not to fall too much into personalised opinion! It is a difficult subject as writers might just choose their tense for style or by preference - there might not be enough behind it to build a whole article! But definitely worth exploring :) – Rachel Elfassy Bitoun 8 years ago
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  • I hate (present tense, ongoing) reading present tense and, even worse, listening to present tense. "So then he goes..." is just a cheap way to try to make a story interesting. It's either worth telling or it's not and present tense sets off my bs detector that someone's trying far too hard to get me on board. I'll pass. – Tigey 8 years ago
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  • It's interesting you bring this up and I suppose I've noticed this too in fanfic vs non. I believe you're right, when it comes to fanfic it's the immediacy, people want to put themselves in the moment. It's less exciting when everything is in past tense so the reader looking for a thrill knows everything is already resolved. Does the tense matter to people and on that note, does the perspective? I recently started writing a novel and am playing with tenses. First person present tense is most engaging and probably easy for amateur writers but does third person present-tense work the same way? Do we care about first person past-tense unless it's an autobiography of someone famous we already care about, would that get boring? Finding a published paper on the popularity of published work and which tense/perspective they used would be very insightful. – Slaidey 8 years ago
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Does Bioshock (2007) serve as an examination of Jewish identity?

In the first Bioshock game, a large number of characters have Jewish names (Dr. Steinman, Sander Cohen), are outright identified as Jewish (Andrew Ryan, Brigid Tenenbaum), or come from fields/careers with a strong Jewish population (Broadway, medicine). The creator of the Bioshock series, Ken Levine, is himself Jewish, and the game takes place only a few short years after World War 2. This causes me to wonder: for Levine, was this game, in part, an examination of post-WWII Jewish identity? Does it point out hardships or condemn/commend personal choices? The game's overarching theme, if nothing else, is that choices matter and are our ultimate freedom ("A man chooses, a slave obeys"). How is this theme connected with the strong Jewish characters throughout the game?

  • If you watch or listen to interviews with Ken Levine, this is something that he is conscious of (his own heritage and that of his characters). What the take away from game is, I am not sure, but I think this is a valuable idea to explore. – SeanGadus 8 years ago
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  • You should watch a gamespot interview with him called "We Can Kill The Industry With Cynicism" - Ken Levine - Bioshock" – Sean Gadus 7 years ago
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Dothraki Tribalism and the Ubermensch

"It is the right of the strong to take from the weak." (Martin, 758)

The sociopolitical structure of the Dothraki people is governed by the strong, with tribal communities gravitating around warriors who have proven their greatness in battle. This is seen most evidently when Khal Drogo's khalasar is disbanded as soon as his strength begins to falter, prompting several of his strongest subordinates to name themselves new Khals to form new khalasars with whoever will follow. This ideology is the reason why none of the Dothraki had any respect for Viserys, who had no true strength of his own, but felt entitled to the Iron Throne by being a descendant of the old dynasty. Though the Targaryen reign was ushered in by the brute strength of Aegon the Conqueror and his dragons (a method of asserting one's right to rule much in line with this Dothraki system), the establishment of a monarchy after the victory changed the game (of thrones).
Discuss the differences between these two methods of governance. Which one might prove to be more effective for selecting leaders (both in Westeros and in the real world)? How does the Dothraki reverence for individuals with power reflect the Nietzschean view of the ubermensch? How might it mirror the real-life rises to power of autocratic leaders from Julius Caesar, to Napoleon Bonaparte, to Fidel Castro? In what ways might this need to respect the ruler illustrate a sort of precursor to our modern democracy?

  • This is a fascinating topic! An I think I can closely linked the prevalent political metanarratives regarding the conceptualization of democracy in our post-colonial world. However, I don't think that this sociopolitical structure illustrates a previous system. Instead, I think the khalasar was Martin's way of decrying the weakness a impotence (despite the claims of universality) of the broken Western political system. Between Trump and Khal Drogo, i'll take Drogo any day. – AnaMRuiz 8 years ago
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  • Great topic! I think it's important to look at how monarchy has failed repeatedly in Game of Thrones. Even Robert Baratheon used Dothraki methods of taking what was his, he just led a rebellion, stormed in and sat down. Although Baratheon is related to Targaryen it was a non-linear ascension. You'd think people would learn to instill a democracy but once in power prideful houses want to do everything in their power to keep the reign for their descendants no matter how unfit they may be... It's all very "history repeats itself." – Slaidey 8 years ago
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The Evolution of the TV Sitcom

From I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched to Seinfeld and FRIENDS to How I Met Your Mother (among many, many others), the sitcom has its own history in television. It would be interesting to do a study on sitcoms, focusing on how sitcoms over the decades have also been shaped by the sociocultural underpinnings of that era.

  • You could compare sitcoms all the way back from the 50's to now. – asd5261 8 years ago
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  • It would be great to see if you compared the messages that were implied through sitcoms such as The Golden Girls, The Little House on the Prairie, and etc. – hwm5211 8 years ago
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  • You should also include old ones, such as the nanny and fresh prince of bel-air that had comedic as well as meaningful episodes in relation the real-life situations at the time. – cjeacat 8 years ago
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  • Huge and unspecific topic for the kind of articles published in this magazine. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
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Treatment and Discussion of Mentally Ill Characters

A look into the way mentally ill characters are treated in their stories: why, in most cases, their depressions/anxiety is not discusses, why the idea of getting therapy is not more common in stories to normalize the idea that this is a healthy thing to do. Why mental illness is either romanticized unhealthily or completely disregarded? This would be an interesting thing to think about in YA lit.

  • A look into the way mentally ill characters are treated in their stories: why, in most cases, their depressions/anxiety is not discussed, why is the idea of getting therapy so taboo? Why is it not normalized, perhaps even encouraged? Why are romantic relationships seen as the answer to many mentally ill characters, and why is the writing of the mental illness affecting that relationship either grossly romanticized or completely ignored? – mariamvakani 8 years ago
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  • I like this topic a lot, mariamvakani. I think it is interesting because there is often stigma attached to mentally ill characters in older literature (see Lear, etc.) but I disagree that mental conditions are always stigmatized in literature. I am interested in writing this topic because mental illness is a topic that is so poignant in each novel in which it is displayed. I would revise with the notion that our perception of mental illness has changed over time and become more analytic and progressive as opposed to just being broadstroked as "wrong." – AndyJanz 8 years ago
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  • books that come to mind: "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime" – AaronJRobert 8 years ago
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  • This is an interesting topic I agree that there are a lot of books that ignore the mental health of the character and its treatment. One of my biggest issues is that when characters are portrayed as mentally ill (and I have seen several TV shows, Films and Theatre performances where this has happened but not so much in books) is that the representation of Mentally Ill characters can further stigmatise mental illness or mental distress and these portrayals can end up doing more harm than good. However, that said there are plenty of autobiographies and books that are inspired by real-life events that go into detail about the role of therapy, medication and family/peer/network support and offer a fantastic insight into the real world of mental illness. – Dewi Evans 5 years ago
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Portraying the President

From movies like "Air Force One" and "Independence Day" to the Tom Clancy movies to more modern productions like "The Kingsmen," show how the President of the United States has been shown in movies. How has the role of the President changed over time, and does it reflect the changes in the political climate at the time?

  • "White House Down" features Jamie Foxx as our first Black President who has plenty of smarts and guts to help overthrow an invasion of home grown terrorists. In November 2015 a TV documentary, "Lincoln: American Mastermind" exposed the myth of "Honest Abe" and the skulduggery of Lincoln's campaign manager and staff. Lincoln was a "master politician, clever tactician, and skilled manipulator, bending men to his will." He was all about getting elected. This was broadcast less than a week before most of our presidential primaries. – Lorraine 8 years ago
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  • You could also use tv shows such as Scandal. – asd5261 8 years ago
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  • Love this topic. We have always been obsessed with adulating our president in film with predominantly in positive portrayals. However it would be very interesting to note minute differences between these positive portrayals- how personal to the stories get? Is our president sensitive or stoic? Would be interesting to see how the presidential portrayal changes after this race... – AndyJanz 8 years ago
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Suicide Squad: Movie VS. Comic(s)

What was similar and what was different between the Suicide Squad comic and the film? What elements, including characters, from the comic could have made the movie better? What elements from the comic, including characters, would have made the movie worse?

  • This topic could also include the Suicide Squad animated movie. I haven't watched the new movie or read the comics but my love for the animation is what makes me hesitant, since it was so well done. What elements were in both, what was left out? They're both just movies so it's perhaps easier to go into what could and should have been cut to fit an appropriate feature length. – Slaidey 8 years ago
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  • The shared the adventurous, defeat a villain and their army aspect, but what the film lacked was a central point. There was no room for character development with such a huge cast and many characters to follow. The film itself should have lastes at least 2.5 hours if not 3 hours. Really hoping the extended edition fixes this problem. – carlospena 8 years ago
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  • The comic was way better. They tried to put ever comic into the movie in under 2 hours. – mikka1321 8 years ago
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Published and Incomplete

Explore the trend of famous authors' first drafts and unfinished novels being published. Should authors publish these unfinished works? Or does it take away from the canon of their own literature?

  • Lauren Mead, looks good. I think you have to mark it fixed. It doesn't look like I have the option. – Tigey 8 years ago
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  • Cool idea! Off the top of my head I know that Mary Shelley's Frankenstein has two different drafts published that make distinctions in the representation of the monster. – Kevin 8 years ago
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  • Did they do this with any works by Tolkein? I know there was a lot of talk about it once upon a time. Now people are constantly talking about whether George R.R. Martin will live to see the completion of his books (which I find very rude) and "who will finish them in his place?" I feel like it's all about what the authors wishes are, but maybe showing some examples of it going wrong or right in the past would make a good article to drive an opinion towards the future of unfinished famous authors' works. – Slaidey 8 years ago
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  • This is an interesting topic. I think it would be worthwhile to include in the discussion authors like J.K. Rowling who are supplementing their published works with online snippets while they are still living. – C8lin 8 years ago
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  • As an author, I say: please, only do this to me after I'm dead. :) Seriously though, I have to wonder how the actual authors feel or would feel about it. My concern is not that first drafts take away from canon, but that they might expose thoughts and feelings the author wasn't ready to share. Then again, certain "draft works" give us fresh insight into certain writers. – Stephanie M. 8 years ago
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  • Interesting topic. Sadly, the idea has been explored extensively in academia. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
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Cliffhangers in popular television series: Nefarious scheme or poignant plot device?

Analyse whether the use of cliffhangers in popular television series and their seasons, such as Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, is a shallow attempt to maintain returning viewers or if it is an effective plot device.

  • Also, does the "shallow attempt" work? If it is considered as such, does this sort of basic viewer manipulation alienate viewers, or are they hooked regardless? – JimEis 8 years ago
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  • This sort of tactic is poignant to a degree and definitely expected from mega-popular series, and really any television show is going to leave at least some things unanswered by the end of the episode or season because that's basically how you keep viewers engaged. But I think after a certain point the manipulation becomes too obvious and it can be alienating for viewers because it takes them out of the moment and forces them to realize they're being toyed with in a sense. It would be interesting to see a piece about this that uses specific examples and the reactions from fans. – darapoizner 8 years ago
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  • Though cliffhangers are absolutely infuriating, they act like a drug that leads the viewer needing more and more of it. When everything is tied up in a nice bow, what is going to push the audience to impatiently await the start of the next season? I do view it as means of maintaining returning viewers, as well as acting as an effective plot device. Now, for clarification sake, it is an effective plot device when it is well thought out, drives the plot further, and serves a purpose in the show. Those cliffhangers that rely on pure sensationalism to "hook," the returning viewer, while leaving he or she with no real substance, is a shallow attempt to maintain returning viewers. Nice topic...I would like to see what is done with this. – danielle577 8 years ago
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  • It might benefit the topic, which is presently binary, to ask when is it effective and when is it manipulative, shallow, or unfair? – Tigey 8 years ago
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  • Very interesting idea. Cliffhangers are the ultimate catch 22. They might seem like a trope, but it is important to keep people interested. Plot is sometimes underestimated. – cbell 8 years ago
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  • In defense of GoT, there are too many story lines to not leave any one cliffhanger at the end of a season. Things just don't line up like that. As for the Walking Dead, as a consumer it did feel a bit cheap. In shows with only one real story line season ending cliff hangers don't inspire me to keep watching because everyone knows it'll all get resolved in the first bit of the next episode. Cliffhangers today need more depth, more layers to keep people interested, not just "oh, which one of these pre-determined people dies?" There's cliffhangers vs plot twists, and cliffhangers are the easier of the two. – Slaidey 8 years ago
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Can Mass Effect Andromeda redeem the franchise?

The Mass Effect series was first released in 2007. The first two games in the series received critical acclaim and were considered to be a new standard for video-game story telling. While the third game in the series was mostly well-received, its ending was not. Many fans felt deceived by an ending that felt inconsequential. It left many fans so upset that they complained to the FTC, and formed an internet campaign called "Retake Mass Effect" that generated $80,000 in a couple weeks. Bioware also released a new ending that expanded the epilogue.

Regardless, these events affected the series negatively.The next game in the series, Mass Effect Andromeda, will exist in the same universe as the previous games, but will not reference them. The game will be open world, already has gorgeous graphics, and will continue to use dialogue trees, choices, and romantic relationships. What does the series' next chapter need to do to repair the negativity created by the ending? Will being "open world" massively improve the series? What should be added to the series? From what has been revealed so far, do you think that Mass Effect Andromeda will be better than its predecessors? Why?

  • I forgot to write that I edited your topic. Hopefully that's helpful. – Tigey 8 years ago
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  • I think if anything, the ending that felt inconsequential will have to literally be inconsequential to a sequel game that promises not to reference it which might just be salt in the wound. To many fans, Commander Shepard is their access point to the franchise and to be successful, the protagonist of Andromeda will have to be just as endearing and yet not a carbon copy of what worked before. I feel that it will be the difference in Andromeda - the setting, the tone, and fresh faces - that will make or break the game. – scrook 8 years ago
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Wonder Woman: The Evolution

Since the film has been made and a trailer (maybe more than one) has been released as well – let's give some background to comic readers who may not know about WW. Explain Wonder Woman's relationship with herself, the Justice League, and how she came to be who she is today. Also, tieing in the new comic series she has had and seeing where the movie could potentially take from that instead of taking from the older versions of Wonder Woman.

  • This has already been published here: https://the-artifice.com/wonder-woman-history/ – Misagh 8 years ago
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  • Thank you! I meant an updated version [I added it in there], she has a new comic series out from 2016! I wanted to focus on that and how the movie will (maybe) adapt to the newer comics being made recently instead of adapting to the older ones and making it more updated in a sense – scole 8 years ago
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Film and Television After 9/11

9/11 was the most devastating terror attack on American soil, and consequently its repercussions are still felt 15 years later. Examine how 9/11 influenced American media, in both the immediate aftermath and more long-term reflections. Don't focus just on films and TV shows about 9/11, but look more at how it informed film aesthetics, story-lines, and how we depict terrorism and political issues in film and television (e.g., how depictions of destruction changed in the advent of 9/11, analyzing the 9/11-like imagery of films such as Spielberg's War of the Worlds, and the DC Cinematic Universe). Focus on specific themes these films tackle in the wake of 9/11, such as PTSD, fear of the unknown threat, and, again, the proper response to terrorism.

  • This is a hugely broad topic. Is there a way to narrow this down? As it stands, this could be like at least five or six different articles. I could write one just on Spiderman. – Christen Mandracchia 8 years ago
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  • This topic is a good one, but it covers a lot of ground. I would focus on just a certain movie or just include some of the films and TV shows from the years right after 9/11. There have been a lot of movies and TV shows that display the affects of 9/11 in the past 15 years. – TaylorNCampbell 8 years ago
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The Rise of Pokemon GO

An in-depth look at the far reaching effects of the newly released mobile AR game, factoring in the sociological implications of a game that requires people to explore the world and interact with each other, the benefits and dangers of said interactions, and the lasting power of nostalgia.

  • I bet you could find an interview with the Pokemon GO producers and what they wanted the game to do for people in terms of getting them outside. – LaRose 8 years ago
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  • CNN just released a newsclip on this topic. – Munjeera 8 years ago
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  • Pokemon Go has definitely been in the new a lot lately, with police departments issuing safety warnings and a Holocaust museum asking players not to visit if they're just going to play the game. It might be hard to look at the far reaching effects since the game hasn't been out that long, but it would definitely be interesting to see what these effects could be. – S.A. Takacs 8 years ago
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  • Pokemon Go was a fun experience at first, it's a shame the hype died down when it did. – Analyzion 8 years ago
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What does anime tell us about how Japan views their involvement in WWII?

Popular animes Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) and Full Metal Alchemist take place in settings reminiscent of WWII-era Germany, with characters sporting German names and wearing German-inspired costume. From a Western perspective, what can we tell about how the Japanese view their Axis counterparts (or themselves) in regards to the WWII-era through the stories told in these animes?

  • If you can't, you can't. – Tigey 8 years ago
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  • The German influence in Japanese anime has less to do with WWII cooperation than it would seem. Germany and Japan fought the majority of their battles independently, and there were threads of mistrust between the two nations underneath the public declarations of support. Neither was WWII a great time to spread culture off the battlefield. Rather, a lot of the German influence seems to come from before the Second World War when Japan underwent several revolutionary changes in its government, public systems, and technologies. Many of the changes were influenced by German engineers, scientists, and public servants, some changes which remain to this day. Even then, I don't believe that specific cultural exchange is what's influencing anime. Aside from the aforementioned series, there isn't a serious investment in Germanic culture. There isn't enough significant evidence to concretely say that any other anime has strong ties to Germany for culture-specific reasons. German names just mesh well with the Japanese phonetic system to create exotic sounds. – Austin 8 years ago
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What makes Hoosiers (1986) a good movie?

I've witnessed a lot of Internet arguments and debates in my day, but one hotly contested topic I've never understood is the admiration and isolation of Hoosiers. If you say anything remotely negative about it, people jump down your throat faster than you can say "triangle offense." My question is why? To me, Hoosiers is boring, Gene Hackman's character isn't even remotely likeable, the team's players are garbage both dimensionally and hoops-wise (minus Jimmy Chitwood, I guess), and it doesn't even focus on the more compelling team: South Bend. Analyze why Hoosiers still stands the test of time for so many people, and why it should still be considered required viewing for sports fans.

  • I think the writer should show how the movie emphasizes teamwork while at the same time giving Chitwood a second chance. Even the coach even gets a second chance after hitting a player years before. Is there a contradiction? Should Chitwood have gotten a second chance? What does that say about teamwork? When Chitwood rejoined the team did winning then become the only thing? Was the coach the anti-Wooden, a coach who never told his players to win, but to do their best? And, speaking of anti-Wooden - who sat his Indiana State team for the 1946 NAIA tournament because it barred his lone African American player - is Hoosiers racist? – Tigey 8 years ago
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Aging in Cinema

Which movie or movies show(s) the most realistic human aging? What makes the portrayal of the aging process especially realistic or effective? Besides physical changes, what psychological, mental, or spiritual changes are shown in the film(s)? What, if any, abilities lost with youth are most dearly missed?

  • The first film that came to mind after reading this topic was Mr. Holmes starring Ian McKellen. It does a fantastic job showing how someone like Sherlock Holmes, famous for his sharp intellect, also must eventually deal with the challenges of old age, specifically memory loss. – KennethC 8 years ago
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  • Interesting topic. Some films that come to mind: Burn After Reading (the Coen brothers' ode to aging), Up (an all around perfect film, that forces its audience - comprised predominantly of children - to confront mortality in its first fifteen minutes), While We're Young (a heartwarming indie flick about middle age), and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (not exactly "realistic" per se, but examines the subject well and seriously drives home the point of "youth is wasted on the young"). – ProtoCanon 8 years ago
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  • Kenneth, your comment makes me think of Flowers for Algernon where the intellectual drop-off for a genius is sharper than for an average person. I know that's a special case, but wonder if it's generally true. ProtoCanon, I saw that someone had written either an article or a topic regarding unusual aging (I think), and it included Benjamin Button, Eric Roth's Forrest Gump part two, in my opinion. I also love Up. If you like music, Bob Dylan's "Highlands" - an ode to longing for youth - will steal 16 minutes of your brief life in what seems like five. It'll also bring a whole new meaning to hard-boiled eggs and an artist's pencil. – Tigey 8 years ago
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  • Perhaps I'm biased because I've been thinking of this film A LOT lately, but I'm fascinated with the representation of age and mental health portrayed in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" Obviously, this film is quite dramatic given it's both a psychological thriller and from the 60's, however, its dedication to representing the damaging effects of untreated mental illness is inspired. Both Bette Davis and Joan Crawford were in their 50's at the time, and neither was cinched, glamorized, or portrayed too empathetically; indeed, both of them were, through makeup and wardrobe, pushed to their frumpiest. Although I'm sure Simone de Beauvior would have something to say about the connection of age and madness or age and disgust (a la her book, "The Coming of Age"), the film pulls no stops examining how haggard these sisters have become after exceptionally rough lives, both due to the unfairness of their childhood and their choices as adults. – Kitty Davies 8 years ago
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  • Kitty, that's a whole new angle on the topic: dysfunctional child is father to the dysfunctional man and how that accelerates aging. Our choices live past our deaths through our survivors. It's easy for me to blame ancestors for the poor choices I make today, but not easy to determine how much of my stuff is really their stuff, and how much is my own lack of character. It's important to choose the right parents. – Tigey 8 years ago
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  • What do you mean by "realistic aging"? Every person ages differently. – T. Palomino 2 years ago
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