Film Analysis: Select two films below and answer the five questions with a compare/contrast analysis–minimum of 1500 words (about six double-spaced pages). Find a minimum of three (3) scholarly articles (post-2018) to incorporate into your responses. The articles should be based on the impairments, issues, supports, history, etc. Citations and references should be by APA (parenthetical notes, reference page at the end, no abstract necessary).
You can find almost all of the films on Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, and other streaming services. Alternatively, if you happen to own a DVD player, you can rent most from the public library.
As you watch your selected films, pay particular attention to the disabilities, handicaps, and limitations experienced by the main characters. Also, take time to notice interactions with the other people portrayed in the films.
Films:
*I Am Sam
* Darius Goes West
*Ordinary People
*My Flesh and Blood
* Rain Man
*Open Heart
*Blindsight
* Smile Pinki
*Radio
*Forrest Gump
*Educating Peter
*Sound and Fury
*My Flesh and Blood
*My Left Foot
*Mask
*What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
*Children of a Lesser God
*A Beautiful Mind
*Philadelphia
Questions:
1. How are the disabilities portrayed in the movies (positive, unfavorable, life-changing, heroic, etc.), and what traits do the characters represent the disabilities? Do you consider them stereotypical? To what extent do the two films treat these issues differently (compare/contrast)? Explain your answer.
2. Do you think the portrayals were accurate? Do you think they represent the majority of the individuals with these disabilities? Why or why not? Does one or your two films do a better job with this? Support your response with additional research.
3. Did the movies change your perceptions of disabilities? Compare and contrast the films in this regard as well. If yes, how? If not, why not?
4. What are the educational implications of these disabilities (i.e., how could they affect a student’s educational performance)?
5. Identify one specific scene from each movie (related to the characters with a disability) that you found particularly interesting, uncomfortable, enjoyable, etc. What aspect of the scenes made you feel this way? Compare and contrast the two films about these aspects.
