Just Characters In Movies example essay topic

Camera Tricks The box office movie Spiderman 2 is playing in theater now. The story is about a nerdy American teenager who later becomes an ultimate superhero, bestowed with incredible powers and lots of cool features. It seems childish right; we as adults have watched these types of movies since we were kids. Don't people ever get bored with it? Probably not - that movie still reached the highest income compared to other movies that are also playing currently on cinemas. And what do you think the cause of that?

It is because of people now have becoming so attached to the Media, movies and television especially, to identify themselves with. Neal Gabler once wrote, "Whatever else American films do, the most popular ones are almost always about wish fulfillment, and the great stars are the ones with whom viewers can identify and through whom they can transcend themselves. They empower the audience". It is a fact then that the Media tries to portray and characterize the perfect characters in the society through movie screens.

"The movies hit them where they live - in their own state of desperation and doubt. Movies don't just provide them with escape, as the conventional wisdom would have it. They give teenagers the exhilaration of hope through the illusion of power". People are being deluded by these so called perfect characters that they have adapted from action figures, super heroes, celebrities and all other glamorous individualities. But are they really so great and perfect after all? Those characters are not even real; they are just illusions that the Media have created.

There is a big difference between characters on screens and on reality where people should be aware; whether you like it or not, it will affect you inevitably. The Media has so many tricks in the matter of creating perfect role models. It illustrates the fancy lifestyle of rock and movie stars; the life of young, rich and famous persons on television as great examples of a perfect life. Most TV shows would picture famous artists and models managed themselves with lots of money, plenty of girl or boy friends, luxurious cars, castled housed and all others magnificent things. Media tries to teach people how money and famous can buy you the high status and power, thus, give everything you want. It seems like a dream come true, right?

On the contrary, they seldom show programs picturing the negative side of those glamorous lifestyles. Although there are still some programs that show that antagonistic side, it is only on a small scale compared to the other side. Truth is famous stars have stressful lives as well. As a matter of fact, they have to cope with lots of stresses because of the big responsibilities they have to carry. It is not easy being them.

Even some of the rock and movie stars have used drugs as appeasement from their burdens; which have caused them fatal consequences. So do not see shells just from the outside, there are many other hidden things deep inside. Another great example of the Media's tricks is the advertisement. There are so many advertisements on our daily life nowadays. What do you think about them? They are tricky, deceitful and cunning, also they are everywhere now.

It is funny how they strategically relate their products with other things that are not even related at all. Some examples are body products such as razors, colognes and hair gels. They would use these handsome and charming models, with the great bodies and postures on their advertisements. The reason for that is to make their products looked more attractive and appealing by associating it with what most guys want and envy with. They looked so valuable and precious because of it. The effect is we buy them, although we do not need them.

Even most of those models do not use the products they advertise at all. Our minds are being tricked by the illusion of those perfect characters and the envy that comes with it. Sometimes the things we bought are not worth for a single penny, still there are plenty of companies profiting from those worthless junks by relating their products with things that can penetrate our state of consciousness. That is why advertisements and the "Perfect Character" are such a perfect combination and we always have to be cautious about it. There are many other examples of how the media tricks us, but this one is definitely a must and probably would catch your attention; Superheroes. Have you ever idolized any super hero characters before?

Yes, they are so popular, especially amongst boys. It is a fun thing to have someone or some characters to be modeled. The bad thing is some of those characters would create negative effects on children. Because of the cool and unique features they have, many kids would try to imitate their moves and act like them. As a result, many kids would get hurt or they would try to beat up one of their peers because of misunderstood their favorite characters. Parents should watch and teach their kids about those superheroes' effects.

But not all of them are bad though. Some of the characters can also create positive effects on children; for example, my own experience. I always idolized martial arts characters from movies like, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Van Damme. Though people might object that they are not superheroes, to me they are. I took Taekwondo lessons afterwards.

It really taught me discipline and responsibility. I always felt like those characters, even though they are not real, lived inside of me. I am thankful to them because of it. Superheroes are not real; they are just characters in movies, but we can transcend ourselves to be one in our reality by taking the good and positive side of them. Robert Pinsky wrote, "We 'see' a movie but we 'watch' television: television makes us feel that we are watching something happen-really happen, inside that box".

Those effects that the media has created are so complex and hard to understand or digest just with our bare minds and bodies, but we always have to accept it and try to absorb the positive things out of it. We have to winnow all the information that the media are giving us and be critical about it. Think of all the effects it will cause us. Be open, but always be ready as well; because not everything looks they way it really is. The media is full of mysteries - treasures or traps; it is all coming back to you.