Lesson 6.2 - The Castle

Enter the Kerrigan family. 

The most extraordinary Australian family is introduced to us in this 1997 Australian comedy, "The Castle". The Kerrigan family have been living next to Melbourne Airport for a long time. They are a contented family, proud of the "strategically located" house they have made into their home. Little do they know that one day, the news of plans to expand the airport would disrupt their happy little lives. Darryl Kerrigan (father) sets out to defend and eventually saves his home from being taken away from the family, on the premise that their house is more than just brick or mortar, but a home, where love and family is.

Above: The Kerrigan Family

From Left: Steve, Sal (mum), Darryl (Dad), 

Tracey, Con, Wayne and Dale Kerrigan

In my opinion, this family is the most unusual family ever! Bluntly put, they are rather simple, and are the most optimistic people I have ever seen (Probably because the father figure, Darryl Kerrigan is optimistic, therefore it translates to the others in the family?)! They live next to an airport which makes them have to deal with:

EVERYDAY. 

Interestingly enough, they are rich enough to be able to own another piece of land where they have built a holiday house. Even more interesting is the location of the house which you would see if you watch the show =) They go there often as a treat [Above]. 

In spite of some circumstances (brother being in jail), they are the most functional and happy family ever [Above]. I particularly liked the family values in this show. Darryl Kerrigan's character is indeed very admirable and respectable as a father who leads his family by example (he loves Sal Kerrigan (mum) very much and shows her much affection, he spends time with his children and loves every one of them, he encourages and builds up each member of the family), a man who fights for his home, and one who remains a positive attitude, well, most of the time.

Above: Darryl Kerrigan entrusts defending of his house to 

Dennis Denuto, a small time lawyer who is not competent

in this field. Darryl however, has full faith in Dennis.

Above: Lucky Darryl meets Lawrence Hammill who

saves the day by willingly representing Darryl and putting up 

a good fight that ultimately ends in the Kerrigans

not having to move out of their home. 

Kerrigan family aside, what is the psychology of humour? What makes something funny to us? Humour is experienced in response to cognitive shifts in perceptions of a particular target (Shiota & Kalat, 2012). For instance, irony can change one's whole perspective of a situation. In the show, the Kerrigans bought a place next to the airport. They were so proud that they got it for a cheap price and thought they got a steal when in fact it is because no one wants to have a home beside a noisy and dangerous location. Also, the way Darryl
Kerrigan is so proud his daughter went to College - to be a hairdresser, is compared to Lawrence Hammill's son who graduated as a lawyer, a profession that is stereo-typically looked upon as a much higher status job as compared to a hairdresser. Also there is a lot of "stating the obvious" and "lame" moments in the show that switch the audience's attention from their own assumptions to something totally unexpected. The humour also only works when it comes by surprise. For example, one may not find the joke particularly funny while watching it the second time.

All in all, I thought the show was rather.... interesting (for lack of a better word). Not really my taste, but I can say that I really enjoyed watching a show in which genuine family love was portrayed, something not common nowadays!  


For more info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118826/
Movie bits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM-GVRvsZrA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14wI2U49OLY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dik_wnOE4dk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITUSZ6LRHrk&feature=related

Lesson 6.1 - The Sixth Sense

The Sixth Sense (1999) is a psychological thriller that would keep you glued to the edge of your seat. Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, this movie would prove to be one of his best. It tells the story of Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a young boy who is troubled by something.... something spiritual in nature (which is only revealed to us halfway through the show), and a child psychologist, Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) who tires to help Cole. The two journey together and eventually end up helping each other to cope with the situations they are facing. Unexpected twists and turns throughout the movie are something not to be missed and if you are a fan of the "thriller/horror" genre, I highly recommend this movie. 

Above: The Sixth Sense 

(From left: Haley Joel Osment and Bruce Willis) 

Throughout the show, why do we cringe and cover our eyes? Why do we lean closer to the person beside us, shake and quiver while watching through out fingers? It is very simple, actually. I believe all it takes is a little play on the psychology of fear. Fear is basically a response to perceived danger (Shiota & Kalat, 2012). Evolutionary psychologists contend that though it is an unpleasant emotion, it is rather useful as it pulls our attention to possible dangers and helps us to avoid them. The show is filled with moments of eerie music and scenes that pique our awareness of the unknown and anticipation that something is going to happen. The fear of the unknown also contributes to the unsettling feelings in our stomachs as we anticipate ghosts walking about and harming the humans. 

It is interesting to see how the director uses different scenes to create a whole environment that promotes feelings of fear in the audience. 

Above: Dr. Crowe and his wife were in the room when she realized 

that the window was broken and that the phone had been broken. 

Their attention (As well as the audience's attention) is diverted toward the 

bathroom connected to the bedroom, which light was on! 

Above: Dr Crowe talking to Cole, 

as Cole explains more to Dr. Crowe about seeing ghosts, 

what you experience when they are near 

and how cold it is when they are angry. 

The scene subsequently shifts to the doorway where 

there are 3 dead people hung on the gallows. 

Above: Cole finally reveals his secret to his mother, 

who has been distraught throughout the whole movie, 

trying to figure out what is troubling Cole so much. 

She feels helpless that she cannot help him. 

To make matters worse, the doctor thinks she has been abusing him 

when in actual fact, his wounds occur when 

he is running away form the ghosts he sees. 

In this scene, an accident has occurred down 

the street from where they are, and a dead woman appears next to Cole. 

SCARY!  

The element of shock is also a contributor to the whole thrilling feel the that the audience develops throughout the show. An evolutionary psychologist would say that the body may be in a constant fight or flight mode, resulting in heightened adrenalin that gives you that "rush". In parts of the show, the audience is shocked when ghosts suddenly appear out of nowhere. To add to the effect, the ghostly appearances are coupled with bursts of high pitched frightening music. If that is not enough to scare you, the dark scenes which pronounces the fact that there is a lot of unknown would creep you out.

Above: Haley Joel Osment as Cole, 

playing in the church where he seeks sanctuary

My favourite part of the whole show was Haley Joel Osment. Even as a child, he was able to play the part well as well as portray intense emotions such as fear, sadness, and even indifference. Seeing that children actors can either make or break a movie, Haley Joel Osment certainly nailed this one!

Overall, I really enjoyed the show. I think the highlight of watching it as a class was when a guy in the audience screamed.

Haha!

For more info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167404/
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXO0he1WjYw

Lesson 5 - Mississippi Burning

In contrast to the comedy and laughter we experienced last week, Mississippi Burning (1988) left us with nothing but heavy hearts, coupled with a tinge of anger and longing to see justice served.

 

Above: Mississippi Burning, starring Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe

This was a social consciousness film, which takes place in rural Jessup County Mississippi. The main story revolves around a murder investigation of three civil rights workers. Agents Alan Ward (Willem Dafoe) and Rupert Anderson (Gene Hackman) are on the case. Dealing with the major problem of the persecution of blacks by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) proves to be a tough job, not only in the physical and logistics sense, but also in the "management" sense. Agent Ward and agent Anderson both have their unique ways of approaching the situation. Throughout the movie, we see how the method they used for the investigation evolves from Agent Ward's young-investigator-"by-the-book" method, to Agent Anderson's more....experienced-investigator-unorthodox methods.


The psychology of racism was actually the main issue that lingered in our minds (I think) throughout the show. What makes people racist? Why are they so racist? Where does racism stem from? We are not born with it, nor does it correspond with genetic instinct. That would be ridiculous! According to the social learning theory, we find the suggestion that racism is something that is taught, something that is caught throughout observational learning in life. After being brainwashed by those around you, it is not easy to shake off racist thoughts and beliefs. Though one may not be consciously aware of it, implicit attitudes may be present and if steered in the wrong direction, it could potentially translate into actions that bring about dire consequences.     

Above: Ku Klux Klan 

Above: Burning of a cross by the KKK

I think this movie exposed us to, or rather gave us a picture of what the KKK actually was back then. It brought about social psychology concepts to mind such as deindividuation, in which the individual identity of a person is lost due to that person acting in a large group, especially when the person is unknown. The pointy "pillow-case" masks that the KKK wore hid their identity well, so much so the members could act violently without giving much thought to how they were hurting the blacks - even to the point of death.

The concept of there being strength in numbers and concepts of bullying were also frequent themes in this movie. It showed how throughout some time, the bullied stop trying to save themselves, a concept called learned helplessness. The black adults were so afraid of the KKK they would not even speak to the investigators about what was going on. It took a child to dare to speak up! A courage that no other had. But then again, is it courage when you do something not knowing the gravity of the issue? Hmm..

Another social psychology issue that was brought up was the realistic group conflict theory. In the movie, Agent Anderson tells a story about his father, and how he poisoned the black neighbour's mule to death. Told in the context of poverty, it reflected on how the circumstances surrounding a man drove him to anger, probably for not being able to provide for his family. This anger needed to be channeled somewhere. Where else would he direct it to,  but to his black neighbour, who not only is perceived as the "lower" race, but also has more than him monetarily! When there is not enough resources, coupled with jealousy and insecurity, competition becomes more apparent, and human instinct starts to kick in to the point of no control.  

Above: left: Agent Anderson, 

right: Agent Ward, who is younger 

but spear-heading the case

This movie also brought about the whole issue of how to deal with terrorists. Does the end really justify the means? How do you catch the criminals, do they have rights? Would you follow what agent Ward had to offer, sound, by-the-book work or agent Anderson's way of doing it, informal and unorthodox?


All in all, I was not very inspired by this movie, it just left me with a lot of sadness and the reinforced stance that...

 

=) 

For more info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095647/
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmAqrMtB-Qg

Lesson 4 - Forget Paris

Is love REALLY in the air? 

 In conjunction with Valentines day, many of us were feeling in the mood for some mushy-wushy touchy-feely-huggie-rubbie-ness and voted for a romantic love story. Little did we know that a trip to the city of love could bring us such a plethora of emotions!

Forget Paris (1995) is a love-comedy which features Billy Crystal and Debra Winger as Mickey and Ellen, two unassuming individuals who meet in the most uncanny of circumstances - an airport in France. What was initially meant to be a trip to bury his father became a trip full of infatuation, tingling excitement, and ultimately, full of a girl who would be the centre of his universe for well, most of the rest of his life, or so we hope (I'll explain why later).

 

If you take a good look at the above poster, or even watch the trailer, you would notice that they say this is a comedy about love... AFTER MARRIAGE !
It sure was! What I really like about this show was that it was NOT one more typical show that depicted a fairy-tale love, unrealistic images of an out-of-this-world quintessential hero-guy who sweeps the beautiful damsel-in-distress off her feet and carries her into the sunset. Instead, it very carefully painted out a picture of a normal, realistic relationship.

Check out this link for an example of somewhat realistic stages of a relationship! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSdELZxEnHY  

What I enjoyed was the rather accurate portrayal of a relationship, after the honeymoon phase, especially if a couple enters a relationship with unrealistic expectations. As the excitement and limerence dies down, it is soon replaced by tensions, bitterness and bickering as the couple finds that each party wants their way in life, but cannot have everything they want as they have to compromise for each other.

Above: Mickey and Ellen in Paris 

Meeting Ellen was enough to make Mickey fall "in love" and he could not get enough of her, even to the extend where he could not referee properly thinking about her. Subsequently, Ellen was willing to drop all she had and was doing to marry Mickey. All the dreaminess ended when Ellen found she was not happy with Mickey having to be away and her having to be alone with a crappy job, and Mickey found it hard to succumb to what Ellen wanted, as that would have meant quitting his job.

Above: Mickey, small and spritely, fair and accurate. 

The best referee

Another interesting thing about this film is that you never actually "meet" the main characters until the end of the show. Throughout the whole movie, the story of Mickey and Ellen are being told by their friends. It begins with forty-something couple Andy and Liz, Liz being Andy's fiance and Andy telling her the story of this wonderful man named Mickey. They are later joined by friends Craig and Lucy, then Jack and Lois, who add to the story of Mickey and Ellen. To add a dash of humour to the story telling is the waiter who comes at every interval to take an order, and provide a simile for wine with reference to his own...personality.

Some actor/actress fun facts: 

Fact 1: Andy is played by Joe Mantegna, 

the guy whom most of us know, 

as a much older David Rossi, 

from Criminal Minds

Fact 2: Remember this lady? She plays Lucy, 

Craig's wife (the one who weighed the lime and olive -.-)

She played Elleanor in our first movie of the Semester - Awakenings

She also is the voice of Marge Simpson on the Simpsons!  

All in all, this movie was able to capture the attention of the audience with its attention grabbers, its sense of wit, as well as its ability to allow the audience to relate and empathize with the characters at every emotional moment. The message was profound yet the way it was presented, humourous and dry, allowed the audience to leave light-hearted. Definitely would recommend this film to couples who are planning to tie the knot!

Above: Ooh treasure! Excerpts from the movie XD

Love is a commitment to ensure, that the other person is growing in all facets of life (Goh, 2012).

For more info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113097/
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8ZHyJoKYnM

Lesson 3 - Whale Rider

This week, we took a trip to the Southwestern Pacific Ocean, 

to the beautiful island country of scenery, 

sheep and kiwis, New Zealand.

Today's lesson was interesting as most of us are not very familiar with New Zealand culture. Dr. Goh, having studied there himself, was able to give us a little bit of 101 on some of the culture there.


New Zealand posses a very distinctive Māori culture, and Dr. Goh used the show, "Once Were Warriors" (1994), to give us a background on an aspect of the culture there that is, for lack of a better term, undesirable. 

 

Above: Poster of "Once Were Warriors" (1994)

"Once Were Warriors" depicted a society in which drinking and violence is rampant. The story focuses on a family of 7, which includes 
Jake, a violent and abusive father, 


Beth, a mother whose marriage was not approved by her own parents ,   




 

(Jake and Beth in high spirits, literally)




a daughter, Grace , 


the upright moral character who becomes the factor of change in the family, 

and a son, Nig , who is joining a street gang. 

Showing us short clips of this movie as well as more explanations, provided us with a bit more knowledge on  Maraes (an enclosed area where a meeting house stands as the centre for mush of the community life in a Māori community). In "Once Were Warriors", Beth, the mother had left her Marae, (which ultimately led to a very sad life),  and at the end, decides to return to it. 


In the subsequent movie, "Whale Rider" (2002), we actually had the privilege of seeing a marae and life in a village. we see the efforts of a chief to preserve the Māori culture in his Marae, in which the leadership role is traditionally to be assumed by a male. 

Above: The statue commemorating the legendary Paikea, 

leader of the village, 

who is said to have come riding on a whale.

In this movie, we see 12 year old Paikea Apirana (Pai), a girl who was born into a family with unfortunate circumstances, namely a father who does not want to take over the leadership of the village as per tradition, a mother who dies giving birth to her, and a twin brother who also dies at birth. The main story-line is how Pai's grandfather, Koro, has to let go of the fact that there are no more male suitors for position of village leader, and how he subsequently has to accept that the next leader is none other than his granddaughter, Pai, who loves the culture, embraces the traditions and shows qualities of a leader at a young age. 


We see a lot of cognitive dissonance in this film especially when it comes to the relationship between Pai and Koro. On one hand he loves his granddaughter, on the other hand, he despises the fact that she is a female. He has many inner fights and conflicts with himself on this matter. The show initially shows how Koro picks Pai up from school each day on a bicycle, however subsequently there comes a time where Koro resents her so much that he refused to go pick her up without informing her first. Poor Pai had to walk home because she missed the bus, having so much faith that Koro would pick her up as usual.  

 

Above: Koro taking Pai home on his bicycle

Above: Koro angry with Pai when she won a 

taiaha (fighting stick) match against a boy, 

probably he was angry because Pai, a girl, 

was better than the boy. 

Above: Koro and Pai on the waka (canoe) on its maiden voyage, 

upon Pai's initiation/ celebration of her leadership status

Another character who played a big role in terms of being influential to the other characters, and also in filling the movie with dry humour, would be Pai's grandmother, who went by "Nanny" throughout the movie. In a male dominated society, it was interesting to see how Nanny played a big part in being the "middle-man" between Koro and Pai. It was Nanny's blunt statements and daring attitude that made her the neck that turns the head (Koro). However, she does all that with a sense of wisdom, as in one part of the show, she shares with Pai that she has to make Koro think he's the boss. She also knew her husband very well as she could gauge when it was time for him to face the truth. What I liked was that her character was a spunky little old lady who laid out her piece of mind when necessary, but ultimately she knew when to submit to her husband.  

Above: Pai and her grandmother, Nanny

Overall I thought the show was interesting as it exposed us to a different culture. It show cased a lot of gender roles, which is an issue not only in the Māori culture, but in many other cultures around the world as well. I love shows about girl power! Go little Māori girl !!!


In my opinion, this show was also very spiritual in nature as there was a lot of chanting and in many instances it was as if through this chanting, Pai was able to communicate with the spirit of the whales. 
Yeah.
That did creep me out a bit. 


=p


For more info: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0298228/
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOBvABpfeeY