COURSE BLOG for GWSS 3307: Feminist Film/Media Studies (Fall 2007)

I’m going to go ahead and admit that I am a huge media thief. Being a poor college student, I don’t get cable, don’t get the newspaper, and have stopped purchasing music (unless it’s obscenely good, because this was true until I bought the new David Bazan last week… obscenely good).

So, I have discovered all those sites online that host whole movies and whole TV shows in order to enjoy the things I miss. Sites like, www.alluc.org or www.tv-links.co.uk. Basically, I’m constantly watching media with a scroll of Chinese subtitles underneath. I also go to comedycentral.com and watch the Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

I’m also an obsessive downloader. Recently I discovered the joys of downloading by torrents and I have started a collection on my computer of French films I can’t get a hold of in the U.S. because they never translated them into English (I studied abroad in France last semester so basically the only foreign films I watch are French).

I get the New York Times in my email box for free or from the Carlson building (If anyone doesn’t know, Carlson has stacks of newspapers on the basement floor to take for free, including the Star Tribune, the New York Times, and USA Today.)

I do sometimes pay for things. My roommates and I have been using Netflix all summer although we plan to cancel it soon since none of us have the time to actually watch the films. I go to the cinema from time to time. I saw Superbad (outstandingly funny) and Harry Potter twice (once in IMAX – unbelievable).

I usually enjoy pretty mainstream films. I love watching TV shows or movies my old Nickelodeon days – you know, Pete and Pete, Salute your Shorts, Clarissa Explains it All. I also love bad horror movies.

As for how it affects my understanding, it’s mostly mindless media exposure – watching things on the internet. Plus, the sound and picture aren’t too great either.