Set It Off! More than you think...
This is the second time that I have seen "Set It Off". The first time was a few years back when I was flipping channels and saw it was on TV. I remember deciding to watch the film instead of changing the channel only because I recognized Jada Pinkett Smith and liking her and Will Smith as a couple wanted to see her in a film. When I began to watch the film I didn't know the title and had missed seeing the opening scenes but I watched it anyway because of Jada. Besides the fact that Jada was in the film and that almost everyone dies at the end of the film, that was all that I remembered of the film when I was sitting in class thinking about the film waiting for it to start. Once the film began I was shocked to see continuous acts of violence on the screen, which I didn't remember from watching the film a few years ago. When Stevie was killed I got tears in my eyes. At other scenes in the film I also got tears in my eyes because I could relate with the pain that the women in the film were going through. Being able to empathize with the women made the film more powerful to me in it’s second viewing. When viewing films like this I almost wish the film wasn't made because then those characters wouldn't have to go through the pain that the director makes them go through. Films like "Set It Off" are more powerful and more realistic to me than films like "The Piano". This is because I can't necessarily relate as much to a film, which has a setting that is so unlike the atmosphere and setting of my life. I have never been in the socioeconomic position that the four women in the film "Set It Off" were in but this film did take place in America and in a metropolitan area, not in a lush jungle atmosphere like in "The Piano". I really enjoyed this film but was sad when it was over for a reason other then the ending being sad. I was sad because I really don't like the films "Boys Don't Cry" and "North Country" and am really not looking forward to watching those films in class. I understand why we will be watching them but I just don’t like viewing sexual violence, it makes me mad and really uncomfortable. However this time when I view these films in class I will try to watch the film from a feminist perspective, attempting to analyze the film and not merely 'watch' it. I'm not sure if I can separate 'watching' a film from 'analyzing' a film but I will try my best, otherwise I seriously doubt I will be able to sit through both of these upcoming films. When I mentioned these feelings that I have about these films to my Fiancé he said "sometimes you have to be uncomfortable in order to see life in a different light". I agree, but it’s hard to voluntarily put your self in a situation where you know you will be uncomfortable, but I will do it for the sake of Feminist Studies!