Movies: )

My Favorite movie of 2009 (and possibly all time) would be "Precious: based on the Novel Push by Sapphire". The movie was so amazing, and like the novel, made me bawl and laugh hysterically practically at the same time. The movie was well directed (Lee Daniels), and included some amazing acting by Mariah Carey, Gabourney Sidibe (a brand-new actress), Paula Patton, and other (probably B-C list celebs). I'm hoping the film will receive some Oscar nods and possibly some actual awards.

Here's a(n amazing) preview

Magazine :)

I would name my magazine "maquillage". It would be different from the conventional fashion/beauty magazine in that it would be exclusively for beauty products, tips, and techniqes from famous makeup artists. It would be geared towards college-aged women who are busy and cannot constantly experiment with makeup looks, etc. and might just need quick fixes for things like a last-minute pimple, serious undereye bags from finals week, and things that provide easy solutions to common problems.

The premier issue would include a du jour Celebrity, such as (now) Rihanna, Lady Gaga, as well as their makeup artist. (I have a feeling that meeting with Lady Gaga's makeup artist would be a beyond interesting experience, since she's always sporting such crazy looks.). The cover shoot would include the makeup artist and the Celebrity, posing together. Throughout the magazine, we would have the makeup artist come up with several different looks for the celeb as well as for the readers of the magazine (who would probably want something more toned down). At the end, we would have an interview with both that would go a little bit more into their personality, style, and some of their lives at the moment.

3 books that changed my life

1. hercule poirot novels, by agatha christie.

I can't just choose one of these; I love them all. when I was a kid, i 'discovered' agatha christie in the "big kids" 8th grade classroom, and I fell in love instantly. whenever I would pick up one of her books, i would literally not stop reading it until i was done--through dinner, in the bathroom, wherever i could read, i would. I would stay up all night just to see what would happen at the end, and I loved the thrill i got from not knowing what was going to happen. My mom would always come check on me while i was asleep, and find me reading in the bathroom, or in the light of a flashlight, and I would almost always get the book taken away. Christie's plots always made it worthwhile though.

2. "Push" by sapphire

I can't tell you how much this book made me laugh, cry, hope, and dream. The book is about a teenage girl who's life is miserable. She's having her second child by her father, and she lives with her abusive mother. They've made a film of the novel, and it is very powerful--perhaps even more than the novel.

3. Confessions of a shopaholic

I read these books when I was a freshman in high school and I immediately fell in love with Sophie Kinsella (the author), and even more with Becky Bloomwood. So far, the books have been absolutely amazing, and I've read some of Sophie Kinsella's other work, such as Twenties Girl, The Undomestic Goddess, etc. I must say I was a little disappointed with the movie, though. I felt that part of what made the books so appealing was Becky's english-ness, as well as her cute-ity :). Both of those things were toned down in the film Confessions of A Shopaholic. And Becky Bloomwood does not for god's sake meet Luke Brandon, billionaire, and love of her life at a hot dog stand!

Media research project

If I could do a media research project, I think i would do it about the different ways that violence in the media affects the way people view the world. I would take a sample of people of the same demographic (i.e. college students), and show them a video or have them play a violent game, and then ask them about their reflections on the world, and safety.

Here goes nothing...

Hi! I'm Sarah. Just in case you'd like to know. And this blog, well...mandatory. Mass comm at DeAnza College :)

well, the media plays such a large and frequently overlooked role in our society. While many of us are fully aware that the media does affect our actions, thoughts, and desires, we have no idea to what extent our lives are molded by the new technologies that inform us about our world. When we watch Television, we see the world through someone else's camera lens. We see the world through a narrow opening that someone somewhere on the other side of the city/country/planet controls and decides what we should see and what we shouldn't. are you with me?

So I'm not saying that the television is lying to you. I simply believe that we shouldn't rely too heavily on what we "see" on television when we form our views about how the world works. My observations about media bias have led me to seriously consider a career in the media; journalism in particular. I feel the need for a more balanced range of biases. Maybe one day I'll prove to the world that there is a middle ground between complete control of the press through the government, and completely free "you-can-publish-anything-you-want-to-as-long-as-you-can-pay-for-it" press.

My relationship with the media is quite complex. I have a love-hate relationship with television, which I don't watch unless it's the news and my favorite show. the radio is always on in my car, which means that I'm constantly bombarded with audio ads. Magazines are the one form of media that I would say really impact me. Me and my family subscribe to a variety of different magazines to keep me busy throughout the month: Time, Vogue, INSTYLE, Newsweek, Elle, W, and Allure.

Growing up, my relationship with the media was very different. Heck, the media available to me was very different. back in my day, Saturday morning cartoons included Catdog, Dexter's lab, shows like Arthur, and nickelodeon's Hey Arnold.

Sadly, gone are the days when children would wake up extra early on Saturday mornings just to watch cartoons. today's children are just too busy on their cellphones, ipods, and laptops to know the beauty and awesomeness behind those wee hours of the morning.