Media: Something Everything Is...

“Media: Something Everything Is…” 27-04-08

As they say that the definition and meanings of certain vocabularies change through time, the understanding of the word media on present day has also been slightly converted. Taking back to the early twentieth century, media is known to be the plural form of medium where medium means something. To elaborate on the vagueness of a medium, it is basically an object which is generated from ideas or information. As medium is considered to be single information, media is considered to be massive information. With this axiom deliberated, we can assume that everything around us is basically media, and in this reality, it is.

The forms of media has not just changed within time but has also grown and become miscellaneous in making the world smaller and smaller. From the times of which information was passed down through teachings and Chinese whispers, became more creative through the use of engraving in stone tablets and scrolls, a few decades later evolved into newspapers and in today’s world, we can see that information has been vastly portrayed through computers, books, television, radio and even handphones. We are constantly viewing some things (taking it back from its actual definition) and media is not just news or advertisement (people are usually mistaken in this) but anything that encompass information or ideas of any kind. Thus, even children’s books and movies are media, textbooks are media and taking the definition to the extreme, even the calendar should be a media.

It is not peculiar in knowing that media has such a great affect upon viewers, knowing that media surrounds us all the time. One of the most reckoned media, advertisement has been notorious in depreciating society’s morality and ethics, plays a huge role on media in even bluffing consumers to buy products. But we are obligated in these things that the world surrounds us with; lies, deception and trickery’s in the manipulation of information.

To close the introduction of media, I would just like to say not to consider those remarks made by people through products and such; know that everything is advertised and that everyone is constantly giving information in all sorts of ways to convince such that our minds are molded into it. Beware; our study of media is to look at things not just from what it is showing but from what it is not showing and abstractly, the hidden messages.

*Aside from a brief history and explanation of the actually entity a media is, the next few blogs would be analysis of different medias, responses and hopefully, see the hidden side of everything.

“The medium is the message.”

Marshall McLuhan (1911 - 1980), "Understanding Media", 1964

“The biases the media has are much bigger than conservative or liberal. They're about getting ratings, about making money, about doing stories that are easy to cover.”

Al Franken, "Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them", 2003

Thus, Tuesday’s Sunday with Jesse – What Would Jessica Do?

When Two Chinese Action Actors Collaborate...

It has been a long time since I have blogged here...

I have returned and starting from now I will bring to you synopsis of the media world around us!!

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Chapter 1: Forbidden Kingdom - the path is unsafe, the place is unknown, the journey is unbelievable


Through the Drunken Master tetralogy and The One we have recognized the adroit martial artist who is short, yet swift - Jet Li. And through Police Story trilogy, Medallion, and Rush Hour we have witness the humorous and robust Jackie Chan, who is well known for its non-stunt man actions. Those two have their own debut which lead them to fame and glory, but have you ever seen them act together? The Forbidden Kingdom gives you the answer!

The Forbidden Kingdom is about Jason Tripitikas, a kungfu-obsessed American teen who embarked a journey to China. With the help of martial artists warriors (Jackie Chan) he is on a mission to emancipate the Monkey King (Jet Li). Throughout the journey, Jason learns that kungfu is not as epic as it is described in comic books nor video games.

As a whole, this movie imbues perfection in terms of story line and visualization of scenes. This is because the setting has captured the audience's attention and brought them to a typical yet thrilling world of kungfu. Such achievement is also supported with the choice of casts and their position within the storyline. Jackie Chan gives the humorous ambiance along with his symbolical martial art style - a drunken master. Jet Li provides the exhilaration of action movies with his originality of kungfu. It is enjoyable to see how Jackie Chan's carefree attitude collides with Jet Li's serious nature. Not only they create a must-watch fighting scenes and humor, but there are times when they send a word of wisdom to the audience - typical Chinese movies.

However, the portrayal of a perfect Chinese action movie is disillusioning, to some people, because of a Western cast as the main character. Jason Tripitikas, played by Michael Angarano (Sky High), caused the story to mostly revolve around his naiveness; resulting a minimized action scenes. However, other viewers might see this as a reminiscences of old American martial art movies due to his facial resemblance to past's actors. It's all about perspective.

Rumor had said that Jackie Chen was first displeased with the script. Maybe it is because the storyline is distorted by Western movie cultures.

The fact that it is make to be watched by everyone caused the nonexistence of gore killing scenes. Yet, several swear words are said, possibly to give the antagonistic feeling. The Forbidden Kingdom labeled as PG-13.

The type of jokes in this movie are classic Jackie Chan jokes: twisting other character's sentences and playing around with his enemy during battles. Jet Li also displays his wittiness as the Monkey King. The funniest scene in this movie, for me, is when Jackie Chen tries to summon rain but what sprinkles him is not rain but Jet Li's urine :)

"Jason Tripitikas: He needs wine. It's his elixir.
Medicine Monk: We will send a walking monk.
Lu Yan (Jackie Chan): Can't you send a running monk?

Although this movie possesses a Western movie cliche, it did not hide the amazing collaboration of Jackie Chan and Jet Li but make the most out of it instead. What is disappointing is the cut (or badly edited) scenes. The anti-climax is also very brief and cliche as well. But nonetheless, it is a recommendable movie to those Jackie Chan and Jet Li lovers. But don't set a high expectation when watching it! I would rate this movie 8 / 10...

DaNte's Post - the newest!

DaNte's Post
27-04-2008

Hey everyone! DaNte's posts are back! Yeah! Aren't you guys happy? So anyway, since it is a new term in the wonderful world of IB, there will be a new topic as well. We are currently studying about media and its dreadful effects to the society! Bad bad advertisements. However media is not only about advertisements. Turns out it is about movies and TV shows as well! The blog topic for this term is commenting about the medias that we are engaged with recently. Hence, we will be talking about movies, advertisements, TV shows and many more. Us prodigious Miss Jessica's A2 English HL class will show you the true power and the heinous purposes and meanings of the MEDIA!!! *dum dum dum*

STAR MILD: ''MORE TASTE! MORE OBSESSED!''

A few weeks ago (when I was still in my prime condition. No spots or poxes) when I was on the way home, I saw an advertisement on a huge billboard in front of me. The advertisement was, not surprisingly, a cigarette advertisement. The brand for that particular cigarette was Star Mild, the one where they always question you with "What's your obsession?". The advertisement I witnessed was a newer product of the Star Mild cigarette. It portrays a picture of a man pushing away another man (who is in the advertisement of the previous Star Mild product) to the edge. On the advertisement were inscribed "Lebih Punya Taste! Lebih Terobsesi!" which means: "More Taste! More Obsessed!". On the left corner, in tiny words, were inscribed the hazards of smoking.

This is absurd. Really. This is absurdly preposterous. I mean, what the hell?! "More Taste, More Obsessed"? What kind of fricking advertisement was that! Well, it is like saying: This cigarette is tastier than the others, you'll get more addicted with this! The advertisement has a subliminal message of making people addicted more to smoke by instilling the word 'obsessed' in their minds. Star Mild is probably insane. Looking at other cigarette ads, I haven't seen one who tells the audience to get addicted to cigarette, or maybe they didn't say it blatantly. Luckily, children may not understand this message clearly. But for bright and astute teenagers such as me, it might have an impact on our lifestyle. We might think: cigarette - obsession - addiction - trend - cool. This is really devastating. Imagine the increasing number of smoking-addicted teenagers if they think this way. So be very careful when seeing these cigarette ads.

Do not succumb into the temptation to be 'cool' or 'trendy' by smoking. It is bad, my friends. There are unwanted health consequences by smoking, so you mustn't fall for the euphemistic language of advertisement. They are just covering the hazards of smoking! Beware of the evils of advertisement. They are liars! WASPADA! WASPADA! (Beware! Beware!)