The Farm (Laurel Tripp)

• Available: personal library (I think that Tracy Johns also has a copy).
• Film length: just under an hour, but you can just show some segments to give students a taste of the issues.
• This is a Sundance winning documentary about life in the Angola Penitentiary. The documentary follows the plight of a few inmates from one just entering to those who die there (the vast majority at this prison die in prison; life means life). This is a great film to show the racial inequality in the judicial system (the majority of inmates are Black). There is even an example of overt discrimination in the appellate and probation process.

The Cemetery Club (Erica A Owens)

• Available: any video rental.
• Film length: just under 2 hours.
• This film covers the topic of widowhood. In it, three Jewish widows support one another through the traditional period of mourning after their husbands' deaths. Each one has a different style of coping with grief and readjusting to their new life. It is a good video for Marriage & Families. However, some students may not understand the Jewish mourning rituals present in the film, but the basic premise comes through anyhow. This movie is sad in places but also very funny. It is a good supplement to some texts that don't have a thorough treatment of death and survivorship in the family.
• Discussion questions: 1) Are the three women's means of coping as widows related to their experiences as wives? How? 2) What new skills do the women have to learn now that they are on their own? 3) How might the mourning and coping behavior be different for men whose wives die? Similar?

(Scene where they are discussing "fucking.")

• Available: any video rental story.
• Length: 2 or 3 minutes.
• This scene helps explain concepts for Principles, Marriage and Family, and Gender. I’ve never had any problems with showing this scene, but I did have a student who had told me at the beginning of class that she would like to be warned whenever we would be watching PG13 or R-rated films which made me more aware of the fact that this scene could offend some students. I just warn them beforehand and let them know that it is okay if they leave the room.

• Film length: 35 minutes for the edited version, 1 hour for the unedited version (I recommend getting the edited one if possible. The longer version is somewhat lengthy.)
• This film illustrates mainstream cultural construction of women’s sexuality as told by mass media and is useful for any class with a gender/sexuality component or a body image component. The film makes a strong argument about how women are only portrayed as sexual objects in music videos. Women are frequently shocked by noticing the extent to which mass media messages about women are only about sex and women’s supposed sexual availability. This is a great film for illustrating feminist issues of objectification and the potential impact in real terms. (It concludes by giving stats from 7-9 graders about when they think it is ok to rape women.) Additionally, it is effective because it speaks using a medium (music videos) that is readily recognizable to students. The reaction is often, "Gee, I’ve seen that before but never thought about it that way." I like it because it is not negative or judgmental towards sex in general. The general theme is that straight men control the production of music videos and, thus, only the story of male fantasy is told via these videos. It contains a comparison of music videos to mass media portrayals of rape by splicing in the rape scene form the movie The Accused (seemlessly, I might add) amongst the videos. The instructor should view the film before showing it in class. Furthermore, I always excuse students from watching the film for any reason, especially if they have any personal experience with rape or sexual abuse. They are always held responsible for the message of the film, discussed later.

• Available: any video rental place.
• Film length: 2 hours.
• This is a popular movie that addresses family issues, including: dual earner conflict, caring for aging parents, infertility, sexual incompatibility, and marital disruption/separation. It is a comedy starring Billy Crystal as a basketball referee who meets and falls in love with a woman in Paris. They later get married but learn that romantic compatibility isn't always enough when partners' careers are in conflict or when a couple is trying to have a baby but can't. Very funny while being to the point. It is useful for Marriage & Families, and is usually positive with students.
• Discussion questions: 1) How does marital satisfaction impact the couple's sexual satisfaction and vice versa? 2) How might the couple have better prepared for marriage? 3) What conflict styles are evident in the film?

• Available: widely available at any video store.
• Film length: around 90 minutes.
• This film illustrates many concepts including body image, aging, the economy, and the economies impact on relationships such as the family. The scene where the guys are standing around in their underwear talking about their bodies is particularly useful in discussing body image. Clips from this film or the entire film could be used in Principles, Marriage and Family, and Sociology of Gender.

• Available: widely available; also personal collection (lara1@ufl.edu).
• Length: 108 minutes.
• This movie helps illustrate concepts in Women’s Studies, Sociology of Gender, Social Problems. An oppressive regime takes control of the United States and redefines men’s and women’s roles in society. Most of my students really liked the film or at least thought it was extremely thought provoking. Others thought it was too bizarre and disturbing.
• Discussion Questions: I have an extended list of discussion questions if anyone is interested, but basically - could this really happen? What kind of role would you choose? How is religion used to legitimate the practices? 

• Available: Prentice Hall will send it to you; it is part of their "Marriage and Family" series. Connie Shehan might have a copy also.
• Film length: 20 minutes.
• The film covers the concept of the second shift. It is a 20-20 episode. It follows some couples around to see how they do at role sharing. There is a very funny caricature of the lazy husband, and also example of a husband who does more than his share, married to a woman who divorced her first husband because he didn't. It provides a good balanced portrayal. They also interview Arlie Hochschild--sociologist and author of The Second Shift. This is a good film for any family section.

• Available: widely available at video rental stores.
• Film length: short clip.
• A clip from this film can be used to illustrate the concept of masculinity in Principles or Sociology of Gender. The useful scene is where Kevin Kline's character is listening to the tape about how to "be a man."

• Available: widely available.
• Length: close to 2 hours.
• I use this in conjunction with the "love" chapter in Marriage and Family classes. It illustrates different styles of love, unrequited love, A, H, M frame relationships, triangle theory of love, etc.

• Available: OIR. 
• Length: 55 minutes.
• This movie is appropriate for Women’s Studies courses. Several feminists of diverse backgrounds talking about various issues. Despite that weak description, it is actually quite good and worked very well in my intro to women’s studies class as a summary of all we had covered over the course of the semester.

• Available: widely available at most video stores; personal collection.
• Film length: short clip.
• This clip illustrates the socially constructed nature of the female orgasm as well as issues of sex and sexuality between men and women. It is a good clip to use in Principles as well as Sociology of Gender. The scene is where Meg Ryan’s character fakes an orgasm in a diner in front of Billy Crystal’s character.

Donnie Brasco (Lara Foley)

• Available: widely available at video stores; also in personal collection.
• Film length: short clip.
• These clips illustrate the concept of learning culture for Principles. There are two scenes of interest. The first scene is where Al Pacino's character explains to Johnny Depp's character how to fold his money as well as explaining what it means when he says the terms "friend of mine" or "friend of ours." The second scene is where Depp's character explains what "forget about it" means.

• Available: widely available at video rental stores; also personal collection.
• Film length: short clip.
• A clip from this movie illustrates Goffman’s concept of Dramaturgy and the idea of performance teams. Furthermore, the whole film could be used to show the impact of beauty ideals. These are typically issues in Principles, Marriage and Family, and Sociology of Gender. The scene is where Uma Thurman's character pretends to be the vet and gives a turtle a shot.

• Film length: 87 minutes.
• Koyaanisqatsi is a documentary (of sorts). It is also a visual concert of images set to the haunting music of Phillip Glass. While there is no plot in the traditional sense, there is a definate scenario. The film opens on ancient Native American cave drawings, while the soundtrack chants "Koyaanisqatsi" which is a Hopi indian term for "life out of balance". The film uses extensive time lapse photography (which speeds images up) and slow motion photography to make comparisons between different types of physical motion. This technique of comparison exists throughout the film, and through it we learn more about the world around us. The film progresses from purely natural environments to nature as affected by man, and finally to man's own manmade environment, devoid of nature yet still following the patterns of natural flow as depicted in the beginning of the film, yet in chaos and disarray. Through this the film conveys its key message, which is Koyaanisqatsi: life out of balance; crazy life; life in turmoil; life disintegrating; a state of life that calls for another way of living.
• Discussion questions: 1) Does this film provide a structural functionalist approach or a critical analysis of American society? Explain your conclusion. 2) What message is being conveyed? (Hint: think about the film as if you had never been to America. What would the film tell you about America?) 3) Notice the elements of the film: camera angles, close-ups, camera speed (fast, slo-mo, regular), focus, music, subjects being filmed. How does the filmmaker use these elements to get across his message? Do you feel manipulated by these elements? If actors were used instead of "real" people would you feel different about the film?

Amistad (Laurel Tripp)

• Available: Personal library.
• Film length: 2.5 hours.
• This film is about a rebellion on a slave ship and the ensuing legal action in the United States. While this movie is an important first step in addressing the horrors of the slave trade as well as racial issues, it is a rather white paternalistic vision. However, it is very powerful and touches on a great deal of issues about the social construction of race. Even though the images of the Middle Passage stick in students’ minds (I let students who feel uncomfortable leave the room, although I encourage them to face it), they are even more enraged by the issue of a corrupt legal system and government. This can be used to address the problem of racism within the law enforcement and judicial systems. As a side note, there are also a number of scenes that only last a few minutes that illustrate Symbolic Interactionist concepts.

• Available: OIR.
• Film length: About an hour.
• The film has five different snapshots of both historical and current black-Jewish tension; issues which helps to illustrate the idea of racial or ethnic tensions. For use in upper level course on minorities so that as the instructor you have the time and the resources to help students understand that this occurs in the larger context of dominant-group (white) racism. Otherwise, they have the debilitating reaction of blaming subordinated groups of being racist themselves, releasing them (white students) of any sort of responsibility. Also, it is possible that the portrayal of Nation of Islam leader, Farrakhan, is biased.
• Discussion questions: The film comes with some discussion questions. Ask for booklet. The booklet also shows you where each segment begins and ends. So if time is an issue, you can preview it and then only show the segments that are important to discussion. 

• Available: Law Library or Karyn McKinney.
• Film length: 90 minutes.
• Focus group from 3-day intense weekend retreat of 9 or 10 men from white, black, Native American, Asian, and Latino backgrounds confronting race, ethnicity, racism, and discrimination. This can be used in any class that has a unit on race. It is very influential in getting across the tough issues of racism. It is possible that white students will be offended by the anger expressed by one black man in the film. However, there was a white man in the film who had the same reaction and then finally gets it near the end of the film. Therefore, this reaction can serve as a source for interesting discussion as well. Because of the intense nature of the material in the film, you should definitely follow this with discussion. 

• Available: OIR or Norman Library.
• Film length: Between one half to one hour.
• This film addresses the issues of racial prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping. It is a documentary of a third grade teacher trying to teach her students about the power of prejudice and discrimination through role simulation. She separates the class into blue-eyed and brown-eyed students as an experiment to show hoe insidious and catching prejudice can be. Social Problems students love this film, because it provides a very non-threatening view of discrimination. It can be used in any class that has a section on race.
• Discussion questions: Discuss the concepts of self-fulfilling prophecy and developmental issues. Also it helps clearly define prejudice as opposed to discrimination.

• Available: OIR, Library West, Norman Library, or Carla Edwards.
• Film length: Five 2-hour films.
• This series discusses the people and issues associated with the Civil Rights Movement. Some of the topics discussed are Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, the Black Panthers, the Little Rock 9, desegregation, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson. The films help illustrate prejudice, discrimination, racism, segregation and desegregation, and social movements in Social Problems or Principles of Sociology.
• Discussion questions: Discuss social movements (resource mobilization), discuss pros and cons of racial desegregation, public vs. private discrimination, development of legislation, and the role of government in our lives. 

• Available: OIR.
• Film length: about an hour.
• This film covers race in the media as pop-culture images. It is about Native American mascots in sports and the racism involved. Interviews many Native American activists and gets into the history as well. It is a good film for any class dealing with race. It is very effective, especially for our sports-oriented student body. I showed this near the end of the semester, so no one was really in denial about racism by then. However, it does interview several defensive whites about "their" mascots--critical students will realize that these folks are very pompously claiming to understand something they don't. 

Hollow Liberty (Sara Crawley)

• Available: personal library.
• Film length: 55 minutes, I suggest using some segments of it.
• This film covers gays in the Military as well as sodomy laws. It could be used in any segment on sexual freedom, gays and lesbians’ civil rights, or the military. The film argues against Clinton’s "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy and discusses the Bowers v. Hardwick Supreme court case that upheld Georgia’s right to control sexual activity. Definitely in favor of lesbian and gay civil rights. 

Roger and Me (Laurel Tripp)

• Available: Library West; I always borrow it from Mike Radelet.
• Film length: 91 minutes.
• This film introduces the idea of deindustrialization and its impact on social class in America. Michael Moore tries to address GM plant closings and the affects they’ve had on his hometown. This film is very useful in introducing the idea of structural issues impacting individuals. I think that it is easy for students to relate to the people in the film and to the hardships they face, because it is fairly clear-cut as to what factors are impacting their lives. I think from this point, it becomes easier to show that these same kinds of outside forces impact women, blacks, gays and lesbians, etc. However, I think that it is harder for some students to see the macro side of sexism, racism, heterosexism, ageism, etc. This approach helps them to find a metaphor with which to relate.

Commercials (Sara Crawley)