NCA Learning Outcomes: This assignment will help students employ communication theories, perspectives, principles, and concepts, engage in communication inquiry, and critically analyze messages.

This assignment requires that you watch one movie that addresses issues pertaining to religion, culture, and communication and write a 6-8-page critical analysis of the movie. You may review a movie of your choice (you can always ask me for help with choosing a movie). The objective of the movie analysis is for you to apply your understanding of religion to cultural interactions reflected in the movie. As you watch the film, you should be reflecting on the ideas covered in class. In addition, you will also make a commentary on how popular culture shapes our understanding of religion and how that affects intercultural communication.

The movie review requires more than summaries of stories. You will start with a thesis statement/question (more information below). In other words, your focus should be to make an argument (or arguments) about some aspect(s) of the movie as they relate to religion, culture, and communication and apply the terms/concepts discussed in class and our readings (please note: a minimum of 20 concepts is required and please underline these in your paper).

Your question can borrow language and ideas from the following-

How does media propagate stereotypes about religion/members of a faith or belief system? 

How does mass media and popular culture change religious values and behaviors? 

Is mass media transforming and/or subverting (undermining the power and influence of) religion? 

Is media anti-religious or religion anti-media? 

Has sports, television, or entertainment replaced religion? 

Is popular culture hostile to faith or is it religious in wholly new and unexpected ways? 

Has religion transformed and/or restrained the media? 

Examine how specific religions and religious symbols are expressed in popular culture. 

• What happens when traditional religions borrow pop cultural forms or ideals? 
• Is U.S./global media creating a trend towards religious eclecticism and hybridity?  
• You can review the following file and link for more help. These are very useful. 
• How to do a film analysis (Links to an external site.)
• questions for analyzing films.pdf Download questions for analyzing films.pdf 
• Be sure to include only brief descriptions of examples from the movie to support your thesis and arguments (you will want to focus on an analysis rather than a mere description of the movie’s storyline). In addition to providing some critical, thoughtful insights, your review should also be well-organized and clearly written. Your review paper will be graded on how clearly you present and develop your thesis and how fully you demonstrate your arguments and ideas. Your work will be graded on the quality of your writing, including organization, grammar, syntax, style and spelling.
• Your final presentations will not be graded, but non-participation will lead to deduction of points from the final paper. Prepare a 5-8-minute summary of your analysis. This should include:
• 1. The name a plot summary of your movie (very brief)
• 2. Your thesis statement or question as it relates to religion, culture, and communication
• 3. Your initial analysis and how you are planning to provide evidence for/answer your thesis statement or question

4. Course concepts you are planning to use in your final paper

5. Any concerns you have, challenges you are facing, and/or questions you have to complete this paper

Please know, at this point you may not have completed your analysis and paper. One of the main goals of this presentation is to help you complete this assignment. And of course for your peers to hear some initial thoughts on what you have found. 

Grading Rubric:

What is your thesis? Argument? (25 points)

Here I will need your essay to start with a thesis question/statement. To learn more about a thesis question or statement, review the following (the first link is especially important)-

https://writingcommons.org/open-text/writing-proce…

https://apus.libanswers.com/writing/faq/102559

https://examples.yourdictionary.com/thesis-stateme…

Your analysis and ideas; include at least 10 examples (out of which only 3-4 can be direct quotes/excerpts) from the movie. (75 points)

Use of a minimum of 20 terms/ course concepts throughout your essay- these must be underlined. (100 points)

Quality of writing: organization, grammar, style, spelling, editing, written-work guidelines. (25 points)

Completion of presentation. (25 points) For audiences, I need you to state what you liked about the analysis and one concept you think your classmate could use that they have not yet.