Welcome to my Media Law blog. I use this blog as a teaching tool that
allows me to comment on current events and topics related to media law.
It also allows you to participate in discussions involving media law
topics.
As the name of the blog suggests, I want you to use this forum to
speak freely about the topics that we will discuss in this summer class.
We will discuss some controversial topics -- and often, we may not
agree. You may not agree with me, or you may not agree with your
classmates.
But this is a forum of expression, so you have the right to express
your opinion. My opinion is not correct just because I'm the instructor.
You should feel free to disagree with me.
Think about this as the First Amendment in practice.
A few ground rules, please. Some of our discussions may become
heated. While you have the right to express your opinion, I urge you to
be considerate of others, especially those with whom you disagree. Avoid
attacking or belittling someone just because you disagree with his or
her opinion. And, I suggest you double check your comment for grammar,
clarity and sensitivity before you post.
With your comment, please include your
first name and the initial of your last name. I
need this information to keep track of your comments for participation points.
You can get an idea of how I used this blog in past semesters,
though you are not responsible for reading or commenting on previous
blog entries.
Now, let's start with something light.
Share with us a favorite book, movie, TV show, song, etc., that is
related to law, then tell us why it's your favorite and include a brief
summary of the work.
I'll go first. In past semesters, the movie I would call my favorite
was "Twelve Angry Men" -- the original with Henry Fonda. But in 2012,
I saw Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" and was thoroughly impressed. The
movie recounts President Lincoln's effort to encourage Congress to pass
the Thirteen Amendment, which abolished slavery. A
movie about passing a constitutional amendment? How perfect for a media
law prof!
I look forward to reading your comments.
19 comments:
Hello! I believe Lincoln Lawyer is my favorite law related movie. The case in this movie is more complex than what the audience, including me, were expecting. The lawyer, played by Matthew McConaughey, is used to working small case. However, when he lands this case, it ends up being a larger and darker case which is a reason why I liked this movie so much. Plot twists and surprises are what keep me entertained.
My favorite TV show related to law is "Better Call Saul". The show is a spin off of "Breaking Bad", which was filled with scandal, drama, and interesting plot twists. Better Call Saul is filled with those same qualities and feeds my appetite of wanting more Breaking Bad episodes. Saul Goodman was a character in Breaking Bad and was the attorney for Walter White, a big time drug lord in Breaking Bad. Saul did not follow any ethics code and broke a lot of laws for his clients. Better Call Saul is about Saul Goodman's, who's birth name is Jimmy McGill, journey into how he became corrupt and changed his name and became Saul Goodman.
Laura G:
During quarantine, my roommates and I have been watching "Sister Wives." It is a TLC show that focuses on a polygamist, fundamentalist Mormon family. It is really more of a reality show about the families' daily life and struggles. But, during the seasons they discuss how polygamy, even spiritual polygamy is illegal in Utah. As a family, they discuss and show how they were kicked out of Utah in fear that they would be arrested. This show relates to law because they show the work they do with government officials to reach a happy relationship between the two systems. The tv show follows their journey of going to talk to government officials, lawyers and shows both sides of polygamy legal and illegal.
Fabien M.
One of my favorite movies pertaining to law would be Law Abiding Citizen. What really caught my attention other than the amazing actors, were the loop holes and the famous saying "It's not what you know, it's what you can prove in court" that really stuck out to me. The more you know the law and understand it the more you can work around it rather than abide by it. This movie really encouraged me to understand the laws that surround us and govern our everyday life.
A song that's kind of related to law that I like that came to mind is "If I Ruled the World" by Lauryn Hill and Nas. It's a pretty old song and as it the title suggests it talks about an ideal world imagined by the artists. They talk about things such as freeing people in jail, legalizing weed, a thriving economy and so on. Overall I think they just envision a world with a fair government, flourishing economy, and above all else peace.
AZIZA O
While in quarantine I've watched a new anime called psycho-pass and it's about how in the future society will have the government monitor our psychological States and if you deviate you'll be deemed as a criminal and they can either put you in a rehab center or you die. Within we follow their law enforcement agency as they crack down on revolutionaries or one-off criminals who snap and go “psychotic.” They let their inner thoughts delve into the negative zone as they commit crimes. Society has also become so numb to it being great all the time when something atrocious happens people don't even know how to handle the trauma. Pretty interesting this concept I'm sure I wouldn't like a society like that it seems to have good intentions but definitely can go South really fast.
While in quarantine I finished up the show "Scandal" which relates to law 100% and I didn't even know until I was 2 episodes deep. This show helps showcase things that go on in the White House that we as civilians don't see on a daily basis because the government knows way more than we know and they deal with stuff beyond our control. It's filled with legal cases, wars, foreign countries and obviously scandal which comes from people inside the White House and workers who had previously worked in the White House. It gave me a better understanding of the law and it showed how cases and things going on in the world get covered up or handled without civilians even knowing what's going on. It also includes a lot of politics which gave me more knowledge on how the government is ran and goes into law, elections, polls and nominees on a deeper level.
Skylar W said...
While in quarantine I finished up the show "Scandal" which relates to law 100% and I didn't even know until I was 2 episodes deep. This show helps showcase things that go on in the White House that we as civilians don't see on a daily basis because the government knows way more than we know and they deal with stuff beyond our control. It's filled with legal cases, wars, foreign countries and obviously scandal which comes from people inside the White House and workers who had previously worked in the White House. It gave me a better understanding of the law and it showed how cases and things going on in the world get covered up or handled without civilians even knowing what's going on. It also includes a lot of politics which gave me more knowledge on how the government is ran and goes into law, elections, polls and nominees on a deeper level.
Brooke J
I would have to say my favorite law related movie is 13th. This movie is very powerful in the sense it takes a in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation's history of racial inequality.
This relates to what is somewhat happening in the world today, so I thought I'd share this movie. This movie takes its title from the 13th Amendment of the US Constitution, which abolished slavery. By focusing on the disproportionate amount of African Americans (and other people of color) in US jails, the film discusses US history following the abolishment of slavery and the extent to which the exception in the 13th amendment for "punishment for crime" has substituted the initial form of abolished slavery into one that has seen Jim Crow laws, segregation, and mass incarceration as a new form of slavery. This movie is a must see on the history of the law.
Michaela S.
Not sure this exactly counts but I binge-watched the show "Designated Survivor" on Netflix and loved every minute of it. For me, it was a unique and entertaining way of looking at some things of how the White House works. How things can go up in flames over the smallest of things and how many people put in work to fix it. I also enjoyed how it showed the family side of being a president because that is often over-looked when thinking about a president. Like it blows my mind that kids live in the White House haha! This also made me really about things that may happen within the government involving other countries or missions that we may have no idea about. Like Friday's discussion, I don't really know how I feel about the secrets!
Logan S.
I watched the movie A Few Good Men last summer and really enjoyed it. It is a movie about two marines who are court-martialed and charged with murder after the death of one of their fellow marines. Their lawyer, played by Tom Cruise (before he got all weird) decides to take the case to trial even though the odds are stacked against them, and the trial takes some interesting turns throughout. The cast is pretty good and there are some good performances that really carry the movie.
Madison D.
A series that my family and I have watched together for years is Law and Order, both Special Victims Unit and Criminal Intent. Each episode usually starts off with a new criminal case in which there was a murder or another disturbing crime. Like most crime shows, the officers involved attempt to find the criminal and get them convicted. Often times the officers find themselves teetering the boundaries of the law when attempting to get the perpetrator convicted.
Jorge T.
I recently watched Jeffrey Epstein's documentary, "Filthy Rich". This may be a tough subject for some people. It is not my favorite but it is the most recent show I watched. It's just crazy how he was able to get away with what he did for so long because he was a rich and powerful individual. His lawyers and the government allowed him to be free on probation after serving less than a year in jail for having sexual encounters with a minor. It is goes to show that the lawyers are doing their job to avoid their client of being prosecuted as well the court to allow this to happen because of his status. He uses exercises his 5th amendment in this case. However, the FBI later gather more evidence against him and prosecuted him for life in prison. Though I don't want to spoil it for the rest of you guys but I believe he was murder in order for him not to release any information to the FBI involving other high elite individuals.
I like many show that deal with laws, but one of my favorite books/movies is To Kill a Mockingbird. A well known story of racism and injustice in a small town where Atticus defends Tom Robinson an African American against the alleged rape of a white woman. Atticus knows he will lose the trial but doesn't care, only cares to have the truth be told for Tom Robinson. Through this story there are many lessons, but it resonates still today as the racism and injustice still happens.
Baylor W.
One show that I am currently watching that involves the law is called Daredevil. The show is focused around a superhero who is a vigilante by night and a lawyer by day. His legal knowledge helps keep him out of trouble. Throughout the show Daredevil faces many moral dilemmas. It is very ironic that he is bypassing the system that he has sworn to protect.
Gabriela H
My favorite show currently is How to Get Away with Murder. It is about a law professor who helps her students literally get away with murder time after time, by using the law and blackmail. This show literally teaches you a lot about the government system and the about the law.
Veronica C.
My favorite TV show is Black Mirror. I like Black mirror because every episode communicates something different and gives a lot of different points with our future and how technology could impact our lives. The show does have some episodes relating to political views and the different law systems that can exist through technology.
Burnie (John) B
I think my favorite movie regarding law would have to be A Few Good Men, Primal Fear, or The Firm. For this post, A Few Good Men. 2 Marines are accused of smothering another man in his sleep while on base, supposedly acting under an unspoken code of the military. Tom Cruise plays a lawyer in the military as the lead on the case. The movie is a brilliant courtroom drama that has more intensity than most action movies.
Kristin R.
I recently finished Newsroom which follows a news commentator on a major network after they completely rebrand and revise their entire show. It’s set during the Obama administration in 2010, so it deals with real laws, political figures, and events. The protagonist criticizes laws and politicians on both parties, and becomes more outspoken.
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