You will complete a movie review of a film with cultural and geographic reference. You will review a movie of your choice, and write a five-page movie review in which you consider concepts you have read in the first three weeks of class.

Because this is a review based on a geographic and academic perspective, it should be assumed that simply reading posted movie reviews and regurgitating those opinions will not satisfy this project’s requirements. You should consider concepts you have read in your text thus far and feel free to reference these ideas!

Your review should:

Provide a general overview of the film—do not give a five-page summary/breakdown of the film; rather a one-paragraph summary will work. You should assume the instructor has seen the film, and your writing should prove that you have seen it.
Explain why this film is a good choice for a paper in cultural geography.
Explain why this film appealed to you for this project.
Describe any cultural landscapes.
Discuss the human/cultural characteristics of the film, including
language, movement, place, and ethnic issues;
evidence of borders or boundaries;
conflicts between people; and
the choices made by the filmmaker that demonstrates geography.
When choosing a film, it is a good idea to avoid “fluff films” and consider geography when making your choice. Some acceptable options include:

Dances with Wolves
There Will Be Blood
Gladiator
Grapes of Wrath
Seven Years in Tibet
The Searchers
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Pearl Harbor
Elizabeth
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain
The DaVinci Code
South Pacific
Please note: this project does not require you to spend money. There are plenty of films available online, at local libraries, or on television that will satisfy this requirement. If you have any questions about a particular film, please contact your instructor prior to submitting your project.

Your paper should be five pages in length, double spaced, with one-inch margins, and twelve-point font. This assignment should be completed in Microsoft Word and submitted as an attachment. If you have a problem submitting the assignment, please contact your instructor.

Grading Criteria

Consult the following rubric for further information regarding grading of this assignment:

Criteria Ratings and Description Points
Summary of Movie 15–20 points
Complete and concise, well-written and not exceeding limit described in assignment 10–15
points Missing details; plot and description as assigned are lacking 0–10 points
Summary missing/ or summary only (not to exceed length in instructions) 20
Grammar
and Writing 10 points
Well written, properly formatted, and sourced 5–9 points
Contains minor errors and formatting problems 0 points
More than ten grammatical or formatting mistakes 10
Descriptions of Cultural/Geographical Aspects 50 points
Well-described cultural elements; reference to text material 10–49 points
Lacking details; lacking examples as required 0–9 points
Cultural elements as described in assignment missing or largely absent 50
Descriptions of Landscape/Geography 20 points
Description of setting/landscape; complete discussion of landscape importance or role in film 10–19 points
Details missing, lacking descriptions 0–9 points
Details absents, or seriously lacking 20
Total Possible 100