What We've Got Here Is Two Similar Characters.

Lucas Jackson and Randall Patrick McMurphy serve as iconic American heroes, brazenly defying authority, helping a group of emasculated men recover some semblence of their manhoods in the face of an oppressive authority. Moreover, each takes on a Christ-like role, leading his respective disciples (prisoners or mental patients) toward dignity, suffering and deteriorating under the burden of leadership, and eventually sacrificing himself in a selfless defiance of the demand for conformity. Discuss some of the more interesting parallels between the characters. How do Kesey and the director/screenwriter of Cool Hand Luke cast their main characters as a religious figures? What significant differences exist between the two?

What "reptillian hot buttons" is this Snickers ad pushing?

Fast Food Frenzy

Morgan Spurlock's extreme diet demonstrates the hazards of consuming too much fast food. Since so much of the American diet contains processed, fatty items, obesity has become a significant, widespread epidemic. Does Spurlock's documentary effectively identify the problem and offer a solution? Is his experiment a valid one, and does he treat the issue fairly? How do his film-making techniques compare to Michael Moore's? Which part of Supersize Me did you find most effective?