Extra-credit Review Project. From Mike Lohre

 I have two movies that are up for review.  Both of these extra-credit projects seek to build a more international worldview for American citizens and showcase how activism around the world really works and the challenges people face for human rights and societal freedoms.  These things are taken for granted here, but are certainly not in the cultures you will explore in these films.

These films can be found on Netflix or you can pay for a viewing at Amazon or Google Play.


The first features Nobel Prize winner Leymah Gbowee.  This documentary, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, chronicles social unrest in the West African Republic of Liberia, where civil war has torn the nation apart and left hundreds of  thousands dead or displaced. The film reconstructs the way this tragedy galvanized a coalition of Christian and Muslim women to rise up and, through nonviolent tactics, put pressure on their government to pursue peace talks.

The second movie is a riveting documentary that shows us the movement called the Arab Spring in Egypt.  It is called The Square and is an award-winning look at the Egyptian uprising and the complexities of the interest groups and conflicts found there.  It is both hopeful and heartbreaking, and shows many facets and perspectives in the struggle for a more equal and civil society.

The assignment: 

1> Take active notes, and you will turn in or send me a scan of your active listening as part of your points for this extra credit.  
2> Do outside research for terms and definitions needed to better understand the movie, the director, or a specific theme in the movie.  Include at least one outside source in your review.
3> Write a 2-3 page review of one of these movies.   Use MLA style.
4> Send me the fininished review and your active reading notes at mikelohre@gmail.com  


Depending on the quality and coherence of your review, I will add from 1 to 3 percent to your OVERALL grade for the class.  This is usually engouh to bump you up one grade level (for example from a B- to a B or from a C+ to a B-.  

Have fun and good luck! 

This is due to me at mikelohre@gmail.com before midnight on Monday, April 27.