Documentaries about Famous Sportsmen - Sports Film Hoop Dreams and When We Where Kings - Movie Review Example

Running Head: CRITICAL THINKING PAPER(SPORTS) Critical Thinking Paper(Sports) [The Writer’s Name] [The Name of the Institution] Critical Thinking Paper(Sports) Introduction Lots of schools around the world are offering courses to teach students how to turn into a critical thinker. Companies are asking employees to take critical thinking class, why is that? It is because everyone realizes the importance of critical thinking. What is critical thinking? Critical thinking is a multifaceted set of cognitive skills employed in problem-solving and thinker deliberation and innovation. In additional words, critical thinking is thinking that proceeds on the foundation of cautious evaluation of premises, evidence, and information and draw conclusions as impartially as possible. A further definition of critical thinking would be it is the aptitude and enthusiasm to review claims and make objective judgments on the foundation of well-supported reasons. No doubt, critical thinking requires thoughtful considerations and assessment of all pieces of information, it can be said that it is the aptitude to look for flaws in arguments and refuse to accept claims that have no supporting proof. A definition given by experts, Critical Thinking, is the wide-ranging term given to a wide range of cognitive skills and thinker dispositions wanted to successfully identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and reality claims, to find out and conquer personal prejudices and biases, to devise and present convincing reasons in support of conclusions, and make sensible, clever decisions regarding what to believe and what to do. Critical thinking is a method of acquiring the habit of exact thinking it can assist get better the quality of mutually professional and personal decisions (Bennis, W. 1999). Sports Documentary Film Hoop Dreams No doubt, the documentary film Hoop Dreams brings Wilson's words to living, painting the portrayal of contemporary chance structures for people living in insolvent black neighborhoods by focal point on the lofty school basketball careers (and lives) of two youthful black men from Chicago. No doubt, the cultural and structural individuality of poor communities, the role of employers and educators, and additional specially, in the case of Hoop Dreams, the staffing of adolescent black males to play basketball, all have an unbelievable and evidently obvious impact on the opportunity structures (and lack thereof) give for American minorities living in poverty. For the sake to recognize the complexity of a social trouble such as unemployment, it is essential to inspect the core set of issues that reason it. Furthermore, Wilson argues that one of the major reasons why such a high rate of joblessness survive in ghetto areas is since there is a extremely limited opportunity structure for people in such deprived neighborhoods. This, in accordance by means of the social disorganization theory, which treats the association among the individuality and outcomes of a community, is outstanding to positive cultural and structural feature that have a powerfully negative pressure on the amount of choices that people are obtainable. In terms of cultural features, which are encompass other of the values, behaviors and attitudes of a group of people, in deprived neighborhoods, the lack of position models and tough senses of communal responsibilities and values all play important parts in influential the strength of a neighborhood's chance structure (Faust, G. W., 1998). If we analyzed then we come to know that in the eyes of children living in a distinctive ghetto, drug dealers and gang members are the people who make the mainly money, have the nearly all opportunities, and hold the mainly power and pressure. No doubt, it appears to them that, after they have mainly probable failed in their attempts to pursue advanced education or official employment, adopting a life of unlawful, illegal work is the finest way of succeeding in not merely their community, but also in terms of the better American idea that obtain material wealth is the ticket to contentment and accomplishment. The likely stoppage of these kids also plays into their approach of indifference, anger, and self-efficacy, which can additional nourish their wish to take on a life of criminal deeds. No doubt, having a stable job creates a structure for daily performance, communication patterns, and attitudes that is necessary in supporting the cultural/social normative agreement regarding what is satisfactory and attractive; if the ethical strength of such a structure does not survive or is powerless to bring around itself, and is instead unenthusiastically unbreakable by continuing poverty, joblessness, and a lack of hope and option, then a community is bound to be responsible for its terrible circumstances. According to the expert analysis, the movie appear to dig deeper at the middle of the question: why is it that these boys had to conquer such complexity to begin with? Why is it that one of the extremely few ways for black men to get learning is by being a high-quality athlete? How much kids are there in this country that are of the similar monetary and social situation as William and Alfred that do not still see the benefits that a lot of rich white kids do? In trying to be as object as probable, it appear to me that there is a great number of kids with mediocre to low cleverness that take delivery of a good high school and even college education just because they are white and come from polite backgrounds. Why is there such a staggering amount among the average white person and the standard black person? How is that fair? What are the dissimilarity among the two, further than the color of their skin? There isn't one. Is it possible or Will the white men who grasp all the power in this country still open up chance for people of minority backgrounds to do well in trades other than sports, the music industry, or drug trafficking? Will I still walk into asset banking stiff or a few other major corporations and see an equivalent number of people of dissimilar races working at the similar high-level job with no the minorities being there since of Affirmative Action? (Gradua Networks, 2001) Though the staffing of adolescent black males to play basketball does offer a handful of minority people the chance structure to "succeed" by the American meaning, it also limits them it have to be noted that there is a great component to athletics that does engage the media and towering entertainment value it reinforces the idea that black men have extremely not many option means of establishing themselves, and that they are merely going to be meet the expense of such possibilities if they are truthfully outstanding. What concerning all of the children who admit their dreams as children of wanting to turn out to be a doctor or a lawyer? Are those dreams ever given the notice or opportunity to be realized? What if as well of those boys had such dreams? Who are their role models? Where are they going to discover the chance structure in their communities to hold up what they themselves desire to get out of life? In my history four months at this time, I have eavesdropped on additional than an only some instances a white student comment that the black students (who also frequently happen to be athletes) are merely here to fill a quota. This self-centered, ignorant approach stems from the similar philosophy that not only keeps blacks from getting official jobs or moving out of the ghetto it may still be part of why the ghetto motionless exists today in our country of hypothetical "supreme" financial wealth and wealth but also the similar thinking that required Alfred Agee to leave St. Joseph's (Gradua Networks, 2001). In the long run, he may have been improved off by means of the way things ended up, but the basic message beneath every one of these stories, from together When Work Disappears and Hoop Dreams, is that for a country that ceaselessly preaches equivalent opportunity awaiting its face turns blue, there is an unbelievable amount of hypocrisy that is skillful. I am sitting here nowadays, a white girl from a rich family, bettering myself and broaden my chance structure as I write this paper and learn concerning these evils, and I am intensely glad that my eyes are being opened so that I can attempt to fix the social incompetence that appears to run out of control in our country but I can't assist but speculate how a lot of other kids are sitting anywhere, maybe still down the street from me true now, staring at the wall of their decrepit, over-crowded apartment building, not knowing how they are going to stay alive, by no one to turn to for assist or answers or support, and speculate why their life is happening to them and what they did to merit it. It is a hard to believe weight to bear just for the value of a skin color. When We Where Kings Documentary Now take a quick look upon the documentary, When We Were Kings, is the story of Muhammad Ali's revisit to Africa to recover his title as heavyweight boxing champion of the human race from George Forman. As the filmmaker go after the fight to Africa, we observe the build up to the championship fight as well as a connotative story rising concerning the nation of Africa. By means of the use of realism footage, archival footage and build interviews, the director, Leon Gast, has prearranged this film to build up to the championship brawl, 'Rumble in the jungle'. He has used a cinema verite method of documentary to imprison the realism and crash of Muhammad Ali. The documentary opens with recording of ABC sportswriter Howard Cosell saying: "The time may have come to say goodbye to Muhammad Ali because, quite honestly, I don't think he has a chance." This is pursuing by Ali's refutation: "Howard Cosell, you told everybody I don't have a chance, you told everybody I don't have a prayer. Well chump, all I need is a prayer coz if that prayer gets to the right man, not only will George Foreman fall, but mountains will fall!" The debate continues with a slowly developing montage of rebuttals and self grandiosing. This introduces the theme of Ali's ambition to beat the world champion. In using a professional sports writer's doubt in Ali, the filmmaker creates a doubt in the viewer's mind of Ali's ability to succeed, developing controversy and stimulating further viewing of the documentary. Frequently, all through the documentary, the filmmaker uses interviews of significant people, counting festival coordinators and Ali's education staff. By using these breaks of actual footage, the comments from sports people, such as sportswriter Norman Mailer and Ali's biographer Thomas Hauser, contrast the portrayal of Ali's huge ego. This gives the effect of narrating the story as the documentary builds up. The associate's personal opinion encourages the viewer to adopt the interviewee's viewpoint, and hence the filmmaker's viewpoint without the intervention of a narrator. These consistent 'close encounters' make the documentary far more plausible to the viewer, and show insight into the reality of the festival, often showing complications in management whilst still portraying Ali as an incredible man (McFadzean, E. 2000). Throughout the documentary, Leon Gast uses various camera angles to capture the actuality footage taken in 1974 of Ali at his prime. Regularly Gast uses low camera angles to emphasise Ali as the controller of the scene. Close up shots of Ali pointing down the camera are used to show his expression and emotion clearly to the viewer. Panning shots of the rugged African terrain and shots capturing the thousands of African people worshipping Muhammad Ali, chanting, "Ali, boombayay!" (Ali, kill him), demonstrate components of the African culture and give an insight into the effect Ali has in representing Africa as a Muslim country. In selecting the original footage filmed during the build up to, and the fight itself, the viewers can admire Ali in a close encounter. By using these camera techniques, Gast shows Ali as a great man, as well as clearly demonstrating his expression and determination to reach his goal (Gradua Networks. In the documentary When We Were Kings). In the interviews and footage before the final bout between Ali and Foreman, juxtaposition is formed between Ali and Foreman. Gast uses an interview of Ali and then Foreman before the weigh-in to emphasise the interview with Malik Bowens. In this interview Bowens says, "Forman said, 'Why, I am blacker than Muhammad Ali, why all this bias?' Yes... Muhammad Ali was whiter than George Foreman, but he was a real person, he was genuine, and for us he was defending a good cause, for Africa and the world." Following this interview, footage is shown of a hundred thousand Africans chanting for Muhammad Ali as he enters the arena, showing the admiration this nation had for him as a leader and a person. This juxtaposition creates a bias in the viewer's mind favouring Ali, whilst creating a negative view of George Foreman (Gradua Networks. In the documentary When We Were Kings). At the finale of the documentary, as the fight is under way, Norman Mailer is used as a commentator throughout the fight. During the commentary, he analyses the fight explaining Ali's techniques in overcoming George Forman's brutal strength. As Mailer explains Ali's moves, repetition of footage is used to show the viewer exactly how the fight progresses. By using repetition of shots accompanied by Mailer's analysis of Ali's brilliant technique and mind game, the viewers can finally sum up their own opinion of Muhammad Ali as they watch a memorable moment of sporting history and a great man at his prime. Leon Gast has put together a clever documentary, combining a variety of footage and minimizing the use of narrators. This has the effect of making the documentary as dramatic and interesting as possible. The rhythm of the music consistently played in the background, the diversity of cultures shown, the anticipation through the build up to the fight and finally, Ali's achievement in conquering George Forman, are all effective means of maintaining the viewers' interest. I think this documentary succeeds in portraying Muhammad Ali not only as an admirable man, but as a legend who has well earned his place in sporting history. Reference Bennis, W. (1999). Managing people is like herding cats. Provo, UT: Executive Excellence Publishing. Faust, G. W., Lyles, R. I., & Phillips, W. (1998). Responsible managers get results. New York: AMACOM. McFadzean, E. (2000). Techniques to enhance creative thinking. Team Performance Management, 6(3/4), 62. Gradua Networks. In the documentary When We Were Kings, how does the filmaker position the veiwer feel about the documentary Gradua Networks. When Work Disappears sports documentary film, critical thinking of Author, 2001. Read More