Media, Manipulation, and the Demise of Public Discourse
Our community enrichment cinema course continues in fall 2025. Participants will watch and discuss three movies exploring the portrayal of comedy in cinema. Our public course will examine how humor has changed over time, including the decline of the romantic comedy.
Each class session will include a pre-screening lecture followed by a showing of the film. Afterward, audience members will engage in conversation about the content events featured, the ways directors presented the subjects, and cinematic techniques used that may answer some questions while raising others.
Each class begins at 6:00 p.m. in Morgan Auditorium at Penn State Schuylkill’s Student Community Center.
Cost: $30 for community members
Free for Penn State Schuylkill students, faculty and staff members (see campus newsletter for details)
Film Schedule
Monday, September 29, 2025
Step Brothers
(Adam McKay, 2008)
Two aimless middle-aged losers, Brennan Huff (Will Ferrell) and Dale Doback (John C. Reilly), still living at home are forced against their will to become roommates when their parents get married.
Monday, October 27, 2025
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(Donal Petrie, 2003)
A journalist, Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson), writing an article about repelling men is wooed by an appealing ad man, Ben Berry (Matthew McConaughey), out to prove his own charm.
Monday, November 10, 2025
Fatherhood
(Paul Weitz, 2021)
An eager expectant father, Matthew Logelin (Kevin Hart), finds his world is torn asunder when his wife inexplicably passes away after giving birth. He must then reconcile his challenging past with his grief if he is to be the father he always dreamed of being. Based on the novel by Matt Logelin.
Meet the instructor
This course is taught by Dr. D.J. Higgins, assistant teaching professor of film/video and music at Penn State Schuylkill. Dr. Higgins earned the Doctor of Philosophy in Modern Languages from Middlebury College and is an active filmmaker, having directed, written, and produced several award-winning short films.
For more community events at Penn State Schuylkill, check out the programming at Art Space.
