MDST 2810

Nice professor and easy class—but if you are not interested in spending the first five weeks watching black and white 'critic-food' movies, then you should think about taking another class as this will be extremely boring for you and will thus affect how well you do in the class. There is also a discussion every week during the late evening for a movie screening that you have to attend. If you don't mind staying out really late, then this shouldn't be a problem for you. There is one moderate film analysis paper in the beginning, with two exams and minor homework assignments throughout the semester.

Really great intro film class, I would definitely recommend it to anyone. Marshall is kind of a quirky guy, but super nice and willing to help you out with anything. The lectures can be a bit scattered, but the material is all really fun if you have any interest in film. The weekly screenings are a bit of a drag, but the movies were mostly enjoyable. The grade comes from a midterm, final, paper, and various small writing assignments that are usually pass/fail. Overall, really fun and fairly easy class.

Best class I've ever taken at UVA, primarily because Professor Marshall made the class. His presentations were amazing and never boring and even his movies to watch in lab were extremely entertaining as well as timeless classics I fear I would have gotten the urge to watch otherwise. If you ever look back at courses you wish you had taken before graduating but didn't, it would be this one. Don't be that person.

Prof Marshall is super passionate about film. There are lots of little assignments throughout the year but it is great that class is only once a week. You learn lots about film. One thing I would say is that most of the films are old and B/W. Would recommend!

This was a great course! Assignments are easy but take some time since they're based around film screenings (both in & outside of class). "Exams" were take-home, and weren't traditional exams- just a worksheet for you to fill out based on the textbook/lecture slides. Professor Marshall is a great instructor, you can tell he's passionate about film and filmmaking and it's very infectious. If you like learning about the progression of film throughout time and how different artistic elements have come into play during that progression, I would definitely recommend this course! #tCFS25