Film in the Curriculum

I recently took a course on film analysis where I learned to appreciate the less exciting movies by determining what their actual worth was by evaluating different characteristics such as lighting, scripting, costuming, directing, themes,... Oftentimes the boring Black and White movies have intrinsic value, more so than the contemporary blockbusters parading through theaters today. Having a new appreciation for films and not just labeling them as good and bad anymore, I still, being human, dislike some choices that our professors decide we need to watch as part of our grade. I've been "asked" to watch Elephant Man, Mr. Smith goes to Washington, Rashoman, An Inconvenient Truth, Grapes of Wrath among many others. Yes, they can teach you something about something, but honestly, these movies should be optional at best. It's really not the type of movie for a class that I watch that disturbs me, although the boring B&Ws make me squeamish. When you pay for your own tuition and your time and money are scarce, you shouldn't have to devote two plus hours to a movie that is part of the grade. I don't watch the news because 90% of what they say doesn't amount to a hill of beans. You wait the entire hour waiting for the story that you care about and then it ends up leaving something to be desired. I read my news, and I would like to read assignments. Assignments should take as long as the individual doing it. Like in the workplace, if you can do more in less time you get more money. If you can do more of the assignment or excel above the rest in less time, that should be an option.