Dr. Cartocea is a great professor and I had him for his first sem of CTCS 190. He was very clear and organized, and his lecture-content was all posted in neat outlines online. The movies were good, and discussion is a good forum to go in-depth. There are three essays, a midterm, and a final. Great for GE-A or major/minor in cinema... recommend.

I took Professor Carstocea's first semester of Intro to Cinema. He's truly the best. His lectures are interesting and he truly loves film. He wants you to learn and understand. He also holds numerous review sessions on his own time to help his students, which is above and beyond. Truly one of the best professors I've had. 10/10 would recommend.

Great professor, very organized and was super accomodating during COVID-19 by cancelling finals and replacing them with four quizzes short, open-book quizzes that were super easy. Super engaging lectures and also very funny! Definitely recommend taking this class!

George is an amazing lecturer and extremely passionate about film. The only thing that sucked a bit was the midterm, as we covered a lot of terrain for a GE course and there was a lot to study + understand, but he did review sessions and the midterm was worth 110/100 points so you had ten points to spare. I'd definitely recommend.

This was George's first semester teaching Intro to Cinema and he did a great job. He was very clear, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about film. The only annoying part about the class is the midterm since no one knew how to study. TA's grade everything so make sure to go to the discussion section. Overall, a good class.

He clearly cares a lot about his students and about film in general. He WANTS you to do well. The exams reflect exactly what he covers in lecture. The TAs grade the paper so make an effort to get to know your TA (most of them are really incredible and intelligent people). 100% recommend this class and professor!!! Great guy

I loved my into to cinema class. Professor Carstocea is so easy to talk to and the review sessions for the midterm are extremely helpful. He wants you to succeed and cares about all of his students. He has completely changed the CTCS 190 experience!! LOVED THE CLASS

Prof Carstocea is a genuinely nice and caring person. He always makes sure that his lessons are catered to the diverse perspectives of people from all identities and backgrounds. The way that he adapted to online classes is honestly such a blessing as he prioritized the well being of his students. Professors like him are what makes USC, USC.

Professor Carstocea is an absolute gem. This was his first semester teaching Intro to Cinema, and he did a brilliant job! Always kept lectures at a 100, especially with his jokes. He is extremely willing to help out students and was also very accomodating during COVID-19 and replaced our final with 4 easy quizzes. Overall, AMAZING professor!!!

Nice guy and good class. Saw some cool movies for sure.

Professor Carstocea's incredible teaching and engaging lectures made this course a highlight of the semester. The films we watched were great and diverse. He genuinely cares about his students - he offered many review sessions before the midterm and was extremely accommodating when we went online. I highly recommend this course under him!

The absolute GOAT

George was a really awesome comedy professor. He is so, so smart, so some of his words and comments go over my head, even as a Cinema Studies major myself. He is definitely the type to have a topical, fun conversation with. The essays are a lot, but I saw my grades improve through the semester. The midterm and final were explained thoroughly too.

Literally best professor my first semester

He's honestly such a good teacher, and ALL the students love him. He really loves cinema and engages in really insightful conversations during class. He definitely makes jokes and lets students feel that class is a safe space, and the class itself is pretty easy (watching films every week!)

Prof Carstocea is amazing!!! Highly recomend taking him in any class he teaches. He puts work into his lectures and they are as entertaining as the movie, plus he cares so much about the students, he let us set up a discord even. The TA you get does matter tho, they decide your movie selections for essays. 100000/10 this will be your fav class!

Professor Carstocea is a gem. Lectures are very long, but the movies are very fun and great to analyze. He really puts effort into making the class enjoyable despite sitting through 4 hours. Your TA really matters as they grade all of your papers, so choose wisely. Follow what they want for the papers and engage with them and you should be fine.

George really knows the difference between "a class that happens to be online" and "an online class". He's understanding and caring, and only an email away. His lectures before and after the movie are very long but very informative, it's so clear he loves what he's doing. I wouldn't consider this class an easy A but it's easy to get into and enjoy.

George is one of the best professors I've had! He makes Zoom classes so interesting and does care about his students. The class is not an easy A though; but an A is possible if you work hard and communicate with your TA (who grades all your papers). Definitely take it for GE for just for fun! I've learned A LOT in this class!

He has quizzes every week that aren't just about lecture but also the movie AND the textbook reading. Do the reading. Rent the textbook on amazon, don't buy. You don't have to go to class as the notes and slides are accessible, but you'd miss out on his great personality. He is funny, passionate and explains things clearly (he loves pranking too).

George is such a sweetheart. Even though our semester was online, he made an extra effort to make us feel like we were still getting a unique experience going above and beyond to ensure that we learned the material and had fun doing it. He also stayed after class to chat with anyone who wanted, despite being exhausted. A fantastic professor.

GEORGE IS THE BEST!! he goes above and beyond in his lectures, always stays on topic but makes it fun, and clearly is passionate about the subject. i had a great time this semester, and this will probably be one of the best classes i took at USC.

Prof Carstocea is deadass the best film professor I've ever had. Taking him is a no brainer. He tries the hardest out of all my professors. Goated.

He truly turned an online class into something to look forward to each week. If that isn't proof of a great professor then I don't know what is.

George tries so hard to make class amazing and interesting, I've never seen anything like it. He's always up and at it even during 2020 one of the hardest years ever.

PROFESSOR CARSTOCEA IS THE BEST PROFESSOR I HAVE EVER HAD. He is so sweet and caring and makes class so so fun with sometimes surprise skits. TAKE THIS CLASS!! you won't regret it!

Legitimately cares about his students and what he teaches. Also has a flair for the dramatic. 10/10 would recommend.

GEORGE IS THE BEST. Even with the online format he put in so much extra effort for his students to make this class so fun & special. Didn't interact with him one-on-one bc of the class size & TAs available to us, but he's just a great guy, so passionate about what he's teaching. TAKE HIM. & send him memes

Don't waste time on this one, its an easy yes!! George is literally the kindest proff and the class is super easy! You watch a new movie every week and need to take a quiz on the readings and the movie you watch, which was prbly the only annoying part. Readings can be a bit long, but midterm and final is essay and pretty easy! No one regretted it.

George is the man. He is so caring and very sweet. He also wants to see all of his students succeed. He gives everyone an opportunity to participate and feel involved in class and the assignments are very easy. If he's available fro Intro to Cinema, take his class!

George is a kind, caring, funny, and wonderful professor and person. His greatest strength is how passionate he is about teaching -- he always goes above and beyond to teach his classes in engaging ways, often making videos that he works SUPER hard on to make. Even over Zoom, George was able to make the class engaging, thoughtful, and memorable.

LITERALLY EVERYONES FAV PROF!! This class was so much fun! You just watch movies (Parasite, Train to Busan, Little Women etc) & you write 2-3 film essays over the entire semester so very do-able! The main thing is that there was a lot of note-taking for the quizzes BUT he'll take out ur worst quiz score so its not bad at all! LECTURES WERE SO FUN!!

BEST PROFESSOR EVER. TEACHES MATERIAL SO WELL, INCLUDES DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES, AND SUPER NICE PERSON. MAKE GEORGE DIVISION CHAIR OF CINEMA AND MEDIA STUDIES AT USC!!!

George is the best professor I've had at USC! I'm not a film student but I took his intro to cinema course as a GE requirement and absolutely LOVED it! He made each lecture so engaging and interesting even with the online format! He genuinely cares about his students and is such a fun person. Definitely take this class if you have the chance!!

Wow what can I say about George, he's literally the best. Even though this was online and only his 2nd semester teaching intro to cinema, he KILLED IT! He literally made his own trailers, wore stage makeup and edited so many videos just for us to learn. I do recommend reading the textbook which can be a lot but the movies are worth it! He's amazing

George Carstocea is so magnificently dedicated not only to film and the truth but to all of his students. His passion is inspiring, and his wisdom is valuable. Though the beginning of the course may have seemed a bit rushed, I grew to appreciate the amount of information and depth he attempted to put into his lectures. This class is also very fun.

I can honestly say that George made my entire semester better. I am not a film major and I am not super into film but this class is just so good! George is engaging and fun and creates a good environment to learn in. The online quizzes are very specific so make sure to take notes and have the textbook handy. Great GE choice!

George is absolutely amazing! He goes above and beyond in all of his lectures; I could listen to him talk all day. He is clearly very knowledgeable, but not to the point where his lectures are too difficult to understand (I'm not a film major and I still learned so much!). Overall a really great class experience, would highly recommend!

George is easily one of the best professors I've ever had. He pours everything he has into making his lectures enjoyable. He edits his own skits, constantly makes jokes and GENUINELY cares about his students. Even though this was a very large class (and online) it felt like a community. He was also EXTREMELY fair with the workload during COVID.

George has been one of my only professors who has put effort into making class fun and engaging during the pandemic. He is passionate about what he talks about and always tries to throw in fun twists to lecture to make us smile. By far my favorite professor so far!! There are only 3 papers and small quizzes every week. Take his class!!

George is the coolest guy ever. Whether you like cinema or not, you will love this class solely because of the man who teaches it. What a gem. The class is somewhat difficult (weekly reading, biweekly blog posts, weekly quizzes, 3 papers), but none of the assignments are exceptionally hard. This is the ideal GE A, especially for freshmen.

George put so much work into making the class feel fun and like a community, even over zoom. He would stay in the meeting way after class ended to keep discussing the films with the students who wanted to, and in class he would put a ton of effort into making the content engaging and funny. He even made his own short films for the lectures! GoaT

As a non-SCA major, I found his classes to not only be extremely interesting and educational but also a welcoming space for those who don't know anything. His lectures lean on the longer side but are so engaging. He's hilarious and I feel like I've genuinely learned so much this semester! Definitely take CTCS 190 if you're looking for a fun GE-A!

A truly fantastic professor. Genuinely exited about what he is teaching. Lectures and his answers to questions are so informative. He puts a lot of extra effort into making the class feel like a community amidst the pandemic. His hilarious homemade videos made me feel better about online school and often helped with demonstrating concepts.

George worked really hard to make this class fun and memorable, despite it being online due to COVID. The class wasn't too much work which made it a good GE-A. We had weekly quizzes and three papers throughout the semester (some TA's grade harder than others). Discussion sections are a hit or miss. All in all, I'm happy I took this class.

there's not much i can say about george that hasn't been said. he's sweet, silly, & engaging, the best. my only qualms were: my ta sucked & made essays almost impossible to succeed in. he also only let us choose from a list of super obscure, old, & poorly rated films. also, george should replace winter's bone with twilight for the book adaptations.

GEORGE IS THE GOAT! I took this class via Zoom, and he truly went above and beyond to make lectures engaging for us. He created such a fun and casual class environment and is genuinely such a hilarious and sweet guy. Material is interesting, but quizzes can be done by skimming text and using posted notes. Papers are straightforward. Take CTCS190!

wow. legendary.

He puts in so much time! You can really tell he enjoys what he does because he goes above and behind for his class. I have so much respect for him and he deserves the world.

One of the few professors that really made online class enjoyable, and you can tell he loves teaching. Took advantage of the Zoom format to do some things that wouldn't be possible in the regular classroom, and clearly cared about his students. Hilarious and creative, and fostered a great environment.

Very easy class, you have weekly quizzes but they're open book so it's easy to do well on them. Your papers are graded by your TAs but they're not hard to write.

Intro to cinema is one of the best classes you can take here at USC. Even if it is only for a GE, TAKE THE CLASS!! I've never met a professor who tried so hard to keep students entertained online. He went beyond for us!! Lectures and Discussions were fun! However, some people get bad TAs ( I got a good one) so that can make the class less fun

Prof Carstocea honestly cares so much about his students -- he gave everyone 100% on 2 of the weekly quizzes because he felt that we were all burnt out. he also went above and beyond to make zoom lessons fun every week. funny guy, really passionate & knowledgable about film, EVERYBODY loves him. you can find the textbook online

It's a huge lecture, but this was his first year taking over a famed professor. He did an incredible job, he absolutely cares and loves the art of movie-making. He's a little bit of a meme, but he recognizes that and rolls with it, making mini-films with himself. The class is medium hard, 3 essays over the semester, weekly quizzes, weekly movies.

I took this fall 2020 and Dr. Carstocea was not only 1) incredibly understanding of the situation we were all in, but he also 2) put in more effort than anyone could ask to keep the course engaging and worth the zoom call. Amazing!

Prof Carstocea is a great professor. He's super energetic and really goes the extra mile for his students. There is a LOT of reading for this class so if you're not up for that don't take this class if you don't have to. AVOID CABOT AT ALL COSTS. He's super unclear and a really hard grader and kinda ruins the vibe of the class. Overall great class!

He is really chill, and he is very considerate of student needs. He usually gives out 20 quizzes that are easy passes if you attend lectures and do your homework. He makes sure that he prepares something surprising or special for his students every lecture. It is clear that he is passionate about film.

George is a true gem and you can tell he loves what he does. Even with Zoom University this past fall, he worked with the TAs and virtual members of the lecture to make it still be entertaining and worthwhile, definitely take the course with him!

Great prof! Makes 190 fun. Prepared online class great. Two things to be aware of: 1. This semester we had 5 horror films as genre (but it may change next time), so if you want to take the course, make sure that you will be comfortable with these films. 2. Get yourself a good TA, that being said, avoid Cabot.

I took CTCS190 with Prof. C during Fall 2020 semester. Although we missed out on class in Norris, George made class so enjoyable and engaging! While class wasn't mandatory, I found the lectures informative (especially for the weekly quizzes.) If you keep up with lecture notes and graze the textbook, you'll do fine.

Hilarious antics. I won't give you any spoilers. You'll have to take the class yourself ;)

Wholesome and caring professor. Enjoyed the lectures. Wish I could have taken him for CTCS 190 instead of CTCS 393.

For any non-cinema major, CTCS190 is a great GE-A. Even though the class would have been 10x better at USC, George still made the class fun and engaging. If you read the lecture notes and participate in discussion, you'll be fine. Grade really depends on your TA. Not just a movie-watching class as it's essay heavy, so be prepared to write.

WE LOVE GEORGE!!! He genuinely cares about his students & was incredibly thoughtful for us virtual students during the pandemic. I looked forward to his class. He made class interesting/worth attending. 1 quiz/week on the movie and week's reading (not hard) + 3 papers. A lot of room for error. Film major or not, PLEASE TAKE A CLASS WITH HIM!!!

i love this man. he literally puts in so much effort and all the lectures are super straightforward. there's a quiz every week but it's literally the same phrasing as the lecture. 3 papers (one 2 pages, one 5 pages, and one 7 pages). take him!!!!!

Professor Carstocea really cares about his students. Like really cares. He has made Zoom lectures fun and engaging (and has a great tech setup) and is incredibly accessible outside of class. He is extremely supportive of all perspectives and great about things like extensions, trigger warnings, reading the room, etc. My favorite professor at USC.

He's a professor who realizes that this class is a GE and doesn't expect the students to have extensive film knowledge or any desire to study cinema further. This means the lectures are interesting and the essays are doable. He can get a bit political in class but outside of that he is a good lecturer, though you'll mostly communicate with TAs.

A gem of a man... never seen another professor put this much effort in. He goes above and beyond in every way & does so many extra things during COVID. Participate and share your opinions, even if you disagree with the majority! He is really open to hearing whatever his students have to say, even if he disagrees. If only other profs cared this much

The best professor I have had at USC thus far. I love this man!

Professor Carstocea is truly one of the most passionate, dedicated, and motivated professors I've had during my time at USC! There's three papers and a short quiz each week about what was taught in lecture/movie, but as a whole, the class is not difficult although your grade depends largely on your TA.

Professor Carstocea cares a lot about making this class enjoyable and memorable. He goes above and beyond through things like weekly review sessions, fun lecture surprises, and is always willing to stay after class. Class is graded by participation, short weekly quizzes (easy if you attend lecture), and papers graded by your TA.

This was an amazing class! I highly recommend taking this course, if not for the professor then for the movies. He really cares for his students. The lectures are engaging and he goes above and beyond to make it exciting for everyone. Grades are done by TA's. They don't grade too harshly but you do have to put in the work.

Professor Carstocea cares so much about his students and is obviously so passionate about what he teaches. Online courses have been tough and I could tell he put a lot of effort into making the class engaging and fun even in an online setting.

Dr. Carstocea is truly the best! His lectures are so engaging and he was super understanding about the pandemic, so he really tried to make lecture more fun when he could. There isn't much work - only 3 papers and weekly open-book pop quizzes - so it's totally doable. If you're looking for a fun and entertaining GE-A, definitely take CTCS190!

George was phenomenal once again, took him the last semester for ctcs190 and he was amazing. Very understanding and friendly. Exceptionally invested in his students and cares deeply about the subject. SCA keep this man

George is a wonderful person and teacher! You can tell he really cares about the subjects he is teaching and puts a lot of thought into his lectures and assignments. Quizzes were mostly easy if you did the work and the papers weren't graded too harshly. One of my favorite CAMS classes!

Prof Carstocea is the best professor ive ever had. he is super kind, funny & understanding. he is the only prof ive had who made himself available multiple days a week and on weekends to connect w/ & help students. he has been super accommodating, really cares for his students, and clearly loves his job and teaching his classes. take his classes!!

Professor George is 100% amazing and every USC student should take Ctcs 190 with him. If he had not been so engaging, I would have dropped 464 very early as it is a dense course in pure film theory. Don't take this unless you enjoy heavy philosophy, but George is seriously outstanding!

Professor George is really great, and made lecture during quarantine super fun. Attendance isn't mandatory, but there's a quiz every week on lecture material, the film of the week, and some chapters from the textbooks (not super difficult.) Papers are graded by the TAs though, so your grade really depends on who your TA is.

what a GEM. he truly puts himself in the shoes of his students and tries to make our lives as easy as possible. he's a super intelligent guy and you'll definitely learn a lot about film from him. he made zoom university so bearable!!!

Good lectures, funny guy. Lots of textbook reading for the quizzes, the textbook is very boring. Grade based on 3 papers and weekly quizzes. Did not like most of the films we watched, I would look at the syllabus before registering and see if you actually want to write about and watch the films in this class. TA's were all great in my experience.

despite this being a big zoom class, he was the only prof this sem that made me feel like he cared about his students - genuinely such a good person. TAs grade and papers can be tough if you don't have a cinema background, but it was an enjoyable course nonetheless. weekly quizzes and participation in discussion can really bump your grade though

An awesome class! George is funny, caring & accommodating to students, especially when classes were online. Also, really organizedhe gives students pre-written notes for each lecture which was a big help. Screenings were engaging. TAs were amazing as well. Papers aren't easy, you need to put in effort, but grading is fair. He wants you to succeed.

George is very organized in his class! This was one of my favorite classes I took this year. I would warn the people who want to take this class as an easy film elective, though. I had a few non-film major friends who were doing really struggling in the class. The papers are tough (3 papers), weekly quizzes were easy, and a lot of reading.

If you're not in SCA this class is most likely not for you! Lecture and movies in class are very interesting, but papers make up 70% of the grade and TAs grade HARD. Your lack of film knowledge will show if you're taking this class for a GE. Bs seem to be very doable, but an A may be out of your control. There are much easier A category GEs

Dr. Carstocea will change they way you watch a film. We discovered many aspects of film making and the qualities of films. We watched fascinating films throughout the semester! He is truly passionate about his teaching and loves to see the reaction of the class to movies. It made me pursue a minor in SCA! Some easy quizzes and 3 papers.

CTCS190 is an amazing class that everyone should take for GE-A. Professor George is extremely funny and clear in his explanation. The structure of the course is very straightforward as well. Weekly quizzes are easy and a free 25%. If you have some literary writing experience, the papers should be a cakewalk. A very fun class where you watch film.

Grade is based on 8/12 quizzes, midterm essay, final essay, essay on a book, and a TA assignment. The class is actually great and watching the movies is enjoyable, but it is super long. Sometimes I had to skip because school got hectic and I could not spend 4 hours in this class. Easy A, TA will determine what you write about and grade, sadly.

George is an absolute GEM! The sweetest professor that you could ever have, you can tell that he really cares about every single student. The work load was not intense, there was textbook reading and weekly quizzes along with 3 papers. The papers are graded by your TA, so that all depends on them. Overall great class, I definitely recommend!

Professor Carstocea is awesome!! Learned so much from the class and even looked forward to attending lectures. You are graded by weekly quizzes, participation in discussion sections, and several papers. The TAs do all of the grading and lead the discussions, so watch out for that; my TA was really fun and caring and gave great feedback on papers.

Professor Carstocea's lectures were always informative and engaging, then followed by a film relating to the lecture and a q&a. Your grade mainly depends on your TA as they're the ones grading your papers. You complete quizzes based on the weekly lecture and assigned readings. Work is manageable as long as you keep up with the class.

Professor Carstocea gave very informative lectures, although sometimes a little boring. Each semester has a theme for the second half of the sem. I know it was zombie/horror films one time and for us, it was romantic comedies. Your grade is entirely dependent on your TA. For me, this class was harder than WRIT150, so make sure to get an easy TA.

Prof Carstocea was really kind, gave great lectures, and was a great intro to my cinema minor. He doesn't grade the 3 papers of the semester - his TA's do, so it matters more your TA's expectations than his. Yet, Prof Carstocea's weekly quizzes were pretty easy, class was fun (1 hour lecture + 2 hour film once a week), and class was not too hard.

Professor Carstocea is fantastic because of his passion for film history, which comes through in his lectures which are pretty engaging. Unfortunately the content of this class made me absolutely hate Hollywood, film, and the entertainment industry as a whole.

Second time taking George's class, and he did not fail to meet my expectations! TAs do grade harder than 190 (expected for a 300-level), so papers were more of a struggle. The selection of movies is fun, and the way he makes lectures structured but also story-like is very engaging. Weekly quizzes, 2-3 p. paper, 4 p. paper proposal, 7-10 p. paper.

Love this man! He's super respected in the film community and an amazing lecturer. Class consists of a few papers and a quiz each week over the movie and readings from that week. If you show up to discussion, watch the movies, and are a good writer, you'll be fine.

Carstocea is a wonderful professor and is clearly passionate about cinema. I wasn't expecting to have as many papers as I did from this class but I think it was worth it. The movies were really enjoyable and I highly recommend taking this class if you want a fun GE. The difficulty depends on the TA you get so good luck lol

This class was really enjoyable and fun. The class is made up of three papers and you are quizzed (timed) every week after the recent screening/lecture. The TA you get makes or breaks the class since they are the ones who grade everything. I highly recommend this course.

Really easy class and the screenings are very fun. Because the class is open to all students, the material was very broad and basic. As a result, some lectures were very boring. But I found the paper prompts very interesting. Make sure you do the readings and watch the screenings to prepare for the quizzes (which are very easy).

Grades are pretty much entirely determined by your TA. Mine was Joshua Martin who was very helpful and available outside of section. 3 essays total and easy quizzes due each week as long as you watch the movie. You can leave class after the movie and honestly the only reason I came to class was to watch the movie in the theater.

Great professor. Cares about students and puts a lot of work into the lecture. He does tend to talk a fair bit in class but it's all relevant and interesting information. Your grade does depend on your TA; some are easier, some are harder, and they grade all 3 of the papers, which represent a large chunk of your grade. Nevertheless, a great class.

Yo, I love Mr. C so much he is literally the coolest teacher at this god-forsaken school. He's super strict about COVID stuff so he does the lectures from his office and then scoots over to the theatre for the screenings. It is a lot of writing. You have four papers you have to write over the semester. Grading is up to the TAs so it's hit or miss.

Absolute genius in his category. Very knowledgeable, and although the lectures have a lot of content, he makes them super engaging and is very passionate. A few papers to write but with PLENTY of time, plus short (and pretty easy) weekly online quizzes for homework. Bonus: you get to watch a great movie every week at an amazing theatre.

Professor Carstocea is the greatest professor to ever grace Norris Theater. You are missing out on one of the most amazing academic and cinematic experiences if you do not take this course. I love Georgy.

Professor Carstocea is great; while his lectures are long (but very interesting and comprehensive), I would consider CTCS 190 a must-take class! You get to watch a ton of fun films, and George makes himself very accessible through office hours.

Overall a really interesting class and introduction to SCA. Highly recommend this course to fulfill GE-A because you get to take advantage of SCA, quite literally the greatest film school on the planet. TA's grade entirety of class so it really is luck of the draw. For me, great experience and will pick up an ENTI minor in SCA afterward

Very comprehensive lectures. This course is not as interesting as I thought, and the lecture is really long. But if you want to learn about films, I recommend taking it.

I had a great time with this class! The films watched were broad and diverse and there wasn't one film we watched that felt like a waste of my time. The grading is done by weekly quizzes and then a few papers, plus participation in discussions.

great class, you get to watch movies! the grades really depend on your ta

Prof is knowledgeable and passionate about his field, but bc of the large class size, is super hands-off. If you're a film enthusiast, you'd enjoy the class, but I found lecture to be boring and often skipped. Discussion felt tedious to attend, and your grade depends almost entirely on your TA, but the class was otherwise low commitment and doable.

CTCS 190 is an absolutely massive class with around 375 students, so interaction with Prof Carstocea is very limited. I never once interacted with him outside of class, instead, your experience is much more dependent on your TA. Carstocea appears very knowledgeable but lectures can be dry.

Some lectures are boring and some are not but you get to watch a movie. The grade depends on the TA completely, so be nice to them. My TA was terrible so avoid Sebastian at all costs.

CARSTOCEA IS THE BEST!! You'll get to watch some great movies and discuss them, and his lectures are entertaining and filled with examples and clips .There are 3 papers but the grade depends heavily on your TA. Attendance is only mandatory for the discussion. Overall a super knowledgeable and great guy, if you love film definitely take his class!!!

I love George! He made Intro to Cinema very fun. However, you should note that grading in this class mostly comes down to your TA - I had Laboni, who was great. Only issue is she released some of the paper prompts slightly late. Great class overall though and not too difficult - would recommend if you're looking for a fun art credit as well!

George is awesome. Definitely an engaging lecturer and a massively chill guy. He has a great sense of humor and explains the material in ways that are easy to understand. You don't really have to read the textbook for the quizzes, just use command+f and lecture notes. Grade is very TA-dependent.

Carstocea is a very good and experienced prof for CTCS 190. The work is doable and not excessive. The class is structured well, and you don't even have to attend class to get a good grade because all of the resources are provided online, INCLUDING lecture notes! Easy class, would highly recommened!

Carstocea was an incredible lecturer who always had interesting things to say about cinema and the movies we were watching. Passionate about teaching, the content matter and his students. About an average workload, 3 papers over the semester and weekly quizzes. You watch a good movie every week.

Lectures are fun and honestly, it's a great break in the middle of a tedious week. Good lecturer, very knowledgable about film, and the movies are always relevant and- at the very least- entertaining. I loved this class! Great intro to SCA if that's your major, and I imagine it'd be a fun GE too! Minimal work, just definitely go to the discussions.

This course was incredible, I could not recommend it enough. Carstocea is super kind and caring, he is passionate about the subject and choses great films for the course.

absolutely amazing professor. very interesting lectures and you get to watch amazing movies every week. highly recommend for a GE A. only problem was that the essays (which you get 3 of) were kinda hard to get an A. the papers sort of feel disconnected to the lectures, but they are doable and you are basically guaranteed at least a B on the papers

Went into 190 without a definite interest in film (non-major) and left wanting to dive into film with open arms. Definitely take Carstocea and 190 if you get the chance.

cool prof. don't need to take any notes in lecture--I just would do other homework and then watch the movie. weekly quizzes that are open note, but TA determines grade on papers and discussion attendance is mandatory. midterms and finals are all just papers, and the movies are super good! highly recommend.

Dr. Geroge is quirky and funny in the best ways. He has a weird movie taste but we respect it because he's an actual KING. Geroge keeps the memes coming and the movies rolling! Your 190 experience and grade is based on your TA more than anything. Some TAs are fun + weird and some are just weird. My TA was a tough grader. (GET THE ONLINE TEXTBOOK!)

He's a very human prof. He can get stressed in class but it's because he cares so deeply. It took me a while to get used to his lecture style but I ended up loving it! His formal analysis is so eye-opening. He's well-read and knowledgeable and always took the time to chat. Perfect Casper successor, seriously such a gem. Tracked attendance!

Listen, the class itself was decent. Not the most interesting subject but you learn a lot about movies and the time period. The quizzes were straightforward but the papers are where you have to worry. If you mess up one assignment, you are toast. Don't take it if you want a chill and easy class.

Great option for GE A. Grade is dependent on your TA and some can be strict. Mine was great. Movies are interesting & lecture slides are shared so no need to take notes. Get the textbook because the weekly quizzes are based on that. Grade is based on quizzes, papers and participation. Papers can be lengthy. Attend discussion.

Great introduction to cinema studies. Lots of readings. TAs are responsible for your paper grades, so it's important that you get a good TA. Quizzes are open books and open notes, relatively straightforward. I think it is a great course for students curious about cinema studies, but may not serve well for people looking for a simple GE-A.

Prof Carstocea is great, he lectures well and adds a good amount of humor to his lectures. By nature of the large class, students never really interact with him, instead mostly with the TA. Class has 3 papers, each of which are graded harshly.

George was great but limited interaction with him. Honestly, your TA makes or breaks your 190 experience. I had Devin as my TA and he's the best. Great class!

Very easy class and Carstocea is so passionate about what he's talking about, which makes the lectures very interesting. Watched some great movies too. Highly recommend

Great class and Carstocea is such a knowledgeable and great professor! As long as you watch the movies and keep up with the weekly quizzes/discussion section you will be fine. 3 papers throughout the semester that are a big part of your grade so try to get an easy grader TA, but pretty easy to complete.

Carstocea is a cool professor but CTCS 190 is a bit of an odd course. 4hr lectures split between a movie screening and a lecture with the majority of your grade based on 3 essays.

I have few complaints about George but my biggest one is his weekly quizzes. The questions were extremely specific compared to years prior. As with all CAMS classes, your grade in this class is dependent on your TA. Overall I really enjoyed 393 and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the golden age of cinema.

The lecture was tolerable. it makes you think of films differently forever. the grading system in the class prioritizes improvement than "getting the grade". it's a good life virtue to go by, but it sucks cause you have to convince people who misinterpret non A-grades for lack/incompetency ( whoever analyzes future records according to grades....)

Not an easy A class, you're graded on how you improve tho which is cool. Grade is dependent on your TA. I was lucky and really liked mine. Made early section interesting even when I didnt like the movie that much and gave lots of movie recommendations. Learned lots about writing on film and watching movies. Think I'll end the class with an A-.

I'm not an SCA student so this class was pretty difficult, but it's also the class I learned the MOST in this semester. You have to do the readings and you're graded by weekly quizzes/3 papers. I think a lot of the 190 expirence depends on who you get for a TA. I have friends who complain about theirs but mine was great!

Pretty easy class, everything is graded by TA, take home quizzes are nice, nothing really due in class.

Your TA will make or break your grade. Personally, the paper-writing part of my semester was painful because she didn't update grades or give effective feedback. I couldn't meet her expectations because she gave no examples of what they were. Doesn't help that it's the first time writing a research paper for a lot of us. Lectures/films are good.

Chose this class for a GE because "watching movies is fun" and ended up with a much deeper appreciation for film as a whole. Incredibly passionate and knowledgeable professor who makes it clear how much he cares about the subject. Grade mostly relies on weekly quizzes and 3 papers throughout the semester; be sure to get a good TA (shoutout Anthony)

Lectures are boring (reads off the slides) He/TA's are eager to answer questions. TA's determine grades and some are harsh graders, I was fortunate to get Williams but its a lottery if you get a bad TA that could mean the class is 10x harder to get a good grade. Pepare to write a lot and devote a lot of time to this class. Easy B+/A- though!

Fun class but the lectures are so boring. I just asked people to send me the attendance codes and only came to watch the movies. Homework is pretty light and grading depends on your TA. Even though I was complaining for most of the semester, I recommend it.

Too many text book readings (which I never did). Lectures were too based on readings. Lectures were interesting sometimes but often were confusing if you had not done the reading assigned. The essay prompts can be very confusing. Class is made by your TA. They answer any questions and grade all work. I highly recommend Spencer Lepore if you can.

It was two years ago, but George was the best part of zoom university. I'm not surprised he has over 100 ratings. Incredible class and incredible professor.

George is an amazing professor. This class was hard because I was a freshman in a 400 level class online. My advice: find what you're interested in and write about that, thankfully, George gives you the opportunity to do that. Thank you Professor.

Don't take for easy A unless you really know how to analyze films. Otherwise, will have to work. Grade really depends on TA. Lectures are boring but cool to watch the movies in a theater. Definitely easier GE A than this.

George was a good guy. Yes, his lectures would sometimes drag on, but he was passionate about the subject matter. The weekly quizzes were really an easy way to pad our grades. Grades on essays came down to the TA. Luckily, mine was pretty chill. Recommend!!!

GEORGE IS THE GOOOOAAAT

Weekly quizzes on movie screenings (online). A couple papers throughout the semester. A lot of movies that aren't always great usually after very long lectures that can get boring

Carstocea was everything that a big lecture professor should be. In the course you will be exposed to great films. All of the quizzes (weekly) are only on what you read, what was discussed in lecture, and the week's movie. He prioritizes students' lives, too Thanks to him, I voted in my first-ever election. One of the best profs by far.

This class is not for everyone. George is a very specific kind of teacher, but he is very passionate about his work and if you love movies or want to learn to love movies, then he is the Prof. to take. CTCS190 is not an easy class, but you will learn so much about film that you didn't even realize was there. Take his class. I mean it!

Passionate lecturer, knows what he talks about. He is unintelligible at times (esp. when ending sentences), and his ideas can be hard to follow sometimes. Grade is dependent on quizzes and your TA (who grade your papers), and is quite demanding for a GE-A (the threshold for an A is 95%). But if you're interested in film, I'd definitely recommend.

Awesome!

Could not recommend more! This course was designed to be comprehensible, challenging, and engaging for all students. This is the only class I have ever taken that has made me consider changing my major. You will learn an incredible amount in such a short time and is nothing but engaging and rigorous to the curious mind. Also super fun

An engaging course that pushed me to expand my film knowledge. Though demanding, the lectures and films were captivating. Unstuck study was a lifesaver for quiz prep.

Just a silly guy. He once said that Twilight was a cinematic masterpiece and came to class on halloween with a cool vampire cape. Movies were very good and his examples help understand a lot.

Dr Carstocea was great. Lectures may get tiring only because they're long but he manages to make them engaging at times. Clear grading criteria. If you get a good TA you're set for the class.

Prof Carstocea is a very quirky guy but I found myself really enjoying lectures for that reason. He knows a lot about what he teaches and really enjoys it, and can take it personally when it seems like people don't appreciate the class. Some of the films are...interesting...but if you pay attention and take notes, you'll learn a ton of useful stuff

It's not worth taking this class as an elective because the lectures cover the same thing in the textbook which you can read for free. But I thoroughly enjoyed the lectures! 2 hours followed by a screening. There are 3 papers, the longest being 6 pages and you're graded on weekly quizzes. Grading criteria is undisclosed which sucks!

Take if you have a genuine interest in cinema, otherwise its pretty difficult for a GE. Grade is very TA dependent. Carstocea tried to weed out the class first few weeks with the Herzog documentary but I enjoyed a lot of the movies in the later weeks. One of my favorite classes I've taken but understandably not for everyone.

Lectures and some screenings can be boring but he definitely knows what he's talking about. Also your grade is very TA dependent.

I love George Carstocea- just an amazing professor all around. Super accessible, understanding, cares a lot about what he teaches. He also always has fantastic TAs who are there to help and support you wherever they can. Attendance is mandatory, but assignments are very build-your-own schedule. I reccommend CTCS 469 for sure!

So fun!!! I love George Carstocea's class!

Loved this class, but the lectures were def long. Still enjoyed them. Prof is nice and very passionate. Chat with him! The movies get better over time, but I appreciated the variety in selection. My TA was great. I have friends who had poor experiences with theirs. Don't take if you don't care about film at all and want an easy GE

Carstocea comes off as intimidating after the first lecture but it eases off after that. He has very little tolerance for whispering or disrupting lectures but it is a film class after all. If you stay engaged that lectures are actually pretty interesting but if you zone out you can get away with it, it will make the class boring

Much easier than 190. Guaranteed A if u do assignments on time with grading contract. Film picks were great, odd balls thrown in aren't the most popular but make you think and great for discussion. qwickly attendance. Refreshing to see a professor who seems genuinely interested and excited to lecture and talk about the films.

This is a fantastic class, you just have to not be a lazy, low attention span person and actually LISTEN. My god, in lecture most people are on Tiktok or Instagram, and then have the audacity to complain. HE'S A GREAT PROF. And the films are great, too, if you're willing to step out of your comfort zone. LEARN. That's why you're here. Inspiring.

this is my fourth class with george and i really don't get the hate!! he's clearly passionate about what he does, the screenings are great, the assignments are easy, the quizzes open book, the grading incredibly lenient. favorite professor & classes i've taken at usc and i recommend him regardless of the course material!!

Love this guy! Gave really amazing lectures to introduce you to media studies (though by his own admission it's a bit rushed since there is so much you need in an intro class). Great choice for a GE-A if you like film - the ones shown in this class are great. Quizzes are easy and open note, just make sure to make up the movie if you missed it.

Professor Carstocea is really passionate. The films shown in class fit each lecture topic well and were good for discussions. If you participate, watch the films in class, and keep up with work it is very manageable. Final grade was based on three papers, attendance, and take-home quizzes. TA really matters to because of participation grade/papers!

prof carstocea is an interesting guy & super passionate about film. some films are hit-or-miss but overall good picks. prof just lectures for 4 hrs but gives 2 good breaks during. your grade depends on your TA (choose wisely). easy open-book quizzes every week & 3 major papers. don't skip more than 2 lectures or you're cooked. decent class overall

Some of the bad reviews seem like they were written by the same person, like an unhinged TA from the past who feels slighted and is on a revenge crusade against George (I've had one like that before!). Excellent class that could be stressful. All of the great reviews put the bad ones in perspective.

The professor is a great guy with pretty decent lectures, and the films he selects for the semester are great, spanning multiple genres and decades. Grade is determined by TA, however, and they can be pretty harsh on the papers, which make up a pretty big chunk of your final grade.

Make sure to pay attention enough to do quizzes and meet people who can talk about the films it makes it more fun.

George Carstocea is a great orator and his class is very interesting. It is not the most super in depth, with his content not always being enlightening, but this class has definitely changed the way I see movies. If you are not a fan of someone who unintentionally spoils movies, you might not like him.

It was a very interesting class and was quite fun. There are online quizzes each week but they're open note and the bottom 4 grades get removed at the end of the semester. Very chill

prof is experienced and the lectures were engaging sometimes, overwhelming at others.. would go on for hours with 80 slides and it was unclear what was important to pay attention to. this class DEPENDS on ur TA. some r horrible, some r fantastic. thankfully, mine was great and set very clear grading criteria and cared about his students.

Love this guy! Lectures are LONG. Read the chapters beforehand so you can space out or do other work during class. He loves what he teaches. He dresses up for Halloween & some of the movies. It's adorable. BUT... there are probably easier GE-A classes. Weekly quizzes & the essays require a decent amount of effort. Great class if you like film, tho!