Dear students
Welcome to English 124 and our blog. This blog will provide you with the materials we will be using in class for your review. Here you will find the class schedule and other documents discussed on the first day of class, power point presentations, videos and quizzes. I hope it will also be a good place to comment about films that you have watched and liked or disliked. Please feel free to comment on the progress of our blog. If there are sites you feel are important to include in our blogroll, feel free to suggest them so that they can be included. I’m looking forward to a very enjoyable semester.
Manuel A. Medina
My favorite movie director is Robert Cohen, because one of my favorite movies and series is fast and the furious. This series about illegal street racing and commiting bids from cars and drugs are mu favorites. Robert Cohen make this screenplay in a very nice order so we can see how each movie had a specific order in which make sense all of them. Robert Cohen make and direct movies about action and horror flick. Also he had make other movies that became famous
Proffesor
,I can’t find your email ,need to send you my quizzes.
Without a doubt one of my favorite film directors is Hayao Miyazaki, a well-known Japanese manga artist and film director. Although his films are mostly animation they still capture the essence of reality. Animation is one of the hardest forms of screenplay to exist and I believe Miyazaki has mastered such art. All his films can be related to real life experiences. For example, In Kiki’s Delivery Service Kiki is a young witch that must leave her home and continue her training as a witch in a new town. This can be associated with the transition from high school to college for most people leave their families and continue their studies elsewhere. Miyazaki makes sure that all his films are as lifelike as possible down to the most minimal detail. For example, In Spirited Away there is a scene where Chihiro is putting on her shoes and like any other child she just shoves her foot into the shoes and taps the shoe until the foot is comfortably placed in. It is these details which make his movies one of a kind and a joy to watch.
When I saw that I had to write about my favorite director, I started to think about Christopher Nolan. I became a fan of him after I saw Batman Begins (2005). He’s movies are not only action and fights, but it works with you psychologically. He always takes us some place and gets us thinking things that at when the movie is ending, he gives something that we didn’t expect. Today, he’s recognized by his batman adaption, that are really cool, and for inception. Overall, he’s one of the best directors the world has ever seen. Some of his movies are The prestige, Memento, The dark Knight, inception and many more.
My favoriteDirector:
Walter Elias “Walt” Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon,and philanthropist, well known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O. Disney, he was co-founder of Walt Disney Productions, which later became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world.
He started out by making illustrations and ads for businesses. Then came his first studio Laugh-o-Gram Studios. In Hollywood he and his brother started the Alice comedies that later on became Alice in Wonderland. One Walt’s first character to direct was Oswald the rabbit in 1927, but because of ownership issues the character was lost. So to be able to keep his career he had to invent a new character, that is when Mickey Mouse and Steamboat Willie was born. Then Silly Symphonies were released in 1929. Now Disney’s first full-length feature film was titled Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and was all so the first film in America to be made in Technicolor, released in February 1938.
This was only the start of a creative man’s work. Its needless to say that he won many prizes for his creations. That is why I can say that he is my favorite director, because like many girls and boys out there his films taught me how to dream and I quote the song from the film Cinderella “A dream is a wish your heart makes”. Now because of one man’s dream we all can be a child forever in what we all know to be Disney World.
Hanna, a 16-year-old girl raised in the very deep forests of North Finland has been trained by her father (who is actually her step-father), Erick Heller, an ex-CIA agent to obtain the stamina, strength, and survival instincts to be the most perfect soldier/assassin. She is basically an expert in weaponry, martial arts, street fighting, and boxing. She also speaks English, German, Italian, Arabic, and Spanish.
She is now ready to get independent and to cross the continent for the mission that she has been trained her whole life, face Marissa Wiegler, a CIA operative. Ms. Wiegler, is a CIA operative who is compulsive with order and cleanliness. Whe she notices that a tracking device has been activated , located in the woods of Finland, she discovers that the device belongs to Erick Heller, agent whom Marissa worked with in the past.
Mr. Heller is an ex-CIA operative and expert in espionage and survival. He is and has always been concerned and protective to Hanna, his daughter (step-daughter actually).
He, Erick, is concerned about Hanna because he know that Marissa Wiegler will definitely kill her. And this is because Hanna is part of an experiment of genetically manipulated embryos to make human beings with more strength, survival skills, less pain, reduce pity, and more, with the objective to make the perfect soldier. But Marissa already killed the other part of the experimental group (other children), and now the only one alive is Hanna.
fourth and final comment:
Even though he’s better known as an actor than as a director,Steve Pink has won my admiration just because of two films. Accepted(third film comment) and hot tub time machine. Even though not oscar worthy,his comedy movies and series will guarantee non stop laughter and also self identification by the morals of the stories.By adapting life lessons in every story,in times of suspense their always be comic relief,showing not much seriousness .Steve Pink has a good story of himself. as starting as a cameramen,being an extra then an actor and after that a producer and director showing a great example of effort and improvement.since his last movie,hot tube time machine hasn’t announced any future plans,but it bet his next proyect will be of course another comedy.
third film comment
“Accepted”
any college student or high school senior who watch this film,will be identified immediately. when you live college life,you start with some ambition and goals,that later on you will know that the path is not gonna be easy,even more when you feel lost in direction. A similar situation happens in this young man’s life. Bartleby Gaines,a typical high school slacker has been rejected by every school he applied,knowing the consequences of his irresponsibility,and also knowing the disappointment his parents will feel ,in an act of desperation opts to create his own institution of higher learning, the South Harmon Institute of Technology(S.H.I.T), on a abandoned mental hospital and also creates a website for the false institution,just so his parents will feel proud. But when he arrives,he noticed he wasn’t,the only one accepted as he forgot to turn down the webpage,later on another institution called Harmon University,finds out of this false plot,sent to court bartleby and his friends (old and new ones) defend the reason of their actions and why should south Harmon be accredited.obviously this is a Hollywood picture and in real life this will not ever have any chances on succeeding,but this movie shows the true feeling of some students,not everybody was meant to study,not every one will know what to do,but everyone has a passion and by the years you will find out what you’re really good at.by getting to know yourself,takes time but you’ll always get to that vantage point.
this is one of my favorite movies,because it motivates every time i see it,as when i saw it the first time
Third film entry: Midnight in Paris
Midnight in Paris is a 2011 romantic comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen. If you haver ever thought you were born in the wrong decade, and wished on having the pleasure of going back in time and meeting your idols, this is a fillm you would love. The plot centers on a small group of Americans visiting the French capital for business and pleasure. The protagonist, a screenwriter, is forced to confront the shortcomings of his relationship with his fiancée and their divergent goals due to his magical experiences in the city beginning each night at midnight. The movie explores themes of nostalgia and modernism.
The film starts out with Gil and Inez travelling to Paris as a tag-along vacation on her parents’ business trip. Gil is a successful Hollywood writer but is struggling on his first novel. He falls in love with the city and thinks they should move there after they get married, but Inez does not share his romantic notions of the city or the idea that the 1920s was the golden age. When Inez goes off dancing with her friends, Gil takes a walk at midnight and discovers what could be the ultimate source of inspiration for writing. Gil’s daily walks at midnight in Paris could take him closer to the heart of the city but further from the woman he’s about to marry.
Produced by Spanish group Mediapro and Allen’s Gravier Productions, the film stars Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni, Adrien Brody and Michael Sheen. It premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and was released in North America in May 2011. The film opened to widespread critical acclaim and has commonly been cited as one of Allen’s best films in recent years. In 2012, the film won both the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and the Golden Globe Awards for Best Screenplay; and was nominated for three other Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Direction, and Best Art Direction.
Second Film Entry: The Iron lady
If your into historical films, The Iron Lady is one to put on your to see list. It’s a 2011 biographical film based on the life of Margaret Thatcher, the longest serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th century. Something all women should be proud of.
The film begins sometime in 2008 (opening against the backdrop of news of the Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing) with elderly Lady Thatcher buying milk unrecognized by other customers and walking back from the shop alone. Over the course of three days we see her struggle with dementia and with the lack of power that comes with old age, while looking back on defining moments of her personal and professional life, on which she reminisces with her (now dead) husband, Denis Thatcher. The film goes back and forth from present to past showing us her great ascendance in the political field. By doing this she grows farther and farther away from her family, putting her political obligations before her wife and motherly obligations. While you watch, you learn all about the hard decisions she had to make during the Falklands War. Decisions that indeed improved the country, even if it meant having to scarify others. She started to be known as a very important world figure.
The film was directed by Phyllida Lloyd. Thatcher is portrayed primarily by Meryl Streep,[5] but also, in her formative and early political years, by Alexandra Roach. Thatcher’s husband, Denis Thatcher, is portrayed by Jim Broadbent, and Thatcher’s longest-serving cabinet member and eventual deputy, Geoffrey Howe, is portrayed by Anthony Head.[6]
While the film met with mixed reviews, Streep’s performance was widely acclaimed, and considered to be one of the finest of her career. She received her 17th Academy Award nomination, and ultimately, the Academy Award for Best Actress, for her portrayal of Thatcher across four decades. She also earned her third Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama (eighth overall), and her second BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Film comment #3
Ceciliana Ramirez
The Shop Around The Corner
The 1940’s romantic comedy, is a heart warming tale, starring Hollywood favorite James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan, about two conflicting employees who, unknowingly, fall in love through the letters they send to each other anonymously. The film definitely has elements of the comedic style of the decade, which shine through the genius of Ernst Lubitch’s directing. However charming it may be for us in this newer generation, it still contained a lot of objectionable content, at the time, that managed to pass through the censorship of the National Legion of Decency.
The lovable James Stewart, played the wholesome character’s in Hollywoods family films before trying his hand at mystery films in the 50’s. He stays true to his earlier character as the fast talking Hungarian store clerk, Alfred Kralik. His performance only complimented by his on screen partner, Margaret Sullavan, who predicted his rise to stardom before he was known. They’re chemistry, adds a little light to the innocence of the romance which helps to obscure the other more, morally questionable topics of the film. A definite sign of the Motion Picture Production Code at work, to slip by the censorship of the National Legion of Decency.
At the time, if crime or morally objectionable content was shown in a film it needed to have on screen repercussions, such as a bank robber going to jail. This is most apparent in Mr. Matuscheck’s suicide attempt and when they find out about Ferencz Vadas is the one having an affair with Mr. Matuscheck’s wife. Pepi saves Matuscheck’s life before he shoot’s himself in the head and, written into the story rather smoothly, Kralik pushes Vadas into the stack of cigarette boxes that he hates, serving him his ultimate justice and visually punishing the act of adultery.
The charming love story with it’s faced paced dialogue and quick witted remarks, definitely encompasses the style of comedy of the 40’s. The chemistry of the comedy duo, Stewart and Sullavan, gives the film it’s sparkle that helps to balance out the other qualities that would have brought up concern with the National Legion of Decency. That and the condemnation of immoral activities as per the code.
Film comment #2
Ceciliana Ramirez
The Searchers
John Ford’s film of a man who searches five years for the Comanche tribe that killed his family and kidnapped his niece, is considered by critics as the exemplar American western. From the sweeping landscapes to the wide-open plains, the cinematography in The Searchers only serves to demonstrate the true majesty of the film. The profound topics of racism, sexism, and the individual, simplified through the archetypal Good vs. Bad, Cowboy vs Indian, comment on American standards, and testify to the directorial genius of John Ford.
The simplified iconic view of good vs. bad, one vs the other, is standard in the semantics of the western genre. This is apparent in the character Ethan Edwards, played by John Wayne, who’s sole purpose in the film is to seek revenge upon Comanche tribe who murdered his family and kidnapped his niece, Debbie Edwards. This renders him a relatively static character throughout the film, however it is contrasted tremendously by Marty Pawley, who visibly grows older representing individuality. Eventually, Wayne’s character is tested when Pawley yells at him for trying to kill Debbie, after she reveals that she prefers the life of the Comanche. Ethan’s response to him, “That’ll be the day,” is the culmination of all the issues coming to a point where they meat at a head. His lack of empathy towards his niece for turning into a Comanche, is representative of how prejudice he is. Essentially, with that line he states what he stands for, and how he prefers to stand alone, than to join with the enemy. Blind faith for the side he chose, the supposed iconic good.
Besides the bitter commentary on racism and profound exploration of the individual as a person, another topic covered in the film is sexism. There are two major ways the film depicts women in an objective light. The first way is that of the passivity and complacency of the southern belle, depicted in Laurie. Despite, her obvious spunk, when Laurie meets Marty she does his clothes and bathes him, as a woman is expected to. Then waits complacently to come back to get married. When she finds out about his other marriage, she goes and marries another man, Charlie McCorry. Despite her slightly rebellious character, she still seeks to be under the dominion of men, never looking for self-sufficiency or fighting to be an independent woman. She even marries another man, not out of her independent choice, but because she wants to be married, as a southern belle should. The second instance of not sexism as well as racism, is when Marty is sold a Comanche wife. “Look”, as is her adopted name, is traded for a hat. Marty even abuses of her, even though all she shows is affection towards. When, Look lies next to Marty, to sleep next to him as his wife, he kicks her out of bed, then both Ethan and Marty terrorize her to get information out of her about scar.
Yet, the most impressive of all the aspects of this film was the cinematography. From the famous doorway shot, when Ethan returns to Edwards house hold in the beginning of the movie, to the scene where Brad, Lucy’s fiancé, runs blind with anger into the Comanche camp and gets killed, the grandiosity of these wide shots is to be marveled at. Yet, there were times where it was apparent that they were using a studio set. Regardless, the majesty of these wide shots commanded an air of omnipotence that served the film, and made it what it was.
Through the wide shots of the western frontier, Ford was able to enchant audiences. His criticism of racism, exploration the self, and commentary on sexism, through the semantics of the western genre are genius. Truly, The Searchers deserves the title of a great film, and to Ford, of genius.
Comment #1
Ceciliana Ramirez
Birth of a Nation
D.W. Griffith’s controversial epic, of the effects of the civil war in the south and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, is undoubtedly and inexcusably racist. The despective view of the black community, and anyone who wasn’t white for that matter, is representative of an ignorant ideal of intolerance and discrimination that unfortunately is an out-dated school of thought, supported by an older generation that is not as well educated or advanced as we are now. Never the less, and rather lamentably, the achievements that this film accomplished were tremendous innovations to the world of cinema at the time. Everything from inter-titles, to creating a sense of cinematic space and time, was invented with this film, among other accomplishments. Thus, granting this classic, the title of masterpiece and famed in Hollywood as the most important film in American History.
Depicted from the beginning as either simple-minded house servants or dim-witted brutes who are potential threats to the white families of the south, black characters are given a very abase role in the society of the film. Not depicted with high intellect, the characters always play a role inferior and under the power of the white character’s regardless of what side their on. Even the mulato, Silas Lynch was the very definition of evil because he was white and black. “The bringing of the African to America planted the first seed of disunion” are the opening titles of the film, leaving the audience to interpret the message as the black slaves being the sole cause of the civil war.
Regardless of the anti-negro message of the film, Birth of a nation was unquestionably a landmark film for hollywood at the time. Besides Griffith’s extravagant style clearly apparent in the set design and mass choreography of the large numbers of people, the film presented a whole list of innovations that had not been done before in filmmaking. The use of title-cards to verbalize action, dialogue and story, the filming of multiple angles for coverage of a scene, the use of close ups to reveal expressions and feelings of the characters, cross-fading, and cross cutting to develop parallel action and build suspense and excitement. Griffith developed the iris effect to reveal, conceal or transition between scenes, the use of color tinting, tracking shots, night photography and the list goes on.
Yet, it should be noted that, even with all the positive achievements and innovations born out of such an epic film, it is truly sad to say that this is the most important film in American history. Regardless of the fact that it is a controversial film, what is lamentable is that the message it portrays is one of irresponsible amounts of ignorance and extreme prejudice. No amount of stunts, actors, spectacle, or grandiosity of art can forgive the message of detrimental hatred and childish bigotry. To say that such a film was born out of the United States, speaks very little about who we are as a nation and should not be celebrated. However, regardless of what the film does to or what it shows about the country, there is no mistaking the importance of the film and the amounts of innovation that it brought to the industry, classifying it as a masterpiece in the history books.
Truly, D.W. Griffith’s American epic about the trials of the south and rise of the Klan merits an award for it’s creative prowess when it comes to inventing new ways of cinematography and cutting film. The list of innovations is extensive and commendable, despite its intolerant message of the time. People should watch the film and take it for what it is, destroy their ego, and enjoy. Birth of a Nation is a silent classic that undoubtedly thrills and excites the audience and should be taken as a masterpiece, keeping in mind that the message is out-dated and should be viewed as such, with progressive eyes and a better attitude towards the future.
Gabriel Pita May 3, 2012
Third Film Comment: The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
This film I found it to be a really different film from all the others i’ve seen. There is a certain ironic mood to the whole movie, which I found was sort of weird, misbalanced and unbelievable. The Royal Tenenbaums is a family that consists of Royal Tenenbaum played by Gene Hackman, Etheline Tenenbaum played by Anjelica Hutson, Chas played by Ben Stiller, Margot played by Gwyneth Paltrow, and Richie played by Luke Wilson.
Every child in their early years we’re considered geniuses; Chas Tenenbaum was considered a genius in international finance and actually sued his father two times when he was fourteen because his father stole some money from his safe deposit box. Margot, an adopted child, was a playwright and Richie was considered a tennis professional at the age of 14. The plot of the movie is generally simple, Royal Tenenbaum has never been close to his family due to his work, when he finds out that his wife (who he hasn’t spoken to in four years) was asked to get married by Henry Sherman, played by Danny Glover, he seeks to reunite his family by telling them that he has stomach cancer when he really doesn’t.
Question is would I recommend this film to anyone? Yes I would. Although I found the movie to be a depressive comedy, which has its ironic laughs, it’s a fun quirky movie, which sucks you right in when you start playing it. The acting is great and so is the film’s story line and editing. The movie received generally good reviews and was nominated for an Academy Award. The soundtrack of the movie was another thing I liked from The Beatles to The Rolling Stones it has a good taste in my kind of music. I give this movie an 8/10.
Fourth Film Comment: Favorite Director Hayao Miyazaki
Immediately fans would think color, magic, a story like no other is brought on screen, such a mind to be able to transmit an extraordinary world to me is a genius in the animation category. His carrier started in the 1963, in the studios of Toei Douga as an animator. He went from studio to studio making classics Japanese films also discovering his own style and individual talents. Including most of his drawing also was on TV and even Mangas throw the years.
The stories that are writing will change the viewer’s thinking; most of his films are about family, love, belonging, and trust. What makes Miyazaki’s film different from other animated movies is the way that the characters faces are like. Even though is a new movie when I see the color and the face something tells me that is this director’s work. I came to look at his films when I was little, called Spirited Away. I must say its scared me in the beginning but to know that this little girl was afraid of changes was the strength she need it to rescue her parents that were magically turn into pigs, that’s what made stop being terrified of it. Another film that I saw as a child was My Neighbor Totoro, yet again when you see this films at first they can be scary. But these films take your breath away the story of a family how they suffered and try to move on with his child’s is inspiring. There are many more films throw out the years, but the most recently are Ponyo and The Secret World of Arriety.
I choose Miyazaki because of the impact that he made in my life, I love drawing anime characters thanks to him. Is amazing how such colors can combine and how they don’t lose the real story behind it. If you reader are an anime lover I suggest that you check his movies and series that you will adore.
Comment #4 Favorite Director Clint Eastwood
Clinton Eastwood, better known as Clint Eastwood, besides acting, what he does well, he directs movies too. He is a living legend on Hollywood. He is known as the living legend, he writes, draws, produces, act, and directs. Clint is known for the movie of Dirty Harry, and his quote of “be careful what you wish for punk”, he writes directs act and produce in one movie at the same time. And one of the movies where he does this thing is on Gran Torino and on The Outlaw Josey Wales. He has this ability that in the movies he touches the feelings of the audience when he directs a drama movie, or impact the audience when he directs an action movie. Clint Eastwood is known by his good work as director. We can see a good example of his good work on Invictus and with Million Dollar Baby, he directs both of them and they all touch the feelings of the audience and impact it too. He always prepares for the direction of one movie and it takes time to do many things as he does but he does it with passion. He does it for the audience, he said his passion was the audience too, and he wants to give the audience what they want to see in a particular movie. I highly recommend a movie directed by The Living Legend; Drawer, Actor, Writer, Producer, and Director Clint Eastwood. He always gives his best and I haven’t watch a movie directed by him rated less than 4 stars of 5. I would not spoil any movie for those who have not watch them but I recommend Invictus, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Gran Torino.
Movie comment #3 A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
This is a remade of the classical Wes Craven’s Nightmare on Elm Street. This is a very good movie, for those who like horror fiction movies, like me. Freddy Krueger at his best, played by Jackie Earle Haley, the famous Rorschach from Watchmen. Better than him to play this role, there is no one; even the director of the movie had chosen him for that very same reason. He saw Rorschach on watchmen and he decided to choose him for the role of Freddy.
The movie is based on the classical story of the nightmare on Elm Street. Here we se how a group of young students gets perused, chased and horrified, even killed by Freddy Krueger in their dreams. The interesting part is that if you get killed in the dream, you are dead in reality. In the movie we get to know how Freddy became the monster he is, and who he was in the past. His personality reveals why he does what he does, pedophilia. His favorite girl Nancy played by the beautiful Rooney Mara, well played and developed. I think the cast was chosen correctly and every actor did his best. I highly recommend the movie not for the scary but for the interesting changes they made, the story is the same but the characteristics are different.
Favorite Director: Mel Brooks
When I was younger I saw this film called ” History of teh World”, this movie had EVERYTHING, it was hillariouse, it had music, it has dancing, it became my favorite movie. This movie starting Mel Brooks who also was the director was an inspiration for me, it was one of the movies that made me want to study drama. Mel Brooks has to be my favorite director. “Blazing Saddles” is also one of the films that Mel Brooks directed and it was also like “History of the World” it had everything, but I started to find that Brooks was using to much of the same thing but it wasn’t actually like that it was just that I saw this two movies one right after another. When I saw “Young Frankenstein” I saw a different type of movie and it actually caught my eye. Mel Brooks is an exelent director, smart and very versatil. Brooks has a huge imagination he became the number one director in the 1970′s. He was mad at the world and God for losing his father as such a young age that he desides to put all of that anger on comedy, something that most of all comedians do as a therapy. Brooks movies allways had the magic touch to make you laugh,that is why he is such an inspiration for me and one day I hope that my therapy could be making all of my anger become comedy.
Third Film Comment: Movie RED.
Living the good life, in his retirement, Frank Moses, fall in love with Sara Ross, the secretary of the Call Center. One day, he noticed that someone is killing his friends from his circle of friends from the CIA, and Moses started an investigation to find out what was happening. During his investigation he found a file with a paper blacked out entirely with a list of the “murdered” people. Moses found out with the help of his old friends that the murders had a relationship with a massacre that took place in Guatemala. The rest of the movie, is about an FBI agent that tries to capture and arrest Moses old friends, and they escape every time. As they investigate, they found out that the FBI is against Moses old friends by the incident that took place in Guatemala, also they knew that the assassin was the United States of America’s Vice President, son of an Armed Force General, that was Presidency candidate. Later in the movie, Moses and his old friends, kidnapped the United States vice president,because they knew his plan and how he was being manipulated by a Arms dealer. In the last part of the movie, Moses was talking to the FBI, because they have Moses girlfriend kidnapped and they were going to exchange Moses girlfriend by the vice president, in that part the FBI agent that was going to understand what was the reality of the problem, and then he arrested Moses, but gave him the key to open his cuffs. Then the movie ends with Moses, and his old friends, including the one who committed the massacre.
Blog Comment #4: Favorite Director – Christopher Nolan
From super hero films to tales of magic, Christopher Nolan has a wide range of genres in which he has masterfully employed his talents, to give us wonderful and truly awe inspiring movies. His film style is imperative, his narrative style: monumental, and his stories immense, thoughtful and profound, leaving the audience on the the whim of the next movie before it even comes out. His films include, “Memento,” “Insomnia,” “Batman Begins,” “The Prestige,” “The Dark Knight,” “Inception,” and the soon to come out “The Dark Knight Rises”; every one of them being a hit at the box office when they opened.
Involved in film at an early age, Nolan first found interest for the medium at the age of seven after finding his father’s Super 8 camera; using his toys as the protagonist of his movies.
Studying at University College London he was able to gain access to the production facilities and equipment which he later used, post-graduation, to make his first feature: “Following.” Christopher Nolan married his college girl friend, Emma Thomas, who would later be the producer for almost all his films from 1997 on, and together they have 4 children.
From his short film Doodlebug to his most recent feature Inception, Christopher Nolan has made time and time again ultimately profound movies that both enlighten and entertain, simultaneously. Such as his rendition of the Batman franchise; each character is complete with a profound philosophical motivation that reflects the nature of their principle, that also gives depth and an implication of urgency to the plot, while at the same time implementing striking visual effects, monumental explosions, and high-end stunts that work with the story. Also, his non-linear storyline narrative method, his trade-mark, along with frame stroy telling (Inception), gives him his predominately unique narrative style. That along with the dark, serious tones and the thoughtful nature of his films are part of what makes Nolan’s style so new and bold in a fabricated world full of blindly manufactured films. At the same time, Nolan proves that the audience does enjoy a thoughtful movie to entertain them, time and time again, winning six academy awards and one golden globe with films that reinvented genres and dominated at the box office.
Film comment number two
irty Rotten Scoundrells
This 1988 movie, settles at Europe, at a town known for wealth,fine dining and fancy living.in a certain way it compares the americans vs. European way of thinking ,as even though both Lawrence,an European con-man(Michael Caine) and Freddie,a rookie con-man from u.s.a(steve martin) where con artist,they each had different tricks and methods to offer from their sleeves.
.Even though this movie shows you,that not only women will be gold-diggers,it also shows you ,you cant outsmart women, that is when they make a 50 thousand dollar bet,on who will deceive this model from the south(u.s.a) who apparently just won a million dollars from a modeling contest. But it all turns the other way around when she outsmart them,by at the end showing she was the ‘’con’’ master.
I found this movie interesting because ,its a different story,and I didn’t saw that coming. And even though people criticize this movie ,because of the low quality picture,the story is actually pretty good! It presents you a case that was famous at the time,in fact there were cases of the Interpol and people on the most wanted list for this type of scams in the 1980’s. this movie show you two things 1. Steve martin had white hair from the start and 2. Michael caine and steve martin have great chemistry while working together,making the movie more funny than it could actually be.
Gabriel Pita April 26,2012
Blog Comment #2: Rango (2011)
In Rango, an unnamed pet chameleon that has a love for acting and theatrics has been left stranded in the great Mohave Desert. On the road, where his owner suffered from a car crash consequently resulting in Rango being tossed out of the car by accident, Rango meets Roadkill an Armadillo that tells him the legend about the Spirit of the West. Dying from thirst, Roadkill tells Rango that there is water in a town called Dirt and tells him to follow his shadow and he will eventually find the town. Rango walks for a couple of hours when he suddenly gets attacked by a hawk and survives. The next morning, he meets a desert iguana called Beans who takes him to Dirt.
When Rango finally gets to Dirt he is given a lot of stink-eye because he is a stranger. Rango, still very thirsty, decides to walk into the towns saloon and knowing that he is a stranger and is probably going to get beat up, starts acting and improvising like a tough outlaw named Rango. Convincing the townsfolk that he is almost a legend of an outlaw Rango with luck and improvisation successfully kills the hawk that many of the townsfolk feared. The townsfolk seeing this took Rango to the mayor of Dirt, thus becoming Dirt’s new sheriff.
The town Dirt in the movie is in a state of drought, no water is coming in from the pipe where the townsfolk usually receive their fair share of water. Beans finds out that the reserve water tank in the bank was almost empty and order Rango to investigate why there is no more water coming through the pipe. The next day the townsfolk find out that the bank has been robbed and that the water tank was gone being the fault of Rango which basically gives a permit for the robbers to rob the bank. Rango forms up a posse and head out in search of the water tank. Rango and his posse find they robbers and the tank but suddenly are attacked by a dozen of the robbers family. During the fight the robbers and Rango’s posse find out that there is no more water left in the tank and that the tank was already stolen before the robbers got in the bank. Returning to town disappointed, Rango and Beans find out that the mayor of Dirt is buying all of the land around Dirt, Rango then accuses the mayor which he denies and sends for Rattle Snake Jake to take care of Rango. Rango then promises to the townsfolk that there is still hope and that he will find the water when all of a sudden Rattle Snake Jake turns up and accuses Rango of being a fraud and a liar. Rango seeing this admits that he is a fraud and a coward and leaves the town. On his journey back to the road where he started he meets the Spirit of the West. The Spirit of The West tells Rango that this is who he is and that actions matter more that ideas or words. Rango being enlightened finds out that the mayor shut of the water pipe, which leads to the town, returns to Dirt and faces Rattle Snake Jake. Finding out that the mayor double-crossed him in the end Rattle Snake Jake takes the mayor into the Mohave Desert and takes his revenge. The town celebrates the return of water and recognize Rango as their hero.
In conclusion, for me this movie was sort of genius in my opinion. It was made for an audience of children and I found myself enjoying and laughing at this movie. I enjoyed it fondly and I must point out that the animation and visuals of this movie were outstanding. Something that captured my eye in the beginning of the movie was the reference to “Fear and loathing in Las Vegas” I thought that was really cool and right there I started watching it with great expectations. I thought Johnny Depp’s contribution to the film was amazing; his voice was a perfect sound for the character of Rango. I also found out that some parts of this film were actually acted out with the actors in the studio which helped them get more in touch with the characters, resulting in very colorful and clear expressions from the actors voices, I think that was a brilliant idea from the director Gore Verbinski. This movie also for me was slightly different from other animated children’s movies it has a sort of balance between what kids can laugh at and what adults and teens can laugh at. I could easily recommend this film to any child, but also to any adult that is open minded to animated children films and even to Johnny Depp fans, which they will surely enjoy.
Blog Comment #1: Cashback (2006)
In the movie Cashback an aspiring art student named Ben Willis has broken up with his girlfriend Suzy, which causes him to develop an extreme case of insomnia. During his long sleepless nights memories start to come up about past events that have shaped him to be what he is now. Like for example, when he was five years old he saw for the first time a naked body of a woman that was staying in his house. In that flashback, Ben tells us that from that moment on he fell in love with the grace, form and arquitecture of what is the female body.
Having now an extra eight hours added to his life because of his insomnia he decides to work at a super market called Stainley’s. Because of his insomnia Ben develops the power to slow or stop time. When time is stopped he is able to undress the women that are around him and draw them, he is also able to move people and/or touch them. When he wants time to continue moving he simply cracks his fingers and time continues. In the supermarket he meets a lovely young lady called Sharon, over time Ben falls in love with Sharon and forgets about his ex girlfriend Suzy. When Suzy kisses Ben for the first time Ben’s insomnia disappears and he is able to sleep once again. Later on, Ben get’s the opportunity to have his own art show, which were mostly all paintings of Sharon. The finale occurs as Ben shares his ability to stop time with her and the two step outside into a time-frozen snowfall and share a kiss.
I could easily recommend this movie to anyone. It is a romantic drama with some comedy elements in it. The story for me wasn’t really that moving it has a pretty simple plot. What made me actually love the movie was the way the transitions from Ben’s flashbacks to reality were portrayed. The movie makes us wonder if we really are paying attention, to enjoy simple things that most people choose to ignore. After I watched this movie I stepped outside and wondered that I would like to be in a way like Ben, to be an artist and capture details and moments that people don’t normally see or choose to see them, to appreciate what is around us. Also, the movie teaches us a lesson, that if you don’t stop from time to time to simply look at things and appreciate them you could miss it.
Lizzbeth N. Rodríguez Amaro
Third Film Comment: Hugo
“To project ones dreams, is to project reality itself”, fantasy, magic creativity goes well together. In the beginning we have this boy living and working in a train station his job was checking all of the clocks to be working well, of course he didn’t get paid for it. His father died in a fire accident in which left his child with his uncle, a drunken man that works in the train station. The only thing left from his father was a human figure that seems to be operated in the way that clocks work. He looks around the station for pieces that could help him discover a secret left for him from his dad, while avoiding the inspector and his dog. His name is Hugo Cabret.
Hugo knew the station very well, were to hide, were to find food and were to look for the pieces he need it. One morning he was about to steal a toy mouse from the toy store, but the toymaker knew well his intention and while capturing him he found out that Hugo had his note book. In it, they were some sketches that he drew by himself that the owner could not believe. So without any excuse he took what was right of him and wanted to burn it in his home. The boy followed him it was already late and it was snowing, he ask for a young girl that was near the top window to help him and her name was Isabelle. She was intelligent and loved books, but mostly she wanted an adventure she got tired of reading them. Hugo introduces her to a new world, the movies and during some point she had the missing key all along with her in a chain around her neck.
But there are a lot more secrets during the films, like the toymaker, his wife, including the everyday people in the train station and of course the steel like child figure that brought the attention of his father and himself. As things get fixed more problems seems to be headed towards Hugo’s way. The police found his uncle’s body in the river for several months, these cause the most drastic turns of events when he captures the boy and wanted to be taking by the orphanage. All his hard worked, the truth that he found out, his last change was slipping throw his fingers and in the last moment… I would tell you but you must see it reader.
I find this movie to be well executed in every way, it has its moments of suspends and a little laughter that you wish to last the hole film. The director Martin Scorsese did an excellent job on capturing what really means to discover dreams. This movie was release on November 23, 2011; it is based on a New York’s bestseller “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” and the directors first time making a 3D movie. The main cast was composed by: Hugo Cabret ( Asa Butterfield), Isabelle (Chloe Grace), the toymaker and magician (Ben Kingsley), Station Inspector (Sacha Baron), the uncle ( Ray Winstone), Lisette (Emily Mortiner), Monsieur Labisse (Cristhoper Lee), Mama Jeanne (Helen McCory) and many more. This film one five Academy Awards and an Oscar. For the reader I wish for you to take a chance and see it, I didn’t want to give up so much information but it is a movie for the family and for all of the movie loving viewers of the classics.
Showgirls
This movie of 1995 starting Elizabeth Berkley, I find it very interesting and somehow showes us what actually happens behind the curtaines on any type of show.
Nomi Malone is a prostitue that goes to Las Vegas to win and her character being a strong one does it. But to win she does everything in her power to get where she got. She started hitchhiking and the persone that she gots in the car with stoled her things making things harder for her, that is when she meets Molly and helps her. Nomi wants to star on the show in Vegas so there for she has to work hard and take Cristal Connors place therefor she most get rid of her, so she pushes her dow the stairs ending up with Cristal’s place, boyfriend and fame. Then they find out she was actually a prostitue so she decides to leave after also taking revenge on Andrew Carver who raped her friend Molly.
I am not a fan of Elizabeth Berkley I find she is not a good actresse at all, but I couldn’t imagine anyone else doing this movie.
I find that it had a great storyline, great coreography and it was actually a show in Las Vegas, but I might have cut out a little bit of nudity that wasn’t necesary. Me being a regular actresse and a former adult film one I think director should no when they are exeding, this movie has a rating of R but I think it deserves an rating of X and that is what I told one of the directors here in Puerto Rico of vular comedy.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
This movie starting, Tim Curry, is an example of how a Broadway musical shouldn’t be on film. This particular musical is extreamly “wierd” and the beauty of its “wierdness” looks great on stage and not on film. This movie based on the Broadway musical “The Rocky Horror Show” , is about this new engaged coupple name Janet (Susan Sarandon) and Brad that end up at Dr.Frank-N-Furter’s mansion, a transvesti from Trasilvania that is practly bisexual and at first we asume that he is gay, but after and incident with Janet we find out he is actually a bisexual. He is celebrating he has a new creation named Rocky after his first try an experiment gone wrong called Eddie (Meat Loaf) and he frozed him but he found his way out and messed the celebration and Dr.Furter ends up actually killing Eddie by stabbing him.
Soem how he ends up doing a show and his servants are from another place and want him dead so they let him say goodbye throughout a song.
This movie dosen’t make any sence because it shouldn’t be a movie inthe first place, it should have stayed on theater where the soul of this project couldn’t be stolen.
THE OTHERS
This film starting Nicole Kidman I find it is one of the best films in 2001.
This movie is written and directed by Alejandro Amenabar. It’s about a woman that lives with her two children that are photosesitive (alergic to the sun light). It takes place in Jersey after the Second World War.
Grace (Nicole Kidman) thinks her husband is dead since he was MIA (missing in action) and after an incident of child abuse all of the servent left without saying anything , so she sent an add to the news paper that she needed help and 2 women and 1 man came for the job but turns out that the news paper never got the add so she started to suspect. In the house started to happen wierd things like the piano playing music by it self, doors slamming and a boy crying. Grace’s daughter Anne was the one that could see the boy name Victor and all of his family members but the one that she had seen the most was an old lady that was the one that could actually speak to them. Because we don’t know throughout the movie that they are actually dead and they are the actual ghosts in the house, but they make sure that the intruders go because that is theire house.
I love the way putting the children sick of a rear condicion like being photosensitive could get the viewer actually scared of what if they get expose to sunlight? and you might actually think that they could die on the movie because of theit condicion, but they actually are dead because their mother soffocated them with pillows , because the mother was abusive and that was we saw on paintings in the begging of the movie was real and not her nightmare.
It is wonderfull to see a movie with that game and also with traditions and historical criteria that gives the perfect ambience for a suspense movie.
professor: I noticed that the power point of Introduction to Science Fiction is not on the wesite and it might come in the exam. Maybe I am wrong but I looked on class presentations and nothing.
Thanks profesorr, for your attention
Movie Comment 2: Scream 4
When we see suspense in movies, no one is better than Wes Craven, for he is called The Master of Suspense. I’m talking about the movie Scream 4, for the ones that love the movies of suspense with a little comedy on it, Scream is the best choice to watch. Following the trilogy, Scream 4 is “a continue” to the thrilling saga, and like it says in the front of the cover “new decade, new rules”, everything is going to be more suspense and unexpected.
In this movie, Scream 4, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) wrote a book and returns to her home on Woodsboro, the last stop of her tour. She reunites with the Sheriff Dewey (David Arquette) and Gale (Courteney Cox) and unfortunately her return brings with it the return of the Ghost Face , putting in danger the whole Woodsboro town, and all Sidney’s friends too. All the actors did a great performance, specially Neve Campbell, and of course Wes Craven as director.
This is a cool movie. Of course it is a mere opinion. I found inspiring for creating a new character of your own thinking, since I write and draw. I found it very surprising and suspense all the way, but there is a very cheap thing I criticize about this Scream movie and the other three, they always reveal the Ghost Face. It is not interesting, I found more interesting if they keep it a secret from the audience, but the part that there are two playing the ghost face is the interesting part. Also the good thing about revealing the ghost face, is that there is always a new guy or girl playing it and you don’t know who, but still it is more interesting to keep it a secret all the way till the end of the saga. Other thing I found cheap is that is very fictitious in one scene, where the one playing ghost face is shocked with electric shock in the head with more than two thousand Jules and don’t die. But besides that I recommend this movie for every Wes Craven fan like me, it is very cool movie, but only if you like the movies of Scream, because if you don’t, you’ll find it a complete waste of time. Is good movie, I know it because there is no movie I watch more than one time in a day, and this one I see it more than two.
Blog Comment #3: Rear Window Analysis and Critique
The 50’s thriller about a man who peeps into the lives of his neighbors definitely has the Hitchcock touch. With a few interesting angles, obscuring characters, a sense of film space, and ripe with sexual innuendos, the English director’s film is a perfect example of Hollywood responding to the demands of post WWII youth culture. The film is, also, a metaphor for the psycho sexual aspect of film, and the voyeuristic pleasure we get from viewing life through a lens.
The fifties saw rise to many things such as Rock and Roll, the Cold War, and the sexual revolution. The youth of the time was in revolt and the studios were dying; Hollywood responded quickly. Within the first five minutes of the film, we are shown a topless dancer, exposing only her back, who bends over for the camera before putting her bra back on only to do some stretches before she dances. Even though sex is usually a trait that Hitchcock manages to get into his films in spite of censorship, the film carries a sexually risqué tone throughout. James Stewart’s character is a rebellious photographer with a broken leg who breaks the law to “do the right thing.” The anti-hero, Jeff is also a character that the youth could relate to. In general, the rebellious nature of the characters, Lisa breaking into Thorwald’s apartment for example, makes this film a prime example of Hollywood’s response to the youth culture of the time.
Besides the movie’s sexual overtones, its voyeuristic nature is a critique on the sexuality of cinema. Jeff becoming obsessed with spying on his neighbors, almost to the point of perversion, is a metaphor for the pleasure that we as an audience receive from looking at life through the camera’s eye. The lens allows an audience the ability to spy on another person’s life, regardless of it being real or not, giving us the power to experience someone’s plight without having to empathize or experience the event for ourselves. How easy it is to feel sympathy for someone, when we don’t have to carry the burden of the character ourselves. With this, it’s easy to understand why people could seek pleasure from this; knowledge without learning is addicting, as shown through the increasing curiosity of Jeff and the eventual ensnarement of Lisa and Stella as well.
Like all his films Alfred Hitchcock definitely has his mark all over rear window. The classic reflection of what the character sees off the outside of the lens is shown when Jeff looks at Thorwald through the lens and he is looking back. The sexual overtones of the ballerina, Ms. Lonely Heart and the women getting undressed to go into the pool in the beginning of the film, are all little innuendos that Hitchcock plays around with often in his other films. He always fills the scene with objects, so as to not leave too much dead space. The Dutch camera angles, towards the end when Thorwald is in his apartment, are definitely a Hitchcock signature. Lastly, the cameo appearance, when he is at the songwriter’s apartment winding the clock, just after the Thorwalds finished arguing, is a definite proof that Hitchcock has his finger prints all over this one.
Conclusively, Hitchcock has made an exemplary 50’s film riddled with mystery, thrills, sex, and rebellion. The topic of voyeurism in the film is a comment on the sexual nature of cinema because of the addictive power of experiencing an event through a lens, without the consequences of actually experiencing it. It’s shown in the character’s who become infatuated by the ability to spy on their neighbors. With dutch angles in key moments, the use of objects to fill up the screen, the character’s pov marked on the lenses of the camera and binoculars, and with ] his cameo appearance, Hitchcock has definitely made it clear that he made this film, making Rear Window another classic, born from the mind of a cinematic genius.
Blog Comment #2: Critique of M by Fritz Lang
When it comes to landmark films, Fritz Lang’s thriller is a great example of a German Expressionist movie. However, the set design is markedly flat, realistic and linear; the key elements of what Expressionist films at the time strove to stay away from. The expressionistic elements Lang placed most of his dependency upon was in lighting, shadow play, and sound. On top of this, the story itself concerns a very serious plot of aggravated sexual assault, murder, and pedophilia. Even today, those are heavy topics to discuss, leaving to the imagination, how this film made it passed the censor board when it reached state side.
Peter Lorre’s performance in the last scene is filled with an emotional charge that is present throughout. The light’s are dim behind him and his face is fully lit up. The harsh light spots him and, at the same time, creates enough shadows to keep with the tone of the film. In this film, Fritz Lang used sound to convey the emotion of the performance, rather than rely solely upon the theatricality of the actor, like most film where doing since the transition into sound. When we are first introduced to Hans Beckert we never actually see him. Only his shadow, his voice, and his whistling of the tune “In The House of The Mountain King” reveals to the audience who he is and exposes a sinister clue as to what his intention’s might be. But the greatest quality this film has is it’s use of sound. Fritz Lang was able to use this tool in such a way that is actually turned into an expressionistic element. An element that many horror films use today to create an air of suspense or use it as another element of horror.
Second Film Comment: Hairspray
Music, singing, dancing, and spunkiness describe best Tracy Turnblad, a young teenager girl living in Baltimore in the 1962. She wishes to be able to dance on the “Corny Collin’s Show” were all the best dancers are. But turning out to be different was in fact the main problem. Turnblad was just not as skinny or superficially perfect as the other girls in the show, especially Amber Von Tussle ,who made her life as complicated as she could without hesitating and wanted Tracy out of her way. There’s another reason why these two girls didn’t get along, it was for the heart drop of Amber’s boyfriend… Link Larkin.
During the good times and the bad there was always Tracy’s best friend , Penny Pingleton, that encouraged her not to give up and to break through the boundaries that society wanted them to be. Her family also gave the support that she needed even though her mother, Edna Turnblad didn’t approve of her dreams. Miss Turnblad only wanted to protect her daughter from being laughed at in public, and on the other hand her father Wilbur Turnblad supported Tracy’s dream like if it was his own. Of course the young big headed hairspray girl got her chance to be part of the TV show of her dreams. Bringing down the status quote of being different, and actually making a change for the better.
But between brake ups and make ups in the movie , it had other important issues to discuss, like for example Tracy’s friend Seaweed , an afroamerican young dancer who was also in the show with his mother Motormouth Maybelle who were discriminated for the color of their skin ,like other of his companions that dance and sing along with them. Tracy faces the fact that it doesn’t matter the color of your skin, it doesn’t have to be that way, we’re all the same. They have the right to do the same thing as any other person who has dreams. The breaking point of it all is when Link decided not to go to the march for their friends right. Without the support of either her family and closes friends she walks alongside of Seaweed at the march for equal rights.
Through it all , good wins over evil, values were put to a challenge, and victory awaits those brave enough to go and chase their dreams no matter what, of course as a musical it ended up with a BIG BANG celebration of music and dancing. I found the main cast very well selected playing Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky), Link Larking (Zack Efron), Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow), Seaweed( Elijah Kelley), Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes), Edna Turnblad( John Travolta), Wilbur Turnblad( Christopher Walker), Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer), Corny Collins (James Marsden), Motormouth Maybelle( Queen Latifah). The movie director was Adam Shankman, a screenplay of John Waters in 1988 but came in theaters in July 20, 2007 in the United States. Nominated for 3 Golden Globes, during their last few years since the movie was in theaters won 12 more awards out of 19 nominees through 2007 and 2008. I love this movie, it really knew when to start singing and dancing and when to come back at reality to see what was going on. I find John Travolta to be hilarious wearing high heels and make up. But I love this movie for bringing a good message to the viewers, that difference is allowed and that being the same it only means being boring and dull. That we should all try are best to reach our dreams even if nobody believes in you what matters is that you actually believe and try you’re hardest.
Good afternoon professor, i couldn’t attend to the university today because of some famliy complications, so i couldn’t hand in my quiz, could i post it somewhere in the blog or do I hand it in on wendsday?
I hate it when they kill children in movies…but it’s one of my favorites.
The more you watch this film, the more things you’ll understand or change your opinion about. Best work I’ve seen in a long time.
Octavio, I would prefer that you do them about films, but you could do one about a tv series.
First Film Comment: Black Swan
The New York City ballet company is preparing for the production of Swan Lake, a ballet in which a young woman is turned into a swan and can only be turned back by the kiss of her true love. Choosing to cast a newcomer to perform as both, the White and Black Swan. Dancer Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) competes for the part alongside several other young dancers, including newcomer Lily (Mila Kunis). Nina lives with her mother Erica (Barbara Hershey), a failed dancer who tries to control every aspect of her daughter’s life. The director, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel), is reluctant to cast Nina; he claims that she is the perfect White Swan, but that she lacks the passion of the darkly sensual Black Swan. During a confrontation over the role, Leroy kisses her, and she bites his lip, surprised at what just happened. The next day, he invites her into his apartment after a fundraiser gala to discuss her sexual opinions. He tells her to go home and touch herself. Nina begins developing a strange rash on her shoulder, and begins to suffer from bizarre hallucinations. She starts to feel that Lily, her understudy, is determined to take the lead away from her. Leroy, meanwhile, becomes increasingly frustrated with Nina’s onstage inhibitions and refusal of his sexual advances. One night, Lily appears at Nina’s door and offers to take Nina out for dinner. She agrees, and Lily offers her ecstasy, which Nina reluctantly accepts. After their night out, they return to Nina’s apartment where they have sex. Nina wakes up late the next morning and rushes to rehearsal, where she finds Lily dancing the Swan Queen in Nina’s absence. Furious, Nina confronts Lily, and asks why she didn’t wake her up in the morning, but Lily states she spent the night with a man whom she met at the club, that’s when Nina realize that having sex with Lily was all part of her imagination. The night before the opening, Nina is rehearsing late and continues to suffer from hallucinations. The rash on her shoulder has worsened, and little black barbs have poked through her skin. Nina pulls one of the barbs from her skin, and it appears to be a black feather. Nina arrives at the theater the night of the performance and immediately prepares herself as the White Swan. While dancing onstage, Nina falls. When she returns to her dressing room, she finds Lily there, dressed in her Black Swan costume. Nina shoves Lily into a full-length mirror, takes a shard of the mirror and stabs Lily, killing her. Then Nina keeps preparing herself to perform the Black Swan. She dances passionately and sensually, growing black feathers all over her body as she dances; at the end of the act, she receives a standing ovation. When she is preparing for the last part, where she is the White Swan once again, in her dressing room, she is interrupted by a knock at her door. It was Lily, who came to congratulate her. The fight was another hallucination, but the mirror was shattered. That’s when Nina realizes that she actually stabbed herself, not Lily. Ignoring this, she dances flawlessly in the third act, achieving her goal of perfection. As she looks into the crowd, she sees her mother crying, and Nina cries too. As she falls onto the mattress ‘killing herself’, as it was supposed to look like at the end of the ballet, Leroy comes to her side and her co-dancers too to congratulate her. Her final words are “I felt it. Perfect. I was perfect”. And suddenly everyone noticed that she was harmed.
I loved this movie so much, it actually showed how the ballet world is. I didn’t find it disturbing as so much people say it is, it actually ended in a dramatic way but I think it was very realistic. You actually have to understand how ballet functions to like this movie. Im a ballet dancer, so maybe that’s why I loved it so much and understand every single thing. Ballet is very beautiful and people love to see it, but they really don’t now how difficult it is and how much pressure you have, specially in big companies like the one in the film. Natalie Portman did a great job in this movie. After watching her perform this role I liked her even more than before. Natalie put all of herself into this role and made it personal to her. It affected everyone because you actually saw a dancer literally lose herself in her art. It was so great because it was honest.
Blog Comment #1
Pay it forward
“Is it possible for one idea to change the world?” That is the main question throughout the movie; whether one small idea for a class project can change the view of life. The movie starts with Professor Eugene Simonet explaining the main class project. The project consisted on creating a revolutionary idea that might change the world or at least your community. The main character, Trevor McKinney, who plays a seventh grader, takes as response to the class project, one idea that eventually revolutionized his neighborhood and around the country.
Blog Comment #1
Pay it forward
“Is it possible for one idea to change the world?” That is the main question throughout the movie; whether one small idea for a class project can change the view of life. The movie starts with Professor Eugene Simonet explaining the main class project. The project consisted on creating a revolutionary idea that might change the world or at least your community. The main character, Trevor McKinney, who plays a seventh grader, takes as response to the class project, one idea that eventually revolutionized his neighborhood and around the country.
His idea consisted on choosing three random persons and helping them with their existing situation or circumstances. The favor was not meant to be paid back instead the persons were encouraged to do the same for other three persons. That is, each of those three persons helps three more persons favorably impacting nine persons. This movement is called “Pay it forward”. The most beautiful concept of this idea is helping others around you and getting out of your comfort zone. In fact, Trevor McKinney states the following: “I guess it’s hard for people who are so used to things the way they are – even if they’re bad – to change. Cause they kind of give up. And when they do, everybody kind of loses”. His response to the feelings of despair and the lack of hope that surrounds him is to spread kindness. Be kind, help others and then why not pay it forward? In the scene where Trevor is presenting his idea to Professor Eugene Simonet, which is played by no other than Kevin Spacey, he acted neutral to the idea. It is not until little Trevor planted the idea that got all of the audience thinking, which is really crucial to obtain the full attention of the audience with one simple question he achieves that. He states: “What did you ever do to change the world?”
This movie played on the big screen in 2000 captivating the hearts of millions of people, including mine, the main theme of the movie is to actually pay it forward by helping people around you, just because we all have problems that doesn’t mean we cannot helped others; In fact is a way of ending prejudice and treating others as you will like that others treat you.
The main actors on this movie are Haley Joel Osment as Trevor, Helen Hunt as his mother and Kevin Spacey, the professor. All the main actors have had leading roles in various successful previous films. You might have seen Haley Joel Osment in movies such as: Forrest Gump (1994), Bogus (1996), Sixth Sense (1999), Pay it Forward (2000) and Artificial Intelligence (2001). The film is filled with an amazing cast of actors and also with a great script as well. If you have not yet seen this movie you don’t know what you are missing! What are you waiting for to watch it? Also, are you willing to take the challenge and commit to pay it forward?
The thing I loved the most about this movie is how we see an ordinary child succeed in creating the need to promote change in our perspective of what is kindness. This movie portrays what’s the real meaning of kindness, which is helpfulness, sensibility, benevolence and generosity among human beings; many other acts that demonstrate the real thoughtfulness among caring human beings.
One random act of kindness at a time. But my favorite part of the movie has to be when Trevor is being interviewed for Television. The part I hated by far was the ending, when the main character died on the hands of a couple of bully’s.
Definitely, a movie worth of watching! Accept the challenge!
Source for quotes: www. imdb.com/title/tt0223897
Blog Comment #1
Pay it forward
“Is it possible for one idea to change the world?” That is the main question throughout the movie; whether one small idea for a class project can change the view of life. The movie starts with Professor Eugene Simonet explaining the main class project. The project consisted on creating a revolutionary idea that might change the world or at least your community. The main character, Trevor McKinney, who plays a seventh grader, takes as response to the class project, one idea that eventually revolutionized his neighborhood and around the country.
His idea consisted on choosing three random persons and helping them with their existing situation or circumstances. The favor was not meant to be paid back instead the persons were encouraged to do the same for other three persons. That is, each of those three persons helps three more persons favorably impacting nine persons. This movement is called “Pay it forward”. The most beautiful concept of this idea is helping others around you and getting out of your comfort zone. In fact, Trevor McKinney states the following: “I guess it’s hard for people who are so used to things the way they are – even if they’re bad – to change. Cause they kind of give up. And when they do, everybody kind of loses”. His response to the feelings of despair and the lack of hope that surrounds him is to spread kindness. Be kind, help others and then why not pay it forward? In the scene where Trevor is presenting his idea to Professor Eugene Simonet, which is played by no other than Kevin Spacey, he acted neutral to the idea. It is not until little Trevor planted the idea that got all of the audience thinking, which is really crucial to obtain the full attention of the audience with one simple question he achieves that. He states: “What did you ever do to change the world?”
This movie played on the big screen in 2000 captivating the hearts of millions of people, including mine, the main theme of the movie is to actually pay it forward by helping people around you, just because we all have problems that doesn’t mean we cannot helped others; In fact is a way of ending prejudice and treating others as you will like that others treat you.
The main actors on this movie are Haley Joel Osment as Trevor, Helen Hunt as his mother and Kevin Spacey, the professor. All the main actors have had leading roles in various successful previous films. You might have seen Haley Joel Osment in movies such as: Forrest Gump (1994), Bogus (1996), Sixth Sense (1999), Pay it Forward (2000) and Artificial Intelligence (2001). The film is filled with an amazing cast of actors and also with a great script as well. If you have not yet seen this movie you don’t know what you are missing! What are you waiting for to watch it? Also, are you willing to take the challenge and commit to pay it forward?
The thing I loved the most about this movie is how we see an ordinary child succeed in creating the need to promote change in our perspective of what is kindness. This movie portrays what’s the real meaning of kindness, which is helpfulness, sensibility, benevolence and generosity among human beings; many other acts that demonstrate the real thoughtfulness among caring human beings.
One random act of kindness at a time. But my favorite part of the movie has to be when Trevor is being interviewed for Television. The part I hated by far was the ending, when the main character died on the hands of a couple of bully’s.
Definitely, a movie worth of watching! Accept the challenge!
Source for quotes: www. imdb.com/tittle/tt0223897
hello, its Octavio Rivera(200805202) from ing 124 sec 2 i wanted to ask if i can do the blog homework about maybe tv series also and not just about films
Eat, Pray, Love- Fist film Critique
Eat, Pray, Love is a film based on a memoir book written by Elizabeth Gilbert. The film was directed by Ryan Murphy best known for the participation in creating TV series such as: Glee, American Horror story and amongst others. In my opinion the film has a pretty good cast starting of with Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem, James Franco, Billy Crudup and Richard Jenkins. The movie starts off Showing Elizabeth Gilbert as a woman writer who has everything the modern day woman wants. She has a great career, a loving husband and valuable friends. She is not economically struggling or anything yet she doesn’t seem to be happy. A series of events happen were she gets divorced, finds a replacement man but it doesn’t turn out well. She goes into a slight depression were she then decides to fulfill her longing for traveling. In that trip she rediscovers the pleasures of life, forgiveness to her self, inner peace and finally love. I think it’s a very inspiring story and well-produced movie. The production location of the movies is around New York City, Rome, Naples, India and Bali. It is one of my favorite Movies and I highly recommend it to anyone.
First Film comment: Rent
I’m a big fan of musicals and I have to say that Rent ranks in my top five favorites. This is the film version of the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning musical about Bohemians living in New York. A very controversial production, with topics that not every one dared to talk about when it first hit the stage. Turned in to a musical drama film in 2005, by the director Chis Columbus using most of the original actors from the Broadway show. For example Anthony Rapp as Mark Cohen, Adam Pascal as Roger Davis, Rosario Dawson as Mimi Marquez, Jesse L. Martin as Tom Collins, Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel Dumott Schunard, Idina Menzel as Maureen Johnson, Tracie Thoms as Joanne Jefferson and Taye Diggs as Benjamin Coffin III.
This film involves the life of a bohemian group of friend’s struggling to survive in New York City. The plot is wrapped around Roger and Mimi’s strange love story while they fight AIDS as well as Angel, Collins partner. Maureen the one with no shame to lift a protest using her talent to fight for what she believes in, has little sense of fidelity causing conflicts between her new girlfriend Joanne and her ex-boyfriend Mark. Who as a project, video tapes their life in alphabet city, showing how society rejects them.
There are social problems presented in this movie that we can all relate to at one point. It will make you laugh, cry get mad and want to sing along with them. It inspires you to look at life thru another point of view. Realizing what really is important in life. I recommend it to even those who can’t stand musicals, all the homophobes, and especially to those who fear people with AIDS because in the end we are all the same.
First Film Comment: Avatar
Certainly the science-fiction films that I like are very limited. I can say that those films aren’t my first choice when I go to the movies. Always I ask to people who have seen it so they can help me to decide if it’s worth paying to see the film or not. But definitely Avatar is the exception. When I heard that Avatar was available in theaters I had the same doubt because I was not really sure that the film could be interesting. Everything changed when I had the opportunity to see and enjoy that marvelous production.
Jake Sully, interpreted by Sam Worthington is a paraplegic marine that is selected to replace his brother on a mission that he couldn’t finish because of his death. Pandora, the location of the mission is habited by a race called Na’Vi who the mostly are living around a gigantic tree that is sacred for them. But the human’s interests are different. They want to destroy that beautiful tree so they can obtain a powerful and very expensive mineral to resolve many problems of the humanity. The mission scientists are mentally transported to Na’Vi’s bodies thanks to the technology and a kind of process with machines. That’s part of Jake Sully’s mission, through this process he learn about Na’Vi’s culture, manners, conduct, actions and how they do to survive in their environment so he could be one of them. After doing that he has to convince them to leave the place so the humans can find the expensive mineral and that suppose resolution of all humanity problems that exists on earth. Everything will be changing through Jake Sully’s mission. He will live new experiences like being able to walk and move his legs. That will change the mission’s purpose. Also he will meet Neytiri interpreted by Zoe Saldaña, the one of this race that is assigned to teach about the Na’Vi’s and falls in love with her. Through this Jake Sully begins a conflict with himself, he have to decide if defend his race or the Na’Vi’s.
In every aspect, this film completely captivates my attention. Although is a bit long, the film never bored me and kept me as in a hypnosis status during the three hours of action. All the environment of Pandora including the weird animals seems very real. The scenes that I liked most were those that show how Pandora looks in nights because the entire nature and creatures can been seen with a kind of fluorescence that gives to Pandora a magical characteristic. With that awesome costumes and makeup that gives to the Na’Vi’s a shiny blue color, James Cameron showed me how creative he can be and I admire him for that. Avatar has a lot of good special effects that makes the film seems more real. One of the things that kept me in that hypnosis status are these impressive special effects. More than the drama of the actors and actresses what I really liked is the respect and the love that Na’Vi’s shows to their environment and how are their relations with the creatures that live with them in Pandora. They demonstrate love to the water, love to the trees and love to the animals, for them, all in their nature is important because all of that is part of who they are. This is a good example for our humanity because we must begin to value our nature.
This film shows that because their selfishness the humans are able to do anything to obtain what they want even destroy civilizations without any compassion. Also tell us that we have to improve our behavior in our life and with others. Of course I recommend this excellent movie to all even those people who don’t like science fictions films like me. If James Cameron wanted to make a success with Avatar he definitely did. I loved the film from the beginning to end.
First Film Comment: Avatar
Certainly the science-fiction films that I like are very limited. I can say that those films aren’t my first choice when I go to the movies. Always I ask to people who have seen it so they can help me to decide if it’s worth paying to see the film or not. But definitely Avatar is the exception. When I heard that Avatar was available in theaters I had the same doubt because I was not really sure that the film could be interesting. Everything changed when I had the opportunity to see and enjoy that marvelous production.
Jake Sully, interpreted by Sam Worthington is a paraplegic marine that is selected to replace his brother on a mission that he couldn’t finish because of his death. Pandora, the location of the mission is habited by a race called Na’Vi who the mostly are living around a gigantic tree that is sacred for them. But the human’s interests are different. They want to destroy that beautiful tree so they can obtain a powerful and very expensive mineral to resolve many problems of the humanity. The mission scientists are mentally transported to Na’Vi’s bodies thanks to the technology and a kind of process with machines. That’s part of Jake Sully’s mission, through this process he learn about Na’Vi’s culture, manners, conduct, actions and how they do to survive in their environment so he could be one of them. After doing that he has to convince them to leave the place so the humans can find the expensive mineral and that suppose resolution of all humanity problems that exists on earth. Everything will be changing through Jake Sully’s mission. He will live new experiences like being able to walk and move his legs. That will change the mission’s purpose. Also he will meet Neytiri interpreted by Zoe Saldaña, the one of this race that is assigned to teach about the Na’Vi’s and falls in love with her. Through this Jake Sully begins a conflict with himself, he have to decide if defend his race or the Na’Vi’s.
In every aspect, this film completely captivates my attention. Although is a bit long, the film never bored me and kept me as in a hypnosis status during the three hours of action. All the environment of Pandora including the weird animals seems very real. The scenes that I liked most were those that show how Pandora looks in nights because the entire nature and creatures can been seen with a kind of fluorescence that gives to Pandora a magical characteristic. With that awesome costumes and makeup that gives to the Na’Vi’s a shiny blue color, James Cameron showed me how creative he can be and I admire him for that. Avatar has a lot of good special effects that makes the film seems more real. One of the things that kept me in that hypnosis status are these impressive special effects. More than the drama of the actors and actresses what I really liked is the respect and the love that Na’Vi’s shows to their environment and how are their relations with the creatures that live with them in Pandora. They demonstrate love to the water, love to the trees and love to the animals, for them, all in their nature is important because all of that is part of who they are. This is a good example for our humanity because we must begin to value our nature.
This film shows that because their selfishness the humans are able to do anything to obtain what they want even destroy civilizations without any compassion. Also tell us that we have to improve our behavior in our life and with others. Of course I recommend this excellent movie to all even those people who don’t like science fictions films like me. If James Cameron wanted to make a success with Avatar he definitely did. I loved the film from the beginning to end.
Movie Comment #1: Cowboys and Aliens
Back in the wild old west in Arizona, on 1873, we have cowboys and natives fighting against an alien invasion that is planning to end the human race as they have done before with other species. This movie I found it to be very original because, at least I have never seen a movie combining aliens of high technology with cowboys. I like it a lot, is a good action movie and has a good screen picture. The screenplay is written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, and it is directed by the same director of Iron Man, Jon Favreau. This movie involves the lives of an outlaw Jake Lonergan played by Daniel Craig, a very mysterious woman Ella Swenson played by Olivia Wilde, and a very rich business man Woodrow Dolarhyde played by Harrison Ford. This movie is called to be “wickedly original, unlike anything you’ve never seen” (Jake Hamilton, fox-TV Houston, TX).
Jake Lonergan, (Daniel Craig) stranger to himself, not even remembering his own name, founds himself in the outsides of a desert with a strange technological bracelet stuck on his wrist. He is looking for answers and is helped by the courageus and strong Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford) and the mysterious woman (Wilde) in the meantime of the movie they found themselves along with outlaws and natives, in danger by an alien invasion. Lonergan is trying to remember who he is and apparently lost someone he loves and he with Dolarhyde and Ella along with the native and outlaws find having a common enemy that is the responsible for their losses. They have to put their past aside to defeat that powerful enemy they all have.
This film I like to watch it over and over again, is very entertaining, there is dialogue but is interesting, not boring, and there is a bit of suspense and a lot of action and surprises. I recommend this film for those who love sci-fi (science-fiction) just like me, and it would be the best if its watched in Blu-ray, the picture is amazing. This film inspired me to create and draw characters of my own imagination and to write about them, this movie inspires it is awesome and I really recommend it. The thing that I love about it is the clearly shown message, in the union there is survival, there is strength, and no matter what race you are in the union there is always hope. This is a great message for society to put aside the racism, because at the end we are all the same, humans living in community with others like us.
Ring Leader’s Motion Picture Thrill Ride: Robots
By:Carlos A.Cardona Cabello
Salutations and greetings, children of all ages, and welcome to a new major attraction located in your local internet service provider,the Motion Picture Thrill Ride. I am the Ring Leader, your tour guide for films that should be rides. We begin our newly anointed series with Robots, a film that gave aspiring imagineers a new aspect to believing yourself by painting bright colors & cramming in so many pointless cameos than any other animated movie.
We knew that ever since PIXAR’s Toy Story, it became the first animation studio to utilize 3D computer-generated animation to create feature films. Apparently in the 2000s, Hollywood wanted to join in on the 3D animated bandwagon. Time after time, more animation film studios used the CG movie party wagon, and brought films like Final Fantasy:The Spirits Within and studios like Imagi, but they were improving the graphic’s qualities and capabilities to newer levels of ingenuity. Now we go to the main attraction. How does 20th Century Fox’s Blue Sky Animation succeed with Ice Age? Preferably a sequel in the 2010s, but this is Robots.
Rodney Copperbottom of Rivet Town dreams of being an inventor after seeing Bigweld on T.V. He decides to invent a robo friend to help his dish-washing dad, but his boss was unimpressed. He and Wonderbot decide to go to Robot City to work for his idol’s company. Once getting there, he sees that a new robot, Ratchet, plans to make bots everywhere shiny and upgraded by ceasing all production of spare parts. He meets up with Fender multiple times and joins him along with the Rusties with Aunt Fanny, evading the Sweepers that take them to make the new material for upgrades . He fights back the upgrade revolution by fixing the broken bots roaming the middle-class area. Gakset, whose actually his mother, notifies Ratchet of this revelation and inquire about the bot who fixed the outmodes. Rodney does the same in the Bigweld Ball and is almost arrested after Cappy takes him in. At his home, Bigweld tells Cappy and Rodney that he lost all hope when Ratchet, his dad,outworn at this point, cheers Rodney up and Bigweld has a change of heart as they start the climactic battle with Ratchet and Gasket. The movie ends with a big “Junk” dance party in Rivet Town.
Now on the plus side, the background,music and pacing doesn’t disappoint audiences from start to finish- The Blue Man Group know how to make a Robot Philharmonic soundtrack, and the celebrity voice choices work seldom well with the multiple characters and scenery, mostly Robin Williams and Amanda Bynes who always get the kid show card on their resumés. Clocking in at 91 minutes, It’s a blast for everyone, and to me, it holds up as something for the family room movie collection for moderate viewing pleasure, but it’s also tiring for an average movie-goer. The downside seemed to be everything else: it’s as generic and one-dimensional as a modern Disney knock-off would be with intense foreshadowing,clunky pacing,repetitive dialogue,pointless celebrity cameos and a tact-on message at the end. The characters are colorful and exciting to watch, but they come of unoriginal and clichéd: The Big Dreamer Rodney, Funny Comic Relief Fender, Piper the Tomboy, Big Lug- been there,done that. Please, show more dynamic characters than these dime-store cookie cutters. As far as most 3D animated films are concerned, it’s exciting to watch them go through dynamic changes at the final hours of the film, even so, Rodney is the main character- Like Drake Bell said, it’s just acting-you say you’re lines and go home . Here are some fun facts: during pre-production, it was supposed to be based on William Joyce’s Santa Calls, best known for Rolie Polie Olie, but instead, along with director Chris Wedge, made this story. It was also one of the last film to be sold in VHS until DVDs became marketable.
From my experience, this movie was entertaining around the early-2000s after Ice Age, and after Meltdown, I liked Robots more than this and other 3D animated films. Plus I sticked to some regular animated films and live action ones, and yet this movie is better than Ice Age. This film may be made by the same people who did Ice Age, but even that movie has the same flaws as I described before- an OK plot with major writing issues, amazingly repetitive characters and uncouth humor. While Robots seems to be the kind of movie that says one message but hides another in between, and it should say “While you shine no matter what you are,you’re dents are forever”.
Final Thoughts:B+: It’s best to watch it after a hard day of work and you just want to just sit down with the kids for a while. Please exit to your right and we’ll be seeing you again with another Motion Picture Thrill Ride.
In between the pop-art cinema of Almodóvar and Buñuel’s surrealism, Carlos Saura was the Spanish auteur. Speaking on behalf of a long-repressed, newly liberated people — Franco’s regime would soon fall —, Saura is widely known for his dance films (Carmen, Bodas de Sangre). However, Cría Cuervos… is his definite masterpiece — one of my favorites.
Released in 1976, the film is a haunting portrayal of an equally haunting child: 8-year-old Ana, who has recently lost both parents. Armed with unusual grieving methods and a stoic persona, Ana’s tale unfolds within the seemingly haunted Madrid mansion she calls home. Enclosed from the outside world yet willingly (overtly) exposed to adult situations, it soon becomes clear that Ana’s situation mirrors that of Francoist Spain: silently clawing its way out. Ravens, if you will, vengeful and needy.
Featuring outstanding performances by both Ana Torrent and an ethereal Geraldine Chaplin, this drama is nothing short of perfection. In the vein of his musical career, Saura masterly uses the impact tunes such as “¡Hay, Maricruz!” and Jeanette’s “Porque te vas” have had on Spaniards to his advantage. Incidentally, the latter also uniquely fits the narrative: much like the singer, Ana’s mom’s voice is accented, soothing and Anglican.
Reasons for my loving this film are long and varied: the stunning cinematography (color palette, editing); tremendous acting; and heartfelt (if not subtly political and allegorical) message, for which it wholeheartedly deserves a spot on any film enthusiast’s must-watch list. Do I recommend it? My honest answer is no. This film evokes struggling portraiture, thus falling under the category of art house, a portrayal I feel not many would appreciate. Nevertheless, it would be wise to give this story a chance, if not for its content, then perhaps for its expertly mapped out trajectory of a nation emerging from the shadows. “Cría cuervos y te sacarán los ojos.”
Christian, I found Agora a bit disappointing. For an Amenabar film, I was expecting more. The story is one that needed to be told and the principal actors are excellent in their parts. However, I found it a bit superficial , as it didn’t explore fully the importance of this woman, who was able to enter the world of knowledge and men at a time when this was virtually impossible.
Blog Comment #1: Agora Critique
With the dawn of the 21st century a decade behind us we have seen the world to through many amazing things. From catastrophic disasters to miracles in medicine and advancement in technology, we could say that the world has come a long way. However, many things still plague us as well, and continue to do so to this day. The spreader of hate, the starter of wars, and the cause of most the pain and anguish in the world, ignorance. If ever there were a better movie to comment on the topic it would be Agora.
Story wise, a flawless drama, the film focuses on one woman’s struggle to the understand the secrets that the universe has in store, while simultaneously commenting on the simplistic nature of homosapiens. Truly, demonstrating both sides of man’s coin; our innate uriosity of the unknown and our potential for destruction. Mans quest for higher purpose, but the unfortunate truth that we are still animals.
Not only was this movie a five star story, but also a visual masterpiece and an example of great acting. However, personally, some of the crying scenes regarding the male cast did seem a little forced amuse and mad the scene amusing rather than dramatic. Regardless, Agora remains an excellent critique of the human condition, an excellent cinematic experience, and a film that I would highly recommend any one to watch.