Do The Tight Thing

In the film "Do The Right Thing" by Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson plays an important reoccurring role that helps add meaning to the movie. I find that the word "tight" or cool defines Jackson's persona in the film very accurately. He is portrayed as a smooth talking radio DJ who can turn words into a flowing river. But he adds more to the conflict than just another cool cat, Samuel represents the theme of the entire movie. As the film starts, he begins to narrate the setting and set the stage for the film, and as the movie continues, he helps emphasize the tension between the cultures by literally narrating it in front of him on his street. Lee can basically indiretly narrate the film with out having someone read over the scenes and come across in a completely different and less effective method. In addition, Jackson is indeed part of the racial tension theme himself but is portrayed as more of a narrator than contributor.

The Battle of Crap

The Battle of Algiers was horrific. I did not like any aspect of the movie. All of it was lame. Looking past the lack of color and subtitles that were prevalent with every frame, I still do not like any aspect of the movie. In no point in anywhere of Pontocorvo's incoherent rambling did he make any smidgen of entertainment for me. The movie dragged on. I did not like the acting, the very fake simulated gun fights from 20 feet away that somehow never killed anyone, or the torturing. I was not impressed with his controversial topic and boring representation of it. Each scene seemed like the last, only it was in a different ally. There was little change througout the movie and the conflicts were disapointing to me, after hearing about the problems in Algiers. All in all, the movie made me want to hold a small handheld torch to me chesthair and roast my man-sweater.
1/2 thumb up, a generous half of a thumb too.

memento?... yes please, do you have the fruit flavored ones?

My feelings on Memento were not as highly reguarded as everyone else's were.

In my opinion, Christopher Nolan tried to get TOO artsy and cute with the movie.

Even after being educated on the scenario of the film, I was still lost in the plot, characters, setting, and side plots about Sammy Jankis. I dont even want to imagine the people who went into this film blind and knew nothing about it. The idea is a rather neat and original and creative one, but I feel Nolan overplayed the idea and stretched the theory too far, to where it became confusing and starting to lose its meaning and story. The whole black and white and chronological and reverse chronological order thing totally flew over my head. Also, I missed little details to the movie that were key, i.e. the change from colored to black and white, or the change of Jankis to Lenny in the asylum. All in all, the idea was a good one, but was portrayed way too over the top for me to like it.

1 thumb up

Kiss Me Lamely

Kiss Me Deadly did not fulfil any expectations I had for it. In fact, it made me mad. The entire plot led up to those two horrific endings?? First of all, a name as cool as "Mike Hammer" should never be given to such a person who can not meet the requirements of a genuine "Mike Hammer". Granted, he was cool, but not 'Mike Hammer' cool. Also, every clue that Mike found lead him on a giant goose chase where he would just miraculously come across a innocent person that would certainly tell him the absolute truth. I feel, that this was rather farfetched and unlikely. In adition, the girl that was suposed to be so pretty, the one tortured to death, wasn't even pretty!! I mean, come on if your going to explicitly call her gorgeous in the film, she better darn well be easy on the eyes!! This all leads me to the ending(s). Both of which did not entertain me, or in my opinion top off the movie. The atomic bomb ending just condused the heck out of me and the the screaming or shrieking of whatever that was made me scared. In addition, the run into the ocean ending didnt tell me what the heck the entire movie was all about, but in retrospect, neither did the a-bomb ending. Both had nothing to do with what the box was all about and the government and the girl in the trench coat. What a disapointing noir.
1/2 thumb

Indemnity Indemnity

After watching the film Double Indemnity, my perspective on film noir has changed dramatically

Only knowing about noir from class discussions, by views on the style were mixed, in that i was thinking it was going to be one of the cliche P.I. films in a half lit room with a venetian blind in the backround with a smoking investigator resting his feet on the top of his desk. I was somewhat right and somewhat wrong. The film did live up to its reputation by having very limited lighting and dramatic shading. Practically the entire film was engulfed with the concept of half-lit faces and shadows strewn across the black and white screen. Also, the film portrayed the noir characteristic of mysterious murder. The murderers involved were indeed very dark, selfish people again living upto noir standards in being compelled by money and the power it brings with it. Smoking also very prevalent throughout the film, perhaps a symbol of the dark, desparage that smoking's conotation brings.

decent movie i give 3/4 thumb

The Caddyshack Gopher > Groundhog day groundhog

Groundhog Day in my opinion was far better than the previous romantic comedy we watched.

My favorite part of the movie was by far the editing. It was ingenious. For example, when Bill Murray asks the random pretty lady who her 12th grade english teacher was, the editors chose to immediately jump right to the next day encounter between the two. This made me laugh quite hard, along with the rest of the class.

Again the editing was very humorous and effective when there is a series or "montage" of Phil getting slapped. This helps illustrate the point that he is trying so hard to sleep with his co-worker but is unsuccessful. Also, the suicide montage was another excellent display of editing by the makers of this film because it makes a funny, yet serious and very time efficient point of Phil's state of life. The editing takes away from the normal extreme seriousness involved with suicide and gives it a lighter side that we can laugh at.
All in all, I enjoyed the movie and i give it 1.25. thumbs.

Bringing up Baby,Baby,Baby, Baby

My feelings on the film Bringing Up Baby are mixed. The acting jobs were pretty good, the costumes and setting and props were above average and the cinematography was decent. However, my questioning of the movie comes about in the plot category.

I use that strange headline for my blogpost because there was so much darn redundancy, so much darn redundancy in the movie. In almost every scene there was bound to be a David copying/following Susan moment, or a Susan following/copying David moment. They were always either chasing George, pursuing Baby, looking for the bone, or running away one right behind the other... Always.

Aside from the redundancy of the film, it was also very predictable. Whenever David fell or tripped, a viewer could automatically know the other one was gonna do the same thing, or vic versa. He falls over a curb... she does too, he falls down a rock face, so does she. He's up high on a ladder precariously, so is she.

My overall feeling about this movie is that it probably was way above average back in its prime, but that type of humor is obsolete. Rating: 1/2 thumb

Once Upon a Time in the West

Once Upon a Time in the West was an excellent movie, furthermore, it can be compared to another excellent movie: Goldeneye. Perhaps better known as one of the more recent James Bond films.

The comparisons start with the protagonists: Charles Bronson and Pierce Brosnan. Aside from having similar last names, each character portrays resembling attitudes and body language. Never in either movie do we see Harmonica or James lose their cool. They are both always very calm and relaxed, or dare i even say "reluctant"??? Being very ridiculously good looking is also in each actors playbook. Suaveness is a lifestyle for Bronson and a way of life for Bond. Just like in this picure above, Harmonica always has a cool and calm look on his face and rest of body.

In addition, the two brunette bombshells are very good with the ladies. A must if you want to be a western movie protagonist and essential to be called a "Bond". Also, each actor comes with their own theme song. For Charles Bronson, its his own jazzy harmonica tunes, and for Pierce Brosnan, its the signature Bond tune.

this last picture is for the viewing pleasure of our very own Dave Matyi.

dave: save the cat calls for class so you dont wake up your parents

Journal

Having never completely viewed one of the most famous movies in all of film history, this journal gave me an excellent excuse to watch the old, dusty copy of The Wizard of Oz (1939). I have only watched snippets of the movie on television and heard it referenced tens of hundreds of times throughout my life. So now finally, i have watched the film start to finish and am now Oz literate.

Directed by Victor Fleming, The Wizard of Oz as everyone knows is about a girl named Dorothy who is played by the hometown hero Minnesotan Judy Garland. As the story progresses and the plot expands, I began to realize in my own basement that my body was the only thing actually in my bottom floor, my head and imagination had long dissapeared into simpler times; my childhood. I have heard somewhere that The Wizard of Oz brings out the child in everyone who watches it, a detail I have never lived until now.

Just like how a war movie can take your thoughts into a defferent realm, or a sad song captures your fellings about a topic, and even how a sighint of toy flys a person off to a different time in thier life, the Oz did this to me. A fantasy land that i dreamed of as a child, floated into my mind like a mirage in my slummy basement.

Victor Fleming used sound extensively in the film throughout. Whether it was the flying monkeys, or the sound of Dorothy's voice while she skipped to the castle, the music and sound, in my opinion took center stage in the impressive category for the flick. The sound effects of the characters and the witches really made the movie of that time period stick out to me as one ahead of its time. and also make it a movie still referenced over 60 years later.

My Darling Clementine post

In the movie My Darling Clementine, Wyatt Earp is very much the stereotypical westerner for various reasons.

One of our very first encounters with Mr. Earp is when he suddenly appears to be the only one brave enough to stop a drunken crazy Native American. He shows poise and courage, just as all cliche heros do. Even though we do not know Earp yet, Ford still conveys him as someone who can be trusted and a man who viewers side with.

Also on a lighter note, when the Earps attend the dance with the rest of the town, obviously Earp is going to be an amazing dancer. All main charasmatic westerners are excellent dancers.
Even though we never see him work on his dancing, he is definately going to have sweet moves because he is Wyatt Earp, Sheriff extroardinaire.

Rosebutt

Orson Welles uses sound in his movie "Citizen Kane" to help convey emotions and thoughts to viewers. Throughout the film, he utilizes numerous sound techniques that helped "Citizen Kane" become such a household film.

In the beginning, Welles introduces a song that will play repeatedly throughout the film. This is know as a musical motif. The catchy tune is played in different volumes and speeds so that it is not too noticable that the song is reoccuring. He also uses the song to startle the viewers by suddenly turning it on extremely loud and unannouced. He uses this tactic later in the movie when he shows a bird making a very loud screech unannounced that startles the crowd.

Not to be overlooked is the singing of Kane's ex wife Susan. The sound she makes is portrayed as beautiful by some, but not as pretty by others. Orson combines her singing with the drama of Kane's life to stir up feelings.

Directed by Frank Darabont, The Film Shawshank Redemption won me over with a thoughtful plot and amazing narration. The movie was made after a book by Steven King.

The main character Andy Dufraine, played by Tim Robbins, is a man who was sentenced to do two life sentences for two murders in a prison named "Shawshank". Dufraine is a man who is extremely bright and quiet. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, or Red, the movie takes on a somber mood with his relaxing mood and "in prison" sad mentality. Almost immediately, others notice how smart Andy is and they begin to trade for him helping them out. One of the jailguards, has Dufraine do his taxes for him in return that he brings him a six-pack of beer, a six pack that Andy never touches and only gives to Red and his other friends. Soon all of the guards recieve help from the brilliant Dufraine.

Throughout the movie, there is narration about the feeling of being locked up and what it does to a man. This is very interesting to me because Morgan Freeman and the director do an amazing job and instilling chills and lonelyness in the viewers. He even states "In prison, a man'll do almost anything to keep his mind occupied". I really enjoy this quote because of how realistic it must be.

As the plot continues, Andy starts to work with the warden to do alot of his paperwork. However in doing so, he agitates the warden numerous times and in one occasion, he plays classical music on the loudspeaker over the entire courtyard and prisoners stand in awe, while the camera which is located way up in the air next to the the speaker looks down on everyone of them just staring up at it in awe that there is music being played over the speakers. For this unruly, behavior, Andy has to spend a month in solitary confinement, an amazingly horrific lifestyle kept in a 24-hour dark room with no bathroom, little food and even fewer commodities.

One of the most sad moments in the film is when Brooks, the former senior fragile librarian for the prison, who now is being bossed around by a grocery store manager, hangs himself in an appartment building that he stayed for a while. However, on a lighter note, Red travels to the same room and carves his name in the ceiling, right next to where Brooks carved his before putting the noose around his neck.

As other smaller stories unravel, the main plot is focused on two things, Andy escaping, and Red getting parolled after 40 years.

The director did an excellent job on this movie and the cinematographer did even better. My favorite shot, is the crane shot of Andy Dufraine immediately after crawling through a sewage pipe to escape the confines, of Shawshank standing in the rain holding his hands up like a man who hasnt breathed free air in 20 years (my picture on top of post). The movie was amazing and really makes a person think about life after watching it and noone will have trouble remembering the amazing stories of Andy and Red.

my favorite movie of the last 3 years.

The most entertaining movie I have watched recently is the movie "The Prestige" directed by Christopher Nolan; the director of "Memento", a heralded film from 2000. The movie captivated me and it was one of the only movies I have ever wanted to watch again, immediately following the initial time I watched it.

The main character, portrayed by Hugh Jackman ( wolverine in "X-Men") is named Robert Angier is a magician who is a very good charasmatic performer, while his opponent Alfred Borden played by Christian Bale ("3:10 to Yuma", "Batman Begins") is exactly the opposite; he is not a very good performer, but instead just an amazing magician. Each of them struggle against the other to try to make money.

Christopher Nolan does an excellent job making the audience thrilled and entertained at the same time. He uses ceratin cameran angles that add to the effect of the magic tricks and gives up interesting point of views from all different characters. Throughout the movie, Jackman, Bale, and even Michael Caine, a magic trick inventor for Jackaman, narrate parts of the film. Each divulging information about their character and the story line.

Scarlett Johansson also plays a fairly large role int the film by being an assistent to both magicians. She transfers sides after Jackman wants her to get some inside information on Bale's tricks, but refuses to return the ugly looks of Hugh Jackman.

Throughout the entire movie, the fued between the two is escalating. Each man somehow slithers onstage of the other ones show as a volunteer and attempts to foil the other ones performance and enrage the crowd, Jackman even shoots Bale in the finger.

David Bowie is also in the movie playing Nikolai Tesla, a real actual life inventor who has a mythical role in this movie, trying to invent machines for the two magicians than will mystify the crowd using electricity.

The acting is top-notch in my oppinion and the plot-line that has so many turns and twists is asstounding to me. I highly suggest that anyone who has not seen this movie (coughcoughmr.Klobucharcoughcough) should see it the nearest weekend. It is indeed my favorite movie of the last three years, hands down.

In no way am i writing this post to get my feelings out through whining. After clearing that up, i would like to adress the current status of our movie quality. I feel as if movies recently have been declining in quality. almost as if more money is spent on the "thriller attention grabbing trailer" than the movie itself. It is not only in one genre of film, but every one of them. Each solely focused on making money and getting people into the theatre rather than entertaining. Directors need to seriously reconsider their approach to the industry and create better movies. Together they need to elevate the movie buisness into the quality type that churned out classics like the industry in the past.

Journal # 1

Saving Private Ryan film Review

I chose the Movie Saving Private Ryan for numerous reasons;

first of all, I have seen the film numerous times and have a fairly strong knowledge of it. Also, the movie was directed by Steven Spielberg: one of the most respected directors of my lifetime. Furthermore I have an unimaginable amount of respect for the men who are just like the ones in the film, so i like to get the feeling of what they went through. The critic Janet Maslin, is one that I respect not only because she works for the New York Times, but also because i feel she writes with good voice and opinion.

Maslin starts off her review by slashing previous WWII films saying that;

the combat film has disintegrated into a showcase for swagger, cynicism,
obscenely overblown violence and hollow, self-serving victories.

By stating that the quality of other films is very poor, she helps establish a
theme that echoes througout the entire review: that Saving Private Ryan "is the finest war movie of our time"

Janet makes a very good point in noting how Spielberg creates characters that we sympathize with. In all of his movies, we join sides with characters that he creates in part to help add meaning to the film and overall effect.

Just like how Spielberg wanted, Maslin points out how the battle scenes are grusome, but not "numbing". They help portray the emotion that the young men felt but are not overwhelming to the viewer. Numerous shots, as pointed out in the critique, are filled with gorey war actions but at the same time represent something different than the blood itself, the men and what they fought for.

I can only agree with the review when it reads that

Artful, tumultuous warfare choreography heightens the intensity. So do editing
decisions that balance the ordeal of the individual with the mass attack under
way.

The intensity of the opening scenes are immense but indeed add to the realism that is the entire movie. The editing of the war scenes help us feel like we are there with each soldier, and America as one. I applaud her for noting the fact that the camera is placed in numerous locations to establish the setting, the characters, the action, the drama, the histiory, the feelings conveyed, the bullets, the fear and the men involved. She describes this in great detail.

So somehow we are everywhere: aboard landing craft in the throes of anticipatory
jitters; underwater where bullets kill near-silently and men drown under the
weight of heavy equipment; on the shore with the man who flies upward in an
explosion and then comes down minus a leg; moving inland with the Red Cross and
the priest and the sharpshooter; reaching a target with the savagely vengeful
troops who firebomb a German bunker and let the men burn. Most of all, we are
with Capt. John Miller (Tom Hanks)

Aside from the war, she describes another theme that the men are confronted with: sacrifice. the sacrifice of their time, family and life in order to defend their country.

I really like her thoughts on the moral part of the film. How she addresses that the movie was not created to make political stances for or against war. I agree with how she says the movie allows for all different types of P.O.V. to enjoy the film at hand.

This review helped open my eyes to the many levels of appeal that Saving Private Ryan is and also forced me to look at the movie through a different point of view.

hi im dan s. im in 4th hour art of film with mr. K