Deconstructing an Identity

A question that has peaked my interest on a number of occasions (first in viewing Citizen Kane, and then through several other works that dealt with a similar subject) is that of how well we can truly understand the real man behind a public persona that the media (whether through film, television, or the press) presents to us. I would assume that Orson Welles would agree, through the story of Charles F. Kane, that such depictions can never truly capture the essence of a man in its entirety.
I recently watched filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering Kofman’s documentary Derrida, a film which is the end result of the five years worth of footage they collected interviewing and accompanying Jacques Derrida, the late 20th. century French intellectual who, by his death last October had become one of the most highly praised and notoriously difficult philosophers of the 20th. Century. Having recently been exposed to several of his later works, I approached this film wondering what kind of insight a 90 minute film could possibly offer into a life devoted to complex philosophical inquiries that inherently defy easy summary.
Derrida is celebrated as the father of deconstruction, a method of critical inquiry that was centered on the belief that all writing was full of confusion and contradiction, “and that the author’s intent could not overcome the inherent contradictions of language itself, robbing texts – whether literature, history or philosophy – of truthfulness, absolute meaning and permanence. The concept was eventually applied to the whole gamut of arts and social sciences, including linguistics, anthropology, political science, even architecture.” Rather than attempting to undertake the futile effort of presenting a watered-down attempt at paraphrasing Derrida’s life and work, the film embraces its limitations, often poking fun at the filmmakers’ task by reminding us that their documentary can’t really do anything beyond supplying us with a fragment of momentary truth. Both they, and Jacque constantly remind us of the certain degree of superficiality that is present at all times during the filming process. He notes several times that he becomes a different person once the camera is on; they remind us with amusing moments in which the crew experiences various technical difficulties that repeatedly interrupt his efforts to properly explain anything in detail. Throughout the film, Derrida becomes a part of its deconstructionist subject’s purview by observing its shortcomings as both a form and a forum. “Generalities,” Jacque offers “are all the filmmaker can be concerned with.”

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (starring Mos Def and Warwick Davis) is a goofy, fun movie detailing the mishaps of Fred (Mos Def), and Marvin (Warwick Davis) as they travel the galaxy in search of the one Question. This movie is definitly fit for all ages, and though a little too goofy for my taste at times, overall, the movie was a winner. The actors are mildly shallow, as with most movies fit for children, but they fit the theme and so it is not too large a detriment to the story.

The Special effects of this movie were superb, at times breathtaking scenery of our own earth, at other times highly complex world of the unknown. One particular scene which stuck in my memory is that of the planetary building grounds, where you could see parts of many different planets being assembled in a variety of shapes. The editing is lacking in some spots, some scenes are obviously unnecessary, such as the scene of trillian after she steps out of the shower after Marvin has left. The acting of the movie was altogether non-remarkable, though the special effects and the general theme of the movie make up for this as to not affect the movie too greatly. I would recommend this movie to anyone who needs a few moments of stress relief and a generally light-hearted time.

Troy (Blog Entry 2)

This was an excellent movie. I enjoy movies from the medival times, so I am a little biased towards movies like this. This movie was directed by Wolfgan Petersen. This movie was full of great shots and graphics. The way the director portrayed and shot the fighting during the war taking place in the movie was very good. There was obviously a lot of casting done for this film and it showed how well they chose everyone.

I thought the cinematography of this film was extraordinary. The way they were able to make all these overhead shots to show what is going on really caught my attention. The cinematography of this film showed the tension between the two nations. It was able to capture the feelings of the leaders and their feelings toward one another.

The director also did a great job just simply shooting this film. The editing really contributed to how great the movie turned out. The director chose great shots to include in the fighting scenes. Every fight meant something and you were able to recognize who was fighting, and the importance of the character's involvement in the fight. Not one shot went by without the audience being "into it".

The story was not entirely accurate, but that is entertainment. The movie is supposed to entertain us as well as tell us a story. Movies based on medival times seem to get better and better in my opinion. Probably becuase of the different technologies coming out, and the better shots they are able to take. Overall, I really enjoyed this film and I would recommend it to anyone.

Kill Bill Volume 1 (2nd Blog Entry)

"Kill Bill" was an awesome movie! This film should have warned everone about the action and blood, but if you know Tarantino's style, you would have already known. It was beautiful to watch, full of color and imagery. Quentin Tarantino (director) has put together a masterful presentation that invokes shock and awe.

It has created a stylish environment that is as artistic as it is violent. It is a highly stylized display that pays homage to the genre of martial arts, yet simultaneously transforms what we know to a higher art form. Here, Tarantino presents film in a multitude of artistic forms. There is the use of slo-mo, animation, silhouettes, and more.

The background of this story is about revenge. Black Mamba (Uma Thurman) was shot and left for dead on her wedding day by a squad of killers. She miraculously recovers from a 4-year coma, and her will, her drive, and her seething hatred takes her fearlessly around the world so that she can dispense her own brand of justice. Her ultimate goal is to finally kill Bill (David Carradine), and in this first installment, she hunts down assassin-turned-suburban mom Vernita (Vivica A. Fox) and Japanese crime lord O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu).

Kill Bill, brings us into the frenzied, violent and sexual world of anime. The film is all about the setup and the settings. There isn't a whole lot of dialogue. There's just enough exposition to lead us into the next scene, give us some basic background information, and slightly expound upon a character's motivations. It's emotionally powerful

Number 2-The Notebook

The Notebook is a timeless love story based on the novel written by Nicholas Sparks about two teenagers, Allie and Noah. Their relationship began with a very innocent connection and grew into deep love and intimacy. The relationship that they had was soon seperated by Allie's parents who thought that Noah was too "low class" and not fit for Allie. Many years went by without seeing or hearing from eachother. Meanwhile, Allie was engaged to another man and Noah went to off to fight in the war. Noah wrote Allie everyday for a year but she never got any of the letters; her mom stashed them away so she couldn't read or see them. When Noah and Allie met again they found that their love for eachother still remained. This forced her to choose between her fiance and Noah.

Throughout the movie, this story was read to Allie by Noah. At this point in her life, Allie was in a nursing home suffering from alzheimer and only remembered who Noah was one time each day and only after Noah read her the story did she realize it was actually about them and their own love tale. This movie tells a beautiful story of what love really is and the true meaning of romance.

I thought The Notebook was one of the best love stories i have seen in a long time. Everyone in the movie stayed true to their character which let the audience experience empathy toward them and their situation they encountered. The characters all showed emotion very well which let us believe we were actually there and part of this compassionate love story.

The plot of the movie was very touching to me and it stayed very consistant throughout the entire film. The character development was excellent and it was easy to understand how these young teenagers grew to fall in love with eachother in a few monthes.

All the scenes in the movie were very colorful, making the movie more dramatic and cheerful when needed. Many of the scenes were shot outdoors which made them romantic and emotionally moving.

The Notebook

The Notebook is the best selling novel by Nicholas Sparks and directed by Nick Cassavetes. Gena Raowlands plays this older woman named Allie Hamilton, she is in a nursing home, she has alzheimer. There is a gentleman in the nursing home, Duke (James Garner), who reads her this story everyday called The Notebook.As the film goes on you slowly realize the story that Duke is telling Allie is about how they fell in love. During the film as Duke is telling the story they show the two of them younger, Allie is played by Rachel McAdams and Noah Calhoun(Duke) is played by Ryan Gosling. Through the film Duke tells this story about two young people falling in love but her parents are trying to stop it. Her parents take her away, noah writes her everyday for a year. Then he goes off to war, when he gets back he buys the house he always wanted. He then fixes up the house and his picture in front of the house is put in the paper. Allie sees the picture in the paper and leaves her fiance to go see noah. They talk and realize they are still in love.

This film was so touching, to see how alzheimer's really does to a person, how they forget there one true love. I couldn't believe how Duke stayed there everyday, for that one split second that she would remember him. The end of this movie was so touching, Duke went into Allie's room, he layed next to her they held hands and they died together.

This film touched me so much because I work with alzheimers and dementia people, I see this everyday. I see families coming in hoping that today will be the day there relatives would remember them. It is very heartbreaking.

The way this film was shot with the scale,angles, and lighting it basically told the audience the story. The director did a great job with the camera movement also, just told these two peoples life story so well. The actors capture Allie and Noah so well. They made you know who these two people were and why they were so much in love.

I know this sounds really girlie but I never cried so hard at a film in a very long time. The Notebook was a moving, sweet, and loving film that I have seen in a very long time. This film made me at the same time not want to get older and forget the one person that I love with all my heart. It was a sad but happy film at the same time.

The Graduate (2nd blog entry)

The Graduate (1967) is one of my favorite films. It's about a young man named Ben (Dustin Hoffman), who graduates from college and isn't sure about his future. At the party Bens parents throw for him for graduating, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), the wife of one of his father's business partners, asks him to drive her home, he does so reluctantly. She tries to seduce him , although he resists, he calls her a few days later, moslty out of boredom, and the two begin a disturbing affair, given the age difference.
The cinematography in The Graduate leans heavily toward point of view shots, a style shown by a scene in which Bens parents and the Robinsons are staring down at him while he is drifting in the pool. Audiences see from Bens perspective as these four adult figures loom overhead, sun shining in the camera and blurring their faces and obstructing their expressions. This style of cinimatography can be very effective in films that focus primarily on a single character and his actions, life, and feelings, which is why it worked so well in The Graduate.

"The Last Samurai"

"The Last Samurai" (2003) is an overall excellent film. Every formal element that we have studied in this course is used in a spectacular way throughout this film. Tom Cruise plays a Civil War Captain who journeys to Japan to teach the imperialist army modern-day warfare to conquer the native Samurai tribes. In a horrific battle Algen (Tom Cruise) gets captured by the Samurai and is thrown into a harsh territory. Through deep soul searching and the great appreciation of the Samurai culture, Algen finds himself supporting his once enemy... The Samurai.
I don't want to get too deep into the summary of the film, for I don't want to ruin it to any students who have not seen this film. (I highly recommend it.) The mise-en-scene is out standing in the film and could have never been possible if not filmed in Japan. The wardrobes wore by the characters were highly detailed and strongly enhanced the traits of Japanese in the earlier days. The Japanese setting like I mentioned earlier was awesome because the film became more realist and authentic

Last Life in the Universe (2nd Blog)

Last Life in the Universe, is a film so finely woven with details that it often forces viewers to pause and take a breath. For instance, the shot of the sliver of cigarette smoke lingering in air is so artfully framed that it seems more like a moving painting then a shot from a movie. Last Life in the Universe was directed by Thai filmmaker Pen-ek Ratanaruang, who is most notably known for his films Fun Bar Karaoke (1997) and Monrak Transistor (2001).

Japanese film star Asano Tadanobu (Zatoichi, Ichi the Killer) is the heart of this movie, skillfully portraying Kenji, a suicidal librarian whose only ambition is to end his life--but somehow can't seem to carry out the final deed. His counterpart is played by the less famously known Thai film actress Sinitta Boonyasak who plays Noi, a young Thai woman that Kenji meets by chance and who eventually changes Kenji's outlook on life.

The general pacing of the movie is rather slow, but picks up with small action sequences that are interspersed throughout the movie. The action sequences almost seem out-of-place in this relatively quiet film, but without it the film would have lost the audience's attention and interest. Regardless of pacing, Last Life is still a film worth seeing if for its delicate details, which comes at you in a serene way. There is an art to Last Life that makes you look beyond story plot and sensibility and urges you to take more pleasure in its visual nuances. Overall, it was a beautifully crafted movie.

The Son

The Son, directed by Jean and Luc Dardenne is a movie that follows Olivier, a carpentry teacher in a trade school for boys coming out of juenile detention. The film opens up with Olivier denying a boy entry to his class and then running around the school trying to catch a glimpse of him as he is put into another class. Olivier then accepts him into his class and developes a close relationship with the boy while trying to maintain a professional distance. We learn that Olivier Had a wife and a son at one point but they divorced after thier son was murdered. We learn that the boy that Olivier is befriending actually killed his son. The movie ends in an emotionally charged confrontation between Olivier and his son's murderer. This movie had a Dogme 95ish quality to it. There was no music in the film and it was all shot with a hand held camera. This film had a power to it that is rarely captured on film. The simplicity in the story and the acting gives it a realistic feeling. The story seems farfetched, why would this man befriend his son's killer? But as the film moves on we understand that he is still in mourning and this is giving him closure no matter how painful it may be for him. The final scene leaves us with a moral lesson somewhere between walking a mile in someone elses shoes and two wrongs dont make a right. A must see for all movie fans or those simply interested in the human condition.

To keep with the theme of the class, memory, I chose 50 First Dates, starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, to do my second blog entry on. This is a light-hearted romance movie with Adam Sandler humor. This movie shows the life after short-term memory loss. The story takes place in Hawaii, where the two fall in love and meet again everyday, because Lucy's, Barrymore's character, memory gets erased in her sleep everynight. Her family decides to hide this horrible truth from her and let her think that everyday is the same day, Sunday, October 13. When Henry Roth, Sandler's character, comes along and challenges her family to tell Lucy everyday about what happened to her. So, she can live her life with some meaning for the rest of the day. I thought this movie was a cute story about two people falling in love through many obstacles. However, after seeing Memento and remembering what I learned in Cognitive Psychology, the representation of the short-term memory loss was not accurate in 50 First Dates. In Memento, the main character could only remember something if it occupied his mind, but if his attention was brought to something else he would forget the prior thing. This is a much more accurate illustration of short-term memory loss.
However, Drew Barrymore's performance was outstanding. She always makes acting look so easy. To play a girl who loses her memory in a romantic comedy has to take talent and skill. She definitely pulls it off. This is her second movie with Adam Sandler. The first was the Wedding Singer, which was just a good. However, in most of Adam Sandler's romantic comedies he plays kinda of the same character. His character is usually a guy who has some weird extreme characteristic, which in this movie was his addiction to one-night stands, but he is still an overall nice guy. In one way that is good because you always know what to expect for him in his films, but people may also get bored of the same kind of character in his movies.
Additionally, the beautiful mise-en-scene of the film, set in Hawaii, adds to the light-hearted film. Palm trees, bright green grass, and the crystal blue water complimented Barrymore's character. Her being a smart, funny, and caring woman went well with the bright and sunny scenery of the island. The mise-en-scene also went along with Sandler's carefree character who before meeting Lucy jumped from one woman to the next, like the wind blowing the leaves of the palm branches.
Overall, the movie is definitely a date or couple movie filled with fun and heart warming laughter.

Reservoir Dogs

Director Quentin Tarantino is well known for his witty dialogue, obscene language, and graphic violence. Reservoir Dogs is a film about a group of men who are working together on a jewel heist. The movie takes place after the botched robbery occurred. Three of the men, Mr. White, Mr. Orange, and Mr. Pink (Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, and Steve Buscemi, respectively) Are waiting in the meeting place that all of the men were supposed to go after the heist. The movie is mostly flashbacks that explain the members of the heist's pasts. None of the member's names are known, as they are given aliases based on colors. All together there are six members not including the boss, Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney), and his son, Nice Guy Eddie (Chris Penn). The plot of the movie is that one of the members of the group is a cop, and the "rat" has to be found.
The actors in this movie are amazing. Tarantino always manages to find top notch actors for his films. Tim Roth portrays the undercover cop well. He has the innocent look of a cop, with a gritty attitude that shows the killer in him. Harvey Keitel uses his stage presence to portray the leader towards the beginning of the film, and he gains respect by his honorable actions and concern for his injured friend. Steve Buscemi has had lots of practice portraying the paranoid bad guy, and this performance matched the other great ones he's had in Fargo, and Con Air.
The scenery in Reservoir Dogs is mostly the inside of a warehouse, but that's all the movie needs, since most of the movie's plot is spread through dialogue and not action. The film's story was intriguing and a deep look into the life of a criminal. The vicious characters, and the dishonesty that the members of the heist go through create a set of characters that the audience loves to hate.
Reservoir Dogs has the violence, wit, and subject matter that was ahead of its time when Tarantino directed the movie. Now the film has become a classic, and is mentioned on most of the top film lists. If you need to brush up on your pop culture this is a must see.

The Score

With Director Frank Oz putting together Robert De Niro, Marlon Brando, and Edward Norton, it's very difficult not to produce a great movie. That's exactly what The Score is. This clever film tells the story of Nick Wells, played by Robert DeNiro, who’s a master thief also doubling as a jazz club owner (now you know how he got the money to own it). When a friend, Max, played by Marlon Brando, tells him about a priceless antique scepter contained in a Montreal customs building, and what a pay-off this heist will bring, Nick decides against his golden rule, not to not rob his own hometown, Montreal, and go for the job. To pull off the heist, Nick needs to work together with a smooth conman named Jack, played by Edward Norton, who also doubles as something else. He’s the janitor at the Customs building, named Brian, who presents himself to us as mental handicap , who knows every inch of the Customs Building. Together, these two plot and scheme to steal the scepter.
The Score is one sophisticated, complex heist story. The detailed lead in to the climax, although somewhat slow, allows for total character and plot development. Every single word uttered and movement performed is calculated to the inch, each one being an important piece of the big puzzle. So you have to pay attention or you're sure to miss something! As for the acting. I can’t say anything short of wow. It's pretty damn good. How can you expect anything less though with this lineup?? You forget that the actors are mere actors, because they play their parts so well. If you're in the mood for a clever, intricate plot mingled with double dealing, and a bit of humor, this movie is for you. It really goes to show you that you don't need much booty shaking, gun firing, and blood shed to make an excellent movie! Not to say that The Score doesn't have its share of juicy stuff, it's just a different kind of juicy. Like "Wow, that's smart!" kind of juicy. We’ll, you'll see what we mean when you see this amazing heist unfold!

Blog #2 Donnie Darko

nnie Darko (Richard Kelly 2001) is a eye opening psychological thriller that will really make you stop and think. Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) is your average teenager who goes to a private school and has emotional problems. These emotional problems eventually lead him to his death. This film is truly a mind boggling experience. Kelly indulges us with amazing camera angles which pan left and right and everywhere in between all while being choreographed to the soundtrack, which is also amazing. The best scene is when Donnie Darko walks through the school after he sees his future. We see a upward angle shot of Donnie getting off the back of the buss and then hi enters the school and the music starts playing, from here on every change of the camera is influenced by the music, we speed up slow down and zoom in on every character in the movie. The only thing I do not like about the film is the plot. Being a longer film with a twisted plot, it gets hard to follow towards the end and you find yourself asking what just happened.
The film is basically about Donnie being able to see and communicate with the future and finds out that his life is going to end in 28 days 6 hours 42 minutes and 12 seconds. We then head through an adventurous ride of the events that follow. In the end, even though he knows he is going to die if he stays in his room, he stays and laughs in his last seconds as an airplane engine falls through his roof and onto his bed. Really weird, but the film sound lighting and camera angles will make you want to watch it over and over again.

Rear Window

Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window does an excellent job portraying a movie with complex mise-en-scene, an interesting plot and superb acting all taking place within the confines of an apartment and the view of the backyard from the "Rear Window". With James Stewart playing L. B. 'Jeff' Jefferies, an injured-in-action photographer keen on traveling the world, and Grace Kelly playing Lisa Carol Fremont, an extremely successful and well established woman in the big city, with plan to marry Mr. Jeffries. The plot opens into the relatively ennuie life of Mr. Jeffries; used to traveling to world, cooped up in his apartment with a broken leg. One aspect of this movie which i really enjoyed, especially being that the movie is over 50 years old is the incredibly complex mise-en-scene, more importantly, it was complex while still being viewed from through the window.

Another Aspect of this movie which i personally enjoyed being a person who does not watch many old movies, was the glimpse or manners and customs fifty years ago. Having only seen Vertigo of the Alfred Hitchcock movie collection, i find seeing Rear Window to be a rewarding experience and look forward to seeing other Alfred Hitchcock movies.

The conveyance of themes through music was a critical part of this movie. The apartment in which the musician lived was the staging ground for all aspects of music, making the movie completely diogetic.

2nd Blog - Fever Pitch

I didn't know quite what to think as I sat down to watch the Farrelly Bros.' new film, Fever Pitch. Was it going to be a slap-stick, gross-out humor, laugh fest like There's Something About Mary or was it going to be more like the Nick Hornby novel it's adapted from? Fortunately for me, it fell somewhere in between. Based, loosely, on a novel by the author of High Fidelity and About a Boy, it tells the story of a woman who falls in love with a man who is obsessed with a perpetually losing sports team (in the novel, as well as the British version of the film, it is a soccer, or football, team; here it is the Boston Red Sox) and the compromises the two of them must make to make their relationship work. Starring the perpetually perky Drew Barrymore and the (so-far) unlucky in film Jimmy Fallon, the acting seem forced at times but luckily for them, the story is cute and winning enough to make this an enjoyable experience.

Like most romantic comedies, there is nothing particularly remarkable about the editing, the sound (the entire soundtrack is baseball/sports songs), or the cinematography until they get toward the end of the film. Lucky for the Farrelly Bros they were able to send their stars and a skeleton crew to the actual Red Sox games and the footage of Drew Barrymore running barefoot across a baseball diamond is classic. The realism adds a bit of interest in something other than the story. Yet, because they were actually AT the games, they were able to witness the Red Sox actually defeating the curse, thus making them not exactly the best team to use in this love triangle. After a hefty amount of rewrites, the film came out as a sweet, cute, enjoyable film complete with the traditional tropes of the rom-com, pregnancy scare, break-up, and even though you probably have all figured out how it ends, I won't ruin it for those who would want to go see it.

Meet The Fockers

“Meet the Fockers” which was directed by Jay Roach is a very funny movie and full of adventures. It is the second part of the movie “Meet the parents” which was out in 2000. In the first part, Greg (Ben Stiller) wanted to propose to Pamela (Teri Polo) but first he had to meet her parents in order for them to get to know him but the weekend did not end up being enjoyable as Pamela’s father put Greg in many embarrassing tests. However, Four years later, the Greg and Pamela arranged for Pamela’s family to meet Greg’s family over for the weekend in order for the two families to get to know each other. However, it was more embarrassment and humiliations as the Byren’s meet the Fockers.
The two families are totally different from each other and that’s what created all the excitement about this movie. For example Pamela’s fathers Jack (Robert De niro) is a former CIA agent that wanted to know everything about Greg as he made his phone calls and search the CIA data base to see if Greg hiding anything. Pamela’s family is very classic and strict about what they say and do and take life very seriously. On the other hand, Greg’s dad was a former lawyer and his mother Rozi (Barbra Streisand) is a sex therapist for the elderly and they are very open minded and talk about sex very openly and they are the type of people that wants to have fun and enjoy life. As those families meet, the adventure begins.
Most of the movie takes place in the Focker’s house, either inside or outside. The editors used a lot of the natural light in this movie even inside because in some shots you feel like they needed more lighting for instance, when they were looking at the wall with all the trophies and the stuff that belongs to Greg, it was kind of hard to see some of them and what’s written on them. The editor also tried to focus on showing the audience how crazy of a family Greg has and the editor tried to emphasis on it in different ways in the movie. For example Greg tried to hide from Pamela’s parents that his mom is a sex therapist because he was very embarrassed and as she talks about lit freely when he knows how Pamela’s parent are. Another example is how the directress set up the house full of naked statues of the human body and how Greg tried to collect all of them and hide them away from the Byners but he sill missed some that was caught by Pamela’s dad. This was a way to show and emphasis of the audience what kind of an open family the Fockers are and this actually truly reflects their personality.
Another point that made this movie so much fun to watch is the cast and the acting. This movie had a great cast of actress and actresses that mad the movie so live. Starring with Robert De Niro, to me just by looking at him and at his face impressions he makes me laugh. He did his part very beautifully especially when he talks to Greg and tries to look in his eyes to see if he is lying to him. Barbra on the other hand did a great job pulling this crazy, wild character and brought it alive. On the other hand, Dustin Hoffman is a great actor and him being with De Niro was the best idea as you can see the chemistry between these two characters come alive especially is some scene when Hoffman tries being himself as a touchy person with De Niro and you see De Niro’s face expressions. In general, the cast played a big role in the success of this movie and you get to see how the cast was actually enjoying themselves as they were working and that’s what brought this film to life.
Finally, I want to say that this was a great movie; it was a combination of love, comedy and family relationships all in one. It was a picture of any couples process of getting married as the families has to get together to meet and know each other, but these two families are totally the opposite and that’s what made it very funny to watch. However at the end you see how love is stronger than anything as Greg and Pamela get married around their families and how the families get along and enjoy their time.

Rear Window

This film really surprised me. In the beginning it seemed to drag and it did not hold to much attention. Once the film picked up and it was clear what was going on a new light shined and the enjoyment began.
Rear Window is a film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and it stars James Stewart who plays L.B. 'Jeff' Jeffries a temporarily crippled man who sits helpless in his apartment as he recovers. With nothing but time on his hands he sits in the rear window of his apratment and observes the neighborhood activity night and day. Though his observation he discovers what he believes to be suspicious activity by one of his neighbors, Lars Thorwald, played by Raymon Burr. He tries to explain his suspicion to his detective freind Lt. Thomas J. "Tom Doyle", played by Wendell Corey, but he is percieved as paranoid. Eventually his suspicions are shared with his lady friend Lisa Carl Fremont, played by Grace Kelly and together they go on a super snopp investigation that helps to uncover a shocking truth in a quiet urban setting.
This was an outstanding movie. The mis-en-scene and use of lighting helped to take the auidence to a different existence. The set design was amazing. The entire movie took place in one courtyard but through great editing and a good storyboard it felt like the camera traveled miles from one window to the next.
The diegetic sound really helped to set a mood in the film.
Every camera angle and shot helped to draw the audience in closer to the characters.
This is definately on the top ten list of must see films. This is a classic that could be watched at least two more times without getting bored.

Final Cut: 2004

What if every waking moment of your life was recorded? What if when a person died his or her entire life, every embarassing and humiliating detail, was captured or filmed. Better yet, what if people knew that every moment of their life was being filmed? Would it change the human character, or create a superficial society that alters peoples natural actions or instinctive behaviors that they would be suseptable to performing if a digital recorder was not present. This is the plot behind Final Cut, directed by Omar Naim. In this film Robin Williams palys Alan W. Hakman, a professional "cutter" who's profession requires him to view footage taken out of the deceased's memory chip which is embedded in their brains at birth. With the extracted footage he creates a "rememory" which is similar to a wake or a funeral. The friends and loved ones of the deceased view this footage in an attempt to try and remember the dead in the most positive manner. Alan's job becomes more and more difficult as he finds immoral and many times illegal occurrances in the memories, and he must delete them and pretend they never happened.
Alan finds that with being so intimate with the lives of other people his own life is being affected. His girlfriend Delila, played by Mira Sorvino begins to feel neglected and in competition with his work.
This movie raises a reoccuring question. What are the boundaries that should not be crossed by man? Is it immoral to look in on the life of a man or is that for God alone to do. In the film there are protesters and rebels to oppose the memeory chip. Some people go as far as to get tatoos on their faces that are laced with electromanetic ink which prevents the implant from recording. This movie also explores memory. What is memeory and are memories only what we want them to be. The past always seems brighter than the present...why is that? The old days are always the good old days. What color was the shirt you wore to your 8th grade dance, was it blue or green, or was it blue green?
This movie was a little slower than expected. It had the potential to be a very good film. Based on the topic and the plot it would seem like this film would be an intensed experience. It was a little disappointing. Even with the dissapointment it is still an interesting Sci-Fi "what if"type of film. What for it to come on the Sci-fi channel it's not worth your $3.00 at Blockbuster.

2nd Blog- "BLOW"

"Blow", directed by Ted Demme, is an emotionally lifting and depressing drama based on a true story, the life of George Jung (played by Johnny Depp). The film takes us on the wild ride that was George Jung's life, a child from a small humble family who quickly turns to the life of marijuana smuggling. But Jung's real passion arouse during his first conviction sentence, where he meets Diego Delgado (Jordi Molla) and splashes into the world of cocaine smuggling to become the pioneer of the cocaine market in the 70's.
The movie introduces different stylistic elements that accent Jung's emotions and thoughts, sidestepping the action filled scenes of the drug-fueled lifestyle. The editing was important throughout the movie to capturing the different dimensions of Jung's character. As Jung first starts scoring big with his secret connection, Derek Foreal (Paul Reubens or Pee-Wee Herman), the editing takes a fast pace as we go through fast cuts of different drug-fueled events. The editing takes dives into the dangerous and exciting aspects and also pulls back to harsh reality to give us a different feel and interpretation on things. As Jung is on his upward spiral the editing moves through fast cuts and then slows down at crucial moments, like the meeting with Pablo Escobar. Here the camera starts of focusing on Diego and George and then shifts to Escobar. Escobar's first introduction is filled with cinematography to imprint danger in our minds. The Columbian grounds themselves give off a strong sense of desertedness and an overall feeling of danger. The camera starts off with a very long shot of Escobar talking to a man in the middle of a group, we don't hear what is being said. As Escobar walks away his men gather around and shoot a single bullet into the man's forhead and watch him drop to the ground lifeless. At this point the cinematography shifts to slow motion and stays dead on, in front of Escobar as he swiftly takes off his sunglasses and approaches George and Diego. When the decision is made, they are going into business togethor, the danger dissapears and is replaced with excitement, glamour, fun. An old pop song plays, very reminiscent of the cocaine era, as the diting jumbles through various stills of all the good times. The cars, the girls, the celebrities, the drinks, the parties, and very quickly jumbles through all the glamours involved in the business. Symbolizing the hectic times and how fast it came and dissapeared.
Blow takes an interesting approach to a movie about a drug smuggler. The film aims to build the character of George Jung and expose his human side. His relationship with his parents that slowly deteroriates to almost nothing. His loves, his passions, his ambitions. The relationship of Jung and his daughter that seems to be the only thing keeping him sane. The movie Blow does a great job of personalizing the audience with George Jung and also exciting the senses with action to portray the extremes of the drug business, danger and glamour. Johnny Depp's acting carries the character perfectly throughout the movie, an outstanding performance.