)) < > ((

back and forth.

forever.

Good Article...

About critics and the difference between a good film and a popular film...

Article

Liz

Me and You and Everyone We Know

OK first off… I think we should do a film night because I pretty much miss everyone... anyone agree?

Movie review now…

A few weeks ago my friend and I decided to rent an independent film entitled Me and You and Everyone We Know. We had both read awesome things about this film on Imdb, so we decided we’d give it a shot. It also won TONS of awards at indie film festivals including Cannes, Sundance, L.A., San Francisco and Philadelphia. Miranda July is both the writer and director of this film, and she also took on one of the main roles.

What I understand the main point of the film to be is this: Everyone, whether young or old, is looking for some kind of intimacy or connection… whether it is out of loneliness, fear, or child-like curiosity. July is able to show the world through each of the characters eyes, and each character is incredibly human and understandable. There is a broad variety of different characters. There’s Christine, who seems lonely and expresses this loneliness through her very odd and very modern art. Richard, a recent divorcee with two young sons, was the most difficult character for me to understand. He longed to connect with his children in a way that seemed impossible, but being newly divorced he was not fully equipped for all the new responsibilities to come his way. His eldest son, 14 year old Peter, represents a teenage point of view. Through his interactions with a younger neighbor, we see that he longs for a more personal connection than other teenage characters. Two teenage girls contrast to Peter’s stance on relationships. Their lust for knowledge and experience in the sexual area comes off as plain desperate. Their stance on connecting to others contrasts with Peter’s. Peter’s younger brother, 7 year old Robby, has an adolescent online relationship with a much older woman. Note: she does not know he’s seven! His naivety and her desperateness form an odd bond between the two. Their unusual relationship provides some seriously funny and entertaining scenes as they misinterpret what the other person really seems to mean. Peter’s younger neighbor, Sylvie, was a very interesting character. Throughout the movie it is made obvious that Sylvie’s mother does not try to have a great relationship with her. Sylvie obsesses over collecting different household items and stashing them away in her “Hope Chest” for her future daughter. I think that she was trying to build a life for her future daughter that she felt she had missed out on. This isn't all the characters but it's getting too long. Just go watch it!

The main thing I enjoyed about this film is that it was pretty much completely painless. It seemed like July set up many instances where something terrible could have happened- but it didn’t. I found myself just waiting for something bad to happen because, typically, something goes wrong in most films and the rest of the film revolves around that problem. The problem never occurred and I finished the movie feeling completely refreshed and relieved that none of the characters were hurt, dead, or depressed. Anyways, I seriously think everyone should see this movie. It has some REALLY funny and quotable parts and I think everyone can appreciate it.

"You laugh now and then, but mostly you smile -- at the simple connections people make, at the guileless screenplay, at the general tone of wonderment and love for mankind." - Eric D. Snider

Liz

P.S. Over the Hedge was awesome too... it's adorable and hilarious!

Stew on this...

Girls- first of all I miss y'all a lot. On that note, here is an article from msn.com that a 16 year old girl wrote. It is a highlight of 10 best chick flicks. How could you pass this up? It's clever and cute and I really enjoyed it.


http://movies.msn.com/movies/dvd/chickflicks?GT1=8241

Enron: smartest guys in the room-not so smart

Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skillings, Enron big boys, found GUILTY!

http://http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/25/news/newsmakers/enron_verdict/index.htm?cnn=yes

I just thought you should know.
-Alyce

AWARDS/KUDOS/THANKS

Film Gulls: I know you all agree that we produced a great cinema experience in H109 under the direction of Fleig*suah,suah,suah(Sure). It was absolutely huge, and I thank each and every one of you for your delightful presence and inimitable style:
Christina: The connector, she now teaches film at a West Coast University
Blair: The Sought after agent, who threatens all of Hollywood’s establishment with her Southern drawl and deadly deals
Puckett: the Zany Redhead---she stars opposite Adam Sandler in Ten Things that Confuse me About You Leigh Anne: The mermaid--she's waiting for her break as the new Darryl Hannah
Alyce: Cruella de STYLE, she enjoys awards year after year as a costume /set designer
Torie: Artiste on own radio station
Jessica A: Westside Tech threat---she is a leader in Hollywood's fight against intellectual property theft/illegal downloading
Jessica B: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm---she's designing her own line of sunglasses for the Stars
Candice: Have I got a text message for you---she's working on yet another screenplay modeled after the popular Canadian show DeGrassi High
Helen: Scholarly Dancing---she is choreographing while heading up a scientific study
Nicole: Miss Congeniality---she (in her free time) alternates between gigs as a production assistant/star in Mini Cooper commercials
Liz: Most likely to be interviewing stars on the red carpet one day
Lindsey: Most likely to be on CNN as a film critic one day
Sam: A brunette,taller Jodie Foster
Adrienne:Zany athletic style could place her in a reality show one day
Christy: "discovered" on a Pantene commercial, she just signed to star in a soon to be released version of Dan Brown's newest thriller
Morgan: Recently assigned new Democratic senator from LA is lobbying for new tax incentives for film production in the South
Rebecca: Mysterious Hitchcock extra
Fleig: Reworking Dr. Strangelove to give it a more Quentin Tarantino look
JSimms: aasuming a new identity as Erica America and reworking something, anything that could serve as a star vehicle featuring Erica as a sultry Southern woman
with a housekeeper who answers the phone, "Miz America's residence" Ciao, JSimms

Fun Triva: Dr. Strangelove

• Stanley Kubrick often uses the sequence CRM114 in serial numbers. CRM-114 is the name of the decoder in "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb"and the Jupiter explorer's licence plate number in "2001: A Space Odyssey"
• General Turgidson was not scripted to fall over in the war room when he gets excited, but when it happened, Kubrick decided it was in character, and left it in.
• The centerfold in the copy of Playboy being read by one of the B-52 crew is Gen. Turgidson's secretary, Miss Scott.
• Dr. Strangelove apparently suffers from agonistic apraxia (also known as "alien hand syndrome"), a real neurological affliction that can be caused by a stroke or other brain injury causing damage to the nerve fibers that connect the two brain hemispheres (the corpus callosum). Researchers at the University of Aberdeen who identified it named it Dr. Strangelove Syndrome. According to Professor Sergio Della Sala, the patients behave exactly like Dr. Strangelove: "...They slam their hand and shout 'My hand does things that I don't want it to do!'"
• The glove worn by Dr. Strangelove came from director Stanley Kubrick's personal collection. Sellers had seen Kubrick wearing them to handle hot lights on the set and thought of them as sinister-looking, so he wore one of them on his right hand (the one not under his control) to add to Strangelove's eeriness.
• Has the longest title of any film ever nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.
• Stanley Kubrick intended the film to end with a custard pie fight between the Russians and the Americans in the War Room (which is why we see a big table of food there). The footage was shot, but he decided not to use it because he considered it too farcical to fit in with the satirical nature of the rest of the film.
• Gen. Ripper's belief that putting fluoride in water was a Communist plot to poison Americans is not made up; it was a conspiracy theory believed in so fervently by many in right-wing political circles in the US all through the 1950s and 1960s that many conservative organizations demanded that any local officials who advocated fluoridation of water supplies be charged with treason
• Stanley Kubrick wanted the tablecloth on the War Room table to be green, so it looked like the world leaders were playing poker with the world's fate.
• Major Kong's comment about the survival kit ("a fella could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff") originally referred to Dallas instead of Las Vegas, but was overdubbed after President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas.

Source: www.imdb.com

-Alyce

Thanks Simmons

I just wanted to say that I thought the speaker the other day was very informative, and she obviously enjoyed gossiping in a room full of girls, which was expected. It gave me some insight into the whole world on the film set and behind the scenes of how things really go down. It made me actually think twice about going into a career in film making, not all necessarily in a bad way. I think it would be interesting if we had a chance to hear from more people in different aspects of the job to get their take on the process.

~Jess

"I crossed an IMAGINARY line with a bunch of PLANTS..."

Hello my special people! A couple weeks ago I watched what is, in my opinion, one of the best, most intriguing dramas ever-- Blow, directed in 2001 by Ted Demme. Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman), and Jordi Della star in this film (based on a true story) as George Jung, Mirtha Jung, Derek Foreal, and Diego Delgado. George, with the help of Derek, Diego, and a few others, was basically responsible for establishing the cocaine market in the US during the 1970s. In fact, if you used coke in the US during their time, there is an 85% chance that it came from these guys. The film opens with a bit of background on George's childhood. His parents greatly struggle to make ends meet and eventually file for bankruptcy. George decides at a young age to prevent this repetition of history during his own adulthood. Upon moving to California at approximately 18, George begins to deal pot and becomes so immensely successful with his dealing that his influence reaches the east coast. When caught and arrested, George is thrown into prison where his cellmate introduces him to the incredibly profitable cocaine business. George says, "Danbury wasn't a prison; it was a crime school. I went in with a Bachelors of marijuana, and came out with a Doctorate of cocaine." Once he is out of prison, the cocaine market booms and George makes more money than he could have ever imagined-- I'm talking millions upon millions. While the film does chronicle the amazing successes George experiences, it also does an excellent job of illustrating the real price of his crimes. The choices George makes greatly impact not only him but also his family and friends. By the end of the film, George has answered the question, "Was it all worth it?"

The film surprised me in that it wasn't just a "drug movie"-- it is also a very interesting tale of betrayal, greed, relationships, and the effects of one's actions, both good and bad. It certainly shows both the highs and the lows that come with such an extreme involvement with drugs. I also enjoyed the bits of humor randomly inserted throughout the film, such as the title of my post, which comes from a scene in which George tries to justify smuggling 660 lbs. of herb across the border between Mexico and the US. Johnny Depp, already one of my favorite actors, really impressed me with this film. To prepare for his role, Depp actually interviewed the real George Jung in prison, and I could definitely tell. He embodied George Jung very well and acted just the way I imagined the real George would act.

I hope I've motivated some of you to see it if you haven't yet! It is intense, insightful, funny at times, and very moving. Please do yourself a favor and rent it! Or buy it!

Morgan :)

I made burgers that time you had pneumonia.

Last week a friend and I decided to watch The Squid and the Whale. I knew basically nothing about the movie, but the title sounded familiar so I decided to rent it. Noah Baumbach was the writer and director of this film. He also co-wrote The Life Aquatic with Wes Anderson.

Noah Baumbach, the writer and director of this film, took an experience from his adolescence and brought it back to life through this film. The plot is pretty simple. It takes place in the 1980’s in a Brooklyn neighborhood. Laura Linney and Jeff Daniels play two parents who are going through marital difficulties. Linney plays Joan Berkman, the guilty and confused mother who has been unfaithful to her husband. Her guilt for these actions is noticeable and it seems to affect the way she raises her children. Daniels plays Bernard Berkman, a very shameless writer who is just one of those people who lets everyone know he thinks he’s smarter than them. He plays an exceedingly dislikable character, while Linney plays a character that viewers are able to feel more sympathy for. Her character seems to be happier and more wholehearted, whereas her husband remains drearily affected by his failure. Not too long after the movie begins, they decide to get a divorce.

The effects on their two sons are immediately recognizable. The eldest son, Walt, becomes an ally with his father. He mimics many of his father’s qualities, including the incredibly annoying trait of acting like a know-it-all. He also seems to use his father’s opinions on many subjects. This is also annoying because viewers are able to see his father say something and then, lo and behold, a few scenes later Walt recites his fathers words verbatim. Walt portrayed an adolescent Noah Baumbach. The effects on the youngest son, Frank, are very awkward. I had a hard time understanding what drove him to do the gross/weird things he did. He developed cursing problem, discovers alcohol, and develops a pretty odd habit which I don’t think I can talk about on this blog. Keep in mind he’s no older than twelve.

I thought this was a very interesting movie. The acting was awesome, especially for the kids. Linney and Daniels did really well too. Baumbach made sure to add in random little quirks and seemingly unimportant things his parents did. I felt that this made the movie more believable and life-like. Oh yes, also… I really liked how he tied the title into the movie. All in all, it was great. Check it out.

Liz

This one's for you J. Simmons

Fast, Cheap, and out of Control was an extraordinary work of cinematography and creativity. It seems like all of the works we have touched on in film class this year have challenged us to think of the deeper meaning in the message and apply that to our lives. Every film we have watched touches on an important issue in our society, even though it may be made more than 20 years ago. Once again, Mr. Fleig presented us with yet another brilliant work that presents human nature in a somewhat strange way. The film highlights four people with bizarre, unique, and different jobs and somehow manages to tie their lives together. I think the music and cinematography was amazing because it is really unlike anything I have ever seen. Although I was skeptical throughout the film, after much thought I realized how much you could learn in 80 minutes. I have to agree with Christy—George was my favorite because he put so much passion into something as simple as being a topiary gardener. It was his life, and the camera angles and his dialogue really helped you connect with him. My least favorite was Dave, the wild animal trainer, firstly because I have an extreme dislike of circuses, and two I found him uninteresting. I just think he was trying to make a point throughout the film but never really got there. My favorite quote from the documentary was from Rodney Brooks (the robot man). He said “If you analyze it too much, life becomes almost meaningless.” Although he may have not meant it to be, I find it very profound and meaningful. It’s true that over-analyzing things causes you to forget what you were doing in the first place. That can be applied to every day life—when you are trying to figure out the little things that don’t matter you lose sight of the big picture. To sum it up…I really enjoyed it and found it very informative.

Candice

1-800-JUICE!

Friday night my BOYfriend (happy, Morgan?) and I decided to take it easy and watch a movie that I’ve been wanting to watch for quite some time: Requiem for a Dream. Darren Arnofsky, who also directed the movie Pi, did an amazing job in making viewers feel exactly what the character was going through. I was very impressed with the acting, the dialogue, and the creativity of the director.

Requiem for a Dream is a film that tracks four addicts who are connected through family, friendship, and love. Harry (Jared Leto) plays the central character. His mother (Ellen Burstyn), his dealer friend (Marlon Wayans) and his girlfriend (Jennifer Conelly) are connected through him. Each character is addicted to various drugs. These drugs completely consume their lives, ultimately causing failure and despair for each character. Each characters’ quest for satisfaction in life becomes surpassed by their reliance on the drug that ensures them that they’ll “get there”.

My favorite character out of the four was Sara, Harry’s mother. Ellen Burstyn flawlessly played a character driven mad by her growing loneliness and tedious obsessions. After finding out that she has won a spot on the television show she is obsessed with, she makes it her goal to fit into her prized red dress and look just like she did the night of Harry’s graduation. To reach her goal, she becomes dependant on four daily diet pills which give her an antsy and cheerful feeling. Burstyn’s acting skills were showcased as you could tell she really had to step out of her comfort zone to play this character that makes viewers so uncomfortable.

This movie was in no way an easy movie to watch. Arnofsky makes sure viewers feel just an uncomfortable as the characters do. The montages that appear when there is drug use let the viewers know what is going on without having to make it so drawn out. In many scenes, there are flickering lights in the background which seem to get across the feeling of instability and the distorted camera angles are used especially in the scenes where Sara is growing extremely insane. There are just a few of the techniques the director uses to make the audience really feel for the characters.

If you haven't seen it already you definitely should. The entire movie is filmed in a very interesting way. It's a very sever movie that really shows drugs in an extremely unglamourous light, as opposed to many other films.

Liz

Liz

1. Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control- I really think that I just haven't been in the mood to watch it. I think it's a very interesting idea, overlapping the totally different lives of these men and weaving them together to get across the message. I think, for a documentary, it was done in a very interesting way. The lively shots kept you watching, even if you didn't find the subject matter to be appealing. Like Christy, I liked George. He's a cool little man and he seemed (to me) to be the one with the most passion for his job. I mean... how else could you cut bushes for a living and seem to LOVE it? The man who worked with the robots (Rodney) kind of bored me but I can see why he was a vital part. I guess I just wanted to see more of George and the lion tamer because they interested me more. This caused me to become a bit bored with the other two men. It was nice though.

2. And favorite cinematic moment was probably Chinatown or that montage that started with an N.

Favorite Cinematic Moment!

My favorite cinematic moment was Seven Up! The three boys sitting on the couch discussing the Financial Times...classic.
Love, Christy

Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control....Robots?

I'm sure everyone picked up on the line in the documentary where the title came from. The robot builder was speaking of the way they build robots-- they build them quickly, they build them to be cost efficient, and sometimes they are out of control. One would assume, before seeing this part of the film, that the title had some grander, more metaphorical meaning referring to life or some major aspect of it-- this not being robots. While I think the drudgery of the last weeks of school got in the way of my enjoyment of this film, in retrospect, it is a remarkable work of art. The cinematography is not like any I've ever seen--so beautifully done that it invokes emotion and deep thought. Along with the music and the editing--it tells its story extremely well. But what story are they really trying to tell? They can't really be trying to show you the glamorous life of a topiary gardner or the extravagant, out of control ways of a naked mole rat specialist....of course not! I think they are trying personalize the issue of the human condition---trying to bring it down to a very real level by introducing these 4 average joe characters with really personable jobs. I think, if that was their intention, then they met their goal successfully.
I'm done rambling.....hope it makes sense.....
Puckett

George

Overall, I'm not a very big fan of Fast, Cheap and Out of Control. I guess what put me off about it was some of the subject matter. I don't like the circus and I especially don't like seeing wild animals in places they're neither supposed to be at, nor do they want to be at. That probably seems silly to not like a documentary just because of that, but it just bothered me to see the people training the wild tigers and lions with guns and whips and such. Anyway, what I did like about the documentary was George, the topiary gardener. What a cool guy. I really loved to watch him take care of his creations and hear him talk about them. I also thought the cinematography was amazing...my favorite shot was close to the end of George trimming one of his animals and everything was blacked out but him, the ladder, and the animal.
Yay for George!

Love, Christy

Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control

When watching Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control, I found that I was not so much bored with the documentary, rather just dazed and lost in the tinkering music and changing visualization. I admired the passion that these people have for their jobs, and the determination to instill that love in others. I would have to say I did enjoy the composition of the piece and how each career perfectly intertwined with the other, and blurred the lines to give the viewer a basic idea to follow. I have enjoyed this section on some very interesting documentaries and hope to see more soon.

~Jess A.~
p.s. That butterfly bowtie is pretty stellar.

From Chopped Liver

Ladies of the film class: I'm hopeful that these two (2) requests may elicit a more forthcoming response than did my clearly inane question about nature/nurture for Mad Hot Ballroom/Seven Up. What I was expecting was some discussion about the clearly delineated classes in Seven Up in contrast to the inner city public school groups in NYC. Also the idea about the effect of experience/expectation as a counter to prophecy fulfillment. And did it matter that the teachers of the dance teams were so invested with their students? Alas, more comments from you needed. In the meantime, here are two ideas I would like for you to respond to:
[1] Your assessment of Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control; and a comment or two on the cinematography.
[2] An ongoing post from now until you finish at the Stress Factory:
Explain your favorite cinematic moment from the film class this year..... Yours in being the shadowy assistant, Simmons

Oops that was Christy. And I posted too early.

5. The 14 year olds social skills stank. They were looking down way too much and not speaking to the camera but to the grass. Especially SUZY.

lalalala

1. I think these children were chosen because they come from different backgrounds and because of their widely differing personalities.

2. Parents- 7
Peers and media- 14

3. The dance lessons change the kids lives because they know that they can do other things besides participating in delinquancy.

4. I think NURTURE is more impacting in both movies.

LSU Film Festival...

Hello ladies! You may already know about this, but I thought I'd fill you in just in case. There is a film festival next weekend going on at LSU. It's called Outhouse. People from all over the country have submitted their independent films to be shown here. There will be guest speakers, screenings, and awards. I thought this was an awesome oppurtunity! Christy, Candice, and I thought maybe we could get a group together to go Sunday. Because we have challenge day and then some of us have cotillion we thought that would be the best day. It begins at 11 AM on Sunday. Talk to me and let me know if yall want to get a group together and go! We're such losers. But anyways, I'll probably be going Saturday during the day too. Well just let me know! Have a lovely day, women.

Here is the link for the schedule and films being shown:
http://www.lsu.edu/student_organizations/cinema/outhouse7.htm

Liz

“…an elegant freak show.” – Sacramento Bees

I finally sat down and watched The Royal Tenenbaums last weekend. Being a fan of pretty much the entire cast, I had wanted to see it for quite some time. The film’s cast includes Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Danny Glover, Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, and of course, a lovely narration from none other than Alec Baldwin. Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson teamed up to write an exceptionally sharp and witty script about one particularly dysfunctional family.

The plot of this film consists of extremely implausible incidences with characters that are very eccentric. Royal Tenenbaum (Hackman), the father of three unusual child prodigies (Paltrow, Stiller, Wilson), discovers his wife, Etheline (Huston), is engaged to be married. He also finds that he is in financial turmoil. Royal left his wife and children years ago and had nothing to do with them but a divorce was never filed. As I said, his children all grew up as prodigies. Chas (Stiller) bred spotted “Dalmatian mice” as a child and ended up being a financial mastermind. Richie (L. Wilson) was a nationally renowned tennis player and won the national championship three years in a row. Margot (Paltrow) becomes a famous playwright at a young age. By the time their father returns their lives have all fallen apart and they are back living with their mother. Royal reveals to his family that he has an illness and is left with only six weeks to live. This is when the odd reunion begins, and that’s only the back story.

Some critics assess this movie as being too stylized, but I think that aspect really works for this film because the film is so out-of-the-ordinary already. They aren’t trying to pass it off as realistic by any means. “…Anderson and co-writer Owen Wilson were able to weave such seemingly unlikely material into a tale of reconciliation and redemption. While the film has lots of sarcastic humor, it ultimately offers hope and warmth”, says Ivana Redwine (nice name, I know). I thought her remark was pretty dead-on.

The Royal Tenenbaums is definitely not your cliché Hollywood comedy. A little over half-way through, the plot becomes darker and much more somber as characters begin to face the not-so-funny reality… particularly, Luke Wilson’s character Richie. As for the direction, I noticed that the way the movie was shot really added to the overall effect of the film. Many overhead shots and far away shots are used. I noticed that many of the shots are filmed much further back than they need to be, letting viewers see the entire rooms or surroundings. I liked it because I love seeing the way props are laid out and also observing the way the characters live.

Anyways, I think it is a greatly written, acted, and directed film. Even if you don’t enjoy it you’ll probably still admire Wes Anderson for his writing and directing. Check it out.

Liz

"Give me back my drumsticks....please."

This weekend I bought one of my favorite movies, Detroit Rock City, at a reasonable $3.99, a price, the critics would agree with. For those of you who have never seen this movie, it is classic road film about four Ohio teenage stoners in 1978 trying to make their dream come true, the dream to see KISS live in Detroit Rock City. Jam, Hawk, Trip and Lex are members of Mystery, their after school version of KISS. The movie centers on drummer, Jeremiah “Jam” Bruce (the kid from jungle2jungle). Jam faces a number of challenges including a chain smoking, less than perfect mother, who belongs to MATMOK (Mother Against The Music Of KISS).
The film follows the boys as they endure 24 hours of torment watching their dream go up in flames, literally. But that doesn’t stop them. The night includes kidnapping, stolen cars, bank robberies, strip clubs, and church confessionals. The boys each have one pivotal moment in the movie. Jam’s comes when he confronts his mother at a MATMOK protest. If you watch the movie only for this speech it’s worth it. How many of us would love to parents what we really think?
The best part about this movie is you don’t even have to like KISS to like the movie. I think each of us can relate to this movie. How many of us would do anything to see Jack Johnson or someone in concert… for me, it would be Kenny Chesney. Many criticize this movie because of its similarity to Rock’n’Roll High School filmed in 1976. However Adam Rifkin does a great job of depicting the times for filming in 1999. The opening credits are a montage of pop culture. The music is also a great anthology of 1978 so whether you parents were KISS fans or KC and the Sunshine Band its there.
I recommend this movie to all teenagers.
Blair

P.S.
I was watching Dazed and Confused and noticed a few things. You know that Nextel commercial “Goodnight John Boy?” It is completely from that movie. Another thing is when ever Matthew McConaughey goes on a talk show he always talks about his life motto of “Just keep livin” that was also his character David Wooderson’s life motto.

Pride and Prejudice

I saw Pride and Prejudice this weekend with my family, and I absolutely loved it! Keira Knightly was the only big-name actor in the film aside from Jena Malone, better known to me as the-little-girl-from-Stepmom, and a somewhat minor role for Dame Judi Dench. Still, all of the acting was very well done, and the lack of recognizable faces added to the reality of the characters. Before seeing the movie, I had heard some negative remarks about the faithfulness of the portrayal of the book, but I found that it kept very close to the book. Austen's dialogue-driven writing style lent itself well to the big screen, and as the story played out I got butterflies at all the right moments. The filming was also tremendously beautiful. One of the most memorable moments was when Elizabeth (Knightley) is swinging in her yard just before her friend Charlotte comes to announce that she is engaged to Mr. Collins, the man who will one day take Lizzy's house from her. After Charlotte leaves, the camera angle changes, and you can really feel that Lizzy is looking at the house with a heavily weighted awareness of her impending loss. The soundtrack also contributes a lot to the emotion throughout the film. All in all, it's one of my new favorites.

Helen

Grey's Anatomy--Much More than a Sunday Night Drama

To go along with Candice's post on Elizabethtown, I too saw the effective power of voice overs in the episode of Grey's Anatomy. At the beginning of each episode, the narrator, Dr. Meredith Grey, sets up the theme of the episode with a short voice over. The episode is then concluded with another short voice over to tie in with the beginning theme. One of the things I've noticed about Grey's Anatomy is that each episode is set up like a mini-film with an overall idea and theme for each, plot and action that goes along with the theme, and background music that always fits perfectly with the on-going action. On last night's episode in particular, I noticed the use of camera angles during moments of intense emotional strain for the characters. The camera focused on each character's face during the dialogue, giving the viewer a more personal feel to make a connection with the character. The thing that impresses me the most with this series is that it could easily have become a stereotypical hospital show; however, Grey's Anatomy takes this to the next level by artistically representing a good drama with wit and philosophical themes. Discussing the mystical technique of "mise-en-scene" in class on Friday really made me apply this even to this television show, which to me is basically like a series of short films that tie in together with a common theme.

Nicole

Christian films, like Christian music are making a major stir in today's entertainmnet. Personally, I think this is because our parent's generation denied organized religion (hippie comune, anyone?), which in turn would make following Jesus part of our teenage rebellion.

The fun started with Veggietales, but now film makers are moving away from the cartoon and stretching into 'real life' films.
Film makers went for the extreme shock factor (Passion of the Christ, 2004) and then the mild, 'watch while you babysit (The Birth of Christ, 1994) film.
This time, the filmmakers found a happy medium with the movie "Joshua".

No, it didn't come with catchy tunes; such as, 'Where is my hairbrush?', but it did come with a great story and an even better message.

This unknown carpenter named Joshua comes into a small town. No one knows who he is or where he is from. He seems to know what everyone is thinking as he works silently, rebuilding a baptist church that had been destroyed by a hurricane. He begins to change how people think, and the community comes together.
The story tells of a possible second-coming of Christ.
Well, it is just awesome. i'm going to 'edit' this to add more, i really, really loved the film.

It's a heck of a place to find yourself

I just watched Elizabethtown literally five minutes ago. The whole time I was viewing the film I couldn’t wait to make a post. I was drawn in from the beginning because of the voice-overs and camera angles. I think this film had just the right amount of voice-overs (by Orlando Bloom’s character, Drew). I think movies sometimes have too much narration and it distracts the audience from the plot, character development, etc. I know someone posted a while ago about this movie, but I thought it’s been a while so I might as well make another.

It starts with Drew facing a “fiasco”, not just failure, of a project he worked tirelessly on for eight years. It cost him his girlfriend, his job, and his company close to 1 billion dollars. He also is faced with the death of his estranged father. Although his family lives in Oregon, his dad’s side of the family comes from a small town (Elizabethtown) in Kentucky. He travels there to bring his dad back home to his mother and sister and have a proper burial or cremation. The film focuses not only Drew’s rediscovery of his roots, but a discovery of how to love and ultimately, how to live. He meets the spontaneous, carefree, and positive character of Claire (Kirsten Dunst). She has a witty personality and speaks memorable quotes. One of my favorites—“I don't know a lot about everything, but I do know a lot about the part of everything that I know, which is people”. I have to admit that I have never cared for Dunst in her other films. However, she redeemed herself with her spirit in this movie. She brings a lot of light to the movie, which is vital because it deals with difficult issues such as death, suicide, and failure. Also, every instance that I thought Claire and Drew were beginning to fight, she solved the solution calmly and with amazing poise. I really think she made this movie…well, along with other things. Of course we can’t forget that Cameron Crowe did direct this, which is a definite for an awesome soundtrack. It helped the movie flow and added an emotional feeling.

There were many moving scenes throughout the film, especially towards the end at the memorial service for Drew’s dad. His mom (Susan Sarandon) delivers a heartfelt speech that breaks the barriers between her in-laws and herself. I guess you would just have to watch the movie.

I really enjoyed this film and definitely recommend it to all.


Enjoy

-Candice

Emily Rose

Last weekend I watched The Exorcism of Emily Rose. This movie is supposedly based on true events, which is a scary thought but I figured it was a bit dramatized for Hollywood and doesn’t happen often enough to worry. A young girl going to college away from home one night experiences traumatizing “forces” acting around her. After the demons take over her, she sees many doctors and psychiatrists who diagnose her as “crazy” and “epileptic”. They prescribe her medicines which do not seem to help because she only gets worse. Her family, being religious, contacts their priest who comes to observe her. Her and her family decide to perform an exorcism, despite her being on unnatural medicines. When the exorcism fails, the priest suggests Emily be taken off the medicine and they try again. Since the medicine did not seem to be working, they decide to take her off. A few days later she dies. The movie starts with a young lawyer arguing that she is good enough to take the case of the priest (who was being blamed for negligent homicide). I enjoyed the way the movie was told: it started with the trial and switched between the story of what happened to Emily and the people being interrogated about her case. And Jennifer Carpenter did an excellent job of playing someone who was possessed cause that’s got to be hard.

-Leigh Ann (enjoy fleig its a good one)

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe

A few weeks ago, I sat down and watched one of my favorite movies – Fried Green Tomatoes. Nominated for two Oscars in 1992, this movie portrays storytelling and personal growth at its best. The plot includes a storyline inside of its storyline. Evelyn Couch, played by Kathy Bates, is a passive character at first who will go along with anything that she is told and has no confidence in herself. While visiting her husband’s aunt in a nursing home, Evelyn meets Ninny Threadgoode, played by Jessica Tandy, who is a strong willed older woman longing for someone to talk with. The two women quickly become friends and Ninny begins to tell the story of Idgie Threadgoode that she remembers from her childhood. The story which she tells is set in the 1920s in a small town in Alabama. Idgie’s story inspires Evelyn to become more assertive and begin to take charge of her life. As Ninny continues to tell the story, she and Evelyn develop a close friendship in which Evelyn finds strength.

Although I enjoy many movies, I do not think that there are many that have touched me as much as this one has. Even the cinematography of the movie increases its greatness. The casting director, David Rubin, did an amazing job at casting the show and finding lesser known actresses and actors to help portray the small-town characters.

The original screenplay, based on the novel by Fannie Flagg, was written by Fannie Flagg and taken over by Carol Sobieski. The movie itself was directed by Jon Avnet.

- Christina

A Friendship to last a lifetime...

So this week is Totally 80’s Week on AMC (for those of you who love the classic 80s movies as much as I do) and last night had a great line-up. First – Sixteen Candles; next – The Breakfast Club; and then came Beaches.

For those of you who have never seen Beaches before, it is a classic chick-flick. I have seen it multiple times and it just seems to get better through the years. This may be because as we grow we learn to appreciate the value of friendships and this movie definitely shows the appreciation of a friendship. I strongly encourage everyone to see this movie, mainly because it is one of my favorite movies. For those of you who like Steel Magnolias, Beaches will be a hit!

It begins with CC Bloom (played by Bette Midler) , a famous singer, rehearsing for a show when she gets an urgent letter and immediately gets in her car. As she is driving, she begins to recall her friendship with the second main character Hillary Whitney (played by Barbara Hershey). CC and Hillary meet when they are 11 on a beach in Atlantic City. Hillary is staying in an upscale hotel with her father and Aunt Vesta. When Hillary begins to cry because she cannot find her hotel, CC shows her the way; however, they stop at CC’s audition for a producer on the way. CC does not get the role, but she and Hillary become close friends on that day. The two girls exchange addresses and continue to write letters to each other for years to come. The movie revolves around CC and Hillary’s friendship and the difficulties and obstacles each character must overcome to be a better person and friend. Throughout the years, the two women experience jealousy toward one another in many aspects of life, but somehow always tend to mend their disagreements.

Beaches was directed by Garry Marshall, who has starred in many films and has directed other chick-flicks such as The Princess Diaries, Raising Helen, and Pretty Woman.

A hint of trivia from IMDB.com

• The title comes from a quote from "The Princess Bride": "If your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches."

- Christina

Back to cult films...

One of the biggest, best-known cult films was not inteded to have the popularity that it did. It was a low budet documentary from the mid-30’s, and it was created to warn teenagers of the dangers of marijuana. When Reefer Madness hit the screen it presented a jolting story of revenge. Its popularity surprised the nation.

~Lindsey

Find me Guilty...

Our favorite Oscar speech deliverer Sidney Lumet is currently releasing a film titled Find me Guilty. Based on a true story, it stars Vin Diesel playing Giacomo 'Fat Jack' DiNorscio. It is a story of a mobster defending himself in court for ‘what would be the longest mafia trial in US history’ (IMDB). Anyway, I found this interesting because it seems to me that Vin Diesel has played some weak roles in his previous films. However, he has played in a few good films such as Saving Private Ryan and Boiler Room. I also watched Vin Diesel on Jay Leno last night and he said that he gained thirty pounds for the character as well as “aging” fifteen years for filming. It sounds as though he is putting a lot into becoming the character for this film and I can’t wait to see it.


-Candice

Hi journal! Its me, Doug!

Ever wanted to relive the days of real television: Doug, All That, Salute Your Shorts, Are you Afraid of the Dark, Clarissa Explains it All, The Secret World of Alex Mack, AHHH! Real Monsters, Blossom, Ghostwriter ETC?

Well now youcan--sort of. The Retro Junk website has all of the intros, quotes, episode lists/sumarries, and songs of the most popular Movies, TV shows and commercials from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. I especially enjoy the TV shows from the 90s (I'm sure you guessed that already though) and it really makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside when i see clips from Doug and Clarissa Explains it All. It Brings me back to the days when you used to call your friends to see if they wanted to play with you and when Pogs and R.L Stine's "Goose Bumps" ruled the world.

Check it out:
http://www.retrojunk.com/

*alyce Thib

And We Call This Entertainment...

"Torturing the audience is not the same thing as scaring them, and I'm not sure Aja can tell the difference." – Miami Herald

Well, well, well… since I had a somewhat uneventful weekend I jumped at the chance to go see the new movie, The Hills Have Eyes. As you may be able to tell from my posts on Saw II and Hostel, I’m not too crazy about horror films. Why I even go see them is beyond me, and after seeing this film I’m seriously considering stopping. The past few horror films I’ve seen, including Saw II, Hostel, House of Wax (forgive me for actually seeing that), etc. have just seemed as though it’s a competition to see how many bloody limbs and startling deaths movie makers can fit into an hour and forty five minutes. It’s all about shock value. But does the audience really get anything out of it? I, for one, do not.

So… for the plot. A family of seven (or nine, including the dogs) are tricked into taking a dirt road into the barren desert. Immediately, a friend of mine pointed out to me that the preview featured neither a pregnant woman nor a baby as one of the main characters, but both definitely were. I wonder why. Of course, the family has car troubles and gets stuck in the desert. Big surprise. I will give it to Alexandre Aja, he was able portray a realistic and very believable family. Anyways, it’s not long before the genetically deformed cannibals begin attacking. They were affected by the nuclear bomb testing (which we learned about in physical science freshman year) and are out to get revenge on “our people” for doing this to them. These mutants waste no time raping and molesting the girls, killing members of the family, and kidnapping the baby. This scene was incredibly uncomfortable and I was absolutely disgusted by the way the characters were unremorsefully disposed of. Then, there is a turning point in the movie where the surviving members of the family basically become savages to survive and get the baby back. In the end of the movie, I felt as though Aja tried to make us feel a little better by saying “Look! They’re not ALL that bad!”… it didn’t work.

Overall, I thought the score of this movie was well done. It really caught my ear. During many of the scenes, there was this noise in the background music that sounded like warning bells. However, at the end there was this extremely corny epic-like music that just wouldn’t stop. It was actually kind of ridiculous and laughable.

Now, I understand that I knew what the movie was about. I also understand that the particular movie genre is not my favorite. Thirdly, I understand this film was a remake and was very much similar to the original. Halfway through the movie I thought to myself, “Did I actually pay money to see this?”. So, I picked up my purse, put on my delightful new green heels and declared I would not watch it. Then, I cried a little (OKAY, so I’m a pansy) and reminded myself this was a movie and it was completely fake. I was able to watch the rest of the movie with a pretty cynical approach. That’s my ritual for horror films. However, I did not cease to be completely repulsed. Movies like this just make me angry. After the movie, I asked my friend why these kinds of movies are even made. He responded with the question “Why did the Romans go to the coliseum?”. They considered the mortal combats of gladiators to be games, and we consider seeing the brutal slayings of innocent people to be entertainment- EVEN if it’s fake. I guess I’m looking at this movie from a conventional point of view. I feel that there is a way to tastefully make horror films, without completely butchering the human body for brownie points. I’m just glad I now know not to take a dirt road into the desert because a weird old man at the gas station tells me to. Thank God SOME ONE told me.

It’s obvious that I thought this movie was disturbing and horrible. If you’re anything like faint-hearted little old me, spare yourself. In the words of Carrie Rickey from the Philadelphia Inquirer, “I endured it so you don't have to."


Liz

OMG Liz....

A few weeks ago I found that movie through the MySpace grapevine and seriously laughed out loud! It's so funny because its so incredibly true...

Props to you for posting this!


*alyce

Speaking of Myspace...

Let me try this out... I'm not sure if any of you have seen Myspace: The Movie, but it's just a film some random guy put together to poke fun at the various lives of myspacers. Funny thing though, this little home made film actually launched the creator/director's film career. Check the movie out, then check out the article on CNN about it @ MySpace Movie

It's a pretty odd little film... funny because it's true. Enjoy.

Note: I'd probably give it... a PG-10 rating or something. We're all mature adults here, right?




Liz

A Modern Day Grease for Tweens

After hearing Mary Griffith rant and rave about this movie for days in World History, I decided to go against my better judgement and watch the Disney Channel original movie, High School Musical. And boy am I thankful I did. Anyone who has, in the past, been a fan of other Disney favorites such as Zenon: Girl of the Twenty First Century, or Johnny Tsunami, will probably enjoy this tween flick also.

The movie features Summerland star, Zac Efron, as the popular captain of the basketball team and Vanessa Hutchinson (previously not very famous but immensly likeable) as the new girl searching for her place in the high school hierarchy. The two meet when they are randomly paired to participate in a New Year's karaoke competition while vacationing with their families. Upon returning to school, the two lovebirds realize that they are in the same homeroom together and become friends. The two realize that auditions for the spring performance are looming and they decide to challenge the Prince (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody star Ashley Tisdale) and Princess of the high school. And thus the drama insues.

The style of this film is in keeping with the style of previous Dinsey films: extremely upbeat with a cheesy script BUT it is a musical so they have to do something different don't they? Of course! All of the musical scenes are similar to music videos with awesome coregoraphed dances of everyday scenes. For example, basketball practice is a coregoraphed dance, lunch time is a time to dance on tables ETC. It so much fun to watch. You will, even if you don't want to, start singing the songs and falling in love with the characters. Even though the acting is a bit over done and the main characters don't know how to not smile, you really get involved in the movie. Its extremely energetic and light hearted. It represents, although a little sugar coated, the cliques in high school and you're sure to laugh at the director's interpretations of high school punks and nerds.

And for your viewing pleasure, there is a High School Musical dance along. During the commercials, they will teach you the dance moves so you can bring your inner tween out and dance to such hits as "Breaking Free" and "Start of Something New".

tonight 7pm Channel 24--Do it!

"This is formulaic, cookie-cutter television moviemaking at its most obvious. But if the formula works in the ratings, well, who's to argue? "--The Hollywod Reporter

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/reviews/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001881997


alyce

Passion Never Dies

Last night, my brother’s girlfriend, my friend, and I watched the movie Wicker Park, which stars Josh Hartnett, Rose Byrne (Troy), Matthew Lillard (Summer Catch), and Diane Kruger (Troy). My first impression was that the characters were very creepy. The chronology of the movie was very inconsistent. They used flashbacks constantly and the transition from past to present was shaky and left us in confusion for the first half of the movie. The filming was personal, exploring the characters of mainly Josh Hartnett and Rose Byrne. I really enjoyed the technique and style of the director; however the flashbacks were really difficult to follow. I know it added to the overall feel of the movie, but I think it could have done with less.

The movie opens with Josh Hartnett, a successful businessman going on an important trip to China for a business deal. He is also planning to be engaged to his business partner’s sister. However, there is one problem: he spots his past lover, who mysteriously disappeared two years before. He tells his current girlfriend he is going to China, but stays in LA on a quest for his previous girlfriend (Lisa). He goes to extreme and sometimes borderline-stalker heights, to find Lisa. However, when he finds what he thinks is her apartment, there is a different Lisa- with ironically the same shoes, coat, and name as his old girlfriend. This is where it gets really confusing. “Lisa” develops an obsessive relationship with Josh Hartnett’s character and with his best friend, Luke, in which she calls herself Alex. The plot thickens and you find out what the cause of the real Lisa’s disappearance, and people’s weakest motives and actions are revealed.

I enjoyed the movie because it required my attention, compelled me to keep watching, and created a good amount of suspense. Oh and of course—the end is a beautiful scene with an amazing scene—but you’ll have to watch it for yourself.

I’ll see my favorite film class Tuesday!


-Candice

CULT

I think a cult film is just a kind of quirky and offbeat movie that people become all enthusiastic and devoted to. I feel like, today, movies I would consider cult movies gravitate around certain actors or directors. I guess it's kind of hard to point out cult movies of our time, but I would definitely have to agree with Pulp Fiction, Dazed and Confused and of course, Napoleon Dynamite.

I think that certain groups of people have the kind of cult reaction to Tim Burton, as well as actor Johnny Depp. Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands are movies I would consider to be under the cult category. A big movie I think of when I hear cult movies is Ed Wood (starring Depp and directed by Burton). CRAZY movie! It's pretty cool that these two team up and create these kinds of movies. Both of their work is generally quirky and weird, but also captivating and intriguing. Looking at Tim Burton's filmography (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000318/), it's easy to see that his movies are pretty eccentric and well-known. Many of them I would consider to be Cult movies.

More on Ed Wood. It's a movie completely filmed in black and white. It's been over a year since I last saw it, so I don't remember it much but when I hear modern-day cult movie that is what comes to mind right away. The movie is basically based on "the worst director of all time", Ed Wood. If you want some good old Johnny Depp crossdressing scenes, go for it.

Well it's class time.

Cheers.

Liz

Answer to Cult Questions

Mr. Fleig—

I agree with Alyce on the movies that I am familiar with. I thought of Napoleon Dynamite (pretty much the most recent in my opinion), Goonies, Star Wars, Harry Potter, the Monty Python collection, and others that Alyce mentioned.

To your next question—I think that cult classics belong to many different groups in generations. I’m sure that cult classics don’t occur continuously throughout generations but certain generations may experience more cult classics than others. I’ve never really been aware or had an understanding for what exactly a cult classic is until recently, so it’s hard to say but that would be my best assumption.

-Candice


P.S. Alyce—Yes, It was Perks of being a Wallflower, it’s one of my favorite books, I didn’t know if anyone else had heard of it.

Continued Cult Cuestions

Do cult classics belong to a generation or a specific group within a generation?

Mr. Fleig

Modern Cult films

Candice, was the book you were reading The Perks of being a Wallflower because in that book he and his friends reenact the Rocky Horror Picture show. If not, which book?

Also, Mr. Fleig, maybe some cult movies could be: Star Wars, Star Trek (I know not exactly our generation) or Napoleon Dynamite. Also maybe: Animal House, The Heathers, Dazed and Confused, Monty Python's the Meaning of Life, Sixteen Candles, The Goonies, Stranger than Paradise, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, Office Space and Donnie Darko.


-Alyce

Cult Classic

Candice,

Can you (or anyone) name a film that is 'cult' for your generation?

Mr. Fleig

Response

My first question is—what is so incredibly spectacular about this movie that it qualifies as a “cult” movie (along with Rocky Horror Picture Show), or, as the article puts it—“its presence is dependent on the big screen”. I feel like the article is directed towards people who have viewed the movie, so it was really hard for me to follow this article. I really am interested in seeing it and really hope that it is all this article (and other people apparently—“a few remained in their seats for the entire bird-call-scored credits, waiting until the last avian note faded to silence in the empty room”) is making it out to be. The only cult film I have heard of is Rocky Horror Picture Show. I was reading a novel a few years ago and the main character and his friends spent the weekends at the theater alternating roles of this film. I wanted to rent it, but my mom stopped me saying it was nothing without seeing it in the theater reenacted by the audience. After reading this article, I have a better understanding of what a “cult” film is. It obviously is more than an extreme gusto for a film—it is an obsession. It inspires the audiences so much that they are compelled to reenact the film. I think that “cult” is an interesting and entertaining element of film that is so rarely highlighted upon (to my knowledge, at least). I’m really interested in hearing about how the “cult” for The New World develops.

-Candice

Village Voice Article

Check out this article from yesterday's Village Voice:

Paradise Now

What do you consider a cult film? What types of films are cult films?

Mr. Fleig

Prytania Theater...

Follow this link for some info on a really interesting info on a single-screen theater in New Orleans. I stayed with my friend’s cousin who works at it and it seems pretty neat. It is the last single-screen theater in the state… it would be fun to go one day…road trip!

http://www.theprytania.com/

-Candice

P.S. They are currently showing Munich

DAYS OF HEAVEN QUESTIONS (surprise!)

Mr. Fleig,

We were very disappointed, let down rather, that you failed to come to class today. However, we did notice that you were well enough to critique our grammatical “skills” (or lack there of), so we appreciate that. Moreover, we have decided, as a class, that our comments on the film will all be the same. Thus, we are making one large post just for you. Through our mature class discussion, a special bond has kindled within the 8th hour film class that you so fortunately lead. And we have also grown to a deeper understanding of the film, ‘Days of Heaven’.

“Your eyes... Your ears... Your senses... will be overwhelmed” – hardly. The landscape depicts the attitudes and lifestyles of the characters in the film. The movie is set during the depression and the landscape provides the work that is required to survive during those difficult times. The landscape, because it is barren, really reflects the characters. It is also flat, which portrays their “hum-drum” and simple life. Static landscape= static characters. How does it shape the characters? Because of the barren land, it causes the characters to want to progress in their own lives to get out of their personal depression. These are the motives for Abby marrying Sam Shepard. I think it causes Bill to become desperate—there is nothing to do so it makes him long for getting away and for better things (such as money). Their desperation causes their downfall. One hundred percent of the class agrees that we are shaped by our physical surroundings. For example, how much do you use a car? What if you did not have a car? What if you knew everyone in your town or you only knew people who live in your neighborhood? Your thoughts, actions, and character are all therefore shaped by your surroundings.

Abby’s original character was innocent and passive. She used Bill (her boyfriend) as an excuse for her marriage to Sam Shepard. She appeared to be innocent and possess pure intentions, but the conclusion of her character reveals her true motives throughout the film. They were purely selfish.



~ The Class

9 Hours on a Plane...

Over the break I went to England with school, which was amazing, but best of all involved a 9-hour flight home with a personal television. This meant that I got to catch up on my viewing and watch 3 movies.
First I saw Prime, starring Uma Thurman, about a 37-year divorce dating a 23-year-old whose mother happens to be her shrink. They go through multiple twists and turns as the plot unfolds and everyone eventually realizes the convoluted situation encompassing them. The major thematic moment of the movie is a close-up on Meryl Streep (the psychiatrist mother) as she says, "Sometimes you love, and you learn, and you move on." Rather than being any sort of free-love, no-boundaries propaganda, the movie closes on a more conservative note. Overall I enjoyed it, but it wasn't any sort of exceptionally brilliant film making.
Next I watched Saint Ralph, a Canadian film I had never heard of before. The young star of the movie, Adam Butcher, did a fabulous job portraying the wide range of emotions demanded of him from young nervousness at his first date to his reactions to a mother suffering with cancer. Some of the subtle humor about the Catholic school Ralph attends can be especially appreciated after attending Catholic school for years. The movie manages to be inspirational and uplifting without veering into the territory of corny and unrealistic.
Lastly I watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, again. It was amazing as usual. The special effects are fantastic, and the cast is incredible. Still, the book is better, so if you haven't yet, go read it.

All for now, Helen

Spelling

Ladies,

Remember to check your spelling on your posts. The last few posts have spelling and punctuation errors.

MrF

Now for the Oscars...

Well, first off- over the holidays I got pretty excited when I saw the "Mad as Hell" clip on CNN news, as well as the Oscars. I felt cool.

Now for the Oscars... I wanted to comment on the use of montage during the show. I thought that was amazing. Taking all the film clips and putting them in a montage to pay homage to talents of the past, I thought, really worked well with the theme of the show. Seeing stars and scenes that I could point out because of this class was so awesome!

Also, could I be happier Crash won best picture? I think not. I think it's really awesome that the Oscars didn't just pick the biggest blockbusters of the films, but actually looked into movies that may not have been as popular. These movies seem to showcase raw talent and focus more on making sure they are well-done than worrying about what people want to see. Some of these movies were not movies that may be comfortable to watch, but they had a point and made a statement.

I didn't think Stewart did that bad. His intro wasn't the best thing I have ever heard, but I totally understand that he was probably under so much pressure for getting this gig. He probably won't be asked back, but many jokes he made I thought were very funny. Example: "I do have some sad news to report. Bjork couldn't be here tonight. She was trying on her Oscar dress and Dick Cheney shot her."

Stewart relayed my thoughts on the Three 6 Mafia win precisely. "For those of you scoring at home, that's Martin Scorsese: zero Oscars, Three 6 Mafia: one."

Now, moving on to the Lucas article. I agree with him. I think that this year seriously changed what people want to see in films. People who work on Indie films with smaller budgets are more willing to take risks than those who spend hundreds of millions of dollars creating a movie they expect everyone to see. "Is that good for the business? No--it's bad for the business. But moviemaking isn't about business. It's about art!" Go Lucas!

Liz... again. (you're welcome.)

Down with Love

Weird- I couldn't post to blogger.com from home! I can't even get to the site... so here is a reveiw I did like a week ago.

This weekend I rented the movie Down with Love. I have always wondered about this movie- the cover has caught my eye and the upcoming movie The Break Up was directed by the same director, Peyton Reed. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this film. This movie pays homage to the romantic comedies filmed by Doris Day and Rock Hudson in the 1960’s.

The movie begins when Barbara Novak(Zellweger) has just written her first book, “Down with Love”, which is a book essentially coaching the modern women of the 60’s into being independent, single women who can do all that men can do. Barbara’s editor gets her the hookup with the most prestigious men’s magazine out there, Know. Catcher Block (McGregor) is a famous writer who is going to send this book to new heights by writing a cover story on Barbara and her book. However, after four meetings Novak is fed up with his silly excuses and tells him off. Well, after an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show Barbara’s novel becomes extraordinarily popular and men everywhere are giving her the cold shoulder because she’s changing women all over. She publicly acknowledges Catcher as being one of the worst men out there. He decides to write one of his famous exposés on her book. He poses as an astronaut who hasn’t been on earth for the past few months (therefore he has missed the entire controversy over Novak and how she has changed women). By doing this, he is able to woo her and basically “break” her and prove that she’ll still fall for love. There’s a little twist at the end. Nothing special, but I guess they needed a little more to the plot. There is one scene were Zellweger has a very long monologue, and apparently this took six days of filming to get it perfect.

Many aspects contributed to the movie’s seemingly retro appeal. The acting, the music and the cinematography was extremely stylized and precise. Of course, there were modern twists and ounces of innuendo added in to make sure the movie appealed to today’s audience. McGregor did an incredible job portraying a smooth and cunning ladies’ man of the 60’s, and Zellweger did an adorable job as a prissy, independent and endearing lady. My favorite characteristic of this movie was the sets. There were many colorful and extremely stylized backdrops, making the movie’s look very theatrical. I read that Peyton Reed went on eBay to find most of the props used in this movie… pretty crazy! According to IMDB, “To create this movie's vivid, stylized appearance, cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth digitally color-timed the movie to simulate the appearance of three-strip Technicolor.” 55 sets were built for this movie!

All in all, I thought the movie was very enjoyable. I would definitely recommend it, it was very light and airy but also very theatrical, which I enjoy.

LIZZ

Forbes Magazine Article on George Lucas

What do you think about Lucas'opinion?

Article:
Lucas Predicts Death Of Big-Budget Movies

Mr. Fleig

I Concur

I completely agree with A. Thibs on this one. “It’s hard out here for a pimp”??? I never thought the words “the Oscar goes to...” would end in pimp. Another thing I have to disagree with is Capote, granted I never saw the movie but I don’t think talking like a girl can out do singing like Johnny Cash. And as much as I love Heath and a good gay cowboy movie I defiantly think that Joaquin deserved that one. Something that will probably upset a lot of you too, I think that Jon Stewart was awful. I hated the little political commercials for the actresses it took away the sophistication and elegance of the whole night. Leave that stuff to the MTV movie awards.
Blair

Best original song? Are you sure?

Ok so was anyone else dissapointed with the performance by three six mafia, or 3 6 mafia, or three 6 mafia, however you say it. I thought it was less than impressive and they could have gotten entertainers of better quality to be the first rap performance in Academy history. I also don't really think they should have won for best original song. Seriously, a whole year of songs and that is what the academy chooses?

I know this isn't totally film related but it was at the Oscars and I really needed to vent.

A. Thibs

Oscars

Alyce, I felt pretty cool for knowing something too…did you see the clip from In the Heat of the Night also? “They call me Mista Tibbs”… I loved it. Also, I’m so glad Crash won best picture.

-Candice

Back at ya Fleig

In response maybe inferior was not the term I was going for, but the parts given to the husband do not provide much leeway for dynamic change. I felt that the roles of the two rebels had much slack to work with, when the clean cut man should be given a little more to balance it out.

~Jessica A.

Fleig does know a thing or two about film

Do you remember when Mr. Fleig showed us that clip of the man in the newsroom going crazy as an example of a really long and drawn out monolouge. Well, they totally included that clip in a montage of "films that addressed an issue" during the Academy Awards. They showed the clip of the man saying, "Now I want everyone to go out to their window and scream 'I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore' ". I thought that was kind of cool and I felt "in the know"...for once in my life.

See you all tomorrow!

*alyce

CNN Article

Read this article on Network:
Lumet recalls 'Network,' 30 years later

Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?

Hello my favorite film class

Happy Ash Wednesday. I am currently in Austin, Texas (ATX) staying with my brother, his two messy roommates, and two black lab puppies—I’m having OODLES of fun. Anyway, I watched Stephen Frear’s High Fidelity, based on Nick Hornby’s novel. I have seen the movie quite a few times, but I was really in the mood to watch it last night, and plus the blog is looking pretty lonely these days. The movie stars the Cusack siblings (John and Joan). They are incredibly witty and dynamic together. Rob (John Cusack) stars as a lonely, depressed, and cynical record store-owner that broods over his recent and past breakups. He uses “top-five” lists throughout the movie for various things: singles, albums, breakups, etc. The movie also gains comedy through Jack Black, who works alongside Rob in the record store. The movie centers on music and the reality of heartbreak, but in the least cheesy way possible. I read the novel as well and, for the first time, enjoyed the movie a lot more. I really suggest watching it. Anyway, in the spirit of top-fives, my all time favorite movies are:

1. Almost Famous


2. Dead Poet’s Society


3. High Fidelity


4. American Beauty


5. Amelie

Yay…. Have a good holiday

-C. Bates

Motivations

Motivations...well I'd say love is the most obvious motivation. In each movie the guy longs for the girl he can’t have yet can’t seem to stop longing for. Also, money plays a part in motivating the women to stay with the men they are already with.
-Leigh Ann King

Christy

What are 3 parallels that can be made between both films, their characters, plots, settings, acting, etc. ?


The plotline of each movie is very similar and both are set in Texas. Each of the "rich" characters owns his own land and runs a business of sorts--whether it be cattle or wheat. The plot of both movies follows someone who let himself become controlled by greed. I think that James Dean's character and Richard Gere's character are very similar in that they have the cool, laidback attitude, and they both want the rich man's wife. The end<3
Ps I had to put a picture of James because he's so cute

Liz

1. I was thinking the same thing as your number 3, Alyce. Both movies revolve around a one woman and how she effects two other men. huge similarity!
2. The house. In many movies that involve people working on a plantation or farm, it seems that the house is either shown from the inside or the outside, depending on the point of view. Both of these movies, at some point, are shown from both the inside and outside views…basically meaning that the life of both the working class and the upper class is shown in some way.
3. This is kind of a personal similarity. In both movies I’m not really sure which guy I want to get the girl. In Giant, Jett is so easy on the eyes I can’t help but want her to get together with him. However, I can’t really find a reason for her not to be with her husband. In Days of Heaven, I can’t decide which man I want her to be with. I think I’m more worried about her being poor and having to work again than I am about her being in love.

Again, it's a bit hard to try to come up with something new after everyone has posted!

:D

*Both are old films that are set in even older times

*Both are set in a rural area with a random big house

*Both are about rich people who own a lot of land

-Jessica Benton

Inferior?

Jessica, are Rock Hudson and Sam Shepard inferior actors, or do the roles they play suggest different attitudes, more sublime, gentle or honest, than the actors who star opposite them?

Mr. Fleig

GIANT vs. DOH

The theme of the movie is very different from what I have seen so far, but the premise is basically the same. In Giant the idea of being moved to this distant, secluded area is shown constantly by the migrant workers in Days of Heaven. Then the idea of the less fortunate coming into fortune, good luck, and living a better life come true in both situations. Then finally a movie cannot be complete without a steamy love triangle, where in both movies the actual husband seems to be the more passive, inferior actor to the roles of Dean and Gere.

~Jess A

Motivations

What motivates the characters? What are they after and why are they after it? These questions may help guide you when addressing the similarities.

Mr. Fleig

Candice's Answer

1. Characters: The characters of Richard Gere and James Dean both long for the love of the woman character opposite their lifestyles. Even though Gere began with the main woman character, she ends up falling in love with the person he pressured her into marrying. James Dean, also, falls for Leslie and wants to be with her throughout the movie, as shown in his last scene through his drunken speech.

1. Setting: The most obvious parallels in settings between the movies are that they are set in Texas in the middle of no where. The land and layout are also similar as well.

1. Acting: The characters have very dynamic personalities and are well-developed throughout the movie. Throughout both movies, characters were surprising and ambiguous.

I don’t know if this is right, I think it was difficult to not repeat what other people have already said.

-Candice

???

Alyce, he looks like Dean because he is Dean. That pic is from Giant.

Mr. Fleig

Ok, well that makes sense then because I didn't remember seeing that scene in what we watched on Wednesday. I feel dumb.

Another similarity to replace my dumb one: Both of the husbands in the movies are very attractive (that's awful I know but it's the only one I can think of).

*alyce

ok some similarities

1. I don't know if its a stretch to say that Richard Gere and James Dean have similar personalities/acting styles but maybe they do? They both kind of have a suave and effortless approach to acting.
2. In that image fleig posted of Gere covered in nasty black soot, he looks a lot like James Dean did right after he dicovered on Little Rietta.
3. The movie centers around an exuberant female lead and her effects on two other men

alyce

uhh

1. The house from Giant is very similar to the one in Days of Heaven. Not only do they look similar, but they were both located in the middle of miles and miles of nothing land.
2. In each movie, there seems to be a love triangle or really more of a love angle-- two guys showing affection for the same gal.
3. They both took place in Texas.

Puckett

Days of Heaven vs. Giant

I want each student to post an answer to this question by 8th on Friday, Feb. 24. What are 3 parallels that can be made between both films, their characters, plots, settings, acting, etc. ?

"Too flip to be serious and too smug to be rousing."

Last night I watched a movie called Pretty Persuasion with a friend. This movie was also a Sundance nominee, and we thought that it had an interesting cast containing Evan Rachel Wood (Thirteen), Ron Livingston (Office Space , plays Berger on "Sex and the City”), Selma Blair and James Woods (Virgin Suicides). I can’t say that I liked it all that much- the movie just never drew me in.

This movie was a dark comedy about a girl, Kimberley, who will basically go to any lengths to ensure herself a career in acting. In many reviews I have read about this film they all take note of the movie’s all around mean-spiritedness and also it just seems like the movie is trying too hard to shock, and when I feel as though a movie is trying too hard I find it hard to enjoy. You know how they have movies or TV shows that make you say “AH I can’t believe they did/showed that!”? Well, you could tell Pretty Persuasion was asking for that kind of reaction and it didn’t particularly deliver. In trying to be a hard-core Mean Girls, it ends up coming off as a blatantly offensive movie. Also, in trying to touch on the racism pointed towards the people from the Middle East, the movie comes off as too rude, too nasty, and a bit racist in itself. I understand that the director, Marcos Siega, wanted to create a quirky and honest dark comedy similar to Ghost World; however, there is very little humanity shown throughout the movie and it seems as though there is too much focus on the wickedness possessed by these young characters. The characters have very little depth and many scenes just seem useless. Thinking back on the characters, I can’t find a protagonist. It seems as though there is no one character that you like or that you find an ounce on depth in. One reviewer, Bruce Kirkland, claimed "Muckrakes in such a convoluted, bizarre way that it threatens to become what it seems to be satirizing: A racist, homophobic, mean-spirited tract,” and I must say I agree 100%.

All in all, I didn’t enjoy it so much. It definitely didn’t make for the best Valentine’s Day movie to watch but Blockbuster was out of basically every chick flick. I wouldn’t recommend it but who knows, it may just be your cup of tea.

-- sorry, i always forget my name
LIZ