Do the Right Thing

This movie I believe touched on a lot of different subjects. Even though Spike Lee was going for that "ah-ha i got you" moment it provided much more than just that. I think this movie was suppose to illustrate racial tension and violence amongst races in the city or urban setting. This I believe was covered very well but in doing so it, I believe, only helped to perpetuate racial tension instead of decreasing it. First of all, it was not seen as a few "individuals" making wrong decisions, it turned into a person of a certain race doing something wrong. This in itself was a bad idea to emphasize. First of all the cop did the wrong thing hands down but now it's all white people's faults and it's Sal's fault for killing him? no that is completely incorrect but the veil of racial hatred blinds those from that crucial fact. We feel bad for Sal because Sal had nothing to do with the killing. And we don't feel bad for RadioRaheem because he was not well liked and he was rude and repulsive. Not because he was Black but because he was just a weird and crazy guy. There in lies the problem, when do people start taking responsiblility for individual actions?

NPR: The Review

I thought it was very cool that it got so many awards and gratification even upon being viewed at a later date. Also I think it was very cool how they said it used "neo-documentary" techniques. Because I don't think I could have said it any better. It had done a fine job and really stayed true to the "non-fiction" feel. That was another part that i really liked about it. Because that part was also very true and ran parallel to what i was thinking as well.

China Town

This movie was a very interesting modern Film Noir. A lot of the components that made this movie were like its predecessor aka Kiss me Deadly and Out of the Past, though this time it had a little modern flare. To begin with it was in color. Though many believe for this reason alone it should not be counted among the regal realm of Film Noir I don't believe it does anything to truly harm the title of Film noir. Because like it said in the packet, "it is about mood and tone.." and I believe China Town does just that. For example having a detective such as Gittes, "Check" having a Femfatal aka Ms. Morae "Check" having the main characters be weary of the future "Check" having a complicated past "Check". If anything this movie exemplifies what a film Noir is. Even though it doesn't fit the mold exactly sometimes one must break the mold to truly make the mold.

Kiss Me Deadly

This film left a bad taste in my mouth regarding Film Noirs. I have a high regard for Film Noirs in general they are very well done, at least the ones I saw before Kiss Me Deadly. I'm sorry if I'm knocking Kiss Me Deadly too much but it's just that it was too jumbled and had too much mellow drama. Some of the aspects were fun to laugh at but I was unable to take them seriously. One character who only made car noises for the majority of this screen time. Yes indeed it's Va-Va-Voom himself. This character I thought did very little to help the movie's plot. Also the beginning of the movie was anything but typical. It had lets say a very interesting sound track to accompany the opening credits. Also I feel the opening credits were very irritating and annoying. I guess if that's what they were going for they succeeded. But like I said before the movie I believe the movie was a comical show. Even though it can be listed under the "B" movie umbrella that does not however give it the right to be an awful movie. I think overall the movie did a fine job in satirizing the Film Noir genre. I also understand that this movie was to expand our film going palette but believe me this is one movie I won't suggest to my friends when they want something "new" to watch. Many of the components within the movie were far to distracting, such as a sweating women, Va-Va-Voom and also the Wa-wa-wa-wa-wa-wa box at the end. I'm sorry if these opinions clash with yours but I guess i'm just not ready to accept a bad movie with a blind eye.

Out of the Past

This movie for me embodied every man's struggle with beautiful women. Even though their personalities may repulse you, you are still lured in by that sweet smile or alluring gaze. For Jeff it was no different. This woman shot other men and in the end even tried shooting him, but he still stayed loyal. For me this was kinda a let down. Because I thought of Jeff as being a patient and meticulous guy who can knock guys out with one punch while answering phones. But when it comes to women he crumbles. But overall Jeff's character was still pretty cool. He was always very articulate when he was talking with the other guys and with Wit. Not to say he wasn't very talented with the ladies but it always seemed he got the short end of the stick. This movie I believe really points out the battle of the sexes and how even though women do some crazy things (not to say men don't but in this case it's a woman) men (as in Jeff) come back. I don't know if this was a fad going on during the time of the movie but I still see the same things going on now a days. In closing I believe Jeff really does need to set the gallows high because he's in for one hell of a plunge.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

I think this movie makes a strong connection between the movie world and the real world. An interesting conversation we had at the beginning of the movie was if anyone would want to have their memory erased, or at least a portion. There were a lot of mixed reviews though I had thought that first everyone would have been anti-memory loss but as people started to speak I started to see how maybe having portions of your memory erased wouldn't be that bad. For some their past is riddled with bad experiences and sometimes less than flattering moments, so to have those erased may actually solve some of the present problems they are facing now. But in all fairness to erase one's past is also erasing what makes them who they are. And for that reason alone i don't believe that memory erasing should be allowed. Also when would it stop, and where would just "mood swings" become "memory mashing" I don't think people should be able to erase frivolous information or events. An example of frivolous would be trying to erase that embarrassing Christmas party or that unfortunate hockey game. To erase these moments would be erasing our learning experiences, no matter how humbling they may be. Over all memories play a large role in how we function and make up our memory bank of mistakes and stumbles so that we can be more prepared for the future. To erase that would be to erase ourselves.

His Girl Friday

I think the movie pokes fun at a number of societal figures. They range from the down-to-earth average Joe to the man of power and prestige, the mayor. This movie does an amazing job breaking down and rebuilding the characters with a hint of satiric spice. For example, the character who delivers the reprieve to the mayor is just some average Joe. But the movie goes on to make him out to be a family man with very little competence and stature. This I believe is to the further press the point that being normal, is well, boring. Another example of boring being normal is the character of Bruce. Though he is a mild mannered and kind fellow he is never able to grasp the situation quite as quickly as Hildy and her male counter part Walter. Clearly this is a jibe at the common man and how bland his life is in comparison to that of a fancy and sophisticated newsman such as Walter. Another example of caste criticism is the character of Hildy. Though she is a women she plays a very dominating role in this movie. From her sometimes violent encounters with Walter to her cool headed demeanor in tight situations, she's a man but much more attractive. She combats the common stereotype of helplessness and demolishes the standards of quietness and submissiveness. A good example of a women stereotype is the character of Molly who ultimately jumps off a building, go figure. This movie does a fine job of taking common issues and positions and warping them into something funny and unexpected.

Unforgiven Post

I chose to write about the final gun scene in the movie. In this scene I think there is a lot of character development as well as great over all action. Will's rugged determination really sets the scene for when he silently creeps into the bar during Little Bill's pep talk. I think the choice of having the gun cocking as one of the first indicators of Will's presence was a great idea by the director. It really set the tone for the rest of the shot, no pun intended. Also while Will shoots all of the men he does so in such a methodical method that it really shows what type of person he was as a youth. Up until then he had been shown as rusty but here I think he returns to his former glory. Though I believe the fact that he allowed some of the people to leave to be a sign that the old Will is back but with a different twist. Almost as if all of his late wife's guidance hadn't been all wasted. This shot was very compelling and very justifying I believe. Even though Little Bill was just trying to keep a fair and safe town he really got on my nerves. So I was more than happy to see him taken care of. This final scene was a lot different compared to that of other western endings I have scene. Usually it is an old school shoot out but here it's more modern gangster movie with a little bit more gutsy moves. This scene was a proper climax to the movie and I think it was directed perfectly.

Drunken Master II

For my review and behind the scenes look I chose Drunken Master II, directed by Lar Kar-Leung. I chose this movie because it is not only on the Time's 100 greatest movie lists but also because it's one of my favorite movies of all time. The choreographers, Jackie Chan and Lar Kar- Leung, use explosive moves and great technique to not only highlight different fighting styles but they also stays true to their form and method which is hard to find with a lot of martial arts movies today. I will be analyzing two different fight scenes within the movie. My first fight scene is the one underneath the train to the farm house.

"Underneath the train - farm house"




Within this fight scene Jackie Chan faces off with an old legend in the martial arts movie industry, Lar Kar-Leung, who also directed the film. Here we see the styles of the Chinese spear
(Qiang) vs. the Chinese sword. The scene starts with both Jackie and Lar beneath the train fighting. Jackie utilizes quick maneuvers and the compact spacing to neutralize Lar's long ranged weapon, the spear. The moves that are performed within this sequence are extremely dangerous for 2 main reasons the speed at which the spear thrusts are done and the closed spacing. Jackie then finds a Chinese sword which is extremely flexible. This sword is primarily used for slicing because it is pretty much a huge flexible razor. This sword may seem weak compared to that of a Chinese "Jian" or straight sword but is extremely quick, sharp and versatile when is comes to fighting. The basic deflecting techniques used by Jackie in the fight scene are common technique while using this weapon because it allows the practitioner to also deflect but also to counter quite quickly. After the weapons are thrown to the side, Jackie utilizes the style of Drunken boxing. Drunken boxing is a type of martial art that relies on acting just as much as power to be a successful fighter. By acting I mean that most of the moves come from what would seem as "unstable" stances and awkward positions such as attacking while you have your back to your opponent. These type of techniques are only effective if opponent can be lulled into a sense of superiority or safety. This style is especially popular for martial arts demonstrations because it relies on acting so heavily.

"In the Restaurant"



In this scene Fu man chi (Lar) and Feng Hung (Jackie) take on the dreaded "Axe Gang". The axe gang has actually appeared in a more recent movie, Kung Fu Hustle. This fight scene is so extraordinary because it not only involves a massive fight scene but it stay creative. With a lot of movies, massive fight scenes may appear all the same or just a bunch of punching. But here it's quite different. Lar and Jackie utilize not only the first level but also the second level of the building. This is very important because it allows viewers to see massive action on the top and bottom of the screen. Also while watching this I remember seeing a similar type of scene in Matrix reloaded when Neo fights off all the Mr. Smiths, though with his fight scene it was all CGI. And for that exact reason, this figth scene is amazing. The onslaught of opponents thrown at Jackie and Lar make the fight scene fast paced and extremely action packed. Jackie utilizes simple things such as benches and tables to fight off countless opponents. And at one point Jackie uses a broken bamboo stick to take on the majority of the axe gang. This creative and unorthodox type fighting make this movie and scene exceptionally good. This movie is one of the best movies I have ever seen in my life. Truly this movie has earned its position on the top 100.

Stage Coach

My favorite scene in the movie was the Indians chasing the stage coach on the way to Lordsburg. This scene is truly amazing in many different facets of the movie making process. First of all the mere fact that Ford is able to break the 180 rule and still have an amazing and attractive shot is truly amazing. I think that Ford was able to do so because the scenery is so vast, empty and that it doesn't have any distinctive land marks. I don't think he could have gotten away with this if it was in a city area because the audience would pick up on certain land marks. Secondly i think this shot is fantastic because of the stunt work involved. Jumping from horse to horse is truly amazing not only because it's dangerous but also because i could never do it (i'm allergic to horses). But the stunt man doesn't stop there, he gets "shot" in the back and falls in between the horses and is nearly trampled by the stage coach. Even for our time this stunt is truly amazing and daring. I was very impressed and in awe of not only the mere fact that the man did it but also because i knew it was all legit and no CGI was involved. This movie definitely set the bar for future stunts in other movies. Thirdly, another part of this scene that was also cool was the shots of the horses and stagecoach from a low angle. I've seen this used in other movies but I think it was truly effective in this movie. Overall this scene made the movie for me. I thought up until then the plot of mediocre at best and the gun fights and script boring but this movie really made the movie interesting and more enjoyable. I guess it goes to show that great action movies span the spectrum of movie genres.

Citizen Kane

My favorite aspect about the movie was the elaborate setting and "costumes". The overall theme of the movie is wealth and I think this movie did the best in the showing it off. I usually am accustomed to seeing fancy cars or high priced villas but to see such display of massive wealth with all the statues and paintings was truly a sight. The shot where they're in the Xanadu mansion and Susan is doing a puzzle is one of the best examples. The sheer size of the fire place and rooms are caverns of wealth in themselves. This is a perfect example of Mise-en-scene with all the high class clothing and elaborate settings. The crane shot in the end of the movie is another tribute to not only wealth but creativity. To get all of those pieces together and to film over them was revolutionary for that time. Maybe not the crane shot but the sheer magnitude at which the screen was filled. This movie was a great and intriguing movie that even gave big budget movies today a run for their money.

Film Review : Rashoman

I decided to view the movie "Rashoman" which was directed by Akira Kurosawa. This movie was surprisingly good, it had many twists and turns which allowed even a black and white film a chance against the larger color movies. The movie employed a certain "Clue" aspect because it involved many different characters witnessing the same event but telling very different accounts. The basic story line is that a local woodsmen ventures into the forest in search of kindling and wood but instead finds something much more horrifying. A brutally murdered samurai lays at the side of the path. The Woodsmen quickly runs and notifies the proper authorities, who then find 3 other witnesses to the immediate crime. The movie continues with each of the witnesses' accounts. The director uses flashback to the retell each of the character's stories. This I thought was a very effective way with which to approach the story line. The character's perspectives are all completely different which makes the movie always suspenseful. The experience during the movie could be comparable to a puzzle piece egg hunt. It is like this because with every new piece found, another dimension of the story is uncovered. Even though the filming is in black and white the director is able to use different shades of light to reflect the general mood of the characters. The setting is in three locations, the woods, the police station and the run down monastery. The movie's basic idea looks like just a piece together situation but if you look deep down into the story line it does a wonderful job highlighting the true nature of human beings. The priest played by Minoru Chiaki symbolizes an innocent bystander and his loss of hope for humanity. The bandit played by Toshiro Mifune symbolizes someone who acts purely on human desires and feels no guilt for his actions. The woodcutter played by Takashi Shinmura symbolizes a true human being who does sin but feels guilt and shame for what he has done. The wife played by Machiko Kyo is a mixed representation of women and deception. The samurai played by Masayuki Mori represents the ways of old nobility and pride. The combination of all different class systems and wide array of motives provides the movie with a twisting and interesting plot. This movie overall was superb and had a great life meaning as well. I really enjoyed this movie and I don't think i would have ever seen it unless it was for this project.

Movie Plan

Title: "Snatch"
Plot:
A young women dressed in a formal suit walks down the high end area of a suburban area expecting nothing other than a few rain drops on this especially humid morning though she ran into much more than that. As she waits to cross an intersection a young man waits in the shadow of a bench just behind her. He pounces on her and grabs her purse which is particularly heavy. He dashes off leaving the girl to gather her self up and call for help. A runner on his daily route notices the girl in distress. He dashes over to her and asks why she is in a such a panic. She responds between gasps of air that her purse had been stolen and that it...but decides to not say any more about the contents of her purse. Filled with courage the runner quickly asks the women to point out which direction the man had run. As he looks in that direction he sees the man just about to round a corner. The man strides after the assailant with such speed that he is able to make it there just seconds after the man had turned the corner. As soon as he rounds the corner he sees the man now joined by another running in the same direction, shoving the people in their path. He follows and soon catches up to them. But one man sees him and pushes a group of soccer players. As one of the boys falls he drops his ball right in front of the runner. The runner does a rainbow to half volley and knocks the man onto his face. As the man falls he wails in pain and his partner whirls around to see what had happened. The man on the ground throws the purse to the other man right before getting kicked by the runner as he chases after the now solo thief. (the runner notices a symbol on the back of the fallen man's neck) The two men run through and over various obstacles and finally end up in a wide open area. The runner thinks that he has the man. But out of no where emerges 3 other men, 2 of which carry wooden swords. A fight soon ensues with all men taken care of by the runner. The runner also notices the symbol on the back of their necks as well. The runner retrieves the purse and brings it back to the young women who is waiting on the same park bench as before. The women looks up with a tear streaked face and her facial composure changes from grief to elation. The young women graciously thanks the runner but rather hastily grabs the purse to check the contents within the purse. She soon realizes that the "contents" in her purse are missing. She looks up and responds to the runner "they're gone!". (this is part one of the whole movie in its entirety)

Amygdala

Amygdala

Journal # 1

I chose to read the review of "3:10 to Yuma" by Armond White. He is a critic of the New York Press. His review was a very narrow view into the overall movie of 3:10 to Yuma. He made me feel like that movie was just a cliché of all the western movies I've ever seen before mashed into a poorly plotted movie. This was an excerpt from his review "After ending with numerous bangs, it offers the slump of “Oh yeah, I’ve seen that before". This in turn made me not want to see the movie. He chose to instead talk about War and say how great that movie was and how it was under appreciated and a much better movie over all. He summed up his thoughts about War and 3:10 to Yuma in this excerpt "Anyone interested in new masculine archetypes (and their moral quandary) should seek out Jet Li and Jason Statham in Philip G. Atwell’s War". His argument is very interesting in that he focuses on the fact that this movie is merely "another" western movie. Personally I believe this movie was very well done. I thought that the director used many crucial angles and amazing plot development to make this movie truly amazing. Also adding new special affects and well known actors allows this movie to not only take a step out of the old western genre but also into a new level of western movies all together. White's line " But we’ve rarely seen a western this unprovocative" is clearly incorrect. I believe White is just pissed because his "War" movie didn't get the acclimate and awards that 3:10 to Yuma had acquired. This quote sums up his over all feelings for this movie "It’s some kind of bad joke that a lame genre movie like the new western 3:10 to Yuma gets prestige treatment while War, an ideal example of genre filmmaking, gets ignored"clearly this reviewer has just got his nickers in a twist over what seems like his obsession "War". But the reviewer does not rip the director (James Mangold" completely apart, he does give him props for some of his previous movies and his ability to build and refine characters through out a movie such as walk the line. But this almost seems as if it is a smoke screen for the upcoming onslaught he has in store for Mangold. The reviewer clearly states that the movie lacks anything even remotely interesting. "...but builds up to a poorly plotted, shoddily executed gun battle". Overall I believe this review did a very poor job in addressing the overall theme, setting or plot. This reviewer is not doing his job and should, I believe, be fired. But the mere fact that he addresses other movies, which weren't always directed by the same director, in this review makes his points clouded and pompous. Moreover the very fact that he has convinced himself that War is a far superior movie than 3:10 to Yuma clearly shows an unhealthy bias and the review reeks of bigotry. I stick by my statement before that he should be fired. I will not be reading any of his reviews anytime soon.

About me...

I am a fan of most movies though the horror movies can be more scary then enjoyable. My favorite film is Rush Hour I. But i feel that the third one did little justice to its predecessors. I enjoy most films though i would like to see more foreign films because they always seem to have a different cultural spin on things which allow old topics to become fresh and reinvented. Movies are an enjoyable pass time of mine and i hope to see many more blockbuster hits that aren't all advertisement.