...Week 5: Final Film Critique ENG 225: Introduction to Film Instructor Stephanie Miclot 03 Mar 2014 I have chosen the film Armageddon as the final film critique in this course. Armageddon was released to the America in 1998. The film was directed by Michael Bay, and written by J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Hensleigh. While there were a number of high-profile actors in this film, the undoubtedly biggest stars in this film were Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thorton, Ben Affleck, and Liv Tyler. (Imdb, 2008). Armageddon was a movie with a lot of potential, that was poorly written from the start and dismally executed on screen. While I am a fan of quite a few cast members, I was disappointed with this film as a whole. Albeit the storyline certainly lineal, the entire movie was fragmented with action sequences that left the audience wondering just exactly what was going on. “Take almost any 30 seconds at random, and you’d have a TV ad.” (Ebert, 2008, para.1). Armageddon seems to have been tossed together in haphazardly fashion by it’s writers, replacing real scientific facts with your typical inaccurate, and dramatized hollywood one-liners fired off by the actors in this film at every turn. An example of the diluted science in this film is in the plot of the story itself. An asteroid the size of the state of Texas is cutting through space on course for a head on collision with Earth, at which point, is certain to destroy our planet, and end life...
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...The Final Chapter Deanna Schneider ENG 225 Instructor Danielle Day May 14, 2013 Breaking Dawn is the long awaited and highly anticipated end to the compelling tale of what seems to be an impossible romance between the immortal Edward Cullen and the irresistible human Bella Swan. Beginnings can be tricky, but Twilight got this series off to a fantastic start with its modern day fairy tale quality and heart stopping romance. Bella seems to be pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black She has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice, to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or pursue a fully human life, has become the thread from which the fate of two tribes hangs. Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella’s life – first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse – seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed… forever? The setting of this book is in a rainy town in Washington called Forks, where Edward Cullen, a gorgeous “good” vampire, first dazzled Isabella Swan, an average human being. After facing many complications to their relationship, they realize that they want nothing more than to keep the...
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...Film Critique: INSIDIOUS Intro to Film 225 Vera Baber Instructor: BradWaltman February 12, 2012 If you are looking for a good horror film to sit down and cuddle up with, and you aren’t bent on happy or predictable endings, Insidious is a gem that will not only scare and surprise you, but keep you thinking and without all the blood and gore that most horror films rely on these days. INSIDIOUS is a film about a family who moves into a new home and begins to experience some very strange phenomenon, such as items being moved from one place to another without any explanation. The setting is an old creepy house; with an attic full of items from the past, and which seems to draw people in; first the mother, then the son. The son Dalton ends up falling off of a ladder while playing in the attic. He seems to receive only a minor bump from the fall, but during the night while asleep in his bed, he mysteriously drifts off into a coma and is unresponsive when his parent try to wake him for school. He is then rushed to the hospital emergency room where his condition baffles doctors. They cannot understand why there is no brain damage which is usually accompanied with a coma, but they have no idea what else to call it. He is ultimately sent home to be cared for by his mother with the help of a part-time nurse. It is during this time that the paranormal activity really kicks off in the story. Most of the paranormal occurrences seem to take place during the day while the mother is home...
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...Final Film Critique: Crash (2004) Jay Dennis ENG 225 Introduction to Film Instructor: Cicely Young April 13, 2014 Final Film Critique Draft: Crash (2004) There are many different critical elements and artistic aspects to examine when analyzing and critiquing any film. In 2004 Paul Haggis wrote and directed the award winning drama Crash about various intertwining experiences involving racial relations and the socioeconomic status levels of the diverse cast of characters. This film addresses how humans being deal with real life circumstances and addresses how racial stereotypes and prejudices impact our society by causing a separation of customs, ignoring human and civil rights, and demonstrating how racism can cause moral, cultural and economical suffering. This detailed essay will address the cinematic elements employed throughout the movie, and provide a critical analysis on the various components and techniques used to create this compelling and powerful film. Crash is a movie that involves several different stories and plots that all manage to somehow connect the characters to each other in a series of events that take place during two days in California. America’s ever-growing melting pot is distinctly represented in the film as the audience is introduced to a black LAPD detective, two black mischievous car thieves, a white district attorney and his prejudice wife, a white racist beat cop and his neophyte partner, a black Hollywood director and his wife, an...
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...Final Film Critique– “The Help” Contextual Information Title: The Help Writers: Tate Taylor (screenplay), Kathryn Stockett (novel) Director: Tate Taylor Cinematographer: Stephen Goldblatt, Director of photography Major Actors: Emma Stone – Skeeter Phelan, Viola Davis – Abileen Clark, Bryce Dallas Howard - Hilly Holbrook, Octavia Spencer – Minny Jackson Release Date: August 10, 2011 Type of film: American Drama Based on a True Story Genre: Drama Black women raising white children, and the children loved them, and they loved them back, but yet were not allowed to use the toilets in their employer’s house. These are the moments of the black maids in 1963 in Jackson, Mississippi. Plot and Story The Help depicts the lives of black maids and their white employers exposing the racism that the black maids faced on a daily basis. The time is 1963 set in Jackson, Mississippi during the civil rights movement. The film that follows the lives of two black maids and a southern society girl, Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone), who returns home from college, eager to launch her dreams of being a writer. Skeeter wants to write a book to explain that racism doesn’t just mean withholding of education and voting rights. It is told from the perspective of the black maids so it is narrated through the movie as the voice of black maids that suffered the racism from their employers. The interviewing of the black maids, who spent their lives taking care of the prominent white...
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...Final Film Critique – LA Confidential Adam Ehinger Ashford University: ENG225 Instructor Michael O'Donnell 1/31/2015 Sometimes a movie makes a lasting impression on you as an individual, sometimes you'll come back to this movie time and time again. LA Confidential (1997) is a combination of a star studded cast and a scintillating detective story set in the 50's. The movie combines all aspects of movie making, from acting, directing, writing, mise en scene and all sorts of film techniques to make one of the most entertaining noir's you'll ever see. LA Confidential (1997) is directed by Curtis Hanson, he doesn't have this prolific history of stunning movies like some other directing heavy weights but he handles an a-list cast and directing duties admirably here. While most of the big names in the cast weren't technically BIG names yet they must have still had personalities or needed work to get the job done. Notably at least to me is Kim Basinger, someone who usually I do not enjoy, usually a weak point in movies for me, but in this she is perfectly fine, nothing to much, but not noticeable like usual, a feat in directing to me. The cast is name after name, Russel Crowe as the ham fisted Officer Bud White, Kevin Spacey playing the mercurial Detective Jack Vincennes, Guy Pearce in my eyes as his break out performance playing the golden child Ed Exley. You have a plethora of famous character actors to back these boys up, David Strathairn as...
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...The Elephant Man English 225 Introduction To Film 11/3/2012 I chose to critique the film “The Elephant Man” it is an iconic filmmaking endeavor. Director David Lynch shows the sadness and the scariness of deformities onto the audience in a way that touches your heart and leaves you with a sense of sadness and will also leave a tear in your eye. Most of the people who have watched this film are touched and completely changes the way they view crippled, weak, and deformed people in this world. The start of this film begins with Joseph Merrick’s incredible story being written into a play by Bernard Pomerance in 1979. This play is actually still performed from time to time and a wonderful play to see. Lynch’s film version was released the following year, and was not obtained from the play but it did give David Lynch his inspiration. Lynch based his film version of Merrick’s life on various biographical sources most of which were Merrick’s own words in his memoirs. The script, written by Lynch, contains information based upon Merrick’s memoirs and biography, as well as from Frederick Treves’ personal accounts. As far as historical accuracy is concerned, certain details have been altered to make the story suitable for film. For example, Merrick is referred to incorrectly as “John“. This inaccuracy is however, a perpetuation of the error that was made in history according to Frederick Treves’ account of the story. Lynch in an effort to maintain realism botches the name...
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...ENG 225 WEEK 4 ASSIGNMENT FINAL FILM CRITIQUE PREPARATION To purchase this visit following link: http://www.activitymode.com/product/eng-225-week-4-assignment-final-film-critique-preparation/ Contact us at: SUPPORT@ACTIVITYMODE.COM ENG 225 WEEK 4 ASSIGNMENT FINAL FILM CRITIQUE PREPARATION Final Film Critique Preparation. Look ahead at the Final Film Critique and review the instructions carefully. Use this time to prepare for the completion of your project. Review the feedback from your Week Two and Week Three assignments and integrate the suggested changes. Be sure to reach out to your instructor if you have questions. Activity mode aims to provide quality study notes and tutorials to the students of ENG 225 Week 4 Assignment Final Film Critique Preparation in order to ace their studies. ENG 225 WEEK 4 ASSIGNMENT FINAL FILM CRITIQUE PREPARATION To purchase this visit following link: http://www.activitymode.com/product/eng-225-week-4-assignment-final-film-critique-preparation/ Contact us at: SUPPORT@ACTIVITYMODE.COM ENG 225 WEEK 4 ASSIGNMENT FINAL FILM CRITIQUE PREPARATION Final Film Critique Preparation. Look ahead at the Final Film Critique and review the instructions carefully. Use this time to prepare for the completion of your project. Review the feedback from your Week Two and Week Three assignments and integrate the suggested changes. Be sure to reach out to your instructor if you have questions. Activity mode aims to provide quality study notes and tutorials...
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...ENG 225 Week 4 Assignment Final Film Critique Preparation Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/eng-225-week-4-assignment-final-film-critique-preparation Description Final Film Critique Preparation. Look ahead at the Final Film Critique and review the instructions carefully. Use this time to prepare for the completion of your project. Review the feedback from your Week Two and Week Three assignments and integrate the suggested changes. Be sure to reach out to your instructor if you have questions. ENG 225 Week 4 Assignment Final Film Critique Preparation Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/eng-225-week-4-assignment-final-film-critique-preparation Description Final Film Critique Preparation. Look ahead at the Final Film Critique and review the instructions carefully. Use this time to prepare for the completion of your project. Review the feedback from your Week Two and Week Three assignments and integrate the suggested changes. Be sure to reach out to your instructor if you have questions. ENG 225 Week 4 Assignment Final Film Critique Preparation Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/eng-225-week-4-assignment-final-film-critique-preparation Description Final Film Critique Preparation. Look ahead at the Final Film Critique and review the instructions carefully. Use this time to prepare for the completion of your project. Review the feedback from your Week Two and Week Three...
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... * Impact of society on the film and vice versa * Genre * Application of at least one approach to analysis and interpretation * Overall textual themes Writing Tips: * Students must select a film that they have not previously explored in class, either in written assignments or discussion posts. * Students must establish a coherent thesis statement in the introduction of their paper with a claim that they intend to prove. The body of the essay serves to support the thesis through an analysis of the film and other relevant material. Avoid simply rehashing descriptive material from other source. * Support your thesis through textual and formal analysis. Refer to specific shots, scenes, characters, stylistic devices, and themes in the film. * As much as possible, use technical, literary and industry terms to make your points. * If needed, you may use additional resources to support your claims. Suggested sources might include academic books and articles; film reviews; and personal opinions from reputable film critics and scholars. Information other than production details obtained from popular sources such as The Internet Movie Database and Wikipedia is not considered reputable. * Only use plot information to support the thematic points of the paper. Include only one to two sentences of plot summary when explaining each of the required filmic elements. * Also, students should not choose a film that the authors of the textbook...
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...Film review rebuttal Objective: to use current level of knowledge regarding film (production, marketing, distribution, editing, sound, cinematography, elements of miser-en-scene, narrative etc.) rebut or critique the opinion of a professionally prepared film with which you personally disagree. Rebuttal critique guidelines: the paper should be at least three full pages, excluding supporting material and citation pages. the paper should be written in an essay format- that is, an opening thesis paragraph clearly stating paper�s intent, points to be covered, and direction; followed by well-developed paragraphs on each concept to be covered; and ending with a clear summery and conclusion. Direction: choose a film which you believe peer audience commonly would or should see and appreciate. Recent films are preferred (in the last three years) American films only. After you have selected a film, find a review of the film which you disagree with in whole or in part. The review to rebut must be written by a professional reviewer (a fan posting to a blog is not a professional review, for instance.) your disagreement with the said film review may address factors you believed the original reviewer left out or did not develop well enough. A copy of the review used must be attached to the final draft of the essay. Film review content and focus: the paper�s focus should be to write a rebuttal to the professional review chosen. The rebuttal review must cite at least three points in which you disagree...
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...Critique: BTTF Mathew Peppersack ENG 225 Introduction to Film Professor Ryan Ogrodnik March 2, 2015 Critique: BTTF To critique a film is to analyze the substance of what makes up the movie. The story and its plot, characters, technical choices for scenes, and the overall production that the film shown to give the audience a final product. The number of people who visited the movie theater to watch it does not determine greatness of the film; or the amount of money the movie studio made after the budget was settled. A movie is great if it reached a large percentage of the population and that population determined through criticism and good reviews that the movie is worthy to be seen for a second, third, or fourth time. Another justification of greatness is if the film warrants purchasing the film on Blu-ray disc or a digitally copy to put on your computers hard drive. I will be critiquing the 1985 film Back to the Future starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson. These are the main characters of the film for which the story revolves around. Michal J. Fox plays the main character, Marty McFly, who travels back in time in a Delorean time machine invented by Christopher Lloyd’s character, Dr. Emmett Brown. Lea Thompson plays Lorraine McFly, Marty’s mother, Crispin Glover plays George McFly, Marty’s father. Thomas F. Wilson is the antagonist as Biff Tannen. There are plenty of supporting roles throughout the film but...
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...Allison Margolis Authors and Genres Professor Griffith 3/13/2013 Critiques of Society Through Technology in THX 1138 and Blade Runner The threat of overdeveloping technology has been portrayed in film throughout time as a negative influence on society. As shown in THX 1138 and Blade Runner, made by George Lucas and Ridley Scott respectively, society is overturned by the use of technology and these films can therefore be seen as a warning against the cultural changes to come. The dystopic societies shown in THX 1138 and Blade Runner are the direct result of the technological development of society, therefore each film proves to be a critique of what is to come if these technologies become overdeveloped. In both THX 1138 and Blade Runner, the cities created by Lucas and Scott respectively appear as central characters that further the plot. The city created in Blade Runner helps to display the hierarchies within the society and who controls whom. In the year 2019, Los Angeles is an acid-rain drizzling space crowded with punk gangs, physically disabled and many Hispanic and Asian people (Galagher 170). The streets are populated yet deserted, those who live there are those left behind and unable, physically and financially, to escape to the new colonies in space (Tiltsman 32). Therefore, these people that remain in the city are either of poorer-class or of upper class that have established themselves through their residences or commercial corporations. This is shown by those...
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...Final Film Critique: Light it up, 1998 M.parker ENG 225: Introduction to Film Instructor: Jenessa Gerling January 21, 2013 Final Film Critique A critic is one who should educate others what the meaning of a film is so viewers can form their own educated opinion about it. Koontz & Jacobs, 2011 states “the local critic should be part of a community discussion, not as the final word on the matter, but merely a starting point” (Koontz & Jacobs, 2011). This critique will discuss the movie Light it up and how this movie is a reflection of problems faced by youth in American society at the turn of the 21st Century. Light it up takes place in the late 90’s in New York City. The story begins with one of the main characters Ziggy giving the audience a background on each of the other six main characters. After learning of the characters backgrounds the movie is then brought into the present day. Starting out at Lincoln High, which is the school that all of the main characters attend in one way or another. The audience is introduced to the poor condition that the school has been allowed to slip into. Not only is the school in an almost uninhabitable condition, the principle has also hired policemen to be on guard full time during school hours to keep the “peace”. The picture that is painted for the audience in the first five minutes of this film is not a very good one. As a viewer you are shown and made to believe that these kids are low life thugs who are nothing more...
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...Scorsese’s overwhelming film Raging Bull has withstood the test of time, and as the films’ title character Jake La Motta defiantly tells Sugar Ray Robinson in defeat “You never got me down,” so the film and perhaps Scorsese himself can never be knocked down. The director himself attributed Raging Bull to saving his life and career. The film is as turbulent in its direction as it is in Robert De Niro’s extreme method acting, which set the bar higher for all actors. As rattling and real as taking a punch to the face, not only the acting, which has been discussed in every possible light, but the directing, the editing and the cinematography have become a hallmark and template of what a truly powerful film can be. Raging Bull was going to be Martin Scorsese’s final film, his goodbye to Hollywood. Shaken by asthma and depression, and finally derailed by a massive cocaine addiction and overdose, the acclaimed director had no desire to do a sports film or anything like it. Robert De Niro had been pushing La Motta’s biography on him for years, never with any returned interest. After his overdose however, De Niro continued to insist he take up the film, finally convincing the great director on the premise the work would save his life and in the end save his career. Scorsese has also said the gritty tone of the film, and its final theme of alienation redemption for the dark soul, or lack of soul, were a direct result of his own feeling coming through the film. At the time truly believing...
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