...Understanding Movies Film Critique # 4 John Cruz University of Maryland University College ARTH334/ 5160 August 11, 2013 VERTIGO I do not whether I like this film or not. I say this because, the film had a dark yet dry feeling to me. I am not saying that the story was not good. Somehow the film’s sound and effects and plot did not really capture my attention. That being said, I thought that the film had many good qualities to make it a great film for this time. The acting was pretty dry, by that I mean that movements and dialogue were slow at times. My guess is that the director intended to create a feeling of confusion or build a sense of feeling of that of someone with vertigo. The script was good, and it really follows the story it intends to tell, in its dark dramatic ways. It was a drastic way of telling a romantic story, but very much inline with Hitchcock’s The scenes transitions were very fluid, motion, the landscape was complementing to the plot. This film was very diverse in the use of colors, sounds, and especial effects; from the introduction to some of the screenplay action, all of this effect added to the emotion it intended to produce. The locations were suiting to the setting in which the story could be more effective. The actors seemed to be very original or involved into their characters. The editing of this film must have been very complex, especially when the soundtrack had to be match to the scenes. The scenes in which the director wanted...
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...CASE ANALYSIS: Can Bollywood Go Global? Submitted By: Divyanshu Rastogi 0134/52 Abstract The case talks about the opportunities and problems that the Indian film makers face in reaching out to the international film business and market. It provides a historical view by detailing the journey of the cinema and how Hollywood emerged as the global leader in the film industry worldwide by the 1920’s. Although some movie industries were sustained in other regions including the United Kingdom and France, their films and offerings had restricted international appeal and audience. It also focuses on the rise and development of the Indian film industry and the entire industry as well. Bollywood films, which are made in Mumbai usually are the most famous and acknowledged amongst the Indian film industry which also includes other genres like Tollywood, which constitutes of the movies made in the state of Andhra Pradesh (and now Telangana as well) and caters to Telugu films. The Bollywood movies are generally melodramatic and musical. There are other local language films made in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal as well. Bollywood films in specific have done well in Southeast Asia and are fairly popular amongst the Indian populace. It also brings to light the challenge of whether Indian content films can rival with Hollywood in international markets and to how extensively a modification in content is required for this approach to be successful. History of the World cinema The Cinema...
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...Running Head: JUSTICE 1 Seeking Justice: A Film Critique Paul J Baker Jr 11-26-12 ENG 225 Instructor: Hope Umansky Justice 2 A film is a marvelous piece of art to the one who creates it. The story and plot that is told can have some profound meanings and sometimes portray things that we wish would happen. Actors come and go but sometimes they reach the level of a star. Nicholas Cage is one such star. We remember his past works in movies like Faceoff, Gone in 60 Seconds, and National Treasure. These films show this actor as an action star. You can never know if the character he is playing is going to be good or bad. However in recent years critics have stated that Cage has been lost. Performing in movies like the Sorcerer’s Apprentice has appeared that Cage was searching for something. They have wrote him off as the action star that he was but in a triumphant return in 2011, the movie Seeking Justice showed that Cage is still who we remember. This movie, because of its actors, plot, cinemaphotography, and direction bring back the action thrillers that we have been longing for. Seeking Justice is one of the best films made in 2011. “The screenplay has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is the mind of someone who wants nothing more than to tell a story. After all, without a story, Indiana Jones doesn’t recover the Ark of the Covenant, E.T. never phones home, and Batman never catches the Joker. Every movie, from the biggest, loudest...
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...Blade Runner Critique ENG225: Introduction to Film (GSK1442C) Professor Brad Waltman November 16, 2014 The film Blade Runner is an outstanding example of the science fiction genre of film. The film uses it’s futuristic setting, combined with the plot of a policeman hunting down illegal and violent androids, to set the stage for a truly thought provoking film. The viewer is exposed to new ideas about morality and the boundaries of technology. Blade Runner is widely regarded as a pioneer film in the science fiction subgenre of “cyberpunk” and its dystopian style has influenced dozens, if not hundreds of films since it’s release. The style, message and distinct futuristic darkness of Blade Runner is an outstanding part of the science fiction genre and a fascinating example of movie making. Blade Runner was released in 1982 and much of its distinct personality comes from the unique people involved in the film, both in front of, and behind the camera. Ridley Scott directed the film and is revolves around one of his favorites elements, artificial intelligence. Blade Runner is regarded is a Scott classic, and displays the elements that audiences expect from one of his films. Jordan Cronenweth worked as the film’s cinematographer and was regarded as one of the best in the industry, even years after his death. Cronenweth’s dark and moody work provided much of the noire and intrigue of Blade Runner. The film stared Harrison Ford as the not too heroic main character...
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...Bausch PHL/458 August 4, 2014 Professor Leon Hallingquest Famous Creative Thinkers Famous thinkers all have things in common that help them accomplish greatness during their lives. Creative ideas are the foundation of the creative process. When creative individuals run across a problem that needs to be resolved - this is when they start coming up with their ideas. Problems can have a variety of options for resolution. This paper will cover how film mogul Steven Spielberg and dancer Pina Bausch used their own creative process to motivate people into seeing different issues their way. Famous Creative Thinkers In this paper specific problems and ideas that these individuals sought to solve, and the plans they put into action to resolve these problems will be discussed. Each person’s social, personal, or political environments will be reviewed on how they contributed to their creativity. Additionally, the creative process of each person, including obstacles they faced and a comparison of their creative processes underlying each individual’s work will be reviewed. Lastly, a critique of their ideas will be reviewed answering the questions if they could have done anything differently and if their bodies of work fit into the existing framework of understanding in their respective fields and how their work advanced further understanding in their respective fields. Steven Spielberg Steven Spielberg has been a pivotal force in the filmmaking world. His films have explored our fears...
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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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...John Carpenter’s Halloween: A Film Critique Michael Chapes Instructor David Hayes ENG 225 February 13, 2014 “It's Halloween, everyone's entitled to one good scare.” - Sheriff Leigh Brackett As long as there have been stories, there have been stories about the other, the unrealities we might categorize today as fantasy... Early myths in all cultures are populated by demons and darkness, early Egyptian mythology resounds with tales of a world beyond the physical, a realm of the spirits, to be revered and feared. Classical mythology is filled with monsters such as the Cerberus, the Minotaur, Medusa, the Hydra, the Sirens, Cyclops, Scylla and Charybdis, to name just a few. Every culture has a set of stories dealing with the unknown and unexplained, tales that chill, provoke and keep the listener wondering "what if..?" Horror films are the present-day version of the epic poems and ballads told round the fires of our ancestors. Horror movies of the 1970s reflect the grim mood of the decade. After the optimism of the 1960s, with its sexual and cultural revolutions, and the moon landings, the seventies was something of a disappointment. By 1970, the party was over; the Beatles split, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix died, while John Kennedy, his brother Robert, and Martin Luther King were all felled by an assassin’s bullet. These tragedies seemed to be just the first domino to fall, for then came Nixon...
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...She-Devil Introduction to Film She-Devil “I’ve worked so hard for! You’re bad mother, a lousy wife, a terrible cook! In fact, have you looked in a *mirror* recently?! I don’t even know you’re a woman. You know what you are? You’re a She-Devil!” I’m sure there many women how have seen She-Devil starring Rosanne Barr as Ruth Patchett, Ed Begley Jr. as Bob Pactchett and Meryl Streep as Mary Fisher said, “That couldn’t have been me.” The screenplay for the 1989 movie was written by Susan Seidelman, based on a novel by Fay Weldon. She-Devil tells the story of “a cunning and resourceful housewife vows revenge on her husband when he begins an affair with a wealthy romance novelist.” According to an unnamed source, to the movie received mixed reviews and was criticized the film for its tone. Both Barr and Streep were given positive feedback for their performances, however, Streep earned a Golden Globe Award nomination as Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy 1990. Even though some individuals may feel that the movie is one-side gender related. Recommending people to see this movie because this movie contains many positive/negative aspects of everyday life for both men and women. And this film can also help a couple that is having and want to fix things the "right" way. In She Devil, Ruth Patchett (Rosanna Barr) suspects her husband, Robert Patchett (Ed Begley Jr.) is having an affair after taking a very attractive novelist Mary Fisher (Meryl Streep) home from his accountant dinner...
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...Jerry Maguire – Film Critique Teri Reed ENG225: Introduction to Film Instructor Daniel Burrello February 9, 2015 Jerry Maguire – Film Critique It takes several people to make a movie, from the Actors to the Directors, Writers and Producers, and to the Production Company, all of which are equally important to making a movie successful. There is a mixture of technical skills, while building strong relationships with trust, and following the personal vision of the director who serves as a master facilitator in editing and on the set. All of these people help the director to form the story in the film. A countless amount of time is put into a film’s analysis which observes the filmmaking techniques, in turn helps the audience to understand the style of the film. A film's style is a dependable on the cinematic methods that include the mise en scène, cinematography, editing, sound, and overall structure (Goodykoontz & Jacobs 2014). Filmmaker’s styles have advanced so much over many years in Hollywood, and they have incorporated many elements of all sorts of technical effects while developing distinctive approaches to making a movie. Director Cameron Crowe offers an inspiring thematic trio in the movie Jerry Maguire, it is filled with drama, comedy, and romance as it relates to a genre film. Cameron Crowe did his homework before he began to develop the character Jerry Maguire. He talked to a businessmen and interviewed him for about a year in order to develop the script...
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...[pic] |Course Design Guide College of Humanities SOC/105 Version 5 Introduction to Popular American Culture | |Copyright © 2011, 2010, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This is an introductory course on modern American culture. The course focuses on the interactions between social forces such as advertising, media, and lifestyle and cultural trends in modern American society. Students are asked to cast a critical eye on current trends and changes in our culture. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: • University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. • Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Petracca, M., & Sorapure, M. (2007). Common culture: Reading and writing about American popular culture (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. All electronic materials are available on the student website. |Week One: Overview of Culture ...
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...The Unfairness and Vagueness of the MPAA Rating System Many people take notice of a film rating, whether in the theater or on the DVD case. The American culture, especially, relies very heavily on these ratings. Oftentimes, there is almost an incredible amount of trust put in them. But where did this trust come from, and is it really deserved? The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) determines the ratings on almost every film that is produced today. Although filmmakers are not required to have a rating attached to their films, the MPAA has great power in its ratings. After a close examination of the MPAA movie rating system, it is clear that there are many flaws both because of its unfair rating of different films and also because of its vague guidelines. Before the MPAA's rating system can be critiqued, it is important to understand society's need for censorship, the difficulty in rating, and the history and past critiques of not only the MPAA's rating system, but the other systems that came before it. It is impossible to look at the rating system without questioning the need for it in the first place. Media censorship is tricky, because it must “protect both free speech and children” (Jordan 235). There is a very tricky balance between these two sides. The American government recognizes the right to free speech. This means that, technically speaking, filmmakers are allowed to be able to express what they want to express in the way that they...
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...fear and paranoia. The “war against terror” implacably positions the American nation against vengeful messianic Islamist “terrorists” who represent the other, the enemy, and are identifiable en masse as “the culture of terror”. The tragic events of the day known globally as 9/11 shattered any illusion Americans might have had about an ethic of tolerance operating both within and without their borders. But Simpson notes in his introductory arguments that while that day has been represented as a rupture with known reality it had a familiarity about it that can be traced over time to the influence of television and film, and was thus already embedded within American culture as a shocking explosive tragedy waiting to happen. Simpson states unequivocally that it’s time we turned to “those who speak for theory” to guide and lead us towards a new cultural understanding of 9/11, mentioning the Slovenian philosopher and cultural theorist Slavoj Ẑiẑek as part of a respected cohort of theorists: “The work of Derrida, Baudrillard, Ẑiẑek and others should now more than ever be urgently recognized precisely in the light of the popular counterclaims by both left and right that the project of theory has run out of time, gone bad, turned away from life… The sufficiency of the humanist subject as the site of ethical and aesthetic judgments, still I think the foundation of conventional...
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...How Society Works – Lecture Notes Sep, 11, 2012 Introduction to Classical Social theory * “Theories in sociology are abstract, general ideas that help organize and make sense of the social world” (attempt to link idea’s with actual events) * Classical social theory (1840s – 1920s) – The enlightenment, political revolution (American revolution, French revolution), the industrial revolution * American and French revolution inspired more widespread adoption of democratic principle and rights of citizens * Industrial revolution caused dramatic, rapid urbanization, changes in family relations, gender relations, increased secularization * Classical social theorist and macro and micro theorists – macro are interested are in social theory that can explain huge social phenomenon’s (past and future), micro are interested in smaller scale phenomenon’s * Emile Durkheim was a positivist, saw society as analogous to a body, concerned with social solidarity, and developed the idea of the ‘social fact’ * Social Solidarity: division of labour Organic: present in modern societies, high dynamic density, high degree of labour specialization (works like a human body, everything works together with high specialization) Mechanical: present in traditional societies, low dynamic density , low degree of labour specialization (works like gears, works together to complete society) * Similarities of Social Solidarity: Conscience collective similar ideas...
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...‘GUNDA’ AND ‘LOHA’ A STUDY OF CULT FILM CULTURES KSHITIJ PIPALESHWAR A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Media and Cultural Studies School of Media and Cultural Studies Tata Institute of Social Sciences Mumbai 2013 i DECLARATION I, Kshitij Pipaleshwar, hereby declare that this dissertation entitled ‘ ‘Gunda’ and ‘Loha’ : A Study of Cult Film Cultures’ is the outcome of my own study undertaken under the guidance of Assistant Professor K.V.Nagesh Babu, Centre for Critical Media Praxis, School of Media and Cultural Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. It has not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, or certificate of this Institute or of any other institute or university. I have duly acknowledged all the sources used by me in the preparation of this dissertation. 3rd March 2013 Kshitij Pipaleshwar ii CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the dissertation entitled ‘‘Gunda’ and ‘Loha’ : A Study of Cult Film Cultures’ is the record of the original work done by Kshitij Pipaleshwar under my guidance and supervision. The results of the research presented in this dissertation/thesis have not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma, or certificate of this Institute or any other institute or university. 4th March 2013 K.V.Nagesh Babu Assistant Professor Centre for Critical Media Praxis School of Media...
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...heard enough about the film to be unsure whether it would be worth the time, effort and petroleum to see it. People’s comments about the film ranged from praise for its groundbreaking 3D animation; to criticism of its racist portrayal of the indigenous; to disappointment with the overly predictable storytelling; to appreciation for its critique of colonization and civilization. I even heard complaints from fellow peace church Mennonites about its overwhelming use of redemptive violence. After seeing the film through my Christian anti-civilization (anti-civ) anarchist vegan antiracist woman of color lenses, my sense is that Avatar is more complex than many of its detractors or advocates acknowledge. Set on the planet Pandora, Avatar is a sci-fi story of a mercenary-backed corporation’s attempt to confiscate and mine the land inhabited by humanoid aliens known as the Na’vi. Enter Jake Sully, the paraplegic U.S. marine protagonist who joins the science and anthropology wing of the operation as a substitute navigator for his deceased twin brother’s avatar. Early in the film, we discover that the avatar is an expensive high-tech clone that allows its user to temporarily experience and subsequently infiltrate the Na’vi community. After a series of unexpected events during his first avatar excursion, Jake finds himself living amongst the Na’vi clan known as the Omaticaya where he becomes an apprentice to the female tribe member Neytiri. From that point, the film revolves around the internal...
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