Crash

The film Crash was a definitely a thought provoking movie. To wonder that every action has some of reaction or cause and effect was truly a work of art. I definitely did enjoy the film and have owned it for some time. The acting in the film contributed immensely to the overall picture. The movie shows the racial stereotypes are abound in today's society no matter how much equality we desire. This was evident in the writing of the film, from the time the African American couple were pulled over for driving an fancy vehicle or when the Hispanic locksmith was blamed for the door to the shop that had been burglarized. The are several story lines in motion at one time, with each you feel what is being expressed by the director of the film. The setting of the film is in the city of Los Angeles where all nationals reside was the back drop of the the film. With each character you get a back story of what nationality they are. The film does show that their race are capable of preforming that particular stereotype yet at the end of the film many do exhibit different moments. People watching this film will definitely realize the importance of acceptance in other races or cultural if not then lines are drawn for chaos or hatred. This theme seems to be the ambition of the film as explained in our text. Some key moments in the film that back up this notion is when the cop strips searches the couple in the escalade, basically raping her during a traffic stop. Or when the Arab goes to find the Hispanic guy and shoots only to find that blank shells are in the gun and the little girl is up harm. All actions taken by individuals affect something else. Like this review, it is written someone will find it and wanna to watch the show because of it and form their own opinion. This film was featured on Oprah and garnered attention that it would otherwise not have received. And through word of mouth people did see it and hopeful made society a whole lot better in thinking of how we act or think.

Dark Knight

The actors in the film, in particular the Joker played by Heath Ledger was definitely the epitome of acting. In chapter 10, there are quotes made by film makers, actors, and directors saying as to identify good acting is when you don't realize there is an actor. The film from the beginning in the opening sequence in which the heist is taking place and the Joker is revealed you are immediately drawn into the character because of how evil, scary, and funny he is. The make up along with the oversize smile definitely lent to the character of the Joker. Especially in the scene where the Joker is explaining how his face received the scar that it did, you were taken into the feelings that he might have absorbed as he was being cut. Heath Ledger definitely was made for this role, other supporting actors did a fine job as well. Such as Aaron Eckart as Harvey Dent/Two Face and Maggie Gyllenhaal for Rachael Dawes, which was referred to in the movie review by the New York Times "There are several new characters, notably Harvey Dent (a charismatic Aaron Eckhart), a crusading district attorney and Bruce Wayne’s rival for the affection of his longtime friend, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, a happy improvement over Katie Holmes). (By MANOHLA DARGIS

Published: July 18, 2008) The main character in the film was Christian Bale as Batman, who played his role good enough to supplant himself as the Batman we know. Bale played the role of Batman or Bruce Wayne as he saw fit. When playing Bruce Wayne he was charismatic, flirtatious, and a plain ass, as Batman he showed that he was the Dark Knight because of his command, stoutness, and almost robotic. This was evident in when Bruce Wayne/Batman had to choose between Rachel Dawes or Harvey Dent, after it was discover that Batman had chosen Harvey instead of Rachel, you seen the reaction of Harvey Dent sensing all the life was taken out of him. His pain and anger could be felt. Most of the show I was engaged to the character of The Joker as his portrayal was how you could see a lunatic to be, not caring about anything. This film was great will all the story lines, adaptation of Gotham City and especially the actors.

Memento

In viewing Memento, you feel a sense of being lost and confused at the beginning of the film but gradually everything becomes clear until the ending, when you find out what has happened. This film is shot from the ending backward, so you know what happens at the end but in watching you find out what led to that particular conclusion. The director on the film was Christopher Nolan who in my opinion choose to edit in this particular manner as to create confusion and suspense. In the chapters that we read from our textbook, the editing is done to lead the viewer in a particular assumption or idea about the character. This film takes that notion but to a different level, such as when we find out that Leonard has short term memory loss, yet Teddy is trying to manipulate Leonard, as well as Natalie for their own personal gain. This sequence of events or editing of the film tries to push our feelings for Leonard of pity, sadness rooting for him not to be manipulated. Yet as we go further into the film we find out that Leonard has an evil side to him, now we are made to believe that he is a bad man, despise, angry is now felt after it is revealed his actions.

The director changing the film between color and black and white has two different meanings. In the watching the film you notice that the film starts out in color and as it is progressing to a photograph turns black and white. The is used throughout the film as you are following the action of Leonard going backwards it is viewed in a color sequence, yet when he is shown sitting in a motel room explaining his background or views about Sammy Jankis we see this in black and white. I think this allowed the viewer such as myself to watch two films in one about the same movie. This was necessary to differentiate between reality (color) and psychological thoughts (black and white), so when the film appeared in color we were given facts about what had happen, yet when black and white shots appeared we were given an explanation of what occurred or what we were believed to have occurred. It added to the film using this use of color or black and white during the film, because it clearly divided the film between fictional and reality.

The relevance of Sammy Jankis was that Leonard was Sammy Jankis. Leonard conjured up this fictional character to supplant in his thoughts as to justify his actions. In believing what had happened to Mr. Jankis in the film, you feel that Leonard was helping a client to believe his condition was a real disease and needed treatment. This was in fact Leonard's diseased and justification on his actions of killing his own wife. This was how the movie ended or started, Leonard killing a rapist of his wife finding out another person was in the same room knocks out Leonard. As Teddy tells Leonard at the beginning (ending) that he had already exacted revenge for his wifes rape, Leonard finds his next victim (Teddy) that he makes up for himself.

Slumdog Millionaire

This week's movie was Slumdog Millionaire which a fantastic film. The cinematography on the film was quite moving such as the parts in which Jamal and Salim were young and initially introduced playing a game and starting running from authorities throughout the streets and neighborhood. With the camera in an subjective point of view, you feel yourself immersed in the action of running throughout the streets until they arrived in their mothers arm in trouble. The movie also does show other points of views in the film such as indirect-subjective point of view as when both Jamal and Salim were racing toward the train and Latika was being left behind we get a shot of Jamal's face showing disbelief and a sense of being lost, then anger. The director continues the film with a lot of panning providing the sense of the city being large and crowded. This did provide of a feeling that the city was a massive object with two tiny boys hovering around it. These are also referred too in the article by Christie Davie "Wagging the Slumdog" where people of India were afraid the portrayal of the city in the film is seen as dirty and clustered. The director does provide a contrast in the film with people's clothing and objects throughout the film wearing or showing bright colors making the city very festive as are the people in the film. The film had some moments in which parts of the film was shot in the handheld camera format that allowed the audience a sense of being a part of the action. With the film being shot in a wide screen format, we were able to see density of the city population and vastness of how large the city is compare to the two young children being in the streets or as in the scene of the Taj Mahal. Being young and walking up towards the epicenter, you have a sense that this is bigger than life.

The story itself of how a young man coming from poverty and going on to win a game show contest, was close to how the young boys in the article "The Original Amazing Indian Reality Show" by Bobby Ghosh. In the article, two young men training for the military, get an opportunity by entering a baseball throwing contest and winning. The film giving us a timeline of events in which Jamal had experience the answers to questions presented on the game show was great in setting the scenes that were occurring. The setting of film was truly authentic to the Indian culture with shots of people washing clothes or material in river right before the persecution, or little children pan handling for money or the prostitution of women in a hotel located right off the streets. Overall the film did justice in my opinion to the sights and sounds of city and people of India.

Good Will Hunting

I finished watching Good Will Hunting, this movie was especially good to watch as you become engrossed in the movie with the struggle felt by many characters. The film itself was shot in Boston, which many can identify with as this is a working middle class. As mention in our textbook "The Art of Watching Films", this would actually be a good story film. According to the text, a good story is one that could be true as this movie Good Will Hunting does. A catholic boy could be born on the south side of Boston and be naturally gifted or genius, falling through the cracks of foster care and end up making something of himself. It featured suspense of whether Will will allow himself to become something other than a janitor, action in which the boys jump out and defend against an individual who is view in the film as the bully. Also how the film is a combination of simple and complex, Will being very smart which leads him to paths that would normally not be offered to any individual, but complex because of his upbringing and not allowing to become vulnerably through out the film until the end. Finally, the emotional material of the film was handle with restraint as in the scene where Will finally understands what Sean was talking with him about and hugging him and crying. Cutting it next scene and not having to go through the emotions that he might had to come to the realization of seeing his point of view as we had already experience it through the film. Another thing I like in the film is how people are divided into classes. A middle class, an elitist class, academic class, dumb class, etc. This relates to the article of Too Smart for their own Good? by Patrick McCormick in which he says that genius are portrayed with some sort of deficiency as Will Hunting had with being a genius yet being a clear adolescent. Will could not help but be mean, vindictive, and a bully as a child would harbor if in the same predicament as he was. In the article by Ziewacz, Lawrence E., "Holden Caulfield, Alex Portnoy, and Good Will Hunting: Coming of Age in American Films and Novels" it describes how Will struggles with his inner self to find his true self as a person who is scared to cope with reality from where he came from to what he has become. This is true in the movie as Will had a rough childhood and would fight to come out on top, which is seen throughout the movie as he has a problem with authority. Also how Will does not allow anyone to become very close with him, such as his girlfriend and psychiatrist until the ending, only after allowing himself to overcome this fear. The film was indeed a struggle between characters, characters with themselves such as the professor who wanted to become more than just his medal, the psychiatrist who wanted to become open once again after losing his wife after so many years, the genius who did not want to become more than middle class as he view himself and also the entire theme of the film where I thought it was that everyone has a inner person that continues to struggle from what their potential could be. I found myself watching this wanting to shake young Will up telling him to succumb to his emotions and find his greater potential. This struggle that was evident from the characters in the film, allowed me to become one of them just as our textbook mentions, and taking me to Boston as if I was one of them. One other thing I had notice in the film is how the city is condense sort of constricting, and in the final scene it shows Will driving off on a wide open road symbolizing a sense of freedom being captured.

Casablanca

I have never seen a black and white film, but tonight I was able to see one for the first time. I am glad that the movie "Casablanca" had that particular honor. In watching the opening scenes of the movie, I initially notice that this was set in a time of war with Nazi's and French armies. Then right after that the film shows a African American named Sam (Dooley Wilson) in the film, singing for an entire room full of Caucasians. Humphrey Bogart which many people have always referred as the leading man, makes his appearance. My initial impression of him was that of a hard ass, selfish, and very gentleman. In the article "Casablanca" by Ray Merlock, it was described that the movie in which it was adapted by had different lines with some foul language and situations. I truly enjoyed the movie without any foul language or indecent situations, taking me back to the age of innocence and romanticizing period of time. This movie if release in today's society would not be received well, just for the fact that a song is sung within it. But the song in the film is a highlight and well place with its meaning, showing how Bogart loneliness is visible kink in his armour of manliness. With the scene in which he is sitting in the dark, drinking with visible tears and Ingrid Bergman enters the room to explain why she didn't go with him. Another part of the film that I found interesting was that in which the Germans begin singing a song, and the french begin singing alongside overtaking the Germans. Afterwards the French celebrating to signify a victory over the Germans. I can see why this film is regarded as one of the all time best, as it has romance, suspense, and conflict which leads to people remembering the film as the article by Kathy Merlock Jackson and Jack Nachbar in Playing It Again and Again describe. This leads to the merchandising that people want, and reason as it why there are still black and white posters with Bogart and Bergman. Overall the film was a true work of art, and I have to say I am glad I seen the film and will see it again.