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.