Freewrite (even ramble) about the film you're close viewing/deconstructing for 200+ words. Answer the questions I pose to you on the "Film Deconstruction Paper" handout.
It is not enough to merely state that a film is good or bad, or its aspect is good or bad. For example, it is not enough to say that The Shawshank Redemption is "powerfully written" or "expertly acted." What is real close viewing is noticing that we need the old, institutionalized prisoner named Brooks to be let out and sent to that apartment before Red goes there. That plot device creates tension for us and misleads us expertly.
You should also include the three required sources you plan on using: the online film review, the article found through our BVHS library database(s), and the printed physical book source. Refer to my sample paper and to the Kaleb Paulsen Stepbrothers example. Your grade will reflect your intelligent use of sources and your critical thinking level.
This exercise will help you generate ideas you did not know you even had for your paper which is due March 17, Tuesday. Show critical awareness to earn credit--up to 30 points.
See my sample paper about We Own the Night. See Eitreim's and Hanson's, too. Also, see my other site called Liticism for important samples and links.
80 comments:
Thelma and Louise is a movie that shows how true friendships mean everything. This movie is most appealing to women because it is about two women who stand up against their husband and boyfriend and take a road trip without ever telling them they are leaving. The film contains bad event after bad even and then at the end of the film you are almost relieved that they make a decision not to give up together and drive…. There is shock value you never can figure out who you can and who you cant trust until that person does something great or horrible to the girls. There is foreshadowing in the film because at the beginning Thelma calls Louise at the café where Louise works and a man answers and asks Thelma when she is going to run away with him and Louise takes the phone from him and says sorry Thelma is running away with her this weekend this shows that they are taking off and may never come back. The big message in this film is no man can tell a woman what she can or cannot do, we will do what we want when we want and sometimes all it takes is that little extra push from a friend to get you there. I believe this movie has an influence on women not necessarily to run away from your man and commit crimes then suicide but it does say that you need to stand up for yourself and don’t let a pig of a man push you around. The violence in the movie is very necessary when Harlan is raping Thelma and they show the intensity of it you need to see that in order to know that it was very traumatic and that it has set up the whole movie and ruined the girl’s trip. Also the scene where Thelma and Louise treat the trucker a lesson by tricking him to a gas station then blowing up his truck they did this to prove their point that they will no longer take any s**t from any man. The rape scene also introduces the emotion that Louise has towards it and later we find out that Louise never wants to talk about her trip to Mexico because while in Mexico she was raped.
7- The movie step brothers does contain more than you think. It isn't about two forty year old men living with mommy and daddy fighting, becoming friends, and laughing at how stupid they are. It takes a very serious sitiuation such as marriage, divorce, sibling rivalry, and growing up and turns the into hilarious situations that dosn't seem possible. The forty year old men add to it because it seems unlikely compared to if the kids were 10. Also the job interviews would not be even close to that. The profanity in the movie could be possibly over done but the way the use it adds humor in the words. This movie makes alot of points about america and the way we are. We rush into relationships, get a divorce when they suck, don't care how our kids feel about it, and then expect them to be ok. Also some of the effects in the movie are really nice like the white dog crap, the fighting scenes, the bunk bed scenes, and the burring alive scene. They do random stuff all the time and even get beat up by six or seven year olds. There out fits and competitions to one up each other really make them look like they are ten years old.
Period 3
Gran Torino is a very symbolic movie the movie itself is a symbol about the American population. The movie is full of racism and ageism. The main idea of the story is the "true American" and war hero overcoming his racist beliefs. The main character Walt is a war hero and symbolizes the true American, he lives by himself after his wife dies, and fixes everything that doesn't work right in his house, he is full of knowledge, he drinks beer smokes cigarettes and eats beef jerky all day, has a dog, and has a prized Gran Torino car that he works on and cleans, he mows his yard almost every day as well. The tools in his garage that Walt uses throughout the movie to fix things symbolize knowledge and wisdom which can only be acquired over a long period of time. Walt's yard which he takes care of and tries to keep nicely and everything is a symbol of America itself because he doesn't like people of different race on his property or lawn he wants to keep everything foreign to him out of his "country" including his family in this case as well. The movie appeals to men mostly and older white men who have the same beliefs as Walt does and who can relate to him. The movie gets people to care because if a man like Walt can overcome his racist beliefs then everyone else in America can step up to the plate as well especially now with our first African American President. Walt’s despise of the youth of America is another major symbol of the ageism that divides or country as well, the older population thinking that kids today don’t work hard and are spoiled and don’t know anything. The movie does a really good job of portraying Walt’s dislike of his own grandkids because he thinks they have no respect for anyone but themselves and don’t want to help out other people. The movie is also masterfully done at the end with the shocking ending which was not expected at all.
My sources are an excerpt from the Sirs website about racism and a movie review from Roger Ebert and I am still looking for my written source.
In Saint Ralph there is a young boy struggling to cope with his sick mother and a catholic school he doesn’t fit into. He gets into trouble multiple times because of his “sins” that he can’t seem to control. Throughout the movie he will try to come up with a way to save his mother from dying and the doctor told him that he would need a miracle. Ralph, once again getting into too much trouble for the head priest to handle sends him to the cross country team for discipline, thinking that if Ralph had an outlet for his emotions he would be able to live by the catholic ways. Ralph ends up determined to win the Boston Marathon because he believes if he wins it is a miracle and with that miracle his mother would come out of her coma and be saved. Little does Ralph know he can’t switch miracles for something he wants. He ends up coming in second place but a few seconds and completely breaks down, but little does he know he has already produced and miracle by just coming in second at such a young age. I believe that the movie was well put together nothing was overly acted it seemed natural, like something like this could have happened in real life. Also all the actors seemed to fit their parts particularly good because none of them were overly pretty or any of that sort of thing.
I’m not exactly sure what sources I’ll be using since I have yet to start my paper but I am going to look into checking a book out form the library about catholic traditions and religious beliefs to help me fully understand all of the symbols in the movie.
Walt Disney's the Lion King is seemingly an innocent children's movie right? wrong. the directors of this movie snuck in tons and tons of underlying messages that we as children could never pick out. one of the main things this movie deals with is racism. simba, scar, and mufasa are all the dominant and intelligent main characters in this movie. all of their voices are played by white males. where as the crazy, dumb, wild hyenas are played by a black woman, a hispanic, and a white male. without knowing the actors kids would never know that they are being taught racism by having these people of certain ethnicities play the "stupid" characters in the movie. other things about the movie that go hand in hand are jealousy, capitalism, and a play off of shakespeare's 'hamlet'. in the hamlet there is a very very similar plot.=jealousy between brothers because one has power and one does not. the taking down of the brother in power. and the revenge by one of the deceased's loved ones. also this movie does a good job of creating scenes that create emotions in the viewers such as humor, fear, hatred, and sympathy. one way to make these emotions more prevalent is through music and the lyrics in that music. one of the main songs is "the circle of life" this song is played while simba is being raised above the whole kingdom... which just happens that all these animals get along and dont eat each other? i dont know how that works but the song adds to the scene by showing simbas innocence and soon to be power.
Pd.5
The film I am deconstructing is Wizard of Oz. I believe this film has alot of changes in peoples lives like the straw man, tin man and the cowardly lion were in search of a heart, brain and courage. I would like to call these changes affirmations where once they had to deal with things that they didn't have, and now the wizard gave them these things that they needed to be brave and have courage and to have a clock for a heart. These things changed their lives forever. From now on they will see life different, maybe even be brighter and think differently now that they experienced great affirmations. This classic film has a great message about life and how people and events influence our lives. But what makes the movie a classic is the roll of the Wicked Witch, the Good Witch and the Wizard himself. These three move characters illustrate the power of one time affirmations. The straw man, tin man, and the cowardly lion knew that the Wizard had the power to change their lives. They had convinced themselves that the Wizard was just that powerful. Just like your first driving exam where the guy sitting next to you was your wizard he was going to change your life. He let you experience a one time affirmation if you passed the drives exam, it had changed your life, from here on out you can drive! There is so many one time affirmations out there, I will make sure to state more when it comes down to the formal essay. I will be sure to state more from the film when I deconstruct harder during the week!
pd. 3
"Life is how you live it...not how you spend it." The Ultimate Gift really pin points the importance of life rather than money. The main character Jason Stevens (Drew Fuller) is a man who never has had to have a job. He is a man you could call "selfish snob". His grandfather dies in the film but Jason doesnt really care about the death until he finds out he is set to inherit "the ultimate gift". The only thing Jason needs to do is pass a numbers of tests his grandpa has laid out for him. Some of the test include being homeless, and meeting a single mom that has a leukemia-sick daughter that needs money to pay for her tests. All that Jason is wanting out of these tasks is to get the money. He approaches each tasks with a bad attitude. When he falls in love with the little girl, he finally realizes that life is more then money. He was everything the little girl ever wanted to have in her life. The grandfather made Jason into everything he ever wanted him to be. The film as religious symbols and will for sure bring tears. The characters played throughtout the film were perfectly picked. Jason dresses and as an attitude like he is the best. The sick little girl has a pale complexion and purple lips as if she really is sick. The young mom of the girl, is very attractive. Jason and her would be the perfect couple just like Emily (sick girl) wanted.
My three sources are
1) online film review- by screenit.com
2)article from sirs on selfishness to altruism
3) book source- not found yet but a book on selflessness
Pd. 1
My movie is Pride and Prejudice (2005). The movie is based on the Jane Austen’s novel of Pride and Prejudice. The movie and novel are about the 1900’s and social classes and their marriages. The main character, Elizabeth or Lizzy, is from a middle class family that has 5 daughters. The mother of Lizzy, Mrs. Bennet, has her life set on finding all her daughters a wealthy man to make them happy and one to marry their dreadful cousin, Mr. Collins who is to inherit their estate. While Mr. Collins arrives randomly at their doorstep, the girls laugh and mock him for his awkward and naive “compliments.” The family spends their time going to balls and meeting as many new people as they can. At the first ball, the family meet a wealthy family. The girls are gitty with excitement as the eldest daughter, Jane dances with the very rich, red headed, Mr. Bingley. While Jane is being swept off her feet with the boyish Mr. Bingley, Lizzy is stuck on Bingley’s friend, Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy refuses to dance with Lizzy and the two of them hit it off as perfect enemies of sarcasm. As Lizzy is baffled about Mr. Darcy and how “miserable” he is, Mr. Collins decides it is his time to step in for an engagement offering. Lizzy humorously puts Mr. Collins down only finding herself a shame to her mother. The family also meets a young foot solider named Mr. Wickham who is kind to the eye of the 2 younger sisters who instantly fall for him. Mr. Wickham has had a bad history with Mr. Darcy, who later explains that Mr. Wickham was/is some kind of “gold digger.” Lizzy is also informed of Mr. Darcy separating her beloved sister and Mr. Bingley. Lizzy is now even more furious with Mr. Darcy more than ever and yet she is still attracted to him. In the end, opposites attract and all ends with 3 marriages. I am using 2 critic’s sites and the actual novel of Pride and Prejudice for my book reference.
P3
Office Space the new American dream. Gone are the days of success and wealth through hard work. The new American dream is a variety of get rich quick solutions. Now people want to get rich either through compensation lawsuits, lotteries, game shows, or anything that requires no real work. America is getting lazier. This concept is not new, but it is presented by a great man, Mike Judge, who gave America quality work such as Beavis and Butt-head. Peter Gibbons hates his job and everyday is the worst day of his life. Who hasn’t felt like crap because of a horrible job, as a result this applies to most people. Once Peter stops caring he is happy and becomes more successful. His honesty is appreciated and has the possibility to change things. In contrast Peter’s co-worker, Micheal Bolton, is willing to compromise what he believes and kisses ass to have a better chance of keeping his job. Then there is Samir Nagheenanajar, who still believes in the old American dream and thinks his hard work will pay off. Tom Smykowski embodies the new dream when his suicide attempt goes wrongly right and gets him a big settlement from a drunk driver. Office Space backwards of what we believe to be right, but right on when it comes to the ridiculous practices of office politics and the working world.
period 3
Is winning really everything? In the movie We are Marshall you learn to find winning isn't necessarily everything, but it is the only thing people look at. This movie starts off showing a water fountain that a lady narrating says shuts off at the same time every year, and for that moment it's off time stands still. This movie is about a college team whose dreams are shattered when they die in a plane crash going to one of their games. The president of Marshall has to rebuild a whole new football organization so he starts by getting Coach Jack Lengyel. What is weird is that he didn't call Lengyel, but instead Lengyel called Marshall. This makes me believe that this coach is determined and different from the normal coach. Coach Lengyel tells his players that winning the football game isn't everything, but it is a win to go out on that football field and play. Some family members just can't move on from that day such as Mr. Griffin. His son is the only person that the movie mentions from the crash. He refuses to move on and get passed the day of the crash so he takes his anger out on the president and fires him. What surprised me throughout this movie is that their are no racism involved. The reason why this is so significant is because this movie was set in the 1970s. When you look throughout history, this is when racism peaked yet this movie shows no sign of it. Towards the end of the movie it ends on Marshall winning thier first game they played at home after the crash. This gets the viewer excited and happy, but that is quickly turned away as the narrator tells you that Marshall had the most loses in the history of college football in the 70s. The movie ends with the same water fountain shown at the beginning which shows the people on the plane will be remembered forever. For my sources I am using the Sirs from the library to find info. about racism, filmcritics.com for my movie review, and I haven't found a book yet.
Dan in Real Life is not your everyday film. For the most part it is a pretty low key comedy movie. Dan is fighting with himself not only to fit in with his family but for his girls to want to be around him. He ends up falling in love with his brothers girl friend, which that alone is pretty ironic. But then they try and fight out the weekend by not telling the family that they have already met. Dan is known for his family books, and his words of wisdom. This is ironic because throughout the whole movie he is having battles with his family and even with himself. He tries so hard no to let the situation get the best of him.. but of course it does. He is so worried about everything going on in his girls lives he doesnt take the time to care about himself. He makes the same mistakes that hes trying to prevent his daughters from making. Such as his older daughter just wants to drive, but throughout the movie he gets three speeding tickets. Also his middle child claims she fell in love in three days with her boyfriend. Dan says this is impossible but then ends up falling in love with Marie in three days. With this i think he figures out nothing is impossible.
I am deconsructing the movie The Shawshank Redemption, it is the story of a intelligent man (Andy) who is sent to prison for life because he supposedly killed his wife, even though he didnt he sucks it up and heads off to prison, he knows that it will be tough but he plans to escape. Upon arriving, Andy is seen by an old timer, whose name is Red, (this symbolizes that while in prison you don't really have a normal name you just are a number, or in this case a color), at first red thinks that Andy looks weak and won't last long in prison life, but he couldnt have proven him more wrong, as time wears on Andy and Red become good friends and Red realizes that he is a very special person, unlike any that have ever walked through the prison's gates. Even through harsh beatings and rape, Andy does not fight back and instead uses his wit, soon he becomes the accountant for the prison and is given trust, but the only person he can trust is Red, when he arrives Red tells him that he can get him anything, so Andy tells him to get a little mining pick, which he uses over a long period of time to slowly dig a hole behind his poster in his room to the outside where he escapes, this movie shows how incredibly strong someone's will can be and how brain is more important than braun, even in prison.
1st period
"the Invisible" Basically a film about how it doesn't work to be fully based on passion, or fully based on reason. The two should be used equally, in the movie there are two main characters, Anni and Nick. Anni is completely based on passion, where-as nick is completely fueled by reason, so threw their almost struggle for power, and threw their rivalry it is obvious that they are the perfect couple because they are so extreme in the opposite directions. Threw their struggle they have to work together in a sence in order to save nicks life, but in this they both lose and win. Anni dies but she was going to prison for a long time anyway and nick learns to live his life how he wants and how precious it really is. so when anni dies its almost as if nicks takes a part of her.
pd. 3
The movie Fight Club makes you ask yourself, am i happy with my life or is there something missing? In the movie Edward Norton struggles with this question. He comes to realize that he is not happy with his office job and his boring life. These factors make him an insomniac and he can't sleep unless he cries, so he goes to group meeting for diseases he doesn't have. It is ironic because he is happier when sad. He eventually goes crazy and starts seeing a man that isn't really there. This many is actually Norton's other personality. When Norton quits going to group meetings he loses his sanctity, to combat this he starts a fight club where men can go and beat each other up because it feels good. This is also ironic how injuring yourself and others can help you feel better, but at the same time it is very practical because it is a drastic change in their everyday boring lives. In the movie Norton makes soap from people's body fat left over after liposuction. This is ironic because the rich people who get the liposuction want to buy this expensive home made soap, but they are essentially buying back their own fat. This is a major symbol throughout the movie. It shows it is the only clean thing left in their lives because by this time they are blowing up buildings and creating havoc for everyone in the city. The settings in the movie help to convey the overall message as well; it is mostly placed in a run-down house right next to the train tracks, it also takes place in a grungy apartment where Norton's girlfriend lives. This ads to the irony of the the soaps cleanliness in their lives. Each scene in the movie ads on to the last, because we don't know until the very end that Norton's friend is actually him. There is so much thought and intelligence put into this movie which is why i think it is a good one to deconstruct.
Pd.1
I am analyzing the movie “Forrest Gump”. This particular movie is about a guy with mental disabilities but seems to get by pretty well with luck and a little talent. It mainly talks about all that happened in the 60s and 70s. The main character Forrest experiences Vietnam, presidents getting assonated, people doing drugs, and many other historical events. This movie really shows you what you can get if you work hard, or many call it the American dream. Forrest gets the American dream when he started crabbing after he got done with the army. He gets lucky because a hurricane ruined all the other ships except for his. He eventually becomes a millionaire since his fishing partner “Lieutenant Dan” invested money from the Bubba Gump fishing company into the computer company “Apple”. The funny thing about Forrest being rich is that he still mows the school’s yard for free. His childhood sweet heart Jenny goes down the wrong road and does a lot of drugs, but ends up marrying Forrest. The bad thing though is that Jenny got Aids from when she ran off, which she would eventually die from Aids.
I don’t have a book source yet but I have these two: http://www.squidoo.com/analysis_forrest_gump www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0149926
period 5
American Gangster explores many
topics revolving on how the world works and why people act a certain way. The movie stars Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe and the two are the central characters in the movie. The movie takes place in the late sixties and early seventies where drug lords became well known and tried to branch heroin all the way from Bangkok. Denzel plays a high class drug lord and makes it his business to accomplish his goals; if the people reimburse him for the heroin, he will shoot you in the head with no remorse. Russel Crowe plays an honest police officer who also is trying to become a prosecutor for the state, in other words he is trying to arrest the corrupted individuals on the street and end up in prison. A pretty typical storyline if you look at it in that sense but the irony of all this is Denzel is a very caring father and husband while Russel is struggling his career and goals with his wife and family which ends up with his wife leaving him. The movie shows the struggles with family life, career goals, and corruption.
My review is from Roger Ebert of Ebert and Roeper; psychology is dealing with racism, and the book source is Bringing down the Mob: the war against the american mafia
P.7
On the surface Man on Fire seems to be just another typical revenge narrative, but it is not. Man on Fire, starring Denzel Washington, presents the critical viewer with many themes and subtleties that would go unnoticed by the average person. There are many aspects of this movie that make it interesting. One of the most revelent things is the use of camera angles, effects, and motion. At the beginning of the movie Mexico City is shown beautifully through the use of breathtaking shots and shading. The camera also shakes creating a tremor effect that leaves the viewer uneasy and unsure. We can feel the dissonance by watching the camera shake and stop. Flashes of light also add an interesting effect, possibly foreshadowing to a muzzle flash of a gun. The scene where Creasy is going to try to commit suicide is particularly unnerving. The camera pans out and circles around him which disorientates us. Creasy's life is totally disorientated so this is giving us that same feeling. The camera zooms in to a drip of alcohol falling off Creasy's lip. This shot is vital as it alludes to a future portion of the film when Denzel is dripping blood. During this whole scene the camera is constantly changing positions. It never shoots the same shot for more than a moment. This is to keep us from getting comfortable and getting a grip on the situation. The director wants to keep the visuals very disorganized and troubling.
I a going to use a review by Roger Ebert as well as the Sirs Website from the library homepage. I have not yet found a book but I plan on finding one on redemption.
Ladder 49 shows many aspects of life people traditionally go through in today's world. This movie stars joaquin phoenix and john travolta in which they play fire fighters and the station 49. Joaquin is the new guy at the station so all of the other fire fighters like to test him such as initiation. At first he is only the man that holds the water hose but then he gets promoted to go in and actually save the lives of people dieing in these fires. This is a big deal for Joaquin character jack. Its his dream to be a fire fighter and save peoples life, his wife however does not like this. She doesn't want him doing this due to their new marriage and 2 brand new kids. Everyday Jack doesn't know if he's going to come out alive from this job and that just kills his wife and it shows you the reality of how some people actually have to live their lives day to day. The station gets a call for a very bad fire in some sort of factory and while jack is in the building pulling bodies out the floor collapses and he falls several stories causing him to get knocked unconcious, very injured, and trapped in a room. The whole movie they have flash forwards of this scene to what his life was like before this incident of how he became a fighter and how he met his wife and kids. At the end Jack eventually ends up passing and its a very emotional part. I went to this in theatres when it first came out and I dont think their was a dry eye in the theatres. It makes you put yourself in his wife position when the cops have to come to their home and tell her jack has passed. Which was always her worst nightmare. This movie shows so many emotions and thats why i chose to write on it.
Jennifer B.
Period 5
Donnie Darko has many themes but one main one love vs. fear. We are first introduced to this idea by a motivational speaker in the movie that a teacher bases her carriculum on. During this scene Donnie states that "not everything can be lumped into two categories" and that more emotions should be taken into consideration. But when we as viewers look at his life we see the main theme of love and fear through Frank (the evil 6 foot tall bunny rabbit) and Gretchen (his once abused girlfriend). At the end Donnie ends up not fearing death when he dies for the one's he loves. The "love and fear spectrum" may also be interpreted into good and evil. The good vs. evil struggle is apparent at home, within Donnie, and even in his school. The gym teacher would be on the fear (evil) side of the spectrum because of how corrupt her teaching methods are, and the love (good) side of the spectrum is shown through her English and physics teachers who help him with what he is going through.
For my printed source i'm using my ap psych book that talks about schizophrenia (which Donnie supposedly has in the movie) and I'm not sure what I'm going to use from the library yet.
Josh Mulder
pd1
The film i am writing my "film deconstruction paper" on is called, Death Race. This movie has a very odd and strange story line. The economy is failing and many people result to stealing and committing crimes and get imprisoned. When you are imprisoned you are allowed to compete in this race against other "cons" Whom which you try to either beat in the race or kill. If you win five of these races you are free from Prison. Although the head lady of the prisoner does all she can to keep you in there as long as possible. There are layers of the story about how people are working without getting there money taxed, how the prison is being ran, and even how they prison has there own little military to keep track of everyone. The three sources i plan on using are the library database website. also i have have a very long useful movie review with the person even analised the movie so this should help me out greatly.
I decided to write my film deconstruction paper on "Dazed and Confused". It has been my absolute, favorite movie for a long time, and obviously there is reason for it being my favorite. My main message being sent from the movie is to live life the way you want to live it, and don't let power-hungry, orderly, boring elders get in your way. The opening scene portrays nearly every aspect of a 70's teenager's life. In the opening two or three minutes the movie presents cool cars, pot being rolled into a blunt, pot smoking, hanging out, amazing music, playing cards, paddle-making (later used in aniciation of the freshmen), love, gambling, handshakes, money, talk of parties and drinking, bell bottoms, tight pants, colorful clothes, grafitti, and so much more. This scene entirely sets up the viewer for what is to come, within the first couple minutes. A viewer may then decide if they are going to really enjoy this movie or totally be appauled. But, I do not think that just because you are not a pot smoker or drinker that grew up in the 70's that you cannot enjoy this movie. I think this movie has such deeper messages than we should all go out and party. It shows the town's QB finally stand up for himself, not because it is the easiest or most respected way to do things, but because that is what he wants to do and what will make him happy. Later in the film he says to a fellow football player that everything we are doing in our life is for our death. Therfore, shouldn't we all live everyday as we want, making ourselves happy, not below the line, never speaking up for yourself, or always being oppressed by other people. He says that people need to start taking advantage of today. Also, I think the character choice was brilliant in the film. I honestly think that every actor fits his/her character perfectly. The freshman boy starts 'hooking up' with a senior girl. That senior girl couldn't be too skinny and beautiful, because if so, she wouldn't be hooking up with a freshman. I also think the awkwardness of that freshman boy is just awesome for his character. It creates awkwardness all in itself. Also, I think the choosing of the boys in the movie were good. They are good looking enough for girls to just want to watch and wish they had a guy like them, but also tough and manly enough to relate to the guys. I also think that this movie can perfectly relate to today, even though it is set in the 70's. People are the same! Teens still party, some adults still oppress kids like crazy, some kids are worried about the future, and others are just living for the day. As for my sources, I have not decided where I will be gathering my information, but I best figure that out very soon.
The movie that I have been deconstructing is called “Radio.” It is about a mentally retarded boy who every day stands outside of the school yard fence and watches the football team rehearse. The coach of the football team notices Radio standing there one day and asks him to come onto the field and watch them practice. Radio was shy at first, but then he eventually warmed up to the team. There is much more to the movie than that, but that’s just a quick summary. I am going to write about how mental retardation can change a person’s behavior and maybe some of the mannerisms of a mentally challenged person. I also am going to talk about how one of the football players’ dads is completely against Radio being a manager for the team during the whole movie. I think that proves just how shallow some people are and that he obviously only cared about winning. Sports, for him, were more important and higher ranked on his list of priorities than a young, suffering, handicapped boy. I am going to go to the library and get a book about different mental illnesses and learn some things about the behavior of those affected. I will also use some movie reviews from the internet to help me get ideas about what else I should say.
Pd 1
The film I am deconstructing is the movie Juno. The movie Juno is about a bratty 16-year-old girl named Juno McGuff. The movie opens up with Juno looking at a chair, but this is no ordinary chair, it has a symbolic and deeper meaning to Juno. This is the chair where Juno and her classmate Paulie Bleaker share a loveless one-night incident which leads to Juno's unplanned pregnancy. Juno entertains the viewer with her sarcastic remarks and unique sense of humor. Her weird and interesting comments add to her relaxed and small town girl style. The actors chosen for this film actually look like small town figures, which makes the story more believable and possibly more enjoyable. This is an original movie with cheery, acoustic, folk-like music played from scene to scene. Juno is a strong female character which appeals to girls everywhere. This movie can easily be viewed as the triumph of feminist ideology. Juno never asks for Paulies help in getting an abortion (which she backs out of) or finding adoptive parents to simply take the "problem" away. Juno, with the help of her best friend, search through the penny saver and come across the lovely couple of Mark and Vanessa. Eventually Mark and Vanessa split up, just like Juno's parents, which leaves Juno to ask the question, can anyone really be in love and happy together forever? This movie is hilarious and has won an Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Actress. This entertaining, comical film is funny to watch and it also holds a deeper meaning of feminism and true love.
The movie I am constructing is Million Dollar Baby. Million Dollar Baby is about a very dedicated boxing coach and a very poor waitress who wants to make a difference through boxing. She wants to prove herself to people through boxing. This movie is somewhat religious based. Frankie, the boxing coach is a dedicated Catholic who attends church daily. Frankie is very resistant to helping out Maggie, the determined fighter until he is broken down by her will power. The director is sending the message to people who maybe don't have a lot that they can do anything if they just set their mind to it and work at it. The director takes a very strong headed man and a very determined poor woman and creates an emotional bond between them. This bond grows stronger and stronger as Maggie begins winning her matches. This is a film of inspiration as Maggie and Frankie inspire each other after they each share the pain of their pasts, which include their families. Clint Eastwood is a very powerful actor and has been in many great movies. He plays this role perfectly and can be that cold-hearted character that was needed in this film.
After picking and choosing three different movies I finally decided to do Cast Away partly because I love Tom Hanks as an actor and, partly because it really applies and is parallel to Lord of the Flies. (At least it has the same basic storyline) They get stranded on the island and attempt to get off. First off in order to deconstruct, I decided to watch the movie and take notes on everything I noticed. Surprisingly it’s hard. It’s hard to think and watch a movie. Sometimes you can picture what’s going next but it’s hard to think of what is coming next with different symbols in the background and in the text of it. I am trying to apply everything that he says or does into the whole plot of the hopelessness of the island. His gift from his girlfriend, a clock which has significance in his job as a FedEx manager, is his only hope. When he finds the port a potty plastic he is 'back on the clock' and begins to have two months to get ready. This movie shows the major adjustment from living a comfortable life to living a difficult do it yourself life. I hope to find more parallels and intriguing signs and foreshadowing as I continue watching the movie.
P.
I am writing my paper on the movie The Breakfast Club. The movie is about five students who have detention on a Saturday. The student each come from different stereotypes, the jock, geek, burn out, popular prom queen, and the outsider. They hate having to be there and have gone throughout the years ignoring and being mean to one another. Thinking they have nothing in common, they ignore each other, but this one Saturday changes their lives forever. They show each other through their deepest secrets and pains, that they are more alike than they ever thought. Even though they seem so different, everyone has their secrets. They bond through their pain and problems in their life. They know that once they leave the library everything will go back to normal, but their lives are affected forever. This movie show viewers the transformation that one moment with complete strangers can do. It also shows the action of acceptance and that once you get to know a person deeply, you can accept the way they are. The main lesson in this great movie is to be real. We all hide what is within us from coming to the outside, and once that is broken down we show the real person in us. Breaking from the mold of who we are, allows us to respect each other.
Film review: Roger Ebert
Printed book: psychology book
Library: something on acceptance or transformation
3rd period
I’ll be writing my deconstruction paper on the movie “Fight Club”. “Fight Club” is one of my favorite movies and there are plenty of reasons why. The message this movies sends to others is to live how you wanna live and do what you wanna do, no matter what things or people may be standing in your way. This movie is all about releasing your inner freedom and doing whatever you want. Don’t let society, other people, rules, or laws get in the way of your individuality. Brad Pitt is thee perfect actor to play the part of Tyler Durden. Tyler Durden is seen as the perfect guy. Ladies think he’s hot, guys think he’s awesome, and he does whatever he wants and gets away with it. Tyler is handsome, ripped, clever, good in bed, stylish, and is what most people consider perfect. Although Tyler is perfect, he is not real. He isn’t real because perfection does not exist.
In today’s society people are so caught up in doing the “right thing” or the “popular” thing because it’s what everyone else is doing to be cool. Edward Norton plays the main character Jack in “Fight Club” and is what most people consider a nice average guy who always does the right thing. Jack narrates himself through then fake image of who he wishes he was; Tyler Durden.
Tyler is the exact opposite of Jack in every way. Most people then see Tyler as a “bad” person. Tyler isn’t exactly a role model but he does the “right thing” by helping Jack appreciate himself and live life how he wants and enjoy it.
Internet - IMDB
Internet - something on psychology/self image
Print - something on psychology/self image
5th Period
The movie that I am deconstructing is, The Pursuit of Happyness. There are many things to deconstruct in this movie, including the title. The word happyness (normally spelled happiness) has a symbolic meaning. The movie is about a man who is going broke and his wife leaves him. He has to support himself and his young son on pretty much no income. He takes his son with him into the city where he receives an internship for a stock broker. It is a non paying internship and there is only one job available at the end. While taking on the internship he tries to sell special x-ray machines to make little income. Chris and his son are living in different homeless shelters, and hotels (when they can afford them). In this movie Chris, the main character, has one the genetic lottery. He is a genius. He can solve a rubics cube in ten minutes. Although this is a very uplifting movie, I don't think that the message being sent is a good one. What I get out of this film is that anybody who is homeless can find a way to get get rich and follow their dream. Although this might happen, for the most part homeless people aren't genius', or else they wouldn't be in that position. Not everybody can solve a rubics cube in that short amount of time. Even though this movie is based on a true story, I don't think that it is very realistic. To make this film better maybe they could have used a different actor for Chris. Don't get me wrong, I think that Will Smith is a great actor, but it is just hard to imagine him in this state, homeless. What was good about the acting in this film was the connection between Chris and his son. The actor playing the son was actually Will Smith's son.
Internet: IMBD
Internet: article from sirs on money
Printed: something on the American Dream(money)
Pd. 1
For the film deconstruction paper due Tuesday I am deconstructing “I am Legend.” The movies major topics of interest are: people’s fear of being alone, fear of technology, religion, and love. I think the most powerful out of these choices is the fear of being alone. People need to feel apart of something bigger, we need to talk to our friends and family, we need culture to keep us engaged and sane, we need outside stimulation. Will Smith’s character is in absence this outside stimuli. At the beginning of the movie he has his dog Sam. His dog is all he has left of his family and his sanity, through out the movie he continually relates his emotions and feelings the audience through his small monologues to his dog. He also shows the audience how lonely he is by how he starts talking to the mannequins and begs for the woman to “just say something.” After his dog’s death he attempts to commit suicide. After his last friend and last companion on earth is taken away from him he begins to believe that there is no point to life. There are a number of camera shots that show him driving his car with the empty seat beside him where Sam used to be.
My online film review I found at
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/i_am_legend/?page=3&critic=approved&sortby=date&name_order=asc&view=#contentReviews
I am in the process of finding my written source. For my written source I need a book that discuss the human psyche and can help me better explain and understand our fear of being alone.
Also the SIRS research website, is not allowing me to access it from home. At school I found the information I wanted and took some notes but I did not record the website. So this is what I have
http://ars.sirs.com/denied?sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-portal-res%3Fid=SSD0037-0-6321
Pd. 5
I’m going to write my deconstruction paper on the movie “Transformers”. It is one of my favorite movies for many different reasons. The movie is based on the 1980’s cartoon. The Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, want to save humans from the Decepticons who want to exploit Earth for its energy. Shia LaBeoufs character Sam is sort of a not so popular, dorky kid who gets thrown into all of this mess, because his grandfather’s glasses hold information that tells the secret location of the “all spark”. The movie is about the whole world coming together to fight something bigger than ourselves. It also shows the courage and motivation we as a civilization have to fight to stay alive. It also goes into the government conspiracies and cover-ups, because the whole time the government knew what was going on but decided not to tell the general public, which almost leads to the destruction of man kind. The acting is actually quite convincing, considering that they are fighting computer animated objects instead of actual people. The whole duration of the movie is loud music and action packed scenes, which makes your adrenalin pump throughout the entire movie. The movie does actually to some extent reflect what is going on in the world at the time period is was made, because in the opening of the movie they are in the middle east at a military base, when they get attacked by the Decepticons.
Internet: IMBD
Internet: Fighting/ Coming together for a greater cause
Printed: Government conspiracies and cover-ups
prd 5
Fear will keep you prisoner and hope shall set you free. This is one of the reaccuring themes of Shawshank redemption. Andy Durfresne is sentenced to two life terms for murdering his wife and happens to be innocent. How would you react to such a situation. You would probably give up all hope and live out the rest of your life in misery. Not Andy. He is more than your average prisoner. Andy is described as a man strolling through a park while in prison. He is extremely intelligent and perceptive. Andy accomplishes things in prison that you would think are possible. A quote I like from Red goes like this. "Men will do anything to keep their minds occupied in prison. Some collect stamps. Others build matchstick houses. Andy built a library." Not only does he build a library but he helps dozens of men get their diplomas. He creates hope for these men that are considered a problem to society. Its not all good for Andy thought. For the first years he is constitantly beat up and raped by the "sisters". He reaches his breaking point when Tommy, a man that can prove he is innocent, is murdered by the warden. We need to see the worst of his struggles to understand how much determination and hope he has in himself. There is much more to talk about with this film but i'll save that for my paper.
online film review: IMDB
Database: article from fofweb.com
Printed: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption - Stephen King
The character in V for Vendetta needs to be masked for many reasons. It not only hides the physical identity of the character, but it also makes the viewer wary that he probably has a secret behind the significance of wearing a mask. Is he injured? Is he mentally unstable to the point where he does not want to show himself? Is he ashamed of his ugliness? Or is he just trying to prove a point? The fact that you cannot see the actors face also prevents the viewer from seeing what his facial expressions are, and facial expressions often give away more than what words do. Words are what he uses to vex both the ‘good’ and the ‘evil’ characters interacting with him. There is significance in his simple name as well. V is one letter, and he is obviously an individual acting on his own relatively free will. V stands for the number five, which is what he was in the concentration-like camp he was scarred for life in. The fact that he was given a number and that was what he ended up wanting to be known shows the viewer that he has forgotten his old self and has turned into a vigilante. V has two lines that converge at a point, just like how V himself has duel personalities that shape who he is. One side of him is a decent human being with proper mannerisms and common courtesy, whereas the other side of him is violent and a menace. When V introduced himself to the main female character Eve, he went on a rant that included the grandest assortment of words that started with the letter v that anyone has ever heard of. When he heard Eve say her name, he acknowledged that saving a woman with the name Eve was not just a coincidence, but that it was all a part of fate.
Library Database source: elibrary – Anarchy in the U.K.; V for Vendetta tries talkin’ about a revolution; Jeff Giles
Printed Source: V for vendetta by Alan Moore, David Lloyd (graphic novel)
Online Film Source: IMDb Staff Review of V for Vendetta (Keith Simanton)
Period 1
We are creatures of habit and our habit is war. War does not lead to good things as we all know and in Max's case it has led to the possible apocalypse. In Max's universe of Mad Max 3 Beyond Thunderdome he is a weary traveller just wanting to stay isolated until fate knocks him off his camel-led car and leads him to Bartertown. This movie is filled with hard struggles for survival and ways of trade. This movie brings up the big problems with society today like prostitution, gambling, jailing systems, murder, and war. World War 3 has broken out previously to this setting and left the world as a rock of barren desert and little drinkable water. The few lucky to survive are either cut throats or getting their throats cut. This is the last straw of humanity and its a farce at that. In Bartertown there is a legalized way of fighting its called Thunderdome and its like a UFC styled fight to the death without rules. This alone shows you how de-evolved the humans have become as a whole. But there is hope far in the desert there is a canyon filled with innocent naive children. These children have the mindset that there is a never never land type place out through the nothing as they call the desert. They believe that Max is their savior and pilot to bring them there.
Internet: IMDB
Database: flixster.com
p.5
You may think that the Bourne Identity is just your typical action movie that has a ton of fighting and shooting in it. What's not to like right? But in reality I believe that we as humans watch these movies because we cannot experience such dangers in our day to day lives. None of us can take on 10 guys with guns while we are unarmed like Jason Bourne. None of us get pulled out of the ocean not knowing who we are and find out that the law is looking for us. It is the danger that makes us want to watch these movies because our lives can be so boring that we want to live a different life for a couple of hours. I chose this movie because it is one I can stand to watch three times and it is incredibly good, the acting is fantastic although some of it is quite unrealistic. I enjoy alot of the camera angles and the music leading up to big parts of the movie. The online source i plan on using is idmb.com i will most likely use some reviews from there. I have not yet found a library database source yet. For the book source I will most likely find a book on amnesia because that's what Bourne suffers from when picked up by the fishing boat.
Pd. 3
Internet Source:http://www.squidoo.com/welovetheusualsuspects
I don't have a book source yet
James Berardinelli Review
"And like that, he's gone." The forever unforgettable words of Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey) from "The Usual Suspects". The real question of this film is: Who is Keyser Soze? Through the entire movie, viewers are stumped at the thought of this "crazy killer" whom no one has actually seen, but stories keep the conmen on their toes. When your parents tell you "Don't trust anyone", according to this film, they are quite correct. The supposed "cripple" ends up being Soze. Soze is just a name, a story really, to be told to scare conmen; but the man is real. When the cripple is the bad guy, who is there really to trust anymore? I thought the film was amazing because twisted endings leave me wanting to talk about the movie hours after watching it. The foreshadowing in the movie is flipped so the viewer thinks Soze is Keaton. Even though they are all conmen, the viewer wants all of them to live (like Thelma and Louis), not get foolishly killed by Soze. The switches from past to present keep the viewer interested and wondering what Verbal has to say next. The 5 conmen know that someone else has the strings and they are all puppets in this puppetshow, but who is the puppeteer? Until the end of the movie, no one knows who is really in control. Although it is set in modern day, it has the feel of the 40s/50s. I find it odd that only one man survives, and it happens to be the cripple, of all the men, the cripple lives. Suspect the unsuspected.
Pd. 7
“The Wall” starts off with soft Christmas music playing, coming from what seems to be a hotel room. The music is ironic because Christmas is a time of love and peace with your family, but in this film Pink lives in a state of seclusion with riots traumatizing through his brain. The film was originally made to go along with the Pink Floyd album “The Wall”, because of this the film goes along with the music rather than the music going along with the film. In one scene Pink is in a swimming pool floating in a crucifixion position with the camera scanning over his body. This type of filming matched with the flashes of blood red water add to the uneasiness of the viewer, the flashbacks of his dad at war and in other photographs shows where his madness comes from. Due to the music being the spotlight of the film, the scene has the guitar solo of “The Thin Ice” playing in the background. The solo has the background of something that is stable, but high pitch riffs are played over top to create a sound of pure chaos. The events in Pink’s life build like bricks creating an entire wall that is seen around him, keeping him from what he is. I believe the wall symbolizes everyone and everything that has ever tried to stop you in your life. This movie is great to deconstruct because of all the stereotypes and references to the insanity to society.
The fast, the ferious, and drifting combine to make not only a good movie for the car fanatics, but also some stuff hides underneath the fancy cars. A boy with past of going against the rules of society. He races and just focusses on himself and has no one else. eventualy he races a rich boy and gets in big trouble and is sent to japan to live with his father. The movie takes place there the whole movie except for the beginning. It shows us that different countries arent so different as our own society. There is a mofia they he gets intangle with. He matures as he goes through finding himself and trusting others. Showing that he will handle his responcibilies and clean up after his messes. His relationship with his dad become much greater. It can tie into all of us going against the rules at some point or another. Making friends and choosing the right ones. Maturing and becoming an adult. Finding people who you belong with and feel the most comfortable is best.
pd 7
3
The film I have finally chosen to deconstruct is Burn After Reading. This movie does not follow the typical Hollywood formula of a comedy. This movie goes through the lives of normal people, who in the end, end up screwing up their own lives. But of course, people would think they would get into trouble, but for this movie all the characters get away scott free because the FBI doesn’t want to deal with their problems. All the characters in someway connect together, even though they do not know it. Each character portrays different personalities and acting qualities. George Clooney is a married womanizer who is an x-cop, who later gets paranoid, which leads to a young man’s death. We have gym workers, such as Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand, who both are not very bright individuals, which in reality, cause most of the problems presented in this movie. McDormand’s character just wants a Hollywood body, and will do almost anything to receive the money to obtain that “perfect” body. John Malkovich’s character, Osborn Cox, is an x-FBI agent who gets fired because he supposedly is a drunk. By being fired, it leads to his definite alcoholism. His wife leaves him, and he is forced to live on his boat working out to exercise videos. His wife is played by Tilda Swinton, who is having an affair with the gorgeous womanizer, George Clooney. All the acting is top notch because most of the actors have been stretched to achieve the characters personalities. Brad Pitt does an excellent job as a dim-witted workout trainer. His roles have usually portrayed some sort of “hunk” or “hott factor”, but in this movie, he acts the exact opposite which then leads him to stretch his acting abilities and achieved that goal.
3
My online source: IMDB.com and http://www.way2hope.org/overcoming_insecurities-nervousness.htm
No book source yet.
Online Review: Roger Ebert
P.3
I have decided that I am going to write my deconstruction paper on the movie "Remember the Titans." What makes this film so great is how two coaches, one black and one white, and there diverse football team, come together durning a very difficult time in history to create the ultimate success story. In "Remember the Titans" an all white high school consolidates with an all black high school, creating high tensions between the blacks and whites. Just weeks before school is to start and days before football season starts, Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) is hired as the head football coach in favor of the former, now demoted, coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton). As the football team goes to camp (similar to that of an NFL team) coach Boone and coach Yoast do not see eye to eye and neither do the players. Through all the struggles in the week or so the players are at camp the players unite while the two coaches still have a misunderstanding of one another. When school begins there are riots and boycotts between the white and black students, but the black and white football players are united, for the most part, and they help bring the school together. It also helps that when the football team plays their games they win. When the football teams best player (white) gets paralyzed in a car accident a fellow team mate (black) turned best friend steps up and helps lead his team, with the help of coach Boone and coach Yoast overcoming their differences, the Titans win the State Championship.
This film is good for any sports fan or for anyone who is looking for a film that brings people together. A major flaw to "Remember the Titans" is that at times the movie does not show how difficult times were or would have been during this time of integration. At times it can get awfully predictable, but that tends to happen a lot when you are dealing with movies based on true stories. "Remember the Titans," though it takes place almost forty years ago it shows how civil equality is not so bad. Today, there are still people that are racists, but I believe that we are becoming ever more closer to civil equality. An example of this is our new president Obama. This film does follow a formula: great team faces adversity, star player gets hurt, team overcomes adversity, wins championship. The only thing it does not follow is the happy ending formula, depending how you look at it. The ending could be seen as sad because all the players on the championship team reunite at the funeral of there best player who's life was cut shot do to that car accident that paralyzed him during the season of their championship. It also could be seen as sort of a celebration, as the players return to celebrate the life of a former team mate and fellow friend.
I am going to use a movie review from Roger Ebert and use American History Online and Sirs as other sources. I am not sure what I am going to use for my book source, but it will probably have something to do with civil right.
Period 7
One of the saddest films that I have ever viewed is The Last Samurai. Seeing all of the Samurai die while fighting for their way of life, in which they threatened nobody and a persons' honor is more important than life itself, is one of the most powerful film images possible. It is just like Schindler's List in that the Jews have done nothing wrong, except to have been born (in the eyes of Hitler and the Nazis), and yet they are being slaughtered because someone doesn't like them. The only difference is that the Jews have no weapons to fight with so they try to survive as their way of fighting back and keeping their honor. In The Last Samurai foreshadowing is used very effectively. The viewer always knows that something horrible is eventually going to happen to the samurai. One of these foreshadowings is when a pack of ninjas attack the samurai while they are having a celebration. This scene reminds the viewer that the Japanese empire has not forgotten about them and is planning to eliminate them however they can. The beautiful locations that the film was shot in give anyone watching the ability to imagine the samurai having actually lived in that area and with that way of life. Finally, The Last Samurai shows audiences that to die for what you believe in is the best death possible.
Sources:
online: The Last Samurai: By Roger Ebert
Book: Going to find one on ancient samurai
Library: Looking for a good one still
Per 3
Two ideologies are presented in the film Meet Joe Black both of which are also mention by Ebert and Roeper. One ideal is mans way of dealing with death. This movie gives two different perspectives on death and presents it in a very clever way. We see death from the eyes of two different social classes; Bill Parris the upper class white American, and the Jamaican women the lower class minority. Each person is shown dealing with death in two different ways. The women openly excepts the fact she is die and just wants it to come sooner. Where as Bill denies he is dying is does everything in his power to squeeze every last second he can get. I took this as a representation of people as a whole and how we come to terms with the one thing we can not and should not over come. Bill does not necessarily represent just the upper class but he could be seen as any one who has not yet want to die. He has material belongs, chores and errand he needs to get done; only when he realizes that those things do not matter and his family is most important does it become to late. The other ideology I found and agree with Ebert and Roeper on is the love between Susan and Joe. This could be seen as a mere plot twist but it is possible to see it as a symbol of falling in love with a concept. Even their meeting is symbolic; its random like death itself is random. Many people obsess over different things. There are those who fall in love with money, power, or fame. Those people become corrupted and lose their humanity in the end. I plan on using Desire: where sex meets addiction by Susan Cheever to look and the psychology behind addiction or obsession. Some symbols in this movie are plain and easy; Joe is death, Bill is the human fear of death, and Susan is our unhealthy obsessions that make us question ourselves. Where others are hidden and left up to you to analyze; Joe and his obsession with peanut butter, the simplicity of death is that is common and we all have had a taste of it like peanut butter. This should be an all around easy but time consuming project be I feel confident in my abilities.
I am deconstructing the movie Cellular. This movie is about a young woman, Jessica, who is taken hostage in an old building attic with nothing but a smashed telephone that was destroyed when she arrived by the men holding her hostage. These men are after her son as well and she must do anything possible to prevent them from getting him. She manages to put together parts of the smashed phone and dial one number. That number is the cell phone number of local surfer dude, Ryan. Ryan is, at the moment, trying to prove to his ex girlfriend that he can be responsible and try to win her back. When he receives the worried phone call from Jessica, at first he doesn’t think much of it but as she frantically explains her situation he soon realizes that she is really in danger and will try anything to keep the cell phone signal and save her and her son. This movie presents the many obstacles to keeping a cell phone signal alive. All the possible things that could and would go wrong with the cell phone happens, just adding to the suspense of the movie. It almost makes you angry to watch it at some parts because it’s just so typical that something would go wrong. For example, the cell phone gets broken, the battery almost dies, and he goes into a tunnel and almost loses the connection. All these malfunctions just add to the suspense and action of this expertly made film. I plan on using the film review from the website http://www.imbd.com/title/tt0337921/. I also will look for some books about action films and suspense. I will also try and get into technology and how it affects our lives and how we live them. Like a simple cell phone connection can determine weather you get rescued or not.
The film "Juno" stars Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page)and her unassuming boyfriend (Mechael Cera). In this movie Juno is faced with an unplanned pregnancy. She chooses not to keep the baby and sets up to choose parents for her child. She sets her sights on an affluent couple (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman).
In this film they make it seem like everything is okay if you just give up your baby, when in reality it really isnt. Teenagers dont look at all the aspects and consequences when they get sexually active. I plan on talking about teenage pregnancy statistics and the effects on the teenager. On the library website (Sirs), I found some interesting statistics. I have not found a book yet, but it will be about the psychology of teenage pregnancy.
This movie is a comedy and has a happy ending like most movies. It does not show the complications and battles that most pregnant girls face. I also think it is interesting that Juno, a quirky punk girl, hooked up with a nerd like Bleeker. I do like this movie i just think it doesnt portray a good message to teenagers.
Pd.1
sources:
internet: film critic
book: going to find one on the wizard of oz
library: will have to find one still
I forgot to include this on my short essay above!
Period 3
From seeing previews alone, I was already hooked. After seeing the movie, I was addicted. Gran Torino isn’t your everyday movie. It takes you beyond your average “ghetto” neighborhood movie scenario. It’s not only a drama film, but it has comical twists along with action and also plays with religion. It takes place in present day Detroit in a run down, immigrant/oriental taken over part of town. Only difference is the one American still living there, Walt Kowalski, the main character. Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) plays a veteran war hero. It is suggested in the film that he is dealing with lung cancer. Every once in awhile in scenes, he coughs up blood, but will never admit to being sick. He smokes way too much and drinks equally, is in love with his dog Daisy. In the beginning of the movie, it shows a funeral, which is for his wife. Walt doesn’t show much emotion, but it isn’t hard to figure out how he “shows” his emotion in the film. He has his own way of everything. He’s very harsh, racist(against Koreans or anything like them), BA-like, and talks as if he’s raspingly yelling out of the side of his mouth. The camera doesn’t hesitate to get close up shots when he does show. It really grabs you from the couch and puts you into his reality. The movie will preview you with info, but the next minute pull you into the scene. It goes back and forth the entire movie.
I recently made the switch from doing my essay on Fight Club, now to Gran Torino, basically because I can’t get it out of my head and know that I can watch it multiple times and deconstruct it to the core without losing my interest!
My Sources: I’m not completely set on these sources yet, there are too many options and it’s hard to pick from and narrow it down!!
Movie Review=http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/4758 or http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/movies/12tori.html
Book Source=I Remember Korea: Veterans Tell Their Stories of the Korean War, 1950-53 By Linda Granfield or possibly doing something on lung cancer and/or the psychosis of these disease victims
Library Website Source=http://www.fofweb.com/NuHistory/default.asp?ItemID=WE52&NewItemID=True
Period 7
Sleeping Beauty has been enjoyed as a film for people of all ages for over 50 years. At first glance, Sleeping Beauty seems like any other Disney fairy tale princess movie, and in certain aspects, it is. This movie has little to no sick, disgusting, creepy, hidden meanings. It is true. However, I do not think it needs to have evil hidden meanings in order to be a great, inspirational film. Sometimes good and evil can be as plain as black and white. Sleeping Beauty (Princess Aurora) is the epitome of innocence and kindness. In this movie, true love possesses such strength that it can defeat the most seemingly unbeatable curses. Sleeping Beauty is a movie of hope and really coming to believe that good can overcome evil. Sure, the evil one, in this case Maleficent, could seem like they are winning for awhile and maybe they are. However, in the end, I believe that the good will always win. Another consistent theme with Disney movies is the "and they lived happily ever after..." This movie also shares this concept. If the true love thing had not won out, the entire kingdom would have crumbled. Maleficent would have won and the kingdoms of King Stefan and Hubert would not have merged. Thorns would trap the entire castle and chaos would overtake the land because a giant dragon is loose.
http://www.sparknotes.com/film/sleepingbeauty/themes.html
http://animated-views.com/2008/sleeping-beauty-platinum-dvd-and-bluray/
I don't have a book source yet, either.
Pd 1
I chose the film Donnie Darko because it has got so many underlying themes. Passion vs. Purpose is the main theme. Donnie feels he must do what is right to save the ones he loves but he has always been afraid to die alone. When a plane engine crashes through his window he is mysteriously wandering around across town, because a hallucination brought on by his ADD medication has been guiding him in terrifying visions. Donnie realizes by the end of the movie that everyone has their own path that they must follow their own path and destiny or things will be thrown out of balance. Donnie has the fear of dying alone which is exactly what he must do to save his family and friends (passion) which is why he needs Frank (hallucination of a 6 foot man in a rabbit costume). Frank asks him if he has ever wondered about time travel, Donnie reads up on the topic and realizes he must follow his destiny (purpose).
I plan on using my Psychology book as well because of Donnie’s abnormal behavior, but I don’t know what I will use for my other sources.
pd. 3
In the movie Blindness the director, filmer, and editor worked together to make this a better movie. THis was not a straight forward, normal way of filming. It showed the white blindness in the characters' eyes. With the white film over the picture, it was easier to put oneself in the shoes of the blind people. This movie depicted the building where they were sent as a mental hospital. Eventually in the movie they started acting as if they were patients in a mental hospital though. They lost two things, democracy and civilization. Two of which are very important in order for a group of people to get along. This movie has many hidden double meanings. The quarantine could also represent a war. The wards within the building would therefore represent countries. I believe the first ward represents America because they continue to push for democracy and also because they have many people from different cultures symbolizing the melting pot of America. If the war being presented was World War II, I believe ward three would be Germany and the other wards would be the Jews and other minorities. The King of Ward Three would be Hitler and his S.S. would be the old blind man. In this movie when the doctor's wife kills the "King" and the fire kills the hold of the ward would be a representation of when the U.S. and the Allies eventually hit Hitler hard and his empire falls. Also, in this film after they escape from the ward they go and try to find food and shelter. This reminds me of after the prisoners were set free from the concentration camps and tried to make their way back home through the destruction from the war. Another double meaning could be the level of social status that came into the ward. They all came in on different levels, but eventually they were all equal, just like the prisoners in concentration camps became equal eventually. As you can see, Blindness has many symbols connected to war.
pd7
The movie i have been watching is friday night lights. I've really been looking into two areas of the movie. The first area would be about the pressures of winning and how do we define success? All throughout the movie we follow a high school football team that sweats during two days, bleeds during games, and gives maximum efforts at all times. Even in the end they end up losing to a dirty, cocky team, and won because of false reasons, cheating refs, and dirty play, despite the true effort of the boys. Which makes us question why do we put so much pressure on sports? How do you define success because we all lose and despite all the efforts put in they still lose? So how do we define success if not everyone can win. Also i start to question why we put so much into sports and how sports become an identity for the town to the point where we don't know a town or school because of its academics we recognize it because of its sports. In one scene you hear a radio announcer say they have done to much learning at school and thats why they are losing. Colleges pay millions even more than educated professors to coaches so that the name of the college can be known by their sports. Athletes are gaving a scholarship despite not even having to be scholarly at all. Which leads into another discussion of how we lose our minds for sports in the movie the town is so poor and few will ever get out of the town, but sports offer away out and a temporary relief from economic hard times. Under those friday night lights the town forgets the hard times and enjoys watching the hopes and dreams of everyone. The boys playing it attempt to get out of the town to play football in college but the reality is that very few will leave the town, but at the time under those friday night lights thats the only hope they have.
I plan to use the actual book friday night lights for some sources, i plan to use roger and epert website and i am still looking for my database
pd.5
I have chosen to do my film paper on The Bucket List. In this movie there are many different hidden symbols, such as racism and classism. Without the racism it would not be as great of a movie, you would not have as much of the tension or the action. It is the same way with the classism in this movie, you have the rich old white guy and the poor old black put into the same hospital room both dying of the same thing with the same amount of time left to live. Without all the classism and sterotypical way of having the black man poor and the white man rich you would never get as much of the action or the way that the men finally do, and do show it is impossible for two completely people to get along, and become best friends. Another thing that makes this movie great is the way they act, they do not just play the part, they actually get into who they are and it makes realistic that you would believe that this is really happening to these two men.
p.3
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith is a tragic movie that is more than just a movie if you open your eyes and mind. In this movie you see alot of conficts both internal and external between all the characters especially Anakin. You see him struggle between what is right and what others make him believe and do. You also see him go slowly insane about saving his wife from death. Which would make any man insane knowing your wife was dying and there is nothing you can do about. Then Palpatine offers a solution and at this point, Anakin has run out of options. He falls. But this could have been easily prevented too. Thoughout the movie you see the Order treat Anakin like a child. and sense the conflicts in him but do nothing about it. One part of the movie, where Anakin is looking out the window of the Chamber towards Padme's penthouse, you see the sun setting. It is the only sunset in the movie and it is beautiful. The sun setting forshadows the end of the Republic, the Jedi, Anakin, and the beginning of the Empire and Darth Vaders birth. You hear trajic music throughout the next couple of sense as you watch the jedi being slaughtered all over and as you watch Yoda in so much pain that he almost can't take it. Luckly he recovers in time to kill his assassins. During the fight scene between Yoda and the Emperor, you see how pissed off Yoda is. But even that can't stop the Emperor. He is just to powerful for Yoda to overcome. And again more forshadowing occurs when Palpatine says that Vader will become more powerful than both of them. At the end of the movie you see padme's funeral and you see her holding Anakins charm he made for her, symbolizes hope and love even after death. At the very end you see Luke being held by Owen and Beru as your watching a sunrise, symbolizing a new future and a new hope.
In the movie “Warriors” there is small gang called the Warriors. I think the big theme in this movie is belonging. It seems like all the members in the gang are from a broken home or family. You never hear about their family. You never hear them really talk about any of their feelings. They all seem to be looking for the same thing. A group of people they can call their own. Every gang in this movie wear the same clothing so everyone will know what group you are with. Through out the entire movie, the gang is being hunted by every other gang in the city. Because they are all running to the same place and they help each other they start to develop better friendships. Which could make them feel more like they belong.
Nick P. Per.5
The eptiome of greed and hate, Daniel Plainview is a ruthless oil tycoon whose only goal in life is to make enough money to barracade himself from all others in the world. He loves no one, he even adopts a baby whose father died in a drilling accident simply to use the child as a marketing stragety. Throughout the movie his materialistic fortune grows and grows as his morals and tolerance of others declines considerably. A man whose heart is as black as the oil he so desperately seeks. I found this movie appealing for I can relate to Daniel Plainview. I can't relate to his greed, however his hate and distrust of most people is relative to my own. I too often see the worst in people as quoted by Daniel. He confesses "I have a competition in me, I won't no one else to succeed." and "I dislike most people." These comments are foreshadowing to an ending that i'll admit even shocked me. A movie which I consider one of my favorties, deconstructing There Will Be Blood should be somewhat easy since it's such a joy to watch, not to mention the fact that I can relate to characters in this movie.
From Kelli H:
The film I am deconstructing is Paradise Road. It is a story that takes place during World War II where a group of women are held prisoner by the Japanese. This film has a lot of violence but I think it is necessary because it shows a way of communication, authority, and discipline. By showing the viewers the violence taking place during the war, it helps them understand what it was like at that time. Although some of the violence was very graphic and seemed to be in great detail it really shows the true experience of being in a foreign prison. In the film there is nudity but it is not intimate. It is only when the Japanese soldiers are bathing and again when the women shower. It is necessary in a way that the Japanese lady makes a joke about the men and in the shower barracks I think they could have left it out because it was not necessary for any particular reason or point. Since there are numerous numbers of explosions during the movie they feel real because you get so involved with the movie that you feel like a part of it yourself. The following are the sources I will be using:
Film Review http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119859/
Understanding Psychology Book
Library Info Please http://www.infoplease.com/search?q=%22Paradise+Road%22&in=all&fr=iptn&x=24&y=8
pd. 1st
I am deconstructing the movie Troy, about the Trojan War between Greece and Troy. This film has many themes such as man vs. power, man vs. man, and man vs. immortality. In this film, Achilles has to decide if he want to live a long happy life and have a beautiful wife and kids or go to war and be remembered forever as one of the world's greatest warrios even though he will die there. Throughout the film there are many refences to religion such as when Achilles cuts off the head of the God Apollo and in the end Achilles dies due to the love of a girl who is a servant to Apollo. Also the film is Hollywoodized to make Achilles look even more amazing and show him close up killing. For example, Achilles and his men raid the beach with only 50 men even though the Trojans have thousands, yet somehow they break through Trojan lines and win the battle. I doubt it they were too outnumbered. Also, Achilles' boat is the only one with a black sail which may indicate he is bringing death or he is the beast to bring death. It could also be that it's his way of rebelling against the Greek king Agamemon. The music also sounds God-like or mystified like the Gods of war are watching down on the war.
Im using the book Illiad as my book source and about.com troy movies review source and about.com ancient history trojan war
I am deconstructing the movie Four Brothers. It is about four very different “Lost Cause” foster boys who became brothers because of one of the most caring and innocent women ever. As the film progresses from the assassination of their mother to the mobster crime of Detroit the guys grow together and have a brotherhood that is thicker than blood. The Mercer family takes the law into their own hands. This movie is portrayed as a modern western theme, with gunfights and shoot outs. The “good” guys come into town to get justice. I have been really looking into how the guys come together into a brotherhood or a gang. They are not related by blood, but each character is dependent to another. Each has different lifestyles and different pasts but is brought together because they have nobody to care for or nobody to care for them until Ellen Mercer. They have been living life with crime in Detroit, which is an interesting location considering the crime rate, until she tries to set them straight when nobody cares about them. The Mercers find out that Victor Sweet gave the order to kill their ma, and seek revenge on him. Victor strikes back by killing one of the brothers. They then devise a plan to get rid of a crooked cop and kill Victor by turning his boys against him.
Sources=
Sirs.com about gangs
A movie review from Roger Ebert
I still have yet to find a written source
In the Cohen brothers' "No Country For Old Men", they bring the devil to the surface in the form of a shot gun carrying man with a bull cut. They take the idea of chance and fate. Throughout the movie, everyday people are put into situations where the evil or "id" in them will come out. What the watcher has to ponder is what's chance, and what's fate. "Anton Segur" is the villain of the movie and does not have any remorse for any murders he may or may not commit. In some parts he takes out a quarter, flips it, and tells the person he's with to call it. He doesn't care what happens, if he wins or loses, because he thinks everything is by fate. Fate is the reason he is there, it is the reason they are there, and the result of the coin toss is also fate. The movie is without music for the most part, to make the watcher pay more attention to the movie and also create much, much more tension. This seems to be the totally opposite choice in film making because many times it is the music that makes a scene better. For instance, Watching 10,000 storm troopers march to silence isn't as intimidating as watching them march to "The Imperial March." In "No Country For Old Men," every choice in the directing is made for a reason and it shows in it's execution.
Most kids start off not knowing the difference between black and white or any other racism or segregation that happens later in their life or until it is instilled in them by someone like their parents. The Disney movie The Fox and the Hound gets into this everlasting and deep subject by using two simple animals who are suppose to be enemies, unknowingly to them. They are just young pups and are just looking for someone to play with and dont worry about all the "big" stuff. This may be consider a childrens movie but really all ages can learn some lesson from it no doubt. There is a ton of symbolism throughout it, especially at the end, some more obvious than others but others i found after my close viewings and i keep finding new things. This movie i think will forever be a classic and children and people of all ages should see it because of the deep lessons on friendship, love, segregation, racism, and never giving up on someone. Its not just a simple cartoon with a quick story, its much deeper.
period 1
P.S. I Love You is not only the movie I am deconstructing but also a phrase that has always been popular in many love notes. In the movie, the love notes are a little bit different. As the cover of the movie states it is “the best romantic comedy in a very long time” but others disagree. To some it is neither romantic nor comedic. The movie starts out with showing the couple that anyone would want to be. They are in love and extremely happy and head over heals in love. You would think that it would be a typical love story where its all about their lives together but its not. He dies right away from cancer and the movie is all about her life and how he is sending her letters after his death to “help” her move on. But can she really move on with this? Is he being selfish in NOT letting her move on?
My online source for the review is most likely going to be off of www.imdb.com (the link that you showed us) I found it even before you recommended it to us and it is very useful.
Im not completely sure what other online source or printed source will be yet although I did find a good page off of the Sirs website, not quite sure if ill use it yet; my printed source will most likely be about either coping with a death or selfishness.
pd. 1
The title of my movie is "In Her Shoes". This movie is about two complete opposites, they are sisters, bestfriends and very bitter rivals. Cameron Diaz plays the younger sibling, who is the ultimate party girl, flirtacious and promiscuous. Right off the bat Maggie shows us that she relies on her sister and father and body to get her places in life.Rose on the other hand who is played by Toni Collette is a successful lawyer,but very plain. Her character is very insecure and as the plot unfolds you will learn why. The girls try to over come tragedies and obstacles such as mother's suicide, long lost grandmother, controlling step mother who is obsessed with her own offspring(Marcia), which is described as perfect and the girls are always being compared to "marcia" . overall Maggie and Rose both are suffering from voids. They both have different ways of dealign with thier losses. Rose chooses to pursue her career and succeed and is a compulsive buyer of expensive designer heels. They soon realize that they both need eachother and their grandmother to make peace with eachother and most of all themselves.
I do not know the sources that i will be using for my paper yet but will search for resources helpful on topics about sibling rivalry and about loss and depression and maybe even suicide
p.5
My movie is Sweeny Todd. It starts off with Sweeny Todd (his real name is benjamin barker but changes his name when he gets to london) on a boat back to London from a prison sentence with a boy and the first song is about how London is a great big black pit full of...crap...You also see flash backs about his early life before he was taken away. You see the sky is bright and there are flowers around and everyone is happy. then you get back to reality and everything is either dead or dying, everyones in rags and its dark the entire time, no sun. you also see that Sweeny has a gray streak in his hair now. that may symbolize age or stress or it could simply be a new look. when he gets back home, he sees that his home is now a bakery and that its a pretty rundown shop too, with bugs everywhere and mrs Lovett smashing them with her roller and still making pies with it. Sweeny eventually goes up back to his room and a flash back appears with his wife (lucy) and baby (joanna) there. comes back to reality and he picks up the floorboards and he finds the razors his wife gave him. he finally feels complete with them. now he can get revenge on turpin who was the one who threw him in prison, he also stole his baby and raped his wife and helped with her "suicide". so he becomes a barber along with mrs lovett and they kill lots of people and mrs lovett makes them into meat pies to get to turpin. basically the seat they sit in when they get trimmed symbolizes a death penalty chair. well he gets a chance but then the boy comes in and ruins it cause he wants help with getting joanna free from turpin. he eventually succeeds in getting her free when she dresses like a boy. then he takes her to todds place to hide. she hides in chest that is in the corner of the barber room. he gets another chance later on and succeeds in killing turpin right after he lets turpin know who he is. she witnesses this and todd almost kills her cause she looks like a boy. meanwhile toby is a boy who's master is todds first victim and works for mrs lovett and she becomes like a mother to him. she sends him down to the cellar to help with the meat grinding. he figures out that these are bodies he's grinding up and hides when he hears footsteps. todd comes down to check on turpin and he see an old lady walking down there and reconizes him and he kills her. this puzzles him and then it dawns on him that this is his wife and lovett knew the whole time who she was. he burns lovett in the furnace. he drops his razor and walks over to his wife and holds her. toby then comes out of hiding and picks up his razor and kills him with it. the irony of all this is he wanted revenge for his loved ones death but it was he himself who killed them. The songs are vey important because they tell the story of how everything happened the way it did and how he got to be in this state of mind.
pd. 3
A deep deconstruction of the film Donnie Darko yields more questions than a look at the surface upon first viewing. The initial themes emerge as circumstance and self-sacrifice as Donnie must choose between life and the elimination of evil in the Middlesex community or the life of Gretchen, Donnie's unfortunate girlfriend. Donnie is a deranged teenager who deals with the stresses of adolescent life with cunning and sexual exploration. He has visions which are perpetuated and accelerated by the use of pills prescribed to him by his seemingly benevolent guidance counselor. His visions become violent when Donnie is indebted to his imaginary friend, Frank. Frank can be interpreted as the final vision of hope that Donnie wishes for in life. Donnie is willing to sacrifice his own life as long as he doesn't follow Grandma Death's description of "every living creature on earth (dying) alone." Donnie experiences the month of companionship with his girlfriend, sister, and instructors which enables him to choose death as a sacrifice rather than a necessity. The director beautifully constructs scenes to portray controversial subjects such as religion and politics. Donnie searches for meaning in life that is much deeper than religion itself. According to his psychiatrist, God will be Donnie's comforter in life and in death. Donnie dismisses this as ideological fantasy and finds a more tangible comfort in people who suffer along with him. The movie allows the viewer to feel Donnie's pain and evaluate their own life based on the material presented. The viewer is left with a surreal feeling of helplessness because they understand that circumstance cannot be avoided and decisions must be made which may alter their own life and the lives of others.
p. 3
My film that I am deconstructing is Terminator 2: Judgement Day. In this film, two terminators are sent back in time. One to kill the future leader of the human race, the other to protect him. This film has become one of the most well known sci fi action thrillers ever. Its greatness stems not from its gun battles, explosions, or oscar winning special effects, but its story line and characters. From the terminator, an exterminator of human life, who learns the meaning of tears. To the destiny of John Connor, that one person can make a difference to the whole world. It is the kind of movie where you will cheer the good guys because they are so cool in there biker leather, and boo the bad guys because they are inhuman and evil. This film tells us that heroes can come from anywhere. That Self sacrifice is honored. And that hope for the future is like the dawn breaking over a long dark road.
For my online soure I plan to use a movie review by Roger Ebert. I am still searching for my other two sources.
Pd 5
I am doing my film paper on the movie The Dark Knight. Bruce/Batman is played by Christian Bale and the Joker is played by Heath Ledger. The Dark Knight is not simply a comic book film. In fact, it strives to separate itself from the likes of Spiderman and The Hulk by allowing its focus to delve deep into the heart and soul of numerous and diverse individuals. It is a film about choice, morality and idealism and how these factors can begin to weigh upon the lost and isolated individual. It does not call attention to its comic book origins but rather bases itself in a realistic time period that could be representative of anywhere in the world. Bruce Wayne is an idealist who believes he can alter the world’s crime ridden roots through the donning of a mask and a cape. The Joker is a character who believes in tipping the scales of structure and balance. The Dark Knight does live up to its title. It is extremely dark. The violence at times is stark and unrelenting but in a non-exploitive sort of way. It mirrors the society that Gotham City has become. The city has spawned violence as a result of its own corruption and misdeeds. Batman is trying to clean up the scum of Gotham City while The Joker is trying to take Batman out.
Pd.1
I will be doing my paper on Batman: The Dark Knight. The movie takes place after Bruce Wayne (played by Christian Bale) receives a hint of a new villain, the Joker (Heath Ledger). Bruce Wayne's goal is to rid Gotham City of all crime. The Joker does what he can to make this task impossible, and eventually tries to take out Batman himself. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) becomes a major part of the action packed story. Dent's role in the corrupted Gotham City is to help bring sanity back to its population, by running for office. His high spirits and optimistic attitude are just what the city needs, but the Joker and his villainous crew have some masterful plans to disrupt everything that is good in the incredible city.
The movie is pretty lengthy, and was also quite expensive to produce, which may lead you to believe that it has its fair share of excitement. With an amazingly talented cast, The Dark Knight is a fan favorite. Both Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart are great, and Heath Ledger had the performance of a lifetime. Along with a strong dramatic plot, this movie really delivers huge loads of action to its viewers. There is love, anger, hate, passion, regret, jealousy, and plenty of revenge entwined into this thriller of an action movie. If you become bored while watching this movie, you might want to check your pulse.
I will likely use imbd.com as a source, as well as Wikipedia.org, as long as I can verify myself that the sources that I use on Wikipedia.org are accurate. Other sources will pop up as a go along, or so I hope.
pd.1
3:10 to Yuma is a suspencful movie but at the same time very layed back because that is how Ben Wade is throughout the movie. It's one of the best Western movies I have ever seen and it portrays what time was like after the Civil War. Dan Evans has part of his leg amputated from the Civil War and is struggling to keep his land from the three year drought that is happening. Throughought the whole movie Ben Wade is in handcuffs and taken to the Yuma train, but at any point in time he could have easily escaped from those men and killed them but he admired Dan and thats who he wanted to be like. The end doesnt turn out like you want it to with the death of Dan Evans but Ben Wade steps it up and kills all of his men which is very ironic considering the whole movie his men were after him trying to save him. I recommend this movie and its ratings on my review was very high.
Pd 5
I will write an essay about a movie called Dances with Wolves. Dances with Wolves are about a white man, John Dunbar, became feeling belong to the Native America tribe, Sioux. When John Dunbar joins the Sioux marches, John Dunbar saw million of the buffalos died on the beautiful land. The buffalos’ fur peeled off and tongue cut by the white men. They sell it for the money. The Sioux scared the buffalos; they will use everything from the buffalos. Also Dances with Wolves showed lot of the landscapes: plains, badland, and sunset. It’s showed that modern people did not care the minerals or animals. Same as in Africa, the people went to there for the diamond. They killed each other for it. Also they peeled the earth for the diamond same as the white men peeled the fur from the buffalo for the money. Other example is the oil spills and it caused a lot problem. As the buffalos’ blood spill over the beautiful land. Dances with Wolves try tell us that the human race destroy the earth. We did not careful what we do. We are too rushing.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099348/
National Geography
Still research more
I will be deconstructing the movie "Blood Diamond" because i think it is an important issue that not many people are familiar with. Danny Archer is played by Leonardo Dicaprio and is from Rhodesia, which is now known as Zimbabwe. He is a self-centered man who has his money on his mind and his mind on his money. He doesn't care about what the natives are going through and how many people are being killed as long as he is succeeding. Solomon Vandy is a native African who loses his family to a R.U.F. raid. While Solomon is working in a diamond mining camp he finds an enormous pink stone. Danny finds out about the stone and can't get it off his mind. Danny's jewel is the stone while Solomon's jewel is his son Dia who is now a child soldier for the R.U.F. Maddy, a girl Danny meets played by Jennifer Connely, is a journalist who helps Danny realize all the terror happening in Africa. The movie review from the Los Angeles Times helped to fully understand this movie and I learned how the country of Africa is another character who has a good side and a bad side. The book "Diamonds Move From Blood to Sweat and Tears" found on the library database helped me realize how an international regulatory system has prevented diamonds from fueling conflicts and waging war. I have not found a book to help me yet. In the movie the native Africans talk about how the dirt is red from all the blood shed and how they were here before the white man and they will be here after the white man. In the end of the movie as Danny is about to die he is holding the dirt in his bloody hands flashing back to why the man told him the dirt was red in the first place.
Period 1
I will be deconstructing the movie "Miracle." I have watched several times and I have come up with some good ideas and subjects to go into internally. The movie is mainly on Herb Brooks played by Kurt Russell. He gets interviewed to get the head coach job for USA Olympic team. Herb is a firm guy, he does not take advice from anyone. He won the job by planning to introduce a new breed of hockey to the USA. Wants to add speed, vision, and creativity, but most of all condition. Herb is a real hard ass. He wants to be the coach not a friend. It is said or even acted like that multiple times. Another thing i noticed watching the movie is that Miracle's actual camera positioning and angle is so different from other hockey movies such as The Mighty Ducks and Mystery, Alaska. The camera angle and positioning puts you in the game literally and you can see the confusion and the fast pace. They focus on the energy and excitement and confusion, other than just broadcasting it. Also this movie does not follow the typical modern sports movie cliche. In most sports movies there is a team or person who deal with their problems to come back and succeed like dealing with their girls, their own quirks, and also they demonize their rival or opponent. Miracle never really demonizes any team they play. USSR would be the only team they really demonize but they never trash them. They actually give Russia respect and are not scared to play them but they are intimidating, make sense? It would be lucky if you could get by the Soviets. Herb saves all his emotion, only moves his jaw till the last scene. Herb did everything with logic behind it. He drilled the players so bad that he wanted to the team to bond on the dislike of him. The Defeat of Russia was a miracle and The Miracle is about how Herb shaped up 20 kids of the average age of 21 to do things they never thought they could do.
pd.1
I am deconstructing The Notebook. This movie provides every stage of love, some stages are even noticably longer. Symbols are very prevalent in this film. Some include a piano, the color red, and a white house. All of these are somewhat obvious because they all shape the movie. The film involves short and long shots. The camera is viewed so that the characters emotions can be seen. Far away shots give us clues about the landscape and location. A sex scene shows the actors faces but not whats going on. We can also hear their emotions during the intercourse. This was to be left out for audience's descretion. These characters are genious and both very good looking. They look and act so well together that you can't help but root for them. To me it looks like these two are not acting. They were also a couple off-screen which had much to do with their amazing chemistry. The lead actress Ally wears a lot of red which is appropriate to help her stand out. Her clothers also make her appear sophisticated and expensive because that's where she comes from. Noah, the lead actor wears a lot of gray and tattered clothing because he is not rich like her. The message conveyed is that when love comes at you, you must cherish it. Love makes life better and most importantly happier. It also conveys the fact that you should follow your heart when it comes to love and life. The music is so effective in this film. It draws my attention because I love the old 40 and 50's music. Its soft happy music too. It pertains directly to the mood also. In a happy scene of the couple togehter, the music is upbeat and happy. When they're apart the music is more dreary and lonesome sounding.
Sources= Love - physical book
Ways of love-library database
Ny times - online film review
tina L.
pd. 1
(Sorry about the blog being late. It's been so busy around here).
The film I'm going to deconstruct is either Bleach or Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Both are extremely clever at hiding symbols and foreshadowing events.
In Bleach, the camera zooms in on characters, showing there face close, their emotions! This puts a big impact on the viewer! The viewer can put his/her feelings into understanding the characters! In Nausicaä, there are great detail making in the nature and scences. This makes us feel like were there, more realistic drawings. I love the way how the film adds in foreshawdowing. When a plane crashes into the valley, it is a sign of destruction and war. After the plane scence, a different village that was known to be savage came to take over. Foreshadowing indeed!
I don't really know what database to use, let alone know what it is. I'll need help on that. A book source is using the books that the films were made from. They have more detail than the movies. However, I probably need more than that. Also, when did you give the Stepbrothers example? I hope to get some help Mr. C.
p.3
The "staircase to heaven" is a huge symbol/message that is repeated many times throughout the movie Fireproof. The whole movie is based around a marriage that is failing because neither the husband or the wife has a relationship with God. And so it shows the struggle of the husband trying to start a relationship with God but not having enough faith because his wife wants out. One great symbol of one climbing the staircase to heaven was when a firefighter, who was also struggling in life, was climbing a firetruck ladder to a window. This symbolized him being let free and going up to heaven. This movie made it so real becuase it wasn't afraid to get deep and show the actual hardships of marriage and of life. It makes people motivated to get going and make their marriage life better. And it also puts a side of Christianity in it to also make the viewers think about that certain question that the firefighters asked each other, "Where do you think you are going after this?" So of them simpoy said in the ground and others had tons of faith and were confident that they were going to go to heave. And by having this scene in the movie makes the viewer ask themself where they are going. And if they don't belive in God, the movie helps them start. I just really liked this movie because it didn't force anything on anyone. A viewer could still enjoy it and learn stuff from it even if they didn't believe in God or anything.
I don't have any sources yet because I switched movies, and I might do Ladder 49, I just don't know yet.
pd.3
The movie I am thinking of doing (its changed quite a bit) is A Walk To Remember. Its shows that you should not judge people by what you see them as at school but who they are as a person. In this movie landon (Shane West) is the popular trouble maker of the school gets community service for a punishment when he puts a kid in the hospital. Jamie, the reverend's daughters, also does community service. Not because she has to but because she wants to help. Jamie is the last person Landon would be suspected to fall for. in the movie it shows how landons life changed because of jamie. He went from caring only about himself and being the bad kid, to caring of others and realizing what life really meant.
period 5
I am deconstructing the film Taken. It is a film about a father that has daughter and she is kidnapped in another country by an organization of men that traffic women, then get them addicted to drugs and turn them into prostitutes. This film really makes you realize that these sort of things actually happen and I do not recommend watching it with your parents. But besides all of that, this film shows the connection between a father and a daughter and the lengths he will go to protect his daughter. It really pulls at your heart strings and makes you literally cringe and cry and pulls you in with its dramatic music and believable storyline. Some could say that a few scenes in the movie are unrealistic, but most would say they could believe it. Like in the scene the daughter is taken, she shouts out everything she notices about her takers to a phone that her father is at the other end of. She shouts and the viewer can hardly make out anything she says, and then one of the kidnappers picks up the phone and says "good luck". The father being an ex spy of some sort sends the recording of this to another spy and he gets a ton of information from the clip, even the name of the man that said "good luck". Sort of unbelievable but we look past that.
The father could be compared to a blood hound. He picks up on all different clues and the clues usually foreshadow something to happen in the future. Like when the father takes his daughter to the airport and drops her off as she boards the plane it slow motions on her turning around and you see the design on the back of her jacket. He later finds his daughters jacket that she was wearing they day she was kidnapped, on a barely-living, drug-addicted prostitute. This scene was made to make us fear for the worst (they daughter being they same way) but hope for the best. This film is full of foreshadowing and symbolism.
period 5
I am deconstructing the film Taken. It is a film about a father that has daughter and she is kidnapped in another country by an organization of men that traffic women, then get them addicted to drugs and turn them into prostitutes. This film really makes you realize that these sort of things actually happen and I do not recommend watching it with your parents. But besides all of that, this film shows the connection between a father and a daughter and the lengths he will go to protect his daughter. It really pulls at your heart strings and makes you literally cringe and cry and pulls you in with its dramatic music and believable storyline. Some could say that a few scenes in the movie are unrealistic, but most would say they could believe it. Like in the scene the daughter is taken, she shouts out everything she notices about her takers to a phone that her father is at the other end of. She shouts and the viewer can hardly make out anything she says, and then one of the kidnappers picks up the phone and says "good luck". The father being an ex spy of some sort sends the recording of this to another spy and he gets a ton of information from the clip, even the name of the man that said "good luck". Sort of unbelievable but we look past that.
The father could be compared to a blood hound. He picks up on all different clues and the clues usually foreshadow something to happen in the future. Like when the father takes his daughter to the airport and drops her off as she boards the plane it slow motions on her turning around and you see the design on the back of her jacket. He later finds his daughters jacket that she was wearing they day she was kidnapped, on a barely-living, drug-addicted prostitute. This scene was made to make us fear for the worst (they daughter being they same way) but hope for the best. This film is full of foreshadowing and symbolism.
I am deconstructing the film Because I Said So. It is a film about a mother and her three daughters. One of the daughters has a hard love life and all she wants is to find a man. On the other hand, her two sisters have found men, have have gotten married and settled down. The mom is divorced to the daughters father and had never remarried...yet. She finds love with her youngest daughters boyfriends dad! They all live happily ever after. Typical hollywood story because everyone is happy in the end.
i am deconstructing Super Troopers. It consists of state highway patrol and how they can be human just like us and not always be jerks when it comes to tickets. This film is not easy to deconstruct, by any means
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