For Part 1, answer these questions: Why is it productive to write analytically about film? Why do universities devote entire courses (and film study programs/film study majors/film study minors) to writing analytically about film? Does deconstructing a film--rather than casually watching--increase or decrease the enjoyment of the film? Why? Having this debate here and in class will decidedly increase critical thinking levels. Write 300+ words to earn points. For Part 2, respond to another student, agreeing, disagreeing, and/or building on what s/he typed. Write 300+ scholarly words to generate critical thoughts. When you are done with Part 2, you will have two comments on this blog task. These are pictures of three of my all-time favorite films, Mean Girls, P.S. I Love You & Office Space.
251 comments:
1 – 200 of 251 Newer› Newest»It's important because the more we analyze into a movie the more you can get out of it. If you're just watching a movie and not paying much attention then great; maybe you're just not that into the movie or tired or something. But try analyzing it and it becomes so much more than just a boring movie. You come to understand why a movie director would want to make this particular movie. That's an entire reason as to why universities devote entire courses to writing a film analysis for various films. I would say that deconstructing a film makes it more enjoyable, as long as you don't overdo it the first time you watch the movie - watch it just to get a viewers effect, then rewatch it and analyze it. I think it works better that way.
I think it is important to analyze films because than you can understand the true meaning of the film. I think this is why most, if not all universities devote entire courses to writing and analyzing certain films. I think that when we deconstruct films, it increases enjoyment for me because it helps me fully understand what the film is about and helps us find connections that are linked together throughout the film from scene to scene. I think that this is the reason why most people don’t understand films, because they don’t take the time to slow down, and let the film sink in. most people just come for pure entertainment when they are watching a film, and when the film is over, they are confused on what the film is actually about. So I would recommend film deconstruction because if you or someone is confused after watching a film, they can go back and slow down the viewing process, witch will help them further understand it. And when you watch a film based on a book, and you deconstruct it, you can follow how closely the film may be related to the book. But most people, including myself, tend to want to watch the film rather than reading the book because the film is shorter and take less time to complete, provide more of a visual for the viewer, and can be easier to follow. But most times, the film is said to be much better than the book, and vary seldom are books better than the films. Plus when you and a group of people deconstruct a film at once, you’ll be able to hear different opinions on the film, and that may help us understand it better. From now on, I will be sure to pay more attention to films.
I believe that it is important to analyze films because many people that watch movies do not notice what the “little” thing that film makers do. As a result, certain aspects of a film are often invisible. Caught up in the entertainment, we sometimes do not pay much attention to the camera work, composition, editing, lighting, and sound; producers struggle to get the proper effects and must do several script rewrites. That is why I think it is very productive to write analysis about films so you can uncover more of the hidden technique of a film maker that usually goes unnoticed. These small subtle techniques are being uncovered and analyzed by professors everyday in colleges and universities, because of the power a great produced film can have on someone’s emotions. Movies can affect the way you feel just with different sound playing in the background or how the lighting is fixed on a character. In tense scary situations the music might be fast high notes to keep you on the edge of your seat, or a slow fading melody with the sun setting in the distance to make you feel that end of the movie is near. I think by deconstructing what the director did to make his/her film, you gain more of an appreciation of the art of film making. It takes incredible amount of talent to think inside the heads of viewers and pull out the right emotion at the right time to make a scene come to life.
I think it is productive to write analytically about films because it helps show your self conscious thoughts as well as help you dig deeper into movies. When you dig deeper into movies you come up with common themes and ideas that you can relate to your everyday life. Movies are made not just to entertain people but to show everyone positives and negatives to everyday life. I think that writing also helps you display your ideas better then speaking can. Most people are also more willing to say their honest opinions through writing instead of speaking.
Universities spend so much time and money on classes like this because it’s something anyone can relate to. Most children and adults go to movies, but rarely does everyone agree what the movie was about. Take the movie Rent, which I happen to be doing my paper about. Rent is a movie that is very controversial and either liked by many or hated. It touches taboos of everyday life; it makes you see through the lives of the less fortunate. Some people, including my family members, dislike this movie because they are narrow minded and think the movie is telling teenagers to do drugs, have sex and to party. What I see this movie as saying it that everyone experiences hard times, you just have to be a strong person and enjoy life, learn from your mistakes.
I think that deconstructing the movie can make it both more enjoyable and less enjoyable. I think at times it can make the movie more predictable which makes scary movies not as fun, but like I was rambling on earlier about, it makes understand the plot line easier. I like deconstructing movies, I think it’s weird that you can see the same movie 10 times but always find something new.
I think it is important to write analytically about films because it makes you think harder and discover more hidden messages in films. If you thinker harder you will learn more and become a better and smarter student. If you analyze films you will know why they use the camera angles they did, or why they used that lighting technique the way they did. Movies are not only made to entertain you but to make you wonder and think hard about them. Once you analyze a film you will never watch a film without seeing a unique camera angle or lighting detail again.
I think universities devote entire courses to film studies because they want you to think about films in your own way and come up with scholarly reasons for way films are the way they are. Professors want you to see things through a different lens. They want to know what you are thinking when you watch a movie, everyone sees things differently. I know that studying films in high school will definitely benefit me for when I go to college.
I think that deconstructing a film increases the enjoyment of the film because when you are deconstructing it you will be uncovering important details throughout the film which will make you think and wonder harder. When we were watching No Country for Old Men I was seeing things through a different lens I was noticing more of the details in the movie. When Anton Chigurh checked his boots after talking to Llewelyn Moss’s wife, I realized that he did that because he wanted to see if there was blood on his boots from killing Moss’s wife. I would have never thought of that if I had not been analyzing it.
I think it is important to analyze films so you can discover the hidden messages of the film. By analyzing the film you are thinking harder which makes you a better, smarter student. When you analyze a movie you learn why the filmmaker used a certain camera angle, why they used certain lighting, or why they named a certain character the name they did instead of a different name. Such as in Dirty Dancing why did they give one of the main characters the nickname Baby when they could have used her real name or just called her a simple name such as Betty or Sue. By analyzing films you get a different perspective on the film and will catch stuff in the film that you most likely would not have caught if you were just watching the film for entertainment.
I think colleges devote entire courses to film study and deconstruction because they want people to enjoy the hard work that the filmmakers put into making a movie. A lot of people do not realize how long it takes to get a two second part of the movie filmed. By devoting classes to film study professors can put into perspective the amount of time it takes to make a movie and the many different camera angles and lighting it takes to make an award winning film. They also want people to think critically about the film. They also want people to take the time a discuss what they saw in the movie because what one person might have saw and thought could be completely different from what another person saw or thought.
I think analyzing films increase the enjoyment of watching a film because you can uncover hidden messages in the film that people who are watching it for enjoyment would not. Also by analyzing a movie you get the metaphors and symbols in the movie. Such as in Mean Girls when Cady falls into the garbage it symbolizes that she is plastic and we through plastic away all the time or how those girls treat everybody around them like trash, but really they are the ones who are trash.
It is productive to write analytically about films because for one most people see movies. With many people going to movies, this creates feelings that are trying to be reached. Movies are what people want to feel, or be like. By looking deeper and writing about films the viewers can learn and also understand what they are seeing. Universities devote an entry course on these films because films teach us. Why wouldn’t you want to know more about what you are watching? These courses spend hours and hours at looking a one movie. Looking at that, universities to me believe that what many people enjoy one can learn and experiment from a movie. An example is Mythbusters, they devoted an whole episode on movie special effects. They did this because people want to know if it is possible, so they can make their own life more exciting. Deconstructing a movie can be either for better or worse. This makes it worse because sometimes people just want to watch a movie and not think about it. Deconstructing also makes it worse because then when seeing a movie you keep on thinking of questions, and then you might miss something important or one of the questions is answered. On the other hand deconstructing is for the good. Compared to the norm, one looks past the simplest item and creates what it stands for. By doing this the viewer becomes more in depth with the movie. Even the words to a song they play during the movie are more than meets the eye. The director can pick any song, at any time, but does not because it will not resemble anything. In my movie at one point the song says “… someday we gonna dance with those lions…” (“someday” by FLIPSYDE) and at that exact moment the defeated boxer looks up upon the victorious boxer as he is a lion and will take him down.
Megan Bly
Period 7
Part 1
It is productive to write analytically about films because it makes you think. If you can take apart a film and analyze features such as lighting and significance of names, you are thinking hard. Sure, it’s easy to just watch a movie and tell someone that it’s either good or bad, but if you really pay attention and pick things out, and can tell them why it’s good or bad, you are thinking and really digging into the movie. I think that universities devote entire courses to writing analytically about films because it takes a different kind of thinking to take apart a film rather than to research a topic and use the information you found to put together an essay. In my opinion, I think that deconstructing a film increases the enjoyment of the film instead of just casually watching it. When you deconstruct a film you notice more things about what’s really going on and why the director would put them there. An example of this is the scene in No Country For Old Men when Chiguhr is in the gas station with the owner and there are timing belts in the background. A casual watcher would probably not think anything of it, but if you were to deconstruct this movie, you would notice that the belts look like nooses. You could debate whether the director put them there on purpose, to add the death effect which seen throughout the entire movie, or if they were just there, like they would be in any other gas station. I think that film directors put a lot of hard work and careful thinking into a movie and its small effects and detail and believe that the timing belts are there on purpose to symbolize death. When we analyze things in class, you can either by or sell the deconstructions, and I choose to buy the analysis of the films because I think films are more detailed and pin point than most people give them credit for.
it is extremely important to be able to write analytically about films because it helps you expand your thoughts and your understanding on the true master piece known as film making. Universities devote entire studies to this exact topic because if a person can think through the reasoning behind a camera angle and how it accentuates the scene to be even more scary or messed up or grand than it already is then that person can analyze almost anything and be a even more brilliant writer than they were before. i think understanding the true art of film making and the effort put into the perfect camera angle increases my enjoyment of the film. Camera work is a huge part in helping you understand a scene but the music of a scene is genius too. a simple melody or the angelic vocals of a singer can help a scene thrive and become mind blowingly amazing. even if the scene is moving slowly music can help make up for the speed with a catchy tune. i am analyzing the movie Practical Magic for my paper and in the movie music helps foreshadow what is to come. the sultry modern music when you first meet jimmy angelove helps you know this guy is something different and it might not be a good thing. When sally is dancing around the house with her husband and children the music is upbeat and shows you how truely happy they are. The music helps you to know the emotion of the characters which then draws you into the movie even more. The music also makes scenes a little more interesting. When gillian, sally and the aunts are having midnight margaritas the music is talking about what margaritas can do to a person and it makes you laugh watching the effects that the music describes happen to them. But the most haunting music in the movie is a love song that is sung in the most unusual, to say the least, way that tells you nothing good can come from hearing it. THe music draws you in and lets you know something that the characters might not know or are going to find out. film making is a true art that needs to be analyzed to fully enjoy.
It is important to write analytically about a film because it helps you to understand movies on a deeper level. If you just watch a movie with out really thinking about it or if you are not putting yourself in the characters' shoes, then you are merely only watching it for some sort of entertainment, which is not a crime. It is just that if you try to understand a movie on a deeper level, you can find out so many interesting things, as well has catch deeper meanings and subliminal information. If you write analytically about a film, you get all of your thoughts out on paper, where you can then turn your thoughts into a well thought out essay.
Is it not obvious why universities devote entire courses? It is because movies can be analyzed so deeply. In a college course like that, you could spend a whole two months analyzing the lighting, and why certain scences are lit the way they are. There are so many little things in movies that matter so much. They also devote courses to film to analyze the camera angles, why the the camera was put at this angle and not at this angle...it is because that is how the moviemakers want the viewers to see the movie and that is how it needs to be shown to get the full effect.
I think deconstructing and watching a movie for the second time AFTER you casually watch the movie is good. For one if you just wanted to see the movie you just enjoy it the first time around. But if it is a really good movie, then it should be watched again and deconstructed. I think deconstruction should be done because it will only further your understanding the movie, and maybe even help you catch things you missed the first time around when watching it.
I honestly do not believe this unit to be remotely productive, the only thing that I get out of this is that the directors do things for a reason. But who didn't know that? Yes the directors do this as a work of art. So why are we here in ENGLISH CLASS studying about a form of art? If you want to discuss ART take an art class. Analyzing novels or essays i can understand but when we start to do things that have little or nothing to do with English that is when it starts to get pointless. The only reason English tie that we have from this unit is the paper we are writing about a movie. But we could write a paper about other things too, we don't have to spend an entire quarter on things that have little to do with English.
Why do courses offer these type of classes? Because it is a form of art to be looked at and picked apart to better understand why the director made the film like that.
For a casual movie goer who wants to be entertained and pays eight or more dollars to see a movie this greatly Decreases the enjoyment of the films i see. I don't want to pay to think, I am quite able to think on my own without thinking about why a director chose this angle instead of that.
Thank you for your honesty, Brian. I truly respect your opinion and hope to offer something soon that you will benefit from. This class is designed to help with critical thinking, which is what college is all about. Every math class is about thinking, basically, because improved thinking is improved living. Hopefully, you can see this quarter as a lengthy exercise in critical thinking that will help us all improve our speaking, reading, writing, listening, viewing, and thinking abilities. I will try to engage everyone in meaningful discussions that lead to meaningful, careful writing. Then, we'll all be closer to success.
Furthermore, we'll try to develop our vocabularies so that we can convey meaning better, which is what every English class is essentially about.
Lastly, didn't we establish that novels are art, too? Ads are art. This is a Language Arts class, in fact. We'll get a good dose of novel study when we get to 1984 & Life of Pi, I promise! Do you buy this, that we've been studying art all along, Brian? Again, thanks for your honesty and assertiveness. You have me thinking and reflecting in meaningful ways.
It is important to study films because it show us what is wrong with ourselves. It also shows our fears of what is to come. Like in future movies it shows that we do fear what is going to happen in the future. Like in "Mean Girls" it shows how the girls ruling the school. They rule by being the it thing. It also shows how poor parenting in a persons life can make them that way. The way Regina's mom acts is so that the girls think she is cool. They don't they just find her annoying and make fun of her. He parenting skills are so bad she offers alcohol to people under age. Universities make a whole course of this because it makes people think out side the way they normally thing about movies. They see them as entertainment but they see them as a reflection of what is going on in the world. I think deconstructing films is really interesting. I found it annoying scene i had not seen "No Country for Old Men" before the stopping but other then that it is a good way to make people start thinking the colleges what you to think. I would like to watch the movie first then if i had seen it once i can stop and look at certain things its hard to watch a movie the first time and every five min. have someone stop it and talk about it for 20 min. but that is just me. I like however the things that did get pointed out in the movies. How the car belts looked like nooses i would have never seen that or thought about it before I watched in class and had it pointed out to me.
I guess it all depends on a person's interest if analyzing films is productive. Like, if you wanted to study about how to create a film or something, then this is really useful information and they should definitely be studying this sort of thing. However, studying this does distract from the usual main interest of a film in the first place, which is usually just for entertainment purposes. Maybe all this analyzing of films helps us as humans be more observant to notice little details about the productions of others that they put lots of work into... but again, for me, i'd rather just watch the film for the entertainment purpose. But I guess it makes writing papers more interesting too. So all in all, there are pro's and con's.
Normally when a person watches a movie it is for mere entertainment and also is considered to be more of a leisure activity. Most people only pick up on the plot while watching a movie and will most likely forget it within a month or two. But if we deconstruct and deeply analyze movies we not only watch them for enjoyment but also find out the true motives of the filmmakers and tons of covert messages cleverly hidden in each scene. And theses filmmakers certainly are not idiots; each shot is carefully crafted with the use of lighting, camera angles, and dramatic music. We could study a particular movie for days and capture the director’s reasoning for each scene’s unique lighting or camera angles. So it is no wonder that film analysis is offered as a college course. You can analyze and deconstruct a film so in depth, maybe even more than you could a novel; because of all the visual effects films have on viewers. Also, college kids most likely find it easier and more interesting to pay close attention and analyze a film over a novel with all the advancing technology. I believe that deconstructing a film adds to the enjoyment of the movie only if you have already previously viewed the film. Films were essentially made for entertainment so I think that before someone starts trying to pick up on subliminal messages hidden in a film that they should first watch it for mere enjoyment. I can honestly say that I probably will never watch a movie the same way after analyzing all these films so deeply but that is not necessarily a problem. Now I can view films on a more intellectual level and truly appreciate the art of film by understanding the motives behind the filmmakers.
part 1:
Watching movies and writing about movies better help you understand the true meaning behind movies. For example Mean Girls if you watch this movie you may just think it’s about four mean girls in high school but the deeper meaning is that you cant always trust people. You may think you are friends with someone but one minute you might be talking to a person and the next minute they are talking about you behind your back like these girls do. What the “mean girls” don’t understand is that beauty is only skin deep. On the outside these girls are flawless and “perfect” but on the inside they are just ugly people. Girls like Regina don’t know what its like to be “normal”. Her “mom” is superficial just like her. Regina doesn’t have a role model in her life. Her mom is more of a friend than an adult. Regina’s mom cares more about her looks and being the “cool mom” than her family. Regina’s sister is going to grow up to be just like them because she has no one to tell her that dancing like the way she does is wrong. Young girls like her shouldn’t be listening to Milkshake. That is very inappropriate for someone her age to listen to that song and dance to it. I think universities have an entire course to deconstruct films to help us understand more. There is a deeper meaning to everything. It is kind of the same thing as ads. They have a hidden meaning. Colleges want to challenge us and help us figure these hidden meanings out. It better helps us understand why things were put in the movie and why they did the things they did. Camera angles help us out a lot. They make us feel like were there and its happening to us. Some angles let us see the reaction to the persons face. Once camera angle lets us see the things they are seeing at the exact moment. I think deconstructing a film increases and decrease the enjoyment. You notice more things if you deconstruct the film but also it makes you think a lot more when your trying to enjoy a movie. I watch movies that i’ve seen before and realize more things because I know more on how to deconstruct the movie.
I believe there are many reasons that we learn to write analtically. First off it is vary productive to write this way because it shows what you really understand from the movies, and also it helps you dig deeper into the plot of the movie itself. When you dig deeper into movies, many times you begin to see the common thoughts, themes, and ideas that you can relate to in your vary own life. This is key for movies nowdays, if the audience can relate to their movies, they grow an affection towards them. Movies are made not just to entertain the audience, but to show them the positves and negatives to everyday life. Also, i believe writing can be more of an efficient way to speak your thoughts and ideas. People speak their honest opinion about the topic they're writing about. Universites spend all the time, money, and effort on classes like this due to the fact that it's something anyone can relate too. when you do deconstruct a movie, it can make it both enjoyable and less enjoyable. Either you learn some things you enjoy more about the movie, or find out things that you dont like so much. But as far as my opinion goes, i enjoy deconstructing movies, it helps me see the plot more clearly.. even if i've seen the movie 10 times.
Writing analytically about a film is very productive because it shows us how to look at things a different way, and many ways. To show how our society is and the way it portrays us as. Knowing the ways of how people portray themselves and society as a whole is and could be very useful. People, as in younger generations would watch movies and think that it is true, and they try and be like people in the movies, but by analyzing things we can show them how society puts us as but also the way it should be, and that mostly things aren’t true. We should warn them the dangers of society and prepare them at an early age of how they can be able to deal and live in a dangerous society. Universities devote an entire course to writing analytically about film so then people can understand the real meanings of the movies. By knowing the meanings of movies the universities for many classes and different types of classes can talk about it and be able to look deeply into situations and peoples minds and able to help people with their everyday lives. I think deconstructing a film rather than casually watching can either increase or decrease the enjoyment of the film. If you just want to have a good time and laugh with your friends I think deconstructing the film would decrease the enjoyment. Because it takes up time and looking too deep you might just over due the thinking and miss the actually meaning and start making up things and not able to just sit down and relax. People need to be able to do both, it’s the question of when, and why people do deconstruct films. Deconstructing would increase peoples enjoyment if people want a constructive way of learning and knowing how to analyze, not only movies but, people and our society as a whole. Also by deconstructing films it can teach us and show us the affects it has on people with their everyday lives.
B. Olson period 5
Analyzing film has made me look at movies in a different perspective. Not only do i understand the plot better but i understand why charcters are they the way they are. Such as symbolism to there names and how they could explain their personality or what purpose they share in the film. Or the reason their atitudes could symbolize their pesonality. 'Mean Girls' does a fantastic job with the perspective of the Plastics. With their slutty clothing, their bitchy atitude, and their back-stabbing plots going even against their own friends in order to make themselves far greater. Even settings and backgrounds will set the theme and mood of a film and wil get you to image as if you are actually there on the set. Analyzing has taught me to see the unseen in movies.
It is productive to write analytically about a film because it makes us look beyond the surface, and think more critically about the movie. Thinking critically is huge; directors and writers must be able to do it so they get the desired response they want from the audience. If directors don't get the responses that they want, what is the point of creating the movie? Universities devote plenty of time deconstructing movies, TV shows, sitcoms, and books because they wish to challenge their student to begin to see through the surface, and begin to understand what the director, author, or artist is really saying in their masterpiece. For me deconstructing a film makes it more enjoyable because you understand the characters, plot, theme, and story way better that you would if you were just watching it for entertainment. This segment of our class challenges us to search throughout the movie for symbols, irony, foreshadowing, reasoning for the camera angles, reason for all the different lighting effects, and the reasoning behind the sound track and how it is linked to the movie. If we understand the movie better, we know why the director did what he did, why the actors/actresses did what they did and find the true subliminal message hidden in the movie. A great example of what we have been doing is The Dark Knight; the joker throughout the movie leaves us with the question is he crazy, and the very next scene we believe that his sane. This leaves us to question how screwed up is this guy really. In my opinion part of what makes the joker such a great bad guy is the fact that he is unpredictable. The writer also used brilliant foreshadowing when they have Alfred say, "We burned the whole forest down." as he was remising about the thief in the forest; it foreshadows the lengths batman must search to find the joker. Lastly I believe that analyzing movies gives you more of the movie than just watching it for entertainment.
R Hansen
I think it is productive to write analytically about films because it shows you a different perspective on movies; it puts you into the minds of the film producers and how they are able to make such great films that the entire country enjoys. Most people watch movies just because they are bored or feel like being entertained for a couple hours and that is all the deeper they think into the whole deal. What most people don’t understand is that there is so much more to great film making. Whether it be the camera angles, the sound track, the actions and the way they are performed, or the specific actors themselves, they are all chosen for a reason. They all make the movie the great time-killing experience that most people are looking for. Universities spend entire semesters or even years analyzing things for just those reasons; they want you to realize all of the different aspects that are put into making a film and to think more critically about not only the movie, but how it can pertain to the world around you. For people that just want to watch a movie to be entertained, analyzing it will probably ruin their movie experiences. Whether they like it or not, once they are given the tools to analyze things, they will. Either consciously or subconsciously, during a movie or while reading an advertisement, a movie goer will analyze “WHY ____ is like that?” or “What is the purpose of _____?” On the other hand, someone that watches a movie and wants to think on more than just a surface level will enjoy analyzing whatever they are watching. Critics are a prime example of that. They make a living out of critiquing other people’s work and making them more desirable for an audience.
I think that you must analyze films. If we didnt we wouldnt know what great directors were. We would think that any guy with an idea that got an actor or actress to preform it on the screen was a good director when they get nothing accomplished with their video. I think that if you over analyze a movie while watching it that it would decrease the fun in the movie. However, if you notice the subtlties that the director puts in the video it can add so much to the meaning of the particular film. It's obviously a big enough deal to have it in colleges so having the knowledge of films and the meanings, obvious and hidden, must help you in some fashion. Maybe it helps your critical thinking skills or your observation skills in just everyday life. If they have professors teaching this that have spent most of there lives doing it then it's something that college's and the government think is necessary to teach our young adults and students. If you only see one perspective of the movie than the directors hard work in the movie has gotten nothing accomplished. The classes in college teach you how to be a more well rounded person. I think the classes are teaching you to see life in a different perspective as well because they teach you to look beneath what is really there.
I think it is import to write analytically about films because it makes us think harder and makes us look for hidden meanings in films. If we think harder we become a better and even smarter student. When we write analytically we are able to figure out why they used certain camera angles and why they used specific lighting techniques, why they picked the certain actors to play specific roles. Or why they picked the names of the characters the way they did. When you analyze a movie you get to see it through a different lens. You will be able to see things that you would not have thought twice about when just watching it for fun.
I think colleges and universities devote entire courses to film studies and deconstructing because they want their students to become successful. They want them to be able to think on their own and not just think what everyone else tell them to believe. They want their students to think critically and believe in what they think. I also think that professors want their students to understand how much work it takes to make a movie. All the different elements in a movie including lighting, music, camera angles and the dialogue takes a lot of time and makes the movie so much better.
I think watching a movie and deconstructing it increases and also decrease the enjoyment. It increases the enjoyment by being able to find hidden meaning. I find meanings that I would have never thought I would. On the other hand I find deconstructing movies kind of ruins the movie. I usually don’t like to think during movies so now when I watch movies I will want to deconstruct them.
Emily Gardner 7
Part Two
I agree with Alyx Corcoran’s statements. Universities spend so much time analyzing films deeply because there is just so much more you can get out of a movie than meets the eye. As we were watching No Country For Old Men in class, I was frantically writing analytical things about the film. They are there if you look for them, and by the end of the movie, I had over three pages of different points from the movie. From the timing belts behind the gas station clerk, to the camera angles used, to the “soundtrack” of the beating of the hearts and the thump of the feet, there are literally hundreds of things to discover in just one movie. They are there; you just have to look for them. I also agree with her theory on if deconstructing is good or bad. If you want to watch a movie to enjoy it, then do so. But if you would like to have that experience again in the future, then you need to analyze WHY that movie was so enjoyable to you in the first place. Different people have different muses, and if you can find a movie that fits your particular one, then why not expand on that? If you analyze the movie and figure out what made that movie so enjoyable to you, you will be able to expand on that and find other movies in the future that might look like they have those qualities to them. If you find a particular movie that you like, you can even look into the directors of the movie for future enjoyment. If you can find a movie by a certain director that you like, then chances are that you will enjoy future movies by that particular director. Because of the phenomenal job that the Coen brothers have done on No Country For Old Men, I plan to watch any movie directed by them in the future.
I think it's very productive to write analytically about films. We can see deeper into the meaning of the movie and maybe find a hidden message. Some movies may try to teach you the importance of self-worth, it can keep you believing you are worth more than you think and the 'typical' way isn't always right. Without these hidden messages, we may never know some of these messages that film makers want us to see. I think universities dedicate whole courses to analyzing films because it gives you more insight into the movies. You get to see why movie makers do certain things, and you get to dig deeper and get more of a better meaning that meets the eye. Overall, I think it makes you more intelligent. Being able to look at deeper meanings will give you a better outlook on life, and seeing more meanings than the ones just on the surface. I believe deconstructing films can both increase and decrease the enjoyment of the film. For me, it depends on the movie. If it's a movie that I absolutely love, then it won't change it [like Mean Girls, I absolutely LOVE that movie, it never gets old]. But if it's a movie I haven't seen, chances are it's ruined for me. I wouldn't be able to watch it normally. And there is that small chance of ruining a movie I enjoy. Disney movies for example have always been favorites of mine, but saying that there's hidden meanings makes me not think of them the way I want to. All I will think about is what we analyzed on the movie, and supposedly the symbols that they send, and forget why I loved the movie so much as a child. But I do love analyzing films, it gives me a better look in the film making, and why certain things are placed where and what they mean!
The great thing about movies is you can see them numerous times. Maybe one time watch it for enjoyment, then the next time watch it and try to catch things that you did not catch the first time you watched it. Universities might have these classes because they know that college students enjoy watching them, but also that movies depict our lives and they inspire us to be better, nicer, more caring. Movies give us standards and images for things in our lives. Because you can watch movies many times, you can enjoy it in different ways. I enjoy being able to pick up on things that I did not notice the first time watching the movie. I guess it is all a matter of opinion. It is productive to analyze films because it helps us better understand why things happen not only in movies but in real life. Some movies are depictions of real life. I believe the analyzing films makes it more enjoyable. I have never really enjoyed Mean Girls more than I did in class. I noticed things and put together puzzle pieces that I would have not picked up on my own with out the help of my classmates and handouts. You notice the music more and the lighting and angles. These all portray to helping you understand the movie better altogether. Also you realize how actresses and actors fit their roles correctly and incorrectly. I believe that from now on I will always analyze films without trying, but I think that will give me more meaning after I watch the film. When you go to a movie, you want to laugh, cry, be mad, be involved. But why are you crying? Why are you laughing? Why do you like that character so much? You don't know them. They aren't real. But sometimes they are. The actors and actresses are you. Many people can relate to movies they've seen. I think analyzing movies and this unit will be a fun way to think more deeply about things and it will bring us closer as classmates to share our thoughts.
Laura Hieb Pd. 5
I think that it depends on your view of film deconstructing and there is a certain time for it to be used. What I mean is I enjoy deconstructing some film; really thinking about the meaning and the intentions of the film, why characters are the way they are, change your whole outlook on the film. However, that may not always be a good thing. Think of deconstructing certain film like discovering the hidden arrow on the side of the FedEx truck, once you've found it you can't look at the words you only see the arrow. Some films are just watched to be enjoyed and if you try and dig deeper and scratch the surface of the film, you may end up not watching and enjoying the film, just analyzing it. Film deconstruction is a wonderful process; it helps us really think and understand what we're watching in a new light. If you have the ability to deconstruct a film and then watch and enjoy it like your brain never went into overdrive, then by all means, deconstruct away. But if you just want to sit and enjoy a film, do just that. It all depends of your way of thinking.
Writing analytically, I believe, helps people think about the value in films and how others must dig deep and find meaning within the films. As a movie-goer walks in to the theater they usually tend to just watch it like a zombie and not think about the great effort and thought that has been but into the film. Because we are analyzing film I do think about what is going on in the movie not just, “is this sad? Is this funny? Is this scary?”. Now I think about every little detail and how the directors should have more credit and their name should b the one better known not the actors. Actors/actresses are only following the directors. The directors are the ones putting the meaning into the film and try to give the viewer something to think about. Because of these zombified movie-goers directors do not get enough credit. Now that I can call myself a film analyst I will try my best to remember the directors name not just this actor is amazing. Yes, do not get me wrong the actors and actresses should get some credit but directors are the master minds of the operation. I am happy we are lengthening this unit because I find it very interesting to see how films are very well thought out. Analyzing films will always be with me. I know now that before I went to movies and gave spent so much money just to be with friends. Now I will be going to movies and looking for all the little details in these films and really take in the meaning and symbols the directors tries to show us. Deconstructing films seems almost like a scavenger hunt/mystery. You look for all these symbols and keys in the scenes and than you try to figure out what the symbols mean of how they foreshadow for the ending. Mysteries are so much fun and keep me occupied and pondering about what is gonna happen next and what just happended.
It is much more productive to write and view films in an analytical manner because then, by looking and the film from so many different perspectives, you will become more knowledgeable about the film and you then can form legit opinions, not just I like this or I don't like that, but explaining why gives your opinion a heavier weight because it is more intelligent than the surface film viewer. Personally, I don't find the films to be as enjoyable when thinking of them on a higher level, because you can become so wrapped up in a single detail that you neglect to soak up the overall meaning in all entirety. Though I do not, just by being exposed to the new way of thinking, always watch films just casually or just analytically, I watch both ways, or half and half, it's a mentality that I can turn on or off. Although I do believe that some films are just that, simple, casual, no thought required, entertainment. Which is a good thing, there needs to be some films like that out there. But on the other hand, if you had to write a paper about a film you wouldn't want something so obvious and generic, you want something with more dimensions that just the initial viewing. Or, if you want to think and are feeling opinionated, then you should look for a more in-depth movie, one where all the answers aren't right in front of you. I think it's good to have both types of movies out there, not saying those are the only two types, but for this matter, there are two types. Good, Bad. Right, Wrong. It's all a matter of opinion.
i think that it is important to analyze films because then it is not just for enjoyment but also makes us think more about are lives before and after the movie. Before i ever saw mean girls in class i would have never had my eyes open wide to all of the different groups and just how darn accurate the movie directors where when they made the film. But also i dont think analyzing the films is good..it can ruin the movie because you are there to enjoy it, but if your analying it you cant get the full effect of enjoyment because you have to be on the contstant lookout for symbols and all of that stuff.
I think its productive to write about films because it helps you really see whats in the film and learn stuff you never knew before. Ever watched a film more than once? Well you probably noticed something you didnt see the first time, doing so helps you really learn about the story and understand it better. Universities dedicate an entire class to analyzing because i believe it brings out inner brain cells and thinking that you probably never knew existed. Casually watching films is fun but you miss things that could be critically important to really understanding the film. Deconstructing films I believe increases your enjoyment of films because you can see things and point out things that you wouldn't point out while casually watching a film. Better understanding a film could seriously help you out in life with analyzing other things and such.
To analyze a film and then write about what we view is a very productive and excellent way to open our minds. It opens your mind to see that directors aren't just jerks who boss people around, they're a brilliant artists, who create a movie that will entertain masses. University's obviously devote entire courses to this type of thinking because that's what it is, thinking and digging. You have too look past the surface and look deeper. Not only will you find a deeper less obvious meaning, but you will find that everything, was intentional, or maybe not, but it made the movie that much more fascinating. When analyzing a movie, you have to get your mind set on analysis otherwise, when your trying to dig deeper you won't and you'll just point out obvious signs you already knew. So i think it depends. If your mind is ready and open to the idea then yes, analyzing a movie increases the enjoyment. If you're just watching the movie for purely entertainment purposes, then no, it won't be.
Ashley Wise Pd. 6
SAMANTHA HAGEN 3
It is productive to write analytically about film because if you were to just say what the movie was saying on the surface if would be very boring. It makes things interesting to deconstruct films and dig deep and thing of all the hidden messages that are not put out there so every on notices. If everyone just could watch a film and see every little thing in the movie then the film wouldn’t be that good and it wouldn’t be worth studying. Universities devote courses just to deconstruction films. Many students will have film deconstruction majors or minors and take these types of classes. You can spend so much time just looking at all the ways film makers put hidden messages and stuff into films such as what we did for mean girls that students would need a whole semester just to study a few films in collage. I think that deconstructing the film increases the enjoyment of the film, after deconstructing Mean Girls I was shown stuff I hadn’t noticed in the dozens of times I have seen the movie in the past. And now I know that every time I watch the movie ill find more and more things I hadn’t noticed which I’m ok with, it makes the film more scholarly. It shows that they put a lot more thought and work into the making to the movie then most the viewers notice.
SAMANTHA HAGEN
Jordan Meyers p.5
It is productive to write analytically about film because then you see things that you wouldn’t normally see if you were just “watching” the film. You then understand WHY the camera is positioned in a certain way, you understand why a certain song is playing during a certain scene, and you also notice more things that occur during the conflicts in the film. I personally think that these universities devote courses to film study so that people realize what movies really are! They are not just awesome scenes and attractive people, movies are works of art. Universities will show people how and why certain scenes in a movie are funny and what about those scenes makes them funny. Watching movies analytically actually increases the interesting factors of the movie for me. I now notice more about a movie than if I was just watching it for fun. It makes me realize more about the movie and it also makes me think harder. Over the shoulder camera angles show the other character’s facial expression and response to whatever it is that the other character is saying through the dialogue. Analyzing movies helped me to realize why movies take so long to create; it is because of all of the camera angles, the filming, the editing, and the overall directing of the film. Some films like No Country For Old Men and Mean Girls look at the absurdities of the world that we live in today. They know that people will go and see these movies and realize what kind of a world we live in. They show people how ridiculous that we look, but they do not do it in a way that would make people not want to go and see the movie. So yes, analyzing movies is good for anyone and everyone to do.
In my opinion, it is very important to look at movies in an analytical fashion. Movies are usually trying to send messages to the viewer, and some of these themes cannot be uncovered without doing more than just watching the movie. For example, Mean Girls is trying to send a message that the way teenagers act is disgusting and obnoxious. They cleverly do this by using things that we want to see. They use hot girls, and add some drama so it will be appealing to us, but still showing the message by over emphasizing things. Also, in No Country for Old Men the makers try to show how wicked and evil the world is by utilizing Antion Chigurh. When analytically deconstructing films, we also get different perspectives on things. Sometimes, the narrator switches characters and we get a different view point, but if we do not analyze it is nothing more than just a different voice coming from the screen.
Colleges and devote whole classes to this concept because it is important. They do it to show what movies really are, what MAKES them funny or what CAUSES them to be scary. Colleges focus on things such as camera angles and character facing to help students understand better than they would have before. They probably also offer this class because movies are very popular in the American culture and it is what people find interesting.
I think that studying movies this way makes them more interesting and makes the movie experience more fun for me. I notice things such as lighting and camera angles more than before, and can now understand why things are they way that they are. It is also easier to find hidden meaning and messages in the films.
It’s productive to write analytically about films because it makes us smarter. It helps us to realize hidden meanings and become more affected by movies. It helps to feel the theme of the movie more deeply. I believe that colleges have courses on film deconstruction because it is more interesting and is at the same time very collegiant. There are so many things such as the soundtrack or camera angle that can be analyzed. For example, in the movie “Mean Girls,” a scene with Regina and Cady uses over the shoulder angles. This is beneficial for the viewer to see the facial expressions of the actresses. I think movies are way more interesting if you look deeper into it. Asking some of the questions off of our red deconstruction sheet make you realize hidden meanings left and right. I find it very helpful and interesting. It also helps me to appreciate/realize how much work people put into making a movie. They think of all sorts of symbols and meanings. Also, the setting, wardrobe, lighting, makeup, hair—everything has to be prepared for. No wonder it takes about a year for a movie to be completed. I am already starting to notice how I am starting to notice things that we studied about in class in movies and TV shows I have watched. It really helps people to think more, which is a great thing when you’re enjoying it at the same time.
Analyzing a film shows the many different sides of a film. There are many elements and creativity put into a film. Universities study hard on different movies because there are so many things you can analyze! Many different things they can look for into making a movie great is by first viewing and figuring out the story line, then watching for symbols and then researching the background history of the movie or actors and etc. By doing this one can find out more about the movie. Directors put a lot of time and effort into making films for us to watch and although they may not be in the spotlight, they are the main people who made the movie. They have characters do or act a certain way for a reason so why not look hard into them? When watching analytically about a film, you can see different symbols and sometimes relate the film to real life issues. You can analyze how a film succeeds and how it fails because of how the filmmaking is. Also, depending on the director or actor it can make a film better because they’ve won an award for their film so they know exactly what to look for. The things to look for in a film are: the many perspectives, how the film was edited, familiar actors, camera angles, lighting, background music, colors, symbols and more. Analyzing a film I think makes it better and worse depending on the mood when you watch it. It makes it better because you see the beauty into how far and great the movie actually is and it makes it worse because I feel you don’t get to sit back and enjoy the actual movie because you are constantly trying to find the flaws, and excellent scene making.
I agree largely to what Brian said about this whole unit going basically nowhere. I honestly am not gaining 'English' knowledge. The first part of the year seemed very intellectual, thought provoking and required effort. Not saying that we should be bombarded with tasks to complete, or busywork but it seems like we do the same thing day in and day out. I'm not saying that there is not a time and place for this sort of analytical discussion, because depending upon where you are going with your career you may want or need this kind of learning and analyzing, but I do not think that such and emphasis should be put on one particular topic, at least not in a general English class - at least not for such a prolonged period of time, it is becoming very repetitive and is quickly losing my interest. I also think that it is almost biased, because with so much emphasis placed upon film analysis may give off the impression that it is much more important than other aspects of English, I am getting a sense that this unit is favored but it can only go so far, you can only analyze so many things before you go crazy. I really think that in the analysis of movies, and even ads became extreme, I believed that a lot of the 'references' or 'insinuations' and such were taken too far and stretched within an inch of belief. I am not trying to criticize but I, for one was not the least bit excited when the extension of the film analysis was announced.
I think that analyzing films of time. I would rather read of novel and discuss the aspects of that than a film. I want to enjoy movies when i watch them. I don't want to analyze them. Sure in college it might be a fun thing to do in a film arts class which is something you can choose to do if you want to do that. I like an English where we read novels. I don't like that we are cutting out an excellent novel in order to ruin more movies for me. Yeah its nice to just in class and watch movies all period but it gets to be too much. Deconstructing movies DECREASES the enjoyment of the film for me. I watch movies for entertainment, not to figure out what the directors intentions are. Its their decision on what to do to the movie. Thats why they get paid the big bucks. Yes some of things are obvious in the movie and you wonder why they do that but i would rather just watch the movie.
Shoemaker_5
It is productive because most people just watch the film for the enjoyment of it and don’t understand it at all, they just find it entertaining because of the explosions and fighting and not for the psychological aspect of it which involves deeper thinking and learning about the real meaning of the movie. Most universities analyze films so they can have deeper understanding of the movies and so that they can prove how intelligent that the students are because if that pick apart a movie and understand it completely, then they can succeed in anything that they do in their lives. And they just want the students to get the full benefit so in the future they can watch the film and truly enjoy it because they get any jokes and hidden meaning that they wouldn’t have gotten if they chose not to analyze the movie. I think that deconstructing a movie can increase the enjoyment because if they really understand it, they could say hey this movie is cooler than I though. I am glad that I took the time to analyze this movie because I would not have understood it otherwise. Or they can say he that is funny but I do not have the foggiest clue what the heck this character means by what he is saying. That would give them the motivation to go on the internet and research it so that they can know what exactly was being said and then if they watched it again with a friend, if their friend said hey what does that mean then they can explain it to their friend. With the knowledge that they knew what something meant they would feel smarter and want to research on different movies in the future so they can be smarter and smarter the more that they analyze different movies.
DAN NELSON PERIOD NUMBER 6- COLLEGE BOUND ENGLISH NUMBER 12
I believe that it is very productive to write analytically about a film because really you are learning about your own life when you deconstruct and write scholarly things about a film. Not only that, but it also could increase ones vocabulary and very possibly their speaking skills. It also opens your eyes about certain things in your own life when you watch films and you think about what you're writing because you have to think so much about what you're writing and you have to get so much depth in everything you discuss that it makes your neurons get working a lot. I also think that universities and colleges devote entire courses on film studies/ film study majors/ and film study minors because it is very educational. Also for some same reasons that i stated above, it makes your brain work and it makes you think of little things that you notice in the movies. There are A LOT of little things that directors put in their movies that have subliminal messages or other messages that the director is trying to relay. It makes the students in college, OR in college bound do something fun (watching a movie) AND have a great learning experience. I also think that the first time someone watches a film they should do it without deconstructing it because then you get the full experience of the film that the director wanted you to see, making the film very enjoyable and THEN watch it again deconstructing it and pausing and thinking and all of that. Doing this i would say would make you notice more of the things you didnt notice the first time you watched the movie and secondly you would know what was coming up so that you would know when to pause it and for what. So i think if you watch it twice, the film would definantly be the most enjoyable.
It's productive to analyze films and write about it because the things you see can be applied to your everyday life and can relate to your life in certain ways. A person can view the lighting, camera angles, characters and behaviors and when they look into it deeply, things aren't the way they seem as if it were viewed regularly. True talent can also be seen in directors when parts of movies are analyzed closely because directors take time and effort into making a movie. This can make a viewer's choice in movies better and also more eye opening to different aspects of the world. After doing so much analyzing, I can now look deeply into more than just movies. I can see behavior in people and come up with what I think is an accurate reason for why they act that way. On the down side of writing analysis papers, some enjoyment of the movies can be taken away. It's not horrible but it's sometimes nice to be able to just watch a movie and not have to worry about writing what has been observed or viewings things that the director put in it. In the long run though, it definately pays off to view the movies analytically because you see different angles. It is really cool to watch a movie and pay very close attention to it, then go back and watch it again. It surprises me everytime how much I ended up missing the first time through. It is like a puzzle being completed.
I think it is productive to write analytically about films because it helps you think on a deeper level and further understand the film. If you actually think analytically, you will get so much more out of the movie. Most people just watch movies for pure entertainment and enjoyment. They will most likely not pay attention or catch every little detail. I never realized how many hidden messages there are in movies and how many things tie together by the end of the movie until I wrote analytically. You pretty much have to watch a movie multiple times in order to write analytically. The first time you watch it to figure out the characters, the plot, and overall what happens. The next few times you should really look at every detail, from the soundtrack to the camara angle. Directors are really brilliant because they are the ones who come up with all of these details and symbols that tie together. Universities devote entire courses to writing analytically about films because there is so much more that you can get out of a movie than most people realize. Not only do you uncover details and connections, but it can also help improve your writing skills. They probably discover even more analytical things in those college courses than we do, since they devote so much time to it. In my opinion, deconstucting a film for the most part decreases the enjoyment of watching a film, but in some ways increases the enjoyment. It decreases enjoyment because when you analyze every little detail, you are not exactly sitting back and enjoying it. Having to pause it every few minutes and rewind it is not too enjoyable. It is enjoyable, however, if you find some connections and hidden messages that you did not see before. This can give you a whole new perspective on the movie and can maybe make it “click” a little better for you by the ending.
It's productive to analyze films because, it shows that you are getting more out of what you are watching. It teaches you how to say more about the film. Not just I thought it was good. Film analysis is a really good tool even if your not really a huge film watcher.Film deconstruction is an increase of enjoyment because, you can see different things that you miss everytime you watch the movie. It's a good way to help you think harder and prepare for college or your other plans that you may have for your future.I don't really debate on things, if I have a problem I'll speak my mind. University of Colorado they do a lot of film studies and they get alot of scholarly work done. Productiveness will take you a long way in life and that is why you should stay focused.
I agree that we all have our own flaws but, I don't think we need to tell the world that we are perfect. I also agree with Challiss on the fact that it depends on your view of deconstruction on films. Mainly because I would only like to deconstruct films that I knew were my favorite and that I could relate well to. I have to be able to understand the whole concept without being like "what?" It's also a good thing to deconstruct other movies that your not so familiar with just so you can get a feel of what it would be like. Obviously your not going to be able to deconstuct eveyone's favorite film, even if there was enough time in the world you'd still get really annoyed with all of the movies. I think you have to have your own perspective when looking at such things and that is what will help you later in your life. Just go with what you want to do and chase after your dreams until you achieve your goals.
I like to deconstruct even though I feel kinda out of place, but I'll get there and see that I am a good person. Nothing is left until the job is done.
Reanna Mennis_6
MEAGAN DONOVAN:
I feel that it is productive to write analytically about films because it encourages you to challenge yourself to see the movie in a different way rather than just watching it. We look for further meaning in the cast, setting, soundtrack, and even attire and phrases used by actors; everything has a meaning and plays a giant role in the movie itself. I also believe this is why many universities devote entire courses based upon movie deconstruction. Not only do we then see the film in a different way, but we also share ideas, feelings, and symbols we notice with others in the class; thus furthering their knowledge and creating smarter students. I am on the fence as to what I believe the effect of deconstruction has on me. I feel that it increases enjoyment as I am thoroughly watching it rather than just staring; really trying to soak in everything and discover hidden symbols. I also find myself noticing the soundtrack when I watch to deconstruct, and truly notice how it makes a huge difference in a movie. When something scary is about to happen, the music starts quietly and becomes more aggressive and frightening, and when something absolutely lovely happens, something my Michael Buble is played; I love it! On the other hand, I also feel that sometimes it has a negative effect to analyze films while watching them. I sometimes just want to be outright scared, and not to notice the music creeping upon me. Or maybe I don’t want to view the Lion King as a movie degrading women, showing males as “all dominant and knowing,” or the social status of the darker lion, Scar, based upon color. I just want to watch the movie because it is up beat, funny, and reminds me of my childhood. The same goes for The Wizard of Oz. It was not made about the populist party, government, or anything to do with that; it is just a fantasy to watch and be enjoyed, not to be analyzed. I truly cannot choose a side to be on.
Deconstructing movies is practical because they are full of little clues and messages the director wants you to pick up on. They want you to see something the same way you do and they so it through cinema. Colleges dedicate courses and even degrees to it because it’s a fantastic way to get people to think openly and it’s quite enlightening. It’s not easy to do but there is plenty of material to analyze. Movies are somewhat replacing books in some ways. Back before movie theaters people read books for entertainment. It was the most popular market for entertainment. Then movies were created, first when people where fist exposed to them they rejected them and said that they wouldn’t never make it as a legit way to entertain. But now-a-days if you want to be entertained you go to the movies or sit at home and pop in a DVD and spend anywhere between one and a half to three hours to watch a movie. Like books movies give you an alternative life to escape into. Something more interesting then what you are living now. Their plots, themes, and even dialog creatively get across the directors point of view. I personally think that watching a movie more closely and analyzing it makes it more enjoyable. You get to notice so much more. Dig deep into the imbedded messages and really see what’s happening on more than just the surface level. It makes the movie more meaningful and I feel like it can make way more of an impact if analyzed. What’s the point of watching a movie if you’re just going to look at it instead of actually criticizing and thinking about it. You’re literally wasting your time and money if you just mindlessly gaze at the screen, and I don’t like to waste my time or money. And another thing is that a movie can actually teach you something. I’ve learned some important life lessons from movies whether it’s be nice to others or don’t take roofies and go party in Vegas.
Part 2:
With Samantha R’s statement of how movie-goers just walk into the theater they usually tend to just watch it like a zombie and not think about the great effort and the thought that has behind the film. Being able to talk about a movie and look deep into the meanings instead of just the “is this sad, funny, and scary.” Looking at every detail and how the ways the directors do such things and why, camera angles and such, they should be more recognized for what they do. Directors try to give the movie-goers something to think about so then they do certain things, but the movie goers don’t really realize what is actually going on and just sit there eat and watch the movie. By trying to recognize the directors names and not just the actors we can look for future movies that we can watch and give us the same sequence in the films that will make us think, and get the same feelings as their other movies have. I also agree with Sam that instead of just paying money to be with friends and having a good time I will never forget how and I will always notice every little detail, and look deeply and possibly turn the film around and make others think about it in many other ways instead of their own and we will all think highly of the movie than just a 2 hour time span that they just sit there like zombies. Being able to figure out the symbols and what they mean instead of just waiting for the end and its just given to you, but if it’s a cliff hanger and you didn’t pay very close attention you would have no idea of what happened and what things mean and the question that everyone will ask is why. If you pay attention and deconstruct you may be able to answer the question why, not just for yourself but for other people or friends as well.
Part 1
It is productive to write film essays analytically because by writing a essay over a film you will gain better understanding of the film. Most colleges and universities devote entire courses to writing analytically about film. They offer film classes to give students a fun and easy way to view the world in a different way. Take the movie, "Mean Girls", a movie about high school and all the drama that comes with it. Granded the film is like an exaggerated mirror of the real world, it still shows us how we treat one another.It also shows us how others can perceive us. At one point in the movie "the art freaks", aka Janice and the gay guy, tell Cady about the school cafeteria and what cliques sit where. You have the jocks, plastics, nerdy asians, sexual band geeks, and ect. No matter who you are you are going to be judged. Even if you don't have a so called clique to belong to. When I deconstruct a film it doesnt seem to ruin the enjoyment of the film for me. I guess it really depends on the movie im watching. If I'm really into the movie I probably wont want to be thinking of what exactly everything means in the movie. I'll just want to watch it!
Part 2
I some what agree with what Brittany Bolter is saying about beauty only being skin deep. There is immatation beauty, and true beauty. I would consider the plastics as immation beauty. They are beautiful on the outside pleasing everyone's eyes, but on the inside they are rotten and cruel to others. The "plastics" in the movie, "Mean Girls", are known for their tight revealing clothes, hot bodies, and their mean ways. But all of their "hotness" is plastic and skin deep. They cake on the makeup, wear the tightest clothing, and make sure their hair is always perfect. But by doing all of this they are putting on a fasad. They are hiding who they are. They are humans just like everyone else, they have just as many flaws and faults as anyone else. All the makeup in the world wouldn't be able to cover up all your imperfections. It's like the saying you can't read a book by it's cover. That statement is so true. Even though Ragina George appears perfect on the outside, she could really be sad and depressed on the inside. She has everything she could possibly want in the world besides a mother who is intrested in being her mother. Her mother is more interested in being a freind to her and her friends. Has anyone ever thought that she could be longing for a mother figure in her life? She might want that role modle and someone to yell at her when she gets in trouble. If she felt that way about her mom, all of the hurt she is causing others could be because of her resentment towards her mom. People unintentionally take things out on one another with out even thinking twice about it. They see their own imperfections, or they see something that someone else has and they do not, and they will automatically find something negative about that person. For an example. If your another girl and you see a girl in your grade that has the perfect skin with out even trying. You may be jealous and say something like, "Omg look at her hidious shoes." The boys reading this may be laughing but it isnt much different in guy world, and if you think it is different you are sadly mistaken. My main point in all of this is, yes, immitation beauty is only skin deep. However, true beauty is on the inside and out. The truely beautiful person may not wear the latest fashion or be the hottest person in the school, but if they know who they are, and they treat every one as they would like to be treated.. that is a truely beautiful person in my book.
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I believe it is important to write analytically about films because it helps you think more deeply about films and to understand them better. It can help them become more enjoyable at times by finding deeper meaning in the movie. It can also help connect with the director by analyzing why they made the movie the way they did the film can really speak about them. Colleges devote entire classes to this stuff for obvious reasons. By study films in a classroom environment students can become deeper, better thinkers. They can learn how to study films and find out why things are the way they are. By being able to learn how to analyze things like films you can also analyze life and to understand things deeper and to have a deeper more intelligent thought process on the things around us. If you deeply analyze films it can increase the enjoyablilty of movies. It can make the movie more meaningful by giving it a more highly intellectual viewing for the movie goer. They can analyze a movie and make it better for them and make it so they can interpret the movie for their own personal enjoyment. I also believe that at times by analyzing a movie it can decrease the viewing pleasure. Sometimes while watching a movie the viewer just wants to watch it for that reason and that reason alone just simple enjoyment and relaxation. They can watch it just to escape and live in a different world apart from reality for a few hours of brief excitement.
Swenson_7
I think it is important to analytically critique films because it allows us as viewers to obtain a better understanding of the real messages within the film. Instead of just getting a good laugh out of a new comedy we are able to enjoy the ridiculousness that makes it funny along with the messages that it is portraying within the scenes. Universities teach classes devoted to analyzing films to help people gain a deeper meaning in the films they watch. Hopefully appreciating the real work that directors do in order to send us those deep messages within films. By analyzing and or deconstructing a film can have its pro’s and con’s. While just relaxing and watching a movie casually is enjoyable it gets old fast, for me anyways, it starts to feel like you’ve seen one scary, funny, dramatic, or romantic movie, you’ve seen them all and you feel like you know the story before you see it in theaters. If you sit down and watch your favorite movie with the mindset to look for subliminal meanings and the core messages within the film, I think you find a deeper appreciation for film and work put into directing and producing it. We take for granite how carefully the simplest, stupid, funny movie is written, the whole idea is to send us one or more important messages within the film; the directors do an amazing job directing our feelings. The music they chose as sound tracks, the camera angles, how the characters act, the events that happen and the climax is all put together carefully to make us relate or sympathies with the main characters. I’ll admit it myself; before we started analyzing movies I just casually watched films without looking for the messages, unless the messages themselves were blatantly obvious. Over all I think that analyzing these movies looking for a deeper meaning is a good thing.
I think it is important to write analytically about films because it helps you understand and expand your thoughts and mind of the movies on a deeper level. By thinking how the character things you are putting yourself in their shoes, but it you watch a movie and don’t really pay attention your really not getting the full effect of the movie. If people pay close attention to the movie and try to understand it, it makes you think deeper into the movie and knowing the information that can help you create allusions. By writing about a movie it can also help you think chronologically, plus notice certain things in the setting that you haven’t noticed before. Besides that you can find out many interesting things. It is also useful for Hollywood producers to make all sorts of different movies to make us think differently. They also have to keep in mind how our society is and knowing what portrays us as humans, this is a big thing for them to creating a movie. By deconstructing movies in high school it will be easier to deconstruct them in college courses since they have classes like that, that you can take. They have these classes so students can write analytically about the movies so then people can understand the true meaning of the movie they are watching. I think that by analyzing a movie it helps me understand better and also you can watch movies multiple times and still notice more things that you haven’t noticed the first time when you watched it. Another thing is when you deconstruct it it can either go both ways on increasing/decreasing the enjoyment of the film. A way of decreasing it, would be if you are with a group of people wanting to watch a movie and have a great time. By this people would get annoyed with you stopping the movie and pointing out certain things. Usually when a big group of people want to watch a movie they are looking to have a good time without stopping it and talking. On the other hand it can increase the enjoyment of the movie. It can increase it by when you watch the movie once and then watch it for a second time and deconstruct it. Because its good to watch it the first time casually then by watching it again it will help you think and understand it. Even if you are watching a really good movie you think about certain settings and actions when your watching it, then while watching it again you can ask yourself different questions on why you think things are like that because in movies there are so many small details that you can miss by watching it the first time. Or you can uncover messages that the producer is trying to get across.
I think it is productive to write analytically about film because it helps you understand the films. I have watched the movie Mean Girls many times but until we studied it and wrote/talked about it I never caught the meaning and symbols in the movie. I can relate to Mean Girls because I am a high school student and in the shoes of some of those students. By studying films you can relate more to them. For example I never thought until now that we actually have girls just like them walking around our school. There are cliques everywhere and everyone wants to be wanted in each of their groups. You wouldn’t see a freshman trying to be in a senior clique.
Universities devote entire courses to studying films because films are a part of everyone’s lives. Everyone watches movies. By studying them you become smarter and can see what movies really mean, instead of just watching them for entertainment. By having these classes students can become even more intelligent in studying films and be able to share their knowledge with others.
I think deconstructing films can increase or decrease enjoyment of a film, it really depends how you look at it. It could increase your enjoyment because it makes you smarter. Films teach lessons; they aren’t just made for nothing. It wouldn’t be a good movie if there wasn’t a problem in the plot, so that means there is a problem solving method and lesson to get from the movie. Films impact our lives. After you watch a movie you can see how your life can be affected. For example, if the movie is about surviving you can see how you could do it or think about what you would do if you were in the same or similar situation. It could decrease your enjoyment because you will be thinking about the movie after you watch it. Sometimes people just pop in a movie for fun, maybe just to get a laugh or for entertainment. If you deconstruct every movie you won’t get entertainment out of it because you will be thinking about what the symbols mean and maybe miss a part to the movie. What I mean by that is like when we were watching Mean Girls, Cady fell into the trashcan. It’s a funny part but some people are too busy thinking what that could mean instead of just laughing because it was funny.
I believe it is productive to write about movies in much depth. If someone doesn't understand the plot and understand why some things are done a certain way, you can go on to the internet and find some article on the movie and understand more about it. Also, it gets us to dig deeper and see how it relates to us and society in general. In normal life, most people just watch it to be enterained not really paying close attention to the surrounding background. But when you dig deeper, you notice EVERYTHING, and can see how it relates to people in everyday life and how it relates to the world.
Universities devote entire courses to deconstruct films so we do have an appreciation for art in today's society! Most people have lost touch with paintings and reading (novels), so the closest thing to art is movies and music (lyrics). And everyone loves a good film once and a while. Taking a class will help you understand different point of views and you can sit and listen to other peoples experiences if they can relate and just understand what films relate to which people and why. You just appreciate things better if you can relate to it and share experiences with people who might not get things like you do.
It depends on what movie you are watching. If you are watching a movie that you really enjoy, you could deconstruct it and see how it relates to you and the world around you. But if you are watching a movie that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to you, deconstructing it might make it worse for you in even trying to watch it again. I think that everyone subconsciously deconstructs movies while they watch it whether than you realize it or not. But you do deconstruct ones that you can relate to because it makes more sense to you rather than one that doesn't.
Part 1
I think it is very productive to analyze films. The producers have a job for a reason; they like to make you think. Whether your concerned about the way one clique treats another in high school or a psycho-killer that is too corrupt to be caught, all movies are made to make you think. If the film doesn't make you wonder then the film writer isn't doing his job. People love to be puzzled, confused, entertained, excited, scared, amused, and annoyed. If we didn't have the film community to keep us occupied, we'd all be really bored. That's also why I think colleges and universities devote courses to studying films. If we didn't have anyone to help us to see all the little things in our favorite movies, we'd be lost. We'd be lost to pretty much the whole plot, lost to the inner battles (the ones that aren't portrayed out front), we would be lost to the few lines in the movie that make the whole film a success. Without deconstruction of films, movies wouldn't be funny, they wouldn't make us see what is so wrong in the world, and they wouldn't help us to better ourselves in the future. Film deconstructers help us see the things we might miss or tip us off on major things that should catch our attention. I love watching movies; I enjoy trying to figure out the plot, which is probably a form of deconstruction in itself. I think its fun to watch movies for the heck of it, but it is also enjoyable to deconstruct and figure out the actual meaning of what the characters are saying or intending for you to learn. It's kind of sad to realize all the corrupt things in the world, even though we make fun of them in films, they're still out there.
Part 2
I agree with Kenzie Fritz when she says that you need to pay attention during a movie to get the full affect. If you don’t watch a whole movie, you will not understand some parts. You will also probably miss out on understanding the end of the movie or something like that. It would just be difficult to get the just of the movie if you missed out on an important part. I also agree with her when she says that producers have to keep our society in mind when they’re making films. Most films are made about tragic world events, usually right after they happen. Movies like Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, A.W.O.L, Across the Universe, etc; are about the Vietnam War and its affects on the United States. They also all came out after the war of course to remind us of what happened and for us to hope that it will never happen again. Kenzie also points out that deconstructing a film while watching it was a group of people would decrease the enjoyment of it. I agree and disagree. I wouldn’t want anyone to stop and point out things while we were watching a movie, which would be really annoying. I do, however, think it would be interesting to deconstruct the movie after its over with the group and listen to everyone’s perspectives. You’d pick up on things you didn’t notice before and share your input. Then you could watch the movie again, and all the deconstructing could improve your opinion of the film. I also agree when Kenzie says that watching a movie twice will help you to understand it more. By watching it the first time, you are getting the just of it; the main plot, setting, and message. By watching it the second time, you can start picking up the little things that make the film more interesting. Watching a movie over-and-over again will make you pick up all the little things until you understand every little aspect of the movie.
Jessi Lunstra pd.5
PART TWO:
Sara Barnes
I agree with Lauren T. Movie makers and producers want you to leave the movie feeling the message that they were trying to send. Sometimes, when something happens in life, you remember a movie and can relate to it. This is a sign that a movie was a success.
I also agree with Megan D. when she said that analytically watching movies makes you think harder and challenges you. Movies are made for many purposes. Some are made for pure enjoyment, some for you to relate to them and some so you can live through the movie with things that are way different from real life.
I think that it is important to write about movies as well as speak about them too. In class, alot of students will not speak their opinion because they are scared of what other people will think about them. This is living proof that Mean Girls is extreemly accurate in it's themes. When students write about what the feel, they will probably be more honest and open. I also think that speaking in group disgussions is important. Sometimes, it is easier, quicker and can be more detailed when you speak about your ideas rather than just write about them. The only downfall of this is that you get a select few students that talk about things and not the whole group. Group speaking is a good skill that we will need for many life experiences ahead, and can make us smarter.
I think that writing analytically about a film is important. The majority of people who watch movies are missing pieces of the movie if they do not analyze it. Producers and directors do everything on purpose. If we aren't looking at everything in a movie we are not getting what we should out of the movie. I also think that it is great that we do this in high school so when we go to college we will be prepared. I plan on ging to Creighton University and I hope I will have Rob Dornsife as a film analysis professor. I feel that this experience now will help me in that future class. Colleges analyze movies because going out to the movies is something almost everyone does. This way we can see the ways that we are being influenced by what directors put in the film. I think that deconstructing a film can add or decrease the enjoyment of watching it. It all depends on if you are willing to search for the true meanings of the film. Sometimes I would rather just watch a movie and not think critically. Other times thinking critically can add to the enjoyment because then I am getting the full story behind the movie.
Writing about these movies we watch do help us. it makes us look deeper into the movie and think about what is all going on it takes you into the movie where you ask questions like why is he doing that or why is that there. All things in the movies have there purpose but maybe sometimes its just there cause it goes along with what is in that building or around the area not everything has to have some sort of purpose with camera angles it makes you see what the person is looking at or how they are feeling. I like to watch the movie for enjoyment first then if i watch it a second time i will look at things that are there cause i when i watch a movie i like to watch it for the entertainment in the movie but the second time around ill watch it and think analytically about the film. colleges devote time to this cause it makes the student think a lot harder and its something fun and out of the norm cause a teacher usually doesn't say go watch your favorite movie 3 times and analyze your doing work but your also watching a movie which is fun. Even though you have to write a five page paper it is also a lot of fun and all you have to do is a watch a movie a few times and take notes about it. It also makes you think harder and expands your mind.
Martinmaas_5
I believe that writing analytically for films is great. It forces people to actually think for once. It creates a new path for people to think through. With movies you are not just deconstructing the film itself but you can also analyze the director. All movies are created based on the director’s personality and how they think. Though movies you can get a sense of what the directors are like. Many movies also have some sort of life message attached somewhere to the plot. If you just watch the movie like a zombie you may just get half of the important messages they are trying to implant. But if you are analyzing it deeply you may get some useful advice that you may have never though possible. I think that colleges have courses that analyze movies because movies are everywhere. By having these courses, professors can shape peoples mind to think more scholarly towards their surrounding like movies. Many movies also contain propaganda about politics or current world issues. If you are not deeply analyzing these parts you may get the wrong impressions about a certain person or event. Depending on the person, deconstructing a film may either decrease or increase the enjoyment. For me it usually depends on the timing and movie. For the most part deconstructing films decreases the pleasure. Watching movies is like a vent that i can relax some emotion I’m feeling. But there is some times that I feel deconstructing a film is more pleasurable. One example is watching Changeling and we had just read One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. I felt excited when i could relate things from the movie to things that I’m currently dealing with or am interested in. It can also make movies more enjoyable because people could feel a sense of accomplishment for figuring out some hidden symbol or message in the movie.
Chelsea Mattson pd. 7
Part 1:
I believe it is analytically productive to write about films becuase it is so important that we see the surface, and embeded meanings within movies. Anyone can sit down on a sofa or in a chair and watch a movie, but it takes a mind of knowledge to recognize what exactly is being spoken onscreen, and what age groups/genres of people are being targeted by the producer. Movies are like life, each with their own plotline, characters, challenges, success and loss. There are millions of live stories, as there are millions of movies created. So many different types to be related, recongnized, and remembered by all different extremes of individuals. This is something that applies to any person at all who views films. It is modern culture, so it is important we learn to interpret and understand them. This is also why I believe that universities and schools worldwide devote coarses to such subjects. To really teach them that they are learning, and being influenced by so much more than they could ever realize in the world, especially by films. Movies make fasion popular, crate movie 'stars' fads and obcessions, have good and/or bad bandwagon effects, and leave you walking out of the theatre with the movie somewhere in your subconcious. I think that deconstructing films too such extent in class is both good and bad for different people, I know some people like to watch he entire thing and then discuss it, but others, like myself, like to ask questions to further comprehend the movie along the way. I think if you open your mind and are willing to listen to classmates opinions about why the director did this or that it can be very educational and bring you to a higher level of thinking.
I think it is productive to write about films because they make you think. They are made for your entertainment but also for you to relate it to yourself and your life. Movies provide a way of showing society what is going on around them that they are not even noticing. Universities devote courses to film studies I think because they want you to actually think about the movie. They want you to look things through "other people's eyes" so you can see all of the different ways everyone sees things. They also have entire courses because there are so many movies that you can sit and spend so much time looking at because there are so many little things that mean something. I think deconstructing a film instead of just watching it helps you learn more. If you just sat and watched a movie you wouldn't see all of the hard work that the film makers put into every little second of that movie. You should want to find the hidden messages so that you can relate them to your life. It increases my enjoyment because i always want to keep watching and trying to figure out what will come next or how it will all work out. There is so much to learn from these movies. For example, before this unit in English I thought I paid attention to details of movies when really I barely noticed anything important. Since being in this class I can't watch a movie just for entertainment anymore. I sit there and pause and think about tiny little parts and how they are important. I have seen the movie A Cinderella Story probably over fifteen times and until being in this class I had never notices how much the soundtrack means to that part in the movie. At one part the main character is being bossed around and treated like a slave while working in a diner. The song playing at the diner at that time is Rescue Me. That goes along exactly how that girl feels. She just wants to be saved from this horrible time and place.
i think it is important to analyze films because it makes you think. i never really looked into movies this indepth untill i took this class. movies are more interesting and funny once you realize what is actually going on in the movie. there are many classes you can take in college all based off movie deconstruction. this helps a person think more clearly and maby even make them a better film maker than a person thought they could be. Deconstructing a movie is good if you watch the movie more than once. but to watch a movie with constant rewinding and pausing to talk decreases the enjoyment of the film to me.
Part 2
I agree with Seydel because movie deconstruction did kind of ruin the way i look at movies now. If a movie has nothing to really deconstruct.. it becomes kind of dull and not as exciting as other movies. I catch myself trying to focus on symbols and then i loose track of what is happening in the flim. i never really realized the groups in our school either. Brandon is full of "clicks" in our school. and we do have "plastics" in our school no matter what anyone says.
It's productive to write analytically on a film because it helps you to think deeper about what the true meaning of the film is, what the directors, writers, and even actors want the viewer to walk away from the film with, whether they notice that they have gained anything or not. Not only is it important for reasons pertaining to the movie, but watching a movie with the intent of trying to truly understand the film opens up a substantially heightened level of thinking. These higher levels are essential for society to be able to progress because it helps for people to come up with new inspiring ideas. Universities and colleges provide entire courses for this line of study to open people’s minds to the world unsaid and unseen. It opens minds to the possibility that there is more to what is going on than just what the eye sees or the ear hears. When this form of looking at things is developed the viewer can expand their imagination and further enjoy the movie. Because they understand the movie better they can understand the characters better. Because they understand the characters they can put themselves into situations within the movie which enhances the enjoyment and helps the viewer have a better time and learn more about not only the movie but also the world around him/her because many movies have themes that can be referred to in real life as helpful messages or ideas to consider using in one's own experiences. Many movies exagerate the meaning of the film to help the watcher to distinguish what the purpose is. When this is done, not only do all watchers walk away with a sense of what the movie was supposed to teach not just the higher thinkers.
I think its important to anylyze and write analytically about films because we need to learn how to see past the surface of things and really dive in their to see what's really going on. If we don't look at deeper meanings of films, we could miss out on something that effects the movie greatly. Sometimes things that we notice don't always have a big effect, but they add to the movie and make us smarter just by finding them. Its important to understand exactly why a director made this movie and not to just understand what happens on the surface level, but on every level. Universities deveote entire courses to this because they realize how important it is to know how to dig deeper into things rather than just taking the film for what you see the first time. Also, a film can mean something different to everyone, so its interesting to hear what others think. I think that deconstructing films often brings more enjoyment to watching it because you can understand it better, as long as its not overdone the first couple times you watch it. Films are best to be deconstructed a little bit at a time rather than tearing it all apart at once.
I agree with Kortney when she says that analyzing gets us to dig deeper and see how it relates to us and society in general. I also agree with on that when you dig deeper, you notice EVERYTHING, and can see how it relates to people in everyday life and how it relates to the world. She also brought up a very good point that I didn't even think about She said that Universities devote entire courses to deconstruct films so we do have an appreciation for art in today's society. She is completely right that a lot of people have lost touch with reading (novels) and paintings or sculptures, so the closest thing to art is movies and music (lyrics). I also agree with her that taking a class will help you understand different point of views and just understand what films relate to which people and why. I also thought Samantha R. had a good point She brought up how after being in this class you think about every little detail and how the directors should have more credit and their name should be the one better known not the actors. The actors and actresses are really only following the directors. The directors are the ones putting the meaning into the film and try to give the viewer something to think about! The actors and actresses should get some credit too because of their hard work and such, but why do we remember the actors names and not even know who directed it? She also talked about how she now understands why it costs a lot of money to go to the theater and watch a movie. I also now won't be so mad next time I have to pay $8 just to watch a movie because now I will there will actually be a deeper meaning to it and not just sitting there.
It is important to write analytically about film. its shows you how to think deeper and get more interested in the film. Most people when they just watch it don't think about all the little things and just watch it to watch it. Then you know how go visualize it better. If you just go and watch a movie to don't get all the little hints and see the important things that are secretly in it. When you have to write about a film you don't just watch it. you have to keep watching to get all the hidden facts. you start to look at how the camera view is and think what you would do if it was your movie. You look at every view they do and think why is that the best angle or why its not. When you deconstruct it can increase and decrease the enjoyment. If you watch it and analyze it, the next time you watch it, it might make more sense and mean more to you. if you go straight through and watch it you might like it better with out all the stopping. but when you deconstruct it you get the full view of the movie and realize how much stuff you miss when you just go right through it. If you slow it down you might find a main point in the movie that helps you figure it out. And with out stopping you might have missed it. Also when you do this kind of deconstructing it wont hurt you. it will also make you smarter and be able to do more things and visualize more. And colleges make it a class because everyone in the world watch movies and most dont know what its about and dont get to see the little things. The class will make you think and learn how to be creative and do more with your mind. it almost brings you back to a younger years when you had to imagine things to have fun. you imagine the movie and how things are set up. to try and fine the hidden secrets.
I think it is productive to write about films analytically because it makes us see things that we thought we knew in a whole new light. The first time we saw a movie we usually see it for our enjoyment but if we watch it a second time and deconstruct it analytically we can catch secrets and hints that we never would have seen before. Sometimes we find whole new meaning to certain movies. We expand our minds which can benefit us in the future. Universities devote entire courses to film studies because it is a way that everyone can enjoy to broaden their minds. Most people pay to go to school to get the diploma at the end. So why not make learning fun. With film studies you can learn hidden meaning behind some of our most beloved movies all the while having a good time. That is almost something unheard of. Isn't deconstructing learning? I think so. The best place to do that is in film because it is a generic thing that everyone seems to enjoy. Also the average person can usually take more out of a movie than a book. It is no secret that America enjoys films more than written literature. So it is just better for everyone to analyze movies instead of books. Deconstructing a film does a little of both increases and decreases my enjoyment. Sometimes I like to just watch a movie so that I can be entertained. It is a way of escaping reality and the stress of life and just enjoying what other people are doing. But other times it is ok to pause a movie and look at things in a whole new light. It gives new meaning to stuff and sometimes makes the movie better. It can be good to take the most out of a movie instead of just the raw story. Also I think it depends on what movie you choose to deconstruct. If it is a movie that you can relate to and you know their is more to this movie than meets the eye than you would much rather deconstruct that than something that you can not relate to at all.
Wright_7
I have to go against the majority here when I say that deconstructing a movie while viewing it for the first time decreases the overall enjoyment of the film. Picking a movie that I have never seen before apart every ten seconds disrupts the rising action that the director is attempting to create. With these pauses in class throughout the film, I do not receive as much excitement, fear, action, adventure, or passion as I would have if I were casually watching. Not to say that there is anything wrong with film analysis whatsoever; yet for the first time, I would rather 'sink my teeth' into the film to savor the vibe/feeling of it first. I believe that the analysis should occur during a second or third viewing.
For example, when I witness a movie for the first time, I am unsure on where the plot will take me, when/where the situational/dramatic irony will occur, and what will happen to the protagonist/antagonist next. Therefore, I am more focused, attempting to be the protagonist, feel the protagonist, etc. I am currently saving a race on the alien world of Pandora, running from a psychopath in Texas, or viewing myself in a mirror in high school full of mean girls. Once the film is paused, I lose my connection with the main character and the film itself, until the film resumes again. A second viewing, complete with deconstruction, would be sufficient and ideal, seeing as how I have already seen the movie and I know what is to happen. I also have already made a thorough connection with the characters.
It is productive to write analytically about film, seeing as how the more the viewer can discover about a film, the easier it is to relate to. Life is all about making connections: whether it is an experience that you have shared with a few of your friends, or a reference from a book you have recently read. The subconscious messages hidden throughout films are fascinating to uncover; they reveal how much thought, work, etc. it has taken to create a movie. Universities devote entire courses to film study in order to aid students in better understanding/interpreting/watching movies. With their help, colleagues can hopefully fully appreciate/relate to future films. As in life, you learn more about a movie with each new experience, regardless of if you think you know everything about it already.
writing about films analytically help alot cause it makes you think harder then you ever probably would have. Most ppl just watch it for the enjoyment of the movie they dont look for symbolic images or artifatcs that actually mean something. Noone looks at a certian camera angle and really think about why the derector is using it or why he or she has pick this angle over another one, like the angle over the sink before Chiguri enters the room and all you see is his hands and blood thinking 'wow this cat is BA'. the derector could of used a different angle but that one was the perfect set up. Analyzing these films had made me look at every movie i watch now differently and i like it. i enjoy thinking about whay did they do that instead of this. personally i love movies and cant get enough of em. But sometimes stopping the movie and looking at certian parts kinda ruin movies cause you just want to enjoy it the first time, so i think you need to actually a watch a movie twice or three times to get the full concept.
It is important to analyze movies because it make you think/wonder what the author is trying to tell you. Every movie tells a different story but many do not notice it. Before this class i was one of them. In a movie, I looked for action or a good laugh but now I know what to look for and what the director is telling me. There are so many hidden messages in movies that the average movie watcher would not catch and I'm glad that I have had the opportunity to learn about this kind of film watching. I think we are and will be taught to analyze movies because it increases our thinking level. It makes us want to think about movies and the meaning behind them. By understanding the point of the movie makes it more enjoyable to watch, just because you know what is actually being said. It makes me feel good to know that I can think in a way that most dont.
Austin Sumner
it is very important to write analytically about films, when you are watching a movie it is good to analyze while you are watching, you may catch things you have never seen before and if you do it to a movie you have see a hundred times you might catch somthin youve never seen before. universities devote their entire courses to this because you need so much time to analyze ever peice of the movie, to analyze a movie to the fullest you need years/months of analyzing that movie. it takes so long to write the script for the movie and it takes a long time to analyze the film. when analyzing you may catch things that the director didnt even think of or intend on putting in the movie. you could spend along time analyzing a film and have an outside sourse tell you somthing new. not everyone has the same view on a film so everyone can come up with different ideas and analyze it differently. when deconstructing a film it can ruin it a little bit, but to prevent ruining the film i think it is better to watch the film from start to end with out stop then watch the movie again and maybe take notes. then watch the movie again and pause it everyonce in a while and analyze what is goin on in the movie at that time and view the camera angles and the lighting. if you are wathcing a movie for the first time and you pause it every 2 second it will probably ruin the movie for you, first you must watch it and enjoy it, there is no point in watching/analyzing a movie you dont like or that you will not like. if you like a movie you will have better success when analyzing it. if not your whole analyzing precedure will not work, you will have negative thoughts about it the entire time. having a debate in class will help becuase you will get ideas, ideas that you wouldnt think of. you will see things differently. you will see things the way other ppl see then and the way you see then, so you will be able to see twice as much in a film that you would normally see. a debate will also give you a chance to take notes and decide what parts of a movie to put most focus on, you dont want to annalyze the dead scenes in a movie, you do want to analyze the scenes with action or that catch the eye of the viewer, and see exaclty why it does that.
Part 1
It is productive to write analytically about a film because it helps you learn about what the writer of the movie is trying to point out and say. Universities devote entire courses on writing analytically about a film because it helps better the students mind and look past things in the movies to see stuff that you normally would not pick out right away. I think that deconstructing a movie, rather than casually watching it, decreases my enjoyment of watching the movie because I am not really paying attention to the movie when I am trying to look for certain things. It just totally ruins the movie for me, especially if it is my first time watching the movie. There are some movies out there that if you watch it the first time and analyzed it right away, I am sure it would be a better movie, but the one movie that I analyzed the first time I saw it, made it harder for me to enjoy.
Part2
I agree with Trevor Martinmaas on how the first time you watch a movie, you should just be watching it for the entertainment. When it comes around to the second time watching it then it is more reasonable to pick out certain things and just completely analyze it. Like when we watched "No Country for Old Men", I did not enjoy it as much then I think I would have if I just watched it for the entertainment the first time. I have already seen "Mean Girls", and actually now that I think of it, I think that analyzing it, rather than just watching it, made it a little bit better because it would have just made the movie very boring if I were to watch it just for the heck of it again.
Charlie Sellers_6
I agree with Mr. Paclik on how colleges have degrees in deconstructing films because everyone in the whole world watches movies so everyone can relate to what is happening. i also agree with brandon olson because girls do make fun of othere girls maybe not to seem better or greater then them but they still do. Not saying guys dont but when we do it it is just a joke or a prake that probably isnt funny to them but is to the praker. everyone one hase been made fun of in one way or another all through hight schoool when my brother was still here him and all of his friends made fun of me or mess with me i never took it serious because i thought thats how high school worked when i was a fresmen. so if someone thinks they have it hard it isnt that bad just think you'll be outta of high school soon enough and start a whole new life.
It is quite productive to write analytically about a film. It helps us think as well as think outside the box. It helps us right great papers on deep things about movies, as in what they mean or what the director is trying to convey in the film. It enhances our thinking abilities and helps us think more scholarly then other schools that do not have this kind of class. I think that universities devote entire courses to writing analytical films because it makes us think more, see more, and realize more. It helps us enjoy movies more and yet can also make us not enjoy them if we realize how bad they are because we go so deep into them. So deconstructing a film can either decrease or increase enjoyment of the film. If we enjoy a film while casually watching it, deconstructing it could actually help us enjoy it even more because we notice the flaws yet all the accomplishments the movie is making. Deconstructing has us think more about the film and if it is truly a good film you will love it even more. We figure out different things about it we would never realize if we were just casually watching it. Including the soundtracks, we would never realize how much they make the movie. Without them the movies would be so boring, but with it is amazing. Deconstructing helps us realize some things that we would end up loving, like the music; I now listen to them all because it is so amazing. In other cases it can make you dislike the movie the more you deconstruct it. What you think is a good movie you find hidden meanings and symbols that you probably would not like. Also the more you get in depth with the movie the more mistakes show up, mistake after mistake. A movie could seem good with a couple times of casually watching it, but watching it in depth more then two times may ruin the movie for you.
Danny Sellers
Part 2
This is a response to Brian Kribel's
I believe you are way off and would strongly disagree with you. I do not believe watching films and analyzing them is an art class. Maybe making films is an art class but not analyzing them. I agree that this is more a language arts class than an english class. We learn how certain forms of language like books or movies are expressed and what they mean. To me I would much rather take a language arts class and learn about stuff that matters more to me than just going into school day in and day out to learn about commas and semi colons. In class we study how a director is trying to convey stuff to the viewer or "reader" and what they are conveying. This is like a thinking class and should be viewed that way. Watching films and analyzing them is merely another form of thinking that is essential to people. The more knowledge you have the better you will do in life. It also means the more money you could potentially earn. I feel we are doing something productive because i am enlightened every day. It feels good to say that I saw something familiar and looked at it a totally different way today. Like looking at something from two different angles. Some people might decide to pay eight dollars to be entertained but wouldn't you like to get so much more out of that eight dollars. I think if we study and analyze a movie we are making our money's worth off a movie. It's not like we are wasting time and effort by analyzing these films. We are taking out so much more from them. To me it is more rewarding to say that I spent eight dollars to watch a film and left with a little extra knowledge that might benefit me in the near future.
I agree with Mr. Paclik in his point about the camera angles. I have noticed from the movie No Country for Old Men that camera angles have a lot of meaning or could show some foreshadowing in films. For instance, in the closing scenes of No Country for Old Men, as Antone approaches the stop light, the camera shows his point of view on the green light ahead of him (made me wonder why they would show the stop light but whatever right?) and then it goes on to show him looking in the rear view mirror at some kids riding around on their bikes. Suddenly BOOM, Antone is struck by another car who had ran the stoplight. The point of view camera angles previous to the accident were hinting that something was going to happen am I right? This scene was put together briliantly by the director along with the whole movie. Every movie I have watched since I have noticed that camera angles are a huge part in telling a story and makes you wonder whats going through the character's mind while you basically are in their shoes.
Austin Sumner in response to Christopher Paclik.
I think it’s productive to write an analytical paper about a film because it can help you understand and read deeper into what is going on in the film . If you just watched a movie without analyzing it you can miss so much. If you watch it again with analyzing it you catch so much different things. I think universities devote a course on it because usually high schools do not have classes like college bound looking at films and you can miss so much stuff. By analyzing a film you can read deeper in the film and then it can also help you look deeper at other things you see and then you compare what is going on in your life, or in the movie. I think that you start to understand and care more about what is going on in movies and then you understand how much work and trouble directors put into just having a person keep entertained. At first I thought I would not like this unit because it would ruin the way I watch movies but I actually enjoy them more now. You catch so much more but deconstructing a film and it also helps keep you interested in the movie. I cannot watch a movie now without looking for symbols or asking myself why this is like that. Not only does deconstructing films help you with movies it can also help you think more collegent and gets your brain asking why this is this way and why is that room this color, and that is what professors are going to want when we go to college. I like the way we are doing it also because sometimes you do not catch what other people catch and then that helps you think a little bit more deeply into the movie.
Melissa Bendixen Pd. 6
I think that analyzing films can increase and decrease the enjoyment of watching movies. It increases it because then you can catch metaphors and see the meaning behind smaller things that other people may not. Like in Mean Girls where Cady falls into the trash can - it's signifying that she is trash...she could've just tripped or ran into a locker. It also shows that although the Plastics believe they are the best and everybody else is lower than them - making them the trash. But it also decreases the enjoyment because people usually go to movies to relax and get a good experience. After going through all of this analyzing studies it's hard to just WATCH a movie...you put so much more thought into it and it becomes more of a project than a getaway.
I think it is important to analyze films so you can discover the hidden messages of the film. By analyzing the film you are thinking harder which makes you a better, smarter student. It makes you think about why the film makers used a certain camera angle and even why they name characters a certain name. In mean girls, the main characters name is Cady - pronounced Katie. Cady, just by looking at it, looks like catty, which is what she turns out to be after conforming into the Plastics group.
I think colleges devote entire courses to film study and deconstruction because they want people to enjoy the hard work that the filmmakers put into making a movie. It's hard to realize how much thought and work it takes to get that 2 second scene that could make the movie great. They also want people to think critically about the film. They also want people to take the time to discuss what they saw in the movie because what one person might have seen and thought could be completely different from what another person had seen or thought.
Roeder_5
I don’t really think it is productive to write about a film because it ruins the film and forces you to see things that you really would rather not concentrate on. Instead of understanding the real meaning of the movie you are spending your time looking too deep into the movie and you miss the story line and the plot. I recently went to the Book of Eli and found myself analyzing the movie the entire time and it made me miss some vital parts and it also made me enjoy the film less. I think that if you look too deeply into something you miss what is really important. You miss the best parts of a movie, book, or a person whatever it is that you are looking too deeply into. When you analyze every tiny aspect in a movie you get sidetracked on the basically pointless thoughts that really have nothing to do with the movie. I think that looking at some things like how Regina George’s mother is well not a very good mom is completely relevant to the movie’s plot and it affects the movie. But when you begin to look at things like the numbers on the lockers in the background is just distracting and unnecessary. I think there is an extent to where analyzing is good and productive and increases the enjoyment and the humor of a movie and an extent where it is too much and your mind is getting sidetracked away from the movie causing you to miss the important things. I think that the only reason colleges should have courses on analyzing films is for students pursing a career in acting or movie making or something to do with arts. I do not see why a student going into mechanics or farming or business would need that course.
There are many productive reasons to write analytically about films. One reason is to get us to think harder. Thinking harder and deconstructing films can get our minds working harder for other school related learning. Another reason is because it is a change from doing tons of worksheets and busy work. Movies are something teens care about. Not that we don’t care about books , but movies are more entertaining to us and we can usually find it easier to relate to movies rather than books. Another reason is because it’s just more fun. A teacher is rarely going to lose a classrooms attention by watching and deconstructing movies like Mean Girls. It’s pretty easy to lose a classes attention when you sit in from of the class and talk the whole period. Colleges like having film studies courses because they know it will keep kids’ interest. In college, there is no one checking up on you and making sure your up and going to your classes. If colleges offer classes like this, kids are more likely to go to class because they know it will be fun and enjoyable.
I think that deconstructing a film can increase and decrease the enjoyment of a film. In some ways it can increase enjoyment because you discover so much more than if you just sit and watch it. When you watch and think more closely, you really get into the story. You can relate it to your own life and discover what is really being said in the movie, rather than just sit there and watch it without even listening to the real meaning. I think it can also decrease enjoyment of movies because you can get thinking so deep and can’t even get the humor or the simpler meanings in the movie. Sometimes you just want to watch a movie because you want to be entertained, not having to think very hard.
Cody San Miguel p.5
i personally think that even while we are watching movies, we are deconstructing them even if only a little bit. for instance, we love office space because there are people that have jobs like that, bosses like that, and personal issues like that in the real world. in the movie office space however, they add humor as well as what people want to do and wish they could do to their jobs while they are there. in no country for old men, we know that evil people like chigur exist, but we refuse to believe that they can kill and do all the other nasty stuff they do and get away with it as the film suggests. movies are either: taking ordinary, dull,ugly and possibly unsatisfying parts of life, and makes them interesting, humorizes them with what people want to go in that situation, or exposes them. the other movies take us away from the real world. for instance lord of the rings, avatar, and star treck all help people escape reality and spicen up their lives. they take what could be in a few hundred years and make it the now.
So to end it...yes deconstructing makes things more fun. if you do alot though...it loses some of the movies glamour
Film deconstruction is key for many reasons. Some people find it better to just watch a movie instead of analyze it. They like to watch movies to escape their reality or sometimes find one of their own. Other people like to deconstruct and find connections in movies. They like to be able to look deeper into the meaning of the story. Why is this like that? What is the reason for this? Those kinds of people spend their time learning and expanding. I personal like to analyze and deconstruct. I like to watch movies so a can relax and escape a world that I no longer want to be a part of. There are also times where I like to analyze movies so a can get a greater relation with the movie itself. If I can put more to a movie than the person next to me it gives me the comfort of being able to do something others couldn’t. Film deconstruction is productive for colleges to use. Films are similar to books. Films however are preferred because they are from a younger generation. Movies also help the student get more of a visual. With each student seeing the same thing then the instructor can work with many students on the deconstruction instead of trying to work with each different illusion from students. College professors I believe would like movies because they help to lighten a mood and help students feel more comfortable. Which student doesn’t want to go watch a movie for an assignment? Movies are important for their flexibility, ability to be analyzed, and their ability to enlighten others.
Lyle Hall
It is productive to write analytically about a film or many films because then we as the viewers we become more deeply involved in what is taking place in the movie as well as fully understanding all the small details that is put into making a movie such as the background music and what it is trying to open up into. I believe that colleges write about films and movies because otherwise the college students would get too bored of reading books and might slack in class or just not do the homework, but if they are watching movies then they are more entertained and more into the papers so that they work harder and their papers are more scholarly. On top of that the college professors might get bored reading hundreds or thousands of papers on one book where as if he assigns many movies then he might enjoy the different ways in which his student view the topics that are covered in the movie or how the student sees a character and how there role in the move is essential. I like to watch the film once before starting to deconstruct it because the first time I watch a movie it is more entertaining to let yourself be brought into the movie like your apart of it and just let things flow, but my second and further times that I watch a movie I start deconstructing and noticing more and more every time and soon the whole movie has been seen through a different perspective. If I do not allow myself to get caught up in a movie or in a book they are not enjoyable for me so I must let my soul get snatched by the author or the film producer and live a completely different life for the coarse of the ride.
I think it is productive to write about films analytically because the writer catches little things here and there that the casual movie-goer would not catch. Movies are made for entertainment but they also show social issues that are going on that some people would not believe or even know about. Deconstructing movies can uncover messages or points that the movie is portraying. They break down the lighting to see if it makes the scene more realistic or fake. Sometimes to show attention to a main character, they have them in the spotlight. It may not be a direct spotlight but the majority of the light is on them and the minor characters tend to blend in with the background. That type of lighting makes them stand out in a crowd. The camera work is also disected. Certain camera angles add emotion and/or suspense to a scene. Showing too much or not enough connects with the viewer and makes them think. The acting in a movie has to be convincing and real. No one wants to see a movie where the acting is terrible and obviously fake. The more realistic the acting is, the more the viewer will be gripped in the movie and want more. The director's style is also broken down by deconstructing movies. Each director has their own style and way of putting things in their mind down to the script and then onto the big screen. Directors tend to have the same mood and style from movie to movie. Similar illusions and methods are used by the same director in their movies. Universities have courses over this type of subject in order to broaden the student's views on how movies are made. They try to uncover the message and how every little thing in the movie has a meaning. They make you watch the movie from a different perspepctive. I think deconstructing films that are deep and different from the mainstream that some films follow make the movie more interesting and enjoyable to see. When you have to think hard about a movie and it's message or purpose, it's brilliantly made and connects with the audience.
I think analyzing films is important because it lets you not just enjoy the movie, but to understand it and its impact on culture and society. Therefore you can find a connection between the movie and your own life and enjoy it even more. If you can really connect yourself with a movie, not everything but at leas part of it, it will effect you more. Some movies are not made for this. Some movies follow a formula where the guy saves the day gets a girl and then there is a huge explosion at the end. But the movies that are really worth watchin are the movies that make you question the way our world works. Not just is this bamf gonna win the game for the team or if this bad guy will finally meet his downfall, but what is wrong with our world and how can we better understand/solve our problems. The only way to do this is to dig deeper into what this movie is doing to you. What effedt is it having on you and why? If you can do this then you are becoming smarter and enjoying yourself at the same time.
Laura Hieb
Part 2
I disagree with what Kribell said. Although some people may not understand why we are doing this in class, I think that everyone will benefit from this section in the long run. Films are a big part of our lives. Yes, maybe after college we won't be reading novels or essays unless we have to, but we WILL be watching and enjoying movies for the rest of our lives. So why not dig deeper, to find a real meaning? These directors put a lot of effort into the art they create, why not study and appreciate the years of hard work they put in to create something 2 hours long. These movies, just like novels, the Bible, and newspapers, teach us about life and they either inspire us to be better, or tell us what this world is coming to. I believe that this is a very productive unit, and it is extremely entertaining. Yes, we are in English class. But we have learned everything about English grammar for the past 11 years. Now it is time to deepen our thinking on a more critical level, and when we do this, we learn more words, we learn why, we learn how, and we learn while having fun which I think is the most productive way to learn. Memories of having fun and doing things that interest you are the ones you remember most. And although we studied novels and essays, these usually become movies because of the art they portray and we learn visually do we not? I think I am a very visual learner. Movies are a HUGE part of American culture and we speak English as Americans. I honestly had no idea why directors do things sometimes, and also I never noticed things or put things together while watching a film. And there is entire classes on this stuff in college! If we had not gone deep into this, how would we know how to achieve our highest potential in that class. My sister was in architecture and she even had to take a film studies class.. It is important to think critically no matter what you plan on pursuing in your future. Also, why not do things that we enjoy during our last year together?
It is productive to write analytically about films because they give us more understanding about the world around us. Sure, films are mostly meant to entertain people but they can also teach us valuable lessons in life. For example the movie, Phone Booth is about this publisist that gets a mysterious phone call from the phone booth he uses everyday. The person on the other line is a sniper who is threatening to kill him if he doesn't confess to his crimes. The sniper can be looked at as a villian with evil intentions or he can be looked at as a man who is using the power of fear to get people to change for the greater good. Universities usually have a films class because it is interesting to the students more than it is to the teachers, which is what we all want. If the class isn't interesting to the students then there is really no reason to even have the class because the students would/be willing to learn anything. In some ways it does decrease the enjoyment of a movie if you try to analyze it instead of just watching it and other times it helps to understand what is going on to really enjoy it. I know that at some parts in the movie it seems like the director did something on purpose but I honestly think that not every single detail in the movie is meant to be there or is there on purpose. Some things can just be in it by accident or just to keep the movie interesting not to have some "double meaning".
Melissa Bendixen Pd. 6
PART 2
I agree with whoever didn't put their name on it a couple of blogs up. They were saying how people go to movies to escape from reality and to possibly find their own. I believe that there are people who like to connect with movies on a real level so they can truly get the message the film maker is trying to get out. They like to act as if they are in the movie - act as if they are going through the same problems and relate the problems as best they can to events that happened in their own lives. It's a good way to watch dramatic/sad type movies because it gives you a feeling of what it feels like when something happens in your life or to someone else you know. Although movies are often exadurated, it still gives people an idea. Like in P.S. I Love You - we see how hard it is to lose a loved one and understand it may be heard to let go and move on.
Pt. 2
I agree with Sergio’s statement about how watching a movie a second time you can catch things here and there that you missed when you watched it the first time. Many people bring up how they did not see something in the movie the first time they watched it but the second time around they caught it. But when you watch the movie the second time around and deconstruct it, you get way more out of it and catch so many things you would not catch if you just watched it for the enjoyment of it. Breaking down the movie can bring up things that are hidden or abstract that you would not catch if you were just watching it to relax and get away from everything. I also agree how making these types of classes make learning fun. Learning anything should be fun. And if you can not wait for the next class to come then you know you are in a fun class. Going to class to watch movies and discuss your viewpoint about it would be enjoyable to me. I would like to be in a class that is devoted to breaking down movies and then expressing ideas about them. By breaking down films and writing about them, you can discover new view points that you did not have while watching the film. Other people can catch things or think about things in a different way. By mixing in everybody’s opinion and viewpoints on the movies, more can be learned and discovered. I also agree with how people in America like to watch movies over reading books. That is a no-brainer. Breaking down movies would be more entertaining because you can see it right in front of you instead of thinking about what would it look like. When people read books, they imagine what the characters would look like to them and how the setting would look to them. Each reader would have a different set up for the book. But by watching a movie, the image of the characters and setting are universal.
It is important to write analytically about a film because it lets us realize what actually the movie is saying and what it actually is about. Without deconstructing movies all I saw was what the director wanted me to see, which what everyone else sees. I believe universities devote a lot of time towards film studies to analyze what little tricks the director throws in there, to make the movie more appealing or seem more “real” to the viewers. Before we started deconstructing movies I just saw the movies normal as everyone else saw them, but after I learned a lot about what actually there thinking in each scene and why they had the camera like that, like in the movie mean girls how they had the camera in one scene faced the beautiful huge house that Regina lives in, when viewers see that they know how rich and popular she really is. I think that deconstructing a film increases the enjoyment because you pick out the little things in the movie and you can come up with a lot of reasons in why they did that or why they did this. It help keeps me interested in the movie because every scene is something new and more interested as the next. With movies now, if I don’t deconstruct it, it doesn’t seem to be very appealing anymore, deconstructing movies let you get “into” the movie and feel what the actors are feeling, and also the directors. I’m having a lot of fun deconstructing movies in class because with 28 or so students, everyone’s minds go in different directions and the movie mean girls turns out to be a movie about other topics.
Katie Carlson Pd-6
After learning how to accurately deconstruct a film, every single movie you watch from then on will be totally different. That’s why colleges teach it, so we can see every little detail directors put into their movies for us to notice! It allows us to look beyond skin depth of a movie and really understand why that rope is hanging in that particular place or why her hair is brown and not purple. We are given a whole new perspective on many things after watching a movie, if we truly analyze it. Deconstructing films definitely increases the enjoyment of the film, because it makes us rewind and play the same scenes over and over when there is something we don’t understand or don’t see in the first pass through. Without deconstructing films, we would only watch movies from start to finish and never truly enjoy the movie, but rather waste large amounts of our lives watching something we never understood until now. Talking about movies makes the movies more important and effective rather than walking out of a movie theater and totally forgetting about what you just spent your hard earned dollars on. It also allows us to see things from other people’s perspectives, since nobody can read minds. One person might love the movie for this reason, but a different person might hate the movie for the exact same reason, it’s all based on opinion, how it affects them as a person, if it touched their hearts, or some other affect a scene might have on an individual. Overall, the after movie conversation is almost more important than the movie itself, and if you don’t analyze everything and catch the best parts, you will miss out on the one of the best parts of cinemas.
Its very important to analyze films because there are little things that are very important to the movie that you don’t actually notice. Different camera angles also allow you to experience what the characters are feeling, and makes it seem like you are actually there. Also it makes you think harder and if you study these things you will get more out of the movies you watch at home. I think universities devote entire classes on this because there is a lot of art put in movies. They want you to get the hidden messages in the film, plus it just makes the movies we watch that much better. Its exactly like are ads, there are hidden messages in the ad but you don’t notice them until you actually look closely at it. But unlike the ads there are way more into a movie, and they are also way longer. I think deconstructing a film makes it less enjoyable but in a way once you get use to it you will be doing it when your not even trying to. Deconstructing a film for class is fun, but not as much as just watching it. But it will help us in a long run. We will eventually just do it without thinking and I think that’s what this is all about. Right now I am paying so much attention to a movie that I cant just enjoy it because your constantly thinking all the time. Having the debates in class help me see what my class mates are also getting out of the movies. So when the movie is over I know I got every little detail about the movie. Also the debates help you out on the stuff you didn’t actually notice and will help us prepare for our final essay.
Shad Smith Per 3
Remember, this is a class that attempts to help you with HOW to think, not WHAT to think. You buy that?
(Melanie--SDSU will make agriculture majors take writing courses to broaden their experiences and make them lifelong thinkers and readers/writers. If you graduate with a Bachelor's degree, you have proven you are able & willing to think in a variety of significant, meaningful ways. Ag majors may never use the math they are forced to study; may never use syntax sentence types or film deconstruction, but they will be better thinkers. And better thinking is better living!
I think it is important to study film analysis because it makes you notice the little details a director put into a film to make it more empowering. Also, analyzing a film in depth allows you to see more messages, symbols, and allusions than if you were to just casual watch a movie. It is the little things that matter in a film. The way a character is dressed, acts, or speaks can determine the amount of impact the film will have on its viewer. I think that analyzing a film rather than just casual watching the film can be better or worse. Better because then you are forced to observe the great lengths the director went to, to make the film more attractive. Worse because then you are distracted by the in depth things rather than being able to see the surface humor of a movie. Also, if you are paying more attention to details than you might miss some of the more obvious details and not be able to appreciate the movie as much. Universities devote so much time on film analysis because it is important to learn and appreciate the art of film making. In Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts is a hooker and in the beginning she disguises herself by putting on a blonde wig. When analyzing that part in the film I thought about why she was wearing a wig. I came to the conclusion that it is because she is ashamed of what she is doing. She does not want to be a hooker but needs a source for income. She is unhappy with her choice of career unlike her best friend Kit. Although, she is ashamed of what she does, she still has confidence to stand tall, look beautiful, and change her life for the better by the end of the film.
Colleges devote entire courses to film studies because Americans watch movies like fat kids eat candy. Movies are a part of society in America and they may have a big effect on the way people act and do things. Throughout a day most people will talk about a movie they have seen at some point. A lot of people may have seen the same movie so it brings up good conversation. So this explains why colleges would devote courses that deconstruct movies.
It is productive to write about movies because as I said in the above paragraph most people watch movies. I have never seen anyone, except for my dad, hate every movie they have seen. People are highly entertained by movies and love to talk about what their $8.25 visually showed them. Movies are for the most part realistic and people can compare themselves to the characters. It is somewhat embarrasing and amusing but when I wear my glasses I have been called McLovin from Superbad from time to time. That is an example of how much movies affect our society.
I personally feel that deconstructing a film is way better than casually watching it like the average 40 year old does to spend two hours of his day with his wife instead of binging at the local bar with his buddies. I feel deconstructing a film is like trying to put together a puzzle. You find little clues as the film goes along, at the end if you aren't watching it casually, you will understand the plot of the movie entirely. Another way to compare a movie is if you look at it like a painting. If you look at or watch it thoroughly you can find out what the plot is trying to tell you. Those are my best examples of how I would deconstruct a film.
Colleges devote entire courses to film studies because Americans watch movies like fat kids eat candy. Movies are a part of society in America and they may have a big effect on the way people act and do things. Throughout a day most people will talk about a movie they have seen at some point. A lot of people may have seen the same movie so it brings up good conversation. So this explains why colleges would devote courses that deconstruct movies.
It is productive to write about movies because as I said in the above paragraph most people watch movies. I have never seen anyone, except for my dad, hate every movie they have seen. People are highly entertained by movies and love to talk about what their $8.25 visually showed them. Movies are for the most part realistic and people can compare themselves to the characters. It is somewhat embarrasing and amusing but when I wear my glasses I have been called McLovin from Superbad from time to time. That is an example of how much movies affect our society.
I personally feel that deconstructing a film is way better than casually watching it like the average 40 year old does to spend two hours of his day with his wife instead of binging at the local bar with his buddies. I feel deconstructing a film is like trying to put together a puzzle. You find little clues as the film goes along, at the end if you aren't watching it casually, you will understand the plot of the movie entirely. Another way to compare a movie is if you look at it like a painting. If you look at or watch it thoroughly you can find out what the plot is trying to tell you. Those are my best examples of how I would deconstruct a film.
AJ Plummer Pd.3
Colleges devote entire courses to film studies because Americans watch movies like fat kids eat candy. Movies are a part of society in America and they may have a big effect on the way people act and do things. Throughout a day most people will talk about a movie they have seen at some point. A lot of people may have seen the same movie so it brings up good conversation. So this explains why colleges would devote courses that deconstruct movies.
It is productive to write about movies because as I said in the above paragraph most people watch movies. I have never seen anyone, except for my dad, hate every movie they have seen. People are highly entertained by movies and love to talk about what their $8.25 visually showed them. Movies are for the most part realistic and people can compare themselves to the characters. It is somewhat embarrasing and amusing but when I wear my glasses I have been called McLovin from Superbad from time to time. That is an example of how much movies affect our society.
I personally feel that deconstructing a film is way better than casually watching it like the average 40 year old does to spend two hours of his day with his wife instead of binging at the local bar with his buddies. I feel deconstructing a film is like trying to put together a puzzle. You find little clues as the film goes along, at the end if you aren't watching it casually, you will understand the plot of the movie entirely. Another way to compare a movie is if you look at it like a painting. If you look at or watch it thoroughly you can find out what the plot is trying to tell you. Those are my best examples of how I would deconstruct a film.
AJ Plummer Pd.3
Its important to analyze film very close because teaches many things that are happing around the world and give the understanding and image of how people live and how they act. We also analyze film for their messages to us. The films are a easier and more imagery to show lives of others. Many movies tell story of people from the past, present, and future. Is important for us to analyze this movies because shows us what ways to take and what ways not to take. Analyzing a movie is very important because it can help you enjoy a movie to a different level altogether. It helps a lot to discuss the movies we watch in class because it helps us know what to write about when we do our own writing. Now that i have analyze all the three movies we watch in class i cant watch another movie without seeing the messages that are hiding and i have to ask my self question why something happens in every scene of the film. I actually get more into the movie than i use to. Analyzing a film is like living the film in your on thoughts and understanding.
Katie Lindner P.7
When productively writing about film, your brain is working much harder that it would be when your just sitting and watching whats taking place on a television screen. While your writing, it requires you to really pay attention to what is actually happening in the movie, the plot line and what the dialogue actually means between the characters. Universities devote entire courses to writing analytically about film because future directors and producers and actors need to know the essense of a film in order to create or be a part of a worthwhile performance. Also, if an author intends to write a book that someone else will read, they will want real action and real dialogue and not just basic, flatline, mediocre material and can learn how to spice up their text by dissecting film plots and character analysis. Deconstructing a film, in my opinion, decreasing the viewing pleasure of the film ten fold because it makes you think about why you are laughing instead of you just laughing about it. Me being a teenager, I like to do as little work as possible and reap as much benefit as I can and so analizing a film is out of the question. When watching a movie for a second or third time though, dissecting a movie would be beneficial because you would understand the reason why you actually enjoy watching the movie and it could also serve as a learning experience along with fuel for inspiration.
I think movies have become more and more popular over time and more people enjoy watching movies. In my opinion, most of the time the novels are better than the movies, but some would rather casually watch a movie. I think it is important to study film analysis because it opens your eyes and makes you think more scholarly and notice the little things you might not normally. The director of these movies we watch put these "little details" into the film to make it unique and creative. They are there on purpose and serve a purpose. I would reccommend watching a movie casually first before analyzing and watching for the symbolism and messages behind the movie. Casually watching a movie is more enjoyable in my opinion. When you over analyze a movie it almost ruins it for you because you are thinking too hard and trying to notice the allusions or simple things such as the way a character acts or dresses or speaks. I think for our College Bound class analyzing movies is out of the ordinary and nice to have a break and do something creative while also getting something out of it. I think watching these films is appropriate for the class and interests many of the students. Universities all over the world devote so much time and effort into film analysis because it is important to learn and appreciate the art of film making and make you think more collegiate. Also, I thought that even though Mean Girls was a chick flick most everyone enjoyed watching and analyzing it because it is humorous and some can even relate. That was a good pick in my opinion. Office Space is awesome too, I look forward to watching and analyzing that movie also.
It is productive to write analytically about a film because it offers us with rigorous engagement with the entire culture of moving images. Watching different types of movies teaches us to think historically, theoretically, creatively and analytically about a wide range of cinematic forms. Deconstructing films help us to further understand the technique of the film, and allows us to translate what we have learned during the constructing of ads and other constructing lessons into new sounds, images and stories. We engage in seeing beyond one’s immediate reactions to a film by developing a range of productive analytical questions and approaches that lead to more complex understanding and appreciation of the filmic experience. Universities devote entire courses to film study programs/majors and minors because if they are looking on going into the film making business they will need to know the crucial elements on constructing films so they can apply them to their on. Going deeper into the films helps us to understand our own response to the movie better, it allows us to make comparisons between a movie and others, as a way of understanding them better. It also helps us to make connections between a movie and other areas of culture in order to illuminate both the culture and the movies it produces. At times deconstructing the film rather than watching it can ruin the film, but if we do not deconstruct it we will not be able to think historically, theoretically, creatively and analytically. After watching a film for a second time, one begins to notice things that are hidden, the sound track, and other things the director has placed into the movie. Each time after another one begins to notices so many of the effects added to the movie. They aren’t by accident, but on purpose. When we think about the films content, we are interacting with the film.
Brittney Myrlie Pd. 7
Mandy T pd.6
In some ways analyzing and deconstructing a film are good because you know what happens for what reason. It lets you kind of know how to feel or what to look for in a movie. In other ways in is not good to analyze films because then you might not want to see it again because you know everything that happens and why. The characters have something to do with it. They create the world for the film and if you like that character then you may decide after finding somethings out that maybe their not so good. But there are those people out there that watch movies just because they think an actor or actress is cute, handsome,beautiful or hot.
In a way it is good that there is a course in college all its own that analyzes movies in ways it is entertaining because you might get to see a film you haven't seen before and then you find out what it's about, who's in it, what is the plot. You get to think about it in ways that most people just take as 'oh, I saw the commercial for that film, lets go see it'. YOu see it in a view that takes the film to a whole new level in seeing the perspective of the situation that is taking place.
Most of the time I see the commercial or I here from someone that this film or that film is a have to see or a film that was rediculous. But I think that opinion should stay with the person that saw it. People like different things than others do not everything is the same. We have our reasons and differences for why we watch what we watch.
Lindsay Dohrman
I do think what we do in class is very productive. It's getting us ready for college. Also, normally i forget the main point of a movie after a month or so after watching, but getting deeper into the movie, and looking for the theme definatley helps me remember the main point of the movie.
I personally think that analyzing a film while watching it can sometimes make the movie better, but can also make it worse.
I think it makes the movie better because it helps you look deeper into the movie and helps you know more what's going on. Without analyzing mean girls i would have never thought about how they made this to show how high school really is, and things like that shouldnt happen. It also helps me watch for little details that i would never notice if i was just "watching" it. Like how the holloweenish music played in mean girls was scary when they talked about regina george. Which could say she's a scary person, and people are afraid of her.
I also think that analyzing movies can ruin the movie for me. For example, Lion King - one of my favorite movies as a child. When we talked about in class how supposedly its racist. It makes a disney movie like that sound bad, and after watching it after we talked about it, i agree that its racist. Scar being black- he's shoved to the corner, depressed, he will never be the king, and nobody really likes him. Then, there are the hyenas who are protrayed as dumb mexicans. This movie is very stereotypical, and somewhat ruined one of my favorite movies as a child.
I think watching a movie casually is sometimes a way to wind down from a busy day. But on the contrary it is very fun to deconstruct all the little things that go on in movies many people do not catch. All of these include the camera angles, soundtracks, the lighting and the actors used. I think universities are having more and more of these kinds of classes because the film world is revolving as are everything around us. Movies are becoming more popular than novels in today’s world with all the new technology. All of the new gadgets make is so easy to watch a movie on the go. Movies now have just as much deconstructing to do than books. To write about a film with higher thinking in my opinion makes that movie can be much more enjoyable to the viewer. It is a great way to reflect on the movie. About how it made you feel and how you relate to the characters. The more you write and think about things gives you that much more of an opportunity to become smarter in some areas that you are not in. It gives you a chance to have doors open for you that you may not have tried before. It is also important that you take the time to appreciate how long it takes to make a movie and how much effort from so many people goes into the finished film. Movies and filmmaking are considered a form of art just like music or photography. So taking the time to see beyond what is on the screen in the movie theatre really makes you a worldlier person.
It is productive to write about films because it makes you think deeper and more intently and focus more on aspects of films you wouldnt if you were merely watching. dont get me wrong here im sure there are avid movie watchers who can deconstruct and analyze mentally which everyone does to some extent while watching movies but anyways. Some universities devote entire courses to this field because analyzing movies and writing opinions on movies is a job its called being a film critic and they kind of make the cinematic/movie industry go round. Even if there was no such job as a critic they would still offer it probably because well this is some good stuff and very stimulating and we have alot of choice we can pick any movie out of countless films and deconstruct it haha i like this stuff anyhow.
Universities focus so much on dedicating entire courses to film analysis because there are so many things that people don't see when they just sit and watch a movie. If you are just sitting down at a movie theater you are not going to look as deep into a film to see what actually is meant by some of the things in a movie. Movies are made to entertain people but movie makers do put things in that are hidden or have a deeper meaning then what the viewer sees. In courses that do film analysis they are there to look at a movie deeper than just and entertaining level. They are taught to see things that most people won't see and that the things movie makers put in a movie are not sticking out like a sore thumb they are hidden, students are taught to dig deep to find these things. Deconstructing a movie might make you feel it decreases the enjoyment of the movie but that's why you watch it multiple times so the first time you can just watch it and enjoy it then the second look for things that might be hidden and the third time look as deep as you can to get all the hidden messages you cannot see just from one look.
It is productive to write about films because although you may watch movies and think your getting everything out of it really your not getting all the information until you really watch it and deconstruct it finding the hidden messages in the film. I think deconstructing increases the enjoyment because it gives you a chance to be creative with your thinking and get more out of the movie rather than just watching it and getting the main points. I agree with lindsay sometimes its good to deconstruct but other times just watching the movie is good too.
AShley Mork
watching a movie casually is a great way to go to bed and free your mind up. Unfortunetly thats not what the movie makers have in mind i believe they want you to deconstruct their movie, why wouldnt they? Movies take a year or even more to make to get that perfect angle and get that perfect camera shot. It is your duty as movie watchers to deconstruct these films, films are pieces of art some people argue that they are a dumb down version of books. While this can be true a movie can have the same impact on your imagination as a book can if you allow yourself to be a deconstructionalist. When we take apart movies it can lead to such great discussions, debates, and intellectual expanding. This is probably why colleges devote so much time to deconstructing films, films have so many hidden messages and hidden theme, it takes someone very scholarly to point them out, and thats what colleges wnat. Also when you take apart a movie it can put a whole different twist on a movie you have seen countless times which is pretty cool in its own right. Also when we deconstruct films it can put us in the eye of the character, and that is so "fetch" :p
I think you answered that question yourself in that prompt. It increases your critical thinking skills if you analyze movies. Critical thinking is important for life because it is constantly something you are going to use for everyday life decisions. For every situation in life you can analyze the options and choose the best one. This assignment helps in making that choice easier and making it faster. I think you should watch a movie the first time and take it at face value. If you watch the film a second or third time you can analyze it more deeply and study what is below the surface. This way you get both forms of enjoyment. You do not ruin the film by deconstructing it so much you do not even get the message of the film. When you know the main story line it is easier to analyze it. When you deconstruct a film you are finding the hidden messages, or finding why the movie was made the way it was. This almost makes whatever movie you are watching a different movie. So my opinion is analyzing has the potential to increase the enjoyment of a film, but also has the potential to ruin a film if you can not even understand what is happening in the film anymore you are analyzing so much. I think this exercise is very useful and should be continued to be done. I am looking forward to writing my paper and analyzing Toy Story further and to think deeply and scholarly.
cj wachter.
I can honestly say I will never watch mean girls the same way. Analyzing films helps you get what the director and writer is trying to get across to you. Most teen girls will watch that movie and only think about how lucky Regina is or maybe how much of a brat she is. However analyzing makes you see that Cady is a brat too and that Regina's mother created her and that's not the type of mother you should hope for. It should also show you that getting into cliques and causing drama does nothing but hurt other people, yet even knowing this high schools today will never change from this moive. Analyzing films causes you to think harder about things and makes you want to uncover the secret things directors hide in the movies that most people will never see or figure out. I think universities study films because it helps you learn about life too. Being smart and thinking hard about movies is not what many people do. If you learn how to analyze you can think differently and more scholarly. I think they do it because it is a fun thing to do and because it educates you while having fun. College teaches you about what your going to do with you life so teaching you to analyze films will help you learn to see and understand the themes of movies rather then just watch them. Although there is nothing wrong with just watching movies somedays it would be more fun and interesting to find out things in movies that you have never noticed before, seeing the creativness of the director. I belive that watching a movie a few times for enjoyment then analyzing after is the best thing to do. You get to enjoy the movie and see it how everyone else in the world does but then analyzing it and seeing the undercover things is so interesting.
Part 1
I believe it is very important to write analytically about films. Writing analytically about films opens up your eyes to new ideas and helps you to recognize those things again in the future. The more you study films analytically, the more things you will notice when watching films in the future. Writing analytically about films helps you see the movie on a deeper level that often adds enjoyment and excitement to watching those films. Sometimes when you do not analyze a film very much you could miss out on something very important to the plot line and the movie as a whole. The more analyzing of movies that you do, the more you will pick up on the subtleties in movies and enjoy them. Universities devote entire courses, programs, majors, and minors to film studies because it is interesting to college students. Everyone can do film studies because everyone watches movies. People watch movies because they are enjoyable. Deconstructing them, especially making a class out of it, would make deconstructing them even more enjoyable. The course, program, major, or minor opens up college students’ minds to new ideas. Maybe taking the course would cause a college student to decide to major or minor in film studies because it is so interesting. Deconstructing a film, rather than just simply watching it, increases the enjoyment of the film. The subtle hints and hidden messages that directors sometimes make can add enjoyment to the film. In Mean Girls, the realization the Cady Heron’s name is connected to the film made me realize how many little things the director can add to subtly get a point across. Whether you realize it or not, the subtleties keep you interested in the movie and continue to make you want more.
Joey Brannan Part One
Why wrtie and analyize a film? I believe this is productive because we need to look deeper into things. Why something is the way it is and not just use everyday thinking but think deeper into what is being said. Movies give us messages whether people want to belive it or not and colleges devote entire studies on how to find these messages by analyzing films and looking deeper into what is being said. Film makers want you to look and find these messages because that is what sells them, somewhere in there I think they work together with colleges, or colleges just do it to try and get you to be creative and make the money someday that the brilliant producers make by showing your full potential and analyzing their films. This increases the enjoyment because it is something we can relate to and film makers do this for that reason so we can relate they try to capture all veiwers usally in some way shape or form. Analyzing these films and others will help us become more aware and intellegent.
Anderson_7
It is important to think analytically about films beacuse it helps us recieve the message the director is trying to tell everyone. With many people going to moives just to sit thier and be entertained. Which we are being entertained while we deconstruct theise moives. Which make us think more, see more, observe differnt things that a regular person can not. People go to moives to feel differnt emotions. They want to be told what to feel, and what to think. Which theise films do a great job on doing. For example, Mean Girls, i think is brillant on how they made it exactly like high school. You have your clicks; plastics, jocks, nerds, ect... and it shows how mean they really are, even to their own friends in thier own click. Its trying to tell you is it really worth it? I know everyone is not going to get together no matter what, by why does it have to be a continous battle with your friends, to be the most hottest, cool chick in the school? The school calls theise four girls plastic. Is that because their fake? In one seen you see Cady fall into a trash can, we usally through away plastic which mean we should through her plastic, fakeness, phony personality away and bring back the old Cady.
It is important to analyze films so that we can get a better understanding of what the movie is really about. In most films, the only way to truly understand a film is to watch it many times or to critically analyze the film from every aspect. Universities spend so much time on film study because students enjoy film much more than text work. Also, this world is becoming so technologically advanced that film study is not only about thoroughly understanding film techniques and strategies, but also about becoming more accustomed to the new technology being used every day in the real world. Though film study is a relatively new and exciting course choice, still most of the careers available do not require any film study classes. It makes life a lot more interesting to be able to watch a movie and understand, when it is over, what it was about and to understand and explain what the film was about with your friends. I believe that for the most part, deconstructing a film makes it more interesting. Yes, I do enjoy casually watching the movie, but after just watching it, almost automatically I start to deconstruct and analyze the film. When you just watch the movie, you tend to fade in and out of it, but when you deconstruct a film, you are in it and really looking at what makes it great and why. To some people, analyzing a film destroys the enjoyment and fun of watching the film and hanging out with friends. But what happens if you are there just watching the movie, and all of your friends are analyzing the film. When it is over, you and your friends are talking about the movie and you have no idea what to say since you were just watching it, not deconstructing. I like analyzing films, especially fun and enjoyable films with friends.
I completely agree with Jay Wright. I swear I did not read his until after I wrote mine but seriously ours blogs are almost identical. We both thought that watching it a second time to deconstruct would be the most ideal. Without the first viewing you can not relate to the characters as Jay well put it. I think a movie is like a ride the first time you ride or (watch) it you are just along for the fun and what the designer or (director) designed it to do. When you ride the roller coaster for the first time you generally ride in the middle just to get the feel of the ride. Then the next go around you wait the little extra time and go for the front car so you can get all the excitement you did not get to experience riding from the middle. The second time you can deconstruct, in a sense, the rollercoaster. I think Jay also has a good point when he sais,” the more the viewer can discover about a film, the easier it is to relate to” I really think this is a quality statement. I think a movie is more likely to be enjoyed if you can relate to it. I think this is why Mean Girls is such a popular movie. Any person that went to high school can relate to this movie. This kind of thing happens all the time in real life. They are normally less exaggerated, but they still happen. Almost everyone knows their own version of Regina. When you watch a movie you are more likely to get “sucked in” if you can relate to the characters on the screen.
It is productive to write about film because it gives us students a chance to write about what we like as individuals. It is one way to write that we get to have somewhat of a choice about what we would like to write about. There is a movie that everyone loves and then can deconstruct it and write about it. It is also productive because it gives us the chance to look deeply into the movie and find things that we may have never thought about before. We can watch a movie over 5 or 6 times and I think we will find something new about the film everytime we watch it. By writing these papers it gives us the chance to look at the films more closely and find out what the director was thinking and find the hidden aspects of the film. I think universities devote entire courses to movies because I truly believe that movies are an american thing. Almost all movies are shot in the US and most actors/actresses live here too. When we need something to do on boring friday nights a lot of people hit the movies with friends or family. Another possible reason is that movies can be taken so many ways one person may hate a movie and another might absolutly love it. By have so many differnt view points it shows how creative and intelligent movies are. Everyone loves movies to so it is an easy way to get students involved. I think that the first time you watch a film most people watch it casually. But the second and third time I believe that people but more thought into deconstructing the film and think about a lot of the little aspects of the movie you might have missed the first time. I think the after watching the movie once casually, for everytime you watch it after that deconstructing movie does make it more enjoyable. When you look at the movie more closly you find more meaning to what is going on in the movie and it becomes more enjoyable. If someone does not look at a movie closer everytime they watch it they will get sick of it and will not enjoy it again.
analyzing and deconstruction movies is very important cause it gives you a better understanding of the film. it helps you notice little details in the movies that actually do have meaning. personally, i think that by analyzing and deconstructing, you understand the message of the movie better and it means more to you. movie makers put small details in the movie that you only see when you pay attention closly and it gives the movie a deeper meaning. analyzing also helps you to relate to the movie better. after watching mean girls and analyzing, i got a deeper meaning to the movie and realized what cliques can really do to a school. of course i think mean girls is a exaggerated, worse case senario but it really makes you think. should you really treat people differently just because of the group they hang out with? this movie has really made me think and made me look at our school differently. i can easily relate that movie to our school and i think it is important for everyone to watch and deconstruct this movie.
i think universities have film studies because it is fun and gives kids a break from all the boring stuff. even though you are watching movies, you are learning why movie makers do what they do. film studies also help you to appreciate the art of movie making because students in college are more mature and care more. in college, you are more likely to think harder about what is happening and learn more from it.
before you watch a movie and deconstruct it, you should watch it casually. deconstructing doesn't cause it to be less entertaining, but it is nice to just see it first. i almost think i enjoyed mean girls even more after i deconstucted it because i noticed more details and it ment more to me.
Part 1
It is productive to write analytically about film because it helps people to think more critically about movies rather than just watching a movie without thinking about the messages that the director is trying to convey through different features in the scenes. Anyone can just go to a movie and see the overt themes of the film, but it takes a person who is really able to analyze things and think outside of what they are seeing to be able to recognize all of the covert messages the director is trying to show viewers. Another reason why it is important to write analytically about movies is that it helps viewers to get different perspectives and ideas from other movie viewers. People who write analytically about movies can read the opinions of other people and get different ideas about what the director of a film is trying to get the viewers to see; they can be more opened minded to the thoughts of other viewers so they can form their own perspective of what is going on in the movie. Universities devote entire courses to writing analytically about film because it teaches helps students learn about the history of the time period a movie was made; film studies courses allows students to be more thoughtful and more creative when they form their perspective about movies. These courses also help students to relate movies to our society; for example the movie Mean Girls is obviously about high school life, but when looked at more critically a person can see that the movie is about everybody’s struggles for power and acceptance in the world. Deconstructing a film, rather than casually watching it, increases the enjoyment of the film. When you deconstruct a film you are able to understand why the music sounds how it does, why the cameras use different angles, why characters act the way they do, and many other features of a film. It is more entertaining because you can understand the hidden meanings that not everyone can see.
Lexi Fontana Pd. 6
Part Uno.
It seems silly, but those who do analyze will be more successful in life, in my opinion. Life is all about thinking outside the box. If you want to get a promotion at your job, you have to prove yourself, not just do just what your employer tells you. The first and easiest step to thinking outside your box is analyzing movies. Not only is it easy, it's fun too. Kill two birds with one stone. Also, universities devote entire courses to analyzing films because they know from living in the real world, how important analytical thinking really is. Professors and Universities also know that most professions highly suggest analytical thinking. Some more than others. For instance, film directors, writers, and the marketing business use such thought. How are you going to get a buyer's attention? What is going to make you more profitable next to your competitor? It's questions like these that employer's want their employee's to decipher. Clearly, thinking critical thinking will pay off in life.
Finally,I think that analyzing a film increases the enjoyment of the film. You might have watched the movie three times and each time you could think of it differently. That's what makes the movie industry to interesting and complex. They can affect millions of totally opposite people in the same way. Also, if you spend 8 dollars on yourself, plus all the amenities you should probably enjoy what you're doing. Don't just leave the movie theater and say, "oh..that was good." Then you just completely wasted two hours or so of your day to say something was good. Plus, the film industry spends millions upon millions of dollars for society's entertainment. They don't want to get reviews back that say, "it was good." Many people think analyzing a film...uh that sounds not exciting, when in fact they've never tried it. I will now analyze anything and everything. Movies, advertisements, books, you name it. Once you start it's hard to just stop.
By analyzing films one is able to find obvious and hidden meanings and themes which makes the films mean more than entertainment to you. Movies are made to appeal and connect to people, when they do this the directors provoke a reaction. When people react it shows that they care about the movie and the characters, which is the directors goal. I was not so sure on why universities devote entire courses to writing and analyzing films so I looked it up. Ohio State University's website says that “Film studies is an interdisciplinary field of inquiry devoted to the analysis of the cinematic moving image both as a unique form in its own right and as a medium influenced and shaped by related fields such as literature, the social sciences, and the arts”. What I got out of that is, by analyzing films it helps you become a deeper thinker and more analytical in general life not just for movies. Also it insinuates that movies are effected by literary works of the time, social happening, and the arts. I agree with the fact that movies are not supposed to be only a form of entertainment, they are works of art. Directors work very hard to find the most appealing/ appropriate camera angle, most fitting lines, ect. However some films I think are supposed to just be watched and enjoyed without too much thinking, where as other films become more enjoyable as you use much higher thinking to deconstruct them. Films that don't require a lot of critique are thrillers and action movies. Soon after analyzing these films you will realize that they all fit under the same category. Also in thriller movies you will soon become aware that the people running around screaming their heads off always do the wrong thing!
I agree with Jake. Watching a movie more analytically makes it easier to relate to life. It makes the movie more powerful if you can relate. He also brings up the fact that you can really dig into the characters themselves and ask ‘Why are they acting like that?’ or ‘What are they thinking? How would I think/react in this scenario?’ Asking yourself these questions really make the movie stick because it’s now real, you are in the movie yourself. You are now thinking much more critically then just ‘Oh that sucks’. A movie that sticks with you, that makes you think about life, shapes you. It has a huge affect on how you decide to live the rest of your life. This could be another reason that there are courses in college about film deconstruction. Jake also mentions that directors are artists in themselves. I agree, they, just like any other artist, have their own ways of doing things and styles that they express through cinema. Say you want some semi-humorous, gory, action film, Quentin Tarantino is your man. Each and every director does things different from the other. They guide different, express different opinions, and maybe even shoot the film from different angles, lighting, and lens then another would use. I also agree with his statement that there is a down side to analyzing a movie too much or for a written paper because then maybe you worry too much about length and lose focus on the movie. It also makes a movie less enjoyable if you are worried about writing about it and movies after all are for enjoyment. Deconstructing movies doesn’t make it boring to watch movies just puts some pressure on you to really look at everything and maybe tear the movie apart to look even deeper. But it’s still fun and enlightening to think deeply about movies and analyze everything: angles, lightening, dialog etc.
Ryan Mudder
Period 3
I enjoy this unit since it gets away from all the dull reading and writing we usually do. Watching movies is great and very easy to stay on task as we sit and deconstruct these films. Although it is fun, some of the things that are said are certainly a stretch. I believe that directors put some things in these movies for a reason but honestly, somethings are just there and didnt have a purpose to begin with. This unit is enjoyable since we watch movies that most, if not the whole class will enjoy. One thing I hate is when we stop the movie and think of these cheesy things to say about how the directors put them there. People have different opinions and not everyone sees the same connections. I believe some things are put there for you to think of your own connections rather than them thinking of putting things there for a specific reason.
i agree with nate lynn from pd 7. analyzing is good because it helps us catch things that other miss, the action of the adventure draws our eyes away from what is really happening and why it is happening. when ever i am watching a movie i never pay attention to the camera angles or the lighting of the scene, but when i think about some movies and the camera angles in some scenes i can understand why they have the camera like that and why they use that kind of lighting. no one notices or thinks about how much time and effort it takes to make a movie, people think that you just have your camera, your characters, and an emptied out place to film it all. but that is almost the opposite, they have hundreds of cameras set up around the scene so they can catch ever movement and every scene so if somthing happens they will have it and they will have it with a hundred different camera angles and lighting and they can choose which one is best. when filming the camera crew could be setting up a camera to film a scene that is two seconds long, and to set it up may take a couple hours. and to get a perfect camera and you need hoists you need strings, wires, perfect lighting, allot of factors go into making the perfect scene. and after they film the scenes they have to hook the camera up to a computer and cut the milliseconds off that they cant use and adjust the lighting using a computer. so even if you spend hours and hours setting up the camera to get the perfect shot it still might not be the perfect shot, you will always have to make edits to it. even after the edits are all made the producer probably doesnt like everything that has changed but he cant just worry about one scene, he will just have to make the other scenes better. movie making sound fun, but allot of work has to go into it to make a perfect movie.
To add to my comment from last night i also think analyzing movies can help us understand ourselves better too, and the situations we encounter. Mean girls for example is suprisingly true, in fact i could put a face from our school to almost every person in that movie, and although its exaggerated it definately hits home a bit. We have to see the injustices going on in our life and correct them, and if we analyze films and take different meanings from that it can help us accomplish it.
Essentially, we study things in our lives so that we do not blissfully, ignorantly coast through our existence and our environment. There is safety in not knowing much; it is more comfortable to not know much or not investigate, probe, analyze. Hence, I sincerely appreciate your efforts to deconstruct with me.
I think it's important to analyze film because whether we know it our not there are a lot of hidden messages in movies. We subconsciously pick up on things that we don't realize. Studying the different aspects of film making gives you a sense of appreciation for the creator and director. Different camera angles and music add emotion and relatability. It gives you a deeper way of thinking. In order to analyze films you have to be open minded. I think the universities devote so much time studying the expertise of film making because it challenges students to see the bigger picture and to expand from the simple minded views of life. Some may say it ruins the film but now that I've actually learned what to look for and how to interpret different qualities of the film, I actually think it makes it better and more intrigueing. You will obviously need to watch the movie more than once but thats the joys of movies, they are meant to be seen over and over and over again.
I disagree with you Shoemaker in a way and agree at the same time. I like analyzing books more than movies because books let you imagine things for yourself; you get to interpret things your way. I think movies limit your own personal ideas. I think movies that are based on books are normally more disappointing because characters don’t always meet your expectations. I do believe that the movies are important to analyze though, because you get to see what other people see through different eyes. Movies are really unlike another commercial product, movies let you escape and see flaws easier. When you read books, you get to imagine all kinds of scenery and facial features, movies use specific camera angles to limit your views, and they cast for what one particular person sees the main character as. I don’t think that analyzing movies decreases the enjoyment of movies because that’s how you figure out life lessons. I understand your disappointment of not reading a great novel, but you can still read it outside of class and discuss it with your friends, like me. :)
Pueppke, I really liked what you said about the ‘conversation after the movie’ concept. I think that is why people talk in movies so much because they want you to see what they see. I know I go to movies with people that say, “Did you see that,” or “I bet this is going to happen.” When people do that, (especially you Matt Pueppke) it is irritating but it is still cool to see if they see the same things you do. Conversation is how you learn from other people; it helps you see a different person’s attitude as well.
Movies are so important because no matter how many times you see a particular movie you will always find a new aspect to look at.
Part 2
I agree completely with Lauren Brandt thoughts about analyzing films. I agree that analyzing and writing about films in class is a very productive thing to do. Why would we be doing this if it was not productive? I agree with Lauren's statement that "Thinking harder and deconstructing films can get our minds working harder for other school related learning." Anayzing films can only help us it can't harm us. Some books can be fun to read, but movies are much more entertaining than staring at words on a page and having to focus completely to understand what is going on. When you wath a movie you can miss a few seconds of it and you probably won't miss out on a lot of the details, but when you are not focused or you skip a few pages in a book you will probably miss out on quite a few details. I agree that colleges devote entire courses to study films because it keeps students interested and makes them want to go to class.
I also agree with Lauren that deconstructing a film can increase and decrease the enjoyment of a film. It can increase enjoyment because you will be able to discover more hidden messages and themes then when you just watching it without analyzing it. When you watch movies closer you will become closer to the characters and the story. You will be able to uncover the real meaning of the film and be able to relate it to your own life. I think it can also decrease the enjoyment of the film because you might get thinking about it so deeply that you might miss something and not understand the humor to it. I agree that sometimes you just want to watch a movie because you want to be entertained and not have to think very hard.
Valerie Beck
its really productive to analize a film because you really see more in the film than what you thought was there.
i think its good and bad to analize a film well for certain people, its good to analize a film because you might get more out of the movie and might understand it more, see hidden messages and such. it might be bad because you might not enjoy the film as much, like you might find yourself analizing to much instead of letting go and getting out of your world for that time. i think that they devote there time so much one, because it might be there passion in life to do so, also they might really want people to enjoy a film to see its brilliance. i think its good to watch a movie several times because you accually see things that you didnt before, and learn new things.
Valerie Beck
i agree with nate many people that watch film dont really notice the little things. they get to caught up in the entertainment. even though that might not be a bad thing. its just depend on what kind of person you are. i think film makers dont make films for people to per say, deconstuct. i think they want the viewer to really enjoy the movie no matter what, but they do put things into films for the people who do notice the little things and it makes it more interesting. i also agree with movies affect the way you feel. after a certain movie i watch i kinda feel in whatever mood the movie was in. like if the movie ended sadly i might be just kinda content. but if the movie was really fast and upbeat. i might feel like that. and im sure the film makers want you to feel like the movie, kinda put yourself in it and relate. but film deconstrution i think in all really makes you a more intelligent.
Danny Sellers Part 2
I completely disagree with Brian Kribell, no offence. He is saying that he does not think this unit of deconstructing moves is remotely productive. I think it is very productive. What is the difference between reading a book and studying over it or deconstructing over it, and doing the same with a movie? Essentially we are doing the same thing, but in one instance we are reading and the other we are visualizing. In our lives, well at least American lives, we watch a ton more movies then we do read books. Most people watch movies so they can actually have a real person to visualize and so we do not have to read a book. Watching is much faster, so can’t we deconstruct thoroughly in a movie as we do in a book. Of course. He also mentions that all he is getting out of this movie deconstructing unit is that directors do things for a reason. I think that directors are exactly like authors. They put certain things in movies to make you think or understand clear, just like authors put in symbols or backgrounds of characters. Brian also says how we could write about other things so it can tie into an English class. Well we also did write about ads and we will most definitely write about our next couple of books we are going to be reading in the near future. I do not see how de-analyzing a movie, getting "deep" about a movie and writing a four page paper over it is not English. He also says that he does not want to pay any money to see movies to make him think, he just wants to enjoy. Then do that, we are in school doing a project, just because we are doing this in class does not mean we have to do it to every movie we see in our lives after taking this class.
B. Olson Period 5
I disagree also with Brian Kribell and strongly agree with Sellers. Deconstructing films has helped me understand the reasoning and the in depth settings to movies. Movies are very important to American people because we spend most of our american lives watching films. Movies are more than just films they are adventurous mind taking trips. Films are american culture are they not? By deconstructing films, it helps us get in depth on the meaning and hidden irony in the film. Such as why the charcter the he or she is or Why the camera is place or moved the way it is. Films at Motion Art and theres lots of work that is put into these films. Who wants to watch a simple moving camera film with no point to the movie or no personality to the charcters?? Every detail to a movie has purpose for why it is the way it is. Camera angles believe it or not really creates the feeling as if you in the movie and gives you the sight of what the director trys to show you and charcters i think play a huge role because they hav to be perfect and they must show emotion in these films otherwise its dumpy or boring. Overall i think Deconstructing is going to really help me in the future. Not only learning to write about them, but watching them and learning how they get the viewer to focus in on their film. The stronger of attention between the viewer and the film the more bank the producers can make off films. Films is a huge industry and theres plenty of money in the business.
Joe Egge P.5 in response to Brian Kribell's comment (along with 75% of the responses).
I, Joe Egge, has to say I can somewhat related to Brian's thinking. Personally, though, I believe it is a classic form of "SENIORITIS." I recently have been quite often asking myself, and others.... WHY???? It seems that everything we do in school seems to have little or no point to it. No offense to anyone here in the classes here, but I think alot of us just want to "get the hell out of high school." and once again I give my apologies to anyone, including staff, that does care about education.
Now on the contrary, I NEED to disagree with Brian (for good measure). He does seems to make it kind of blunt and to the extreme. Which isn't quite appropriate to write on the blog. its not all that bad to deconstruct the videos, I mean for a guy like me that would do ANYTHING to get out of reading a book. to be completely honest, the deconstruction unit has given me a sense of "looking at a different point of view" which is good for learning the whole WHY directors do things certain ways... The whole point of the unit, to me, would be "broadening our (the student's) perspective on learning. I congradulate Mr. C for picking a subject that everyone can relate to, considering the fact that everyone watches movie. which is quite a given.
(PS MR C. sorry for the late blog task... my days have been getting pretty crammed together and I have been slipping in school a bit from it... I'll stay up on it next week.)
Joe Egge P.5
Part 1.1
Danny Sellers has good points also. The rest of our lives WILL NOT revolve around what we study in school. For example, I doubt I will seriously use Calculus in fire fighting. If you'd think about it, would I honestly have time to sit down for 5 or 10 or 15 minutes to find the instantanious rate of a falling object, while a Mother of three is standing there screaming that her kids are in the burning house. No. Not at all. But I am still in the class for semester 2 in high school. My life won't revolve around it. Brian should not be making a huge deal about it, but, I can't control his thoughts, or mine for that matter. And my mind does get to that point of asking why. But we all just need to stick it out. 3 and a half months! We got this in the bag.
Part 2:
I agree with Lexi Fontana in that analyzing these films will help us later in life in that it helps us "think outside the box" and could possibly help to get a promotion in a future job. However, there are some jobs that don't want you to think "outside the box" because they want you to just do what you are told and not much more to it. Again, some of it is hard to "buy" because it's looking into things too deeply, but I guess that is what english classes always do. Even with novels that we read, things are always looked into way more deeply than you would if you were just reading the book for fun. Same with a movie, we have looked into the details of a movie way more than we would outside of class when we watch movies just for the purpose of fun. Maybe some of us just get upset about how we think books/novels are for school and movies schould stay an outside of school thing. We don't like combining them? We like to keep them separate? Well, some of us anyway. But again, i reiterate how it makes writing a paper more interesting. I'd rather watch a movie and write on it then write a paper on a bunch of books i have to look into and sesearch for. In a way, watching the movie is the researching process i think, so that is way better. Of course, is it really "thinking outside the box" if it's just actually noticing stuff that the movie makers intended for some to analyze? But again, back to, what is far-fetched and what isn't? So the things labeled as "far-fetched" might be the thinking outside the box...and the details that aren't so far-fetched and were meant to be noticed...are not thinking outside the box...
Impressive, Ms. Jackson. You enlightened me with your thoughts on what should be "school stuff" and what shouldn't be. Also true: viewing the film is the researching process. (You'll also have to do a little research as you look up two online reviews of the film you are writing your essay about. You also need a physical source that will support your thesis statement. After all this work, you will have proven yourself as a thinker ready for college.)
universities devote courses to film analysis so ppl can understand the art that it takes to make movies and create them. they are not simply for entertainment but to show ppl a story or meaning and show how they can make art in the form of humans and voices and cameras. it lets ppl know what film makers see in visions about how they want ppl to see their movies and how to get their point about it. other ppl besides the director and the ppl who helped make the movie need to see wut the film maker sees, and this is done by figuring out why they used that camera angle and why they put that shirt or that car in the movie. it lets other ppl get into the directors head and view it how its suppose to see and the film maker wants it to be seen. i think it increases the joy of watching a movie because i get to be somewhere else when i watch them. i get to study something while being entertained. its like music, if u listen to the beat it has to artistically go with the words and the flow of the song, the words mean everything, ya sure some songs are just words to get ppl dancing but ppl like lil wayne and eminem have meaning in all of their songs, just like peter jackson has meaning in the movie avatar, it shows how the soldier with no legs can be happy again and be fully functional. it shows that man is a destruction and that there are other beings and things out there that are important and need to live and do their thing and we shouldnt intrude so much. he shows the worse side of man and how all we want is to advance ourselves without care to others and it is a terrible thing. the same is said for no country for old men, our world is a bad place with ppl who only try to better themselves without a thought to others and their feelings and it is a very bad thing to do.
Trase
i agree with holman_6, directors do make movies for reasons, not just pure entertainment and universities try to show ppl this by having these classes
Part 2:
I definitely agree with CJ that I will never watch Mean Girls or any other movie the same way again. I have seen the movie Mean Girls many times and every time I had seen the movie before I had never noticed some of the stuff that was pointed out in class. The other times that I had seen the movie I didn’t really care to analyze it and I just watched it for the enjoyment, not to really look at why the directors did certain things or why the characters wore certain outfits and did the outfit fit the what the character was being portrayed as. Now when I watch movies I am going to be more likely to think about why did the director choose that certain camera angle or what is the camera angle trying to show us. Does the camera angle want us to feel like we are the main character such as in in the movie No Country For Old Men or is it trying to be like a metaphor such as in Office Space when the camera was way back and the men were climbing up the culvert. I will also look to see if the characters outfits fit their personality because if someone is popular the movie makers are not going to dress them in rags, they are most likely going to be dressed in name brand clothes.
By analyzing movies we not only get what the director wants us to get from the surface of the movie, but we also get what the deeper meaning of the movie is. From Mean Girls on the surface the movie is about popularity and a group of friends, but when you really dig into the movie you see that the movie is really about how every school has cliques and there is no way to get rid of them. When one snotty, popular plastic leaves, there is always another waiting in the wings to take her place. A person who is just watching Mean Girls for enjoyment would probably only get that Georgina has the perfect life and wish that they had a life like hers or think that she is a snot, but they would probably never think about why Georgina is mean to everyone or why she has the perfect life. She is mean to everyone because her mom made her that way. Why does she have the perfect life? The reason is because her dad is always at work and never at home to spend any time with her.
By analyzing movies we get to think harder and use our imaginations. Movie such as No Country For Old Men let us use our imaginations to come up with the ending. Did he kill the wife or not is the question that is left unanswered. There are clues in the movie that hinted that he killed her such as checking his boots, but since we never know the answer you can make up the ending that you want. Some people may think that he killed her and others may think that she survived. It’s left up to you to decide.
SAMANTHA HAGEN 3
I agree with Jacobson when he said that we need to analyze films because that you can understand the true meaning of the film. And if you don’t fully understand the film you cant enjoy the film near as much. You really need to take time and let the film sink in before you decide if the film is good or bad. I defiantly agree with Nate pd 7 that we get so caught up in all the “little” things that film makers do that we don’t notice the smaller things that really make a movie great. Such as the camera work, composition, editing, lighting and sound. I agree with most people who say that its productive to write analytically about films and I disagree with people who say it is a waste of time and it takes away from the film because in my opinion it really does not. It adds so much more then you can get by just watching the movie. I disagree with Kribell 100% he has very strong beliefs on the way English class should be but the thing is we have has the same basic English class for 11 years, were we do grammar, read and write. We signed up for a College Prep course and if this is what collages do then this is what I think we need to be spending our class time dong not reading novels that we can do on our own time. One thing Osheim said I agree with is a technique film makers use is they do things they want us too see. Such as problems in our society, Such as the movies we watched in class. I agree with Robinson how when movie goers watch movies like zombies and not thing about the great effort and thought that has been put into the film. I was one of them. Now when I watch a film I notice when the camera goes back and forth between people and I notice all the little movements and I think it makes it more enjoyable.
SAMANTHA HAGEN 3
I agree with Sergio Benitez about you can see movies in a totally different way if you can understand how film makers are trying to capture the viewers. I remember when I would first watch a movie I would only remember the final action scene or a few funny lines, now I try to see why the director chose the music playing and it gives my clues and suspense for the upcoming dramatic scene. Sergio also makes a great point about expanding our minds after deconstructing brilliantly director movie. It does help you have a more educated thought process when trying to dig and uncover hidden secrets. However Sergio and I have agreed for the most part, I disagree that people go to Universities and spend thousands of dollars to just get a diploma. If I went to college for four years I want to take out as much as possible out of my class to gain a higher knowledge. That being said I would love to take film studies courses in college if I knew that I was going to work in a film producing, writing, etc. field. The deconstructing we do in class is fun and an awesome break from the conventional grammar, writing, reading we have always done, but I also think that expanding your minds and having thought provoking discussions and analysis is very educating. Mr. Benitez also makes a great point why analyzing films is enjoyable. Although films are by far my popular and easier to take in to enjoy, novels great a euphoria that a movie cannot always match. If a movie is not realistic enough it may lose its ability to capture the audience. But a book is all in your imagination, there is nothing showing you what is happening except what you want believe.
In response to Nick Rocks comment, I agree that analyzing movies show us a different perspective on how to interpret and understand what does on in the movie, rather than just staring at a television or projected image for several hours with nothing to show for it. Especially when we are paying $20 or more on DVD’s and around $8 on a movie ticket, it’s just not a sound investment to spend the money if you don’t use your opportunity to see everything there is to see. I mean, why spend the money if you don’t want to understand what you just paid to see! Also, there are many different aspects of movies we don’t even notice if we aren’t looking for them, from the way the camera angle is to how the soundtrack is reacting to the current scene, if we don’t think about it, all the time and energy it took the director to make it look and feel like that was wasted, when they could have done a lot less. This is why we need to notice subtle things like that in movies, they are put there for a reason and somebody obviously wanted the scene to look like that so badly, that they went out of their way to do so. Movies could all have the same camera angles and the same music during similar parts, but that would be boring and unnatural. So we need to notice these things or the critics will do it for us, and therefore, we will have to pay them to do what we should have done in the first place.
I agree with dan nelson he really brings up a good point when he talks about how movies can show you something about your life. When we just watch a movie for just enjoyment it is fun but I dont think we are getting the full extent of the movie and the true meaning of the movie. By watching a movie and deconstructing it you will get the true and full meaning. By knowing what the hidden meaning the director put into the movie you can relate the movie to your life. The movie can show you some of the great things you in your life but it can also show you the things in life you need to change. It makes movies better if you can relate to them and by deconstrucing thing you can relate your life to the movie and the movie experience will be better for you and you will get more out of it. I also agree with Dan when he says that even though you are watching a movie you will learn a lot through it. Like you will learn new vocabulary and in some movies you kinda learn about a different culture of people. As a viewer watching a movie you take in a lot of information in an hour an a half+. You may not think that you are thinking hard during a movie but I believe you do. There is so much going on in a movie like the setting, the characters looks, the props being used, the camera angle, the music, and the dialoge. There is so much that goes into a setting in a movie that we think about every little detail and we learn a lot from it. Making movies is a fine art and a lot of time and effort go into it. by relating it to your own life you will enjoy the movie more and even though most movies are for enjoyment we do take a lot from them.
Wright_7
I agree with Tyler Nelson's response on film deconstruction, including his statement that,
"When you know the main story line it is easier to analyze it. When you deconstruct a film you are finding the hidden messages, or finding why the movie was made the way it was. This almost makes whatever movie you are watching a different movie".
I also agree with Laura Hieb's part 2 response when she stated,
"These movies, just like novels,
the Bible, and newspapers, teach us about life and they either inspire us to be better, or tell us what this world is coming to."
Laura and Tyler each thought exceptionally hard on their blogs. I loved Tyler's clever metaphor, comparing the first, second, and third movie viewing to a roller coaster. I will now attempt to build on what Laura and Tyler had to say. There is virtually no downside to critical thinking; it can aid in almost any occupation. God has made us smarter and more complex than animals; therefore, we should use this to our advantage and think as critically as we can in every situation. A common complaint among teenagers is, "I'm never going to use this once I leave high school". However, many of us will change our minds on what we want to do when we grow up. We may want to be lawyers, doctors, firefighters, etc. now, yet we may change our minds if we find something more stimulating in college. Moreover, it would be wise to think critically in all fields of study now (as we're doing in high school) so we're more versatile/flexible/suitable in finding the ideal job. It's not what you think, it's how you think.
Movies allow us to learn from the mistakes of others. Most films direct our conscience; they teach us to be honorable, fair, and just (and also not to be arrogant, vain, or self-centered). They help bring experience and understanding to our lives. Movies are tourism, in a sense. While engaged in a film, the viewer becomes exposed to other parts of the world (i.e. Jamaica, Europe, Antarctica) via films. We can "visit" these exotic, or local, places through the camera lens.
Exemplary, Mr. Wright. Thanks for your acumen.
Part 2
I definately agree with Madison Rozell. I agree that we pick up on subconsious things that we do not actually realize. Like how our natural thought processes help us to understand movies when not spoon-fed every ounce of information. For example, in No Country for Old Men-We see Chigur checking his boots after being in the house with Moss's wife. Because of how we are programed to think and how we are taught to put hints and clues together, we can conclude from precedents in the movie that Chigur killed Moss's wife, and that he his checking his shoes for blood. This is not something we really think about--how we are taught to-i'm not sure how to word this- but we are taught how to put info together when not given every single bit of information--it's like, say in a movie, you see a younger ask her mother if her daddy is okay after being caught in a fire or something. If the mother were to immediately start tearing up and not say anything at all, we know the father died-it amazes me how we have those thought processes, and movies help us to use those thought processess more that any other thing.
part 2
i have to agree with lauren teal's idea that different people interpret things such as movies differently. by analyzing it you can state what you think a movie means and others can state what they mean. like she was saying about the movie rent, it's controversial content is understood by some and not others. to people of older generations they see the harm it is doing to our youth but he youth see the harm that has already been done and that needs to be confronted and dealt with. through analysis you can truely understand what the characters are going through.
i also agree with amanda hardick about movies being more popular and easier to access. with our technology you can understand an entire story and see how it plays out in an hour and a half unlike with a book that takes hours on end to finish and sometimes you still dont understand. our society nowadays is based around hollywood and what celebrities are doing so to better interest and keep interest we need to work the glamourous people into our college and high school classes. which isnt always a bad thing when you can analyze why they are the people they are.
i also agree with kelsey rist. soundtracks are crucial to how a movie flows. and without even knowing it a soundtrack can tell the story of a movie with out even having the movie in front of you. the movie i am doing is practical magic, a movie i have watched probably 50 or more times and before we started analyzing movies i never truely noticed how much each song played a key [art in the movement and mood of each scene.
Part 2
I agree with Ashley Christensen because like she said movies do make you think harder and discover hidden massages. With thinking harder on a movie one can see what the director is letting you see. Thinking harder lets you ponder and come up with more ideas leading to deeper deconstructing. Discovering hidden massages is a battle in a movie because you try to figure out what is going to happen, when it will happen, and how it happens. In movies like Law Abiding Citizen I had to keep on thinking because every time I thought I figured it out I did not. But not figuring it out correctly is just what drives this movie for people to see it. These kinds of movie especially make you think harder which leads you to become smarter and realize how much work it is to make a movie but with the end produce makes it all worth it.
Ms. Corcoran--you're talking about our impressive abilities to INFER. To make meaning out of what we notice & perceive. Well done.
part 2
I would have to disagree with Brian Kribell. Maybe watching the movies got a little long but at least its better then having homework. I have actually learned a lot studying movies. I did get annoyed stopping and rewinding the movie but that is just part of the process of deconstruction. This is important because you get to learn more about the film then it just shows. It makes you really think about what’s happening in the film. It is like reading between the lines. Deconstructing films is a good idea. Mr. C is just preparing us for all the different types of college classes. Of course we are going to be reading in college classes but he is just trying to open our eyes to other college classes. Just like the ad analysis, ad analysis doesn’t do much with english either but it is a choice for a college class. It opens our understanding of society and makes us think why things are the way they are.
Honestly I didn’t know everything in a movie was on purpose. For example the nooses in No Country For Old Men, i didn’t notice them the first time until we stopped the movie and talked about it. I just thought thats what the store had and didn’t mean anything. But that is why we are studying how to deconstruct.
I somewhat agree that it decreases the enjoyment of watching a movie. But if you don’t want to deconstruct a movie then don’t. Just enjoy it. Ya you might deconstruct a little more then you did before we talked about it but it shouldn’t stop you from enjoying a movie.
I am responding to HOLMAN_6. I agree because if you watch a movie without analyzing it you may enjoy it better, therefore you should watch it at least once without analyzing it, then analyze it once after you've already seen it. Also, I'm not sure that if you analyze a movie that it makes it better or worse. It all depends on how you look at it. If you don't analyze it, then maybe you miss some things but I don't think noticing every detail is the main reason to watch a film. You should be watching it mainly for enjoyment. If you can't enjoy a movie, then there is no reason to spend $8.50 to go watch a movie at theaters. I think analyzing to a thin layer is great but not too deeply. If you take too much time deeply analyzing a film then you miss the simple reasons why the film is good to begin with.
I agree and disagree with kribell_5. I agree it is dumb we are doing all of this analyzing. If we did just a couple of things it would be ok but I think we have over done it quite a bit. Obviously directors do things for a reason but it is not true to see the only art forms in art. A painter makes paintings because it is their form of art and how they know how to show it. A chef cooks because it is the way they know and like showing their artistic form. So obviously a director makes movies and puts in hidden things because it is their way to show their artistic side. So we are studying art in English class because it is the kind of art you wouldn't study in a art class. I do agree that when I go to a movie and spend 8 dollars on the ticket and however much more on popcorn and a drink I want to enjoy the movie and not have to think about why a director does what they do in the film. I really don't like analyzing movies and articles like this. I know that directors and advertisers put things in their movies/ads for a meaning but really I don't care why they are there. I know things are there to make them look more interesting and stand out more but I don't need to sit and pick apart every little detail about why they put what they put where they put it. So I agree that all this analyzing is stupid to keep doing forever, but disagree that to look at and study art to go to a art class. There are many forms of art and a movie is a directors way of showing their artistic side.
I agree with Natalya Kwikkel, little things in the movies can make a big difference because the action causes most people to look past the meaning and just like the movie because it has scenes of cars or buildings blowing up or people beating the crap out of each other or if there are steamy love scenes that make them want to watch it again or buy it at the store. The little details, however, if you can understand them you can understand why the movie is what it is and why the director cast certain people in certain roles because say if it was a jail movie, they look the image of a convict because they look the part wearing ripped clothing or are big and bulky. People who don’t analyze overlook certain details like that and only say hey that guy is b.a. On the other hand they would say, I wonder what other roles that guy has been in and they will want to watch those movies to see how good he is at playing other roles. Then the more that they watch those movies for the other guy, the more they will understand about them. So you do not necessarily need to pay close attention and watch the movie only a few times, but you can watch the movie more than once over time and get more and more about it every time you watch it. Then when you watch other movies, you can compare them to the one you watched and liked and be able to understand more of it by comparison. An example of this would be watching two action movies and comparing the similarities and differences between the two of them. By doing this you can keep on expanding the more you watch different movies.
I agree with Amanda Hardick’s statements. I also feel that watching movies are a great leisure activity, they help relieve stress and also boredom at times. However, it is kind of fun to analyze movies in depth and pick up on things subconsciously that normally we would not pick up on if we just watched these movies for mere entertainment. When we deconstruct we catch camera angles, soundtracks, lighting, sequencing, and also the actors that are being used in the film. I also really liked what Amanda had to say about technology. I agree that in today’s world it is much easier and more appealing for most people to watch a movie rather than read a novel. We no longer have to constrict ourselves to theaters or our homes to watch movies. We can now watch films on our ipods and portable dvd players, things that were not even really heard of ten to fifteen years ago. Due to all the technological advances universities have started offering film analysis classes, which makes sense because movies are so much more interesting to study and analyze than a novel is for most college students. Novels take days to read, where as a movie takes only hours. In addition, the picture is right there in front of you to deconstruct while watching a movie, where as in a novel you have to create your own mental picture, which is not necessarily a bad thing but makes it more difficult to analyze because not everybody thinks the same. Amanda also said that deconstructing films makes us think on a higher level and opens doors that may have never been opened if we had not analyzed films and how they relate to our everyday lives. Furthermore, I believe that people should come to appreciate the art of filmmaking because like any piece of art it takes a while to complete and also requires a great deal of talent.
In Response to all those who disagreed with me-
Sergio Benitez
Sergio, if making films is an art then would not the deconstruction of films belong in a film art class? Do we analyze Da'Vinci in math?
And no when i pay the eight dollars to go into a theater and watch the movie at face value a person can get just as much if not more out of the movie. If a viewer can become attached to a character to laugh or cry when necessary they could potentially enjoy a movie much more than analyzing the reason for the lighting or the reason for this angle or that, but instead just get into the movie and feel the emotions that make us love or hate a movie. This can be much more meaningful.
Laura Hieb-
This unit is not teaching us how to watch a movie, but how to understand why directors do things to make a movie good. Understanding this does not help a person get into the movie. Yes movies are a large part of our society but that does not mean that all of us are going to become critics or become directors, or any other person associated with movie making.
And if we have learned everything about English then why when I look at all of the responses, my own included, are there so many grammatical errors?
So your saying because they speak English they belong in an English Class? I strongly disagree with you there. Just because they speak in english doesn't mean we should study them. And how we are deconstructing the movies can be just as easily transported to a foreign film as well.
Danny Sellers-
The difference which you yourself gave is a key point. We are WATCHING not reading, this is english class. Yes books are a form of art but that doesn't mean you study pottery in painting class. Two different forms of art should be studied as such, not.
Yes directors and authors put things in their respective art for a reason. But that is hardly a connection.
Again yes we write about these things, but we also spend a quarter at a time to get some "background" on these subjects and that seems like too much time to do something like this.
B. Olson
You misunderstand the criticism i offer towards this unit. I did not say that we shouldn't get into a movie but we should not go so far in depth that why the directors make the movie is lost. TO ENTERTAIN. That is the meaning of the movie. If a director wanted a person to think then they have the means of doing this, look at No Country for Old Men, the ending to that movie is an excellent example of a movie that should make us think. But while this is given to us plainly the majority of people say that they despise the ending of this movie, so why do people when giving a move blatantly stating "THINK" do we hate it? And movies that don't have that wonderful blatancy we say that there is hidden meaning behind each and every corner of the lighting or camera angles.
Joe Egge-
Joe, how is this a form of "senioritis"? For 3 weeks we have done nothing but sit in a classroom and watch movies. If anything i would say that this class is allowing us to have senioritis. I would much rather read a book and write reviews on that than sit in a classroom doing nothing.
You say you would do anything to get out of reading a book, is that not a form of senioritis? This subject is broadening out of English and into something else.
Bolter
I personally would much rather analyze a book than watch movies, and you yourself have just stated that i am right, these have nothing to do with english and therefor have no place here.
Hurney
You too have misunderstood what i have been saying, I merely say that it belongs in another class not in english, like you would take photography to study photos or painting for paintings. Film deconstruction should belong in a Media Arts Class. Not In ENGLISH.
Going off of what Brian and Katelyn said about this semester being pointless, I see their point. I notice that when I talk to some of my friends that are in Honors English about how we are watching interesting movies like Office Space and Mean Girls they are always jealous and go on talking about how they have all these hard tests and vocabularly quizes. Well, if students wanted to have an english class that is more based on the 'boring stuff' then perhaps they should of enrolled in Honors Enlish then. I really do not believe that Mr. C would lie to us when he says that he gets information about college courses on studying film from students and other profesors. So I do not see how someone could argue that this is a waste of time when it is clearly only going to help us. It is only a waste if the information is not embrased, just like any other class taken in high school. This semster is extremely helpful in expanding our way of thinking and getting us ready for college level thinking.
I disagree with Brian. I feel that this unit has been very productive. And since this is a college level class teaching us to do college level work we should be able to analyze and to think deeper on everything thing in the world around us like ads, novels, and movies. I can honestly say that I can’t watch a movie anymore without at least doing a little bit analyzing of the film. I feel that it is just as fun and productive as reading a novel so why not do it. If it helps us think more intelligently it would be a shame not to study them right? And I believe you don’t have to pay for a movie just to think about angles of camera work but maybe put a little thought into the different meanings of some of the things the director put into the movie that could show up later and help make the movie make more sense and even possibly more enjoyable. I am getting sick people who are complaining on how this is analysis of movies completely ruins them and is pointless. I say it is not maybe people need to be more open to different things and maybe be willing to put a little effort into things and see if they complain then. Or how Melanie says that by analyzing you miss the meaning of a movie. You don’t have to analyze every little thing but sometimes the big things can truly make a difference in the understanding and enjoyment of a film. Or how Michael can say he would rather read a novel and study that over a movie. Aren’t they the same thing? They both contain meaning and are forms of art and the artist tries to make them enjoyable for the reader or viewer. The only difference is whether we read or watch. So why would you be more willing to do one over the other it just doesn’t make sense. If you can analyze a novel you can analyze a movie it’s just a matter of motivation and willingness to actually do the work.
Ethan Graff P. 7: Part Two
Critical thinking IS important for life because it is constantly something you are going to be using for everyday life decisions. In this way, i am agreeing with Tyler's response to part one of the blog. For almost every situation you run into in life you have the ability and choice to analyze the options and choose the best suited one. Doing these assignments helps us in making future decisions faster and far more easier. I also strongly agree when Tyler says that you should watch a movie in two different ways, for two different experiences. You can primarily watch the movie on the surface, take it at face value; but then try to watch it a second or third time to really analyze the movie more deeply and study what is beneath the surface, the True message of the film. In this way you can get two completely different perspectives of a film, and still enjoy both. I also agree with Tyler when he says that a film is not ruined when you pay more attention to it and deconstruct it. When you know the main story line it IS easier to analyze it. When you deconstruct films you ARE finding the hidden messages, or figuring out why the movie was made the way it was. I can also agree with Tyler when he says that when you analyze a film, it almost makes it into a completely different movie. So this can either make the film better or worst by analyzing it. This exercise was extremely useful to me and agree with Tyler about doing this in the future.
Part 1
It is productive to write analytically about a film because it helps you learn about what the writer of the movie is trying to point out and say. The majority of people who watch movies are missing pieces of the movie if they do not analyze it. If we deconstruct and deeply analyze movies we not only watch them for enjoyment but also find out the true motives of the filmmakers and tons of different kinds of messages cleverly hidden in each scene. I never realized how many hidden messages there are in movies and how many things tie together by the end of the movie until I tried and thought hard and I then realized more hilarious and ironic things in other movies. Universities devote entire courses on writing analytically about a film because it helps better the students mind and look past things in the movies to see stuff that you normally would not pick out right away. These universities also want to help you think harder, and just totally learn more about the movie industry and how they try to make all of these symbols into every movie. They also do this so you can use this kind of knowledge in real life, because you will know how to think harder. I think that deconstructing a movie, rather than casually watching it, decreases my enjoyment of watching the movie because I am not really paying attention to the movie when I am trying to look for certain things. It just totally ruins the movie for me, especially if it is my first time watching the movie. There are some movies out there that if you watch it the first time and analyzed it right away, I am sure it would be a better movie, but the one movie that I analyzed the first time I saw it, made it harder for me to enjoy.
Part2
This is my response to Trevor Martinmaas's comment. He is saying how the first time you watch a movie you should just be watching it for the entertainment. I completely agree with what he is saying. When it comes around to the second time watching it then it is more reasonable to pick out certain things and just completely analyze it. Like when we watched "No Country for Old Men", I did not enjoy it as much then I think I would have if I just watched it for the entertainment the first time. Other people could probably say the opposite, about how I have already seen "Mean Girls", and actually now that I think of it, I think that analyzing it, rather than just watching it, made it a little bit better because it would have just made the movie very boring if I were to watch it just for the heck of it again.
This is my response to Brian Kribell's comment. We are just trying to get a grasp of what college is going to be like. This is one of the courses that a lot of people encounter in college. I do believe that the class that we are in now is called College Bound English. Mr. Christensen is trying to prepare us for college. That is his job. I am sorry but if you are going to whine about this class, then go take Applied English where they are not getting as prepared for college as we are. This is all why we are doing this unit, so college will come a little easier for us. Also, we have already read one book this year and have analyzed it. We also have a whole other quarter where we are reading and analyzing books. They put just as many symbols that people put in a book as they do a movie.
Charlie Sellers_6
MEAGAN DONOVAN
I agree with everything Lexi Fontana stated in her Part I. I like how she discusses thinking “outside of the box.” This is very true in that if we as students are solely encouraged to think one way, and not in any other, how are we to examine all possible aspects or routes of life and maybe messages relayed by directors in their films? I also agree with her statement on showing your boss that you can and will be the best by not only doing what is asked, but going above and beyond. This is related to film deconstruction and college courses because in college we will be encouraged to find out the how/why of films and readings, not just the what /where/when/who. If we only do the bare minimum in homework and life, we will never attain any higher knowledge and set ourselves apart from anyone. I feel this is a reason that film analysis is devoted to an entire college course. I found it funny when she discussed that movie makers do not want to see reviews that say “it was good,” after spending so much time and effort creating the art. It is completely true that we as movie watchers need to challenge ourselves, and not only watch the film but think critically while doing so. It does affect many different people in different or similar ways, which is fascinating, but does not really deal with the blog task at hand in my opinion. I do however agree that once we start to analyze, it is nearly impossible to stop. I have seen several movies since this unit has began, and have found myself in an awkward situation or two when guessing a movies ending, and finding it to be true, after announcing where I think the ending will be going to the entire group I am with. However, I feel that it can be controlled and that I have settled upon one thing; we should find a happy medium between watching just for enjoyment and for solely analyzing. Then we will experience ultimate movie bliss.
Part 2
I agree with Jessi Lunstra when she says the producers have a job fro a reason; they like to make you think. Whether your concerned about the way one clique treats another in high school or a psycho-killer that is too corrupt to be caught, all moves are made to make you think. I agree with this in the fact that the producers do play a major role because without them a movie wouldn’t have its main points and wouldn’t make sense. Producers like to make you think and if the movie isn’t making sense the producer isn’t doing its job in by putting the puzzle pieces together. Most people like to me entertained, amused, excited, scared, confused and even puzzled or annoyed while watching a movie. If its not any of these kind of entertainment the movie would be boring and no one would want to watch it. If we didn’t have teachers or college professors point out plus see the little things we would be completely lost. We could be lost any point in time if there wasn’t a whole plot, we could get lost in the few lines in the move that actually make the whole film a success. To people, deconstructing films movies wouldn’t be that funny, they wouldn’t make us realize what is really wrong in our society and the world. Besides that they wouldn’t help us see the other side of ourselves and things we need to change to make us better in life. By having professors that deconstruct films makes a person memorized on the movie and to help make it so we wont miss important details or major things that could be important at the end that should of caught our attention. I think everyone likes watching movies for the heck of it plus by trying to figure out the plot while watching it. By having people watch movies it makes them think about how corrupt our world really is sometimes.
Brian--I would love to offer a Media Arts Class. Instead, the strategy is to integrate such studies into this course. We're trying to think critically, however that can be accomplished. I am trying to show/teach you HOW to watch, analyze, deconstruct films, for sure.
Thanks for generating so much thinking, Brian! I seriously appreciate your thoughts. Without this blog, I would not get to know your mind as well! Bravo to Brian!
Tanner Thie just told me on email how excellent it is--how much of an advantage he has--that he wrote an ad analysis paper here at BVHS. Hopefully, you will have a professor in your freshman English/composition course set you up with a film analysis essay, too.
(And I know marvelous, capable adults who still cannot spell or punctuate; I'll keep trying to show you by modeling correctness. Had three students come see me about their essays today, too!)
Do not diminish the attempts of all films. It is obvious that movies are intended to entertain. Everyone knows that much. However, real novelists & moviemakers (among other artists, including ad creators, for that matter) hope desperately that their work inspires thought, as well. If we can distill meaning, we are preparing ourselves for college and life. A better thinker lives better, decidedly. Off to bed now. Great thinking, because you're all using logic! Terrific!
I had hoped that not everyone would be completely thrilled about studying films. We are so used to simply having films on. To study something we hold near and dear is to corrupt it in a way. This is all quality thinking. I like offering a VOICE! You don't get a voice or a say in math or many/most other classes.
THIS CLASS ENCOURAGES AND HELPS YOU DEVELOP A VOICE! READING, WRITING, SPEAKING, LISTENING! ALL NECESSARY FOR COLLEGE & LIFE. YOU'LL BE SMARTER & EXPERIENCED BY JUNE, I PROMISE.
It is productive to write analytically about film because as you watch the movie you are observing and concentrating on specific things. One thing you may have not understood the first time you watched it you may have caught if you were watching it analytically. Taking the time to write out your analysis will help you put it into prospective and it will help you gather your thoughts so you will be able to examine it deeper.
Universities devote entire courses to writing analytically about films because they feel that it is worth the while; and it is! The reason why they believe this is because films are entertainment; people earn big bucks for producing such art. Why do people examine art? It is the same reason why people examine the deeper meanings to films. Making a movie is a lot more complicated than a lot of people think. That is why universities have courses so students can further their knowledge to everything they do.
I believe it increases the enjoyment of the film. I feel like I have missed a lot of things in the previous films I have watched, and watching analytically has made me enjoy movies even more. I have my favorite movies and they are good but they are even better with these new lenses I have been provided. Now, I laugh when no one else in the room does because I am seeing things they don’t and seeing things before they do. It is even better watching the movie twice with the same kind of thinking. I don’t think three times is enough to watch a movie, I believe every time you watch the movie you will find something different that you have never seen before.
Part 2:
I Agree with Lexy Maassen when she says “Normally when a person watches a movie it is for mere entertainment and also is considered to be more of a leisure activity. Most people only pick up on the plot while watching a movie and will most likely forget it within a month or two” I agree with her because when people buy a movie ticket, or rent a movie from the movie store, they are at the theater, or rent the movie to be entertained. But they never take the time to slow down, and notice all that is their in the film you are watching. I also agree with Bigelow when he says “It is important to study films because it show us what is wrong with ourselves. It also shows our fears of what is to come. Like in future movies it shows that we do fear what is going to happen in the future.” I agree because movies are meant to tell us something about times to come, or times past, they keep us thinking, and make us want to see the movie over and over. Like the most recent apocalyptic films, I am Legend, 2012, all kind of hint to what is to come in the future.
I also agree with Seydel when he says “I think that it is important to analyze films because then it is not just for enjoyment but also makes us think more about are lives before and after the movie.” Movie directors make us relate to the film. That is why we like a certain film, and want to watch it over and over because we can relate to the plot, or we relate to a certain character in that particular film. Plus if we like a certain actor in the film than we will like it more.
I definitely disagree with Brian Kribell. Why in the world is he so obsessed with reading books. I would've thought that everyone would much rather deconstruct movies since it is much less boring and a lot more enjoyable to do. If he wants to read so bad, we got a library full of books that are just waiting for his attention. Deconstructing movies should be interesting to him. These movies are huge in our countries culture today and need to be studied to truly understand the ways of our society. One wont get smarter society wise by reading books all the time, yes they will get smarter, but for college and life after we must be ready for the systems we will be thrown into. I also agree with Lexy Maassen since she says watching movies should be a leisure activity. When people want to watch movies, they want to forget all worry they might have and escape into a world where they can feel like someone else. People enjoy movies since it takes them out of their routine and switches things up a bit. Reading also takes you into a different world but most books cant be finished in one night. Most people now a days like instant gratification, they want to be entertained for a couple of hours and be done with it. In America's society, patience is decreasing whether we admitt it or not. Some people cant even sit through a three hour movie let alone a seven hundred page book. Movies are quick and easy and thats why they are so successful in today's lifestyle.
I definitely disagree with Brian Kribell. Why in the world is he so obsessed with reading books. I would've thought that everyone would much rather deconstruct movies since it is much less boring and a lot more enjoyable to do. If he wants to read so bad, we got a library full of books that are just waiting for his attention. Deconstructing movies should be interesting to him. These movies are huge in our countries culture today and need to be studied to truly understand the ways of our society. One wont get smarter society wise by reading books all the time, yes they will get smarter, but for college and life after we must be ready for the systems we will be thrown into. I also agree with Lexy Maassen since she says watching movies should be a leisure activity. When people want to watch movies, they want to forget all worry they might have and escape into a world where they can feel like someone else. People enjoy movies since it takes them out of their routine and switches things up a bit. Reading also takes you into a different world but most books cant be finished in one night. Most people now a days like instant gratification, they want to be entertained for a couple of hours and be done with it. In America's society, patience is decreasing whether we admitt it or not. Some people cant even sit through a three hour movie let alone a seven hundred page book. Movies are quick and easy and thats why they are so successful in today's lifestyle.
In regards to Megan Bly, I disagree on the increased enjoyment of analyzing films. I think analyzing films is a good idea but I don’t quite believe firmly that directors put a lot of time to do certain things to the background to make it look like certain things. I like to be able to sit back and enjoy movies but now that I know how to analyze films, it frustrates me because I’m constantly trying to figure out what the director “purposely” put in there and not actually seeing what’s going on and what the actor is actually doing or portraying in this movie. Yes, Universities take time to analyze films but it doesn’t take a certain type of “thinking” in order to do it. Any ordinary person can analyze a film easily and one doesn’t have to go to a university to do that. Researching about a movie in my opinion would be even better than picking out flaws and such in a movie. I think directors should spend less time in “what should be there” and focus more on things about the characters and not symbolism. In your example about Chagur in the movie: No Country for Old Men, they could have put the timing belts in the background look like nooses but what’s the point? Why would the director want us to think so hard on everything in the background when we should be focusing on what the actor and main characters are doing?! We still are equally scared for the guy behind the check register because of the suspense Chagur brings NOT the background. I do agree that analyzing films shows a different light because I can see movies differently now. I just don’t believe that the directors should spend so much time having us focus not on the main subject.
Lexi Fontana Pd. 6
Part Dos:
I do agree with Laura Hieb’s statement, that movies want to make you apart of them. Film directors want you to put yourself in the character’s shoes. Whichever character that may be. They want to make viewers, like ourselves, laugh, cry, scream, or anything to keep us interested, after all this is what they do for a living. I also agree with Hieb’s statement that movies inspire us to be better, perform better, and overall act better. Even if a film is considered horror, it will inspire society in some shape or form. It could be the possibility of doing something terrible like murder, or the opposite of stopping a murder. Anyway, society has to take that risk. It’s not just movies. Videogames, Television shows, and Internet also play a role in the positive or negative outcome. On the other hand, analyzing films is something fun and enjoyable to do. Everyone does it subconsciously to some extent. I think it would be hard not to. As we grow older, our minds expand and become more complex. Something as simple as analyzing something shown right in front of us, like a film, was once difficult at the age of 3; but as young adults, analyzing becomes more natural. Taking courses, like film analysis, makes us think critically without even noticing anymore. This is why universities still make their students take courses similar to this. Universities and their professors want society to be able to think critically subconsciously. To be able to have some great attribute come from young adolescent mind, to change the world is a future goal. Professors know that someday their generation will go and the young generation will be left. They are trying to keep the world and society great, and have society have the potential to become better. It’s like the film The Lion King, the circle of life.
I disagree to what Brian has to say i believe what we are doing does have a purpose cause it is a college bound english class and this is what they do in college the teachers don't hand out grammar packets and say do this and go over nouns and verbs that has been drilled into are brains since the first grade. We are looking at art from a different point of view and its something all teenegers do is watch movies and now we have been taught just too look at them differently and study them and ask questions like why is that their and stuff like that. Movies are a form of art with the different camera angles the way people act or do something the things in the background and the lighting it all gives it the effect for a great movie that is why movies win the awards they do cause of how all the elements they put together to make a glorious film that had mad a lot of money.
Martinmaas_pd 5
Chris Kujawa
I would say that actually thinking about a movie other than watching it casualy can make you enjoy the movie a lot more. If you have already seen a movie a few times you know what is going to happen, a horror film for example regarding what Lauren Teal said, "It would make the movie less scary by deconstructing it", but to think more carefully.. you need to have at least seen a movie once or twice before you can truly notice areas to deconstruct. By examining movies more closely you can see things you normaly wouldnt.
I think universities add classes like these to get students to think really hard. Movies will be around forever and in everyday circumstances you may here someone talking about a movie. Knowing how to look beyond the movie is a great skill to have, you could argue if one movie is better than another movie in a scholarly manner. Deconstructing a film can bring back enjoyment of a film that you have seen a million times. The lion king perhaps portrays a kind of racist perception. Being able to look at movies in many different ways can bring much more enjoyment than just being a zombie watching a movie, thinking hard about what you are watching can stimmulate your sences and make you have much more fun watching a film that is supposed to be scary or touching. This way of looking at films can say, im going to go to this movie to get scared, think with open eyes, and enjoy myself....
I think it’s a good thing to write analytically about films because it increases your awareness and understanding of the movie. Looking beyond the surface and figuring out the reasoning behind why they did different things while filming a movie gives you a deeper understanding of what you are viewing. If you watch a movie completely unaware of different techniques used and advertisements throughout it you won’t be expanding your knowledge and it will effect you in ways you don’t even realize. Universities devote entire courses and film study programs to writing analytically about films. They do this because analyzing a film will help you understand why the filmmaker used different angles and lighting or different symbolism through their dialogue or character names. It makes you think more deeply making you become a better critical thinker and student. In my opinion I think that deconstructing a film makes watching it a lot more fun because you uncover hidden messages throughout the movie that people watching mindlessly and purely for an escape wouldn’t have found. It makes me appreciate filmmakers more and realize just how much thinking and work is involved in creating their film. They use so many different techniques and symbols that used to go right over my head. For example in PS I Love You the entire beginning of the movie pretty much tells you exactly what will happen throughout the rest of the movie. Listening carefully to what they are saying and the lyrics in background music foreshadow everything that is about to happen. Also the use of lighting and symbols such as lights and birds add to the feeling and meaning behind what will happen to her husband and that he will be gone but will guide her to happiness once again. I have also leaned how they use characters that the viewers will be able to relate to and care about. If they are going through something you have once been through or are currently going through in your life makes you connect to them and enjoy the movie even more.
I agree With Lexi on the fact that alot of the movies that you see, you want to be a part of and have something to do with those characters. These movies make you care for everyone and make you want to make certain decisions that you probably would make all the time. They may influence you in many ways and also make you respond differently to the movie. Many people look at certain types of films in their own way if they like something it may be alot easier to deconstruct and pick out things. They might normally miss and forget that were in this particular film. I like that everyone has their own perspective on things it just seems to make life simpler and less corroded and confusing. You can only analyze when you feel like being scholarly sometimes you have to give yourself that extra push and know that it is for the better and not for the worse of things. You can have also have alot of fun watching films, but what do you really get out of them besides and escape and some entertainment? Probably not a whole lot I guess it's really up to the person themselves and what they like to do when they watch films. I can't say I'll ever fully understand why we tend to like to study films, but it must just be another way to see things better and become smarter.
Reanna Mennis_6
Jordan Meyers p.5
Part Number 2
I agree with Jake on how watching a movie analytically makes you think harder about what is going on. Now, when viewing a movie I gain more from what the movie is trying to convey, not just what is on the surface like hot girls/boys, fancy things, and awesome action. I can now see the “little” things that the director puts in the movie to point different things out to the viewer. If the director used just straight on camera angles then the movie would be completely boring and have really no point to it. I really can not imagine how much work that it takes to get certain camera angles in a movie just to get a certain effect on the viewer. With what Jake said, directors make movies so that the viewer can relate to the characters in the film. That is what makes movies good to viewers; if a person can not relate to the film then they lose interest in the film. Now when I watch a movie the little things that I would not have noticed before now turn into big things. It is amazing to find out that just by watching a movie a lot closer how much more you can notice and how much more the plot in the story can change just by doing so. I now realize why it takes so long for a movie to be released. The movie makers take a lot of time, money, and effort just to make good scenes, edit, and receive good actors in their movies. It also takes them a long time because they make certain scenes perfect; these people want their movies to be perfect, not just thrown together. All-in-all it is important to analyze movies and does pertain to College Bound English.
Jordan Meyers p.5
Part Number 2
I agree with Jake on how watching a movie analytically makes you think harder about what is going on. Now, when viewing a movie I gain more from what the movie is trying to convey, not just what is on the surface like hot girls/boys, fancy things, and awesome action. I can now see the “little” things that the director puts in the movie to point different things out to the viewer. If the director used just straight on camera angles then the movie would be completely boring and have really no point to it. I really can not imagine how much work that it takes to get certain camera angles in a movie just to get a certain effect on the viewer. With what Jake said, directors make movies so that the viewer can relate to the characters in the film. That is what makes movies good to viewers; if a person can not relate to the film then they lose interest in the film. Now when I watch a movie the little things that I would not have noticed before now turn into big things. It is amazing to find out that just by watching a movie a lot closer how much more you can notice and how much more the plot in the story can change just by doing so. I now realize why it takes so long for a movie to be released. The movie makers take a lot of time, money, and effort just to make good scenes, edit, and receive good actors in their movies. It also takes them a long time because they make certain scenes perfect; these people want their movies to be perfect, not just thrown together. All-in-all it is important to analyze movies and does pertain to College Bound English.
Chelsea Mattson pd. 7
PART 2:
I agree with the statement kels rist makes when she says "They want you to look things through "other people's eyes" so you can see all of the different ways everyone sees things." becuase I do definately believe there is truth to that, movies are all about reaching different kinds of people that are in different moods and have diffrent lives, you can watch a movie and look through the eyes of someone madly in love like the notebook, or the eyes of someone who is dead like the lovely bones. It is all about perspectives, moods and emotions, different films are appealing to differnt people at different times. Thats why such a gigantic vareity exists.
I also completely agree with Kate S. when she says " While just relaxing and watching a movie casually is enjoyable it gets old fast, for me anyways, it starts to feel like you’ve seen one scary, funny, dramatic, or romantic movie, you’ve seen them all and you feel like you know the story before you see it in theaters. If you sit down and watch your favorite movie with the mindset to look for subliminal meanings and the core messages within the film, I think you find a deeper appreciation for film and work put into directing and producing it." This is also very true, mindset plays a huge role in if movies are going to popular alot, like the upcoming movie 'Valentines Day' will gross alot im sure since it premiers the day before V day, I know producers specifically release movies close to the holiday or event that they relate too, like many scary movies premire on, if not very close to halloween, every one is in the mood to be scared during that time of the season. Back to what Kate said about seeming like you have seen the same movie formula over and over again is true,the solution is you simply have to look for the messages, becuase every movie is going to have an altered message from the next in some way form or shape. Movies are like fingerprints, no 2 films are exactly the same.
I also disagree with Brian Kribell. Brian, the class is called, "College Bound English 12" and that means that it's a class to prepare us for all of the areas of english that we are going to see in college. Media studies would be a big part of that group, and it also gets the attention of the high school students that usually don't pay attention in class so they have an opportunity to give their opinions. I mean I would be willing to bet that over half of the seniors would rather take a class about media studies than one about novel deconstruction. But, in high school we don't have that option so we just have to take a class that combines both of the courses and that is what class we are in right now. I would also agree with the statement Mr. C said,"Remember, this is a class that attempts to help you with HOW to think, not WHAT to think. You buy that". He is absolutely right. People can think however they want to, and this class tells us how to do that. Mr. C is an awesome teacher because he follows this statement all the time even if some students don't agree with him or even if they do. He is one of the best role models to have in life because he gives us a great example of the way and/or how to act in your everyday lives. Thank you Mr. C.
I agree with Lyle Hall, college is about thinking. There aren’t many times in life where you’re going to have to sit down and write a paper. More times you have to think and figure out a problem to figure out a reasonable solution. By analyzing films you are thinking deeply. Just like you should do in the real world. In college they are teaching or more so directing you how to think, not what to think. Like this class, it is suppose to be like a college course. I am glad we are studying films because it makes you relate more to the film and really see what’s going on in it. I’ve seen the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but I’ve never noticed the special symbols or features the producer put into it. For example Benjamin Barry, Matthew McConaughey, sells diamonds. But why? They could’ve had him sell anything like popcorn or computers. But no, they picked diamonds because diamonds represent marriage and love and this movie is exactly about dating, falling in love, marriage, and all that mushy stuff.
I also agree on the fact that professors would get bored. I think anyone would get bored reading hundreds of papers all about the same thing. By giving a broad topic such as, analyze a movie; you are going to get lots of different prospectives and opinions about all kinds of movies. I think it would actually to be fun to be a professor reading all of these because then you would see the movies the students wrote about differently than maybe what you thought. You learn something new every day, why not learn from films? Films are a part of everyday life. There are many different types of movies so there is something for everyone. You couldn’t really say you don’t like the assignment or think it’s too hard because you get to pick exactly what you want to write about and exactly what you want to watch. Therefore you will work harder, like Lyle said, and be more scholarly. When you think about movies and deconstuct them you also get something maybe you wouldn’t have before. By using your Marx lens you will notice the political and economical issues that take place in the movie, for example white people helping the homeless black people. The message would be “oh white people are so great” but really the message is care about one another. When you put on your feminine lens you will see the side that is pointed towards women and maybe offending women. For example an at home wife with the husband brings home the dough, “it’s saying women are needy helpless” but maybe the movie is about helping one another or independence.
I want to say I agree with almost everyone so far. When you deconstruct a movie I agree it benefits you because you get smarter and get more out of it. But sometimes when you’re down in the dumps or just plain bored you just want to use a movie to get your mind out of the real world. Then I disagree with it helping you, because maybe you just want to be entertained and not have to think. Sometimes it’s too hard not to think if it’s an interesting movie. If you watch the movie The Box, you can help but say what the heck at the end of the movie and think about what happens if you were in that situation. But after you watch Road Trip or something, you just laugh and say that was a funny movie.
P.S. I am not saying I agree or disagree with Brian, but I give props because he is actually voicing his own opinion on what he believes to be true. He isn't conforming to what everyone else thinks and that is what this class is about and has taught me so far, is to voice what I think and not what others want me to think.
I think that is why everyone is so upset to what he wrote, because it wasn't what the majority felt was true. However, freedom of speech and freedom of thought is what we have learned. So thanks to Brian we now have some debate in this blog. =]
I disagree with Pueppke in that after I’m done deconstructing my film, every movie after that won't be any different. Everyone watches movies for a different reason and to me they are just a means of relaxing. I also disagree with the statement that deconstructing movies makes it more enjoyable. Yes, I might miss a couple things about how things happened but when i see a movie I don't want to be stressing about why her shoe is that color and why his hair is styled like that. I would rather be trying to figure out where the plot is going and what really just happened without going as deep. I do agree though that some deconstructing is helpful and can enlighten many about the though process of others especially the director and the actors. Many subliminal messages are being put into these cinematic pieces of art but not all of them need to be uncovered. I also agree that movies need to be talked about more. Instead of really getting into the deep stuff and arguing about the little things I think it is more beneficial to converse about how well the actors fit their roles, the overall plot, how cool the special effects were, how hot an actor/actress really is, and so on... Talking about the really good movies basically puts them up onto a pedestal and glorifies them.
I agree with Kelsey Rist. It is really productive because you get more out of what is originally supposed to be notice. I never would have seen Mean Girls the way I do now if we didn't take the time to sit in class and deconstruct it and listening to the way other people get out of the "real" message in the movie. You can get a better understanding for what is going on around you and can relate better if you sit and watch the movie and think of how others percieve it as. You can (like we did in class) get a group of people together and see what others think, making you appreciate movies more and understanding people's ideas and ways of thinking better. Also, Univerties WANT you to think about the movie. They also want you to make a connection to the world around you and give them a better understanding on views. I think courses like that is great because then your not only teaching yourself, but your helping teach your peers and professors more. I also agree that you have to look for the hidden messages. Finding them will help out alot with making connections and relating to yourself and other people's life. I also have to say that it does increase my enjoyment looking for all those messages, it not only brodens your view on certain subjects, but helps you form your ideas. Soundtracks means alot to a film. A movie without a soundtrack would basically be reality and how everything in reality is. You cannot have the Transformers movies without a soundtract, it would be ridiculous to not have the songs that help create the scenes.
I do have to disagree with Brian. It is productive. We have analyzed novels, which are a form of art, so why not analyze movies? Most people today do not like reading and would rather sit and enjoy a movie. Personally I think analyzing movies is alot easier than trying to figure out what a novel is really trying to point out to you. With Mr. C giving us the opportunity to appreciate forms of art that we have got to explore in past english classes. He is also preparing us for college. I do know that up at SDSU (in a english class) , they do have you analyze movies. If you have the chance to learn on how to be a good deconstructor, it'll help you alot in the long run.
Melanie Roeder
I agree with Brian and Mike and disagree with pretty much everybody else. Some have things I somewhat agree with like college is for learning and that it is important to stand up for what you believe and not follow the crowd. I've heard plenty of people say they do not enjoy movies when they analyze them but it is easier to agree with everybody else and Mr. C. I think that the more you analyze the more you lose the entertainment value of the movie. If I want to pay to think I will pay for and attend college but when I go to a movie I do not wish to spend my money to think and not be entertained. Some people have made good points that analyzing a little is good. Analyzing the obvious such as Regina Georges' mother is a bad mother and that the Boss in Office Space is a total dick relates completely to the movie and its story. I think some people are just agreeing to get a 100% on the blog because it makes it easier when you agree with the teacher. Analyzing also sidetracks you from the movie because it makes you think a lot and then you tend to end up thinking about things other than the movie. And going back to Mr. C’s response writing courses should be taken by everybody because they are essential to the English culture and thinking. And Ag majors taking math would make more sense than a film analysis because they have to use math in order to calculate their crops and their profits made from their crops and herds. Math and writing are almost necessary in the English culture whereas most people watch movies to be entertained not to think deeply and to analyze. And I agree that college is for thinking but there are important things to think about and there are things that you can live without learning or more live without thinking about those things such as the cords hanging behind somebody in a movie.
Melanie Roeder
I agree with Brian and Mike and disagree with pretty much everybody else. Some have things I somewhat agree with like college is for learning and that it is important to stand up for what you believe and not follow the crowd. I've heard plenty of people say they do not enjoy movies when they analyze them but it is easier to agree with everybody else and Mr. C. I think that the more you analyze the more you lose the entertainment value of the movie. If I want to pay to think I will pay for and attend college but when I go to a movie I do not wish to spend my money to think and not be entertained. Some people have made good points that analyzing a little is good. Analyzing the obvious such as Regina Georges' mother is a bad mother and that the Boss in Office Space is a total dick relates completely to the movie and its story. I think some people are just agreeing to get a 100% on the blog because it makes it easier when you agree with the teacher. Analyzing also sidetracks you from the movie because it makes you think a lot and then you tend to end up thinking about things other than the movie. And going back to Mr. C’s response writing courses should be taken by everybody because they are essential to the English culture and thinking. And Ag majors taking math would make more sense than a film analysis because they have to use math in order to calculate their crops and their profits made from their crops and herds. Math and writing are almost necessary in the English culture whereas most people watch movies to be entertained not to think deeply and to analyze. And I agree that college is for thinking but there are important things to think about and there are things that you can live without learning or more live without thinking about those things such as the cords hanging behind somebody in a movie.
Lyle Hall_6
PART 2
I agree with Melissa Bendixen that it is much easier to just watch a movie and relax while you do it but if you are constintly viewing a movie form different point of views and looking into all the details of a movie it loses some of its entertainment value but gains some more entelectual enjoyment. It is not a bad thing to just watch movies and not look into them but it is also enjoyable to look deep into the meaning of why the producers do what they do to get you to see certain things and how it relatets to life. Some movies must be viewed many times through different lences in order to fully understand the meaning behind all the nonsence of the movie.
Megan Short pd 3
I disagree with what Brian had to say about there not being a real point to analyzing films but I also see where he is coming from. For me this unit should not take more than a quarter. I feel that it gets kind of repeatitive and many people do not take this as a serious learning opportunity but rather as a time to just goof around and watch a movie with no critical thinking. But this is College Bound English 12 and Mr. C is preparing us for projects that we do in college so we should take this opportunity to become great at analyzing now so in college we can do even better. How can you complain about getting a paper done and corrected now in high school and being able to use it in college?
We analyze movies because it is something that we can all get excited about. Movies are a form of art work and so are novels. Therefore, I do not see the big problem with analyzing a form of art that we never have gotten to analyze before. Grammer is something that we have done since elementary school, is it not time that we break out of that mold and try to learn a different idea in English. In class today we had a debate about if 7 pounds was a good movie or not. Things like movies get us fired up and I would much rather write about something that I enjoy than a book I do not care about.
I agree with Brittney Myrlie when she wrote : "Watching different types of movies teaches us to think historically, theoretically, creatively and analytically about a wide range of cinematic forms". She basically summed up what we should be doing throughout this unit which is challenging ourselves to critically analyze all aspects of movies. Doing this can make us see more than just the plot of a movie we can see every purposeful detail. I would however never analyze every movie that I go to. Sometimes it is good to just relax and enjoy a movie. This is just a unit to get us thinking more about reasons behind details in movies, it is not meant to destroy the fun of watching an entertaining movie.
Joe Egge P.5
I agree with Justin VanSanten. on how much time and effort goes into the making of a film. It is quite amazing to actually note that people may dress up, put on make up, while others set up a contraption of wires and cameras and other hardware necessary, this may take all day to set up and then the actors come in and in an hour they are done with one scene. so then tear down and set up the next scene. it is striking to see that take place 20, 30, 40 or 50+ times PER MOVIE. It must take alot of money to pay for all the equipment, let alone the working hours, so when headlines say a movie made a couple million, just remember, and think analytically how much TIME was spent on this movie.
Now i want to jump to a different subject we discussed in class, how much actors make per movie. Some big shots can make up to $20,000,000/film. OK. lets break this down.
1. Not too strenuous. Set is already set up. Just need to learn lines for scene before shooting.
2. Only 1 (one) years time.
Most people don't make million in 20 YEARS and they work 40+ hours a week. It seems a little "overpaid"
Granted some actors spend money wisely and some donate to charities or help out the needy, alot of that NOT HARD EARNED cash is being spent on unnecessary things.
I'll deviate from that subject before I get mad about America's economy.
I kind of need to force myself to agree with Melanie R. I also think that some people are fibbing, or telling a little white lie to get a good grade. -OR- everyone wants to gang up on Brian Kribell for being the first one to take a stance and talk "against" the flow, swim up stream, and tell Mr. C his real feelings about it. Brian, I know, doesn't agree with my senioritis theory but I'm sure his argument is completely worth while. To sum up the blog task, I'll leave you with a quote. “Moment to moment, there are aspects of life that we like, and other we don't. There are always going to be people who disagree with you, people who do things differently, and things that don't work out. If you fight against this principle of life, you'll spend most of your life fighting battles.” -- R. Carlson http://www.beinghealthynaturally.com/quotes/fightinglife.php
Part 1:
When you deconstruct a film, I believe it is much more productive while watching the film because it allows you to understand more about the literary devices and how the lighting or music affects the scene but also what that scene means on a symbolic or a metaphoric level. I believe that the reason colleges do film analysis for film study classes are because when you study a film, you increase your deductive learning skills as well as general knowledge. Another reason why so many colleges are now offering these courses, is now due to the growing world issues, people can “escape for reality” for a few hours; however the college courses are designed to test your knowledge about the literary devices and help deduce the moral and the deeper meaning from a seemingly innocent children’s film. A third reason why colleges offer this course is to help English majors or film majors study the differences between movies from different eras and how they are different yet they share similar parts, such as: the theme of the movie, the morals, or even how the main protagonists are introduced, and how the audience reacts to the events unfolding during the film.
After studying film analysis, I will not be able to look at films the same light as I did before but that is not a bad thing. Before the film study, I watched movies with only the mind track of enjoying myself and not noticing the literary devices put in the film by the directors. Now after being in the unit of film study, I can now proudly say that I am able to analyze films successfully while looking for the literary devices that the directors have cleverly placed in the film. I do not believe that this takes away from the experience or fun of watching a movie, it only adds to the experience of being a movie-goer.
-Matt Thompson p6
Part 2
In regards to Brian Kribell’s statement about this unit being unproductive, I at first thought it was, until I understood that now in colleges they incorporate these types of projects; Mr. Christensen said, “That College Bound was a class to better equip us for the upcoming challenges of college and to get an upper-hand on more scholarly thinking.” I thoroughly agree with Mr. Christensen on this statement and his reasoning behind this unit. I also disagree with Mr. Kribell on the statement that this has nothing to do with English class; I believe it has a lot to do with English class, not only are we writing a paper on an individual film analysis, but we are learning the different literary devices and terms used in a more realized place other then novels. However I agree with him on this is a form of art that we pick apart, very similar to novels or plays. A lot of time in plays, the directors and the actors often talk about what each scene means what the different jokes mean and often the symbolism or other literary devices used within the play itself. As an actor it is very important to know the “laugh lines” or the jokes and to know what they mean so you can portray it and also hit the lines correctly; such as a Shakespeare “ass pun”, which you need to say correctly or it does not have the same effect, the audience will only laugh because they just heard the word “ass”. Also I think that it is important to study the motivation behind the major films and the different lighting or other technical aspects that the film includes. One example of this is the most successful movie of all time, Avatar. I have not personally seen this movie yet; however I know that James Cameron weaves this brilliant story set on the alien planet Pandora. In this science fiction epic, it mainly deals with racism and protecting the planet’s environment. If you also want to look at the historical parallels that it draws upon, it can be related to the 1800’s and how the United States forced the Native Americans to move further west in order for the white man to look for gold and other valuable resources. This is similar to Avatar in which the humans come to get the valuable resources that Pandora has to offer.
I believe that after doing this unit, I have better myself as a movie watcher and am better prepared for the college classes and their film analyses that the professors well give me. However I disagree with Brian on the majority of his points, yet this is only my opinion and he has his and respect that.
-Matt Thompson p 6
Part 2:
CJ Wachter
I agree with Meg Don. I also agree that it is productive to write analytically about films. It helps us see symbols and other features the director puts in the movie that we didn't notice before. In class i enjoy sharing how i feel and listening what other students feel, and their ideas about the film. Also like meagan i am on the fence. I like analyzing but i also like watching a movie to just enjoy it. When you soak in everything its fun to uncover other symbols. The soundtrack plays a huge part in deconstruction. With out music a part in the movie would have a total different meaning. When in a scary movie there is creepy music and in comedies the upbeat helps the theme. I also feel its not fun to analyze. I love just sitting and giggling. Analyzing movies when im trying to be scared its harder to be scared. Its more fun to watch Disney moives as how i viewed them when i was a kid. I love that when i think about Lion King i remember the good happy endings and not worry about the "all dominant and knowing." I feel the same way about other movies such as Toy Story, Peter Pan, and many others. It is hard for me to decide whether or not i like anaylyzing. I feel in college it will be fun and something not boring to do. I think it will give us a nice breathe and we are doing it now so it wont be a new topic. All in all i completely agree with Meagan!
Cj Wachter.
Part two
Megan Bly
Period 7
I agree with Jacobson_1’s statement above. He states that it is important to analyze films because you can understand the true meaning of the film. I agree with him because when you deconstruct a film you notice more things about what is really going on and why the director would put certain things in certain places. It is easy to just watch a film for enjoyment but when you slow down and let the film sink in, as Jacobson states, and think about what is happening and why, you can understand it better. I believe that films could be considered artwork because directors put a lot of thought into every little detail. As I had said before, in part one, I believe chose to “buy” the deconstructions we have done in class because I think films are more detailed and pin point than most people give them credit for. Jacobson states that when you watch a film based on a book, and you deconstruct it, you can follow how closely the film may be related to the book. I agree with this statement because when people watch a film based on a movie, they are usually, constantly, comparing it to the book. After we had read One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s nest, and watched the film, I was constantly comparing the two and criticizing the director on the differences. Jacobson states that he would rather watch the film than read the book because the film is shorter and takes less time to complete. He also says that films provide more of a visual for the viewer and can be easier to follow. I disagree with these statements because I enjoy the books more than the movies. Sure, it is easier and takes less time to watch a movie rather than read a novel, but when you read, you can visualize the characters and events in your head. Novels give more information but can also let your mind wonder. In movies, things aren’t usually just given to you like they are in a novel and can lead to confusion. After viewing a film based on a novel I always say that the book was better. Just ask Twilight fans! According to my sister, a Twilight fanatic, the book was certainly better than the film because it was more detailed. Directors always leave things out of the movie that was in the book, and sometimes add unnecessary details or scenes. I had not read the books, but saw the first two movies, and thought they were pretty good, but from everyone that had read the books; I heard that the books were at least 10 times better!
Part 2:
I completely agree with Lexi Fontana that thinking outside the box and analyzing deeply will get you far in life. Thinking critically will help you to succeed in the work force. But before getting a good job, college is necessary most of the time. In many colleges you can become an expert at thinking critically. Many of these places study films for an entire semester. Before you know it, you will notice things in every movie you watch that you never would have before. This helps you to think critically in the real world situations. Many professions require such thinking and good ideas/strategies that sell more of the product.
I also agree that analyzing films is enjoyable. It helps the viewer realize why certain things are the way they are in certain scenes of a film. For instance, why music speeds up when something dramatic happens or why the actors/actresses are dressed/styled the way they are. It helps you to appreciate all the work film makers go through. Every little detail is thought about and planned, even hidden meanings. It’s no surprise to me that one film can take over a year to complete.
I would have to strongly disagree with Brian Kribell. Thinking critically is absolutely important for the future and in order to succeed. I find it very fun to do in English class and makes complete sense, especially when universities devote entire semesters to film deconstruction. We are in college bound English, so we do things deeper than grammar and novels. Don’t get me wrong, those things are important but sometimes we need to study in different ways every now and then to become more aware and to prevent “senioritis”. It also helps us to learn when we study things that we are interested in, such as films. I find it very beneficial to analyze and probe at things in films. I disagree that films are not enjoyable when thinking deeply about why things are the way they are in a film. Thinking isn’t always boring and strenuous. You will get the message of the director more easily and it will benefit you.
I agree with Katelyn Christensen saying how watching movies analytically is not as enjoyable because you become so wrapped up in a single detail that you neglect to soak up the overall meaning of the movie. Especially if it is a movie you have never seen, trying to analyze every detail from the camara angles to the soundtrack can overpower what the movie is actually about. I think it is best to watch the movie through one time to enjoy it and understand the overall plot, characters, and major details. Watching it analytically the second or third time is a little better. I also agree with the fact that you do not necessarily have to watch a movie either analytically or just for enjoyment. I think a lot of people, including me, do not realize that they are actually analyzing the movie a little bit while they enjoy it. You can be analyzing it by thinking about how things tie together or some hidden jokes or references within. Another thing I agree with is how some movies are just that simple and are more for entertainment. Others are more in-depth that are easier to analyze. Movies like She’s The Man are easier to analyze because they have a lot more to them like women versus men conflict. In this movie, the girl’s soccer team gets cut, whereas the guy’s does not. There are some movies, like scary movies, that do not have a whole lot to analyze. Some movies are just made to entertain and are not very in-depth or well thought out. I think it is good to have both types. I enjoy them both, depending on what kind of mood I am in.
Katie Lindner pd.7
part 2
I would have to agree with Megan Short. Writing analytically about a film is very important. It is important I think because, if you just watch a movie you miss a lot of important stuff that is going on in the movie. But if you analyze the movie you get the big picture. You see every little detail on why the camera is like that or why can I only see that one person. I mean who does not like to just watch a movie and just relax and enjoy their time, I do. But other times if I really get into a good movie I watch it critically to get more enjoyment to get the “big” picture and get the full meaning of the movie, and what is really going on. Directors never just put a random object or person, there is always a meaning for every little thing in a movie.
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