Dialogue Film

The Sound of Music Film Review

Julie Andrews stars in the classic musical movie, The Sound of Music (1965).  Andrews plays Maria, a woman struggling in her attempts to be a nun in an Austrian convent.  When Captain Georg Von Trapp writes to the convent in search of a woman who will be able to handle his 7 children, who have gotten rid of every other governess the Captain has hired.  Maria is given the job and heads to the Von Trapp home to care for the children whose mother has died.  Captain Von Trapp runs his home very strictly, and the children at first attempt to run off Maria as they have with everyone else, but Maria is different from the others.  Her fun personality and ability to relate to the children leads them to love her and embrace her as the governess.  Maria brings the entire family happiness, drawing them together.  Captain Von Trapp, too, becomes closer to his children and a happier man.  A conflict arrises as Captain Von Trapp, who is seeing the Baroness, and Maria, who is still technically a nun, begin to fall in love.  To avoid it, Maria runs back to the convent, and both the Captain and his children miss her dearly.  While she is gone, however, the Captain becomes engaged to the Baroness.  Back at the Convent, the reverend mother tells Maria to return to the Von Trapp home and face her problems.  When Maria returns, the Captain admits to the Baroness that he is in love with Maria, and the engagement is called off.  Maria and Captain Von Trapp are married, but when he is summoned by Nazi's to serve in their navy.  In an attempt to escape the Nazi's, the Von Trapp family is forced to leave Austria and walk to Switzerland.

The Sound of Music is a wonderful movie and story.  The cinematography is fantastic and shows beautiful scenery from the beginning with Maria singing in the hills of the convent.  Additionally, both the acting and singing are incredibly impressive.  The Sound of Music is a movie that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Napoleon Dynamite Film Review

Napoleon Dynamite is a high school boy with a strange set of talents and goals.  Living in a small town in Idaho, he's even weirder than everyone else.  A participant in the "Happy Hands" club and an avid lover of Ligers, Napoleon lives with his older brother, and online dater, Kip, and his grandmother.  Not to mention his pet llama.  When Napoleon's grandmother is injured while riding ATV's in the sand dunes, Napoleon's stuck-in-the-past uncle, Rico, arrives to take her place.  During Napoleon's high school experience, he meets friends such as the new transfer student, Pedro, and the boondoggle-selling Debb.  Napoleon Dynamite goes through a few awkward months of Napoleon's high school, from his asking the school hottie, Trish to Prom, to helping Pedro in his attempt to win the class president election against the popular Summer.  It also shows the side stories of Kip and his on-line girlfriend, La Fonda, and Uncle Rico's life stuck in the past and his attempts to become successful now.  Napoleon Dynamite may sound like a plot-driven movie:  it is not.  The plot, while hilarious to most, is really not why one might watch Napoleon Dynamite.  One watches it for the creative making of the film.  The opening credits are in various types of food and notebooks, in an incredibly imaginative way.  Additionally, the dialogue and acting of Napoleon Dynamite are hilarious.  Each character has a very unique voice and personality.  After watching the movie, one can immediately recognize the "Napoleon voice", the "Kip", and of course Pedro's famous line of "vote for Pedro".  Napoleon Dynamite is a surprisingly well-made and artistically shot film that will, to this viewer at least, never get old.

Modern Silent Film Questions

Questions for blog posting:
1) What differences do you see in traditional silent films and films of today?

Traditional silent films generally do not have any sound coming from the movie at all other than music, but today's films had some start.
2) Which do you prefer?

I like both for different reasons.  I think that modern films, such as Momentos and Nuit Blanchet are really cool with their newer technology, and I can relate to them more, but I also love the traditional silent films such as Charlie Chaplin.  I think that because I'm used to such faster paced movies, I prefer watching modern silent films.
3) How will you use these differences in your own work?

I originally thought that I wanted to make a traditional silent film, but after watching these films, I'm going to think about it more and make a better decision of what I should choose.

Georges Melies

Answer the following questions in a blog post:
1) What did you notice/learn about Melies' style?
Melies' style is very different and strange, which makes it really cool.  He likes to have supernatural characters and magic.
2) Were there consistent elements in his films? What were they?
One really consistent element was his use of camera tricks, or special effects.  Melies really knew how to use the camera to make things look magical, which was especially impressive for the time he was making films in.
3) Did you enjoy his films? Which ones? Why?
Yes, I really enjoyed how creative and clever all of his films are.  Everything that happens is totally unexpected.  I specifically enjoyed The One Man Band - 1900  and The Prolific Magical Egg - 1902.  Both of those films had really cool effects and I imagine that seeing those when they originally came out was really amazing.
4) What will you take away with you from watching these films?
I'm really impressed with how well Melies used the camera and could have such cool effects, especially because film was so new.  I will take away a big appreciation Melies' innovation and creativity.

Hoosiers Film Review

Hoosiers, starring Gene Hackman, is the story of the underdog team, the Hickory Huskies, in their journey to the state championship basketball game in Indiana.  Shot in 1986, the true events of the film take place in 1952.  After the small farm town of Hickory, Indiana loses it's basketball coach, Coach Norman Dale enters the scene in an effort to improve the team's technical skills, and truly teach the boys how to play basketball.  Coach Dale makes some controversial decisions, such as bringing the town drunk, Shooter, onto the coaching staff.  The stubborn town is not keen for change, and with less success than anticipated, thanks in large part to the missing star of the team, Jimmy, Coach Dale is put up for review for the town council.  Jimmy saves Coach Dale's job as he promises to play, but only if Coach stays.  With Jimmy back on the team, and Coach Dale's efforts finally paying off, the Hickory Huskies suddenly become wildly successful and progress towards the state championship.

This is not just a story of a basketball team, but it includes the romance of Coach Dale and Ms. Fleener, Jimmy's care taker and a teacher at the school.  It also tells the story of Shooter, who rises up from his poor habits as the town drunk to help coach the team, and fix his relationship with his son.  As the preacher alludes in the pre game pep talk before the state championship, this is the story of David and Goliath, which gives us hope that the underdog always has a chance.

Because the film was shot in the 80's, it is not quite as artistically made as one made today, but the film angles and lighting is very good.  Additionally, the basketball was staged very well, and captured well on screen with much of it in slow motion so we can see what's really going on.

Overall, I absolutely enjoyed the film.  It was a very inspirational story, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes sports movies, or the classic "underdog" films.  It can certainly be enjoyed by people of all ages, and is worth a watch.

The Artist Critique

1) Describe the film.
The Artist is a black and white silent film set in the late 1920's and 1930's.  It is the story of a silent film star, George Valentin, who goes from being on top of Hollywood to being in bankruptcy.  While he's on top, George meets Peppy Miller, a woman who goes from being a nobody to rising to the top as "talkies" become the new big thing.  The two obviously have a connection from the time they meet, and as George crashes and burns (literally), Peppy helps lift him back up as the two discover the next big thing of being a tap dancing duo.
2) How is the story driven?  By the characters or plot?
The story is driven by both characters and plot.  Because the film was silent, the main focus was simply on their ability to act with their facial expressions and body language.  George and Peppy were extremely lovable characters without even having to speak.  In that way, the story was character driven; however, it was also the plot of their story that drove the film.  I was constantly wondering when George and Peppy would get together and how their story would play out.  Additionally, the story took a turn as George entered a depression.  I enjoyed the movie not only because it had great plot, but also because I loved the characters.
3) Talk about the cinematography.  How was the use of lighting, acting, camera angles scene development used to help enhance the film?
Filming the movie in black and white was very effective.  I especially enjoyed the beginning when the point of view switched between people watching a film, and George behind the screen, and actually seeing the film.  That really created a good idea of what watching a film in the late 1920's was like.  The film looked old fashioned while at the same time using modern technology and seeming modern in that way.
4) What was you favorite scene from the film?  Why? Describe the scene as well as how it was shot.
My favorite scenes were when Peppy first comes to the set of George's movie and they do the tap dancing sequence back and forth.  There is such anticipation for when they will actually see and recognize each other as they are separated by that screen.  Additionally, I love the way the scene when Peppy is racing to George's house and he is contemplating killing himself was shot.  Specifically, I was really impressed with the scene when George has the gun pointed up his mouth, and there is a screen that says BANG!, but then shows that it was actually Peppy crashing the car and rushing into see George.  The fact that that scene was silent made it even more suspenseful.
5) What is the experience of watching a silent film like? How does it relate to watching a "talkie"?
Watching a silent film makes you focus more on the film.  Sometimes when I'm watching a "talkie", I do other things and don't pay attention because I'm "listening" to it (when in reality I'm just not focused on it).  I was surprised at how much I felt like I actually got to know the characters, despite the lack of dialogue.  The experience is similar to watching a "talkie" for that reason: you still love the characters, and follow everything that is going on with them.
6) Would you encourage others to view the film?  Why or why not?
I would definitely encourage others to view The Artist.  I did not think that I would really enjoy watching a silent film because I thought it would be boring, but I was very pleasantly surprised with how much I loved it.  I think it was a great story and it made me appreciate the time period and the simplicity of watching a silent film.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Fiml Review

Film Review 1

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third movie in the Harry Potter series.  Famous for being "the boy who lived", the orphaned Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for his third year.  With Sirius Black on the loose, Harry is at risk for being attacked by one of the darkest wizards in the history of the wizarding world.  The plot thickens as Harry finds out that although he was the cause of Harry's parent's death, Sirius was his father's best friend, and remains his own Godfather.  To protect the castle, Hogwarts becomes home to dementors, who suck the happiness and souls out of anyone they plant their "kiss" on.  With Sirius on the loose, and the constant fear of dementors, Harry learns in his divination class about the dark omens facing his near future, and learns how to fight off dementors from his Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin (who happens to be a werewolf).  After seeing Hagrid (Harry's friend, and the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher)'s pet hippogriph, Buckbeak innocently killed, Harry's real adventure begins with his best friends Ron and Hermione by his side.  After Ron is carried off by a wild dog, Hermione and Harry chase them, only to find out that the dog is none other than Sirius Black, who is actually innocent of causing Lilly and James Potter's death.  In fact, it was Peter Petigrew, who has been in hiding as Ron's pet rat, Scabbers.  When the full moon is revealed, and Lupin turns into a werewolf, chaos ensues as Pettigrew escapes, and Harry and Sirius are attacked by Dementors but are saved by who Harry believes to be his father.  Sirius is captured and is set to have his soul sucked out until the ever-wise Albus Dumbledore comes to the rescue with the idea of turning back the time.  Harry and Hermione go back in time to try to save two innocent lives and uncover the mystery of who really saved Harry and Sirius.  Because this is a film in a series, both character development and plot line were extremely important.  The series shows Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they mature each year, as was evident in the film.  Additionally, Harry's discovery of his Godfather and other discoveries about his parent's past adds to the plot of the entire series.

Not only was the story in The Prisoner of Azkaban impressive, and incredibly entertaining, but also the cinematography was outstanding.  One of the most entertaining scenes was at the beginning, when out of anger, Harry turns Aunt Marge into an inflating woman, who continuously expands and floats away into the sunset as Harry leaves his aunt and uncle's house.  Additionally, the filming of all of the flying and scenery around the castle is amazing.  And, of course, the special effects are outstanding to show all of the magic.  The lighting also added a lot to the film.  One prominent example is whenever the dementors come, the lighting is very dark, and all happiness is gone from the scene.  The cinematography in The Prisoner of Azkaban is quite possibly the best of all of the movies in the series.

Finally, my overall opinion of the film is very positive.  Although I may be biased because I love the books, it is not only the story that I love.  The film was beautifully shot, and although the plot was the main focus of the film, the cinematography greatly enhanced the film.  I would most certainly recommend this film to people of all ages for it's excellent plot and good use of lighting and angles.

Short Film Blow Out

Two Men
1.  In 50 words or less tell what the film was about.
The film is about why you never stop two men running down the street.  It goes in to all of the different scenarios that run through a man's head about why they could be running, and you never stop them because you just never know.
2.  What was more important/memorable/significant?  The plot or the characters?  Why?
I think that the plot was more significant because we didn't really get to know the characters.  It was the message that was more important because it was told us about the type of life they lead and could have applied to anyone.
3.  What did you take away from the film?
I took away the understanding that some things aren't for us to judge, because we never really know why someone is doing what they're doing.  If you try to stop them, you could be making a mistake.

Tokyo Glow
1.  In 50 words or less tell what the film was about.
The film is about the fast pace life in Tokyo, but shows the light man from a crosswalk sign slowly walking through it all, wearing all white.  It ends with him seeing the light up girl from the ladies bathroom sign, he pauses, and it ends.
2.  What was more important/memorable/significant?  The plot or the characters?  Why?
I think that the plot is more important because the character (the crosswalk man) is mostly important because he shows the slower pace of how fast the world around it is going.  The message is mainly about how fast the world around us is moving.
3.  What did you take away from the film?
The world around us moves incredibly fast, and it's important to slow down and appreciate the beauty of everything around us.  It has a very dream-like feel because it shows the light-up man walking around the city.

Short Film Critiques

10 Minutes Critique 

1) Provide a brief description of the film.

The film is about the events of 10 minutes in two people's lives.  While one Japanese man is traveling through Italy 

and waits 10 minutes for his photographs to be developed, a young boy's life is turned around.  Memo's story begins in his family's apartment, where his busy mother is trying to make dinner and comfort a crying baby.  Just as his father comes home, Memo leaves to do the seemingly simple task of getting water for his family's dinner.  On his way out he sees a man who is angry with him for not having parts that Memo promised him, and talks to two soldiers who are casually playing checkers.  Suddenly, an explosion goes off, and Memo runs back to his apartment to find his family.  The man who was originally upset with him turns around and tries to protect Memo from seeing the tragedy that has just occurred; the murder of his parents.  The film ends with the first Japanese man receiving his photographs, showing him with his family.

22) What is the overall tone or mood of the film?

While the film starts off seeming light and casual in Italy, as shown by the bright colors and Italian music, as soon as the perspective switches to Memo's story in Bosnia, the mood immediately changes.  Memo's apartment feels chaotic with a crying baby and busy mother, and the color is much colder.  There are moments of happiness, such as when Memo sees his father and talks to the soldiers, but the overlaying feeling is tense.  As soon as the bombing and shooting begins, the film takes a much more tense feeling while Memo rushes back to find his family dead, and the tone and mood are tense and dark.  Although the film switches back to the light Italy shot, the viewer is left feeling the tragedy that occurred in such a short time.

  3) How does the dialog influence the film?

The dialogue is important to the plot of the film; however, I don't think it has a very big effect on the ultimate message and mood of the film.

  4) In what ways does the cinematography affect the film?

The cinematography contributes to the contrasts of the two story lines.  The story in Bosnia took place in one single shot, which makes it seem like more realistic because there's no editing or effects, just the raw story being told.

  5) What scene or part of a scene do you like the best? Why?

My favorite part is when Memo is having the light conversation with the soldiers because it shows how they try to be happy and have fun even in dismal situations and it shows how Memo interacts with others.

  6) What is your opinion of the film?

I think this is a fantastic film.  It shows how much someone's life can change in 10 minutes, while someone else enjoys such a light experience.  It puts life into perspective in a short film which really impressed me.

New Boy Critique

     1) Provide a brief description of the film.

New Boy tells the story of Joseph, an African immigrant to Ireland who struggles to fit in and is bullied.  As he goes to his new school, he has flashbacks of his life and school in Africa, including his Father being taken away by soldiers.  Through finding a common ground of laughing at the teacher, Joseph is able to laugh with the boys who had previously bullied him, and for the first time in Ireland, we see him smile as the film ends.

       2) What is the overall tone or mood of the film?

The film has an overall feeling of starting over and accepting things that have happened.  At first, Joseph has happy memories of his past and appears to miss it.  As he is bullied and remembers the day his father was taken away, we see the struggles Joseph has gone through.  Finally, at the end, when Joseph and the other boys are able to bond and laugh together, we see a flashback of him laughing with his father, but rather than being sad that he is away from him in Ireland, we see him smile.  During the film, the mood was a little tense, but as it ends, Joseph's grin leaves the film with an overall happy mood.

       3) How does the dialog influence the film?

The dialog in New Boy seems to be more influential in this film than in 10 minutes because we can hear the comments from the boys at Joseph's new school and their racist remarks.  These are important because they make the audience more sympathetic to Joseph and elicit memories for Joseph to reflect on.

       4) In what ways does the cinematography affect the film?

The cinematography adds to the overall happy mood of the film.  The colors are warm, especially in Africa, and the angles help us to really see Joseph's point of view in coming to a completely new place.

       5) What scene or part of a scene do you like the best? Why?

My favorite scene at the very end when the little girl is sassy to the teacher, and Joseph finally has a bonding moment with the boys and says one of the only words he says in Ireland to make fun of the teacher.  My favorite moment is the final shot when we see him smiling and laughing.

       6) What is your opinion of the film?

I think the film is really well made and tells a good story of how hard it is to start new, especially in Joseph's case.  I also like how it shows children's ability to make friends with someone who you previously considered an enemy as soon as they find one thing in common.

Glory at Sea Critique
1) Provide a brief description of the film.
The film starts underwater after a hurricane and is narrated by a little girl who is under the water but is still alive.  It shows the bodies of people underwater, but they're still living.  One man is pulled out of the water after being shown with his girlfriend and ends up on land in the town of all of the people who were under the water.  In the town, everything is destroyed, including all of the people who have lost loved ones.  The man wakes up in the town but never gives up hope of finding the woman he loves.  To return to sea and find her, the man starts building a ship, and through word of mouth, people slowly begin to join him and bring something lucky that they think will help them find the one they've lost.  Although the preacher is at first skeptical, he realizes that those people who were lost are like his children, and he joins them as well.  At sea, the boat eventually begins to sink directly over where the lost bodies are, and each person is reunited with the person they were hoping to find.  The film is an abstract view of the hurricane.
2) What is the overall tone or mood of the film?
Although one might assume that a film about a hurricane would be dark and depressing, Glory at Sea takes a very hopeful and positive tone.  The people never give up hope that their boat will take them to their loved ones, and although it is unclear what happens after they find them, there is a settling feeling of joy at their reunion.
3) How does the dialog influence the film?
The dialog (specifically the narration) has a big influence on the film.  The film is narrated by a girl who is underwater, who almost has an omniscient view and knows everything that is happening both on land and under water.  At the end, she quotes her dad saying that the reason their boat sunk directly over her was because God helped it.  This is one of the main reasons that the film as a whole takes a positive tone and ends happily.
4) In what ways does the cinematography affect the film?
The cinematography is really important to the film.  The filming underwater is especially impressive, and influences the mood of the film.  Sometimes the people look like they are dead, but as soon as the people are reunited, they seem to come alive again.  The shots of the wreckage are also very important to the film.
5) What scene or part of a scene do you like the best? Why?
My favorite scene is when the people from land are reunited with those underwater.  Although I'm not sure if that means that they all died or what exactly happened, it seems like it doesn't matter.  They have joyful reunions and seem to be happy which seems to be most important.
6) What is your opinion of the film?
I think that the film is a really interesting viewpoint of the hurricane, and although it is pretty strange, I like it because it has a joyful outlook on the afterlife.

First Film Studies Post

Top 3 Films
1.  The Harry Potter films are all some of my favorite movies.  I'm drawn to them not only because I love the books, but also because they are so visually impressive.  The way that magic is shown has always really captured my attention because it all looks and feels so real.  There are people flying, ghosts roaming the halls, talking portraits, 3-headed dogs, giants, huge spiders, and so many more ridiculous creatures that all suddenly become real.  The story, characters, and visual effects all appeal to me.

2.  I recently saw War Horse, and while it may not have been one of my favorite movies of all time, it was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time.  First, I really enjoyed how the story was told through the horse's journey.  It showed the perspective of the war through both sides, and by the end I felt sympathy for the soldiers of both sides.  I also loved how visually stimulating the movie was.  When it could have simply shown a horse walking across the countryside, it instead showed an entire hillside at sunset with the most beautiful colors and a boy riding a horse across.  Not only was it a great story, but it was filmed extremely well.
3.  One of the first movies I remember watching and loving when I was little is The Santa Clause.  It sounds silly now to say that it is one of my top 3 films, but it has stuck with me since the first time I saw it.  Certain images associated with it still come to mind when I think of Christmas.  One of the most appealing aspects of this movie is the soundtrack.  It is almost entirely instrumental, but to this day, I can recognize the music and the exact part of the movie that it was played, and it still gives me that excited Christmas feeling that it did when I was little.  I think that the reason this film is so appealing to me is not only that it's funny and about my favorite holiday, but also because the music, story, and effects are all so magical to me.  It might not be one of those award-winning movies in history, but for me it will always be a favorite.

What I hope to learn in Film Studies
I love making movies, and have always made all of our class videos and our ASB videos for assemblies, but I would really like to learn how to make those better.  I also hope to be able to become a better critic of films by watching a lot of great movies because watching movies is one of my favorite activities.

Types of films I'm interested in making, why, and how
I'm not interested in making a particular type of film, but I'm mostly interested in just learning how to make any kind of film.  I want to be able to put together a good, creative, well-edited film about anything I need to in the future.  I have always had to just make short movies that follow a simple plot, which I really enjoy and would like to get better at, but I'm interested in making any type of movie.