Sunday, August 21, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Stagecoach/Unforgiven/True Grit Comparison
One element that True Grit and Stagecoach share is the use of violence simply for the sake of violence. The battle scene between the cowboys and Indians in Stagecoach is full of action, but there is never any real explanation as to why the Indians are attacking the stagecoach. In True Grit, one of the most violent scenes involves cutting off a man's fingers, then showing them lying on the table surrounded by blood. There does not seem to be any purpose for this action in the film. In addition, Stagecoach really emphasizes the setting of the film by using wide shots of the desert and hills. This typical element of Westerns is used in True Grit too. As LaBoeuf prepares to shoot some men at the bottom of a hill, the camera shows the entire setting and the open nature around it. Finally, the storyline of True Grit involves Mattie seeking the man who killed her father in order to have him arrested and killed; but she is determined to make it clear that this is the reason he will be executed. A traditional Western involves characters seeking to follow their own morals. Mattie wants Chaney killed for her own specific reasons, regardless of what other crimes he is accused of. This is also true with Ringo's character in Stagecoach. Ringo helps the riders on the Stagecoach fight off the Indians even though they are the people arresting him. He does not care about what the social norms might be: he simply wants to do what he believes is right.
Unforgiven is a revisionist Western because it takes place in a time period where the frontier is becoming more explored and less wild. The characters in this film are not typical for traditional Westerns. For example, Will has a family and lives a quiet life, whereas the traditional Western hero lives a life full of adventure and danger and acts independently. Mattie in True Grit is also not a typical character for a Western. As a 14-year-old girl, it is unusual that she is the hero of the story. In addition, the characters in both True Grit and Unforgiven are multi-dimentional. We see many different sides to Will throughout Unforgiven; when Ned is killed, Will is very sad and a more sensitive, emotional side of him is shown, but when he finally goes to shoot the owner of the bar, he comes across as aggressive and dangerous. In True Grit the audience learns a lot about Mattie's character and background, making her feel more three-dimentional.
In my opinion, True Grit more closely resembles a traditional Western than a revisionist Western. Though Mattie is a more revisionist character, Rooster fits the role of the traditional Western hero. He is reluctant to go on the trip with Mattie at first, he is not "respectable" in society but well respected in the frontier, and he is violent for no reason. In addition, though characters in True Grit have some dimension, their character development is not very important towards the plot. The storyline is more about the adventure. Finally, the setting is a very important part of True Grit. There are many beautiful scenes of the desert and woods, and the part where Mattie falls into the pit with the snake emphasizes the danger of the West, something that is always present in classic Westerns.
Unforgiven is a revisionist Western because it takes place in a time period where the frontier is becoming more explored and less wild. The characters in this film are not typical for traditional Westerns. For example, Will has a family and lives a quiet life, whereas the traditional Western hero lives a life full of adventure and danger and acts independently. Mattie in True Grit is also not a typical character for a Western. As a 14-year-old girl, it is unusual that she is the hero of the story. In addition, the characters in both True Grit and Unforgiven are multi-dimentional. We see many different sides to Will throughout Unforgiven; when Ned is killed, Will is very sad and a more sensitive, emotional side of him is shown, but when he finally goes to shoot the owner of the bar, he comes across as aggressive and dangerous. In True Grit the audience learns a lot about Mattie's character and background, making her feel more three-dimentional.
In my opinion, True Grit more closely resembles a traditional Western than a revisionist Western. Though Mattie is a more revisionist character, Rooster fits the role of the traditional Western hero. He is reluctant to go on the trip with Mattie at first, he is not "respectable" in society but well respected in the frontier, and he is violent for no reason. In addition, though characters in True Grit have some dimension, their character development is not very important towards the plot. The storyline is more about the adventure. Finally, the setting is a very important part of True Grit. There are many beautiful scenes of the desert and woods, and the part where Mattie falls into the pit with the snake emphasizes the danger of the West, something that is always present in classic Westerns.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Film Analysis
Clip E
Because this clip is of a conversation between two people, the 180 degrees rule is used. When a shot of the musician is being shown, the audience sees the left side of his face, and when a shot of the priest is being shown, we see more of the right side of his face. This helps the audience keep track of the characters and understand that they are looking at and talking to each other. The primary light source in this clip is from a window behind the musician, so backlighting is used to illuminate him. A cut takes place between a scene of the musician at his piano and an opera singer performing, but there is a graphic relation between these scenes because we see the conductor at the opera begin conducting, and the musician from the original scene finishing conducting after the second cut. This also demonstrates Kuleshov's effect because we make the conection in our minds that the conductor is the same person as the musician.
Clip A
This clip includes two separate scenes of people sitting around a table and playing poker. Because they are all talking to each other, the 180 degrees rule is taken into account to make it clear which characters are talking to each other so it is easier to follow the conversation. In addition, they are usually talking about the game, and to emphasize the poker chips and cards on the table, a low angle is used when directed at the characters. The sound is all diegetic, so the music in the background is the music being played at the bar, and the sounds of cards and chips being placed on the table reflect what's happening in the film. Finally, there is an interesting transition where we first see Brad Pitt at the table and then the shot cuts to him at the bar. The eyeline match emphasizes this character and his personality and behavior at the bar.
Clip B
All the music and sound in this clip is diegetic because it is the music being played by the carousel, even though it feels like background music. There is a graphic relation between the conductor of the carousel being shot, the wheel of the carousel getting faster and the carousel itself speeding up. Even though we see these things in three separate shots, we understand that they are related. While the carousel is turning quickly and the fighting is taking place, the rhythmic relations with the quick editing and many cuts add to the chaos and hectic feel of the clip. When the woman falls, a low angle shows the man who pushed her, emphasizing that he is the powerful, dangerous character, but because the woman is closest to the camera and the man is in the background, following the rule of thirds, the audience understands that she is the victim. Compositional stress is used in this clip when certain characters are leaning off the edge of the carousel, or when there is a close up of the horse's face. This imbalance makes the audience nervous and adds to the suspenseful tone of the clip.
Clip C
The most significant element of this clip is the editing, and the way the cuts emphasize the contrast between the investigators outside and the strange events inside. The shots are all very similar in leingth, creating a rythmic relation between the two events. When we first see one of the inside shots, it is an extreme close-up of the main character with a bug on his face; a shot that already makes the audience uncomfortable and allows us to see how strage the character is. The hard lighting in the inside shots, as well as the loud music contrast sharply with the soft, bright, outdoor lighting and lack of music in the outdoor shots. There are many variations on the types of shots used. Both the indoor and outdoor scenes utilize long shots to show the unique settings, but medium and close-up shots are used as well during the shots that are meant to focus our attention on the characters.
Because this clip is of a conversation between two people, the 180 degrees rule is used. When a shot of the musician is being shown, the audience sees the left side of his face, and when a shot of the priest is being shown, we see more of the right side of his face. This helps the audience keep track of the characters and understand that they are looking at and talking to each other. The primary light source in this clip is from a window behind the musician, so backlighting is used to illuminate him. A cut takes place between a scene of the musician at his piano and an opera singer performing, but there is a graphic relation between these scenes because we see the conductor at the opera begin conducting, and the musician from the original scene finishing conducting after the second cut. This also demonstrates Kuleshov's effect because we make the conection in our minds that the conductor is the same person as the musician.
Clip A
This clip includes two separate scenes of people sitting around a table and playing poker. Because they are all talking to each other, the 180 degrees rule is taken into account to make it clear which characters are talking to each other so it is easier to follow the conversation. In addition, they are usually talking about the game, and to emphasize the poker chips and cards on the table, a low angle is used when directed at the characters. The sound is all diegetic, so the music in the background is the music being played at the bar, and the sounds of cards and chips being placed on the table reflect what's happening in the film. Finally, there is an interesting transition where we first see Brad Pitt at the table and then the shot cuts to him at the bar. The eyeline match emphasizes this character and his personality and behavior at the bar.
Clip B
All the music and sound in this clip is diegetic because it is the music being played by the carousel, even though it feels like background music. There is a graphic relation between the conductor of the carousel being shot, the wheel of the carousel getting faster and the carousel itself speeding up. Even though we see these things in three separate shots, we understand that they are related. While the carousel is turning quickly and the fighting is taking place, the rhythmic relations with the quick editing and many cuts add to the chaos and hectic feel of the clip. When the woman falls, a low angle shows the man who pushed her, emphasizing that he is the powerful, dangerous character, but because the woman is closest to the camera and the man is in the background, following the rule of thirds, the audience understands that she is the victim. Compositional stress is used in this clip when certain characters are leaning off the edge of the carousel, or when there is a close up of the horse's face. This imbalance makes the audience nervous and adds to the suspenseful tone of the clip.
Clip C
The most significant element of this clip is the editing, and the way the cuts emphasize the contrast between the investigators outside and the strange events inside. The shots are all very similar in leingth, creating a rythmic relation between the two events. When we first see one of the inside shots, it is an extreme close-up of the main character with a bug on his face; a shot that already makes the audience uncomfortable and allows us to see how strage the character is. The hard lighting in the inside shots, as well as the loud music contrast sharply with the soft, bright, outdoor lighting and lack of music in the outdoor shots. There are many variations on the types of shots used. Both the indoor and outdoor scenes utilize long shots to show the unique settings, but medium and close-up shots are used as well during the shots that are meant to focus our attention on the characters.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Best Picture Nominees
True Grit:
-Open ending where the goal isn't achieved
-Violence was not overwhelming but effective for the genre
-Still enjoyable despite being a Western
Toy Story 3:
-Too many "sad" scenes
-Incinerator scene was surprisingly scary (though you knew they'd be okay)
-New characters at the day care were fun
The King's Speech:
-Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter were great
-I liked how it focused in on the king's stutter
-The relationship between the king and speech therapist was a little overdone
Inception:
-Typical blockbuster action movie
-The open ending was great and unexpected in American movies
-Ellen Page's character was a cheating way of getting info to the audience
Winter's Bone:
-Bleak, surreal setting
-The lawlessness and violence was dark and shocking
-A truely artistic film; not meant to make a lot of money or be just for entertainment
The Social Network:
-Flashbacks from the court scenes were annoying but effective
-Makes you sympathise with every character/see their good and bad sides
-Storyline is interesting because it is relevant
1. The King's Speech - Though this film comes across in many ways as another film about royalty and how their lives aren't perfect, it is different in the way that it focuses on one specific topic: the king's stutter. If it had been a film about the king's life, for example, it wouldn't have been nearly as interesting. By focusing on such a specific item the moviemakers were able to concentrate on artistic elements instead of necessary story elements, like the bleakness of the speech therapist's office. In addition, there is a reason they keep making films about royalty; they're usually very good. Colin Firth did a great job as the king by acting in soubtle ways to reflect his quiet but internally struggling character. Also, it is nice to see Helena Bonham Carter playing something other than a dark fantasy movie character. The one element that felt overdone was the relationship between the king and speech therapist. I would have prefered if the film focused on the king himself. Though this movie isn't perfect, it was slightly more interesting than the other Oscar nominees, which is why I ranked it first. None of the movies were perfect, but this film had the most going for it.
2. True Grit - I was worried about seeing this film because I do not do well with graphic violence, but the violence in this film was effective and appropriately reflected the Western genre. However, the film was a modern twist on the typical Western film in that the hero or protagonist is a fourteen-year-old girl and she never fully achieves her goal in the end. If it had been a straightforward, cliched Western film, it wouldn't have been so enjoyable. The focus on the characters rather than the storyline made the film more relatable despite the setting being a while ago. I really liked how this film was an enjoyable Western (a term I usually consider an oxymoron) and if I could, I would tie it as #1 with The King's Speech.
3. Winter's Bone - What I liked most about this movie is that it is not the typical blockbuster, meant solely to entertain and make money, kind of film. Instead, it was meant to be truely artistic, with the focus being on a virtually unknown part of America and the struggles that exist there. The storyline is meant to inform the audience and to make them think about a world where everyone is virtually cut off from the rest of civilization. The setting was very bleak, with every scene consisting of dark, grey colors, making the film feel like something was bound to go wrong, and there were bound to be secrets hidden everywhere. This was exactly the case. Because of its unique topic and how well the cinematic elements fit with this topic and storyline, this was a very effective film. Overall, this film isn't extremely captivating but its artistic, unconventional style made it stand out. For this reason, it has a higher ranking.
4. The Social Network - This movie captivated my interest because the topic is relevant. The creation of Facebook seems like a boring idea for a story, but because Facebook has become part of so many people's daily routines, it is automatically interesting to see how it began. In order to keep the pacing interesting, the film takes place in flashbacks, which I found annoying since I was much more interested in the creation of Facebook than the court cases, but I can see how this made for a more captivating movie, since the flashbacks created some improvised action for an otherwise slow storyline. Another decision that was made to compensate for the slow plot was how in depth every character was. Every character had some flaws and some strengths, so the audience understood and sympathized with each one. However, the flashbacks and slower storyline cause this movie to land somewhere in the middle of my rankings.
5. Inception - This film seems to be in a different category than the last four movies because it is the most like a typical, blockbuster action movie. It uses less of the artistic choices than the other four movies and focuses instead on special effects to captivate the audience. Though the concept of traveling into dreams is confusing, the film sort of used a shortcut to explain it with Ellen Page's character; because her character was new to the team, she would automatically need the concept explained to her, thus making it easy for the moviemakes to explain the concept to the audience. The one moment where this film most strayed from the typical action movie was with its open-ended last scene, where we never learn if the totem will fall. I liked this ending because it provoked, if somewhat shallow, discussion. This film is lower on my list because, overall, it comes across as another action movie, created by Hollywood for the sole purpose of making money.
6. Toy Story 3 - This was definitely a cute children's movie, but I did not see much significance beyond that. Instead, it felt fake- like the "sad" scenes were used as an easy way of appealing to an audience. In addition, there were way to many of these "sad" scenes. One conclusive, somewhat sappy ending would have been enough. However, the scene where the toys are almost burned in the incenerator was over the top and pushing it for a children's movie which, strangely enough, I enjoyed. The highlight of the film for me was the new toys and their fun personalities, but these characters were overpowered by the annoying depressing scenes, which I have already complained about enough. This film lacked the element I most enjoy in children's movies, which are fun, silly, colorful, and happy characters and storylines, which is why it lands last on my list.
-Open ending where the goal isn't achieved
-Violence was not overwhelming but effective for the genre
-Still enjoyable despite being a Western
Toy Story 3:
-Too many "sad" scenes
-Incinerator scene was surprisingly scary (though you knew they'd be okay)
-New characters at the day care were fun
The King's Speech:
-Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter were great
-I liked how it focused in on the king's stutter
-The relationship between the king and speech therapist was a little overdone
Inception:
-Typical blockbuster action movie
-The open ending was great and unexpected in American movies
-Ellen Page's character was a cheating way of getting info to the audience
Winter's Bone:
-Bleak, surreal setting
-The lawlessness and violence was dark and shocking
-A truely artistic film; not meant to make a lot of money or be just for entertainment
The Social Network:
-Flashbacks from the court scenes were annoying but effective
-Makes you sympathise with every character/see their good and bad sides
-Storyline is interesting because it is relevant
1. The King's Speech - Though this film comes across in many ways as another film about royalty and how their lives aren't perfect, it is different in the way that it focuses on one specific topic: the king's stutter. If it had been a film about the king's life, for example, it wouldn't have been nearly as interesting. By focusing on such a specific item the moviemakers were able to concentrate on artistic elements instead of necessary story elements, like the bleakness of the speech therapist's office. In addition, there is a reason they keep making films about royalty; they're usually very good. Colin Firth did a great job as the king by acting in soubtle ways to reflect his quiet but internally struggling character. Also, it is nice to see Helena Bonham Carter playing something other than a dark fantasy movie character. The one element that felt overdone was the relationship between the king and speech therapist. I would have prefered if the film focused on the king himself. Though this movie isn't perfect, it was slightly more interesting than the other Oscar nominees, which is why I ranked it first. None of the movies were perfect, but this film had the most going for it.
2. True Grit - I was worried about seeing this film because I do not do well with graphic violence, but the violence in this film was effective and appropriately reflected the Western genre. However, the film was a modern twist on the typical Western film in that the hero or protagonist is a fourteen-year-old girl and she never fully achieves her goal in the end. If it had been a straightforward, cliched Western film, it wouldn't have been so enjoyable. The focus on the characters rather than the storyline made the film more relatable despite the setting being a while ago. I really liked how this film was an enjoyable Western (a term I usually consider an oxymoron) and if I could, I would tie it as #1 with The King's Speech.
3. Winter's Bone - What I liked most about this movie is that it is not the typical blockbuster, meant solely to entertain and make money, kind of film. Instead, it was meant to be truely artistic, with the focus being on a virtually unknown part of America and the struggles that exist there. The storyline is meant to inform the audience and to make them think about a world where everyone is virtually cut off from the rest of civilization. The setting was very bleak, with every scene consisting of dark, grey colors, making the film feel like something was bound to go wrong, and there were bound to be secrets hidden everywhere. This was exactly the case. Because of its unique topic and how well the cinematic elements fit with this topic and storyline, this was a very effective film. Overall, this film isn't extremely captivating but its artistic, unconventional style made it stand out. For this reason, it has a higher ranking.
4. The Social Network - This movie captivated my interest because the topic is relevant. The creation of Facebook seems like a boring idea for a story, but because Facebook has become part of so many people's daily routines, it is automatically interesting to see how it began. In order to keep the pacing interesting, the film takes place in flashbacks, which I found annoying since I was much more interested in the creation of Facebook than the court cases, but I can see how this made for a more captivating movie, since the flashbacks created some improvised action for an otherwise slow storyline. Another decision that was made to compensate for the slow plot was how in depth every character was. Every character had some flaws and some strengths, so the audience understood and sympathized with each one. However, the flashbacks and slower storyline cause this movie to land somewhere in the middle of my rankings.
5. Inception - This film seems to be in a different category than the last four movies because it is the most like a typical, blockbuster action movie. It uses less of the artistic choices than the other four movies and focuses instead on special effects to captivate the audience. Though the concept of traveling into dreams is confusing, the film sort of used a shortcut to explain it with Ellen Page's character; because her character was new to the team, she would automatically need the concept explained to her, thus making it easy for the moviemakes to explain the concept to the audience. The one moment where this film most strayed from the typical action movie was with its open-ended last scene, where we never learn if the totem will fall. I liked this ending because it provoked, if somewhat shallow, discussion. This film is lower on my list because, overall, it comes across as another action movie, created by Hollywood for the sole purpose of making money.
6. Toy Story 3 - This was definitely a cute children's movie, but I did not see much significance beyond that. Instead, it felt fake- like the "sad" scenes were used as an easy way of appealing to an audience. In addition, there were way to many of these "sad" scenes. One conclusive, somewhat sappy ending would have been enough. However, the scene where the toys are almost burned in the incenerator was over the top and pushing it for a children's movie which, strangely enough, I enjoyed. The highlight of the film for me was the new toys and their fun personalities, but these characters were overpowered by the annoying depressing scenes, which I have already complained about enough. This film lacked the element I most enjoy in children's movies, which are fun, silly, colorful, and happy characters and storylines, which is why it lands last on my list.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
My First Movie Review
Brainstorming: Mirrormask
1. Well written-Neil Gaiman
2. Great score
3. Good special effects
4. Setting made to look like a drawing
5. Takes place in a dream--not very original
6. Family owns a circus so everything is related to circuses
7. Small-budget British film
8. No well-known actors
9. Themes such as hiding behind a mask/being true to yourself
10. Contrast between light and dark in the plot and in setting
11. Combination of real set pieces and computer-made things; sometimes hard to tell which is which
12. Reference to Oedipus with the sphinx
13. Actress who played Helena was okay, but not as good as the rest of the cast
14. Mood was very important-whole movie is meant to feel like the end of the world, or like it took place inside a drawing
15. Contrast between the bleak real world and the ever-changing, colorful dream world
Review: Mirrormask
Mirrormask is an enjoyable film primarily because it is so different than typical American blockbuster movie. The plot tells the story of Helena--a girl who hates her life revolved around her family's circus, but later learns the importance of family after her mother becomes extremely sick and she dreams about a parallel universe that takes place in her own drawings. Though the storyline is a little unoriginal, the film focuses on the artistic atmosphere of Helena's dream world: swirls of gold dust are constantly floating in the air, random items in the streets glitter unexpectedly, and strange creatures that look like combinations of chickens, flamingoes, dogs, beetles and many other animals are constantly roaming in the background of every scene. Everyone in this dream world besides Helena wears a mask, and is fleeing the slimy darkness that is slowly taking over the dream world. All these elements combine to give the film an end-of-the-world-type tone, if that makes any sense. The setting is beautiful, but it feels as if something dark is lurking in the background. Because this film was created by writer Niel Gaiman and artist Dave McKean, it is no surprise that the eerie tone is the focal point of the film. This is even further emphasized by the score; which is again, magical but dark. Gaiman's writing adds a touch of humor. For example, Helena provides us with a riddle: "What's green, hangs on a wall, and whistles?" Don't even try to guess, because you'll never get it.
1. Well written-Neil Gaiman
2. Great score
3. Good special effects
4. Setting made to look like a drawing
5. Takes place in a dream--not very original
6. Family owns a circus so everything is related to circuses
7. Small-budget British film
8. No well-known actors
9. Themes such as hiding behind a mask/being true to yourself
10. Contrast between light and dark in the plot and in setting
11. Combination of real set pieces and computer-made things; sometimes hard to tell which is which
12. Reference to Oedipus with the sphinx
13. Actress who played Helena was okay, but not as good as the rest of the cast
14. Mood was very important-whole movie is meant to feel like the end of the world, or like it took place inside a drawing
15. Contrast between the bleak real world and the ever-changing, colorful dream world
Review: Mirrormask
Mirrormask is an enjoyable film primarily because it is so different than typical American blockbuster movie. The plot tells the story of Helena--a girl who hates her life revolved around her family's circus, but later learns the importance of family after her mother becomes extremely sick and she dreams about a parallel universe that takes place in her own drawings. Though the storyline is a little unoriginal, the film focuses on the artistic atmosphere of Helena's dream world: swirls of gold dust are constantly floating in the air, random items in the streets glitter unexpectedly, and strange creatures that look like combinations of chickens, flamingoes, dogs, beetles and many other animals are constantly roaming in the background of every scene. Everyone in this dream world besides Helena wears a mask, and is fleeing the slimy darkness that is slowly taking over the dream world. All these elements combine to give the film an end-of-the-world-type tone, if that makes any sense. The setting is beautiful, but it feels as if something dark is lurking in the background. Because this film was created by writer Niel Gaiman and artist Dave McKean, it is no surprise that the eerie tone is the focal point of the film. This is even further emphasized by the score; which is again, magical but dark. Gaiman's writing adds a touch of humor. For example, Helena provides us with a riddle: "What's green, hangs on a wall, and whistles?" Don't even try to guess, because you'll never get it.
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