12. Killer of Sheep – Although I found it interesting in its style and history, I found practically no enjoyment from this movie.

11. Freaks – Again, I found the political message regarding the use of people with physical handicaps in circuses to be interesting; however, the entire movie simply felt strange and uncomfortable. (Maybe that is how I am supposed to feel)

10. Detour – Overall, a somewhat entertaining movie; however, the plot was not earth shattering.  

9. Sherlock Jr. – I found this film to be funny and enjoyable with its slapstick humor and general cartoon nature.

8. Awara – Although this movie was incredibly long and sometimes drawn out it definitely had a good storyline that kept me intrigued and interested.

7. Frances Ha – I enjoyed the realistic nature of the film where it showed our current generation and what we truly sound like on a day to day basis.

6. Wendy and Lucy – The minimalist approach that was used to show poverty in the US was interesting. Also, it definitely captured the emotional bond between a human and his or her pet.

5. My Own Private Idaho – I really enjoyed the Shakespearean theme where the dialogue between characters was artistic and well thought out.

4. The Vanishing – It was interesting to go inside a psychopath’s mind and see how he planned his terrible actions against the main characters.

3. The Good the Bad and the Ugly – The way in which all of the separate stories of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly come together at the end is simply a masterpiece. (Also the one-liners are pretty awesome)

2. Moonrise Kingdom – This was simply an enjoyable movie. I enjoyed the way in which the scouts were portrayed… and the acting by the two kids was phenomenal.

1. O Brother Where art Thou – This was definitely my favorite movie. I enjoyed the music, the story, and the blend between humor and serious topics. I would definitely watch this movie again!

This set of pictures is from the beginning of the film where we first meet Frances and Sophie. We get to know Frances and Sophie and their great friendship through a montage that starts at the very beginning of the film where we see all of the things they do together. As seen in the first picture, both of the friends are “play fighting.” Next, we see Sophie playing the guitar wile Frances dances showing the viewer subliminally that they have varying abilities and interests that actually build on each other and make a great friendship. Later, we see them running through the streets of New York where they simply do not care what other people are thinking of them, because they have each other. Next, we see again that Sophie and Frances might not necessarily have the same interests but remain together, because Frances is reading while Sophie is doing a stretching workout. Later, we see a great picture where both individuals are sitting in separate windows but despite their separation they are still talking to each other. Lastly, we see that not only do they feel comfortable with each other while being active but also when they are relaxed which is the mark of true friendship with someone.

Once could also argue that this portion of the film is representative or a precursor to the entire storyline of e film. At the beginning of the montage, we see that both individuals are together. However, as the montage progresses, the distance between the two individuals increases. This can be representative of the separation hat built up between Frances and Sophie throughout the entire movie. Lastly, it shows both characters sleeping  in bed and this can resemble the “make-up” between Frances and Sophie at the end of the film.

In regards to the style of the film, it is obviously in black and white which I feel allows the viewer to focus on the colorful relationship and not on the colorful and flashy world of New York. The motion of the camera typically matched the emotions of the character where the camera would move with the same energy as the main characters. Also, the emotions of the characters seem to be portrayed in a realistic way where they are having fun in normal and realistic ways. Lastly, the scenes and clothing worn by the characters appeared realistic for the time period.

In all, I really enjoyed Frances Ha because it was not only entertaining through humor but was also thought provoking through its political stance on the current young generation.

This shot is at the end of the movie and Suzy and her brothers were called down for dinner. Sam has just left through the window that is in the background and Suzy is deciding whether she wants to go down for dinner. The design of the house is very standard and normal with beige and yellow walls and crown molding around the edge of the walls and ceiling. Almost everything in the image has a yellow such as the suitcase, Suzy’s dress, the wall in the background, the chair in the back room, and the device on the table to the right. We can also see that there is an impeccable amount of symmetry in this room where almost everything seems to balance. The bookcase on the left is balanced with the table and bookcase on the right. Even the books on the rug are displayed radially making the book on the left balance the book on the right. Despite the symmetry of the objects in the room, Suzy clearly unbalances the composition which complies with her role in the household where she never seemed to fit in with the rest of her family. Despite her unbalancing the picture, she does comply with the yellow theme in the room which makes the viewer come to believe that the household has come to accept her. As a result, the mise en scene appears to resemble Suzy’s position and role in the movie. 

Of the movies that we have watched during this semester, I feel that the “Killer of Sheep” is the best companion for “Wendy and Lucy”. It is quite obvious that both movies are trying to represent poverty in a realistic manner in order to break down stereotypes and misconceptions of those people who are more fortunate. In “Killer of Sheep”, the intent was to show how most African Americans were living during the 1960’s and 1970’s, because most popular films at the time were portraying African Americans males as violent and “manly.” On the other hand, “Wendy and Lucy” is trying to put a face to a problem faced by a great deal of Americans. In both films, the main characters appear hardened by their circumstances where Stan in “Killer of Sheep” appears to have absolutely no emotional response to almost every situation he encounters. Furthermore, Wendy appears to be robotic when she is caught stealing from the supermarket and questioned about her transgressions. These films are also similar, because of the realistic style in which they are filmed. In both films, there are little to no lighting enhancements that one would typically see in a Hollywood film where lighting is typically used to enhance the looks of the actors and actresses. Also, the mise en scene of both movies was not glorified or made to enhance the looks of the actors and actresses, instead it was realistic where Stan is seen wearing dirty clothes and Wendy is seen where the same two sets of clothing every day. As a result, I feel that both films are very similar and would make great companions in order to teach about poverty in a realistic manner.

I found “O Brother Where art Thou” to be a rollercoaster of emotion that was brought about by the music in the film. The music in this film was absolutely essential to what I believe to be the thesis of this wonderful movie. This film proposes a thesis about the modern age or present day America by going to the past that looks toward the present. George Clooney’s character, Everett represents the rational and logical thought process that many Americans attempt to employ when explaining events in their daily lives. However, through music, this film reminds the viewer that despite our greatest efforts to rationalize every detail of our lives, sometimes there is no logical explanation.

The film starts with three individuals, Everett, Pete, and Delmar running away from a chain gang doing manual labor. As they continue to run, they come across an older man pushing his way down the railroad on a rail cart. After basic conversation, the man starts telling them their fate in a form of poem or song with a guitar playing in the background. The guitar plays quitely and ominouosly and grows louder as the prophesy contines to flow from the older man's mouth. As he tells this prophesy, there is a shot of Delmar and Pete where their faces are amazed with open mouths. This simple close up shot in combination with the music during the scene tells the viewer that this scene is very important in terms of plot developmentt. Likewise, we see this man at the end of the film when Everett, Pete, Delmar, and Tommy are confronted by the man that has been chasing them the entire time they had escaped. As the four protagonists are about to be hung, the man from the rail cart starts singing once again. These two instances of singing represent how during the entire film, music is used to signify important plot developments that in turn help display the thesis. Since the old man had told them their fate and was correct, his reappearance into the film with song validates the thesis that despite Everett’s attempts to rationalize the instances that had unfolded he is unsuccessful.

As a result, I feel that this film is trying to represent the complexities and turns that our lives have taken to get us to the places we currently stand and to prove despite our greatest attempts, there are some things that we simply cannot rationalize.

"My Own Private Idaho" had many aspects that were very peculiar and different from standard Hollywood films. In my opinion, the scene in which Scott turns his back on Bob is pivotal as well as one of the many scenes that sets this film apart from typical Hollywood films. The scene starts with Bob noticing that Scott is entering into a fine eating establishment wearing high end clothing. As Bob enters the restaurant, he seems to narrate his entry by pointing out the unwelcoming looks of the people already in the restaurant. However, he continues, claiming that Scott will accept them and respect them as he did before. Despite their past history, when Bob calls Scott’s name, Scott does not even turn around. Instead, in a very Shakespearean fashion, he remains with his back toward Bob. Scott then tells Bob “I don't know you, old man. Please leave me alone. When I was young and you were my street tutor... an instigator for my bad behavior, I was planning a change. There was a time when I had the need to learn from you... my former and psychedelic teacher. And although I love you more dearly than my dead father... I have to turn away. Now that I have, and until I change back... don't come near me.” These words, as said seemed as if the viewer was actually hearing what Scott was thinking and not saying, because this is certainly not something one would say in this situation. Also, these words were daggers to Bob’s heart and finalized the transformation Scott has undergone. Scott as decided to turn his back on his friends and live a life of luxury while his friends suffer. As a result, I respect this film, because it used creative and artistic methodologies in showing the effect poverty and wealth have on humans regardless of sexual orientation.

Quotation supplied by: http://www.script-o-rama.com/movie_scripts/m/my-own-private-idaho-script.html

Even though it was not necessarily similar to current Hollywood horror films, I would still denote “The Vanishing” as a horror film, for many reasons. First, horror films use the idea of suspense to bring about emotional responses in the viewers. In the very beginning of the film, when Rex and Saskia run out of gasoline in the tunnel I could not help but feel a certain suspense quickly build. When the gasoline runs out, the shot is fairly lit, because they are inside the car. However, the dialogue between Rex and Saskia remind the viewer that this is indeed a dangerous situation, because the oncoming traffic will not be able to see them. Then the camera goes to the beginning of the tunnel showing a truck entering the tunnel validating the dialogue the viewer just heard. When the camera goes back to the car, we see that both characters are getting nervous. Saskia goes through her belongings to find a flashlight but is originally unable to find it. While she is frantically looking for a flashlight, Rex decides to leave the car and walk down the tunnel. While the camera follows Rex down the dark tunnel, the viewer hears Saskia frantically screaming Rex’s name. Despite the screaming, Rex continues to walk down the tunnel and when the light hits his face, Rex actually gives a small smirk. As a result, I feel that this scene utilizes many different characteristics representative in a horror film. First, this scene is established with Saskia bringing about a potential conflict when she notices that the amount of fuel in the car is low. Next, this scene uses the darkness of the tunnel to foreshadow a possible conflict and to bring about a sense of uneasiness in the viewer. After, the scene uses the tension and excitement of the dialogue between Saskia and Rex to even further the tension felt by the viewer. Lastly, the viewer gets a sense of the loneliness felt by Saskia as Rex walked away. As a result, I feel that this scene encompasses many attributes of a horror film.

I also felt that this was a horror film, because it gave a look into the mind of a psychopath. Typically, viewers of horror films get to know psychopaths from the perspective of the protagonist. However, in this film the viewer was forced into the mind of the psychopath and heard the reasons why he did the horrible things he did through the dialogue he had with Rex. As a result, I feel that this is the main reason that the Vanishing is denoted as a horror film, because it forces the viewer into the mind that he or she feels uncomfortble to enter.

I do not think that The Killer of Sheep will be in my list of top ten movies. Although the film had a few redeeming qualities that I found commendable and interesting, I absolutely found The Killer of Sheep very difficult to watch simply, because it lacked so many of the characteristics that I feel are necessary in a film. I typically enjoy films with character development where the main character undergoes a kind of struggle and in the process the viewer learns more about the main character. The Killer of Sheep had little to no character development, because Stan, the main character, never really had a specific struggle. Stan was not posed with an immanent problem that had to be solved, instead, we the viewers watched him aimlessly go through his day.

I also found the camera work to be inconsistent and frustrating. The camera would remain on a scene of children playing for very long periods of time. However, in other instances, the camera would randomly jump from place to place and lacked continuity when actions were taking place. For example, Stan had a guest over and the guest made a joke and started laughing hysterically; however, the camera remained on the guest and did not show Stan’s reaction although during the whole conversation it had been going back and forth between the two characters. As a result, I found the inconsistent shot lengths to be fairly frustrating.

Overall, I felt that this movie lacked those qualities that would make this movie something that I would watch for enjoyment. However, I will say that this film was interesting, because it was different. Instead of watching a fictional story, I felt as if I was watching a National Geographic documentary on humans in their natural habitat. I feel that this movie could be used for some kind of thesis to prove what life was like for African Americans in that certain time period. As a result, I found The Killer of Sheep interesting and thought provoking but not necessarily fun to watch.

Clint Eastwood’s aura is simply due to his contemplative nature that he brings to every single character he portrays. His slow motions and thoughtful nature is vital for the acceptance of his characters by the viewer. Most people have moral standards and very easily relate themselves to a hero of high morals. Countless movies are about the quintessential hero who does no wrong and goes about life trying to make life better for himself and others. However, some if not all of Clint Eastwood characters have a dark side but this is accepted by the viewers, because of his characters contemplative nature. Every motion, whether it is talking slowly in a deep raspy voice or slowly reaching for a gun, his characters always seem to have some sort of plan. His characters always seem to have thought through their actions with great care and due to this care and contemplation the typical viewer of the film accepts this hero despite his certain lack of typical moral code.

Furthermore, my father loves Clint Eastwood movies, especially The Good the Bad and the Ugly, and ever since I was a young child, whenever the movie was being showed on television he would immediately get extremely excited and watch the entire film despite the fact the film is three hours long. Until now, I never could really appreciate his love of this movie, because I was much like Kael in the article "Western Go Home! Sergio Leone and the Death of the Western in american Film Criticism," by William McClain. I expected a western where I could easily identify myself as the hero. However, I believe it takes a certain kind of maturity and confidence to relate oneself to a person that is not perfect such as a Clint Eastwood’s character, Blondie. Blondie was pragmatic and used society’s obligations to his own advantage but never goes against his own moral code which does not necessarily align with society’s moral code. He had his own way of looking at the world and was strong in his convictions and as a result exudes a certain masculinity because of his confidence.  As a result, Clint Eastwood brought about his aura by using his general contemplative nature and by using the use of his confidence in his own convictions and moral code resulting in a different kind of hero that intrigues the viewer, because it is certainly different from any other hero ever seen.

Although Awara is from a completely different time and location, I feel that this film had a great deal of similarities with current popular Hollywood movies. As I was watching Awara, I could not help but feel as if I was watching a cartoon that was being portrayed through real people.  Through the use of exaggerated expression, music, dancing, and a basic plot of good versus bad, I felt as if I was actually watching a Disney film. There were many times in which the characters seemed to be expressing their emotions of anger and love in a way that was almost too obvious. Second, the use of music and dancing in the film is reminiscent of old Disney movies where one of the main characters would burst into spontaneous sound and start dancing. Lastly, all animated movies have a deranged villain who generally plays a large role in the plot of the movie. This villain acts out of vengeance and greed and multiple times through the movie has monologues as to why he or she is doing their horrible tasks. This could be seen through Jagga, the villain in Awara who frequently would reminded the viewer that he was training the son of the judge to be a bandit for the sole purpose of seeking vengeance on the judge.  As a result, I feel that Awara has many similarities with current popular animated movies.

In “Detour,” women were presented as being strictly emotional beings where their actions seemed to be driven by pure emotion and passion without any regard to what may ensue later. For example, Sue decides to leave for California in order to chase her dream of being an actor and singer. When she tells this to Roberts he is stunned, because it does not seem as if she even thought about what this might do to him. Furthermore, Vera was very emotional throughout the entire film. She was always snapping at Roberts with snide remarks and comments which eventually led to emotional confrontations between the characters. Many of these emotional confrontations between Roberts and Vera started with Vera’s unquenchable feelings of greed and desire that seemed to have such an overbearing effect on her decision making.  Lastly, both women were very sensual toward Roberts through physical contact. This can be seen when Sue is singing while slowly caressing Roberts shoulder. In the same way, Vera also rubbed Roberts shoulder in order to signify that she indeed was interested in him physically, as well. In conclusion, women were portrayed as strictly emotional beings that were unable to control their own passions and desires. 

I believe this movie is a proponent of equality amongst all individuals regardless of their physical demeanor. As Hawkins says in her article entitled “’One of Us’: Tod Browning’s Freaks,” it is very obvious that Browning was making a rather progressive claim regarding humanity at the beginning of the film. We see the so called “freaks” going about their everyday lives proving to the viewer that they are indeed human. We see that they love and feel for each other and truly want to help each other in making their lives better. This is in contrast to Cleopatra who although appears quite normal on the exterior, is very dark and sinister in her dealings by manipulating Hans’ love for her. However, Hawkins believes that Browning then contradicts his original claim of equality by demonizing the apparent “freaks” during the scene in which they get revenge on Cleopatra and Hercules. I disagree with this claim. I believe that instead of demonizing the “freaks,” the scene of revenge actually validates their humanity.

Humans rarely make the right choice for every situation in which they are confronted. As a result, to prove someone is human one must not only show the good that he or she has done, but also the mistakes that he or she has made. Browning uses Phroso, Venus, Cleopatra, and Hercules as the benchmarks of human qualities. Phroso and Venus are used to represent the good that humans can do while Cleopatra and Hercules are used to represent the mistakes humans can make.  As a result, during the first portion of the movie, Browning was proving that the “freaks” were indeed like Phroso and Venus where they truly care for each other. However, during the revenge scene, Browning was proving that “freaks” do make poor and scary decisions as Cleopatra and Hercules did. As a result, I believe Browning is making a claim of equality for all humans by simply proving that we all have the capacity to love and make mistakes.

Sherlock Jr. certainly has a wide variety of gags and stunts however their common denominator is their effect on Keaton’s character. These gags and stunts were all self-inflicted causing him some sort discomfort. For example, Keaton placed a banana peel on the ground in order to have his opponent step on it and slip. However, Keaton himself stepped on the banana peel causing him frustration and agony. This trend is constant throughout the whole story where Keaton tries to manipulate the fast paced world that is around him resulting in some sort of self-inflicted predicament. This sort of humor is very relatable and common in comedy and humor today. For example, one of my favorite cartoons of all time is Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyotes. The story is always the same where Wile E. Coyote attempts to kill or capture Road Runner but despite his best efforts, ends up causing himself pain instead. I feel that this sort of comedy is very relatable to humans simply, because many of the things that go wrong in our lives are indeed self-inflicted. As a result, I feel that people find humor like Keaton’s and Wile E. Coyotes funny, because they are actually laughing at themselves and all of the dumb mistakes that they have made in their lifetime. Although I cannot say I have tried to run on top of a moving train only to fall down and injure myself and others as Keaton did in his scramble to find out who stole the watch, I have definitely hurt myself by doing something I shouldn’t have done. As a result, I feel that this kind of humor is very relevant in modern shows and films and in some ways is very therapeutic, because it allows us to reflect on our own mistakes, laugh, and move on.

Introduction:

My name is John Lewnard and I am a second year in Mechanical Engineering.  I decided to take this film class for one major reason; I truly have a passion for film. I enjoy almost all kinds of films ranging from comedy to action to drama, because each has their own benefits. However, the best movie for me is typically a mixture of all three genres. I enjoy a film that has character development where the protagonist goes on a journey whether metaphorically or literally and develops over the course of time through teaching and his or her own actions. However, character development is not enough. John Irving’s main character in The World According to Garp came to the conclusion that a good story needs to feel real not be real. Furthermore, a story does not need to be a true story for the story to have meaning; it simply needs to have human interaction that is believable. For me, when I watch a movie, I want to experience what is seemingly true human emotion. If a movie has this quality then in my mind it was a success.