Movies movies movies

Wristcutters: A Love Story


this film is one of my favorites. Wristcutters has great scene, and an interesting story. This film is a must watch. It truely is about a love story which makes it weird to have love and suicide in the same movie.







The 400 Blows is about a misunderstood young adolescent who left without attention, delves into a life of petty crime. The film is kinda slow and long, but it truly is a perfect film to watch on a rainy day. If you like foreign films, you would enjoy this.






Control: it a movie base on The band Joy Division and the singers Ian Curtis. Good movie, im not comparing it to Mysery Train, but it has a tiny feel of that.

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Lee Unkrich has been part of pixar's movies with such films like (A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo) his most famous being the Toy Story movies. Within the three movies he has progressed to start from the first film being an editor, the second film being the co-director, and the third film being the director. The interview on The Treatment was aired on december 8th 2010. Unkrich is a longtime member Pixar, where he started in 1994 as a film editor. Even before Pixar he was a television editor for several years.

During the whole interview i learned about about the directors personally and how it corresponds in the films he makes. His perspective for the films (Toy Story 1-3) gave me a better insight of the films. It made the film that much more to watch knowing the time and how much effort they put themselves in the film.

The first quote that i found that was interesting was that Lee Unkrich with a question already given asked himself, "what did the characters have to learn" what he said second after was the most loving thing a that we can do for somebody that we care about is to let go of them. Since the first two movies where about the two main character, the third had talked about Andy, and how he was leaving for college. Woody tries to maintain Andes love in the end the best thing to do is not live in the past, but to let go and move on.

My second quote was just a statement in which the interviewer asked what character would Unkrich identify him self to? All the character Unkrich said had an aspect to someone that worked on the film, he said "Woody" was the one he would pick. Unkrich picking Woody would make the most sense, him being the director and Woody being the leader to the toys. What was also interesting was how he described Woody being an reluctant leader, he always tries to do whats best for the toy, but sometimes he realizes that maybe its not for the best and "Puts his boot in his mouth"

My third quote is about what he said in the benign when he talked about his feelings for toy story 3. he said "i was petrified" "i was flattered and honored and within seconds i wanted to throw up" he called his fear "fear base film making". He described how he was happy starting it because it was the most beloved film, but at the same time, it was the most beloved film, how would he meet everyone expectations to this film. If this film went bad it would be his fault, which was a biggest fear.

I really enjoyed this interview. i learned a lot about the director and a lot about Toy Story movies. Lee Unkrich is a major contributor to the world of film, coming from action packed movies to Disney Pixar movies made a great and lovable change with his other creations like monsters inc., A Bugs Life, and a lot others.

Blog Post #6

the build up, first minute, to the most memorable scene from Pan's Labyrinth, will be examined.

#1 0:01
dungeon hall
MLS - Medium Long Shot
EL - Eye Level
dolly
The subject is focused in the center of the shot, with a deep hallway in the background.

#2 0:02
CU - Close Up
EL - Eye Level
Zoom In
the suspense is created with the shot of an hourglass centered.

#3 0:06
MS - Medium Shot
LA - Low Angel
Trucking/Dolly
the camera has a lot of movement, as the subject stops walking the camera moves in a counter clockwork motion to close in on her face.

#4 0:14
Dining Table
MLS - Medium Long Shot
HA - High Angel
Handheld
as she steps into the shadow the camera follows her, with the handheld camera gives the viewer the feeling that we are following her.

#5 0:18
MS - Medium Shot
EL - Eye Level
Trucking
the camera shows the food on the table on the foreground, she walks across and is shocked to see and odd being. the viewer is equally shocked, this was created with trucking motion.


#6 0:33
MS - Medium Shot
OTS - Over The Shoulder
Pan
the camera pans with the plate with the creatures eyes on it

#7 0:35
CU - Close Up
EL - Eye Level
SteadyCam
the background is out of focus and the girl is centered and in focus.

#8 0:38
CU - Close Up
OTS - Over The Shoulder
Crane
the girls head is out of focus, the creature is in focus and the camera moves up.

#9 0:45
CU - Close Up
LA - Low Angel
Pan
the girl looks up to see odd paintings, all of the creature eating children, it pans from left to right.

#10 0:56
MCU - Medium Close Up
HA - High Angel
Dolly/ Tilt/Zoom
another shot of the cameras clear movements, the dolly moves from right to left and tilt moves from the pile to the girl, then zooms in.

#11 1:00
CU - Close Up
HA - High Angel
dolly/ tilt
the camera starts at a high angle then moves to a eye level as it moves up


#12 1:10
3S - Three Shot
EL - Eye Level
Steady Cam
the camera uses the rule of thirds as it centers three key holes with the fairies moving about.

American Beauty

• Determine whether or not the cinematographic aspects of the film—the qualities of the film stock, lighting, lenses, framing, angles, camera movement, and use of long takes—add up to an overall look. If so, try to describe its qualities.
the rule of thirds is consistent throughout the film, the director conveys the distant relations between neighbors by framing them in between household objects. light is focused on the main characters faces, showing the characters centered thoughts, the viewer knows the importance of the scene to the character.


• Take note of moments in the film in which the images are conveying information that is not reflected in characters’ action and dialogue. These moments are often crucial to the development of a movie’s themes, narrative, and meaning.
the symbolism of the rose pedal to kevin spacey's character, the overall theme of lust and wants. the color red is highlighted more so than the flower. the whole rose was around when families were shown, and at the end with the neighbor and daughter. when the pedals were shown floating was when kevin spacey's character had lust on his mind.


• Pay close attention to the length of shots in the film. Is there a recognizable pattern? Are long takes used? To what extent? For what purpose?
their werent any peculiar patterns to the length of shots, the scenes of dinner between the families were the only scenes that lasted longer than the others to show the emptyness of each dinner table


Keep track of instances in which the film uses shots other than the medium shot (MS)—for instance, extreme close-ups (ECUs) or extreme long shots (ELSs).
What role are these shots playing in the film?
each time the scene goes back to the house, the extreme long shot of the city is shown.


• Also keep track of camera angles other than eye-level shots. If there are high- or low-angle shots, determine whether or not they are POV shots. That is, is the high or low angle meant to represent another character’s point of view? If so, what does the angle convey about that character’s state of mind? If not, what does it convey about the person or thing in the frame?
over view shots of the bedroom show the wonderment and confusion of their place in time. it goes in hand with the shots of the city suburbs.


• As you evaluate crucial scenes, pay attention to the composition of shots within the scene. Are the compositions balanced in a way that conforms to the rule of thirds, or are the elements within the frame arranged in a less “painterly” composition? In either case, try to describe how the composition contributes to the scene overall.
in the crucial scenes, the director framed in thirds to a tee. in the climax when lestor and angela are about to get intimate they walk towards each other and meet in center right next to a bouquet of roses.

• Note when the cinematography calls attention to itself. Is this a mistake or misjudgment on the filmmakers’ part, or is it intentional? If intentional, what purpose is served by making the cinematography so noticeable?
it gives precedence to the film, gives an alert to the viewer to let them known the film makers "know-how". can be considered smug, but if done correctly can make a movie better.

Framing of Jarmusch's Mystery Train

mintues:seconds



1:22 Symmetrical Balance
Subjects are framed symmetrically, but the postures of both Jun and Mitsuko are a juxtaposition, showing their differing personalities. the moving background is of a vast open green field. no hint of civilization in a region that is being shown rapidly through a train ride. Ironically it would remain the same as they leave town.



5:31 Deep Space Compositions
having a railroad run through, divide city gives the sense to the that no one visits, they just go through. gives sense to the term, "wrong side of the tracks".



10:02 Eye Room
a long walk in an unknown under privileged neighborhood, it would give an unsettling feeling for most, but Mitsuko is in awe of it, in wonderment of a city completely unlike her own.



14:52 Foreground Middle ground Background
the city lights paired with the run down buildings show the city is in a rebuilding process, that has not fully reached all parts of Memphis. As its prime has passed since Elvis and the days of sun studios.




17:55 Compositional stress
The couple are out of their element, the hotel is shown blurred as soon as the couple step foot in the frame. the overall dim suspicious feel of the location is questionable for tourist to visit with a prostitute soliciting herself in front of the hotel


20:33 Left Center Right
Mitsuko on the right is the only one not looking to the left. The bellboy in the center with the odd lamp light, portrait of Elvis also on the right and Jun on the left are looking to the left. almost to say the situation is unusual and Mitsuko is only one who can't see this because she is blinded by the excitement of Graceland




29:47 Top Center Bottom
the overall theme seems to coincide with means for transportation, more so roads and railroads, both are in need of renovation in Mephis. Ill-lit streets and uncommonly silent city nights create an eerie mood for this film. The subtitle gives a huge hint at the message behind "Mystery Train"

evil triumphs

They're are many definitions to the type of film genre "film noir". Many directors, actions, readers, views always have the same concept but different wordings. From my favorite artist it is said

in noir people go to jail, good men die, criminals win, uh evil triumphs over good -henry rollins

It didn't take long to choose a quote, for one Henry Rollins has been my favorite since i was a kid, even though he isnt an director or actor, more a person that comments but the way that sentence came out instantly made me think of LA confidential.
Go to jail; Most of the cast went to jail
Good men die; Jack Vincennes aka Kevin Spacey gets shot after investigating a cast and finding more then he should
Criminals win/Evil triumphs; in the end case was solved but in due to officers not wanting the press to have a field day about the police corruption they tied to switch the story to make it the complete oppisite only thing in that way was an officer who was the last standing to the bloody match. Having us (the viewers) Thinking that he's going to keep his foot down and have the record straight but in the end he conforms with the cops in return having him as the hero.
Thus Good-0 Bad-1, but that doesnt define all noir films, just seem to fit that one.




In defintion form.
is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations.

In comparison to both movies the ladies "Out of the past" and "LA Confidential" Spark huge for an "Femme Fatale". When talking about types of femme fatales the one that caught most attention was kathie. Kathie was an leading role, she was the "one in the million that has the power of the men" as also said by jeff from out of the past "And then I saw her, coming out of the sun, and I knew why Whit didn't care about that forty grand." Immediately, Jeff was mesmerized and infatuated by the dark-haired beauty (seemingly so innocent) with a broad-brimmed, white hat - unaware of her lethal charms at the beginning of their ill-fated affair. He attempted to make conversation. She took the cake of what a true femme fatale.


For the film locations, lighting, and scenery i noticed that the film was more so Nighttime scenes because of the mystery that comes with darkness. The nighttime images in LA Confidential made the film as a typical noir film with having that anxiety and mystery, having the plot being ready to move forward. The nighttime and darker images was able to give the movie an "low-key lighting" that it needed.Also since an a film noir is considered to be stylish hollywood crime dramas, it makes sense to having hollywood images like frolic room.

in terms of "what it is that makes a movie compelling, noteworthy, or deserving of an award" in my eyes i always believed great movies are the movies that make you think and feel in various ways in a engulfing atmosphere that leaves you feeling moved and mesmerized long after the credits have finished.



"The pianist"; The movie was based off A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II. when i was in 9th grade, my teachers gave me several movies to watch and write about for extra credit. When i watched this movies it blew my mind. i was always fascinated with world war II and watching this movie exceeded it. I felt everything in this film. i watched it about 3 times that same night. Each time i felt the sorrow, the impact. i thought it captured the violence and brutality of the nazis in the early 40's. as did "schindler's list".




Recently ive been watching foreign films. Out of all i watched this movie seemed to catch my attention. it was based on a book. i thought Let the Right One In is a slow burning film. You had to pay attention of whats going on as most foreign films. The difference between this then most was the romance that you wouldnt have thought would happen. Let the right one in ways is like of twilight but better in my eyes.