Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane is a classic film depicting the life of a very well known wealthy man by the name of Charles Foster Kane. The film begins with Kane himself laying in bed dieing as he mumbles his last word, "Rosebud." From that point on a group of newsmen set out to find the meaning of this famous last word, thinking that it will be quite easy, but very quickly they realize how wrong they are. Throughout the rest of the film we watch the story of Kane get told from a number of point-of-views, but all by people who knew him his whole life and spent all their time with him. The reporters go from person to person are and unlucky in finding the meaning of this word, but are astonished about how much they did not know about the famous man. We learn about the women who have been in and out of his life, the death of his son, the relationship he had with his best friend, and the relationships that he had with the men that helped run his companies, and one that basically owned him. This sad and miserable story of a man who was taken from his home at a young age a never really knew what real love and family was, lived a horribly sad and defeating life. Not enough money in the world could buy him the love that he so wanted from those in his life and the gifts he gave to show that love didn't help either. Charles Foster Kane died a sad and lonely man and that in itself makes this movie extremely enjoyable because we cannot help but have sympathy for a man who has never known the real meaning and feeling of love or family.

Many people say that, "Citizen Kane is the greatest movie ever made," and although I do not agree with this statement I truly can see how so many people would. The reason I say this is because I honestly do not know enough about film and what makes it good to state that it is the best movie ever. I will say though that it is a beautiful work of art, from the cinematography which was flawless in my book, to mise-en-scene, and the editing. This film is beautifully made into something that people have grown to love and watch over and over again, which is a big part in what makes a film great. Even though I wouldn't say that it is the best film ever made I would say that it is in my top ten best films. I really would like to watch it again and again because I think that there are so many things that I missed while watching in class. It had been long day to say the least and I knew that I was going to have a hard time noticing things about the film, but I have to say while I was watching it I couldn't take my eyes off the screen because I really wanted to know what was going to happen next.

Overall I would say that Citizen Kane is a great film, and one that I would most definitely suggest to others. I think that it is a film worth watching just if your curious as well. Many people know about the infamous word "Rosebud" and don't even know what it means or where it comes from. This is a film that is dubbed as the greatest film of all time and that is completely understandable in my book even though I don't agree. The pure artform of this film makes it a masterpiece and a must see.

What is Film Noir?

What is Film Noir is a question I am not sure I can fully answer, because I am not so sure I know what it is. While talking about this in class I was torn about whether or not Film Noir is a style or a genre, and I would have to say that it is both. When film noir was first introduced during the 1940's-1950's. According to Raymond Durgnat, film noir wasn't a genre, but he continued with that statement by saying, "it is not defined, as are the western and gangster genres, by conventions of setting and conflict but rather by the more subtle qualities of tone and mood. It is a film 'noir' as opposed to the possible variants of film 'gray or film 'off-white,'" (Schrader, 230). After I read this I could only help but to agree with what Durgnat was saying but as well continued to talk about this in class I felt conflicted, because I felt beforehand that it was a genre, but after reading the article by Schrader and listening to what everyone had to say in class, and really hearing about all of the numerous aspects of film noir, I decided that I believe that it is both a style and genre, and here is why.

Back in the 1940's-1950's when the beginning of these films labeled film noirs came out I believe that it was a genre of film because everything about a film noir film fit into the decade in which they were produced. From the way that these films were set to portray the lives of people who looked just like everyone in the audience. Some of the key things that were almost always included in these films were; a femme fatale character, a hardboiled man who was usually a detective or officer of some sort, plenty of crime from beginning to end, usually shot at night on the streets while raining or as if just rained, lots of shadowing for contrast and to show the vertical lines that were very common as well, urban type setting, many times the police are the bad guys and the detectives are the good guys, corruption of all sorts, shifting in alliances, moral ambiguity, an expendable character or two just to name a few. Overall these films were filmed to show what people we hiding and many times they were love stories as well, almost always involving the detective and the femme fatale. Overall these were and still are great films, but to our generation now they seem boring at times and just cheesy or funny. We are not able to take them as seriously as they were probably taken back then because we have a very hard time relating to the characters and often the story as well, which leads me into my next point.

Today when I look at the differences between authentic real film noir films and the ones that have been made in the last ten years or so, I cannot help but see an enormous difference. Nowadays these film noir-esque films are just plain unappealing to me. I am all for your traditional shoot-em-up blow-em-up film and some classic crime stories, but these films are just boring and hilarious. They are constantly poking fun at what was once the classic film noir genre, and now when they make these new versions of film noirs they fail miserably, which is why I would also classify this as a style because there is no way to remake these films to actually look like and portray the real film noir type film. You can throw in all of the same elements and it still is not a good interpretation because this generation cannot relate to the kind of dress they wear, how they talk, or even what they do, our world is just way too different now to ever go back to how it used to be in the 1940's-1950's.

Film noir is to me a genre and a style. Maybe that just sounds like I am copping out on this question but it truly is what I think, and who can really argue with that? Well I guess some can and thats okay we are all entitled to our own opinion and ideas.

Notorious

Notorious is yet again another great film by Alfred Hitchcock. Notorious is a film full of crime, lies, deceit, and love. The main character is Alicia whose father has recently been arrested for treason and has committed suicide in prison. Alicia is approached with an offer she cannot refuse, one that could clear her families name forever. She is approached by an agent by the name of Devlin who gives her the details on what exactly she would be doing to help the government, Alicia agrees to help him out and work to clear her families name. Alicia has quite the reputation with boos and men, and she used that reputation to get Devlin, who of course falls in love with her. Throughout the rest of the film Alicia and Devlin play around with their secret love affair, or well lack there of, and work to figure out what a man by the name of Sebastian is up to down in Rio de Janeiro. Alicia has had dealings with him in the past and uses them to get inside his home and quite quickly into his heart. Alicia and Devlin are forced to sneak around to talk to one another and to look for clues into what Sebastian is hiding. The classic traits are all here especially lies and deceit. Alicia works to clear her name but also to be the one she loves in the end. Unfortunately and fortunately I was surprised by the ending of this film, I won't give it away which means you will just have to see it. It is a great film with twists and turns that even surprised me. Notorious is not just a great film noir classic, but an Alfred Hitchcock classic in itself.

Chinatown

Chinatown is yet again another film noir classic. This film is about a private detective who goes by the name JJ Gittes who is hired to mostly find out whether or not spouses are being faithful to one another. JJ is hired by a woman posing to be one mans wife, but turns out not to be. When JJ's story goes public about the affair the real wife comes forward and everything goes crazy. A murder takes place early on in the film and JJ is determined to get to the bottom of the crime that turns out to go back a number of years, and includes a number of unexpected people. Throughout the film JJ learns of all the wrongdoings that have been going on with the water the supplies the town and surrounding areas. The film is full of lies and sexual tension, that of course gets released like every other film, but in the end the twists and turns that are revealed are shocking and questioning enough for this film to be a film noir.

This film overall is a great film. Throughout the whole time watching it I couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen next, and what crazy story was about to unfold. This is not a only a must see film noir film, but a must see in itself. All of the classic film noir pieces are there in one way or another and they way he film ends in itself makes it a must see.

Touch of Evil

Touch of Evil is another film under the genre or style(who really knows which) of Film Noir. It is a film full of lies, deceit, murder, drugs, police corruption, and crime. The film is about a newlywed couple who are out celebrating their marriage along the US/Mexico border, when something terrible happens and Mike chooses to investigate the crime and send his new wife back to their hotel. Mike instantly goes to the crime scene and talks to a few of the other officials and then Hank shows up and the atmosphere changes. As the story unfolds throughout the film we witness the the extreme pressure and angst that some of these officials go through. We also get to witness a number of criminal acts throughout the film which call into question the morality, right and wrong, good and bad of certain individuals. Throughout the whole film there is the questions of who you can trust as well, and that in itself brings up a lot of unanswered questions, whether or not individuals have been honest in the past about what they have witnessed, and the struggle of friendship among partners who have worked together and saved each others backs for a number of years. Throughout the whole film Mike is trying to get to the bottom of the crime that was committed in the beginning of the film and he sets out to prove that person accused of the crime is not the person who committed the crime, but that Hank himself framed him for it.

This specific film is very much a film noir for a number of reasons. Most of them being the same reasons The Maltese Falcon was a film noir. The story is full of criminal acts, much of it takes place at night, the typical femme fatale (although very different from the femme fatale in Maltese Falcon), and a number of other reasons. This was a very thought provoking film, but not one that I would necessarily watch again. I found parts of it enticing, but other parts boring and repetitive. Although I may not recommend it to someone else to watch for kicks and giggles, I would have to say though that I would recommend it if someone wanted to watch a film noir film.

The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon is a film from 1941 and is a film noir classic. The film is about a private detective Sam Spade who helps people find what they are looking for. He has a partner Miles who is not too fond of as well. In the beginning of the film Sam is hired by a gorgeous woman by the name of Miss Wonderly, who needs his help initially needs his help to find her "sister." When Sam helps her that evening everything falls apart with his partner being killed, along with the man that Miss Wonderly wanted watched. Sam knows that instantly something is wrong and starts his search to figure out the reasoning behind all that had happened.

Sam confronts Miss Wonderly, who he finds out has been lying all along not just about her name, but about what she was really looking for. Her real name is Brigid O'Shaughnessy, and she explains the story of the Maltese falcon and that she us really on the search for that and not her sister. In the search for this falcon Sam runs into other characters such is Joel Cairo and Casper Gutman who are also after the falcon, and Sam ends up working with all them for a number of different money offers to find the falcon that is so desired by all of these different characters. By the end of the film Sam is doing everything that he can to figure out the number of murders and other crimes that have happened throughout the film, and he realizes how many people have tried to fool him as well, and when he figures out who is behind all of the scandal he has a number of mixed feelings about the outcome of the story.

The entire film is run by murder, money, sex, and greed. It is a classic film noir film because of its entire plot and setting. From the majority of the movie being shot at night on the rain soaked streets of San Fransisco, the classic 1940's wardrobe, the femme fatale because she is a damsel in distress but she is also dangerous and using her feminine mystique to get her way at times as well, with the overwhelming amount of crime and murder that is throughout the entire film as well, and the morale ambiguity that is present in each and every scene of this film.

For me personally I really enjoyed this film, it may have had something to do with Humphrey Bogart as the main character, but I really enjoyed it because there was such a pull between what was right and what was wrong for these characters, and even though most of the time they chose wrong, they knew what they were doing and that in itself was what drew me into each of the individual relationships that each character had with Sam. This film is a great film to demonstrate the classic Film Noir Style in a number of ways, and it is a film that is not only about the search for something that you desire, but about the moral pull within oneself to do what is right versus what is wrong.

Analysis of the narrative styles of Casablanca, Daughters of the Dust, and Monsoon Wedding

These three films, Casablanca, Daughters of the Dust, and Monsoon Wedding are all films that play into the importance of film narrative. There are different styles of film narrative and I will focus on the differences between the three films in the Classic Hollywood Narrative and the Alternative Narrative.

Casablanca is a film that focuses mainly on the life of Rick

Blaine. Rick is living in Casablan

ca during WWII. He owns his own cafe and has a good reputation in the town. Rick's story turns into a classic love story when he former love comes to Casablanca with her husband and everything Rick had tried so hard to forget came rushing back to him with a few notes on the piano.

Daughters of the Dust is a film that focuses mainly on a group of people, or well in this case a family of African Americans who are living in North Carolina and preparing for a big move the day after. The family has to make a decision that will in the end effect everyone, whether to move off the island or stay with the others

and the ones they love. The stories of this film are mainly told through the baby girl who is yet to be born, the grandmother, and the other women on the island.

Monsoon Wedding is a film that depicts a typical Indian family preparing for their daughters wedding day. This film is adapted from the original Bollywood style and is made to showcase all of the normal traditions that an Indian family goes through while planning a wedding. The difference in this film though is that the stories of the family are told through the majority of the characters in the film, with a small side story about the family maid and the wedding planner. This family has a lot of secrets that must come out and are told in ways that only real families can understand.

There are a number of differences among these three films that we could really get into, but then we would be here all day, so I will just point out the ones that are very important in explaining the differences in narrative styles. The main difference that stuck out to me throughout watching these three films and reading about the narrative styles is that in a classic hollywood narrative film there is usually one or two main characters that the film is focused on and that the audience really gets to know, and when watching Casablanca this was completely noticeable because the story was mainly about Rick but also at times about his past love. In Daughters of the Dust the stories of the family are told by the women of the family and a soon to be baby girl, so this film was different in how it was narrated and told by a number of women instead of just on or two. In Monsoon Wedding we run into the same issue because the stories of the Verma family are told by more than one of the characters, but instead they are told by all members of the family. These two films are both similar to one another in how they both focus on the importance of family and the number of troubles and issues that families run into on a day to day basis, without giving away too much that is. Casablanca is different from these two films and follows the Classic Hollywood Narrative styles in a number of ways.

Although these three films are so different, I cannot help but wonder why wouldn't they be so different. Not only are they all filmed at different points throughout history, but they are all depicting different cultures and beliefs. There is no question in my mind that these three films are crazy different in pretty much every way. We have the classic Americans, African Americans descended from Africa, and Indians all three are so different and focus on different things in their cultures. In Casablanca it is nothing new that yet again there was another love story it is what Americans seem to live for anymore when they go to the movies. And in the African American culture there is a great emphasis on family and having generations and generations of their family members living with them or near them always. In the Indian culture it is very typical for the family to be very close for life. That is why the arrangement of marriage is so important and common in their culture because whole families are involved in the decision of who can and will marry who.

Overall I think that after looking at these three films in a narrative way I can see the difference between classic hollywood narrative and alternative narrative. It is more common in the classic hollywood narrative to focus on an individuals story and life, and in the alternative narrative it is more common for the film to focus on groups and families and different cultures as well. These two narratives are very different in themselves and both are very important in the making of different kinds of films. The two styles that were used in these three films truly make the movies what they are.

Monsoon Wedding

Monsoon Wedding is a film about a traditional arranged Indian wedding. The film follows the
Lalit who is the father of Aditi the daughter about to be married to Hermant who lives in the US but is Indian as well. Throughout the traditional wedding preparations we see Aditi running off with the man that she was having an affair with before she was engaged to be married, but he refuses to leave his wife so Aditi is forced to end things because of that and her up and coming nuptials. As Aditis father is preparing for the wedding we meet the wedding planner Dubey who is a somewhat young single man who lives with his mother and plans weddings and events for others. We also meet the family's maid Alice who is very quiet and pretty and does exactly as she is told. Dubey and Alice end up falling in love throughout the preparations for the wedding and their story is just as beautiful as Aditis and Hermants in the end. Aditi realizes that she has to come clean with Hermant because she does not want to start a marriage based on lies, and she would rather him back at now then after the wedding. When she tells him he is very mad at first, but he realizes that their marriage can be start of a new life for both of them and tells her to decide whether or not to marry him, and from the moment she says she wants to marry him there is nothing but want and love in their eyes throughout the rest of the film.

The most moving part though in the entire film is the story of Ria, who is Aditis cousin and Lalits niece, who was sexually abused by her uncle who is Lilats brother-in-law. From the moment we see Ria and her uncle interact I could tell that there was definitely some sort of history between them, and I could tell by Ria's face that it was not good. The uncle is unfortunately the patriarch of the family and helps the family financially and in any way needed, so the idea that he had done such a terrible thing was crazy. But Ria finally realizes that it is time to tell her secret to save Aliyah from being hurt by him as well. When Lilat learns of what he did to Ria who has become like a daughter to him he does not know what to do, but when he makes a decision that will impact the family in a huge way I could not help but cry and just yearn to hug Ria and help in any way I could even though I knew it wasn't possible. Throughout the rest of the film we witness some beautiful and moving family moments that cannot help but make you want to be a part of the family as well. This is a definite must see in so many ways! I loved this movie and have actually purchased it now and it will be a great addition to movie collection. I left this film with tears running down my face and a smile as well, and of course an urge to dance! SEE IT!

Daughters of the Dust

Daughters of the Dust is a film that takes place in Ibo Landing on Sea Island off the coast of South Carolina. The film is depicting the last day that the Peazant family will all be together in Ibo Landing, as they are preparing to move to the mainland together. The family consists of a number of generations of Peazants from Nana who is the grandmother to Eli who is married to Eula who has recently been raped by a man, and will not tell her husband Eli who did this to her. Eula refuses to tell Eli because she is fearful it will ruin him and tear him apart, and although she has good intentions it only causes Eli to want more. We then meet their unborn baby girl who we see throughout the film running around with her parents, with the other children on the island, and even through the lens of the photographer at one point too. She also narrates at times in the film as well and we hear her laughter and listen to her tell us what is going on at times too. There is then Haagar who married into the Peazant family who is the mother of Iona who is in love with a young Cherokee man, St. Julien Lastchild, and Iona is planning on staying on the Island with him so they can be together. In the beginning of the film we are able to listen in on a letter that he writes to her professing his love and begging her to stay with him, and it is so moving and loving that I almost cried because you could really hear the love in his words he wrote for her.

Those characters are just the beginning there is then Yellow Mary Peazant who is returning from Cuba with her friend Trula, they are both wearing puffy dresses that are ridiculous for living on the Island, but are beautiful to them. And then there is Viola who is bringing Yellow Mary and Trula to the Island along with a photographer to photograph the Peazant family all together. Throughout the whole film we learn about all of the trials and tribulations that these Gullah women have gone through throughout their time on the Island, and we witness some very special moments between Nana and Eli as they discuss the family and how far they have come. We as the audience get to witness and learn about all that this family has gone through to get where they are then, and everything that they have gone through is so harsh that you cannot help but feel for these people and want to know more about them.

The Film Daughters of the Dust was a very hard film for me to completely understand and grasp the real story about what was really happening throughout the film. But I really wanted to give this film a chance to move me and to let me feel what was really going on in the lives of these characters as well. I am still not sure after viewing again if I still really got what the film was trying to tell us, but the story in itself was very interesting and sad and raw in so many ways. I cannot say that this is a movie that I would ever really recommend to anyone, but it is an okay film to watch if you really have the time sit and really really listen to what they are saying. The dialogue was very hard to understand throughout the film, and I think that that is a big reason why I did not understand exactly to the full extent what was really going on in the film, but I feel that if the dialogue was more clear and the film was not so all over the place I would most likely enjoy the film more and understand the significance of the film as well.

Casablanca

The film Casablanca is a classic romantic film that has been around for many many years. The film takes place during World War II in Morocco in a city called Casablanca. Casablanca is occupied by a large number of people trying to get out of Europe who go to Casablanca in hopes of finding their way to the United States. There are a number of different types of people in Casablanca at this time from refugees, to Nazi's and resistance fighters as well. There are also a good number of people who consider themselves above the law and will do anything for money and a visa.

Rick Blaine is the owner of Rick's Cafe which is the go to spot for all types. Sam is his pianist and friend from back in France. There are also a few other characters that make an appearance throughout the film, but none are as important as, Renault who is known by many titles but is basically the mayor and the 'big official' in the city. Then there is of course Ilsa, Rick's old love interest from back in France, and her husband Victor Laszlo who is a leader of the French Resistance, and is wanted by many people including Renault and the Nazi's. When Ilsa walks through the door of Rick's cafe with her husband all heads turn because she is known as one beautiful woman, and she really is. She then asks Sam to bring his piano over to her and sing a song that he has not played since their days together in France, and when he starts to play it and Rick hears it, he flips, then he sees Ilsa and is speechless at first. All those old feelings that he had for her come rushing back to him, and also to Ilsa even though she won't admit it at first.

We then find out that Victor and Ilsa are in Casablanca to get exit visas as well, and that they were supposed to meet an unruly crook who had been arrested earlier that evening at Rick's, luckily just after he gave the exit visas to Rick for safe keeping that is. Rick learns this and is torn about what to do exactly. The rest of the film shows the audience the real story about Rick and Ilsa when they were madly in love in France, while Victor was presumed dead. Ilsa struggles with listening to what her heart is telling her about Victor and Rick, and we are able witness the real love that she once shared with Rick. Being able to see how Rick was when he was with her brings a good light to him because he comes off pretty cold in the beginning of the film.

This is on of my all time favorite films, not because of the classic and beautiful love story that we witness between Rick and Ilsa, but because of the beautiful story about life during war. We are able to see who real people deal with such terrible situations in their everyday lives, and we witness the love that these people have for one another as well. This is a definite MUST SEE in my book because of the beautiful story that unfolds before our eyes. It full of every emotion that a movie should have and that is probably one of the reasons it is so good. Undying love, sadness, laughter, and even a little dislike, all feelings that are a part of real life, and that is why it is so full of life.

Analysis of Bonnie & Clyde

In the film Bonnie and Clyde a constant editing theme that is throughout the entire movie is the fast and rapid change from one character to another during any one of the scenes in the film. This starts right away in the film when we see Bonnie getting ready in her room and Clyde outside eyeing up her mothers car, and then we see it again when Bonnie is looking at Clydes gun. We witness the facial expression on both of their faces in a matter of seconds and the camera continues to go back and forth during the rest of the scene when Clyde robs a store to prove that he is a criminal and thief to Bonnie. The scene following Clyde running into the store to rob it, is the scene where he steals a car for the first time with Bonnie there. When they jump in the car and drive out of town we see Bonnie throwing herself all over Clyde and we see each of their faces as the camera goes back and forth when Clyde is trying to get Bonnie off of him. The facial expressions that Bonnie has throughout the rest of the scene are so dramatic and ones of disgust and embarrassment, and the expressions on Clydes face are off embarassment as well but also of annoyance and regret to an extent. He tells her that he is not a lover boy and that he is more there for the thrill of committing crimes and having a partner like Bonnie. He tries to make up for hurting her by telling he that she is the swellest girl in Texas and the one that is perfect for his team. I almost started to believe him there, but then I remembered that he gets her killed so that feeling flew out the window quite quickly.

During the rest of the film while Bonnie, Clyde, C.W., Buck and Blanche are committing a number of crimes we are able to witness a number of the characters facial expressions, and the different characters in an entire scene that may not all fit into one shot. During one of their first heists together we get a shot of the bank and all the people in it, and then the camera quickly moves to the gang coming in to the bank proclaiming that this is a stick-up.

We are able to see them as they are entering and the few characters that are in the shot as well, but the way that each scene is edited is great and showing the audience so much of what is going on in one scene so that we can get a feeling for who all and what all is in each scene. The matter of seconds it takes to go from one section of a scene to the next is so small and it is so cool that we can see that because there is so much to see in films such as this.

Later on in the film as the gang is fleeing from anther robbery of sorts they are found by a sherif who tries to scare them and arrest them but he is very much out numbered and there is nothing that he can really say or do to get them to surrender. When they take away his gun and start to push him around a little and so on Bonnie suggests taking a picture of her and Clyde with him so that they can send it to one of the papers. When they are posing for this picture Bonnie thinks that it would be funny for her to kiss him, and when she does he is not too happy and he spits on her after she stops kissing him. The expression on both of their faces is so surprising and full of disgust and anger that I was a little shocked, because even though she is criminal what man wouldn't want t be kissed by a pretty girl with a gun mind you. But also after the cop spit on Bonnie Clyde really freaked out and attacked him and they ended up in the river and the cop eventually on a boat all by himself handcuffed, so they were pretty ticked off with him.

It is really interesting to me how fast a camera can flash from one persons face to another, I know that ultimately there is more than one camera shooting at once, but the editing is so perfect in this film when it goes back and forth between characters. I might even say flawless at times. Throughout the rest of the film there are numerous shots that go from character to character in this film that I could not even write about all of them, we would be here all night to say the least. The editing in this film is great and I really think that it helped make the movie what it is today. I think that it really helped the audience to get in touch with each of the characters because we got to be so close up to them in this film and a face can tell you everything and the faces in this film tell so much of the story that without all of the cutting from face to face would change the movie entirely. I know that sometimes we get almost motion sick when we fly back and forth from character to character in a matter of seconds during a film, but this film wasn't really one that would make you sick, but one that would make you want to see more and more of the characters so that you could read in their facial expressions what was going to happen next, and how they really truly felt about what they were doing.

Bonnie and Clyde

Bonnie and Clyde is an interesting about a small town southern girl who is unhappy with the small life the she living and is looking for something exciting and new to happen in her life. Bonnie has a chance meeting with a man named Clyde who is scoping out her mothers car to hijack and she just so happens to notice that he is down there. Clyde starts to tell Bonnie all about his dark past with theft and thievery, and he tries to impress her by telling her stories from his past. Clyde entices Bonnie with his charm and guts and she is instantly interested in joining Clyde as his partner in crime to help him rob banks. Bonnie accepts without hesitation and they start their rampage immediately. They start off small to get Bonnie accustomed to what is ahead of them and they eventually start to rob banks. Throughout the rest of the film they start to ask some of the people they run into to join their team, and they eventually have C.W. Buck and Blanche who are Clyde's brother and sister-in-law join them in their efforts to rob as many backs as they can and get as much money as possible, all while killing and injuring anyone who gets in their way. The film starts out as a classic crime movie, but eventually falls into a love story between criminals who learn to need one another.

This is a film that I did not completely enjoy because I found it hard to believe the actors in their roles. It was at times funny but mostly annoying and boring. I did not really understand why Clyde was doing what he was doing in the first place, and Bonnie was so bland throughout the whole film and her annoying voice and accent were hard to listen too as well. The relationship that Clyde and Buck though is fun and very loving and you can tell that they really have a great relationship but it does tend to revolve around crime most if the time, and Blanche is quiet and doesn't really know how to act at times and almost questions what they are doing. C.W. though is a quirky character that always has the funny one liners and the weird tendencies, but he is funny at times. Overall I would not say that this is a film that I will ever watch again but it was entertaining at times, but boring and unbelievable for the most part.

Analysis of Run Lola Run

The use of editing in Run Lola Run is very throughout the film because of the use of flash forwards and flashbacks to create a story and outline of the lives that Manni and Lola live together in Germany. The constant use of the editing to cut from scene to scene and then from scenario to scenario was very important in helping the audience understand what they both had gone through in their lives to get where they are now. They use editing to flashback to what happened when Manni lost the money that he was supposed to give to the gangster, and there are also flashbacks to intimate conversations that Manni and Lola have had about their relationship and how they feel about one another. That conversation in itself is one of the most important throughout the film because you really get a feel for how much Manni and Lola care about one another.

Even though what they are doing in the film

is wrong, I kind of felt a sort of sympathy for what them because of the raw emotion that you can see on both of their faces and that you can h

ear when they are talking to one another on the phone. They truly love each other and throughout the whole film I was crossing my fingers that Lola or Manni would come up with a plan to get the money back so that Manni

would not get killed in the end.

In the film the constant use of cutting back and forth from the phone scene when Manni is explaining what happened the urgency behind her getting the money to him before the 20 minutes is up is very suspenseful each and every time they flash back to this scene. Lola is trying so hard to figure out the right way to get the money to him that she runs through a number of scenarios until she finds the exact way that she should go about getting the money. While we are watching these scenes go back and forth we learn more and more about what exactly happened when Manni received and then lost the money. When we see the homeless man take the money after Manni leaves it on the subway, and then we see Lola run past him every the story plays through over and over again we as the audience just want to scream that he has but of course there is nothing that we can do. And when we see the way that the gangster has dealt with Manni in the past we have more sympathy for him as well. The constant cutting back and forth is so perfect for this type of movie and the editors did an amazing job with it. They made us as the audience so in tuned to the film and at the edge of our seats wondering what was going to happen next, and that is not just because of the movie and the story line itself, its because of the magnificent editing job that helps us get to know the characters at a whole new level because we are not just watching what is happening at the exact moment, but we have the privilege of seeing what has happened in their past to make the characters who they are and learn new things each time there is a flashback and a flash forward. This film was made amazingly well, and the editing contributed to that in a enormous way.

Run Lola Run

Run Lola Run was an extremely interesting and enticing movie to watch. Not only was there constantly something going on, but there was a constant thought going through my mind that was asking what was going to happen next. It was was a very fun film to watch as well.

Basically Run Lola Run is about a young woman who's boyfriend has lost $100,000 that he has to hand over to a German gangster in 20 minutes or he is dead. He calls Lola for help and she promises to get the money and meet him just in time. The whole film is Lola trying to figure out what to do to help her boyfriend Manni get the money that he needs to pay off the gangster. The film is full of what seems to be flash forwards or at least what seems to be flash forwards. Because of everything that goes on throughout this film it keeps the audience on the edge of their seats wanting to know what each character is going to do. It is also very interesting because there is not a whole lot of dialogue after the first half of the film because of all of the scenarios going through Lola's head, and then Manni's. The music is also very enticing in the film because of the volume of it and the techno genre that keeps your head moving along with the movie.

I would say that this is a movie isn't necessarily a must see but it is a good film to watch that will keep its audience asking what's going to happen next.

Analysis of Do the Right Thing

Do the Right Thing is one of those films that has to rely heavily on the setting of the film because there is not a whole lot of action throughout the entirety of the film. The Mise-en-scene in this film is very important, symbolic, and instrumental to the outcome of the film. The props in this film pay a very important role in how the film plays out and work into the story of every single character we encounter in this film as well.

Some of the most important props in this film are the portraits that are hanging on the wall in Sal's Pizzeria that are of famous people such as Frank Sinatra, Joe DiMaggio, Liza Minella, Al Pocino and a number of other caucasian actors, actresses, and musicians, but there are no portraits of African Americans on the wall and on this particular day that really seemed to bother the one character Buggin' Out. When Buggin' Out brings this up at Sal's, Mookie trys to reason with him and calm him down, but he is unable to do so. Also when he brings it up to Sal, Sal of course defends himself by saying that it is his shop so he is allowed to put portraits of whoever he wants on his own walls, this then really ticks of Buggin' Out and he storms out in a huff with the determination to protest Sal's and get as many people on the block to protest with him. These portraits play a role in everything that goes on throughout the rest of the movie. Everything that Buggin' Out does throughout the rest of the movie has to do with the photos as well because he is so upset about them.

Throughout the whole movie everything that went one seemed to always come back to these photos that Sal had on his wall, and also the photos that another character carried around and tried to sell that were of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King and his name is Smiley. Because of these photos that underlying meaning of racism is apparent through the significance of the photos. I could tell that even when Mookie was trying to calm down Buggin' Out to get him out of Sal's, that even Mookie understood where he was coming from, but he couldn't really say anything because he works as the delivery guy for Sal.

When Buggin' Out gets some of the other people to follow him in his protest of Sal's Pizzeria and when he brings the group with him to Sal's all hell breaks loose and terrible things start to

happen. When I thought about this scene while watching it I was completely shocked about the

way that everyone reacted about a few photos on a wall in a pizza shop. But I also believe in fighting for what you believe in, and you should fight for it with great passion, and that is what Buggin' Out is doing, it seemed a little harsh because of the ultimate turn out of the film. But while I was watching it I was a little disturbed

by everything that was going on because of the intensity. I guess when though when you really care about something that is that important to you, you will do whatever you need to do to fight for what you believe in.

Throughout the entire film racial stereotypes and other controversial issues are brought up from everyone of the characters. Sal's eldest son was a very racist man in the movie and he was not afraid to show it. And one of the other characters in the film who plays a very prominent role is Radio Raheem who walks around with a big boom box on his should playing the same song over and over again ver

y loudly. The song that he plays over and over is called "Fight the Power" and everyone that he walks by either freaks out about the volume or they go right along with it. There is also a Korean couple on the corner of the block who have a grocery store and there are people who are racist towards them and they are racist towards the others as well. Each character in one or another has a racist remark at one time or another throughout the movie. And although racism is a very important and prevalent topic to address Spike Lee takes it to a whole new level in his film.

Do the Right Thing Review

Do the Right Thing is a movie that takes place on the hottest day of the summer in Brooklyn. Mookie works for the local pizza shop that is run by the only Caucasian people on the block and with the comes controversy. ***SPOILER***Throughout the entire day every ones anger and feelings of hate and frustration boil to the surface and all hell breaks loose and everything and everyone explodes.

I am not sure about how I feel about this film even after taking some time to think about it and watch it again. I had a hard time sticking with the film the first time because of everything that was going on the film. I definitely think that the film brings up some major topics that are present in everyday life and that are important for every one to think about and address. I would have to say that I do think that this is a film that every one should see more than once because it is one that I think is pretty controversial and compelling, so to watch it once may have you leaving with a disgruntled view and a uneasy feeling.

Analysis of The Godfather

While watching the movie The Godfather I could not help but notice the numerous props that were used to set the scene and feel of the movie throughout its entirety. The props that I felt were extremely important the film and gave it its real feel were alcohol and firearms. In the opening scene of The Godfather, the Godfather is visited by a father who wants revenge on the boy who hurt his daughter, and he wants the Godfather to reap that revenge for him. When the father of the daughter starts to get really upset the Godfather's men immediately give him a shot of some sort of alcohol, and that started me off wondering why would you offer someone alcohol when they are freaking out about something and crying, I would the rational choice would be a box of tissues don't you? But the idea that instead he is given a shot of alcohol to calm his nerves instead is speaks volumes to the kind of men we will be dealing with throughout the movie.

The significance of guns in this movie was so important throughout the whole thing because of what the represented to the Corleone family. They were used to represent power among the five head families that are involved in so

mething illegal whether it is firearms or drugs, and they are practically in every scene. Whether they are just stuck in the back of their pants, on a table near one of them or hidden in ran

dom places in restaurant bathrooms. They are pretty much everywhere. When Michael choses to the kill two of the men that are connected to his fathers shooting in one way or another he is so overwhelmed and shaky that he doesn't even really know how to go through with it, but he and his family both know that once he pulls that trigger the first time he must flee the country, and when he does so he is accompanied and protected by two men who are carrying rifles, and for the rest of the movie pretty much every scene he is in there is also a gun.

Another big part in the movie that includes multiple guns in one scene is the scene where Sonny is murdered. He is attacked at a check point which is also a trap and shot with hundreds and hundreds of bullets from machine guns surrounding him. There is no getting past this scene for him because he is literally destroyed. The amount of guns that had to be used for this movie is rediculous, I cannot even imagine how many were actually used. I am pretty sure that if you started to count from the beginning you would have to lose count because they turn up everywhere unexpectedly that it is almost like if there is not a gun in a scene it is weird. The amount of power that they signify in the movie is overwhelming to me. They are like a sixth finger on a Corleone family hand.

Mise-en-scene in The Godfather is significant in so many ways besides just guns and alcohol. There are so many other important props and things that make the movie what it is from, oranges, to cats, and clothing and cars. There is something in every scene that makes the movie so amazing, and so meaningful. The setting is beautiful all over New York and even in Sicily it is just beautiful. They make everything feel so real like you as the viewer can imagine you are in the scene with them and can feel what the characters feel and what the writers want you to feel and see. The mise-en-scene in this film is probably the most noticeable to me because we watched this movie right after reading the chapter and everything was so fresh in my mind that I could understand what the writers were trying to get us to understand, and I think that is something that I really hope can measure up in the many more films that I will watch in the future.

The Godfather

The Godfather is a great movie depicting the crazy and eventful lives of an old Sicilian family living in New York in the 1940's. "Don" Vito Corleone is the "Godfather" and head of one of five of the most powerful mob families in New York. When Don Corleone refuses to put money into a drug investment all hell breaks loose between the Corleone family and the other four head families, to the point where everyone is fighting for their own. We witness the importance of loyalty and family throughout the rest of the film. When the time is right, Michael one of Vito's sons is forced but also chosen to take over the family business, he has to make a choice whether to risk running the business his way, or the way that his father, the "Godfather" so famously ran it.

Going into this movie I really did not know what to expect because I had never seen the movie before last night. I had heard about bits and pieces of it and I had seen a scene or two beforehand, but never in its entirety. I was so quickly surprised how much I found myself enjoying the film from the moment it started to the moment it ended, because at times I almost felt like I was right there in the film sitting back and watching everything that was going on. I could feel the emotion and love that Vito had for his family and the people that he cared about right away, and even though he is regarded to be a terribly rough and heartless character, I was persuaded right away in the opening scene that he was not as bad as everyone made him out to be. He is a caring man who wants only to take care of and protect the people he cares about, and well if that involves offing someone then so be it!

I loved the movie and everything about it, it is definitely a must see in my book, and I will most definitely be watching it again and also the second and third one as well so I can see how everything plays out.

Analysis of Apocalypse Now

When I viewed Apocalypse Now for first time I was highly confused as you can read in my earlier blog, but after viewing certain scenes for the second time I definitely had a different reaction. I felt that after we had our second class on the movie and we really discussed some of the different things about the movie that we though were interesting and compelling I really started to look more deeply into the scenes that I was re-watching. I had a different view of the movie the second time around, and although there are still some parts that confuse me, I really feel that the movie does a great job at going deep into the minds of the soldiers that really loose themselves in war, and that is something that I do not think that we get to witness very often unless we ourselves have experienced it.

While viewing some of the scenes a second time around I really noticed the use of color throughout the entire film. In the opening scene it is relatively dim and you cannot really see a whole lot besides that fading in and out of Willard's face and a helicopter in the sky. But the colors after this scene were all very similar throughout the rest of the movie. Specifically in many of the action scenes, and other scenes in between the action scenes, there is a constant use of the same colors. The colors that we witness the most are reds, oranges, yellows, and a few darker colors such as black and army green. From the opening scene to the closing scene we see blood which is red as we all know, and in pretty much every scene leading up to the closing scene there is some variation of either the use of the color red or blood. Another color that is very symbolic throughout the entire movie is orange which represents fire in the movie, and that too is in a numerous amount of the scenes in the movie. From the shores of the beach with Kilgore, to the riversides we see while Willard and the crew on the boat are heading up to the the Doo Long Bridge to get up to Kurtz's camp we see fire and explosions that are killing masses of people that we never really meet or even see. The color of blood and fire are obvious throughout the entire movie, but there is also the color yellow that we see constantly. But yellow is not just used to symbolize fire, it is also used along the shores of the river, as the color for the buildings and homes that we see along the shores and in battle, we also see it a lot when we get to Kurtz's camp for the first time because on the shore is numerous amounts of rock and dirt that is a yellowish color. Not only is yellow used a lot with the scenery and the buildings but it is used for shading as well. Because many of the frames are relatively dark the color of the lighting that we see on their faces is yellow, almost like a candle light which is fire, so yellow also stands for fire at times in the movie as well. We see this yellow lighting throughout the whole movie, but it becomes brighter and brighter towards the end of the movie, especially at Kurtz's camp.

We do not have to the privilege of seeing Kurtz right away and it was very frustrating for me at first, and we just see parts of his head and body in the beginning, and then slowly he moves his face into the yellowish light and he is revealed. His face is not as scary as I think they wanted it to be, or at least not as scary now as it may have been back when it was first released. But even though it was not scary it was memorable. I think that you could really see the sadness in his face and that made me feel bad for him after I saw him for the first time. Not only do I see sadness on his face because of this perfect use of color, but I also see sickness. When we see people that are sick, their skin tones are not usually normal and they often look a little yellowish and pale, and when I see this part of the movie I really think that the yellow color not only represents the sadness that he feels for everything he has done and for his family, but also how mentally and possibly physically sick he is. This yellow is the perfect color because of its soft and pale tone, and I think that the use of color cinematography in this scene is probably the most compelling throughout the whole movie.

I really felt that at the end of the movie after watching it the first time and even after viewing parts of it the second time that the most memorable part for me was when we met Kurtz for the first time. When I think about the movie now the image you see above is the picture I see in my head every time, and I really think that it made such an impact on me because of the use of color in this movie.

Apocalypse Now

A twisted and at times humorous, confusing, and gory tail of a soldier named Captain Willard who goes to all odds to complete a mission assigned to him to find Colonel Kurtz who has gone completely bonkers, and started to do things that the soldiers in the Vietnam war could only imagine but never carry out. Captain Willard is committed to his assignment and will do whatever it take sot complete it.

When I was watching this film earlier tonight I can honestly say that I was pretty much confused about everything that was happening the entire movie. I understood the overall plot was to for Willard to complete the mission assigned to him, but the things that went on throughout the entire time he was working to complete is assignment were crazy and confusing. I did not really understand why certain things had to happen, and when certain people had to go crazy when shooting people, and why people were shooting other people at times either. I just did not get it. When I left the film I was just as confused then as I was the entire time I was watching it. I left feeling a little creeped out, confused, and questioning what the heck I had just watched. I was not really sure what to think or feel after watching it. I am thinking that this is one of those films that definitely needs to be watched more than once and possibly explained to you if you are still confused after viewing it again. I also think, because well I had to do it, that it is one of the movies that you need to IMDB afterwards to see what the plot of the movie was that you just watched to get any idea whatsoever the movie was about that you just watched. I would not say that this is not a movie worth watching or giving the time of day, but if you are going to watch it make sure to watch it when you have some time afterwards to reflect on what it is you just watched, and maybe look it up before you watch it as well so that you can follow along and understand what is going on as well. Not a must see, but definitely questionable.

Analysis of The Diving Bell and The Butterfly

I think that this movie was done amazingly well. I was almost left speechless at the end of this film because of the way that the movie was shot, and the emotion that was brought out by the way that the movie was filmed. The fact that we were seeing everything from inside Baubys head during the first thirty or so minutes was phenomenal. I could not have asked for a better point of view or perspective because I am not sure that I would have felt the intensity and the emotion that was behind everything in this movie. I think that during the other parts of the film when we were seeing Bauby's life through an objective point of view was much more impersonal, and I as a viewer was not able to really feel and see what Bauby was feeling during those moments that we were watching him, and not watching everything that he was seeing instead.

The lighting and the coloring during that first part of the film were done with such dullness that they were almost beautiful. There were a lot of grays, blues, and reds. But they were not rich bright versions of those colors, but they were dull and at times hazy and blurry. During this scene Bauby is waking up for the first time after his accident so everything that we see from his point of view is blurry like and that is why the colors are blurry as well. But Bauby slowly keeps opening his eyes and trying to make out the images that are before him, but it takes some time because of his current state. The framing that we witness during this scene is also very interesting because we only see a little at a time because that Doctors keep getting closer and closer to Bauby's face, and some to the extent of being able to see the little red veins in the one Doctors eye and the stubble on another Doctors lip, in the filming world this would be called a close-up. Because we are looking through his eye we can only see very little because he cannot really move his neck so we only can see what is in one frame at a time. It is hard to see what else is going on in the scene not only because he cannot really move his head, but also because his vision is blurred so therefore so is ours. It almost seems to me at times that the way we are seeing the world through his eyes is like a movement or a mobile frame because of the way that we follow his line of vision from person to person, and from object to object just by the movement of his one eye.

There are times while watching this movie that I really get the feeling like I am in the wheel chair with Bauby because of the way that we are seeing the world from his view. It brings to mind the idea of tracking shots, dolly shots, and traveling shots which are all pretty much the same in that they are moving shots that could be compared to looking at one point and moving towards or away from that spot, but not breaking your gaze. I think that beat example of this in the movie is of the first time that Bauby goes out onto the balcony where the mother of his children is, but also looks out onto a beautiful shot of the ocean and mountains, and from the opposite point of view a red and white striped lighthouse that Bauby loves to look at.

I really think that the cinematographer for this film was genius with the way that they decided to make this film. The point of view is amazing and I cannot thinking of a more intimate and perfect way to really the life and pain of Jean-Do Bauby, than through his own eye.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a moving story about a magazine publisher who suffers a great tragedy and ends up living through his imagination and memories. The film goes through the everyday life of a patient with his locked within oneself and shares his memories with us of his children, his wife or mother of his children, his fathers love for him, and his never ending encounters with women, life, and love.

When I first started watching this movie I was a little hesitant as to whether or not I would enjoy it because I do not particularly like watching movies that make me read the subtitles. But this movie was so moving it brought me to tears at one point. The way that we see the world though his eye and from his point of view is so moving and enlightening that I could not help but fall in love with this movie only a few minutes into it. I could feel the pain that he was going through while watching this movie and I could not imagine how I could live a life like his. The movie was moving to me in all the right ways. It had all of the emotions that I think a good movie should have. Love, hate, sadness, laughter, pity, and remorse. I felt a connection to these characters that I cannot really explain, but I enjoyed it even though it brought me to tears. This is one of those movies that I can see people either loving or hating, and not really just liking. There is too much sadness for some people, but there may not be enough or something else for another. I think that it is a movie that people should give a chance regardless of the reviews it may receive, and to me it is a must see.