JUST DO IT

I think that Spike Lee did a great job writing and directing "Do the Right Thing". This movie showed that racism just gets worse. One thing leads to another, leads to another, until it gets way out of control. The movie showed that the only way to stop racism from being a disaster, is to stop it right away, or to resolve the problem.

Spike Lee wanted it to be a big deal when Radio Rahem was killed, but the shots made it hard to do so. He spent alot more time on the shots leading to and the actual crash of the window. He even had a double take of the glass shattering. The glass might have been symbolism for chaos erupting. The point is, Radio Rahem didn't seem important, because Lee didn't make it important.

Thinking about the movie, there was alot of things that Sal could have done to prevent his place from burning. It all started because he wouldn't put an African American picture on the wall. I wonder if the older brother learned his racism from his dad. The younger son has it right. He is acting how he should be. Some of the characters i am sad got hurt by this, the younger son, Da Mayor.

VIVA LA REVOLUTION

This movie was pretty good. I thought that it was just going to be another documentary, and be boring; but it wasn't. The director did a great job showing both sides of the battle, and how bad the casualties were for both sides. Even when most of the story was through the revolutionaries eyes, you still could tell how bad it was for the French.One way the director showed how bad the bombings were to the people, was with music. The music he played for both bombings was the same. The music also added other things, it added to the suspense of the scenes and drew you into the characters. Ali seemed like a very shallow person in my mind. He even shot an old friend of his. It was kind of funny that some of the characters actually played themselves. It must have been fun to play yourself in a film.; The irony.

China Town

Why does it seem in the olden movies, that all the bad stuff happens to the Chinese. Anyways, I thought that this movie was a little predictable. If you call the bad guy, of course he is going to bring his lackies and take you with him. If you're rich, you are going to pay off the police. There is no reason why you wouldn't if you had any chance of getting caught. Jack Nicholson doesn't play "hurt" very well. He plays mean, but he can't play hurt. I realize that most of the time, he has to play mean, but when he got his nose slit, he just shrugged it off like it was nothing. That would REALLY HURT. Plus by the time he got the bandages off of his nose, it would have taken atleast a couple weeks. Did it take him that long to solve the case? Another thing; how the h#*$ did they even make that shot. The policeman were atleast 60 yards from the car. Then to hit a square ft space over the car? there is no way that is possible. There was so many things that this movie had, that was completely unrealistic, i didn't like it

Kiss Me Deadly

I thought that this was a lot better film than out of the past. This film at least had some happy points to it. Kiss Me Deadly even had some characters that you could connect to (it's to bad that he died :( ). No more vroom vroom. This movie had a lot more suspense than the the other film noir that we watched. I have to say that the best ending was when they didn't run out of the building. It added a lot more suspense to it. Also it gave the movie a solid ending. Not, where will they go, and what will happen next. Most of the friends of the main character get killed, so it would make sense that he would join him.

Out of the Past

This wasn't a very good movie in my opinion. It was hard for me to connect to the characters at all. The main character seemed predictable. This whole genre is a soap opera that has gone horribly wrong. (BTW i HATE) soup operas. The ending of the movie was incredibly sad. Even the main character's girlfriend didn't end well. She rejects a guy, then leaves in a car. I can see why this genre is not very popular. It is so much like a mystery, why not just watch mysteries. Mysteries atleast, have decent suspense to them. They mostly all are in color. (i dont mind black/white, but i prefer to be able to not feel like I'm color blind. This movie wasn't very attractive, And I don't see it being popular with the current teen crowd.

My Darling Clementine

I think this overall was a good movie. It was a little difficult to get the story in the beginning, but it got alot better near the end. I like how, in the dreams, they would transition between scenes using water under the feet, through a doorway, etc. It made for a cool effect. The movie used good lighting, so i knew when things were sad, and what weren't. This movie seemed to use alot of panning and craning to follow the characters across the screen. To add the the camera use, the story had a good plot. Erasing someone from your memories, thats really cool.

Girl Friday

This Movie is very odd. I did not think This movie was very good. This story was predictable. The jealous ex is obviously going to try to get her back for himself. I feel bad for the coming husband. This movie was suppose to be a screwball comedy, but I still think that His Girl Friday falls into the romantic comedy. It still is guy meets girl, guy loses girl, and now wants her back, but can't. I usually dont mind romantic comedies , but i dont like this one. The fast paced talk is suppose to match the press buisness; i get thatm but tit takes away from the film. Another thing about this movie. The director(s) of this movie chose to not use very many camera shots during a scene. They have a lot of the conversations with only one shot. This makes the scene seem to draw out and seem longer and longer. These thing added with the predictability of the movie, make this movie boring.

Movie review: Unforgiven

I believe that the most important scene, is when Will and the kid are sitting under the tree waiting for their money. Will and the kid are talking about killing a person. Throughout the scene Will starts to change back to his original self. first, the kid takes a drink from the kids bottle. When Will finds out that Ned is dead, he completes the transition. He turns back into his mean self again. He ends up going into the saloon, and killing all of those people. He turned back to what he most drastically didn't want to turn back into.
During this movie, they use camera angles alot. The most common angle they use is a high shot, to look down on the characters. The characters are usually in a very bad situation, and the camera angle enhances it. He uses the low angles at the same time, to make Eastwood and his gang look even bigger.
I think that the biggest theme in this movie, is what is right, and what is wrong. The sheriff, Little Bill, tried to protect his town, but he beats the law breakers. What he's trying to do is right, but how he's doing it is wrong. Another example is in Will. Will wants to get money to help his kids grow up better, but in order to do that, he has to get more money. And to do that, he has to kill two people. Again, what he is trying to do is right, but how he's trying to do it wrong.
I'm going to compare this movie to Stage Coach. SC is a slower movie, it has alot of characters nad has alot of loopholes in the plot (ex, why the banker was arrested). Unforgiven, only has a couple of main characters, it goes alot faster, and has alot more action scenes than in Stage Coach. Since there is less characters in Stage Coach, you get to know the characters more indepth. This makes you relate to them more. Since i'm a huge action person, I love the excess of action scenes in Unforgiven compared to SC.
When i watched StageCoach, i was turned off by westerns, but Unforgiven has given me a new outlook on the movie. I more willing to watch westerns now.

Behind thee scenes: Seven Samurai

All the sets in Seven Samurai were from previous villages, or were build from scratch. By using good camera angles, and transitions, the photographers were able to make the scenes look like they are connected together. An example of this, is when one of the samurai set off a false alarm. The other samurai run from left to right. How they shot it, it seemed like it was all done in one take. During the scenes that the samurai were helplessly outnumbered, it was night. Due to this dark lighting, it seemed alot more gloomy for the farmer's/the samurai. The photographers also showed the opposite of this. When the samurai actually had a chance, the lighting was alot brighter, and seemed more hopeful. The screenplay was made by Akira Kurosawa, and Shinobu Hashimoto. I think they did a great job with the screenplay. It had alot of theatrical elements to it. Even though it was a great screenplay, i think that the best job was done with music.

The music to Seven Samurai was all an origional soundtrack. The composer of the music is Fumio Hayasaka. When he wanted to make the music lighter, he used strings and a little brass. When Hayasaka wanted the music to seem alot more dark, he used brass. This made it seem more tense, and you get drawn into it more. The entire movie is basically around one theme. They just use different instruments during those scenes to create different affects. By using only one theme, the audience didnt focus on the music as much, but still used the music to get the feeling of the scene.

StageCoach

I think that the most important scene in stagecoach, was near the end, when The Kid fought the plumber boys. It showed the most insight into the characters. The sheriff realized that he was actually a good person, and let him go even though he knew he was going to fight the plumber boys. Then he let him go again, in front of the ladies house. The Kid had a chance ti run away after he killed the PB, but he decided to keep his promise. I think that this really shows that, even though he's an outlaw, he cares about what is right and what isn't.

When the Kid was fighting with the Plumber Boys, the lighting is dark, to make the scene seem gloomier. Also, they used a wide lens to make The Kid seem bigger than the PB. This effect is alot like the one used in 7 samurai. They use dark lighting to make the scene seem alot more helpless. Also, in Seven Samurai, they have the samurai standing over the farmers and the bandits, to make them seem alot more powerful and all knowing.

Overall i don't like westerns. They are sexist predictable and the action sucks. I'll stick to my kung-fu action movies.

Citizen Kane

Music and sound can be used to control feeling during a scene. If the makers wanted the scene to sound happy, they make the song upbeat. It the wanted to make the scene feel sad, they play it slow, kind of like a durge. I am going to use two examples of how this is used in Citizen Kane. When Kane bought out the editors of the newspaper, they played "Kane's march" happy and upbeat with a marching band, with show girls. When Kane lost the election. They played that sound slower and more depressing and quieter. Sound can be important also. To make Kane seem stronger, they made his have a booming voice on top of everyone else. If he needed to seem weak, they make him sound quiet and sheepish.

Movie Critic: Meals on Wheels

If you just that this is another one of Jackie Chan's movies, you'd be wrong. Compared to "Heart of Dragon", 1985, this movie is off the charts.
The opening camera angles give the movie alot of flavor; but it seems to loose that until the ending of the movie. Thomas (Jackie Chan) and his friend David (Yuen Biao) live together. They run a restaurant from their car; thus the title, meals on wheels. David's father is in a mental institution. While visiting them, they run into a gorgeuos woman, whos mother is dating David's dad. They later find out, unfortinately for them, that she is a thief. When some men try to attack her, they are forced to try to hide her in their car. On a side story in the movie, Hung (Sammo Hung) is a private that is looking for a woman. He was hired to do so by a decently dressed man. I am not going to say any more because i will give away the movie and you will not want to se the movie.

The plot of this story is believable. If you like action scenes, then you will like this movie. Chan and Biao make a good martial arts duo. The light of the scenes are pretty straight forward, and the scene changes are a tiny bit jumpy. If you want to see a movie just to enjoy it and laugh, then this is a good movie for you to watch. If you care alot about the cinematics of the movie, wait to see this movie. I advise all people to see atleast one Jackie Chan Movie. This would be a good choice. Since this movie is directed by one of the characters, the camera's have a greater insight of the characters.

This is Jake L's. Over and out

Journal #2: Personal viewing

I've been watching alot of Jackie Chan movies lately. Jackie Chan, as you probably know, mixes a style of Martial Arts, with comedy. In most of them, Chan has great action scenes, while still keeping great humor to the movie. The best movies, in my opinion, include, "Twin Dragon", "New Police Story", and "Operation Condor". If you want to see Chan show off acrobatics, see "Meals on Wheels". Some of them that i didn't like, were "Heart of Dragon", "The Big Brawl", "Spiritual Kung-Fu", and the recent "Rush-Hour 3". I think that most Jackie Chan movies are deffinitely worth seeing. Everyone should see ATLEAST one Jackie Chan movie in their lifetime.

Critique the Critic: Bourne Ultimatum

I read a review by James Berardinelli on The Bourne Ultimatum. I have yet to see the film, and this review is making me cautious to say the least about seeing it. I love action films, but i enjoy one with plot too. The review said the plot of the story...

"doesn't have as much heart or emotional depth..."

When he says that, it makes me think of one of those Arnord Schwarzenegger. Like the sixth day. It had good action, but it didn't have any story. Mr. Berardinelli talks about how The entire film is about Bourne trying to get info on his old life. There is no romance is in it, which i think there should be atleast a little to make it a good action film. Even The Bourne identity, and the Bourne Supremacy had a little romance in it.

Mr. Berardinelli also talks about the action scenes.

"One could argue it's a little exhausting, but the action is consistently excellent"

. The fact that it has good action is a push for me to see it, but it can't just be all action like he is suggesting.
I think that this is a good review. He puts out his point, and states arguments opposite of his. This way, we get a wider view of what critics thought.He is able to show what alot more people think of the movie than just him. This gives the reader a broader opinion of the movie than just what Mr. Berardinelli wrote.
As a whole, I think that the review made me less excited than I was starting out. The review to me, made me think that this was just another attempt to have a triad. Even though Berardinelli it wasn't, it just sounds that way to me, and is no longer interesting.

It Begins!!!

Here is the beginning of my Art of Film Blog