The Cider House Rules

The Cider House Rules was adapted from John Irwin's novel back in 1999. The film covers many controversial issues including; adoption, adultery, adoption, orphanages, and substance abuse. The film plays on the emotions of the audience and attempts to sway their opinions on these tough topics.

The main theme on the film The Cider House Rules is deciding what they right thing is even if it means breaking the rules. The main ambition of the movie is to convince the audience that abortion isn't always the wrong choice.  Right away this ambition wasn't so successful. All of the abortions at the beginning of the movie where mothers who just didn't want to have a child. That probably angered a lot of the anti-abortion audience. This ambition was successful because of the scene where Rose has an abortion because she was raped by her father. That made the audience feel sympathy towards her and made it seem alright. Dr.Larch taught Homer that it was okay to help the women because if he didn't someone under qualified would and that would hurt the woman and baby.

In my opinion I think the ambition was successful. This could be just because I was already pro-choice and this movie just proved my beliefs even more. It showed the circumstances where it would have been awful for the mother to carry out the pregnancy. Nobody wants to have their fathers child. They wouldn't be able to provide the compassion and love for the child without remembering back to the traumatizing moment.

Out of all the the approaches in the text, I'd have to say that the humanistic approach is used most in this film. The whole point of this movie is to change and influence the beliefs of the audience. Throughout the movie they are trying to convince the audience that they don't have to be anti-abortion. They are trying to prove that under certain circumstances it is okay to have an abortion.

One thing I really liked about this movie was that Toby Maquire was one of the main characters. It was so different to see him outside of Spiderman. I thought he played the part perfectly and really showed hard it was for him to deal with the abortions. I also liked how the movie showed how the director felt about the tough subjects. Obviously if the director was anti-abortion he wouldn't have agreed to do this film. It shows that he is pro-choice under certain circumstances.The movie is rated PG-13 because of all of the tough subjects. The movie covers a lot about abortion and even has some nudity scenes.

This movie has taught me that people go through so many tough situations. It taught me that there are so many rules that everyone needs to follow even if they aren't right. Sometimes a person has to make a tough choice to break the rules in order to do what they think is right. The movie kept me interested the whole time and made me really think about all of the circumstances. It made me think that maybe there are certain circumstances where it is okay to break the rules.

The Full Monty

When I first started watching The Full Monty I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I didn't even know what "Full Monty" meant...Don't worry, I got it know. After watching the movie all I could think about is how brave those six unemployed guys were doing something out of the norm in order to make some money.

This film covered quite a few different themes including; unemployment, suicide, obesity, and divorce. Each one of those themes are a little tough to cover so the movie had some humor to go along with it. The main characters of the movie are each struggling with their own issues. They are all unemployed, Gaz is fighting for visitation rights, and Dave is struggling with weight issues. I think that the point the director is trying to get across is just because a person is going through a rough patch doesn't mean they have to give up and be miserable. The men realize they need to come together as friends to be there for each other and to find a way to be successful again.  The director adds comedy into this film because it helps take the edge off some of the issues faced.

Personally, I think the movie was only somewhat successful. Yes, it made it me realize that being there for friends can be rewarding but it also promoted stripping as an easy way to make money. If Gaz is really trying to pay off his child support and prove he deserves visiting rights, I think there could have been better ways then doing the Full Monty. Otherwise, the  movie was super successful in the UK. It attracted a huge audience and even went on later to be made into a musical and a play. I think it grabbed the hearts of the audience and made them feel for the characters. It also showed that audience that when they are feeling down and worthless that it is their choice to stay that way or to do something about it.

The Full Monty is rated R because of all the swearing and partial nudity in the film. The rating could also have to do with some of the rough subjects dealt with in the film. Some people like to think that the violence, swearing, and nudity in films is causing there to be more problems with it in society today. I don't exactly think that is the case. I think movies  like this take what is already going on in the world and make it into something that everyone can relate too. Some of the issues they are faced with may be harsh but somewhere, someone else is going through the same problems. I also liked how there was a bit of comedy to go with this movie too, showing that its okay to laugh it off a little.

Overall, I don't think I will be watching The Full Monty again. It had good messages and taught good lessons but it didn't really keep me interested the whole time. I will say that the men in the movie did show just how brave they were by facing their own problems and by doing the Full Monty. I think it is the type of movie that you have to be able to relate to in some way in order to really appreciate it.

The Cove

The documentary The Cove is a real eye opener to what really goes on in the ocean. The film focuses on showing the audience just how many dolphins are killed a year and how eating dolphin meat could harm people. Ric O'barry, a former dolphin trainer, travels to Japan to expose the dolphin hunters for all of their horrible hunting practices.  The Cove persuades the audience to stop dolphin killings and  even won the Academy Award for Best Documentary back in 2010. I think directors of The Cove wanted to show the world just how brutal and wrong these killing are and they definitely got their point across. 

A few of the main themes in The Cove  are activism and animal rights. Throughout the whole documentary the audience is lead by a small group of activists in Japan. They protest for the animals rights and try to show how peaceful the animals could be if they weren't constantly being hunted and captured. One of the questions critics must ask themselves before watching a film is, "What is the film's level of ambition?". Basically, that just means what point is the director trying to get across and how he or she is trying to do it. The main purpose of The Cove is to stop the mass dolphin killings in Japan and around the world. The best way to get that message across is through a documentary showing exactly what is going on in Japan and how cruel the killings are. (Pg.405) 

In my opinion, I think the film succeeds in many ways. The Cove succeeded in making the audience aware of the killings. It played on the audiences emoticons and made them feel bad for the animals.Showing the audience the scenes of the mass killings  made them want to stop the killings. The one scene that really made me think about this was when the one dolphin escaped from the nets and was getting away. They could see it jump a few times while escaping and then they never saw it again because it died. The Cove has made a difference because so many people have already signed a petition to stop the killings. People are now aware of what is going on and what to make a difference. Personally, I thought the movie was almost to graphic to watch. It definitely played on the emotions of the people watching showing them how gruesome it was. They may have only shown all of the worst parts in order to make them feel even worse for the animals. It did really make me want to make a difference and help the dolphins thought. (Pg.407)

The Cove is a documentary that uses no narration. Everything is from an interview, real footage, and pictures taken. This narration lets the audience form their own opinions instead of listening to what they are are being told. They see what is actually happening and can make the decision on their own. The Cove is rated PG-13 more than likely for its how brutal the killings are. It also is rated PG-13 so that parents think that it won't be to much a a childish film and actually want to watch it. The film focuses on problems that are happening in the world today and really makes the audience feel like they need to make a difference. (Chapter 15)

The film The Cove has drawn attention to the mass dolphin killings in Japan and has started a petition to stop. I think without the documentary the world would still be the dark about what was going on. The documentary showed me just how far people would go just to make extra, easy money. It's not a film that will make a person feel good, but it is a film that will make them want to make a difference. I give the movie a thumbs up as it made me feel sorry for the animals and made me want to change the way things happen. 

The Dark Knight

I remember watching The Dark Knight a few years ago but didn't really remember most of what was going on. I was able to catch quite a few things from our chapters while watching it again though. This movie was action packed and full of surprises.

The Dark Knight uses color in so many different ways through out the movie. First of all I noticed that the whole movie itself was kind of dark. There was a lot of grays and blacks and just not a lot of color. I think that gives a hint at how the town of Gotham really is. It is a town of criminals with not many people you can trust. The two main characters in the movie were also expressed by. This can either be a leitmotif or expressionism Batman wore black and yellow which I think symbolizes how mysterious he is but he also provides hope for the town of Gotham. We all already know the Joker has lost his mind but  I think the colors he wears proves it. He always wears dark clothes with colorful makeup. The dark clothes can tell us that he is a villain and that makeup tells us how crazy he really is. (Chapter 7)

I'm not the greatest at paying attention to all of the sound effects in movies so I had to do a little research on this. The first thing I found was that they spend a lot of time getting the right sound for the batpod. After watching that part again I noticed just how cool they made it sound. I must have been distracted by all the cool stunts with it the first time I watched.  (Chapter 8)

One thing that I really did notice was that the same music played every time the Joker was about to appear. It turns out that is one of the main songs from the soundtrack.  It is called "Why So Serious?" It actually fits the Joker quite well as never really was serious and always had something up his sleeve. Another song that caught my attention was "A Dark Knight" to me it was the theme song of the whole movie. Like the song "Why So Serious" describes the Joker, "A Dark Knight" describes Batman. The rest of the soundtrack didn't really catch my attention but I'd say two good ones out the bunch isn't bad. (Chapter 9)

The Dark Knight was all about the star system. I mean who wouldn't want to go to a movie starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, AND Morgan Freeman? Not only did these actors steal the show they also nailed their parts. I though Christian Bale played a very believable Batman and loved being the hero. Morgan Freeman did what Morgan Freeman does. His voice and the way he gets into his character really makes the movie for me. Finally, we have Heath Ledger. He went above and beyond in his role of the Joker. Some would even say that he got so into his role of the Joker that we went crazy in real life and that he why he died. But that's just what I've heard.  (Chapter 10)

The director, Christopher Nolan, nailed this dark, action packed film. He chose characters that would not only draw in people to the box office but would also play their character perfectly.  He also put all of the effects together nicely. The color of the movie was pretty gloomy to represent the terrors of Gotham. The music gave you hints when something was going to happy whether it was loud music or the creepy scary music. Christopher put this movie together perfectly. (Chapter 11)

Overall, I think The Dark Knight is a great movie for anyone who wants to watch an action packed movie. The movie is also loaded with stars so everyone is bound to know at least one person in the movie. I have to say this superhero movie is a lot like other super hero movies I have watched. You knew that something was bound to happen between the Joker and Batman and you knew that Batman would come out on top one way or another. I will probably end up watching this movie again sometime in the future though so it can't be all bad.

The Breakfast Club

The first time I ever watched The Breakfast Club was in my high school psychology class, so I thought it was pretty strange that it was one of the films for this class. Regardless, it has been one of my favorite movies ever since.

In the film I noticed that each character really has there own color that tells a little bit about them. This is also known as expressionistic use of color. Bender's color is red. Under his jacket he wears a red flannel. I think the red stands for how confident is throughout the whole film but also for the anger he feels towards his father. Another example would be that the color pink represents Claire. Throughout the movie she is thought of as the girly girl and the queen bee. The other characters were also represented by colors; Andy was blue, Allison was black, and brain is green. Brian, Andy, and Allison all represent cool colors while Bender and Claire represent warm colors. Bender and Claire are also the colors of love...No wonder they become so close. ( Chapter 7 )

Some of the unique sound effects in The Breakfast Club include are Brian's pen clicking and the group whistling. In the beginning of the movie the group of high school students are just annoyed by even having to be in the same room as each other, but by the end of the movie they are all getting along and even whistle tunes together.  There are also two parts in this movie where the dialogue is different from other movies. In the beginning of the movie we can only hear Brian reading part of their letter to Vernon but at the end of the movie all of the voices are overlapping reading the letter together. (Chapter 8)

It's no secret that The Breakfast Club has one of the best music soundtracks of all time or so Pitch Perfect told me. I honestly thought it wasn't the greatest. The only song that really stood out to me was Don't You    ( Forget About Me) by Simple Minds. The song tells the inner story of the film. It tells the audience that even though these kids may ignore each other at school and go back to their own social norms that they don't want to forget each other. Most importantly, I think it backs up Claire giving Bender one of her diamond earring so he will never forget about her. The song was the perfect ending to the movie and a great representation of new found friendship. ( Chapter 9)

The Breakfast Club is another great example of ensemble acting. There really is not stand out actor in the movie. Each actor compliments one another and doesn't steal the show. Overall, I thought the acting in the movie was superb. Each actor nailed the character whether they were the jock, the nerd, the queen bee, the crazy one, or the rebel. I felt like there was a connection between me and characters when each one of them told their personal stories. (Chapter 10)

I think the director, John Hughes, wanted the movie to be comical and humorous but to also cover some heavy topics. He allowed each character to really talk about their problems while adding some humor to whatever subject.  He also picked the characters wonderfully. He didn't choose actors with big names that would steal the show. He choose a cast that could work together to make the movie a hit. Not only did he select the perfect cast, he also picked the perfect way to end the movie. He left the audience feeling a sense of hope and appreciation for each character. ( Chapter 11)

The Breakfast Club will forever be one of my favorite movies. It taught me to never judge someone by their appearance or by who they hangout with. Everybody has their own story and own problems to deal with. It also taught me that even though you don't always hangout with someone doesn't mean you cant have a good time with them This movie will never get old.

Little Miss Sunshine

Before this class I had never heard of  Little Miss Sunshine so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I did a little research before I watched the movie and thought it was going to be a little different than what I was used too. After watching the movie I learned to not judge a movie based on pictures that you have Googled. The movie was comical but had a serious message.

Little Miss Sunshine is the perfect example of a dysfunctional family. Every member of the family has their own quirks but they all seem to fit together. The movie proves that some things in life just happen but family, no matter how dysfunctional, can help you through it. The bad luck of this dysfunctional family, can help bring any family closer.

The use of color is huge in this movie. Right away we are almost overwhelmed by the color yellow. It's the main color of the movie poster and also the color of the family van. I think the color yellow is used because it is a happy color and also symbolizes optimism. It also catches people's eye, hence it being the main color on the poster! Whenever we see the color yellow in the movie, it gives us a hint that something good is bound to happen. I think Olive is characterized by the color red. Red can stand for fear, anger, love, or even confidence. I think in this case it stands for fear but also for confidence. Olive is scared to perform in the Little Miss Sunshine contest, but she also shows her confidence and goes on with the show! Other characters in the movie may have been characterized by color but it was less noticeable. (Chapter 7)

Chapter eight is all about the sound effects and dialogue of the movie.  It is hard to notice all of the little sound effects in movie unless they hit you right on the head. During movies we are most likely to pay attention to what is going on in the film and the dialogue than the special sound effects in the movie. The one sound effect that really stood out to me was the annoying van horn. Right away the horn made me think that they were going to be busted for hiding their grandpas body in the van. After thinking about it after the movie a little more I think they horn could also stand for the numerous struggles they encountered on their road trip to California. Instead of quitting like most horns would have it kept going on, just like the family did even through all of the obstacles there were faced with.

The dialogue of this movie seemed pretty normal to me. Well besides Dwayne, who didn't speak for half of the movie. They characters spoke just like normal families would talk to each other. They argued, they asked never ending questions, they annoyed each other, and they cared for each other. I think the dialogue hit it spot on when it came to acting like a family.

The soundtrack to this movie didn't really catch my attention. After reading the textbook I noticed that they movie mostly used traveling music. This really fit well with the movie since they did road trip to California in their van. The one song that really stood out to me was Olive's song choice for the pageant. Superfreak was hilarious and extremely fitting for the family. It went perfectly with their dysfunctional family.

The only actor I knew right away in this movie was Steve Carell so there wasn't much of the star system going on.  This movie is a great example of ensemble acting though. No character really stood out much from the others. They all were part of this average Joe family.  Each character needed to have its own quirks and qualities. Casting the characters in the movie was no walk in the park.  Each character in the movie had their special qualities. Olive was an outgoing little girl, the grandpa was not up to date on the times and didn't really watch his mouth, and Dwayne acted as the annoyed son who just wanted to get away.  Of course the other characters had their special characteristics too, but you get my point. (Chapter 10)

In my opinion, I believe the directors, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, wanted this to be an optimistic and hopeful comedy.   The whole movie is based on a road trip a dysfunctional family takes to California. He chose all the right actors to play the characters and brought together a group of individuals with very different personalities that ended up matching perfectly to the movie.  They used their soundtrack to match up with the road trip theme even.  Basically, they turned this movie into a comedy about one awkward family. (Chapter  11)

Overall, I thought the movie was very entertaining. I even found myself getting embarrassed for some of the main characters. Although there are a few graphic and wordy parts, I would recommend all families watch this movie. It shows that no matter how embarrassing or annoying family members can get, the will always do what is best and help each other out. 

Memento

The film Memento became a hit back in the early 2000's.  People were intrigued by the unique plot and editing of the movie. Unlike other movies, Memento made the audience think and piece the movie together. It was almost like puzzle to find out who murdered Leonard's wife, or so I thought.  The movie also received Academy Award nominations in Original Screenplay and Film Editing.

I was impressed by how much thought had to be put into the film in order to play the events in reverse order in a way that still made sense. It's no wonder it was up for Film Editing, the movie was stitched together perfectly to tell a story in a non-linear way. Another part of the movie I found interesting was how you could always tell when Leonard was thinking to himself. The movie was always in color when they were telling us the story in short bits, but when he was talking on the phone it was in black and white. At first I thought they did this to make the audience feel like they were in the mind of Leonard and could relate to his short term memory, but then I realized they couldn't make the audience forget what they had already saw.  I think the director just did it to make it clear to the audience that he was breaking his biggest rule.

One part of the movie that I thought had really interesting editing was the photograph in the beginning of the movie. The photograph went from showing the actually picture to gradually fading away to white and then it was back in the camera. It was the perfect attention getter and gave the audience a taste of how the movie was going to go from there.

In my opinion, I don't think the director never wanted anyone in the audience to have the upper hand throughout the movie. I think he wanted everyone to be slightly confused so they would pay attention even more to every detail. I felt like I was being lead in the direction of Teddy being his friend and Natalie being his lover but then all of a sudden everything changed. Although I felt like I was supposed to be confused. I wasn't the biggest fan of being tugged in all different directions throughout the whole movie.

Basically, this movie is all about vengeance.  Leonard spends the whole movie seeking vengeance for the murder of his wife, but in the end we find out he already got it but doesn't remember. I think that is telling the audience that getting vengeance for something doesn't always solve all of your problems. Maybe everyone can take some notes of what not do and learn to just move on.