Stranger Than Fiction is a film about a man named Harold Crick (Will Ferrel) who shows signs of OCD. He has a certain number of brush strokes he must make while brushing his teeth. He has to tie his tie a certain way every morning. And, his watch has his whole life perfectly timed to a T. One morning, a voice is heard in his head that screws up his entire morning ritual. An author named Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson) is heard by Harold. She is indeed narrarating his life and all he actions and choices he makes. And although no one else around him can, Harold hears her. It begins to drive him insanely, naturally.
Throughout the film, Harold is helped by an English Major (Dustin Hoffman) to figure out what is going on. Together, they are on a mission to figure out why Harold hears this narrarator's voice. On the other side of the storyline, Karen is trying to figure out a way to get past her writer's block and come up with a way to kill Harold Crick, being that to her, he is just a character. Turns out in the film though, that they realize they're in the same "dimension", if you will. Although her ending calls for Harold to die, she ends up rewriting the ending and of course, all ends well and happy.
In class, the reason we watched this film is because it's consider "post-modern". Postmodernism is a term applied to a wide-ranging set of developments in critical theory, philosophy, architecture, art, literature, and culture, which are generally characterized as either emerging from, in reaction to, or superseding, modernism. To dumb that down, it's pretty much a literary choice that messes with the "normal" storyline. Like the whole he said she said happily ever after. Stranger Than Fiction is considered a piece od postmodernism art because of the fact that it's unlike most films/stories.
I consider this film "story-ception" because it's literally a story about a story. It's so hard to wrap your mind around. But if you really think about it, this man was trying to control his fate that an author was writing and we were hearing! Usually when we watch films or read books, we don't see or hear the work or thinking that goes into it from the writers. Also, in most films, characters don't hear the narrarator, only we do. But this entire film was based on the fact that Harold Crick COULD hear his narrarator.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Fight Club Analysis
Fight Club is a film about an unnamed, mentally unstable man (Ed Norton) who "meets" a man named Tyler (Brad Pitt) on an airplane. He automatically clicks with this guy, which is strange considering he's kind of anti social. When he gets home from his business trip, he finds that his Ikea catalogue based condo has been burnt down. Hopeless, he calls Tyler. He ends up staying with him and together they create "Fight Club". It's a way for men to get their frustrations out. But, it becomes an illegal, almost terroristic, cult.
To our surprise, Brad Pitt's character is Ed Norton's character's "Id". The Id is a non-filtered stream of wants. This develops at birth. For example, our Id tells us to eat when we're hungry, sleep when we're tired, and relieve ourselves when we have to. Tyler is Ed's Id. He does what he wants when he wants because that's what he wants. He steals cars and starts fights and does illegal things and sleeps with who he wants.
Ed Norton's character is what we like to call the "ego". Our ego is the filter for our Id. It stops us from doing things that aren't socially acceptable. For instance, our Id tells us to steal a watch from Macy's if we want it. Our ego says, "hmm, better not. Don't wanna get arrested". Ed was a socially acceptable man and he used Tyler as his escape to complete wants he had.
By the end of the movie, the superego comes in. Our superego is like our ego, but more personal. Our superego stops us from doing things because we personally believe it to be morally wrong. For example, I wouldn't bully someone not only because I'd get in trouble, but I just think its mean and wrong. Towards the end, Ed turns himself in because he believes what's going on is morally wrong.
To our surprise, Brad Pitt's character is Ed Norton's character's "Id". The Id is a non-filtered stream of wants. This develops at birth. For example, our Id tells us to eat when we're hungry, sleep when we're tired, and relieve ourselves when we have to. Tyler is Ed's Id. He does what he wants when he wants because that's what he wants. He steals cars and starts fights and does illegal things and sleeps with who he wants.
Ed Norton's character is what we like to call the "ego". Our ego is the filter for our Id. It stops us from doing things that aren't socially acceptable. For instance, our Id tells us to steal a watch from Macy's if we want it. Our ego says, "hmm, better not. Don't wanna get arrested". Ed was a socially acceptable man and he used Tyler as his escape to complete wants he had.
By the end of the movie, the superego comes in. Our superego is like our ego, but more personal. Our superego stops us from doing things because we personally believe it to be morally wrong. For example, I wouldn't bully someone not only because I'd get in trouble, but I just think its mean and wrong. Towards the end, Ed turns himself in because he believes what's going on is morally wrong.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Do The Right Thing Review
Based on the film Do The Right Thing, a movie directed by Spike Lee, no race, not one, has any good qualities. According to Lee, we're all racist, bias assholes. Not only that, but he makes it a point that no matter what, racism will always exist. Apparently, it's an eneivitable thing that we all have to endure. We "have" to put up with violent ignorance.
Every character's bad characteristics outweighed the good in them, which makes a person like me, dislike the film. Though Sal was a fair, hardworking man, he was short-tempered and that caused a death in an "almost" innocent young man. Another example is that even though Buggin' Out was a passionate guy, he was obnixious and rude and, to be completely honest, an idiotic moron with a big mouth. He caused too many problems that he couldn't handle. Don't go looking for a fight and then become angry when you get one.
Then there's characters like Smiley that were just offensive. The film portrayed people with disabilities as an annoyance and stupidity. And Mookie, a character that I just don't understand. He was so contradicting and by the end of the movie, I had no idea what his motives were. And in my opinion, Mookie did not do the right thing by throwing the trash can through the window. He should have thought of a different way to move the blacks' anger off of the Italians. Sal worked his whole life on that restaurant just to watch it be tore down.
In Roger Ebert's review of the film, he says, "There are really no heroes or villains in the film". I disagree. I suppose he could argue that by saying things like Sal's oldest son was a villain because of how predjudice he is. But Buggin' Out also was. And then by the end, all of the blacks were. I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but I thinks by the end of the movie, the blacks were the villains.
Every character's bad characteristics outweighed the good in them, which makes a person like me, dislike the film. Though Sal was a fair, hardworking man, he was short-tempered and that caused a death in an "almost" innocent young man. Another example is that even though Buggin' Out was a passionate guy, he was obnixious and rude and, to be completely honest, an idiotic moron with a big mouth. He caused too many problems that he couldn't handle. Don't go looking for a fight and then become angry when you get one.
Then there's characters like Smiley that were just offensive. The film portrayed people with disabilities as an annoyance and stupidity. And Mookie, a character that I just don't understand. He was so contradicting and by the end of the movie, I had no idea what his motives were. And in my opinion, Mookie did not do the right thing by throwing the trash can through the window. He should have thought of a different way to move the blacks' anger off of the Italians. Sal worked his whole life on that restaurant just to watch it be tore down.
In Roger Ebert's review of the film, he says, "There are really no heroes or villains in the film". I disagree. I suppose he could argue that by saying things like Sal's oldest son was a villain because of how predjudice he is. But Buggin' Out also was. And then by the end, all of the blacks were. I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but I thinks by the end of the movie, the blacks were the villains.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Boyz N' The Hood Review
Boyz N' The Hood is a film based on the urban youth and it's growing problem with neighborhood gang violence. The main character Trey, is a 17 year old young man who lives with his father, Furious. Furious devotes his life to educating Trey and the minority youth on why violence is wrong. Trey tends to put on a "tough guise" around his friends, and even his father at times. When his father asked him about his sexual activity, he made up an entire story about sleeping with some girl, when in reality, he is still a virgin. Depending on which situation he's put in, acting "manly" could be to his benefit or detriment.
In my opinion, and I'm sure many other would agree, Rick is the "better man" in this story. Unlike his friends. he's is staying out of trouble. He's not into gangs or drugs, and he doesn't carry around a gun like his brother, Doughboy. He doesn't really ever put on "the tough guise". Instead, he spends his time applying for colleges and scholarships so he can make something of himself and better his life and his family's lives.
I think this film sends mixed signals to the audience of what a "real man" truly is. In one sense, we see a person like Rick or Furious or even Trey, trying to overcome to "norm" of the neighborhood, which is to be a heartless thug. Then there's a character like Doughboy, who we have sympathy for. Even though he's involved in gang type violence, we see his softer side. We see how intelligent he really is and even the feelings he has. And then we may think that since he's a pretty good guy and he won't shed a tear, that that's what "tough guys" or "better men" do.
Maybe in this case, the "best man" is Trey because throughout the story he really overcomes alot and breaks through the "tough guise". He cries on his girlfriend's lap, he ditches his friends when they go to shoot down Rick's killers, and he ends up going to college. So, by taking his father's advice, he creates a better life for himself.
In my opinion, and I'm sure many other would agree, Rick is the "better man" in this story. Unlike his friends. he's is staying out of trouble. He's not into gangs or drugs, and he doesn't carry around a gun like his brother, Doughboy. He doesn't really ever put on "the tough guise". Instead, he spends his time applying for colleges and scholarships so he can make something of himself and better his life and his family's lives.
I think this film sends mixed signals to the audience of what a "real man" truly is. In one sense, we see a person like Rick or Furious or even Trey, trying to overcome to "norm" of the neighborhood, which is to be a heartless thug. Then there's a character like Doughboy, who we have sympathy for. Even though he's involved in gang type violence, we see his softer side. We see how intelligent he really is and even the feelings he has. And then we may think that since he's a pretty good guy and he won't shed a tear, that that's what "tough guys" or "better men" do.
Maybe in this case, the "best man" is Trey because throughout the story he really overcomes alot and breaks through the "tough guise". He cries on his girlfriend's lap, he ditches his friends when they go to shoot down Rick's killers, and he ends up going to college. So, by taking his father's advice, he creates a better life for himself.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Tootsie on Gender Roles
In my opinion, Tootsie did an awful job at breaking away from stereotypes and looking through a feminist lens. If anything, I feel like the film reinforced gender roles. In many ways, the directos subliminally makes people believe that there are different genders for a reason. I also got a hint of homophobia, To be honest, the film kind of offended me in a sense.
In some point of the movie, Julie's father says something along the lines of, ,"Women are women and men are men and that's just the way it is. People should stop trying to make us more like the other. There are two different genders for a reason". That part bugged me so much. I feel like the film maker wants us to almost agree with what is being said, because after all, it's said by a character who is portrayed as a good guy. The statement is convincing and I highly disagree with it and I wish something was said about it to show that it's wrong.
Throughout the film, the main character becomes very feminine. As an actor, he gets really into his character. He begins caring about clothes and makeup and hair and "girly" things. If it were up to me, I would have toned that down. It makes it seem like that's all women are really about.
In Thelma and Louise, the two women grew into strong, independent humans. They made a point and took a stand and gave up their lives to prove something for women's rights. In Toostie, all end well and goes back to society's idea of "normal". So, for me, the film does not give justice to the issue of gender roles.
In some point of the movie, Julie's father says something along the lines of, ,"Women are women and men are men and that's just the way it is. People should stop trying to make us more like the other. There are two different genders for a reason". That part bugged me so much. I feel like the film maker wants us to almost agree with what is being said, because after all, it's said by a character who is portrayed as a good guy. The statement is convincing and I highly disagree with it and I wish something was said about it to show that it's wrong.
Throughout the film, the main character becomes very feminine. As an actor, he gets really into his character. He begins caring about clothes and makeup and hair and "girly" things. If it were up to me, I would have toned that down. It makes it seem like that's all women are really about.
In Thelma and Louise, the two women grew into strong, independent humans. They made a point and took a stand and gave up their lives to prove something for women's rights. In Toostie, all end well and goes back to society's idea of "normal". So, for me, the film does not give justice to the issue of gender roles.
Feminism in Film - Thelma and Louise
Thelma and Louise is a film about two best friends who take a much needed vacation but end up in moral turmoil. The story begins by showing you the major difference in Thelma's and Louise's lives and personal aspirations. Thelma is portrayed as an unimportant housewife who is treated like property by her chauvinist husband. She allows herself to be put down and kicked around like an animal, rather than standing up for herself and showing she has a purpose. Louise on the other hand, works in a diner, makes a living for herself. She has a boyfriend, but she is independent and would be completely fine if he decided to leave. She's shown to be much stronger than Thelma; even more "masculine, if you would.
Before they even leave for their trip, Thelma has to actually asked her husband for permission to go! And due to pure fear and the knowing of his negative reaction, she avoids telling him at all, and just goes. While they're on their road trip, they decide to make a stop at a local bar, where Thelma thefts drunk and spends the night dancing and being quite cheeky with a man who had approached the girls in a flirtatious matter. In effect of the alcohol, Thelma gets sick and the man takes her out into the parking lot where he sexual assaults her. Before he could essentially full blown rape Thelma, Louise comes up beside him with a gun pointed to his head. He calming stops what he's doing and they begin to go about their business, until he says something inappropriate, and Louise shoots him. Now, knowing that they cannot go to the police because witnesses saw Thelma being close with the man and this is a man's world, they decide to run to Mexico and hide from it all.
Throughout the movie, men are shown as stereotypical, negative characters. Thelma's husband for example, is a chauvinistic pig. Brad Pitt, is a thief and a liar. The truck driver is a pervert. The rapist is, well, a rapist and a violent one at that. None of the men have any deeper characteristics. They are pretty straight forward, shallow. In the end, the girls decide to take their lives together by driving their car of a cliff.
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