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.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
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.
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