Film Review #6

Tom Ford’s first film A Single Man is a winner. The drama, made in 2009 but set in the 1960s, details a day in the life of a middle-aged gay man lamenting the loss of his lover. Ford couldn’t have asked for a better cast. Clint Firth is the film’s leading man. Simply put, he is an actor’s actor. You may remember him from a little movie called The King’s Speech (read: this earned him an Oscar). Not to be outdone, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, and Nicholas Hoult give outstanding performances when they are on screen.

It’s time to talk plot! George Falconer (Firth) is a British university professor living in 1960s Southern California. When we meet George it is quite evident that he is coping with depression. Jim (Goode), his lover for 16 years recently died in a horrible car accident. Since then he’s been living a solitary existence that appears dark and mundane. Loss and misery has George anticipating suicide. George manages to meets several interesting people along the way. In my opinion, each person represents a little drop of hope.  I don’t want to give too much away but one of them somehow manages to derail his plan of suicide. Even with that tidbit the audience will still receive an ending that is nothing-but-unpredictable.

Colin Firth is utterly convincing as George. You can feel the character’s grief all the way down to his voice. Not to mention his actions. George believes that this will be his last day on Earth. With that said, every experience he has is more detailed, more intense… more real! My expectations were high for Firth because I read that his performance in the film was nominated for an Academy Award. He did not disappoint!  Honorable mentions go to Julianne Moore & Matthew Goode. Moore was wonderful as self-pitying Charley. Goode had tremendous presence in all of George’s flashbacks with Jim.

George & Jim (top) .... George & Charley (bottom)

This film used several film techniques to convey emotion. The main character’s nostalgia is conveyed perfectly with lighting techniques. The score is impeccably placed as well.  Abel Korzeniowski was in charge of the score. “Stillness of the Night” and “Becoming George” are masterpieces. Both elicit such great sadness. His work earned him a Golden Globe nomination for best original score.

I would recommend this film to any of my friends. If I could only name one reason I’d say go for a well told drama. I was not disappointed by this film at all. Tom Ford crafted a wonderfully convincingly portrait of a man struggling with great heartbreak and loss. I love that Tom Ford did not directly focus on George’s sexuality. Being a homosexual was merely another layer to the main character. For anyone that reads this post and goes to watch A Single Man I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

9 out of 10

Film Review #5

                The 2012 romantic comedy Think Like A Man is a juggernaut. I haven’t laughed this much since watching 21 Jump Street and 50/50. Tim Story directs an all-star cast of actors- Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Terrence Jenkins, Taraji P. Henson, Romany Malco, Gabrielle Union, and Gary Owen. The laughs are as big as the ensemble cast! I promise, from start to finish you will be in stitches.

                Think Like A Man centers around 6 close friends. Each man represents an archetype: Dominic the dreamer (Ealy), Zeke the player (Malco), Michael the mama’s boy (Jenkins), Jeremy the non-committer (Ferrara), Bennett the happily married man (Owen), and Cedric the divorcee (Hart). The film offers a glimpse into all of their personal relationships. Dominic, Zeke, Michael, and Jeremy all encounter problems after their girlfriends read Steve Harvey’s new book Act Like Lady, Think Like A Man. The rules of dating change radically. The women strategically require their boyfriends to wholeheartedly commit to them. The game changes when the men find out that they are the casualties of Mr. Harvey’s book. And so the game of one-upmanship begins!

This cast is perfect

                In my opinion, Kevin Hart and Zeke earn the majority of the laughs. Their comedic delivery is spot on. Dominic’s performance is charming. You can see the sadness in the young dreamer’s eyes when his girlfriend dumps him for the successful C.E.O. she previously dated. Meagan Good gives a noteworthy performance too. All of my expectations were filled and then some. I was expecting to watch a film that was going to be ‘just okay’.  In the end, I couldn’t ask for more from any of the actors. I thought they did a tremendous job, especially when you realize that they all have to share the spotlight. After all the film puts major focus on 9 characters! The music definitely enhanced the setting and themes of the film. The songs are very modern and perfectly placed. “Tonight” by John Legend and “Talking to the Moon” by Bruno Mars are standouts.

                The director chose to use a narrator (voiced by Kevin Heart). I thought this was a wise choice because of Mr. Hart’s exaggerated voice and strong comedic delivery. He told the story well and conveyed the thoughts of the men (as a collective) great. The close-up shot technique was used whenever our characters were heated or blue. The director’s establishing shots were breathtaking. The views of Los Angeles during night and midday were magnificent.

                My decisive factor for going to see this film has to be the humor. Your funny bone is going to get tickled during this movie….. A lot! But please don’t worry. While the actors are comical there are serious moments. It’s not complete nonsense. After all the focal point of the film is love and relationships.

8.5 out of 10

Film Review #4

                Wow! I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed My Name Is Khan. Karan Johar directed this very moving tale. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol Devgn are the stars of the film. Khan shines brightest but all of the performances are absolutely superb. This movie encapsulates so much- a love story, lessons about Islam, features of Asperger’s syndrome, life in post 9/11 America, and the importance of humanity. This example of fine Indian cinema has a place in my personal ‘top 20’ of all time.

                My Name Is Khan details the life of Rizwan Khan, an Indian Muslim born with Asperger's syndrome. The beginning is modest- the audience watches Rizwan transition between childhood and adulthood in India. Some moments in his life are truly inspiring while others are heart-wrenching. After the death of his mother Rizwan’s successful but jealous younger brother (Zakir) invites him to live in San Francisco. Rizwan arrives frightened and unable to adjust. With the help of Zakir’s wife (Haseena) Rizwan does his best to assimilate. Life changes dramatically when Rizwan meets a Hindu single-mother named Mandira. The pair has instant chemistry and a romance ensues. They marry and life seems perfect…. Until the events of September 11^th occur. Stigmatization, discrimination, and violence rock them. In order to make amends with his wife Rizwan sets out on a journey to meet the president of the United States. What is his message? My name is Khan and I’m not a terrorist.

                Without a doubt Shah Rukh Khan is the heart and soul of this movie. He has tremendous presence throughout the film and his portrayal of a man living with Asperger’s syndrome is incredible. Hugh Dancy had a similar role in the film Adam. Dancy helped his audience understand what Asperger’s is. Khan’s performance goes beyond defining the autism syndrome. Khan’s performance allows you to empathize without feeling sorrow or pity. Kajol Devgn plays Mandira effortlessly. The supporting cast is astonishing. Jimmy Shergill, Sonya Jeha, and Zarina Wahab deserve high praise for their roles. The whole cast gave performances that were beyond my expectations.

                After learning about shot composition last week I did notice a lot of close-up shots during the more intense moments of the film. This technique helped the director convey so much emotion. This film is definitely a tear-jerker. The director also chose to have Khan narrate throughout the film. The music definitely enhanced the setting and themes of the film. If anything, the music is too dominant in certain scenes. 6 original songs were penned (all in Hindi). From reading translations they have either a spiritual or romantic nature. I thought the entire score was perfectly placed. The song "Tere Naina" is a great example:

                If I could only offer you one reason to go see My Name Is Khan I would say please go because you’re going to watch a beautiful story unfold. At its core the film is a love story. However, this movie has the capacity to arouse multiple emotions- joy, sadness, anger and so many more. The message of this film is so inspiring. On top of that Shah Rukh Khan is convincingly mesmerizing.

9.5 out of 10

Film Review #3

This horror film offers more than meets the eye

               The Cabin in the Woods left me amused and surprised.  Based on random hearsay from my friends I was expecting a horror movie that was so incredibly bad it unintentionally earns the label comedy. Thankfully that didn’t happen. Although I’m not quite sure what genre this movie belongs in. Fantasy-thriller, perhaps? The film was directed by acclaimed screenwriter Drew Goddard. The key actors are Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth , Fran Kranz, Anna Hutchison, and Jesse Williams.

                The plot of the film starts off like any run of the mill horror movie would but quickly transforms into something much better. Five close friends decide to holiday at a relative’s cabin that’s situated in the isolated woods. Unbeknownst to them, their every move is being followed and manipulated by a collection of highly sophisticated ‘technicians’.  After an hour into the film the manipulation backfires big time! Two of the survivors manage to infiltrate the facility that the technicians are working in. Through pure happenstance the survivors find out that they are a part of a ‘ritual’ that is meant to placate the Ancient Ones and prevent an armageddon. In the end, one of the characters has to decide whether to kill himself or wait to die as the world will surely be destroyed.

                Every actor played their role as best they could. The horror genre doesn’t generally allow time for the victims to convey their exterior or interior lives. Usually the murdering psychopath, demon, ghost, etc. gets the majority of the attention. With that said, the zombie family living in the cabin during 1902 had more backstory than the main actors. Moreover, each character was meant to portray a certain archetype: the whore, the athlete, the scholar, the fool, and the virgin. Going into the roles the actors knew they were going to be portraying stereotypes. Were my expectations fulfilled? I’d vote yes.

Archetype Central

                During the cabin scenes the director definitely used the absence of light to create an intense atmosphere. A lot of classic camera techniques were also used. From looking in my Master Shots textbook I see very similar techniques that were used in the film. Some of them are out of the shadows, the unseen, steps to suspense, fearing a place, shielding the attacker, and window of fear (C. Kenworthy, 2009). The music was crucial during certain scenes as well. Those quick slasher and surprise movements are not as effective without music- not to mention the right tone. To be honest, there was never a truly startling moment. Half the time the characters were making jokes. The ending of the film is great example.

Personally, I would recommend this film to people. My selling point would be that it goes beyond the horror genre. The film offers more than just fear, screaming, and running. It has comedy, countless monsters, mild drama, and an interesting plot (at least once the victims leave the woods). As well, I thought it was very cool how the film ‘tipped its hat’ to a variety of horror movies from the past. The director doesn’t copy any certain style but he certainly finds a way incorporate countless monsters- and in quick fashion too!

7.5 out of 10

Film Review #2

                Dhoom 2: Back In Action is a highly successful Bollywood action movie that was released in 2006. It was directed by Sanjay Gadhvi. Abhishek Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan have ‘top billing’ in the film. Uday Chopra, Bipasha Basu, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan also have very prominent roles. The action sequences are over the top and offer nothing new but the acting is on par and the song and dance numbers are catchy. Dhoom 2 reminds me of films like Die Hard and The Expendables. The plot is almost meaningless and you won’t leave the theater having seen something special. However, you do have the satisfaction of knowing you have seen worse movies. At its core the film is disposable entertainment- meant to be seen once and enjoyed. If you accept the movie for what it is then you will not have any grievances after two-and-a-half hours.

Dhoom’s plot is unpretentious. Detective Jai Dixit (Abhishek Bachchan) is seeking to capture and arrest the elusive Mr. A (Hrithik Roshan) – a master thief with a knack for disguise. Along the way Jai has to deal with the shenanigans of his inept partner Ali (Uday Chopra) as well as old feelings for Shonali (Bipasha Basu), a former classmate who is now the assistant commissioner of the investigation. Oh and by the way, I should mention one thing: Jai is a married man with a baby on the way. Jai, Ali, and Shonali play a game of cat-and-mouse with Mr. A that spans the globe from Mumbai, India to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To aid his search Jai also ‘acquires’ the services of a beautiful thief. Her name is Sunehri (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and she has no choice but to help Jai. If she refuses he’ll send her to prison for the previous crimes she has committed. During the game of cat-and-mouse Mr. A and Sunehri develop a relationship. Things don’t stay pleasant for long however. Sunehri has a decision to make. She can set up Mr. A and go back to India ‘scot-free’ or run away and make a new life with the master thief.

Without a doubt, Hrithik Roshan is the heart and soul of the film. I credit so much of the film’s charm to his performance. He plays the antagonist perfectly. Roshan’s character has many layers. As the movie progresses Roshan shows us that Mr. A is more than a handsome, smart thief. The longtime loner opens his heart to Sunehri. Speaking of Sunehri, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has sizzling chemistry with Roshan. The romance portrayed between the two appears authentic. Abhishek Bachchan’s depiction of Jai is nothing new. He’s a rough-around-the-edges detective who seems to always be scowling. Bipasha Basu’s character is regretfully forgettable. Uday Chopra is hilarious as Jai’s partner Ali. Chopra’s comic relief adds balance to Jai’s hardened demeanor, the sensational action sequences, and the romance angle. Overall, my expectations were met.

Dhoom 2 makes good use of special effects and makeup. The thieving Mr. A dons countless disguises that make him appear almost unrecognizable. The director does an amazing job of capturing the beauty of every city they locale during the introductory phases. Music is a huge part of this Bollywood blockbuster. The song and dance sequences alone equate to 30 minutes of film. With this being my first Bollywood experience I must confess that I enjoyed the majority of the songs! In my opinion, the timing for each scene of song and dance was seamless.

If I could only offer my reader’s one decisive factor that would convince them to attend this film I would say, “See it for the style!” Simply put, Dhoom 2 is a guilty pleasure. The entire movie has a swagger to it that cannot be denied. It looks you in the eye and says, “Yeah the storyline is filled with holes. So what? Sit back, relax, and have some fun!” The trailer for the film does the same thing. Have a look to see what I mean.

7 out of 10

Media Log

8/17/2012

• NFL: Lions vs Ravens 3.5 hrs
• Facebook 1 hr
• Email 30 mins
• ESPN 102.1 (radio) 1.5 hrs
• Sex Tourism (textbook) 3 hrs
• Skype 1 hr

8/18/2012

• Facebook 1 Hr
• Email 30 mins
• Sex Tourism in Thailand (documentary) 1 hr
• Sex Tourism in Venezuela (documentary) 1 hr
• Sex Tourism (textbook) 2 hrs
• Skype 1 hr

8/19/2012

• NFL: Eagles vs Patriots 3.5 hrs
• Facebook 1 hr
• Email 30 mins
• Skype 1 hr

8/20/2012

• Facebook 30 mins
• Email 30 mins
• Skype 1 hr
• Piratebay        30 mins
• Sex Tourism (textbook) 2 hrs

8/21/2012

• In Bruges (film) 2 hrs
• YouTube         1.5 hrs
• Blogger 2 hrs
• CNN 1 hrs
• Facebook 30 mins
• Email 30 mins
• Skype 1 hr

8/22/2012

• US Weekly 30 mins
• The Avengers 2.5 hrs
• WiX.com         1 hr
• LasikPlus.com 1 hr
• Blogger 1.5 hrs
• Email 30 mins

8/23/2012

• Sex Tourism (textbook) 2 hrs
• Directing Fiction (textbook) 1 hr
• NFL: Titans vs Cardinals 3.5 hrs
• Email 30 mins
• Skype 1 hr

Media Literacy Topic #1

As I view my media log I’m noticing that I use several types of media. For entertainment I rely on the internet and television most frequently. Like most people I use Facebook & Skype and I enjoy YouTube. I spend my time doing other things too. This week I spent an hour checking out WiX.com- a website that allows you to build a website for free (and for pay). I admit that I use Pirate Bay. This week I managed to obtain a copy of The Avengers, In Bruges, episode three of HBO’s Hard Knocks, and sex tourism documentaries. I also googled LasikPlus to prepare for my visit to the doctor in Jacksonville. The one thing I am surprised I have not done is listening to music. It just hasn't happened this week.

In regards to television my mainstays seem to be ESPN, Comedy Central, and CNN. SportsCenter, half-hour discussion sports shows (Pardon the Interruption, Around the Horn, etc.), and several NFL preseason games were watched. When I’m in the car I have my station tuned to ESPN 102.1. Needless to say I enjoy my sports! A weekly subscription of US Weekly comes to my house as well. I spent about 30 minutes reading celeb news on Wednesday. As trashy and pointless as these types of magazines are a few of the articles do catch my eye and keep me in tune with popular culture.

The majority of my time is spent buried in textbooks however. Due to my independent study course on sex tourism a considerable amount of my time is spent reading, highlighting, outlining, writing chapter summaries, and preparing PowerPoint slides. Did I mention I’m also taking 21 hours this semester? I stay busy between my part-time job and academics. I’ll be taking my Justice Administration book to work tonight. Obviously, I’m using the internet for academics as well. I learned to use Blogger this week. It’s pretty simple and awesome!

What does my media use say about me? I think my media use says a few things. It signifies that I’m an avid sports fan. The news I read shows that I have liberal political views and in interest in pop culture. The social media I use shows that I like to communicate with my friends and family. My use of Pirate Bay does show that I am participating in an illegal activity. While I know my actions are wrong the ease of access makes me take the dumb risk. My educational textbooks show that I’m an average college student that is working towards a degree. It says that I’ll live a repetitive and mundane existence until the beginning of December.

In regards to the media I trust I’d say the most reliable source has to be my news media. If I’m looking for factual reports I know SportsCenter and CNN are reliable. In regards to CNN, much like Fox News, you have to learn to read between biased agendas. Anything referring to our government is always questionable. While the internet has brought greater transparency there are still internal events that are kept from us. Not to mention certain news events get more exposure than others (unequal distribution). As we know exposure does not necessarily dictate importance however. The documentaries are not a bad source either but you also have to remember that these can also be one-sided.

I have no doubt that I enjoy the movies and sports programs that I watch. They are a good way to unwind and forget about work and academics- even if it’s only for a few hours. Skype is definitely important because it keeps me in contact with my girlfriend. At the very least I try to give her an hour of my time a day. Facebook and YouTube are great as well. While making a YouTube video this week I had fun filming myself and connecting scenes from In Bruges.

I’m open to broadening my exposure to different media- with an exception. I have to, at the very least, be interested in the subject or theme. For example, I doubt you’ll ever spot me reading a magazine from the National Rifle Association. Although I have nothing against the Second Amendment I am not a gun enthusiast. Nor do I want to read the political mudslinging. I will admit that I do display favoritism…. but doesn’t everybody? Don’t we realize what we like by subjecting ourselves to what we don’t like? I’m willing to open myself up to new things but at some point our personalities take over. Music is a great example. I like rap and rock. I’ve listened to country. I’ve listened to a lot of songs and I have never enjoyed the genre. I was hesitant about classical music. I gave it a try. I now like it. I don’t love it but it’s perfect to study to or blog.