The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight

The film The Dark Knight is an unforgettable sequel to the Batman comic-book series and is directed by Christopher Nolan. In this movie Batman (Christian Bale) begins fighting his usual criminal culprits, in this case the mafia. This drastically changes when a string of corporate banks are robbed by the sinister, Joker (Heath Ledger). When Batman is forced to combat an evil force that has no conscious and isn't afraid of death, major decisions need to be addressed within Gotham's Police Department, whether Batman is supportive or not. 

All characters, Batman included, played authentic roles in this action flick. However, Heath Ledger's role as the Joker was my favorite to watch in this film. Ledger not only used action acting, but used dramatic acting. The Art of Watching Films, states dramatic acting is: "sustained, intense dialogue with another person and requires an emotional and psychological depth seldom called for in action acting." Ledger, in my opinion, is faced with the toughest role in the whole film; to make everyone hate you. The Joker's character is unique to the film because unlike most characters who are directed to react naturally to most situations, Heath Ledger's character was instructed to do the opposite with a smile on his face. One example of Heath Ledger's brilliance is when Batman tosses him off a roof to his death and the Joker keeps a smile on his face, as if he was looking forward to death or that he didn't think it was his time for death. The development of the Joker's character was a good call on Director Nolan's behalf because it adds depth to the plot and asks viewers psychological questions while the crime plot is unraveled.

Throughout the movie Aaron Eckhart (Harvey Dent) serves as an important developing character. Eckhart at first plays a District Attorney concerned with stopping crime and for awhile I even questioned if he would transform into Batman's character. The irony of this situation is that Eckhart's life is drastically altered when his life is ruined by a severe scar cutting his face into a good and bad side. I believe Eckhart flawless fulfills his role in transitioning from a major player in stopping crime to an estranged "2-Face" seeking revenge against all characters. 

One of the most enjoyable features for me about this Batman movie is all of the puzzles to solve. The very first scene does a perfect job of catching the audience off guard. I really enjoy how Nolan emphasized the preciseness of The Joker's plan to rob the corporate banks, but to make sure he is the only one who gets the money. Also, Nolan intensifies the Joker's brilliance by not showing the Joker's identity until he had the money, using Joker masks for the operation, and using a school bus for the get-away in a uniform pattern. 

One of the most interesting symbols that I found in this film was the 2 headed coin. At the beginning of this film the coin may stand for the good luck of Harvey Dent, but after the accident Harvey Dent quickly becomes the villain "2-Face" and as this occurs the coin changed in color on one-side to dark. I believe this change in color represents Harvey's jump from the good side of crime to the bad one. I also believe the coin can symbolize the hot-topic of post traumatic stress disorder for military veterans. This is because Harvey was a lucky man before the explosion in oil, but afterword he lost his normalcy of life. The normalcy of life Harvey lost could be similar to veterans with PTSD because he didn't die in a life-changing experience, but lived through it and is forced to live a normal life with an altered state of mind. Finally, the Joker serves as a symbol of Irony. When playing cards, a Joker is not the highest card, but can pleasure the King and Queen. In the opposite light, the Joker in this film uses sick-psychological jokes, displeases society, and for a majority of the movie seems like the highest ranked card.

Amelie

Amelie

The film "Amelie" (2001) is a romantic comedy that tells the tale of "Amelie"(Audrey Tautou) who has had very little social interactions during her lifetime, but carries a blooming imagination. Amelie's daily routine surprisedly changes when she finds a small box of knick-knacks that a previous apartment tenant had. She decides if his response is positive with the box returned she will continue doing favors for people. During this process she helps plenty of people in her community including: her widowed father, an old brittle artist, and potentially-- the love of her life, Nino (Mathieu Kassivitz).

"Amelie" is filmed in Paris and gives its viewers a close look at the city through a closer lens. The book, The Art of Watching Films, states that, "[setting's are] an essential ingredient in any story and makes an important contribution to the theme or total effect of a film. When watching this film viewers may experience temporal factors of France during the late 1990's. One recurring event portrayed in "Amelie" was the death of Princess Diana. I believe the Director, Jean-Pierre Jeunet used the death of Princess Diana as a temporal symbol in not just explaining the era of the film, but to foreshadow the kindness that "Amelie" will do when she looks away from the TV. I believe  this was a good way for Jeunet  to connect with his viewers by using an event fresh in our minds, but not too fresh to cause agony.

Throughout this film, the viewer not only follows the plot, but gets thrown off the ride on occasion. Unique to this film I noticed the social theme of being told too much of the wrong information. When Amelie first starts looking for the box owner she visits her neighbor, who goes into great depth about her personal love life, and then states a one sentence response about Amelie's question. I believe this theme is a cultural symbol of developed nations, who as societies have become so focused intra-personally that even basic questions are sometimes reinterpreted to be about one's self.

 The theme of intra-personalism can also interpreted to be about Amelie as a character. Amelie grew up in a house that gave her the resources to get educated, but gave her little opportunity for social exploration. When Amelie is going around Paris looking for clues to help people out, she is rarely given a definite answer and usually just a clue after a story has been told. I interpret the symbol to be Jeunet's way of showing the viewers what it could be like to grow up away from a social environment, become an adult, and then be successful with people that have been socialized their whole lives. For example, a person from a closed-childhood environment will most likely take longer to make friends in a high school setting than a person who has attended public schools their whole life.

Boggs, Joseph, & Petrie, Dennis. (2012). The Art of watching films. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill College.

Memento

Memento

The movie “Memento” (2000) is a psychological thriller that Christopher Nolan wrote and directed based on a similar story written by his younger brother. Starring in this flick are Guy Pearce as “Leonard Shelby”, who suffers from Anterograde Amnesia and is compelled to find out who changed the way he processes information and killed his wife. His supporting actors are Carrie-Ann Moss (“Natalie”) and Joe Pantoliano (“Teddy”). These two become Leonard’s friends, but he’s under the impression that they have never met for the majority of the movie.

Unique to films like, “Memento” there are flashback scenes that tell the story of what happened from present-time to past-time and finally back to present-time again. During these flashbacks, when Leonard’s daily routine for remembering occurred, black and white was used in the film. In the book, The Art of Watching Films, it’s noted that: “[filmmakers] felt that black-and-white images kept audiences focused on the characters and the story being told, helping them avoid distraction[s]”.

I believe Christopher Nolan and his cinematography crew captured the depth of Leonard Shelby’s memory condition. When a scene that had been played before had been repeated I felt more focused into the daily routines of the protagonist (Leonard) and the immense hardship of living with Anterograde Amnesia.

Throughout this film, besides flashbacks to different settings, most of the camera work is done in a few rotating settings. Some of the major settings I noticed are: the hotel, Natalie’s house, the abandoned house, and the vehicle. I feel as if Christopher Nolan kept the setting simplified, so the viewer could focus on the very tangled, and purposefully confusing plot. Nolan’s use of simplified, setting locations in a smaller town serve as a symbol in this film. In the text book The Art of Watching Films, the text states that, “the setting of the film story may take on strong symbolic overtones when it is used to stand for or represent not just a location but some idea associated with the location”.  This idea of a less busy atmosphere allows the director to build a more in-depth dialogue without confusing the viewer and also reaps the benefit of a lower film budget. Compared with the budget of $40 million “Scream 3” (2000), “Memento” only had a budget of about $5 million (thisdistractedglobe.com and leesmovieinfo.net).

Boggs, Joseph, & Petrie, Dennis. (2012). The Art of watching films. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill College.

http://thisdistractedglobe.com/2008/07/23/memento-2001/

http://www.leesmovieinfo.net/WBOYearly.php?y=2000

The King's Speech

The King's Speech

The film "The King's Speech" is a historical-drama that shadows the life of a man with a speech-stammer. The protagonist, Colin Firth, is not an average man by any means though. Colin Firth plays the emotion-packed part of King George VI of Great Britain at the beginning of World War II. Throughout his life, King George VI was in the shadows of his father and brother who teases him for his speech-stammer. His future in leading a nation looks grim, until King George meets an unorthodox speech-therapist named Lionel (Geoffrey Rush) who adds much depth to the overall plot.

When I first heard the title, "The King's Speech", I foreshadowed to believe the story had great significance involving an important speech for a king. The book, The Art of Watching Films, addresses that, "in many cases, the title has one meaning to a viewer before seeing the film and a completely different, richer, and deeper meaning afterward." After watching this film I realized how fitting the title really is. Not only does the "The King's Speech" summarize the plot of the movie, but it gives insight at  what the climax of the movie entails. In this film,  King George VI's speech is not just an ordinary speech, but a living testament of history during the pivotal beginnings of Great Britain's involvement in World War II.

The cast of actors in "The King's Speech" pull a diverse blend of emotion into the plot of this film. During the King and Lionel's speech sessions I could really feel the emotion of the actors. Furthermore, the thing that I found unique about the protagonist was that he didn't have to have a massive role of dialogue in the film in order to get across what the director, Tom Hooper, wanted the viewer to feel. I believe by doing this the director allowed the viewer to personally dig deeper into the psyche of King George. Lionel did an awesome job as a supporting actor through his use of compassion, openness, and trustworthiness in the dialogue. The text, The Art of Watching Films states that viewers shouldn't only view and listen to a film-- and to not listen careful to just what is said, but how it is said. Lionel does an excellent job at this when the King decides to quit going to the sessions because of his abstract treatments. Instead of insisting that the King continues or escorting him out he makes the friendly offer of his voice recording. The characterization through dialogue builds a strong friendship between the short-tempered king and the charismatic speech-therapist, who lives a live away from the royal palace.

Throughout the plot of this film themes of the time period are addressed. A dramatic change in screenplay occurs after the King's brother, Guy Pierce (King Edward VIII) who carried the throne before him, decides to get a divorce. Now in the film the director does go into slight detail about the Catholic Church not accepted divorce, but never fully emerges in the topic. I believe the director used themes such as this to illustrate the differences in the time period compared to when the film came out in 2010. I also enjoy how the director used the themes of divorce and war, but didn't fully submerge in the topics or glorify them. I believe using themes like this help the viewer think below the surface and give the viewer a feel for the setting of the film in the late thirties and early forties.

Boggs, Joseph, & Petrie, Dennis. (2012). The Art of watching films. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill College.

Good Will Hunting

The movie, "Good Will Hunting" is a drama and a love story, but not just a normal love story. Matt Damon plays Will Hunt who is scrappy, young-blooded janitor at M.I.T., with an unnatural knack for complex mathematics. When he is given the option of prison or developing his skills or seeing a shrink. The Psychologist, Sean Macguire (Robin Williams) and Will form a great friendship through these sessions and his life finally startens to straighten out. As this is occurring, Will also becomes intrigued by a beautiful Harvard student named Skylar (Minnie Driver). Throughout this movie, Director Gus Van Sant keeps his audience thinking about whether Will will commit to the relationship and a career in math or will he keep his isolated, working class lifestyle.

In the book, The Art of Watching Films (Page 43) writer Neil Simon mentions that, "it's as important to me as writing the first scene, getting the title. I feel comfortable if it sounds right". With that being said, I feel as if "Good Will Hunting" is a perfect title for the film. When I first saw the title I thought of a poor man hunting for a better life, which wasn't too far off! I also feels as if the words Good, Will, and Hunt not only tell of the main character's name, but could describe the hunting or searching in Will's mind for the good will to make the right decision, which I believe he does at the end.

 The actors, Matt Damon and Robin Williams do a great job of showing the hardship, resilience, and depth that shrinks may have with a client. In the text, The Art of Watching Films (Page 44) states that a complication is when a conflict begins and develops clarity, intensity, and value. During "Good Will Hunting's" complication an important symbol between characters arises. During Sean's meeting at the pub with Professor "Gerry" Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard), Sean supports letting Will take time to rationalize his decision for himself, while Gerry states that pushing Will to succeed against his wishes would be beneficial. I see Sean's viewpoint from the rationalist approach of early psychology and Gerry's as the empirical approach. In the end, just like "Kant's Synthesis" blended the two approaches for what become modern psychology, and psychology doesn't work without either approach. Will had to form a conclusion for what he felt was best and did so.

I believe this film not only pulls its audience in cognitively, but grabs them by the wrists with emotion during the climax. The Art of Watching Films states on page 44 that: when a climx occurs there is a high point of physical emotion as well as a brief period of calm. During Sean and Will's last counseling meeting they discuss Sean and Will's past of both having alcoholic fathers, while this occurs so much compassion is felt by both. Sean definitely takes the role of Will's father symbolically and tells Will four important words relating to the bad decisions he may have made, "It's not your fault". This scene aroused deep emotion in its audience, whether it was Will finally breaking down, getting a new job, or saying scratch that-- and chasing his love, Director Gus Van Sant does a great job of connecting the viewers with Sean Macguire and Will Hunt.

Boggs, Joseph, & Petrie, Dennis. (2012). The Art of watching films. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill College.

On the Waterfront

On the Waterfront

The movie "On the Waterfront" directed by Elia Kazan is a story of a union of dockworkers that work underneath a mob like government. Actor Marlon Brando plays Terry Malloy who is forced by the union bosses to not speak on the death of a fellow dockworker (Joey) and no one is going to say anything-- until Joey's sister (Edie) and Father Barry urge Joey and the rest of the dockworkers to take a stand against the mob union. Marlon Brandon does a great job showing the emotion Terry is confronted with when he is asked to choose between ratting on his bosses or doing what's against everything he's been taught.

In the book, The Art of Watching Films (page 26) states that when watching Coming of Age films that usually: "young people going through experiences that force them to become more mature or to gain some new awareness of themselves in relation to the world around them". Terry Malloy's character is a perfect example of this. From the start of the movie Terry comes off as a young guy who means well, but also has not had a lot of experience away from the docks. Marlon Brando does a brilliant performance with Terry as a dynamic character who goes from being "the bum" of the dock to the reason the dock stays whole. Accompanying actress, Eva Marie Saint (Edie) shows strong passion in this drama as she investigates to find out who killed her brother and when she urges Terry to stand up on trial.

The plot of "On the Waterfront" unwinds as a mystery with Director Elia Kazan shedding piece by piece of the corruption on the waterfront. Throughout this movie I found myself paying especially close attention to Terry and Edie as their love grew, but also couldn't stop thinking about the mobbed-up union bosses that were working to keep the public quiet. The absence of lighting adds the right touch throughout this movie and adds to the hardship of the working class that is shown on the screen. I like how Kazan amplified the orchestras to almost double their regular volume to keep the viewer on edge. However, I feel the feature is a tad-bit overkill during the scene where Terry tells Edie about witnessing her brother's murder. If the orchestras weren't amplified here, I could've avoided about 15-20 minutes of trying to understand fully what had happened.

The book, The Art of Watching Films (page 22) states that film makers, "expose social vices and follies or criticize social institutions". Kazan's movie "On the Waterfront" let's its viewers peer into a large part of America's economy, the shipping industry. By watching the movie, viewers know that union bosses can become corrupt and gang-like and how greed can cause a person to lose morals. Also the motif of greed is shown in the movie when Terry used the symbol of pigeons and hawks to describe who possesses the wealth on the waterfront and how they get their wealth. I also believe Kazan used the pigeon as a symbol for Terry as a "caged bird". The cage that he is trying to break out of is his endowment to the Union boss's and when he takes down those bosses he will finally be able to fight again, competitively. 

Boggs, Joseph, & Petrie, Dennis. (2012). The Art of watching films. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill College.

Casablanca

Casablanca 

The movie Casablanca is a tale of love, war, and the pursuit of happiness. The story unfolds at the Cafe Americana, a hazy, jazz-filled restaurant and bar in Casablanca, where the owner and main character, Rick Blaine is introduced. The audience soon learns that the setting is during World War II and Casablanca is a French-controlled city that is being threatened by the Nazis and the last stop for fleeing Europeans before Lisbon, Portugal and finally America. 

In the book, The Art of Watching Films (page 3), Petrie and Boggs state that, "film communicates visually and verbally; visually, through action and gesture; verbally, through dialogue."From the start of this movie the mood was set in a packed bar with plenty of people all in search of one thing, money. As a viewer looks deeper into the dialogue, he or she may realize that the money isn't the motivation, but the fuel to escape Nazi-controlled Europe.

Most actors in this film were exceptional, Humphrey Boggart who plays Rick Blaine does an excellent job playing a love-sick, mysterious, and well-respected man. However, I feel that if Boggart's character would have been played more assertively the film would have seemed less slow-rolling. In reality though, I see where Director Michael Curtiz was going with this film. I believe he made the protagonist have a well-connected, but not assertive role to allow the audience to make preconception about him and to keep viewers attention to focus on what Rick Blaine's secrets really are. Ingrid Bergman's character, Llsa Lund Laszlo, also plays a character of few words. Bergman plays Rick Blaine's past lover; and matches Boggart's acting characteristics well with her use of mysteria that kept me guessing throughout the movie. 

I believe the plot of this movie was great. The quick-dialouge and accents of the characters make the audience feel as if they are in Morocco during World War II. These plot traits also keep the viewer listening for plot development in an active way, other than if the information was released by a narrator. I also enjoy Michael Curtiz's use of flashback in explaining Rick and Llsa's complex love story and their setting before they both separated and were reacquainted in Casablanca.

There are numerous ways this film can be interpreted by a society. I think the movie Casablanca could be a symbol for what inspires a majority of the world's people. Casablanca is a city where people are trying to save to move on to better things, in their case, a new life in America. Similarly, most Americans are in the same boat, at a place that's not quite a safe-haven, but if they continue to work hard, someday they may fulfill their dream. I believe that the pursuit of happiness is something that everyone can relate to.

The Art of Watching Films (page 28) states that: "certain films may possess... other, less important, areas of emphasis called motifs." I believe one important motif in Casablanca is the self-medication of oppressed people. No matter whether the person is rich nor poor, all people suffer in war and with hardship comes coping methods. Throughout Curtiz's movie he shows how prevalent alcohol and smoking are, not just in the working class's lives, but in the wealthy class as well. 

This film is also an important historical video that documents how far the Nazi Third-Reich had pushed and the consequences for those who opposed their dynasty. By doing this, Michael Curtiz's PG-rated movie not only captured the attention of the children of the war who had been learning about the events in school, but the attention of their parents in following Viktor, Llsa and Rick's hidden love triangle and the pursuit of happiness that the many of people of Casablanca are on in order to make it out of Europe alive. 

Boggs, Joseph, & Petrie, Dennis. (2012). The Art of watching films. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill College.