Like Crazy

Like Crazy (Drake Doremus, 2011) remains me to Blue Valentine (Derek Cianfrance, 2010) in the sense that it tries to convey the reality of a normal relation, avoiding to portray an idealised love. The narration is done through the character's eyes.

It tries to show us how the relation between Jacob (Anton Yelchin) and Anna (Felicity Jones) grows up. It is not a normal romantic comedy (They meet, they split up, they make it up) but a real story based in the writer's personal experiences.


Love, real love, is different to the one that normally appears in films. It is not only being happy. It is also being jealous, being afraid, having doubts, getting angry with him/her, missing, forgiving.. It is a lot of things, it is not always easy.

It is because of that I love the ending. In real life there are no easy endings either.

Almost famous

The most interesting aspect of Almost famous (Cameron Crowe, 2000) is without any doubt, its soundtrack. The story takes place in the 70s in USA. The Who, Iggy Pop, Deep Purple.. all those bands can be listened in the film.

With regard to the figure of the narrator, it is interesting seeing how his vision of that world changes. The protagonist, William (Patrick Fugit) is just a kid when the film starts. He has totally idealised the rock&roll world. As he grows up he recognises his idols as normal people with their faults and fears. This is disappointing for him, but who is not disappointed as we grow up?

Everybody's fine

The thing I liked the most about Everybody's fine (Kirk Jones, 2009) is the personal point-of-view. The story is about a a recently widowed Frank Goode (Robert De Niro) who decides to visit his 4 children in Christmas, since they can not (Or that is what they say) go to visit him. He begins his trip, and each first time he sees one of them, they appear in the screen as a 7 year-old child. I loved this device. It means that he still sees them as if they were children, and in my opinion, that is a very sweet way to let us know that Frank really loves and cares  about his children, even if he may seem cold.

This point-of-view really surprised me, since I am only 19 and I have never really thought about how parents feelabout their children. 

Nevertheless, I do not think the film is a very good one and I found it takes pleasure in the melancholic scenes. The scenes in the train, when Frank is totally alone and disappointed, for example.

Adam

Adam (Max Mayer,2009) is named after its main character, a Manhattan engineer who suffers from Asperger’s syndrom. Unexpectedly, one day he meets a woman. He likes her, but his autism affects to the relationship.

As you can see in the picture, a medium focal lenght is used in Adam, maybe to express that there is a lot of distance between Adam (Hugh Dancy) and Beth (Rose Byrne). They want to be closer, but it is not so easy as they would like it to be.

Adam is not a predictable film, and it has some funny and sweet scenes, but I it is just a normal film. Not great.

The Departed

The Departed (Martin Scorsese, 2006) is a crime film that shows both sides of the law. The "goods" and the "bads". I'd recommed its soundtrack. I am sure you have heard it before.

  

Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a cop who is assigned to infiltrate the mob syndicate run by Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is a member of the forementioned mob infiltrated in the state police as an informer. This is a film about the opposites side of the same fight.

I think that the film itries to make the viewer identify himself with both of them. 

Personally, I identify myself with Billy Costigan. I do not prefer him just because Leonardo DiCaprio, but also because I can understand his reasons, why he does what he does. This does not happens with Colin Sullivan.

Madolin (Vera Farmiga) knows Colin and Billy. Even more, she feels attracted by both of them. This is a film about both sides of an only conflict, but it also shows how similar both sides may be.

Frank Costello gives a grotesque and extravagant vision to the film.

Up in the air

Up in the air (Jason Reitman, 2009) tells us the story of Ryan (George Clooney), a solitary businessman. The very first part of the movie is very funny, since we realize how well he manages in his way of life.

Ryan seems to enjoy his life. The problem begins when he meets Alex (Vera Farmiga). And what begins with sex, becomes guadually something more. 

I am not telling you the end of the movie but I will say that Jason Reitman seems not to be a fan of the classic romantic comedy. As in Juno (Jason Reitman, 2007) the main character, Ryan, must face a problem. At the end of Juno, the main character is happy, even if the end is bittesweet. At the end of Up in the air, things are not perfect either. But in both films, the protagonist learns a great lesson.

Every thing You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)

Every thing you always wanted to Know about sex (Woody Allen, 1972) is a collection of 7 stories about the different ways in which people live sex and love.

I would separate these stories into two groups: The ones in which Woody Allen acts and the ones in which he does not. Don't kill me. I know Woody Allen is a cult director and all that, and I appreciate him as a director, but, as an actor, I do not like him at all. And sometimes, a bad actor (Or what the viewer thinks a "bad actor" is), may mess up a good film.


In short, I do not like Woody Allen as an actor, but these 7 stories still are absurd, funny and entertaining at the same time.

"We can get through this together, I'll get a job, I'll pull through...if you're willing to stick by me". 

Scarface

Scarface (Brian De Palma, 1983) is a remake of a previous film with the same name, Scarface (Howard Hawks, Richard Rosson, 1932). It is a long film (170 min), but the viewer never gets bored of it.

The main reason why I liked Scarface is the main character, Tony Montana (Al Pacino). He is a phychopat, he is not a good person, he is not the kind of people you want to be your friend, he is not handsome, he is not clever, but, in some way, he is very charismatic and the viewer finds himself indentifying with him, and feeling attracted by him. Maybe because he is a self-made man.
Al Pacino acting is very credible. His Spanish, for example, is much more credible than Charlton Heston's in Touch of Evil (Orson Wells, 1958). After The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola,1972) and The Godfather II (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974) he seemed to be comfortable in a gangster's skin.

Elvira (Michelle Pfeiffer) tells Tony what she thinks is the most valuable lesson: "Don't get high on your own supply". Nevertheless, both of them do. Just as Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace do in Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994). The relationship between Vincent and Mia is clearly based in the one between Tony and Elvira.

With regard to the soundtrack, by Giorgio Moroder, I find it funny. I mean, in the montage where the viewer is told how time passes, the song that accompanies it sounds old-fashioned but it is appropiate to the 80s.

Inglourious Basterds

Inglorious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009) is divided into 5 chapters. Here you have 5 reasons why you should watch it:

1 Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). He is the responsible of the funniest scenes and the wittiest conversations. Listening to him talk German, French, English and Italian fluently is also a pleasure. To finish with him, his face at the moment he knows is going to be marked for life..

2 The soundtrak. Most of the tracks are by Ennio Morricone. Music in the first chapter has an interesting effect. You think you are watching a western and not a film that takes place in the occupied France.

3 Samuel L Jackson. Ok, I know he is not acting as Jules, speaking about hamburguers in Europe, but the narrator's voice is his.

4 Shosanna's (Mélanie Laurent) story, the reference to The Searchers (John Ford 1956) at the end of the first chapter (When she is introduced), and the scene when the cinema burns.

5 The last reason for watching Inglorious Basterds, just if you are a real Tarantino's fan are.. the dialogues. This is a long film, in part, thanks to the tedious nonsense dialogues.  The "Who I am?" scene is one of them.

Beetle Juice

Beetle Juice (Tim Burton, 1988) is a film about a happy young couple, Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara (Geena Davis) In their life colors are intense and the dynamic music accompanies their daily activities.

Until.. they pass away. They do not notice it until they try to go out. When they do it they see a strange landscape where they could get lost. As you can see, the visual effects are not very modern. Anyway, I have a special affection for Tim Burton's, so they are funny for me.

The film has two types of colors. In the first part, the happy couple live in pastel colors. Later, when they are dead, their world is more Gothic and dark. And so is Lydia (Winona Ryder) too. 

There are a lot of visual effects when represating other dead people. You can guess how they died by looking at them.

This characteristic mise-en-scène in Beetle Juice is shared in almost every Burton's film. His signature style. I really felt his name was missing in the "Directors" list.

It's a wonderful life

I would say It's a wonderful life (Frank Capra, 1946) is not only a Christmas film, but an optimistic one, a (too?) innocent tribute to goodness and generosity.

The action starts in heaven, when an angel, Clarence (Henry Travers) is asked to help George Bailey (James Stewart), a man who lives in a desperate situation. Clarence is told George's life in a flashback from his childhood to the currect situation.
We learn about his family, friends.. but, above all, we learn about his dreams. He plans to travel to Europe during a year.

George Bailey choosing a new suitcase.

"- What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. Hey. That's a pretty good idea. I'll give you the moon, Mary." 

He falls in love with a perfect girl,Mary (Donna Reed) everything seems to presage that all his dreams are becoming true sooner or later, but suddenly something happens. George finds himself trapped in a situation he can not get out, but he is supposed to be happy. One day, he gets into real trouble.

This close-up reveals how George is feeling when he realize his dreams are never going to become true.

Then, the action comes back to present. The angel shows George how the town would be if he never existed. This is a very original device, and it is similar to that one used in "A Christmas Carol", the novel by Charles Dickens. In both cases, it is used to change the main character's view.

During the whole film we witness George's sacrifices. He sacrifice his dreams (himself) for his brother, for the family business.. there's always something that postpones the departure date. I find James Stewart's interpretation perfect. We really understand George's feelings. He feels dissapointed for his lost dreams, but grateful for his family and friends at the same time. 

I would recommend It's a wonderful life. At some points it is too naive, but at the end, it manages to get you into the Christmas spirit. If you are one of those who hate Christmas, the vision of a kind world will, at least, mesmerize you.

Reservoir dogs

In the first Tarantino's film as director, where he also acts as Mr Brown, he lays the foundations of the main characteristics of all his work.
One of them is the special treatment of time. I have not seen every Tarantino's film, but I can not remember any film in which the time is lineal. Also, in Reservoir dogs (Quentin Tarantino, 1992) we are not shown the core of the film, a jewelery heist, but its training and consequeces. Moreover, we are shown, by flashbacks, the origin of the plan.

Another of this typical Tarantino's characteristic are the conversations about irrelevant topics. Like a Virgin's real sense, tv soap operas.. In any case, the most famous irrelevant conversation in a Tarantino's film is the one about hamburguers in Europe. I am sure you remember it. In these scenes we identify ourselves with the characters, since we realize they are not inaccessible but normal people.

With regard to mise-en-scène, costumes play an important role in Reservoir dogs. Why do six gangsters dress the same and so elegant? If you watch the film, you'll see that the six main characters do not know any personal information about each other. They name each other with a color as a name. As they can not share any personal information, they have to dress uniform. Only Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney) and his son (Chris Penn) wear informal clothes.

  -I don't give a good fuck what you know, or don't know, but I'm gonna torture you anyway.

The offscreen space has also an important role, since we are not shown violent scenes. We get the sound, a shot close to the action, but not the action itself. 

I would recommend this movie. I thought this kind of movies were not very entertaining, but time flew when I watched it. Maybe because my friends and I were talking about our different impressions of the film calmly, as the gangsters could do just before shooting their gun.

The last of the Mohicans

I saw The Last of the Mohicans (Michael Mann, 1992) because I had to do it as homeworks. I must say I was always looking for historical details more than for film devices.

The landscapes are beautiful and some aspects of mise-en-scène, as the customs of both British and Amerindians are depicted in great detail.

Without any doubt, one of the most known and interesting things in this film is the soundtrack.

The Social Network

The Social Network (David Fincher, 2010) is not only a film about who is the real founder of Facebook, but also an elaborate portrait of Mark Zuckerberg.

First scene: A normal conversation between a young couple. Really? Mark is always challenging Erica, and it can be seen in editing. The shots are really short in order to let the spectator know how Erica is feeling: surprised, stunned, she does not even have time to think a correct answer.


The story takes place when Mark has been sued twice, and his portrait is made by flashbacks. They are used in order to show both defendant and claimant version, and they last most of the film. We are not given only a version but all of them, and we can put in everyone's place.


When this film opened I rode about the similarity this portrait has to the one done in Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941), where a journalist tries to find an acceptable explanation or answer to Jedediah Leland's mysterious life.
 In The Social Network, we get the answer in the very beginning of the film: Erica (Rooney Mara) brokes up with Mark (Jesse Eisenberg), and he is so angry he decides to take revenge on her. 
The beginning and the end in Citizen Kane are connected, and so they are in The Social Network. Mark's "reason" (Erica) is still present in his life years later, when he adds her as a friend in Facebook.

Singles

Singles (Cameron Crowe, 1992) is not the typical "boy meets girl" romantic comedy. The own characters, who are interrelated, are responsible for the narration, and extra information is given in this way. This is sometimes made by the use of flashbacks, or making for the viewer possible to listen a character's thoughts. They explain, for example, their previous relationships in a very natural way.

This way of telling stories in a natural way can be seen also in the great amount of references to the popular culture of the time, like music and films, specially to the "grunge". It is easy to relate Cliff's (Matt Dillon) group to a bad Nirvana impersonator. The band, by the way, is mockingly called "Citizen Dick", a clear reference to Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941). The connection between Linda (Kyra Sedwick) and Steve (Campbell Scott) is in some way shown through the things they like also. For example, Robert Doisneau's work, Le baiser de l'Hotel de Ville.

	With regard to editing, Singles is divided in several "chapters", a very original way to connect several stories.

The sound plays an important role in the film. There are both internal and external music. The internal one show us the grunge culture and the external is a more varied and popular one.

There is a little detail that I really liked. The first time Steve and Linda have lunch together, she gets in to his car. There is a slow scene in which Linda opens his door. This scene is exactly the same as in A Bronx tale (Robert de Niro, 1993). And, for me, it has the same meaning that it had to Sonny, who said that a girl is worth it only if she helps (Opening the door) a boy.

To finish, there is something I did not like at all: The very end of the film. The two couples end up together and happy. The stupid singer, who ignored Janet (Bridget Fonda) suddenly becomes a sensitive guy who cares for her. It is the only thing that does not fit with the rest of the realistic film.

Guess who's coming to dinner.

Guess who's coming to dinner (Stanley Kramer, 1967) is a film about a happy young couple that has to face with a problem: The lack of understanding of their families. John (Sidney Poitier) is a black doctor. Joey (Katharine Houghton) a white student.

Their determination to stay together (Specially Joey's) can be seen in all the film. The couple appears together in almost every shot. And if there are more people, they appear side by side.

When there is a tense situatios, John appears alone. For example, when he is confronted with Joey's father (Spencer Tracy)

Mr Drayton has much more importance than Ms Drayton (Katharine Hepburn). This can be seen in composition. Usually, she appears in a second place. This is related to the power that he has in John's decision. 

The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day (James Ivory, 1993) deals with two different points. The first, the love story between Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson) and Mr Stevens (Anthony Hopkins). The second, a part of the II World War history.

The detailed interior decoration, the customes, every single picture.. Everything is described in great detail.

Mise-en-scène gives us also some details about the character's feelings. The fresh flowers Miss Kenton tryes to place in Mr Stevens's office are a sign of what she is really trying to do. She wants to enter in Mr Stevens's grey life. But, at first, he does not allow it.

In some scenes it is clear that there is a great distance between them, they do not know how to come close.

To finish, you can not miss the famous scene. 

A Bronx tale

A Bronx Tale (Robert De Niro, 1993) is a film about gangsters. You expect Robert De Niro acting as the respectable mob moss, but instead of this you see him as Lorenzo, a devoted father.

 

One of the things I liked of this movie was the figure of Calogero (Francis Capra (9), Lillo Brancato (17)) as narrator.

The film deals with Calogero's indecision. One the one hand, his father. An honest hard-working Italian man. The boy loves his father, and he understands what he tryies to teach him. But he sees him as a worker who is never going to make any progress. One the other hand, Sonny (Chazz Palminteri) a ganster who Calogero has admire all his life. He wears elegant suits and he is respected by all the men in the neightbourd. 

This can be seen, for example, in their customs.

I think this film is clearly influenced by Scorsese's cinema. For example, the street scenes have certain paralellism with Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990) or Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese, 1980).

 

Also, I loved the scene when Colagero meets Jane (Taral Hicks). Editing plays an important role there, since we know what's going to happen sooner or later. 

Thanks to V, an authentic De Niro's fan.

Annie Hall

We are told, as students of "Comentario de textos audiovisuales en inglés I" (Something like "An introduction to Film Studies")  that films have certain rules. For example, a character does never look at the camera directly. These non-written rules are followed in almost every film.

Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977) is not a typical film. I do not know a lot about cinema, and I have not seen a lot of 70s' films, but I think it was a breath of fresh air.

To begin: Annie Hall's opening. Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) shows some of his ideas about life. The film uses a lot of devices in order to show how actually characters think, feel, what are their desires and complexes.

 

 

Some scenes, as the animated one, or the scene in which Marshall Mcluhan suddenly appears in the cinema are simply delirious and extremely original.

In the familiar lunch, Alvy thinks he is seen as a Jewish stereotype. This is a device that let us knowing that Alvy is feeling observed and judged.

The Adventures of Tintin

 The Adventures of Tintin (Steven Spielberg, 2011) is an impressive 3D animated film.

I has the advantages of an animated film (everything is possible) and the ones of a traditional film (Some scenes seem real).

This film is directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by Peter Jackson. Both of them are ones of the most influential film personalities. The likelihood of it success is strong.

With regard to mise-en-scène and filming, the film is amazing. The use of high or low angle, the light, editing.. everything convey different meanings. The film is never boring.