Linsanity is a documentary film directed by Evan Jackson Leong that tackles numerous topics such as discrimination, stereotypes, racism, and being overlooked. The documentary is about Jeremy Lin, an Asian American basketball player who rose to fame in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The story follows the life of Lin from his childhood to his success in the New York Knicks in the NBA. The film shows how Lin achieved success despite of the racism and discrimination that he received while playing in his college and in the NBA. The director’s intention does not only inform the viewers about Jeremy Lin’s life, but it also offers viewers a new image of Asian Americans in basketball. Furthermore, the film also challenges the long standing
The film Dying to Know by Steve Kroschel is certainly easier to watch than most documentaries. The film’s subject is a natural diet developed by Dr. Gerson that can cure cancer. I did have some reservations about the film in the beginning, by the end though I believe this therapy can work. Including patient interviews was a very smart idea; something to tug at the heartstrings and it did just that. It gave more of a human aspect to the film.
In the wildly popular Mexican film, Los olvidados (1950), Spanish director Luis Buñuel exposes the harsh realities of life in Mexico during the 1950’s. Luis Buñuel’s work on Los olvidados portrays a societal loss for all hope due to crime and violence as an infinitely vicious cycle, coupled with addressing the lack of reform for dilapidated living conditions throughout Mexico. In Los olvidados, Buñuel follows Pedro (Alfonso Mejía) a neglected bastard, and El Jaibo (Roberto Cobo) the leader of a gang of homeless children loitering in vacant lots. For Pedro, and the rest of the cast, a series of unfortunate outcomes have been strung together though common ignorance and a lack of self-control. Luis Buñuel’s use of focal length, editing, and dialogue
The film Casablanca captures a romance during World War Two, in the far off city of Casablanca, Morocco. The movie’s cinematography and beautiful story pull the audience into a timeless classic, regarded as one of the best films of all time. The films was directed by Michael Curtiz and had a limited release in late 1942, and then a full United States release date in 1943. The film captured young wartime American audiences as the United States was currently involved in World War Two. The movie stars Humphrey Bogart, who plays Rick Blaine, an American living in predominantly French Casablanca. He runs a bar called “Rick’s Café Américain,” where French and Germans frequent along with people passing through, displaced by war. Rick claims
Mise-en-scéne is crucial to classical Hollywood as it defined an era ‘that in its primary sense and effect, shows us something; it is a means of display. ' (Martin 2014, p.XV). Billy Wilder 's Sunset Boulevard (Wilder 1950) will be analysed and explored with its techniques and styles of mise-en-scéne and how this aspect of filmmaking establishes together as a cohesive whole with the narrative themes as classical Hollywood storytelling. Features of the film 's sense of space and time, setting, motifs, characters, and character goals will be explored and how they affect the characterisation, structure, and three-act organisation.
The documentary, Merchants of cool, describes an evolving relationship between the vast teenage population and corporate America. The film provides an in-depth look at the marketing strategies and communication between these groups. Adolescents are shown as learners and adapters of the fast-paced world; they’re constantly exposed to fashions and trends. These young adults have a lot of disposable income and are willing to spend it, in order to gain social popularity. In other words, they are chasing ‘cool’. The corporate giant Viacom, however, faced difficulties marketing to such audience. Stubborn teenagers are unresponsive to conventional marketing messages. By conducting focus groups, researchers have learned that teenagers respond to ‘cool’. Accordingly, the merchandise industry had to embrace new marketing strategies.
In The Toughest Job: William Winter’s Mississippi, viewers are introduced to the background and political career of former governor of Mississippi, William Winter. Centered around his rise to the highest political position in the state amidst the volatile changes occurring in Mississippi at the time, the film specifically explores his attempts to create educational reform in the state and the many tribulations that came with such a pursuit. When examining how Winter was able to lead and enact real change despite many challenges and setbacks, there are clear examples of effective leadership, argumentative structure, and strategic communicative behaviors from which to learn from.
When it comes to films, I feel as if the soundtracks make them what they are. A film in which I feel as if the soundtrack shapes the overall effect of the film is "Waiting to Exhale." Waiting to exhale was a movie about four African American women who were all through different things in their lives from men, their jobs and family. There friendship bonded all of the women together and when they got together the could just exhale everything that they have been holding in this whole time and just be themselves without having to worry about anything else. The musical technique in which I feel they used is connecting the soundtrack to real life situations. The songs used in this film not only connected to real world situations but it also told
As a producer/director it is hard to precisely depict genuine occasions that depend on a genuine story. Edward James Olmos went up against that test as he featured and coordinated the gang related motion picture in light of genuine occasions titled American Me. Brutal scenes go with the job when making films about packs and mobsters, and Olmos saved no cost with American Me. Olmos ' offered a reasonable delineation of how the Mexican Mafia started and in addition what it resembled for a youthful Chicano to experience childhood in Los Angeles amid the 1980 's, and the 1940 's. What can be troublesome about recounting the account of posse life is the way that on the off chance that you reveal excessively data about what truly happened, there can be shocking repercussions that accompany it. Robert Lopez composed a piece 1996 in the Los Angeles Times remaining that Olmos
In 2010, a poll taken from over 1000 people named Darryl Kerrigan of The Castle as the favourite Australian movie character with 23% of the votes (Hayes, 2010). The accolades kept flowing for the 1997 film, with over a third of those interviewed thinking The Castle best represents the real Australian culture (Hayes, 2010). These results raise an interesting question. How does a film taken in 11 days with a budget of half a million dollars capture the hearts of more Australians than a Hollywood blockbuster? What is it about Darryl and his family, and the story of the Kerrigans that Australians can relate to? One possibility is that there are a wealth of crucial ideas in the Castle which relate to our Australian identity.
The Great Alone, directed by Greg Kohs, is a documentary about all time dog sled racer Lance Mackey. Throughout this film, it shares Lances story of how he came to love the sport of dog sled racing while also focusing on his relationships with his parents and dogs. What he ultimately discovered is that even through the hard times, you can still push through and become successful. His hard work and determination is inspiring. It’s taught me that even though life can be challenging, it makes us a stronger and better person. Having been interested about dog racing myself, I personally loved the film. Ever since I’ve seen the film Balto, I’ve always found it amazing how a team of dogs can run for so many miles. I found the quality of this documentary to be phenomenal. It offered comedy, drama, action and much more. All around it was a great film for everyone to enjoy.
China and The United States are the two most powerful countries in the world where people dream of coming to seek for opportunity. However, it will be a very different experience when you involve in the cultures of these two countries. One fundamental principle that you need to bear in mind is that: American and Chinese cultures are polar opposites. The film named Rush Hour (1998) is one striking example that reflects different practices, point of view, thoughts, and ways of communication. Also, it is an inspiring and thought-provoking film that helps to develop intercultural communication and experience.
Even though it may be just a stereotype, the Scottish people are not generally known for their joyful nature and friendliness. No wonder, considering the geographical location of the country, the weather and the scarce population in the wild landscape. Kilts, mysterious countryside full of lochs and ruined castles, back pipes, whiskey and Brave Heart is what usually comes to people’s minds when Scotland is mentioned, but legends and nature are not exactly what the contemporary Scottish films usually focus on. Once a person gets himself into the modern Scottish cinematography, what they encounter are not huge historical and probably not even real battles taking place in the romanticised landscape of Sir Walter Scott. The movies focus rather
The above quote was spoken by the most celebrated French New Wave auteur filmmaker and Cahiers du Cinema critic, Jean-Luc Godard. There are three periods in which Godard’s work fall into. I will be focusing on the early period of his filmmaking career where some of his best films were made before he began his political films. He is recognized for breaking the rules and conventions of the Classical Hollywood cinema and bringing something new and innovative to French cinema. The quote is echoed upon three of his pioneering films, A Bout de Souffle (Breathless, 1960), Le Mepris (Contempt, 1963) and Pierrot Le Fou (1965). In this essay I will discuss the formal and stylistic innovations of these three films by highlighting some of the best scenes, as well as how they relate to certain theories and themes and their place in the French New Wave.
The man is Travis Bickle, ex-Marine, veteran of Vietnam, writer of devoted celebration notes to his guardians, taxi driver, and executioner. The film seldom strays a long way from the individual, profoundly subjective route in which he sees the city and gives it a chance to wound him.