What are your expectations for this class and for yourself in this class? What do you think of when you hear the word movie? What is your favorite movie? Why? Required: 2 full, well-developed paragraphs. Due: Friday, September 7
I believe that this class will help me with both analysis and interpretation skills. Yes, this may be a very difficult class in the long run, but very well worth the struggle with all of the potential knowledge in store. I honestly have no expectations for myself as of now in this class except that I will plan to do my best and work hard. After listening to what was said in class and reading in the text book, I can no longer think of a movie the same way. Now I think of all of the work that goes into designing and making a movie and the different techniques and thought that goes into the movie. My favorite movie would have to be The Dark Night Rises. It was very intriguing and action movies are more of my favorite than any other genre of movie. Christopher Nolan did a very good job placing just the right amount of action and twists in the plot to keep the viewer focused. Hopefully with the knowledge I will attain from this class I will be able to analyze more effectively.
When selecting courses for junior year, at the end of last year, I knew right away that IB Film was the right choice for me. I am absolutely in love with analyzing movies and hope to make a career out of it one day. I know that I will work my hardest, and expect myself to figure out, by the end of these two years, if film production really is the right field for me. Even after only two classes, my entire perspective on movies have changed. I've come to appreciate them much more and all the hard work that is put into producing/directing films. My favorite movie of all time has to be, " Life Is Beautiful." I'm not sure why, but I find Holocaust stories so interesting! The film is in both German and Italian, with English subtitles. The plot is so thrilling and moves quickly, so the viewer never loses attention. I've seen that movie a hundred times, and would watch it a hundred times over again! And using the knowledge I will gain from this class, I will be able to better understand the amount of work put into a film like this. Maybe even make a film of this quality, myself someday!
I joined this class because of my love for movies spanning many different genres. When I chose this course, I was excited that I could develop and expand on my knowledge for films, and how they are constructed and developed. I hope to learn how to take a film, analyze and see what the various people responsible for a film were thinking when they made that particular movie. I really hope the following two year will be informative and fun. My favorite movie has to be "The Sting" with Paul Newman and Robert Redford, made in 1973. It takes place in 1936 in Illinois. It tells the story of a "grifter", or conman, who accidentally steals from a big time crime boss, and his partner is killed. He has to seek out help from a retired grifter in order to exact revenge. It's thrilling, and funny, with plot twists and just an all around great movie.
From a young age I've been enthralled by movies. movies are a way to express feelings, ideas, and stories in a relatively short and effective manner. Movies are hugely influential and can cause great change, as well as change the way people think and view the world around them. From a young age I've been able to successfully and accurate observe, dissect, and predict actions in movies (much to the chagrin of my friends). My expectations from this class are a rigorous but rewarding experience where i learn to appreciate and evaluate movies more thoroughly, as well as learning some of the skills required to produce my own works. My favorite movie is "Inception". From the opening scene of the movie, where we see a disgruntled Leonardo DiCaprio climb out of a sea and confront an old man that seems to have been awaiting his arrival. From there, the twists and turns, as well as philosophical and moral questions throughout left me with an awe and respect that I've never felt for any movie besides. For that reason, I feel "Inception" is truly great.
Ever since I was young, I have been fascinated with movies. In fact, I became so fascinated with them that it made me decide that I wanted to be a movie director when I got older. I would always attempt to make short films with my family and friends and as I got older I've really became fond of the structure of putting together feature-length films. I hope to learn every aspect and movie making element possible so I can further my dream of making films in the future. When I hear the word movie, I think of tons of shots and clips manifested and put together in order to tell a story. My favorite movie would have to be "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012), which I went to go see three times in the theater. I love how Christopher Nolan takes a classic concept of what a hero is, and turns it into a dark, realistic tale about a retired billionaire who is pursued by his childhood nightmare of his parents death, while he tries to discover who he really is and what he means to Gotham.
It's a fact that everyone loves movies. In IB Film, I want to learn about how these films were made. I want to be able to appreciate, and interpret movies more than just sitting in front of a screen spacing out with popcorn. I want to be able to follow through the movie knowing what the film maker's exact thoughts were. When I hear the word movies, I think about a screen where I can relax and just take my mind off of everything. Movies serves as an escape from reality. So far, my favorite movie would be "The Lorax". I love the animation and the little hints of problems in the real world. The destroying of forests, the pollution, and then exaggerating it to the buying of fresh air and searching for things called 'trees' that hasn't been seen in decades.
I've heard from several friends in this years senior class things about IB film that just seemed to catch my interest. This course seems to be that it will be very fun and intersecting to learn about, because I would indeed like to know about and how to find these little things that are hidden in movies. I expect that this class will be hard with lots of work, but I think I might be well prepared for it. I hope that that I end up learning a lot of brand new stuff in this class. When I hear the word movie, I automatically go to either like going to the theatre with the huge rows of seat or sitting at home and choosing movies on Netflix to watch. When I think of what a movie is, I think of it as an escape from daily life to sit down and relax for a little bit. Will this class maybe end up changing that perspective a little bit? Probably, but I think I might be looking forward to it. My favorite movie that I went to go see with my dad was "The Avengers" which I thought was fantastic. I love watching movies with tons of huge action scenes, while still having an interesting plot that goes along with it, and all adds lots of comedic relief in between to ease into the next scene. It was a really great movie, but I also do enjoy "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" because of its way of jumbling up the time frame in order to have the viewer put together everything that has happened.
I have always loved movies, ever since I can remember. I always appreciated all of the work and all of the time it took for the director to get even just one scene absolutely perfect. I love all movies ranging from back in the 40s and 50s up to The Avengers and other recently made movies, but something I never learned how to properly do is how to truly critic a movie and understand the difference between not just a visually appealing movie but a well thought out and developed movie as well. That is exactly what I expect to learn from film and to learn about other great films I have not even heard of before. The word movie means escape to me. My whole life I used comedies and adventure films and really every type of movie genre as an escape from a problem or fear I was dealing with at that time. That is how I judged movies when I was younger, how well the movie grabs you and makes you feel like you’re in the movie with the characters cause being with the characters was always so much better than thinking about whatever issue I was having. My favorite movie has to be "Captain America" which is a movie I went to see by accident when it came out last year. I was planning on going to see "Horrible Bosses" but I forgot it was rated R and so I asked the person at the desk if there was anything else playing at the time. She said "Captain America" so I went and saw it and I absolutely loved it! I loved that even though Steve Rogers, the main character, was small and weak, he never gave up and had courage as well as pride. This was the main message of the film. You do not have to be the strongest or the fastest to be great, as long as you have will, determination, courage, and mental toughness, you can do anything.
What I am hoping to accomplish in this class is to give myself a better knowledge of how important choreography, special movement, and placement is in the filming business. This can help me in my choreography life ahead, and I may possibly be incorporated in certain films. I also expect myself to gain the skills of hard work like organization, promptness, and preparedness. Other than work, I am excited to produce films, learn a lot about some of the most famous films on Earth and how to decipher them. When I hear the word "movie" i think of a popular motion picture that people can just relax and enjoy the story.My favorite movie is the old classic "Singin in the Rain" because I just love how perky it is, its comedy, its story-line, its actors, the songs, and of course the choreography. I loved the choreography so much that I created a little dance with my two cousins and had expressions like they do in the movie.
In my coming two years as an IB Film student I expect to learn a great deal about a subject that I thoroughly enjoy. I anticipate there will be a lot of work and that the course will be a challenging and frustrating one at times, but a rewarding and enlightening one at others. I expect from myself conscious thought and effort for each assignment. Also I hope to contribute something of value to the class dynamic.
The very first image the word movie conjures for me is that of an old fashioned theatre with a big screen playing a film which drastically plays with the emotions of the theatre’s packed audience. On deeper reflection, this is in fact how I think of movies. They can affect viewers deeply and have a great sphere of influence beyond their direct subject matter. Film is a powerful and complex medium which I hope we will begin to dissect in this class.
My favorite movie is a tie between Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Grey Gardens (both the original documentary and the HBO remake). I love both films because they present strong, but flawed, very real and quirky characters with interesting stories. That is generally what reels me in. Specifically in Breakfast at Tiffany’s I really appreciate the use of music and camera shots and angles, although I don’t yet fully understand why.
While I'm participating in this class, I hope to strengthen my current set of skills and knowledge, involving the creation and viewing of films. As I started to understand the movies that I watched, I would instantly become inspired, trying to figure out how to create a film that amazing. Once I discovered that City Honors had a film program, I felt lucky because it is actually a subject that I enjoy doing on my own time. I understand that this coarse is extremely time consuming and challenging, but I feel that it is worth every second, because it will provide me with all of the professional skills that I can use throughout my career.
The word movie, makes me think of a story being told, that has a set purpose, which is meant to entertain and make the audience conscious of a something. My favorite movie is "I Am Legend", because it makes me curious about what would happen to our world if this were true, and what would I do If I were in that position. I am personally a fan of movies that causes me to daydream throughout the day, because thats where new ideas come from.
Film, for me, has always been sort of an extra curricular thing. For the past few years, whenever I've had the opportunity to make a "film," or assist in the production of one, I've been very eager to do so. That's why when the opportunity to take a class that would strengthen the skills I've used so much in the past few years, I couldn't pass up. While I personally believe my future holds nearly nothing pertaining to a film career (and for that I'd probably be better off in Economics), I realize that this is a once in a lifetime chance. I'm really very interested in film, but since I don't see it as a viable path for myself, I probably won't get another chance like this to learn about something I enjoy so dearly. And who knows, maybe this class will change my mind!
When I hear the word 'movie,' I think, quite simply, motion picture. Of course, it's much deeper than that. It's a motion picture that conveys meaning through different devises - almost like a book, really - symbolism, imagery, etc... Except these devices are presented in a completely different form than they would be in a novel or something of the like, and overall come together to tell us something, whether we know it or not, about the world. I often have difficulty picking favorites, and this is no exception. However, if I had to limit it down to two, as cliched as they are, I'd probably pick "Slumdog Millionaire," and "Amadeus." Now, I say cliched because they both won the Oscar for Best Picture in their respective years. However, it's not their popularity or award winning stance that drew me in. For "Slumdog," it was the story itself - a boy from the slums becomes a millionaire. These types of stories, especially in the way they're presented, can give you hope that sometimes things can work out. On top of that, the infusion of Bollywood culture (albeit slightly non-authentic) adds an exciting effect. Additionally, I enjoy "Amadeus" due to my love for Mozart and his music. Already knowing Mozart's music as being relatively playful and fun to play/listen to, it was fun to see somebody's interpretation of the man behind the genius.
I would like to say that I'm really digging your responses, everyone.
I suppose it would be fair for me to respond to this blog entry. Maybe none of you really care about your teacher, but I'll throw out my response just in case.
I have a lot of expectations for myself in this class. If I can impart what knowledge I have about film history and theory to you guys I will be happy. I am hoping that I'm able to open your eyes to films that you might never have seen otherwise. I took a film class in high school and, although it was not as in depth as this class will be, I learned a great deal from my teacher, Mr. Gardener. If you all can feel just a little bit as excited as I was to see films like The Graduate and The Great Train Robbery, I will feel I have done a good job. In addition to teaching you to appreciate everything that goes into making (and watching) films, I am really looking forward to seeing the films that you will make!
When I think of the word movie, I think of a couple of things. First, I think of having my daughter curled up next to me eating popcorn while we watch movies like Bringing Up Baby (her favorite), or The Last Laugh or Star Wars or Singin in the Rain. She can't get enough of the movies.
I also have memories of watching movies like Midnight Cowboy and Little Big Man with my dad I was I was little and having him tell me these were great films and that I should watch them. They were on tv every once in awhile and every time they were, he and I sat and watched the whole movie. I usually got to stay up past my bedtime.
What is my favorite movie? It's almost impossible to choose a favorite. I am into Chinese films right now and so I love the 1930s leftist film The Goddess and the 6th generation film Beijing Bicycle. I also love The Passion of Joan of Arc and Sunrise: A Tale of Two Humans. I love the French New Wave film Jules and Jim. Renoir's films Grand Illusion and Rules of the Game rank pretty high as well. Probably my favorite "genre" is 70s American films. I love Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather, Badlands, Days of Heaven, Chinatown. I'm a big Scorsese fan--Taxi Driver and Mean Streets are my favorites of his. His early films remind me a lot of the neorealist films out of Italy in the 1950s.
There you have it. Mrs. Holden in a nutshell through the movies.
In this class my expectations for myself include deliberately learning how to find out what the screenwriter and director are trying to tell the audience without being led into it, but rather reading into the tools and art forms that are used in the film in question. My expectation for the class is an anticipation for rather difficult work that will pay off if i decide to go into creating films or other arts as a profession and/or hobby. I hope to learn how to find out what directors mean by all the little details rather than just the less subtle details and implications, and be able to read pst the average audience member. Before i used to think of 'movie' as a thing that was strictly used for money-making, entertaining, and informing the masses. Now, after being introduced to this class, I've learned that everything a director does, and what the movies mean, is a lot more subtle than i originally thought. i thought that things may just be in the background to make things look like a normal reality, but now I've learned that they're there not only to do that, but to send subliminal messages to the audience that the audience members seem to absorb subconsciously and then form expectation on the movie using those little details. My favorite movie is 'Chronicle' directed by Josh Trank. This movie i went to see on the last day of school with my best friend Alex, and during the movie i was appalled at the flowing as well as sudden twists and turns that the plot took. It starts out with a kid that is bullied a lot in school because he's not exactly talented at anything and can, in fact be, a little of a dweeb. This kid, Andrew, is invited to a rave by his cousin, Matt, when they later make a discovery with his cousins friend, Steve. these three boys soon become best friends, but when Andrew continues to be bullied, both in AND outside of school by his peers and his own father he seems to lose it. This screams to me that bullying- no matter how little, subtle, or jokingly it may be- really scars the person being bullied, and those scars never truly heal. Andrew was grateful for friends, but then was absolutely torn when he continued to be bullied. He took friendship for granted and when he was attacked -physically and mentally- he lost it in the worst way. this became and remains my favorite film because it isnt blatantly aainst bullying, and neither does it have a happy ending. It, in fact, goes against most cliches of modern movies, and still leaves the audience, or at least me, in a sense of awe at the writing and directing of the film.
I believe that this class will help me with both analysis and interpretation skills. Yes, this may be a very difficult class in the long run, but very well worth the struggle with all of the potential knowledge in store. I honestly have no expectations for myself as of now in this class except that I will plan to do my best and work hard. After listening to what was said in class and reading in the text book, I can no longer think of a movie the same way. Now I think of all of the work that goes into designing and making a movie and the different techniques and thought that goes into the movie.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movie would have to be The Dark Night Rises. It was very intriguing and action movies are more of my favorite than any other genre of movie. Christopher Nolan did a very good job placing just the right amount of action and twists in the plot to keep the viewer focused. Hopefully with the knowledge I will attain from this class I will be able to analyze more effectively.
When selecting courses for junior year, at the end of last year, I knew right away that IB Film was the right choice for me. I am absolutely in love with analyzing movies and hope to make a career out of it one day. I know that I will work my hardest, and expect myself to figure out, by the end of these two years, if film production really is the right field for me. Even after only two classes, my entire perspective on movies have changed. I've come to appreciate them much more and all the hard work that is put into producing/directing films.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movie of all time has to be, " Life Is Beautiful." I'm not sure why, but I find Holocaust stories so interesting! The film is in both German and Italian, with English subtitles. The plot is so thrilling and moves quickly, so the viewer never loses attention. I've seen that movie a hundred times, and would watch it a hundred times over again! And using the knowledge I will gain from this class, I will be able to better understand the amount of work put into a film like this. Maybe even make a film of this quality, myself someday!
I joined this class because of my love for movies spanning many different genres. When I chose this course, I was excited that I could develop and expand on my knowledge for films, and how they are constructed and developed. I hope to learn how to take a film, analyze and see what the various people responsible for a film were thinking when they made that particular movie. I really hope the following two year will be informative and fun.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movie has to be "The Sting" with Paul Newman and Robert Redford, made in 1973. It takes place in 1936 in Illinois. It tells the story of a "grifter", or conman, who accidentally steals from a big time crime boss, and his partner is killed. He has to seek out help from a retired grifter in order to exact revenge. It's thrilling, and funny, with plot twists and just an all around great movie.
From a young age I've been enthralled by movies. movies are a way to express feelings, ideas, and stories in a relatively short and effective manner. Movies are hugely influential and can cause great change, as well as change the way people think and view the world around them. From a young age I've been able to successfully and accurate observe, dissect, and predict actions in movies (much to the chagrin of my friends). My expectations from this class are a rigorous but rewarding experience where i learn to appreciate and evaluate movies more thoroughly, as well as learning some of the skills required to produce my own works.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movie is "Inception". From the opening scene of the movie, where we see a disgruntled Leonardo DiCaprio climb out of a sea and confront an old man that seems to have been awaiting his arrival. From there, the twists and turns, as well as philosophical and moral questions throughout left me with an awe and respect that I've never felt for any movie besides. For that reason, I feel "Inception" is truly great.
Ever since I was young, I have been fascinated with movies. In fact, I became so fascinated with them that it made me decide that I wanted to be a movie director when I got older. I would always attempt to make short films with my family and friends and as I got older I've really became fond of the structure of putting together feature-length films. I hope to learn every aspect and movie making element possible so I can further my dream of making films in the future.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear the word movie, I think of tons of shots and clips manifested and put together in order to tell a story. My favorite movie would have to be "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012), which I went to go see three times in the theater. I love how Christopher Nolan takes a classic concept of what a hero is, and turns it into a dark, realistic tale about a retired billionaire who is pursued by his childhood nightmare of his parents death, while he tries to discover who he really is and what he means to Gotham.
It's a fact that everyone loves movies. In IB Film, I want to learn about how these films were made. I want to be able to appreciate, and interpret movies more than just sitting in front of a screen spacing out with popcorn. I want to be able to follow through the movie knowing what the film maker's exact thoughts were.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear the word movies, I think about a screen where I can relax and just take my mind off of everything. Movies serves as an escape from reality. So far, my favorite movie would be "The Lorax". I love the animation and the little hints of problems in the real world. The destroying of forests, the pollution, and then exaggerating it to the buying of fresh air and searching for things called 'trees' that hasn't been seen in decades.
I've heard from several friends in this years senior class things about IB film that just seemed to catch my interest. This course seems to be that it will be very fun and intersecting to learn about, because I would indeed like to know about and how to find these little things that are hidden in movies. I expect that this class will be hard with lots of work, but I think I might be well prepared for it. I hope that that I end up learning a lot of brand new stuff in this class.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear the word movie, I automatically go to either like going to the theatre with the huge rows of seat or sitting at home and choosing movies on Netflix to watch. When I think of what a movie is, I think of it as an escape from daily life to sit down and relax for a little bit. Will this class maybe end up changing that perspective a little bit? Probably, but I think I might be looking forward to it. My favorite movie that I went to go see with my dad was "The Avengers" which I thought was fantastic. I love watching movies with tons of huge action scenes, while still having an interesting plot that goes along with it, and all adds lots of comedic relief in between to ease into the next scene. It was a really great movie, but I also do enjoy "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" because of its way of jumbling up the time frame in order to have the viewer put together everything that has happened.
I have always loved movies, ever since I can remember. I always appreciated all of the work and all of the time it took for the director to get even just one scene absolutely perfect. I love all movies ranging from back in the 40s and 50s up to The Avengers and other recently made movies, but something I never learned how to properly do is how to truly critic a movie and understand the difference between not just a visually appealing movie but a well thought out and developed movie as well. That is exactly what I expect to learn from film and to learn about other great films I have not even heard of before. The word movie means escape to me. My whole life I used comedies and adventure films and really every type of movie genre as an escape from a problem or fear I was dealing with at that time. That is how I judged movies when I was younger, how well the movie grabs you and makes you feel like you’re in the movie with the characters cause being with the characters was always so much better than thinking about whatever issue I was having.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movie has to be "Captain America" which is a movie I went to see by accident when it came out last year. I was planning on going to see "Horrible Bosses" but I forgot it was rated R and so I asked the person at the desk if there was anything else playing at the time. She said "Captain America" so I went and saw it and I absolutely loved it! I loved that even though Steve Rogers, the main character, was small and weak, he never gave up and had courage as well as pride. This was the main message of the film. You do not have to be the strongest or the fastest to be great, as long as you have will, determination, courage, and mental toughness, you can do anything.
What I am hoping to accomplish in this class is to give myself a better knowledge of how important choreography, special movement, and placement is in the filming business. This can help me in my choreography life ahead, and I may possibly be incorporated in certain films. I also expect myself to gain the skills of hard work like organization, promptness, and preparedness. Other than work, I am excited to produce films, learn a lot about some of the most famous films on Earth and how to decipher them.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear the word "movie" i think of a popular motion picture that people can just relax and enjoy the story.My favorite movie is the old classic "Singin in the Rain" because I just love how perky it is, its comedy, its story-line, its actors, the songs, and of course the choreography. I loved the choreography so much that I created a little dance with my two cousins and had expressions like they do in the movie.
In my coming two years as an IB Film student I expect to learn a great deal about a subject that I thoroughly enjoy. I anticipate there will be a lot of work and that the course will be a challenging and frustrating one at times, but a rewarding and enlightening one at others. I expect from myself conscious thought and effort for each assignment. Also I hope to contribute something of value to the class dynamic.
ReplyDeleteThe very first image the word movie conjures for me is that of an old fashioned theatre with a big screen playing a film which drastically plays with the emotions of the theatre’s packed audience. On deeper reflection, this is in fact how I think of movies. They can affect viewers deeply and have a great sphere of influence beyond their direct subject matter. Film is a powerful and complex medium which I hope we will begin to dissect in this class.
My favorite movie is a tie between Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Grey Gardens (both the original documentary and the HBO remake). I love both films because they present strong, but flawed, very real and quirky characters with interesting stories. That is generally what reels me in. Specifically in Breakfast at Tiffany’s I really appreciate the use of music and camera shots and angles, although I don’t yet fully understand why.
While I'm participating in this class, I hope to strengthen my current set of skills and knowledge, involving the creation and viewing of films. As I started to understand the movies that I watched, I would instantly become inspired, trying to figure out how to create a film that amazing. Once I discovered that City Honors had a film program, I felt lucky because it is actually a subject that I enjoy doing on my own time. I understand that this coarse is extremely time consuming and challenging, but I feel that it is worth every second, because it will provide me with all of the professional skills that I can use throughout my career.
ReplyDeleteThe word movie, makes me think of a story being told, that has a set purpose, which is meant to entertain and make the audience conscious of a something. My favorite movie is "I Am Legend", because it makes me curious about what would happen to our world if this were true, and what would I do If I were in that position. I am personally a fan of movies that causes me to daydream throughout the day, because thats where new ideas come from.
Film, for me, has always been sort of an extra curricular thing. For the past few years, whenever I've had the opportunity to make a "film," or assist in the production of one, I've been very eager to do so. That's why when the opportunity to take a class that would strengthen the skills I've used so much in the past few years, I couldn't pass up. While I personally believe my future holds nearly nothing pertaining to a film career (and for that I'd probably be better off in Economics), I realize that this is a once in a lifetime chance. I'm really very interested in film, but since I don't see it as a viable path for myself, I probably won't get another chance like this to learn about something I enjoy so dearly. And who knows, maybe this class will change my mind!
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear the word 'movie,' I think, quite simply, motion picture. Of course, it's much deeper than that. It's a motion picture that conveys meaning through different devises - almost like a book, really - symbolism, imagery, etc... Except these devices are presented in a completely different form than they would be in a novel or something of the like, and overall come together to tell us something, whether we know it or not, about the world. I often have difficulty picking favorites, and this is no exception. However, if I had to limit it down to two, as cliched as they are, I'd probably pick "Slumdog Millionaire," and "Amadeus." Now, I say cliched because they both won the Oscar for Best Picture in their respective years. However, it's not their popularity or award winning stance that drew me in. For "Slumdog," it was the story itself - a boy from the slums becomes a millionaire. These types of stories, especially in the way they're presented, can give you hope that sometimes things can work out. On top of that, the infusion of Bollywood culture (albeit slightly non-authentic) adds an exciting effect. Additionally, I enjoy "Amadeus" due to my love for Mozart and his music. Already knowing Mozart's music as being relatively playful and fun to play/listen to, it was fun to see somebody's interpretation of the man behind the genius.
I would like to say that I'm really digging your responses, everyone.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it would be fair for me to respond to this blog entry. Maybe none of you really care about your teacher, but I'll throw out my response just in case.
I have a lot of expectations for myself in this class. If I can impart what knowledge I have about film history and theory to you guys I will be happy. I am hoping that I'm able to open your eyes to films that you might never have seen otherwise. I took a film class in high school and, although it was not as in depth as this class will be, I learned a great deal from my teacher, Mr. Gardener. If you all can feel just a little bit as excited as I was to see films like The Graduate and The Great Train Robbery, I will feel I have done a good job. In addition to teaching you to appreciate everything that goes into making (and watching) films, I am really looking forward to seeing the films that you will make!
When I think of the word movie, I think of a couple of things. First, I think of having my daughter curled up next to me eating popcorn while we watch movies like Bringing Up Baby (her favorite), or The Last Laugh or Star Wars or Singin in the Rain. She can't get enough of the movies.
I also have memories of watching movies like Midnight Cowboy and Little Big Man with my dad I was I was little and having him tell me these were great films and that I should watch them. They were on tv every once in awhile and every time they were, he and I sat and watched the whole movie. I usually got to stay up past my bedtime.
What is my favorite movie? It's almost impossible to choose a favorite. I am into Chinese films right now and so I love the 1930s leftist film The Goddess and the 6th generation film Beijing Bicycle. I also love The Passion of Joan of Arc and Sunrise: A Tale of Two Humans. I love the French New Wave film Jules and Jim. Renoir's films Grand Illusion and Rules of the Game rank pretty high as well. Probably my favorite "genre" is 70s American films. I love Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather, Badlands, Days of Heaven, Chinatown. I'm a big Scorsese fan--Taxi Driver and Mean Streets are my favorites of his. His early films remind me a lot of the neorealist films out of Italy in the 1950s.
There you have it. Mrs. Holden in a nutshell through the movies.
In this class my expectations for myself include deliberately
ReplyDeletelearning how to find out what the screenwriter and director are trying
to tell the audience without being led into it, but rather reading
into the tools and art forms that are used in the film in question. My
expectation for the class is an anticipation for rather difficult work
that will pay off if i decide to go into creating films or other arts
as a profession and/or hobby. I hope to learn how to find out what
directors mean by all the little details rather than just the less
subtle details and implications, and be able to read pst the average
audience member.
Before i used to think of 'movie' as a thing that was strictly used
for money-making, entertaining, and informing the masses. Now, after
being introduced to this class, I've learned that everything a
director does, and what the movies mean, is a lot more subtle than i
originally thought. i thought that things may just be in the
background to make things look like a normal reality, but now I've
learned that they're there not only to do that, but to send subliminal
messages to the audience that the audience members seem to absorb
subconsciously and then form expectation on the movie using those
little details.
My favorite movie is 'Chronicle' directed by Josh Trank. This movie
i went to see on the last day of school with my best friend Alex, and
during the movie i was appalled at the flowing as well as sudden
twists and turns that the plot took. It starts out with a kid that is
bullied a lot in school because he's not exactly talented at anything
and can, in fact be, a little of a dweeb. This kid, Andrew, is invited
to a rave by his cousin, Matt, when they later make a discovery with
his cousins friend, Steve. these three boys soon become best friends,
but when Andrew continues to be bullied, both in AND outside of school
by his peers and his own father he seems to lose it. This screams to
me that bullying- no matter how little, subtle, or jokingly it may be-
really scars the person being bullied, and those scars never truly
heal. Andrew was grateful for friends, but then was absolutely torn
when he continued to be bullied. He took friendship for granted and
when he was attacked -physically and mentally- he lost it in the worst
way. this became and remains my favorite film because it isnt
blatantly aainst bullying, and neither does it have a happy ending.
It, in fact, goes against most cliches of modern movies, and still
leaves the audience, or at least me, in a sense of awe at the writing
and directing of the film.