Post #5: My Girl, 1991 Director Howard Zieff

My Girl is yet another must-see film. It was directed by Howard Zieff in 1991. The film is a heartbreaking story that stirs up tears. The main character in the film is an adolescent girl named Vada, played by Anna Chlumsky. She lives with her awkward widower of a father, played by Dan Aykroyd, who is a funeral director. They strangely live in the funeral home themselves. Other stars include: Macaulay Culkin, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Richard Masur. The story takes place in the 70s and the soundtrack coincides, playing all of the 60s and 70s classics.

Zieff captures the rustic and carefree lifestyle of the 70s. The lighting seems very dim throughout the entire film, even when outdoors, which makes the film seem dated also. The viewer experiences Vada's emotional ups and downs with her. So much is unraveled in just the short duration of the movie. We learn so much about each of the characters. The story is strange but very intriguing. The outcome is much unexpected and an intense tearjerker.

Zieff films in a kind of expected sense. He portrays life in the 70s as one knows it. He adds the drama of the characters lives to make it different. While watching the movie the only scene I ever noticed the angles and the style of the filming was the scene in which Vada's best friend Thomas J, played by Macaulay Culkin, gets swarmed by bees. The scene is shot with many cut backs to the bee hive and Thomas J. Eventually, we see him panic and the audience begins to worry. There is a particular shot of his eyeglasses falling to the ground in the woods, but in slow motion. It heightens the emotion of this scene. Without actually showing the viewer what happens next, it changes from the sound of buzzing bees to a doorbell. There is an extreme close up of only a doorbell and we are brought back to reality.

Zieff definitely depicts an emotional roller coaster for this young girl Vada. Throughout the film we watch her experience multiple life changing events. This drama definitely lives up to its theme. I don't know if I would be able to sit through it again, it was such a sad turn of events.

Post #4: Hook, 1991 Director Steven Spielberg

Hook is a spin on the classic tale of Peter Pan, directed by Steven Spielberg. He absolutely nailed this film as a director. Despite the family-oriented feel of the movie it left me quite apprehensive and empathizing with the characters. It is an outstanding film, especially considering its PG rating. It has an exceptional cast. Robin Williams play the part of Peter, Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook, Maggie Smith as Wendy, Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell, among many others.

The film's basic storyline is that the boy who was never supposed to ever grow up, Peter Pan, actually did. Peter Pan grew up to be a husband, a father, and an overworked lawyer that goes by the name of Peter Banning (Robin Williams). He completely forgets his early childhood and basically every part of the classic tale. When Captain Hook comes back for revenge by kidnapping Peter's children, he is forced to try to remember.

The film has great shots that capture the emotion of the characters. There are so many reaction shots; you could not even count them. Spielberg was also very fond of the low angle shot in this film and it is more than obvious. The darker feel to this movie compared to the fairytale everyone is familiar with, is what really brings it to life. Changing a classic storybook tale to reality did not seem to be much of a challenge for Spielberg.

The sound effects, costume, and make up all play a major part in making the film seem believable. You are really pulled into the story that was once just a cartoon. Seeing the action and the emotion come to life is the best part of the film.

My favorite scene is the food fight between Peter and the Lost Boys. His imagination finally kicks in and he is back. There are so many close-up shots and the concept of the entire sequence is really cool. Spielberg gets a lot of the Lost Boys in reaction shots to the food fight. It is excellent filming and great acting.

Overall, Hook is a great movie-- which is expected when Spielberg's name is on it.

#2- Pretty Woman- Tori Douglas

Pretty Woman- 1990- Tori Douglas

Theme: Crime-Romantic Comedy

Pretty Woman is technically considered a romantic comedy, however, following the theme of crime is does possess certain elements of ‘crime’ with Vivian Ward’s escort services. Directed by Garry Marshall, this timeless- Hollywood fairytale set in LA. Julia Roberts, who plays Vivian Ward, a prostitute, and Richard Gere, playing businessman Edward Lewis meet by chance and wind up spending many days in each others company.

When the movie was filmed, Walt Disney Studios was backing them financially, so many location changes were available to the director and producers of Pretty Woman, a budget of $14 million was spent to create elaborate shots throughout the Beverly Hills area.

Every time I watch a movie, or TV show, I can’t help but look to see if they are using the rule of thirds. No doubt that Pretty Woman also used this rule to create more dynamic shots throughout the movie. I also noticed that they used many medium/portrait shots as well as full shots. On the other hand, of what I did not see too much of throughout the movie was establishing shots, I understand that a movie has a certain flow to it, where you don't always need establishing shots, but when traveling through different scenes it would have been nice to get more information before the dialogue started. Overall, I think this movie was a great success for he director and both main characters.

Post #3: The Addams Family, 1991 Director Barry Sonnenfeld

The Addams Family was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld in the year 1991. This film was based off of the cartoon The Addams Family created by Charles Addams.

The film shows many scenes with a dark and dreary look. Having this style allows the Addams family members to look more horrifying and less alive. One particular scene is of Mrs. Addams (Anjelica Huston) and Mr. Addams(Raul Julia) sitting in a graveyard. The couple is wearing the colors black and grey. There seems to be a soft blue lighting on the graveyard behind them. This light is representing the moon, but also altering the mood of the scene to look creepy and death like.

There are other scenes that illustrate the family’s strangeness by using props. One prop is the unattached hand. This hand is computerized and placed throughout the scenes like it is actually alive and moving. Another scene has Wednesday (Christina Ricci) playing with her food. The food on her plate pulses as if it is still breathing or the heart is still beating.

Barry Sonnenfeld incorporated all the haunted accessories that one could think of. The Addams family’s house is full of rooms with torture devices, mysterious corners, and disturbing critters. The film constantly illustrates how the family is not an ordinary family. The film gives a unique look and approach to storytelling. Incorporating all of these props and knowing how to use dreary lighting, sets the tone of the movie right off the bat. The actors are on par with their creepy personas and could not be any weirder. This all makes the audience feel apprehensive of what is to come. The entire Addams Family are unaware that they are actually bizarre and frightening to other people. I think this movie is brilliant because it is not even a horror film but looks like it could have been one. It is creepy yes, but the humor is what makes it so great.

Post #2: Father of the Bride, 1991 Director Charles Shyer

The Father of the Bride we all know is actually a remake of the original 1950 original. It is a very difficult challenge to remake a classic movie, especially such a familiar one. The remake completely mastered that test. It remade a name for itself and became a must-see classic for a whole new generation and it was surprisingly a very well played comedy. The cast is full of stars: Steve Martin who plays the father, Diane Keaton plays the mother, Martin Short who plays the wedding planner, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley plays the daughter/bride to be.

The plot of the movie focuses on the planning going into the wedding of George Banks (Steve Martin) only daughter Annie's wedding (Kimberly Williams-Paisley). The film setting is a flashback. She unexpectedly gets engaged and her family hasn't even met him yet. Annie is only 22 but her father still finds himself reminiscing and missing the days when she was younger. He is constantly reminded of the fun they had when she was a little girl. Steve Martin completely steals the show with his wit and bitter attitude.

The wedding planning soon begins and George becomes overwhelmed with the amount of money and in depth thought that actually goes into having a wedding and he persistently tries to make it inconvenient for his daughter and her fiancée. His wife and daughter insist that need a wedding planner (Martin Short) to help with the stress of planning. That in itself is a large bill coming out of Frank's wallet in addition to the entire wedding. Eventually throughout the entire movie George finds himself competing with his daughters soon-to-be in-laws. They continue to outdo him in everything he does for the newly engaged couple.

Overall, the film itself is a warm-hearted comedy. Steve Martin's classic sarcasm and Martin Short's ridiculous character are the main proponents of all of the humor. Steve Martin played such a relatable father that the audience couldn't help but laugh at all of the realistic situations he found himself in. Director Shyer did a great job at making such an adoring family film where the affection really shines through. You could tell Shyer's heart was in the film.

In my opinion the soundtrack sets the tone of the movie. The timeless classics playing along with the scenes set up a mood and familiar feel for the viewers. But my only letdown was that the film seemed pretty predictable. Once the nature of the film was set early on, you knew the father of the bride would go through frustrations and drama but only to wind up being happy for his married daughter.

That being said the film was not very original. However, the most memorable scene is when the wedding planner Franck (Martin Short) sings a short tune about Steve Martin being a party pooper. It is a song that sticks with you and whenever the movie is mentioned that is immediately where my mind goes. Martin Shorts hilarious accent in the film makes every one of his lines that much funnier.

Post #1: Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, 1991 Director Peter Hewitt

Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey is a sequel to the film Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. This film was directed by Peter Hewitt in the year 1991.

The plot of the movie is about the unfortunate adventure that both main characters, Bill (played by Alex Winter) and Ted (played by Keanu Reeves), go through after their deaths.

There is a scene of robot versions of Bill and Ted killing the real Bill and Ted. When Bill and Ted died they changed to ghosts and their image became translucent while their voices had an echoing effect. Bill and Ted then get caught in a séance and they are dragged to Hell. In Hell both Bill and Ted go through dreadful situations that are very comical to the viewers:

· Ted’s situation involves an Easter bunny. In this scene the lighting is pink. The furniture in the room is misshapen creating the mood and appearance of a memory.

· Bill’s situation involves getting a kiss from an old female relative. In this scene the lighting is dark grey and blue. All objects are angled in an off balanced position that gives the actions taking place look even more so disturbing.

This causes them to realize that they want to go back to living their real lives. Bill and Ted decide to challenge the Grim Reaper, played by William Sadler. The boys play the Grim Reaper in several popular games such as Twister and Clue. Their continuous wins grant both of them their lives back.

They then had to travel to Heaven to explain the meaning of life to God. When they first arrive to Heaven there is a shot of Bill, Ted, and the Grim Reaper. The camera is below a piece of Plexiglas angled upward so it appears as if we are below the feet of the characters. The background that surrounds them is all white light indicating that they are in Heaven. All the people in Heaven have white colored clothing. The lighting is very soft and the furnishing has a tinge of purple pastel.

Overall, Director Peter Hewitt created a visually fun movie. With dynamic lighting and sets that were artistically designed in a relatable way to the personalities of the characters. The film really came to life with the over exaggerated story-like features.

#1 Home Alone- Tori Douglas

Home Alone-1990- Tori Douglas
Theme: Crime

Home Alone is a wonderful Christmas, but not so Christmas movie. The movie turned out to be family favorite over the past twenty-some years. There is a lot of action and adventure with a lot of comedy in-between that Kevin McCallister, who is played by Macaulay Culkin, gets into over the holiday season.

The overall plot, which I’m sure we all know is that Kevin is at home with family but they are traveling to France the next morning. Things don’t turn out well for Kevin, being sent to the attic and such, he misses the car to the airport, thus missing the plane to France. Although, the neighborhood burglars, Harry and Marv, don’t know this as they are robbing other neighbors.

As for technical uses of visual grammar within the movie, there is so much to talk about, the rule of thirds was always in the back of my mind throughout the movie and it really came into play. Majority of the time all the characters and objects were off center but still caught the viewer’s eye. Close-ups were also a large part of the movie, showing emotions of the characters without them having to say how they feel.

This movie came to be so successful after all these years and a lot has to do with Macaulay Culkin’s performance as Kevin McCallister. He was a like able child actor with a big screen presence, and he gave a mixture of innocence and mischief to the role in Home Alone. It's sure to be a classic for years to come.

The theme that I chose for my netfilix movie project is crime, this ranges from hard crime, Goodfellas or the Godfather, to silly stunts as seen by Harry and Marv from Home Alone. I believe that action movies involving 'bad guys' were popular in the 90's and have proven to still be popular today.

Jordan Valdez Post #3 The Bodyguard

     Post #3, Jordan Valdez, The Bodyguard, 1992, Directed by Mick Jackson

     I was very excited to do this project because it gave me the excuse to watch The Bodyguard, directed by Mick Jackson, for the first time.  And I can't believe I've waited this long to see it! Everything about this movie was entertaining and intriguing.  From beginning to end, the story and the plot captured me and I didn't want it to end.  The simple idea of a pop star and her bodyguard became such an interesting story in this film.  The raw emotional displays of the characters were so powerful and real.  Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston were incredible individually as well as together, sharing a strong on-screen chemistry.  I love a good love story but that along with the aspects of the thriller genre made it so dynamic.  And yet another movie from 1992 had the concept of crime involved in some way.  I also loved the mystery throughout the film that kept me on the edge of my seat and prayed for Rachel and Frank.  I expected some sort of twist in the end but not the one I got, for sure.  Finally, the soundtrack of this film really pulled everything together, and I have to admit I shed a tear as "I Will Always Love You" played in the end.
    Not only were the acting, story, and themes in this movie strong, but the filmmaking techniques were as well.  Jackson did an incredible job combining the mentioned aspects of the film as well as using various shots and styles to set up the story.  I think that the reaction shot definitely proved most important in this film as we were able to see the pure emotion in the characters' faces as different events occurred.  Jackson also favored the close up shot a lot throughout the film and gave us intimate looks into faces, actions, and reactions.  There was also a variety of dolly shots in which the camera either panned or tilted, or even revolved, around the scene to give the viewer a better look at the action or setting.  I also saw a good variety of OTS shots and medium and long shots as well.  Overall, I really enjoyed The Bodyguard as a whole and am glad I could understand and appreciate every aspect of the film.

Samantha Pysher Post #5 Amityville: A New Generation 1993 John Murlowski

            I am a big fan of the legend of the Amityville house of horror and with that legend come a lot of horror movies terrorizing the human mind. Amityville: A New Generation is about a photographer Keyes is given a gift from a homeless person he took a photograph of on the street. This gift is an old mirror which he takes home and then give to a friend. In this mirror people see horrible things happening to themselves and then later these thing come true. The question truly is are these suicides or is there a hidden demonic force behind the mirror. A New Generation the third movie to base its plot around writer John G. Jone’s story about a Long Island house that cuases misery and death for its owners. Ross Partridge plays Keyes Terry the main character, others actors in the film are Julia Nickson and Lala Sloatman.

 I have seen plenty of these movies and this one doesn’t come close to any of the others. This movie had silly special effects and an incomprehensible plot. Another thing that was also poorly done was the acting; there was no real fear, no real emotion. There are some good scenes but for the most part this movie is a major let down. It left a lot to be desired.

Jordan Valdez Post #2 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

    Post #2, Jordan Valdez, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, 1992, Directed by Chris Columbus

    One of the greatest Christmas movie classics came out of 1992--Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.  This sequel to a successful first Home Alone, directed by Chris Columbus, consists of hilarious comedy, villainous crimes, and the perfect Christmas message.  I found it interesting that my next choice for this project also involved crime as a theme.  It is definitely not as violent as Dogs, but it is another movie from 1992 that plays on this topic.  The film's plot is unexpected in many ways and captures you from the very beginning with the display of such a crazy family dynamic.  I think one reason that it is such an intriguing movie is for the fact of how outrageous the main story is--a ten year old getting lost in New York City and seriously running the place!  It is a classical hero trumps villain story as well as a heartwarming Christmas tale.  This film has become one of my favorite Christmas movies and I'd love to watch it again and again.
     There are great uses of some basic filmmaking techniques.  The establishing shot is very important in this film as it jumps around from place to place as the scene changes back and forth from New York to Florida and the various hotels and buildings in each.  The majority of shots are filmed as medium or long shots.  In addition, the reaction shot is crucial throughout the duration of the film.  The scenes in which we laugh as the criminals cry in pain consist of a medium shot or close up shot of the trap that Kevin has set up and then the criminals' reactions as they fall into each trap.  These techniques as well as many other only add to the success of this film.  I can appreciate these elements as well as those of the plot, characters, and dialogue after watching Home Alone 2.

Samantha Pysher Post #4 Dark Waters 1993 Mariano Baino

            Dark Waters could be categorized as one of the best horror films of the 1990’s. The movie is about a lady by the name of Elizabeth who is tortured by horrible visions from her childhood. In order for her to discover the truth about her past she must travel to a remote island. While on this island she finds a twisted group of nuns who are evil. After spending time with the nuns Elizabeth starts having horrific nightmares. Elizabeth sees no escape from the menacing evil that inhabits the strange island that she traveled too. This movie was originally released in Europe with the title Dark Waters but when it was released in the United States the title was changed to Dead Waters. Louise Salter starts as Elizabeth.

            This film uses a stylish yet unique way of showing us the horror behind the horror story. I feel the nuns make a great influence to the cast and to the plot and flow of the story. This movie is a good example of how atmosphere alone can make a movie work and be good. The plot itself was a little confusing but well worth all the confusion in the end. The way the director decided to show the nightmares Elizabeth was having was truly bone chilling. All-in-all the movie was rather great and truly a good horror movie.

Jill Rosenblum Post #5: Aladdin (1992)

One of Walt Disney's best movies by far is Aladdin (1992) directed by Ron Clements and John Musker.
Although I saw this movie when I was younger I had forgot a lot of the details and major parts of this movie. Once I watched this movie my mind was able to recall the songs and I was able to really get into the movie.

Aladdin is a bout a poor street falling in love with a Princess, Princess Jasmine. Princess Jasmine likes Aladdin for who is he at first but Princess Jasmine isn't concerned about him at first. Her father is making her marry a prince and she must pick a prince and fall in love fast. The main piece in this movie is the magic lamp with a genie inside that will grant 3 wishes. Jafar who works for the royal family is found to really be evil and plot against the royal family to become more powerful than them. However, to obtain the lamp from the jaguar cave, a "diamond in the rough" is the only person allowed in the cave. This is when Aladdin comes along. Jafar tricks Aladdin to go into the cave and find the lamp and once Aladdin obtains the lamp, he accidentally rubs it and the genie comes out. Jafar ends up stealing the lamp from Aladdin through a series of tricks and we find out that Jafar is nothing without the genie. Towards the end of the movie we find out that Aladdin outsmarts Jafar and Aladdin is the true hero. This movie is a typical story and Aladdin and Jasmine fall in love and the genie is set free with Aladdin's help.

Even though this movie is animated, there are a lot of different shots. Medium close up, close up, over the shoulder and full body shots and more. Pretty much every scene shows the place of where the scene will be filmed which is cool that they still incorporate all the different shots in an animated film.

This movie is one of my all time favorites, it's a disney classic and will never be forgotten.

Samantha Pysher Post #3 The Dark Half 1993 George A. Romero

Samantha Pysher Post #3 The Dark Half 1993 George A. Romero

            The Dark Half is a movie derived from a book by Stephen King. If that doesn’t say something about the movie then I don’t know what will. Of course Stephen King is one of the most famous thriller/ horror writers in this day and age. This film is about a novelist, That, that had buried his alter ego, George Stark, which he used when writing fiction of a darker nature then what he normally wrote. After having a mock burial there is a killing that leads police to this grave and people begin to suspect Thad. During this time Thad is having visions of sparrows flying something that hasn’t happened since he had brain surgery twenty three years before hand. More and more murders start piling up and that is getting the blame. Then someone claiming to be George Stark starts calling Thad’s phone which causes Thad to start worrying about his family’s safety. Timothy Hutton plays Thad in the movie.

            This movie does a good job at creating a genuinely creepy atmosphere for the audience. There are very good plot twisted that only Stephen King could pull off. Actor Timothy Hutton gives an outstanding performance, he has a perfect hint of evil underneath his nice husband and father persona. He plays both Thad and George in a way that only Timothy Hutton could do. It does a good job of thrilling the audience and keeping us on the edge of our sleep.            

Samantha Pysher Post #2 Free Willy 1993 Simon Wincer

            Free Willy is a childhood classic that anybody born in the 90’s would know about. It stars Jason Richter as Jesse, Lori Petty as Rae Lindley and Michael Madsen as Glen Greenwood. The tag line says it all, “A 12 year old street kid. A three ton orca whale. A friendship you could never imagine. An adventure you’ll never forget.” Free Willy is about a troubled young boy, Jesse, who gets himself into some problems and is forced to clean up the mess he made at a marina. While there he befriends a trapped whale, Willy, and teaches him tricks, something the trainer hadn’t been able to do but in front of the crowds Willy couldn’t preform so the marina owner planned on doing hurtful things to Willy but Jesse had a plan to free him.

            The characters in this film are so well developed that they could be considered family in some people’s hearts. The plot is both entertaining and deep, dealing with emotions and courage in the face of danger. One thing I really like about this movie is it shows just how much people forget about how animals are treated in this world. As a society we tend to just turn our heads like we don’t see it but it still happens. There is a meaning behind the movie that everyone can take to heart. I didn’t realize it when I watched the movie as a kid but know I see the movie with a different perspective and see the deeper hidden meaning.

Samantha Pysher Post #1 The Three Musketeers 1993 Stephen Herek

Samantha Pysher Post #1 Three Musketeers 1993 Stephen Herek

            The three musketeers will always be a group of quirky heroes that will live on for generations to come. This version stars Kiefer Sutherland as Athos, Charlie Sheen as Aramis, Oliver Platt as Porthos, and Chris O’Donnell as the young side-kick D’Artagnan. The film takes place in France when a group of men are sworn to protect the King of France. D’Artagnan wants to become a musketeer so he follows them. This film represents a Victorian telling of the tale in a theatre: dauntless heroes, villains that can be freely disliked, and heroines that don’t mind taking up a sword to defend. There is lots of fast action, long rides on horseback, lots of sword fighting, and men in tights.

 I am a fan of the 1974 version of the Three Musketeers but this version was satisfactory. The development of the characters was good and true to the book, as was the acting. This movie accurately portrayed the first half of the story. One thing I really liked about this film was how well researched it was. It almost felt as if you were really there with them on their adventure. The plot, the filming, the editing everything was perfect and well worth watching.  Another thing I liked was how real the sword fights seemed, it was like they were a brutal game verse Hollywood’s normal fencing routines.

Alex Williams, Post #4, Porco Rosso, 1992, Hayao Miyazaki

First off, Hayao Miyazaki is one of my favorite directors of all time, and his films Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away are two of my favorite movies, so I went into this with high expectations.  I was not disappointed in any way.  Porco Rosso was absolutely fantastic, the animation was vibrant and smooth, and the characters were original and complex.
One thing that stood out to me about Porco Rosso was the use of color to symbolize particular characters.  First of all almost everything involving the main character, Porco, was red, whether it was his plane, or his necktie.  Red, symbolizing both passion and communism, symbolizes Porco's character very well, considering that the only thing that he wanted to do in his life was fly planes and be in the sky, as well as escape the fascist government of Italy.  Secondly, the character Fio is always seen wearing white clothing.  White is the symbol for innocence and purity, and Porco strives to keep her that way by not taking advantage of her when she moves in on him, and by fighting Donald when he tries to marry her.  Finally, the rich pompous American character, Donald, is represented by the color purple.  This color was chosen because purple is the symbol of royalty and stature and because Donald is extremely proud and wealthy.
I would recommend this movie to anybody, it is great for kids as well as adults and is really a movie that should not be missed.

Alex Williams, Post #3, Enchanted April, 1992, Mike Newell

Enchanted April not the kind of movie I would normally watch.  The film is about four London women who all go to Italy to relax, and eventually discover new things about themselves.  As a whole the characterization was well done, although at some points it did not make complete sense why certain character's attitudes changed so dramatically and quickly.  It was understood that the place they stayed at was supposed to me extremely comforting, but I felt like the plot was being manipulated when a chronically cheating husband suddenly became the image of monogamy in only a matter of hours.
My favorite device used in the film was the fact that you could hear the character's thoughts through voice over.  This added a new element to some of the conversations between characters, and made the dialogue feel a little bit more like a book's than a movie's.  I think that utilizing this third person perspective also made it much easier for the audience to relate to and understand the characters in the movie.
I would not necessarily recommend this movie to friends, but that is only because it is not a genre that I particularly enjoy.  If you like Jane Austen stories then you would probably also enjoy this.

"Ghost" (1990)

 The one thing I remember about watching Ghost for the first time was the theme song, “Unchained Melody”.  I went out and bought the sheet music so I could learn how to play it on the piano.  It was one of my favorite pieces to play- and I’m not very sure why.  What I do know is that the song is an almost perfect fit as a theme song for the movie and plot.  Although it is a very romantic, it is also sad at the same time- just like the movie.

                Even though Whoopi isn’t my favorite actress, I thought the movie itself was pretty good.  The overall feel I got for the movie was probably different than other people; the feeling of being so unbelievably in love with someone who is right in front of you, but with no way of possibly being with them must be agonizing.  That’s why the theme song fits so well to the actions of the characters and story-line; the viewer can see how in love Sam is with Molly, and how much Molly misses Sam, but no matter what they cannot have the life they thought they were before the murder.

                This movie was not a favorite of mine when it came down to filming, plot, and character development.  It was a pretty bad case of 90’s cheesy romantic movies.  Nonetheless, I think it had a few good key elements, but I think the connection and the prominence of those connections are not strong enough for the view to fully absorb.

"Dances with Wolves" (1990)

                Dances with Wolves has been one of my all time favorite movies since I was young.  This is probably because I’m from the West, and seeing mountains and open sky makes me happier than anything.  I also love the movie because of the meaning put behind the production and filming- the goal wasn’t to simply produce a high grossing movie (which it was with $424 million world-wide box office sales).  I personally find it strange that I ask many of my friends down here if they have seen it, and they think I’m crazy.  I grew up in the Colorado and Wyoming region, and lived almost ten years of my life on Arapahoe land.  Knowing about and being interested in the Native American culture and history has always been considered a “norm” for me, and I guess this movie has a different connection with me than other people who do not.

                One thing that I love about this movie is the real feeling I get from it.  This may be because of the natural and organic scenery, but also the technical filmmaking adds to the raw feeling of the movie.  If you think about it, this is when there was almost no computer editing or programming for film; this means that every animal, flower, person, rock, mountain, etc, were all actually there.  There are no animations or ways of digitally editing the film.  I can’t imagine how long it took to re-create a buffalo stampede without digitally adding in over a hundred buffalo.  The effort put into capturing the most real and raw footage to tell a story is amazing.

                Another unique thing about this American movie is it’s probably the only major American movie told in an actual native language.  English is not America’s native language; the lost language of the Native Americans is the true native language.  It is told in Lakota, which is the language of the Sioux Indians.

Molly Forke: Goodfellas

               

              GoodFellas (1990)  

               Not only does Goodfellas have an incredibly crazy plot and story line, but the way it is told through imagery, story-telling and narration is what truly captures the audience.  I was hooked from the first couple scenes where the story-line somewhat goes back in time from him as a twenty-one year-old burying a dead body, to him as a teenager running errands for the mafia.  It was a nice way to show in only a few seconds that his life didn't start out as a malicious mobster.

                Another aspect of Goodfellas that I loved was the narration; almost as if a character each tells a chapter of the story.  It gave a good insight from not only an audience point of view, but also the character’s point of view.  It gave me a chance to listen and understand what was going through their mind while I also watched what was going on around them.  For example when Karen was stood up by Henry the first time they were supposed to go on a date; watching the movie it was very obvious she was mad as she stormed up to him, but she also told what was going through her mind as she approached him.  It’s a nice touch to get a more two-dimensional point of view.  The fact that the narrator changes throughout the movie allows the viewers to get inside more than one person's head, allowing understanding of not only that character speaking, but also the relationship between each other.

                I also noticed that a wide variety of framing and cropping techniques were used throughout the movie, but the scene that stood out to me the most was toward the end when Jimmy is trying to kill Karen by telling her to go pick out a fur coat next door.  As she is walking down the sidewalk it crops to her face to show excitement slowly fade into worry.  As she realizes what is going on, the shot shows the entire street, including Jimmy at the end.  As Karen speeds off in her car, it stays zoomed out to show her exiting.  The way each shot was cropped and framed highlighted emotions from the characters, for example when the audience was forced to watch just Karen's face.  As she walked, the audience can see her eyes, mouth, smile/frown, and brow change as trust and happiness becomes worry and distrust when she realizes this close family friend is actually trying to have her "offed".

                This movie is definitely a classic, I thoroughly enjoyed watching it.  I not only enjoyed the storyline, the characters, and the plot, but also the way it was all set up.

Jill Rosenblum Post #4: Beethoven (1992)

Beethoven (1992) is directed by Brian Levant. I know that I have seen Beethoven before when I was a kid but it was nice to finally watch this movie again and refresh my memory. Beethoven is such a cute movie and I think it might be one of my favorite that I've watched so far for this project.

Beethoven is a family friendly movie about a dog that wonders into the house of the Newton family. The family grow to love Beethoven quickly except for the dad, George Newton who is played by Charles Grodin. George Newton was never a dog person and found Beethoven to be dirty and disgusting at first. As Beethoven matures and turns into an adult dog, he starts to really help out the family and save the kids when they are in trouble. He even helps the older child Ryce, played by Nicholle Tom, to land a date with the boy she likes at school. However with every good movie there is also an enemy. The vet in the movie is actually plotting to kill the dogs and sciences experiments on them. Although I do not want to give every detail away about this movie for people who want to watch it, the audience would enjoy this movie if they love dogs and it's a great movie to watch for any age.

In this movie there are mainly full body shots and close ups of the dogs so you can even understand the dogs emotion and get a feeling of what is going through the animals minds even though they can't speak. A lot of the shots start with the house or the buildings of where the scene will take place before the scene actually begins so the viewer can get an idea what might happen in the scene.

Overall this movie is really cute, entertaining and gives the audience a few laughs along the way.

Alex Williams, Post #2, Man Bites Dog, 1992, Remy Belvaux/ Andre Bonzel/ Benoit Poelvoorde

To start off with, Man Bites Dog is among the most disturbing films I have ever seen.  The documentary style of the film creates a grittiness and realness that really makes the violence stand out.
The main character, Ben, is a serial killer who takes victims at random and has a camera crew following him to document everything he does.  Ben's character is very interesting, but takes a little bit too much from the cliche' serial killer's persona.  There were too many parallels between Ben in this film and Alex from A Clockwork Orange for me to consider Ben to be a truly groundbreaking character.  The documentary crew director actually ended up being my favorite character in the film, because of how dramatically he changed throughout the piece.
In my opinion, the one thing that made this film really stand out is the shot length.  Because this film is a mockumentary, some shots lasted an incredibly long period of time.  These long shots, combined with the spontaneity of Ben, created some of the most tense and suspenseful scenes I have seen in a long time.  The tension build up was one of the highlights of the movie as a whole.
I personally enjoyed this movie, but I would not want to watch it a second time and I would not really recommend it to anyone due to how disturbing it was.

Alex Williams, Post #1, Strictly Ballroom 1992, Baz Luhrmann

I have been a fan of Baz Luhrmann's work since his release of Moulin Rouge in 2001, so I was excited to find that he released a film on my birth year that I had never seen before.  Strictly Ballroom is a film about the evolution of dance, and Luhrmann parallels this theme with his extremely stylized pacing techniques.

First of all, in the more hectic scenes, Luhrman uses very fast cuts and transitions from scene to scene with no warning or slow down.  Characters from entirely different scenes finish other characters sentences, and it is not uncommon for three or four conversations to be going on at the same time.  These techniques move the film forward at a breakneck pace, and give the viewer barely any room to breathe, as well as directly paralleling Scott's unusual style of dancing.  Also the use of closeup creates an intimacy with the characters almost immediately.

On the other hand the film also slows down dramatically at moments.  This happens during some of the more intimate moments of the film, such as when Fran and Scott are dancing romantically behind the red curtain before a show.  This is done to show that when these two characters are together all of the chaos surrounding them seems to go away, allowing them to finally have a moment of piece and quiet.  Slowing down the pace also relates to the style of dance currently being presented.

Overall, I really enjoyed watching this movie, I thought that it was funny, original, and very well made.  I would recommend it to anyone who likes dancing, romantic comedies, or any other of Baz Luhrman's films

#3 Lauren Pruett: Biloxi Blues (1988)

Biloxi Blues paints the portrait of a young man from New York joining the army during World War II and his time in boot camp.  It’s based on a play, which is semi-autobiographical, and is the second in a trilogy about the main character, Eugene.  The entire movie has a quaint feeling, and while there are some pretty dark themes (especially those surrounding the dangerously unstable Sgt. Toomey), as a whole it’s a very soft picture of boot camp during the second War.

The film makes use of fairly frequent close-ups, to show how the characters are feeling.  It utilizes a very frank style of filming to make the audience feel like they’re right there with the characters.  The scene where Eugene is with the prostitute in Biloxi has a tense, close feel that makes you feel as nervous as Eugene does, with the added benefit of the humorous dialogue and the chest puffings of a young man trying to seem like an adult in his first sexual situation.  The scenes where he’s shown with his first love, Daisy, are light and warm, a positive difference from the boot camp scenes.

Jill Rosenblum Post #3: Home Alone 2 (1992)

Home Alone 2 (1992) directed by Chris Columbus is a hilarious movie. I had already seen Home Alone 2 before this project but it was such a good movie that I wanted to watch it again. This movie is based off of the first Home Alone and shows how this time Kevin played by Macaulay Culkin, is alone but in New York City.

Kevin and his family are going to take a trip to Florida but Kevin takes the wrong flight and ends up in New York City instead, with his dads credit card. He decides to take that credit card and have a fun spending adventure like staying at hotels like The Plaza and just having fun in the city. Although the burglars from the first movie are back again in this movie. If you've seen this movie you'll know that Kevin is a complete trickster and likes to trap the burglars in his devious traps and he gets a good laugh while doing it. Kevin is reunited with his family but this movie is a complete comedy and I would recommend for others to watch it.

This movie uses a lot of different shots, it shows a lot of the city views which I like and find interesting. It also shows close ups, medium close ups and full body shots.

This movie is a great pick for anyone who likes comedy and action and adventure.

Jill Rosenblum Post #2: Boomerang (1992)

Boomerang (1992) is directed by Reginald Hudlin and is your typical love story. I thought this movie was decent but not one of my favorites. I had never seen this movie so I was interested in how I would like it. I normally like romantic comedies and this movie did have some funny parts however for most of it it fell flat.

This movies does star big name actors like Eddie Murphy who plays Marcus, Halle Berry who plays Angela, Martin Lawrence who plays Tyler and Chris Rock who plays Bony T. I figured the movie would've been a hit with such big name actors.

Marcus is your typical player who dates different women all the time. He believes that he just the "player" and he is looking for the perfect girl to see if maybe she will make him fall in love. However, his friends know him as the player and encourage that behavior on him. Marcus finally thinks he has found love when he meets Angela but, one of his best friends already dated Angela and fell for her too. Marcus thinks Angela has changed him because he honestly cares for her and feels different about her. No one believes what Marcus says though because of his past. Angela is an artist and inspires Marcus in no other way that any women has before.

This film uses a lot of different shots such as full body, close ups, and medium close ups. I think the movie got the idea of wanting to get the audience involved in the movie which I did like and I did feel like I could interact with movie. Although as I stated, this move fell flat and I thought it was going to be a lot better.

#2 Lauren Pruett: Heathers (1988)

Heathers is a masterpiece of film and I honestly can’t believe I’ve never seen it before.  I’ll admit that when I saw it on the list of films from 1988, I assumed it was some chick flick that I’d be bored sitting through, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.  It was funny, smart, dark, cynical, and everything that recent movies could never be.

I went into this movie knowing nothing of the plot, which isn’t something I do ordinarily, and I’m so glad I did.  It starts off with the lighthearted feel and style of any John Hughes film you’ve ever seen, and when she flat-out kills Heather, for all of the foreshadowing that there is, it’s still a shock as to how fast it happens.  The film progressively gets darker the farther into the story you go, until the showdown in the boiler room.  The juxtaposition of the bloody fight downstairs with the bright and cheerful pep ralley above is really very jarring.

#1 Lauren Pruett: Die Hard (1988)

At first glance, Die Hard seems like just another mindless action movie.  There’s all the signs of it; the strong hero with a troubled past, the estranged wife, the villain that is ultimately bested, in addition to the ubiquitous explosions and car crashes and the action plots that would never really happen in real life.  It’s not the sort of movie I would watch on my own, to be honest, but here we go.

John McClane is one of the more famous action heroes in American cinema, and it’s clear to see why.  He’s young, strong, resourceful, and full of witty one-liners.  By the end of the film (and the final explosion) you’re cheering him along with the rest of the audience, and you really feel as relieved as he must feel by the end of it.

The film makes marvelous use of chiaroscuro, and some of the shots of the villain, Hans Gruber (played by the fantastic Alan Rickman who you kids might know as Professor Snape), almost bring to mind the idea of a kid holding a flashlight to his face on halloween to be scary.  It sounds silly, but it’s actually pretty effective in painting him as the villain, even when he’s pretending to be a hostage.  There are also a lot of low shots especially of McClane, no doubt making him appear to be the Big Damn Action Hero that he is.

Jill Rosenblum Post #1: Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)

Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) directed by Richard Donner is probably one of the best action films I have seen. I'm not normally a huge fan of action films but this movie incorporates comedy and action into one. This movie kind of reminded me of the Rush Hour movies which I am a huge fan of as well. This movie made me want to keep watching it although it is a bit lengthy at an hour and 58 minutes which I felt some scenes could have been cut out or shortened, it was still a great movie.

Martin Riggs played by Mel Gibson and Roger Murtaugh played by Danny Glover, are both LAPD cops and have been partners in the business for some number of years. However, this movie starts showing the last week of Roger's retirement and the movie continues to count down the days until his retirement. Throughout the days the audience is shown a number of action packed adventures that both partners go through from bombs in buildings to being shot at on a car chase this movie has it all!

This movie shows a number of up close shots that really gets the audience involved in the movie and feel like they are almost there. Almost every scene starts off with the showing of a building, house or etc. to make sure the audience knows where the scene is taking place. There are also full body shots as well to and medium close up shots to get the viewer intrigued in what might happen next in the film.

Although this movie is an awesome action film, I felt like the ended was easy to figure out within the first few scenes of the film. My guess on the ending was correct. I felt the movie lacked in that department because they let the viewer guess the ending right from the very start however, the scenes throughout the film made you want to keep watching it more just because there is so much action packed in the movie as well as a few puns to keep the viewer amused. I thought this movie was better than I would have expected.

Tamara D. Joseph post # 3: State of Grace (1990) directed by Phil Joanou

Now this is what I call a mobster movie. There has definitely been a more gruesome mafia movie where certain scenes require a hand over the face, but despite the year the plot held its own in comparison to more recent movies of the same genre, crime that is. Sure there weren’t any over the top action scenes such as extensive chasing or fighting, but the story manages to get me to sympathize with people who are supposed to be villains which I believe was the point. Seeing that the story is taking place in New York’s Hell Kitchen, some scenes left me puzzled.

The streets in State of Grace seemed kind of empty to be the Big Apple. A particular scene where this was completely obvious remains when Frankie, played by Ed Harris, shoots a couple of mob bosses and walks out of the bar as if nothing had happened. So he gets in his car, and the shot of him driving away is a high-angle shot of the car and streets of New York; the streets seemed particularly empty for New York in broad day light.

The movie contained a good amount of establishing shots. Most scenes began with a bar or a building of some sort. I have seen many movies where establishing shots are very common, and in most of these movies, the story seems to take place in New York or cities such as Seattle. Maybe it’s the buildings in these cities that leave the directors and movie producers inspired. For a movie with minimal action where mobsters are having “life and death conversations,” I expected much more close-up shots of the different characters, but that was somewhat lacking or maybe I was not paying attention enough to this particular factor. Definitely something to think about if I ever watch it again!

Sabrina Brandsema: Point Break (1991)

The 1991 Film, Point Break is possibly one of my favorite movies which I was introduced to because of this SIM class.  I'm not going to say that I fell in love with it because of the great camera angles, or camera work. I will tell you that Keanu Reeves & Patrick Swayze are GORGEOUS. Just had to say it.

Los Angles, California. This film has an really great plot to it, Keanu Reeves is payed by the FBI to learn how to surf because of recent bank robberies that have been happening due to a group or gang called the ex-presidents. The "ex-presidents" are known to be surfers. There's one scene in particular that really is amazing because it makes you think of how much time and effort went into shooting it.  I'm a surfer myself and something that people don't really realize is that when you are capturing a surf scene, there are actual underwater photographers with their camera equipment right below the surfer, they see them below the water and pop up right when they're in the crest of the wave to capture the shot. EXTREMELY hard to do. One thing that I noticed which I would say was poorly done is you cannot shoot underwater photography of surfing at a point break - extremely dangerous and nearly impossible. Most of the shots in this scene are low angle shots and extreme close ups, you the viewer gets a really up close and personal experience.

Sabrina Brandsema: Thelma & Louise (1991)

This movie really appealed to me because it's about two bad-ass babes on a crime spree that don't give a f*ck! I thought the movie was amazing, and very empowering. One scene in particular really stood out in my mind when it came to quality within a film.  This was one of the last scenes in the movie where they drive their 1966 Thunderbird off a cliff.  The scene firsts starts out with a 2-shot and an extreme close-up, with someone in the background but they're blurred so your focus is completely on the one person in the foreground. I believe that this scene is amazing because it uses all the shots we were taught in class such as, establishing shot, long shot, medium shot, medium close-up shot, close-up, extreme close up, over the shoulder shot, low angle shots, high angle shots, moving shot, pan shot, & reaction shot. They also used the rule of thirds very effectively, so it wasn't one flat looking sequence.  The only shot NOT used in this scene was a tilt shot.  I think it's brilliant how they used every single shot known to film in one scene. The reaction shots in the last scene of Thelma & Louise are the most important of all, especially when they show the faces of Thelma and Louise before they plunge to their deaths at the end. Surprisingly they were still smiling, with no fear in their eyes. Without that shot this scene would be nothing!

Tamara D. Joseph post # 2: Internal Affairs (1990) directed by Mike Figgis

Internal Affairs, directed by Mike Figgis, is your average good cop tries to nail bad cop movie. After an ample amount of research, I have noticed that besides the Sopranos, which I have seen only two or three episodes due to my brother’s obsession with the show, I have never seen a movie by Mike Figgis. So, it was interesting to discover the work of a new director, although, nothing about the movie impressed me. It contained a traditional plot, traditional script, and traditional settings. I do have to admit it was refreshing to see Richard Gere play the villain. If it were not because of this project, I might have never gotten a chance to see him play the bad guy which I think he did quite well.

I did appreciate a particular scene where the main character, Andy Garcia, has flashes of his wife being intimate with his enemy. The scene was comprised of multiple shots where reality was shot in color but fiction (what he was imagining) was shot in black and white. I think these black and white shots added some intensity to a very plain movie. It happened only once, and I think the director wanted it so. It felt as if he wanted to keep it fresh and not overuse it throughout the film; it was, if I may say, a very nice touch.

At times, the movie gave off ambiguous impressions meaning there are parts where foul language is used and somewhat crude sexual scenes were shown, but none of it seemed convincing enough to make me want to cover my eyes. I have seen crude movies that came out in the ninety-nineties and Internal Affairs cannot compare. Other times, appropriate language was used. This may have work to the movie’s advantage if certain characters were portrayed as foul and crude, while other maintain a more respectful behavior. Thus, it would have been about the diversity of characters within a movie, instead of the different feels within a movie.

Tamara D. Joseph post # 1: The Hunt for Red October (1990) directed by John McTiernan

The Hunt for October Red, directed by John McTiernan, elaborates on an average suspense story where one individual’s character is question until a very specific point in time in the movie. The plot seems to unfold in a manner that leaves one wondering who the main character is. On one side, you have the story of an analyst, Aleck Baldwin, who is going to great length in order to avoid what could be a national catastrophe, and suddenly, the focus seems to shift on the dubious character which in this case is Sean Connery. Overlooking that factor, a good job was done when bringing the two together as the movie progressed.

From one scene to the other, it seems as if crucial information, which will allow a better understanding of the story, is presented to the viewer, but when the real action begins unfolding abruptly (which is practically in the last 30 minutes of the movie) some previous scenes suddenly feel like extraneous information. The movie lasts about two hours and 15 minutes. In my opinion, one hour and forty five minutes would have been more appropriate.

Although the main focus was on a submarine built with the latest technology, the shots of what was happening outside the submarine left me feeling disconnected. When shooting inside the submarine, the action and the scenery seemed believable to me a person who knows nothing about such vessels. Maybe this feeling of disconnection from shots taken outside the submarine came from my judgmental twenty-first century pair of eyes who have seen how realistic movies can look. Despite the weird construction of how the plot unfolded, I do appreciate the story line. It left me on my toes at times, but I would have preferred less random conversation among government officials which left me puzzled on multiple occasions.

Jordan Valdez Post #1 Reservoir Dogs

Post #1, Jordan Valdez, Reservoir Dogs, 1992, Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Not only was Reservoir Dogs one of the greatest movies of 1992, it gave an unparalleled gift to the world of filmmaking—writer and director, Quentin Tarantino.  Shown at the Sundance Film Festival in January of 1992, Dogs was Tarantino’s first major film that opened the industry’s eyes to his talents.  One of the most interesting qualities of Tarantino’s work is the level of characteristics that he holds to in each of his films.  For example, he is a huge fan of the close up shot, seen multiple times throughout Dogs, such as when Mr. White is speaking privately with Joe in his office.  In two-shot scenes such as this, there is also a great use of over the shoulder shots, with frame changes flowing smoothly.  Tarantino is also known for using aliases in practically all of his films, and clearly used in Dogs.  His films center around violence, and in many cases extreme violence, that is usually shown off screen.  Dogs also exhibited Tarantino’s success in breaking boundaries and showing things in films that are unexpected and real, proving that he is not afraid to take chances with films. 

My first thought as I finished Reservoir Dogs was that it was not what I expected.  I was prepared for a gangster film in the thriller and crime genre.  However, I got so much more than that.  The film was rough, dirty, and gripping.  The simplicity of the plot line allowed for the intimate detail of every scene.  At some parts, it was almost too hard to watch because of the crude language, the character’s brutality, or the elaborate violence and gore.  Yet I couldn’t keep my eyes off of it at the same time.  I enjoyed the cinematography comprising of dark lighting, simple sets, and extreme close ups and reaction shots.  I found the theme of crime to be very intriguing as well.  It pushed a sense of danger throughout the film and made the audience part of all of the illegal action.  As I looked through other movies from 1992 to watch, I found that crime was a major theme throughout many of the most popular films.  It is not my favorite genre but for that fact alone I am going to try to find as many films with some aspect of crime or thriller in them to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone.  So far after watching Dogs, I know that there must be more out there from the year I was born that will take me by surprise.

Sabrina Brandsema- Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Boyz N the Hood examines African American family relationships in an urban ghetto. The film is a good example of a how a success/good story can still have a downbeat tone. To be young, gifted and black in America today is to live on egg shells and constantly have to prove people wrong, because they at first will always make assumptions. There are doubtless more opportunities than ever for bright, ambitious kids to escape the ghetto. But the chances of being wasted by random violence have also increased.

In this review I asked myself what does this movie mean to me, what does it reflect? It enforces all the stereotypes that one already has lingering in their mind.  I was suprised to research and come across this information: on opening night in over 800 theaters, there were more than 25 violent attacks from local gangs, one in which openly fired inside a theater, wounded and killed 11 people! I believe that this happened because the writer/director of the film, John Singleton, really captured the realism and the essence of the struggles in the hood/ghetto.  I can see how uneducated gang members would be infuriated with the way the made "their daily struggles to stay alive into an entertaining movie." But of course that doesn't give anyone the right to hurt another human being. I thought this was extremely interesting.

Sabrina Brandsema - Beauty and the Beast

Post #1

Walt Disney's 1991 Beauty and the Beast was an instant classic, in my opinion it is not only the finest animated movie ever made, but deserves a spot on the list of the all time greats. Although not the highest money maker of Disney production, or the most remembered by children (those honors go to The Lion King) Beauty and the Beast nevertheless earned the most enthusiastic notices ever by the critics and was recognized with a Best Picture Oscar nomination (considering the weak competition, it deserved to win the award). I believe that everyone that was born in 1991 has seen beauty and the beast. I know we were supposed to pick something that we haven't watched but i'm going to be honest here and admit I haven't seen it since I was about five; so I decided to refresh my memory.

The tale of Beauty and the Beas is an old one, dating back centuries before the modernized remake there was an original by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, which screenwriter Linda Woolverton based this script. Understandably, the people at Disney have added their own spin by changing certain plot details, modernizing Belle's character (she's a feminist), and adding a array of talking objects. In the Beast's castle, everything has a voice: candlesticks, clocks, pots, cups, wardrobes, and feather dusters. The film makers obviously took their inspiration for this from Jean Cocteau's classic 1946 adaptation, where although the objects in the castle did not sing or dance around, there was a sense of enchantment. If you watch that film and then this one the similarities, especially in the look and feel of the castle, are impossible to miss!

Jason, why are your posts coming up on my blog where my personal posts should be?
email me:
sabrina.brandsem@spartans.ut.edu

confused! thanks  :)