The 2006 Sci-Fi/Thriller/Drama Children of Men was directed by Alfonso Cuaron - the director of Y Tu Mama Tambien. The screenplay was written by a team of five writers: Alfonso Cuaron, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby. The original story, however, comes from The Children of Men, a novel by P. D. James.
The film has a very documentary feel to it; the opening titles and the end credits are both black screens with big, white, block text with the background noise being the sound of children playing. The plot is set in the near-future, a future where women have become infertile. There have been no children born for 18 years, and the youngest person on Earth has just been killed. Suddenly Theo Faron (played by Clive Owen) finds himself in the middle of a chaotic rescue mission. His ex-wife (played by Julianne Moore) enlists his help to bring a young girl from the city to the shore so she can catch a boat to the mysterious "Human Project." It turns out that the young girl, Kee, is pregnant; she is a precious commodity and some people plan to use the baby as a beacon of hope for the world. They would put the baby in potential harm, because being the world's youngest person automatically forces the baby into the limelight.
Theo has to help Kee escape from the people who want to use her, from the police who believe them to be terrorists, and the prison that they willingly break into in order to get closer to the shore. The cameras are hand-held cameras; in shots when Theo is running, the camera follows him bumping over the road. The plot also has a semi-conclusion, but ends in a very abrupt manner. Rather than fading out of the scene into the end credits, it cuts immediately from the scene to a black screen with the white block letters that say Children of Men. It is a creative film that takes an interesting approach to the subject of infertility. It uses interesting camera angles and sounds; for example, in the beginning, when Theo is near a bomb that explodes, the high pitch ringing in his ears continues through several of the following scenes. Julianne Moore's character explains that the sound he hears is part of his ear that is dying, and he will never be able to hear that pitch again.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron, Y Tu Mama Tambien, is one of the films we watched in class. During the film, I (being rather sheltered) felt my mouth drop open; some of the scenes were more intense than I had seen in or expected from a foreign film. During our class discussion after the film, we talked about the overarching themes and ideas. I agree with the idea that Luisa matured and grew throughout the film. In the beginning, she took a quiz in a magazine that said she was a woman who was afraid to embrace freedom (or something to that effect). When she decided to call Tenoch and Julio and go with them to the beach, she took a small step toward freedom. She continued to take small steps throughout the plot: she calls and leaves a "note" for her husband; she sleeps with both of the guys; she gets out of the car and starts walking (meaning she is not afraid to be alone); and most importantly, she decides to stay at the beach. In the beginning, she defines her character, and through the movie, she decides to challenge the definition. I think the shot of her floating in the ocean, with the narrator saying that she decided to stay, is a very powerful shot. It puts an image to the self-empowerment that Luisa has slowly gained.
Father Goose
So, to continue my tradition of writing about classic Hollywood cinema (my favorite genre), I rented Father Goose, directed by Ralph Nelson. Released in 1964, it won an Oscar for its screenplay/story; the original story was written by S. H. Barnett and the film's screenplay was written by Peter Stone and Frank Tarloff.
The film stars Cary Grant as Walter Eckland, a grouchy isolationist who agrees to live alone on an island, working for the army watching for foreign planes. In return, he gets all of the whisky he could possibly drink. My favorite of his lines is "Let me tell you I am not a father figure. I am not a brother figure or an uncle figure or a cousin figure. In fact, the only figure I intend being is a total stranger figure." It sums up his character in the beginning of the movie. Things go unaccording to his plans when a plane carrying a French teacher and seven students crashes nearby and they are forced to take up residency in Mr. Eckland's one-room shack - forcing him to retreat to the cabin of his non-functional boat. He is not one for socializing with little girls, and comedy ensues when he has to interact with them, and their pretty, and snobbish, French teacher Catherine Frenau. My favorite of the students is Harriet, or Harry as she prefers to be called.
One of my favorite scenes takes place in the cabin. While out walking with one of her students, Madame Frenau is "bitten" by a "snake." Her student rushes down to Mr. Eckland's boat, worried that the bite may have been poisonous. Eckland makes all of the students wait outside while he calls the army headquarters, asking about the types of snakes that live on the island. He makes a small incision on Catherine's leg and sucks the poison out. Then he hears back from the army; it is bad news. All of the snakes that live on the island are deadly. They tell him to make Catherine as comfortable as possible. The rest of the scene is really funny. Eckland gives Catherine a lot of whisky, hoping that it will ease her pain and they drunkingly talk about a variety of subjects.
I had never seen this movie before, but now I consider it one of my favorites. If you feel like light-hearted, classic comedy, I strongly recommend this movie!
The film stars Cary Grant as Walter Eckland, a grouchy isolationist who agrees to live alone on an island, working for the army watching for foreign planes. In return, he gets all of the whisky he could possibly drink. My favorite of his lines is "Let me tell you I am not a father figure. I am not a brother figure or an uncle figure or a cousin figure. In fact, the only figure I intend being is a total stranger figure." It sums up his character in the beginning of the movie. Things go unaccording to his plans when a plane carrying a French teacher and seven students crashes nearby and they are forced to take up residency in Mr. Eckland's one-room shack - forcing him to retreat to the cabin of his non-functional boat. He is not one for socializing with little girls, and comedy ensues when he has to interact with them, and their pretty, and snobbish, French teacher Catherine Frenau. My favorite of the students is Harriet, or Harry as she prefers to be called.
One of my favorite scenes takes place in the cabin. While out walking with one of her students, Madame Frenau is "bitten" by a "snake." Her student rushes down to Mr. Eckland's boat, worried that the bite may have been poisonous. Eckland makes all of the students wait outside while he calls the army headquarters, asking about the types of snakes that live on the island. He makes a small incision on Catherine's leg and sucks the poison out. Then he hears back from the army; it is bad news. All of the snakes that live on the island are deadly. They tell him to make Catherine as comfortable as possible. The rest of the scene is really funny. Eckland gives Catherine a lot of whisky, hoping that it will ease her pain and they drunkingly talk about a variety of subjects.
I had never seen this movie before, but now I consider it one of my favorites. If you feel like light-hearted, classic comedy, I strongly recommend this movie!
Touch of Evil
Orson Welles is a forced to be reckoned with in his 1958 film Touch of Evil. For this movie, he takes on the role of director, screenplay writer, as well as playing the crooked police captain, Hank Quinlan. The film is based on a novel by Whit Masterson, Badge of Evil; and it uses two uncredited screenplay writers, Paul Monash and Franklin Coen who contributed to additional scenes and reshoots.
The film stars Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh as newlyweds on their honeymoon in a town on the United States-Mexican border. Heston, playing Ramon Miguel "Mike" Vargas, is one of Mexico's leading narcotics detectives. When a car explosion is pinned on a young Mexican, Vargas gets involved in the case, putting his new wife, Susie (Leigh) in harms way. He digs deeper into Quinlan's past, and the deeper he gets, the more corrupted Quinlan appears.
As is characteristic of films noir, the plot twists and turns in various directions, leaving the audience in suspense until the very end. It features other characteristics of mystery movies and films noir, like the use of lighting and shadows and the use of eerie music by Hanry Mancini.
The film stars Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh as newlyweds on their honeymoon in a town on the United States-Mexican border. Heston, playing Ramon Miguel "Mike" Vargas, is one of Mexico's leading narcotics detectives. When a car explosion is pinned on a young Mexican, Vargas gets involved in the case, putting his new wife, Susie (Leigh) in harms way. He digs deeper into Quinlan's past, and the deeper he gets, the more corrupted Quinlan appears.
As is characteristic of films noir, the plot twists and turns in various directions, leaving the audience in suspense until the very end. It features other characteristics of mystery movies and films noir, like the use of lighting and shadows and the use of eerie music by Hanry Mancini.
The Big Sleep
In the 1946 theatrical version of The Big Sleep, Humphrey Bogart plays private detective Philip Marlowe, hired by the Sternwood family to investigate the disappearance of a family friend, and other strange occurances. The further Marlowe digs into the case, the more confusing it gets. Based on a novel by Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep's screenplay was written by William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett and Jules Furthman. It was directed by Howard Hawks.
Vivian, the elder Sternwood daughter, played by Lauren Bacall, is not too fond of Detective Marlowe in the beginning. She is, herself, a complex mystery of a woman, but eventually, Marlowe befriends her. In fact, the more he learns about her, the more the two develop feelings for one another. The younger Sternwood, Carmen, is also a puzzling character. She is the wilder of the two Sternwoods; she drinks and flirts, and makes a habit of coyly chewing on her thumb, a habit Marlowe tries to rid her of.
By the end of the movie, the plot has twisted and turned in so many directions it is hard to keep up with the story line. It is definitely a plot-driven movie, with romance added in where ever it can fit. Marlowe befriend a book store worker, and a cab driver before eventually falling for Lauren Bacall's character.
It is an excellent example of a film noir, revolving around a private detective, two femmes fatales, and a murder mystery. It was interesting, although at times, hard to keep up with.
Vivian, the elder Sternwood daughter, played by Lauren Bacall, is not too fond of Detective Marlowe in the beginning. She is, herself, a complex mystery of a woman, but eventually, Marlowe befriends her. In fact, the more he learns about her, the more the two develop feelings for one another. The younger Sternwood, Carmen, is also a puzzling character. She is the wilder of the two Sternwoods; she drinks and flirts, and makes a habit of coyly chewing on her thumb, a habit Marlowe tries to rid her of.
By the end of the movie, the plot has twisted and turned in so many directions it is hard to keep up with the story line. It is definitely a plot-driven movie, with romance added in where ever it can fit. Marlowe befriend a book store worker, and a cab driver before eventually falling for Lauren Bacall's character.
It is an excellent example of a film noir, revolving around a private detective, two femmes fatales, and a murder mystery. It was interesting, although at times, hard to keep up with.
Paths of Glory
The 1957 black-and-white film Paths of Glory stars Kirk Douglas as French army Colonel Dax. The script is based on a novel with the same name by Humphrey Cobb; the text was revised for the film by director/writer Stanley Kubick, and screenplay writers Calder Willingham and Jim Thompson. This film has been toted as "One of the greatest anti-war films ever made."
It focuses on Colonel Dax's regiment of soldiers stationed near Ant Hill. They have informed by the generals that they are to attack the Germans and take over Ant Hill the next morning. This mission looms as an impossible task for the tired soldiers, weary from all of their other battles. The generals also inform the regiment that they will not be able to have any back-up support until the night after they are supposed to take Ant Hill. Colonel Dax tells the general that it is not possible; that it is a suicide mission. Dax asks what the mortality expectancy is and the General is very non-chalant when he answers that they expect over 50% of the soldiers to die on this mission. The general also threatens to remove Dax from his position and put him on mandatory rest because of his negative attitude, but Dax apologizes, and tries to rally the troops' spirits.
When the mission goes poorly, and the men are forced to retreat or stay and die in the field, the watching General orders that the artillary open fire on their own soldiers. He says that they are cowards and will either die from German bullets, or they will die from French ones. The battery commander refuses to do so without written consent from the General. Instead, the general has three men selected at random to act as example to the regiment. The three men are sentenced to be killed by firing squad for their cowardice and refusal to follow orders. Dax tries to defend the men, but gets shut down by the people sitting over the court marshal.
The men end up being killed, and the general is fired for trying to fire artillery on his own troops. Colonel Dax is offered a promotion, but he refuses to take it. The movie is truly an anti-war film; it shows examples of stupidity in battle. The men have been forced on a suicide mission by generals that were unwilling to see their immenent failure. They show some of the leading officers for the hipocrites that they are. I think that it was interesting that the film opened with the French national anthem, and ended with a female German POW singing a German song.
It was a good, but depressing, movie.
It focuses on Colonel Dax's regiment of soldiers stationed near Ant Hill. They have informed by the generals that they are to attack the Germans and take over Ant Hill the next morning. This mission looms as an impossible task for the tired soldiers, weary from all of their other battles. The generals also inform the regiment that they will not be able to have any back-up support until the night after they are supposed to take Ant Hill. Colonel Dax tells the general that it is not possible; that it is a suicide mission. Dax asks what the mortality expectancy is and the General is very non-chalant when he answers that they expect over 50% of the soldiers to die on this mission. The general also threatens to remove Dax from his position and put him on mandatory rest because of his negative attitude, but Dax apologizes, and tries to rally the troops' spirits.
When the mission goes poorly, and the men are forced to retreat or stay and die in the field, the watching General orders that the artillary open fire on their own soldiers. He says that they are cowards and will either die from German bullets, or they will die from French ones. The battery commander refuses to do so without written consent from the General. Instead, the general has three men selected at random to act as example to the regiment. The three men are sentenced to be killed by firing squad for their cowardice and refusal to follow orders. Dax tries to defend the men, but gets shut down by the people sitting over the court marshal.
The men end up being killed, and the general is fired for trying to fire artillery on his own troops. Colonel Dax is offered a promotion, but he refuses to take it. The movie is truly an anti-war film; it shows examples of stupidity in battle. The men have been forced on a suicide mission by generals that were unwilling to see their immenent failure. They show some of the leading officers for the hipocrites that they are. I think that it was interesting that the film opened with the French national anthem, and ended with a female German POW singing a German song.
It was a good, but depressing, movie.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Charade
My sister always says that I am a movie snob when it comes to remakes; and I guess I kind of am. When I saw the preview a few years ago for The Truth About Charlie, the plot sounded vaguely familiar. My mom told me it was the remake of an older Audrey Hepburn/Cary Grant movie called Charade. And proof that I am a snob... I couldn't sit through The Truth About Charlie.
I have seen Charade before, but I have only ever watched it superficially - I have never tried to closely analyze it. Released in 1963, the film was directed by Stanley Donen, which surprised me because it seems like it would have been a Hitchcock film. It is the story of a woman (Hepburn) being followed by her husband's murderers. The four men are coming after money that her husband stole, and they believe she has in her possession. It has plot twists and turns as Cary Grant's character confesses he is not one person, but another, and another, and another. These twists allow for one of Hepburn's more famous lines from this movie (in fact, it was used in Pretty Woman) - "Oh I love you Adam, Alex, Peter, Brian, whatever your name is, I love you! I hope we have a lot of boys and we can name them all after you!" The film uses close-ups on the actors' faces to show their sudden understanding of something; it uses interesting angles on some of the shots to create more suspense (like when Hepburn is running from Dyle, or hiding in the theater). It is really similar to Hitchcock's films, and is a really good, classical thriller. I recommend it highly (and not just because I love Audrey Hepburn).
PS... I am working on not being so snobby about remakes. :)
I have seen Charade before, but I have only ever watched it superficially - I have never tried to closely analyze it. Released in 1963, the film was directed by Stanley Donen, which surprised me because it seems like it would have been a Hitchcock film. It is the story of a woman (Hepburn) being followed by her husband's murderers. The four men are coming after money that her husband stole, and they believe she has in her possession. It has plot twists and turns as Cary Grant's character confesses he is not one person, but another, and another, and another. These twists allow for one of Hepburn's more famous lines from this movie (in fact, it was used in Pretty Woman) - "Oh I love you Adam, Alex, Peter, Brian, whatever your name is, I love you! I hope we have a lot of boys and we can name them all after you!" The film uses close-ups on the actors' faces to show their sudden understanding of something; it uses interesting angles on some of the shots to create more suspense (like when Hepburn is running from Dyle, or hiding in the theater). It is really similar to Hitchcock's films, and is a really good, classical thriller. I recommend it highly (and not just because I love Audrey Hepburn).
PS... I am working on not being so snobby about remakes. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)