When you hear the word “art,” you immediately think of paintings in a museum, because that’s where a lot of art is. Art is a beautiful thing. However, it is also very deep and complex, and sometimes, it’s more than a person can handle.
How many times have you looked at a painting and just thought “what the hell is this?” or “what does this mean?”
This applies to film too, but in the indie film department. Indie films are where it’s at because it’s where a lot of experimentation and randomness occurs. Also, many famous movies are art films—movies that totally redefine how a movie is made. But sometimes you come across some art film that looks absolutely stunning, but the meaning of it all completely escapes you.
Let’s switch gears.
Entertainment should not need an explanation. Just go to the movie theater and watch one of the movies that are showing. Friends With Benefits, for example. These movies are pure entertainment; they tell a story and entertain the audience with love, scandal, explosions, and excitement. There’s a reason why the movie industry is so powerful: Entertainment sells.
But it doesn’t mean the movie is always good.
The difference between a movie and a good movie is presentation. There are a lot of movies that have little to no artistry to the way it’s filmed. Nothing in the way it’s filmed dazzles you, save for some CGI backgrounds. I mean, who cares about the way lighting is used? Who cares about the camerawork or the depth of the story? Who cares about stupid things like that?
Well, I do.
One of my goals as a filmmaker is to balance art and entertainment in a movie. I know people like to see exciting things. But it doesn’t mean I can’t be creative with how I frame things, or how I light the set. I want to make pretty pictures, but I want it to sell. I want to be able to entertain others while being proud of my work. It’s a balance between earning money and just being happy with myself I guess.
That’s my rant.
8/29/11
7/3/11
The Hitman
The Hitman
Video is up! Check it out!
Most of it is just of Jared walking, I know, but that’s how I wanted it. Building off of what I started kinda in The Red Scare, I experimented with tracking shots, Steadicamming, and dolly shots. I figure I’d rather experiment with a short video like this than completely blowing it on a bigger project y’know?
Please, give me feedback! It helps a lot more than you know!
Video is up! Check it out!
Most of it is just of Jared walking, I know, but that’s how I wanted it. Building off of what I started kinda in The Red Scare, I experimented with tracking shots, Steadicamming, and dolly shots. I figure I’d rather experiment with a short video like this than completely blowing it on a bigger project y’know?
Please, give me feedback! It helps a lot more than you know!
7/2/11
Color Correction Rocks
I like editing because you can change the way a video looks. Everyone has their own opinions on how a video should look. I personally think color correction is especially crucial because it can make your video look very pretty or very amateurish. That's why for this video I spent extra time color correcting.
Here's what a raw piece of footage looked like:
It looks okay I suppose, but the contrast between the dark colors and the bright colors is definitely not distinct enough. Let's increase the brightness and contrast:
Not bad, not bad, but the colors are a tad bright, don't you think? Let's desaturate it a bit:
This looks much better, but it's still missing something... Let's add a blue tint and see what happens:
Okay, so this is something that I think looks great. The darks and lights are nicely contrasted, the colors aren't too bright, and the slight blue tint is like the cherry on top to bring it all together. This is how much color correction can do, and it's astounding.
This is not at all the right way to color correct because you could really do anything. You could increase the contrast even more or tint it green or something. You can do anything. And this is an introduction to the magic of video editing.
Here's what a raw piece of footage looked like:
It looks okay I suppose, but the contrast between the dark colors and the bright colors is definitely not distinct enough. Let's increase the brightness and contrast:
Not bad, not bad, but the colors are a tad bright, don't you think? Let's desaturate it a bit:
This looks much better, but it's still missing something... Let's add a blue tint and see what happens:
Okay, so this is something that I think looks great. The darks and lights are nicely contrasted, the colors aren't too bright, and the slight blue tint is like the cherry on top to bring it all together. This is how much color correction can do, and it's astounding.
This is not at all the right way to color correct because you could really do anything. You could increase the contrast even more or tint it green or something. You can do anything. And this is an introduction to the magic of video editing.
New Video Screenshots
Like I said in my last post, my new video won’t be anything fancy or anything. It’s just my attempt at making something aesthetically unique and pleasing.
Here are some photos of what it looks like right now.
As you can see, I was experimenting a lot with different angles and camera techniques. I spent extra time with the color correction to make sure the colors look bolder and more contrasted. Note to self: if you want to make a photo or a video look pretty, add contrast and brightness.
I’m using an original song made by my friend Richard as the main theme for this video. He made the song just for this video and it makes the video look great. It’s like the cherry on top of the cake of awesomeness.
On a more negative note, HD has become a bit of an annoyance for me, as it took multiple days just to get my footage ready for editing. When rendering the footage into a file, the audio de-synced with the video and I had to redo a lot of things. Rendering HD also takes a while, if you haven’t guessed. Also, I haven’t been editing much lately either because my computer has been having problems and I’ve been playing games. It hasn’t been a strenuous editing job though.
It’s basically done, so I’ll post it soon.
Here are some photos of what it looks like right now.
As you can see, I was experimenting a lot with different angles and camera techniques. I spent extra time with the color correction to make sure the colors look bolder and more contrasted. Note to self: if you want to make a photo or a video look pretty, add contrast and brightness.
I’m using an original song made by my friend Richard as the main theme for this video. He made the song just for this video and it makes the video look great. It’s like the cherry on top of the cake of awesomeness.
On a more negative note, HD has become a bit of an annoyance for me, as it took multiple days just to get my footage ready for editing. When rendering the footage into a file, the audio de-synced with the video and I had to redo a lot of things. Rendering HD also takes a while, if you haven’t guessed. Also, I haven’t been editing much lately either because my computer has been having problems and I’ve been playing games. It hasn’t been a strenuous editing job though.
It’s basically done, so I’ll post it soon.
Stylish
My next video will be what The Blood Exchange wasn’t.
- In The Blood Exchange, almost every scene was shot from a tripod. This time, the tripod was never deployed.
- Because of this, most of the scenes from The Blood Exchange were static. This next video has almost all dolly/Steadicam shots, so motion will be a motif.
- The Blood Exchange was completely scripted and thought out. This one was shot without any planning, scripting, or writing, so really, I didn’t know what I was going to do.
Moar Filming Tomorrow
Tomorrow I’ll be filming a short video. It’s gonna be pretty experimental and avant-garde, but it’ll have a simple storyline to accompany it. My goal with this one is to make it look PRETTY.
Well, once again, the most difficult part of the whole film process is the pre-production. Originally we were going to film at Roger’s house with Roger as one of the main characters. Not anymore.
It’s not that I have a problem with people who can’t make my dates. It’s how they tell me. The people who can’t make it wait until the night before or the day of to give me the news. They tell me they can make it, and then tell me otherwise within 24 hours of the actual filming. One time, one of my actors bailed 5 minutes before our planned start time. Literally, every single time I film, someone bails at the last minute.
It happened a number of times with The Blood Exchange. In fact, it happens almost every single time I try to film something. It pisses me off beyond belief and it makes getting a replacement ridiculously difficult.
The least they could do is have the decency to tell me ahead of time that they’re busy. Then, I’ll be okay, and I’ll have time to seek out a replacement and to make final plans. Don’t tell me you can make it and then bail out the last minute. Who does that anyway? And don’t expect a callback any time soon.
Other than that, I’m pretty stoked for tomorrow. I’m breaking out my new dolly for her maiden flight. Since we’re gonna take our time with this video, I expect something that looks awesome. Anyway, I’ll post pictures when I get to editing.
Well, once again, the most difficult part of the whole film process is the pre-production. Originally we were going to film at Roger’s house with Roger as one of the main characters. Not anymore.
It’s not that I have a problem with people who can’t make my dates. It’s how they tell me. The people who can’t make it wait until the night before or the day of to give me the news. They tell me they can make it, and then tell me otherwise within 24 hours of the actual filming. One time, one of my actors bailed 5 minutes before our planned start time. Literally, every single time I film, someone bails at the last minute.
It happened a number of times with The Blood Exchange. In fact, it happens almost every single time I try to film something. It pisses me off beyond belief and it makes getting a replacement ridiculously difficult.
The least they could do is have the decency to tell me ahead of time that they’re busy. Then, I’ll be okay, and I’ll have time to seek out a replacement and to make final plans. Don’t tell me you can make it and then bail out the last minute. Who does that anyway? And don’t expect a callback any time soon.
Other than that, I’m pretty stoked for tomorrow. I’m breaking out my new dolly for her maiden flight. Since we’re gonna take our time with this video, I expect something that looks awesome. Anyway, I’ll post pictures when I get to editing.
6/19/11
McCarthyism -- The Red Scare
McCarthyism -- The Red Scare
I almost forgot to post about this. This was a school project, so nothing super duper interesting, but I figured I’d post it anyway. It’s supposedly set in the 1950s. I tried to encompass a lot of different things at once, like the roots of the Feminist Movement, the consumer culture, and of course, the anti-communist stance. I don’t think it’s a bad video. It got me an A :D
Enjoy!
I almost forgot to post about this. This was a school project, so nothing super duper interesting, but I figured I’d post it anyway. It’s supposedly set in the 1950s. I tried to encompass a lot of different things at once, like the roots of the Feminist Movement, the consumer culture, and of course, the anti-communist stance. I don’t think it’s a bad video. It got me an A :D
Enjoy!
6/14/11
Some Random Movie Reviews
I've been neglecting my blog lately, but I've been thinking about it. Movie review time.
1. The Usual Suspects. I went into this movie without knowing a thing about what it was about. I had absolutely no bias walking into this movie. Knowing me, if I read any bad reviews of it, I probably would have given it a bad impression. Good thing I didn't. This movie was great. It starts off slow, and it starts off kinda confusing and weird and convoluted and everything. But stick with it. The ending is satisfying as hell because you never see it coming. I was thoroughly impressed by how the movie resolved, and it sticks in my head as one of the best ways to end a movie. My verdict: 8/10.
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1. Honestly I didn't remember much of what happened in the 6th movie. I just thought "Hey, I'll remember eventually," and I did. Thing is though, the problem with this movie is that if you're starting the series with Deathly Hallows (which is a stupid idea from the beginning), you will understand NOTHING about this movie. It's definitely a sequel in that everything that happens in this movie draws from what happens in the last one. Other than that though, this movie is phenomenal. The cinematography is top-notch, and the acting is also great. Plus, Emma Watson :D. My verdict: 9/10.
3. Infernal Affairs. Ever watch of a movie called The Departed? Did you enjoy it? Now, picture this: Did you know that movie was inspired by a Chinese movie called Infernal Affairs? I bet you didn't. Infernal Affairs is basically the same general storyline of the Departed, but in Hong Kong. There's something about the actors in Infernal Affairs than the Departed that I liked better. It feels more organic is what I could say. The cinematography is great, the pacing is tense, you're always guessing what could happen next. Great movie. If you liked the Departed, you'll like Infernal Affairs, perhaps even more. My verdict: 10/10.
4. American Movie. Indie films ftw! Hands down, the most down-to-earth documentary ever made. We follow Mark Borchardt, an aspiring filmmaker, and his journey to complete his short film, Coven. However, he runs into so many problems, from a lack of funding to the ineptitude of his friends and family as his cast and crew. Nothing in this movie is scripted, and nothing that happens in this movie is at all fiction. I enjoyed this movie a lot because of the honesty and integrity of Mark and his pursuit of his American Dream. You feel his pain and you connect with him. His friend Mike is also hilarious in his own strange way. I seriously enjoyed this movie and it has definitely become one of my favorite movies. My verdict: 10/10.
And then, suddenly, there was an urge to watch The Breakfast Club again. Ahh, good movies make me feel all warm inside :D
1. The Usual Suspects. I went into this movie without knowing a thing about what it was about. I had absolutely no bias walking into this movie. Knowing me, if I read any bad reviews of it, I probably would have given it a bad impression. Good thing I didn't. This movie was great. It starts off slow, and it starts off kinda confusing and weird and convoluted and everything. But stick with it. The ending is satisfying as hell because you never see it coming. I was thoroughly impressed by how the movie resolved, and it sticks in my head as one of the best ways to end a movie. My verdict: 8/10.
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1. Honestly I didn't remember much of what happened in the 6th movie. I just thought "Hey, I'll remember eventually," and I did. Thing is though, the problem with this movie is that if you're starting the series with Deathly Hallows (which is a stupid idea from the beginning), you will understand NOTHING about this movie. It's definitely a sequel in that everything that happens in this movie draws from what happens in the last one. Other than that though, this movie is phenomenal. The cinematography is top-notch, and the acting is also great. Plus, Emma Watson :D. My verdict: 9/10.
3. Infernal Affairs. Ever watch of a movie called The Departed? Did you enjoy it? Now, picture this: Did you know that movie was inspired by a Chinese movie called Infernal Affairs? I bet you didn't. Infernal Affairs is basically the same general storyline of the Departed, but in Hong Kong. There's something about the actors in Infernal Affairs than the Departed that I liked better. It feels more organic is what I could say. The cinematography is great, the pacing is tense, you're always guessing what could happen next. Great movie. If you liked the Departed, you'll like Infernal Affairs, perhaps even more. My verdict: 10/10.
4. American Movie. Indie films ftw! Hands down, the most down-to-earth documentary ever made. We follow Mark Borchardt, an aspiring filmmaker, and his journey to complete his short film, Coven. However, he runs into so many problems, from a lack of funding to the ineptitude of his friends and family as his cast and crew. Nothing in this movie is scripted, and nothing that happens in this movie is at all fiction. I enjoyed this movie a lot because of the honesty and integrity of Mark and his pursuit of his American Dream. You feel his pain and you connect with him. His friend Mike is also hilarious in his own strange way. I seriously enjoyed this movie and it has definitely become one of my favorite movies. My verdict: 10/10.
And then, suddenly, there was an urge to watch The Breakfast Club again. Ahh, good movies make me feel all warm inside :D
5/28/11
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Note: I’m not including a trailer for this one because the trailer really gives off the wrong impression about the movie. Just see it.
Everyone has seen a movie that has blown them away completely, more than any other movie they’ve seen. It could have changed the way you thought about life. It could have made you cry more than any other movie. Regardless, chances are there’s a movie where you reached the credits and thought “Wow, that was the best movie I’ve ever seen.” That movie for me is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
The movie starts out kinda confusing, because you are introduced to the characters, and they become a couple, and they’re happy. Then, suddenly, it shifts to the guy crying his eyes out while driving home in the rain. And thus, the movie begins.
The movie is about a man, Joel Barish, who finds out that his girlfriend, Clementine Kruczynski, has erased him from her memory. He is devastated and decides to have the same operation done to him. His memories erase in reverse order—from the most recent to the first time they met. He experiences them as they slowly disappear from his memory, reliving them almost. As he slowly moves closer to the beginning of their relationship, he starts to fall back in love with her. But at that point, it’s too late; the operation can’t stop.
Some might think this is a chick flick romantic comedy. I beg to differ. This movie appeals to everyone at an emotional level; nothing cutesy here. It makes you think about love and life, and what they really mean. The real tear-jerking part is his last few memories, right before she is completely erased. He wants another chance, something everyone wants at some point. What happens next is what made the movie for me. The climax of the movie is what made this movie so great.
I remember finishing the movie and being completely astounded at its beauty. This was the movie that made me truly appreciate movies for all that they are, and it also made me hate other movies for what they weren’t. Since then, I haven’t seen a movie that has made me feel the same way, not even close. Maybe I’m a sap for these kinds of movies, but I don’t care. This movie is incredible, in all ways. There’s something about it that feels strangely relatable.
Watch it. You might love it, or you might hate it. Just watch it, it’s definitely worth your time. You will be very surprised at what it has to offer. I know I was, and now I worship it. For all you know, it might become your new favorite.
Well there’s my Top 10 Favorite Movies. I’m glad this is done, so I can do other stuff now too.
2. Pulp Fiction
Trailer
The only film to top Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs is Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, THE most quotable movie EVER MADE. This is the quintessential Tarantino film that won him the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or, probably the most prestigious film award in the world. Everything in this movie is iconic, everything is quotable, all the characters are memorable, and the story is one you’d never forget. If you don’t like this movie, then you don’t know good movies.
Tarantino dishes it out with an all-star cast: John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson star as two hitmen; Bruce Willis stars as a boxer on the run; Uma Thurman stars as the wife of the Los Angeles underground boss gangster; the list goes on. There are multiple characters to follow and multiple stories to follow. The characters are so dynamic and interesting to listen to, which means that the dialogue is NEVER dull, and NEVER boring.
Speaking of the dialogue, Tarantino’s writing in this movie is incredible. He has a knack for witty and memorable dialogue, and Pulp Fiction is proof of that. When you finish this movie, there will be many lines you distinctly remember because 1. They were hilarious, 2. They were badass, or 3. They were hilarious AND badass. There’s no possible way you can forget the dialogue. It’s too good.
The way the film is set up is in non-linear format: the movie ends where it began. It sounds odd, yes, and sometimes the movie jumps around, but by the end, everything comes together perfectly. There’s something about it that feels right.
I distinctly remember finishing the movie and desperately wanting more. I bet that you will finish the movie the exact same way. Like Reservoir Dogs, you will never forget this movie if you tried. If you haven’t watched this movie, then this should be a must-see for you. Or else I’ll get medieval on your ass.
3. Slumdog Millionaire
Top 3, let’s finish this up!
Trailer
Slumdog Millionaire, the winner of 8 2009 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Why is this movie one of my top three? Everything about this movie to me has such ridiculous artistic appeal: the music, the cinematography, the editing, etc. I find this movie truly magical because of the way it’s presented.
This movie was one of those movies that I had to watch twice to really understand it. I remember hearing first that it had won a ton of awards and whatnot, so I figured it was worth a shot. It certainly wasn’t what I expected, and it didn’t blow me away at first because I had a hard time following the story. But now that I understand the premise, I understand why it’s so acclaimed.
The way it’s presented is so avante-garde and experimental. What this does is add to the intensity of the movie, so much so that it’s overwhelming. I look to this movie to provide cinematography inspiration and ideas to springboard off of to use for my videos. The chasing scenes are absolutely incredible because of the music, the cinematography, and the editing. It’s a different feeling.
Here’s my favorite example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDC47NsoRE0
Basically, the story is about a slumdog who is accused of cheating on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. However, when he is telling his story, he reveals all the hardships he has faced since he was a child; it is his experiences that give him the answers to the game show questions. The story is incredibly intense in a ton of different ways, so I’d just watch it.
I admire this movie for it’s cinematography, editing, music, acting, and story. Something about it makes the whole experience magical, even though some of the themes are dark. Sometimes, I think the Academy doesn’t screw up.
4. Reservoir Dogs
Trailer
Reservoir Dogs: Quentin Tarantino’s directing debut, and arguably one of his best films. If you say you love indie movies, and you haven’t seen Reservoir Dogs, then you’re not a true indie movie lover. Reservoir Dogs represents the epitome of what it means to be a great independently made movie.
Everything about this movie is iconic, from the tipping scene, to the torture scene, to the frickin’ opening credits: A bunch of guys in suits, walking down the street in slow motion, to music. You will never forget these scenes; they glue to your brain like a tumor, and they will never leave. The movie is funny, vulgar, violent, and interesting in so many different ways that it’s impossible to not remember this movie.
Quentin Tarantino mainstreamed the non-linear movie format. Reservoir Dogs is about a group of guys robbing a bank. Thing is, you only see what happens before and after the heist; the actual robbery is never seen, but only mentioned through dialogue. This sets up a very unique storytelling method that sounds weird on paper, but shines on execution.
I like this movie because of how many boundaries it pushed, in terms of violence, language, and overall setup. Trust me, you will NEVER forget Reservoir Dogs, even if you tried. Whether you think it’s too violent, too vulgar, or too boring is up to you, but Tarantino undoubtedly debuted with unmatched intensity. It could arguably be the best independent film ever made. It’s that great of a movie, and a must-see if you love indie films, or anything about movies at all.
5. Chungking Express
Best character intro ever
Top five now. Let’s get this going.
Chungking Express is my last Asian film in this list. It is Wong Kar Wai’s most well-known film, and rightly so. Bluntly put, it’s a very quirky romance movie that will delight anyone.
The movie follows two cops in their quests for love in and around the Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong, each with their individual halves of the movie. The first cop was dumped on April 1st, and he thought it was a joke at first. His arc revolves around him getting over his ex and moving on with life. Meanwhile, he takes his anger out by jogging, because “then he won’t have any tears left to cry.”
The second arc revolves around a fast-food employee and her love interest with another cop. This cop was also just dumped, and the employee notices. However, the cop refuses to forget about his ex and just mopes around. Thus, the employee takes it upon herself to help him by stealing a set of his keys, breaking into his apartment when he’s not home, and fixing the place up.
If that doesn’t interest you, then you might as well go watch Transformers 2 or something. Not only does this movie have an awesome plot, but the camerawork, the music, the actors, pretty much everything, just straight-up win.
To truly know what I’m talking about, you seriously have to watch it. Definitely not a movie you will ever forget.
6. Fallen Angels
Trailer
Another movie probably no one I know has seen. Not exactly a movie for everyone. What this movie does with the camera is probably beyond strange for many, and the story structure would probably throw a lot of people off their rocker. Regardless, this is one funky movie that sticks with you.
Wong Kar Wai is quite the experimenter. Half of his scenes are shot with a fisheye lens, which distorts a person’s face to make their noses look big. What he does with the camera is totally unique and experimental, and I love it.
This movie is such a psychedelic rush of mixed emotions. I don’t know how to explain it, but the cinematography really conveys a ton of emotion, which is very unique to this movie. I like the artistic appeal to this movie, and it inspires me to be a bit more experimental with my camera angles.
It’s one of those movies that you have to watch to understand why it’s so great. Definitely geared more to the independent filmmakers, but I would give it a shot nonetheless. :D
7. Spirited Away
Trailer
Spirited Away, one of many great Hayao Miyazaki anime films. Bluntly put, it is an incredible movie. The fact that most of the animation was made using traditional, hand-drawn pictures honestly astounds me. You don’t get much of that anymore.
I’ve seen this movie so many times, in English and in Japanese, for years. I’ve always loved this movie for the story, and now I can appreciate and worship it for its technical glory. You get immersed in the story and in the world so easily. The story is interesting, multi-layered, and unique. The characters are incredibly memorable (the baby). There are so many things that you can love about this movie. Which brings me to probably one of the main reasons why I love this movie so much:
The music. The soundtrack is amazing. I love the soundtrack. I love it so much that I own the entire soundtrack. I’ve learned four or five of these songs on the piano. I can’t say enough about the music because I worship it. It’s probably my all-time favorite soundtrack. Joe Hisaishi is just… I could listen to his stuff all day long.
Overall though this movie is just incredible. Definitely one of those movies I could watch over and over again and not get bored.
8. WALL-E
Trailer
Yes, WALL-E, my favorite Pixar film ever. Many people seem to be mixed about this movie. Some dislike the pessimistic doomsday outlook on humanities future. Some didn’t think it had as much connection to kids as previous Pixar movies. I personally think this is their best movie overall.
The animation, first off, is absolutely incredible. I remember watching this movie and being amazed by the amount of detail that was put into the visuals. Space and the garbage-ridden Earth were my favorites. They’re just so pretty to look at. Absolutely stunning.
I thought the way the story was told was also incredibly unique. I liked how WALL-E and EVE did not really have to speak much for the audience to understand them. The way Pixar did the characters’ animations really conveyed the right things. I liked watching WALL-E’s actions because they were so expressive and lively—he felt almost human. I felt as if I followed the movie completely fine, which I find quite impressive.
Ignore anyone who thinks this is a bad movie. It’s incredible. It’s totally different than anything else out there, but it tells its story in a fantastic way. Not only that, it’s just pure eye-candy
9. When the Last Sword is Drawn
Trailer
A foreign film that I’m sure almost none of my friends have seen. This movie was made in 2004 and it follows the story of a Shinsengumi samurai named Kanichiro Yoshimutra. He is introduced as a very skilled and greedy swordsman. As a mercenary, he goes out of his way to get as much money as he can. This is perceived as greedy by his fellow samurai. However, as the story goes on, more and more is revealed about his past, and his true colors shine.
Turns out Kanichiro is gathering money so that he can support his family. He disgraced his old clan and his family name by leaving. He is perceived as a greedy mercenary in his new clan. However, it is all to support his family. His true character is revealed through his noble actions. During one scene, when food was extremely low, he gave out all the rice to the rest of the samurai and let himself go hungry. It is beautiful and sad how far he went to help others, regardless of the sacrifice.
This was one of those movies that you watch and you just feel good at the end. Kanichiro’s character is someone you really feel attached to. He is funny, quirky, honorable, and honest. You can’t help but wish more people in the world were like him. The acting in this movie is totally superb, especially Kanichiro’s actor. Everything is believable and immerses you into the fantastic tale. I’ve never seen a movie like it before.
10. Fantastic Mr. Fox
I’m gonna write about my top ten favorite movies and then explain why. I’m bored and I dunno what else to post right now.
Trailer
This movie is based off the book by Roald Dahl, though the ending to the movie differs slightly. It is a stop motion animated film. Why is this one of my favorites, out of all the animated films out there? Because it’s totally different from any other contemporary animated movie, i.e. it’s not digital. It delivers a very different feel that works.
The story and the characters are incredibly quirky. You can’t help but laugh at times because it’s just so damn different and funny. You’ll fall in love almost instantly. George Clooney’s voice talent totally fits Mr. Fox, and he delivers a great performance. And Kylie the Opossum is just hilarious. You really have to watch it to understand, because it’s pretty far from ordinary, and only after watching it you will understand.
By the way, this is only the first of three animated films in my top ten.
Trailer
This movie is based off the book by Roald Dahl, though the ending to the movie differs slightly. It is a stop motion animated film. Why is this one of my favorites, out of all the animated films out there? Because it’s totally different from any other contemporary animated movie, i.e. it’s not digital. It delivers a very different feel that works.
The story and the characters are incredibly quirky. You can’t help but laugh at times because it’s just so damn different and funny. You’ll fall in love almost instantly. George Clooney’s voice talent totally fits Mr. Fox, and he delivers a great performance. And Kylie the Opossum is just hilarious. You really have to watch it to understand, because it’s pretty far from ordinary, and only after watching it you will understand.
By the way, this is only the first of three animated films in my top ten.
3/7/11
Posers
I hate it when people say they’re good at something just because they know the basics of what they’re doing. This applies to film, but pretty much anything else art-related out there, like photography or music or whatever.
Imagine: when people say their film is “artsy.” Sure, that’s fine and all. But if the rest of your film is pure crap, you have nothing. You can make a ton of pretty little angles with cool colors and the retarded film focus effect, but if it doesn’t do anything for your film, then it has no meaning.
People associate pretty things with art. Anyone can make something pretty. You can take a photo of just anything, color correct it and everything and bam, you call yourself artsy. You can take a video clip of anything, put in some ambient music and color correct it, and bam, it’s pretty. So what?
What do those colors do for your picture exactly? Does it capture the right emotion? Does your “artsy” video clip do anything for your film other than make it look pretty? Is your video even good? What’s the point of it anyway?
Artsy implies some form of art, expression of the imagination and feeling. Anyone can make a photo or a video clip and make it look pretty. Anyone. It’s really easy actually—just pull a few sliders here and there and voila: pretty pictures. You haven’t proved anything. You just know how to use sliders on your computer.
In my opinion, art needs the extra layer beneath the surface that has the thought and the imagination in it. I enjoy looking at photos that have meaning. I enjoy watching movies that stress the story before visual effects.
I don’t disapprove of ambition. If you’re really just trying to get better and just experimenting, fine. But don’t go around bragging that you’re all that just because you made one pretty picture. If you have something to back yourself up, well then fine, you choose what you want to do with it.
I’m not trying to criticize anyone specific. This is how I feel generally. I just don’t like it when people talk big but have nothing to back it up with.
Imagine: when people say their film is “artsy.” Sure, that’s fine and all. But if the rest of your film is pure crap, you have nothing. You can make a ton of pretty little angles with cool colors and the retarded film focus effect, but if it doesn’t do anything for your film, then it has no meaning.
People associate pretty things with art. Anyone can make something pretty. You can take a photo of just anything, color correct it and everything and bam, you call yourself artsy. You can take a video clip of anything, put in some ambient music and color correct it, and bam, it’s pretty. So what?
What do those colors do for your picture exactly? Does it capture the right emotion? Does your “artsy” video clip do anything for your film other than make it look pretty? Is your video even good? What’s the point of it anyway?
Artsy implies some form of art, expression of the imagination and feeling. Anyone can make a photo or a video clip and make it look pretty. Anyone. It’s really easy actually—just pull a few sliders here and there and voila: pretty pictures. You haven’t proved anything. You just know how to use sliders on your computer.
In my opinion, art needs the extra layer beneath the surface that has the thought and the imagination in it. I enjoy looking at photos that have meaning. I enjoy watching movies that stress the story before visual effects.
I don’t disapprove of ambition. If you’re really just trying to get better and just experimenting, fine. But don’t go around bragging that you’re all that just because you made one pretty picture. If you have something to back yourself up, well then fine, you choose what you want to do with it.
I’m not trying to criticize anyone specific. This is how I feel generally. I just don’t like it when people talk big but have nothing to back it up with.
2/21/11
Justin Bieber Movie
Yeah, I went to watch it, and I’m not ashamed at all. I don’t hate the kid like a lot of people do. I don’t love him either. I’m part of that middle, grey group who no one really cares about.
Overall, as a documentary, it was okay. It told the basics of his story. There was nothing much we haven’t heard though: He came from a small town, he got his fame on Youtube, he’s a superstar now. That’s all that it really told us. So when it came to historical content, it was pretty limited I’d say.
A lot of it was just geared toward boosting public opinion of the guy. It was mostly sentiments about how he was born with the talent and how he was always a natural showman. They showed baby videos of him, which promptly led the large mass of girls sitting in front of me to go “AWWWW.” Eh. I’m not really affected by baby videos. In my opinion, really, all babies are like that.
I think this movie was more a publicity stunt than a real documentary. Half of it was just portions of his concerts. So, as a documentary, it was pretty average: not great, but definitely not bad. It’s just the fact that it’s Justin Bieber that makes people think it’s a big deal.
Verdict: 6/10
Overall, as a documentary, it was okay. It told the basics of his story. There was nothing much we haven’t heard though: He came from a small town, he got his fame on Youtube, he’s a superstar now. That’s all that it really told us. So when it came to historical content, it was pretty limited I’d say.
A lot of it was just geared toward boosting public opinion of the guy. It was mostly sentiments about how he was born with the talent and how he was always a natural showman. They showed baby videos of him, which promptly led the large mass of girls sitting in front of me to go “AWWWW.” Eh. I’m not really affected by baby videos. In my opinion, really, all babies are like that.
I think this movie was more a publicity stunt than a real documentary. Half of it was just portions of his concerts. So, as a documentary, it was pretty average: not great, but definitely not bad. It’s just the fact that it’s Justin Bieber that makes people think it’s a big deal.
Verdict: 6/10
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