African Americans in Cinema

I know now from the movies we have watched in class and the many Powerpoint presentations we've had to endure how influential African Americans are and were in cinema. My favorite film that our class watched was Imitation of Life, the 1959 version directed by Douglas Sirk. This film touched me in a way that I wasn't ready for. Being one quarter black and and looking all white, I imagined myself in the shoes of Susan Kohner's character, Sarah Jane. Today I am proud to say that I am African American, but Imitation of Life opened my eyes so that I now have a glimpse of what my life would be like in another time. I "pass" for white every day, but not because I try to. People just assume. I am pleased to tell people that I'm a quarter black because I think that it makes me different and beautiful; but in a time of formidable segregation, I don't think I would be. We all know the struggles that African American's went through in this country. Being able to put myself in specific situations and see what life must have been like for someone like Sarah Jane and I has changed my life. Imitation of Life changed my life. I recommend it to everyone who will listen. It feels like a part of me now. 

Humor: "Thank You for Smoking"

"Thank You for Smoking" is a satirical comedy directed by Christine Jeffs. It stars Aaron Eckhart as Nick Naylor, a cigarette lobbyist and part-time father. Throughout the film, Naylor struggles to balance the message of his carer and the influence he is having on his son. This film features mostly situational humor and it works. I found it very funny and noticed myself laughing a lot. Concepts such as, "Smoking saved my life," cracked me up. Anyone in the mood for a comedy with a plot that doesn't bore you to death and isn't completely offensive should turn on Thank You for Smoking.

Final Review: Red Dawn

My favorite movie is Red Dawn, directed by John Milius. It stars Charlie Sheen, Patrick Swayze, Lea Thompson and C. Thomas Howell. It is set in the 80's and WWIII breaks out when the Soviets attack a small town in Colorado. I absolutely adore this movie for so many reasons. One, is that it gets you thinking. The survivors of this movie are high school kids and they go into the mountains and live off the land while waiting out the war. They decide to take action and form the "Wolverines" which was originally the name of their high school mascot. They become a force to be reckoned with and fighting vigilantes. It always makes me think about what I would do in their situation or if something similar happened in Alta Loma. This film illustrates the human instinct to survive with what you have. They do this and more in Red Dawn. I think that the acting and cinematography are phenomenal because I believe what's happening, I believe that they are going through WWIII and I believe that they are struggling. This movie means a lot to me and I truly enjoy it every time I watch it.  

                                              

Holiday Movie Review: Elf

Will Ferrell plays Buddy in Elf, directed by Jon Favreau. Buddy is a 6' 3" "elf" that crawled into Santa's bag at an orphanage when he was a baby. Santa decided to keep Buddy at the North Pole and Papa Elf (Bob Newhart), Buddy's adopted father, didn't tell him that he was human until he was 30. When Buddy finds out that his real father lives in New York City he passes through the Sea of Swirly Twirly Gumdrops and through the seven levels of the Candy Cane Forest to meet him. James Caan plays Buddy's dad, Walter Hobbs, and is shocked to find out he has another son. Buddy tries to adjust to human life buy getting a job in the mail room and falling in love with Zooey Deschanel's character Jovie. Ultimately, Buddy spreads Christmas cheer everywhere he goes and realizes his true identity. I enjoy watching this film during the holiday season because it provides comical relief to a time that can be stressful to any family. It is also one of the only Christmas movies that I own. It's not my favorite, but it has become my own mini tradition.

Suspense Movie Review: Psycho

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho is a psychological thriller, horror and suspense film. In this classic, Marion Crane, played by Janet Leigh, steals a large sum of money from her work and plans to start a new life with her lover, Sam. John Gavin's character later becomes somewhat or a hero when a drastic turn of events twists the plot while Marion showers at a road-side motel. The Bates Motel, run by Norman Bates, Anthony Perkins, and his mother is the center of the story and everything revolves around it. Perkins's magnificent performance and the film cause me to rate it a 9 in acting. Hitchcock's vision is portrayed in a spectacular manor, in my opinion. I give the cinematography a 10. Overall though, this movie gets a solid 9 and I highly recommend it.

Casablanca (Film Noir)

Casablanca is a film noir directed by Michael Curtiz. It is set in unoccupied Morocco during the beginning of World War II and is centered around Rick's Cafe. Rick, played by Humphrey Bogart, crosses paths with his one time love, Ilsa, played by Ingrid Bergman, in Casablanca. This leads to a surprising turn of events. The acting in this move was superb, so I rate it at a 10(Mark) on my scale. I also thought that the filming of Casablanca was of the highest quality and gave it a 10 as well. Overall, I thought this movie was wonderful and it has now become one of my favorites, so I rate it a 9.

This clip from Casablanca features the main characters in an emotional scene. I think it captures the French and German war mentality, of this time, perfectly. If this doesn't make you want to watch the movie, then nothing will.

Almost Famous

One of my favorite movies of all time is Almost Famous. I rate this movie a 10 in nearly every category. The acting was of a Mark Whalberg caliber, which is a 10. I thought that the filming and camera work in this movie was top notch, and I rate it a 9. A 9 on my scale movie is rubies for cinematography. Finally, the overall score for the movie is a 10 in my book. That means its an Aston Martin DB9 all together. Almost Famous is like Mark Whalberg driving an Aston Martin with a pile of rubies in the front seat.