We Are Infinite

This week’s screening was Perks of Being a Wallflower, a film that I absolutely love. The film is well thought out. From the beginning, we know that something is off about the main character Charlie however, we don’t know what till the end of the film. The pacing of the film is great, it covers his whole school year. We see each character not only grow but so a vulnerable side of them, reminding us that no one is perfect. Each person in Charlie’s friend group has their own demons. 

The visuals in this film really showed what it is like to be a freshman in high school. The fact that you never know what to expect in a new environment and no matter how much you train yourself for it no one is ever really ready. The visuals that I really enjoyed were the scenes where Charlie was high. It was like we were high with him in a way, especially since the whole film we are watching the world through Charlie’s eyes. 

The actors that I believe were the best were Ezra Miller who played Patrick also known as Nothing and Logan Lerman who played Charlie. They really brought their character to life in a way that you can find a connection between your life and theirs. Something that really found interesting was the fact that Charlie’s parent name were never said throughout the whole film, they were referred to as Mom and Dad. However, his aunt’s name was brought up constantly throughout the film. Even dead his Aunt Helen still plays a huge role in the film and lives on through Charlie’s trauma. However, by the end of the film, Charlie has learned to let go. He has finally healed and come to terms with everything that has happened to him but he knows that doesn’t define who he is. Which is why at the end of the film he states that this will be the last letter he writes, finally feeling free from all the darkness in his life. 

This class has opened my eyes to the real world of film. It has shown me that there is more to films than just watching a movie. But that every detail plays a part in making the perfect film. I would have never known that there are so many details in a film that make the films we love today. From the camera angle to the music playing in the background, each brings something new to films. This has been my favorite class I have taken while attending Alfred University and I’m not just saying that to say it. This class has not only shown me new ways to watch films, but it has also shown me how to watch the world around me. We are the main character in our own life. We are living our lives and just like Charlie, we all have our own demons that we have to take care of, and when we do we feel infinite.

Digital vs Film

Over the years the world of film has grown tremendously. We see this in the films, Side by Side and Industrial Light & Magic. Both show the uprising in film and how much there is still to learn when filming. Each film goes into depth about how to film CGI animation and what we are still learning. The films also speak about companies that gain and lose profit based on the type of technology they sell. 

The world of the film started in the 1880s when visual artists and storytellers used moving images to convey the story. Now the digital technology will be the downfall of the film itself, it is taking over day-by-day. With new technology rising, film is slowly being left in history. The fact that they make digital look like film making it easier to create new ideas. There is a revolution happening in the world of film that no one knows where it is going. In Side by Side cinematographer were asked if they believe film will slowly be forgotten and many said no because film is better, however, is a long process while digital may look like film it can never replace it. After filming the film itself is moved to be processed and then edited manually by colors of red, blue, and green. As for digital they can see what they have just recorded and edit that and continue with the movie. Using digital recording is an easier way to move things along faster and add more details. 

Throughout each film we learn how much it costs to create such a beautiful film for everyone to love and watch on the big screen. Now what people don’t is how much time and effort these people take to create these films. It is very stressful for them because they want to make sure everything is perfect and original. They want it to be different than anything anyone has ever seen. Taking ownership of what they have made.

When you watch this you see the film itself is a documentary about the world of film. The idea of illusion, to make something look real. It was all about tricking the mind and conveying that on the big screen. Bringing the director’s imagination to life. Film companies being bought by others because of not evolving with the film industry. Overall, the film industry is evolving, and digital recording is taking over. 

Auteur Theory of Tim Burton

At the age of thirteen, Tim Burton had already made his first stop motion animation film, The Island of Doctor Agor. Tim Burton is now 62 years old and he is well known for his consistent film style of “gothic”. He combines the nineteenth and twenty centuries of visuals and images to create a dark version of children’s films, “from the characters themselves, to the props, to the houses and cities where the films take place are sculpted in an exaggerated, almost cartoonish way to emphasize “goth” features.” From his live-action movies to his well known and fan-favorite animation films, Tim is one of the most creative directors known to film.

Tim Burton can direct any film. He has worked in every form of film, from his first big-screen film Pee-Wee Big Adventure in 1985, which is joyous and adventurous, to Dark Shadows in 2012, which is dark and suspenseful. He went from getting fired at Disney to still being one of the well-known directors in the world. Now we can all see why Tim Burton isn’t Disney material because of his dark humor and some of his films being too scary in the eyes of children. He still manages to create playful and humorous films for all ages. 

Burton states that all of his films have a deep connection to him and his life. If you ever want to know more about his childhood, your best option is to watch his films. His film represents his life that he brings to the big screen. This would explain why his films have a specific style, he states that his childhood was unhappy and he was always isolated leaving him to be an outcast. Which is why many of the characters in his film are always the oddball and the weird kid. Watching films helped his escape and he really connected with the monsters in the films and saw them in ways others didn’t. This is shown in all of his films, he believes “one person’s craziness is another person’s reality.” 

Tim Burton is very consistent with his work from using his style of film to hiring the same actors. For example, Johnny Depp is well known in Tim Burton’s films. Johnny Depp has been in a total of seven Tim Burton films. They have been working together for over 30 years and their work together never fails on the big screen. They both have stated that they see the world the same making their connection strong. Burton states he chooses Depp for his film because he brings something new to the table every time.  The same goes for Winona Ryder who states “ I owe my career to Tim Burton”. Winona Ryder has been working with Tim Burton since she was fifteen, in one of his first few films Beetlejuice in 1985. Not only has Tim Burton hired the same actors, but he has also hired the same composer Danny Elfman. Danny Elfman is the man behind the music that really broadcast Burton’s gothic style in his films. The actors are his muse along with his childhood experience. 

True fans can tell straight off the bat if they are watching a Tim Burton based on the title sequence. Burton uses the same lighting in the majority of his films, especially in his black and white films. The lighting design in his films is very low key. His style of the film is almost mannerist. He is very big on making his projects handmade, everything you see on the screen he sketched out, and made it real. This goes for the way the character looks and dresses to the setting of where it is taking place. Tim Burton is also known for leaving easter eggs in his film, connecting all his movies together. He is not the only one that does this. Other directors are also known for giving credit to Burton in their films, for example in the film Coraline directed by Henry Selick. 

Tim Burton’s films convey the same theme of being misunderstood. As stated before Burton was always misunderstood growing up and he shows that in all of his films. A film that he is most connected with is Frankenweenie both 1984 and 2012. This is because Tim Burton had a pet dog who was his best friend and he couldn’t see his dog go, not implying that he tried to bring his dog back. In all of his films, the main character has a sidekick in which most cases are dogs. For example, in the Nightmare Before Christmas 1993  Jack has a dog name Zero, as well as in The Corpse Bride 2005 there is a dog named Scapes in the underworld. This is his contribution to his dog he believes his dog lives on through these films. Tim Burton will always be known in the film world for his dark humor on the screen. Along with his gothic style that no one else can capture. For more of Tim Burton’s work that wasn’t shown on-screen click the link below.

http://timburton.com/

Citation:

Caroline. “Winona Ryder ‘I Owe My Career to Tim Burton.’” Entertainment.ie, entertainment.ie/cinema/movie-news/winona-ryder-i-owe-my-career-to-tim-burton-247066/. 

“Top 10 Tim Burton Quotes.” BrainyQuote, Xplore, 2001, http://www.brainyquote.com/lists/authors/top-10-tim-burton-quotes. 

-, G.S. Perno, et al. “Directors’ Trademarks: Tim Burton – Cinelinx: Movies. Games. Geek Culture.” Cinelinx, 24 Dec. 2014, http://www.cinelinx.com/movie-news/movie-stuff/director-s-trademarks-tim-burton/. 

Glory Oh Lord

Glory is one of the best war films that I have seen that best represents the life of a black soldier. This film does a great job showing the relationship between war and man. We see in the film that war changes the men and the relationship they have with one another. For example in the beginning of the film Thomas and Robert saw each other as equal. However, as soon as Thomas joined Robert’s fleet in the war Thomas learned the hard way that he will never be treated as an equal. This was represented so perfectly in the film, from Robert telling Forbes that he can’t talk to Thomas the way they did back at home to Thomas asking to speak to Robert and Robert turning him down. 

Glory is a great movie to watch about the first African American division in the Union. It is the most accurate about every event and the lives of these men as they train for battle. From first being seen as apes in blue suits to then being seen as equal soldiers before they head to Fort Wagner. All the events that were listed were accurate. The first thing that shows when the film starts states how true this movie is. Stating that Robert would send letters to his mother telling her everything that they were doing. However there are some parts of this film that are inaccurate. Now many may ask why is that when this is a historical war film. Trip and John, who were played by Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman, were made up characters yet played a big part in this film. With Trip being the rebel and John being the wise man of the group, they really were the ones who helped the audience understand what it was like to be in their shoes.

In a way they helped piece the film together. Showing the bond of the men and how much they grow and learn from each other. This is shown in the campfire scene where the men are singing and Trip finally lets his guard down and realizes he is not alone anymore and has found his family. We also see the growth of Robert from letting walk all over him in the beginning of the play. This is shown when Trip is caught leaving camp and has to be punished. Robert knows that he shouldn’t be whipped especially after seeing his back with scares but he is more worried about what the white men in his base will say if he doesn’t show discipline. Then he realizes he has done wrong by the men and finds his voice and doesn’t care about his image. He learns to realize that they are men just like him and need to be treated equally with respect. This is greatly represented when Robert lets his horse free and joins his men on foot to Fort Wagner. Representing that they are all on the same level, no more looking down or up at one another. They are all on the same playing field.

Blood Bath

The final girl represents all original horror movies. The movie contains a group of curious, careless teenagers in a disturbing place and a big guy with a mask, the killer. Like every horror movie it takes a lot of tries to kill the killer, in this case Billie. All throughout the movie we see the teenagers try and kill Billie multiple times. From pushing him into a bunch of antlers to burning him alive, still nothing can kill him except the final girl.

In every horror movie there is always that one person who survives the horrifying events that they and their friends have encountered. The final girl really brings that to the screen, really going into depth of why the final girl is so important in any horror films. The final girl in every horror film is the last person to be alive out of the group of people that were killed and kills the killer. The final girl kills the killer and that when the killer really dies, or so they think. In most cases they think they have killed the killer but they didn’t and then there’s a bad sequel of the film. In this film the final girl was Max, a teenage girl who has lost her mother in a car accident and is trapped inside one of her mother’s films. The film that Max and her friends are stuck in is called Camp Bloodbath.

All throughout the time Max and her friends are stuck in this horror film, Max tries to stop her mother, Amanda, who in Camp Bloodbath is Nancy from being killed. We can tell that she is still grieving of her mother’s death and isn’t ready to let her go. Blinded by the idea that that’s her mother and she can save her, being that she couldn’t before. She sees this as a second chance to get her mother back not realizing that no her mother and there’s no way of getting her back.

The final girls is a great movie that represents all horror movies. Showing all sides of the film, from being the audience to being part of the film trying to survive the killer. Showing the real reason as to why in all horror movies the killer doesn’t die the first time he gets thrown to the ground. Also why he never really dies at the end of the film. To keep the movie going and make it a fair one on one fight between the last man standing and the killer. This film gives everyone the inside look of a horror film. Looking at it now all horror films are the same. The killer has a sad childhood causing him to want revenge and kill everyone. A group of careless teenagers who go to the place the killer was bullied at, in this case a camp. One of the teens says the legend of the place they are staying at, no one believes them. Then one person dies in the hands of the killer and one by one they all start dying except one. The final girl who kills the killer thinking it’s over when in reality we, the audience know its not. 

“The day we stop lookin’… is the day we die.”

Scent of a woman shows how two completely different people can actually help each other in ways they didn’t know possible. Charlie is a high school student who needs money to go home for the holidays, while Frank is a drunk retired Lieutenant Colonel who tries to act all big and bad. All throughout the film we see the relationship between Charlie and Colonel Frank grow. From the first time we see Colonel Frank we can tell that he is a prick. He tries to break Charlie and test him to see if there is more to him than a poor boy who wants money. He swears he knows everything about everyone. He presents himself as better than those around him. He doesn’t show his emotions because he feels it makes him seem weak.This causes his family to shut him out. We can see that he is just really lonely and we figure later in the film out that all he wants is to be loved, to wake up with a woman next to him. This is made me wonder if this is why he doesn’t let Charlie touch him. 

We find out later in the film that Colonel Frank has a plan to kill himself leaving Charlie to do everything he can to stop that from happening. However, there are parts in the film that show Colonel Frank glimpse of happiness. An example of this is when he is dancing the tango with Gabrielle. Another is when Charlie lets him drive the car as shown below.

Al Pacino does a wonderful job playing the role of Colonel Frank. Hitting every emotion written in the script. There is no doubt as to why he wouldn’t have won an Oscar. Al Pacino went to the next level when given this role. He went to a school for blind to seek further guidance. He never broke character even off set to really feel connected with his character. Showing the audience an inside look of what it’s like being blind and depressed. Throughout the film I questioned if Colonel Frank was really blind because he would point out things that normally only a person with sight can see. This goes to show how well thought out this character is. That Colonel Frank has a sense in a way better than sight. We see this when Charlie and Colonel Frank are in the limbo and he senses a tension coming from Charlie. During this scene we see their relationship grow, because Colonel Frank tries to make him feel better and give him advice. All throughout this film Colonel Frank is giving Charlie advice. From the first time they met in the beginning of the film to the last scene of them leaving the school. 

By the end of the film we see that Charlie and Colonel Frank have saved each other’s life. Charlie was able to stop and convince the Colonel to not kill himself. Charlie helped him see the purpose of life and to treasure it regardless of how messed up we are. What Colonel says after really stuck with me because that’s the point where Colonel finally realizes Charlie’s worth in life,“you break my heart, son. All my life I stood up to everyone and everything because it made me feel important. You do it… because you mean it. You got integrity, Charlie. I don’t know whether to shoot you, or adopt you.” While Colonel Frank helped Charlie get his life back on track by not getting kicked out of school. They both teach each other that we all go through things but only the wisest survive.