The Tree of Life

hmmm... viewing this film was definitely an experience i'll never forget. When comparing it to other movies i've seen i would have to say this one was pretty lame. However, during the discussion at signs and wonders Leeper described it as watching a painting for two and a half hours. If i look at this film through that lens then i can find some depth to it's content.

I wont go on and on about how visually beautiful this film was cause i'm sure half the class already went into that aspect. Aside from all the aesthetics the main thing that i took from the film was how honest and real the situations were that the family went through. From the oldest boy's perspective i was able to connect with the most obviously because i am a boy who went through many of the learning experiences portrayed in the film. The moments in the boys life that were focused on in this film were amazingly universal and i believe connect to everyone on some level. That level of film making is incredible and i hope i learn how to create that someday.

I don't think this is a film i would happily go watch again, but i am glad i saw it once so i can have it in my arsenal in case a discussion breaks out in the future.                       

Arab and Jew west bank story

The short film we watched in class with the Jews and the Arabs was absolutely hilarious  Whoever directed this was clearly not afraid to step on any toes when it came to stereotypes and racism, that takes some guts! My favorite part was when the girl at the hummis hut shot the machine gun in the air before taking the man's order. Because this film was a comedy it was able to get away with a lot without coming off as offensive. This makes me think if you have a message to send but you are afraid the public wont like it then you can just cloak it in a comedy and everyone will love it and still get to see your message.
back to the stereotypes. i'm not really sure if it is morally wrong to laugh at this kind of stuff, i hope its not cause i can't help but crack up at it. This type of film making i would not like to venture into but i'm glad some people do.                                                                       

the hobbit in production

This is a video that shows the process of creating the new Hobbit movie coming out in December and i think its definitely worth watching. Its not every year that a movie of this magnitude comes out so this is a rare chance to see into how they create such an amazing scale movie. They make it seem like they are having fun while making this movie which is a huge relief to me at least cause ever since i started coming to school for film I've started to love the film making process less and less. Whether they are actually having fun or just putting on an act for this movie i don't really care; it gives me hope that this career can  potentially be fun.

The Walking Dead

In this blog I would like to strongly urge you all to watch the series The Walking Dead. I’ve never been the type of person who gets all into a TV show and actually care what happens next and all that jazz; until I saw one episode of this show. The gore in it is a little eccentric so I suppose this show is not for everybody. However, if you’re into that kind of thing then this will become your new favorite thing in the world. There is a constant flow of action and tension that keeps you engaged and focused on the screen for the entire duration of the episode. This action did not come at the expense of great character development and an always unexpected plot flow. I almost feel strange because of how much I care about some of the characters on this show.  This isn't your ordinary mindless zombie apocalypse deal. So if you have Netflix I highly recommend you go on it immediately and watch the season opener of season 1; if you’re not hooked by the end of the episode I will be flabbergasted.                                

Johnny Cash: Hurt

Johnny Cash’s performance of Hurt is easily in my top 5 favorite songs of all time. I was very shocked that we watched the music video for this in class because it was the first time I had heard of the film being shown beforehand.  The song itself is a pretty good song but it never really stood out as anything special until Johnny Cash covered it and made this amazing music video. With all the success and all the mistakes that permeate Johnny’s life it is so powerful to see him reminiscing on it all and asking, “What have I become.”  This statement gives a very clear look into the fact that this life is not what everything is about. Even if we live a life as grand and exciting as Johnny Cash’s we still will feel empty at the end if we did not spend our life pursuing God earnestly. My favorite line in this song is when he says, “you can have it all, my empire of dirt.” These lines even more so strengthens my above claim that this life can offer us nothing unless we strive to know God. I would argue that this is the most powerful and most well done music video ever filmed.

Once in a lifetime

Now i have seen some pretty interesting films in my day, but this one definitely takes the cake. The music video for The Talking Head's song "Once in a Lifetime" is the weirdest thing i have ever seen; and for that reason it is one of my favorites. I'm not sure how people come up with this stuff, which i suppose makes it a unique form of art. I could never make something this random if i tried for months and months. Music video is the only genre of film where this unbridled creativity can shine at its brightest. Although i feel like modern day music videos are not taking advantage of this fact. They are mainly making like short films and playing their song in the background; personally i prefer the classics like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1wg1DNHbNU

Animated documentary on death

Until this class i have never heard of an animated documentary. I've always had a mental connotation of documentaries being boring so why would anyone make an animated one! But after watching a few documentaries in class i now know that documentaries can be very entertaining and informative at the same time; i've just been watching the wrong ones my whole life i suppose. After seeing the animated documentary we watched in class about death i was very impressed with how it was able to raise questions for all religions. Would i show my kids this someday, probably. Although i do not agree with some of the things portrayed in the doc. it can be a great learning experience because it raises questions. Fittingly, i just learned in my psychology class about some different parenting styles One option of parenting is being authoritarian which means you tell your kids exactly what to do; my way or the highway. I don't think that's how i'll do it when i have my chance. I want my kids to come to their own decisions on things and not be forced believe things, especially in there faith. So a film like this one would be great to raise the questions and give me a chance to talk to them about what i believe and why and let them work through in their own minds whether they agree or not.

When the day breaks

This time we spent focusing on animation was a lot of fun, because there is no limits to what can happen in an animated film as opposed to a live action film. This unpredictable style has always been the highlight of animation has a genre to me. Since the definition of comedy as we read earlier in the year is "unforeseeable"; animation can reach comedic heights with no limit.When Leeper showed us "When the Day Breaks" and i saw that chicken getting dressed and ready for the day i could not stop laughing; there was just something about seeing a chicken acting like a human that cracks me up; and don't even get me started on the pig singing! Anyways, i think this film is so great because it was not written just to appeal to children although at first glance one would cast it off in the children film genre and never watch it. There is a level of enjoyment and content that is age appropriate for adults as well. The ending of this film portrays the guilt experienced by the pig after the chicken is killed. Adults, much more than children, can relate to what that poor pig is feeling.

wreck it ralph

Yesterday me and some people went to see the new disney pixar movie Wreck it ralph. Since we had just spent a few weeks on animation i went into the film with a different mindset then i usually would have when i'm about to watch an animated film. The quality of animation was absolutely amazing; pixar never ceases to shock me in that regard. They were able to switch from cheezy old arcade game graphics to stunning 3D cartoons with insane realism. The story however left something to be desired. Overall it was a solid story; something i would expect from a disney movie. I saw a point near the end of the movie where they could have took a risk in the story in order to make a more powerful ending. Unfortunately, they chose to opt out and go for the happily ever after type ending. SPOILER ALERT: The main character, Ralph, chose to sacrifice his life to save his friends game from being overrun and destroyed. However, instead of him dying they pulled a few tricks and boom, he was able to save the game and yet survive at the end. Obviously i understand why they chose this ending, because little kids would not take kindly to a movie where the main character is killed; but still i was able to clearly see the line between being a little edgy and being a sell out. Overall I liked the movie a lot.

Animation

Even though i have no desire to ever get into the business of making animated films; after these 2 weeks or so of studying animation i have developed a much higher level of respect for this art form. I especially appreciate the films we watched today that were made by only 3 guys. The fact that they can animation shorts at that level of quality between the three of their minds and budgets gives me hope for the industry. Although obviously big budgets are nice to have; i feel that the best films are made on tight budgets that can focus on doing the little things really well instead of just looking for expensive scenes and effects they can throw in the film to widen appeal. You need a huge budget to make a huge hit its just a myth. 
I am excited to see the art that our HU animation students can produce during there time here.

A difficult topic

Within the film industry there is a spectrum from pure entertainment to intense challenging art; this is one of the reasons that makes film so appealing to me. When you choose to take on a serious topic your perspective and mindset plays a huge role in how genuine your final project will turn out. The films we watched in class that dealt with the topic of rape were amazingly crafted to combat this topic with out feeding into the problem at all. The reason for this is because they were created by women directors who see the topic of rape through a completely different lens then men. From my masculine perspective the only way i could think of taking on the topic of rape would be showing the devastation that comes along with this crime and trying to show an over dramatized scenario to make people disgusted by rape. However, now i know this the wrong way to come at this topic after seeing how these female directors handled it with class and a different perspective. They were able to symbolically capture the terror and pain of rape without any sexual content. Amazing stuff.                                                                                                  

Greatest animated film ever?

When we watched that movie, "The Hedgehog in the fog" quite  honestly i was not to impressed. I know i may come off as sounding ignorant or blind to art but i just want to know why this film is anything more special than any other animated work. It was very entertaining because the hedgehog was really fun to watch trudge through the fog, but as far as moral content i don't see how this rises above the rest. Also, i am probably being a bad reader; analyzing this movie having only watched it one time through. I'm recapping on my first impression of this film so perhaps i should give this film another chance in a little while. I've come to realize that in the art world of animation the quality of the actual animation is not the deciding factor in how a film is ranked. For instance something like toy story's animation style; although to common viewers is very aesthetically pleasing and a joy to view this is not the case among film maker's minds. It almost seems the stranger and more raw the animation the better.                                          

The man who planted trees

I still don't know exactly what it is about this film that makes it so great and uplifting. The story was so simple and yet it kept me gripped to the screen the entire half hour and made me feel inspired to go do something productive with my life. It is so rare to see a film where there was barely any conflict or evil, just pure determination and progress. Before i saw this movie i would balk at the idea of a movie with no conflict inspiring anybody to do anything, but now i see that this positive energy is just as powerful, if not more so, then the use of heavy darkness in a story. Although darkness can also be used in a powerful way to send a message; sometimes light is the better option to really drive home a certain point or message. I want to see more films that reflect this positive light and stop constantly watching movies in the dark. 

The block garden of Eden

I have always been fascinated with stop motion animation. Although i do not think i am cut out for this type of film making the amount of time and detail that has to go into just a single second of film is mind blowing. So props to you prof. Leeper. The films we watched in class today, the sand castle one and the block playground were great art. The film can meet you on a pure entertainment and visually pleasing level while at the same time sending strong spiritual connection. This combination of virtues within this art is so powerful. The way i see it is the childlike atmosphere of these films make you relax when you watch them and your not really looking to analyze and pick apart all the little details of it to see what it means. This mental relaxation allows the messages and story of the art to seep into your brain and make connections with out the usual way through analysis. At least thats the way i see it, i hope my thinking makes some grain of sense.

Reflection on Song of Sparrows

Despite a lack of special effects and minimum background music i felt this film gripped my attention quite well for the hour and half. This goes to show that huge budgets and star power acting is not what makes a great film. The simplicity of the story exhibited in a completely different culture was fascinating to me. The level of moral content the director was able to put in this film without being overt because of legal cultural restrictions took major talent. The father in this film becomes consumed with material possessions and makes it his  main focus to the point where his world comes crashing down around him (literally). After he falls of the pile of junk that has accrued in his yard, it is then that he realizes what a mess he has made of his life. Hmmm... interesting resemblance can be drawn to Christianity; we must see the emptiness the world holds for us and turn to the things that really matter. Also, a major parody to Salvation is the kids cleaning out the well. The father says in the film that theres no way a fish could live in all that junk and muck. So the kids get the idea to clean out the filth and fill it with clean water so fish can live there. That is powerful symbolism to anyone who is open to receive it. These subtle moral messages encoded in Majid Majidi's films makes him an outstanding director. Simple story, great film, well done.                                      

American Beauty

Very interesting film! After watching the movie and reflecting on it i still am unsure weather the overall tone of was dominantly comedic or depressing. At some points i would find myself cracking up at certain scenarios; then in the very next scene feeling saddened. It is very rare to find that kind of blend in a film; the only movie i've seen that i can compare this style too is Lars and the Real Girl. Although there is a wealth of deep artistic beauty in this film the main thing that i enjoyed was the father and his attempt to regain the joy in his life. Granted he did go a little off the deep end in some ways, but the concept of snapping out of our regular routine and living life while we can really stood out to me. I felt inspired to apply the old phrase Carpe Diem to my life similar to the father in the movie; just different in the sense that i will attempt to live each day to the fullest for the glorification of God. I love how a very non-Christian film was able to inspire and challenge me to walk stronger in my life as a Christian.                                                         

Quiz:Lunch Date

This short film was great! Watching the shift of the older woman's attitude as the film progresses forces a smile on your face. When we first meet her in the story she is the epitome of a upper class woman who wants nothing to do with the "common people" who were scattered about the train station. However, once she is forced to mingle in their midst for a few hours she is confronted with a gruff man who frankly disgusts her. The comedic way in which they begin to interact, eating a salad, is a heart warming visual representation of humanity. The fact that we are all equal in God's eyes and no one person is any better than another just because they might have more stuff or hygienic practices. This film speaks volumes about how we can be so quick to stereotype and turn our noses up at people we considered different or lesser than ourselves. I hate to sound cliche but this film spoke to me saying we should not be so quick to judge one another. The fact that this film could be absolutely hysterical and also pack such a powerful punch on the topic of humanity makes it such a great story.

my take on being "Leeperized"

With this blog i would just like to express my current thoughts on this class. The class itself is very enjoyable and at some moments very challenging. However, the kind of film maker i want to be i don't think involves all this deep level of art and emotion. On the other end of the spectrum i also do not want to make dry boring films that nobody will watch. I think my passion falls somewhere between these too extremes where i just want to learn how to tell a good story that people can enjoy and also be able to get detect some level of christian moral undertone from my works. Maybe this means i am completely delusional and if that is the case then i guess i'm in the right place to learn what i need to learn. Along the lines of one of the readings we were assigned by David Mamet, "But the purpose of art is not to change but to delight. I don't think its purpose is to enlighten us. i don't think it's to change us. I don't think it's to teach us." So unlike the other girl, i believe Kayla was her name, i wouldn't say this class makes me depressed about my passions; rather it makes me feel slightly unsettled about the quality of the style of films i want to create in the future.

Fairy Tale

I never realized how a fairy tale could be such a powerful genre for presenting thought provoking messages. I have always just discounted fairy tales as purely entertainment and never took a deeper look at the stories. The quote Professor Leeper read in class today i thought was a crucial point to remember; the statement about how in fairy tales they make the rivers flow with whine so that we remember for a second that they flow with water. That is so true! I take for granted so many awesome things around me just because i have been inured overtime to not be impressed by them. Also, with modern technology the simple and often amazing things in life get completely overlooked.

In my future cinematic endeavors i would love to somehow bring out the beauty in the simple. Whether i do this by means of an epic fairy tale or just by presenting a simple concrete yet enticing story; such as the film Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I loved that film because the whole movie the boy was searching for some kind of resolution to in some way justify his father's death; yet at the end the conclusion is reached that there is no answer to be found. You get wrapped up in the hope to find some exciting answer at the end, then you are sucked back into reality and you realize that some things in life cannot be resolved nicely.

and everything is going fine

I have never seen a movie like this movie in my entire life. Amazing craftsmanship to cut those different monologues into making somewhat of a flow to the story. I was impressed that Spalding was able to overcome his obvious mental limitations and be a success in this tough world. This guy had a very peculiar life and at some points the stories he told were absolutely nasty. One can learn a lot from this man's life not by following his example but by observing how destitute and alone he was at the ending years of his life. When he looked back on his whole life what had been his point, or his legacy to be left behind? Sadly, his life seemed to just be an open book for his audiences to laugh at or be disturbed by and that's all. Despite his adventurous and exciting life; he ended up a sad worn out old man with no stories left to tell and only an   unknown afterlife awaiting him.