MYST Post 6: The Boondock Saints

This film follows Irish twins destiny to bring justice to all the corrupt and criminals. The film starts out with the two in a desperate situation. Russian mob members have them handcuffed and ready to be killed. Miraculously, the twins escape and kill the mob members. After, the two decide it is their destiny to kill all of those they deem "bad." Later, they are joined by their Italian friend who has been betrayed by the mob. Together the three kill plenty of bag guys. The real test comes once they reach a man that the mob has hired to kill them. A great battle occurs, but in the end there is a great twist. This film stars Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flannery, Willem Defoe, and David Della Rocco. The director, Troy Duffy, has only directed two films, this and the sequel. It was not produced by a big studio. This film was not liked by critics but was liked by the public.

This was one of my favorite movies, so of course I will give it four stars out of four. Duffy uses a Tarantino style of violence. He does not shy away from gore, and it is also highly fantasized. He also does a good job of adding an unexpected twist that adds to the movies entertainment value. The camera work in this film is interesting. Numerous times, the camera spins 360 degrees. This adds a full effect to the viewer because it gives the feel that the viewer knows exactly what is happening everywhere in the area. Duffy by no means is as highly skilled of a director as Tarantino but his style is very similar.

One Scene that caught my eye was a scene where the twins are in air ducts climbing to reach their next target. the two fall but are caught by a rope. Spinning, the two take out every target. The colors here are one of the main references to Tarantino's style of violence. Everything in the room is white or cream to contrast the red of the blood. Once everyone is shot besides the boss, blood is pouring out of the dead bodies bright red. The twins get the boss on his knees and angle their guns so their bullets go out through his eyes. Once dead the red and black residue where his eyes once were is displayed on screen. All the men in this scene have on some sort of white shirt to help make the blood pop out even more.

Overall, the movies plot more than anything else is what drew me in. If you are looking for an artistic masterpiece, this is not what you are looking for. However, the story is great and the acting works well in creating a great story.

MYST Post 5: A Bronx Tale

In a film Directed and starred in by Robert Deniro, a boy grows up with two role models in his life. Lilo Brancato Jr. plays "C" an Italian boy growing up in the Bronx. His father, played by Deniro, is a straight, hard-working bus driver. He teaches him simple values like hard work, the importance of education,  and modesty. However, while sitting on a porch one day, "C" witnesses a murder by the most important man in the Bronx. His name is Sunny, played by Chaz Palminteri. He is the area's mafia boss and runs the area in which "C" lives. "C" is impressed by his power. When the cops come to talk to "C" regarding the murder, he does not say anything. He therefore gains the loyalty of sunny. "C" and Sunny become closer as they both get older. C's father, tries to keep the two apart, however he is unsuccessful in his attempts. Eventually conflict arises between C's father and Sunny. In the end, Sunny changes C's life, as well as saves it.

I give this movie 4 out of 4 stars. It was entertaining throughout, and had great character development. This film had similar qualities to films like Casino and Goodfellas. Though this movie was directed and starred in by the same person, the writer was also Chaz Palminteri, who played Sunny. The Deniro influence is prevalent throughout this film. He tends to like to add plenty of drama and unforeseen twists in his films. When "C" is feeling happy and there is a joyful tone and the lighting is bright.
As far as genre, this film is similar to many Scorsese films. The style is also similar in the way it tells the narrative. It includes lots of character development and unexpected twists. The lighting in the movie is interesting at times and also typical at times. The film uses a lot of dark scenes to create an ominous feel.
In this film there is one particular interesting cinematic scene. "C" goes to see Sunny for the first time as a kid. Sunny is in his usual hangout at a table. The lighting is dark. Though it is not Godfather dark, it is dark  nonetheless. There is a cloud of smoke as "C" walks in. There is a low angle shot looking up to Sunny as he begins to talk to "C" for the first time. This helps show the importance of Sunny.
 "C" is nervous to talk to Sunny and a high angle shot looks down on him as he speaks. This helps emphasize the little importance and power he has compared to Sunny. The irony is that "C" is important to Sunny because he was a witness to the murder.

Overall, I recommend this film to anyone interested in dramas or Italian mafia films. It tells a good story and is relatively easy to follow. An interesting note for Chaz  Palminteri fans is that this film is semi-autobiographical.

1975 Create a Movie Project

During then 1970's new film characteristics and styles emerged. Genres began to blend together, the emphasis on character development grew, a new theme confusing traditional ideals about good and evil emerged, and "Hollywood endings" began to fade. In 1975, a new film has been created and presented by 20th century fox. The film's title will be Feared Mind. In this Film, Michael J. Fox will play a disgruntled early teen. He has been bullied at school and has bottled up his anger. His mother, played by Angie Dickinson, has decided it would be a good idea for her son to visit the school's psychologist, played by Dustin Hoffman. The social worker, after a few visits, has noticed what appears to be an imaginary friend who helps dictate the teens's actions. The friend helps the teen make decisions and often has a taste for blood. This imaginary friend will be played by Jack Nicholson. A string of deaths among people who have come in contact has been noticed by the social worker. The viewer knows that the imaginary friend has been telling the child to use violent actions against the school's bullies. The viewer then finds out that the child can tell what every one's biggest fear is. The child uses this knowledge to make the bullies feel the pain the child has felt. The child kills the bullies and anyone else he does not like in the way that each person considers their biggest fear. Dustin Hoffman, the social worker, realizes what is going on. He tries to help save the boy from committing these crimes. He tries to save everyone, but in the end not only do the teen's victims die, but the child dies as well.

As stated previously, Michael J. Fox, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, and Angie Dickinson will all star in this movie. This film will be a big budget film because of the high priced actors and also the special effects needed to make this film appealing. Jack Nicholson should fit the role of the Imaginary friend perfectly. He has proven in the early seventies that he has a wide range of roles he can play. In One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, he plays a man that may be mentally disabled. In that film he had times in which he had an eerie personality. This is exactly what is needed in the role he plays in Feared mind. Dustin Hoffman is casted to play the role of the social worker. In the 70's Hoffman was in his prime and a very popular actor. He played a key role in The Graduate and Lenny, winning awards for both. Angie Dickinson, playing the role of the Mom, would be in her 30's. She has a background in horror films and has won numerous awards as well. Michael J. Fox, starts his acting career in the 70's. With little experience in film to this point in his career, this could be his breakout film. He also is the one character who would be considered low profile, therefore helping keep the budget realistic. The director of this film will be William Friedkin. Friedkin has a background in horror films. He directed The exorcist, a successful horror film. He was inspired by Citizen Kane and Orson Wells and has won the academy award for best director.

The studio chosen to produce this film is 20th Century Fox. This decision was made for various financial reasons. At this point in time this studio had broadened it's investments. This gave it the financial backing to invest in higher budget films. It helped make Star Wars possible when other studios denied the script. This would give them the potential to invest in this high budget film.

The element chosen to be highlighted in this film was cinematography. The lighting will be dark and similar scenes to the godfather will be used. Specifically scenes in the office. In The Godfather, dark lighting was heavily used in the office scenes. The same will be used in the office scenes in Feared Mind. This will help emphasize the actors facial expressions as well. The editing will play a key role as well. Jump cuts will be used sparingly. Deep space composition will also be used to create suspense. This film will also feature Gordon Willis as it's cinematographer. This is due to it's similarity with The Godfather.

As mentioned earlier, this film will feature several seventies film themes. This film will not have the Hollywood ending. The teen's death will be the end of the film, sparing no one he has encountered. This film will also feature an anti-hero. The viewer at times will be on the side of the child when he is bullied. They will also be on his side when he is trying to decide who to listen to, his social worker or his imaginary friend. However, once he begins to use excessive violence, they will no longer be on his side. Throughout this film, the viewer will see the development mainly of the social worker. After being put in many pressure packed situations his personality and morals will change. Lastly, this will be a blending of a horror film and a thriller.This film will have a mature rating due to it's violence and some profanity.

Formal Film Study: Tarantino

After watching Tarantino's films Reservoir Dogs, Hostel, and Django Unchained, I have noticed several tendencies used throughout each film by the director. Tarantino has an interesting style to his films. His use of gore is enough to keep certain people away from his films however somehow this excessive violence and gore somehow adds an extra flare. Personally, gore is not what interests me. However it is used often in these three films. For example, in one scene in reservoir dogs, a cop who has been kidnapped is tied to a chair and beaten excessively. Then, later his ear is cut off. The events leading up to this prepared the viewer for the moment however, the actual blood and gore cannot be prepared for. It is a stomach turning scene to watch. This scene is nothing compared to large portions of the movie Hostel. Similar to the Saw series, Hostel has scenes in which presumably a psychotic "doctor" takes people in what seems to be similar to torture chambers and does what he pleases. Tarantino does not shy from showing the viewer exactly what is happening to these pour tourists who have been lured to the chambers. In Django Unchained, scenes of intense violence occur during flashbacks of Django's to brutal whippings from plantation owners as well as a "misbehaving" slave who is torn apart by dogs. Tarantino apparently has a stomach for these sort of things, but also feels it is important in certain aspects of plot and character development. For instance the dog scene in Django is what seems to be a turning point and a point of realization for viewers of Django's personality and character changes. Without the violence the viewer would not be given the same effect. Another thing worthy of being noted is Tarantino's use of color throughout his film's. Django's blue servant outfit is a perfect example. It is explained to the viewer multiple times throughout the film that a black man riding a horse in the south at the time was not common or accepted. Django stuck out like a sore thumb just being on the horse but to add to that he chooses a bright blue outfit for his servant's uniform. Also, the use of grey throughout Reservoir Dogs added to theme of professionalism. Many times it was mentioned how the men were all supposed to be "professional" thieves yet their plan fell apart. Grey suits, grey walls and floors were all widely used throughout the film and symbolized this professionalism. The contrast of dark, ominous colors with bright red was often used in gory scenes in Hostel. This made the violence stick out even more. 

The overarching theme I discovered throughout Tarantino's films was his belief in character development. In each film there is at least one character that the viewer becomes attached to. In Reservoir Dogs, there were two. Mr. Blue is someone who is followed the entire film. He is shown to have good character even though he is a thief. He tries to help his partner who is shot and refuses to leave him in the warehouse. The viewer continues to learn more and more about him and how he got into the situation he is in. The other person whom the viewer sees develop is the man who is shot. At first he seems to be just one of the thieves and the viewer is rooting for him to live. Then later, when it is discovered that he is an undercover cop, the viewer turns against him. This seems to be the opposite of most films where the viewer is against the forces of good and is even mad that they are relatively successful. In Hostel, only one person does the viewer see develop. That is Paxton whom the viewer learns has a past experience with death. This causes him to not be able to leave the Asian woman in the chambers. He goes from being the average mid twenties tourist to a hero. In Django Unchained, Django goes from being the average slave to a brutal bounty hunter who will do anything to rescue his wife from the evil plantation owners. The viewer also sees the German bounty hunter also develop to a lesser extent. 

In the three Tarantino films mentioned, each displays a different culture. Django shows some of the brutal truth of pre civil war southern culture. It appears Tarantino felt some of the brutality that really occurred was important to show. Also, in the scene in which the masked men try to murder both Django and the bounty hinter shows how opposed southern culture was to support for anti-slavery movements and individuals. The whipping scenes show how cold hearted some of the plantation owners could be. Some of the language used about the slaves by the southern people shows how the really viewed the slaves as objects and not people. In hostel, the child gang was an interesting way to show some of the poverty that existed throughout the setting. Also, certain sights and scenery was displayed throughout the various places they travelled as well as the difference in laws.

The last thing I discovered was Trantino's reluctance to use the typical Hollywood ending. He was not afraid to get the viewer to believe that it could happen and then decisively rid of that notion with the ending of the film. the style is particularly interesting because few people are willing to do this type of ending because of the fear of negative public reaction however, clearly Tarantino does not feel that way. This is shown with the seat of everyone in Reservoir dogs to end the film as well as the suicide by the Asian woman after she has nearly escaped. These were two unpredictable and surprising endings. Overall, Tarantino did a great job with each film. He was able to keep the viewer interested while making an impact on the viewer as well.

MYST Post #4 Stand Up Guys

In this film, Walken and Pacino get together in their old age to create a new type of gangster film. This gangster film does not rely on violence to grab a viewers attention. This film is interesting because of it's plot. In Stand Up Guys, Val (Pacino) has just been  released from prison after a 28 year stint in prison. He and Doc (Walken) are the only two of their old crew that have stayed in touch over the years. Doc sent Val care packages and paintings while he was in prison. Once Val is out, he wants to get back to his old partying ways. Doc assists Val while he is on his partying
surge. Val quickly realizes that he is not the same as when he was younger. Meanwhile, Doc has orders to take out Val
from a mafia boss. Val was sent to prison because he had murdered the Mafia Boss' son accidentally during a robbery gone wrong. Doc does not want to kill Val, but has to do it on 24 hours. Val quickly realizes Doc's situation and is beginning to accept that he only has 24 hours left to live. The two try to come up with solutions while at dinner at a diner. At the diner, Val meets Doc's friend who is a waitress at the diner. Val learns that Doc is a regular customer at the diner. Later it is found out that the waitress is Doc's granddaughter but she does not know. Val and Doc meet up with some of the old crew and find a girl in the trunk of a car they stole. The girl explains she has been kidnapped by some "punks." Val and Doc decide to bring street justice to them. The enter in the guys compound where 5 men are staying. They eventually tie the men up and leave them to the women who now has a baseball bat. Afterwards, Doc and Val have bonded and there is now no way Doc can kill Val. The two decide to try to kill the mafia boss. Before the shootout, Doc leaves a letter for the waitress explaining the situation, and some money that he has left her.

I give this movie 3 out of 4 stars. The plot is interesting but the ending could have been better. Critics have a wide range of ratings on this film as well. This film is much different than typical Scorscese and Tarantino gangster films. Profanity and violence are not heavily used. The film tries to rely on plot to peak the viewers interest. I personally liked it because I am a fan of both Pacino and Walken. If you are not a fan of these two than this film would not be particularly interesting to you. I thought that as these two begin to get up in age, that is was cool that they made a movie about it but showed how they still have a roughness about them.

One scene that was particularly interesting to me, is the scene in which Walken and Pacino are picking out new suits. The two have broken into an expensive suit shop without tripping an alarm. They have all the time they need to pick out new suits. There is an irony about the situation. Pacino at this point is picking out what may be the clothes he dies in. Walken is resistant to change and is reluctant to pick out a new suit. This scene touches the emotions of the viewer because time is running out for Val. Val is beginning to become saddened by the situation and this emotion is extended to the viewer. This scene stuck out to me because there are so many things going on. Doc shows how he is still stuck in his old ways, Val begins to become sad, and then this is all twisted when two mafia henchmen arrive to finish the job they believe Doc will not be able to do. Doc and Val take care of the henchmen and officially decide it is time to take care of the mafia boss.

To me, the cinematic elements of this film are not complex. Many critics have said that the cinematic elements bring this film down. There are many things the director tries to use. For instance, in the scene mentioned earlier, the director uses a mirror to foreshadow the next action but also to amplify the gravity of the moment. There is also the use of deep space composition various times throughout the film. The camera is shot from the ground up to show the view point of Val and Doc as they shoot upwards at the mafia boss in the final scene. overall, I did not feel the job by the director was anything special in this film but was not anything to bash either.

MYST Post #3- The Social Network

This movie follows the story of Mark Zuckerburg and the birth of major social media and facebook. To me, the story is the most interesting aspect of this film is the story. It is thrilling and packed with information that I had never known about Mark and facebook. The cinematic elements of the film were nothing special to me, but the film did do a great job of telling the story. Justin Timberlake's performance as what is portrayed as the bad guy is well done. Overall, I give this movie 3 out of 5 stars.

To me the key scene that stuck out is when Eduardo has realized that his role in the company has vanished and he approaches Mark angry. In this scene the camera is placed behind a sitting Mark facing up looking at a standing Eduardo. Eduardo's body language is easily seen to show his frustration for choosing Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) over him. Mark does not seem very upset that he has lost one of his only friends however. That to me is the most interesting part.

This movie is set to be like a flashback as attorneys along with Eduardo and Mark are deliberating over a lawsuit. This in a way is similar to Citizen Kane, where all the scenes are flashbacks of what happened and then the plot build from there. Another film that this film is similar to is Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Both of these Films Have a business aspect to them which was interesting to me. Overall, I felt that there were strong performances all around in this movie.

MYST Post #2- Skyfall

This thrilling sequel to the James Bond series is interesting and entertaining. Daniel Craig plays bond brilliantly once again. This movie follows bond on a mission in the opening seem chasing what seems to be the main bad guy for the rest of the movie. However while in a scuffle on a train, his partner is forced to take a shot that puts Bond's life in jeopardy. Sure enough the bullet clips bond and sends him down a waterfall. Miraculously Bond lives. While the espionage world believes Bond is dead, Bond is secretly living on an island. Later, the federal building where Bond's agency's headquarters are is targeted by what is later found out to be a disgruntled former agent. This hits a nerve for Bond who returns to take down this former agent. Overall, this film was well done and my personal favorite of the twenty-three movies in the series. I give this film 4.5 out of 5 stars.

The use of color throughout this film is something that stuck out to me. In every scene, the color pattern seemed to fit well with the tone of the scene. This gives the viewer an ability to focus on the content of the scene and the action instead of noticing needless things happening in the background. Throughout the entire film, each shot is made to make the movie flow well. I did not notice a single shot that seemes to be choppy or odd. overall, a great job by the crew.

To me, this film is shot similarly to Quantum of Solace. The main difference to me comes in the content. Particular scenes like the scene where bond has been captured and forced to shoot a shot glass off the top of an innocent women's head, is very intense and unpredictable. Being the unstoppable force that Bond is, the viewer expects Bond to save the innocent woman, but he cannot. He does however manage to escape the grip of the disgruntled agent and bring him in soon after. This is what I find great about this movie. It takes many twists and turns that are unpredictable. Skyfall was the topic action movie that I have seen in the last two years. Overall, strong performances all around.