It's a Wonderful Life

It’s a Wonderful Life, directed and produced by Frank Capra, has been a growing success, especially since it fell out of copyright protection, allowing the film to be shown on television. Unlike many films where the music captures the essence of the film, or the majestic shots make it what it is, It’s a Wonderful Life has been successful on simpler terms: its plot.

George Bailey, played by James Stewart, grows up in the town of Bedford Falls. He married his high school sweetheart, Mary Hatch, played by Donna Reed. Together they raise a family and seem to live a rather desirable life.

The question “what is the meaning of life?” has been asked countless times. In this film, George questions his life’s purpose and while frantically giving up, almost commits suicide. Literally sent from heaven, Clarence, an Angel 2nd Class (Henry Travers) jumps into the river so that George would feel compelled to save him.

Clarence tries explaining that the reason he jumped into the river was to protect George, and although George is not convinced, the two begin conversing. Unable to see any good in his life, George goes through the many reasons why he wanted to commit suicide. However, because Clarence has been watching from Heaven the entire time, he is able to show to George what his hometown, Bedford Falls, would be like without him.

Harry, George’s younger brother, would have died at a young age if George hadn’t saved him. Mr. Gower, the pharmacist, would have been accused of poisoning a child if George weren’t there watching out for the elderly man and Mary Hatch would have been a spinster librarian if they had not married. Not only that, but the entire town would have been named Pottersville, and the un-kept main street would have been lined with run-down pawn shops and sleazy bars.

This movie is often put into the category of “timeless” along with films such as Casablanca or The Third Man. It is not viewed as timeless because it’s an old film, but because any human throughout time can relate to how George feels. He feels desperate and slightly unnecessary, finding his life completely unsuccessful. It is not until Clarence comes from Heaven to meet with George that he is reassured of all the positive things he has actually achieved throughout his life.

He sprints back to his home with a new and enlightened attitude and opens the door to a celebration. His neighbors from around the community of Bedford Falls have gathered to donate money and help George and his family bring their business back on its feet.

The values and ideals intertwined in Frank Capra’s film, It’s a Wonderful Life, help us to realize what each person offers to the world and how we could not live without one another

The sense of love, warmth, and compassion make It’s a Wonderful Life a classic many families enjoy together, which often develops into a special and beloved tradition to watch during the Christmas Season.

"If she can stand it, I can"

Casablanca, a film noir released in 1942, is said to be one of the greatest love stories ever released. This classic takes place in Casablanca, Morocco, a city filled with political turmoil shedding from World War II. Straying away from the ‘wounded hero’ roles, Humphrey Bogart plays the leading male romantic, Rick Blaine, while Ingrid Bergman stars as the leading lady, Ilsa Lund. Casablanca begins with a chaotic scene regarding letters of transit which people must retain to leave the country. This pandemonium draws attention to the unusually calm and cynical attitude of Rick, the owner of Rick’s Café Americain. The audience first falls for this personality, but soon changes their mind. His love from long ago, Ilsa Lund, arrives at Rick’s high-class café with her husband, Victor Laszlo. We then realize that Rick is a truly sentimental man carrying a loving heart that had been shattered several years earlier. As Captain Renault (Claude Rains) tells Rick while drinking at a table joined by Laszlo and Ilsa, “Ricky, you’re becoming quite human, I suppose we have you (Ilsa) to thank for that!” Once he is reminded of his previous romance with Ilsa, Rick must choose how he will deal with his heart’s desire to return to her, as well as the need to defeat the Nazis.

The script of Casablanca as well as the chemistry between Ingrid and Bogart added to the complexity of the film. The lines were extremely well written, being witty and to the point but not too blunt, nor poetic to cause a cheesy feeling.

Music is a large part of the film, as well as an account of the conflict within their individual character lives. Diegetic, as well as non-diegetic sound are used to emphasize relationships. For instance, Sam (the pianist at Rick’s Café) is playing “As Time Goes By” upon request of Ilsa. This tune sticks out to Rick because it has been their song since they first met in Paris. Unaware that Ilsa had shown up at his café, Rick stormed into the room and demanded that Sam stop playing that song. Once Rick and Ilsa’s gazes meet, a dramatic chord is struck and tears are on the brim of Ilsa’s eyes. Another important scene incorporates diegetic sound. The German soldiers begin singing their national anthem and after some unease, Laszlo starts up “La Marseillaise”. Eventually everyone in Rick’s café is wholeheartedly playing or singing one of the national anthems (except for perhaps Rick who instead of defining his nationality, only says he’s “a drunkard”).

The Mise-en-Scene was executed incredibly well. The Moroccan climate is believable with the dusty streets and palm trees and Rick’s café seems like one of the classiest joints in town. Captain Renault suavely tells Ilsa that he was informed she was “the most beautiful woman ever to visit Casablanca”. And that the title “was a gross understatement”. He is correct in saying this, for she portrays a stunning woman of her period with her long, elegant dresses, delicate skin, glowing eyes, and perfect hair. The men are also just as seemingly wealthy and distinguished, most of them with a neatly trimmed mustache and a well pressed suit.

Even though Casablanca was said to be thrown together quickly, the cinematic elements only add to the quality the film already had. Although the film was mostly done in low-key lighting, shadows were sometimes important, as they could add eeriness to the mood. Close-ups were often used to emphasize that everything worth noting can be seen through watching the characters’ faces. For instance, the cinematographer, Arthur Edeson, specifically used catch lighting when filming Ingrid Bergman. This technique created the glow in her eyes, making it seem like she was almost always on the brim of tears.

A point worth noting is how the acting in Casablanca seems so fresh and real. In fact, nobody on the set knew how the story would end until the moment it had to be filmed, upon which the final decisions were made. This, as well as the ageless black and white filming, makes the viewer want to see the movie time after time, as it is practically impossible to grow tired of the emotions felt from this timeless classic.

Critique the Critic

"Enchanted"


Manohla Dargis’s review for the New York Times of “Enchanted” was one of the few reviews where the writer had many positive remarks of the movie, but also had its areas to critique.

The night I saw this movie, I wasn’t necessarily in a good mood but when I walked out of the theater, my spirit was completely uplifted. Once Giselle and Prince Edward began singing their duet (during which they immediately fell in love, of course) I was already chuckling, excited to see where the story would lead. Throughout the movie, I felt as though Amy Adams did a marvelous job as her role of a fairy-tale princess in the real world. Her gestures, facial expressions, and emotions helped me to believe she wasn’t any ordinary woman in New York City. I had only previously seen Patrick Dempsey in Grey’s Anatomy, so I was excited to see him playing the role of a real-life Prince Charming. Although I believe the film was cast very well, I was surprised that Idina Menzel did not sing at all. Although she had a supporting female role, I was expecting Marsden and her to sing a song as they traveled back to their fairy-tale land. The movie was incredibly cliché, although since that’s how it was supposed to be, it was humorous at the same time. In my opinion, it definitely was worth seeing twice (which I did), if only just to get a good laugh.

Manohla Dargis mirrored my opinion almost exactly. However, she thought that after the fantastically choreographed musical number in the park, the movie slumped slightly and ended with a few rough lines in the script.
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Dargis summarizes: "It’s a gently heretical redo, characterized by a script that falters only in the clinch, some agile if overly timid direction and a strong cast led by a superb Amy Adams."

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Dargis wrote an insightful review that did not reveal too much information to the audience. She warned them of its “Disney Fairy-tale Cliché-ness”, but explained that it had to end in the way it did to make it a true Disney movie.
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Dargis states: "It would be too much to expect Disney to wholly dismantle its own mythologies, thereby freeing young female hearts and minds from the curse of Prince Charming, so it’s no surprise that “Enchanted” trips up on its way to the finish."

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One statement I did not agree with was that “The windup disappoints” because even though I saw “Enchanted” twice, I didn’t think the ending could have been any better. The only negative comment I could make was that it was rather lengthy. However, in all honesty, for Disney to wrap up their film with its typical ending, all of the dramatic steps it took were needed.
I think the film did a wonderful job of not only making Enchanted seem like a “typical fairy-tale movie” but also dropping in details and events from its other hits-such as Snow White, The Sound of Music, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast.

noticing the details

In Minority Report, the movie begins with a vision that one of the PreCogs had seen. It then switches to a different scene with a red, heavy looking ball, being created. The camera focuses intently on the ball by using an extreme close-up so the audience realizes its significance to the scene as well as to the entire film.

Also, within the first ten minutes of Minority Report, John Anderton and his squad are able to prevent a murder from taking place. For several minutes the movie switches between two different scenes. Although the scenes connect with each other, the husband and wife are unaware that PreCrime is searching for them. As PreCrime is running out of time to prevent the murder, the camera rapidly transistions in and out of each of the scenes. This increases the intensity for the viewers because they are anxiously waiting to see if PreCrime will stop the murder in time.

my favorite movie you ask?

One of my favorite movies is Minority Report, released in 2002.

In the year 2054, security in Washington D.C. is under the watch of the “Pre-crime Division”. The purpose of this law enforcing squad is to prevent crime that is about to happen. They use three “Pre-Cogs”, genetically altered human beings, and their visions to eliminate crime from the city. John Anderton, played by Tom Cruise, is the head of “PreCrime”. He feels very emotionally attached to the mission because his son had been abducted six years earlier. He seems to think the system is flawless and believes in its accuracy until his own name is listed on the ball that rolls out of the “perpetrator”. At this time, it is believed that Anderton will murder a man he doesn’t even know in the next 36 hours. With his own colleagues after him, John follows a small trace of evidence called a “Minority Report” that could possibly prove his innocence.

Although I rarely watch Action and Thriller movies, I really enjoyed this one. I literally found myself on the edge of my seat, nervous for what would happen to John Anderton. There was no way that I would leave the theater for fear that I might miss a detail or hint that the director dropped into the storyline. Once the movie ended, I was left with some questions unanswered, hoping that if I watched it again, I might catch a bit of information that I had missed. Overall, I thought the plot was interesting and the special effects and creativity of imagining life in 2054 was fun to see.

Critics say that this movie truly delivers and it’s hard to want more from a film. Even though the movie is 140 minutes long, it’s so fast paced and suspenseful that you would never guess it lasted that long. The script is packed with all kinds of surprises-even humor, but did not have excess, nonsense lines.

blogging

well, this is fun.