1. Analyze elements of postmodernism and the themes of the film illustrated in these clips from CHILDREN OF MEN.
Children of Men is a perfect example of Postmodernism in film. It features apocalyptic stories and setting, shown in both of the clips. In the first clip, the opening scene of the movie, we are introduced to this world of infertility and grayness. Even before we see anything, audio of news reports tell us of the world to expect in the film. In a dreary, gray-toned café, people gather and watch in silence as the news tells of the death of the youngest person alive. The somber hopelessness and fear of the ever-approaching end of humanity is clear. Theo is detached and cool in spite of the horrible circumstances, as are many other characters.
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In the clip we watched in Fargo, there are many things going on. All of the characters have different levels of the “Minnesota Nice” dialect. Depending on the interpretation, this is seen as either condescending to that group of people, or it exposes a niche region of America not usually represented in media. In Jerry we can see the mockery of macho. Men in most movies are portrayed as the respected, macho moneymakers, and Jerry isn’t that at all. He is trying to earn respect, and doing a terrible job at it. He seeks to gain money so his family doesn’t live off of his imposing father-in-law, Wade. The irony is that it is the money would still be coming from Wade, just through an illegal and violent route. Crime, the fake and the con artist are common threads in the brother’s work. Jerry is trying to con Wade in this scene, who is in turn trying to con …show more content…
They are people who wouldn’t normally be featured in a movie. Jerry is an average car salesman with an average son and a wife living off her dad’s money. He feels he is not respected, and he is right. The Dude is an unemployed loser who spends his days drinking white Russians, smoking cannabis, and bowling. Donny is a guy who doesn’t have anyone else to hang out with, so he spends his time with people who constantly berate him. Walter is a loud man who can’t move on from Vietnam or his ex-wife, mentioning them frequently and often inappropriately, like at Donny’s sad excuse for a funeral. The losers, who are often larger-than-life characters imposing themselves onto other’s lives, create an environment that is unpredictable and sets up the action of the movies. The ashes blowing back onto The Dude are completely unexpected, yet exactly what needed to happen at that
This is a man’s movie all the way to the core. Look at Wyatt Earp; he was a MAN if you know what I mean. I definitely think that is why I enjoyed the movie so much myself. It just gives you a glimpse of what it means to manly and tough. We have it easy these days in not having to battle for our own dignity whenever someone calls you out. I forgot how good this film is seeing how that is had been a long time since the last time I watched it, but I had never observed in the way I did to complete this paper. This process has given me a new appreciation for the little things I enjoy subconsciously in movies, but never have the opportunity to really express in words. I would recommend this film to anyone who has not seen it yet in a heart
At a very young age of eight, David Fincher’s passion for cinema grew when he was inspired by the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). Born in 1962 Denver, Colorado, David Fincher moved to Ashland, Oregon in his teens, where he graduated from Ashland High School. During high school, he directed plays, designed sets, and managed lighting after school. One summer, he and a friend attended the Berkley Film Institute’s summer program, where he hoped to learn film as a true art form but instead was taught the technical production. Either way he was happy to engage is this and as his early film industry career started, he was a production assistant at his local television news station. Years went by as he directed propaganda films followed by becoming a well-known music director until his first movie feature debut Aliens 3 in 1992. However, the American director David Fincher didn’t become a modern 21st century visionary until his creation of the film Se7en (1995). The huge success from this film started Fincher’s popularity in the film industry. From there he continued to make ironic movies we know today such as: Fight Club (1999), Zodiac (2007), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), The Social Network (2010), Gone Girl, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
1. What are the main themes, politically and socially, that are portrayed in the film?
This essay analyses how mise-en-scene informs both what is seen and how we are invited to see it, in Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men (2006), a dystopian science fiction thriller. The film is set in England in 2027 and humanity has become infertile. Every other society has collapsed due to dwindling populations with many migrating to England a former activist, Theo Faron (Clive Owen), agrees to help, Julian Taylor (Julianne Moore), to get Kee a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea. The aim of this essay is to investigate the power of mise-en-scene, specifically in the use of ‘setting’ and ‘staging’ in key scenes that frames the state of affairs in this imaginary society and the use of omnipresent media in the film and how audience is invited to see it by resembling their own reality. Using close textual anlysis of Children of Men, combined with an ideological critique of post 9/11 global, this analysis will demonstrate how Alfonso Cuaron’s uses the techniques of mise-en-scene show the audience a perception of reality in ways which invites them to debate the nature of contemporary society or politics .
This film highlights the flaws of humanity in a western world. The films ability to touch on topics of classism, prostitution, and alcoholism makes the content mature and unlike typical western films. This revolutionary and innovative western created a foundation for many future films. The sophistication of the content, and lack of adherence to the production code makes this film an “adult”
“Children of Men” Directed by Alfonso Cuaron. Is set in the year 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, Theo Faron a former activist, agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman, Named Kee, to a sanctuary located out at sea, where her child’s birth could help scientists save mankind. In the film Children of Men, there are many crucial scenes to help convey the idea of the film, however I find one of these scenes particularly important; namely the apartment scene. In this scene Theo is being driven through the streets of London to the Ark Of Arts to visit his cousin Nigel. The director uses a number of techniques to help portray the themes and ideas, such as music, setting, lighting
2) What are some of the themes that are central to the film? How have they been communicated?
O Brother Where Art Thou "O Brother Where Art Thou" is a comedy that was directed and written by Ethan and Joel Coen. The Coen brothers, who are sociologists, wanted to conduct a film that portrayed the south. The scene I have chosen that contributes to the overall theme of the movie is the Klan rally. It begins with the of the rally members and in a three shot, Everett, Delmar, and Pete rise up from behind the bushes in blackface to find that they've stumbled across a Klan rally. Forming geometric shapes, the Klan members were marching and singing in unison.
I have watched a considerable number of movies this semester so it was hard to choose which one to analyze. It came down to “Remember the Titans” or “Good Will Hunting”. However, the movie that I will be analyzing is “Good Will Hunting”. The reason I chose this movie is that it can be analyzed in many different ways. I will be analyzing different scenes of the movie and analyze them from different angles. I will be analyzing about the symbolism that is happening in the movie. I will be analyzing many different things about the movie. The first thing I will analyze in this movie is the symbolism of things, objects, colors, and
The film Children of Men, directed by Alfonso Cuaron, proved that a breathtakingly good beginning as well as a brilliant, awe inspiring ending, is crucial to a successful movie and captivates the audience's attention, keeping them enthralled throughout the film. A blank screen and voice over of a news reporter cause the people to become rather perturbed as they listen attentively to the broadcast, all huddled together watching a single television within a small cafe; Caf Fin. A powerful opening as it both notifies and brings to the attention of the audience that the setting is a time full of happenings, where events are taking place in all directions. The protagonist, Theo, is initially introduced as a different individual, someone who doesn't
The film represents violence of destruction as associated with masculinity, and it shows this as a negative attitude, and
The Big Lebowski (1998) by the Coen Brothers is no doubt a comedy film about friendships between three bowling buddies with differing personalities who met and stuck together as friends by choice in Los Angeles when the U.S. army invaded the Middle East. The Coen Brothers managed to capture the spirit of friendship bonding, conflicts, characters’ internal struggles as well as personal desires with exceptional cinematography and mise-en-scene
The movies start out with a semi regular family, considering it is only a mother and a son, and the son is a heroin user. Dean Schmitz a movie reviewer for Variety says that, ¡§Many of the tragedies in the world are accidents; sad blunders of luck, but some, like the four stories in this film are the results of a chain of events that started off with ¡§normal everyday folks¡¨ and ended in the worst kind of way, and in a way that was not accidental, which is maybe the saddest thing of all.¡¨ All four characters start off as normal good people, other than the fact that three of them occasionally ¡§push off¡¨ which is the term used in the movie for shooting up heroin. The movie is broken down into three seasons of the same year, summer, fall, and winter. Summer is a great time for all of them, they seem to be doing well in life and most of their dreams seem to be within reach. Fall, is just what it says, all of the characters begin to fall into, or at least begin their decent in to their drug educed slumps. Finally comes winter, it is this season that all four characters hit rock bottom. Which is graphically depicted in a final montage of disturbing and shocking clips of all of them in their personal hell.
Analyse aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) through close viewing and/or listening, supported by evidence.
Shawshank Redemption is directed by Frank Darabot, published in 1995 Australia. The film focusses on the theme of forgiveness and escape. It follows an unusual friendship between Andy and Red set in a 1930’s American prison. The main focal scenes explored include: Brooks suicide and Tommy’s death. The film is to be narrated by Morgen Freeman (Red), it shows the 20 year period of Andy’s imprisonment. As a part of the analysis emphases on the scenes as it introduces the audience to the Shawshank prison and Andy’s first moments when attends to the prison to the very moment when he escapes to Mexico.