Why a Movie Blog?

I love watching films. I love anyanlyzing them And I like to watch them again. Obviously, a movie may be facsinating visually, but if you look deeper into it, and even research, it's amazing to see the detail and work that is put in to make a truely, incredibly, fascinating fillm. Personally, I am particaulary interested in the cinematography of films. To me, it's astonishing that it is able to alter the film's mood, and even how much greater it can make a film.
So why these particular movies? The movies I post about are favorites of mine, or movies that have something special and original about them. I enjoy posting genres like dramas much more than comedies. But this is not because I don't enjoy comedies, because I certainly do, but more so because it's more interesting to look deeper than just the surface. I personally feel that there's more to dramas than comedies (keep in mind this is just a generalization of my opinion, I am aware of exceptions). The easiest, simplest way I can explain why I themed this sblog the way I have is because I enjoy learning, discovering, recomending, receiving recomendations, and viewing films.

American History X (1998) Directed by Tony Kaye
I decided to make this post about a film people are more likely to be familiar with. American History X is by far one of the most intense movies I have ever watched, and for fans of the great Edward Norton, this film will not disappoint. It tells the story of Derek, who is getting out of prison for brutally killing two African Americans who were trying to break into his truck. Derek was a skinhead, the most popular neo-nazi skinhead in his city. His "greatness" heavily influenced his brother, Danny, while he was in prison. Now that Derek is out of prison, he seems like a new man. But why? Derek had befriended an African American man in prison and  this man reshaped Derek's views. However, Derek sees Danny heading down the same path as he was previously on and he tries his hardest to prevent Danny from making similar mistakes.

Personally, I find this film incredibly fascinating because there are many background stories, and flashbacks that are filmed in black and white, while the present is filmed in regular color. The film does contain graphic language, but considering the topic, the language adds to the realness rather than takes away from the film distastefully.

SLC Punk is one of my favorite films. It includes all emotions I believe should be in a movie: anger, sadness, humor, and realization. It is a film that many would not appreciate, however I do tremendously. This quote displays the humor shown in the film.

"The Fight: What does it mean and where does it come from? An Essay: Homosapien. A man. He is alone in the universe. A punker. Still a man. He is alone in the universe, but he connects. How? They hit each other. No clearer way to evaluate whether or not you're alive. Now. Complications. A reason to fight. Somebody different. Difference creates dispute. Dispute is a reason to fight. Now, to fight is a reason to feel pain. Life is pain. So to fight with reason is to be alive with reason. Final analysis: To fight, a reason to live. Problems and Contradictions: I am an anarchist. I believe that there should be no rules, only chaos. Fighting appears to be chaos. And when we slam in the pit a show it is. But when we fight for a reason, like rednecks, there's a system, we fight for what we stand for, chaos. Fighting is a structure, fighting is to establish power, power is government and government is not anarchy. Government is war and war is fighting. The circle goes like this: our redneck skirmishes are cheap perversions of conventional warfare. War implies extreme government because wars are fought to enforce rules or ideals, even freedom. But other people ideals forced on someone else, even if it is something like freedom, is still a rule; not anarchy. This contradiction was becoming clear to me in the fall of '85. Even as early as my first party, "Why did I love to fight?" I framed it, but still, I don't understand it. It goes against my beliefs as a true anarchist. But there it was. Competition, fighting, capitalism, government, the system. That's what we did."

From reading the excerpt, it may be clear now why this movie may not be for everyone. The film focuses on Punk teens in the 80s residing in Salt Lake City, a conservative environment. However, by the end the main character realizes he is everything he's been claiming to hate.

The Fountain (2006) Directed by Darren Aronofsky 

The Fountain is a touching account of three parallel stories, all which showcase a man searching for eternal love and everlasting life. The first account includes a man (Thomas) from a Mayan country in the sixteenth century searching for the tree of of life so that he will be able to set free his queen. The second story is an account of a medical doctor (Tommy) whose wife is dying of cancer. He looks for a cure for his wife in different types of trees (the cure represents the everlasting life)The last account is visually stranger (through extremely captivating), than the first two. A man (Tom) in space, trapped with a tree inside of a bubble is approaching a nebula. He is able to stay young by feeding off of the sap of the tree that he is enclosed with, but he also is, in a way, haunted by a true love. In the end, Tom must accept death. What makes The Fountain such an interesting film is that it's stories cross and parallel within thousands of years.

Aronofsky has become an incredibly popular director in the past ten years creating films that engulf the viewer. Some films are almost too hard to watch, unbearable, and some are extremely touching.

The Fountain is such a visual film, I decided to include shots from Tom's account.

Election

Election (1999) Directed by Alexander Payne

This film is a completely shift from my first post. While Mr. Nobody was more serious and intricate, Election is lighter and a movie almost everyone can enjoy. This quirky, fun film, starring the famous Mathew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon, is about a middle aged social studies teacher, Mr. McAllister, who is in charge of the student election for class president. Tracy Flick, an annoying, know-it-all, tremendously successful student is bound to win every vote. However, Mr. McAllister has more  hatred for this student than any teacher could possible he have; he won't let her win this election. Throughout the movie he uses students such as the popular jock of the school and his experimental sister to ensure Tracy Flick's loss, and he even cheats a time or too. Throughout the course of this movie, unfortunate event after unfortunate event happens to Mr. McAllister, such as a failing marriage and an incredible bee sting, which adds a hilarious sympathy to the plot.

Mr. Nobody

Mr. Nobody (2009) Directed by Jaco Van Dormael

I stumbled across this movie a few years ago and it quickly became a favorite of mine. Initially what got me, obviously, was the storyline. But then I realized what actually, for me, made the movie so captivating- the vibrant colors, the soundtrack, and the incredible cinematography.
The movie, hard to follow for some, is an account of Nemo, a 118 year old man who's memories seemed to be confused. A news reporter visits him to tell the story of Nemo, his life. As he explains, something seems off. He describes his life in such different ways- one, a life with his mother, and two, a life with his father. Within each story lies more confusion and alternate paths. Nemo, explaining to the reporter, focuses on three main points of his life- young boy, a teen, and a married man.

Once the film is over, you may find yourself staring at the rolling credits, thinking to yourself, "wow."Such a surprising, beautiful ending.

"Each of these lives is the right one! Every path is the right path. Everything could have been anything else and it would have just as much meaning!" -Nemo Nobody at age 118

Soundtrack:
(the bolded are personal favorites)
Buddy Holly – "Everyday"
Ella Fitzgerald – "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall"
Emmylou Harris – "Mister Sandman"
Erik Satie – "Gnossienne No. 3"
Erik Satie – "Je te veux"
Erik Satie – "Gymnopédies No. 3: Lent et grave"
Eurythmics – "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"
Gabriel Faure – "Pavane Op. 50"
Gob – "Mr. Sandman"
Hans Zimmer – "God Yu Tekkem Laef Blong Mi"
Laurie Anderson – "O Superman"
Nena – "99 Luftballons"
Otis Redding – "For Your Precious Love"
Pierre Van Dormael – "Mr. Nobody"
Pierre Van Dormael – "Undercover"
The Andrews Sisters – "Rum and Coca-Cola"
The Chordettes – "Mister Sandman"
Pixies – "Where Is My Mind?"
Vincenzo Bellini – "Casta diva"
Wallace Collection – "Day Dream"