"Holiday Movies: 25 Biggest Box-Office Turkeys Ever"

I came across an interesting article and decided to turn it into a post, which has been adapted from the Moviefone article. Click on the titles to see the IMDB profiles!

The Top 25 Biggest Box-Office Turkeys Ever

25. Sahara

24. Alexander

23. Inchon

22. Poseidon

21. Speed 2: Cruise Control

20. One From the Heart

19. All the King's Men

18. Leonard Part 6

17. Shanghai Surprise

16. Basic Instinct 2

15. A Sound of Thunder

14. Hudson Hawk

13. Howard the Duck

12. Bonfire of the Vanities

11. Catwoman

10. Battlefield Earth

9. Gigli

8. Waterworld

7. The Postman

6. Cutthroat Island

5. Cleopatra

4. Heaven's Gate

3. Ishtar

2. The Adventures of Pluto Nash

1. Town & Country

For those who are interested in more movie fails, check out the IMDB Bottom 100!

Part of me wants to watch these films and see what makes them so awful. At the same time, who wants to spend the time watching movies that they know will be bad? It might be entertaining and educational, however, to watch a film flop in class to study it in contrast to other films... 

"Another wedding invitation. And a list. Lovely."

Four Weddings and a Funeral

1994; UK; 117 min.

Director: Mike Newell

Screenplay: Richard Curtis

Music: various artists

Cast:

Charles - Hugh Grant

Tom - James Fleet

Gareth - Simon Callow

Matthew - John Hannah

Fiona - Kristin Scott Thomas

David - David Bower

Scarlett - Charlotte Coleman

Carrie - Andie MacDowell

I took out a bunch of movies from the library because I knew that I would have a lot of free time on my hands this vacation (I just had my wisdom teeth taken out.). So, that explains my current intense blogging trend. I decided to take out this particular film because I love Hugh Grant. One of my favorite films is definitely "Music and Lyrics," which stars Grant as a retired pop star. While Hugh Grant did a great job acting in this film, the film itself was absolutely awful. I was totally disappointed that Grant took part in this train wreck of a film.

The plot was interesting - I guess... Obviously, the plot was about four weddings and a funeral. It was clever how the weddings built on each other. For example, a couple who meets at the first wedding (SPOILER ALERT) is the couple getting married at the second wedding. However, no witty banter or clever moments could save this film. The romantic relationship between Charles (Hugh Grant) and Carrie (Andie MacDowell) was completely unbelievable and unrealistic. They had only met once and then they fell in love. They knew nothing about each other whatsoever. This particular "love at first sight" wasn't even romantic - it was just plain weird. The characters had no connection and didn't build on their relationship after meeting each other. Andie MacDowell's character barely had any lines in the whole film. After the film ended, the audience is still confused (or at least I was) as to which characters are in relationships with others. The best part of this film was casting Hugh Grant. Other than Grant, I couldn't wait for this film to be over. There was absolutely no thought put into this film and I would not recommend it to anyone.

iRate: 1/5 weddings

(*NOTE: That rating is only above zero because of Hugh Grant!)

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYV_mV3BckA

"I know what I want, because I have it in my hands right now. You."

P.S. I Love You

2007; USA; 126 min.

Director: Richard LaGravenese

Screenplay: Richard LaGravenese, Steven Rogers, Cecelia Ahem

Music: John Powell

Cast:

Holly - Hilary Swank

Gerry - Gerard Butler

Denise - Lisa Kudrow

Sharon - Gina Gershon

John - James Marsters

Patricia - Kathy Bates

Daniel - Harry Connick Jr.

"P.S. I Love You" was an absolutely touching and fabulous romantic comedy. The film is the story of Holly (Hilary Swank), who has just lost her husband, Gerry (Gerard Butler). Gerry has left Holly ten letters to help guide her after his death. Gerry, who has never made plans before in his life, has actually planned out the delivery of these letters to Holly following his death. The letters arrive via mailboxes, singing leprechauns and more. All of the letters end with a final "P.S. I love you," hence, the name of the film. Gerry's hope is to get Holly to experience life and not hold back and mourn. With the help of her friends, Denise (Lisa Kudrow) and Sharon (Gina Gershon), Holly does experience many new things and gets her life back. The letters lead the trio to Ireland and karaoke bars. Most importantly, the letters lead Holly (SPOILER ALERT) to a new appreciation for life and a new romance.

What I really love about this film (originally based on a book) is the concept of the letters. I think that it's absolutely so sweet and really romantic that Gerry left all of these letters for Holly and wanted to stay with her for as long as possible. While some may view what Gerry did as prolonging the agony of mourning a loved one's death, I think that it was a way for Holly to say goodbye. Holly never really had the chance to say goodbye to Gerry because he died from a sudden brain tumor. The plot of the movie is just amazing. I particularly enjoyed the scenery in the film. The scenery was particularly appropriate to the plot of the film. The scenes filmed of Ireland were breathtaking. I would highly recommend this film, and I will definitely watch it again.

iRate: 5/5 letters

Trailer: Click here to check out the trailer for "P.S. I Love You!"

"I bet Victoria never had this particular secret!"

Mad Money

2008; USA; 104 min.

Director: Callie Khouri

Screenplay: Glenn Gers, John Mister, Neil McKay, Terry Winsor

Music: Marty Davich, James Newton Howard

Cast:

Bridget Cardigan - Diane Keaton

Don Cardigan - Ted Danson

Jackie Truman - Katie Holmes

Bob Truman - Adam Rothenberg

Nina Brewster - Queen Latifah

Older Dante - Peyton 'Alex' Smith

Cop #1 - Charlie Caldwell

Cop #2 - Richard F. Law

Mindy Arbogast - Meagen Fay

Bryce Arbogast - Christopher McDonald

"Mad Money" is a classic bank heist plot with a modern day twist. I have to admit, while watching this, I was quite distracted playing with my laptop and talking to friends. Therefore, I don't know if I'm the most credible source to give a review on the film. "Mad Money" wasn't really that interesting to me. I was looking forward to seeing the movie at first because of Queen Latifah. I've seen movies that she's been in before and they've been hilarious. I also knew that Diane Keaton happened to be a great actress (I've seen some movies with her in them before as well...). I was interested to see Katie Holmes' acting abilities in this film, which proved to be sub-par. 

Anyhow, the film is about this trio that decides to steal money from the Federal Reserve. They all work there, and the unlikely three ban together to collect money for each of their own interests. They are taking money that is going to be shredded and taken out of circulation, so they go undetected for a good portion of the film. I honestly couldn't tell you much more about the film - I really wasn't paying attention to it. I guess the fact that my laptop was more entertaining than the film speaks for itself. I would maybe consider watching "Mad Money" again without the distractions. We'll see... I would rather spend my time watching other films.

iRate: 2/5 diamond rings

Trailer: www.madmoneymovie.com

"If memories could be canned, would they also have expiry dates? If so, I hope they last for centuries."

Chungking Express

1994; Hong Kong; 98 min.

Director: Kar Wai Wong

Screenplay: Kar Wai Wong

Music: Faye Wong, The Mamas and the Papas, Dennis Brown, Dinah Washington, Michael Galasso

Cast:

Woman in blonde wig - Brigitte Lin

Cop 663 - Tony Leung Chiu Wai

Faye - Faye Wong

He Zhiwu, Cop 223 - Takeshi Kaneshiro

Air Hostess - Valerie Chow

Manager of 'Midnight Express' - Chen Jinquan

Richard - Lee-na Kwan

Man - Zhiming Huang

The 2nd May - Liang Zhen

Man - Songshen Zuo

"Chungking Express" is an absolutely beautiful and amazing film. "Chungking Express" is the story of two cops and their romantic lives rolled into one. First, we encounter the woman in the blonde wig (Brigitte Lin) and her relationship with Cop 223 (Takeshi Kaneshiro). In a fast-paced segment of drug dealing, high speed chases, and shootings, the audience begins to wonder what exactly the woman in the blonde wig does. just as the audience starts to question that mystery, we are shifted over to another cop romance (cromance?) involving Faye (Faye Wong) and Cop 663 (Tony Leung Chiu Wai). The rest of the film follows the romance between Faye and Cop 663, leaving the audience to wonder what happened to the first part of the story, and what its significance is to the film.  

I love some of the ideas that were brought up in the film. A good film is one that makes you think, and this film definitely did. One idea that I liked was how you can pass by so many people every day without knowing what an impact they could possibly have on your life. I think that idea is just so profound and probably quite true. It's amazing to think of all of the people's paths that you cross and when you may or may not meet them again. On a daily basis, you could have bumped into the person you're going to marry or brushed past your future best friend. I think that by calling the cops in the film by numbers, the director is achieving the same effect. Those cops could be anyone. The numbers add to the anonymity of the characters. Another idea that I liked in the film was the concept of expiration dates. Cop 663 brings this idea up relating to pineapple and his ex-girlfriend, May. I love when Cop 663 talks about if love has an expiration date. In contrast to this idea of expiration dates, there's an idea expressed in this film that time moves on. Your choice is either to move with it and progress or live in the past. But also, is time a constant cycle? While the audience switches stories, we're still dealing with two cops. In the end, (SPOILER ALERT) Faye becomes a flight attendant, just like May was. Aside from the similar professions, a common theme of romance links the two stories together. I think that many elements of this film are very romantic, and even scenes that are fairly graphic are tastefully filmed.

Both the music and the cinematography in this film add to the plot to truly make it amazing. I love the song, "California Dreamin'," and had that leitmotif stuck in my head for the time after I watched the film. The cinematography in this film is absolutely outstanding. I love all of the camera effects that Wong uses. His camerawork is truly innovative and unlike anything that I have seen before. Wong uses many canted angles often, which are usually used by directors as a method to show conflict, as well as many other techniques. Below are some frames that I found particularly amazing:

One method that the director uses is a blurred shot or freeze frame. These help to add to the idea that time goes by even if you are caught up in your own world.

This scene is one of the ones that is shot in a very sophisticated, tasteful manner. For example, this scene uses symbols instead of bluntly showing you what happens between the two.

The director uses reflections many times to show characters in the film. The reflections add another dimension to the character and help the audience to literally see them from another perspective.

I think that it's necessary to go back and re-watch this film. I have a feeling that you could understand more of the plot if you do so. Some of the plot is still somewhat confusing for me - I plan on re-watching "Chungking Express." I may have never come across this film in my career as a film viewer, but I'm glad that I did - this film exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend this film - it's amazing!

iRate: 5/5 airplanes

Trailer: Click here!

An Art of Film First...

For the first time in AoF history, the Period 7 rating has surpassed the Period 5 rating! For which film, you ask? None other than "Jesus Camp!" And, the two periods tied for ratings of "Chungking Express." This is monumental and quite epic. I never thought this day would come... hahah! Check it out for yourself on Mr. D's Website...

The Results Are In...

I was so excited when I got a bigger turnout in my second blog poll! Yay! So, here are the results...

Question: What most attracts you to a film?
Answers:

• Actors/Actresses
• Director (33%)
• Plot (50%)
• Genre (16%)

Thanks for voting! Make sure to vote in my next poll - coming soon!

"Who's in the house? J-C!"

Jesus Camp

2006; USA; 87 min.

Director: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady

Screenplay: n/a

Music: Force Theory, Neill Sanford Livingston, Michael Furjanic

Cast:

Becky Fischer - Becky Fischer

Ted Haggard - Ted Haggard

Mike Papantonio - Mike Papantonio

I have already had many interesting conversations with HippieKidd about this film. "Jesus Camp" is a film that doesn't end after the 87 minutes of Evangelical exposition. The effects of the film resonate throughout the viewers. To say that this movie sparks discussion would be an understatement. "Jesus Camp" documents children and the Evangelical faith. It's hard to post about such a touchy subject like religion, but I will try my best. I just want to mention that absolutely nothing in this blog is meant to insult another religion in any way. That being said, "Jesus Camp" was truly an eye-opening film. We're very accustomed to our own environment and surroundings. It's hard to coat check our bias at the door. In psychology, the false consensus effect is when we believe that more people think the same way that we do. For example, liberals in New York might believe that more of the country is liberal than actually is. I think that the false consensus effect is completely applicable to this film. I didn't think these seemingly radical groups existed in such large numbers as they do.

Now for the controversial stuff... First, I think it's great that these kids have a passion for something. I think their dedication to their religion probably keeps them out of trouble and will continue to later on in life. The issue of indoctrination arises when discussing the film. I think most of us in some way, are indoctrinated into our respective religions. I was raised Jewish. Not really strictly, but I did go to Hebrew school and had a bat-mitzvah. At the time, I didn't really have strong feelings about religion either way. I knew though that getting bat-mitzvahed (that really doesn't look like a word) and studying religion would be important to me as an adult. Reflecting on Judaism, I really do like the concepts about helping others. It is something that I hope to pass on to my kids - I am proud to be Jewish (although still I'm not highly religious - I like the cultural aspects of Judaism, like the holidays). If I really had opposed Judaism, I assume that my parents would have let me stop my studies. If I had decided to make a decision and switch religions, I don't think I would have been disowned or something. I know that my parents, as do most in all religions, would like me to continue our religion when I have a family of my own. So as a viewer of "Jesus Camp," I didn't come in with any strong opinions or prejudices. I would like to think of myself as a neutral viewer when it comes to religion. I wanted to check if my religion was biasing my perception of the film, so I talked to a couple of my classmates, who were of other religions. My friend Aly had similar reactions to the film as I did. My other peer, David, said that he was personally offended by the film. I was glad to know that it wasn't my religious upbringing that made this film alarming. I think that I was, however, affected with a regional bias - the false consensus effect at work.

What I didn't like about this film was how there were children depicted crying and distraught. I found this to be extremely upsetting. I don't think religion should be something that makes you feel badly about yourself. Seeing these kids so upset over things that they had allegedly done was awful. I felt like it was too often that I saw tears streaming down faces and faces reddening with embarrassment. I don't know if kids should be living in fear of others judging their actions. I do understand that in some religions it is customary to repent. I just found all of the crying to be particularly disturbing. Another aspect of the film that scared me was Becky Fischer. (When I put "Jesus Camp" into the search box on Facebook out of curiosity, I came up with many groups that were anti-Becky Fischer.) Some of the concepts she expressed and some of the words that she said truly worried me. The power of organized religion is a scary thing, no matter what religion it is. At the same time, religion can be a great unifier.

I think that the producers did a great job of making a seemingly unbiased film. I'm sure elements of bias are there if you hunt for them. I didn't see any of them myself though. I would recommend the film for group discussion. It's truly an intriguing topic. I think that a great idea for a book would be to experience Evangelicalism firsthand (sort of undercover, I guess), and then write out one's experiences. (Jesus Camp: The Novel, anyone?) Anyhow, I found this film to be extremely interesting yet quite disturbing at the same time. I think that this was an amazing film in the fact that it had an ability of solicit a reaction out of its viewers, and that's exactly what a documentary should do.

iRate: 3/5 churches

Trailer: Visit the Jesus Camp website for videos and more...

"Greek girls do not lose their pants!"

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

2008; USA; 117 min.

Director: Sanaa Hamri

Screenplay: Elizabeth Chandler, Ann Brashares

Music: various artists

Cast:

Tibby Tomko-Rollins - Amber Tamblyn

Lena Kaligaris - Alexis Bledel

Carmen Lowell - America Ferrera

Bridget Vreeland - Blake Lively

Julia - Rachel Nichols

Ian - Tom Wisdom

Carmen's Mom - Rachel Ticotin

Brian McBrian - Leonardo Nam

Kostas - Michael Rady

I rarely come across sequels of great movies that are equally amazing. "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" was definitely one of these films. I loved the first movie so much, and this movie is definitely another favorite of mine. I could be the fifth sister. For this post, I'd like to take a look at the New York Times review of this movie:

In his review, Stephen Holden talks about this film being an unrealistic, overly sweet film. He claims that the situations that the girls are in do not happen to the everyday teenager (the perfect boyfriends, the ivy league schools, the extreme wisdom). While I do think that the plot is very idealistic, there are some (well, few...) elements of the plot that are "real." For example, in this film, Tibby (Alexis Bledel) and Brian (Leonardo Nam) break up and deal with a pregnancy scare. Bridget (Blake Lively) has to deal with the aftermath of her mother's suicide and the discovery of secret letters from her grandmother. Holden does brings up the issue of the actresses being in high school for part of the film and then in college, when they look older. Holden does make a valid point about the idealism in the film, but I think he just can't see the magic in the "Pants."

It's clear that I love this film. The scenery in the film was breathtaking and accurate. I was actually extremely surprised to see a match cut in the film. It occurred when the film was transitioning from the story of one girl to another. The match cut actually really made sense here. Throughout the film, the director tries to portray an interconnectedness between the girls. I couldn't believe that even the cinematography works to emphasize this bond! I didn't expect to be seeing classic film elements in my fun film. I would highly recommend this film! I know that I will be watching it over and over again - vive le pants!

iRate: 5/5 pants

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9wU-SfV-SQ

The Results Are In...

Here are the long awaited results of my first blog poll...

Question: What has been your favorite full length film of the course so far?
Answers:

• Do The Right Thing (50%)
• V For Vendetta (25%)
• Elephant (25%)
• North By Northwest
• Spirited Away
• High Noon
• Rushmore

Thanks for voting! Make sure to vote in my next poll - coming soon!

A Reinterpretation of "M" With The Cinema Connoisseur

What happens when two friends get together to record an impromptu interpretation of "M" (1931)? Check out the video above to find out! Special thanks to Linnea and Sara L. for their ideas and camera help!!!

*Sorry for all of the video embedding code stuff - I'm still figuring this video thing out!!!

"Does it hurt?"

The Big Empty

2005; USA; 20 min.

Director: Lisa Chang, Newton Thomas Sigel

Screenplay: Lisa Chang, Newton Thomas Sigel, Alison Smith

Music: Carlton DeWoody

Cast:

Alice - Selma Blair

The Specialist - Elias Koteas

Talk Show Host - Richard Kind

The Thoughtful Man - Gabriel Mann

Arctic Explorer - Simon Cole

Gynecologist - Richmond Arquette

Cartographer - Ezra Buzzington

I don't know what to say (that's a first!). Why exactly did we watch this, Mr. D?

__________________

*UPDATE (12/07/08):

At the time of the first post on this film, I really didn't know what to talk about with this film. It was just extremely peculiar and very different, to say the least. After reading some of my peers' blogs about "The Big Empty," I gained a little bit of insight into the film. The movie is definitely on an abstract level. Other than its less than conventional topic, I'm not exactly sure why we watched the film. Was it for cinematic reasons? Anyhow, I wasn't overly impressed with it and I'm ready to leave this film in the past and move ahead. If you're in the mood to think, I would recommend watching it. It's defnitely a short film that you could ponder for days.

iRate: 2/5 tundras

Trailer: n/a

"Hello sweetheart..."

Lilo and Me

2003; USA; ?

Director: Kip Fulbeck

Screenplay: Kip Fulbeck

Music: n/a

Cast:

n/a

"Lilo and Me" is a sort of short documentary film about Kip Fulbeck and his life desire to fit in with a racial group. Fulbeck brings the audience into his family by playing various recordings of phone calls with his mother and his father. Fulbeck then goes on, explaining how growing up with an Asian mother and Caucasian father had left him with a sense of uncertainty as a child. Fulbeck humorously talks about the Disney characters that allegedly look like him. Pocahontas, Aladdin, Mowgli, and obviously Lilo are some of the "ethnically ambiguous" Disney characters with whom Fulbeck identifies. I would recommend this film - it's quite clever and very funny.

iRate: 4/5 ethnically ambiguous Disney characters

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTS0xu-Bwqk

(*NOTE: The trailer not only includes a clip from "Lilo and Me," but all of the videos on the short film collection, "Slant.")

"Boys like Peter are not afraid of wolves..."

Peter & the Wolf

2006; UK; 29 min.

Director: Suzie Templeton

Screenplay: Sergei Prokofiev, Suzie Templeton, Marianela Maldonado

Music: Mark Stephenson

Cast:

n/a

This short film is the most current adaptation of the famous tale of "Peter and the Wolf." At this year's Oscars, "Peter and the Wolf" won the award for the best animated short film. This film has won many other awards in other countries as well. I had never heard this famous story before, although I have heard of it. The story was semi-interesting. The animation was pretty good. (I guess I just didn't get that into this, so I'm not exactly overly enthusiastic in my post now.) I liked the scene where the animals were ice skating. The lesson about forgiveness at the end of the story was interesting. I don't really think that the lesson was so easily extracted from the film. After watching, I knew that there was some moral lesson, but couldn't figure it out. Maybe it was because I wasn't paying thorough attention, maybe it was the film's fault... I'm not sure. Either way, I'm not exactly a fan of "Peter and the Wolf."

iRate: 1.75/5 keys

Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1484783897/

"Well, I got her number. How do you like them apples?"

Good Will Hunting
1997; USA; 126 min.

Director: Gus Van Sant
Screenplay: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck
Music: various artists

Cast:
Sean Maguire - Robin Williams
Will Hunting - Matt Damon
Chuckie Sullivan - Ben Affleck
Professor Gerald Lambeau - Stellan Skarsgard
Skylar - Minnie Driver

I was pleasantly surprised with our second student choice film, "Good Will Hunting." The plot was really smart and the screenplay itself was quite interesting. The plot begins as the viewer meets Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor at MIT who hangs around drinking and smoking with a group of his buddies, including Chuckie Sullivan (Ben Affleck). One night, they meet Skylar (Minnie Driver) at a bar. At the bar, which happens to be populated with MIT students, another guy (an MIT student) is trying to pick up Skylar. Chuckie is also trying to do so, but the MIT student is showing off with his intellect. Will comes along and completely calls the MIT student out on his fake knowledge (he has simply regurgitated a textbook), impressing Skylar. Will catches the interest of Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) when he solves an impossible math problem on the board. Will's journey continues as he works with the Professor, as he is taught by Maguire (Robin Williams), a psychologist, and as he falls in love with Skylar.

One interesting thing about the film is that the ending is not exactly 100% clear. As blogger Film Lover (http://tributetofilm.blogspot.com/) commented (in an amazing throwback to AP English 11-3), there were many "dramatic possibilites" to the ending of the film. A big shout-out is in order for blogger 7thpeerwatcher (http://7thpeerwatcher.blogspot.com/) for nominating the film. I would definitely recommend this film, and I'll probably end up watching it again!

iRate: 4.5/5 apples
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z02M3NRtkAA

"You'd rather focus on other people's Kodak moments than make memories of your own!"

27 Dresses

2008; USA; 111 min.

Director: Anne Fletcher

Screenplay: Aline Brosh McKenna

Music: various artists

Cast:

Jane - Katherine Heigl

Young Tess - Charli Barcena

Kevin - James Marsden

Tess - Malin Akerman

Young Jane - Peyton List

Casey - Judy Greer

Pedro - David Castro

George - Edward Burns

This is the ABSOLUTE EPITOME OF AN AMAZING ROMANTIC COMEDY! This might be my favorite one of all time. This film is perfect! This wasn't the first time that I have watched "27 Dresses," and it definitely won't be the last. I LOVE "27 Dresses"! Where do I begin?! The plot is adorable. "27 Dresses" is the story of Jane (Katherine Heigl), who is "always the bridesmaid, never the bride." The beginning of the film explains how Jane has always loved weddings, and she is actually working as a wedding planner. The first scenes are from two weddings that Jane is juggling in the same night - an American wedding and an Indian wedding. When Jane gets knocked out trying to catch the bouquet, Kevin (James Marsden), a complete stranger, comes to the rescue. (SPOILER ALERT) When Jane's long time crush (and her boss), George (Edward Burns) ends up falling for her sister, Tess (Malin Akerman), Jane loses it. Due to Jane's nature of being a "people pleaser," she is taken along on Tess' wedding planning journey. Jane begins to develop a relationship with Kevin, despite the fact that their relationship is rocky in the beginning. The twists and turns in the film evoke emotions in the viewers. Jane is everyone's friend - and has a collection of 27 bridesmaid dresses to prove it! She really is a big mush - she collects these wedding announcement articles written in the New York Journal by this guy Malcolm. Little does she know, Kevin turns out to be writing under a pseudonym - Malcolm. When secrets are exposed, Jane's relationship with Kevin and Tess' relationship with George are questioned. The film has a fabulous ending - "Casablanca" could learn a lesson or two from "27 Dresses"!!! Here are two of my favorite scenes:

This scene is towards the beginning of the film, when Jane literally begins to fall for Kevin (although she really is bothered by him at first). After an intense bouquet throwing scene where Jane is trampled, Kevin helps her and brings her home. The whole night he has been watching her go between the two weddings, however this is the first time in the film that he actually talks to her.

This scene is when Kevin discovers all of Jane's bridesmaid dresses. Afterwards, she proceeds to try them on for him, in an attempt to prove that they aren't that ugly after all. Kevin is taking pictures throughout this scene as the two have a little "photo shoot."

I can't praise this film enough! There are so many wonderful qualities that make this a success. The acting is great, the dresses are interesting, the music is perfect, the scenery is beautiful, and the screenplay is quite funny. James Marsden is incredibly gorgeous as well! I would highly recommend this to anyone (obviously!). I am certainly going to buy this on DVD and watch it over and over again. 

iRate: 5/5 dresses

Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi598868249/

"Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time."

Casablanca

1942; USA; 102 min.

Director: Michael Curtiz

Screenplay: Murray Burnett, Joan Alison, Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, Howard Koch, Casey Robinson

Music: Max Steiner

Cast:

Rick Blaine - Humphrey Bogart

Ilsa Lund - Ingrid Bergman

Victor Laszlow - Paul Henreid

Captain Renault - Claude Rains

Major Strasser - Conrad Veidt

Signor Ferrari - Sydney Greenstreet

Ugarte - Peter Lorre

I was extremely excited to watch "Casablanca" because of its famous reputation as a classic film. It was one of those movies that I have been meaning to watch for the longest time, but have not had a chance to. I think I definitely had high expectations for this film. This being said, I wasn't overly impressed with the film. I thought I would absolutely love "Casablanca," and this was not the case. I didn't really get into the political aspect of it. That was not interesting to me at all. I'm really just not into politics, I guess. I did like the "old time cinema" feel to the film, which was probably due to the fact that this is a 1942 film. 

The American Film Institute (AFI) ranked this the number one romance of all time. I beg to differ. The romance aspect of the film was alright. Maybe I'm just a fan of the modern day romantic comedy, but this doesn't exactly compare to my favorite romance films. Sure, some parts of the film were extremely romantic. But I was extremely disappointed when Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) (SPOILER ALERT) didn't end up together. How could that happen? Why would a writer make that choice? How could an actor go along with that? There's no real closure, in my opinion, in the film. Sure, Ilsa gets to stay with Laszlow (Paul Henreid), a man that she doesn't really love. And Rick? Well, he gets a friendship with Captain Renault (Claude Rains). So Rick gets to live his life alone, but no worries, he has a new best friend. Ilsa gets to live her life with someone, probably yearning for the person that she truly loves [Rick] for the rest of her life. As you can see, I wasn't exactly happy with the ending.

One part of the film that I did like was the music. I really enjoyed the song, "As Time Goes By." The lyrics were very appropriate to the plot. I find this stanza particularly apropos to the idea of the film...

It's still the same old story

A fight for love and glory

A case of do or die.

The world will always welcome lovers

As time goes by.

So I think that the reason that I was critical of the film was because my expectations for it. I'm sure that if I watch it again, I'll enjoy it more. I will give it another try in the future. I really do love romance films. I consider myself an expert (well, maybe not exactly an expert, but well-rounded in the field) in romantic comedies. This film just didn't do it for me. If you do like 1940s politics, and romance (with a bad ending), I would recommend "Casablanca."

iRate: 2/5 visas

Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3749445913/

"If I have a mixed cube, I'll solve it. If I have a solved cube, I'll mix it. The entire day can pass that way..."

Piece By Piece

2007; USA; 15 min.

Director: Sachi Schuricht, Emma Thatcher, Isaiah Allekotte, Grace Rathbone-Webber 

Screenplay: n/a

Music: n/a

Cast:

- various people including Lars Petrus, the 1982 Swedish speedcubing champion and the directors of the film

"Piece By Piece" was definitely one of the most interesting short films that I have ever seen. (This is therefore going to be a short entry due to the length of the actual film.) The film focuses on the enigma behind the popular Rubik's Cube by following around various "speedcubers." Speedcubers are extremely quick Rubik's Cube solvers. It's absolutely mind blowing to watch these people solve the puzzles so rapidly. I couldn't believe some of the statistics that accompanied the film as well. The number of possible combinations of the cube is enormous! I also liked the sound of the Rubik's Cubes moving and spinning. This movie prompted my friend, a fellow peer blogger, and I to go to Barnes & Noble to purchase our own Cubes in hopes of becoming speedcubers (yes, I am that dorky, I guess!). Sadly, I don't think that this is going to come true (on my part at least)! As I type, my rejected Cube is sitting on the table near me, scrambled and unsolved. I'll keep trying though, and hopefully, someday I'll solve my Rubik's Cube just once!

iRate: 4.5/5 Rubik's Cubes

Trailer: This film is so short that it would be pointless to put up a trailer. So, go watch it! It's a fun and extremely entertaining short film!

"Whoa. Y'all take a chill. You got to cool that s**t off. And that's the double-truth, Ruth."

Do The Right Thing

1989; USA; 120 min.

Director: Spike Lee

Screenplay: Spike Lee

Music: various artists

Cast:
Sal - Danny Aiello

Da Mayor - Ossie Davis

Mother Sister - Ruby Dee
Vito - Richard Edson

Buggin Out - Giancarlo Esposito

Mookie - Spike Lee

Radio Raheem - Bill Nunn

Pino - John Tuturro

ML - Paul Benjamin

I knew that "Do The Right Thing" was going to be an interesting film from the day that we saw the opening credits. The opening credits feature a woman dancing suggestively and powerfully in an urban setting. This sets up the image of strong female characters present in the film. "Do The Right Thing" is a film about Bed-Stuy and the people that live there. The plot unfolds and reveals racial tensions in the neighborhood between all different types of people. The story mainly follows around Mookie, who is played by Spike Lee himself. Mookie is employed is Sal's Pizzeria, the site of many of the problems that arise in the film. Eventually, all of the racism ends up in (SPOILER ALERT) a fatal attack on Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn).

Spike Lee forces the viewers to recognize any racist aspects of themselves. During a particular scene in which various characters are shown "breaking the fourth wall" and talking directly to the camera, stereotypical racist views are expressed. These stereotypes are extremes. When we watched this part in class, you could hear a few laughs at random times. Lee tries to make you uncomfortable, and I think that he succeeds. I found the racial aspect of this movie to be extremely upsetting. Hopefully, the issues in the film are just products of their time. Hopefully, racism like this doesn't exist today. Hopefully, people have learned. Now for a few of my observations while watching the film:

- The police beating sticks cross like a crucifix when Radio Raheem is attacked. Is this an allusion to Jesus?

- After the attack by the police on Radio Raheem, you can see the sign that says "heroes" in the background. Despite the fact that this label literally applies to sandwiches served at Sal's, is Radio Raheem considered to be a "hero?" 

- When Mother Sister (Ruby Dee) finally changes her attitude towards Da Mayor (Ossie Davis), a light goes on in the background. Is this realization symbolic?

Lee's cinematography is quite interesting. He uses numerous canted (or Dutch) angles to demonstrate the characters' skewed views. Close-ups are omnipresent in this film. These shots try to connect you with the characters in the film. I love the background in the film and the bright colors that the characters wear. Everything in this film seems to be realistic, disturbingly so at times. I like the motif of famous African American figures in this film, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. The way that the film ends with two of their quotes is an interesting way to finish the turbulent film.

So, what's the significance of the title? Who does "the right thing" and what is "the right thing?" Basically, no one in this film does the right thing. And when it comes to race, what IS the right thing to do? It's such a controversial topic that society stays away from addressing. Certainly, the right thing is not to hate and kill others based on their race. "The right thing" proves to be unclear at the end of the film - I guess "the right thing" is what you make it out to be. Reactions to this film are seen through the lens of the viewer's personal values, morals, and racial views. Yet, the viewers seem to be urged to "do the right thing"... whatever that is. 

I think that this film was important to watch. It teaches a lot about the effects of racism on a community. I would probably advise people to watch the film, as long as they knew how upsetting it was.

iRate: 3/5 pizzas

Trailer: http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/14126/Do-the-Right-Thing/trailers

"Some places are like people: some shine and some don't."

The Shining

1980; USA; 146 min.

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Screenplay: Stanley Kubrick, Stephen King, Diane Johnson

Music: Wendy Carlos, Rachel Elkind

Cast:

Jack Torrance - Jack Nicholson

Wendy Torrance - Shelley Duvall

Danny Torrance - Danny Lloyd

Dick Hallorann - Scatman Crothers

Stuart Ullman - Barry Nelson

Delbert Grady - Philip Stone

Lloyd the Bartender - Joe Turkel

Let me just start by saying that I'm not a fan of horror films. So how did I end up watching the well-known horror film, "The Shining"? Well, that's the movie that a group of friends decided to watch at a Halloween bonfire. So, before I knew it, I was watching a horror film. By the end of the film, I wasn't too freaked out, surprisingly. It was probably because through the whole film a couple of us were making fun of Shelley Duvall's horrifying acting. My friend cleverly nicknamed her "Shevall," and the three of us proceeded to make fun of her acting skills, or lack thereof, throughout the film. One of my friends pointed out that the way her nickname was pronounced was actually the word for "horse" in French, which was perfect considering another friend's assessment of her teeth being like that of a horse's. I was pretty happy that the film didn't haunt me or freak me out, until now. When I began writing this post, I really didn't want to explain the whole plot of "The Shining," nor did I want to preview the trailer link that I will post below. It turns out that the plot was, in fact, more disturbing than "Shevall" after all. (Therefore, this is probably going to be a shorter post than usual.)

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this film because I'm not a fan of horror films. However, if you do like them, check this film out and enjoy "Shevall's" acting.

iRate: .5/5 hallucinations

Trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1476002073/

"My top schools where I want to apply to are Oxford and the Sorbonne. My safety's Harvard."

Rushmore
1998; USA; 93 min.

Director: Wes Anderson
Screenplay: Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson
Music: various artists

Cast:
Max Fischer - Jason Schwartzman
Herman Blume - Bill Murray
Rosemary Cross - Olivia Williams
Bert Fischer - Seymour Cassel
Dr. Nelson Guggenheim - Brian Cox
Dirk Calloway - Mason Gamble
Margaret Yang - Sara Tanaka
Magnus Buchan - Stephen McCole
Mrs. Calloway - Connie Nielsen
Dr. Peter Flynn - Luke Wilson

When we viewed the trailer for "Rushmore" and were asked to write about our expectations for the film, I wrote the following: a romance, a nerdy boy (overachiever), school environment. It turns out that I had captured the plot of the film in those three phrases. While most other students in Art of Film would probably rate "Rushmore" their least favorite film to date, I quite enjoyed it. Throughout the film, I began to fall in love with the dorky, know-it-all Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman). Maybe that's just me, but I really liked his character. Anyhow, the plot begins with Max, the son of a barber, Bert Fischer (Seymour Cassel), who attends Rushmore (a fancy academy) on academic scholarship. He is searching for a book one day in the library and finds a quote written in the book by another person. Max, being the persistant problem-solver that he is, tracks down who has taken out the book and finds that it is Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams), an elementary teacher at Rushmore. However, his friend, Mr. Herman Blume (Bill Murray), an administrator at the school, is also in love with Rosemary. Trouble and animosty ensues between Blume and Max throughout the film.

While some people found Max's pursuit of the Rosemary creepy, I thought that it was actually pretty innocent and sweet. He truly loved Rosemary, and in the end, I was secretly (well, I guess not so secretly now) rooting for them. However, (SPOILER ALERT) they don't end up together. So, on to my thoughts on some of the elements in the film that I saw while viewing "Rushmore":

- Mr. Blume: The name sounds exactly like the word "bloom." Is this a symbol for Blume's development throughout the film?
- Ms. Cross: In many ways, Max tries to "cross" society's boundaries with Ms. Cross in his pursuit of a much older teacher.
- Max Fischer: Max is fishing for success, and aims to be with Ms. Cross.
- Max has the same phone extension at both schools (#23).
- When Max is expelled from Rushmore, he goes to Grover Cleveland. Is there a significance between having him kicked off the mountain (Rushmore) of presidential greats to a lesser known president?
- Pathetic fallacy alert: There's a thunderstorm at one of the turning points in the film. (Pathetic fallacy has to be the oldest trick in the book for film!)
- Motif: Water & Fish (Fish! Like Max Fischer! Coincidence? I think not!)
- Motif: Curtains closing (Do the curtains closing throughout the film lead up to Max's play and the last scene of the film?)

The film reminded me of "Juno." I think it was probably due to the retro, vintage nature of the film combined with the deadpan humor. The film presented the idea that the younger you are, the more worldly you are (ironic, huh?). This idea is prevalent in "Juno" also. The high school environment was non-realistic, but I guess that's part of the film's charm. The film presents comedy as being equated with harmony. This idea means that all relationships are restored and come together in the end.

On the movie poster above, it says that "Rushmore" was "the best comedy of the year." I know that's just one critic, but I was around in 1998, and movies weren't so bad that this one would be considered the best. However, I did enjoy watching "Rushmore." I loved the line in the film, "She's my Rushmore, Max." / "Yeah, I know. She was mine too." I also really liked the sequence where the viewers were shown the names of influential, important people in philosophy, literature, history, etc. I thought that aspects of the film were funny, the music was appropriate (especially the lyrics to various songs) and would probably recommend this film.

iRate: 3/5 aquariums
Trailer: http://www.alltrailers.net/rushmore.html