Rebel Without a Cause Response

Rebel Without A Cause (1955)

 1.      Take a look at these two quotes:

a.     “The drama and hepcat dialogue feel clunky now...” Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

b.    “Rebel without a Cause has as much to say today as it did in the 1950s.” Chris Wood, Senses of Cinema

Who’s right?  Is Rebel… a timeless film that effectively captures the alienation, awkwardness, and angst of youth culture in any generation?  Or, is it a dated relic, unable to speak to or for contemporary youth?  Which critic is closer to “right”? 

 I really enjoyed watching this movie, but I do have to agree with Peter Bradshaw. This movie is a very hard film to relate to as a teenager today. A lot of these characters were very new to me and took me by surprise. For example, Plato. He is a very different character and acts in a certain way that confused me a little in the beginning of the movie. I think it is hard to relate to because of the events that happen (the cliff scene with the cars, hiding out in an abandoned mansion, Plato getting shot by the Police). Not many teenagers endure events like these. Another thing that I noticed is that no one did anything after the car crashed off the cliff during the race. It was hard to believe that everyone would clear out and forget about it. It has many aspects that represent the bad parts of “family structure” in the 50’s. (ex. Jim’s family moving, Judy’s dad, Plato’s parents). It may have been a movie that young people related to (the kids’ problems) when the movie came out, It was a hard movie to relate to, but I did enjoy the film and have a lot of interest in it.

MYST Post #2: This Is The End

This Is The End

While attending a party at James Franco's house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse. [IMDb]

Director: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg

My Rating: 3/5

I thought this movie was really funny in the movie theater, and recently I watched it again. I really liked this movie because a lot of the actors in it have worked with Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow, who have created some of my favorite movies and shows (Freaks and Geeks). 

This movie had a lot of cinematic elements. One thing I noticed was the camera work they used. There are a lot of dramatic and intense scenes that are funny in this movie. In the parts, it mainly looks like someone is using a handheld camera like a documentary. I thought that was an interesting aspect of the movie. I also thought the sound and music worked great too. There was intense dramatic music for when there is drama and funny music/sound that goes with a comedic moment.

Another thing I enjoyed was the characters. The movie is about a bunch of movie stars at a party in L.A. and an apocalypse happens. All of the characters kept to their real life roles as actors. At times the graphics were great and at sometimes they weren't that impressive. The special effects as the city is burning down are very good, but some of the others are not. 

                     
This is a scene from This is The End. In the scene, the group is giving Jonah Hill an exorcism. The movie is mostly based on comedy, but in this scene they did a good job with makeup/costumes, lighting, special effects, and sound (fire from outside). This movie to me is more comedic than artistic, but they did have some graphics that I thought were interesting. 

Formal Film Study: Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola

Sofia Carmina Coppola (born May 14, 1971) is an American screenwriter, director, producer and actress. In 2003, she received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Lost in Translation, and became the third woman (and first American woman) to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director. In 2010, with Somewhere, she became the first American woman (and fourth American filmmaker) to win the Golden Lion, the top prize at the Venice Film Festival. (Wikipedia) 

The Bling Ring (2013)

Inspired by actual events, a group of fame-obsessed teenagers use the internet to track celebrities’ whereabouts in order to rob their homes. [IMDb]

Genre: Crime, Drama

Culture The message of the Bling Ring that today our society is celebrity obsessed, and that people love attention. The message of Lost in Translation is the meaning of happiness, marriage, and the meaning of it all.                                   Style The two styles of these movies are different. In the Bling Ring, there are a lot of shots where it is very dark and the camera starts zooming in slowly. In Lost in Translation, there are shots up close to the characters’ face (when riding in a taxi, sitting at the bar). There are also a lot of shots where the camera is at the floor and long-shots of the character walking. The Bling Ring seems to be darker. Especially because it was shot during the night. Industry The Bling Ring is much different than any other movie made, and so is Lost in Translation. A lot of teenagers would like the Bling Ring because it centers on the characters stealing clothes, jewelry, and possessions from celebrities including Paris Hilton. Lost in Translation could relate to a younger adult audience (20’s), because Scarlett Johansson’s character is a young woman who is married and her husband neglects her, and does not know what she wants to do with her life. Same for Bill Murray’s character, a middle-aged man who has a family but is unhappy. Both movies would do great in the industry because people can relate to them. Technology What’s interesting about the technology is the different kind of filters they use in the movie Bling Ring. It is shot in a dreary looking darker tone, it is the same for Lost in Translation.                                              Lost In Translation (2003)

A faded movie star and a neglected young wife form an unlikely bond after crossing paths in Tokyo. [IMDb]

Genre: Drama