Thursday, December 17, 2015
December Film Review
By
now, all of us should be working toward our December film review. Great films
are wonderful art forms with which we can expand our intellectual horizons
through a comprehensive and analytical examination of the visual and performing arts. Hopefully watching great
films will further inspire you to think creatively and develop within you the
intrinsic desire to express yourself and communicate your ideas to a larger
audience. Remember, your film reviews are assessments that express much more
than your ability to select and summarize information; you must also think
critically and express your views on the overall impact of the film on the
audience and the deeper themes and meanings that make the film so great. So,
have fun, but be sure to challenge yourself!!!
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11 comments:
Tolga Erdem
Invictus
Hello friends and Mr.Farley I watched the film Invictus.It based on a true story and It is a film about Nelson Mandela's life and about the national rugby team in 1995.In the first 20 minutes of the film It is about how Nelson Mandela became the president and the people's prejudice against black people.There was a quote in the film that took my interest about this prejudice approach"Some of you may know who I am.I could not help noticing the empthy offices as I came to work this morning and all of the packing boxes now of course If you want to leave that is your right and If you feel in your hearth that you can not work with your new goverment then It is better for you to leave.Right away!but if you are packing up because you fear that you language or the colour of the skin or who you worked for before disqualifies you from working hear;I am hear to tell you have no such fear" I think this was the best quote from the film and It has a deep meaning inside it.Before I watched this film I didn't know that much think about Nelson Mandela but now I can understand what he had been through and I can see the real South Africa at that time.In the other parts it is more about rugby how national team won the Rugby World Cup.There was a part in the part 3 where a white man hugged a black man after national team won the cup I think that was a nice detail and I want to thank Clint Eastwood for this amazing film.
DID NOT FIT, REST IS AT THE OTHER COMMENT
Blood Diamond
January 3rd 2016
"In America, it's bling bling. But out here it's bling bang."
Hey folks!
I watched Blood Diamond, which I thought was GREAT.
A little background knowledge about the movie, if there is someone who did not see it:
Blood Diamond is a 2006 American-German political war thriller film co-produced and directed by Edward Zwick, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou. The title refers to blood diamonds, which are diamonds mined in war zones and sold to finance conflicts, and thereby profit warlords and diamond companies across the world.
When I watched the movie, for starters I thought that Leonardo DiCaprio was really good, it was possible for the viewer to see the phase where he actually grows up. Well to be honest, even though it was a very good movie, it was not that amazing. I felt like the topic was very good but the outcome was not. It felt a little bit cliché and cast was a little bit wasted.
It would be wrong to say that it was a horrible movie but it was predictable. It was exciting to watch but also there were places that made you think and to be honest, I do not care about if it was good or not, I care about if it stood up, and it did. During its time, it made a differences, made people questions things that they did not know or even care about.
The movie, not only points out the diamond industry and the black market but also, one of Africa's biggest problem, child soldiers. Also, at the end of the movie, there is a part which says that there are still more than 200,00 kids that are soldiers. Besides all this it was definitely obvious to see the criticism that was done about how West views Africa, and even though maybe it was a little bit a lot, it was the most successful part of the film, other than Leonardo DiCaprio's acting skills. Way to go Leo! He really does deserve an Oscar. (Plus, his accent was perfect!)
Everyone told me that after seeing the movie, my obsession for diamonds would definitely decrease, but unfortunately that did not happen. Even though I at least think about it a little, diamonds are amazing. It just helped me to stop, look around and say what kind of a world do I live in? I just felt so much of shame even though I do a lot of research about these topics. I felt so horrible after watching it and thought that we should act!
REST IS HERE
To sum it up, even though it smells a little bit like Hollywood but because what it tells is an issue that needs immediate importance and attention I thought that the movie was pretty good. Everyone should watch it. I insist.
I did learn a very important thing from this movie, or maybe it reminded me of the thing I did not want to remember, I felt anger, fury; I could not stand to the injustice and felt so shameful. You now, people say that what is beautiful is no longer beautiful when it is realized, a person who says he/she is beautiful is no longer beautiful or at least you feel that way; you just feel like that person is arrogant. I feel like it is the same case, the same kind of beauty for diamonds, the beauty which represents power, money, wealth. The message is very clear: Diamonds are shiny, bright, eye catching, spectacular, precious, beautiful, elegant,expensive, very expensive... But diamonds scream out loud to the world so loud that it loses its elegance compared to a bare neck, or a finger without a ring. That nudity and bareness is such a modest beauty as it is pure, not arrogant...
As a result, even though I love diamonds more than most of my friends, I realized while I am typing these words and looking at the diamond bracelet I am wearing on both of my wrists, there must be something wrong with me. I looked at them ashamed, felt dirty and could not stand it. All of this reminds me of the value of a life, and see the people who can put a price tag on them. But yet we only have one life, one body, we can only live once, how can we even think of doing this to the others?
"Sometimes I wonder... will God ever forgive us for what we've done to each other? Then I look around and I realize... God left this place a long time ago."
"The people back home wouldn't buy a ring if they knew it cost someone else their hand."
Danny Archer: Sometimes I wonder... will God ever forgive us for what we've done to each other? Then I look around and I realize... God left this place a long time ago...
Captain Poison: You think I'm a demon, but that's only because I have lived in Hell
The movie I choosed to write a review is Blood Diamond. Overall I will say that the movie was pretty good, although, Leo did not get an Oscar. I dream one day my children will be able to see Leo getting his Oscar as everyone else did. So while watching the movie I empathized those people in Africa who are slaved, murdered and tortured. It was similar of what we studied in our classes about Africa, but I did not know that it was this brutal. In the movie, Danny is in Africa and he is trying to find a way out of the continent. He is a smuggler, fisherman and a businessman. One day he meets with a black guy who claims that there is a diamond that can fit the palm of your hand, and he knows where it is. So they begin a journey to reach the diamond. However what they lose in this journey is much more than that bloody diamond.
It is a Hollywood movie, but the director was able to show what is really happening out there. While I was watching, I was devastated and felt miserable for them. People will not care if you write it on the news about the civil war, but when you make a movie like this with great acting of two. People will start to change and raise
Solomon Vandy: So when people in your country read it, they will come help, yes?
Maddy Bowen: Probably not.
I would like to end my review with a quote from the movie which will make you think what is actually causing the civil war or the whatever bad is happening in Africa. They are not responsible
Danny Archer: Let me tell you something. You sell blood diamonds too.
Maddy Bowen: Really?
Danny Archer: Yeah.
Maddy Bowen: Tell me, how is that?
Danny Archer: Who do you think buys the stones that I bring out? Dreamy American girls who all want a storybook wedding and a big, shiny rock like the ones in the advertisements of your politically-correct magazines. So, please, don't come here and make judgments on me, all right?
Efe Gökçen
Blood Diamond Film Review
"Blood Diamond" is the kind of action film that makes you think that 'a moment of love, even in a bad man, can give meaning to a life...' Additionally, Leonardo Di Caprio has always been one of my favorite actors in the world. In 1999, in Sierra Leone, the fisherman Solomon Vandy dreams on the day that his young son Dia Vandy will become a doctor. His dreams are shattered when the rebels invade his village and kidnap him to work in the diamond mines. Solomon finds a huge pink diamond and while hiding it, the commandant of the rebels sees, but the rebels are attacked and Salomon is arrested by the government army. While in jail, the wounded commandant tell the prisoners that Salomon found the stone, and the mercenary smuggler Danny Archer from Zimbabwe releases Salomon and proposes to exchange the diamond by his missing family. Using the idealistic American journalist Maddy Bowen, Danny locates the wife and daughters of Salomon in a refugee camp, but is informed that his son has been recruited by the rebels. Salomon and Danny consolidate a partnership, with Salomon looking for and finding his son, and Danny looking for the diamond and finding redemption. “Blood Diamond” definitely made me think. I am now praying for Africa, which was not on my priority list before. Also, after I finished watching, I urgently open the internet to look up information about conflict diamonds. It’s also about our topic in the English Lit&Lang class, Africa so it’s one of the best films ever in every aspect.
“Given that cinema is a cultural tastemaker, Blood Diamond has a chance of damaging the global diamond trade, one of sub-Saharan Africa's most profitable industries. But it is clear that players on all sides of the issue would like to avoid that outcome. (Policy Innovations article, December 2006)” –Matthew Hennessy, Carnegie Council
The main characters are Uganda's president Idi Amin and his doctor, who comes from Scotland. In order to have a different and adventurous life, doctor goes to Uganda, and works in a village. After a short time period, he comes across to the president, and president likes him so much that he makes him his own doctor. The doctor becomes president's closest asistant in a short amount of time. Even though there are some speculations about the dictatorship of the president, doctor helps and defends him against everybody. One day, he finds out that the president is not the good man that he saw earlier, he is a dictator who causes the death of much people...
!The Last King of Scotland! A great film based on a real life story...
The story takes place in 1970's Uganda. The movie includes lots of different themes; such as friendship, fear, love, forgiveness, loyality, racism, dictatorship, authority...
In such different scenes, the director gives different messages to the spectators. The director exposes how government parties try to hide the truth if the truth is not fair. He shows how dictators kill innocent people, just to prove the force that they have. Also, the director insists on the woman's place in soceity.
I think that the film is impressive and everybody must watch it. It was also related with "Thing Fall Apart", so I made some connections between them while I was watching. It was one of the best movies I have ever seen.
Cloud Atlas
Cloud Atlas is a 2012 independent German-American science fiction film written and directed by Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer and Andy Wachowski. Adapted from the 2004 novel of the same name by David Mitchell. The movie has 6 different plots and all of them brings past, present and future together.
Other than its great story, the cast of this movie is amazing as well. My all time favourite movie Across the Universe's leading star Jim Sturgess is also a part of this incredible cast. Turning back to the story, as I said it before this movie takes place in 6 totally different plots. First one is Pacific Islands, 1849. This is the part where they make a bridge between the past and the present. The main point is slavery and how people can be cruel and mean for their own advantages. During this plot, a character called Ewing writes a journal. Dr Henry Goose poisons Ewing but Auta saves Ewing. After that Ewing and his wife Tilda leave.
The other plot is Cambridge/Edinburgh, 1936. Robert Frobisher, an English composer finds Ewing's journal and starts to read. While reading his journal, he is also working with Vyvyan Ayrs to create a masterpiece called The Cloud Atlas Sextet. He really gives himself to this job. Ayrs demands credit for "The Cloud Atlas Sextet" and threatens to expose Frobisher's scandalous background if he refuses. Accidentally, Robert Frobisher kills Ayrs and leaves. He goes to a hotel and uses the name Ewing. This part is where the first plot and the second plot definitely combines. He finishes the book and then suicides.
The third plot is where Journalist Luisa Rey meets an older Rufus Sixsmith. It takes place in San Francisco, 1973. Rey finds The Cloud Atlas Sextet and because of that, everything starts to fall down. Rey's car off a bridge, but she escapes but the report is destroyed. The movie has three more plots where lot of things happens. As we look through all of them, we can see the karma happening over and over again. All of the plots are related to each other because the bridges between them never go away. This movie is not just about a writer or a slave or a scientist. It is about time and karma. The relation between the past, present and future seems so strong and scary. They say the past is in the past, but it is actually not. The past is today. And today is future. Everything is linked to each other and this movie shows it.Every human being definitely should watch this movie and think about it for a while. Think about time and karma. How everything can be so similar and at the same time different.
Invictus
I watched the film Invictus. It is based on a true story about Nelson Mandela and the national rugby team of South Africa in 1995. The beginning of the movie is about how Nelson Mandela became the president and also people's prejudice against black people. But this movie really about inspiring people and motivate them. Before I watched this film I know some stuff about Nelson Mandela however I did not know that he served 27 years in prison and I also did not know that he was a big supporter of sports. And also if you're curious about other countries cultures as well as their history you will definitely love this film. This is the main reason why I chose to watch this film. After I watched this movie I can know understand how South Africa became South Africa. This is the main topic of the movie but the rest is about rugby how national team won the Rugby World Cup. In the last part of the movie a white man hugged a black man after the national team won the world cup. Whenever you have time to watch a movie go ahead and watch this movie. You won't regret.
Invictus
December 4th 2016
I did not know anything about the film before I watched. I like politics and in the beginning of the movie there was a leadership race between whites and blacks. It’s one of the biggest problems in the world. When Nelson Mandela be the president, it was interesting for the black because they were never leading by someone like them. It was the first time that the blacks take the power against to whites. There was also a rugby team that white people like and plays. Nelson Mandela did not close the team or did not change the name of the team or colour. Nelson Mandela never used his powers against white people. He did not kill them or took their rights. He wants everyone to be independent and equal. He always thinks his country. He respected to anyone who serve for the country and supported them. It’s also so impressive to see someone stay 27 years in the prison and then excuse white people and work with them. The main idea of the film was peace. I liked this movie since it was not base on fight, it was based on peace. This film is a good example to show the cinema that war or fight is not the only way to solve the problems. Because we have a great way to solve it.
Blood diamond is a film about a rare pink diamond and two men trying to take it away. Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly star in the film. The story takes place in Sierra Leone during the civil war in 1990s. The main characters are Danny Archer and Solomon Vandy. Both characters are from Africa. Solomon Vandy finds and hides a very special pink diamond while working at the diamond mine. The government comes and arrests everyone who is working at the mine. Then he meets Danny Archer, a diamond smuggler. Danny learns about the diamond. This diamond is very important for them because it is their way out. It could change their lives drastically. The characters manage to get out of prison. They meet a journalist called Maddy Bowen. With the help of her, they manage to meet Danny’s contacts from the military. Danny makes Maddy leave the country with a military plane. Archer and Vandy manage to save Vandy’s son who was taken when their village was attacked from the war lord camp. Then Vandy and Archer manages to get the diamond. While they were about to escape, Archer gets fatally injured and he can not make it. Vandy goes to London and meets Maddy there. He sells the diamond and gets back his family. They also manage to expose the illegal diamond trade.
I really enjoyed this movie. It made me realise how bad this world actually is. I think everyone should watch this movie in order to get some ideas about the world that we are living in. Although it didn't win that many awards, it is a very well made films.
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