The Incredible

     The Incredibles is one of my favorite animation film in Disney Pixar. During my primary school life, I already watched this film. The reason why I like this film is because the super power of the characters. Since I was kid, I like to imagine I have super power, such as flying super power and can other people mind. It really cool if I have super power then I can help a lot of people instead of do bad things. I can learn many moral from this film. I love this film not only the animation, it because the storyline is talking about the important of family. The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated superhero film written and directed by Brad Bird, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The film follows a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers and live a quiet suburban life. Mr. Incredible's desire to help people draws the entire family into a battle with a villain and his killer robot.

     The theory of the film is Feminist. For the history of feminist, it started in the 1920s, looking at women’s expression of her own subjectivity.  Feminist film theory matured in the late 1960s, after the radicalized feminist movement. Feminism touch a lot of political issues. It is a set of political practices seen through the analyses of the social/historical position of women as subordinated, oppressed or exploited in dominant modes of production and by social relations of patriarchy or male domination. This film of theory are viewed as a reflection of the society, so we can know how perception of women in this society. Themes explored in feminist theory include discrimination, stereotyping, objectification, oppression, and patriarchy. This all is totally bad things for women.

So how to look in feminist in film is assumed predetermined sexual identity to expose the misrepresentation of women in films. The assumption here being female repression by a patriarchal society. Next is we look at the various female representations in the film and compare them, seeking out the final resolution of the ‘preferred’ female representation. Another one is looking at the female representation of the film from the female spectator’s point of view. There are other ways of interpretation of feminism in films that are more up-to-date, namely to include class and race, that further broadens the readings of films through spectator and the experiences of women in different classes and races.

     In this film, we can see that the representation of feminist is Helen Parr (Elastigirl), wife of Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible), Violet Parr (child of Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl), Mirage (Syndrome’s agent). Firstly, Helen Parr choose to marry to Bob Parr because she rely to him. But In 1979, public opinion turns against humans with superpowers – called "Supers" – and after facing several lawsuits over peripheral damage caused by their crime-fighting activities, the government forces them into civilian relocation programs. After 15 years later, Helen try to protect her family with hidden their super power identity. But what happened next she find out that her husband got trouble. She try to find out the problem to save her husband. Women are not only stay at home take care family, but also can work out side and can more power than men. Next Violet Parr is a shy girl, her super power is invisible and force shield. She really shy to show herself in front on her crush. After that

When the bad guys want to kill her brother, Violet use her force shield to save her brother. She take away her shy attitude to save her family. Lastly she not shy anymore, she dare to talk with the boy she like. Next character is Syndrome’s agent –Mirage. Mirage is a bad girl because she helping Syndrome to kill all the super hero. One of the scene when Mr. Incredible want to use Mirage to threat Syndrome, but Syndrome don’t care about. Mirage regret because help Syndrome. Lastly she choose to help Mr. Incredible to save the world.

     Women very important because men cannot live without women. Women take important role for every aspect. 

Breathless

       Another interesting film that I watched call “Breathless”. I gain another knowledge from this film. This film use the theory of French New Wave to applied. Breathless is a 1960 French film written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard. In the beginning of the film, I really can’t understand what this film want to bring out. The storyline suddenly jump from another scene to another scene very fast. Sometime the sound and the dialog not really clear, so I can’s clearly understand what they said. I think I need to watch again to understand it. Michel in this film is a youthful criminal. After he steal the car and kills a police, he meet an America girl Patricia. A lot scenes show the relationship between them. Before watch this film, I think I need to understand French new wave.

       French new wave came about in the late 1950s and 1960s. The new generation of filmmakers which were low-budget and, most important went against the prevailing trends in 1950s cinema of literary adaptations, costume dramas and massive co-productions- a cinema which had been labelled by Cahiers du cinema group as the father of cinema. Cahiers du cinema was founded by Andre Bazin & Jacques Donial Valcroze. The principles held at Cahiers du Cinema was rejects montage aesthetics, favoring mise-en-scene. The ideology in this stated that a films not only be intellectual or rational experiences but also should have emotional and psychological experiences. Next is personal authorship. The Auteur Theory stated that a film should be a medium of personal artistic expression. The filmmaker’s signature must have personality, controlling obsession and cardinal themes. The auteur should be grow maturely to make successive film. French new wave is the theory that challenges traditional film. The film used jump cut to bring out the storyline. We can see that the film will shoot longer to let audience more notice the location. Next is they use available light, the film didn’t use another light to fill the shadow of the character. The sound are use the sound directly when shooting. Many scene were used hand held camera. They also will used long takes in the film to show the movement. The low-budget approach helped filmmakers get at the essential art form and find what more comfortable and contemporary form of production was. This theory had Self-reflexivity. When watching film, it will reminds audience that they are watching film instead of escape nature of Hollywood.  Next point is strong female archetypes, women were given strong parts that didn’t conform to archetypal roles seen in Hollywood . Women are not depend on men, cause women can able to make own decision. The French New Wave ended in 1969. After a decade of radical filmmaking, this form of cinema has embedded into the mainstream. The directors developed their own styles and made mainstream films.

       In the beginning of this film, we can see that Michel steal a car and drive over the road. In this scene, Michel talking to himself inside the car while driving. We can see that a lot of sound from outside and also the jump cut. The jump cut here show Michel drive very long journey. In this scene also can see that the hand held camera shoot inside the car. Next, one of the scene show Michel bring Patricia go inside a dark room and lead go to the door that have light. In this scene the room very dark even can’t see anything, means they use available light. Patricia is a student and aspiring journalist, who sells the New York Herald Tribune on the streets of Paris. When she interview famous man at airport, we can heard that another airport ambient sound. Patricia in this film is a strong women because after she realize that Michel is killer, she report to police to let police catch Michel. Although Patricia really love Michel, but she want Michel to be a good guys instead of a killer. Lastly a long shoot show in this film when police shot Michel, Michel keep run and escape. It show the move movement of hand held camera.

       This film showed the reality of life instead the Hollywood. I want to try shoot this kind of film to show the reality of life. Although nowadays, all the audience preferred watch Hollywood film. 

Bicycle Thieves

Bicycle Thieve is a Italian Film in 1948 directed by Vittotrio De Sica. I like this film because I totally attracted by the relationship between father and his son. I enjoyed when I watching the journey that the father and his son went through. I actually want relationship like that, because since I born, my father very busy to carry his work, so we don’t have spent more time to build our relationship. This film used Italian-neorealism to present it. It is a classical Hollywood Cinema after sound.

The history of the Italian Neorealism was after World War 2. The World War 2 destroyed the national cinema and the stability of economic cinema industries had been affected also. When end of the World War 2, the Nazi economy was eliminated. After that, Marshall Plan rebuilt the European national industries and allowing production to go big area. For Italy, the production facilities were pretty much intact.

Cesare Zavattini was the theoretical founder of neo-realism in 1942, he suggesting a new form of Italian Cinema that planned plots, use real people which means non- professional actor and locations so that direct contact is built with contemporary social reality. It want to show how social reality looks like in the film toward audience. Zavattini stated that all the professional actors in film were fake. So all the actor of the film not really professional, the only act what they like in their real life. The plot structure of film is fake compare with real life.

There are many elements of neo realism in film to define. First, Most of the shooting location was the area of after the war. The shooting should be documentary in style, shot in natural light, with a hand held camera and using observation and analysis. Next is the sound recorded and add after the shooting. The film will add professional actor and mix with non-actors. The whole film refer to contemporary national experiences. Next is socially-conscious and also the human point of view. It should focus on social reality. The film is a piece of life. It should appear to enter and then leave everyday life.

The beginning of the film, we can see the black and white with natural light in whole story. The location in the film used the area of after war. It show the situation of the film very bad in economy. Ricci and Maria very poor, so Maria had to sell her quilt and buy a bicycle to Ricci. It means their situation very poor and hard to live. This is the realism in our life. When Ricci and Maria walk back to their home, the shoot style is use long shoot. Long shoot mean use one take. The camera keep shooting them walk back to home. So we can also can notice the environment is very dusty and the land is uneven because after war. Maria very hard to cross the land because the land too many uneven.

 Everybody try hard to finding job. They want earn money to live and take care their family. During that time, finding job is the harder things for them. Antonio Ricci in this film as a father. He get his job from a man, but he need to get a bicycle. If not, he cannot work because he need go until city. I very hard recognize who is professional and non-professional actors. We found out that only professional actor is the man that give job to Ricci. So we can see that this film is mix up with professional and non-professional actors. 

Next is the journey of Ricci and his son Bruno. My favorite scene is when Ricci slap Bruno. Although Ricci angry, but he still will bring Bruno to high class restaurant to make Bruno happy. As a poor man, Ricci still willing to spend money to make Bruno happy. We can see that Ricci very care about the relationship between his family.

 When Ricci finding thieve, we all can mention that not really all the people help him. Ricci saw an uncle communicate with thieve, Ricci keep asking the uncle the way to find thieve. But the uncle don’t want give any responded to Ricci. Ricci facing the reality of social, everybody only care about their life. They won’t do the thing without benefit. In the end, Ricci still cannot found his bicycle.

In conclusion, Italian Neorealism refer to our social life. We can see how our social life in the film. It not like the fake of Hollywood. But audience more prefer watching fake film instead of real life film. 

The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 film noir that directed by John Huston. The hero staring by Humphrey Bogart. This film about a San Francisco private detective and his dealings with three unscrupulous adventurers, all of whom are competing to obtain a jewel-encrusted falcon statuette. First of all, I think that this film very hard to attract me and also grab my attention to watch. Because the colour of the film is black and white, so Im very hard to concentrate while watching this film. Film noir is not a genre but it is a style of a film. We define film noir in many aspect which is visual, character and narrative. We also call film noir as black film.

       Firm noir is a type of American films that ‘invaded’ French cinemas after World War II. Film noir refers to mystery and crime dramas produced from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. The features in this film noir is the whole film colour used black and white to present. The featured stories also involving femme fatales, doomed heroes or anti-heroes, and tough, cynical detectives. It is first applied to Hollywood film by French critics defined the category retrospectively. In this film noir, all characters is bad, pure evil. If they pure good, that must be something wrong. It because of features a world of criminals of darkness and violence. This features reflect how a character’s central motives are usually greed, lust and ambition, drench in fear. Another history context is when WWII occurs, all the men must go to the war. Women force to go out to work. When men come back from war, the women already can earn money better than men. Through this incident, social change with liberation for women. Women not only can stay at home, they also can go out work to earn money.

       The visually of the film noir can defined by many ways. In film noir, all this is dark with a lot of shadows. The lighting is low key which can show high contrast lighting in a film. The shadow of the lines is purpose to enhance the characters. Usually, mostly scene is lit for night. They always have location such as alleyways, cramped corridors, etc. The setting of the city is city-bound, comprising of rain-washed roads and dimly-lit interiors.The syntax or thematically in film noir is cynical, pessimism and dark. It include corrupted characters, fatalistic themes, hopeless tones, blurred morals and intellect. Next is hard boiled antihero versus femme fatale, tales of criminal motives and usually features a narration. The femme fatale also play important role in film noir. Film noir is about power of relations and sexual identity. Film noir gives a very central role to the femme fatale and privileges her as active, intelligent, powerful, dominant and in charge of her own sexuality. Women also become the central to the intrigue. Therefore, she who becomes the object of the male’s investigation. Women also usually makes the mystery in a film.

       In The Maltese Falcon, the black and white totally applied in this film. All the scene was used low key which is high contrast. So the lighting show a lot of shadow for the main character Sam Spade. When Sam walk in the room, we can notice that the shadow of him. This lighting can enhance the Sam is a hero and mystery man. The shadow of line also applied in the room to bring out the mystery situation. 

Next is the beginning of the film, Brigid O’Shaughnessy come to the office and meet Sam. Miles Archer, assistant of Sam tried to get relationship with her. So when Miles want to meet her at night but dead after a mystery guy shot him. Miss Shaughnessy become the central of the intrigue. Miss Shaughnessy use women characteristic to make Miles go into this trap. Miss Shaughnessy also pretend she is very weak and trap Sam go Cairo’s place. We can see that women able to do anything instead of stay at come take care family. Women also can do the work more good than men. Because men easy trap by women, so men not really every times win women. A lot of scene use low angle when Sam walking and communicate with another people. It show the symbolic of paranoid. During that time, men always paranoid to women. But after the men return from the war, they shocked because women give them money.

       In film noir, all character is bad. They will do anything to accomplish goal. Even a hero also not pure good at all in a film. In our real life also same, we not pure bad and pure good. We are middle, so this is balance of the life.

In the Mood for Love

Another experience with watched a film “ In the Mood for Love”. This is a 2000 Hong Kong film directed by Wong Kar Wai. Staring by Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung. I really can’t understand what this story tell about. I think I must watch twice or above only I get what really director of this film want to bring out. It apply the theory of French Impressionism in this film. French impressionism is the theory that very hard for me to understand. I think I need to watch another film that apply this theory. The relationship of love in this film also had a lot of confuses.

French Impressionism popular around 1919-1928. After war French filmmaking never fully recovered. In 1920s, French audiences saw eight times more Hollywood footages than domestic footages. The film industry tried in several ways to capture the market, mostly through imitation of Hollywood production methods and genres. For these directors said that this cinema was an art of emotion, so the imitate psychological narrative dominated their practice. They used love of triangle as the basis for the filmmaker’s exploration of fleeting moods and shifting sensations. The characteristics of this theory is effect of explore the depth of psychology. It also revealing character’s consciousness, concerns mental states, dreams or fantasies. The interest falls not on external physical behavior but in inner action. Next is plot time of the film is manipulates. Which means they arrangers the time and the scene. Sometimes will have flashback to depict memories. We can view from different point with cinematography and editing. The use irises, superimposition, to indicate the character’s thought and feelings. The visual also will distorted, filtered or vertiginous cam movement to show the dizzy or drunkenness. Point of view can see that the rhythmic editing show the experience of how a character in a situation. The movement of the cam very smooth to brought about by frame mobility.

They are some scene that we can see the how French impressionism apply in his film. One of the scene is after communication between Mr, Chow and Mrs. Chan, Mr. Chan go back his office and smoked. When he smoke, the smoke show on the scene like a cloud. It show that the mind inside Mr. Chan. He is confusing in love, cause we can see that the shape of the smoke very cloudy. So Mr. Chan is no focus and mind very cloudy.

And about the time in this film, editor use a lot of jump cut to show that the time go through very fast. I can see that storyline is actually go through very smooth, so I won’t confuse I will miss any scene. In this movie they repeating the same location. Which mean they repeating their life. The slow motion always show women butt come in the frame, it show that they not having a good time and also the sexuality life and society of them. The beginning of the scene until the end, they not showing Mr. Chan and Mrs. Chow, which mean if they not showing face so why still waiting. Next is Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan love each other but they don’t want to say out. We can see that this kind of love is different than what we thought about love. Not all the love is same way. The story is show the process instead of result.

In conclusion, this film is a French impressionism film. It fully apply the characteristic and style in this film. I happy that I can learn how to justice a film in another style and style. 

Ghostbusters-2016

I wanna talk about the film that I watched recently. “Ghostbuster”. Seriously, I love this film a lot. This film directed by Paul Feig. Staring by Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones as four women who start a ghost-catching business in New York City. This film is a mix genre film. It included horror and comedy genres. So this mix genres created a whole new feeling toward audience. We can find out several actor that staring in ghostbuster II 1989 which is Bill Murray as Martin Heiss, Dan Aykroyd as Cabbie, Sigourney Weaver as Rebecca Gorin, Ernie Hudson as Uncle Bill Jenkins, Annie Potts as Hotel Desk Clerk. This film has postmodernism elements. We able to find out a lot of postmodernistic elements in this film if we learn the theory of postmodernism. I admire that the filmmaker successful made a postmodernism film to audience nowadays.

Genre is has two approach, which is semantics and syntax. This two approaches need to work together hand in hand. Through this two approaches, we able to categories the genre of each film that we watched. Semantic element in the film is mise-en-scene. It is a cinematic language on screen by using characters, props, lighting, and composition etc. The approach of syntax is the qualities and the themes in the film. The syntax usually send the message to the audience.

Postmodernism is a theory of the film. Postmodernism is the way to challenge the system of the way of modernism. Previous film only one genre, but now had both genre or above.

The horror genre I can found in this film is the jump scare of the ghost. When some ghost came out, the audio will slowly fade out. This scene will make audience pay attention to watch. After that the ghost will suddenly shout out. The mise-en-scene that we can find out is the graphic of the ghosts. The eyes of the ghosts will glowing.

The comedy genre that we can find out is the conversation between four women that become ghostbuster. One of the dialog that Patty Tolan said when she want jump from the concert stage, nobody hold her so Patty fell down. She said “so I don’t know if this is race thing or lady thing. This dialog show that confuse of stereotype women or racist. The Kevin is the dumb guy. When Abby said don’t listen, but Kevin close his eyes instead of close his ear. But Kevin grab audience attention to watch because this is character for Chris Hemsworth. He is the Thor in avenge. But In ghostbuster, his act totally different way, this is new challenge for him. Another one scene is when the ghost slowly come out from door, the situation supposed to be scary and fear. But suddenly a cracker sound pop up from Jillian Holtzmann.

Postmodernistic elements I can found here is the movie use a lot of pastiche. The number of the car is ECTO-1. They pastiche the number car of previous car that in ghostbuster 1989. Next is the theme song of previous ghostbuster also used in this film. They recreate and remix now tempo to show the new feeling. One of the scene is when this four characters used the machine catch the ghost, their pose same like how previous ghostbuster pose to catch the ghosts.

I really surprise that this movie give respect to the previous ghostbuster. The previous character also will appear in this film although they not related to catch ghosts. (Oppsss, spoiler alert). Another thing that I realize is the feminism. This film main character is women. I show that why always men can catch ghosts. Women also can catch the ghost. In this film totally showed that women also can save the world. Nice !!

In conclusion, this movie brought new feeling to audience nowadays. Audience expect for watching new story line and entertainment in this film. This film successes to show to audience what they expect for. I recommend this movie to who still not watch yet. 

Dark City

When we watching a film, our expectation of a film is we want to enjoy the entertainment and satisfaction for our needs. Nowadays, audience expect for the movie that have colourful vision and fun to satisfy them. We never thought that we use another mentality to watch a different such as Dark City. After watched this film that Mr.Joe Yan gave us, I sudden have another experience in this film and this theory. They use another way to perform the art of a film. I didn’t said that I not really like the film, but I just learn many thing from this theory.

The German expressionism fully apply in the film- Dark City. German expressionism is filmic style that emerged in German from 1919-1926. Influenced by the Expressionist movement in modern art of early 1900s. Most of the filmmakers from Germany migrated to USA. They brought their filmmaking practice to Hollywood, influenced the film noir and horror film. Its themes are revolt, self-analysis, madness, and primitive, sexual savagery. The setting of lighting is low key lighting which create high contrast in a film. It tried to distorted set and bodies. It provides sense of mystery to audience. The scene of the film will saw like they oblique camera angle. The content is usually surreal and gothic, about unnatural act or realities. German expressionism’s famed predilection for chiaroscuro. Chiaroscuro means the use of highly contrastive lighting, literally light and dark. Later will explain more detail how this theory apply in this film.

This first of what we can defined German expressionism from Dark City is self-analysis. It mean that we keep questioning our self who we are. Just like John Murdoch in the beginning, he just woke up from a stranger place. He lost his memories, so he keep advance to find the answer and get back his memories from himself. Because the strangers took Murdoch’s memories away in order that John Murdoch cannot remember his power to destroy the strangers. Next is primitive sexual savagery that can see in film is the strangers. The beginning of this film, the strangers trying to kill John Murdoch. The used violence ways to kill the people. The kid stranger bites Murdoch’s hand show that is dark primal instincts. Next is the film are used low key lighting high contrast to shows the heavy emotion. The lighting can make audience feel the fear of the strangers chasing John Murdoch. The lighting played important role in this film to show the horror to audience. Another mise-en-scene we can see is the distorted of all the props. We can see that the finger of the strangers, white face and the movement of their body where is abnormal form of human that we perceive in reality.

The conclusion, this film success to show the German expressionism. This theory play important role to apply in Dark City to show what director want to give audience. I hope this theory can apply to another new film to show a whole new expectation to audience. 

ParaNorman

While watching ParaNorman, I really enjoy this film a lot. It is a 3D stop motion animated horror comedy film. Seriously, I love 3D stop-motion animated film. This production used Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR camera to film the movie. It spend 2 more years to go through this. I admire that the patient of every crew in this production. That why this film so attracted for me. The genre of this film is comedy, horror, action and drama. This film has postmodernistic elements. We able to find out a lot of postmodernistic elements in this film if we watch it clearly.

Genre is has two approach, which is semantics and syntax. This two approaches need to work together hand in hand. Through this two approaches, we able to categories the genre of each film that we watched. Semantic element in the film is mise-en-scene. It is a cinematic language on screen by using characters, props, lighting, and composition etc. The approach of syntax is the qualities and the themes in the film. The syntax usually send the message to the audience.

Postmodernism is a theory of the film. Postmodernism is the way to challenge the system of the way of modernism. Previous film only one genre, but now had both genre or above. Paranorman is a combination of the horror and comedy genres. So this film is postmodernism.

Norman Babcock is 11 years boy that can see and speak with ghosts. Nobody in the tow believe him and there laughing at him. Except his best friend Neil Downe. His uncle Mr. Prenderghast try to convince Norman to take his place to protect the town from the curse of witch. Because Mr. Prenderghast also can talk with ghosts same like Norman. Norman don’t want listen it, until Mr. Prenderghast die. Norman try to read the story book to save the town at grave. But he fail, so 7 zombies that cursed by witch woke up from the grave. Norman and his friends tried to prevent the zombies go to town. After that, Zombie talk to Norman and Norman realize that the zombie want begging him to stop the curse from the little girl witch name Agatha. Finally, Norman save the town by recalls the happiness moment of Agatha.  

The comedy genre I can found in this film is they make fun of the zombie. In one scene, a man want to buy a snack in the machine. But he saw a lot of zombies walking toward the man. But the man still waiting the snack drop down from the machine. The man very scare of zombie, but the zombie walk very slow, even the time of snack also slow. I another films, zombies run very fast. The horror part is the lighting of this film very dark, so it can brought out the horror emotion.

Postmodernistic element I can found here is they use Jason, Friday the thirteen inside the film. One of the scene is when Norman receive a call from Neil, he open the window and saw Neil wearing a hockey mask.

In conclusion, this is a very much postmodern and various genres film. The message brought from this film is we must not blame people easily. We must think consequence if we blame someone. In order that we would not hurt another people. I like this film !

127 hours

 “127 hours” is the film that inspire me a lot. During the first time watched this film, I really can’t understand. I feel nothing in this film cause no hero and villains. I like the movie have hero and villain, so I can enjoy the fighting scene. This film mostly only one character to present. I can’t believe I can open my eyes and watch it until the end. It not suitable to give children to watch, because it to boring and some scene very disgusting when he tried to cut out his hand when his hand stuck in the Blue John canyon. But when I studying in university already 2 years. I totally changed my perception in film studies. When after I watched a film, I will think many aspect to review the film. It very important that how director presented his art work in different ways. Director of this film used many skills of editing and different shoot to present the film. I watched this 3 times, then I only understand what really this film talking about.

The main character of this film is Aron Ralston. He is outgoing. He like to find challenging activity to do. So he likes to climb mountain and canyon. One day, he stuck in the Blue John canyon. His right hand stuck inside the big stone. So he only can use his left hand. During the moment he stuck in the canyon, I can feel how suffer during that moment. Director use many ways to shows the suffer moment to let audient also can feel it. The camera angle quite challenging, because the place very narrow that only can fit 1-2 camera men. I totally admire that how director direct them to shoot this film.

In this 127 hours, Aron tried hard to get out from that place. He also tried many ways to survive. It use Extreme close up and fast cut to present the point of view of Aron. When Aron drink water, the shot cut to the water and many bubbles. Audience saw blue and pure water. After that, Aron not enough water to drink, so he drink his pee. When he drink his pee, we can see the yellow colour water with extreme close up. Another extreme close up is when Aron use knife cut his hand. We will saw the knife cut until inside the bone with extreme close up.

In this moment when he stuck inside the canyon, a lot of flashback and also future view pass through his mind. This film also show the imagination of him in his mind. This show a lot of editing skill to present the scene in his mind. Director used use time-lapse to show the time go through very fast. Mean Aron life goes very fast in his mind when he feel suffer, alone, and hopeless. When we suffer, alone and hopeless, our mind will think a lot.

I found a lot of hidden messages in this film. First is we don’t waste water. In this film, Aron tried hard to save the water to survive. When he knew he has no enough of water, he tried to arrange time to drink water. Unlucky, he need to drink his pee because not enough of water. How important water, but we didn’t realize it and keep waste the water. Only we lost the water, then we only realize how important without water to fulfill our needs for every day. Next is our family, how long we didn’t contact our family after we came to university life. Only we lost thing, we think about our family. The imagination of Aron have a lot his family memories because he feel hopeless. I like this film, it taught me a lot how to life happy. Don’t think about what you lost, think about what you have. Go appreciate it!

Zombieland

Here came to third week, we already watched two film that given by Mr.Joe Yan. I already learned many theories in this subject. Through it all, we can more understand and able to analysis clearly the films we watch. The third film that we watched on third week was “Zombieland”. After watched this film, our Mr.Joe Yan explain the theories of genre and what is the genre in this film. That a lot of genre that can found in this film. Previously, I thought that only one or two genres can be in a film. But through this tutorial, I realize different kind of genres and how it apply to any films.

Zombieland it sound like very horror. But in this film, there including many genres which is horror, comedy, romance, Science Fiction, action and road film. So during that class, Mr.Joe Yan list out those genres and explain it one by one. I more understand after the explanation. The horror that can find out from this film is the make-up of zombies. The zombies looks very disgusting and guilty. Many scenes will scare audience with another way. The zombie will jump up suddenly when audience get attention to notice the silence scene. Some horror footages is the how zombie killed by Human. The blood not really scary I think, but the director make the scary by more focus on how zombie chasing human. But in this film, the director more focus on the conversation between this four characters, which is Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita and Little Rock.

 Next is the obvious genre in this film- Comedy. I like it a lot. I like horror and comedy genres mix together. Because it can bring out many creative way to grab audience attention to enjoy the film. The funny characters is Tallahassee although he was a serious man in this film but his acting could brought out the feeling of relax and funny. That a lot of dark comedy that can see through the acting of Tallahassee. Tallahassee use funny way to kill the fat zombies in shopping mall but he still look like very serious and steady.

The science fiction genre is the zombie. Zombies are not really exist in real life. But the Hollywood make it real and more exiting to show to the audience. I realize that nowadays Hollywood more focus on the super hero movie. It because the audience more like super hero instead of romance genre.

The romance that can be found in this film is the conversation between this four characters. The beginning of the film, Columbus and Tallahassee and tried to help Wichita and Little Rock, but this two girls cheating them and took everything from Columbus and Tallahassee. They don’t believe each other. I think that if we become zombie, we will feel suffer to kill that people we believe. After that, they start understand each other and need each other to achieve their own goals. When they went to Bill Murray house, Columbus and Wichita done many things to more understand each other.

Action genre in this film is the zombies chasing and how the human defeat zombies. That many scene Columbus and Tallahassee chasing by zombies, and the two guys use gun to shoot the zombies. They try to protect themselves from the zombies. The audience will feel exciting when the action scene bring more realistic.

 Last genre that could be found in this film was road film. The road film is when this four characters drive the car together went to Hollywood. In this scene, editor use jump cut of the transition to show that they drive very long way on the road. This four characters always change their seat inside the car. So through this, we can know that they spend a lot of time conversation inside the car.

I love this film because it create awareness among the people and taught audience how to defeat zombie what if the zombies really exist in real life. For me, if zombie really appear, then I prefer become zombie instead of survivor. 

Requiem for a Dream

During week 3 of film studies class, we watched a film called Requiem for a Dream. I admire that how director express the feeling of similarity in 4 different characters. The editing of this film really inspire me a lot.

 After this I want to learn how the editor used fast cut to depicts 4 different characters of this film. There are 4 main character in this film which is Sara Goldfarb, Harry Goldfarb, Marion Sliver and Tyrone. This 4 characters had different perception and different goals to achieve. To achieve their goals. They find many ways and methods to fulfill their needs. Through this film, I can imaging that a lot of things that related to our social life. In social life, we also will find many ways to fulfill our needs and achieve the goals we want. I like how director depicts the act of drugs. The director used extreme close to every step of taking the drugs. What I see is it like a point of view of taking drugs. I saw money, drugs, fire, and also the eyes change through my eyes. When one of the character taking drugs, the film will shows the extreme close up of this scene. Every scenes of extreme close up would brought out the feeling through yourselves.  

My favorite character was Sara Goldfarb. Everyday she will watch her favorite TV show. One day, a call from TV show said that Sara will go on to TV show. So Sara thought that she can not go to TV show with her fat body. She want to become famous. She want son and her dead husband to become famous and proud of her. Sara love beauty, But she very shame because of her fat body. Sara use many ways to lose her weight. I like that scene that how she lose her weight. She cannot to control her desire to eat the food, even breakfast, lunch and dinner. I can feel how pain Sara go through. Because director use point of view to show the desire of Sara. Especially she watching the TV meanwhile she turn her head to notice the icebox. This action could brought the emotion of desire. Sara can not control her desire when she want to lose her weight. She very suffer when she tried to lose her weight but also she want to eat food. The goal she want to achieve is to become famous on TV.  Director also use many effect to show the imagination of Sara when Sara start getting crazy. The characters on TV jump up from TV laugh at the Sara, The Icebox become monster and want eat Sara. 

What I saw in this film is this 4 characters want to achieve their goals, but the ways they used was wrong. Until they getting suffer and regret what have done by them. In this film, I saw money, drugs, famous, sex, and desire. Those things was what we looking for in real life. I really like how the editor used the skill of editing and transition to shows the similarity of this 4 different character. This film reached another cinematography level. 

Spirited Away- Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi

During our first class of film studies tutorial, Mr Joe Yan gave us to watched a film call Spirited Away. It is a 2001 Japanese anime fantasy film written by Hayao Miyazaki. So nice! Because we watching film in the class! 

First of all, I really really like this film, because it brought a lot of hidden messages to the audience. I admired that the way how Hayao Miyazaki created his art work in this film. He used different way to brought out the emotion and the story line in this film as well. 

 The music of this film also very nice. The tempo and melody of this music made audience relax and enjoyed the film when watched. I like this music a lot. Sometimes I will listen this music when I doing assignment and writing blog. 

Pls enjoy it when you reading my blog yah~

The landscape of this film really beautiful. It lead audience eyes to focus the landscape. This film used landscape to attract audience as well . 

The street 

The bathhouse/Jacuzzi

The River

The main character of this film is Chihiro Agino. The beginning of this film, Chihiro and her parents were moving to new place to live. But they accidentally went to the wrong place. But her father and mother wanna explore that place and went inside a mystery door although many times stopped by Chihiro. After that her parents turned became pigs because they ate the food in the shop without any permission from the people of mystery town. When came to night, many mystery people appeared. I think that were the God of Japan. Chihiro felt helpful when she no choice to facing this situation. Fortunately, she saved by Haku. Haku helped Chihiro until the end , Chihiro save her parents. Chihiro learned a lot from this journey. The messages that can see in this story is we need to defeat our fear and achieve our goals. If we do something that without listen advice from friends, we maybe will fail to achieve our goals. This part show that how we believe our friends properly in suffer situation.

Chihiro/Sen and Haku

One of the scene is a dirty and stinky God came to bathhouse and want to bath. But everyone over there felt very disgusting, They stepped from the dirty and stink God far far away. But only Sen ( Chihiro) dare to helped. Sen realize something inside the God body. Sen tried hard to pull out but failed. Finally all the stuff of the bathhouse helped to pull out the things from the dirty and stink God. They success to pulled out all the things inside his body. So all the things they pulled out actually was the rubbish. The dirty and stinky God turned back became a River God. The River God felt thankful to Sen because she saved the River God. 

Omg, so disgusting~

The hidden messages brought out from this scene was the important of environment. Nowadays, many rivers had been contaminated. There are very less people concern about this issues. I believe that what Hayau Miyazaki want to brought out was the awareness of environment. He tried to build the awareness to the audience. He hoped all the people realize the important of river and protect it. We need to think about the consequence what if the pollution none stop. Why people can not try to save it. We should take this as reminder of everyday what if we life in the world with drink dirty water everyday. 

 Lastly. I really like this film a lot. We should more concern that what Hayau Miyazaki tried to brought out from this film. It really suitable for all the people in this world to watch it. There was a lot of  important messages that we can discover from Hayau Miyazaki art work. I will let my child to enjoy this film in future.  

Third Field Trip: Tiga

Once again, we went to Five Arts Centre to watched another drama performance called Tiga. 24th April 2016, We departed form Sungai Long by Vincent's car with Rene, Brandon, Fang Fang and Emily together. Before come to this drama performance, I have no idea what is Tiga, and why it call Tiga. Until I saw the schedule showed the three women and the object written below, Bed, Knife and Chair. This three objects was the main character of this drama performance. For me, it was a new drama performance that I haven't seen before. There used the object to express the whole drama. I think there used the object to express life of women. That why all the actress were women. It was because more easy and more direct way to show to the audience understand this drama performance. 

There were three section of  the drama. The first section was performance of Bed. The director of Bed was Fahad Iman. The actress was Inez Caryan. When the performance started, the actress slept on the bed and the opening song was Chinese old song call "I wait for you come back". After that, the actor woke up and started argue with her relationship. The actor grabbed the bed sheet and the pillow. Meanwhile, she express her emotion on the bed sheet and pillow. Next, she grab the bed and stand on the bed meanwhile she used bed sheet to wrapped herself. And also I notice that, it was double bed. So obviously it was talking about a couple already live together but we don't know whether they marry already or not. The emotion of the actor really real, she brought us to the situation how her relationship with her couple. It was a reflection of our society that the couple that not ready to marry but live together. But for me it not a bad thing. Because if a couple live together before get marry, they can more understand each other and prepared for their live after get marry. If happened conflict or struggle, they can choose leave each other better than after married. Because when you have baby but still confuse their relationship, it will bring more trouble to them. Not only them, the future of the baby as well. So what the point that you get married but you still don't understand each other when live together.

When came to next section, we have to move ourselves to another direction , because the design of the stage some kind of different. It put different to different place. So we can more expect more happened next. Next section was chair. The director was Andy Darrel Gomes who was one of the actor of Ola Bola. The actress was Sharifah Aryana. First, what I saw was she want sit on the chair. But the chair refuse her. After that a reflection she and her mother. Her mother tried hard to taught her become a good woman. But she very stubborn and  don't want listen to her mother. At last, she regret that she didn't listen to her mother that time. She regret and show that disappointed  on the stage. She put down her stubborn only she can sit on the chair. It a reflection the relationship between mother and daughter. When we went to the industry to work, then we only realize that what our mother told us was right. But we always listen to ourselves.  

Last section was the knife. The director was Arshad Adam. The actress was Nora Rahim. It was a very fresh drama for me. The started of this section very funny. The actress very funny and brought the audiences to relax situation. It like a show that taught the audience how to make salad with carrot, cabbage, cucumber and the salad sauce. The decoration of the stage very fresh, because the lighting designer Syamsul Azhar us the light bulb to made vagina shape.The actress used the sex expression to show perform. It was a dare performance that show to every audience. She used the knife to cut the carrot meanwhile she sound like the people sex on the bed. Next she show us the glove and wear the glove to make the salad. At last the glove broken. She suddenly became very nerves. I believe that all of the male audience very focus when during the performance including me~hahaha. In my point of view, knife was a symbols of dangerous. If you didn't use it nicely, it will hurt ourselves. Same how it reflect to the sex. Sex was a happy thing but if didn't control it better, it will brought bad thing came. Just like the glove broken mean the condom only 95% useful when during the sex.  

The whole performance really nice, It showed the life of women and also make the male audience understand women how reflect their life. And also build awareness among us to make our life better. The scriptwriter Sharifah Aleysha make us to more understand the whole drama performance through the script. The whole team done very well, I admire what they do and how their conversation. I love this drama performance, I enjoyed a lot. 

Lion Dance

First of all, I would like to said thank you to my teammates, Chu Nung Rene (Rene), Soh Wan Feng(Fang Fang), Boo Wee Hang(Vincent), Yew Mei Foong(Emily), Lai Chee Chung(Brandon). We done our presentation! The important is the assignment research part, Thanks to everyone really put effort to finish the assignment.  This assignment although very tough, but we still able to finished our last assignment of Malaysia Media and Culture subject before the day of presentation. We too awesome!! I glad to have a team like this! Through this assignment, I more understand about lion dance, the history, styles, and also the way their perform. I like it so much, because I really admire that how Chinese people keep this traditional art until now. Lion dance not only a performance, it can scare away the evil spirit and bring luck to people. 

Before presentation, we plan to make lion head to perform. But It still very hard to make it. Luckily, we can borrow from Wushu Club. And we also borrow the drum form activity room. I want to thanks to Mettew,  the chairperson of 24 Festive Drums willing to borrow us the drum. Now we able to perform the lion dance with the drum and the lion dance costume although it not full costume. When we got the lion dance costume we tried to clean up for the lion dance costume, because it very dirty and had been long time nobody use it. Emily and Vincent tried to clean up the lion dance costume. 

This is the lion dance costume.

Fang Fang, Emily and I

I color the some part 

Vincent fix it in order the eyes of lion can function

Guess what Vincent did?

The drum 

After fixed the lion dance costume, our teammates tried to practice ourselves form Youtube. But still can not perform properly. Luckily, Vincent asked Roshan to help. Roshan had experiences so he able to taught us.  Thanks to Roshan because he taught us how to dance and also take part of interview for our assignment. We decide to let Brandon played the drum, I became the head of lion and Vincent became the tail of lion. I gain a lot of experiences when practice the lion dance. I realize how performers feel when during the performance. So that why the performer must trained many times to make the lion more steady. We gain the pain, but it worth. 

We practiced together the performance and presentation during before the day of presentation. During the practice,  Rene guided us for the presentation, she arranged the time in order can make the whole presentation not over the time. The perform part was Emily became the monster of "Nian", Fang fang became the villager. The monster want to eat the villager, so the villagers use the lion to scare away the monster" Nian". 

During the presentation day.

Lion dance very important to our culture, As a Chinese, I glad that I can experience how the lion dance work ship through this assignment with my teammates. Once again, I want to thanks to them and also thanks to Mettew  borrow us drum, Chairperson of WuShu Club borrow us the lion dance costume and Roshan taught us to perform. Lastly, I want to thanks to Dr Carmen and Miss Ezatti give us this change to learned and what Malaysia looks like with different view. I appreciate that what I had learned before. Thank you Malaysia. Thank you so much. 

Malaysia, my country ,my home , my family...

Already week 13, I believe that I had changed a lot about Malaysia. Before that, I wrong about Malaysia , wrong about art ,and wrong about culture. Previously, what I thought was Malaysia just my country. I just pass through and find a better place to live. I want explore more about my industry. Yah, I really like production. I know that western counties already reached high level in this industry. The movie such as Harry Potter, Marvel Movies, Fast and Furious, and all the movies that won the Oscar award. That why I always support international film instead of local film. I admit that I always like to compare good and bad. It not a good attitude (I know....I should change it). 

Thank you to Dr carmen, Miss Ezatti, and Miss Raja. I learned a lot from this subject-Malaysia Media and culture. Malaysia was not easy like that. The art and culture totally different form another country. Because it unique and special. If we try to spend our time to understand it, we will realize the beautiful behind our country. This kind of beautiful totally cannot compare with others. I learned this through the lecturer, tutorial, watching Malaysia film, field trip, Malaysia art and write blog. Through it all, it make me more what had Malaysian done before to express their love toward our country.

Yes, Malaysian is the important factor that makes what Malaysia looks like. The point is we have different races, but we still able to unite together.  This is the unique that I admire. I will more enjoy when I watch Malaysia art. I recommend a movie that I watched during this Chinese New Year,"Ola Bola". This movie really did very well, It shows what our country looks like when our different races unite to fulfill a goal. It talking about history of football team in Malaysia. The way director Chiu Keng Guan used cinematography to show the spirit of Malaysian. This movie give a lot of important information to audience. To make Malaysian more awaken our beautiful country. I cried after watched this movie. I never forget the tears that dropped until my heart. 

I really proud to be Malaysian. Now, I more appreciate that what I have. Because Malaysia is our country, home and family. Aku anak Malaysia!! WooHoo! 

Film Review 4 - Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah

Finally come to the last film review. This time the film that we have to do is a Malaysia film about Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah. This film really special when during that time because it is combination of comedy and horror genre. The director of this film is Khalid Mamat. He want to bring a lot of hidden messages through this film. 

The horror part is the Hantu Kak limah. Hantu Kak limah. She play important role to scare all the villager in Kampung Pisang. Her make up really very scary. We can saw a lot of scenes that Kak Limah scared all villagers. 

The comedy part is the reaction of the villager after scared by the Hantu Kak Limah. Especially their running scenes when hantu Kak Limah chasing the villagers. Not only here, the rest part of scenes also included funny part. The way they conversation with each other also including funny moment.

  Next I want to talking about the hidden message from this film. I want to highlight a character which  is call Usop. In the beginning of this film, Usop accidentally lost the function of his legs. So start of the beginning of this film,  Usop always sit on the wheelchair. Until he facing Hantu Kak Limah, he suddenly running with his strong legs. 

One of the scenes, The have the meeting in Kampung Pisang to expulsion Kak Limah from their village. Usop suddenly stand up and said " Kita bakar je ,kita bakar". There are something hidden inside. I think that it want to mention about the demonstrates in Malaysia. Let just said, Usop is demonstrates, hantu Kak Limah is Government, and village is Malaysia. The demonstrates dare to speak up their voice when they want to anti Government . Just like the scenes in this film , Usop only stand up or run when facing hantu Kak Limah, although he always sit on the wheelchair. It totally reflect to what happened nowadays in Malaysia. 

In conclusion, I think that Khalid Mamat try to bring out a lot of  hidden message to reflect the situation of politic in Malaysia.  I hope that this film can pass to next generation to watch in order that they can also realize the situation of politic in Malaysia during that time.

Enjoy yah,although Emily is not here.T.T