Review on “Angels and Demons”(2009)

Angels and Demons

Starring Tom Hanks, “Angels and Demons” was one of the most anticipated film of the month, based on the bestseller novel by Dan Brown.

Mr. Ron Howard, the director of this film, probably exposed himself to the abysmal adventure when directing this movie. Audience tend to have high expectations for movies like this- based on famous novel with lots of money spent on advertising it- and compare the movie to the original version of the story. Most of them are usually the loyal fans of the original story, often criticizing the movie version when it fails to meet their imaginations and expectations.

 

In this case, though, I would like to give it a ★★★★!.

 

The plot of the movie was very interesting because I’ve noticed that some of the scenes from the book was either deleted or altered. It was obvious that the director wanted to keep the main points in, but leave out the lingering parts to make the story line more fast paced and to-the-point. I don’t think the movie would have confused the viewers who have not read the book because its altered story still gave a clear introduction of its characters, problems, denouement and etc.

 

Although I thought it could’ve given more clear approach on the relationships of the characters, I think the plotline was appropriate for the whole movie.

 

The arts on the other hand though, was superb.

 

Through usage of both soft and harsh light, it succesfully re-illustrated the holy and “protected” atmosphere of the Vatican. By contrasting the dark shadows of the building and warm lighting from the sun, it also portrays the covert scheme going on beneath the pope-selection process (the setting of the story).

Magnificient mise-en-scene

Above is just one of the fantastic composition of colors and lines of the archaic buildings. The contrast between many reds and solo black shows the importance of the character, and foreshadows their roles. Harsh light through the window gives a sparkling affect on the whole scene, and creates the typical religious atmosphere on the screen.

 

Amazing lighting and cuts were awesome in this scene

One other strength of this film besides the lighting was the cuts. Fast jump cuts and insert shots tensed up the mood, giving surprised to the audiences even if they knew the story already. It also matched with its genre, “thriller”, and creeped the most out from the viewers with its original, new cuts. For example, cuts used in the scene above was amazing. Jump cuts between people who are chasing and are being chased using their shadow shown through the hectic construction cite was so intense that I could not resist hoding tight on the armrest of the theater chair.

 

Point of view shots were surprisingly clear, and it was very obvious which character was seeing which. Characterization was done through these shots- audience could observe what each characters were involed in or was doing.

 

Maybe it is because the movie takes place in the Vatican, but I think the movie achieved a tremendous success in its arts aspect. There were too many beautiful shots- the story itself was pretty impactful, but the shots were even more so.

It was both plot and style driven movie.

Good one to spend few hours of weekends on.

 ★★★★!

Future as a Film Student- Why I chose Film Class

“Julie, what IB classes are you taking?” she asked. “Maths and sciences?”

At this, I couldn’t answer. Maybe it was because I was still deciding- but no, that was an excuse- it was because I was confused.

Stuck in between bunch of people claiming IBH Math and Sciences are the best shortcut to “prestigious” universities and myself still passionate of learning in the department of liberal arts and uncertain of where to go, IB course selection procedure was literally like hell. Chemistry , Film, Biology, Psychology- the mixture of interest all over these different subjects made it even more worse.

Soon after, driven by my lifetime goal- go to Africa and dedicate myself in helping the suffering people there- I thought maybe studying medicine is the fastest way to get there.

And with much hesitation and uncertainty, I chose my 3 H IBH subjects:
Math, Chemistry, and Biology.

Something was not right.

But I pretended as if everything was right until I was finally tired and sick of lingering worries and concerns.

Then I was stuck between guilt and passion.

Guilt #1:
Did I choose those subjects because they’ll look good on my transcript? (At this stage I was doubting myself if my “Africa” dream was just an illusion that I unconsciously created to avoid the answer yes to this question. I almost hated myself.)

Guilt #2:
If I choose film class and decide to study that instead of medical science, would I become an ignorant person, dismissing all those people I wanted to share all these overflowing benefits I got already as a teenager?

Guilt #3:
Was I capable of taking such challenge from the first place? Who was I to say that I wanted to help those people anyways? Was this mere arrogance or what? (At this stage, I really hated myself.)

Guilt #4:
Are these thoughs all excuses to free myself? (At this stage, I started to really really really hate myself).

Weeks and weeks of guilt, and self-torture passed.

It would’ve been easier if I ignored all those questions from my mind and continued on with those subjects.

But what I couldn’t ignore was myself always being naturally drawn to “Film”. Camera. Cut-pro software. Lights. The class. The thoughs. The writings. The imaginations. The plans. All the things I conjure up.

Little voice I heard: What do you want, Julie?

Cannot live without a dream

I had to admit.
I had to take film class.

Not because I failed at other subjects and had nothing to do,
Not because I think it is an easy A class, (and it is NOT,)

But because I like it. Because I love it.
Because if I were to commit myself for something for 2 years of precious high school life, I would love it to be film.

I wasn’t going to make myself unhappy straight for two years, forever regretting that I had ignored my passion.

New thought:

I myself have to be happy person if I truly wanted to share all the things I get with those people out there, crying somewhere- who was I to say “I want to help!” when I make choices that makes me unhappy from the first place?

Now, I don’t even believe that maths and science instead of “arts” gets you to the good college because it’s pretty much paradoxical anyways. Maybe if someone took arts as some kind of “exit” subject, to run away from “challenging subject”.

But who dares to think film is an easy subject?

What kind of good college ignores students’ true passion?

Is memorizing already existing equations so much harder than creation?

Thinking that,

I started laughing at all the existing, false thoughts  that tortured me.

What could be more true than my own passionate, real choice?

What could be more challenging than chasing my own dream?

What could be more worthy than hanging onto that dream and find a way of sharing it?

Thinking about it, I was embarrased at the fact that I thought film was a long way around to reach my lifetime “Africa” goal.

Overcomming IB decision making process like this actually strengthened me, enabling me to jump over derailing and pressuring factors.

If “Africa” goal is my dream, then I follow my dream.

What else?

There are people still questioning me of my choice with a quizzical look.

It still frustrates me, how people think good college is everything that a High School student can be chasing after- and every other million reasons I can give them.

But I don’t need too much words to explain why I chose film class now.

After that, it was pretty simple.

“Hello Mr. Trotter!” said Julie. “I’m here to make changes in my IBH course selection…. I need Film in there.”

Review on “Election”

Poster of "Election"

       Never have I considered, or taken seriously of school elections until I encountered this movie. Directed by Alexander Payne, “Election” (1999) hilariously portrays out some of the unusual but possible complications throughout human life caused by mistakes, overwhelming emotions and differences through a life of a respected High School history teacher, Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) during the period of School President Election.

First of all, I think the actors and actresses of the movie were exceptional- of course, especially the main characters. They understood the characters well, and have really done a good job on noting each one’s characteristics. What I would most comment on is how they used exaggeration and avoided the negative effect (e.g. drawing away the audience due to awkwardness caused by unseemly exaggeration or forced laugh) and created even better understanding of the characters. They fitted the situation well, and showed the audience some of the comical, extreme behavior of human beings when certain things critically go wrong. The film was certainly amusing, being black comedy genre, and did not lose its light even until the denouement after the climax when things were getting resolved. The setting was highly recommendable, too. The film shooting took place in the real high school, and it very highly contributed the realism of the movie.

 

Camera movements and shots contribute greatly of the overall movie, too. I’ve noticed the director cleverly chose to use many close-up shots to fully catch the character’s expression. It worked very well with actors’ exaggeration, and created extra hilarious atmosphere as the audience focused on the funny faces of the character. It also helped with better understanding of the character, gravity of the situation, affect of the situation on the characters and etc. without unnecessary dialogues. Fast jump cuts and panning movement of the camera suited well with overall ecstatic mood of the plot. Point of view shots were also favorable, and helped the audience not get lost between transition of the narrator between main characters as the movie’s plot developed through different point of views of the people involved in the situation. One of my favorite shot was when the bird-eye view shot on the about-to-fall-asleep candidates the night before the voting day slowly zooming out as each of them finishes their prayer. It was one of the few successful zooming out shots and clearly matched well with characters falling asleep.

 

Most ostensible usage of sound in this movie would be non-diagetic sound: the narration.

The story developed through the narration of each character. It was almost like soliloquy of a character in a play, and I could catch what each character was really like, and his/her emotion. One of the main theme of the film –which I worded as “Teachers are humans too, they feel, they can do what you can do, and they can make mistakes”- was so well portrayed by the narration that I was completely drawn in to the movie. Diagetic sounds are also brilliant as some of the ambient sound in the background, especially at the movie’s high school setting, were really the sound from high school class- the director asked the school to resume its normal routine to achieve that sound for film’s realism. OST suited as well- upbeat, exciting music were dominant, matching with the whole plot line

 

The movie overall, despite its adultery and dark theme, is a triumphant one.

Thoughts on Making Film

 If this is a cultural proverb, I do not know, but what I grew up hearing was “artists are born mad”. I considered this a lie, because I take what people call “mad” as “genius”. 

 Right now as a film student, I’ve spent few weeks making a “film”. First impression (or, rather the strongest one) I’m getting is it is the hardest project I’ve worked on in my minute 16 years of life. BUT- (yes, capitalized) because it’s a work which I’ve put the most amount of time and consideration, I am looking very forward to it. And I personally think this growing addiction is what people consider “mad”.

 Editing film, let alone the shooting process, has this mesmerizing attraction. Every hundredth of a second makes a huge difference in the whole product, making me be more and more punctual to the extent where my friends started calling me “crazy perfectionist”. I find myself unconsciously cothe canversing with camera, tape, or even to the computer software with my face stuck on it (usually “PLEASE..” or “HELP ME FOR THIS ONE LAST TIME”, which gets ignored most of the time. Machines are merciless.)

 Resulting from this, what I’m learning from it is not only the whole process of creating film but also lifelong needed mental status such as “pursue of perfectionism” and “punctuality”. Recording every single action taken is now habitualized, my note taking skills seemed to have improved (which made me laugh at myself at the moment when I realized I was listing down my math homework in timely sequence like a shot log).

 Although several more accidents and merciless-machine-incident may occur(and have occured), making film so far (and will be) : a life-changing experience.

Shot List Plans

SHOT LIST

2008 My Favorite Movies of the Year

1) August Rush (2007)

I’ve heard many times of this movie from my friends; they kept on recommending me saying that I ought to watch this because it was a beautiful film regarding music, and I’m deeply involved with music.
I wondered if it was a musical genre, but it was not. It was rather a heart warming movie with breathtaking ost and moments.
Cross cutting between long lost parents and son, especially when father and the son does not know each other when they are conversing makes the viewer just stop their breathing and literally move closer to the screen.

2) Daremo Shiranai (Nobody Knows) (2004)

It is a very touching Japanese movie. It is very powerful and moving, and children actors are just great. Yagira, who played main character, won the Best Child Actor in Cannes.
Ironically, this movie also deals with orphan problems; four children with one mother and four different fathers are left alone by themselves, and they have to carry out their own life. The plot line is rather slow, but it is painfully realistic and portrays out the silent social issue of non-married mothers. The title is sadly, self explanatory. What’s more painful is the innocent, “I don’t know anything” smile of the children through out the film.

3) Schindler’s List (1993)

Although it was created in 1993, no Holocause movie has ever been more powerful to me than this one. It is one of my favorite, or, rather, the number 0 in my favorite list. Scene of the girl in red coat will never be erased in my head.
The movie deals with the true story regarding Oscar Schindler- and it does not just make him Jesus-like figure that comes out from nowhere and saves everyone without any pay. It portrays him as a typical man who desires for money and women- but struggles within himself with his conscience, saving 1,100 lives during those dark, violent days.
It is more realistic than reality, and as a film student, having seen this movie more than 10 times, the violent scene look almost holy.
No words needed. Just a MUST WATCH.

Review on “The Kingdom of Heaven”

Poster of "Kingdom of Heaven"Ridley Scott was always, and will be my favorite director. Today, the review will focus on "Kingdom of Heaven" (2005) directed by him, starring Orlando Bloom.The plot line is set during Crusades of 12th century. A blacksmith who turns out to be a long lost son of a Lord, far from this war finds about his true identity and reaches to Jerusalem where the Christians and Muslims fight over. There, he has to fulfill his mission as Balian of Ibelin and find the true meaning of this bloody war, and protect his people. It is a very historical movie heavily fictionized, revolving around this character.Scene from Kingdom of HeavenWhat I like so much about Ridley Scott films is it's cinematography. Lighting and cemera shots always sophiscated, unique, and brilliant to me. Up, that is a captured scene from Kingdom of Heaven. It is a scene where Balian crosses a desert- the red lighting emphasizes the heat, and unfortune that is about to come. Besides this scene, because the movie also dealt with "colorful and artistic" religions (Christianity and Musilm), lots of props and costumes were stunning, and original. Just brillaint. Throughout the film, the color just grabs the attention.Most of the shots took place in Morocco and Spain ( 'Gladiator' was also shot here).JUST LOOK AT THIS GENIUS LIGHTING,

Besides the cinematography, the music used throughout the movie is haunting. It is never forgettable and I play the DVD to listen to its OST on purpose. It made me look for its OST CDs for weeks (still looking for it :S). And I think it was heavily influenced by the theme of this movie; religion, war, romance, with slight hint of pop/rock. The score was created by Harry Gregson Williams, a British film-score composer.

EvaGreen

Some critics argue that the movie is flawed, and lacks the true historical aspect, and has disordered, weird plot line. I disagree to this heavily; the movie deals with new, original plot, and decorated it with interesting, seducing characters. Its artistic and musical aspect is amazing, and overthrew the stereotypical romance-war movie image.

A fabulous one to spend time on weekends.

StoryBoard

Scene#1
The bird-eye view shot on Julie’s past photos and current scene (cross cutting) to show the changes and similarities and how Julie grew up

Scene #2
Julie is drawing something on the wall (turns out to be a teacher’s calendar) First close up shots, then mid-shot, and long shot when the annoyed teacher appeares. (there will be a close-up on the calendar in between to show her birthday that she marked)

Scene #3
THe main character starts to run (long shot), then some high/long angle shots when she is going up the stairs. WHen she’s running through the hallway, it will be a leveled shot, looking as if she’s passing by the camera

Scene #4
Julie finds out she made it in to the selection for thimun, be happy and runs away close up on the selection list), then panning shots on her movements

Scene #5
She chats with her friend about the “concert” of the night. WHen she turns around the corner, there will be a change of costume from sophomore shirt to a formal, concert clothings

Scene #6
Julie is standing right infront of the FAT with voice over talking and talking (Long, full shot)

Scene #7
Someone calls Julie saying that is almost time (mid shot of Julie turning around) the hallway light must be used because ot the reversed lighting from the front

Scene #8
Julie disappears behind the FAT door (low angle shot)

Specific Scene Plan

Scene 1
There is a cross shots between 3 past photos and 3 shots of Julie’s present. This scene, although dialogue-less, gives comparison of main character’s past and present at the same time. Also, it works as an exposition shot where the character is introduced by step-by-step pattern. It shows her main interests, her growth, and etc.

Scene 2
Julie is secretly marking her birthday on teacher’s calendar (prank). This shot shows her playful personality, along with some of more detalied autobiographical information. In this scene, she will be wearing her sophomore t-shirt which indicates her age and birthday. Also, the audience can get the sense of what kind of person she is through her accesories, expressions, and actions (stereotype perception).

Scene 3
The teacher who owns the calendar appears, and Julie starts run away with a smirk (a.k.a HAHA face). This scene works as a bridge from scene 2 to following scene 4, and also builds up to the climax. Audience still percieves the “unspoken but obvious” personality of the character.

Scene 4
While Julie’s running, her friend passing by tells her that selection list for MUN trip is out. Julie then runs up to the second floor bulletin board, finds out that she is in, and expresses her “happiness”. This scene establishes her interests in school (her activity at school) and sets up another area of her personality/characeristics.

Scene 5
She cheks the watch and runs downstairs back to the FAT area- there is a costume change when she turns around the corner, and she is holding a flute. This scene connects with the “present-shot” foretold in scene 1, and her main interest is signified once again. (her interest connects to stereotypical image of band student in campus) Her another friend passing by tells her that show starts in 15 minutes. (This pattern of friends passing by her and talking to her breaks the archetypical image of band student being “loner”, and shows the viewers that she actually has many friends ; ) )

Scene 6
Julie is standing in front of the FAT area, holding her flute. She seems to be preparing herself for the “show”, staring into nothing infront of her. During this scene, the voice over narration is accentuated because nothing is happening at all. Also, this scene is where her name is revealed through:
(GENERAL IDEA- *there might be a change in the script)
Narration : …..oh, by the way, my name is-
Diagetic-sound in the scene: Julie! It’s gonna start now!
Narration: yup, Julie.
This is very significant because by revealing the character’s name, it slightly disengages the audience from the character because the character got its own “divergence”- it’s about to finish. Also, for basic reason, the character’s name is finally revealed which is one of the most important component of a main character in any movies.

Scene 7
Julie is about to go into the FAT. Then, she suddenly stares into the camera, and after a few seconds of pause, she disappears behind the door. Same principle of the voice-over-narration being accentuated from the previous scene applies here also. And because the main-character goes away, with camera finally stopping from following her, it indicates that this is the last scene.

Autobiography Film Plan

Proposal-

The film revolves around a daily life of Julie at school.  It is depicted through her running around the certain area of the ISM campus which is significant to her (e.g. FAT and Band Room Area). Although there is not much of dialogues, the audience can still get a sense of her biographical information through her costumes, reaction, things she does, and places she goes to. Instead of dialogue, we are going to use voice over (Julie’s voice) which will focus mainly on her thoughts/ideas. By this, the audience can engage themselves and correlate their own life to the Julie’s day at school, because they would perceive information about Julie through sight and link themselves to her ideas they hear. SO the main aim of this film is not only the autobiographical aspect about Julie, but also to engage the audience and make then agree/compare.

Roles:

Director- Julie

Cinematographer/Camera man- Jimbo

Editor- Ana

Sound/Lighting- Seok Hyun