Movies that last for Generations

One of the great things about films is that they are recorded and can be seen for many years to come. The film industry brought several horrible films to theaters, but also delivered numerous amounts of extraordinary films to be remembered. Over the course of my summer, I had the opportunity to watch some of the greatest films ever produced. I experienced happiness, anger, sadness, and anxiety while watching these films and while I am only going to discuss about the 3 films that impacted me, I believe they were all films everyone needs to watch.

One of first films I watched over the summer was the neo-noir mystery crime film, L.A. Confidential (1997). It was directed and produced by Curtis Hanson and starred Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger, and Danny DeVito. The film centers around 3 policemen who try to solve a murder while the corrupted Los Angeles Police Department intervenes. The film also happens to interweave Hollywood celebrities. I specifically chose this film because the action and drama had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I especially loved how the movie leads the audience into the crime case as much as the characters. L.A. Confidential (1997) is the type of movie I would not mind watching again, which in my opinion makes for a marvelous movie. The set is historic and iconic because the film used the actual places of Los Angeles to film. Not to mention cinematographer Dante Spinotti’s magnificent work on the lighting. Spinotti’s simplistic use of light and shadow make dramatic scenes more intense. However, the one element that I loved the most about this film is the composition and framing of certain shots. Many of the frames in L.A. Confidential are used to convey meanings of anger, distraught, suspicion, and fear. Overall, the devious story of the corrupted LAPD was captured continuously because of excellent camera work and the use of continuity and parallel editing. This film has left an absurd amount of impact on my life because of the film’s historical implications. The historical reference to the 1950s scandal magazine Confidential gives me a perspective on a previous time period. The biggest impact the film left on me is the possibility of scandal and corruption.

Another exquisite movie I had the pleasure of enjoying over the summer was 1999 drama film American Beauty. The director is Sam Mendes and the producers are Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks. The film stars, Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Allison Janney, Peter Gallagher, Mena Suvari, Wes Bentley, and Chris Cooper. The movie is about a boring suburban father who tries to reignite his life through his daughter’s friend. I chose this film because it is a drama where it makes me root for the main character. Even though the ending was already fixed, it still made me want to help the character in his situation. The main reason I selected this film was because it made me think about the misinterpretation of “beauty.” An element American Beauty used precisely is the different colors for the different sets to represent different meaning. Screenwriter Alan Ball uses red to convey a meaning of freedom and desire for Lester since he lives a boring and sex-less life. For Jane, red symbolizes her journey towards individuality since she gave up on trying to “fit in.” In addition to the color, the music also credits to Lester’s goal of freedom. The music used is primarily by folk and rock artists since their music was an expression towards the oppression of the government. Both the music and the color play an integral part in portraying the central theme of individuality and freedom. I am so glad to have watched this movie because it pulled tugged my heart and picked my brain. After watching the movie I cried, but I honestly have no idea why. I just thought the whole movie was beautiful. The movie showed me the true meaning of beauty, which is what I see as beautiful. After Lester’s death, we hear him talking about all the beautiful moments he had throughout his life. At that point, he was free and could experience the beauty that was his life. This particular ending made me realize the inevitable beauty that surrounds each and every one of us.

The last movie that I found particularly interesting was French drama film, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007). The film depicts the life of Jean-Dominique Bauby after suffering a stroke which left him paralyzed except for his left eye. Bauby suffers from a condition known as locked-in syndrome. The film is directed by Julian Schnabel and produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Jon Kilik. The film stars Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne Consigny, and Max von Sydow. I chose this film because it was such a great movie about the triumph of the human spirit. This film speaks volumes when it comes to taking certain things for granted, which is why I chose this film. The main component I want to discuss about this film is the composition and camera work. The film is shot primarily in first-person which takes a certain creativity only the film’s cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski, could conjure up. The perspective from Bauby makes it more difficult to comprehend since we can hear how depressing his thoughts are and how limited his body is. The scene where Bauby’s right eye is being sewed shut is quite gruesome to view because one is looking at it from his perspective. I was emotionally impacted by this film because it represents the perseverance of the human spirit. When I watch films, I sometimes lose myself within the character I relate to the most, but this particular film was very difficult for me to handle the life of Bauby. In my opinion, the saddest scene was when Bauby and his father were having a conversation about how both of them are stuck. I cried a lot during that scene because I could not image how difficult it would be to talk to my father like that. Overall, the film taught me a very important life lesson, which is to never take life for granted because one day you might never get the chance to fully experience the beauty of the world.

Throughout the summer, I studied and watched 9 magnificent films that every student of film should watch. Even though there was not nearly enough time to watch every great film possible, I believe that there are some other films that film students should watch and study. One of the movies in which I believe a student of film should study is neo-noir psychological thriller film, Memento (2000). The film’s director is Christopher Nolan and the producers are Suzanne and Jennifer Todd. The film stars Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Joe Pantoliano. The movie is about a man with short-term memory loss who is trying to solve the murder of his wife. I chose this film because I love the way the film is presented. It is presented not in chronological order, which makes the audience actually think about the order of the movie. This film was the first film that expanded my brain on the complexity of how a film can order their scenes. Nolan’s reverse chronological storytelling and Dody Dorn’s, the film editor, editing style make the film encompass the art of neo-noir. Dorn captures the protagonist’s flashbacks exquisitely which makes the audience feel the confusion about the order of events. I believe that students should study Memento because it shows how far the continuity of a neo-noir can be taken. Students will see great uses of different camera angles and a different perspective on how to tell a story. Overall, I believe the film will push the imaginative boundaries of film students with the story being depicted in reverse chronological order.

A film that I would love for students of film to study about music and sound is the superhero film, The Dark Knight (2008). It is directed, produced, and co-written by Christopher Nolan. The other producers are Emma Thomas and Charles Roven while the co-writer is David S. Goyer. The film stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Morgan Freeman. The film takes place in the fictional city of Gotham, where Batman tries to stop the tyranny of the villain known as the Joker. I chose this film because I love an action packed movie where a protagonist overcomes adversity to achieve their goals. The acting was phenomenal, especially from the late Ledger who played the Joker. This film fills my body with adrenaline and wonder, which is why I chose this film. One of the great aspects of this film is the sound work. The soundtrack, composed by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, make scenes dark and mysterious with its powerful and twisted sound. Richard King, the sound designer, made every sound of cars racing, buildings burning, and Batman soaring seam surreal. It truly made the action alive when watching the film. King later won an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing for his work on The Dark Knight. I believe that any student of film should study this superhero film because it teaches the essence of film sound. The music composition is used in a way that conveys danger, anxiety, and anticipation. Film students should definitely watch this film to understand how the music can convey the mood. The sound should also be studied by film students because any blockbuster action film should not have sound effects that sound ridiculous. I believe The Dark Knight is a great film in which a student of film can master the art of sound and music in film.

One of my favorite movies of all time in which film students should interpret is the science fiction thriller film, Inception (2010). It is directed, co-produced, and written by Christopher Nolan. The films has long list of actors including: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, and Michael Caine. The film is about a group of thieves who commit corporate espionage through entering the subconscious of their target. I specifically chose this film because it deals with the unexplained phenomenon that is dreams. It is an outstanding film that puts the audience’s mental strength to the test. The film plays a big part in determining whether something is real or imagined. Nolan enjoys using as little CGI as possible, therefore the set designer, Guy Hendrix Dyas, had to put a lot of effort in making dream scenes look surreal. One of the greatest set design in Inception was during a fight scene in a hotel hall. The design the characters fought in was designed to spin to signify the gravity changes. In the particular scene, stunt doubles were used so Lee Smith, the editor, had to cut shots to hide the fact that stunt doubles were used. Besides Wally Pfister’s, the film’s cinematographer, excellent vision for camera angles and positions, the film’s soundtrack is the most impactful in my opinion. With every scene there accompanies music that is beautifully integrated to fit the scene. Hans Zimmer, the film’s music composer, is a genius with the soundtrack because the music eases the audience into this subconscious adventure. I strongly believe that any film student should study Inception because it has all the components of a film that uses different editing techniques, different sound styles, and remarkable set designs. In my opinion, studying this film literally brings dreams into reality. In conclusion, I believe Inception is a film worth studying because of how wonderful the filming techniques embody the film’s overall story.

I know that there are many other great movies besides the 6 listed, but these movies really impacted the way I view films. I have never watched the first 3 movies listed until the summer, which made me upset that it took until now to watch 3 great films. I look at films differently now after learning a lot about the art of film. After watching those films, I am looking forward to watching many more of the great films produced and the greater films yet to be produced. I have a greater sense of the art of film and I can proudly say that this movie addict has moved closer towards becoming a cinephile.

Tom Hanks Interviewed on The Treatment

When we, as the audience, reminisce about the magnificent films that were produced, we subconsciously recall the great actors and actresses since they are an integral part of what makes a film memorable. On June 9^th, 2002, film critic Elvis Mitchell interviewed the wildly popular actor and filmmaker Tom Hanks on KCRW’s radio show, The Treatment. Hanks’ notable films include: Forrest Gump (1994), Big (1998), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Philadelphia (1993), Cast Away (2000), Apollo 13 (1995), The Da Vinci Code (2006), Captain Phillips (2013), and Saving Mr. Banks (2013). His voice work in notable animated films includes The Polar Express (2004) and the Toy Story series. Hanks has also directed various films with director Steven Spielberg and helped produce various amounts of films. All of Hanks’ accomplishments were recognized when Hanks received the Lifetime Contributions to American Culture through the Performing Arts medallion in 2014.

During the interview with Tom Hanks, I got the impression that he is very comedic actor despite his powerful performances in Saving Private Ryan (1998) and Cast Away (2000). He is not shy of telling jokes and has a great sense of humor apparent in the interview. Furthermore, Tom Hanks also hosted the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live several times before the interview. Something interesting I learned about Tom Hanks was that his first time on stage was about third or fourth grade where he had to read a page long essay about The Star-Spangled Banner. It is also interesting to note that Tom Hanks compares being on stage to filming on a movie to have the same fear and anxiety about performing. I learned from this interview that there is a certain type of genre specifically for each era. Hanks describe the movies of the 80s where about guys who were afraid of girls, tried to impress girls, and pretended they were rich. I learned it is somewhat a confidence booster when Hanks chooses to play these roles in film, but it may not always seem as interesting to Hanks when he portrays repetitive roles. Furthermore, I learned Hanks needs time to “recharge” creatively between consecutive films since doing back-to-back films can be mentally and physically draining.

When Tom Hanks talks about starting to work a new film, he compares the first three days on set as a voyage. Hanks states, “You are going on this great voyage whether you like it or not. If it’s heading in one direction with a whole kind of way of philosophy of what the creative air is like on sound stage, you can’t change it; you can’t get in there and turn it around.” I believe Hanks provides a great analogy to the newly developed films because as Hanks said earlier, “You do not know if any of it will work; if any of it is just stupid.” I agree with Hanks because it seems like actors and actresses must have a difficult time deciding whether the film they are participating in will be successful or not. As Hanks points out, it is similar to a voyage that will not stop until the film is complete. The director will see it in their own way while actors are required to trust the creativity of the film. It is a great analogy relative to the film industry because there some instance where the director’s and actor’s creative style clash. Hanks is depicting that as an actor, one must have confidence with the film because there is no backing down once the journey begins.

There is always fine line between whether an actor or actress does a film for the money or because they believe in the creativity of the film. Tom Hanks states, “For the longest time I thought you’ll be insane to turn down a movie. You don’t realize for a while that you’re giving up an awful lot of trading stamps, you’re going to the well perhaps more often than you should go to the creativity well, but I didn’t know that and you’ll figure that out later down the line.” Even actor Tom Hanks thought that it would be insane to decline an opportunity at a movie because the film could possibly an actor’s “big break.” However, as Hanks implies, when you accept any and every movie role, you do not grasp the entire creative essence of the film. In my opinion, films take a lot of time and effort which is the reason why actors and actresses need to be focused. I agree with Hanks because if one is making 2 to 3 movies a year, it will be extremely exhausting to maintain the same creative level with all of the films. I believe Hanks understands that one cannot creatively immerse into a film if one is solely concentrated on completing the film as soon as possible.

A lot of actors and actresses have different opinions on how to act and what differentiates the “good” actors and actresses from the “great” actors and actresses. In regards to finding confidence on set, Tom Hanks believes, “If there is any one rule of acting on screen it would be less is more; you don’t have to sell a lot of it.” Tom Hanks indicates that the more dramatic the acting, the more the audience can distinguish that the performance is fake. Hanks also states, “Even though you wanted to be funny, and even though you wanted to be fascinating, and even though you wanted to be dramatic, and even though you wanted to be powerful, if you specifically go for those things it’s never going to work.” I agree with Hanks that the over dramatized acting is somewhat idiotic in the twenty-first century because great actors can convey emotion without doing much work. Some actors try extremely hard to convey the character in a certain way which does not make the acting any better. For example, in the 1903 film The Great Train Robbery, the acting is extremely dramatic, especially when someone is shot. If an actor acts overly dramatic today, it would be because of their personality or they were satirizing the old films of the past. Hanks’ acting suggestion depicts of the changing style of acting within the film industry.

In my opinion, Tom Hanks has a great grasp of acting on screen and of the film industry in general. I now understand that if I ever want to go into the film industry, I would need to be able to trust all the cast and crew. I believe Hanks’ interview gave the audience a lot of insight to confidence in an on-screen actor. I also believe that “less is more” is extremely viable and valuable advice to any actor or actress. After listening to the interview, I felt that Tom Hanks is a very gifted actor and he has never worked a day in his life because he loves film. Tom Hanks has provided the film world with a variety of films that contribute to the American culture. Hanks is known as the character that painted a face on a volleyball and named it Wilson. He is recognized as the voice of Woody from the Toy Story series. He also is affiliated with the catchphrase, “Run. Forrest. Run.”  Besides catchphrases and references, Hanks provides the film world with powerful and emotional performances. Hanks is truly a great actor and I am glad to be alive while he still contributes to the world of film.