La La Land “How are you going to be a revolutionary if you are such a traditionalist?” A quote from La La Land that is answered by the film itself. La La Land is known for being revolutionary as a result of its creation in a modern day era while using time-honored styles and plotlines, and all the while using groundbreaking, nonpareil characters as well, making it the principal example of an exceptional film. Mia and Sebastian are the central characters of La La Land, and are at the root of its justification of it being one of the greatest films of all time. Both characters are flawed in their own distinct, but equally human ways. The chemistry between them comes very naturally, and is authentic to what two real people would experience with …show more content…
each other. Their relationship progresses at a steady, natural pace, which is true to how real people fall in love. Their progression from strangers to friends to lovers is what gives them a solid foundation for a mutually supportive bond. However, the healthy development of a relationship in film is virtually nonexistent. A major issue in society is that the film industry projects all love to be instant, transcendent, and indissoluble. After over a hundred years of seeing relationships portrayed like this, the general population believes that this is the only way to fall in love, which is setting people up to be disappointed when they are unable to find what they see on the screen. Substantial relationships do not happen quickly, and are not facile. Favorably, this movie shows a sincere connection between two people that is not destined, but developed. The leading man of this film is a jazz pianist, named Sebastian. Overflowing with adrencey, Sebastian is dedicated to his love of music. He is stubborn and resilient, willing to do anything to progress his work. This includes avoiding any distractions, such as love, as he only believes in fulfilling his passion. Mia is the heroine of La La Land. She is a headstrong and passionate actress, struggling to break into Hollywood’s film industry. Eventually, she does achieve her dreams of stardom, because she fights for what she wants; and it is not the affection of a man. Unlike the small majority of women in films who begin with personal goals, and then meet a man and desert their dreams to be with him, Mia does not. In fact, by the end of the film she makes her aspirations into a reality, and is apart of a loving family with her husband and daughter. The most important aspect that makes this one of the greatest films of all time is the old-timey style and mood of it.
The characters, settings, soundtrack, wardrobes, and musical numbers all reflect a more classical feel, bringing the romance of older films into the modern world. The attitudes and personalities are even partially classic with being set on their passions as opposed to fitting into today’s world. What makes this classical-modern mix so special is that it has never been done before. The older films have political issues of underappreciated and recognized, driven women, and are relatable to modern day audiences. Modern films are dry, repetitive, and predictable, lacking in style and creativity, despite filmmakers having access to larger audiences and resources. So by taking the classical style of older films and putting it with a modern mindset and in a today’s world, a wonderful film is …show more content…
created. The plotline of La La Land is another aspect of the film that makes it so unique.
The lovers meet by chance time and time again, an old concept, however in both comedic and dramatic settings that contribute to the overall storyline. While the story does somewhat follow a basic plot structure, the story takes its own directions. After their difficult breakup Sebastian and Mia become friends again and support each other's goals. The ending of the movie which is a few years into the future, is one never before shown on screen. Mia and Sebastian are reunited when Mia and her husband end up at Sebastian's musical club that he has always dreamt of creating. They meet eyes across the room as Sebastian plays a passion filled symphony. They are both overcome with emotion, reflecting on their past together. The two smile at each other, giving a nod in the direction of their time together, mutually appreciating one another's influence in their lives. Knowing that without the other they would have never become who they are today. Recognizing the love that they shared and the strong connection that remains. As Sebastien's song comes to an end, Mia and her husband begin to leave. Finally, Sebastien and Mia’s love story has come to an end. Mia does not run into Sebastian's arms, leaving behind her husband, who would normally be a “filler character”, but even though we do not have much information about him, it is obvious to the audience that they are in a committed, loving marriage. Which
a heroine would normally throw out the window for the man of her dreams. But as a woman would realistically do, she has no desire to get back together with her former lover, because she is happy. Women in film are never given a happy ending, unless it is with the leading man. That is what makes this film so revolutionary. While this film is modern it features the classical style of the old, but with the realistic twists and turns of a real life and experience in falling in love in today’s society. The plotline is well executed and reflects a real storyline that makes sense to a wide audience. La la Land is the greatest film of all time as a result of its detailed and well personified characters, classical style and overall mood, and a well thought out plot line that engages the audience throughout the film. This film contains all of the aspects necessary to captivate the modern audience and give them the experience of both perennial art and true love.
Modern day directors use a variety of methods to hold ones interest. Ethan Hawke and Kenneth Branagh’s created versions of Hamlet that shared some similarities, but ultimately had many differences in respects to an audience’s appeal. An appealing movie is one that has an alluring ambiance and an intellectual stimulus. With these two movie versions, a setting and a mood forced an audience to acquire specific emotions, but Ethan Hawke’s version generated emotions more strongly and effectively. Also, these movies had extremely different uses of music and visuals, but both movie versions incorporated them well for the ambiance it tried to obtain. Finally, both movie versions drew characters to captivate the audience; however in Ethan Hawke’s version, the characters were used so effectively that it was easy to feel involved with them. While both these versions of Hamlet had a captivating ambiance, Ethan Hawke’s version was more appealing due to the intellectual incentive that it offered.
For this project, two films were viewed. The first one is Annie, a film made in the early 80s about a girl in an orphanage. She is then brought to live in a mansion for a week with one of the richest men in this world. He doesn’t like her at first, but he learns to love the little girl, and adopt her. The second film, Cinderella man, is about a boxer who loses his job after he breaks his hand during a match. He is then left to fend for his family. He begins to slowly rise up as a boxer and fight again, much to his wife’s distaste. For this project, I will discuss the similarities and differences between the films, and the time period, setting, and characters. Annie is the first film.
Sankofa filmed and directed by Hallie Gerima in 1993 explores the past in which African Americans were brought over as slaves and what they endured while there. In the movie, the main character Mona who is also portrayed as Shola, goes to Ghana for a photoshoot where she encounters the “village protector” Sankofa. Sankofa sees Mona and notices she is very first worldly, she’s wearing makeup and a blonde wig. While noting that she has lost her roots he approaches her to remind her to remember where she came from. Soon after she is jolted into a spiritual time travel back to the past where she experiences the life of those who lived in Ghana at the time of slavery. Mona who then takes on the role of Shola is taken though the experiences of traveling to the states, being branded, and mistreated by the master. Once at the plantation she takes us on a journey through the life of the individuals on the plantation as well as well as her own.
Breathless is in many ways the antithesis of the classical Hollywood cinema; the changes have a direct effect on the relationship the film has with the viewer. Classical Hollywood cinema includes standards such as continuity editing, highly motivated, character-driven stories and a coherent narrative structure. Breathless defies these elements of traditional filmmaking, instead defining what we know as French New Wave.
Film making has gone through quite the substantial change since it’s initial coining just before the turn of the 19th century, and one would tend argue that the largest amount of this change has come quite recently or more so in the latter part of film’s history as a whole. One of the more prominent changes having taken place being the role of women in film. Once upon a time having a very set role in the industry, such as editing for example. To mention briefly the likes of Dede Allen, Verna Fields, Thelma Schoonmaker and so forth. Our female counterparts now occupy virtually every aspect of the film making industry that males do; and in many instances excel past us. Quite clearly this change has taken place behind the lens, but has it taken
Classical Hollywood movies are important to the film making. They have set a guide and standards to be followed by filmmakers to come. Making films is not only a business but an art. It reflects the directors and writers imagination of what the film should be. Classical Hollywood films encompass many formal elements. One such film that encompasses these elements is the film Casablanca. IT is a classical Hollywood film because it uses the formal elements in a way to convey its message and has been critically acclaimed for generations.
These movies allowed female characters to embody all the contradictions that could make them a woman. They were portrayed as the “femme fatale” and also “mother,” the “seductress” and at the same time the “saint,” (Newsom, 2011). Female characters were multi-faceted during this time and had much more complexity and interesting qualities than in the movies we watch today. Today, only 16% of protagonists in movies are female, and the portrayal of these women is one of sexualization and dependence rather than complexity (Newsom, 2011).
The portrayal of art cinema is to some extent accurate when considering the time period of this film. Art film was first introduced to the American film industry during the period of time when this film came out. Art cinema utilizes its own set of artistic expression. Hollywood classical films on the other hand, are at odds with the artistic concept, and are considered to be mainstream. When we look at Classical films, we think of the basic Hollywood movie where there is a beginning, middle and end, and the whole movie comes together at the end, with a little bit of romance. In this specific movie, the audience is faced with a confusing dilemma of choosing whether this movie is an art film or a classical film. Most even think it has a documentary approach, but what makes this movie even more successful and even more entertaining, is that it is both art cinema and classical cinema.
Pretty Woman, 1990s Hollywood movie, embodies many new as well as old values and ideologies. I was surprised when I saw that, the old themes and sexual stereotypes are not completely abandoned, but the old portrayals of gender stereotypes are transmuted.
There are two love relationships developing throughout the plot. The reader witnesses "love from the first sight" between Claudio and Hero, and laughs at Beatrice's scorns and attitude towards Bene*censored*. However, as the plot develops, these relationships develop too. Although they change, there is one thing that remains constant - the contrast between these relationships.
In this essay the following will be discussed; the change from the age of classical Hollywood film making to the new Hollywood era, the influence of European film making in American films from Martin Scorsese and how the film Taxi Driver shows the innovative and fresh techniques of this ‘New Hollywood Cinema’.
First, I would like to talk about the love between Rosalind and Orlando. From the beginning of the play, the reader can clearly sense them are the hero and the heroine of the story. Rosalind is beautiful, and Orlando is handsome, the way they fell in love at first sight is traditional, Orlando’s good nature and bravery won her heart in Act 1, Scene 2. However, if it was just like that, it would be a bit boring, therefore, a new dimension was added to this love when Rosalind was banished by Duke Frederick in A1 S3, and decided to disguise as a male- Ganymede and escape to the Forest of Arden. Their love was tested by the new gender of Rosalind.
The postmodern cinema emerged in the 80s and 90s as a powerfully creative force in Hollywood film-making, helping to form the historic convergence of technology, media culture and consumerism. Departing from the modernist cultural tradition grounded in the faith in historical progress, the norms of industrial society and the Enlightenment, the postmodern film is defined by its disjointed narratives, images of chaos, random violence, a dark view of the human state, death of the hero and the emphasis on technique over content. The postmodernist film accomplishes that by acquiring forms and styles from the traditional methods and mixing them together or decorating them. Thus, the postmodern film challenges the “modern” and the modernist cinema along with its inclinations. It also attempts to transform the mainstream conventions of characterization, narrative and suppresses the audience suspension of disbelief. The postmodern cinema often rejects modernist conventions by manipulating and maneuvering with conventions such as space, time and story-telling. Furthermore, it rejects the traditional “grand-narratives” and totalizing forms such as war, history, love and utopian visions of reality. Instead, it is heavily aimed to create constructed fictions and subjective idealisms.
The depictions of women in films have changed in time with society to ensure the films popularity.
Classical Hollywood is a tradition of methods and structures that were prominent American cinema between 1916 and 1960.Its heritage stems from earlier American cinema Melodrama and to theatrical melodrama before that. Its tradition lives on in mainstream Hollywood to this day. But what is it?