In any work, interesting things do not happen to a character because they are the protagonist. Instead, they are the protagonist because interesting things happen to them. This logic is easy to understand—why would we watch a character if nothing happens to them that we do not already see everyday? For many, there is no interest, and, as such, Hollywood and its ilk have sought to focus on the extraordinary, explosive, and loud. Yet overtime—and possibly in a backlash against the growing trends in Hollywood—independent directors have explored the quiet, inconsequential moments of life as their focus, and have found that there is quite a bit to say about the so called nothing plot. By analyzing and comparing three indie films from the last thirty years (Stranger than Paradise, Boyhood, and Man Push Cart), I will argue the moments in film dedicated to mundane, everyday actions …show more content…
in 1984) is a film that fully embraces trivial, mundane actions as acted out by its trio of decidedly hipster protagonists. The film concerns itself with daily actions of eating T.V. dinners, playing cards, watching movies (to which we are treated to the protagonists’ blank faces rather than the film itself) and long car rides to such an extent that ordinary life is the only thing that could be considered the plot. Filmed in black and white and with still, slow camera work framing each shot like a scene to be acted out on stage, Stranger than Paradise finds artistry in the ugly landscapes of post-industrial commercial districts, cheap hotels, and supposedly beautiful locals ruined by bad weather. Such settings and actions are common in life, yet so rarely presented in film as they are familiar enough to the point of being invisible—so routine as to not be worthy of comment. Yet Stranger than Paradise is obsessed with such sequences, finding a humor in the mundane and a fondness for those who act it
During the Talladega 500, Cal Naughton Jr., Ricky Bobby's former best friend, pulled ahead of Ricky, allowing him to slingshot around his car and pass Jean Girard. Though Cal and Girard were teammates at Dennit Racing, Cal disregarded this and jeopardized his team's success to aid Ricky in the movie Talledega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. This moment was crucial to Ricky, he having fallen from grace, going from NASCAR's top driver to being let go by Dennit Racing. The love Cal exhibited was a selfless form of love that was centered entirely around Ricky's happiness, not his own. Because of this selflessness, Cal compromised his own agenda, winning for Dennit, and disregarded personal consequence in hopes that Ricky would win the race. If you truly love someone as Cal loved Ricky, you must sometimes compromise your own interests for their benefit.
Besides an initial voiceover narration introducing Ray Kinsella (Kevin Cosner), his beloved wife Annie (Amy Madigan), and their young daughter Karin, this is the first scene in Field of Dreams, released in 1989 and directed by Phil Alden. The voice-over establishes the expectation of the film as being a sensible story about a loving couple trying to run a family farm in Iowa, and the subsequent scene (pictured above) quickly deconstructs that expectation. While working in his field one night, Ray hears a voice whispering “If you build it, he will come.” From then on, there are no more misconceptions about Field of Dreams being anything but an unapologetic fantasy in which an Iowa farmer mows down his fields to build a baseball diamond where
The noir style is showcased in Sunset Boulevard with its use of visually dark and uncomfortable settings and camera work, as well as its use of the traditional film noir characters. In addition, the overall tone and themes expressed in it tightly correspond to what many film noirs addressed. What made this film unique was its harsh criticism of the film industry itself, which some of Wilder’s peers saw as biting the hand that fed him. There is frequent commentary on the superficial state of Hollywood and its indifference to suffering, which is still a topic avoided by many in the film business today. However, Sunset Blvd. set a precedent for future film noirs, and is an inspiration for those who do not quite believe what they are being shown by Hollywood.
Perhaps an even stronger testament to the deepness of cinema is Darren Aronofsky’s stark, somber Requiem for a Dream. Centering on the drug-induced debasement of four individuals searching for the abstract concept known as happiness, Requiem for a Dream brims with verisimilitude and intensity. The picture’s harrowing depiction of the characters’ precipitous fall into the abyss has, in turn, fascinated and appalled, yet its frank, uncompromising approach leaves an indelible imprint in the minds of young and old alike.
Ken Kesey's award-winning novel, "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest", was adapted into a film in 1975 written and directed by New York City native Bo Goldman and Czech director Milos Forman. Towards the end of the novel and film, Chief Bromden escapes from the ward. This scene is conveyed differently in the novel and film; however, there are evident similarities between each form of media. This scene is important to the plot because it wraps up the entire storyline. In the film and novel, similarities within Chief Bromden’s escape from the ward include the way Chief escaped, how he couldn't hear anyone in the ward due to being deaf, and how McMurphy assisted Bromden with gaining his confidence to lift the panel and throw it through the window. McMurphy essentially changed Bromden to help him break out of the asylum and back into the real world.
In The Pathos of Failure, Thomas Elsaesser explains the emergence of a new ideology within American filmmaking, which reflects a “fading confidence in being able to tell a story” (280) and the dissolution of psychologically relatable, goal-oriented characters. He elaborates that these unmotivated characters impede the “the affirmative-consequential model of narrative [which] is gradually being replaced by another, whose precise shape is yet to crystallize” (281). Christian Keathley outlined this shape in more detail in Trapped in the Affection Image, where he argued that shifting cultural attitudes resulted in skepticism of the usefulness of action (Keathley). In Robert Altman’s McCabe & Mrs. Miller and Roman Polanski’s Chinatown, this crisis of action is a key element of the main characters’ failure, because it stifles the execution of classical narrative and stylistic genre conventions.
The film "Garden State" is an eccentric drama; in addition, a romance comedy, with a slew of complex, innate cast of characters, each deeply entrenched in profound emotional and psychological scars, ascending from the regrets of their past. The film is a reflection, on rediscovering yourself after years of goalless ambiguity. Writer/Director Zach Braff, stars as the films’ chief character, Andrew Largeman. In James Berardinelli’s movie review, he said: “Garden State is one of those movies that fails to stay with the viewer for an extended period of time. It 's a forgettable film featuring a throw-away story with unmemorable characters and unremarkable performances.” I must disagree; although "Garden State" can be a tad somber, moody and too subtle for many viewers. Yet, the film is fantastically intriguing, by arousing viewers thoughts, and stimulating ones emotions, and that 's exactly what draws viewers in. Since the storyline requires viewers to dig deeper into the subtle undertones and symbolisms
The Bad and The Beautiful (1952) and State and Main (2000) are films within films that unmask Hollywood Cinema as a dream factory and expose the grotesque, veneer hidden by the luxury of stars. The Bad and the Beautiful, directed by Vincent Minnelli, is a black and white film narrated in flashback form. The films theatrical nature requires more close-ups than wide-screen shots to capture the character’s psychological turmoil. For example, Fred and Jonathan’s car ride is captured in a close-up to signify their friendship; however their relationship deteriorates after Jonathan’s deceit. While the camera zooms out, Fred stands alone motionless. Here, Fred is captured from a distance at eye-level and he becomes ostracized by the film industry and
A movie that almost perfectly intertwines social work related issues and their various aspects into the storyline would be the 2009 movie The Blind Side. The movie follows Michael Oher; a boy living under harsh conditions at home that eventually lead him to be homeless. When spotted by a woman named Leigh Anne Tuohy, she takes him in and assists him in becoming a pro-football player (“The Blind Side (2009),” n.d.). The issues faced in the movie by Oher are reminiscent of issues dealt with by social workers, homelessness and child neglect being a few. For example, issues presented in the film that emphasizes social work-related problems are seen when Leigh goes to visit Michael’s mother, who is a drug addict, which is what led to Michael being
I have chosen to review the film Boyhood written by Richard Linklater that took twelve years to film. In the movie Boyhood, it illustrates the life of a boy named Mason Jr. through the many stages of his childhood to adolescence to becoming an adult. The movie follows Mason Jr.’s life through his years of kindergarten, middle school, high school, and to college. Through these milestones in his life encounters society with socialization, culture and norms that are exhibited through his family, friends, and others. With factors of social classes, and gender that influence Mason Jr. as he grows and fits into the society that is formed. From the events and milestones in Boyhood, it is able to show human behaviour in society from our
Prominent since the genesis of silent films, the comedy genre of cinema endures as a stereotypical piece of cinema leaving no true impact on an audience. While this statement is undeniable in most instances, comedic films can also dabble in providing something more than a superficial entertainment for an audience. Specifically, in Groundhog Day, a film can be analyzed and “unpacked” in order to realize themes and lessons just as intricately interwoven with the plot as dramatic films. Although not reaching the artistic caliber that dramas outwardly attempt to achieve, comedies teach viewers about their own emotional reality, just through more straightforward terms. Groundhog Day serves as a prime example.
Love is a word that’s been both miss-used and over-used all at once. Romantic movies change our definition of and have a big impact on this definition greatly. There have been many movies and novels made over love, but never like this. “The Notebook” is a love story about unconditional love that two people have for each other. This emotionally, heart touching story will have your eyes blood-shot and burning from you not wanting to blink your eyes. This tremendously wonderful love story will have you not wanting to even miss a millisecond of this heart throbbing film. With many plot twists and many scenes that will have you falling off of your seat and you not having any nails by the end of the movie, this is the movie for you. This emotionally rich film is full of action, laughter, and romance, which is the perfect trio combination. This movie shows us how love can bind us together forever. This film went above and
In the movie ‘The Soloist,’ Nathaniel experienced mostly positive symptoms. Ronald Comer, ‘Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, defines positive symptoms as “pathological excesses,” or bizarre additions, to a person’s behavior, thoughts, and emotions, and negative symptoms as a deficit of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Nathaniel Ayers displayed signs of an abundance of excessive thoughts, emotions, and behavior. One example was when he initially met Steve Lopez; Nathaniel was extremely verbose and illustrated symptoms of disorganized and rapid speech patterns. He later expressed deep emotions towards Steve, by revealing to him that he loved him. Nathaniel held the delusion that Steve Lopez was god and this belief dominated his life. There was a scene in the movie where Steve Lopez had received a donated cello for Nathaniel; he told Nathaniel that he would only be allowed to play it if he went to the LAMP community center. Against his own desire, Nathaniel complied and went to the community center in hopes of playing it again. Auditory hallucinations are said to be common in people with
Society is a result of our interactions, and society guides our interactions. This all stems from social construction. Social construction conveys values, ideas and traditions. These values, ideals and traditions are created and become traditions that are then passed on. These traditions then come to be perceived as natural rather than cultural, which is often how media will display it and society unknowingly accepts.
“Entertainment has to come hand in hand with a little bit of medicine, some people go to the movies to be reminded that everything’s okay. I don’t make those kinds of movies. That, to me, is a lie. Everything’s not okay.” - David Fincher. David Fincher is the director that I am choosing to homage for a number of reasons. I personally find his movies to be some of the deepest, most well made, and beautiful films in recent memory. However it is Fincher’s take on story telling and filmmaking in general that causes me to admire his films so much. This quote exemplifies that, and is something that I whole-heartedly agree with. I am and have always been extremely opinionated and open about my views on the world and I believe that artists have a responsibility to do what they can with their art to help improve the culture that they are helping to create. In this paper I will try to outline exactly how Fincher creates the masterpieces that he does and what I can take from that and apply to my films.