The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Day the Earth Stood Still by Robert Wise is widely acclaimed as one of the most influential sci-fi films ever produced to date. I agree with this statement, even though this movie might be considered "cheesy" compared to today's standards. I also think that this movie has a good message, which in the bigger picture of the movie's purpose, is to promote world peace.

When this movie was produced in 1951, not many other sci-fi films existed. At this point in time, this movie was very popular due to its special effects and technology. Though these effects aren't as amazing as what is made today, they still played a major role in the success of this movie at that time.

Another technique that I have noticed with Robert Wise, is that during important scenes in the movie, musical motifs are often used to emphasize that particular scene. I have found this beneficial since it helped me be more alert so I got more out of that particular scene. I have noticed that the motifs help emphasize the main characters as well.

When I was about half way through the movie, I noticed that at the part when "the Earth stood still" there were rhythmic relations with each shot that showed different parts of the world and the music that corresponded. I personally thought that this technique of filming was very appropriate because I have never really before been able to point out rhythmic relations in modern films prior to this since, they are not as obvious as they were in this movie.

At the beginning of the movie, I noticed that there was an extreme long shot where the space-ship had landed in Washington, D.C. I thought that this shot was useful because it showed to scale how enormous the ship was compared to other things in its background. I also thought it was a good establishing shot as well.

In conclusion, I thought that this movie was pretty good, keeping in mind the time it was produced in. Overall the film used various techniques of filming that I have noticed to be useful in watching. This is definitely a classic to the genre of sci-fi.

My Favorite Movie

My favorite movie of all time for me is The Life Aquatic by Wes Anderson, hands down. The entire movie is hilarious, but also has a great plot that keeps you into the movie. The main reason of why I like it so much is because the movie has somewhat of a cheesy feel to it, but thats what makes Anderson's movies so funny and special.

I've noticed that alot of Anderson's movies have many subplots, this movie especially, that at times can be confusing. Though this may be true, he can always find ways to keep you interested in what happens next. Heres a quote from Chris Barsanti: "Even though Team Zissou doesn’t have much of a clear mission and the film’s subplots are scattered willy-nilly, Anderson and Baumbach’s script finds plenty of ways to keep viewers engaged."

Overall, this is my favorite movie on many levels. It has funny subplots, good actors, and most of all, a great story. I recommend this movie to anyone who hasen't seen it yet, you WILL enjoy it!!

The Royal Tenebaums

The Royal Tenebaums, by Wes Anderson, is said to be the best film of his career by many critics. This movie in particular was very popular to all sorts of new audiences, due to the cast. With actors such as Luke & Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Ben Stiller, Gene Hackman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anjelica Huston, and Danny Glover as the movies main cast, it's easy to say that the movie would inevitably be one of his best.

Jeffrey Anderson, from Combustible Celluloid, explains how significant the beginning of the film really is, and how Anderson stages it so the plot of the movie could succeed: "The film begins with rigid, widescreen compositions but melts ever so slowly as we warm to the characters and become involved in their emotional plights. By the time the sublime final shot comes around, we're fully won over."

My personal opinion of the film is that it is an excellent movie that is well worth watching. I also think that even though Wes Anderson's movies can seem long at times, he can always find a way to keep your attention. One of these techniques that I have noticed in his work is that while something important is happening, he shows the multiple characters' views on what the important event was like in their minds. This way of filming is perfect for his types of movies because there are so many main characters that are equally important to each other in the story line.

Another style of filming that I have noticed with Wes Anderson is that his films (particularly The Criterion Collection consisting of Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Life Aquatic) have such a nostalgic look to them. Wes Anderson is probably the only director I know of that can consistently utilize this method so well.

Jeffrey Anderson mentions how each character in this movie has such a major role in the significance of the plot, being that all of the family members are back together again after 17 years they had been apart. I thought it was important that he mentioned that because even I noticed when I watched the movie how much detail Anderson puts into each character. I think that it is those meticulous details that we learn about each character that sets Anderson apart from most directors.

In conclusion, I thought that the movie was extremely well done. Overall I agree with Jeffrey Anderson on many of the details we both noticed about the movie. Even though the movie was long in length, Anderson knew how to keep the movie interesting and hold your attention. I can honestly recommend watching this movie; it is well worthwhile and entertaining.

Full review for The Royal Tenenbaums by Wes Anderson

Art of Film Bolg

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