I dont feel comfortable putting my grandmother video on the internet, i will put it on a CD though. For me this semester, i had a great time learning how to use the camera that i was borrowed. I also really really enjoyed finally learning final cut pro, as well as furthering my knowledge of movie history. I watched a lot of films this semester and thoroughly enjoyed critiquing them, this was a great class.

-Thanks Sue

RUDY

Shawshank Redemption

I recently watched the Shawshank Redemption again, and thought it was even better than the first time i saw it. Perfect actors playing their ideal roles, 9.5 out of 10. Great Film!

Everything is Illuminated

This past weekend I saw another film worth mentioning. The Title was Everything Is Illuminated, Staring Elijah Wood. Normally im not a big fan of anything wood does other than the lord of the rings, however this movie had an interesting touch too it. The movie opens with a very independent aspect too it, except the filming and directing is top notch, The story is that of a jewish boy trying to learn about his family's past, in germany post war. The first half of this movie had me wondering if it was my new favorite film, however the second half made me question how great it really was. I still rank the movie about a 8.5 out of 10, and the filming was quite well done.

This Weekend I saw the movie Lord of War. Which unfortunately I can not give it a higher rating than 5 because, of Nicolas Cage. I just cant stand him, and as my roommate suggested his voice is so monotone that I personally tend to not care about what hes saying. Also the movie had many strange plot holes, like natives ripping apart a steel plane... that doesn't make sense. Also Cage's Character didn't seem to care much when his brother died. However the content i agree with and believe to be true about america.

disappointing....

PSYCO

Transitions were very interesting, and simple camera angles to start out with, was shot during the day time, and then as the movie went on, it got more daring and experimental, there was some interesting sound over video over video that it didnt belong to, the movie really made the viewer paranoid. There were quite a few people who were not main characters, and they were very simple, the motel character was super interesting, but it was very gradating. I felt as though it got more and more intense, i feel as though the coen brothers were influenced by this film as well. i really want to see more of his work.

Kindom of Heaven

This weekend I saw the first half of the movie Kingdom of Heaven. I think if you prepare yourself for a 10 hour movie it's dialog can be really good, however the acting is moderate, and there isnt anything extremely amazing about it. I do like learning about history and the various religions that were forced to live together in Jerusalem and its outskirts,I found that educational. I hope that i enjoy the second half of the movie, more so than the first half, I will rate it when i finish it.

This one goes before the last one

Well this weekend I saw two movies, I saw Zombieland again on Thursday, it was better than the first time I saw it. I actually change my rating to about a 8.0. Best Zombie movie ever. I also saw the Coen Brother's film Barton Fink. I give it a 9.0. This movie is packed with visual metaphors that are so subtle that you will miss them if your not paying attention. The acting by John Goodman and John Tuturo is absolutely phenomenal. This movie also has clear hints of "No Country for Old Men" The ending is one of the best, and the movies inner battle with ones self is amazing. The movie changes drastically half way through the film and it is quite amazing to watch, I would recommend this film to almost anyone. Also just like any other Coen Brothers Film, the filming and transitions are striking and in your face.

Weekend movie extravaganza

I saw 3 movies this weekend, the first one was called, Zombieland, yes... i did see it for a third time. The third time was 1 too many. I now rate the movie a 4.5, I started to notice little things and big things that didn't appeal to me. Some amateur acting from the non lead actors. Also the zombie killing really slacked off in order to create a family like feeling in the middle of the movie, this was a poor choice in my mind.

The second movie I saw was The Big Labowski at the walker art center. Unfortunately I think i was in a bad mood going into this movie. The woman who came out to explain it Started by yelling mother fucker, and had a white russian in her hand, and with a rug. She was trying to cater to people who had seen the movie, which really really really really annoyed me. So naturally i was pissed, Because I don't like being told about a movie before seeing it. Even still, the filming didn't seem coen-esk. It had a few interesting shots but overall, it didn't. 3.0 at best.

The third movie I saw this weekend was The Hudsucker Proxy. Which is very different its set in the 40s and is almost like an animation, very loud exaggerated acting, quite theatrical. I liked it but it defiantly could have been better for the amount of money they got to make the picture. Acting was good, and some of the shots, were really interesting, I give it a 6.0

My movie is done and will be online shortly

Movies

I saw two new movies this week, the first one was The Coen Brother's O Brother Where Art Thow? It was very good, A-symmetrical filming until the very last shot, great humor and filming. I thought that It was one of their better films, i give it a 8 out of 10. Defiantly worth seeing. The second film I saw was ZombieLand directed by rueben Fletcher. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Alot of slow motion and some interesting typography. i give it a 7 out of 10.

Creating a Narative

A friend of mine investigates abandoned buildings and does urban exploring. Im considering documenting his work and some of the faculties he goes into. He is also a light painter, and i think it would be interesting to see his equipment, and how he makes it.

I also have a friend who a well known dancer in minneapolis, and who has taken up the sport of Parkour. He uses the creativity of his dance skills to travel over under and around buildings and structures. Parkour is a sport in which you try and get to a destination by birds eye view as much as possible, and as fast, and smoothly as possible.

I was also considering doing a comedy spoof of my roommate who is a mailman, and is extremely dedicated to what he does, and i thought it would be humorous to make a video about him.

The fourth and possibly strongest topic I would like to document, is my Fascist Grandmother. She has some crazy stories and can be extremely offensive or kind at any given moment. I want to capture her home, because it has a strange bit of nostalgic quality to it, everything from the lighting to the American flags to the photos on the walls.I have a list of questions that she would expound upon for hours.

1. What country were you born in and what is the earliest thing you can remember from there?

2. What effect did the war have on you?

3. Who was your first boyfriend?

4. What was your first Job?

5. What happened to your first Husband?

6. What is your favorite memory

Here is a trailer from the hit documentary

Assignment 1

So for this assignment I have two ideas.

The first one has to do with filming people in their cars, I would film them from my car into their window. I have recently noticed a lot of strange antics that people do, when they think others arnt watching. I will use the car to make the tilt's and pan's. I will zoom in at some point during the video to make interesting transitions.

The second Idea is to inspect various run down buildings in the city, that have a strange nature aspect to them. I have been in a lot of creepy buildings and I would really like to explore the idea of the mystery of the remains of buildings and old places. I will use the tilts and the pans to explore various spaces revealing intriguing mysteries of the area. Alot of these places really interest me because they are so calm but yet, there is still a strange amount of sound coming from outside of the buildings, i would like to try and exclude that excess sound unless it is coming from the structure or space I am filming.

Video Review of Mark Lewis's "Downtown, tilt, zoom and pan"

The first of the two videos we watched by Mark Lewis was set in an urban part of the city, probably during winter in venice. This particular video was short but interesting. The composition is well thought out, downward angle shot, including a vent to possibly the subway or sewers that is steaming, in the bottom right quarter of the screen. in the upper right half of the shot there appears to be alot of clothes that are of very bright colors which contrasts the entire rest of the shot. there are two people who appear next to the clothes, however we only see their legs and the bottom part of their torso, the rest is cut out of the shot. one man walks away and the other stays there. I could conclude that this shot could have been set up, but if i had to guess I would say it wasn't set up.

The second video of his that we watched was shot at an upward angle however in this shot the foreground is a group of people in a dispute, however it seems a little bit scripted for me, Lewis is using a tripod or some sort of stabilizing structure for the camera, and seems to be fairly close to the fight. it could be part of a longer shot where the fighters notice his camera, then it would indicate that it wasn't set up. The composition and the lighting were very Ideal, so this leads me to believe that it was set up, too much of the action happens directly in the middle of the frame.