Caitlin Willis - Rebel Without a Cause

Caitlin Willis
Intro. to Film Studies
5.5.17

Rebel Without a Cause

          I surprised myself by liking this movie. Going into the movie, I expected something different but I wasn't disappointed. I'd heard of the main actor, James Dean but I've never seen him in a movie. I can see what the hype is about.

          I enjoyed watching the film. The plot was interesting; a new kid comes around and the popular kids start to pick with him. He makes a friend who ends up joining the mix. A girl comes around and he starts to fall for her. But the new boy and the girl's boyfriend start to have problems and decide to solve it by playing chicken, a twisted game where two cars and basically driven off a cliff and whichever driver jumps out first is called a chicken. When Jim (James Dean) jumps out first, he fears that he's the chicken only to realize that Buzz (the girl's boyfriend) died. Chaos ensues as everyone struggles to leave the scene but James stares in shock as the car hits the area below. 

          The death of Buzz affects everyone differently. Jim rushes home and tells his parents about it and insists they go to the police. This absolutely shocked me. Jim wasn't close to his parents so you'd think he would completely abandon the idea of going to them for anything, especially not a crime he just partook in. The girl looks for a shoulder to cry on and that happens to be James, which irritated me because her boyfriend just died and she already found a new one.

          A twist at the end made me a bit upset though. Plato, Jim's friend ended up being killed. The ending was sad because all Plato wanted was a friend, or more like a replacement for his parents, who weren't present in his life. The movie just captivated me and I enjoyed watching it. 

Caitlin Willis - Jaws

Caitlin Willis

5.11.17

Intro. to Film Studies

          To start off this review, I just want to say that this movie was very wrongly rated PG. I saw this movie when I was younger and didn't realize how graphic it was. The gory, horrific attack scenes should've gained this movie at least an R rating. However, the false advertisement definitely didn't impact my opinion of the movie.

          This movie was...interesting. The plot didn't exactly make sense to me, though. There were shark attacks and everyone on land assumed it was the same shark doing the attacking each time, as if there aren't thousands of sharks in a body of water at one time. Then, they send out a search team to find the exact shark that killed the people. This isn't only impossible but is highly unlikely. The team takes out an old, rickety boat and go on a shark hunt.

          Despite the fact that the plot is unrealistic, the quality of the movie is amazing for being made in 1975. The shark didn't look like a robot and actually looked realistic. The attacks, though dramatic, were pretty realistic. The blood looked real, rather than really thick or super watered down (perhaps it's because it was in the water).

          Overall, this movie's detailed attacks and gory scenes gives it a good rating from me. I'm a fan of movies that have a lot of action and blood so it was just what I was looking for. If only it picked up a little quicker and got right into the action. 

Breakfast Club

Gabby Jeannette
5/10/17

The Breakfast Club is probably one of the most simple blogs I've written all year and thats simply because it was so lovable; the current teen generation,the past, and most likely the ones to come will be able to relate to this more. Yes, technology will me greater at that time but the underlying messages of the five stereo types that are portrayed in high school. But the theme and messages weren't the only thing that allowed the movie to be so great, how it was put together gave it that extra sense of character. For instance, the conflict/connection the five students have throughout the movie, the music that both amps up the tension in many different senses, lastly, the ability to bring humor out in tough times. Progressively through the movie, there is either conflict between two or more characters or a connection between the two. The different thing about the breakfast club is the change of pace, one moment we think Andrew, the jock, and Claire, the popular girl, have some sort of relationship. But as the movie shifts we start to see Andrew and Allison have a connection and same goes for Claire and John. (SPOILER ALERT!) That's not the only shift in characters we see but that's just one of the many examples.
Going back to what I said at the beginning of the blog, this movie is so relatable because of the high school aspect that its full of stereotypes that students see or encounter during their high school years. I think that's why so many love this movie, the fact that the characters draw in so many different types of crowds but as the movie goes on, it brings them all together but in ways you wouldn't expects. All and all, I defiantly recommend this movie to anyone that is in high school or has already been though high school in the past.

Jaws #PIReviews

Jaws: Review/Analysis

By: Cameron Smith

Directed by: Stephen Spielberg

Starring: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Murray Hamilton.

   Ah, yes... the definition of classic! Arguably Spielberg's best, and undoubtedly the film that put him on the map. What it did (and still does) expertly is mix the most exciting elements of film: including horror, suspense, comic relief, conflict, salty dogs, song, and greedy, unlikable politicians. I'm not saying anything new here, since I've heard not one casual viewer or critic argue in opposition of this film. As an audience member, I believe this film to be extremely exciting and enjoyable, never having a dull or unneeded moment; it makes me scared, giddy, full of laughs, and on the edge of my seat every time. From an aesthetic point of view, I don't know how anybody can jump to the conclusion of "outdated and fake," as Bruce the Mechanical Shark plays his role expertly and the blood looks realistic to the point where there should be a disclaimer of "NO PEOPLE WERE HARMED..." On a serious note, I love how this film makes me want to sweat at the sight/contrast of the Amity Island sunshine, tense up at John Williams' score, and be (almost) nostalgic for a past family trip to Cape Cod. This film is almost like the antithesis of Chicago: instead of hitting all the wrong chords, this film hits all of the right ones for me.

   The happiest moment of the film, for me, was definitely the ending. I feel this way because (even though I am left to wonder how/when they get back to shore) there is a real sense of accomplishment, especially in Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) -- an everyday policeman who (ironically) took a vacation to escape crime and saves the Amity Islanders. Along with that, I love how Brody ends up killing the shark with a combustible oxygen can. One reason I love this so much is because Marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss, NOT the father of Julia Louis-Dreyfus from Seinfeld) scolds Brody of the dangers in those cans falling, and in that moment, he uses Hooper's warning as a genius way of ridding Amity Island of the Great White. The second reason I am head-over-heels for this scene is because the exterminator of the Great White ends up not being the salty dog captain Quint (Robert Shaw), but rather a simple, out-of-town family man who is in it not for the money, but rather for the safety of Amity Island beach goers. Furthermore, he no longer has to be afraid of the water -- even though I would probably feel the opposite!

   Other than that, I don't know what other new things I can say about this film -- it's great, in every single way: exquisite acting/timing, masterful tracking/P.O.V. shots, timeless special effects, and a perfect depiction of who and what it truly takes to save the day. It's a film that brings joy (along with Aquaphobia) to boys and girls everywhere, and still holds up after almost 42 long years.

The Breakfast Club #PIReviews

The Breakfast Club

By: Cameron Smith

Directed By: John Hughes

Starring: Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Paul Gleason.

    What a perfect film to succeed Rebel Without a Cause... It is a great example of how the teen genre evolved, and the ultimate crowd-pleaser. It is not only a classic to the generation of this film, but is likewise timeless, giving great enjoyment to the kids after them and of today. In this review, that is one of the things I will harp on later. First, I will run down the list of things I love about this film: great period soundtrack, timeless referential humor, strong tendency to connect with teenagers through the protagonists, ability to mix emotionally tense scenes with humorous counterparts, and altogether, just plain fun! Now, on to the more nitty-gritty of this timeless film (yes, I tend to use that term a lot).

    The most apparent piece of symbolism in this film are the five stereotypes, of which these five characters each conform to. The stereotypes are already apparent to us, the audience, and to those who are fans of the film, so I won't go in depth on what the stereotypes are and what they mean. One interesting thing this film does is use each student as a representative for each "clique" -- group of high school kids who conform to a social norm, hobby, or philosophy. During this Saturday detention, they separate themselves from each other, but eventually come to communicate, learn each other's background, and realize that they are one group and one group only: teenagers. The categories which they live and are judged by have been placed on them by their society and parents to make sure they don't walk among certain crowds, a product of our own evolution. Each strove for perfection in the eyes of both their peers and their parents, and hence, "were brainwashed."

    In the end, (coming from a teenager) this film portrays adolescents very well. Instead of dwelling on the common trope of us being simple, spoiled, lazy brats, this film explains that all teens go through the same issues in one way another and don't get around them because of what clique they're in. Luckily, we have made progress since 1985, but we still have a ways to go in tearing down teenage barriers and coming together to solve the problems we face. For the progress we have made, however, this film certainly played a part in that. This film will soon go down as more than just a crowd-pleaser; it will be remembered -- much like Rebel Without a Cause -- as a historical artifact.

Caitlin Willis- The Breakfast Club

Caitlin Willis
Intro. to Film Studies
5.5.17

The Breakfast Club

          This movie, by far, is one of my most favorite movies ever. I first watched it when I was first entering high school and many, many times after that. I feel as though this movie portrays high school in a way that not many movies do. Of course most films have similar characters: princess, athlete, basket case, brain, and criminal, but not many allow the characters to step outside of their respective personalities. However, The Breakfast Club did.

          Five students, one Saturday detention, nine hours. This was how long it took for us to delve deep into the minds of the stereotypical characters. We learned about why each of them were in detention, some of which revealed a deeper truth about the person they really were. Take Andrew, the jock, for example. He received his Saturday detention because he bullied and outright humiliated a less popular student. He did it to impress his jock friends and his father but it proved true that he wasn't like most jocks. He deeply regretted it and wished he could go back and change it.

          Each person helped to disprove the others stereotypes. Everyone assumed that John was a criminal just because he wanted to be but didn't realize he came from an abusive household. They all assumed that Claire wasn't a virgin and that Brian actually enjoyed being studious. They all believed that Allison was genuinely crazy and were surprised to find out that she just needed friends.

          This movie helped to shine light on high school cliques and the difficulties that come with being in one. Even if you're an accepting and genuine person, making friends with people outside of your clique can be troublesome. Despite the day of bonding, Claire, John, and Andrew all agreed that they're never going to talk to each other again. Only Brian and Allison said they would and that's because the two of them didn't have friends.

            I feel as though this movie is a must watch for anyone in high school. This movie just helps to show that people aren't who you think they are or who they claim to be. It has a good message beneath it that everyone, not only high school students, should learn. 

Rebel Without a Cause #PIReviews

Rebel Without a Cause
By: Cameron Smith

Directed by: Nicholas Ray

Starring: James Dean, Sal Mineo, Corey Allen.

As an aspiring musicologist, there was a point in time where I was immersed in the music and rebellion culture of the mid-century (particularly, the 1950s and 60s). I remember then hearing about this film a few times, but never got around to watching it -- that is, until now. It is quite easy for the modern audience to judge this film as dated, and I certainly did during parts; I do, however, see and appreciate more and more the film's historical significance. This film, along with J.D. Salinger's masterpiece Catcher in the Rye, gave a voice to the voiceless American youth, which is in a lot of ways today taken for granted. Youth culture has come a long way since 1955 -- with music, film, literature, etc. -- and us youth today tend to take for granted what our ancestors paved for us, only so we could have whatever hairstyles we wanted and not abide by society's standards. Suffice to say, I am happy that James Dean, J.D Salinger, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, and the other pioneers of youth rebellion disobeyed those standards so we didn't have to obey them today.

In this review, I am not going to discuss the "dated" nature of this film; it is obvious and inevitable that certain aesthetics and choices of wording in the film are not going to hold up to today's (ironically) standards. I will say that, overall, this was a very enjoyable film to watch, and it was great to look through a historical lens and see an invaluable part of the adolescent culture's development. This film would clearly not be what it is without James Dean, who was a tragic loss; I would have loved to see where his career went after reaching his status and where he would have been today had he lived long enough. I would really like to sit down and watch this film again, this time through the lens of a period audience (at least as close as I can get!), and therefore get more out of it.