Bowfinger

As a child I grew up watching Cheaper by the Dozen with Steve Martin. Surprisingly I've barely heard of any other movies starring him. But this one was a very good one in my opinion. This was a very creative movie it was basically a movie being directed inside of a movie without the supposed biggest movie star, "Kit Ramsey" knowing he was in the movie. The con artist Bowfinger basically lied and tried to trick everyone and anyone to get his way. Even his workers and closest friends got the best of his tricks when it came down to it. For example when he told them he got Kit to star in the movie because the big time producer said if he got Kit he had a movie but he really didn't have him. He went to his house and everything and lied about basically everything there too and still couldn't get him but told his workers he did so they wouldn't be disappointed and he didn't look like a failure. My favorite movie genre is comedy and that's probably why I enjoyed this movie more then some of the other movies we've watched this year. The only thing I wondered would be his family life and stuff like that like how come Bowfinger only was shown at his work and never anywhere else what was his family life like did he not have one. Those are some questions I would have for the directors and change other then that I liked this movie a lot.

Fruitvale Station - A Powerful Vehicle for an Important Message

Fruitvale Station is a biopic/drama film both written and directed by Ryan Coogler. Telling the story of Oscar Grant III, as he lives the final day of his life before being shot and killed by BART police in the early hours of the year 2009, Fruitvale Station is not only a gripping retelling of such events - it is a disturbingly accurate portrayal of police brutality and racism within the modern day United States.

All of this is due in part to the phenomenal acting from Creed star Michael B. Jordan, who posts an incredible performance in the lead role as Oscar Grant III. While it's obviously hard to tell whether or not he did Oscar's real-life counterpart justice, Jordan's acting certainly serves to paint a picture of Oscar as an honest man who - while not necessarily perfect - is just trying to get his life back on track. Naturally, this comes with a lot of emotions; scenes ranging from Oscar picking up his daughter from pre-school to a volatile argument with his girlfriend Wanda Johnson (portrayed by Octavia Spencer).

The film makes great use of diegetic sound as well, with lots of background noise of busy streets, crowded subway cars, and the ocean waves; all serving to create an atmosphere that the viewer can feel immersed in. This all serves to build up to the tragic conclusion, where Oscar is fatally shot by two police officers. By this point in the film, the viewer is completely enthralled within the world that Coogler creates, making the message of the film doubly impactful.

In all, Fruitvale Station is a tremendous film; it blends remarkable acting, convincing writing, and realistic sound to create a vehicle to deliver a message that - thankfully - is becoming more and more prevalent each and every day within modern America; that black lives matter.

Fruitvale station Kevin dean

    Fruitvale Station an American biographical drama film written and directed by Ryan Coogler. This film is based on the real life events that lead to the death of Oscar Grant.
This film debuted at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, and it won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for U.S dramatic film. The film was also screened in the Un Certain Regrard section at 2013 Cannes Film Festival where it won the award for Best First Film.

Fruitvale Station is based on the story of Oscar Grant III.  22 year old black man Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) is now trying hard to live a clean life and support his girlfriend Sophina ( Melonie Diaz)  and daughter Tatianna ( Ariana Neal). The flashbacks played throughout the movie reveal the last days in Oscars life. In his last days Oscar and his friends and friends take the train to San Francisco watch the fireworks on New Years Eve and on the way back home, he was involved in an altercation with the police that ended in  tragedy at Fruitvale BART Station which was witnessed by many people. In the early hours of Jan. 1,2009, unarmed and lying face down on a Subway platform in Oakland, California was shot by a white Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer. The incident was captured on video by onlookers. Ryan Coogler powerful and sensitive debut feature, which imaginatively reconstructs the last 24 hours of Oscar Grants life, flashing back from a horrifying snippet an actual cellphone video of the hectic moments before the shooting. The director inserts a flashback of the horrible shooting.

Steve Martin

I think the movie we should watch is Cheaper by the Dozen. This movie is about a guy and his wife who are trying to raise their twelve kids. I think we should watch this because it is a fun loving family friendly movie. I think this movie would be a funny thing to watch in film studies. It got an okay score on rotten tomatoes, but I honestly don't care what we watch by him I am just giving a suggesting anything with him in it will be good so it shouldn't matter what we watch. I picked this movie because I think it might be something more simple and lighthearted. This could be a break from a few of the intense movies that we have been watching recently. So I chose this movie, but I am okay with whatever we watch. I honestly don't remember how this movie ends.  It says on the picture that it got two thumbs up so pick it! Or don't whatever you want. I am honestly good with anything. If you don't pick this the other films I would suggest would be Pink Panther and L.A. Story, because these are also comedies that are lighthearted and can make people laugh so hopefully one we watch will be a funny one that can make people laugh. How is this being decided anyway? Is this like a vote or something? If it is than this is my vote so hopefully other people suggested it too.

Steve Martin- Tossup

I have to admit, I’m at a tossup on which Steve Martin movie we should watch and critique next in film studies.

No worries though, I’ve narrowed it down to two films: Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982) and Bowfinger (1999). I think either of these films would be excellent options to watch where Steve Martin is concerned. The genres of the films are both similar, yet, slightly different. They’re both similar in the the same respect that they are both comedy/parody spoof films but that and Steve Martin, is where the line is drawn. 

The film, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, the genre of the film is also a mystery and somewhat of a film noir whereas Bowfinger is not. However, I think that these could both be very entertaining Steve Martin pieces to watch.

In one film, he plays a detective solving an unusual case and in the other he plays a producer/director who tries to land a famous actor in his film, but when the actor refuses he decides to film him anyway and secretly hims his every move causing him to go crazy. Bowfinger, has a lot of references to scientology and it gives people an interesting perspective behind the lens of a camera- what goes into making a movie. Although, keeping in mind Bowfinger, is a comedy/parody film it’s important to note that many things are overly exaggerated for comedic effect. Bowfinger, stars Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy. Martin also wrote the screenplay of the film.

As for Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, Martin was one of three writers of the film having written it with Carl Reiner and George Gipe. Martin narrates this film and stars as the main character, a P.I. (private investigator).

I think both of these films would be interesting Steve Martin films to study in class, they are both comedies that Martin not only starred but wrote or helped to write. I think watching Steve Martin perform his own work would be definitely be interesting, and well worth the critique of not only his acting but the story itself.

Alyssa Beckam - Crooklyn

Crooklyn is a 1994 semi- Autobiographical film co-written and directed by Spike Lee . This movie focuses on young girl name Troy (played by Zelda Harris) and her family  Throughout the movie Troy is learning life lessons through her four rowdy brother, her loving strict school teacher mother (Alfre Woodard )and her struggling musician father (Delroy Lindo) . In the summer Troy is sent to her Aunt Song's southern home for a visit but when she returns to Brooklyn she learns her mother is in the hospital and is very ill with cancer and died after her mother died she learn how to adapt to the new changes and is taking on the role of being a mother figure to her brothers . 

Crooklyn- Conflicts and Change

Crooklyn is a 1994 film co-written and directed by Spike Lee. It takes place in Brooklyn, New York and in the neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant during the summer of 1973. The main character of the film is a young girl, Troy, portrayed by Zelda Harris, it focuses on her and her family. She is one of five children, the only daughter of Woody and Carolyn Carmichael.

In the film there are many colorful characters that are their neighbors and family members. These characters are especially conflictual, in the film they are used as plot devices to bring about many conflicts, to display the tension throughout the film between these different families and individuals.

As such they especially have conflict with their downstairs neighbor who is always singing loudly and has way too many dogs which makes it reek with foul odor. The children especially love to make his life miserable by throwing garbage in his yard area and throwing rocks at his dogs. However, the neighbor participates in this feud with the children going as far as to verbally spar with them and Carolyn before getting knocked out by Vic

their upstairs neighbor who tried to settle the dispute. Due to the neighbor’s hysterical and turbulent disposition he knocked him out and was subsequently arrested.

This is just one of the many examples in the film of conflict that is repeated again in a later scene, although with a silver lining, the father offers to help the neighbor clean up his house.

In film Troy has to learn to adapt to the changes in life such as her father leaving and returning, living with her Aunt and Uncle for the summer, returning home to a sick mother, losing her mother and then filling her role within the household.

In simplest terms, this film is about the change of in young girl's life over a short period of time. The change in her demeanor and her family and her outlook.

I found this film to be especially moving when she lost her mother and overcame that loss, becoming stronger for herself and her family.

Fruitvale Station

     




  Fruitvale Station is the 2013 biographical drama film made by the actor-director team of Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan about 22 year old ex-con,Oscar Grant III searching for a legal way to support his family who's life was unexpectedly cut short in an act of police brutality. The overall film was decent but, the true gold of this movie is the surprise ending. I'll admit that while watching this scene, I had let out a shower of manly tears. The ending was so hard to believe because of it's close close resemblance to reality, where the good guy doesn't always win. During the first half of the film, you watch Oscar struggle with making the right decisions and gain a sense of sympathy for him. To know that the same girlfriend and daughter he struggled for will grow up without him is heart breaking but, all too real in the same sense.

Alyssa Beckam - Rebel Without A Cause

Rebel Without A Cause  is a 1955 American drama film written and directed by Nicholas Ray and Stewart Stern this classic was about a emotionally confused middle class teenager name Jim Stark and he is the new kid in town , he has been in trouble else where : that's why his family moved to the suburbs of Los Angels.Jim hopes to find the love he doesn't get from his family but he finds that with Judy and have relations with her. But when he goes to his new school he meets a group of young toughs one of name Buzz Gurderson who challenged him to a game of chicken and that when that leads to a accident and a death Jim wants to go to the police but his parents refuses to let him do. 

http://www.filmsite.org/rebel.html

Crooklyn

Crooklyn, a fascinating movie about a loving family who struggles but who is never apart. Being a New Yorker myself I can relate alot to what happens in some of these scenes, having to deal with the local bullies, pushy neighbors, dealing with disputes/arguments with people and just being frusrtrated living in the city. Troy the main star of the movie and also my favorite character. A 10 year old girl, with a mindset and a heart of an 18 year old Being so smart and having such a genuine heart is what kept the family together. Troy was the neighborhood kid everyone knew. Being so sassy but had many friends, always respected her mother and would follow her decisions. Like one of my favorite parts were when one of the local children had told troys mom that troy had disrespected his mother and he was seeking an apology and although it was a lie, and she had repeatedly told her that she said no such thing, just to please her mom she was being the bigger person and apologized. 

After all troy goes down south to stay with her uncles and her cousin liovela. On her visit there her aunt changes her appearance and she learns to accept her change while shes away. The time there she has a blast, despite the death of her aunt's dog queenie. Her birthday arrived waking up to a letter her mom had sent her, re reading that she noticed she aas away from home long enough she decided it was time to go back. Arriving and being picked up by her uncles, she knew something fishy was going. Returning home to find out her mother is poorly ill could break any child's heart.  She knew her mom was suffering, she didn't want that anymore. It was time for her mom to go physically but never emotionally. For her mothers loving memory troy stepped up and cared for her mom and home just like carolyn would've only at age 10 and being one of the best role models to exist. One of the best movies out there so touching and warming, I loved it.

Crooklyn

This 1994 drama is directed by Spike Lee starring Alfre Woodward as Carolyn Carmichael, Delyroy Lindo as Woody Carmichael, Zelda Harris as Troy Carmichael, Carlton Williams as Clinton Carmichael, Sharif Rashed as Wendell Carmichael, Chris Knowings as Nate Carmichael, and Tse-Mach Wshington as Joseph Carmichael. This film takes place in Bedford-Stuy Brooklyn during the summer of 1973.

The main character is Troy Carmichael the only daughter of four brothers, she seems to be the only mature one out of the five of them. She learns from her brothers mistakes throughout this movie. Her mother is strong willed but doesn't take any nonsense, and her father is the provider even though it may be a struggle at times. This is a very heart-warming and engaging movie to people in this generation. Most scenes apart of this film can be relatable to some of our childhoods as we can look back and recall some of our sketchy memories.The five of them try to make the best of their lives by acting like kids at. Watching a movie that reminds us of our childhood's can easily be a very capturing film.

In the movies we see things like family complications, sibling rivalry, love, problem solving, etc. It ends in solution though, it's also about growing up in a not so friendly urban community. He puts light on how these children try to make the best out of the hard issues they had to face. The struggle we all face when we're growing up. Like family complications, embarrassment, and summertime in a rough neighborhood.

Rebel Without a cause

Rebel Without a Cause is a 1995 American drama film about emotionally, confused suburban, middle - class teenagers filmed in CinemaScope. So there is a new kid in town named Jim Stark. He has gotten into so much trouble every where he goes he sparks up trouble its the main reason why his parents had to move before. He comes from a middle class family.  His parents decide to move to a new town for he can have a clean start but its not easy being the new kid on the block and especially when you come from a background of always seeking trouble. Jim goes to Dawson High School and seems to be doing ok he actually forms a bond with a disturbed classmate named Plato and then finds interest in the local girl named Judy.Sadly Jim comes to find out she already has a boyfriend he is the tough guy in the neighborhood named Buzz. Jim and Buzz really don't like one another and one day Buzz violently confronts Jim and challenges him to a drag race to put his tough boy act where his mouth is. Now this is were the "new boy" troubles begin. Some what worried having no idea what a chikie run is Jim sets off to get ready and while awaiting the time to leave and head to Millertown Bluff he asked Plato for advice on what to do and what is a chikie run.? Completely ignoring his question Plato instead gave a speech on how he should avoiding confrontation of any kind. Now Jim's starts to make his way to Miller town where he find Buzz nest to two stolen cars, the ones they will use to race tonight. If this doesn't say trouble anymore clear than I don't know what does. The rules are being told and they are the two people racing head towards the edge of the cliff, and whoever jumps out of their car first is declared the "chicken". As the two cars speed toward the cliff, Jim tumbles out of his car, but Buzz' jacket sleeve gets caught on his door handle, preventing him from jumping out before both cars fall down into the rocky shores below.  Towards the end of the film Judy and Jim tell each other how they feel and try to start once again with a clean sleight. 

max breakfast club

The Breakfast Club is directed and produced by John Hughes.It takes place in detention of the high school the five main characters attend. This is on a weekend so there is only a couple of staff. The beginning of the movie starts off with the parents dropping off their children. This is a great way to show what type of environment the teens come from,  the actors did a great job on showing their emotion toward their parents and everyone around them. I believe John Hughes did an excellent job producing this movie 

 we can all relate to the characters in the movie to our high school days. There's a jock, a basket case, a brain, a princess, and a criminal. 

Rebel Without a Cause- Explosive

Rebel Without a Cause is a 1955 film, directed by Nicholas Ray that stars James Dean, Natalie Wood, and Sal Mineo.

In the opening of the film, the audience is introduced to the three main characters Jim Stark, John “Plato”, and Judy at the juvenile detention center of the police department where each of the teens are currently facing their own problems or "rebel" issues. Jim was brought in for being inebriated, Judy was brought in for curfew violation wearing a bright red dress and bright red lipstick, mistaken for being a prostitute, and  Plato was brought in for shooting a litter of puppies with his mother’s gun.

This film is an emotionally charged teen angst drama that deals with a lot of teen issues that sadly, in this film escalate much too quickly- in the span of an entire day to be exact.

Each of the main characters deal with their own issues. Jim deals with not being understood by his family, Plato deals with abandonment by his parents, and Judy deals with feeling unloved by her father. All of them handle their issues differently. Jim wants to own up for his wrongdoings and be a man. Jim constantly feels he has to prove he’s not a “chicken”. Plato wants to make Judy and Jim his family to make up for the family that abandoned him, although this ends with disastrous results when he thinks they too abandoned him. And lastly, Judy goes out with her gang and becomes a different person, insincere. However, with Jim she just wants to be liked and loved in return.

The emotional turmoil in this film is very explosive, it’s hard to believe that the main characters are even teenagers to begin with, because of the heavy issues they are facing. Although, at the same time that’s why it’s easy to believe they are teenagers too, because of the intensity of all they’ve faced and how they react to their situations.

In the course of the film two teenagers are killed, one through their own stupidity and the other through a misunderstanding and mental breakdown. It’s surprising to me how quickly things had escalated in this film, resulting in not one but two young deaths, in the span of  less than a day. I believe understanding why this was such an influential film at the time this was released has more to do with the time period it was released than the film. During the 50’s there were a lot of gang related activities that were comprised of teens 12-19 and they mostly fought over “turf” and girls. I believe that it was influential because it was relatable, those were the issues that teens in the 50’s faced which goes to show how times have changed and how they haven’t changed at all.

Teens still deal with being misunderstood, feeling unloved, abandoned, but a lot is different today than it was then. Times have definitely changed.

Brittney Rebel Without A Cause

 

Rebel Without a Cause is a 1995 American drama film about emotionally, confused suburban, middle - class teenagers filmed in CinemaScope. James Dean, Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood. The film was directed by Nicholas Ray. The film was a groundbreaking attempt to portray the moral decay of American youth, critique parental style, and explore the differences and conflicts between generations. 

After moving to a new town, trouble making teen Jim Stark (James Dean) is supposed to have a clean slate, although being the new kid in town brings its own problems. While searching for some stability, stark forms a bond with a disturbed classmate, Plato ( Sal Mineo ) and falls for local girl Judy ( Natalie Wood). However, Judy is the girlfriend of the neighborhood tough, Buzz ( Corey Allen). When Buzz violently confronts Jim and challenges him to a drag race, the new kids real troubles begin.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwi6tJ_C_brKAhXGwiYKHeoyCS8QFggsMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FRebel_Without_a_Cause&usg=AFQjCNGy7VkBE7vtC6EOTwXJB9ef2Qsffw&sig2=3paV1M9tY-dn_LT5H0c20g&bvm=bv.112064104,d.eWE   ( Resource Used ) 

Brittney Fuller Crooklyn

Crooklyn is a comedy/drama that took place in the early 1970's directed and produced by Spike Lee, Crooklyn was wrriten with the help of his sister Joie Susannah Lee, who is also in the movie who plays the aunt of the Carmichael's. The movie is about the Carmichael's, their family consist of 4 boys and a girl. They live in a brownstone on street where everybody knows each other and everybody knows each others problems, but also posses a lot of life and love. The mother Carolyn (Alfre Woodward) who is a high school teacher and their father Woody (Delroy Lindo) are always worrying about their monthly bills. Troy (Zelda Harris) is sent to spend the summer with her aunt against her will, when she returns to Brooklyn she's informed that her mother in the hospital but is told it's nothing serious and that she'll be home soon. Troy is then forced to face some grown up facts about life and a tough loss. Although Carolyn's death was so unexpected, Troy then had to take over and be the 'Mother' of the household and help around with her dad Woody.

One quote that stuck to me was when Woody said "As God is my witness, I want the best for you and the children. But I have got to do it in my own way.'' This quote stuck with me because it shows that Woody would go above and behind for his family and that he'll do anything to make sure his family is financially stable.

Fruitvale Station- Up Close and Personal Look at Police Brutality

Fruitvale Station, is a 2013 American biographical drama, written and directed by Ryan Coogler. This film is based on the real life events that lead to the death of Oscar Grant, a 22 year old man who was shot by a BART police officer, Johannes Mehserle, at the Fruitvale Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Station in Oakland, California in 2009 on New Years Day.

Michael B. Jordan stars as Oscar Grant.

The film debuted at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, and it won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film. It was also screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival where it won the award for Best First Film.

This film created an up close and personal look at police brutality and it was brutal, it included actual live footage from the event which added to the mood it set. It was, to me a very emotional film, to already know the outcome and even worse that it is based on real life events. Police brutality has always been a problem but it seems to have garnered more attention and now it's become a big controversy, causing peaceful protests to raging riots where even more lives are put in jeopardy due to the police on standby.

After seeing this film and watching the news and media, I have to wonder are police even qualified to well, be police? They have a duty to serve and protect but it seems lately that many more of them are doing more harm than good and some are even corrupt. This is cause for major concern. They are supposed to be who you call for help, but what if they are the ones doing the hurting? Who do you turn to then?

This is a major problem in our society, in many societies and this film definitely shed light on it in a heart-breaking way, because Oscar Grant was just one of many victims of police brutality.

He was lucky that we live in the times that we do now with cell phones and cameras, and that his perpetrators were caught on film by many, there was proof. Had it happened a decade earlier there would have been no photographic evidence of what those police officers had done and he might have never gotten the justice he or his family deserved.

Fruitvale Station, was an emotional film that caused me inner turmoil from start to finish. It is heartbreaking that situations like Oscar’s occur everyday and have only begun to get the justice and recognition they deserve. I admired this film for it’s hard topic and being able to shed light on the sensitivity of the situation.

The Breakfast Club- Uncomfortably Entertaining

The 1985 American coming-of-age dramedy (drama/comedy), The Breakfast Club,  written, produced, and directed by John Hughes stars: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, and Ally Sheedy, as five students in Saturday detention and Paul Gleason also stars as the assistant principal.

The film opens to each of the characters arriving at Saturday detention, some getting dropped off by their respective parents and the viewers are given a glimpse into each of their lives. This film is especially hard-hitting, many aspects of the characters are embellished but undeniably relatable. This film bursts wide open the stigma associated with cliques that reside in a high school environment, in a life environment.

There were many scenes that made me as a viewer feel uncomfortable and that's because it is HARD-HITTING, these issues that the teens are going through are real relatable issues so common they’ve become cliche. [Lisa, your post is strong, as always; however, I would like you to expand this section. You may consider putting in a SPOILER ALERT!!! and discussing in greater detail what exactly it is that is HARD-HITTING]

This film engages it’s audience through the uncommon representation that not everything in life has a happy ending. At the end of the film- the five principal characters came to an understanding despite their differences although it didn’t mean that come Monday morning they would all be best friends and inseparable.This was very trivial to the film’s plot and overall message. You can connect with someone, get along, and even have an understanding, but it doesn’t mean it’s going to change everything… it at most will change your perspective on what you thought you knew and this film is an excellent example of that.

This film showed that different people can come together and come to an understanding, deeper to it’s core this film showed that we are all people and although we may be different- we’re not that different, we have much in common if only you take the time to get past the exterior.

The five principal characters were Brian, the brain; Andrew, the athlete; Allison, the basket-case; Claire, the princess; and John, the criminal. The characters, or Brian, the author of the paper to Assistant Principal Vernon that they were assigned to in detention explains that they don’t think they should write essays and tell him who they are when he’s already passed judgments on them, in those simplest term, but what they found out that was that they were each those things, in the process realizing they were more than their respective stereotypes.

I found this to be the perfect ending to such a hard-hitting dramedy, no doubt there were plenty of hilarious moments, but there was also an equal measure of drama. I think that is what made this movie so great and one of the greatest high school movies of all time.

#kevindean Breakfast Club Best 80s Movie Ever

The Breakfast Club is only the best movie from the 80's ever. HA! Well in my opinion. Well let's get into it. In the movie there isn't really much going on, in this is movie to me but there is a huge massive breakthrough for the five teenagers that have have to serve their Saturday 8 [write out numbers less than ten] hour detention. What I mean by them having a huge massive breakthrough is when they all sit down to have a smoke and come down from having fun, it hits them that it is all very real; they all start talking about themselves. That's when Brian asked the group what's going to happen after? I think that question really hit everyone sitting there. It's one of those things where they already know that they aren't going to be friends when it comes Monday. What else I want to be known is that they all have their moments when they break. Where [drop the "where" and your statement becomes a complete statement rather than a dangling modifier] They realize that each person in that room has either her own issue or that not everyone was perfect they were all struggling in someway, telling why they were in detention on a Saturday. Andrew for example was in there for taping his classmates butt. But what matters the most is that Andrew felt bad about it after he did it. He told the group he only did it to make his father happy to show how he was a big man.

Brittney Fuller Fruitvale Station

    Fruitvale Station an American biographical drama film written and directed by Ryan Coogler. This film is based on the real life events that lead to the death of Oscar Grant.
This film debuted at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, and it won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for U.S dramatic film. The film was also screened in the Un Certain Regrard section at 2013 Cannes Film Festival where it won the award for Best First Film.

Fruitvale Station is based on the story of Oscar Grant III.  22 year old black man Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) is now trying hard to live a clean life and support his girlfriend Sophina ( Melonie Diaz)  and daughter Tatianna ( Ariana Neal). The flashbacks played throughout the movie reveal the last days in Oscars life. In his last days Oscar and his friends and friends take the train to San Francisco watch the fireworks on New Years Eve and on the way back home, he was involved in an altercation with the police that ended in  tragedy at Fruitvale BART Station which was witnessed by many people. In the early hours of Jan. 1,2009, unarmed and lying face down on a Subway platform in Oakland, California was shot by a white Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer. The incident was captured on video by onlookers. Ryan Coogler powerful and sensitive debut feature, which imaginatively reconstructs the last 24 hours of Oscar Grants life, flashing back from a horrifying snippet an actual cellphone video of the hectic moments before the shooting. The director inserts a flashback of the horrible shooting.

Vinny O Breakfast Club Blog

      The Breakfast Club is directed and produced by John Hughes. This movie is a great flash to the past movie. It takes place in detention of the high school the five main characters attend. This is on a weekend so there is only a couple of staff. The beginning of the movie starts off with the parents dropping off their children. This is a great way to show the background of a character, because they are essentially their roots. Showing how they interact with their parents and how they act in front of other individuals really makes you believe they aren't just actors. John Hughes did an outstanding job in my opinion on creating realism and the aspects of the student to administrator interactions. This is a movie most teenagers can relate to, and therefore will enjoy. I know I sure do.
      The characters are also very relatable and people can tend to have a favorite. There's a jock, a basket case, a brain, a princess, and a criminal. Now, not saying that someone will be a criminal in the literal sense, but the character that has this trait is more on the care free side. John Bender is the only one that isn't dropped off by his parents. He walks to the school instead of being driven because his parents seem to have a tenancy to abuse him mentally and physically. He refers to a cigar burn scar his father gave him further on in the film. He also mentions on what his father got him for Christmas, which was a carton of cigarettes.

A Rebel Without A Cause

Rebel Without A Cause is a 1950's drama film directed by Nicholas Ray, starring James Dean as the main character Jim Stark, Sal Mineo as John Crawford, and Natalie Wood as Judy. What I captured from this film is the typical teenager, who acts tuff and hard but really because they don't know any better. They're just confused. These three cross paths when Dean is put into juvy, when he is found on a Los Angeles sidewalk drunk. This is when he meets John who's brought in for shooting pups with his mother's gun, and finally Judy who has violated her curfew. Three misunderstood teenagers who seem to all be having issues at home. The abandoned feeling from their parents may be the reason why they all act recklessly a fool. When Jim is on his way to school he spots Judy which seems to be waiting on something. He offers her a ride but she sarcastically declines as moments followed her crew picked her up, and they were off. After returning from a classy trip the crew Jim got a glance of the same morning when Judy was picked up slash one of the tires of his car. He's then challenged to a knife fight when Buzz (the leader of the crew pulls out his switch blade). He declines because he doesn't have a knife with him. He's then taunted by Buzz when he's called a chicken. Jim isn't bothered until Buzz calls him it once more, they then start to fight. Buzz suggests a fair fight by inviting Jim to a "Chicken run", Jim agrees even though he doesn't have an idea what it is. Later on Jim is getting ready to attend this "Chicken run" when he asks his father for help. His father tells him instead to avoid conflict. He meets in the area of the Chicken run and Buzz shoes him the two stolen cars they'll be driving, he then admits to liking Jim. Buzz explains the rules of the game: They will both drive their cars to the edge of the cliff, and whoever jumps out the car first is considered the chicken. As they both drive towards the cliff Jim gives in first, and tumbles out his car. Buzz's jacket gets caught in the handle and he doesn't get to jump out when the two cars drive off the cliff. When he gets home he tells his parents who have already seen it on tv, and thinks of turning himself in, his mother then tells him they must move again. Jim gets upset when his dad doesn't stand up to his mother with him and starts to strangle is dad until his mom pulls him off. Jim spots Judy on the corner in the same spot he spotted her the first time. He admits to liking her from the moment he saw her, and reassures her that she can trust him. When the rest of buzz's gang find John they ask for Jims location assuming that he ratted them out. They find his notebook with Jim's address in it, and they flee. John goes to get his mother's gun and runs after them. He runs to Jims house asking for Jim, meanwhile Jim's father just dealt with Buzz's crew asking the same thing. John finds them at the mansion and the three of them acts like they've known eachother forever. After John dozes off Jim and Judy scope out the rest of the mansion. John is awakens to an unpleasant visit to the rest of Buzz's gang at the mansion. He tries to hold them off before they can get to Jim, this is when he shoots one of them. Jim is then shot when he reappears to the scene. Police are on their way and John flees the mansion not knowing this. When the police arrive Jim tries to negotiate with one of the policemen. He takes the bullets out of the gun John is holding. He then persuades John to slowly come out the house. But when he does the policemen notice the gun is still in Johns possession, they turn their lights on. John acting on is instinct runs and is then shot down. Jim screams to them that he had the bullets, trying to notify them that the gun John had was empty. Seeing this Jim's father is lead to believe that his son was shot and runs over to him. John, John's father, and Judy are together. Jim's father promises to being a better father and taking on his father responsibilities. John introduces Judy to his dad as his friend.

Intro to Film: Limerick Challenge 2016

There once was a man named Bates

All the pretty girls, his mother, she hates,

And so, he put her in the cellar,

Boy, what a peculiar feller,

At his motel you will always find cut _________.

There once was a man called Hank,

Obese, sweaty, most likely quite rank,

He walked with a cane,

Regarded Mexicans with disdain,

For his downfall we have Vargas to _________.

There once was a man from DR,

Dreamed throwing strikeouts would buy him a car,

With a spiked curve was a jock,

Later strayed from the flock,

Discovered there is more to happiness than being a _______.

First compose and send an email to me at  monahanmatthews@gmail.com in which you complete and identify the three film studies-based limericks above.

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Next, follow the basic pattern/rhyme scheme (AABBA) to create one or more of your own. Once you have completed one and posted it to our class blog, you are encouraged to create others for additional credit (for these you may use films outside of our curriculum). Be creative and most importantly have fun!