Alien By Shanelle Lester

The 1979 movie Alien featured an interesting, story filled with plot twists and betrayal  survival and leadership were put to the test. Each of the characters has their own responsibility that they have to attend to. Each of them will have to learn to stay in their own lane handling what they came on the ship to do and not get in the way of anyone’s else's job. This movie featured the characters of Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Kane (John Hurt), Parker (Yaphet Kotto), Brett (Harry Dean Stanton), Lambert (Veronica Cartwright), Dallas (Tom Skerritt), Ash (Ian Holm).

The crew members of a commercial starship Nostromo are awakened from their cryo sleep capsules halfway through their journey back to planet earth. They were woken up to investigate a “distress call” from an alien vessel  -  I use quotes here because it is later revealed that it was a warning sign to stay away and that they were purposely sent there by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. While going to investigate what they think is a call for help but really is a warning, they run into a rough landing on the moon which calls for the ship to be fix. Three of the crew members had went off the ship on the moon in search to find the distress call and help. The movie starts to take a drastic turn when krane discovered a neats full of eggs with aliens in them. The egg starts to hatch and jumps on the crew member face leaving ripley to have to make a hard decision of leaving him to die for the safety of the other members. Eventually ash opens the shuttle letting them inside, once krane has recovered and they thought that the alien had died everything went back to normal ash was a hero was letting krane back inside to save him. But instead he made a decision which put everyone in danger. During lunch krane has met his death when the alien popped out of chest. Along the way one by one they all met their death. One minute they're alive trying to survive and the next their dead without a trace. Ash was loyal, he wouldn’t let krane die, we went against ripley orders to ensure that they can get the alien off of krane face. We were wrong ash was a robot who knew all of this was going to happen. He went against them leaving everyone to die but one. Ripley was the only survivor.  

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

       

Hughes, John. “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.” (1987)

Steve Martin (Neal Page) and John Candy (Del Griffin)

Talk about stranger danger! In this brief holiday classic, Neal Page (Steve Martin) is just trying to get home to Chicago to see his wife and kids in time for Thanksgiving, although this soon becomes a much more difficult task. As his misfortune continues, public transportation seems to fail him in great magnitudes and finds himself desperate just to find a place to stay for the night, he ends up having to follow a man that stole his taxi that same morning Neal is forced to bunk up with the extremely talkative Del Griffith (John Candy), whom he finds deathly annoying. Although the close bunking he shares with the man is not nearly the worse experience he would have in the following days. He goes through trials that comes with the insanity of the holiday season tied along to a man he can not stand, but while going through this process the two unlikely friends share a few laughs and stories. By the end of the film Neal is more than ever ready to go home, he gets on the train and starts his journey. He has no watch, no money, no phone, and most of the clothes off his back had disappeared, but realization soon hits him as he notices that Del was not actually going home. The irritating stranger he had come to know was not able to return home to a huge Thanksgiving feast, he had no one to share his joy of survival with. With this realization in mind Neal brings his new friend back to have a meal with his loving family.

The relationship that is shared between the two is immense, and this quickly became more than just two guys trying to make it back to Chicago, it is a heartfelt story  of sharing love and joy not only in the winter months, but all year round. If anything should be taken from this movie, it should be the fact that a person is not how they appear, there is more to everyone then what they show. In this case, the large taxi stealing, shower curtain rings selling man who seems very disorderly and messy, but he is actually just a poor lonely widow.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles #aysiastarr

Hughes, John. “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.” (1987)

Steve Martin (Neal Page) and John Candy (Del Griffin)

When time is against you, what would you do? It’s the day before Thanksgiving and you are miles away from home on a business trip in New York City. Your meeting runs late, and you have little time to spare before your flight leaves. You finally catch a cab and rush to the airport only to find that all flights are canceled for the evening. No one is going anywhere! The airport is full of angry, tired travelers with nowhere to go. You have called all of the hotels in the area and none have vacancies. What do you do now? Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a comedic movie starring Steve Martin and John Candy. Steve Martin plays a character named Neal Page, an advertising executive, who is desperately trying to get home to Chicago for the holiday. John Candy’s character, Del Griffin sic, is a loud-mouthed, but lovable salesperson who offers to help Neal find his way home. The trip is anything but a smooth ride. Del leads Neal on a cross-country, wild goose chase that keeps Neal from his home. It is every traveler’s nightmare. The movie focuses on two very different men with very different attitudes. Neal Page is quiet, reserved, and enjoys his privacy. He and his family live in the suburbs of Chicago [Shermer, Illinois]. Del Griffin, on the other hand, is loud, obnoxious, and loves to talk non-stop about nothing. His conversations never seem to have a point and only comes off as a distraction to Neal. The two have an uncanny adventure, starting in New York when Del “steals” Neal’s cab that he called and the two end up not only on the same flight, but sitting next to each other for the plane ride. Just as Page thinks that his strange and even more aggravating interactions have come to an end, Griffin seems to, somehow, swing back around because he doesn’t seem quite done with melting Page’s cold heart. The underlying themes of this story is what drew me in.  It exploits the kindness that people are capable of feeling even under the most difficult and extreme circumstances. It also exposes that we all have faults, weaknesses, and a general need for human compassion to survive. This is what makes the film one I’d rewatch and one would recommend for others to watch and rewatch as well. It covers an important lesson, one we can all learn from. We all aren’t “perfect,” or as perfect as we’d like to think we are. We also can’t survive in harsh circumstances without the help of another being that can help keep our spirits high. For this reason, I hope you will watch this movie.

What's Sweeter? Our Dreams or New Beginnings?

Sugar. Dir. Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck Feat. Algenis Perez Soto (Sugar), Jose Rijo (Alvarez), Walki Cuevas (Alfonso) made in 2008.

         Sugar was overall an emotional cliche. That's not a bad thing because in a way, it might have brought more awareness to the conditions in the Dominican Republic and how real sports teams treat their players. Sugar was a young kid dreaming big like all the other kids in the Dominican Republic. He came from a poor family of many kids and life was tough. He wanted to make it out of the Dominican and create a better life for himself, a typical immigrant story. I will be honest and say I was not very fond of this film. I just found it basic but it did bring my attention to how professional Leagues operate, which I found inhumane. It really was portrayed as a business. It looked like the scouters were shopping for a new toy, in a way that scene looked racist from my point of view. If I had to pick my favorite part I would say when Sugar decided to leave the league and build a life for himself.

What really stood out to me was the message it gives people. Miguel Also known as sugar had a tough life, he was a kid that had big dreams and aspirations trying to make something of himself, soon he realized that taking the famous and unstable route ( Professional league) isn't for him. He ended up running away from his team before they threw him out like a broken toy. It's clear that Sugar wanted more in life and he was determined to get it one way or another. He took an okay job at a restaurant and worked his way up, he stabilized himself, made new allies like the man at the carpenter store. I learned that sometimes we don't always get what we dreamed of but sometimes what we're blessed with comes out far greater than what we yearned for. He found a great life in America he works and sends money to the family, found a new girlfriend and joined a league with all ex-professional baseball player just like him. He got the best of both worlds which not many people can say.

I would recommend this movie to an audience that is fond of a heartfelt story.  Overcoming obstacles, adapting to a new life, and making sacrifices.  This film can be interpreted in different ways, it can help open the eyes of people and give good life lessons when you look beyond just what the movie is about.

Alien (1979) - Jack O'Brien

Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott, is a British-American Sci-fi/Horror film. Alien was nominated for two academy awards, and won the 1980 Best visual effects Oscar.

Alien chronicles the story of the crew of starship Nostromo. The Nostromo is a commercial cargo ship tasked with transporting its load to Earth. All seems to be going well as the crew awakens from cryogenic sleep and prepares for a short trip back home. It is only when the ship receives a distress signal from a local planet that the true horror of the film is unveiled.

The crew are hesitant to respond to a foreign signal, but the newly appointed science officer Ash, insists they investigate on the grounds that company policy demands the crew respond to any and all distress signals, regardless of their origin. The crew snoops around old catacombs on the planet, and in a turn of events, Kane, the ship's executive officer, is attacked by a creature that fixes itself onto Kane's face, causing him to slip into a coma. Kane is taken into the auxiliary landing ship and given medical attention. Despite being a violation of quarantine protocol, Kane is taken into the Nostromo for further medical treatment at the digression of Ash, the science officer.

As foreshadowed earlier, Ash's decision to move Kane to the Nostromo backfires horribly. Kane, at first, appears to make a full recovery, but it is soon discovered that the opposite has occurred. During dinner, Kane begins to convulse and writhe until eventually, a creature erupts from from his stomach. The creature runs off and plays a game of hide-and-seek with the crew.

The Alien matures incredibly quickly, and one by one, kills of the members of the crew that dare pursue it. During this time, it is revealed that Ash, the science officer, is actually a "Synthetic Sleeper Agent", a robot with one goal in mind, bring the Alien home no matter the cost.

After all her fellow crewmates are killed, Ripley, the protagonist, makes a last ditch effort to escape by setting the ship to self-destruct and running for the escape pod. This scene is potentially more tense than the serious plot twist at the end of the film, as convenient writing allows for the escape pods to be located on the opposite side of the ship, resulting in a great sequence that leaves viewers on the edge of their seats.

Ripley narrowly escapes the ship, explosion in the background, sigh of relief, Ripley is about to enter her pod and awaken on Earth. Credits roll.

But they don't.

Ripley must face one more challenge before she can be released from the hell she has lived. The Alien has snuck into her escape pod, and is hiding in an alcove. Ripley stealthily climbs into a space suit, and pulls the airlock latch, expelling the Alien once and for all.

I love this film. I love everything about it. I think it is a flawless example of modern day horror. The atmosphere of the film is claustrophobic and dark. It is a movie that is constantly threatening the viewer, leaving them constantly frightened of what is to come next.

HR Giger's artistry in creating the Alien elevates the horror of the film to a new level. Not only are viewers terrified of the monster, but they are intrigued. Giger creates a monster that viewers want to see on screen, but whose presence terrifies its audience. Giger is a master of his craft, and well deserving of his academy award for his work on Alien.

Overall, Alien is a masterpiece. It's captivating, terrifying, and thrilling. This film defines a generation of horror. Alien raises the bar for what a horror film should be, and forces other films to be better if they want to compete.

"Bring me some Sugar, I am your neighbor" - Jack O'Brien

"Sugar" directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck is a Drama that follows the protagonist Miguel "Sugar" Santos through his journey into professional baseball in America. 

"Sugar" was nominated for the 2009 ESPY best sports movie and won the 2010 AFI Awards best movie.  It was nominated for six other miscellaneous awards.

Sugar is set in two main locations: The Dominican Republic, and The United States. The story line unfolds across multiple places and states, but the specifics of location generally speaking, aren't important to this film's themes.

The film follows Miguel "Sugar" Santos and his Minor-League baseball career in America. Santos is seen as a prodigy in his home town, is quickly recruited by Kansas City, and promptly sent off to America to pitch professionally.

Santos seems to struggle with the American way of life, particularly, with the language. One of his first struggles as a character is his frustration trying to order food at a Diner. Santos at first, cannot seem to get a grasp on the language, and as a result, perpetually eats french toast, as that is all he can say in English. This frustration with himself is the first character struggle Santos undergoes in the film/

The next significant struggle Santos undergoes with himself is his performance as a player. In several consecutive games, he performed poorly, and struggles with his identity as a baseball player. Santos knows hard work is what put him in his situation, and cannot seem to put that work in anymore. As a result, Santos turns to performance-enhancing drugs in an attempt to remain competitive. This backfires, and Santos's frustration compounds.

The culmination of Santos's frustrations sees him leaving baseball and heading to New York. Santos does this to follow his friend and mentor, in an attempt to find something friendly in the hostile environment he has been in for his while time in America. Santos appears to find some sort of fulfillment in a working life, and moves baseball to the side as he works a normal job, in a normal life.

The film's ending is similar to that of Rocky, in that it isn't what you'd expect. I had initially expected Santos to succeed and make it to the big leagues, just like one would expect Rocky to win his fight. I think Santos moving away form baseball tells a different story, and not one that I dislike.  

Ricky Baloba [Balboa]

Rocky (1976)

Rocky is a fictional Drama starring and written by Sylvester Stallone and directed by John G Avildsen. The film can technically fall into the action genre, but the deeper themes and character conflict firmly stamp this film into the page of Drama. Rocky won the 1976 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best film editing, as well as best actor in a leading role (Stallone) [maybe I am wrong here  -  it did win the Oscar for Best Picture; however, Stallone was nominated but did not win] and best director (Avildsen).

Jack, Is your image meant to be ironic?


The film is set in the city of Philadelphia during the bicentennial year of  1976. The film's setting is used a a plot device that allows Rocky to turn his life around and develop as a character.

Rocky Balboa is more or less seen by his peers as a bum. He makes his money fighting at a local boxing club and working as muscle for a loan shark. Rocky attempts to act as an example to the local youth of what not to be, made clear when he yells at a teenage girl for hanging with the wrong crowd of kids. This shows that Rocky is aware of his "bum" status, [not necessary here  -  it is a dependent clause that follows] and does not seem to be making any effort to improve himself. Rocky is supposed to be a film that promotes the notion of an "American Dream", the idea that in America, anybody can pull themselves up by the bootstraps and achieve success. Rocky [the character] only does this to a point.

Rocky seems to enjoy the status quo. He is a compassionate person, who appears to be trapped in monotony by his own doing. That story is told by his boxing coach, Mickey (Burgess Meredith). When Rocky finds his locker has been taken by new young blood at the gym, he confronts his coach. When confronted, Rocky is told that he is old news. We learn that Rocky had potential and that his job with the loan shark had derailed his future in boxing.

The fact that Rocky seems content to maintain the status quo, making just enough to get by, seems to challenge the notion that Rocky is a prime example of the American Dream.

It is not until Rocky is picked from a hat by Apollo Creed, the heavyweight champion, for a showcase match, that Rocky picks himself up. While it is true that the opportunity does present a wake up call for Rocky to turn his life around, there were several other opportunities for Rocky to do so prior in the film, especially when criticized by his coach.

Rocky, on the surface, appears to be a tale of a man turning his life around and going the distance. The film can also been seen as the tale of an average Joe who is dragged into the limelight by circumstance, and must quickly turn his life around in the face of humiliation on a national stage.

All of this aside, the film is fantastic. Rocky is new classic that is not only dramatic, but inspiring. Rocky is a complex character with an interesting agenda. The film has an iconic soundtrack, and is very much deserving of all of its awards. 

Who's Really The Psycho?

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Writers: Joseph Stefano (screenplay) Robert Bloch (novel)

Stars: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh. Vera Miles

In 1960 a crazy, game changing film was created and it was called Psycho. The movie got you to think because of the mystery it brought to the audience. It definitely grabs your attention on what might happen next. 

SPOILER ALERT!!! Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) and her boyfriend Sam Loomis wanted to run away and get married together. But because of his debts they couldn't. Marion later that day went to work and was asked to deposit $40,000. Was she that crazy to steal it? She ran off with that money so her  [she] and Sam could live the life she wanted. Marion was nervous, but after her interacting with the police officer and the used car salesman, it makes you wonder if she's the psycho one. Marion needed to rest after all she went through. She comes across Bates Motel where she meets the last person she will ever talk to. 

That night she checks into the motel in a different name [the alias Marie Samuels], and Norman becomes attracted to Marion. He's nice to her and even makes her food. They stir up a conversation where we find out he has an interest in taxidermy. In 15 minutes Marion's life was going to be gone. Norman's mother killed her while she was in the shower. Stab after stab. Was she the psycho? We later find out that Norman's mother has been dead. The whole time Norman pretends to be his mother by dressing up as her and making conversation with his mother like she is still alone [alive]. Psycho? Yes, I believe so. Norman was the crazy one all along. 

This movie was good, and I would recommend it to people who are into drama and mystery. It kept you thinking on what will happen next. I never knew who the real psycho was in all honestly. If you ask me, they are all crazy. But Norman showed his psycho side the most. When Marion died you realized that the whole time it wasn't her. The movie was quick but not too quick. I thought that was good because it got to the point. Movies that drag can loose people's attention, but Psycho didn't. This movie definitely brings up some questions, but that's the point. It makes the audience want more!

Rocky

Blog #1

Rocky

[No image  -  relevant or not]

The film Rocky was created in 1976 by Sylvester Stallone, who had writen the film, and John G. Avidsen had directed it. Some of the main characters in the film are Rocky, Apallo [Apollo] Creed, Micky, Gazzo, Adrian, and Paulie.

Rocky Balboa is a struggling boxer from philidalphia whose only dream is to make it big and be successful in the boxing world. As soon as everyone starts losing hope in Rocky, an amazing opportunity is brought his way when pro boxer Apallo Creed makes his way to Rocky's home town  [one word] looking for an amateur boxer to fight. After Rocky decides that this could be his chance, he is miraculously chosen to be Apallo Creed's competition. With everyone expecting an easy win for Apallo, Rocky understands he really needs to step up his game and win this fight because if he doesn't, he has no chance of making it as a professional boxer. Rocky begins training again with his trainer Micky in order to prepare for the fight.

In the midst of everything that is happening, Rocky actually finds himself a girlfriend after making a visit to the petstore, and quickly getting close with a young lady he had met there. Fight day is approaching and after plenty of training, Rocky is ready to prove everyone wrong. He is ready to unleash his hidden talent as a boxer and make his dreams come true. Rocky gains alot of respect for himself after coming such a long way and working towards what he wants for his future. He gets to prove to everyone he is a boxer at heart and he can be the fighter he always knew he could be. After everything Rocky had been through, he goes the distance to become the new heavyweight champion after his win against Apalo Creed.

Psycho

Blog #4 Psycho

Psycho a 1960 thriller was based on a woman, Marion Crane, who was fed up with the way life treated her, especially recently since her lover Sam isn’t able to marry her yet because most of his money goes to alimony. Marion is left to meet with Sam at a hotel every now and then during her lunch breaks. This leads her to take $40,000 cash of which she is entrusted with by her employer to take to the bank. She decided this was her opportunity to start a new life, she packed a suitcase, the money and headed to Sam's California store.

Up until then everything seems rather normal until she gets stuck in a storm and is forced get off the main highway to stay at a nearby motel. Norman, the one in charge of The Bates Motel, was a quiet and young man. Marion noticed that he was obsessed with birds, stuffing them and also that he was dominated by his mother. Even then, she didn't have a good enough reason to think that there was anything wrong, and yet she never made it out alive. The movie continued with another murder and with Sam and Marions sister determined to find out where she was or what happened to her. At the time, it was the most shocking film its audience had ever seen. The director of this film, Alfred Hitchcock seemed to have devoted his attention to the Marion Crane story and her relationship with Norman. Considering I don't normally watch horror movies, I can honestly say that this has been my favorite so far of the class. Not having anticipated the surprise Hitchcock created for us, I watched intently as the story unfolded leaving me with an astonished yet amazed feeling as it ended.

Man On Wire

Blog # 3 Man on Wire

Considered “The artistic crime of the century” by Philippe Petit, a tightrope walker who decided to perform a high wire routine across the New York City’s World Trade Center’s twin towers in 1974. His act was among the most illegal and daring of that time. Directed by James Marsh, this documentary walked us through the memories of Petit and his acquaintances that led him to his fame. They used contemporary interviews and footage they had previously taken at the time of those events to put together this film. It took them months of preparation, obtaining false ID cards, they made their way up to the top, above the level of the unfinished floors in the freight elevator taking with them about a ton of equipment.

On the morning of August 7, 1974, Petit walked across that wire and risked his life above the 1,350ft drop. Going back and forth several times, his friends shed tears at his glory. When he got back to one of the towers he was arrested and later charged for “disturbing the peace.” After getting a taste of what being famous felt like he eventually left his girlfriend and those who stood by him throughout his struggles. I was shocked at Petit's reaction to fame it seemed arrogant and wrongful of him, after they helped him through everything he then just pushed them aside. To me this film was dissatisfying and uninteresting. Therefore I would not recommend it to others and I would say that as far as to my understanding, even though his ambition led him to somewhere good for him, his friends did not deserve to end that way.

Sugar

Blog #2 Sugar

Winner of the “Movie of the year AFI Award of 2010,” Sugar is spoken to shine a bright light on the American Dream. Directors and writers Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, shaped this low budget film as well-turned and as remarkable as possible using the acting talent led by Algenis Perez Soto. Sugar, based on America’s favorite pastime allows viewers to watch an immigrant's experience while he attempts to reach for his ideal. Being only 19 years old Sugar aka Miguel Santos left the Dominican Republic to play baseball in the U.S.

After passing his first tryouts, they sent him to play in Bridgetown, Iowa where he stayed with a white farm family. He played well for a few months until he was injured and lost confidence in his throw. Knowing that his family back home needed the money he was making to survive, he became desperate enough to try performance enhanced drugs. Fearing that he was going to get kicked off the team he decided that he would leave first instead. Miguel knew that there wasn't anything he could do for his family back in the Dominican Republic, and without having even finished high school, he didn't have much of an education. He took a bus to New York, got a job at a restaurant where his friend had worked at and started going to a wood shop to make a table for his mom. He started a new life in New York with a simple job, occasional calls to his mom and a new girlfriend. Its noticeable that Ryan and Anna worked hard to produce a well informed film on a realistic type of situation on both immigration and baseball.

Rocky

Blog #1 Rocky

The American Dream is an ideal term for anyone coming to the U.S. with hopes of a better life. A dream that each U.S. citizen has an equal opportunity to achieve prosperity and success through determination, hard work, and initiative. Rocky, an award winning film starring Sylvester Stallone as “Rocky” aka “the Italian Stallion,” takes place in Philadelphia, home of the Continental Congress, in the year 1976  -  two hundred years after the signing of The Declaration of Independence. The theme of this film is “American Dream, Underdog.” In this film Rocky is a merciful, desperate for money, a down on his luck boxer who also works as a loan shark. He loves animals, owns two turtles named Cuff and Link and a pet goldfish named Moby Dick. This demonstrates that Rocky also has a sense of humor, in literature Moby Dick is the “great white whale”.  

Being a small time boxer, Rocky was given the rare opportunity to go up against heavy-weight champion Apollo Creed. Rocky’s passion for the big fight created a cinematic experience to his viewers. Although this fight was supposed to be easily won by Creed, Rocky's determination to become a “somebody” led him to put up a good fight knocking Creed down in only the first round. Creed realized that he had underestimated Rocky's talent and fought to get back at him. Creed ended up winning the fight by split-decision; what panel of judges is going to allow the championship belt to change hands via decision? Although not before showing that Rocky was not to be a nobody and that he shouldn't be underestimated. Turning from a low-life bum into a worthy contender because he believed he could do so made his “American Dream” reality. Rocky became an inspiring film to me and to many who viewed it.

Psycho by Zanaya Yancey-Gordon

 The name of the film Psycho immediately gets you thinking that the first main character that appeared would be the crazy person, but she wasn't  -  she just got caught up in something crazy. This film started off as a young woman stealing 40,000 from her employer. After she stole the money she began traveling on back roads to avoid any police since she was running away with her boyfriend to start a new life.  One night she decided to stop at the Bates Hotel where she decided to stay for the night. She met a man named Norman bates who had a difficult relationship with his mother. On her first night, she recognizes it was a mistake to stay at this specific hotel because his mother is psycho. Norman's mother stabbed Marion to death and immediately Norman ran to clean the mess up not knowing that in Marion's bag there was the 40,000 dollars. A new character comes into the movie looking for Marion not knowing that she has been killed. Long story short he ends up coming across Norman's mother which really turns out to be Norman because his mom has been dead for years. As you can see this was a big plot twist because I wouldn't have expected it to be Norman. He ended up turning out to be mentally ill which he was acting like his mom to deal with the lost of her. This movie actually was a great movie because the events at the end you could never expect would've happened.

Man On Wire

“Man on Wire” is a film about a dream. This film is about a high wire walker called Philippe Petit  trying to walk between the World Trade Center on the wire. My favorite part of the film when I hear when he start to talk about having a dream the main thing that inspired him to do what he dares himself to do no matter what other think, say or do to stop him. For Philippe, death seemed not to be an option or a thing that should concern him.  Philippe seem very determine to walk across the towers so he went to get a good observation on top the tallest towers.  Philippe was not letting anything or anyone stop his dreams from happening. He devised many plans to walk through those monstrous towers with his wire. He fakes being a journalist and pretends to take pictures of the guys working, but really he is just looking for strong poles he could tie his rope around.

Sugar

"Sugar" follows a man and his journey throughout his dream. It captures the strange world of the Dominican "baseball academies," where that nation's raw talent is nurtured for North American harvest in a sort of plantation system controlled by Major League Baseball teams. But more than anything else it's a story of one young man's maturation and transformation, as 20-year-old pitcher Miguel "Sugar" Santos (Algenis Pérez Soto) moves from the Dominican Republic to spring training in Arizona. He becomes a minor-league star in Iowa and onward toward his destiny.

Psycho

Psycho  Dir.Alfred Hitchcock Feat Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates), Janet Leigh (Marion Crane) Vera Miles (Lila Crane) John Gavin (Sam Loomis) 1960

Norman is referred to in the movie as a hermit because he is reclusive. He lost his mother a few years prior and hasn’t left home since. He is the last person anybody would suspect to murder anyone. The 1960 thriller film Psycho released starring Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, Vera Mile as Lila Crane, and John Gavin as Sam Loomis. The movie focus on the search for Marion Crane, a secretary from Phoenix, Arizona on the run after stealing $40,000 from her job to run to her boyfriend in California. As she is on the run, she stops at a motel run by Norman Bates, a middle-aged man with a heavy interest in taxidermy and a mother with whom he has a very complex relationship.

I really enjoyed this movie because it’s very suspenseful. I thought this movie to be very intriguing because of the different problems that sprung. For example, after Marion and the detective had disappeared, Sam and Lila went to go snoop around Bates’ motel. There had been multiple things that had been wrong when they got there.  

Man on Wire By: Angel Ramos

Director: James Marsh
Writer: Philippe Petit
Stars: Philippe Petit, Jean Francois, Jean-Louis Blondeau

Man On Wire Story Line: On August 7, 1974, Philippe Petit, a French wire walker, juggler, and street performer on his 25th birthday, spent 45 minutes walking, dancing, kneeling, and lying on a wire. Philippe and some of his friends strung between the rooftops of the Twin Towers. Uses contemporary interviews, archival footage, and passed events to tell the story of his previous walks between towers of Notre Dame and of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. He is very passionate for his friendships, and the details of the night before the walk. While getting cables into the towers, hiding from guards, and mounting the wire. It ends with observations of the profound changes the walk's success brought to Philippe and those closest to him.

His Biggest steps: Philippe Petit stepped out on a wire illegally rigged between New York's twin towers, then the world's tallest buildings. After nearly an hour dancing on the wire, he was arrested, taken for psychological evaluation, and brought to jail before he was finally released. Following six and a half years of dreaming of the towers, Petit spent eight months in New York City planning the execution of the coup. Aided by a team of friends and accomplices, Petit was faced with numerous extraordinary challenges. Him and his friends were able to figure out what problems had to be solved and he performed his biggest stunt of walking across The Twin Towers.

Analysis: I was astound by this man's performances and daring stunts. I overall enjoyed seeing him perform but I did not enjoy the boring film. He faced many challenges and overcame most of them. Philippe spent most of his life doing street stunts, by now he decided to do something that was unforgettable. He struggled throughout is life and he nothing but his pole and his friends who were always there for him. I feel like without the pole and wire, he would be nothing. He made a career off of walking on the wire and holding a pole as he crosses the wire. The pole was his way of balancing, it seemed to me that the pole kept him doing all his stunts and of course his will of wanting to do all of these stunts. 

Sugar Blog By: Bevon McLean II

Sugar is a 2008 sports drama directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck starring Algenis Perez Soto,Karl Bury,Michael Gaston [who are these people? The manager of the Bridgetown Swing and the Puerto Rican woodworker Osvaldo?]. Miguel "Sugar" Santos (Perez Soto) spends his weekends at home, passing from the landscaped gardens and manicured fields on one side of the guarded academy gate to the underdeveloped, more chaotic world beyond. In his small village outside San Pedro de Macoris, Miguel enjoys a kind of celebrity status. His neighbors gather to welcome him back for the weekend; the children ask him for extra baseballs or an old glove. To his family, who lost their father years before, Miguel is their hope and shining star. With the small bonus he earned when he signed with the academy some time ago, he has started to build his family a new house one that has a bigger kitchen for his mom and a separate room for his grandmother. After learning to do a knuckle curve ball throw, Sugar is invited to spring training by the fictional Kansas City Knights. He is assigned to their Single A affiliate in Iowa, the Swing. He is housed by the Higgins family, who take in Swing players every year. Jorge, a veteran player and the only other Dominican on the team, also tries to help Miguel learn the ropes. However, despite the Higgins' welcoming efforts and Jorge's guidance, the challenge of Miguel's acceptance into the community is exposed in small ways every day, from his struggle to communicate in English.

Personally I did not enjoy this movie it was very drawn out and it wasn’t in full english during most parts so i would be doing more reading than watching at times. The movie also was very predictable like when his arm started to weaken he started to take drugs to help him get stronger like I found that so cliche that the main character did something wrong and later would get found out.  

Rocky #nyshiah

Nyshiah Simon

Rocky Blog

Rocky was just an average man that didn’t even know anything about boxing but was willing to do this fight with a heavy-weight champion Apollo Creed. This movie was not my genre (sports), but it was interesting - especially when it got to the end and the actual fight. SPOILER ALERT!!! I thought that throughout the movie Rocky was practicing and doing all of this prep because in the end he was going to win because that is what usually happens, but this ending was different.

Surprisingly, he lost to Apollo Creed. Even though Apollo was a heavy-weight champion, I still expected Rocky, the underdog, to win. Usually in movies like that the underdog always wins (e.g. Karate Kid - the original from 1984 was also directed by John G. Avildsen) but not in this case, he went through all of that training and working out just for him to lose because he wasn’t really a fighter. The way they were fighting was funny to me because there were so many rounds (championship prize-fights lasted for fourteen rounds until the pride of Youngstown, Ohio, Ray Boom Boom Mancini killed South Korean boxer Duk Koo Kim in a title fight in 1982 - the maximum length was then changed to twelve rounds), and they were both very tired so it was kind of like they were fighting in slow motion.

Regardless the outcome, after the fight Rocky was no longer "a nobody" and was proven to be somebody and gained respect in his community. He also showed determination and perseverance in what he did which proved to the community that he was not a nobody and you can do anything that you put your mind to. Never be afraid or back down from any challenges that life throws at you. Everything that life throws at you will be a lesson. And always remember that even if you don’t win at least you tried.

Man on Wire Blog by Nyshiah Simon

Nyshiah Simon

Man On Wire

The movie Man On Wire was about a man that walks from one twin tower to the other. This is where the wire part comes in - Him [Phillipe Petit] and some  people that were also walking across the wire ??? put the wire up. But of course they had someone that was not about their word and bailed out on them at the last minute. I personally think that if you’re going to be doing anything as risky as this you are going to need solid people on your team. People YOU know you can count on . Not only are you worrying about if you make it or not but so are your family members. Life can be all about taking risk and stuff but I personally think there are limits to that. I know I’m scared of heights so you WOULD NOT be seeing me doing anything like this. Everybody thinks differently so you never know what is going through the next person's mind so you should always take that into consideration. He was a very brave risk taker in the act that he put on for everyone and he got a lot of respect for that even though they arrested him he ended up out of prison as long as he did shows for little kids so it was like he didn’t even have a real punishment but he was banned from the towers. Tis movie wasn’t really the kind of movie that I would choose to watch but I did realize that life is too short to not take risks.

Psycho By Siramad Gonzalez

Psycho 1960:
Horror film
Directer: Alfred Hitchcock

The film Psycho starts of as any normal film. But, The name of the film can get you off guard and things change quick in the film. The film starts of as a girl who stole $40,000 from her employer in order to run away with her boyfriend Sam Loomis, is over come by exhaustion during a heavy rainstorm. Traveling on the back roads to avoid the police, she stops for the night at the ramshackle Bates Motel and meets this polite but highly strung man called Norman Bates, a young man with an interest in taxidermy and a difficult relationship with his mother. During all this she is very nervous because she stole the money.She decides to have dinner with Norman in the office. Norman continues and explains to Marion that Norma his mother is mentally ill. After dinner Marion goes to her cabin,undresses and gets ready to take a shower.Norman is watching her from a peephole in the office. While Marion is in the shower a woman appears in the bathroom and stabs Marion to death. Norman runs to the room to then see what his mother has done. He decides to clean up everything and continue his day.Long story short a new character comes in the movie and is in the hotel asking for Marion the lady that Normans mom killed . He comes across this room and sees Norma sitting in a chair when he comes to realize Norma has been dead and its Norman that wears the costume to act like his mom because he is mentally ill.