“Finding Nemo” Review

            The film “The Godfather” used the theme of protecting and caring for your family that it had inspired many films to do the same. One film that uses a similar theme is “Finding Nemo”, at first glance being an animated Disney film it might be something similar to an operatta like their earlier films, but it is actually a comedy drama with the plot revolving of father clown fish that traverses the ocean to try to find and rescue his son Nemo who had been abducted by humans. From the first scene of Nemo getting captured and Marlin the father getting dazed by a camera and the shot being thrown into a first person point of view shot the viewer is instantly thrown into a since of dread for you are thrown into Marlin’s point of view as you have to watch a loved one get whisked away to a mysterious unknown location. Similarly to how the Corleone family went to the far corners of the earth to protect their own Marlin did the same had started his journey across the ocean which would lead him to meet the comic relief of the film known as Dory. The performance of Ellen DeGeneres gave as Dory was a pleasure to behold and most definitely made the dark plot of the film more enjoyable to watch. From the just keep swimming jingle, to the many times her short term memory loss had the worst possible timing, Dory was a character that anyone could enjoy to watch and learn from. In addition, thanks to advancements in recording the vocals of the voice actors were crisp and clear thanks to noise reduction technology, and with the enhancements of CGI the persistence of vision was phenomenal. Overall the film just shows how far family will go for one another and how important it is to rely on one another. As film critic for the “AV Club” Keith Phipps as stated in his review, “Like Pixar's previous films, Finding Nemo mines humor from the oddities of an unknown world but stays grounded in a familiar one, finding recognizable elements of heartbreak and happiness amid the ink-jetting octopi and irritable flounders” as a result the film is a wander for an individual, and if you’re having any doubts all you have to do is look at the movie poster and you’ll know that you’re in for a tale of epic proportions. “Finding Nemo” is an animated classic and if you still haven’t seen it yet I would recommend to view it, and it’s always better when you’re watching it with close friends or family.

“The Producers” (1967) Review

            Many films use music to create the mood for a scene but not many use music to further deepen a story and entice the audience like a musical does. One film that does this well is the 1967 Mel Brooks film “The Producers”. This film focus on theatrical producer Max Bialystock and a timid accountant known as Leo Bloom, and their endeavor to make a large sum after they realize that if Max was to produce a play that flopped then they would be able to keep all the money that was raised but wasn’t used. While you are entertained by their endeavor it will make you feel like you’re watching a short comical nickelodeon that you just want to keep watching over and over again; ranging from the musical numbers such as Springtime for Hitler, to the montage used to acquire the money to produce the production. This is one masquerade that Mel Brooks produced that will be put into Media Studies and Film due to its use of music, melodrama acting of Gene Wilder, and it’s mise-en-scene. Comparably, this film relies on image very similarly to Hitchcock’s film “North by Northwest” in which the background is just as important as the foreground within the major scenes, and how the camera angle can change the perspective of an image. For example, in “North by Northwest” in the scene in the cafeteria at mount Rushmore the actual action of the scene was occurring the corner while it provided a greater shot to also in capitate the presidential faces that are engraved into the mountain. While in “The Producers Mel Brooks uses the camera to give the movie viewer a different look to what the in movie audience is seeing such as during Springtime for Hitler when all the Nazi actors have locked arms and appear to be moving in a circle they are actually forming a shape of a swastika in order to provide a comical effect due to the actual production was supposed to be purposeful flop. However, through the master shot of the film we learn that the play was actually a big success, and it was in part to the stupidity of the performer that was given the role as Hitler and his song “Hail Me” which turned the serious Nazi propaganda production into whimsical comedy. As “Time Magazine” once wrote about the film “The Producers has many things going for it -- notably a wild, ad-lib energy that explodes in a series of sight gags and punch lines.” and this couldn’t be any truer. The only thing I wonder is if they put a microphone on all the actors that were used in each musical production or if they were prerecorded and then edited in. If you haven’t witnessed this outstanding Mel Brooks film you definitely should for it outshines the remake and you’ll have a nonstop burst of laughs.

“Avatar” Film Review

            Most fantasy films appear to follow similar plots in which the main protagonist who is usually an unexpected hero goes on an adventure of epic proportions in order to stop an evil force and save the world from plunging into darkness or learn a life changing lesson, however the overall story of these films tend to vary from film to film. For example, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, the legendary film that takes you on an adventure across Middle Earth can easily be compared to the film Avatar, a film of just as much epic proportions but instead takes you to the planet Pandora that is home to the tall and majestic race known as the Na’Vi. Similarly to the first Lord of the Rings film Avatar is a story that is filled with intertextuality and is centered around individuals that at first is viewed to be oddball due to their stature; but after gaining the trust of the people that would soon to become their allies they are able to overcome many large obstacles. The film Avatar is an interlaced/progressive film for the vast majority of the film was created using CGI so that the actors likeness can be transferred to their Na’Vi counterparts; thus the majority of the film was recorded in a studio unlike its counter parts in the Lord of the Rings trilogy which had multiple filming locations in the majestic outdoors. Although, even if the lens isn’t focused on real life action role-players with lots of makeup in breathtaking mountain scenery, the film has its own magical touch to it for through the use of CGI you are transported to another world where you begin to sympathize and feel for its native inhabitants while they have fend off the human invaders that wish to destroy their world so that they can make a profit on their own. The Na’Vi which are beautifully created like the Hobits appear to show more femininity at first glance due to their tall and skinny stature, but the blue race is filled with masculinity for the majority of the tribes are known as warriors and are extremely territorial towards the human invaders and their machines. The director James Cameron has definitely created a visual masterpiece as his space odyssey involving James Sully is told using almost lifelike CGI lighting and engaging long takes that just put you on an emotional roller coaster. As David Edelstein a film critic for the New York Magazine/Vulture had described it in his review “The narrative would be ho-hum without the spectacle. But what spectacle! Avatar is dizzying, enveloping, vertiginous ... I ran out of adjectives an hour into its 161 minutes” and this is only because it seems like the film can keep going on eternity due to its long run time and the amount of effort put into the production to not only entertain but also make you believe that you too are a part of the epic. If you haven’t seen this film already and have nothing to do I recommend it.

“Avengers” Film Review

The Marvel Film Franchise is best known for their epic installments within the superhero film genre as they create their own little cinematic universe based around the Marvel comic book characters. The one thing that Marvel appears to have going good for them is how they can tell such enticing stories that are all connected to one another and create such a large universe of characters that it has most actors in Hollywood wanting to become a part of the cast. One of their fairly recent films to become a blockbuster Guardians of The Galaxy which is about a ragtag band of antiheros with no powers try to save the galaxy from conquest hungry alien that wants to destroy every planet that tries to defy him. However, this formula sounds very similar to another Marvel film that they probably used as a model for Guardians called The Avengers. The Avengers was Marvels first attempt have multiple protagonists in a film and it was great success with just a few minor flaws. Unlike some other films that attempted to have multiple leading roles like Spiderman 3 which due to poor character development led to its commercial downfall, The Avengers having already created in depth character development in each of the lead protagonists origin movies allowed for each heroes to develop further and create bonds with one another as they strive towards a common goal. While this gender friendly film having both male leads from Iron Man to Thor and female leads such as Black Widow had created an image for everyone to enjoy, and this idea was also transferred over into Guardians of The Galaxy having a mixed gendered cast, but unlike The Avengers, Guardians appears to have an greater appeal to the masses for it depicts that you don’t have to have powers to in order to be super you just have to be yourself and do the right thing every once in a while. As a whole the film The Avengers is for sure must have for any film buffs home cinema library with its stunning CGI and story to its almost perfect editing even to the lighting with its gel enhancements, so that it can have crisp high definition look. The film may not have any emotional flashbacks like Guardians did in order to create character and plot development, but instead it created a window of opportunity for Marvel as whole showing that they have the capability of creating an expanding universe. As film critic Tom Charity for CNN had stated “Never underestimate the entertainment value of the Hulk Smash” and this description couldn’t be any more accurate for it’s always a blast to watch if you enjoy the genre. If you ever have the chance to see the film in IMAX I would recommend it, but watching it at home is always just as entertaining.

Shrek

“Shrek” Film Review

            In most film that are animated the main plot appears to revolve around a dysfunctional duo that seems to compensate for the others flaws and together they are able accomplish any task. This kind of storytelling has been present for a while but it seems to have been made popular in animated films through Pixar animation with film titles such as Toy Story and Up. Another film company that seems to have picked up on Pixar’s style of storytelling is Dream Works, and this is most noticeable in one of their early animated films known as Shrek. The film Shrek is a fantasy film that takes a spin on all the classic fairytales by merging them all into one gigantic universe ranging from the Ginger Bread Man to Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs creating its own fantasy. However, at the same time it takes aspects of modern life and mixes it into the fantasy creating a very unique filmic space such as including a Starbucks or references to WWE. The film is also an exploitation film for it may have many aspects that are suitable for children but it provides enough jokes and vulgar references that it is also enjoyable by an adult audience. The main plot of Shrek is about a lone Ogre that lives in swamp and all he wants to do is remain alone so he can just relax in comfort and do as he pleases, but his is all changed around when all the fairytale creatures of the region are exiled and forced to take refuge in his swamp due to man suffering from napoleon complex known as Lord Farquaad. Due to these unfortunate events the duo of Shrek and Donkey is formed and the two of them set out on an adventure that will bond the two together and make an unstoppable duo filled with loads of excess humor that is enjoyed by the whole family. To some film critics and their film criticism this expanded cinema film only gained excess from the fandoms the main voice actors have created throughout their acting careers. However, some such as Jami Bernard of the New York Daily News who has stated in her review of the film, “The brilliance of the voice work, script, direction and animation all serve to make Shrek an adorable, infectious work of true sophistication” and she couldn’t of had summed it up any better for it seems to be hilarious for all age groups while keeping an engaging tale so that it doesn’t lose the audience. Thus, if you haven’t seen this featured film yet it would recommend viewing it either online or on television and if you enjoy it possibly pick it up for your film library.