Film Noir

When I first saw the documentary on Film Noir I was immediately skeptical. I thought it would be typically cheep cloak-and-dagger type movies that only manage to bore or become the butt of the day’s jokes. But, it’s not a surprise that I expect too little out of most things and am reduced to feeling foolish that I underestimated something I wound up enjoying. I would have to say I liked Film Noir most out off all the film sections we have seen recently. I love the effect of the black and white; it gives a depth that color would spoil. Like in Chinatown, I thought the color aspect of the film makes it harder to fallow, which is, for Film Noir, not making much a difference since Film Noir is pretty bizarre in and of its self. Out of all the Film Noir movies shown in class, I liked Chinatown (Roman Polanski 1974) the most and Kiss Me Deadly (Robert Aldrich 1955) the least. I preferred Chinatown mainly because of the interesting plot and weird twists, such as the incestuous relationship between Evelyn and her father, which is sickening but attention-grabbing. I disliked Kiss Me Deadly mainly because of the unpopular characters and the ridiculous turn of events. But I mostly enjoyed Film Noir section of Art Of Film.

Screw-Ball/ Romantic Comedy

When it comes to romantic comedies and screw-ball comedies, it might as well be hell for me to tell them apart. I’ve never been a fan of romance or comedy and when some horrible twist of fate the two get thrust together in a death-heap the world is a much, much dimmer place to live in. But, for some reason I was very taken with the romantic comedy film that was shown in AOF sixth hour. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004) may very well be the light at the end of the dark tunnel that is the romantic comedies. Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry, who made the screen play and directed the movie, managed to seize my attention for more than five minutes. The plot specifically had me in deep thought about many things that could very well be possible in the future. The way they created the disintegration of Joel’s memories was incredibly interesting bordering on eerie. All in all, I loved that movie.

Pan's Labyrinth

Pan’s Labyrinth, which was written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, is absolutely spellbinding, whisking you away in a masterful updraft. Del Toro’s Pan has managed to combine of two of my most favorite past times in movies, gore and whimsy, in an artful display of grim beauty. The story is of a young girl, who is set with three tasks in order to return and attain her rightful place as princess of the fairy realm.
Though, thought at first as a Disney tale made flesh instead of cartoon, the setting in 1944 after the Spanish Civil War gives the film a darker, more sinister depth to the plot. The violence is what I thought was the most artistically beautiful, though, albeit morbid. Del Toro manages to make a symphony of blood that ties close to the heart of the plot, frequently being that most everything revolves around harshness, cruelty and violence.