Movie Critics

For a long time, I have wanted to write about something that really bothers me, bad movies. When I say 'bad movies', I typically am referring to movies with bad writing which, to me, will ruin an entire film.

Now, to me, writing can ruin an entire film for many reasons. One being the fact that the writing develops the characters, and you can't have a good movie with shitty characters. And recently I have been noticing an increasing amount of movies with flashy graphics and movies with poor writing. Which has led me to the conclusion that directors are now using 3D graphics to compensate for their 1D characters. One particular movie that bring this to mind is Avatar, which seems to be either loved or hated. I on the other hand am in the middle, but that's another story. Avatar was full of stock characters such as the relateable, rebellious woman and the headstrong, blood-thirsty military Sergent.

Not only do these fancy graphics attempt to add dimension to flat characters, they also try to fill in plot holes. A very good example of this is Tim Burton's recent portrayal of Alice in Wonderland. I, like a lot of people, used to be a big fan of Tim Burton, growing up on The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands. But just like most directors these days, Tim Burton has been failing to live up to (his) past movies by creating recent horrors such as his Alice in Wonderland. Alice was plagued by many catastrophes, one after the other, but one that stuck out in particular was its major plot hole. This plot hole consisted of the Queen of Hearts claiming that she would recognize Alice anywhere (and kill her), but when Alice prances into the Queen's court, the Queen conveniently does not recognize Alice at all. Not only that, but the Queen even goes as far as liking Alice and inviting her back into the castle! How could a woman who knows Alice's face very well, not recognize Alice? I am not sure, but apparently the production staff was too busy working on the graphics to notice this non sequitur.

I just don't understand how companies are now investing so much money into movies with bad scripts. I know there are many terrific writers out there looking to get their scripts turned into movies, yet big companies are more concerned with taking a movie, pumping it up, and getting a big name director to be a part of it. Last time I checked people enjoyed good movies whether or not they know the directors name or have to wear 3d glasses to see it. It all boils down to terrible movies getting credit for nothing, which always makes them outshine the really amazing movies such as Up! (2009). Which I would like to say is a brilliant movie that deserves much more credit than it has been given.

But I would like to end on a positive note by saying that there are still amazing movies being released. I guess it's just harder to find them when they aren't popping out at you (hardy-har-har).

Never let "Never Let Me Go" go

Don't watch the video unless you don't mind hearing spoilers!

For my final 'Picking the Pulitzer' project and paper, I chose the book "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro. I am writing a blog to discuss aspects of the novel I am not able to cover in the presentation or paper. The main thing I want to talk about is the similarities between the plot of both "Never Let Me Go" and "Atonement" by Ian McEwan.

This is a more concrete comparison, but both Ishiguro and McEwan graduated from the same college with the same major, and both are contemporary writers who live in England. That being said, many critics have also linked the two authors together, but not because of their similar origin. The two authors have been said to have a similar tone. I have only read one of McEwan's works and one of Ishiguro's works, but comparing the two I would have to agree on their similar tone. As stated by Lev Grossman of The New York Times in his article "Never Let Me Go (2005), by Kazuo Ishiguro," both books are narrated "with dry-eyed, white-knuckled restraint." Since reading both books, I believe there may be no other tone in which to write these two tragedies, due to the desolate and unforgiving nature of the stories themselves. Both plots resemble each other as well, because of their slightly similar incidents of the difficulties that may accompany seeking love. I could go into plot detail on the similarities of the novels, but doing so would risk me giving away the end of "Never Let Me Go." Ishiguro, like McEwan, carefully reveals the secrets of his book. Even the smallest amount of information could ruin the book for some readers.

Although both books have some striking similarities, they are completely different. Both award winning authors create individual masterpieces, worthy of attention separate from one another.

But I wrote this blog post to hopefully spark some interest about the book. Now would be a wonderful time to read it, since there will be a movie based off of the book coming out somewhat soon (which will also star Keira Knightly...joy). I am afraid of the movie, and I hope it won't turn the plot into a major love sap-fest!

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1951793_1951943_1952574,00.html

Ian McEwan's Awesome Prose in "Atonement" (G) 03/15/2010

Yes, I said awesome. But before I get into summarizing the plot, I just want to say how thrilled I am to be reading this beautifully constructed piece. Ian McEwan is able to construct beautiful sentences while maintaining clarity, something authors strive for. McEwan's writing style is varied, not jumbled, and he is able to gently emerge the reader into Atonement's environment . I found myself reading simply to uncover more of the aesthetic details of the Tallis' house and garden which, ironically enough, is not supposed to be particularly pleasing to the eyes. As I was reading, I didn't care if the house wasn't up to standard, but I wanted to picture it and be there anyways.

As I explicate the first eight chapters of the novel, I will give examples of McEwan's writing that go along with the scenes. I feel this is the best approach towards giving a good sense of what is happening, and describing why I think Ian McEwan's prose is awesome.

The novel opens with (Birony...Bryony...) Briony Tallis preparing for a play she has written. McEwan makes sure to illustrate Briony with the finest detail in the opening chapters. Briony is a headstrong thirteen-year-old, who contrasts with her older, more carefree sister, Cecilia. McEwan takes time and describes each sister's room as if he were simultaneously drawing the rooms with a very fine pencil. On pages 4 to 5 of Atonement McEwan describes Cecilia's room as being a "stew of unclosed books, unfolded clothes, unmade bed, [and] unemptied ashtrays." In contrast to Cecilia's room is Briony's room, which is a "shrine to her controlling demon." McEwan's description of Cecilia and Briony's personality (via their rooms) is a creative way to really show the reader how their two personalities contrast. Further description of Briony's room details her animal collection, describing them as looking as if they are "about to break into song." I really appreciate McEwan's colorful description of the animals here; it really lightens up the mood of Briony's overly-tidy room. Briony goes on with her plans for her play, and the story switches over to Cecilia. Cecilia is bored from being home for the summer, and in one scene decides to take a hurried stroll through the woods. This is another scene where McEwan's beautiful writing really allows the reader to feel the situation. My favorite quote from this scene paints a perfect image of a statue Cecilia is looking at. "The muscular figure, squatting so comfortably on his shell, could blow through his conch a jet of only two inches high, the pressure was so feeble, and water fell back over his head, down his stone locks and along the groove of his powerful spine, leaving a glistening dark green stain" (17). In that one sentence I was able to not only imagine the fountain itself, but also imagine the statue's age, and presence of where it lays. not only does McEwan finely detail, he also writes with rhythm and creates an atmosphere, without making a point of it. After some running, Cecilia notices a male acquaintance of hers in the garden also. After much trepidation they speak. And in a desperate attempt to retrieve a broken vase piece from a pool of water and "one-up" the boy, she removes some of her clothing in order to jump into the water. Meanwhile, Briony is witnessing all of this, not quite understanding the obvious budding romance. Later on Briony's play fails to go through, causing her to want to blame others. After the incident with Cecilia, Robbie writes her a letter telling her he loves her and has Briony deliver it. Chapter eight ends here, leaving one to ponder the impending doom.