How my perspective changed for film

The whole point of me taking the Art of Film was so that I could get a taste of other films that I have never been exposed to before. I’ve always judged a film by its special effect scenes and always disliked black and white movies. However, the Art of Film changed all of that. I’ve always wanted to see movies that were different from the ones I typically see but I could never get myself to see them. If I had not joined the Art of Film, I would have never gotten to appreciate films such as North by Northwest, M, Casablanca, The Chunking Express and many more. The Art of Film taught me that it’s not all about special effects. Sure it would be nice to have them but they are not necessary.

Overall, I’m glad that I took this course because I’ve developed an appreciation for films that I would never have considered seeing. Now I would definitely have the interest to see films out of my typical genre.

Casino Royale

Casino Royale, I think, is the best Bond movie ever. The new James Bond played by Daniel Craig proves to be a legit James Bond. Throughout the movie I was surprised to see that he didn’t really rely on his gadgets that much compared to the previous Bond movies. I guess that’s what makes Craig’s version of Bond better. It’s the fact that he relies on skills rather than gadgets to fight his way out of sticky situations.

The action scenes in this movie were pretty good. They were exciting to watch and were definitely intense.

To tell you the truth, my expectation about this film was not so good. I was skeptical when I heard that they were making a Bond movie without Brosnan. However, after seeing Casino Royale I think that it was a good move.

Overall this is definitely one of the best I seen in the Bond series.

The Prestige

The Prestige, directed by Christopher Nolan, is about two magicians, Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, who were once friends but are now rivals. This film isn’t just about doing magic tricks; it’s also about how an obsession can ruin a man’s life.

When Borden invents a new trick, Robert Angier becomes envious of him due to the fact that Borden’s new trick beats everyone of Angier’s illusions. Driven by the competition and the reputation of who’s the best, Angier develops an obsession towards finding the secret top Borden’s illusion.

The message of The Prestige is important because it’s very true in real life. Obsession can truly drive a man crazy and possibly ruin his life. In the film Angier’s obsession caused him to neglect those he loved and even caused his own death.

Overall, Nolan did a good job with this film. It’s very well made in that it makes one question everything until the ending where things finally start to click.

Iron Man

Iron man was awesome. It’s an action pack film that tells the story of Tony Stark, the owner of Stark Industry, and how he rises to become a hero. Before his mission to protect the world, Tony was a man who lived a very luxurious life. He had it all money, power and fame. However what changed Tony was his abduction in the Middle East. After escaping death, Tony realizes that his mission in life was to protect the innocent.

The technology in this film was so cool. The suit definitely made the movie. My favorite part of Iron Man was when he dodges a tank’s missile and instead blows the tank up with his own missile. I got chills when I first saw that. The fight scenes were awesome. They were definitely top notch.

Overall, Iron Man is definitely worth seeing. It’s a film that makes you jump out of your seat because of all the cool special effects.

Cinema Paradiso

Cinema Paradiso was a great film. It’s a film about a successful film maker who reminisces about his childhood past after hearing the tragic news about his old friend Alfredo who recently passed away. This movie shows the progression of Salvador Di Vita’s life from boyhood to adolescence.

I really liked how the film shows us the relationship of Alfredo and Toto and its evolution throughout the film. Alfredo was initially annoyed by Toto because he was a very deceitful boy yet he was very likeable. As time progresses we see the father and son relationship that develops between them.

The music in Cinema Paradiso was beautiful. Every time I hear it, it always brings a sense of peacefulness.

Overall Cinema Paradiso was a good last film to show for the Art of Film. I would definitely recommend watching this.

Drumroll Please...

Best Film
This would definitely have to go to The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. This was probably by far the most moving film throughout all the movies I saw in the ART of Film. Simply put, the whole film was inspirational.

Best Quotes
Again, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Here are some quotes.

“I decided to stop pitying myself. Other than my eye, two things aren't paralyzed, my imagination and my memory.”

“Hold fast to the human inside of you, and you'll survive.”

Best Villain
One word, JOKER! Seriously, who can top that? Throughout The Dark Knight, Joker made the movie dark. You could see how he enjoyed every moment of disaster and chaos. One of the many aspects that makes him stand out as the best villain is his laugh

Run Lola Run

Run Lola Run was a really fun film to watch. It’s very different from all the other films I’ve seen before, but in a good way. This film was definitely fast paced, and that’s exactly what I liked about it.

What I liked most about Run Lola Run was the three different alternate endings. To tell you the truth, when I first learned that there was different endings I thought that the film was going to be very repetitive. However it was exciting to see the different outcomes that each ending had.

Overall Run Loa Run is a fun film to watch. It sort of blended with a bit of cartoon which made it interesting. I would recommend watching it.