Directions: Write a review of a novel, film, artwork, or other medium as if you were Oscar Wilde (you may also focus on an author, artist, or musician if you wish). This is an exercise in exploring style, as well as substance, which is to say that this will be about nothing, which is everything. This will count as a writing grade. Please post your completed work in this blog space AND on Turnitin.com for a formal grade. I look forward to your responses!
Part I: Reading Criticism
The public have an insatiable curiosity to know everything, except what is worth knowing. – Oscar Wilde
Peruse the following collection of Oscar Wilde's reviews: A Critic in Pall Mall. Read “Dinner and Dishes” which is supposed to be a review of an actual book, but Wilde plays on the words and gives a review of his favorite dining areas well as the ones about Shakespeare to get a sense of his critical voice and wit.
Part II: Research
Choice of subject. Choose something, which will lend itself to Wilde’s Wit. Further, if you are to be a critic, you must be knowledgeable. Know your subject inside and out. Content should look like a major essay. Introduce your subject in some way, the body of the document must have detailed evidence and be a pleasure to read with smooth transitions, and a conclusion.
Part III: The Art of the Review
The difference between literature and journalism is that journalism is unreadable and literature is not read. – Oscar Wilde
My advice is to look up modern examples for reviews to help get the basic structure. For example, if you are writing a review of the film like Jaws (1975) look for Roger Ebert’s Movie Reviews or The New Yorker, something with a critical eye.
Part IV: Language and Style
If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they will kill you. – Oscar Wilde
Try to capture the voice and style of Oscar Wilde. Review and read some of his prose. He will get into your head and come out of your pen. Review his epigrams in our previous blog post on Oscar Wilde's Background or visit Goodreads.
Above all, it must be beautiful and adhere to the tenants of Aestheticism.
1) Art never expresses anything but itself.
2) All bad art comes from returning to Life and Nature, and elevating them into ideals.
3) Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life.
4) Lying, the telling of beautiful untrue things is the proper aim of Art.
Part V: Grading Your Work
One can only give an unbiased opinion about things that do not interest one, which is no doubt the reason an unbiased opinion is always valueless. The man who sees both sides of a question is a man who sees absolutely nothing. – Oscar Wilde
Use the following list to help guide you in the writing process. I will be thinking about the following elements when I evaluate your review:
- What point is the author getting across in the review? Did the students choose a subject that will help showcase the ideas and voice of Oscar Wilde?
- Does the author have a clear knowledge of the piece being reviewed and makes direct references in the review?
- Did the students do the proper research?
- Does the review showcase the development of idea from the beginning of the argument to the end? Again, does it model modern reviews as well as the reviews of Oscar Wilde?
- Does the piece sound like Oscar Wilde, consistently?
- Does the review present the elements of Aestheticism?
- Is there an advanced use of vocabulary and diction?
- Does the author utilize and create epigrams and make proper use of paradox? These tools must be used consistently throughout the piece.
- Is it funny...in an Oscar Wilde way?
If Oscar Wilde Saw Corpse Bride
ReplyDeleteIf you’re dying for a tale of love, betrayal, and reunion, you should check out Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. For the record, it looks as though the Brontë sisters collaborated with Jane Austen. Along with commentary about marriage, inheritance, dowry, and social class, Corpse Bride is loaded with Gothic aesthetics and necromantic action.
“Now why go up there when people are dying to get down here?” asks the all-powerful Elder Gutknecht. (Michael Gough) That’s actually a good point. In this story, life seems depressing, monotonous, unfair, and dull. The live characters seem to be in grave moods and have cadaverous looks about them. Death, on the other hand, is much more upbeat, colorful, and everybody is rather lively. And why not? In the Underworld, health and safety haven’t any meaning, and everyone you miss awaits you. But make sure to pay your respect, for hearts can still break without beating.
Unlike Helena Bonham Carter (Emily, the corpse bride) and Johnny Depp, (Victor Van Dort, a fish merchant’s son) who had each collaborated with Burton for a long time, Emily Watson (Victoria Everglot, Victor’s bankrupt aristocratic fiance) was a practical stranger who had not. Bonham Carter was Burton’s wife when this was made. In spite of all this, Depp’s chemistry with her (and Watson, for that matter) is so unbelievably convincing, it kills me. Even in mere puppet shows and cartoons, where the cast merely records their lines, you don’t need actual couples to portray characters with undying romance between them.
The living always try to look presentable, even if it costs an arm and a leg. This must be one of the reasons the Everglots ran out of money, and one of the reasons Lord Barkis Bittern
(Richard E. Grant) seduced Emily, murdered her on the eve of their wedding, and took all her jewelry. Victor gets his coat torn running between some branches, but it is subsequently mended for him by a team of spiders.
DeleteThe dead, on the other hand, have no dress code. In fact, if you have any bare bones, rest assured that you won’t make anybody uncomfortable displaying them. Emily’s wedding gown is missing a lot of fabric over the right side of her midriff. But only her ribs are visible through this hole, so there’s no issue. Bonejangles (Danny Elfman) and his Jazz band are stark naked. But they are a mere skeleton crew, so this doesn’t distract the audience from their haunting melodies.
Corpse Bride isn’t really intended as a horror story. It leans more towards the romantic and the bitter-sweet. I will not say anymore, in case you haven’t seen it before. My parting advice, however, is that you go take a look. There’s no turning back now.
☠
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DeleteOscar Wilde Review
ReplyDeleteThe Series of Unfortunate Events (SUE) by Lemony Snicket is quite the series indeed. Talk about a work of art… Right? A work of dark is more like it! It is quite a dark work that Lemony Snicket has written. I will start by saying that most of what happens to the 3 children in the series is extremely unfortunate and deserving of a proper explanation of why it happens at all. It’s the shadow in the photograph, the dark shaded corner in the painting, that’s the darkness that looms over the series as an entirety. In response, I will grant you that art can be brought out even in the darkest of times and circumstances. If something is to be art in just being itself, then we must then (somehow) look beyond the darkness & see if/what remains. But it’s when you put that principle in the context of the SUE when things get interesting. First of all, the dark in that series persists abnormally long for Violet, Klaus, & Sunny. Length doesn’t necessarily determine quality but it was hard for even me being the aesthetic person that I am to find to light behind the dark of the series as a whole. This is what disappoints me the most. Even though comic moments have their time and place in the series, the dark never leaves the scene. So if you have a fragile understanding of art (like me) I suggest you don’t read this particular series. If you like art in the dark, then this may be the selection for you.
A Christmas Carol with a Merry Misconception
ReplyDeleteOf the many forms of nature, snow may perhaps be the warmest sight of all. The landscape is painted by the pulchritude of these little flakes. The warm sight of snowflakes pantomimes the impending day of Christmas. Therein lies my quandary. To leave the domicile, would be to disrupt nature as it finally attempts to emulate the expression of Art. So rather, I searched through my athenaeum for a publication that would appeal to my rather idiosyncratic spirit. And hence I chanced upon the book A Christmas Carol. Fortunately for many people, this disenchanting work may prove to be an alluring diversion. This novel is something of a wonder, it attracts much attention for providing the barest of details or truths of Yuletide.
The idea that all people must be joyful on Christmas is a gross misconception. People should be themselves; everyone else is already taken. Scrooge’s ignorance of others’ suffering makes him an impeccable, unique character. After all, it is the presence of these distinctive members of society that makes everyone else more convivial. Their peculiar presence enhances the happiness of those around them. Just look at Bob Cratchit in this work. His time at work cultivates the gaiety present in his dwelling. His distasteful employer creates a vulgar setting that makes his meager house a haven. Speaking from experience, it is the transcendent ecstasy of proving that abominable rabble wrong that sweetens a holiday. Therefore, I must wholly oppose Charles Dickens’ erroneous leitmotif of Christmas.
In terms of the other opinions of the author, it is entirely agreeable that the paramount aspect of Christmas must be the delectable dinner. It was during the third stave when the Ghost of Christmas Present divulged the secret of the holiday to Scrooge. As he stood before the fortuneless Crachit family he discovered the wealth of euphoria that they possessed at that moment. It was a special evening of feasting and jubilant celebrations. Firstly, there was no question about the apple-sauce; its plain taste seemed to speak exquisitely to the children who responded in such a manner. Of course, there was also the main meal that was the tender goose, naked of feathers, and cooked as it should be, a savoury dish without the need of complements. But let us not forget the final masterpiece: the ambrosial pudding. In addition, there was the wise addition of a jug of gin and lemons to quench everyone’s thirst. The children in particular seemed to enjoy the festivities. After a year of hardship, they finally had a sufficient dinner served. Of the entirety of the book, this must be the prominent segment that all readers agree on. It is, after all, the essential element of Christmas.
Although I found this book to be awfully improper, I believe there are many out there with a plainer nature who may find a shred of pleasure from it. This novel is shoddily done with nothing more than the bare fundamental elements of this fete. There can be no excuse for the multitudinous inadequacies that, for some reason, may leave some in contentment. Humanity has been utterly injudicious in selecting to be credulous of such feasible distortions. And thus, I must leave to civilize the foolish individuals so people may begin living. Everyone else exists, that is all.
Well, you could make a film noir out of this one.
Delete
ReplyDeleteModern theater has its roots in tragedies and dramas that depict struggles between men and Gods, great feuds that end in bloodshed and glory, operas with golden sets and costumes of the finest silk. It is in one of these theaters that may contain the ghosts of many Romeos and Orpheuses, and in which the lyrics of la boheme once drifted toward the ceiling, that I find myself in a run down southern diner, watching a waitress make pies. Though the initial appearance of the show may cause concern about whether the janitorial staff is quite thorough enough in their daily work, a closer inspection will tell the viewer that it was, in fact, designed that way. Perhaps the show may not appeal to the sense of sight, largely considered an insignificant sense when paying to sit and stare at a stage for two hours, but we all know that what truly matters in a musical is the sound. For who would not want to listen to the soft and dainty accents of the american midwest, with all their charm and mispronunciation. After a slightly rocky start in the first few seconds however, the show began to get interesting. The true reason theater has become popular is the desire to see the misery of others in order to escape one's own misery. And in misery, Waitress delivers. The protagonist, Jenna, finds herself in the midst of an unwanted pregnancy from an abusive marriage. The first moment of realism presented to me by that point was the reaction to the thought of a child: a prompt swear followed by two hours of complaining. If this misery were not thought to be enough, fear not, for the show pivots seamlessly into a ballad about Jenna’s dead mother, and their similar marital situations. Much like social class, illnesses, and the shape of one's nose, failed marriages so often run in families. Rather than take action, Jenna does what she spends the vast majority of the musical doing: baking pies. Though the blueberry bacon pie creation may seem less than appetizing, the pie appears to lay a charm on her doctor, and they begin an affair. In a song that sums up the show itself, entitled “Bad Idea”, Jenna and her doctor list all the reasons that they should not be together, including but not limited to: Jennas marriage, her doctors marriage, the fact that neither of them appear to be emotionally stable, and the unwanted baby. However the 94 measure singing montage of adultery does not stop Jenna from continuing her affair and throwing stones from inside her glass house at her co worker, who is also cheating on her husband. After she has been chastised the show makes one of its few fair points, that sometimes an affair can be a good thing, and I would be inclined to agree. God knows we all need an occasional break from the oppressive state of matrimony. The litany of poor decisions and chaos comes to a screeching halt in a forced happy ending, in which Jenna gets everything she wanted and ends up owning her diner as a working mom, and tying up none of the loose threads left in the plot. As the curtain closed I was able to consider that perhaps any ending to that show was happy for the audience, as we were then permitted to leave.
Every show has an audience, though the audience will certainly never again be me, so if you would like to see three british actresses fumble their way through a southern accent as the plot tries and fails to stay in one place, I would highly recommend this show. I will say that the show does not try to force you to like it’s characters, in fact I walked away having disliked every person on the stage, which was quite a positive change from the two dimensional and sadly unhateable characters in most productions. At the end of the production you will not have gained any morals, nor any appreciation for the art of theater, and you will have lost only two hours of your time, and that is quite a glowing recommendation in itself.
-Solace Lockheardt
What show is this? You don't mention its name.
Delete
ReplyDeleteWhen the fate of humanity is at risk, mankind must devise a near impossible plan to transport all of society from planet earth, to a far, and remote part of the unimaginably vast universe to escape the rapid impending doom of a rare plague that destroys crops and is depleting the planet’s food supply. The second coming of the Dust bowl. Interstellar dances on the fine line between fantasy and reality. It opens the minds of watchers and tinkers with their thoughts, creating a conflicting view of the physics conducted in our universe and existence.
Main character Cooper, a former NASA pilot is chosen as the leader of this impossible mission of relocating life to ensure that humanity survives. This hopeless task, against all odds prevails in the end, resulting in Cooper using the planet Jupiter as a makeshift boomerang that propels his starship away from the massive gravitational pull from the supernova Gargantua, but alas the weight of the spaceship was too great and Cooper makes the ultimate sacrifice, by disengaging his pod from the ship and allowing his crew members to finish the intended mission and escape, so that they can repopulate the human race. Cooper descends into the endless void that comes to be known as the Tesseract. The Tesseract quite literally breaks the fabric of time and space, breaking the laws of natural physics and assigning both time and space their own individual dimensions. 5-D. Also glorifying the one thing that defies all dimensions, is not quantifiable, and is perceived as a higher power, Love. It is what ties this movie together, and is portrayed as the strongest connection beyond space-time or reality.
The heavy and intense music was nothing short of magnificent, and it complemented the admirably stellar visuals. Never have I seen such a raw, realistic sci-fi film, each scene filmed sharply and to perfection. Even I was blown away by the emotions of the actors, I felt as if I was really... “there”. Although I myself am not fond of space.
-Bryant Kroeger
There are heroes who save the world, rescue princesses, or lead revolutions. But there are also heroes that lack the usual traits like courage and morality. Heroes that may save the damsel in distress, but follow through in a more unappealing manner. The outcome may be fitting of a true hero, but if his actions, manners, and character reveal he or she to be barbaric, are they truly a hero? An antihero deviates from the norm and pursues aesthetic values rather than meaning. For this and many other reasons, I recommend Deadpool to all who wish to see a film not for its eloquence and action, but for its grossly offensive jokes and Ryan Reynolds.
ReplyDeleteHeroic deeds followed suit by unheroic actions. The concept of an antihero has been identified in classic Greek drama and Renaissance literature. Deadpool is an excellent modern addition of this genre. After having been diagnosed with terminal cancer, our protagonist, Mr. Wade Wilson, accepts help from the nefarious Dr. Ajax. Blinded by the imminence of death, Mr. Wilson fails to see that Dr. Ajax is a reference to a dish soap brand. Thus, Wilson is tricked into becoming a horribly ugly mutant with accelerated healing powers and a dark sense of humor. Deadpool is a breath of fresh air that lends itself to a wide range of meaningless creativity. A creativity that needs to be harnessed in the form of comedy.
Throughout the film, there are several instances of Deadpool breaking through the wall between us, the audience, and Deadpool himself. It seems that the character has a reputation of avoiding stereotypical tropes and one of the ways he does that is by speaking directly to the audience. Due to Deadpool’s character, these fourth wall breaks and moments of self-awareness do not feel out of place. Although absurdity is frequent, it does not hinder but complements the execution of gags and one liners throughout the film.
The film’s deviation from superhero story cliches is not the only circumstances that would make me recommend this film. Ryan Reynolds, the portrayer of our protagonist, is a master of ribald and witty comedy. The one-liners and sarcasm that are littered throughout the film are delivered well and thus, hilarious. However, there was a good portion of jokes that were at best amusing solely because of Reynolds. Simply put, there was certainly too many one-liners and I would have desired more ironic jokes. All in all, the writing in Deadpool is undoubtedly entertaining, however, the ribald jokes are certainly too much for the faint of heart.
Deadpool is certainly a superhero, or super antihero movie. Therefore, the film is not lacking of over the top action sequences. Some may not enjoy these thrilling, motion sickening shots. But, looking past those scenes, we find comedy scattered throughout the film. Witty remarks, sarcasm, your rules of three, and Ryan Reynolds impressive and comedic performance. These aspects make Deadpool stand out from the stereotypical Marvel film. I only hope in the next film the writers would use less cheap jokes and more jokes that are funny.
Unfortunately, Deadpool swears a lot.
DeleteOscar Wilde Reviews ShreK:
ReplyDeleteI expected nothing less than revolting content from an animated film about Shrek, a colossal green ogre with a Scottish accent. The story of a grimy creature’s mission to save his grotesque swamp in which he calls home? The swamp that was invaded by a crew of trespassing fairytale creatures? The creatures that were delivered from a land called “Far Far Away” by a midget-like man by the name of “Lord Farquad”? The same Lord Farquad that will send Shrek on a quest to save Princess Fiona from a dragon guarded castle who, get this, just happens to take the form of an ogre-princess by night? All this with the addition of an irritating, “walkin’, talkin’” Donkey by his side throughout the entire journey? Initially, I thought the same thing: absolutely repulsive. To my bewilderment, however, I could not have been more amiss from the truth.
Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination. DreamWorks' Shrek (2000) is a splendid combination of whimsical playfulness, sentimental romance, and refreshing jubilance all somehow wrapped up in a neat package of pure imagination. It is the story of an ogre, who appears colossal and heinous on the outside, but continues to build relationships that display his true colors and show the audience otherwise.
Shrek and Fiona’s love story is nothing but ordinary. Fiona had been locked up in the highest room in the tallest tower, “awaiting a knight so bold as to rescue” her for nearly her whole life. She realizes her long-awaited rescue was completely unorthodox upon discovering that her “brave knight” is really an ogre with his “noble steed” being a talking donkey. Fiona appears perfect at first glance, but the truth is rarely pure and never simple. When all misunderstandings clear up, Fiona understands that to love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance, and the two live happily as an ugly pair on the outside but forever in love on the inside. You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes or their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear.
It is through art, and through art only, that we can realise our perfection. The animation in Shrek is precisely that. Perfection. It is the most advanced of its time, allowing the audience to live its beauty right there along with it. On top of that, the soundtrack is equally as impeccable. The ending scene, a live performance of Smash Mouth’s “All-Star” performed by the fairytale characters is the ideal fairytale ending. The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means. Shrek ended so happily that Dreamworks has promised to create three more of its kind, and I am shocked to say I couldn’t be more ecstatic.
Hail to the Ogrelord!
DeleteActually, Far, Far Away is ruled by Fiona's Parents. Fahrquaad rules Duloc.
Delete*Farquaad
DeleteI thought they played All Star at the beginning and I'm a Believer at the end. No offense, I was just paying attention.
DeleteThe Basket of Apples
ReplyDeleteStill life by Paul Mr. Cézanne
As philosophized by Victor Cousin “l’art pour l’art” is vitally important or the piece will simply cease to be art at all, and instead devolve into a coagulation of morals and nature’s shapes. While Mr. Cézanne’s work is, perhaps, a bit too reminiscent of nature itself, from the first glimpse one can see that it is elevated above the mundane, and indeed immature, still life depictions that permeate modern art. As the man himself said, art is "a harmony running parallel to nature," and not a direct imitation of nature itself. In that vein, the work, though obviously a painting of apples in a basket, possess a dream-like quality that feels more like reality than reality itself. It is almost possible for one to feel the buttery warmth of the sunlight through a window, or to feel the thick, rough fabric of the cloth. The “avant-garde approach to perspective” in his work as a whole contributes to Mr. Cézanne’s standing as an impressionist, as well as a member of the post-impressionist movement. He does not seem to desire for the audience to scrounge up a hidden meaning, or made up depth in the work, simply existing for the joy of it.
The impressionist movement, thrust into existence by the hedonistic, and marvelous, rejection of the rigid principles laid by the Académie des Beaux-Arts, and begun by Courbet, is responsible for the creation of an array of works of Mr. Cézanne’s caliber. Portraits of often dull subject matter, but possessing character and boldness, necessitated by the reality of their rebellious nature, determined to diverge from the banality of the work of the time period. I have always said that when a truth becomes a fact it loses all its intellectual value, a philosophy that the impressionists aptly follow as they create portraits of truth, and artfully omit the reality. Mr. Cézanne’s work also serves as a window into his contributions to post-impressionism and cubism. The angles in the folds of the cloth, and the geometric shapes emphasized in his work shine a light into the future of his craft, and his conception of the art of cubism.
Mr. Cézanne exemplifies the notion that Art is the only serious thing in the world. And the artist is the only person who is never serious, as he refuses to take himself too seriously, which results in art of the most interesting and serious nature. His brush strokes themselves speak to his rebellion against the odious forces that attempted to trap him in a cage of hyper-realism, and his unique style sets him apart from other pioneers of the impressionist movement. In summation, Mr. Cézanne elevates the concept of perspective, and his work adds a seriousness and beauty to modern art as it is today.
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
ReplyDeleteSometimes, people have no heart towards others and the world. Because of this, many people are affected by the cold and harsh responses by becoming an outsider. The Grinch was an outsider to the Who's even though they were all about celebrating Christmas as a family. Singing and dancing in a circle around the big Christmas tree. How ironic is that! And they only accepted the Grinch when he became like everybody else. No wonder the Who's were villains toward the Grinch all those years. Serves you right Who's!
Between the Who's and the Grinch, the Grinch had a kinder heart because he was the one who changed himself after he realized what he did. The reason this is the case is because of one little Who who changed and influenced the Grinch for the better. Little Cindy Lou Who. She as a little child had a different belief and character than the other Who's. "The growing influence of women is the one reassuring thing in our political life."
The whole scenery of this movie was simple and beautiful despite all the chaotic content. The Grinch reminds me of me when I dress myself everyday. His fashion is extraordinary and vivacious like me and the color green symbolizes his transformation of evilness and disgust towards the Who's. Being original is boring."No great artist has ever seen things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist." The colorful town of Whoville showed their "excitement, warm, and joyful" characters through their Christmas decorations. Such a show off Who's! Only Cindy Lou is the truthful and loyal friend of the Grinch. Little Cindy took my advice: "Be yourself, cause everyone else is already taken."
I could see the pain that the Grinch went through as he was an orphan for most of his life. Because of this, he was not able to find a companion with whom his relationship could blossom into love. Perhaps if he had someone in his life like that, then he would not be so full of anger and disgust towards Christmas and family. No one understood him or even tried to. When Cindy Lou came along, she was the fate who made the Grinch wait all those years until someone rang his bell and was not scared or disgusted by him. That was the reason his eyes lit up and his heart grew 3 times in size. Oh Dr. Seuss! What a story you created. You made me cry of excitement and joy. I can’t wait to read all your stories and discover more of your writing style. I myself am just as unique as you. We should collaborate on a couple stories if you are interested. I really enjoy your concept and your inspiration of writing about your evil self in the from of “The Grinch.” I have learned that inspiration comes out of nowhere. “Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.”
And they said the Grinch's heart grew 3 sizes.
DeleteReview on “Forrest Gump”
ReplyDeleteForrest Gump is a movie like no other, and I have watched a lot of movies. Going into it, I had no idea what it would be about except for the fact that it is based around a man who has been deemed mentally stupid ever since he was a boy. Just hearing this would make any person not feel the need to go out and watch Forrest Gump but a lot of people did anyways. People love stupid movies, just something about them always makes us laugh but we don’t know why. It is probably because we pry on their downfall to make ourselves feel better but in the end, we gave them our money, so they are the ones who end up laughing at us actually. I thought Forrest Gump would be one of these movies, one where I can walk in have a little laugh here and there and go back into reality smiling. I was very wrong… Forrest Gump was quite similar to attending a wedding ceremony, it will put people through a whirlwind of emotions ranging from joy and happiness to sadness. This is a movie to watch if you want to smile while crying.
Forrest Gump is about a man named Forrest who is mentally stupid and everyone including himself knows it. His IQ of 75 is well below minimum normal standards but the beauty he provides in the movie is perfection. Whenever approached by someone who asks him, ‘Are you stupid?’, a slight chuckle would always come out of me right after because Forrest would always reply, ‘Stupid is as stupid does’. As a young boy, Forrest was always bullied, being called stupid by everyone as well as laughed at for wearing braces to help him walk. But Forrest continued to live his childhood happily and showed how one must love himself before seeing the love in life. He may be dumb, but those who spend their childhood spewing insults at another person for the fun of it is even dumber. In his life, Forrest had his mom and his first and best friend Jenny who helped him through everything. His mom would always make sure his life was just the same as everyone else’s. She helped him get into an elementary school which will eventually lead to him being able to go to college at the University of Alabama for football. Yes, for football, once he got those leg braces off he ran like the wind carried him and football came naturally to him. In football, one can’t overthink things, if you think you stink, and Forrest never thought about anything except getting a touchdown. As for Jenny, she brought something into Forrest’s life that his mother couldn't, a friend but also love. Jenny was his one and only true love and he was always so kind to her. Everywhere he went, Jenny was with him physically or mentally. Forrest believes Jenny is perfect, but that’s only when she is around him. Without Forrest, Jenny struggled throughout her whole life always trying to fit in with different groups and enlightening her mind with chemicals. It’s as if she never escaped that high school phase everyone went through. Once Jenny realized that Forrest is the one and only for her, she was able to escape that terrible prison and live freely. “To live will be an awfully big adventure” -J.M. Barrie once said, and Forrest did indeed just live his life. In fact, he lived his life so much, that he literally went through every major American event from the 1950s to the 1980s. Teaching Elvis Presley the dance we can find in his song “Hound Dog”, the Vietnam War, surviving Hurricane Carmen on his shrimp boat and much more. People treat life as if it is an itinerary, they always focus on the next item at hand and never live in the moment.
For Forrest, life is like a river, he followed the main flow but at the same time ventured on his own finding different streams to journey on. Ignorance is bliss it seems when it comes to the life of Forrest Gump. The movie ends with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from Forrest, he has done everything he has wanted no matter what people told him. But couldn’t the director Robert Zemeckis have captured the same story without portraying Forrest Gump as mentally stupid? Well yes, he could’ve, the better question to ask though is why would he? The unordinary is sometimes more beautiful than the ordinary. Even though Forrest’s IQ is 75, he still understood the same things as anyone else. So what's the difference between him and everyone else? Just a number between 0-200, right? That is the beauty of the movie, we as a society have always looked down upon anyone who is mentally stupid and always thought that their perspective would be different than ours when in fact it’s not. We even treat dogs as if they are smarter than people like Forrest when deep down, we all know that the dog is just thinking about the treat that will be given at the end. Zemeckis wants the story to be about someone like Forrest to help us empathize with someone mentally stupid and understand that they are in fact just the same as us. ‘What’s normal anyway’- Forrest Gump. After watching this movie I felt enlightened, I saw the beauty in things or places in which I would not have ever before. Life was sweeter in many ways. The sun shined a bit brighter every day, or maybe that was because it was getting closer to summer. All I know for sure is that Forrest Gump is truly a magical movie.
Delete“Caddyshack” is a comedy about a group of golfers, misfits, wannabes, and a gopher. The film brings about a cast of well known actors like Chevy Chase, a self involved golfer, Bill Murray, a crazy groundskeeper, and Rodney Dangerfield, a rude condo developer, and puts them in the set of a country club known as Bushwood Country Club, the name being a joke in itself. The movie doesn’t necessarily develop a main plot but instead develops multiple subplots to pay attention to throughout the movie. These subplots include a college scholarship for the caddies, affairs with the judge’s niece, a campaign against gophers, and a high wager golf match. The movie is filled with hilarious scenes, jokes, and behavior that charms all types of audiences. Although filled with many cliches the funny scenes are well put together, and the jokes within jokes could make anyone laugh.
ReplyDeleteThe movie brings together the characters as Judge Smails and Ty Webb go head to head for the grand prize of $80,000. Did I forget to mention Bill Murray’s feud with a gopher? After many failed attempts at defeating the gopher, Bill Murray decides to use explosives disguised as other types of rodents hoping to trick the gopher and ultimately defeating him. During this time the final tournament takes place deciding a young Danny Noonan’s fate regarding college, and a self centered Judge’s ego. The end of the film goes off with a bang… Literally. The explosive rodents go off destroying the entire golf course, and the rumble just edges Danny Noonan’s failed put into the final hole, winning the match for him and Ty. Now this ending would be cliche enough but the film makers decide to wrap it up by showing the gopher pop his head up proving that he survived the latest attempt at his life.
Overall, through its many seem to be flaws, the movie has me constantly laughing and wanting to watch again. Which I have many times. I believe Caddyshack is a must watch and a delight for almost all ages with childish, and adult humour making it the great classic that it is.
The Mandalorian Review
ReplyDeleteThe Mandalorian is an exquisite show brand new to the likes of the world, it stars a chivalrous bounty hunter who goes by the byname of “Mando”. He is tasked with an impossible quest to the likes of which nobody has ever completed, He completes this task with relative ease, however it is after he obtains the parcel which contains an infant who is most popularly called “Baby Yoda” after a character in previous films who is quite similar to another character named “Yoda” This fellow of green skin complexion seems to have captured the hearts of both America and “Mando” as he betrays his bounty hunting guild to save the small creature, he then escapes and lives as a bounty hunter on the run from the others seeking the large bounty on them both. This is quite strange for someone of Mandalorian descent as the show has been very open to showing that Mandalorians do not trust people other than themselves. However in order to get by “Mando” must trust others to keep both him and his new companion alive.
I very much enjoyed watching the episodes of this television program, the extravagance of the other realms explored by “Mando” and his companion are one of one with absolute magnificence, the modern day wizardry of technology has certainly used the unparallelled capabilities to the maximum potential possible. I’ve never seen anything quite like that in my entire life.
Secondly, the character adequately named “Baby Yoda” has stolen my heart as he is quite possibly the most charming creature on the planet as he has become the most popular thing since sliced bread. Which is a feat in of itself. However for never having spoken a word it makes even a man of my own stature wish I had the absolute ability to make an entire country and planet swoon over me without even speaking a single syllable. Then the character of “Mando” comes in, the rough and tumble lone wolf he was made out to be throughout the first episode fully counters the innocence and delicate presence of “Baby Yoda”, and it makes for quite an interesting dynamic. I adore the backstory of the Mandalorians and their immense struggle to survive in a desolate world after their entire way of life had been exterminated by the overwhelming empire.
All of these topics I have personally taken note of throughout my time experiencing this television program I personally believe that this show is perfect in every regard, however due to it not being fully complete I do not believe it is fair to give it a five star rating, therefore in the interest of being fair and just I will give it a four star rating out of a possible five stars, I eagerly await the next episodes of this show as I hope I will soon be able to give it the five star rating I believe it will be worth.
-Aidan Foley
DeleteGoodfellas is one of the most classic Martin Scoreseesse movies of all time. There is so much I can say about this perfect piece of filmography. I could talk about the adapted screenplay, and the great writing in this movie. I could talk about the infamous “You think I’m funny?” scene. Or I could talk about the perfectly selected movie soundtrack, with great songs by Tony Bennit, The Harptones, Dean Martin, Cream, and much more. I can talk about the magnificent “one shot “ scene, that any critic of Goodfellas would talk about when henry takes Karen on a date through a nightclub. Or I could talk about the wonderful montage scene that showcases all the people who got “whacked” by Jimmy Conroy near the end of the movie. Although I could talk so much more about all of these points in the movie, I'm going to talk about something much more important. The amazing inclusion of food throughout this movie. In every scene there's always food, and I LOVE IT! At any family gathering,there’s food. After Henry and his friend smurder someone, there's food . Even when they end up in prison, the mobsters are eating food! That is what this Oscar Wilde review will be about. Food. I’m going to start off with the prison scene. After Henry and Jimmy beat up an FBI agent's brother, they get arrested for that and other crimes. They end up having to serve a few years in prison. To begin the scene, it starts with Henry saying “In prison, dinner was always a big thing” he then says how “when you think of prison, you get pictures in your mind of all those old movies with rows and rows of guys behind bars. But it wasn't like that for wiseguys. It really wasn't that bad. Excepting that I missed Jimmy. He was doing his time in Atlanta. I mean, everybody else in the joint was doing real time, all mixed together, living like pigs. But we lived alone. And we owned the joint.” and they basically did. While everyone else is eating the crappy prison food, the mobsters we’re eating like kings. In the scene henry talks about how they would have a pasta course and a fish or meat. We see the large italian mafia boss, Pauly using a razor blade to slice the garlic so thin “that it would liquify in the pan with just a little oil”. I love the in depth “food talk” in the dialogue. It really shows how drastically different the mobsters would live in prison. They take such care in slicing the garlic, while the chefs at the prison just throw crumbs to the prisoners. The prisoners would live like peasants. I should know, I’ve done my fair share of jail time. I mean, I hated being in jail. I mean, I REALLY hated being in jail, but I digress. I’ll get back to the movie. Another scene when food is shown is right after Henry, Tommy, and Jimmy murder Billy Batts. After they murder him, they go to Tommys mothers house to look for a shovel. When they enter the house, it wakes Tommy’s mother up and she comes downstairs to greet the men. She then offers to cook them a meal, they denied the meal at first but then they succumb to the offer of her food. Keep in mind this is at like 1 in the morning and their eating another massive meal. I just love it how they eat all day everyday. I think goodfellas is a very quality film and I love how much time the movie dedicated to showing off the food! I give this the Oscar Wilde guarantee that you will love this wonderful movie.
ReplyDeleteLet’s face the facts: life is hard. Born privileged or impoverished, it’s impossible to live a life without hardship. The thing about hardship however, is that different people deal with it in different ways. Pessimists such as myself tend to look onto issues in a negative light, while the optimists take a more positive perspective. Taking one glance at One Piece, a popular Manga and animated series, one would quickly figure that it’s author, Eiichiro Oda is one of the nutty Optimists I speak of. One of the fundamental ideas that hold all 900+ chapters together is romanticism and exaggeration, as every aspect of the story is an idealized version of reality. Everything about one piece is bigger and better than it could ever be in the real world. Mountains so tall you can’t see the summit, Trees so massive that their roots extend to the bottom of the ocean, pirate ships as big as islands, people’s weapons, fashion, and even the food they eat are all over the top. Enemies start as being quite tall, towering over any real humans, but later become as tall as giraffes. This is to emphasise how much of an underdog the main character luffy is. In most story arcs, he’s at a disadvantage with no hope of victory, yet he charges into battle and most of the time, he reigns victorious.
ReplyDeleteI personally love this story because it’s what art is all about, creating something that could never exist. It’s a story about chasing impossible dreams where realism doesn’t matter. It captures the impossible aspect of legends that makes them so alluring. Even something as simple as baking a cake is brought to the max. It’s a cake so good it brings you to heaven, so fluffy it literally floats away, and with frosting so silky it slips and jumps out of the bowl. There are overly ugly people, overly fat people, strangely shaped people and everything in between. It’s meant to be a fantastical world of infinite possibilities which sets it apart from any other story I’ve ever read. The world is more vibrant with every page that passes, as we get introduced to more unique and unforgettable characters and places.
Ben Ashworth
ReplyDeleteOscar Wilde
When a fraternity causes too much havoc and gets kicked out of college the Delta house must wage an all out war against the administration and rival fraternities for the best night of their lives. Now at this thought I was originally intrigued by this topic as it was of none I had heard of before. It had some potential but as the ridiculous jokes and plots fell into place I almost turned it off. The nudity scenes were unnecessary and revolting, nobody wants to see that. The character Otter was quite the man until his scheme to play the boyfriend of a dead girl which I found to be completely desperate. The movie was not all bad as the fraternity was a very good representation of what you thought it was. There were some humoring scenes as when Bluto started the food fight scene and I got a good chuckle out of that. The other scene when the dean announces their gpa was a classic. I was laughing with quite trouble stopping myself. The way the movie was filmed was surprisingly satisfactory. The zooming out of characters to see the whole situation was superb and when Bluto is on the ladder I got a good laugh out of that. At the end during the credits they give the outcomes of the character which was quite creative. Overall it was a horrible movie with childish humor and a predictable plot. 2/10
What movie? I don't see the title anywhere.
Delete“Tha Boss Dogg” is perhaps the most peculiar of word combinations my eyes have ever come across. Upon seeing this, I regretted the tremendous amount of effort it took to obtain such a book. I expected nothing short of a book filled with recipes using singed rubbish as the primary ingredient, and I was not wrong. I am never wrong, but rather astounded by the eloquence in the unrefined language of my (quite literal) lifesaver, From Crook to Cook.
ReplyDeleteWho is this Snoop Dogg, you might ask. Well, he is a crook. And according to London, so am I. Perhaps it is this unconscious bond between two hoodlums that brought us together, both in heart and in mind. Spending time in Reading Gaol is obviously one of the most splendid places to take two years off the hectic life of an Englishman, and it was there that took time to soak in what I truly felt, what I truly thought of all the time. White walls really do give one a sense of serenity and insanity, no pictures in sight, no stunning views to gaze upon. You can live without pictures and music, but you cannot live without eating; therefore I did not live during my sojourn at Reading Gaol. I had eaten of course, but I felt more like a lone elephant in the savanna, trying to endure the parched earth and trying to find nourishment in the sparsely scattered shriveled grasses. By the time I left the gaol, I too felt like the frail shrubbery: a foul suppuration drained from my ear, but also my soul. With the craving for writing now gone, it was replaced with that of real food. Who, indeed, in these degenerate days would hesitate between an ode and an omelette, a sonnet and a salmis? What little money I had left was spent keeping myself barely alive, and of course looking to buy the cookbook that had intrigued me so much.
Enough about me? There is never enough about me, but From Crook to Cook transformed my miserable antics into a life of indulgence. In a previous review, I had stated that having no illustrations held an advantage. Yet here I am again, astounded by the vibrance of my lifesaver. I could see just these “photographs” and I could immediately discern the simple ingredients used to make such glorious meals. The real difficulty that we all have to face in life is not so much the science of cookery as the stupidity of cooks. This book allows the most stupid of these cooks to create masterpieces from the stock of subpar items in the average Englishman’s cobwebbed cubbard. I will not call myself stupid, but I too had dust-caked cabinets stashed with the most mundane of ingredients. This book sports the oddities of the Americans while disregarding the proper square meal we see them with.
There is something attractive about an “OG fried bologna sandwich” that I cannot put my finger on: is it the hip new language of Mr. Dogg, or is it just the bizarre implications of frying a sandwich? There are twenty ways of cooking a potato and three hundred and sixty-five ways of cooking an egg, yet the British cook, up to the present moment, knows only three methods of sending up either one or the other. From Crook to Cook will assist in the expansion of this bland culture, and also the expansion of the small minds of the common human.
-Nabilah
It is often said that to sleep, perchance to dream. In the 2010 movie Inception, sleeping has nothing to do with dreaming and rather to dream is to have been injected with chemicals, followed by other human beings traveling into said dreams with you.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Christopher Nolan, it took him ten years to write his famous movie Inception, starring the one and only Leonardo Dicaprio. Inception is one of those captivating films in which you can't take your eyes off the screen even for a sip of tea. The plot feels fast moving yet somewhat thorough in it's justification.The Movie features the main character Cobb, played by the stunning Leonardo Dicaprio. Cobb is the highest of the corporate raiders. His job is to infiltrate people's minds and take their ideas buried deep in their conscience. One day he is hired by a billionaire to assemble a team to do the exact opposite of what he's been trained for, to plant an idea in someone's mind. As we are shown throughout the movie the concept behind the layers of dreams and how to create a maze, Inception feels as sitting through the most interesting science class.
In the dream-like world of inception physics and reality itself is unbound, allowing for incredible scenes. Buildings tilt. streets coil. characters float all seems to be shown in a perfectly smooth manner. According to the script itself, all the textures of real life-the stone, the fabric... cars... people... your mind can't create all this.” to me this is a very clever way of creating something completely original. Nothing in this movie has been recycled, which you can get a sense of when you see the Paris streets flip onto their side within the first half hour of the film.
In addition to the absolutely brilliant visuals performed in Inception, the story has an emotional side to it to which seems to be imminent at every major point in this movie. Cobbs motivation for this impossible mission is the promise that he will get to see his children again after being exiled from his home. We also learn of Cobb and his children's upbringing, with him and his wife, mal, exploration of the dream world. One day the two go one too many layers deep into an anomaly realm called limbo. In this world there is complete isolation, and his wife ends up killing herself from the trauma she suffered in limbo once the two come back into reality. This rough backstory is a perfect set up for a iconic ending and one that is truly unforgettable. Where Cobb finishes the mission, finds his children and spins his top, which tells him if he's dreaming or not. But right before we can see what the top will tell him the movie anticlimactically cuts to black. The ending is the type of feeling you get where immediately, you want to punch the nearest thing next to you, but after a few deep breaths and a step back, you notice the beauty and imagination the ending sparks in the mind of the viewers.
-Troy Kennedy
This “drama” that many of you so call it, is absolutely astonishing and also a bit different from what’ve seen in the operas and plays, which I so very much fond of. First of all, the title of this drama is called The Sungkyunkwan Scandal, which is one of the most risques titles I’ve seen for such a dramatic performance. It makes me curious about this drama and I must say, the effects of captivation are working at its finest. If there’s anything that I find most extraordinary about the world today is that everything seems to be so peculiar yet astonishing on how people showcasing these “dramas”. It’s so bizarre how so many people can be in a tiny little box, almost like a painting but they’re moving all at once without ever stopping. Also, I’ve never in my existance of existence have heard such words come out of their pretty little mouths. You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes or their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear, even though I have no idea what they are saying. Now, as I’ve heard, this “drama” is from a country called Korea. I’ve never heard of Korea before but I think they might be referring to this country as Joseon. Oh yes, I’ve heard a few things from that country but these “k-dramas” you call them are quite new and foreign to me. Although I don’t understand what they might be saying, someone told me you can by pressing on this strange book you call a computer. When I press that symbol with the two “c”, words start to appear on the screen and its in English! I’ve never seen anything something so extraordinary. But then people say that extraordinary is superficial but I think they just wants to be as extraordinary as this invention called “subtitles”. So after watching an extensive amount of this drama, I have to say that this has to be one of the most emotional and wonderful dramas I’ve ever seen. Before I go into all of this luscious details, I want to say that every single one of the main characters in this series are the epitome of beauty, especially the men.
ReplyDeleteThey have this funny-looking knot on the top of their heads and I find it absolutely adorable, including the hats they wear. I find it quite clever how their hats are see through and protects them from the sun. Also the clothing they wear looks so loose and breathable: oh if London only had such high fashion, we would be just hopping from one lover’s bed to the next. Although people say sometimes that beauty is only superficial and yes, that may be so, but at least it is not so superficial as thought is. To me, beauty is the wonder of wonders. It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. But besides the exquisite pieces they wear, I would like to mention how this story has captivated me in ways I never thought I would have. Although the main protagonist Yoon hee is a girl and is dressed as a male in her society, the chemistry between her and her lover Sun joon when she is a male is absolutely amazing. Oh, how they can resist everything except temptation is so hilarious because throughout the entire drama until Yoon hee’s truth is out, Sun joon just questions emancily about his sexuality. If I do say so myself, I relate to his struggles a bit because that’s how I felt about my wife when we had first met. But as soon as my wife became pregnant, I started to fall out of love for her and was more attracted to the men in my life. I never intended to hurt her feelings but my attraction toward wasn’t the same as it used to be. Thank goodness Sun joon didn’t fall out of love for her once he realized his best male companion was a woman who was able to grasp intelligence and beauty. Something that I love about this story is the societal construct between the rich and the poor. The real tragedy of the poor is that they can afford nothing but self-denial. Yoon hee believed she had to make the most of her situation and instead of being the traditional lady in her society, she sacrificed herself by receiving education in one of the most prestigious academies in Joseon, which was illegal for her to do because of her gender. She was never tempted by the beautiful sins, like beautiful things, which are the privilege of the rich. But our sweet Sun joon was never tempted by his riches he was born into nor abused his power, which can be very clique at times, but it was very subtle so it wasn’t at all irritating to watch. I also wanted to mention two characters that had the utmost charisma in this drama. I found myself being so drawn into the Yong ha’s character because not only was he a lady’s man like myself but he’s an honest man who was helpful in the long run. With closing this review and considering all that I have seen, what a pleasant drama to watch: it’s refreshing yet a bit shocking for some but I say this has given the credit that it deserves and would absolutely watch this and other similar to this drama.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first sat down to watch the dark knight I was expecting the usual simple story of good vs evil as the protagonist and antagonist are locked in a struggle, however, I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. This installment of the Dark Knight trilogy plays with the idea of an anarchical antagonist, the Joker, who believes in nothing except that there is nothing to believe in. The Joker sets out to prove everything you know is wrong, that intelligence is foolishness, belief is a facade and morals are what you hide behind when your comforts are taken away. He plays with his victims’ so-called righteousness by forcing them to choose between two horrible options. In a twisted version of the trolley problem, he forces Batman to choose between Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes when they are both tied to bombs in separate locations. The Joker is trying to show the people of Gotham that morality is a sham and that Batman isn’t up for the task. The Joker character is a work of art built from lies that makes you confront your morals and question society. The character of Batman is developed as he turns towards darker and darker options to combat the Joker. He takes out swat teams and is forced to flee in the end while letting Harvey Dent take credit for what he has done to help the city. Bruce Wayne uses his rage to help him in his fights. He lets the dark side come to light and shine when he needs it. While Batman rules the night the Joker attacks in the day. Batman is forced to play with fire and go around the law even more than he has before. While this movie seems simple it is actually very deep and can be analyzed on many levels however this meaning comes back to the simple point of good vs evil. As I have said before, “One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.” As the dark knight wears elaborate costumes the joker sticks to a simple suit proving art is not just for the sake of having meaning it is to be beautiful. If I were, to sum up, my thoughts on the movies I would say, “the truth is rarely pure and never simple”. This movie can be analyzed on many levels or be foolishly wasted on superhero fans simply looking for the odd action scene. Getting to the truth of the joker is neither simple nor pure but worth the journey through the mind of a nihilist. This movie challenges common beliefs in the right way to leave the viewer pondering their existence in a satisfying manner.
ReplyDeleteOscar Wilde Talladega Nights Review
ReplyDeleteI have encountered numerous acting performances in my time, however, none compare to Adam McKay’s “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” The performance by Will Ferrell and company was marvelous as each actor completely dove into their roll. Upon first glance the seemingly classic American race car movie was thought to just another of the same sorts. I first believed that this was just going to be another plot where the protagonist rose to the top and became the greatest. However, I thought wrong.
The protagonist Ricky Bobby, unfortunately never changes his name throughout the movie and is stuck with two first names the whole time, which is not even the worst thing that happens to him. He is the main race car driver and has been the best since he was a kid, growing up all he knew was racing. Ricky Bobby became a superstar fast making worldwide quotes like, “if you’re not first you're last” and his catch phrase “shake and bake” which you would think would be a term used in the kitchen, not a race track. Ricky Bobby’s fame comes to an end when his new found French archnemesis arrives being the first person to ever beat him. Jean Girard seems to be a perfect foil to Ricky Bobby being that they are so unbelievably opposites and the only thing they have in common is racing.
Once Ricky Bobby is beat he is distraught physically and emotionally. His loss not only ended his grand racing record but also everything else that he had in life. Somehow he woke up one day and when he wasn’t the best racer any longer he had nothing. His so called best friend and sidekick then became the new winner and just when you thought it could not get any worse for Ricky Bobby it did, his best friend also took his wife, kids and house. At this point you feel so bad for Ricky that you just want to stop watching. But power through because it gets even more comical by the end.
The overall rating for this movie would be an ‘A’ because how perfectly all the moving pieces in the film work together and how unpredictable it is. One would originally think that Ricky Bobby and his best friend/racing partner were just a classic ‘dumb’ and ‘dumber’ movie. No one thinks that ‘dumber’ would actually move up the intelligence ladder just barely enough to take the place of ‘dumb.’ I would recommend this movie to anyone looking for a surprisingly good laugh.