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Sunday, March 3, 2019

Fall 2008: ICC Mass Communication's Quote Whores

Current mood:  animated


The following are suggestions from the students of Illinois Central Colleges's History of Motion Picture class. As an elitist, I think I am ahead of most with offering treasured films, but I like to think I have elite friends to support my hypothesis.

My Suggestions: "Dark City" and "The Science of Sleep"

If you are looking for two films that are visually appealing and creative masterpieces, I would suggest Dark City and The Science of Sleep.

Both films are written and directed by their directors (Alex Proyas for Dark City and Michel Gondry for The Science of Sleep) and both directors have had gained the attention of the American audience with previous films (Proyas had "The Crow" and Gondry had "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"), so I believe most people are familiar with at least one of the director's work.

Both films have to rely on creating what were at those times new visual styles since they are both incredibly cerebral. Dark City is about a group of aliens who experiment on Earthlings by changing their memories, and how our hero must learn how to use their power to create an ideal world. The Science of Sleep shows how it's protagonist escapes to the world created in his dreams as his attempts to win the affection of his neighbor seem more and more futile.

Dark City was considered the best film of 1998 by Roger Ebert, who offers a commentary track on the picture's DVD release, and Science is a film that was seemingly designed for a more liberal European audience, so it was allowed to cover what Gondry's Eternal Sunshine attempted to study more thoroughly.

Since this is a class about the history of motion picture, I find these two films to be great examples of everything we will be studying this semester.

Other Suggestions:
"Donnie Darko" and "Pan's Labrynth". Both of these movies are scripted brilliantly and have either a meaningful message or series of implications on current issues.
I'm not big on Donnie Darko, I don't think it knew what it wanted to be. I've yet to see Pan's Labrynth, but it's a definite purchase in the near future (near future being 2018 after seeing it in 2014).
I would say "Airplane" and "Revenge of the Nerds". Words can't really describe how funny these two movies are. You just have to see them.
Both comedy classics, Airplane is probably the pinnacle of sight gags. Revenge isn't subtle, but delivers everything the viewer wants. Still fails in its mission to prove that we are all nerds. See, easy to describe
"Closer" stars Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman, Jude Law, and Clive Owen. This movie only credits 6 actors total, the other 2 being very insignificant roles. So you know that this movie is focused around great acting..."Some Like it Hot" is one of my favorite older movies, and although it may not be a hidden treasure in movie history, to today's youth it certainly is.
I haven't seen Closer, and I don't necessarily get a hard on over great acting, so I may not. Some Like it Hot is perhaps the best comedy that has romance in it. How long till Pitt in Clooney try their hand at it.
"Equilibrium": This movie is a great example of how one shouldn't just always do what a political power tells them to do because it might be taking away from your life experiences..."The Sting": This is a classic comedy with these two great actors that work amazingly together, but at the same time you will be getting an ending you never expected from the moment you start watching it.
I've never heard of Equilibrium (Brain fart when I wrote that, "Christian Bale's Matrix" [Saw it a year later, and thought it was awful, worse than "Ultraviolet"), and since there wasn't much a description, I'll stick with "Logan's Run". I didn't know The Sting was a comedy, so I might have to take time to see if it's on the Free OnDemand.
"Atonement": I love the storyline and the different ways in which the characters of the film try to tell their side of the story. "A Fish Called Wanda": It is a great comedy with John Cleese, Kevin Klein, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
I will not knock a fellow Anglophile. Where are the Irish films?
"Frequency": It is in a league of its own and Dennis Quaid is the man... "Goodfellas" and "Boondock Saints": The characters are too cool!
Goodfellas is a treasure. The Boondock Saints shows why I don't get hard on acting. Frequency seemed to sweet for sci-fi.
"Cool Hand Luke": this is a great movie paul newman is one of my favorite actors of all time..."Fried Green Tomatoes": It's an empowering movie for women.
Who cannot relate to Cool Hand Luke? As for Fried Green Tomatoes...it's modern feminism before the riot movement doesn't draw me.
"Pearl Harbor" holds a soft spot in my heart as my husband is in the service. I am sure with many of you movies that you can relate to seem to be your favorite...I amsolutely love "Armaggedon" as well...I believe that finding a connection between your audience and the cast of the films and or the plot is what trully make viewers fall in love... Both of these films aslo so a great deal of American Pride.
Brainwashed after 911, it's kind of sad. I respect her opinion on Pearl Harbor, but Armageddon doesn't do anything she says it does. As for American Pride, America is the best country in the world, but it's tough being an American.
"Clue" and "The Three Amigos". Both comedies and good movies for anybody.
These are definitely two under appreciated films, but they are the Linberger of motion picture cheesyness. Some people call it a fine cheese, so I'm not knocking these films.


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