ENJOY YOUR FEATURE: An Exploration of our Films of the Week for the Film Student's Critical Eye...
Hello, DP Film Scholars!
Mr. Byrne and I are missing ALL of you, and our 7th-period gatherings in the Media Living room. We hope you are well, and that you are getting caught up on your current film projects, and using your creative energy and gift of time and sunshine to make new ones!
Before we left on spring break, we had ask you to consider your choice of two possible films for our next film discussion: Marley and Me and Under the Tuscan Sun, two favorites of Mr. Byrne and Mrs. Caraway.
We highly recommend that you watch and enjoy both of them under our new circumstances, but we ask that you respond on this blog for just one of your choice.
In the interest of familiarizing yourselves with how to comment on and consider various contexts, I have designed a commentary format for you to use below as you watch the films with the critical eye of a film student!
But first, I would very much like to share some fun facts about each film...
Marley & Me
1. Marley's life story spans 14 years during the movie.
2. The film is listed as one of the top ten saddest movies of all time.
3. Marley and Me set a record! Its premiere was listed as the largest Christmas Day release box office ever with $14.75 million dollars in ticket sales that day.
4. Marley was played by 22 different dogs in the movie!
5. The author of the book of the same title appears in the movie! John Grogan plays the owner of a cocker spaniel in Marley's puppy training class.
6. Owen Wilson's real parents appeared in the film playing the roles of (you guessed it!) his parents!
7. Marley and Me has a prequel: Marley and Me: The Puppy Years was released straight to DVD sales in June, 2011.
Here is a link to Marley and Me analysis from Mr. Byrne. Please watch before you answer the questions for this film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPTH9Y0yPBg&feature=youtu.be
Under the Tuscan Sun
1. The movie is filmed on location at Villa Laura in Tuscany, which is actually a 10 bedroom, luxury vacation rental available to the public today!
2. Villa Laura and Bramasole BOTH needed renovations at the time of filming. They did not change or update Villa Laura, but started filming before any renovations were made and then featured the "after" scenes as minor changes were made and clean up of the property was done in REAL life! Softer, warmer lighting was also used to emphasize the changes.
3. The elderly owner of Bramasole cried out, "Grazie, Santo Francesco!" when a bird defecates on Frances, which is a sign of good luck in Italy. Saint Frances is actually the Patron Saint of animals!
4. Zeus, the art model, (who was played by an Italian model) was actually completely nude during the filming! Underwear was digitally added afterward to avoid an R rating.
5. The director wanted to cast Polish actors in the film to play the Polish workers, but couldn't due to problems and delays getting work visas issued from the Italian government.
6. The original memoir is quite different from the film. In the memoir, Frances May buys the villa with her fiancé while on a vacation to Italy. In the movie, Frances purchases it alone after her husband divorces her due to his affair.
7. Every time we see nuns in the film, they are eating! (Check this out when you watch!)
Did you find any interesting facts on your own? Feel free to share them, as well, in your blog response.
Here are the required analysis queries for you to consider as you post below:
HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Both of these films are set in the times in which they are filmed: Marley & Me in 2008 and Under the Tuscan Sun in 2003. Do a little research: what was going on in the world at this time during the filming? Any events of note?
POLITICAL CONTEXT: These are American films, so who was the president? What was society like in the settings of the films?
SOCIAL: What were some of the trends? How were these trends and social practices portrayed in the film?
TECHNOLOGICAL: How was current film technology of the times evident in each of the films? What did you notice about cinematography (lighting, film angles used that are worthy of note) and sound?
INSTITUTIONAL/THEMATIC: Both films to some degree take a look at marriage & family/relationships, and making a purchase that at first, offers its major challenges. What might the director be saying about these things? How do you arrive to your conclusions?
In your post, first name the film you are looking at, and then detail your responses to the above contextual queries. When you finish, you will have written a focused contextual analysis of your film, and offer your unique insights about the films. This is what university-level film students do! This exercise will give you excellent practice in not only moving from describing a film to unpacking and analyzing it, but it will also be an excellent springboard upon which you can synthesize your knowledge of one film and extend it to the comparative practice of film analysis!
Mr. Byrne and I both look forward to reading your thoughts and analysis on two films we happen to
very much enjoy. Cheers, stay well, and feel free to email chat with us about films YOU are watching at home over this time away. We love recommendations!
Before we left on spring break, we had ask you to consider your choice of two possible films for our next film discussion: Marley and Me and Under the Tuscan Sun, two favorites of Mr. Byrne and Mrs. Caraway.
We highly recommend that you watch and enjoy both of them under our new circumstances, but we ask that you respond on this blog for just one of your choice.
In the interest of familiarizing yourselves with how to comment on and consider various contexts, I have designed a commentary format for you to use below as you watch the films with the critical eye of a film student!
But first, I would very much like to share some fun facts about each film...
1. Marley's life story spans 14 years during the movie.
2. The film is listed as one of the top ten saddest movies of all time.
3. Marley and Me set a record! Its premiere was listed as the largest Christmas Day release box office ever with $14.75 million dollars in ticket sales that day.
4. Marley was played by 22 different dogs in the movie!
5. The author of the book of the same title appears in the movie! John Grogan plays the owner of a cocker spaniel in Marley's puppy training class.
6. Owen Wilson's real parents appeared in the film playing the roles of (you guessed it!) his parents!
Here is a link to Marley and Me analysis from Mr. Byrne. Please watch before you answer the questions for this film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPTH9Y0yPBg&feature=youtu.be
Under the Tuscan Sun
1. The movie is filmed on location at Villa Laura in Tuscany, which is actually a 10 bedroom, luxury vacation rental available to the public today!
2. Villa Laura and Bramasole BOTH needed renovations at the time of filming. They did not change or update Villa Laura, but started filming before any renovations were made and then featured the "after" scenes as minor changes were made and clean up of the property was done in REAL life! Softer, warmer lighting was also used to emphasize the changes.
4. Zeus, the art model, (who was played by an Italian model) was actually completely nude during the filming! Underwear was digitally added afterward to avoid an R rating.
5. The director wanted to cast Polish actors in the film to play the Polish workers, but couldn't due to problems and delays getting work visas issued from the Italian government.
6. The original memoir is quite different from the film. In the memoir, Frances May buys the villa with her fiancé while on a vacation to Italy. In the movie, Frances purchases it alone after her husband divorces her due to his affair.
7. Every time we see nuns in the film, they are eating! (Check this out when you watch!)
Did you find any interesting facts on your own? Feel free to share them, as well, in your blog response.
Here are the required analysis queries for you to consider as you post below:
HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Both of these films are set in the times in which they are filmed: Marley & Me in 2008 and Under the Tuscan Sun in 2003. Do a little research: what was going on in the world at this time during the filming? Any events of note?
POLITICAL CONTEXT: These are American films, so who was the president? What was society like in the settings of the films?
SOCIAL: What were some of the trends? How were these trends and social practices portrayed in the film?
TECHNOLOGICAL: How was current film technology of the times evident in each of the films? What did you notice about cinematography (lighting, film angles used that are worthy of note) and sound?
INSTITUTIONAL/THEMATIC: Both films to some degree take a look at marriage & family/relationships, and making a purchase that at first, offers its major challenges. What might the director be saying about these things? How do you arrive to your conclusions?
Mr. Byrne and I both look forward to reading your thoughts and analysis on two films we happen to
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
ReplyDeleteMarley & Me was released on December 25th 2008, just a couple months after the devastating stock market crash that occurred on September 29th. The effects of this event are even seen in the movie with the characters struggling to find jobs and focused on money matters. These are things that would have related to and resonated with audiences of the time.
POLITICAL CONTEXT:
During 2008, George W. Bush, a republican, was president at the time. His most notable accomplishment during his presidency was his major changes in cutting taxes. Although as 2008 was an election year, President Barack Obama won the presidential campaign - showing America drifting towards a more democratic stance and were in support policies that supported raising taxes on wealthy families, creating affordable healthcare, and lowering the federal debt
SOCIAL:
2008 saw very distinct fashion trends that are evident in the movie. For women, this includes low-cut tank top shirts, often in silk or studded with jewels. In the media, it was common to see women wearing thin shirts without notable undergarments as society became more progressive on women’s portrayal of their bodies. Although with this came much sexualization of women, particularly young teenage women in the medial. For men, this era brought extra-wide belts, high-waisted cargo shorts, and polo shirts which is seen with the dressing of Owen Wilson.
TECHNOLOGICAL:
In this film, I noticed more natural lighting throughout the film. This could be because they didn't have the same lighting equipment as today and artificial light simply looked too unrealistic. I believe they were particularly going for a natural look in this film and that's why they used natural lighting. Furthermore, I noticed the drone shots in the beginning were a little choppy and had to be really sped up so that the pan looked smooth. This could simply be due to limited drone stabilizing capabilities.
INSTITUTIONAL/THEMATIC:
This film portrayed a very raw, realistic portrayal of love and marriage. It didn’t over dramatize love or idolize marriage. Instead, it focused on the failures and the hard times that the family went through and showed how hardship could be good for shaping and building the relationship. I think the director was attempting to send a message that love and marriage is imperfect and is saturated with happy and sad moments. It's about what you do in response to these moments that shapes a relationship. I arrived at this conclusion through looking at commonalities between different events that happened in the film. For instance how the family adapted to the introduction of a puppy, changes in jobs, and the loss of a child.
PERSONAL INSIGHTS:
I absolutely love this film. I believe the directors did an amazing job at portraying a raw, realistic story of two individuals trying to build a family. I believe this film was so successful because it was really able to resonate with the audience and had something that every audience member could connect and relate to in their own life.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how it shows the passage of time without directly telling the audience through dialogue or visual text, a great example of this is the scene where John and Jenny are chasing Marley and you can see the subtle changes in their clothes as Marley grows bigger and bigger. I also really liked how the cinematography changed with the change in dialogue, the "home movie" cinematography used to match the fast paced day-in-the-life dialogue scene from John was really enjoyable and felt different from what we've seen prior in cinematography in the film. But then halfway into the movie the cinematography and the music changes. As our characters get older and begin to lose less of the things they used to do and gain newer and more challenging obstacles, the cinematography and music changes to match their tone, music becomes sad and dreary, and the camera angles become less quick and fast paced and become slower and less fun much like our characters. The message behind the film was also really personable and enjoyable to watch, showing how something so chaotic and frustrating can also be something you love and that brings great joy to your life. 8/10, the only "dog movie" I've seen that has an ending that hurt worse than this one is "Hachi: A Dog's Tale". And that's saying a lot.
ReplyDeleteHISTORICAL
ReplyDeleteFor the film discussion, I chose the film "Marley & Me". The movie was published on December 25th, 2008. A famous event in 2008 occurred, the stock market crashed. Stock Markets around the world were plunging and growing fears in the U.S. This was fueled from the 2007 subprime mortgage crisis.
POLITICAL
The current president while this film was published was President George W. Bush. The society in 2008 was upholding a new kind of change because in November of 2008, President Obama was elected president. George W. Bush was a republican while Obama is a democrat so this was already changing the was that society was ran.
SOCIAL
The trends that were popular in 2008, clothing wise, for men were a lot up button up shirts as well as cargo pants/shorts. For women, scarfs were very popular and cropped vests, and much more. These trends were portrayed in the film because especially the scene where John and his friend were out with Marley sitting down close to the beach, the audience can visually see the styles and trends that were popular back then and what people wore as an everyday outfit.
TECHNOLOGICAL
The most obvious technology that was used in the film were the telephones. In 2008, iphones were still very new to the world and there were still many people who did not have one. In the film, Marley & Me, you can see most everyone using flip phones.
What I noticed about the lighting in this film was how natural the lighting was. Most scenes were filmed when the sun was shining, so there was not a heavy need on using fake lighting. This makes the film more authentic and creates an overall aesthetic that other films do not have.
INSTITUTIONAL
What the director thinks about marriage, having a family etc. is that he wanted to show the real life struggles on having a family. For a lot of people, it is not that easy. Miscarriages are very common, even in today's society. This could reflect his personal experiences and wanting to show others it is not always that easy.
PERSONAL OPINION
My personal opinion about this film is that I didn't like it that much. I feel as if the film focused way too much on the married couple trying to start a family and their life in general rather than Marley. Sure it is important to show the struggles on having a family, but it took up more than half of the film. Since the movie is titled "MARLEY & Me" I would have expected the film to be more about the dogs life.
Jessica Rude
HISTORICAL:
ReplyDeleteThe historical context surrounding Marley & Me was the great recession of 2008 where the economy crashed and many people were laid off. This movie must have been a little bit of sunshine during that difficult and confusing time.
POLITICAL:
George W. Bush was the president at this time, however in November of that year, President Barack Obama was elected for the next term, switching the political power from the republicans to the democrats.
SOCIAL:
Some trends during 2008 included polo shirts and loose button downs (we see John and his friends in plenty of these) and khakis on both men and women (John and Jenny love a good khaki) and being tan (whether naturally or artificially) was definitely the way to go.
TECHNOLOGICAL:
As mentioned by other classmates, the most clear difference was the use of natural light, rather than artificial light, throughout the movie. I really enjoyed this aspect and found that it gave the film a more "homey" and comforting vibe. The direction and editing seemed fairly smooth. Overall, there's not much to complain about regarding technology.
INSTITUTIONAL/THEMATIC:
I believe that the director of Marley & Me is commenting on how marriages aren't always easy sailing and that sometimes you're angry at your significant other and sometimes you are both your worst selves. However, the director also says that despite these things, it is important to maintain the relationship and work through these struggles. John did not give up in his relationship with Jenny even though his friend kept asking him when he was going to end it. They were both committed to each other, through thick and thin.
PERSONAL THOUGHTS:
I really enjoyed the movie. Going in, I wasn't expecting to watch John and Jenny's struggles in their relationship and their path to building a family. I thought it was going to be a simple movie about a dog, and that the ending would surely destroy me (which it did). I'd give this movie a 6/10.
Movie: Marley and Me
ReplyDeleteHISTORICAL CONTEXT
In September of 2008, the housing crisis in the United States began. This event was going on before the movie was released, but during the actual production of the movie. This crisis may have effected how the movie was able to be made.
POLITICAL CONTEXT
The president during the filming of the movie was George W. Bush. However, when the movie was released, Barack Obama had been elected President of the United States. Obama was the first African American President.
SOCIAL
Some trends in 2008 included button down shirts and khakis for men, and waistcoats and sandals for women. John can be seen wearing many outfits that are reminiscent of these trends for men. However, Jenny seems to not be influenced as much by these trends.
TECHNOLOGICAL
In 2008, the most common type of phone was the flip phone. This is evident in the film because that is what every character primarily uses to communicate. Seeing as this is a family film, it makes sense that the filmmakers tried to make it family friendly and comforting. Their attempts can be seen by their use of natural light and warm colors.
INSTITUTIONAL/THEMATIC
I think that the director is trying to show that a lot of choices that seem difficult at first can have pleasant outcomes. The same is also true of decisions that seem pleasant at first but can be difficult later on. In the movie, when John and Jenny get Marley, it is clear from the beginning that Marley will be a difficult dog. However, as time goes on, they learn that Marley is good for their family.
PERSONAL THOUGHTS
Overall I really enjoyed Marley & Me. It had been a long time since I had last seen this movie, and I had forgotten a lot of the details. While at the face of the movie, it looks like just another movie about a dog, it is actually a movie about a family and their journey (and a dog).
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
ReplyDeleteIn 2003 the United States was playing a role in the middle east in Iraq in the disarmament crisis. While I dont think that this had much of a role in movie, I do think it may have made the movie more appealing in its multicultural themes instead of the division seen in Iraq.
POLITICAL CONTEXT:
George W. Bush was the president at the time that Under the Tuscan sun was filmed. From what I've found the Italian society was and is pretty based on romance which is definitely seen in the film.
SOCIAL:
I noticed in the film, the attire of the young girl is amazingly similar to modern day trends in teens. Though the attire of the adults I didn't see as many ties to modern and American culture.
TECHNOLOGICAL:
It may just be the way it drive but I do think that there is a lesser level of quality, or at least grain. Though I think it just aids in the overall vibe of the film. The cinematography is very warm, staying in tune with the Italian color scheme I presume. The music is also very airy and light, lots of piano which I think gives Godfather type vibes but in 2003 instead.
INSTITUTIONAL/THEMATIC:
In the case of Under the Tuscan Sun I think that while there is a narrative on marriage, its moreso a focus on relationships between family and friends and most importantly, yourself. Franchesca gets broken up with early in the film and has to learn to cope with being alone, for which she is provided a great example by Katerina. Then later Sandra Oh's character gets broken up with and they both grow as people, together. They both put work into bettering themselves, and the house! Overall, really really liked this film.
I missed my personal thoughts: loved it. I'm not quite sure if its because I have been in the house for days on end or because it deeply made me hope that our senior trip is not cancelled but the vibes given by this film are really nice!
DeleteI SO wanted to visit Europe with all of you, too! This film is beautiful. Italy is really truly gorgeous.
DeleteMarley and Me
ReplyDeleteHISTORICAL CONTEXT:
In 2008, the United States underwent an economic recession. Specifically on the housing market. This affected the filming of the movie, and the reasons people went to see a film like it. In times of hardships many turned to an endearing film with strong ties to family. As opposed to a film that focused on hardships of economic or political nature.
POLITICAL CONTEXT:
President Obama was first elected a few months before the release of Marley and Me. An election in the middle of production may have halted production shortly.
SOCIAL:
Humans have had strong ties to dogs since the beginning of mankind, so using a dog in a film as the driving emotional force is easily consumable and sparks a lot of reaction. Almost everyone loves dogs.
In the 1980s-1990s America experienced its peak of divorces, finally in the late 2000's divorce rates started to go down again. This fall of divorcees would lead to more positive representation of a family with an unbreakable bond, even when things become tough and our bonds seem as though they will break. Family ties became more believable so to speak.
Other social equities can be seen in the way the characters dress and how they design their homes. A lot can be seen through furniture.
TECHNOLOGICAL:
Online marketing for movies was still a fairly new concept. New social media platforms were developed just a year or two before. For example: facebook, twitter, youtube. Now that these new platforms were developed, people did not need to see another movie to see trailers. Anyone could watch a movie trailer at anytime. Causing more outreach for movies like Marley and Me.
INSTITUTIONAL/ THEMATIC:
Marley and Me is a movie about a dog, when its really about people. Marley serves as a sort of allegory that even the most troubled people deserve love and a chance. Everyone deserves a chance at love, and they will change when treated right.
PERSONAL THOUGHTS:
I simply love dog movies, I also love dramas and seeing characters grow. And there was a lot of character development in this movie. Every time I see this movie, I take extra special care of my dogs, because a movie like Marley and Me, makes me realize they will be gone someday and I need to love them. This same principal applies to all of my family and loved ones.
I chose to watch the film Marley and Me
ReplyDeleteHISTORICAL CONTEXT: During 2008, Barack Obama was elected to be President but also the stock market crashed in September and caused many people to move out of their houses.
POLITICAL CONTEXT: Like I said previously, Barack Obama was the first African-American President, but he became president later in the year and switched the house from republican to democratic.
SOCIAL CONTEXT: Some of the trends in this movie were based on the fashion and where it was popular to live. John and his wife moved from their chilly, breezy, snowy town to sunny Florida because of what they had heard from John's friend. It was also popular to get a dog because of where they lived but also because many families were being started that year and every house is not complete without a family dog.
TECHNOLOGICAL CONTEXT: I noticed that many camera angles were taken around shoulder level to help make the audience feel as if they were apart of this family. But also the camera angles were not in weird positions(low angles, high angles, the camera being tilted) because the director wanted this film to be relatable.
INSTITUTIONAL/THEMATIC: During Marley and Me, the couple starts out happy but as they face new challenges and have kids with a "wild" dog in the house, their relationship starts to fall apart. I think the director is showing the audience that life is difficult and will have its hard times, but you need to find happiness and the positives in those hard times or something bad will happen to you.
PERSONAL CONTEXT: My whole life I have loved dogs and instantly become happier when I see and pet one. And this movie gave me so many emotions but I connected to this film because I have had my dog since I was 2 and she is still with us but I know that her time with us is not going to be much longer. This movie goes through all of the ups and downs of having a dog and it reminds me of the ups and downs of my dog, but in the end I love her so much and I am not ready for her time to end. But I loved this movie and will definitely watch it again.
I chose to watch the film Marley and Me
ReplyDeleteHISTORICAL CONTEXT: 2008 Barrack Obama is elected as the first African American President, and the stock market crashed causing major issues with Americans and their homes as well as their lively hood.
POLITICAL CONTEXT: Barrack Obama had been elected president by winning the election against John McCain changing the house to democratic.
SOCIAL CONTEXT: The family started their life in Florida and the they decide to get a dog before moving on to something like having a human baby. Dogs connection with humans has been a part of life for a very long time therefore it's easy to use this fact the cause the audience to experience something that maybe they've gone through before or something they're dreading in life.
TECHNOLOGICAL CONTEXT: The way the movie is shot throughout conveys a warm feeling to the audience nearly the whole time through color used in the film, giving the audience that wholesome feeling for the family and their dog throughout the whole movie, the music used has the same sort of effect most of the time it gives feeling of laughter or happiness however quickly switches to a more sad tone by the end of the movie.
INSTITUTIONAL/ THEMATIC: The movie starts with John and Jenny having a healthy relationship after marriage while they both have great jobs to keep them going, however the thought of having kids was introduced by Jenny when John wasn't ready yet so instead to prepare them they had gotten a dog just like a kid the dog could often bring them a part by showing them how to work together. They had not yet had to go through many trials together so this dog helped them work on their weaknesses in the relationship.
PERSONAL CONTEXT: I've always been a dog person my whole life and being able to have a dog in my life is amazing, therefore when I see a movie like this it can easily cause a lot of emotion due to the fact that the love they experience for their dog is the same I have for mine, however the movie does bring up the saddest part of having a dog which is when they have to go which is something that is dreaded by every family however its shown in the movie that with the help and comfort of family it makes it a little easier to get through.