a resource for students and teachers
From the category archives:
One Man is an Island
Reviewed by Ben Gardiner
September 23, 2008
Into the Wild, as the title suggests, not only portrays a physical interpretation of that, but also the experience of a young man who has difficulty understanding modern society and embarks on a quest to better understand himself as a person. Of the plethora [...]
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The Sun Rises in the East, but the Favela Rises in Brazil
Reviewed by Jonathan Wong
March 3rd, 2008
An insightful documentary, this is an expertly created film that raises the hair on the back of your neck with its intense filming and conflict. It follows an inspirational story that has at some times supernatural overtones, but all [...]
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. . . or is it the other way around? I wonder which Borges’ stories these movies remind you of? There are six in all, so click on the “continue reading” at the bottom to, well, to continue reading, but really to continue viewing.
The Fall, directed by Tarsem
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The Boulevard of (Broken?) Dreams
Reviewed by Jillian Zeidner
January 11th, 2008
Everyone, at one point or another, has wondered what it would be like to be a superhero. They have cool costumes, awesome superhuman powers, and everyone loves them. It would be the best job on earth, right? Maybe not. Confessions of a Superhero, a documentary directed [...]
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Discover the Unknown, Unheard, Unseen
Reviewed by Rebecca Lee
February 25th, 2008
It is night and of course very, very dark. The only light seen is the flashes of guns going off and villages being burned and savagely massacred. All around you, the only sounds heard are the pitter patter of feet as people try to escape quietly. [...]
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A Musical Gift to America
Reviewed by Stefanie Chow
March 10th, 2008
A stunningly brilliant story of oppression to empowerment, this film documents the amazing life of British singer and songwriter John Lennon, everything from the epic beginnings of his career to his tragic and unforgettable death – capturing nothing short of timeless triumph, heartbreaking tragedy, inseparable love, [...]
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The New York Times recently published the article “Where the Real Action is” on the nominations for Documentary feature category for this year’s Oscars. The ideas brought up in the article are interesting and contribute to our study of the nonfiction film genre. An excerpt:
This year all five nominees are politically charged, [...]
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I have included nine trailers of nonfiction films that I have personally enjoyed viewing (and ones that I could find on YouTube). As you begin to think about which nonfiction film you want to study, remember to consult my Nonfiction Film List for ideas, as well as the Internet Movie Database, which is [...]
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Scotland, P.A. is only loosely based on the play—there is not a word of Early Modern English uttered in it. But this “adaptation” takes place in the 1970’s, and instead of a kingdom, Joe McBeth, with the persistent urging of his wife, takes control of a local fast food establishment (with plans for [...]
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A Nightmare of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Reviewed by Shahrnaz Zarafshar
September 24th, 2007
Perhaps director Peter Hall was actually asleep when he made the low-budget movie version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and is therefore not liable for the nightmare result. But surely studio executives were wide awake when they authorized the DVD release, or maybe the [...]
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A while back I was recommending a movie to a friend, and after explaining all the movie’s merits—why it is unique and interesting and why he should see it, I remarked as a disclaimer, “Nothing really happens in it, though.” To which he replied, “It seems like that ‘happens’ in a lot of [...]
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Be sure to read this article from The New York Times by Friday in order to become well-prepared for the Socratic Seminar: “Free Will: Now You Have It, Now You Don’t.”
I have also included links concerning the movie Primer itself. First and foremost is the movie’s website, Primermovie.com. Please heed my advice and [...]
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Since we didn’t see the trailer in class, check out the NYtimes review of I’m Reed Fish, and you can see the “youtubbed” trailer here. The Tristram Shandy website (for the film), much like the movie, is an interesting–and at times maddening– experiment. I like the tagline: “He’s about to play [...]
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Very Long, Muddy, and Green Night’s Dream
Reviewed by Carissa Avalos
September 28th, 2007
Imagine a world where the youth speaks in Shakespearian iambic pentameter yet sports a pair of go-go boots. A world where fairies are most literally green with envy and blankets of random fog and quick cuts of arbitrary scenery are all too common. Add [...]
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