Children of Men - Screening Notes

Children of Men is highly acclaimed scifi dystopian film directed by Alfonso Cuaron. The film explores a world in which humans can no longer reproduce. In this world, a former activist, Theo (Clive Owen), must help transport a miraculously pregnant woman, to a scientific facility so she can be studied and hopefully and end can be put to the worldwide infertility. One of the most moving scenes to me was near the beginning of the film. In the scene, Theo walks into a very crowded small cafe. All of the cafes customers are visibly upset and fixated on the one tv that is in it which is broadcasting about the death of the youngest person still alive on earth. This person, Diego, was killed in a brawl after spitting in the face of a fan who asked for an autograph. The fan was killed by the angry crowd afterwards. While watching this, Theo makes his way to the front of the shop to buy a cup of coffee once he does this. He then walks outside and starts to put cream and sugar into his coffee at a random stand near the cafe. While doing this, the cafe explodes, Theo drops his coffee and runs, survivors from the blast stumble out screaming and crying. People are also lown into the street by the impact and cars are stop in their tracks on the nearby street. 

Hugo (2011) - Martin Scorsese Screening Notes

Here are three moments or things that stuck out to me in the film:

1)       1) The clock/time motif. Clocks are used as a major symbol throughout the film. Hugo learned from his father how to fix/maintain clocks and has been doing so ever since after his death. Since this film also deals a lot with film history, this motif can also be a metaphor for the history of film and how important it is to remember the founding of cinema.

2)               

A     2)  After learning about cinephilia, it was very interesting to see Scorsese display such cinephilic tendencies in this film. He is one of the most knowledgeable film directors still working today and it was great seeing his love of film displayed on the screen through various allusions, references, and props. This has been picked up by many leading some to call Hugo, “Scorsese’s love-letter to cinema.

3)      

        3) The film effectively used 3D that was seen as effective by most critics. Yet, while being considered one of the most advanced/modern films of recent times it still harkens back to classic films and film history. In this way, Scorsese is reminding us that while it is important to move forward in film through the use of new technology and innovations, it is always important to remember its beginnings and not lose site of the innate magic of the cinema.

A Single Man - Tom Ford (2009)

Tom Ford's 2009 film, A Single Man, is about a lost and depressed English professor, George Falconer (Colin Firth), who, in the wake of his life partner's death, becomes suicidal. The film is beautifully shot and Firth delivers a noteworthy performance as always. For me, one of the cinephilic moments in the film was when George drove to the liquor store and parked his car right against the wall that had a huge Psycho ad on it. The ad consisted of an extreme close up of Janet Leigh's eyes and was completely blue. The blue represented his depression and sadness and the eyes reminded me that we are always being watched. This correlates to the many people that George is watching throughout the film (neighbors, student, etc.) and the people who are watching him, (Kenny and Carlos). This also reminded me of the famous T.J. Eckelberg billboard in The Great Gatsby in which his enlarged eyes are meant to represent God's looking down on the corruption of society.