Order of films I liked from the class

1) Dark Knight
2) Billy Madison
3) Secret Window
4) V for Vendetta
5) Simpson's
6) Never Back Down
7) Gone with the Wind
8) The Graduate
9) Ben Hur
10) Psycho
11) Rumor Has It
12) Citizen Kane
13) Cinema Paradiso
14) The worst, singular most awful movie ever, you will never get that hour and a half back, The Forest for the Trees. (and I've never given a bad rating, this seems to be my only exception)

Billy Madison

Humorous Scenes in the spectacular movie of Billy Madison:
1) When Mrs. Lippy is doing her crazy dance during "special time" when kids get to play dodgeball. - I think this was funny because she could dance about as well as I can.
2) When Billy eats the glue. -I remember watching other kids eat glue as a kid and I always thought it was dumb and this scene was funny because it was an adult who was doing it.
3) When Billy is waiting for the bus and is singing his "Back to School" song. - Because no matter how old you get, you always seem to be a little nervous on your first day back.
4) After Billy gets his father to agree on letting him get the company if he can pass school, he starts dancing. - I just like random and stupid humor.
5) When the bus driver eats all the little kids lunches. - I have never known a nice bus driver it seems like, and it was funny to see one take revenge on the kids that probably didn't like him either.
6) When Billy called the nerd from his high school and apologized. Then he crossed him off his "to kill" list and put on lipstick. - It was funny because it looked like he really screwed up someone's life and suddenly he was forgiven like nothing happened.
7) During the final scenes of the movie when Billy tried to make up an answer about the industrial revolution and the principal calls him an idiot. - Every student has tried to think on their feet for answers at some time or another, and most of the time it doesn't work.
8) At the graduation when he decides to become a teacher. - I have seen some bad teachers and Billy would definately be worse, so it was funny how someone like that could make it to an important position.
9) When the O'Doyle's drive off the cliff and crash after Billy said he thought something extremely bad would happen. - This was just one of those things you laugh at.

Synopsis of: The Forest For the Tree's

The Forest for the Trees
This movie started out with a young teacher fresh from college who landed a job in an inner city in Germany. She had trouble gaining dominance over her class and allowed them to do as they wished. She continuously struggled through her classes and tried to figure out how to get them to behave. She also wanted to have friends but couldn't seem to make any so she took up stalking. She repeatedly failed and caused any people that cared about her, to push her out of their lives. She eventually gave up and decided to end her life so she drove out and let go of her steering wheel and got into the back seat. Although it never showed if she died, she just looked at the forest as the car drove itself.

Comparison's of Secret Window to Psycho

Secret Window Compared to Psycho

• Similarities:
  - Norman Bates and Mort Rainey both had multiple personalities and killed people that interrupted their lives.
  - They both kept corpses in or near their homes.
  - They were both unaware of when exactly they were killing.
  - In the end the killer personalities got the best of them.
  - None of the cops paid any attention to the situation until it got out of hand.
  - They both used hand to hand weapons instead of guns.
  
• Differences:
  - Mort didn’t think he was his mom.
  - Norman didn’t have a wife who had cheated on him.
  - Mort got away because they never found the bodies.
  - Norman stored his corpses in the swamp.
  - Mort put his in his garden where he grew corn.
  - In the end it seemed like Mort was back to his old self while Norman was going to permanently be his own “mother”

Unforgiven

10 scenes demenstrating how unforgiven clint really is...

1) The opening scene where he is struggling to separate his pigs and continuously fails.
2) He goes to Ned's and the wife gives him the evil eye because she thinks he's still the same man.
3) The wife's grave is a continuous reminder of his past.
4) When he kills the first cowboy he tells them to give the cowboy some water and looks like he regrets his decision.
5) When Ned leaves because he can't handle it anymore and Will doesn't want him to leave him alone.
6) When he talks to the Sheriff's about his past and how he killed every beast thats walked this earth and he will do it again.
7) When he let the boy shoot the 2nd cowboy on the toilet because he didn't want to bring himself to do it again.
8) When the girl brought the money and told them Ned was dead, he picked up his bottle and took his gun to go get revenge.
9) When Will didn't want to say his real name because he was afraid of the public's response.
10) When he starts drinking wiskey again because he can't forgive himself for whats happened.

Never Back Down

Never Back Down Podcast Link:
http://www.box.net/index.php?rm=box_download_shared_file&file_id=f_256384200&shared_name=9c4iz9q486

V for Vendetta and The Dark Knight Comparison's

V for Vendetta and The Dark Knight Comparison’s (V vs. Batman)

• Obviously both V and Bruce (Batman) were the heroes of this film, and they had their various antagonists to overcome. However, they both went about it very differently. V spent as much time as possible trying to kill all his enemies and those who had done him wrong. It was like what V and Evey said,

“What they did to me was monstrous.”
“And they have created a monster.”

• V also promised throughout the movie to kill and use acts of destruction to send messages to the government. Batman however approached it a little bit differently. He didn’t want to stoop to the criminal’s level and in doing so he never killed anyone. He cleaned the streets one man at a time.
  
• It was like the joker said,

“Oh, you. You just couldn't let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You are truly incorruptible, aren't you? Huh? You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness. And I won't kill you because you're just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.”

• So in a sense Batman’s intentions were nobler than V’s. Even if V’s designs were for a good result. I also think that V contradicted himself in his schemes. He blamed Sutler and Mr. Creedy for their methods and how the ends justified the means. While V himself rolled around killing people and justifying it, which raised the question how can you blame others for what you also do and use?
  
• I think that is a huge difference between V and Batman. Batman followed the rules. Batman:“I have one rule”
  Joker:“Oh and that’s the rule you’ll have to break to know the truth”
  Batman:“Which is?”
  Joker:“The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules and tonight you’re going to break your one rule”
  
• But no matter how much he hated the Joker he couldn’t break his one rule, which was never to kill. So V and B were both heroes, but I think that Batman was the better image of the two. Even if the people weren’t on his side, because even though they blamed him in the end, he was what the people needed the most.

The Simpson's Movie

The Simpson’s Movie

“Spider-pig, spider-pig, does whatever a spider-pig does…” If only I could do half of what they do in this movie. I mean Homer was doing motorcycle tricks and defying death like no other, while at the same time producing gut busting comedy for a rapt audience. It was definitely a good use of two hours time. It was very funny for a first time Simpson watcher like myself. The creator’s weren’t afraid to make fun of anything or anyone which is crucial for any comedy. I would give two thumbs up to David Silverman, Matt Groening, and James L. Brooks for the creation of something so funny.

There was a great plot in the movie where Homer pollutes the lake of Springfield to a new level. “Springfield has become...” – (Russ Cargill)

“Woooo! Springfield!” – (Man)

“ ...the most polluted city in the history of the planet.” – (Russ Cargill)

“Drama queen!” – (Krusty the Clown)

And like most people they just tend to ignore it until dome sweet dome is right on top of them. The city soon after turns into chaos as people are running everywhere and an angry mob try to hang Homer and his family. They managed to escape through a sinkhole and the townspeople think that “They're China's problem now”. Needless to say, some ridiculous things are said and are incredibly funny along with many scenes that are flat out unbelievable. I would give this movie a 9 out of 10 for its great comedy and plotline.

I don’t really know how to comment on this movie’s acting other than whoever drew the characters in motion did it well, even if they are all yellow. I think that whoever made some of the lines up that turned into quotes deserves a pat on the back. A lot of them are true which causes them to be funny like.

“S-sir, I'm afraid you've gone mad with power...” – (EPA Official)

“Of course I have. You ever tried going mad without power? It's boring. No one listens to you!” – (Russ Cargill)
Or “But I'm so angry.” – (Lisa)

“ You're a woman. You can hold on to it forever.” – (Marge)
Then along with those there are some pointless ones which I won’t list but you get the point.

Overall this was a great movie that I honestly wouldn’t have watched because I’ve never followed the Simpson’s and this was my first viewing. I can tell you that I might have to change that around a little bit because it was just a so-stupid-it’s-funny kind of show. It really is hard to comment on an animated film but the few people who did all those voices were very convincing, because I didn’t realize it until the credits. I would definitely recommend you take a little time to watch this movie.

Cinema Paradiso

Top 10 Scenes of Cinema Paradiso

1) The last scene of the movie where Toto is watching all of the kissing scenes that Alfredo had edited out in his lifetime.

2) When Alfredo had to cheat off Toto's test in school so he would pass the exam.

3) When Toto says "Hey, Alfredo! Up yours!"

4) During Toto's school days when one of his friends moves away because his father was a communist.

5) The period of time that Alfredo waited outside of Elena's house.

6) When Toto finally gave up on Elena and walked back to the paradiso.

7) When Toto fell asleep as the bell boy in the middle of the church service during the opening of the movie.

8) In the beginning of the movie when Toto faked a leg injury to ride with Alfredo.

9) When Toto figured out his father had died and the picture of him burned away.

10) My final Top 10 scene from Cinema Paradiso is, when the fire burns the old Paridiso and Toto goes in to save him but unfortunately Alfredo loses his sight.

Psycho

• “We all go a little mad sometimes.(imbd.com)” And you would definitely be mad to not watch one of the great movies known as “Psycho”. So many depictions and scenes have been borrowed from this movie that to know the origin is great and not to mention some awesome plot line. I would definitely give this film an 8.5 out of 10. The story was amazing and the acting was the best it could be. Alfred Hitchcock put together a great movie supported by a great team of convincing actors.
  
• This movie was the beginning of many scenes like the “shower scene”. I can’t remember a horror film or series that didn’t have some form of scene similar to this where some poor innocent actor gets yanked. It completely fooled me because here I thought she was in for the stalking of a lifetime and that the movie would be all about her, but then they turn it around and go “hah! Gotcha, the movie is really about Norman Bates" it just stunned me. This guy is so crazy he would probably need enough tranquilizer to bring down a bull elephant to sedate him. Then there was the “big creepy house on the hill while it was raining scene”, if Marion had watched her Scooby Doo she would have realized that was a sign of trouble from the get go and maybe survived.
  
• Then there was the final twist when Norman was his own mother. She was actually a corpse and Norman pretended she was still alive because he couldn’t bear the thought that he had killed his own mom. I guess that’s what happens when “A boy’s best friend is his mother.(imbd.com)” It’s so disturbing it truly earned the title Psycho.
  
• Overall a great film, yes I do understand some of the scenes were a little corny like how the knife never actually appeared to stab the victim or when Arbogast fell down the stairs and didn’t tumble, but it’s more in the imagination than the film. It played to your emotions well, like when that knife came down you pictured it hitting the victim even though it didn’t. It was just convincing that he was really going to kill you. I would definitely recommend that you watch this film, soon! It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship between horror films, shower scenes and “Well, if it doesn't jell, it isn't aspic, and this ain't jellin'!” which basically means confusion throughout the show. Who doesn’t like the twists in a homicidal plot?

Ben Hur

Podcast Link: http://www.box.net/shared/ie1rc51lg0

The Graduate

I hope your not here for an affair because the party is on the next blog over. However you are welcome to stay and read on about the famously known movie the graduate. In my opinion the graduate was an excellent film and had some amazing actors like Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman. Mike Nichols was a genius in his organization of this comedy because it wasn’t full of comedic slang but was more in the scene and how believable Ben was. Ben just appeared like a normal guy and was very believable with his stuttering and nervous nature. It made you picture yourself in his situation where the people your meeting with are just your parents friends.

There was some great use of symbols in the film like when he was in his scuba suit all alone at the bottom of the pool. It was like he was in the fish tank in his room. He was trapped and had no where to go. I think that is why he decided to see Mrs. Robinson in the first place. So he could control his own life instead of his parents. He was rebelling as was the rest of the 60’s. That’s why Elaine decided to run off with Ben instead of staying with the married man. Its either that or she is very forgiving and trusting because I don’t think I could live with that fact. I would definitely give the movie an 8.5 out of 10 for superb acting, great plotline, and good music selection.

The Graduate was great overall, it had everything to be successful, even a sequel where BB is at it again. The music had perfect timing and some scenes were very memorable. I think a lot of the film was about age. Everyone was trying to stay young and in both films. It was the star who caused others to realize that their time was over and that they were old. And in both cases it made some bitter people. The film was the beginning of many copy cat scenes, like where he ran off with the bride. It has been an incredibly influential movie and a big success over the years. Here’s to you Mrs. Robinson.

Top 10 Movie List

1) The Dark Knight
2) I am Legend
3) Saving Private Ryan
4) Gladiator
5) The Lord of the Rings Series
6) Saw Series
7) Pirates of the Caribbean Series
8) James Bond Movies
9) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
10) Bourne Series