Gladiator

Gladiator was a great movie for any fan of intense action and fighting movies. I thought Gladiator was an interesting, dramatic come back story. Scott used similar cinematic techniques as he did in Kingdom of Heaven. Scott uses slow motion in battle scenes again throughout the film, but this time I noticed during these shots he used a hand held camera. I think Scott's trying to give the viewer a feeling of confusion, so you feel more like Maximus does.

In Roger Ebert's review of Gladiator http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20000505/REVIEWS/5050301/1023, he claims:

"A foolish choice in art direction casts a pall over Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" that no swordplay can cut through. The film looks muddy, fuzzy and indistinct."

This shocked me because I thought Ebert would say something good about a five time winner at the Oscars. I thought the film was dark and fuzzy because Scott was emphasizing how bad Maximus' situation was. The film became sherry at the end, while still haviong a tragic ending. One thing I agreed with Ebert on was how bad the special effects were, specifically the Colosseum. It bothered me how fake the long/extreme long shots of the Colosseum looked so fake. Ebert quoted:

"This darkness and a lack of detail in the long shots helps obscure shabby special effects (the Colosseum in Rome looks like a model from a computer game), and the characters bring no cheer:"

I noticed the bad special effects right away when Maximus arrives in Rome. In my mind the acting in this film was top notch. In a movie like Gladiator the characters are going to be very serious and not funny and happy. A happy Russell Crowe is not what this movie needed. I thought he took this role of Maximus whole heartedly and had a great performance. Throughout the movie Maximus has no fear of death and looks like he's on the edge of insanity. This led to the intense action scenes that I enjoy in movies.

There was a lot of violence in the movie and I thought Scott did a good job maintaining the amount of blood splattering from a cut of a sword. I thought when the messenger got his head cut off by the German barbarians it was as unrealistic as possible. The neck didn't look believable along with the face.

The flash back helps foreshadow that maximus is going to die because each time maximus is getting closer to death you see more from that flash back in Maximus' head. Another thing that recurs throughout the movie is when maximus picks up sand and rubs it in his hands before every battle/fight. I haven't figured out if this action has any significance or if it's just a prefight ritual of Maximus'.

Overall, I thought Gladiator was a great movie. I liked the story line and action. I thought the special effects and long shots needed improvement, but it was nothing too distracting from the movie.

Week Three- Post B

Dear Matt,
It's so ironic Kate is the grand-daughter of the guy who was on the hot air balloon. I hope she gives you his log. I wonder what he saw and I wonder if you'll ever see them. It's funny how much Kate is interested in you. It's too bad Miss Simpkins is always with Kate. You rarely get to talk to Kate. I wonder if Kate ordered those hot chocolates for you and her or her and Miss Simpkins. I still think you should show Kate more of the ship.
Sincerely,
Jake

Week Three- Post A

Airborn

Vocabulary
1) Emblazoned- To adorn (a surface) richly with prominent markings.
2)Insignia- A badge or distinguishing mark of office or honor.
Figurative Language
1)"Miss Simpkins made a humph sound and gazed haughtily around the loading bay" (35). This is an example of an onomonapeia because Matt describes the noise Miss Simpkins makes by the way it sounds.
2)"He was seventeen or eighteen and, I noticed dejectedly, as handsome as a matinee idol" (65). This is an example of a simile because it uses as to compare his handsomeness to a matinee idol.
3)"In fact, he looked like the hero in the last swashbuckler I'd seen" (65). This is an example of a simile because it uses like to compare his appearence to the hero.
Quote
"'I'll be sure to put in a good word for you,' Lunardi said. 'But he's a stingy old goat, I can tell you'" (66). I like this quote because it shows how nice and innocent Bruce is and how Matt won't be able to start anything with him.
Theme
I believe the general theme so far is expect the unexpected.

Week Two- Post B

Dear Matt,
If I were you I would of slapped Miss Simpkins in the face. She shouldn't be giving you that sass. You have been nothing but nice and polite and she is just so rude to you. I think you and Kate are going to have some sort of relationship that'll last. I think she actually wanted to go on that tour and not to just be with you. She seems like she is interested in the same things as you are. If I were you I'd bring Kate up to the crow's nest to show her the view. I hope your relationship lasts!
Sincerely,
Jake

Week Two- Post A

Airborn
Vocabulary
1) Sinew- A tendon.
2) Vexed- Irritated; annoyed.
Figurative Language
1) "That's right, ma'am. She's like riding a cloud" (27). This is an example of a simile because it uses like to compare the flight of the Aurora to riding a cloud.
2) "The ornithopter buzzed round again, and this time I spotted two passengers behind the pilot, all kitted out with their goggles and leather caps" (30). This is an example of an onomonapia because it describes the ornithopter by the sound it makes.
3) "Mr. Riddihoff pulled a lever, and, with a clanking whir, the docking trapeze began to lower from an overhead track in the bay's ceiling" (33). This is another example of an onomonapia because it describes the docking trapeze by the way it sounds shile being lowered.
Quote
"'Outrageous!' she said saying. 'Dangerous and foolhardy like I've never seen!" (35). I like this quote because it shows the selfishness of Miss Simpkins right when we are first introduced to her.
Theme
Hard work will pay off in the end.

Kingdom of Heaven

Kingdom of Heaven, staring Orlando Bloom as Bailan de Ibelin, had a very unique cinematic style. In the beginning of the film, Bailan's dad, Godfrey de Ibelan, goes to Bailan to ask him for forgiveness and to see if Bailan will go to Jerusalem with him to fight for the king. After Bailian rejects the offer, you see a medium shot of Bailan's back and an extreme longshot of Godfrey. Ridley Scott from here on uses a crane or stedicam shot to follow Bailan. It gives you the feel that you're with Bailan watching his every move. When Bailan is resting in the middle of the desert after his boat sank and washed ashore, you see this again when the servant fights him. You have a couple subjective shots (from Bailan's point of view) and then when the servant charges it goes back to a stedicam shot behind Bailan. Throughout the movie you have that type of shot of Bailan during the fight scenes, which personally I like. I like seeing Bailan defend himself and then seeing him attack and kill someone very quickly.

When Bailan is brought to his father when he is dying, Scott uses another unique cinematic technique. When there's close ups on Bailan and Godfrey Scott has short cuts between the two and even films the priests and guards while you hear Godfrey giving Bailan's oath and while he's dying. This technique made this slow and dramatic scene more intense ad interesting. It caught my attention and I was on the edge of my seat, whereas if he just filmed Bailan and Godfrey with long takes and close ups the scene would of been pretty boring.

The most notable technique in the film is the slow motion. The first time you see the movie in slow motion is when Godfrey and his men, along with Bailan, get attacked by the army from Bailan's village/city. Not only does the slow motion make for a dramatic effect, but it also is accurate to what Bailan is seeing. He never has been in a serious fight like that and I think time would really slow down at first because he would be so shocked. Then with the rush of adrenaline he springs into combat with his sword killing the crossbowmen who are attacking them. Each time there's slow motion I feel like Bailan grows as a soldier and becomes braver. Whenever there's slow motion it is usually of him charging into battle or trying to connect with Jesus Christ.

After I was done viewing the movie I thought he broke his word when the King of England asked him if he was Bailan de Ibeman. He said he is a blacksmith. I thought after he said that it was going against his oath. "Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Speak the truth, always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong". I thought he was lying when he didn't tell him he was Bailan, but now I realized he simply avoided telling the king his name by saying he was a blacksmith. I assume Bailan didn't want to go because he decided Jerusalem isn't worth fighting over and he was happy with Sibylla.

Week One- Post B

Dear Matt,
I think it's so cool that you were born in a blimp. That's so baller. I thought it was amazing when you volunteered to go save the man in the hot air balloon. It was the bomb when you said you'll go when your superiors wouldn't go and then they changed their minds because they felt like wimps. It must be great having a job that you love and never getting board of it. I wonder how many shooting stars you'll see and if you'll beat Sam in your contest.
Sincerely,
Jake

Week One- Post A

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
Vocabulary
1) Supple (12) - Bending readily without breaking or becoming deformed.
2) Glinted (14) - To gleam or flash briefly.
Figurative Language
1) "I saw the deck of the cargo bay give way to the ocean's silvered surface, dark and supple as a snake's skin, four hundred feet below" (12). This is an example of a simile because it uses as to compare the ocean's surface to snake skin.
2) "My arms sang with pain" (13). This is an example of personification because it says an object/thing (his arms) performs an action only a mouth can do (sing).
3) "Aflame, it seeped quickly downward, cut lines trailing, undulating like a giant jellyfish intent on the ocean's bottem" (16). This is an example of a simile because it uses like to compare the trailing cut lines to a giant jelly fish at the ocean's floor.
Quote
"I felt no fear. If someone had put an ear to my chest he'd find it beating no faster than it had in the crow's nest. It was not bravery on my part, simply a fact of natur, for I was born in the air, and so it seemed the most natural place in the world to me" (12/13). I like this quote because it shows how Matt loves being in the air and isn't scared of any task on the ship. He'll do anything for his captain whether it is jumping a six foot gap while you're four hundred feet in the air with lives at risk.
Theme
An emerging theme is have no fear when you need to accomplish a tough task.

Minerva - Get Up, Stand Up

Minerva is a strong feminist who never gives up fighting for what she believes in. Minerva takes huge risks by going against the normal beliefs of the Dominican government and the Catholic Church.

I was surprised when Minerva told Maria Theresa (in chapter 3) where she really was when she was skipping class. Maria Theresa wrote in her diary, "It turns out she (Minerva) and Elsa and Lourdes and Sinita have been going to some secret meetings over at Don Horacio's house...I asked Minerva why she was doing such a dangerous thing. And then, she said the strangest thing. She wanted me to grow up in a free country" (39). I was surprised by this passage because it's the introduction of Minerva's excessive pride of fighting against the government for her rights as a human and as a girl.

Bob Marley's song Get Up, Stand Up reminds me of Minerva because of the repeated line in the chorus that encourages fighting for your rights: "Get Up stand Up: Stand Up for your Rights!" Minerva sees the many problems with the Dominican Republic. Minerva wants to stand up for her inalienable rights as a human, not as a typical woman. This song also reminds me of Minerva's fading belief in the Catholic Church: “Preacherman, don't tell me / Heaven is under the earth / I know you don't know / What life is really worth / It's not all that glitters is gold / 'Alf the story has never been told / So now you see the light, eh / Stand up for your rights. Come on!” From this verse of the song you see Bob Marley's disbelief of the Catholic Church just like Minerva doesn't believe in the Catholic Church.