Week Seven- Post B

Dear Matt,
I hate rain...and the Pacific Ocean. Why do you call it the Pacificus? Now I bet you don't like pirates either. What are the chances of that storm front coming and sending the pirates' ship's propellors through the wall of your ship. I wonder if this happens a lot to pirates? I bet stuff like this happens in the mysterious area (If pirates live in that area). I hope you save the day and become a legend throughout the (aviation) world. I think a boy like you could do great things. I hope you show that new kid up in the patching. I think you should accidentally push him into the ocean. That would be pretty funny.
Sincerely,
Jake

Week Seven- Post A

Airborn
Vocabulary
1) Trifled- To deal lightly or without due seriousness or respect.
2) Swaths- The width of a scythe stroke or a mowing-machine blade.
Figurative Language
1)"Below, all around us, the sea was dark as mercury, and closer than I liked" (110). This is an example of a simile because it uses as to compare the darkness of the sea to mercury.
2)"The whole ship was exhaling, like the last long sigh of a dying man" (109). This quote has two examples of figuative language. The first being an example of personification. It says the ship was exhaling. Ships can't breathe, so therefore it's personification. The other example is a simile because it uses like to compare the ship exhaling to the last breathe of a dying man.
Quote
"The Aurora. The propellers caught in our skin and kept cutting, through the taut fabric, through the gas cells inside. Te propellers slashed through our port side, from stern to amidships. I felt the horrible chainsaw vibration rattle the entire ship" (108). I like this quote because it shows the crews' and passengers' doom is right ahead of them.
Theme
Expect the unexpected.

Week Six- Post B

Dear Matt,
That sucks your ship was taken over by pirates. I can't believe the person who tried to send a stress call out. What an idiot. None of his stuff was going to be taken. Why did he care so much? I would have been pissed off if I were the captain. He put many people in danger by doing that. Szpirglas is actually pretty nice. He's just a killer and robber. If he wasn't a pirate he could have made a strong political leader. I wonder how he became a pirate. He's very good at it. That's amazing that he's never been caught. I wonder if they live in the area where ships disappear. I would have asked him. Criminals are pretty interesting people.
Sincerely,
Jake

Week Six- Post A

Airborn
Vocabulary
1) Grimace- A facial expression, often ugly or contorted, that indicates disapproval, pain, etc.
2) Axial- Of, pertaining to, characterized by, or forming an axis.
Figurative Language
1)"From below came the slow whoop of the alarm claxon" (99). This is an example of an onomonapeia because it describes the sound the alarm made.
2)"Right now it was closed around a pistol, his meaty fingers making it look like a toy" (102). This is an example of a simile because it uses like to compare the pistol to a toy.
3)"'Come Along,' I said and led them to the lounge, where most of the other passengers were now assembled, sitting stiffly in the wicker chairs, looking like wax dummies under the electrec lights" (104). This is an example of a simile because it uses like to compare the passengers sitting to wax dummies.
Quote
"'Listen to me!' Szpirglas shouted. 'I will not be trifled with. I do not telish killing, but I will do it if I must. If you do not show me the proper respect, you force me to earn it! I bid you all farewell'" (105). I like this quote because it establishes the type of pirate Szpirglas is. He doesn't want to kill, but he is willing to if someone underjudges him.
Theme
Do whatever you can to stay out of harm's way.

Kurosawa Unit

I was surprised how good this unit was. I used to not like movies with subtitles at all, but I finally don't mind them. I think Akira Kurosawa was an interesting person. It seems to me that the imperial Japanese government held Kurosawa back from making the movies he really wanted to make. I saw in his post war period his movies strongly contrasted the views and themes of his wartime period. It seemed like two different directors. I thought Stray Dog was an example of a Kurosawa movie that didn't represent the movie maker he was. The storyline was pretty weak. A detective trying to find his gun isn't that interesting to me. I can say that one reason why Kurosawa is a great director is the way he can make a boring movie interesting. If you gave that storyline to any ordinary director it would've turned out bad. I believe Kurosawa has a way with his audience to keep them interested just like Hitchcock does.
Yojimbo was a great movie. I never knew For a Few Dollars More was a remake of Yojimbo. The first time someone brought up Sergio Leonne in class while we were watching Yojimbo it clicked in my head how similar the two movies are. In every sentence there's only a couple words different because of the difference in genre's, setting, and character's. I think Sergio Leonne and Kurosawa are similar in the type of genres they're interested in. Kurosawa made a lot of, what I like to call revisionist samuri movies and Sergio Leonne made a lot of revisonist westerns. I think they both liked making statements on humanity and wanted to make their movies realistic. Not some picture perfect movie with a happy ending.

Ran was one of Kurosawa's best movies he directed. He got many themes and messages out with this film. Personally, I believe Kurosawa was a defender of peace. He knew there will always be war, but the wars will never be justified. Thus, he believes humanity is screwed. I don't neccesarily believe in this, but I do believe soldiers will have to die because politicians don't know how to deal with international issues. All in all, I discovered many things about Akira Kurosawa in this unit, and have come to realize why he's one of the greatest directors ever.

Black Hawk Down

Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down was a great action movie that portrayed many themes. I liked how Scott didn't go to over the top with the hand held camera. He used a hand held camera for intense action scenes, but he didn't use it so much that it was annoying. Scott's placement of the camera amongst the characters made you feel you were right behind them fighting with them. Not only was there many different typical cinematic techniques, there were many themes. Some general themes were help others and never give up. Not only was Scott trying to create an exhilarating action movie he wanted to send an important message about what really happens in combat. Scott is trying to show people how some military operations are pointless due to the waste of money and lives. Black Hawk Down was a successful movie that is filled with action and makes a statement.

Hitchcock Unit

The one thing i can say about Alfred Hitchcock is he knows how to entertain every movie watcher. He uses suspense over surprise to keep his audience on the edge of their seat. Because Alfred Hitchcock was the first person that had his own style of directing, he became the first great auteur. In every Hitchcock movie you can tell it's directed by Hitchcock becauses of the Hitchcockian elements. A blonde haired lead female role, a wrong man, and use of suspense over surprise are elements that have Hitchcock's name all over them. In all three films we watched the main female character had blonde hair, the main male character was falsly accussed/hurt, and suspense occurred more than surprise.

Week Five- Post A

Vocabulary
1)Facsimile- An exact copy, as of a book, painting, or manuscript.
2)Haughty- Disdainfully proud; snobbish; scornfully arrogant; supercilious.
Figurative Language
1)"She seemed to realize she was being a pest, and her haughty gaze fell to the carpet" (87). This is an example of personification because looks on people's faces don't literally fall.
2)"He didn't say anything, just gave me a look, like a cat that had taken an entire budgie in its mouth and was sitting very still, hoping no one would notice" (91). This is an example of a simile because it uses like to compare Baz's look to a cat's face after taking a budgie to its mouth.
3)"I liked talking to her, but sometimes I'd feel her eyes on me and I'd be painfully aware of the way my words sounded or of my body hanging around me like a big floppy suit of clothing," (91). This is an eyample of a simile because it uses like to compare his body to a floppy suit of clothing.
Quote
"I looked for the coordinates Kate's grandfather had written in his journal. There was no island marked on Grantham's charts, not even a little dot" (90). I like this quote because it is a major turning point in the story. We learn Kate's grandfather was in a mysterious area like the Bermuda Triangle. This leads readers to believe Kate's grandfather probably wasn't crazy. He was just in a mysterious part of the world.
Theme
Always have hope, even if it's unlikely.

Week Five- Post B

Dear Matt,
That's crazy that the island Kate's grandpa was flying over was unmarked. I wonder if those winged creatures are predators or carnivors? I wondered what happened to all the ships that disapeared in the territory Kate's grandfather traveled? I also don't get how huge airships go missing, yet a hot air balloon made it through this territory? This could possibly be one of the craziest discoveries ever. Like you said, I hope the creatures are real. I really do.
Sincerely,
Jake

Week Four- Post A

Airborn
Vocabulary
1)Oaf- A clumsy, stupid person.
2)Palatial- Of, pertaining to, or resembling a palace.
Figurative Language
1)"I woke feeling as if I hadn't slept at all, head thrumming like a symphony" (82). This is an example of a simile because it uses like to compare his pain in his head to a symphony.
2)"Soon the volcano ws spitting out orange and red sparks, and then a glutinous tongue of black and orange lava oozed over the crater's rim and started a leisurely slide down the slope, incinerating everything in its path" (83). This has two examples of personification. The first is saying the volcano was spitting because only people/animals, not objects can spit. The second example was describing the lava as a tongue because volcanos don't have tongues.
Quote
"I glanced over, and Kate was beside me. She was looking out the window, but I knew she wasn't talking about the volcano. There was no sign of miss Simpkins, and no one else around;" (83). I like this quote because it shows the only way Kate and Matt can talk to eachother, in private.
Theme
I think the theme so far is don't let the ordinary blind the truth.

Week Four- Post B

Dear Matt,
That's tight Kate bought you a hot chocolate. You're a true balla. You should believe what Kate's Grandfather said he saw. If he saw them over an uncharted island in a mysterious area of the world I'd believe him. If I were you I'd only be looking for those creatures. You could become very famous and rich if you captured one. You were pretty rude to Kate while discussing her grandfather's observations. If you really like her you probably should suck up to her especially when you are working/serving for her. You aren't really even supposed to be socializing with her, so everything you say should make her feel important. Good Luck.
Sincerely,
Jake