Afterglow

Afterglow gives a differing perspective into the mind of Pauline Kael, a movie critic who made waves in movie criticism throughout her career. A reader usually doesn’t have a whole lot of background information about the person whose critique they are reading, although it would seem pertinent to do so to see how much weight their opinion should be have. But movie critiques have intentions and styles that are not determined from movie to movie. Pauline Kael liked taking a movie and making cultural critique out of it that embodied not just the movie itself but the public’s response to the movie. It is easy in Afterglow for her so seem arrogant in her opinions because with every movie that she thinks to be unappreciated she acts as if the viewers are simply stepping on their own toes. Her writing itself is entertaining to read and provides for a practical viewpoint of the movie.
For Pauline Kael movies are becoming more and more popular for being aesthetically pleasing than actually being original and daring. This is probably because that is the style from which Pauling Kael lived her own life but it brings forward a good point. Should a movie be good because it is easily entertaining and good looking? Perhaps it’s a mute point because a movie doesn’t change at all whatever our opinions may be.

"Once" Review

Once is an independent film, shot simplistically with digital technology that combines a healthy blend of comedy, romance and desperation—on a budget of $160,000 using musicians doubling as actors, to help the story along. Both the film’s stars are experienced musicians, Glen Hansard himself started busking when he was just thirteen and Marketa Irglova started playing music at the age of seven.

The story is about a chance encounter between an Irish guy, Glen Hansard, employed at his father’s hoover repair shop by day and busking by night, and Czech immigrant, Marketa Irglova, who takes odd jobs selling flowers in the street to earn money to care for her mother and daughter. Throughout the film, Hansard and Irglova remain unnamed, appearing finally as Guy and Girl in the credits. Both are interested in music and it is this shared passion that leads them together through a strange series of events, ultimately concluding with the creation of an album foreshadowed to be Guy’s big break as his pending move to London nears. These events are shadowed by the romance that grows between them but is held back by their lingering past relationships.

Built on a small budget the movie was filmed digitally and in a very simple style that meant that it was up to the actors to create the story. The perspective that the film gives acts firmly as a passive objective observer to the story at hand. In this way the events are allowed to tell the story without needing any fancy cinematography to accentuate. In one scene they enjoy dinner with some friends in which afterwards each person sings. The scene is very personal and exclusive. This is a style that produces an entertainingly intimate movie.

Most of the scenes take place in ordinary settings, like a bus or the street, and gives the movie a down to earth feeling. There are no real mega twists in the plotline nor is the script extravagant. Everything would seem rather basic and bland were it not for the music.

Once is musical but it is not a musical. Musicals are characterized by an obvious replacement of music for normal communications and conversations. Although there is still communicative significance to the songs in the film, they are executed in a more personal music for the sake of music style, versus music for the sake of continuing the plotline.

John Carney and Hansard should be commended, directing and composing the movie and the music, respectively: both elements carrying equal weight in its success. Simplicity itself is its beauty and it is brought to life through its music, charged with the character’s emotions behind it. Its hard to place this film in any one category, not a musical, not a comedy, not really a romance and not totally tragic—it seems that it is just like life: a healthy blend of them all.

Writer’s Strike

In a battle between any two forces the winner will always be the one that has the upper hand, of course. The writer’s strike however is in the midst of confusion. People are relatively up to date on how much money is being lost and whether or not the Oscars will take place as usual. But there has been an absence of discussion about which of the two has the upper hand.

While not completely certain, it is suspected that the Hollywood studios have a stockpile of scripts that could enable them to win the waiting game against the writers. At least that may have been possible if it weren’t for the, so far still scheduled for Feb 10, Oscars. After the Golden Globe Awards that was made dreary by the absence of the writer’s contribution, anxiety about the Oscars is filling the entertainment business. The writers have their own problems too however. Out of work now for months, some of them are losing their health insurance and even their homes. In addition to this the strike is affecting the economic climate in L.A., putting a temporary halt on business projects and creating tension between the entertainment business and the companies that rely on it. Nervous about the outcome, all eyes are now on the negotiations and it seems like so far, nobody has the upper-hand, yet.

Steinem Review

What Gloria Steinem is talking about in her article is what we real people call a “non-issue” or rather an issue that really isn’t important at all. Instead it takes attention away from the issues that really that do matter.

Shouldn’t presidents be elected based on merit and not because of their gender? When voters cast their ballots letting gender factor into their decision it benefits Clinton’s campaign because sympathy turns to her rather than Obama, who would benefit from letting ethnicity factor in. Instead of focusing on “The first women president,” or “the first black president,” why not focus on “the first really great president” instead?

I think what really worries Steinem is simply that the race isn’t looking great for Clinton right now. If she needs to use her gender to get elected then maybe it means that she isn’t really the best candidate. But Obama shouldn’t be elected for his ethnicity either; something that helps strengthens his campaign. Making gender and race issues serves to benefit the candidates that profit the most from it and it hinders the political debate at hand. The presidential elections of the United States should not become the American idol of government where popularity rather than merit becomes the winning

ticket.

Zinsser Review

William Zinsser does a superb job of putting the importance of art today into context and provides an almost friction free guideline for both reviewing and criticizing. He doesn’t give absolute rules of dos and don’ts from some invisible writers manual. Instead he shares tips that are valuable and justifies them each with a proper explanation that gives him clarity. After sifting through the difference between the reviewer and the critic, he provides three principles that apply for both: enjoy the medium you are writing about, don’t give away too much of the plot and use specific detail.

To emphasize the validity of his guidance he shows examples of great pieces of writing that reflect the suggestions that he already made. The examples, from Virgil Thomson, a music critic from 1940-1954 for the New York Herald Tribune, John Leonard on Michener’s The Covenant, and Cynthia Ozick on the legacy of T.S. Eliot, are diverse enough to help display a broad spectrum of applicability for all of his advice. Zinsser concludes by going into depth with each example showing the reader why the excerpt qualifies as a good piece of writing. The article was very well constructed, providing clear context, advice and applicability for anyone who wishes to critique and review.

Atonement

Regis Hanna

Arts Journalism

Marin Heintritz

1-14-07

Atonement

Taking place at the time of the First World War, Atonement is the story of a 13 girl who is discombobulated by the wanton actions of the adults that encapsulate the world that she knows. Without being provided any context from which to understand the events that surround her she self righteously interprets them herself, tearing apart two lovers and leading herself to a path of regret and redemption. Created by Pride and Prejudice director Joe Wright, working once again with Keira Knightley, and based on the novel by Ian McEwan Atonement is a nostalgic inducing love and war film that captures the real hopes and wishes that everyone indulges in if we could change something we did in our past.

Atonement will make you feel the emotions and turmoil of the characters using a soundtrack that provides a sense of urgency and suspense. Redisplaying his ability to capture beautiful imagery, Joe Wright uses a time and perception alternating story line method that enables the viewer to see and feel deeper into the movie. Different forms of scenery, both breathtaking and grotesque, take part in the movie to refine the projection of the emotions of the characters. Both are flawlessly captured in a masterful acute simultaneous display of both good and evil.

Although not the most enticing script ever written, the actors do a superb job of filling in for any gaps and, perhaps to compensate, small clues and hints of irony riddle the movie acting as a sort of bonus to an already plump storyline for whoever is sharp enough to catch them. In addition there are short mysterious aspects, such as a bee trapped by a window, added to the film that can only make sense if interpreted symbolically, giving an optional even further depth to the movie.

Although Atonement reflects the most beautiful and horrible aspects of human nature using the most extreme and overused examples of both: love and war this film sets itself apart because it is not exhibited in the fairy tale, lived happily ever after sense. Atonement is a film that shows the reality behind the fairy tale conceptions of love and war, and the regret that haunts us when, because of the choices we have made, the only happy outcome left possible is in our imagination.

If you look past the brilliant soundtrack, cinematography and acting and just look at the story itself, it seems like one big apology note. The way it is constructed however is so pertinent to human experience that, although fiction, Atonement gives leaves you with that “Based on a True Story” buzz as you leave the auditorium with a taste of romance, a gulp of drama and a shot of nostalgia.