A SEMESTER FOR THE BOOKS.

Mini Reviews:

#1 - "Shining" redux Movie Trailer

#2 - The Truman Show

#3 - Viral Friday [fail cat ft Seal music]

#4 - 16 Candles

#5 - Jeremiah Singing happy Birthday to Emily Mancini (wow)

#1 -     SHINING REDUX          

SHINING REDUX MOVIE TRAILER

           Whoever came up with the idea of redux/recut trailer almost surpasses the intelligence of Einstein. Coming from someone that has never seen the actual "The Shining" movie, I certainly would have thought that this is a happy film, a great Sunday-night cuddle-up-by-the-fire family movie. Look at it: you've got the introduction of characters in a friendly voice, (eg. "Meet Jack Torrance"), you have the narration bringing ideas like "He's a writer looking for inspiration). - How in any way does that sound menacing? We all need inspiration sometimes, so when our brains make the connection to the character, we perceive him as a down-to-earth, kind human being with funny facial expressions. We see him as a loving father, and entertainer to his son. The son is an innocent curious one, who loves his new mother, just as much as she loves him. The family is just your average middle-class family going through the struggles of every day life. The music adds to the family feel, as the song "On My Way" from Ice age plays. The song has a positive message and vibe, all contributing to the trailer.         

                                      SEND ME ON MY WAY (ICE AGE)

For another good example of music used to change the mood of film, here are the opening credits of The Shining set to the happy song of "There She Goes":

Sounds like the beginning to a romantic comedy right?

   Now, listening to my thoughts of what I gather from this trailer, you would probably say I'm crazy. That may be part of it, but it is also that the trailer is incredibly well-done, as the editor manipulates the shots, narration and song to create a great film that YOU should cuddle up on the couch with your family and enjoy some nice fresh popped-corn with. 

 #2 - THE TRUMAN SHOW

            The Truman Show. After watching the first half of The Truman Show in class, I legitimately could not stop thinking about it. I don't know if I have ever been so dis-oriented and thought-provoked after watching half a movie, yet this one effectively made me think. It made me question:

What if we are all living in a world manipulated by one big corporation? Then it occured to me, in one way, we are: the government. As soon as we are born, when that hospital bracelet is put on our wrists, we are automatically a part of the grand society, and once you're in, there may be no way of escaping it. 

           Without being overly philosophical and dramatic, my point is that The Truman Show may not actually be terribly far from reality.. which brings us back to the question of: what is reality? The director (Peter Weir) and writer of the movie are incredibly creative to think of such an ornate concept of The Truman Show. Let's watch the scene where Truman's fake wife asks the camera for help when she is being "attacked" by Truman:

             Let's just notice that the wife is obviously under a lot of stress, having to play the role of Truman's wife, even though her true self can't stand Truman. She is required at all times to keep her composure, including under circumstances where Truman gets angry and finally begins to question the fake world he is living in. This clip applies to real-life marketing as it is obvious that Meryl is advertising her cocoa, and Truman's best friend advertises his beer when he walks in to save Meryl.  

ANYWAY, I'm glad that we watched this film, and in particular watching it in two parts on two days gave me the opportunity to think about it, and expand my mind on the idea behind the movie, and come back the next day with anticipation. Truman is a good guy ya know, and I'm glad he finally escaped to freedom. 

And here is a bit of real-life Jim Carrey to brighten up your day after that mind-twisting but brilliant movie.:

                                               

                                                                  Aaaaahhhhhh He's so precious.

#3 - VIRAL FRIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EPISODE FAILCAT.ft.Sail

Go ahead, watch it another 5 times... or 17.            Alright, you have to admit it's funny. For some reason, we people of the internet find it entertaining to watch other things (or cats) do stupid stuff, especially when it involves them getting hurt. Why? Good question. It may be because it is not affecting us, besides maybe painfully splitting a gut. There are so many cat fail videos out there, and internetians (internet version of martian) love them all, perhaps it's because they are cats, and well, cats are less relateable than humans. We don't feel quite as bad for them because they have nine lives... right? Here's for all of you who can only afford to spare 2 seconds of your lives on fail cat videos, rather than an exhausting 36 seconds:





              Okay so constructing this cat video would have taken incredible cleverness, to think of that song to go along with the actions. It matches perfectly. On the first accent at 17 seconds in, the cat turns and hides his head, as if his mission was just assigned to him/her. On the second, he/she lifts his head up as if scoping out the plane. On the third, it's Go Time. When the word SAIL comes up in the song, that cat just goes for it like there's no tomorrow. And with that leap of faith, there may not have been a tomorrow for that guy. Thankfully though, there have been mysterious internet rumors saying that he survived.. PHEW! 

             Why is this video so viral? Because it's hilaaaaaaaarious, and people love to laugh. The total of this video is 36 seconds long - short, prompt, so you can easily watch 20 others in the span of 13 minutes. I'd give this video a 9/10. The one point lacking is the mercy point for the cat's pain it endured for the cost of unintentional fame. Well done Sail Cat.


#4 - 16 CANDLES

 It's Samantha Baker's Sweet Sixteen and no one in her family remembers her birthday... Seriously, What in the world is worse than your whole family remembering your birthday? uhh.. NOTHING! So basically, she wakes up, her family is completely oblivious to the fact that it's her birthday, she goes to school, complains to her best friend about it, and since her sister's wedding is the day after, the whole day is just a disaster. To review, Ted "the Farmer", is a geek who really digs Sam. Sam doesn't dig Ted, but gives him her panties anyway. Sam loves Jake Ryan who just found out how she feels. Jake already has a girlfriend named Carolyn. She is the classic "princess" and Jake's kind of sick of it. He kinda digs Sam, but Sam doesn't know yet.

There's a dance and then a party at Jake's afterwards.
Jake saves Ted's life and Ted talks the whole thing over with Jake. Jake agrees to let Ted take Carolyn, who is passed out, home in his dad's Rolls Royce. This excited Ted a lot even though she's missing a large chunk of her hair thanks to Tracy. Ted doesn't drive very well. No matter... that's not important. Jake goes looking for Sam and eventually finds her (along with Ted and Carolyn) at the church after Sam's sister's wedding. Jake takes Sam back to his place and gives her a birthday cake and her panties back. What a guy! They kiss.
The End.
By the way... There's a weird Chinese guy named after a duck's dork up in Mike's room.

So let's just take a second to point out how normal this plot is... NOT. Well, that can be argued by some. Various things in the movie could easily be realistic. Others, not so much. For example, the scene where Sam's sister is getting married, she gets drugged up and walks down the is to get married, as she is passing out and falling all over the place. Besides some surprised reactions by some people in the audience at the church, everyone seems to think that she's just having a darned good ol' time on her big wedding day. In the end though, the good guy and the good girl get each other, and everyone's happy. Don't you love it when everything works out just perfectly in the end? Aaaaahhh If our lives could all be 80s movies.....

Hey, you've gotta give Ted credit for getting Sam's panties... and Sam credit for taking Ted like a boss. I mean, if a farmer came out of nowhere and started kissing you in a car in a garage, what would you do?

Molly Ringwald is really a great actress though, I must say. She can be miserable, funny, insecure, therefore, the perfect representation of an average stereotypical teenager. I think that has been what has given her such a successful young acting career: she plays characters that are extremely relateable. Well that and a pretty face. She has done well throughout her career, and is now married and a mother of three living a relatively normal american lifestyle. Good for her. 

^ How you can tell it's an 80s movie.

 #5. JEREMIAH SINGS HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MISS MANCINI

On the fateful May 14th, 2013, Emily Mancini turned seventeen. Little did she know, there was a surprise awaiting her in the class of Dr. Edwards.. 

It was Jeremiah's dare week, where he would literally take any dare from anyone at BCI, to raise money for Relay For Life. What a good man he is. 

On the fateful day, I and other clever schemers dared the brave man to sing happy birthday to Miss Mancini. But not in any way.. Nooooo, he was doomed to sing it Marilyn Munroe style... In a dress. What does that look like? Just like this: 

What a sight it was to witness such beauty and grace as Jeremiah gracefully trotted across the classroom, seducing the clearly happy Mancini. That leg kick was just so dreamy. One can only dream of what was going through her mind at that moment. It was a very noble thing he did, for an incredible noble cause. This one is for the books most definitely. Jeremiah never ceases to amaze, especially when in a dress.

Props to J-mac. Respect.

And a Happy Birthday To Emily Mancini!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(just a few days late but whatever) <3