In this movie, Jeff spies on his neighbors and begins learning intimate details about each one of his neighbors. When he begins watching his neighbor Thorwald, he starts to suspect that he’s a murderer. The conclusion that his neighbor is actually a murderer astonished me, I thought that Thorwald was innocent and that most of the instances were coincidental. I think this is something very important to consider, the truth isn’t always what it seems when looking in from the outside.

Yes, isn’t this statement somewhat uncalled for since Thorwald was actually a murderer? Not really. Thorwald may have been a murderer, but during the final scene of the movie we learn more about the characters than we knew about some of them for the entire movie. For instance, the new couple finally has their blinds open after they were happy during the first scene of the movie. For all we know, they could’ve been fighting for the entire movie, but since they had the blinds closed we only have a certain perspective.

The dancer in the apartment seemed to be a woman who entertained various men, but in actuality, like Lisa said, she was just lonely. She wanted to have her boyfriend back from the army and had other people in the apartment to keep her company. Looking at this through the lens of current society, we would have to consider to harsh critique that the director expected the audience to have of her. This critique is meant to be flipped on it’s head at the end of the film.

Overall, it seems that the film shows that the truth is not always as black and white as it seems. Whether or not you’ve got most of the story correct, not being in the actual moment excludes you from the entire truth.

The 400 Blows was probably my favorite film that we watched during the course, mostly because of the interactions between the characters and for the depiction of the internal workings of a troubled boy, which I’ll admit may be my own bias. Although, I believe that Truffaut brings together Mis-en-sen, cinematography, editing, and sound to create the world that Antoine lives in to life. The mis-en-sen of each scene is properly used in order to depict exactly what is happening in each scene.

In the dinner scene with his parents, Antoine’s home is filled with paraphernalia of race car drivers and big races. This is used to show the innerworkings of Antoine’s feelings about his own life. He’s constantly trying to outrun his own mistakes. Unfortunately, he doesn’t do this by confronting his problems head on, rather he tries to escape them by either running away or lying which causes more problems for him.

The choice of shots in the film really showcase the isolation that Antoine feels in the world that he lives in. While he is running away from home after his parents find out that he’s been lying to both them and the school, he decides to run away and spends the night on the streets. Most of the shots are long shots showcasing how small he is in comparison with the world around him. This is done to effectively showcase the he has no control over the things that are happening to him, he is a child incapable of taking control of his actions, which will only make his hard situations worse.

Finally, sound editing is extremely important in this movie, especially in the very last scene of the film. The bright and happy music that highlights Antoine’s escape starts becoming slower and the strings begin plucking in order to create a tension in the viewer. The music then completely slows down and becomes melancholy as he slows down, showing the viewer that he’s finally come to the realization that his life will continue being very difficult.

Us explores the morality of the social normative class structure that we as a society have adopted in our capitalistic society, which is in order to climb the ladder you must push someone down. Not only does Peele examine the pitfalls of the moral issue, but also the humanistic nature that helps feed the bastardized version of a utopian society. Those who live on top are happy and don’t have to worry about the issues that those underground have to face. The people underground have similar lives that are plagued with a distorted outcome because of the certain twist of circumstances.

One of the key things that Peele touches on is the appeal of this kind of system. Even though Adelaide, the true Red, was born into these unfortunate circumstances and understood the difficulty that living there would present, jumped at the opportunity to hit the real Adeline down into the whack-a-mole hole. Here, Peele is making the argument that the appeal of privilege is very great but cannot be the endgame.

This is shown in Red’s scheme, to transform the Hands Across America into an operation that will provide liberty to those who are underground. Red and her family could’ve swapped places with Adeline and her family, but she chose to try and eradicated privilege altogether. When we have the twist at the end of the movie, this is the new conclusion that we can come to. That Adeline is holding onto her privilege and is completely unwilling to give it up, while Red and her followers are trying to eliminate privilege and give it to all people.

Another very interesting thing about this movie is the usage of fear and how it brings people’s true selves out. When Adeline is scared when she thinks about Red coming for her, she reverts back to her Tether-like way of acting and speaking. She becomes very fragmented and her speech becomes very odd as well. When Red is stabbed, she begins to whistle the very same song that she sang in the house of mirrors. She is filled with fear at death’s doorstep and reverts to a more human form, while Adeline begins oddly laughing while searching for the key around Red’s neck. Fear brings out people’s true nature.

In Tarantino’s film, he tries to showcase the ethical dilemma of violence. He uses a predominantly Jewish-American battalion systematically killing Nazis as the perfect platform to showcase this dilemma. If this dilemma is present in Jewish people killing Nazis as recompense, then it has to exist in almost every single situation, since it’s such a drastic example.

Throughout the film we see the Nazis as both ruthless beasts and comical idiots, this is done in order to provide a feeling of humanity for the Nazis. They are human beings after all, which entitles them to comical thoughts feelings and emotions as well as the ability to be evil people. This is very much like Spike Lee’s film, Tarantino believes that he should give his characters the ability to both be comical and evil.

This done in order to provide fluidity while he approaches the subject of the violence dilemma. The Jewish soldiers are almost portrayed as beasts of war who brutally mutilate and kill these Nazi soldiers. None of the soldiers in this battalion leave the war unmarked, whether it was them actually being killed or the pure emotional scarring, nobody in the film was left unhurt. Even Raine has the scar from his neck being cut, absolutely everyone who partakes in violence is left scarred or killed.

In Martin Scorsese’s film, Shutter Island, Andrew Laeddis works his way through an elaborate role play scenario trying to track down a mysterious 67th patient, only to realize that he is actually the 67th patient. This is not my first time watching this film, it’s probably close to the fourth or fifth, but this is the first time that I was taking notes and analyzing the film. For the first few times that I watched this film I simply looked at it as a thriller where a detective tries to uncover terrible operations being done within the facility, only to have a twist ending where he is actually a patient. This is actually a pretty incorrect way to look at this film, mostly because the film is extremely tongue and cheek about the twist ending. Knowing the ending and watching it through that lens, every single scene was seen in a different light. It was no longer about a man trying to uncover the truth, rather, doctors and patients trying to break through to a man who has gone beyond the brink of insanity. Looking at the film with this new perspective, it’s almost like I’m watching an entirely different film.

During the first few minutes of the film, the guards are seen on extreme edge. Not knowing what’s going to happen, you could look at this and say, they’re evil and don’t want the law poking around. With the knowledge of the ending, it can be looked at as though they’re guards who are worried about a dangerous patient having free reign. The effects on the guards is seen toward the ending of the film when Andrew knocks out a guard and takes his empty gun. Even when Andrew is interviewing the male and female patients during the beginning of the film. When Laeddis asks about Dr. Sheehan the female patient looks at Chuck when she is describing the doctor’s caring nature and good looking features. Almost every scene of this movie is revealing the true narrative to the audience. This reveals Scorsese’s thoughts about image and truth. That one’s own interpersonal demons affect the way that people interpret one’s own perception of reality.

The viewer is looking through the lens of Andrew, which influences our perception of reality. We look at things the way that Andrew does, which is through the lens of Edward Daniels. Andrew’s alcoholic self helped him ignore the horrors that he witnessed while serving during WWII. Much like he was living within a delusional world with the help of a bottle, Andrew uses Edward Daniels as a way to live within a delusional world that he didn’t murder his wife. The way that the world is viewed is effected by the way that a person views the world around them.

Andrew takes us along on his delusional ride throughout the movie, but we also get glimpses of the real world around us. The doctors are trying to break through to Andrew throughout the film, but they’re also trying to break through to the viewer as well. Scorsese uses the juxtaposition of the truth and the false images that we’re presented as a way to show the viewer that the world we live in is the truth, and whatever we use to try and avoid it will be rendered useless under the weight of reality. Killing a version of ourselves that we wish to be and accepting reality is the only way that we’d be able to truly achieve a true sense of self. Andrew denies this and accepts death as Edward. Throughout the film, Dolores tells him that going to the lighthouse will be the death of him. She is referring to the death of Edward. Scorsese presents the choice that Andrew must make, is also the choice that the viewer must choose as well. Either choose to embrace the truth and kill the person that we wish we were, or to kill ourselves by living in our delusional world and lobotomizing ourselves.

Some of the claims that the film makes about filmmaking as a whole are still very relevant today, more specifically about actors themselves and how the people around them treat them, as well as how society treats them. Specific instances, such as when Max undertakes the role as the holder of the veil so that Norma won’t realize that she’s become irrelevant in the public eye. He’s gone so far as to write fan letters requesting autographs, so that she feels like her adoring fans haven’t forgotten about her. This reins true in today’s society, celebrities are known for having specific needs that have to be met during interviews or during rehearsals and either their entourage or publicists need to fulfill these needs. A comedian, by the name of John Mulaney, tells a story about how Mick Jagger would shout “yes” and “no” to each good and bad idea. The punchline of the joke is that if he only had to say the word, “coke”, for a soda to appear in his hand, then he’d probably have a similar demeanor to Jagger. Celebrities are known for both being coddled and having their egos fed. Perhaps not to the degree that Max did for Norma, but nonetheless, their are clear similarities present. Another instance of how this movies claim about celebrities are true in today’s society is when Norma is at Paramount Studios and the spotlight is shined on her. Everyone begins flocking toward her and instantly recognizing her. She becomes engulfed by love and attention, but moments earlier a young guard in charge of the gate at Paramount didn’t recognize. A man who works for a movie studio didn’t recognize one of the worlds biggest stars of all time. The claim here is that it doesn’t matter how big of a star you were, if the spotlight isn’t on you at that very moment, then nobody cares about you. This is something extremely prevalent to today’s celebrity culture. Especially since the introduction of social media and streaming services, “relevancy” has become a revolving door for celebrities. There are instances, like the introduction of “Friends” to Netflix. Now, “Friends” has always been popular, but the stars later work became the focus of what they were known for going forward. Meaning, that before these streaming services, you were only as popular as your latest work. If you were on a hit TV show and then it was canceled and you began doing terrible movies, eventually falling off completely. Then you were known as “that guy on that show”, but with the introduction of television shows on streaming services, they can be watched over and over. Maintaining the same amount of fame. This also allows younger generations to understand how great former hit TV shows were, which explains the mass popularity spike for celebrities on 90s tv shows. Cause, for the first time ever, these kids are experiencing what people were when the show was airing. Popularity of shows changes and the stars who are seen as “relevant”, constantly change either leaving, coming back, or coming for the first time. Overall, society only cares about stars when they like them, and that feeling of love is short lived. Just like Norma and her spotlight, both of them. Overall, society’s treatment of celebrities hasn’t changed and the way that the people around them coddle their egos hadn’t either.

The chronology of Citizen dictates the way that the viewer comes to understand Charles Kane. Initially, the viewer is introduced to an unknown man clinging to a Snowglobe and who then swiftly dies and sends the globe down the steps to its end after uttering the word, “Rosebud”. A newsreel-esk rundown of his life proceeds in the following.  Welles presents Kane as this larger than life figure, almost god like. The symbolism is glaring in the Island of Xanadu. Similarities to the story of Noah’s Ark are present when he brings two of every kind of animal to the Island. At this initial glance, the audience sees Kane as the creator of enormous wealth and a pseudo Garden of Eden. The audience is then introduced to Kane as a child, who initially didn’t come from wealth. In this scene, Kane’s love for his mother is apparent when he uses his Sled as a shield to protect himself from the man who will be taking him away from her. Soon afterward, we are introduced to a young Kane who denies all fortune with the goal to undertake the helm of a small Newspaper. He proceeds to print story after story battering those in power who manipulate the weak under the guidance of his own set of rules called, “The Declaration of Principles”. In an effort to become the most powerful newspaper, he poached the opposing Newspapers best writers and proceeds to throw a party. He then decides to go on vacation. After returning he is already married to the Niece of the President. The next scene shows the increasing distance that is created in the marriage. He spends all of his time at the newspaper, increasingly becoming more bitter and drunk with power. Kane begins running for Governor with the promise to put the biggest mob boss behind bars. After all of this, the audience begins to understand that Kane isn’t the God he was presented as in the beginning, but also not the philanthropic saint that gave up his fortune to expose those in power. He then meets a woman who loves to sing who the mob boss uses as blackmail. Kane refuses to back down and withdrawal because he doesn’t want to lose the love of the people. He then pours all of his resources into promoting Susan’s singing career, much to her dismay. After years of singing for him against her will she inevitably leaves him, causing him to have a meltdown. In the final moments we see a group of men throw Kane’s childhood sled into the fire and the name, “Rosebud”, is seen. The idea that Kane has done everything in order to get love from people has been prevalent up until this moment. But here we see Kane, not as a God or as a man, but as a child. Rosebud isn’t referring to the sled, but rather his mother. How he never wanted to leave her. That he felt rejected by her and the love he sought throughout the movie was his mother’s. We see Kane for who he is, a dying man with the world in his hands who wants his mother. If this story was told in it’s initial chronology, then the viewer wouldn’t have as much of a punch at the end of the film that it does.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.