Shelby Gevry- Minority Report

As human beings we have ingrained in use the unfortunate necessity to put ourselves into groups. From socioeconomic classes to racial separations to grouping based on interests, sex, beliefs, nationality the list is infinite- we tend to place upon ourselves, whether willingly or not, certain distinctions as to separate ourselves from others, but why? Why is it that man is so driven to have an "us" and a "them"? Why is it that human nature drives us to make these distinctions, as if compelled to do so in the belief that somehow this separation must be made and in doing so we are somehow making ourselves better. As Antonio Sanchez-Escalonilla points out we place people into groups as a sort of defense mechanism. By labeling we make them less threatening because we know what they are, what to call them; to "root out those individuals who are a danger to our way of life," (pg 12). The idea being that with these distinctions we have the ability to label ourselves better than those outside of certain groups. This idea of the others or the outsiders is prevalent in the film Minority Report.
It is interesting to note just how quickly one can become another. In then out, with no warning or explanation. For Tom Cruise it was a simple thought, an innermost private thought that purged him from the "us" and sent him to the "them." Within Minority Report there are strict constraints placed society, certain groups that are adhered to. There are the cops, the precogs, the criminals, and the innocent everyday citizens- to name a few. But even within the police force there are separations. For example John Anderton, the main character played by Cruise, is acting chief of the Precrime unit a force the using precognitive people who can look into the future to see crimes before they are committed. The Precogs, they are referred as, create the most distinctive group, they are the farthest from "us." They are shunned from the outside world, trapped in a room treated as if they aren't even people. It is not only their abilities that distinguish them from others but the way in which they are used, tools not people. It is easier for humans to distance themselves, to make distinctions rather than to open there eyes and see that we are all others, that there is a "them" and an "us" only because we have made it so.

Gevry, Casblanca

No matter the premise of a film, its plot, character, or overall composition politics often times play a central role int he film. As evident even in Casablanca, politics and most notably World War II, are weaved into every shot of every scene.What Casablanca ideally does is create a world in which politics turn romantic. Rick is the strong and mysterious United States that will, though originally as bystander, take a heroic and successful stand. Americans were constantly bombarded with he images of war so for a film like Casablanca to have such a highly political agenda and yet still come across to the American public as a story of wartime heroics and romance is immensely impressive. Casablanca successfully created an movie that allowed viewers almost an escape into the ideal war. One in which a hero would step forward, love would outweigh all, and an ending was ascertainable.

The scene I believe most connects to the Political Expediency Theory would have to be the closing scene in which Rick and Renault walk off into the fog.

Dominant: The dominate in would have to be Renault and Rick.

Camera Angle: Neutral, yet slightly tilted downwards as if the viewer were watching the scene unfold from higher up,

Lighting: The lightning within this film is dark, almost twilight. This is done perhaps to show that it is always darkest before the dawn and that both Rick and Renault are going to see a bright new day.

Camera Proximic: This is a crucial piece. The camera is situated in a public proximity. As Rick and Renault walk away into the fog the camera does not follow them, it is merely to show that things will get better. In time all of us can, in essence, walk through the fog and move on.

Gevry- Hereafter

Now I love Clint Eastwood, don't get me wrong but this film Hereafter was definitely not one of his best. I found the editing in this film to be particular a bit choppy and off kilter. The scene were shot and edited in a fashion that you didn't know how the three main characters George Lonegan (Matt Damon), Marie LeLay (Cecile De France), Marcus (Frankie and George McLaren) as each one are touched by death. The film tries its best to follow each character in a fashion that leads the viewer to wonder how each individual story is connected. My contention with the film, besides its ending which was far from phenomenal, but with the overalltransitions between each characters scenes. The shots in and of themselves are great but the jumping around between time, events, and even countries was a bit jarring.

My favorite sequence in particular when it comes to the editing of the film was actual the first sequence of the film. The opening shot is it of Marie LeLay leaving her hotel room to pick up gifts for her lover's children. In a twist of dramatic irony the shot switched from Ms. LeLay walking in the market to a tsunami crushing into the beach only a few miles away from her. We watch the science unfold as the water crushes into the surrounding hotels, taking with it people, cars, trees, and anything else that gets in his way. By the time we get back to the shot of Ms. LeLay the tsunami is almost upon her. What I love about this sequence of scenes is the fact that it has a fluidity right from the very beginning that extends into the following shots. Even when gruesome events are unfolding the scene just flows as if to match the movement of the water in the scene. Eastwood tends to avoid cutting by moving his camera along with he action lending the scene an unobstructed feel.

Gevry, Avatar

It is hard to find one picture that is able to encompass everything a person is. And nearly impossible to select one image from the millions upon billions that are out there. An avatar is something that not only has to represent me but in doing so has to make sure that the message is not misconstrued. It has to have the innate ability to portray an aspect of myself without a lengthy explanation or essay as to why it does. For me even selecting one aspect of myself to represent in a single effort was a truly daunting task. It forces one to investigate himself in a fashion that otherwise would not happen.

Having said that, for my avatar I selected the New Orleans Saints logo. I remember you touching upon the Saints as an avatar for New Orleans in general and it got me to thinking about how much the Saints and New Orleans mean to me. Being in the Air Force my family moved around a lot. Switching between so many towns, states, and countries no place every really felt like home except for New Orleans. My mother was born and raised here and all of her family (pre Katrina) lived in New Orleans or close enough to call it. So for Christmas we would always return to the Big Easy and somehow it just felt right. Of the three siblings I have out of the house all but one have returned to Louisiana. In essence we all returned home. This avatar reminds me of everything I love in life: my family, my city, and my Saints.

Gevry- Beowulf

I cannot think of one scene, alone, in Beowulf that needs to be edited- I simply didn't like any of them. Perhaps the fact that the movie was shot to be shown in 3D that its effects were diminished while viewing it in 2D, but on a whole I just found the film lackluster. Do not get me wrong the technology used is state of the art, the CGI amazingly done, and extremely impressive but the film lacked that humanistic quality that comes with real life actors, the quirks that allow one to fall in love with the, the subtleties that allow one to connect with them, and the misgivings that force one to despise them. True human emotion is what lacks in Beowulf's scene. Being that the entire film is computer generated the audience doesn't give the same response to the characters as they would had actual living, breathing actors played the roles. So to ask me to enhance one scene that would improve the movie would be impossible because, for me at least, that would be the same as redoing the entire movie. Beowulf is an entertaining and action packed film but it falls short from being anything substantial.

Gevry- The Wolfman

The transformation from man to werewolf is always a fantastic one for a moviegoer to see. Yet, with the amount of technological advancements over the years the journey has gotten far better. From the 1940s The Wolf Man to the 2010 The Wolfman, the effect this has on the metamorphosis from man to wolf. Immense bounds in CGI make the newest version of The Wolfman, directed by Joe Johnston, a visual feast for the viewer. Whereas the transformation within the 1940s version, though surely a spectacle in its day nowadays is hardly a movie going revolution. In Johnston’s film the viewer sees the Lawrence Talbot, as portrayed by Benicio Del Toro, completely transform himself into a full blooded, all out werewolf. From the make-up to the computer animation an entirely new creature takes form when the moon is full. Unfortunately in 1941 film, directed by George Waggner, the viewer doesn’t see the same transformation on such a spectacular level. Sure, Lon Chaney Jr.’s wolfman grows a lot of hair all over, gets a few sharper teeth, and walks on his tip toes but it doesn’t have the same effect as the newest version does- I mean the wolfman is supposed to be wild and ferocious yet in Waggner’s version he still wear a tucked in shirt with pants and a belt. Ferocious? I think not. Though both films are extremely entertaining and truly amazing works, when it comes down to which film harbored the best transformation from human to beast that would have to the 2010 The Wolfman, hands down.

And here is the winner:

Shelby Gevry- Saving Private Ryan Mise-En-Scene

For my mise-en-scène I chose the film Saving Private Ryan. Directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat, the film chronicles the journey of a company of soldiers who embark on a mission behind enemy lines in war torn Germany to rescue a deserted paratrooper. The still shot I chose to analyze for my mise-en-scène is a scene in the movie in which Pt. Daniel Jackson, as played by Barry Pepper, is amidst a battle engaging in enemy fire.


Within this shot Pt. Jackson is in the process of firing his rifle.

Dominant- The first thing, upon looking at this picture, that your eye is drawn to would be Pt. Jackson himself. The severeness of his face and the intensity that radiates from it draws the viewer immediately to it. From his face you are lead to the scope of his weapon, to the body, until eventually the viewer is led off camera to the presupposed enemy present just shy of the camera shot.

Lighting- I would have to say that this shot takes advantage of the natural light with low key elements. If anything the camera would have a filter on to give the scene more of a low key, as to show the darkness that invades any place entrenched in warfare.

Character Proxemics- The two characters within this scene, one being Pt. Jackson and the other a fellow soldier, are in a personal proxemics. They are close enough as to provide cover fire and protection for one another, but far enough away as to allow them space to fire their weapons and reload effectively.

Camera Proxemics- In regards to Pt. Jackson the camera is in an intimate spacial arrangement with him. It is extremely close to his face and gun, so much so that the viewer can see every detail on his face, hand, gun, uniform (of what is in view).

Conclusion- In conclusion this scene is pivotal to the feel of the entire movie. As Pt. Jackson is locked in battle so is the viewer. He is fighting the very same war the viewer is fighting, the viewer is simply doing so merely by watching alone. The scene illuminates the hardships that all soldiers had to go through. The camera proxemics indicate the extremely intimate level war was viewed with by soldiers. The character proxemics show the personal connection, the brotherhood that was formed among soldiers. This scene encompasses elements that lend themselves to the overall feel of the film.