Review of the Incredibles

This class we watched the Incredibles which is a Pixar movie from Disney. I have seen this movie countless times and never really notice the detail in the movement like I did when watching this last time.  With animated films you probably don’t pay attention to those small details like you would with any other movie, but with the Incredibles Disney really set the bar with the movement in the animation.  There was one scene when the Parr family is gathered around the table for dinner and things change from calm quite dinner to complete chaos. You can see not only the look frustration on Mrs. Parr (Elasta Girl) face and you can see how her hair had gone from well prepare at the being of the scene to frizzy messed up hair, little details the really bring life-like quality in the film.   

One of the best testaments to how great the character movement is with Elasta girl, Her super powers are her elastic like body which had to be very difficult to create.  Form human parachutes and rafts to your everyday mom that keeps the family together. 

Another scene that I really like in this the action sequence in the Jungle with Dash being chased by Syndrome’s goons. This looked like something out of Return of the Jedi, that type of fast paced action and sequence is something we don’t usually see in animated film. The fast paced movement and the explosions one of the most life like animated films.

Review of Snow White and Cloudy with Chance of Meatballs

This week we take our turn at animation in films and I will be comparing Snow White and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.  With these two films it easy to point out that there will be majors differences because the advancements in technology, however the rules film making are similar.

In Snow White there were times that the director left major scenes unseen to use like when snow white bit the apple we only had the look at the evil queens face and got here scene of enjoyment of finally getting rid of Snow White and also when the Evil Queen falls to her death.  These are all off scene shots and it is to our imagination to visualize those events.  Also in Snow White use of lighting towards the feelings of Snow were brilliant in the scene when the huntsman tells here to run away and she enters the forest scared and it immediately turns from day to night and she feels that ordinary objects like trees have come to life and turn into monsters that are trying to get her.  The audience can easily understand what she is feeling.  Once she feels safe again the environment changes back from night to day.  

With Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs it’s easy to see how far animation has come. It is something that this viewer had taken for granted.  Even though we didn’t watch the film in 3-D you can see the depth in each scene and how much more is going on in each scene bring every element to life.  There was one scene that I particularly like and it is when Flynn is decided to turn the machine. In this scene Flynn is the clear focus of the shot and for me the lighting tells the story.  On the Left side of his face is darkened by shadows which represent his bad/evil side where the major is telling to keep the machine running and be adored by all. On the right side of his face it is lighted representing his good side the wants to do the right thing but he know that everyone will be angry with even though it is the right thing to do.  This illustrates some of the struggles in all decision that we make.

Both movies are great in their own right were Snow White is a slower story that can be hard to stay engaged were with Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs is faster pace and brings the element of comedy. I feel that without Snow White we might not have movies like Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs so remember the classics because without them the inspiration for some of our favorites might not have happened.

The Musical...Review of Singing in the Rain

Singing in the rain is a film about the transition in the film industry from silent films to talking pictures.  Silent film actress Lina Lamont played by Jean Hagen is very popular film start that is struggling to make the transitions to talking pictures, I don’t know if it was the Jean Hagen brilliance or her natural voice but when  she first spoke it was truly awful.  The director really capture’s the fact that whatever she is saying in the silent films we really don’t want to hear.  Another key concept that I took away from this movie is that without sound the actors and actress are just shadows on the screen, and if you have seen one silent film you have seen them all.

One of the best scenes in the film is when Gene Kelley is describing the modern number in the film and when he sees the woman from across the room and the musical number goes all instrumental and is a great metaphor for that and how important sound is to film.

With well placed, music, acting, and good script all working together you can tell your story to the audience and singing in the rain is a great example of that.  Without the sound all movies would be the same.