Hello Film Students!
In the comments section, I'd like you to write me a letter telling me about your experience with cinema. You can talk about anything you'd like. Here are some SUGGESTIONS of things you can talk about. YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION! THESE ARE SIMPLY GUIDES.
How many movies do you usually see in a year?
What are your favorite movies?
What are your least favorite movies?
How has your taste in film changed from when you were younger?
Do you like foreign films with subtitles? Why or why not?
Do you like black and white films? Why or why not?
Do you like horror movies?
Do you like romantic comedies?
Do you like war films?
Do you like action films?
Do you like cartoon/animated movies?
Do you like anime (Japanese animation)?
Do you like movies that make you cry?
Who is your favorite actor and why?
Who is your least favorite actor and why?
Who is your favorite director and why?
Do you watch movies with your parents/family? If so what kinds of movies do you watch with them?
Do you regularly read any film critics? If so, who?
Do you watch the Academy Awards or the Golden Globes? Do you remember what won Best Picture last year?
Do you ever use imdb.com (the Internet Movie Database) or rottentomatoes.com or metacritic.com?
Please write me a letter that's at least three paragraphs long. Make sure your sentence structure, grammar and spelling are correct. Just because this is a blog doesn't mean that you can use internet shorthand.
This is due on Tuesday Sept. 8th by 11pm. Please type your first name and your last initial either in the letter or as your name for the comment itself.
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Mr. Dunn,
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movies are Slumdog Millionaire, It's a Wonderful Life, Enchanted, 500 Days of Summer, and Seven Pounds. I am not a huge movie buff, mainly because I don't really have the free time to watch movies. My least favorite movies are Atonement and Revolutionary Road.
I am very selective about the movies I watch. I hate scary movies. They are so unrealistic that I can't even sit through them. I will only watch them with someone who has seen the movie so I know when to cover my eyes and ears. I am more of a comedy fan. I like to laugh because the world is serious enough as it is. I don't like anime. I like to cry in movies sometimes, but I would say romantic comedies are my favorite.
Most of the movies I watch are with my family. We watch old Christmas movies like It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story. I have come to hate imbd because my dad uses it to find mistakes. I have seen Napoleon Dynamite numerous times with my dad pointing out differences in straw positions and other mistakes. My favorite actress is Amy Adams. I think she is incredible. She can go from a serious role like in Doubt to a silly role like Enchanted without a problem.
-Amanda K.
Thanks Amanda! Good job! I'm not a fan of Seven Pounds, and I do like Revolutionary Road and Atonement, though I know people that love those movies a lot more than I do. I think you will like Jaws even though it is scary. It's not the sort of film that's too sadistic or depressing in its horror. 500 Days of Summer is a great film! It's one of my ten favorite of 2009 so far. Amy Adams can be good, but I also find her squeaky voice and her wide-eyed innocence irritating sometimes, though I thought she was the best part of Enchanted by far. She was in another movie called Junebug that I haven't seen, but I hear she's amazing in that.
ReplyDeleteCourtney W.
ReplyDeleteMr. Dunn,
It's hard to pick, but I'd say my favorite movies are The Replacements, Burn After Reading, and The Wild Thornberrys Movie. They are all completely different movies, but all great none the less. I think my least favorite movie is Moulin Rouge.
My movie taste really hasn't changed since I was younger. I love cartoons, comedies, and sappy/mushy movies. I am not too fond of horror movies, but it really all depends.
My favorite actor is Jon Lovitz. He makes me laugh in just about every movie he is in. He has that quality that makes you love him. My least favorite actress is Drew Barrymore. I don't really have an explaination for this...there is just something about her that bugs me. I have a hard time watching her in movies.
Hi Mr. Dunn,
ReplyDeleteI really like watching movies, and I try to watch a wide variety of films, even if I have my doubts at first. My favorite types of movies are actually dramas, but enjoy good comedy as well. I also like watching indie movies. I cannot stand "slasher flicks" because I simply do not have the stomach, but I do like suspense thrillers or older scary movies, such as Children of the Corn, Jaws, The Shining, or Carrie. I do not normally watch anime, but if I hear great reviews about one, then I try to see it (most of these were Hayao Miazaki films such as Spirited Away or Grave of the Fireflies).
Some of my favorite movies include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Doctor Zhivago, Forrest Gump, A League of Their Own, The Basketball Diaries, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and Into the Wild. More recent movies I really enjoyed were Revolutionary Road, Sunshine Cleaning, Away We Go, and Defiance. Movies I hated were My Sister's Keeper, The Time Traveler's Wife, and the 2nd Transformers. My dad loves to watch movies and we are the ones who tell everyone in the family what to watch.
As far as film critics go, the ones I read regularly are Owen Gilberman (Entertainment Weekly) and Roger Ebert, although I try to have my own opinion on a movie before reading a critique. The biggest "critiques" for me are the SAG Awards and the Academy Awards (even though I liked having only 5 best picture nominations instead of the new 10). I try to make sure I can watch as many nominated films before the awards with certain exceptions. (I couldn't get through No Country for Old Men for the violence aspect)
-Katherine
Wow Katherine! I'm impressed. You seem to really know your stuff. By the way, since I'm like insane when it comes to details, Grave of the Fireflies wasn't Miyazaki. We definitely have different taste in film, though I completely respect yours. Almost all of your favorite movies are films that I had some problems with, but they're credible choices nonetheless. Ebert and Gleiberman are two of my favorite critics, and I think they write better than almost every other critic out there. No Country for Old Men is a tough sit, but you might want to consider revisiting it someday a couple of years from now. It's truly brilliant!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post Courtney. In the future, please try and write more for each paragraph. I've never seen The Replacements. I might just have to check it out. I like Moulin Rouge a lot, but it's certainly a film that has the potential to annoy people. Jon Lovitz is an interesting choice. I didn't realize that he's made very many movies. Have you ever watched his animated television show The Critic which was only on for a season or two over ten years ago. I absolutely LOVE IT, and I'm sure you can watch it on YouTube. I like Drew Barrymore but she's one of those actors/actresses that many critics think isn't very talented.
ReplyDeleteMolly P
ReplyDeleteMr. Dunn,
Hello!
To start off, some of my favorite movies include The Perfect Storm, Psycho, Amadeus, Into the Wild, The Illusionist, Nacho Libre, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I like all kinds of movies including movies that make me cry and classic Disney movies, although I don’t find myself watching anime movies. The Illusionist is one of my favorite movies because the plot leaves clues everywhere and then when you think its heading in one direction, it changes up on you in the end (still making sense of course). There is another movie with that type of plot called Brick. It’s a modern, film noir type of movie that’s set in a high school. There are some movies that attempt at making amazing plots and majorly fail. That is why those movies aren’t on my favorite movie list. When Nacho Libre first came out I thought it was going to be a really stupid movie. Then I watched it and realized it is actually really funny and very quotable. You should watch it.
When I was younger my dad rented a bunch of sci-fi movies so I used to love movies like Planet of the Apes (the original), War of the Worlds (again the original), and Back to the Future Parts 1 - 3. He also rented movies such as the 50 Foot Man, which isn’t scary (or good), just funny. More serious movies, or sad movies tend to be my favorite although I do watch cheesy romantic comedies and odd movies a lot as well.
I like Spielberg and Tim Burton films. I frequently do go on imdb.com to look up actors and what movies are coming up in the next few years. I went to a film camp over the summer. It was only a week so there was only so much we could learn. We did learn some cinematography, how to work the cameras, editing, and different shots to set the mood in a scene. We also watched and discussed clips from movies and TV shows such as The Silence of the Lambs, LOST, and Children of Men. It was quite a fun experience.
Thanks Molly. Great job. I've never seen The Illusionist, but I've heard really good things about it, so I will definitely check it out. I love the fact that you mentioned Brick! I absolutely love that film, and I've had a chance to see its director, Rian Johnson, at a preview screening of The Brothers Bloom, which is a film you should see, especially if you like Brick.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard anyone say anything good about Nacho Libre until you, but if I get a chance, I'll watch it someday.
Saad S.
ReplyDeletehey mr. dunn !
I watch plenty of movies throughout the year, some of my favorites are Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Office Space, Rat Race, Donnie Darko, the strangers, and many more. I love foreign films that i can understand like french and arabic movies. Some of the classics I like are The Shining, the Star Wars movies, and Lebanese sensation Nancy Ajram video clips.
I'm a big horror movie fan, my favorite actors include Jake Gyllenhall, Kristen Bell, Mark Wahleberg,and some others. I've always been a Steven Spielberg fan even before watching his movies. I usually force people to watch certain movies/tv shows wether they like it or not, as long as I like the movie they watch it.
I only watch the Emmys when my favorite shows are nominated and i used imdb and metacritic before watching any movie. I believe Slumdog won last year's academy awards.
Carla S.
ReplyDeleteHey Mr. Dunn,
Honestly, I don't watch too many movies, but it's because I hardly have time to. I enjoy all kinds of movies including dramas, romantic comedies, comedies, musicals and animated movies. I am a sucker for cliche romantic comedies in which anyone can easily predict the ending and I am almost guaranteed to cry during any sad, dramatic movie. The first movie that made me cry was Free Willy when I was about 8. The one movie that I never fail to cry at the end of is A Walk to Remember. Cheesy as most of them are, I love pretty much all musicals. My favorite being the not so cheesy, RENT. Movies I love include The Sandlot, The Breakfast Club, The Prestige, Juno and School Of Rock, just to name a few. I really enjoy animated movies such as Cars, The Incredible and Finding Nemo
My brother and dad really enjoy watching action movies, so I usually join them in watching, although they are not typically my favorite. I enjoy watching horror films, but usually regret it after wards because I get scared and paranoid easily. I'm trying to watch more documentaries, but my absolute favorite so far is Mad Hot Ballroom. I love watching movies based on books because I am an avid reader, and I like comparing the two.
I like watching movies before I read reviews because I like forming my own opinion without being persuaded by someone else first. I use IMDB to look up actors and actresses and for movie releases. My favorite actor is Will Smith, because I enjoyed him in Fresh Prince of Bel-Air but I like the fact that he can do a serious role like in Pursuit of Happyness. I'm trying to expand my horizon in movies, and watch more of them and I'm excited for this class!
Hello Mr Dunn this is Charlie G.
ReplyDeleteMy interest in film was developed as a child watching my dad's old war movies and classic film noir choices. My most watched channels on television as a child were Turner Classic Movies and American Movie Classics. From there, I collected some movies on VHS, mainly blockbusters, but also a few odds and ends. As I grew a bit older, I got tired of what I saw on cable and began to broden my horizons to Gundam, a classic Japanese anime show, which I continue to watch on DVDs, now that it is not in major syndication.
My tastes in film tend to be more realistic, and usually lie in foreign films or more serious drama and action films. Many recent films have put me off, but comedies are always consistenly watchable from my point of view. On many levels, my favorite actors and genres are far easier to describe than my favorite films. Actors such as James Crommwell, Liam Neeson, Brian Cox, Stanley Tucci, Bill Nighy, John Cazale, Robert Duvall, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Anthony Hopkins, and on a comedic side Simon Pegg (I think he is a very good actor nonetheless, especially considering how young he is) symbolize my favorite styles. Toned down, but always able to convey what they must for thier characters to have impact.Of course, not all of these actors play lead roles, but that is why I admire thier ability to use what little screen time they have, to really perform well. Without a good supporting cast, no movie can seem convincing.
Through Criterion collection Laserdiscs and DVDs, I have discovered Akira Kurosawa, and Yukio Mishima, and have begun to really appreciate foreign film, which I used to never really consider. I have since begun to use subtitles on my collection of dubbed films. Black and white is sometimes good, but unless the mood that is being conveyed is overly dark, or sterile, I prefer color. I happen to love the Talking Head concert film Stop Making Sense, directed by Johnathan Demme. Romantic Comedies, I would rather bash my head in (sorry to any future dates, but I just can't sit through one, believe me, I've tried). I usually don't watch movies with my parents, since we have different tastes. My favorite director, well, for action, you really can't beat John Mctiernan, but beside that, directors aren't my speciality, though it isn't that I don't know many, it's just that I find it irrelevant, since even good directors make bad movies, and even bad directors make good movies. ONe thing I am certain of, is that I am not interested in Bollywood. Overly emotional movies aren't always bad, but they don't really entertain me, though I do like some. For the record a movie has never made me cry, and I would like to keep it that way. All in all, though, my expanding taste in movies is in part due to my collecting of laserdiscs, which in the process of shopping for them, has made me notice older films and newer ones alike that I wouldn't look twice at a DVD display row. Since I don't go to the movies, home video is my only real outlet for film, since most of what's on cable is trash anyway.
Well, if this little post isn't too long for you, I would love to hear your thoughts Mr. Dunn. Have a wonderful labor day.
Mr Dunn,
ReplyDeleteMy favorite types of movies are action, science fiction, comedy, and war movies. Some of my favorite war/action movie titles include: Braveheart, Gladiator, Kill Bill Volume One, Kill Bill Volume Two, the Terminator, Predator, Inglorious Basterds, District 9, the Star Wars Series, Fight Club, and the Matrix. Some of my favorite comedy movies include: The School of Rock, Dumb and Dumber, Dazed and Confused, Pineapple express, Office Space, and Superbad.
Of all the movies listed above, my favorites are Kill Bill Volume One and Kill Bill Volume Two. The story line, action scenes, acting, and music are just superb in both movies. The first movie focuses on brutal violence and the revenge of the bride. The second movie focuses on the intelligent dialog of characters interacting with each other. This results in the movies complementing each other well and is a nice change of pace compared to the average action movie. Although the movies complement each other, neither movie is lacking in content and could stand alone, despite being a part of a series. The storyline is fairly simple, a distraught woman attempts to seek revenge on her former boss and his associates for attempting to kill her and her baby, but the movies’ in depth scenes, complex character backgrounds, and overwhelming action makes up for the simplistic main storyline.
The director of these two movies is Quentin Tarantino. He is one of my favorite directors. The way he uses clever cut scenes and strange but somehow fitting music adds to the uniqueness of his movies. Movies by Quentin Tarantino amaze me; they are somehow simple but still intelligent to watch. The dialog by the characters is really in depth, but not too much to the point where you don’t understand what is going on. The action sequences are brutally violent, but always well choreographed and appeared to be realistic. To this day Quentin Tarantino will continue to remain one of my favorite directors.
The director of those two movies is Quentin Tarantino. He is one of my favorite directors of this age. The way he uses clever cut scenes and strange but somehow fitting music adds to the uniqueness of his movies. Movies by Quentin Tarantino amaze me; they are somehow simple but still intelligent to watch. Mainly the dialog by the characters is really in depth but not to much to the point where you don’t understand what is going on. The action sequences a brutal violent, but well always well choreographed and realistic looking. To this day Quentin Tarantino will continue to remain one of my favorite directors.
Lindsay Ruais
ReplyDeleteHey Mr.Dunn!
You probably know that I go and see a lot of movies with Michelle, but I generally like all of the movies I see. Generally being the operative word.
Some of my long time favorites are Nightmare Before Christmas, Aladdin, The Mask, Beetlejuice, Master of Disguise, Howl's Moving Castle, Grease, and Jumanji.
From some of that you can probably tell that I like Disney, and I admit that I am a Disney nerd. I love a Disney movies mostly from when I was a little girl, but some of the new ones are pretty good.
Any how, some new movies I liked were Inglorious Basterds, The Time Travler's Wife, and GI - Joe (It was a good movie so go and at least watch it before you say it's horrible). Inglorious was probably the best out of those three, but I digress. There were some new movies I saw and either liked some or just hated straight up and those were Harry Potter 6 and Public Enemies. Public Enemies was BAD and I had to put that in all caps because it was so bad. I and a Johnny Depp fan and I can't find anything to justify that movie, his acting was bad, the story was bad, it was two hours and a half of torture. Only one scene was good and it's not even worth $8.00 for a ticket.
Okay enough ranting from me, I like alot of movies but I expecially like Anime or Japanese films. Studio Ghibli films are really good and you don't even have to be a child to enjoy them. I recomend watching them in Japanese with subtitles becuase most dubs are not very good, although I liked the dub in Howl's Moving Castle. I love Musicals, with Grease of course being my favorite. I also seem to like most of the movies directed, or that had something to do with Tim Burton.
I hate scary movies for no reason that I can seem to justify. I just really hate them. I'd probably watch one if I was forced to, but I wouldn't of my own free will. On the contrary, I love Comedies, Action, Musicals, Dramas, and the occasional chick flick.
That's all I've got in my brain, see you on Tuesday Mr. Dunn!
Sam Walters
ReplyDeleteMr. Dunn,
I’m a big fan of comedy, action, and sports movies. My favorites are The Dark Knight, Step Brothers, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Longest Yard from 2005, Glory Road, and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. I don’t really have a favorite actor but a few that I like are Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Adam Sandler, Matt Damon, Will Ferrell, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, and Tommy Lee Jones. I generally watch either PG-13 or R rated movies and sometimes an occasional PG movie if it’s good. I don’t watch too many R rated movies with my parents, but I do watch some with my friends or my brother. I never read what film critics have to say about certain movies. I always ask my friends if they saw a movie that recently came out and if they liked it or not.
I usually don’t watch the Golden Globes or Academy Awards, but I do read about it online. There aren’t any types of movies I hate, but I typically won’t watch romances, anime, foreign movies, or black and white films. I almost never go to movie theaters, but I do watch a lot of movies on HBO, Starz, Cinemax, Showtime, or The Movie Channel. I might see 100 to 200 movies a year, but I do watch some movies more than once so I probably only watch 20 to 30 new movies a year.
Dear Mr. Dunne,
ReplyDeleteFirst off I'd like to say I'm really glad that I'm one of the chosen few to be in your film class this semester. I do really enjoy movies from a wide variety. One of my all-time favorites would have to be The Shawshank Redemption because of its quality plot and brilliant ending. Some of the comedies I really enjoy are The Hangover and Forgetting Sarah Marshall just because they are such feel good movies. I don't mind movies with subtitles especially if they're good films. Monsoon Wedding and Slumdog Millionaire are two really good Indian movies and The Orphanage is probably my favorite Spanish movie.
My favorite actor is Leonardo Dicaprio just because his performances are always solid and it seems that he's never in a bad movie. I loved the Departed, Blood Diamond, The Beach, and especially the scene in Titanic when he draws a picture of that woman. As a kid I would always sneak that vhs cassette and forward fast to that scene.
I know there is lots of movies I'm forgetting to mention here and soon as I post this I'm going to remember them all. I'm really looking forward to improving my movie knowledge this year.
Rachael B.
ReplyDeleteHey.!
I believe my life has been impacted by my “cinematic adventures”, as Dane Cook calls them. Two of the first movies I remember watching are The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. I still love these Disney Movies, no matter how strange that may seem. But I think I can honestly say that I have gone from loving cheesy movies as a child to loving even MORE cheesy movies now. For example I love Dirty Dancing and Cry-Baby. But I also love the movies Mozart and The Whale and Amélie. I absolutely adore foreign films.
I remember watching a lot of movies with my dad. We watched some of the best movies I have ever seen. We saw Marx Brothers movies, anything with both Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, and a lot of movies with Clint Eastwood. Specific Movies I remember watching would be Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, The Princess Bride, You’ve Got Mail and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
I see about ten movies a year in theater, and another ten to fifteen movies in the comfort of my own home. I love almost any type of movie, from the “laugh-out-loud” comedy to the completely horrific. I need a movie that can make me laugh, cry or scream. Sometimes I just don’t find things in movie to be funny, so if I actually laugh, that’s a good thing. My least favorite actors would probably be Nicholas Cage and Lindsay Lohan. My favorite Actors would have to be Heath Ledger (R.I.P.), Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep.
I have a long list of movies I have not had the chance to see yet. On this “list” you would find Once, Su Nombre, and Little Ashes. I am also very excited for movies that are coming out like Where the Wild Things Are and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. I don’t watch the Academy Awards of the Golden Globes, but I do check the paper the next day to see who won what. If I do watch any awards show its more to see everyone on the red carpet. So in short, I like funny movies, my dad inspired my love of film, I’d rather watch an awards show for fashion, than the actual awards, and I will do close to anything for a good foreign film.
Thanks.
Alex I.
ReplyDeleteMr.Dunn,
Hey,
Okay so let me start with some of my favorite movies. They are Flags of Our Fathers, Pirates of the Caribbean, Benny and Joon, Schindler's List, Fight Club, What's Eating Gilbert Grape and UP. Now I know their kind of all over the place but these movies come to me first when I think of my favorite. I feel Flags of Our Fathers and Schindler's list are excellent movies at showing periods of time that were rough. Pirates of the Caribbean and Fight Club are great action movies and not once did they lose my attention during them. Benny and Joon is hard to explain why it is one of my favorites. What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a story that can show how a disfunctional family can still stay together and I love all the characters in it. Finally UP is one of my favorites because I just think its the cutest movie ever.
My taste in films definitely have changed over the years. This is so because when I was younger I will admit that I was into cheesy movies. I have come to realize that a movie needs a legit point and the acting ability is kind of crucial in the movie.
I have always loved horror movies. I know I am one of the few that probably like horror movies but I like the suspense that they can create. I sometimes like action movies but if the entire movie is just filled with things blowing up or cars crashing it gets kind of old to me.
My favorite actor of all time is Johnny Depp. If you can tell by some of my favorite movies I tend to like most of the stuff he is in. I like him so much because he can really adapt to every character he has. He has gone from as a pirate to a murderer in Secret Window to Don Juan and than to a man with hands a scissors, and thats just the beginning. He makes the movie worth watching to me.
I do watch the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes every year. I started watching them when I was younger and have never stopped. They introduce me to films that i have not heard of and sometimes interest me in films that I may not have wanted to see. I also use imdb. It helps me alot with finding out the names of newer actors in films that I watch.
Taylor C
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Dunn,
Let's start with a listing of some of my favorite movies. I have a pretty wide variety of genres I enjoy, but I tend to be more attracted to a darker film. I like Fight Club, American History X, Edward Sisscor Hands, Kiki's Delivery Service, The War of the Worlds (Original), The Shining, No Country for Old Men, and Forrest Gump. That's only naming a very small group. That list is completely different from what I would have listed when I was younger. As a child I was really into animated movies such as We're Back: A Dinosaur Story, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and James in the Giant Peach.
One of my favorite actors is Edward Norton. It's mostly because he's starred in two of my favorite movies, and I think he's quite beautiful. I also am a Dom Deliuse he was in a lot of my childhood favorites like All Dogs go to Heaven and The Secrets of NIHM, Oliver & Company, and An American Tale. My least favorite is Tom Cruise, simply because I think he's nuts. Also he ruined Valkyrie which I was very excited about.
My favorite director of all time; even since I was young is Tim Burton. His clay-mation films were also on my childhood favorite list. I also used to love BeatleJuice, Edward Sisscor Hands. Jumping subjects I forgot to mention I love cult classics such as Donnie Darko and RHPS.
Dear Mr. Dunn,
ReplyDeleteI must say movies are definitly in my top 5 category for favorite hobbys in my life. I am not so much a fan of going to the movie theatre and paying over 10 dollars to watch movies, unless it looks AMAZING in the trailer on television, but lets just say that the people at blockbuster know who i am...haha.I also like to watch movies on HBO, or STARZ or what ever is on television. I used to have a list of all my favortie movies but i made it when i was about 11 and the order and number of movies has changed quite a bit but my number one still stands the same as "The Sandlot" haha it is a chessy 90's "little boy" baseball movie and as corny and adolecent as it may seem I still watch it at least 5 times a year. I love all kinds of movies though, I dont really have a distinquished taste in genres. I like black and white movies because your more focused on whats really going on in the movie and not the color of his/her shirt. I don't really like movies with subtitles because then I become more focused on reading and not missing any of the subtitles than watching the actual movie, haha as ADD as it may seem i can't read and watch/understand the movie at the same time,thats just me. Even though I dont really like subtitles, I sometimes like to watch Spanish movies on television because there always so intense and dramatic and even though I have absolutley no idea what they are saying I pretend I do or try to figure it out, but I just love how dramatic they are, it makes me laugh. I like movies that make me cry but only the "happy cry" A.K.A the Notebook not the "depressing cry" A.K.A Marley and Me when the doggy dies :(
One of my favorite actors in Will Smith, I like that he can act in some movies and be so funny, and cool at the same time, while in other movies he can portray such a strong character and bring the character to life so easily. I really liked I am Legend, 7 pounds (Ive never cried more in a movie than that one) Hitch, and of course Men in Black. I dont really have a favorite director because I cant really tell how good a movie is by the director to be quite honest, I just pay attention to the actors or the plot of the movie.
My mom and I watch a lot of movies together, my dad isnt really a movie guy, and my sister is at college but sometimes we watch some together. I try to make my friends watch with me at sleepovers but they ALWAYS fall asleep on me by about the middle of the movie(so annoying). Thats one thing I wont do, I never fall asleep during movies, once it starts playing I finsih it.
I dont ever watch Acadamy Awards or Golden Globes I always get a bit bored during them. This is my first movie/film blog but I like reading everyone elses comments and might start doing it more often even after the semester class is over!
Sorry mine is so long haha...
-Janet Tela
Dear Mr. Dunn,
ReplyDeleteI do not think I watch to many movies, but many people disagree. I own more then 100 movies. I usually see that many a year, or more. I do not really keep count. I cannot really pick my favorite movies but the movie that I have watched the most was Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I do not have a least favorite movie but I dislike the “redneck” comedies or the Tyler Perry movies, how they do well in the box office is beyond me. My taste has gone from bad to worse. I watched whatever my siblings watched like Sound of Music or E.T. now I watch whatever I can watch with Netflix and the Roku.
I like all the movie listings you have except war films and anime. To me, they lack plot lines, but then again I haven’t watched many of them. My first horror film was Scream and will always will be favorite. I like the serial killer stuff not the ghost or magic things because to me that is just not real. I cry a lot during romantic movies with The Time Traveler’s Wife and My Sister’s Keeper. I like when books become movies because then I usually read the book first and compare them. I am excited to see Lovely Bones but was disappointed by the Time Traveler’s Wife, that I’m not putting my hopes up.
My least favorite actor is Jim Carrey, the only reason I saw Yes Man was because of Zooey Deschanel, who is my favorite actress along with Amy Adams, and Rachel McAdams. They have done some bad movies but then they make some really great ones like Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Wedding Crashers, and (500) Days of Summer. I also enjoy Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Their films are funny but still dark. British films are also some of my favorites like Happy-Go-Lucky. I don’t really have a favorite director but I love all of John Hughes films and own most of them. I listen to the Flimspotting podcast. I usually agree with their opinions and try different movies according to them. I watch the awards shows, and Slumdog Millionaire won last year. The soundtrack to that movie was the best thing. I was glad to finally see an Indian movie do so well, because I like Bend it like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice, which star Indian actresses. I go own imdb.com a lot to look up new movies, actors, and directors. I’ll give anything a chance, but usually if I don’t like it, I don’t like it.
Dearest BrIaN DuNn,
ReplyDeleteMy favorite movies include Get Rich or Die Tryin, Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan and Old School. Get Rich or Die Tryin is an enjoyable movie because you get to watch 50 Cent mugging people and rising to the top. That is all i have to say regarding that movie. Gladiator is my favorite movie of all because of the nonstop action and great portrayal of past times. The other two are great movies that can be watched multiple times, keeping very entertaining. I am not into the black in white movies because they are real old and do not usually have any visual effects .
My favorite genre of movies is war because if made properly it not only can give historical facts but also can entertain with big explosions and action. My least favorite genre of movies is romance because nobody really cares and there is just no entertainment in watching them. I look at rottentomatoes every once in awhile and agree with how they rate movies, but I don't go and see movies based on these ratings because the high rated movies are usually slow and better for watching at home.
My favorite actor is Denzel Washington. He is a great actor and is great in almost all his movies. I also like Mark Whalberg not really for his acting but his involvement in production of movies and tv shows, such as in my opinion the best of his work Entourage on HBO. The worst actor is Chanting Tatum which can be seen in everyone of his roles including GI Joe.
Zach B
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Dunn,
I really like movies and my favorite movie is actually the Lord of the Rings trilogy. These movies cover a broad set of interests. They have drama, war, and lots of action. My least favorite movie has to be The Happening. I really don't have to explain if you have seen it.
My favorite types of film are definitely really gritty war movies such as saveing private ryan. I also enjoy commedy alot but I don't like commedies like Step Brothers. I hate any romantic comedy or bromedy. My guilty pleasure was Max Payne because of it's over the top action scenes.
My favorite director of all time is Peter Jackson. He has made some of the greatest movies of all time. His works that I like are King Kong, Lord of the Rings, Disrict 9 even though he was a producer. Every summer I see movie every week. My favorite movie of this summer was definitely Disrict 9 even though Inglorius Bastards was really good.
Katarina A.
ReplyDeleteMr. Dunn,
My favorite movies are Step Brothers, Spiderman, 10 Things I Hate About You, Silence of the Lambs, Wedding Crashers, and Pocahontas. The actors that I enjoy watching are Will Ferrell, Anthony Hopkins, Owen Wilson, and Ryan Gosling. My favorite actresses are Rachel McAdams, Brittany Murphy, and Reese Witherspoon. The only actor/ actress I cannot stand watching is Nicholas Cage.
I enjoy watching comedies, romantic comedies, scary movies at times, and tear jerkers. Horror or suspense don't usually get my attention except in Silence of the Lambs and Fracture. Anthony Hopkins plays the same mysterious character in both films. Also, most pixar productions make me happy.
I do not like most war movies that take place during or before WWII except Pearl Harbor. Though its not my first choice, recent war movies aren't bad. I can not stand some science fiction movies like Lord of the Rings. I also hate slow movies that have boring characters. I guess my over all movie preferece depends on my mood.
Hunter R
ReplyDeleteHi, Mr. Dunn!
To start off, some of my all time favorite movies include Taken, Tropic Thunder, Kung Fu Panda, Akira, The Host, Blazing Saddles, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Young Frankenstein. As you can probably infer from my choices, my favorite genres include action, comedy, and anime movies. I'm not really into horror movies, although I have seen The Grudge and I was coerced into seeing Saw V, I did not enjoy either. Horror movies and slasher movies as a whole to me are simply unrealistic and to my mind, follow the same formula most of the time. I tend to gravitate towards serious and dramatic movies. Romance, romantic comedies, and your typical Disney/Pixar fare don't hold my interest. Movies that rely too heavily on special effects such as the recent Transformers movies do not really hold my interest either, though I make a special exception for martial arts movies, which I appreciate as I myself am a martial artist.
My movie choices are in part thanks to my dad, who introduced me to his favorite director, Luc Besson. One of Besson's movies that I have watched and re-watched is The Professional, starring Jean Reno (who, coincidentally resembles my dad) and Gary Oldman. Although this movie is quite violent, I first saw it when I was about 11. Some other of his movies I enjoyed are the Transporter series, Unleashed, Kiss of the Dragon, and The Fifth Element. Usually I am not very good at keeping track of directors, so I'm not a huge follower of one specific director. The execption is anime, as I am also a fan of Hayao Miyazaki. Normally, I tend to identify more with characters than actors, for example, I don't really like Brad Pitt, but I do appreciate Tyler Durden. I do have a few favorite actors, such as Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Clive Owen, Liam Neeson, Simon Pegg, as well as the ubiquitous martial arts movie actors such as Jet Li and Tony Jaa.
I do not really follow award systems such as the Golden Globes or the Academy Awards, and as such I cannot readily tell you what movies won what awards. Further, I do not follow movie critics, although I am a frequent user of imdb.com. I do read rottentomatoes.com, but not very frequently, and I normally use metacritic.com for video games rather than film.
I am definitely looking forward to this class, as previous students have lauded it as being very interesting as well as broadening their horizons when it comes to film.
Gina M
ReplyDeleteHey Mr. Dunn!
Ever since my family got a Netflix subscription last year I have turned into a movie freak. I don’t know many things about the way movies are made and who are the best directors and producers in the film industry, but I can assure you that I watch a lot of them. This summer alone I saw at least 15 movies in the theater, and many more at home.
Although I’ve seen a lot of films, I have to say I’m pretty picky when it comes to what I really enjoy watching. It may not be a specific genre, but I think my favorite types of movies are those that make me cry (sounds weird, I know). I like feeling emotionally connected to a character’s situation and to be able to actually feel what they’re feeling. It took me a while to stop crying whenever I watch The Notebook, but the best movie for a good cry is Splendor in the Grass. I also love indie movies, like the ones shown at the Sundance Film Festival. I saw (500) Days of Summer and Paper Heart not long ago and loved them both. I like comedies and thrillers, but that’s where I can be picky. Horror movies are hard for me to watch just because I think most are pretty cheesy, though I think The Exorcist is great. I’d have to say my least favorite genre is action, mostly because I hate extremely long fight scenes.
My favorite movies include Empire Records, Fight Club, Forest Gump, Titanic, and I currently can’t stop watching Grease. My least favorite movie is probably The Happening. I’m surprised I didn’t walk out of the theater when I saw it. My favorite actors are Tom Hanks, Edward Norton, and John Cusack. My favorite actresses are Rachel McAdams, Scarlet Johansson, and Penelope Cruz.
- Gina
Dimitri I
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Dunn,
My favorite movies are all Spidermen movies, every X-Men movies, Toy Story, The Matrix, and The Incredibles. These Movies all consist of super human powers which is what interest me in movies. I feel that movies should show things not possible in real life. I enjoyed the first Matrix, because of the well written story line. The Matrix was able to change the way you think of life.(In my opinion)
I'm also a fan of all Superheros, my favorite Superhero is Spiderman due to his complete coolness to shoot webs and beat up villians. He is a true well rounded Superhero being related to a spider. I dislike superman due to the fact he's basicly has every power and is some what not fair to other Superhero's. I have an intrest in all superhero movies.
My favorite movie of all time is Toy Story. This movie started it all for me, with humor and goofness of Woody. Whenever I watch this movie it reminds me of being a kid and makes me want to dance. Trully i do not parttake in dancing, but this movie just brings it out of me. I always will give every movie a chance to impress me, and not to picky on what watch.
Mr. Dunn
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite movies are Pride and Prejudice, The Lion King, and probably Braveheart and Master and Commander. I love romantic comedies and all the disney classics. Actually, Im pretty much a Disney freak, but thats not the point. The worst movies I've seen are Cloverfield, and some of the really dumb old horror films such as Carrie.
Im not a big fan of horror films, just because i find them pointless and dumb. I really enjoy action and war films, especially the really violent and detailed kind for some reason. I like the old western movies and a good black and white film. I usually always like the Disney animated movies that come out. I usualy like a tear jerker. I tend to watch a lot of movies with my family. We are big users of netflix, so ive seen a whole range of movies. If im up, then i will watch the academy awards, but i usually dont.
My Favorite actors are Gerard Butler and Keira Knightly. I cant really say I have a least favorite actor. Basically i just like a good movie. Im always interested in seeing them, and will go for anything that sounds interesting. I absolutely cannot stand 3D though.
Olivia B.
Courtney W....again.
ReplyDeleteMr. Dunn,
I'm not a huge movie buff, so I really don't see too many movies a year. But when I do, i definitely go and see movies in theaters more than I rent them. I recently just saw "All About Steve", and I have to say that is my new least favorite movie. As I said before, my favorite movies are The Replacements(definitley check it out), Burn After Reading, and The Wild Thornberries(and I'm not even kidding).
The movie genres I enjoy most are comedies, cartoons, action, and romance. I will watch horror from time to time, but it is not my favorite. I especially do not enjoy realistic horrors that I feel are relateable to me (i.e. When A Stranger Calls). I really do not care for foreign, anime, and wars films. Granted, I have never really given them a try, so I might like them eventually. I like watching movies that make me cry...but only because of romances. I do not like crying because I'm scared.
When watching films with my family, I usually stick to comedies and such. I do not usually look up film reviews/film critics. I watch the Academy Awards whenever my mother is...but other than that, not really. I use imbd.com alot. Whether is looking up a characeter from a movie, and reading what a movie is about, but thats pretty much the only movie cite I ever go to.
Mr. Dunn,
ReplyDeleteI usually like comedy movies that make me laugh or sometimes deep movies that make me think if I'm in the mood. I don't really like sad movies so much because even though alot of them are really good I don't like feeling sad during a movie. I like some cartoons like some Disney movies and stuff. For example I saw Up this summer and I liked it but I usually don't like anime cartoons and movies like that, mainly cause I'm just not too interested in that stuff.
Off the top of my head I can't really think of any favorite or least favorite actors or actresses of mine. It's also hard to think of my favorite movies but I saw Slumdog Millionare recently and really liked it. I don't really go to the movies as much as I used to and I've been busy lately with summer schoolwork so I didn't get to watch alot of movies this summer but I usually watch a pretty good amount. I watch movies with my family alot. There isn't any specific kind that we watch. My dad will just usually go to the movie store and pick out anything that looks good to him.
I watched some of the movie versions of my summer reading books this year too. I really liked One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest but I also watched The Scarlet Letter and I really didn't like it at all. I thought it was pretty boring and drawn out and the acting wasn't very good. I watch the Academy Awards and all those things occasionally but I usually don't know when they're on.
-Carrie Gillespie
Steven P
ReplyDeleteMr.Dunn,
I enjoy watching all different types of movies. I would probably say my favorite genre is comedy. Some classic comedys I like include Airplane and more recently The Hangover. I feel that movies that make me laugh are the most enjoyable for me.
I am a huge fan of both of the Godfather movies. I am extremly intrested in all the history and depiction of modern mobsters. Another movie I really like that fits with this category is The Untouchables. These movies are both fairly violent but I find them both extremly entertaining.
Some other dramas I really like include Forrest Gump and Hotel Rawanda. I saw Hotel Rawanda for the first time in Mr. Kuliks class last year and thought its depiction of genocide in Rawanda was very moving. Forrest Gump speaks for itself.
I have not seen many black and white films the only one i can remember seeing is Sergeant York. I have an open mind to many movies and never really hate a movie. I go to movies fairly often especially in the summer.
Tyler Hargett
ReplyDeleteI watch many movies through out the year. I like action/adventure, suspense, and comedies the most though. Normally, I watch action movies to not have to really think for a few hours and simply watch fighting on screen. It is a good way to not worry about any problems by watching movies like "12 Rounds" even though the acting is terrible. A good action movie was Transformers. The second one was simply giant robot fighting each other with random pieces of metal flying everywhere.
Suspense and comedies are probably my favorite genres. Comedies are fun to watch with friends. The Hangover and Wedding Crashers are two of my favorite movies of all time. Both, in my opinion, are hilarious and made me laugh throughout the movies. However, I hate Will Ferrel movies. I do not think they are funny at all. I enjoy suspense movies since I always enjoy guessing what is going to happen at the end. Good suspense movies surprise me while bad one are to predictable.
I have many movie annoyances. I will not watch a movie with subtitles because i spend the whole time reading the words and not watching the movie. I would even prefer a movie which I did not understand a single word then to one with subtitles. I also dislike "lovey dovey" chick flicks. Chick flicks about nothing but a guy and a girl falling in love or a girl succeeding at something nobody thought was possible. Lastly one movie i think probably cost 10 dollars to film was Meet the Spartans. That movie is the worst movie ever filmed although the makers made the easier million dollars ever.
Fred M.
ReplyDeleteHi Mr. Dunn,
As you, and probably everyone else would guess the movies that interest me the most are car movies. I especially like the chase scenes, and when stunts are involved. The only thing I don't really enjoy to see in movies are beautiful automobiles being crashed and destroyed! Especially when some cars in some older movies can now be worth as much as $50,000, when back then they were just considered junk.
Anyway, my favorite car movies are: Gone in 60 Seconds, The Fast and The Furious, Redline, and James Bond movies (especially the car chases).
Even though car movies are usually my favorite movies, I also like a wide variety of other movies including the Bourne Series, Indiana Jones, Terminator, A.I., The Haunting in Conneticut, Star Wars, and National Treasure.
The last thing I really enjoy is Knight Rider TV series/movie. Including both the old (1983) and new version(2008). Finally I also like the best kept movie secret of all time - PINGU!
Julia B
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Dunn,
I love movies. Generally I stick to the softer stuff, Romantic Comedies, Humor, and the like. I deal badly with Horror and Suspense, I'm usually the person who has to leave the room when the atmosphere gets to be too charged. Action movies just aren't my thing, Drama is alright every once in awhile, and I love Foreign films, subtitles included.
My mom and I watch old movies (TCM is one of our favorite channels) all the time. Black and white or color, we have no preference. Some of our favorite actors are Cary Grant, Rex Harrison, Margaret O'Brien, John Wayne, Gene Kelly, Katherine Hepburn, Myrna Loy, and William Powell. To name a few.
I am still a huge fan of Disney Princess Movies (not going to lie) and I am excessively excited for the Princess and the Frog movie coming out this December. Other movies I adore beyond all belief include Moonstruck (with Cher!!!!) Roxanne, Sabrina (either the Bogart/Hepburn or the one with Harrison Ford) You've Got Mail, and Clue the Movie.
Hey Mr. Dunn!
ReplyDeleteMovies, movies...I like all kinds of movies. I usually see about four or five new movies a year in theaters, but usually I just stick to ones I've already seen. I'm a big fan of classic Disney movies, specifically the Lion King. I love it's dynamic soundtrack. Also Finding Nemo and Wall-E are my favorite Pixar movies, because they both have excellent messages and they're exceptionally good at blending light-hearted comedy with their slightly more serious plotlines.
I tend to dislike movies that are unnecessarily gory and have little backbone, but I can appreciate a classic horror movie. I enjoy some of the bigger titles in horror like The Sixth Sense. I also adore Donnie Darko.
I don't watch that many black and white or foreign films, but one of my favorite movies of all time is Pan's Labarynth, which was in Spanish and subbed in English. I also LOVED Life is Beautiful, which was also subtitled.
I'm none too big a fan of anime movies; I tend to like cartoons better(like Disney and Dreamworks). I am also a HUGE fan of musical movies, specifically the Prince of Egypt. That said, I really hate movie adaptations of Broadway musicals. Movies like Mamma Mia just scream chick flick and I'm not one to watch romantic comedies. I might enjoy one every now and then, but generally I tend to avoid them for fear of boring plotlines and sappy one-liners.
My favorite actors would have to be Tom Hanks, Victor Garber, Morgan Freeman, Christian Bale, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Heath Ledger. I don't really have a favorite director, but I enjoy the work of Steven Speilberg among others.
I also don't read too many film critics(besides you :P), but I love Rotten Tomatoes just because of how brutally honest they are. I don't usually watch the Academy Awards; I just read the bulleted lists that come out the next day saying who won what.
Thanks Mr Dunn and I'm looking forward to a great year!! :)
Zach B.
ReplyDelete1. The first scene of the movie is scary because as you are watching its an average swim. Then you realize that something is wrong and the music begins. As you sit and watch this you are in the sharks perspective and this creates terror. This was rarely done when this movie came out and has set the standard
3. I think the story Quin tells was great because it created a character for him. It gave him a grudge against the shark and makes you cheer for him. The story also makes you feel sorry for him as he tells his tragic story. The fact that the story was real was also great.
5. This film was extremely successful because of the realism of it. At the time there wasnt many special effects and you can tell. Being on a beach were anybody can go or swim makes you want to see this film. Sharks are real and knowing that a shark could (could) get that big creates this real kind of fear. It also came out in the summer which is a beach filling season
7. The scariest film i have ever seen was Quarintine. Though it was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. When I watched this I turned the lights out and watched on my 40 in plasma with surround sound it was real and scary. It was the first movie to actually make me scream while watching it. The main reason was it was shot from a camera held by an actor.
Cory C.
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Dunn,
My favorite movies are Sin City and Pulp Fiction. I enjoy these movies because they are action packed, and the time lines are not in order. These movies also hold some of my favorite actors. Samuel L. Jackson and John Travulta are both in Pulp fiction and Bruce Willis is in Sin City.
My favorite kind of movies are action movies, war movies, and thrillers. I enjoy action and war movies because they are very exciting, and i enjoy thrillers because they are very interesting, and keep me on the edge of my seat.
My least favorite kind of movies are romantic movies, because i find them slow, boring, and predictable. I have never watched a foreign film in my life. my favorite movie as a kid was lassy, and i watched it a few years ago and realized how bad a movie it was, and wondered why i liked it.
Mr Dunn
ReplyDelete1) What I think makes the opening seen so scary is the fact that the shark's victim is most vulnerable at the time of the attack. She appears to be just a young innocent girl having fun. She is with her friends drinking and smoking. She is also naked when the shark attacks, and completely vulnerable. She is by herself and the one person that could have saved her is incapacitated. The shark violently thrashes her around adding elements of gore and fright.
2) I think the suspense and tension work so well in some scenes because of the music. The music really builds up tension. You can almost feel when the shark attack is coming but there is still a sense of suspense because music helps to build it. Also the fact that you can't see the shark (not shown until an hour in) also adds to the tension because if you can't physically see the shark, you don't know where it will strike. Just about all the scenes in “Jaws” where the shark attacks are suspenseful.
3) I think that Quint’s story is very entertaining and adds well to the movie. I like how it adds an element of reality to the shark attacks, and also gives the motivation for Quint as a character. We can really understand now why Quint is willing to hunt the shark, despite the dangerous conditions. It was well scripted and also really suspenseful. Overall I think it adds positively to the movie.
5) I think “Jaws” was so successful because it has a great mix of suspense and terror but it is also fun. Overall it is just a really fun movie to watch and it is very enjoyable. What is so great about this film is that it is a horror film without much blood and gore. The movie does not rely on violence and brutality to scare you but rather on the terror of the unknown. The suspense in this film is unlike any horror movie I have seen. The music, suspense, and unique characters really just come together well to make an interesting and fun movie.
By: Jeremy St. Louis
Zach B
ReplyDelete1. I liked Once because it was like nothing I have ever seen. It is like it was trying to be a musical but at the same time there was no qualities of a musical. I really liked how there was only singing when needed meaning not just walking down the street and they start singing. The songs in it were great too If the music was bad this movie would have had no chance of beeing good
2. I really did not like paranoid park and it dint help that I knew it was experimental. The experimental qualities in this film really did not work for me with the flashbacks inside of flashbacks i found myself confused. As i was watching I would spend most of my time trying to figure out what is going on then i would miss an important part of the film. These things togther left me wanting my money back from a movie i did not even pay for.
3. I would say my favorite buried treasure is this film called From Dusk Til Dawn. While its not really buried nobody my age probaly ever heard of it. What makes this film great is that its from the 90s so special effects are just becomeing big and this film is extremely corny. That fact that its is corny with George Clooney who is a great actor make the film comical but at the same time grusome. The vampires are hillarius looking but you are still a little startled while watching.
5. At the end oof Once I think that the guy will probaly be picked by a record company. Later on in the guys life he will try to find the girl again now that he is famous. When he finds out that the girls daughter was diagnosed with Cancer he goes to find her. The guy is haveing trouble in his Marriage as all his wife wants is to spend his money. He tracks her down and finds that her housband has left her because of the daugheters cancer. In his hidden love for her they get toghter and he divorces his wife. then they live happily ever after
Zach B
ReplyDeleteMy movie is a drama based on the real life events of hurricane Katrina. The main actor would be Nicholas Cage and Co Star with Jennifer Aniston it will be shot on their family handcam.
1. A love struggle between Jennifer and Nicholas
2. Nicholas Cage is unfaithful in his marriage to Jennifer Aniston
3. Directed by Peter Jackson and written by Quinton Tarantino
4. Lots of Cg but only when needed
5. Be about the hurricane more than the two characters
6.only 2 hours not more so that it doesnt drag on
7. shot on a handcam to promote realism