Atomic Cafe

This was definately an interesting documentary.
The title "Atomic Cafe" also really captures the light-heartedness of the theme about war being all a game. Therefore, this documentary can be compared to Dr. Strangelove.
One would think thhat a documentary about the Atomic bomb would be of all seriousness (i think Mr. Benett mentioned that this was the original intentions of the film?), with the killings of thousands of people, destructions of major cities, and the utter ruinings of several islands and whatnot.
I think that all of us in this class would agree that this film has done the job well in portraying the bomb in a different light.
For example, at the very end of the film, there was the depiction of the back-and-forth between reality and silly as we first see actual footage of the bomb going off or a tree being exploded to ruins, then people hiding under their picnic blankets, then another footage of the bomb going off, and then children hiding under their chairs, or turtles hiding in their shells.
This really change our perspectives of the atomic bomb. Instead of thinking, "oh, the bomb really was for all good intentions. It helped the U.S to win the war, and we were victorious, and our leaders really made the right decisions, and yay its another war won that we can add to our list of victories...", amongst many thoughts, the film makes us think, "oh...this is really quite embaressing how the U.S. threw that bomb on japan...so many people died, it's caused so many damages, and the way americans acted towards the atomic bomb is utterly silly. They'll hide under picnic baskets, and meanwhile, people were being klled by thousands, and mass destructions everywhere...wow..just woowww."
haha, yeah that was basically what i was thinking while watching this (:

Dr. Strangelove

This movie had some parts that I enjoyed:
I thought it was pretty funny how the general has an obsession with bodily fluids. In the chaotic midst of shooting, he talks of bodily fluids as if it is the best time to talk of such a topic. But I guess that is all part of making this movie a comedy.
I like how this movie portrays war as a play thing or a game even. In the beginning scene for example, a plane carrying an atomic bomb flies over russia, but playful music plays in the background and makes me think of parachutes, hot-air balloons, and puffy white clouds in a child's playroom.
Dr. Stranglove's personality is also quite interesting. His arm spazzes out and i wonder what kind of health issue he has...but all in all, i don't really see how Dr. Strangelove is important in this movie, or even how his name got to be the title of this movie.

A Simple Plan

Obviously, the "simply plan" turns out to be much more than "simple".
However, after watching this movie, my final decision is this:
money is a plague that ruins lives.
Money stimulates greed, which can be defined as: an excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth (dictionary.com)
Some say that greed is part of human nature. Isn't it true that we always strive to achieve more? We send our children off to college and hope that they will come out with an education that will allow them never to have to worry about money. The question is, will we ever actually stop worrying about money even when we already have enough to live well on?
We see how Sara tells Hank that she would return the money if she was ever in Hank's described situation, but this was before Hank spills the $4 million in front of her eyes. Its amazing how suddenly, all thoughts of returning the money is thrown out the window and the creepiest smirk/laugh escapes from her mouth. Jacob, Lou, and Hank too (Hank who has everything a guy could have in life: a beautiful wife, a child, a good job, a respectable reputation, and good friends/neighbors) are all blinded and overcome by greed. Of course, at first, they think twice before taking all the money, but overabundance of the money soon overtakes them.

Memento

This movie was interesting in plot, but it was definately confusing for the audience, such as myself.
I think this was the director's intention though, to portray how leonard feels and also to portray his life being stuck in his condition that he has. Since he can never actually remember anything, the things that happened in his life could be easily distorted, his memories could be inaccurate, none of these thigns could have actually happened, and i guess how and why things happened could be open to interpretation.

I like the beginning part where we see leonard waving around a photo until it is completely blank, and also when he reaches out his hand and his gun flies into it.
At that time, i thought maybe Leonard had some alien superpowers or something. But i now realize that it is a backwards replay of Leonard taking a picture and dropping a gun.

I have some questions though, just to clear up some confusion w/ the plot, since i gave up trying to understand the order of events with the frequent flashbacks and the backwards motion of the film.

So who is Dodd? And why was he chasing Leonard at one point in the film?
Did natalie go through all of that just to mess with leonard and take revenge?
Who was the man that leonard killed and how did he think that the man he killed was the one who killed his wife?

It sucks for Leonard because every time he wakes up, he has to figure out yet again where he's at, why he's there, how he got there, and what were his initial plans.
Why can't he just drop the whole case all together, not go through all that effort to figure things out, and just live comfortably? He can't remember anything, and the results? he ended up killing the wrong guy anyway. And even that, he will not remember. Does this mean that he will continue throughout his entire life looking to kill this man?

The Dark City

I like this movie. A lot.
It was so good, and it really got me thinking, what if our lives are like this? What if our memories are manipulated every night, and the problem is, we don't ever realize? What if we don't ever recall doing anything yesterday and our memories, try as we might to remember them, are only blurrs? What if we lived in a nightmarish world with no sun where it is run by beings with telekinetic powers who seek the souls of humans?
I think what really captivates the audience are the mind games and puzzles that are all brought up at once in the film. The audience tries hard to figure out what is going on, just as Murdoch, the main character in the film, is also trying to figure out what is happening in his life. Also, the way the camera films this movie succesfully brings tension and suspense. Often times, the camera seems to be shaking right and left and forever following closely to the back of the character who is running. Most of the film is portrayed in darkness and is immersed in the secrecies of the night, which helps to build suspense. (haha, at one point, i kept thinking, why is it always nighttime? oh well, everything will be better as soon as the sun comes out. and i kept thinking that the director intentionally did not include the city during the daytime because city during the daytime would only be extra fluff added to the movie<--of course, this was before murdoch asks the dectective if he ever remembers what he did yesterday and if he ever remembers daytime in the city. The audience then realizes of course, that it is always nighttime in the city)
My favorite character in this movie: one of the strangers is a little kid. I was slightly disgusted when he leaned down and bit Murdoch's finger. At the same time, i found it hilarious.
My favorite line of the film: kiiiilllllll hiiiimmmmmm
LOL

Asphalt Jungle

I actually find this film interesting, and I can't see how some people really dislike this film. It is captivating and intense, especially the scene where the characeters go and rob the jewels. You get nervous thinking that they might get caught, but of course, they don't (well, not so soon anyways)
The class was introduced to a new genre this week: film noir (haha, I thought it was film WAR all along until I saw everyone writing film NOIR). Asphalt Jungle is a typical film noir in that it is a crime drama with the low-key black and white visual.
I think that the film portrayed its characters well. Many of them have their own vices and demises as well as a human complex.
My favorite character is Dix. He definately seems like the type of tough guy that one would not want to deal with. His actions are smooth (when he shoots that man who works for Emmerich and when he lights Doll's cigarette for her), dislikes people who cheat their way of out of situations (when he points his gun at Emmerich and says something like, "What's keeping you alive?", when he slams the door and pushes Cobby back down into a chair when he tries to run for it, and of course, when he shoots the man who tries to take the jewels without paying back the money), and is simple (he refuses more than once when Doc offers to give him some of the stolen jewels. He also wants to go back to his farm).
What is going to happen next? Will Dix be okey? It would be nice to see Dix and Doll get together happily in the end, but knowing that this is a film noir, this probably will not happen.
And why is the film called Asphalt Jungle?

This film is called Unforgiven?

I did not know that until i signed in and saw all these posts titled, "Unforgiven".

Anyways, I like this film. It was exhileratinng and action packed. Though I don't usually watch western films, this has been a good experience.
On day one of viewing Unforgiven, Mr. Bennett told us all to take careful watch of the characters' usage of exaggeration (immediatly, everyone took out paper with pen ready in hand) This, i found all throughout the movie.
The beginning of the film starts with one of the prostitutes getting her face cut up by a man. The news spread through town. And when the Schofield kid shows up at Will Munny's house, he repeats the story, but with many stretched truths in it. Next, when Munny goes to his ex-partner's place, he repeats the Schofield kid's story, with even more stretched truths. Many a times throughout the film, we do not see the actual occurance happening, but the characters tell us what they think might have happened, or what they hear from some one else. Even at the end of the movie, we read that legends say that Munny disappears with his kids, settles in San Fransisco, and profits from a small business. It does not tell us that this is definately what happens. And so we can see that the whole film, from the beginning to end, is an exagerration. 
About the Schofield kid: his personality is well portrayed/well rounded in this film. We see that he acts all tough. Meanwhile, Will Munny and Ned know that his whole story is a lie. He is young, unexperienced, and in reality, never killed anyone until the man who hurt the prostitute. This can be seen as he attempts and fails to shoot at everything and everyone in that field. I think that having the experience of killing someone, one would not be extremely proud and defensive, as is the case of the Schofield kid. Munny and Ned on the other hand, are both reluctant in talking about their past experiences in killing. This is reality, i believe, when the truth of having killed an innocent man washes over you in waves of guilt. The Schofield kid certainly experiences this at the end of the movie, after shooting that unarmed man. The scene where he sits by the tree and cries over what he has done is very emotional, and one can be sure that he will not be shooting anyone ever again. He says, "I'm not like you Will."
Certainly, Will does not enjoy killing either, and he is also guilty in what he has done in his past, but as he mentions more than once throughout the film, it was his wife who healed him of his drinking and killing. The power of love is what changes Will completely, unlike the Schofield kid (what's his real name?) who is more greatly and immediatly affected by guilt.