As many of you probably already know, the internet has greatly changed the way we communicate. Do you remember when we actually had to call our friends instead of talking to them on MSN Messenger? Do you remember when we actually had to go to our friends' houses to look at their photos in photo albums? But do you also remember when we had to spend long, extensive hours at the library when we had research papers due in high school? With online library databases, all we have to do is type in keywords we're looking for any many books, newspapers, journals, etc. show up on the list. The internet has changed the way information is shared too. Did you know lots of modern hoaxes begin on the internet. Often times, if I hear or read a hoax in more than one spot or from more than one person, I tend to believe it. What is even harder to figure out, though, is whether the hoax is in fact a hoax. Finding credible internet sources has become even harder with blogs, social networking sites, and personal homepages.
One myth I've heard frequently that maybe some of you have too is that Nostradamus predicted the 9/11 terrorist attacks among many other historical events like the fall of the Roman Empire. According to urbanlegends.about.com, this is what Nostradamus actually wrote in his prophecy book The Centuries:
"In the City of God there will be a great thunder, Two brothers torn apart by Chaos, while the fortress endures, the great leader will succumb", The third big war will begin when the big city is burning"
and this is an internet hoax that people created using small references to his prophecies in his book along with certain words and phrases to make it sound far more accurate:
"Two steel birds will fall from the sky on the Metropolis. The sky will burn at forty-five degrees latitude. Fire approaches the great new city."
When I first heard of this hoax, I heard the latter of the two examples. New York sits at around 45 degrees latitude. Two steel birds obviously refers to airplanes? New city refers to New York City? All I can say is that the second one was a lot more freaky than the first one. Well, turns out this second one is a hoax. How is one supposed to know that, though, because there are plenty of websites that claim that prophecy was in fact made by him. I guess the only answer is to go out and buy the book, read the prophecies, and then decide how you want to interpret them.
Anyway, this blog is not to tell you about Nostradamus or which prophecies are correct. It is to tell you how influential internet hoaxes can be. Sometimes people rely so much on the internet that they forget how to find out credible information. I'll admit, I'm guilty of that sometimes. Snopes.com is a great site dedicated to finding the answer to urban legends and internet hoaxes. Popular TV show, Mythbusters, also has some episodes dedicated to solving internet myths, which is how I thought of this blog topic today. So the next time you hear something crazy, try logging on to Snopes.com. I find that site far more credible than a lot of other ones.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Blog 15 (A Blog About, Well, Blogs)
The internet is a medium with many other media within. The internet has advanced immensly since I remember using it. The funny thing about the internet is that I get so frustrated when my page doesn't load right away. I guess I have no patience. Now, I think back to the days of dialup, the internet was way slower than it is now. I have high speed internet right now. Even then, I remember still having little patience with it, though. One thing I like about the internet nowadays is something that is referred to as Web 2.0 or social media. If you're not familiar with the term, I know you're familiar with the concept. In fact, we're using it right now. I remember talking about this in class a few weeks back, and I have decided to look into a certain type of social media: blogging (note the irony).
A blog is a contraction of the word weblog. Depending upon the type of blog, it my just have a specific name. There are also vlogs (video blogs) phlogs (photo blogs) and microblogs (think Twitter). The content of blogs can vary. Most blogs are known as talking about the news and current events, but some use them as online diaries, sometimes referred to as personal blogs. Honestly, when we were first assigned to blog, that's the only type of blog I was familiar with. I used to have one that I updated constantly about random things that really had no point but to share stories with friends. My blogging skills have since improved and I have began to hyperlink a lot more during my blogs.
Blogs can be a great means of communication but they can also take place of the accurate and unbiased news. Blogs are available for reporters to put their opinions in their news stories. Since reporters are taught to leave their opinion out of their writing, I'll bet reporters really appreciate the opportunity to blog. As for the readers of these blogs, I think that people take these blogs for granted and actually think of them as the actual news, especially when they don't know they're actually reading a blog.
With all these blogging sites, I sometimes get confused. There's Blogger, the one we're using now, and there's Blogspot. They're both owned by Google, so what is the point of having two sites? Plus, many other sites have blogs available for its members to use. Facebook has notes, which I think are no different than blogs. So, as you can see blogs are all over the internet world and it doesn't look like we're getting rid of them anytime soon.
A blog is a contraction of the word weblog. Depending upon the type of blog, it my just have a specific name. There are also vlogs (video blogs) phlogs (photo blogs) and microblogs (think Twitter). The content of blogs can vary. Most blogs are known as talking about the news and current events, but some use them as online diaries, sometimes referred to as personal blogs. Honestly, when we were first assigned to blog, that's the only type of blog I was familiar with. I used to have one that I updated constantly about random things that really had no point but to share stories with friends. My blogging skills have since improved and I have began to hyperlink a lot more during my blogs.
Blogs can be a great means of communication but they can also take place of the accurate and unbiased news. Blogs are available for reporters to put their opinions in their news stories. Since reporters are taught to leave their opinion out of their writing, I'll bet reporters really appreciate the opportunity to blog. As for the readers of these blogs, I think that people take these blogs for granted and actually think of them as the actual news, especially when they don't know they're actually reading a blog.
With all these blogging sites, I sometimes get confused. There's Blogger, the one we're using now, and there's Blogspot. They're both owned by Google, so what is the point of having two sites? Plus, many other sites have blogs available for its members to use. Facebook has notes, which I think are no different than blogs. So, as you can see blogs are all over the internet world and it doesn't look like we're getting rid of them anytime soon.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Blog 14 (Toy Story)
I recently watched a movie I used to love that I haven't seen in a long time: Toy Story! I got the urge to watch it because while we were on our week break from classes, I started playing video games. My collection of PlayStation video games was quite dated (as was the system itself) so I played a Toy Story game. After seeing all the familiar characters like Slinky, Mr. Potatohead, Rex, and Hamm, I kinda wanted to see the movie. While digging through all my old movies, I found another one that I wanted to watch: Jumanji. Watching these two older movies made me want to write a blog about them.
Toy Story's producers at Disney teamed up with Pixar and revolutionized animated films, pioneering the way for movies like A Bug's Life, Antz, and of course the sequel to Toy Story. It was the first animated film made entirely on a computer and made to look three-dimensional. The only hand drawings were for the storyboard. It said that at the end of the film. To see a list of all movies made this way, click on this link; you'll see some familiar ones. Just think, all those great movies, like Finding Nemo, were because of the revolutionary work of the producers of Toy Story.
For all you Toy Story fans, I have great news. Toy Story 3 is expected to be released in June 2010. I'm pretty excited for it myself. This film will be about all the toys being at a day-care center after Andy goes off to college. Remember Andy? He's in college already! :)
Watching older movies is sometimes fun. It's also kind of weird to go back and see how much of the movie you can remember. What are some of your favorite movies from the past? Do you still watch them today?
Toy Story's producers at Disney teamed up with Pixar and revolutionized animated films, pioneering the way for movies like A Bug's Life, Antz, and of course the sequel to Toy Story. It was the first animated film made entirely on a computer and made to look three-dimensional. The only hand drawings were for the storyboard. It said that at the end of the film. To see a list of all movies made this way, click on this link; you'll see some familiar ones. Just think, all those great movies, like Finding Nemo, were because of the revolutionary work of the producers of Toy Story.
For all you Toy Story fans, I have great news. Toy Story 3 is expected to be released in June 2010. I'm pretty excited for it myself. This film will be about all the toys being at a day-care center after Andy goes off to college. Remember Andy? He's in college already! :)
Watching older movies is sometimes fun. It's also kind of weird to go back and see how much of the movie you can remember. What are some of your favorite movies from the past? Do you still watch them today?
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Blog 13 (Nonlinear Plots)
Since we're allowed to write about any kind of medium now, I've decided to make one last movie blog. Just the other day I watched a movie called 21 Grams, which was a movie that interweaves several different plots in a nonlinear arrangement. There are plenty of movies I've seen that interweave different plots, but never have I seen one jump from the present to the future to the past several times within each plot in no particular order. It was confusing!! In the end, after I figured everything out, I ended up understanding it, though. It was a good movie, but also very sad in some points.
I actually prefer to watch these kind of movies. One of the reasons I like them so much is because it makes me think and pay attention more. I never get bored or feel like dozing off becaues they require constant attention to really be able to understand the plots.
A couple other great movies that interweaves plots are: Vantage Point, 11:14, Pulp Fiction, and Crash.
I really enjoyed all of those movies, but my two ultimate favorites were Vantage Point and 11:14. Vantage Point actually shows the same story six different times, each from a different viewpoint of a different character. It was very well-written. 11:14 also shows several interconnected stories that all converge at 11:14. Each story directly affects the other stories; this was also very well-written. I would highly recommend them both.
Movies written to follow multiple storylines and characters are called Hyperlink Cinema. Flashbacks and flashfowards along with plot twists are all common characteristics of hyperlink cinema. Janet Grischy explains hyperlink cinema like this: "The idea is to reproduce on film the mess, confusion, and richness of modern life. The overriding theme of hyperlink cinema is connection." I think of it like this: My blogs are full of hyperlinks. You can read my blog and click on my hyperlinks, plus check your email and Facebook page all at the same time. Hyperlink cinema offeres the ability to follow many different storylines all at the same time.
What are your thoughts on hyperlink cinema? Do you enjoy them or not so much?
I actually prefer to watch these kind of movies. One of the reasons I like them so much is because it makes me think and pay attention more. I never get bored or feel like dozing off becaues they require constant attention to really be able to understand the plots.
A couple other great movies that interweaves plots are: Vantage Point, 11:14, Pulp Fiction, and Crash.
I really enjoyed all of those movies, but my two ultimate favorites were Vantage Point and 11:14. Vantage Point actually shows the same story six different times, each from a different viewpoint of a different character. It was very well-written. 11:14 also shows several interconnected stories that all converge at 11:14. Each story directly affects the other stories; this was also very well-written. I would highly recommend them both.
Movies written to follow multiple storylines and characters are called Hyperlink Cinema. Flashbacks and flashfowards along with plot twists are all common characteristics of hyperlink cinema. Janet Grischy explains hyperlink cinema like this: "The idea is to reproduce on film the mess, confusion, and richness of modern life. The overriding theme of hyperlink cinema is connection." I think of it like this: My blogs are full of hyperlinks. You can read my blog and click on my hyperlinks, plus check your email and Facebook page all at the same time. Hyperlink cinema offeres the ability to follow many different storylines all at the same time.
What are your thoughts on hyperlink cinema? Do you enjoy them or not so much?
Monday, April 6, 2009
Blog 12 (Learning More About Movies)
Do you ever want to read about a movie before seeing it? Do you care to know the ratings of the movie? If so, you should check out Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes isn't as gross as it may sound. It's actually a movie review website. It has what's called a Tomatometer, which measures the percentage of positive reviews. The movie I was curious to see the ratings from was The Haunting in Connecticut. Apparently, it wasn't that good--it was a rotten tomato. If you click on the link, Rotten Tomatoes tells you why. This movie review site isn't going to stop me from seeing it, though, because I thought it looked really good.
I actually never read movie reviews. The only reason I did now was because I was trying to think of an interesting blog topic and I thought of this. I know some people who base their wanting to see a movie or not solely on movie reviews. I've actually heard a lot of bad things said about some of the best movies I've seen. I don't think I'm too critical to movies, though. I like to see them all at least once.
While looking through this list, I found several movies I've never even heard of before that sounded interesting to watch. In fact, I might just have to add some of them to my Netflix queue, even if they were rotten tomatoes. I tried not to look at the reviews until after I view the movie, so the review doesn't affect my opinion of the film.
Another great site to check out if you want to know more about the movies you'll see/have seen is the Internet Movie Database. This site gives information about the cast, director, producer, writers, release date, and even a plot summary. It even shows photographs from the movie. Although I never use Rotten Tomatoes, I think it may become useful to me if I am ever skeptical to see a certain movie. And the Internet Movie Database has definitely been useful to me in the past and will continue to be in the future.
Do movie reviews affect your opinion on the movie? Do you still see movies even if they got bad reviews?
I actually never read movie reviews. The only reason I did now was because I was trying to think of an interesting blog topic and I thought of this. I know some people who base their wanting to see a movie or not solely on movie reviews. I've actually heard a lot of bad things said about some of the best movies I've seen. I don't think I'm too critical to movies, though. I like to see them all at least once.
While looking through this list, I found several movies I've never even heard of before that sounded interesting to watch. In fact, I might just have to add some of them to my Netflix queue, even if they were rotten tomatoes. I tried not to look at the reviews until after I view the movie, so the review doesn't affect my opinion of the film.
Another great site to check out if you want to know more about the movies you'll see/have seen is the Internet Movie Database. This site gives information about the cast, director, producer, writers, release date, and even a plot summary. It even shows photographs from the movie. Although I never use Rotten Tomatoes, I think it may become useful to me if I am ever skeptical to see a certain movie. And the Internet Movie Database has definitely been useful to me in the past and will continue to be in the future.
Do movie reviews affect your opinion on the movie? Do you still see movies even if they got bad reviews?
Monday, March 30, 2009
Blog 11 (Cinéma Vérité)
What do the movies Cloverfield, Quarantine, and The Blair Witch Project all have in common? They were all shot cinéma vérité (true cinema) style. This was acutally a French film movement that made the film feel more natural and realistic. Rather than following the usual technique of shooting sound and pictures together, the film maker first tapes actual conversations, interviews, and opinions. After selecting the best material, he films the visual material to fit the sound, often using a hand-held camera. The film is then put together in the cutting room. Cinéma vérité is used to approximate truth moreso than other films. I think cinéma vérité is effective in doing just that. I loved The Blair Witch Project partially because it seemed so real to me because of the way it was shot and the fact that it was filmed as a documentary (though was actually fictional). I also really liked the other two movies I mentioned.
Quarantine actually showed a news team, following firefighters around as a feature story, with their camera in hand. It was a very good movie and very realistic. Cloverfield could've been a little better. The beginning was too long and therefore became irreleveant to the film's plot, I think. These aren't the only three movies that are filmed via cinéma vérité; these are just the ones I have seen.
So what makes cinemal verite so appealing to filmmakers and viewers? Realism is the artistic attempt to recreate life as it is in the context of an artistic medium. The artist’s function is to report and describe what he sees as accurately and honestly as possible. Particularily appealing to filmmakers, cinema verite doesn't require expensive equipment and special effects. The camera is usually small and lightweight so it's able to fit into people vehicles and other small spaces, creating an even more realistic feel to the movie.
All three of the cinema verite movies I saw were horror or suspensful movies. I think these are the best types of movies to be filmed cinema verite style. I say this because those are the types of movies that literally make you (well me, at least) feel like part of the film. And with cinema verite, this happens to an even greater extent.
That's all for now. I'd appreciate your opinions on cinema verite, if you've seen it!
Quarantine actually showed a news team, following firefighters around as a feature story, with their camera in hand. It was a very good movie and very realistic. Cloverfield could've been a little better. The beginning was too long and therefore became irreleveant to the film's plot, I think. These aren't the only three movies that are filmed via cinéma vérité; these are just the ones I have seen.
So what makes cinemal verite so appealing to filmmakers and viewers? Realism is the artistic attempt to recreate life as it is in the context of an artistic medium. The artist’s function is to report and describe what he sees as accurately and honestly as possible. Particularily appealing to filmmakers, cinema verite doesn't require expensive equipment and special effects. The camera is usually small and lightweight so it's able to fit into people vehicles and other small spaces, creating an even more realistic feel to the movie.
All three of the cinema verite movies I saw were horror or suspensful movies. I think these are the best types of movies to be filmed cinema verite style. I say this because those are the types of movies that literally make you (well me, at least) feel like part of the film. And with cinema verite, this happens to an even greater extent.
That's all for now. I'd appreciate your opinions on cinema verite, if you've seen it!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Blog 10 (A Scanner Darkly)
This blog will be mainly about a movie I just saw that I thought was unique enough to blog about. It's called A Scanner Darkly. In a nutshell, this movie was based "seven years from now" and was mainly about America's war on drugs as well as government spies. One of the most unique aspects of the movie, one I had never seen before, was something called rotoscoping. Digital cinematography was used to film the movie. This is the process of capturing motion pictures as digital images, rather than on film. And after being filmed, the movie was animated with Rotoshop.This is an animation technique invented by Max Fleischer in which live-action figures are cut out and re-drawn.
When I first started watching, I couldn't believe how close the animated characters looked to the actual actors. I figured the film was being drawn out, instead of actually filmed with real people acting. I since learned differently. Rotoscoping was kind of interesting to view at first, but it isn't how I'd want to watch all my movies. Apparently this technique was used in The Lord of the Rings in the '70s, but I've never seen that movie. Anyways, rotoscoping definitely makes the animations look more realistic, but not completely realistic. The square and triangle-shaped "shadows" on characters' faces proved that. At first glance, though, the animations are quite vivid and realistic. If you haven't ever seen a rotoscope animation film, I encourage you to do so, just to see what it is like.
In addition to this unique animation, the plot of the movie was quite interesting. It was a movie where not everything made total sense until the very end of the movie. A particular scene, where Arctor was talking to the medical experts, a nurse told him to get Donna blue flowers. I didn't see the connection until the end of the movie.
Here is a link to an article where the director, Richard Linklater, of A Scanner Darkly talks about his techniques used. "It’s just different. Philip K. Dick is always asking, ‘What is reality?’ and I think this technique puts your brain in the right place to take in this particular story," he said. Linklater also said that he didn't think that the movie could've been made as a live-action movie. They had a $6 million dollar budget.
If you've seen the movie or read the book, you might remember the "scramble suit." I think that even if the movie was filmed as a live-action movie, the scramble suit still would've been animated. Well, at least Linklater's interpretation of it.
If you haven't seen it yet, I encourage you to do so, but I will warn you that I had to really pay attention to keep up with what was going on. The person I watched this with had read the book, so he explained things to me.
That's all for now...
When I first started watching, I couldn't believe how close the animated characters looked to the actual actors. I figured the film was being drawn out, instead of actually filmed with real people acting. I since learned differently. Rotoscoping was kind of interesting to view at first, but it isn't how I'd want to watch all my movies. Apparently this technique was used in The Lord of the Rings in the '70s, but I've never seen that movie. Anyways, rotoscoping definitely makes the animations look more realistic, but not completely realistic. The square and triangle-shaped "shadows" on characters' faces proved that. At first glance, though, the animations are quite vivid and realistic. If you haven't ever seen a rotoscope animation film, I encourage you to do so, just to see what it is like.
In addition to this unique animation, the plot of the movie was quite interesting. It was a movie where not everything made total sense until the very end of the movie. A particular scene, where Arctor was talking to the medical experts, a nurse told him to get Donna blue flowers. I didn't see the connection until the end of the movie.
Here is a link to an article where the director, Richard Linklater, of A Scanner Darkly talks about his techniques used. "It’s just different. Philip K. Dick is always asking, ‘What is reality?’ and I think this technique puts your brain in the right place to take in this particular story," he said. Linklater also said that he didn't think that the movie could've been made as a live-action movie. They had a $6 million dollar budget.
If you've seen the movie or read the book, you might remember the "scramble suit." I think that even if the movie was filmed as a live-action movie, the scramble suit still would've been animated. Well, at least Linklater's interpretation of it.
If you haven't seen it yet, I encourage you to do so, but I will warn you that I had to really pay attention to keep up with what was going on. The person I watched this with had read the book, so he explained things to me.
That's all for now...
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Blog 9 (Alternate Endings)
This week, I've decided to write about alternate endings on movies. This past week, I watched The Butterfly Effect and realized that there was more than one ending. I hadn't known that before. (I watched it once before). I was confused as to why Evan ended up watching a different home video on the end of the movie. I guess I watched the theatrical version this time, and the first time I watched the director's cut version. The plot was pretty much the same, except for a few scenes different, until the end. I was a little disappointed with the ending, mainly because I didn't know there were two endings. The one I watched this past week had a happier ending, but it was the one I saw second. Even if the ending was horrible, it was the first ending that was instilled into my mind. However, once I open my mind to actually watch the alternate ending, I usually end up liking it.
DVDs make alternate endings possible. Sometimes I like the idea of DVDs having alternate endings, so I can see all the different outcomes for the movie, but I also think that sometimes it just ruins the movie, especially if I had seen one ending that I really liked or just accepted. This is a link to a blog about a person's opinions on the seven worst alternate endings. You'll see some familiar movie names, including The Butterfly Effect, though the author of this blog liked the theatrical version ending better.
USA Today writes about alternate endings. The article beings by asking, "What if you could change the ending to you favorite movie?" This article states the positives of alternate endings. "'An alternate ending is a great way to provide added value because it brings film fans into the creative process,' says Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment." Even though I can be skeptical about alternate endings, I do agree with Graffeo here. It does allow for different endings to suit what different people may like. Moreover, the article states that Universal's research has identified alternate endings as consumers' favorite bonus feature.
What's one of the reasons I don't like alternate endings? Because it makes me realize that it was just a movie, and it can be changed. Have you ever watched a movie that you liked so much that you just wanted to watch it over and over again, playing out the plot in your head? When I find a movie like that, I don't want to know that all it takes is a click of a button to completely change the ending. Same goes with deleted scenes. They're fun to watch, but they also make me realize that the wonderful plot that I just fell in love with was just a movie.
What are your thoughts on alternate endings? What are some positives? Negatives?...
DVDs make alternate endings possible. Sometimes I like the idea of DVDs having alternate endings, so I can see all the different outcomes for the movie, but I also think that sometimes it just ruins the movie, especially if I had seen one ending that I really liked or just accepted. This is a link to a blog about a person's opinions on the seven worst alternate endings. You'll see some familiar movie names, including The Butterfly Effect, though the author of this blog liked the theatrical version ending better.
USA Today writes about alternate endings. The article beings by asking, "What if you could change the ending to you favorite movie?" This article states the positives of alternate endings. "'An alternate ending is a great way to provide added value because it brings film fans into the creative process,' says Ken Graffeo, executive vice president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment." Even though I can be skeptical about alternate endings, I do agree with Graffeo here. It does allow for different endings to suit what different people may like. Moreover, the article states that Universal's research has identified alternate endings as consumers' favorite bonus feature.
What's one of the reasons I don't like alternate endings? Because it makes me realize that it was just a movie, and it can be changed. Have you ever watched a movie that you liked so much that you just wanted to watch it over and over again, playing out the plot in your head? When I find a movie like that, I don't want to know that all it takes is a click of a button to completely change the ending. Same goes with deleted scenes. They're fun to watch, but they also make me realize that the wonderful plot that I just fell in love with was just a movie.
What are your thoughts on alternate endings? What are some positives? Negatives?...
Monday, March 2, 2009
Blog 8 (Decline of Movie Theatres)
I love going to the movies. I find it more fun than sitting at home on my couch watching movies. I don't have a home theatre system or even a very big T.V., so one of the main appeals of the movie theatre is the surround sound and big screen. I know that those are becoming more common in the household, so that could be a contributing factor in the decline of movie theatres. I know not everybody likes to go to movies as much as I do. Some would rather save their money and wait until it comes out on DVD and rent it. If it's a good enough looking movie, I can't wait that long to see it.
This blog will look into some of the reasons behind the decline in the popularity movies as well as my opinions on what the theatres could do to fix this problem.
According to this website, one of the largest contributing factors to the decline in movie theatres is social issues, such as people talking on their cell phones, babies crying, etc. I also think people having conversations in person plays a part in this.
"Purple Violets" is a movie that won't release in theatres; it will release on iTunes. Anyone who has $13 to download it can. But is this really cheaper than going to the movies and seeing it? With all factors considered, probably. First there is the movie ticket itself. In my hometown we could see a movie for $3. That movie wasn't just released, but it hadn't come out on DVD yet. However, other theatres have much more expensive tickets. Then there's the gas to get there. We can see movies at our theatre in Valley City, but they stay here for like two weeks and there's only two at a time, so we have to drive to Fargo or Jamestown if we want to see a specific one. Then of course, there's the popcorn and pop which is rediculously over-priced at theatres. (Though in my hometown we could get popcorn and pop for a dollar).
Josh Wolf says that the value of actually going to the movies is becoming less and less significant. "At the same time, I can't see the movie theater going away as a dating oasis and the refuge for teenage lovers that it has always been," Wolf says in his article.
Going back to home theatres systems, some think Blu-Ray will knock off movie theatres. For me, who has a small T.V. and a regular DVD player, the movie theatre's movies are much better quality and more enjoyable, but I've seen high-def. and Blu-Ray, and it's probably better quality than watching movies at the theatre.
An article says that distinct advantages movie theatres once boasted, such as superior picture quality and surround sound,have been eliminated by the latest innovations in home theater technology.
I think that in order for theatres to make a comeback, they have to keep up with high-definition technology. They also have to realize that people want to feel more at-home in the theatres, so reclining, comfy seats and maybe even couches might offer that. One disadvantage with that, though, is that then people may feel even more comfortable and the social problems I mentioned at the beginning of my blog might escalate.
Do you think movie theatres are becoming/will become obsolete? What do you think will be the ultimate downfall for movie theatres? What do you think they could do to make a comeback?
This blog will look into some of the reasons behind the decline in the popularity movies as well as my opinions on what the theatres could do to fix this problem.
According to this website, one of the largest contributing factors to the decline in movie theatres is social issues, such as people talking on their cell phones, babies crying, etc. I also think people having conversations in person plays a part in this.
"Purple Violets" is a movie that won't release in theatres; it will release on iTunes. Anyone who has $13 to download it can. But is this really cheaper than going to the movies and seeing it? With all factors considered, probably. First there is the movie ticket itself. In my hometown we could see a movie for $3. That movie wasn't just released, but it hadn't come out on DVD yet. However, other theatres have much more expensive tickets. Then there's the gas to get there. We can see movies at our theatre in Valley City, but they stay here for like two weeks and there's only two at a time, so we have to drive to Fargo or Jamestown if we want to see a specific one. Then of course, there's the popcorn and pop which is rediculously over-priced at theatres. (Though in my hometown we could get popcorn and pop for a dollar).
Josh Wolf says that the value of actually going to the movies is becoming less and less significant. "At the same time, I can't see the movie theater going away as a dating oasis and the refuge for teenage lovers that it has always been," Wolf says in his article.
Going back to home theatres systems, some think Blu-Ray will knock off movie theatres. For me, who has a small T.V. and a regular DVD player, the movie theatre's movies are much better quality and more enjoyable, but I've seen high-def. and Blu-Ray, and it's probably better quality than watching movies at the theatre.
An article says that distinct advantages movie theatres once boasted, such as superior picture quality and surround sound,have been eliminated by the latest innovations in home theater technology.
I think that in order for theatres to make a comeback, they have to keep up with high-definition technology. They also have to realize that people want to feel more at-home in the theatres, so reclining, comfy seats and maybe even couches might offer that. One disadvantage with that, though, is that then people may feel even more comfortable and the social problems I mentioned at the beginning of my blog might escalate.
Do you think movie theatres are becoming/will become obsolete? What do you think will be the ultimate downfall for movie theatres? What do you think they could do to make a comeback?
Monday, February 23, 2009
Blog 7 (Illegal Downloading)
Last week in class, we talked a bit about illegal downloading of music. This blog will be about the illegal downloading of movies. One of the questions we discussed was: is stealing a song/album online the same as walking into a record store and stealing an album? Moreover, is illegally downloading a movie online the same as walking into Blockbuster and taking a movie off the shelf without paying for it? I think it is. What do you guys think?
Here is a link to an article that states alternatives to illegal downloading. One of the ways movie rental places is trying to eliminate illegal downloading, thus giving them more business, is by not charging their customers late fees. Not all places do that, though. Online rental sites were also mentioned as an alternative. One of the reasons I became a member of Netflix is that it doesn't charge late fees; and all the movie rental places here in town do. Then of course the article mentioned purchasing the movies. I don't purchase movies often just because I rent them, and that's cheaper. But if people do want to purchase them, they can likely get them for under $20, but that's still $20 more than an illegal download.
Not everyone opposes illegal downloading, though. The article also mentions that independent film directors support illegal downloading for the point of getting people to view their work. Chances are, people are more likely to spend money on something they know has a solid name behind it. Independent film directors don't always have that going for them.
In another small article here, the author says, "Critics say the effort does society more harm than good by creating a generation of young criminals." They compared it to the failure of prohibition. A little different, in my opinion. Often, I hear people say, as long as the downloaded music/movie/other file is not being shared or sold for money, it should be legal. How does that make any sense?! That's the equivilant of saying, "As long as the person who stole the movie from the movie store does not sell it, it's not legal."
Legalmoviedownloads.com tells us all we need to know about movie downloads. One of the points this site brings up is that a lot of people downloading these movies illegally don't even know they're doing so. Websites that claim to be legal are in fact, not. Plus, people in general don't know to look for signs of legality. When the internet started becoming mainstream when I was younger, I sometimes used Napster to download music. I didn't think for one second that it was illegal. Now, I know better, but when I was that young and the internet was new, it was just common for me and a lot of my friends to dl songs without thinking twice.
Do you think the laws for illegal movie downloading should be stricter? Do you think they're strict enough? Why do you think people are more likely to steal off the internet than physically walk into a movie store and shoplift? Do you think the main problem with illegal downloading is that people just don't know it's illegal?
Here is a link to an article that states alternatives to illegal downloading. One of the ways movie rental places is trying to eliminate illegal downloading, thus giving them more business, is by not charging their customers late fees. Not all places do that, though. Online rental sites were also mentioned as an alternative. One of the reasons I became a member of Netflix is that it doesn't charge late fees; and all the movie rental places here in town do. Then of course the article mentioned purchasing the movies. I don't purchase movies often just because I rent them, and that's cheaper. But if people do want to purchase them, they can likely get them for under $20, but that's still $20 more than an illegal download.
Not everyone opposes illegal downloading, though. The article also mentions that independent film directors support illegal downloading for the point of getting people to view their work. Chances are, people are more likely to spend money on something they know has a solid name behind it. Independent film directors don't always have that going for them.
In another small article here, the author says, "Critics say the effort does society more harm than good by creating a generation of young criminals." They compared it to the failure of prohibition. A little different, in my opinion. Often, I hear people say, as long as the downloaded music/movie/other file is not being shared or sold for money, it should be legal. How does that make any sense?! That's the equivilant of saying, "As long as the person who stole the movie from the movie store does not sell it, it's not legal."
Legalmoviedownloads.com tells us all we need to know about movie downloads. One of the points this site brings up is that a lot of people downloading these movies illegally don't even know they're doing so. Websites that claim to be legal are in fact, not. Plus, people in general don't know to look for signs of legality. When the internet started becoming mainstream when I was younger, I sometimes used Napster to download music. I didn't think for one second that it was illegal. Now, I know better, but when I was that young and the internet was new, it was just common for me and a lot of my friends to dl songs without thinking twice.
Do you think the laws for illegal movie downloading should be stricter? Do you think they're strict enough? Why do you think people are more likely to steal off the internet than physically walk into a movie store and shoplift? Do you think the main problem with illegal downloading is that people just don't know it's illegal?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Blog 6 (Female Killer in Horror Movies)
Think of your favorite horror movie. Now think of who the killer was. Was it a man? Chances are, probably. In fact, I can only think of a select few movies in which the killer was a woman. Is this sending the wrong message about men? Or about women? I read an article a woman wrote about a script for a horror movie she wrote in screenwriting class. She said her teacher wrote, "Women can't be seriel killers!!!" on her paper after handing it in. If I were her teacher, I would have commended her for thinking outside the box, but that makes me think, do people want to see women seriel killers in horror movies?
Jennifer also talks about the movie called Monster. This movie features a female seriel killer. Amanda in Saw III was also a killer.
Another article tells us what we already know, that women are portrayed as weak in horror movies. And if you ask me, dumb too. How many of you have seen a horror movie where the woman gets a chance to kill her killer and just bonks him on the head, knocking him out for a couple minutes, and then she thinks he's dead. Unfortunately her fate isn't so good after the killer regains consciousness (if he even lost it in the first place). Click here to read the article.
My thoughts on female killlers in movies is for one, the writers probably think that a female victim is more entertaining to watch than a male victim is, but also I think that people hear more about male seriel killers on the news. I'm not going to get into all of those statistics and stuff. I figured I'd write a few of my blogs about the content of certain types of movies, and I noticed a trend in horror movies. I like to watch horror movies because they make me anxious, and that's part of the appeal. I think that if I were to watch a movie where a woman was shown as the killer from the very beginning, I'd be just as anxious as I am with all other horror movies I watched. As long as it's well-written, I am likely to get scared from a horror movie. :)
What are your thoughts on female killers in movies? Would you like to see it? Do you think it sends a bad message about men to us? Do you know of any other movies that feature female killers?
Jennifer also talks about the movie called Monster. This movie features a female seriel killer. Amanda in Saw III was also a killer.
Another article tells us what we already know, that women are portrayed as weak in horror movies. And if you ask me, dumb too. How many of you have seen a horror movie where the woman gets a chance to kill her killer and just bonks him on the head, knocking him out for a couple minutes, and then she thinks he's dead. Unfortunately her fate isn't so good after the killer regains consciousness (if he even lost it in the first place). Click here to read the article.
My thoughts on female killlers in movies is for one, the writers probably think that a female victim is more entertaining to watch than a male victim is, but also I think that people hear more about male seriel killers on the news. I'm not going to get into all of those statistics and stuff. I figured I'd write a few of my blogs about the content of certain types of movies, and I noticed a trend in horror movies. I like to watch horror movies because they make me anxious, and that's part of the appeal. I think that if I were to watch a movie where a woman was shown as the killer from the very beginning, I'd be just as anxious as I am with all other horror movies I watched. As long as it's well-written, I am likely to get scared from a horror movie. :)
What are your thoughts on female killers in movies? Would you like to see it? Do you think it sends a bad message about men to us? Do you know of any other movies that feature female killers?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Blog 5 (3-D Movies)
I've chosen to write about three-demensional movies for this blog because I just saw a 3-D movie remake called My Bloody Valentine. The very first 3-D movie appeared at the Astro Theatre in New York on June 10, 1915. I had no idea 3-D films went back that far. I thought it was newer technology. However, the process of 3-D didn't become mainstream until the 1950s, where an explosion of 3-D movies became popular. Although other 3-D movies have been made sporadically since then, the '50s will always be the decade for 3-D. (Well so far, at least). This is partially because of the rise in popularity of television. Movie studios started to have fierce competition, so they had to go above and beyond, creating 3-D films. Click here for more information.
What's even more surprising is that the process of 3-D has been around since the 1830s. When 3-D film was first released (in the 1920s), audiences panicked because they thought the train was about to crash right into them! Click here or here to read more history on 3-D cinema.
You may click here to see a directory of 3-D films.
I'm sure you all related 3-D to those green and red cardboard glasses. These glasses work with something called the anaglyphic process, developed by Edwin S. Porter and W.E. Waddell. The green and red specs create a single image from twin motion picture images (of cooresponding colors) photographed 2½ inches apart. Ever take your glasses off during a 3-D show? That's the anaglyph image.
In my process of finding information about 3-D, I came across people's opinions in 3-D. Here is one man's opinion on My Bloody Valentine 3-D. He claims that the 3-D version of the movie is much scarier than the original. I can't say, because I've never see the original. What are your thoughts on 3-D films? Have you seen 3-D? Do you like or dislike 3-D?
I had only been to one 3-D film before My Bloody Valentine, and that was a The Muppets 3-D movie at Disney World. I remember really enjoying it because it was something I'd never experienced before. Another great part of the movie was when there were rats crawling around on the floor on the movie, the theatre had some device under the seats that poked at my ankles and feet, making me think it was rats crawling around under there! That really added to the effect. One of the things I didn't like about 3-D was the blurriness of the images. I don't know if it was just me, but it took me awhile to get used to the slight blurriness. And then there was the wearing heavy glasses that made it uncomfortable! I wouldn't mind seeing another 3-D movie, but when I'm watching a movie, especially at home, I like to be comfortable and wearing glasses just isn't!
What's even more surprising is that the process of 3-D has been around since the 1830s. When 3-D film was first released (in the 1920s), audiences panicked because they thought the train was about to crash right into them! Click here or here to read more history on 3-D cinema.
You may click here to see a directory of 3-D films.
I'm sure you all related 3-D to those green and red cardboard glasses. These glasses work with something called the anaglyphic process, developed by Edwin S. Porter and W.E. Waddell. The green and red specs create a single image from twin motion picture images (of cooresponding colors) photographed 2½ inches apart. Ever take your glasses off during a 3-D show? That's the anaglyph image.
In my process of finding information about 3-D, I came across people's opinions in 3-D. Here is one man's opinion on My Bloody Valentine 3-D. He claims that the 3-D version of the movie is much scarier than the original. I can't say, because I've never see the original. What are your thoughts on 3-D films? Have you seen 3-D? Do you like or dislike 3-D?
I had only been to one 3-D film before My Bloody Valentine, and that was a The Muppets 3-D movie at Disney World. I remember really enjoying it because it was something I'd never experienced before. Another great part of the movie was when there were rats crawling around on the floor on the movie, the theatre had some device under the seats that poked at my ankles and feet, making me think it was rats crawling around under there! That really added to the effect. One of the things I didn't like about 3-D was the blurriness of the images. I don't know if it was just me, but it took me awhile to get used to the slight blurriness. And then there was the wearing heavy glasses that made it uncomfortable! I wouldn't mind seeing another 3-D movie, but when I'm watching a movie, especially at home, I like to be comfortable and wearing glasses just isn't!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Blog 4 (Movies vs. Books)
Books, the inspiration for a lot of movies, was a class topic on Monday. Books have been around way longer than movies have. In fact, books started to become mass-produced in the 1400s, long before movies were even thought of. Some might argue that television and movies contributies to illiteracy. This is probably true. If people never read, and just watch there never going to learn essential reading skills. Thankfully, schools still make students read.
I found a couple interesting articles about books versus movies. This first one found from Time.com talks about the age-old belief that the book will always be better than the movie (unless of course one hasn't read the book...:)) In their judgment, Memiors of Geisha the movie won. The movie was better than the book. Almost every other movie/book listed in the article, the book won, though.
Are there any books you found were better than the movie or vice versa?
Why is the book usually better? Here's what I think. If you've read the book, chances are you created the book. You created a movie version of it in your head. You had your own viewpoints of what the characters and setting looked like. When someone else contradicts what your imagination created, it doesn't seem so good. In fact, it seems upsetting. That once fantasy world you slipped into everytime you opened the book was now destroyed by the movie. Do you agree with this?
Martha Brockenbrough explains it like this, "As anyone who's ever bitten into a muffin with meat chunks in it (and I have) can tell you, this is a risky proposition. Just as meaty muffins rudely shock someone expecting raspberries, a bad movie adaptation can sicken people who truly loved a book."
On the contrary, have you ever read one of those books in which the author spent so much time describing every little detail that you ended up getting lost and not really creating your own viewpoint. That might be a case where the movie is better than the book. Click here to read Brockenbrough's thoughts on what makes a movie better than a book.
I found a couple interesting articles about books versus movies. This first one found from Time.com talks about the age-old belief that the book will always be better than the movie (unless of course one hasn't read the book...:)) In their judgment, Memiors of Geisha the movie won. The movie was better than the book. Almost every other movie/book listed in the article, the book won, though.
Are there any books you found were better than the movie or vice versa?
Why is the book usually better? Here's what I think. If you've read the book, chances are you created the book. You created a movie version of it in your head. You had your own viewpoints of what the characters and setting looked like. When someone else contradicts what your imagination created, it doesn't seem so good. In fact, it seems upsetting. That once fantasy world you slipped into everytime you opened the book was now destroyed by the movie. Do you agree with this?
Martha Brockenbrough explains it like this, "As anyone who's ever bitten into a muffin with meat chunks in it (and I have) can tell you, this is a risky proposition. Just as meaty muffins rudely shock someone expecting raspberries, a bad movie adaptation can sicken people who truly loved a book."
On the contrary, have you ever read one of those books in which the author spent so much time describing every little detail that you ended up getting lost and not really creating your own viewpoint. That might be a case where the movie is better than the book. Click here to read Brockenbrough's thoughts on what makes a movie better than a book.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Blog 3 (My Opinions on a Medical Thriller)
Today in class, I learned that the word pregnancy was not allowed to be said on TV when TV first became popular. Clearly, the content and use of words have changed in television and movies over the years, becoming dramatically worse (or better? entertainment-wise...). This idea made me think of the content of a movie I just watched called Awake. This movie took a very morbid subject, displayed it, and then made it even worse by adding human cruelty at its worst.
Awake is about a young billionaire residing in New York City who experiences anesthetic awareness during heart surgery. This means that the patient who is supposed to be in a deep sleep ends up waking up but being completely paralyzed, and thus not being able to do anything but lie there in agony. The main character, Clay, realizes, while still in surgery, that the entire surgery team and his own wife (whom he'd married the night before) are plotting to strategically kill him--to get his money. The surgeons planned to make it look like just a failure that naturally can happen to heart transplant patients.
The movie takes some crazy twists and turns and leaves you wondering until the very end. The essence of human cruelty is very obvious throughout the surgery process. This is way worse than using the word pregnant in the script. It just goes to show how far entertainment has come and makes me wonder if it's gone too far. I thought Awake was a thrilling but also very disturbing movie. The beginning of the movie shows Clay having a close relationship with his fiance and his surgeon/doctor. Once I realized that they were plotting to kill him, I couldn't believe it. I thought, "How could they be so cruel?" A scene featured Clay literally crying during his surgery and it made me think of all the people that have actually experienced anesthetic awareness (though hopefully not like that in the movie!).
This movie was very well-written and made a seemingly boring subject one of the most thrilling movies I've ever seen. For a movie that features a man going through surgery nearly 75% of the entire show, I wasn't bored for one second.
Awake is about a young billionaire residing in New York City who experiences anesthetic awareness during heart surgery. This means that the patient who is supposed to be in a deep sleep ends up waking up but being completely paralyzed, and thus not being able to do anything but lie there in agony. The main character, Clay, realizes, while still in surgery, that the entire surgery team and his own wife (whom he'd married the night before) are plotting to strategically kill him--to get his money. The surgeons planned to make it look like just a failure that naturally can happen to heart transplant patients.
The movie takes some crazy twists and turns and leaves you wondering until the very end. The essence of human cruelty is very obvious throughout the surgery process. This is way worse than using the word pregnant in the script. It just goes to show how far entertainment has come and makes me wonder if it's gone too far. I thought Awake was a thrilling but also very disturbing movie. The beginning of the movie shows Clay having a close relationship with his fiance and his surgeon/doctor. Once I realized that they were plotting to kill him, I couldn't believe it. I thought, "How could they be so cruel?" A scene featured Clay literally crying during his surgery and it made me think of all the people that have actually experienced anesthetic awareness (though hopefully not like that in the movie!).
This movie was very well-written and made a seemingly boring subject one of the most thrilling movies I've ever seen. For a movie that features a man going through surgery nearly 75% of the entire show, I wasn't bored for one second.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Blog 2 (The Talkies)
The movies or once referred to as "the talkies," is a global phenonmenon that contributes to the pasttime of probably most of you in this class. Movies were actually silent (with the exception of music playing in the theatre) up until the late 1920s. In 1926, Warner Bros. and Western Electric created a sound on disc system, which will later be termed as a vitaphone.
Not everyone benefitted from the sound films, though. Orchestra musicians' careers started to struggle because the musicians generally played live music during silent films.
Everytime you go to a movie in a theatre, you see what flash across the big screen? A notice to turn off phones and to stay quiet. Why? Well, it all goes back to the invention of the vitaphone. With talking pictures, audiences concentrated on hearing the movie, rather than those seated around them, leading many patrons to look down upon talking while the movie was playing.
Isn't it amazing how far movies have come? I even notice how the special effects change over time and how movies just keep getting better. It makes me wonder what movies will be like in the future. I think, "How can it get any better." That is, until I see a better version of what we have now. Is interactive movies the next big trend?
I got the movie Final Destination 3 on DVD and it had the feature of being able to choose one of two scenarios which would ultimately decide the ending. It was a neat way to watch the movie. One of the scenarios I chose from was to choose to what temperature the girls should set their tanning bed. We chose one, and after it was done, went back and watched it all over again, only choosing the other. I can foresee interactive movies becoming a trend, but I guess I'll have to wait and see.
Not everyone benefitted from the sound films, though. Orchestra musicians' careers started to struggle because the musicians generally played live music during silent films.
Everytime you go to a movie in a theatre, you see what flash across the big screen? A notice to turn off phones and to stay quiet. Why? Well, it all goes back to the invention of the vitaphone. With talking pictures, audiences concentrated on hearing the movie, rather than those seated around them, leading many patrons to look down upon talking while the movie was playing.
Isn't it amazing how far movies have come? I even notice how the special effects change over time and how movies just keep getting better. It makes me wonder what movies will be like in the future. I think, "How can it get any better." That is, until I see a better version of what we have now. Is interactive movies the next big trend?
I got the movie Final Destination 3 on DVD and it had the feature of being able to choose one of two scenarios which would ultimately decide the ending. It was a neat way to watch the movie. One of the scenarios I chose from was to choose to what temperature the girls should set their tanning bed. We chose one, and after it was done, went back and watched it all over again, only choosing the other. I can foresee interactive movies becoming a trend, but I guess I'll have to wait and see.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Blog 1 (An Introduction)
Class-
The medium I've chosen for the topic of my blog is simply movies because it's a medium I use quite often. I am a recent new member of Netflix, and have really began to love it! The genre of movies I watch most often are thrillers and horror, but I really watch anything!
I won't be treating this blog as a movie review page; though, that is pretty much what this first post contains. I figured it's a good way to start off the blog. Keep reading future posts to find out about movie reviews; the actors, directors, and other parts of the staff that should be credited with our entertainment; and also, look for the history of movies and different types...
I generally stick to watching movies on one of my two televisions in my apartment, but if I wanted to, I have more options. I have an iPod Touch that allows me to upload and watch movies, plus, I can watch movies on my laptop, phone, or even a portable DVD player. An article written about a study states that U.S. respondents who watch video on their mobile phone spend an average of 36 minutes per day doing so (Watershead Publishing, 2009).
I just don't see why anyone would want to watch a movie on a screen that small. Aren't we living in a world of big screen, high definition televisions? And in some cases, those HDTVs are less expensive than the mobile phone!
I just watched a movie called The Prestige, which was one of those movies that I had to pay close attention to, so I didn't miss out on any vital scenes. If you haven't yet watched it, I recommend it. It was released in 2006, so you can easily find it in stores and movie rental shops.
The movie was intense, thrilling, confusing, and clever. The ending will surprise you and probably make yourself want to watch it again, so you really get it. That's all I'll say, for those of you who might want to check it out.
That's all for now. 'Til next time...
hEiDi*MaE
The medium I've chosen for the topic of my blog is simply movies because it's a medium I use quite often. I am a recent new member of Netflix, and have really began to love it! The genre of movies I watch most often are thrillers and horror, but I really watch anything!
I won't be treating this blog as a movie review page; though, that is pretty much what this first post contains. I figured it's a good way to start off the blog. Keep reading future posts to find out about movie reviews; the actors, directors, and other parts of the staff that should be credited with our entertainment; and also, look for the history of movies and different types...
I generally stick to watching movies on one of my two televisions in my apartment, but if I wanted to, I have more options. I have an iPod Touch that allows me to upload and watch movies, plus, I can watch movies on my laptop, phone, or even a portable DVD player. An article written about a study states that U.S. respondents who watch video on their mobile phone spend an average of 36 minutes per day doing so (Watershead Publishing, 2009).
I just don't see why anyone would want to watch a movie on a screen that small. Aren't we living in a world of big screen, high definition televisions? And in some cases, those HDTVs are less expensive than the mobile phone!
I just watched a movie called The Prestige, which was one of those movies that I had to pay close attention to, so I didn't miss out on any vital scenes. If you haven't yet watched it, I recommend it. It was released in 2006, so you can easily find it in stores and movie rental shops.
The movie was intense, thrilling, confusing, and clever. The ending will surprise you and probably make yourself want to watch it again, so you really get it. That's all I'll say, for those of you who might want to check it out.
That's all for now. 'Til next time...
hEiDi*MaE
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