Scene Breakdown Suggestion

40 Year Old Virgin

Script Link 

I would like to suggest the Poker Scene from the film '40 Year Old Virgin' for our class' reenactment lesson for several reasons. The first in which being that it is comedic which makes it more enjoyable to perform as well due to it's amusing nature. It's also a widely popular film which I believe many people my age would have watched and already know so will able to to deliver the lines and perform the scene similar to it's original.

When performed I think that our class should put a twist on the scene and deliver the lines exactly as stated but change the premise of the scene from a Poker Table to something more relatable to people our age, like talking together at lunch for example for after the teacher has left the classroom as it shows that we are able to take an example and form it into a more relevant situation to show our understanding of the film.

I also think that when we shoot that we should place the camera at an angle that makes it look as if it is the metaphorical 'fifth person' on the poker/lunch/classroom table and then use four separate other cameras to do portrait shots of the four actors as they say they lines

Weekly Film Analysis - Hidden Figures

Hidden Figures is a biographical drama with heavy comedic features throughout its duration. It is directed by Theodore Melfi and supported by a majority black female cast which is explained by its themes of racism, segregation and gender equality and that contextually all three main women within the film would have faced all of this throughout the Jim Crow era 1960’s as shown through a comedic sequence in which the main female character Katherine Johnson is made to run from one building to another just to use the toilet which is made out to be humorous at multiple times throughout the film's run until she is caught late by her boss and she is forced to express her predicament through the form of a speech. This is edited in such a way that accentuates to the audience that this system is not only inconvenient but unethical, which mirrors the attitudes of many Black-Americans of the time and now.



The film's mostly set within the NASA space station and the separate department which is their coloured department, by modern day standards this is complete racism but in 1960’s standard segregation was the norm but this film tries to show how although that as black women they are perhaps in the most difficult position they manage to push through that and achieve something great despite lack of belief. The film itself sets out to inspire with this message as it is bases heavily off a true story the actions the characters take throughout the film are real to a certain extent so it makes it easier for the audience to empathise and believe what the film is trying to sell through its realism.

In terms of camera quality it's shot in 4k and is made grainy is certain parts of the film to give a vintage effect and remind the audience that this is still set in the 1960's era and it uses a lot of images of rockets blasting off from real NASA missions to add drama to the tone of the film through the sound as well as remind older audiences of footage they may have seen growing up and create a nostalgic feel.

Critically the film did exceeding well with critics describing it as: Hidden Figures is the rare true story-based historical drama that succeeds at being as inspirational and feel-good as it aspires to be.
Sandy Schaefer
Screen Rant
⅘

It received a 93% rating on rotten tomatoes at was well received due to its heartwarming message.

Winter's Bone and Captain Fantastic Analysis

Winter's Bone and Captain Fantastic are both films that share the theme of family, able to portray how each is exceptionally different and how they all share their own individual struggles, this is not their only similarity as they both are alike in setting with both films having a connection to nature and the forest through the locations of their characters.

WB has a sort of rustic feel to the film as it explores parts of America that are not normally known as prominent locations in film and shows the grittier side of the country in a indie genre stylised manner, opposing towards Captain Fantastic's comedic drama; Captain Fantastic is able to provide warmth with it's humor in a way that WB can't, although WB does have occasional moment that could be thought of as humorous it is on the darker side of the spectrum and isn't particularly obvious like many parts of Winter's Bone it has a theme of secrecy with the setting of tall trees and peering neighbours seemingly shrouded with mystery.

Critically both films did exceptionally well, with Captain Fantastic receiving a 83% on the Rotten Tomatoes tomatometer and audiences describing it as "An irresistible and intelligent film that understands the fascinating complexity of its main character, his questionable actions and the way he believes to be the best to raise his children - which inspires our sympathy." as did Winter's Bone which actually did better receiving a 94% "Bleak and disenchanting look at the dark side of the American countryside. Carried by great acting performances and the fascinatingly gloomy criminal networks of Ozark County."

While WB aims to shock and slightly disgust, this is shows rather explicitly through the scene in which the main character is forced to sever a limb of a man who potentially may be her father; In contrast to this Captain Fantastic aims to invoke your interest and force you to question the way you think, it does this also through the presentation of its main character and how he chooses to raise his fam9ily by unconventional means that in today's society are regarded as 'abuse' yet his children seem much more capable than others in their age bracket, it opens up questions on what lessons are actually best to pass onto children and which lessons children should be allowed to learn themselves.  This is perhaps done to challenge the social construct that being in a school environment is the best and only way to learn as shown in the scene in which the main character's seven year old daughter is pitted against her older cousin in a challenge of intelligence, both are asked the same question (what is the American Bill of Rights) and while the cousin, who is meant to represent the average american child, is unable to answer the daughter is able to eloquently answer to the degree of someone who'd studied law.

Both films also examine the importance of parental presence, as WB's present one parental figure as psychologically absent and the other as potentially dead criminal it is imminently clear that within their family the teenage main character (Ree Dolly) is the parental figure, taking on the responsibilities of looking after her two younger siblings and their home. This is done like Captain Fantastic in a way that reflects our current society and allows audiences to question their presence in their homes within their on families and how it is affected by their absence of lack thereof. WB explains that familial ties have the ability to hold you back as much as they have the ability to propel you forward, depending on how close your family is. During the film the main character goes on a journey and asks anyone regarded as family for help yet they choose to turn against her in a bid to save themselves, showing there is more to family than blood as it depends on what you can actually do for your family.

Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing compared to Chi-Raq and The Best Man

'Do the Right Thing' and Chi-Raq' are both films made by director Spike Lee, both contain similar themes of race and poverty but their messages are quite different as while DTRT has a strong focus on racism and class; CR places it's importance on an attempt at feminism but fails to understand the true meaning of it, taking on a more generic stereotyped approach rather than DTRT which takes the stereotypes and shows how we incorporate them ourselves in our own lives.

As a film CR is not entirely without fault as visually it is stunning, similar to DTRT which can be exceptionally brightly coloured at many times throughout it's run, as well. Yet CR has a much lighter tone despite the dark situation behind the comedy in which the crime rate in Chicago has reached levels where it is comically referred to as 'Chi-Raq' a conjunction of the state of Chicago and the country of Iraq - a war torn country in the middle east. The title itself dictates the situation