Hero

The film, Hero, directed by Zhang Yimou, is a chinese martial arts movie which includes intense sword fighting along with defying gravity. The movie begins with the protagonist and the king with a conversation and a series of flashbacks on the protagonists adventure. The protagonist in the film, Nameless, played by Jet Li, is rewarded by the king for supposedly defeating the three most wanted assassins, Broken Sword, Flying Snow, and Sky. These three killers have sworn to kill the king until Broken Sword realizes the true meaning to swordsmanship. Nameless tells the King of Qin a fake story on how he retrieved the weapons of the assassins but the king quickly figures out Nameless' lies and figures out that Nameless plotted out a plan with the other assassins so Nameless can come closer to the King and kill the king. However, Jet Li's character hesitates and refuses to kill the king because of Broken Sword's persuading words, "All under Heaven," and the King's statement of how he too understands the final achievement of swordsmanship and how he wants peace in the world. Flying Snow, disappointed at Nameless and Broken Sword, wanted the king to be dead and ends up killing Broken Sword because he wanted to make her believe in what he believed and decided to kill herself so she could be with him forever. In the end, Nameless is killed by the King's army under the command of King Qin but he is buried with honor and the King unites all of china and brings peace to the country.

This film definately contains alot of action scenes and violence but different from many western films because the director of Hero did not include blood in most of the scene or even when someone would get stabbed with a sword, blood was not shown which can represent the local trends in chinese cinema. Another local trend is that the movie expressed alot of emotion through the vivid colors used by the director. Some significant colors that were portrayed in the movie were red, blue, green and white. Some global trends that were depicted in the movie is that the themes used in the film were very similar to the themes in American films such as Love, Sacrifice, and trust. The theme of love seemed to be an important factor in the film because you constantly see the love relationship between Broken Sword and Flying Snow. Although they had opposing views on whether to kill the king or not, in the end, they both loved each other and died for each other.

Amelie is a French film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The film is about Amelie a girl who grows up with a odd childhood. The only friend she really has while growing up is her imagination. This leads her to grow into a rather shy adult. She becomes a waitress in a Montmarte cafe and mostly stays to her self in her spare time. She finds an old box of treasures in her home which belonged to the apartment's previous owner. She decided to give it back to him, but in a mischievously and magical way instead of merely returning it. After seeing the man's reaction when he finally recovers all of his long lost childhood memories Amelie decides to devote her life to helping the people around her. She goes on to help people such as her father who is obsessed with a garden gnome, a failed writer that sits all day in the cafe she works at, she befriends an elder neighbor who never leaves his home, and a man who has lost his photo album who later becomes the love of her life.
Amelie uses many editing techniques and bright colorful lighting to give off a magical feeling, making the movie very dazzling and enjoyable to watch. When the movie opens up it shows many different events that all happened the same second that Amelie was conceived. Whenever the film introduce a new character it pauses the story and gives a background story and subplot on the character, telling what they like/dislike and their quirks. The movie seems a little scattered at parts but in the end it all wraps up nicely and makes the subplots all twist into a good story.
Amelie definitely appeals to international audiences because of its unique storyline and colorful screenplay. It also mixes many internationally recognized themes, such as love and finding oneself. Over all it was an amazing movie and definitely deserves the recognition that it received.

Swades

Swades tells the story of Mohan Bhargava, a "NRI" or "Non-returning Indian" who emigrated to the U.S. to pursue an American education and holds a job at NASA as a distinguished project manager for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM). He has settled in America and enjoys all the comforts of life, yet memories of his life in India and the loving nanny that brought him up begin to haunt him. He takes a two-week leave and returns to India to find and care for Kaveri amma, the woman who brought him up like a "second mother". He finds her in the small village of Charanpur with the intention of bringing her back to America. There, Kaveri amma has brought up two other people who also lost their parents at an early age, Gita and her young brother. During the two weeks, he learns much about the small village, its people, their pride in tradition and culture, and the barriers that prevent the village from improving its conditions. These barriers include illiteracy, caste discrimination, and close-minded views. Mohan realizes these hindrances and by winning the hearts of the villagers by sharing in their traditions and making them realize how some of these traditions prevent better conditions, he successfully enrolls new students in the local school despite the castes they come from. As the two weeks come to an end, Mohan decides to stay longer. At Kaveri amma's request he travels to the home of Gita to collect rent from a family that leased the land. A train ride, boat ride, and bus ride later, he and his village friend, Mela Ram, arrive at the destitute home of the family. He learns the story of the weaver that lost his job after textile factories debuted and was forced into farming to raise money for his family. To local village officials, this shift in jobs meant a shift in social status, limiting his access to water, and, in turn, leading to the unsuccessful harvest. His family barely gets along and lives a meager and shameful life. Mohan realizes that the hindrances he had found in Charanpur are constant across India. He leaves the farmer, paying for his rent and leaving him with the money he had. As his leave finally draws to an end, Mohan, lastly, creates a water turbine to generate electricity for the village. With the help of the villagers, he proves to the higher elders that every person, despite caste, can work together to improve the conditions of the village. At the demand of the GPM project, Mohan leaves the village and his new love, Gita, with a heavy heart. After the GPM project comes to a close, Mohan resigns and returns to India to marry Gita and live in the village of Charanpur.

I feel that among all the film screenings to date for this class, this movie was the most successful in blending an equal amount of clear national and global aspects of cinema. The film carries the definition of a Bollywood masala movie in that in contains the romance, drama, periodic song breakouts, and field spinning. Yet these aspects of Bollywood were limited. The song interruptions were not the usual choreographed dance, matching costume, and backup dancer norm. Instead, the only slightly choreographed routine to be considered would be Shahrukh Khan's bit with the swami-looking traveler on his way to Charanpur. The songs were well-incorporated into the themes of the movie, and not as random as other Bollywood movies I have seen. The movie opened with the problem of caring for the elderly. In the Indian tradition, this respoinsibility of caring for the elderly resides on the grown children, another national aspect. In addition, landscape shots were prominent in this film, as they are in many other Bollywood films. Mohan's train ride on his journey to collect Gita's rent is a good example of these landscape shots. They also tied in well to the main theme of the movie: "returning to the motherland". It should also be noted, with no offense intended to Shahrukh Khan, that by casting him as the protagonist is basically another Bollywood trait.

The global aspects of Swades, with risk of redundancy, is this exact limitation of Bollywood aspects. The story of Gita and Mohan's romance was not the focus of the film, nor were there any very action packed scenes, or overtheboard drama. While abiding to these more dramatic guidelines have won Indian audiences in the past, and reaped in outstanding profits, this film differed. This is obvious in the types of audiences the movie attracted; it was very successful in foreign countries just as much as it was in India. Instead of a high-packed action scene, the climax of the movie may be considered as the scene when Mohan accepts a cup of water from a destitute-looking child at a train stop on his way back to Charanpur. In this simple scene, volumes can be spoken of Mohan's feelings, the conditions of the poor countryside in India, and the unrealized potential for improvement, especially for the youth of India.

Water was uniquely used as a theme in this film and was synonomous to land. My favorite part of this film is how these national and global aspects tied so seamlessly into themes of water and returning to the land. Mohan moved to America and became a manager of a Global Precipitation Measurement project (the idea of water in the opening scene) He traveled to India, to his homeland, drinking water only from bottles during his stay. A turning point occured for him when he accepted the cup of water from the boy at the train station. He returned to Charanpur, and brought electricity to the village by manipulating a local stream into generating a water turbine. While he returned once more to America to finish his project, he comes back to India, the last scene of the movie focusing on dipping his feet into the water and finally returning to his homeland.

Over the Shoulder Shot

5 video shots

Mid Shot



Long, Wide Shot




Tracking Shot




Follow Shot

Amores Perros

“Amores Perros” is a Mexican film that highlights many problems that currently affect the country. The film consists of three separate stories that are linked together through one old man. In the first story, two brothers are forced to use different tactics to earn money to support their family. Ramiro supports his wife and child by working and a grocery store and robbing convenience stores. Octavio gets caught up in the world of dog fighting to try and make enough money so he can take his brother’s wife and run away. Since the brothers’ living conditions are so poor, the easiest way to earn money seems to be through unmoral acts. When countries face poverty, it is common for crime rates to be high in countries all over the world. Dog fighting is also a current problem even in the United States with football player Michael Vick.
The second story consists of a man leaving his wife in order to live with his famous mistress. This story is filled with lies and adultery. Like the first story, the second story is very global and could happen in any modern country today. The corruption continues in the third story when a business man hires the old man to kill his business partner. The old man turns the table in an unexpecting way on the business man. “Amores Perros” consists of moral dilemmas that revolve around love. Like the name states, the characters learn that love is a bitch.
The film uses different techniques to set the mood of the film. Using high contrast lighting and shadows, the movie has a dark, corrupt feel to it. Like Mexico itself, the film shows stories of the rich and poor. Mexico’s classes are separated greatly and the film shows these differences. Unique editing choices separate the stories. During the dramatic scenes at the end of the stories, the film cuts to black and introduces the new characters in the story. It does a great job of separating the stories and keeping the viewer interested. Using these techniques, “Amores Perros” tells a great story that shows global aspects of Mexican cinema.

How Oceans Eleven and Nine Queens Are Able to Transform a Genre

The crime genre has evolved throughout cinematic history to not only portray the exploits of conmen, but to integrate other generic traits as well. Many recent crime films have included elements of comedy, romance, murder, drama, and suspense. By meshing traits of crime films with others, film makers are able to reveal alternative motives than the rewards of the crime creating a much deeper story line and connection with the characters. Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 Hollywood blockbuster, Oceans Eleven, alters the traditional stereotypes of a crime film. The film is more of a comedy film revolving around a crime, but nonetheless, there are all the traditional elements of a crime thriller: money, an elaborate scheme, and a well-crafted team of thieves. It is the story of a life-long criminal, Daniel Ocean, and his eleven-man team’s quest to steal over $150 million from three Las Vegas casinos. The aforementioned traits are not only present in Hollywood films, but foreign ones as well. Fabien Bielinsky’s 2000 Argentinean film, Nine Queens, follows the newly-formed team of two conmen, Marcos and Juan, who are handed the opportunity of a life time. After a morning of swindling on the streets of Buenos Aires, the men seemingly luck into a scheme to rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars by selling a counterfeit stamp set (Nine Queens) to a Spanish businessman. At the heart of the crimes in each movie lie similar alternative motives of love and revenge established through using a hybrid genre and unconventionally driven main characters (Juan and Daniel Ocean).

Despite its label as a crime film, Nine Queens, is much more than the tale of a swindle. It is a unique film that can be funny at times, teach lessons, thrill the viewer, or even criticize Argentinean society. To truly understand the depth of the film’s transcendence it is necessary to further analyze both the characters and the plot. Following a “chance” meeting between Marcos, a lifetime thief who thinks of himself as a legitimate businessman who is better than the swindlers around him, and Juan, a rookie conmen with all the right intentions and a very likable personality, comes an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They are presented with the opportunity to cash-in on fraudulent stamps by selling them to an aggressive collector. Along the way, the men encounter unanticipated challenges such as Juan’s apparent mistrust of the situation, the theft of the fraudulent stamps, having to purchase the originals from a widow (Marcos uses his savings to buy them), and Marcos’ eventual decision to prostitute his sister (Valeria) in order to complete the sale. The challenges speak as to how far each man is willing to go. Not only is Marcus willing to risk his savings, but he is also sacrificing his barely-there relationship with his family for his benefit. Meanwhile, Juan goes along for the ride, albeit with a hesitant attitude, yet he keeps his morals in tact throughout the scheme. Eventually they complete the sale with a payment via cashiers’ check that proves to be invalid following the Argentinean financial collapse, resulting in Marcos’ loss of thousands of dollars. Yet, in the end it is Juan who reaps the biggest prizes in the end: love and revenge. In fact, Juan was behind the scheme the whole time, as revealed by Bielinsky’s final scene showing a gathering of every player in the scheme and an exchange of both love and money between Juan and Valeria. Critic Roger Epert uses the following synopsis to explain the beauty of the film:

[It is] a con within a con within a con. There comes a time when we think we've gotten to the bottom, and then the floor gets pulled out again and we fall another level. Since nothing is as it seems (it doesn't even seem as it seems), watching the film is like observing a chess game in which all of the pieces are in plain view but one player has

figured out a way to cheat. (Epert)

His summary refers to the use of twists and turns to get the revenge on Marcos. Additionally, it supports the idea that Nine Queens offers much more than a typical crime film, it offers an ever-changing array of events that morph into a genre of its own that should be valued across the world.

Oceans Eleven has much more to offer the viewer than just an exciting narrative about the plights of Daniel Ocean and his men. The film is very much a crime movie, but it is also to make the viewer laugh, admire the charismatic Ocean, and most notably incorporate Ocean’s romance and quest to win back his ex-wife (Tess). Following his release from prison Ocean rendezvous with an old companion, Rusty, to reveal his scheme to rob three Las Vegas casinos. The duo proceeds to round up nine others to carryout the intricate duties involved with the robbery. Once thoroughly involved in the plot, “Rusty sees the casino owner with a woman he recognizes-Tess Ocean, Danny's ex-wife. "Tell me it isn't about her," Rusty begs Danny. Of course it is. Ocean wants to steal from his ex-wife's current lover and get her back again” (Ebert). Eventually, the men successfully steal all $150 million from the casinos, but more importantly, Danny regains his ex wife by forcing her to witness her casino-owner boyfriend’s desire to have his money rather than Tess. Throughout the course of the film are comedic elements that help to downplay the seriousness of stealing millions, yet emphasize the strengths and flaws of each character. By downplaying the gravity of the crime, Oceans Eleven is able to focus on Danny’s primary motivation to get back with Tess. Due to the comedic elements, Danny’s conquest to regain his lost love serves as the lasting memory of the film, rather than the intricate scheme to achieve wealth. Soderbergh’s unique blend of comedy and suspense are able to make the viewing experience of Oceans Eleven unique in a sense that it reminds the viewer there is much more to life than money.

By conveying modern conventions of the genre, both films are influential sources for those attempting to morph the typical crime film. While Oceans Eleven leaves the audience laughing and rejoicing in Daniel Ocean’s ability to flawlessly steal millions as he wins back the love of Tess, Nine Queens leaves the viewer with an astounding shock as the truth of the whole situation are revealed. The symbiotic relationship between the use of alternative motives and the mending of the genre create unique films with different impacts and intentions for the audience. Nine Queens has the power to deliver subtle criticisms of Argentinean society such as the amount of crime, financial crisis, and effects of capitalism while Oceans Eleven is able to provide an enjoyable escape from daily life for the audience.

As crime films both directors reveal a darker (yet some may argue glamorous in the case of Oceans Eleven) world. This world focuses on not just the ability of the main characters to commit their crimes, but their flaws and motivations as well. Daniel Ocean deceives those around him to believe the scheme is solely for the money, yet “unlike many leaders who are motivated to achieve goals because of their high need for power, Ocean’s motivation is mainly to get Tess back. His motivation reflects a persuasive character”(Obeidah). Ocean’s role as a leader whose goal is more important than money is the film’s attempt to break the typical criminal connotations of the genre and provide a much deeper character that drives to achieve true happiness rather than material wealth. In the case of Nine Queens, Juan is the character that breaks the mold of the criminal that Marcos so well represents. Bielinsky presents Juan as a sort of saint sent to put Marcos in his place by beating him at his own game; “The identification with Juan is clear. He has taken on the role of avenger, the task of ‘slaying the dragon’, an identification that legitimizes his mode of revenge by giving it a divine quality in the absence of earthly justice”(Copertari). Juan’s role in the film justifies Nine Queens’ position as more than just a crime movie, but rather as a tale of revenge and a message that betrayal of family, traditional values, and backstabbing has no place in Argentinean society, and for that matter, in today’s world. While the films have dissimilar messages, both films use the main characters to demonstrate the transformation of the crime genre into an expression of personal emotions and the varying values of humanity.

The use of alternative motivation within the films is able to teach valuable lessons that can transcend national boundaries. These lessons include the idea that money is not everything (Ocean’s goal to get back Tess) and that people will get what they deserve in the end (Marcos being betrayed by everyone around him). Each film has a role as a hybrid film that can provide an unexpected movie-going experience, criticize society, and modify the typical associations within a crime film. Viewers an laugh at the exploits of Ocean and his men in Hollywood’s combination of comedy and crime, while they are left on the edge of their seats watching Bielinsky’s twists and turns in his Argentinean thriller that surpasses the any negative connotations associated with foreign films.