Non-Stop

Movie: Non-Stop
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Actors: Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, and Scott McNairy

Non-Stop

If you want a high flying on the edge of your seat, intense action filled, mind blowing movie experience then Non-stop is your number one go to flick to see. This movie was star filled and overflowing with talent. The main character being Liam Neeson set the stage for the fill of; full action, revenge seeking, and fight sequence galore. Liam Neeson is known for many roles such as; Schindler’s List, Star Wars, Batman Begins, and a very intriguing movie called Taken; in which was so great there was a sequel (IMDb). He has mastered the dark side of the mysterious man, or the man that is hard to understand and this has made him widely available for some intense heroism parts. Not only is acting career high flying but his natural born aspects set him up for success with his classy accent allowing him to play that rough shelled woman’s crush role. All around the man has risen from being just an actor to a full fledge star, even earning his star on the “Walk of Fame” in Hollywood (RTE ten). Neeson’s ability soar the limits in the movie Non-Stop, as he was the main character, Bill Marks, who was a broken, silenced Air Marshall. He loved his work but it was extremely apparent that he was struggle with personal issues, which later becomes exposed. His dark features, added on accent, and talent that sets the standard high formed an awarding winning role.
Working with such a high profiled individual can be so demanding and intimidating, unless you, yourself are also an extremely talented star. In this case the assisted main cast followed with Julianne Moore who is clearly a ball of talent exploding on scene in her abilities to maintain true reality in every sense, making you feel as though you are experiencing the exact emotions she is displaying. Julianne Moore played Jen Summers, the well off, businesswoman who just wanted to do what’s right. With no delay and nothing less then great Moore brought to life a woman who was intelligent and classy all while, strong and very abrasive.
Lastly you have the well rounded off set cast member working as the personality actor. This can be at times insulting however should not be in this manner for any reason (Film: 3.4). Scott McNairy was the amazing spice that the director and writer added to this movie. He portrayed, Tom Bowen, a deranged and vengeful individual thinking he was avenging his father’s name. McNairy brought the ability of the play along feeling, the act in which you could truly see or relate to this individual actually doing this. He was angry and it was a real emotion he displayed, all for a reason that so many have been through, and in the end he succumbs to death all in the name of revenge. It is your typical bad guy meets doom by the glorified hero.
Liam Neeson most definitely delivered a strong vision of Bill Marks in the movie Non-Stop, he has also mastered the leading man in Taken, a blockbuster hit about a retired CIA agent who goes on a hunt to save his daughter who was taken while on vacation. The movie did so well they made a sequel. This movie closely resembles the character he plays in Non-Stop, as do a majority of his characters in all actuality. A lot of people interpret the “leading” man or the “Hero” as a large well defined, and often a handsome man. Many leading roles have men that are muscular, and they tend to be serious, the real man’s man. With this stereotype fueling the idea for these roles Liam Neeson was able to adapt easily. He is the typical idea of what many people want to see in the energy. With so many roles being serious, I would not be able to take him as a casual comedic type. I would not imagine he would play a character in a full-blown comedy. He could however succeed in a action film with a lighter feel, but not the comedy genre.

Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2011). Film: From watching to seeing. San Diego, CA:
Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000553/

RTE ten. Liam Neeson to receive Hollywood star. 2013.
http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2013/0623/458294-liam-neeson-to-receive-hollywood-star/

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Hunger Games (2012)
Rule Change

In this scene you are able to get a feel for the dialogue, sound effects, and music. The scene is basically the end all to calling out the dictators wants for more blood shed upon the two main actors. Instead of allowing for both participants that have clearly proved they are honorable and worthy of both winning, the producer per say of the games comes on over a loud speaker to state there have been rule changes. The new rule stands that instead of two winners there can only be one. Instead of giving in to the ludicrous request both Katniss and her leading man Peeta decide to die together by ingesting poisoned berries. The voice that you hear over the loud speaker is an edited voice or what is known as a non-diegetic sound, to seem as though it was received via loudspeaker. However this is a sound effect/special effect added accessory to the film. While speaking you can also hear birds and sounds of nature in the background, considering they are outside in a wooden environment this seems very realistic but again is a sound effect also considered a non-diegetic. The music begins to play as soon as the voice stops speaking over the loud speaker. The song is quiet, frail, and offering a sensitive and heartbreaking emotion for the two main characters now that they have realized they both shall die. The actual dialogue spoken between the two main characters is diegetic and can be clearly viewed.
Having the scene quiet except for the voice over the loud speaker in the beginning shows that these two are alone but they are however being watched. The dialogue is quiet and very sensitive, a romantic moment in a action kill fest movie. This scene allows for more of an emotional connection with the characters rather than the constant feelings of fleeing and or anger towards the characters that are on the hunt to kill. Having the slow paced music begin to play as both characters realize their fate only intensifies the emotions of loss and heartache. This scene does not offer the loud explosions, or death screams as much of the movie does but it does show the extreme dyer effect of the stress the characters have faced from the evil voice that is broadcast over the loud speaker in the middle of no where in which a blood bath has taken place. This movie is based in a non-fiction realm with some very realistic settings. The way in which the woods and battle ground are portrayed are very real, the birds that you hear, the voices, the screams, all interaction among the individuals. Even the boom of the death toll cannon is quite realistic. There are some effects that give a futuristic feel; for instance, the sounds of the drop in weapon system. It is a motorized contraption offering a new weapon to take out another opponent. This piece throughout the movie is something an audience appreciates in entertainment value but not necessarily realism.
This scene is pretty extreme when it comes to a mixture of emotions. If you watch the movie in its entirety you are subjected to a roller coaster effect on your feeling’s This scene brings you through a roller coaster and more just within in minutes. The feeling of victory that these two are still standing, the feeling of defeat and anger when the producer changes the rules, the feeling of hopelessness and heart ache when the two offer to die together, only to end on the feeling of victory and revenge when the producer stops them short of suicide. Without the music it would be an awkward silent lonely feeling of death and the audience would want it to end quickly. The music makes the emotions latch on longer hoping for an alternate ending. The special/sound effects nailed this scene perfectly and grabs the audience attention without a doubt.

http://movieclips.com/FWdy-the-hunger-games-movie-star-crossed-lovers/

 

Movie: The Prisoner

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Writer: Aaron Guzikowski

Main Actors: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis

 

The movie “Prisoners” is a dark thriller/crime film that keeps you guessing and wondering what the ending will bring. Throughout this movie there are many scenes that are using the three point lighting scheme. In the beginning two families come together to enjoy a meal and the adults gather in living room to have some adult time by listening to one of the fathers play guitar. During this time the three point lighting is allowing all actors to be seen clearly and there are no apparent shadows or over cast on display. In this very scene the emotions are light and careless. Seeing the family members light hearted and easy going the lighting shows the sense of no threat or worries to acknowledge. Using this lighting allows for the audience to see each face and makes for a lighter feeling of emotions. There is no shadows making it dark, or showing that a tragedy is about to take place. With this lighting you are able to see all movement within the frame and get an overall feeling of connection to the actors and actresses emotions. This technique helps to smooth out any feelings of terror or threat in this specific scene. Most mainstream movies utilize this form of lighting and therefore it would be expected in this movie as well. Had this form of lighting been changed, it may have made the scene look more as a documentary or as an older film that may have been made in earlier years before our technology making it more of the classic film feeling and that is actually more interesting to some audience viewers. I think that with any other lighting used during this scene it would have made the suspense rise before the key time to make it less shocking.

 

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/prisoners_2013/trailers/11179256/

 

 

Prisoners Movie poster. (2013). Retrieved from http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4vGslkIaiC0/Uh3ly1gkJlI/AAAAAAAAAIc/gkIHgU2VUac/s400/Prisoners.jpg

 

Prisoners Trailer. (2013) Rotten Tomatoes Trailers. Retrieved from http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/prisoners_2013/trailers/11179256/

Enemy

 

 

 

 

Movie of choice: Enemy
Writer: Jose Saramago based on novel by: Javier Gullon
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Major Actors: Jake Gyllenhaal, Melanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon
Year released: 2013

Summary:

This moving is a mind game all in it’s own category. It is not until the end you have over a hundred questions, with the leading actor being a shy, and routine driven professor for a college; a fellow professor questions him if he ever watches movies. He ponders on this question to realize he does not and therefore he rents a movie that the professor suggested. After watching the movie he has a dream that takes him back to the movie he watched the night prior. He becomes frazzled and begins to skim the movie again to find an actor within the movie that looks identical to him. He becomes intrigued by this and searches for the individual via Internet. Once he figures out his name he goes to see the actor, or stalk in a sense. He notices in person that they even sound alike. He calls the gentlemen to meet up but comes on too strong to the actor causing the actor to become concerned. After much hesitation the two meet up and realize that indeed they are identical. With added details that they both have identical scars, and may even be related. This frightens the shy professor and in turn scares him away. The actor returns home to become enraged thinking that for a moment since they look alike that maybe the professor has slept with his wife. He confronts the professor to tell him that he will be taking his girlfriend away for a weekend then they will never see each other again. The professor being shy allows but in turn goes to the actor’s house and becomes intimate with his wife. The tables had turned and in the end, the actor and the professor’s girlfriend are killed in a car accident leaving viewers with many questions and scenarios as options. The movie ends quite abruptly with the professor walking into the bedroom of the actors, only to find an over sized unrealistic spider crouching in the corner.

This movie was set in a chronological order allowing the audience to follow the craziness and experience the madness first hand. If this movie had been put through a non-linearly timeline I believe the chaos would have expanded more in the beginning but may have allowed for more answers in the end. However having this movie be in chronological order as an audience you are able to connect with the disconnected professor and almost become excited that he has changed his environment and is about to experience something that was not typical for him. When asked how would the movie differ if it had followed a different presentation style I would say it might have benefited in many ways. I feel as though the movie was very intriguing but the ending left you feeling as though it was not finished or did not make sense.