Movies

When the news broke that Tim Burton was remaking Lewis Carrolls classic, Alice in Wonderland, his fans must have been wringing their hands with pleasure, anticipating an altogether dark and gothic version of the popular tale something that resembled other typically Burton works like Corpse Bride or The Nightmare Before Christmas. But after watching the movie, although thoroughly entertaining and complete with the visual richness that weve come to expect from Burton, the film falls short by some way of being one of his masterpieces.

From the outset, it was clear that Burton was not interested in going into detail about Alices childhood and her connection with Wonderland. After a short scene which involved the child Alice having the bad dream about falling down the hole, it cuts to the teenage Alice, played by Mia Wasikowska, on her way to her surprise engagement proposal. It is here the she follows the rabbit and falls down the hole. Once in Wonderland (Underland in this case), we meet Burtons typically cruel, insane and grim characters. The Red Queen, played by Helena Bonham Carter, is obsessed with decapitating people and given to strange whims (such as using a live pigs belly as a footrest). The Mad Hatter, played by Johnny Depp at his quirky best, often overshadows Mia Wasikowskas, somewhat dull presence.

The 3D visuals impress in Wonderland, bringing to life Absolem, the caterpillar and one of the most enjoyable characters in the film, the Cheshire Cat. Burton reinvents the fairytale landscape of Wonderland to resemble a strange mix between Avatars Pandora and the misty, typically Gothic woodlands of Sleepy Hollow. The narrative is inter-cut with action scenes, some which thrill and others which fall flat. Alice chasing the rabbit and being chased by what looked like a mutant bulldog make the cut, but the final battle that plays out on the chessboard plain at the climax is wholly unconvincing and laboured.

Alices battle with the Jabberwocky is reminiscent of the pseudo-epic battles in The Chronicles of Narnia neither Alice nor the kids in Narnia look ready to fight anything, let alone a fire breathing dragon. The White Queen, played by Anna Hathway glides and tiptoes from pillar to post in a fashion that gets to be annoying after a point. Her role is forgettable and does not impact the movie in any way.

Of the main cast, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, seasoned Burton-heads, manage to hold their own and dish out good performances but its the animated characters that steal the show. Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Bayard the bloodhound, White Rabbit, Dormouse and as mentioned before, Cheshire Cat and Absolem, hold the movie together and fit the fantastic world of Wonderland (or Underland) perfectly. They add the touches of humour without which this movie would be incomplete and something of a bore. But all said and done, Burton adaptation of this classic is entertaining. Even if it falls short in certain areas, one cant help but enjoy the ride.

But heres the real question Is it up to Burtons high standards The answer is no. Where this movie goes wrong is that its neither here nor there neither convincingly dark nor convincingly light. Burton seems to only take a half-step in the direction of the former, as if trying to forcibly retain some of the core elements of the original story while feeding in little episodes of darkness and cruelty. It would probably have been more memorable if he went all out with it and turning the story on its head. That being said, this movie is a big step up from his previous offering, the insufferable Sweeney Todd.

What is the movie really about
The movie, Time Travelers Wife, is actually an adaptation of the book with the same title written by Audrey Niffenegger and published by the MacAdamCage publishers in 2003 (Niffenegger, 2003). The lead characters of the story are Clare Abshire, played by Rachel Adams, and, Henry De Tamble played by Eric Bana (Internet Movie Database, 2010). The movie and the novel revolved around the same story which is basically grounded on the couples journey as they deal with a life that is plagued by the constant spontaneous disappearances of the husband, Henry (Internet Movie Database, 2010). In order to further illustrate the story of the movie, it will be necessary to look into the plot from which the movie and the novel were based.
 
Henry De Tamble, born in 1975, is a one of the first patients that was diagnosed with the genetic disorder, Chrono-Displacement disorder (Niffenegger, 2003). This medical abnormality allows him to travel through time and witness the events that are yet to unfold in the life of his loved ones and even himself (BookRags, Inc., 2010). Fortunately, this disorder has permitted him to meet his future wife prior to their actual formal rendezvous (Internet Movie Database, 2010). The lady that is being discussed here is Clare Abshire, a lady that lived all her life with the belief that someone is meant to stay with her and accept her the way she is for the rest of her life (BookRags, Inc., 2010). Luckily, this belief of Miss Abshire was fulfilled when Henry has fallen madly in love with her from their very first meeting when Clare was only six and Henry was already 31 (Internet Movie Database, 2010). Through Clares life, Henry was always there to monitor the things that unveil in her journey to maturity, to check the status of his future lifetime partner and to assure him of the safety of the woman he loves (Internet Movie Database, 2010).

Consequently, the two finally met when Clare was already finished with her studies and when Henry was already a librarian in Chicago. As expected, the lifelong search for love and comfort was fulfilled when they have finally united as a couple (Niffenegger, 2003). However, the best parts of the movie came after the wedding when it was revealed that Henry has continuously travelled through time without the simplest warning to his wife, an event which really placed their marriage in a very unstable state (Niffenegger, 2003). But despite of the challenges, the couple is determined to fight for their love and win over the challenges that are imposed to them by the rare genetic disorder of Henry (Niffenegger, 2003). Hence, the Time Travelers Wife is about the story of love and its associated struggles in order to maintain and preserve the romantic bond that the couple has originally felt from each other regardless of the presence of uncontrollable obstacles and other hindrances (Niffenegger, 2003).  

Is there a moral to the story, a theme to be explored, or comment to think about
By analysis, it can be inferred that a number of themes, morals, and comments can be explored from the story of the Time Travelers Wife. One of the most prominent in the list is the theme of life companionship as depicted by the consistent presence of Henry in the life of Clare which enabled him to know the lady in a very detailed manner even before they have actually met (BookRags, Inc., 2010). This theme of the movie intensified the idea that strong marital relationships must be built not precisely on long term relationships but on the in depth knowledge of each couple on the life and works of his or her partner (BookRags, Inc., 2010). Life companionship in the movie has showcased that the detailed knowledge of ones partner can translate into the detection of the similarities and differences of the members of the couple, a substrate which when properly explored is inherent in building strong marital bonds.

Another moral of the story deals with the issue of faith, hope, and love. Clich as it may sound, but these three factors were really the central theme of the movie because these are manifested by the couple when they have continued to be loyal to the other despite the unexpected disappearances of the husband. Moreover, it was shown in the movie that Clare repeatedly had miscarriages as a function of the time travelling capability of their offspring, an event which have aggravated the already pressing issue of Henrys time travelling (BookRags, Inc., 2010). However, the presence of the three aforementioned factors has proven to the viewers that no problem can rattle a well-bonded marital relationship. Lastly, one of the most obvious theme of the movie is about the waiting, physical and emotional waiting for the person that is meant to take part with your life. In the movie, waiting was endured both by Clare and Henry where the former waited for the right man to come her way while the latter waited for Clare to finally be ready to accept him as her husband.

What is the point of the movie
Hence, it can be said that the general point or position that was shown in the story describes the eagerness of a couple to hold on to each other regardless of the gravity of the obstacles that are imposed on them. After seeing the movie, viewers are left with the message that genuine feelings of love, trust, and unity between a man and a woman are always sufficient to build a long-lasting relationship that can surpass any impending difficulty. In like manner, the movie has redefined the term stand the test of time because it was clear in the story of Clare and Henry that time was really not on their side (Niffenegger, 2003). Time was actually the factor that continuously separated the two and has placed their relationship in shaky situations. However, time should still be perceived as a vital element in the story because it was the very same factor which has brought Henry and Clare to each other. In general, the Time Travelers Wife is a movie that inspires viewers to never lose hope and continue to believe that their better half will come their way at the right time.

The 1979 movie Being There starring Peter Sellers and directed by Hal Ashby centers on a man named Chance (played by Peter Sellers) whose life took a turn for the better since the accident with Ben Rand who was a wealthy businessman and close to the President of the United States.  Since that time, Chance happened to be at the right place at the right time when Rand introduced him to the affluent members of society and political leaders.  His answers to their questions during conversations are very timely as his simple words are regarded as profound by those around him.  He answers so well that nobody knew he is just a lowly gardener and everybody thinks he is one of them.

The movie is regarded as a satire of American politics in the sense that it depicts government officials and politicians, from the FBI agents to the President as clueless, shallow-minded and to a certain extent, gullible, tending to take things at face value when being told something such as the scene when Chance and the President were talking about stimulating growth.  Chance was talking in terms of gardening while the President understood it as something for the economy which impressed him and thinking Chance as a smart person, he compared him to the members of Congress whom he wish would possess such characteristics which was apparently lacking (Sellers).

If there is one thing this scene symbolizes is that the Presidency is assumed by men who are no so bright and this would remind one of the President Obamas predecessor who was regarded as such.  But this is not limited to the presidency but other politicians as well who are very good at speeches but weak in action.

Stanley Kubricks 1971 film Clockwork Orange is a controversial depiction of futuristic Britain where moral and social semantics are a thing of the past. The movie, considered a film noir by critics, had Kubrick use disturbing visual imagery to express the theme and morals of the story. He particularly utilized this technique to express the connection between art and violence. One specific example of this interrelation was when Alex DeLarge, the main character, murdered the Cat Lady. The scene showed the room abounding in modern art that depict scenes of bondage and sexual intensity.

The Cat Women presents the only real force of resistance to Alex, and the scene comes out as a struggle between high cultures aestheticized violence and sex as an autonomous art form (Cohen). Since cat women in this film are extremely non-social introverts, they occupy an enlightened spot in a city predominated by lawlessness and violence. Alex actually understands the meaning of modern art as well as he understands violence. In the scene, he makes works of art weapons of violence.

The Cat Lady is felled using her own aesthetic collections.  For instance, the sculpture was transformed into a weapon to kill her and at the scene of the Cat Ladys death, a nearly subliminal orgy of modern-art  (Cohen) is apparent  as Kubrick split the pornographic artwork in the room into one and two-frame images with the paintings found in the room that depicted mutilated body parts and bondage.

This paper aims to analyze how the character of the beast reflected and transformed the four main characters attitude and nature in the book The Lord of the Flies.

The first character is Ralph, the voted chief of the group during the first days of being stranded in the island. When the kids mentioned to him about the beast, he simply ignored the notion saying that theres no such creature in the island we are the only ones here. Even though he might be afraid of the existence of the creature, he still speaks with calm reason so as not to incur illogical fear in the group. His attitude towards beast reinstated that he is the kind of leader who remains calm and rational even during tense and frightful situations.

The second character, Piggy, is Ralphs closest friend in the group. Like Ralph, he dismissed the existence of the beast. Piggy is the voice of reason and intelligence in the group. When Ralph simply said theres no such creature, Piggy gave a more substantial explanation hoping that the others would understand and stop from coming up with crazy ideas about the beast.

The third character, Simon, is the most quiet and peaceful kid in the whole group. Despite his quiet nature, he was the only kid who had the courage to actually confirm the existence of the beast. When he found out that the so called beast was actually the corpse of the parachutist, he emerges from the forest only to be brutally killed by the other boys who have mistaken him as a beast.

The last and the most metaphorically-savaged character in the group is Jack. He also exudes leadership skills but very harsh and irrational in making decisions. When the boys informed him of the beast, he went to the place to check but did not actually go inside to confirm. He mounted the pigs head as an offering to the beast and even incurred more fear to the group, commanding them to be watchful because the beast comes in all forms and sizes.

Holocaust, one of the most appalling incidents in the human history, has been depicted in numerous movies. The most poignant movie which focuses on the topic of holocaust is Schindlers List by Steven Spielberg. The movie presents the story of Oskar Schindler whose efforts resulted in the survival of thousand Polish Jews in the times of the Holocaust. Based on a true story, this movie details the manner in which Schindler, a German businessman emerged as a heroic savior for the Polish Jews. Watching this movie made me realize that even a single person can change the fate of numerous people and write a new chapter in the human history.

The movie introduces Oskar Schindler as a businessman whose only aim is to gain profit from entering into the business of production of things required for war. He succeeds in achieving his aim, as he gets to run a factory which produces mess kits for the army, by bribing SS officials. Pleased with the success in his business, Schindler continues to lavish the Nazis with bribes and employ Jewish Poles in his factory. But one particular event changes the attitude of Schindler and makes him aware of the sufferings of Polish Jews. After witnessing one of the massacres which were carried out during Operation Reinhard, Schindler is moved by the plight of the Jews.  

Even though Schindler was aware of the fact that the massacres of Jews were carried out on the orders of Amon Goth, a captain in SS, he maintains good relations with Goth, and with the aid of bribery secures permission from Goth for building a sub-camp where his workers can stay. Monetary gain was the reason behind Schindlers decision to provide a sub-camp for the workers but with the passage of time he becomes more interested in saving the lives of Jews. By employing the Jews in his factory, he ensured that they were not executed by the Nazis. The final transformation of Schindler from a shrewd businessman to a savior of Jews takes place when the Nazis decide to shift the Jews from Plaszow concentration camp to Auschwitz concentration camp.

Schindler succeeds in persuading Goth to grant him permission to allow him to take his workers to a factory in Zwittau-Brinnlitz. But Schindler had to pay a huge sum as bribe to Goth for keeping his workers with him. Along with Stern, Schindler prepares a list consisting of names of those Jews who were supposed to accompany him to Zwittau-Brinnlitz. Being in this list of Schindler meant life for Jews, for they were saved from being sent to Auschwitz concentration camp. Schindler includes as many Jews as possible in this list and moves most of them to Zwittau-Brinnlitz safely. Some of the Jewish women, who were on Schindlers list, arrive in Auschwitz owing to a mistake. Schindler even saves the lives of these women by bribing the camp commander. In the factory at Zwittau-Brinnlitz, Schindler provides a safe and secure environment for the Jews by prohibiting the SS guards from shooting or torturing them.

The movie shows how the efforts of one person saved numerous Jews from brutal execution. Schindler, whose only aim was to earn as much money as possible when he arrived in Krakow, spends all his money to save the Jews working in his factory. The world views Holocaust with horror and disgust but this movie presents a different aspect of Holocaust which evokes awe and admiration in the minds of people towards a person whose heroic efforts saved a thousand Jews from the clutches of death. The real Schindler saved more than a thousand Jewish workers..even accomplished the unimaginable feat of rescuing some of them from Auschwitz. This films moving coda, a full-color sequence, offers an unforgettable testimonial to Schindlers achievement. (Maslin). This movie made me aware of the fact that an act of humanity carried by an individual can create a huge difference in the lives of numerous people.

To understand a peoples culture, you have to understand its music.
Confucius, as quoted in the opening scene.

The Film
Director Fatih Akins documentary film Crossing the Bridge The Sound of Istanbul released in 2005 captures the vibrancy of Turkish music and culture and its contemporary influences such as rock, rap and indie alternatives. It explores the various popular musical genres in Istanbul, Turkey in following German avant-garde musician Alexander Hacke from the band Einstrzende Neubauten while he wanders around the streets of Istanbul.

Istanbul is depicted as an innovative center for rock and hip-hop genres. Akin, a German with a Turkish descent, intended the documentary film to be about the urban music scene (Bock, 2009) that looks at cultural influences, heritage and European identity, meant to address issues faced by young people with mixed ethnic and migration backgrounds. Identity is perhaps the strongest framework on which the film operates on, advocating a global or European identity rather than a fixed national identity.

Music, in the film, represents that transnational identity, much like how hip-hop has evolved from an exclusively African American expression piece to a multiracial crew genre. As Clausen, et.al (2009) describes how music is used as a tool an d unifying subject in Crossing the Bridge, Music symbolized the articulation of the discriminated voice of migrants (p. 128), and thus the title crossing the bridge. But in the film, the music does not only cross the bridge of two different territories or national identities, but also of the past and the present. Akin brings together a wide range of tunes, from Romany and Arabesque roots to todays Kurdish dirges and Turkish rap and hip-hop.

Aside from being a metaphor for the Asian-European open identity of Turkish music and culture, the title of the film is also a literal plot device. Akin discovers influences from the western and eastern cultures just by crossing the bridge (Schwarz, 2009, p. 2). The bridge being referred to is the Bosporus that spans a strait that connects Europe and Asia, making Istanbul in itself West and East, Asian and European, open-minded and strictly religious (ibid).

Akins film is also said to be celebrating diversity while tackling the possibility of coexistence of contradictory characteristics (Schwarz, 2009) by way of music, and by cross cutting editing technique to represent the clash between two featured countries, Germany and Turkey. The multi-ethnic director also involves more than 10 musicians and musical groups of different genres and backgrounds in this 90-minute film.

Baba Zula, a psychedelic rock band playing jazzy, oriental and 70s improvisational tunes described as an ironic whiff of flower power mixed with a sample of Arabian Nights (CrossingtheBridge.de). Orient Expressions, composed of two talented DJs, an American saxophone player and a saz virtuoso, create layers of traditional eastern music, Anatolian tunes and Western beats. Duman is a punk group playing traditional Turkish rock originating in Seattle but inspired by Turkey and Istanbuls dark corners. Replikas, when it comes to musical influences, is a band with a predominantly Western style, while having cerebral lyrics and subtle Turkish identity. These and many other artists say their piece and perform their hearts for Fatih Akins documentary of in-betweenness and musical fusion.

Distribution and Funding
One hundred and 50 hours of material had to be edited for seven months  this is more or less the amount of work involved in an independently produced outside the United States. Since the film is led by Turkish-German director Akin and German artist Hacke -- main figures who are already of an unfixed ethnic grounding  the production crew had to settle for compromise in multiple areas of production and distribution.
The original version itself is spoken in three languages  English, German and Turkish. Subtitles had to be placed to provide linguistic continuity for monolingual viewers  if and in case they are reached.

There are also a number of production companies involved, namely InterVista Digital Media and Corazon International in Hamburg, and co-produced by NDR. Bavaria Film International handled worldwide sales in cooperation with the Department of Bavaria Media. Limited distribution was by MK2 Distribution, Pictorion Pictures, R-Film and Rosebud.

The European Union provided the grant for the production of Crossing the Bridge The Sound of Istanbul under the program Getting to Know Europe in celebration of EUs 50th anniversary. Akins project was first considered as an individual program proposal that promotes greater knowledge, within local and regional communities in the United States, of the European Union (EU) and its international role (European Union, 2008). Being a direct commentary of the ties between two EU countries, Akin won the grant that would market the European Union through film distribution channels in America.

The film was also awarded with the National Lottery Award worth 11,340 by the UK Film Council for distribution and exhibition (UK Film Council, 2006). Distribution of the film is also backed by Film Frderung Hamburg and NordMEDIA Fonds.

Crossing the Bridge premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005 and achieved distribution in Canada and the United Kingdom. The reasons for these accomplishments were criticized to be due to Akins influence (Seah, 2006). He is, after all, already an established director acclaimed for his strong dramas, while the documentary film itself is of mediocre quality and storytelling.

Strand Releasing sponsored its domestic video and theatrical distribution, while Alcine Terran handled that of Japan. The film was also screen in Brazil through Imovision, and in Bulgaria through Art Fest Limited.
Crossing the Bridge The Sound of Istanbul grossed for a total of 70,685 domestically  clearly considered a flop. Thanks to its worldwide release, however, it grossed up to 555,754 by its closing date on December 14, 2006. Its release spanned 140 days or 20 weeks starting its opening release on June of the same year (Box Office Mojo).

The film can also be viewed fully online via Google Videos.