Elf v.s. The Classics

The movie Elf (2003), directed by Jon Favreau, was a parody of classic holiday movies and Will Ferrell was the star. Will Ferrell may bug some people just because he has been everywhere in the past couple of years, but I have stayed strong with my love for his endless wit! In this movie, he played a role of a thirty year old "elf" named Buddy, who had the wisdom of a seven year old and had facial hair when he was in grade school.

Buddy discovers from other fellow elves that he is a human and not an elf. After hearing this outrageous breakthrough, Buddy goes out into the real world in search for his father and ends up in New York City. The movie continues on with Buddy struggling to fit in with all of the grumpy people in New York and all he wants to do is spread the Christmas cheer! Throughout the entire movie there are hilarious jokes, embarrassing moments for Buddy, one liners that leave your stomach hurting from laughter and other pinches of comedy that often times become stuck in my head for days!

Classic holiday movies such as "All I Want For Christmas," and "A Charlie Brown Christmas Carol" carry along many years of family tradition. Many people grew up watching those films and they want their kids to do the same. Nowadays, newer families with small children are turning to movies like "Elf" and disregarding the old classics. With all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it's a mystery to me as to why people haven't turned to these witty holiday movies before.

Elf puts me in such a happy mood after watching it that I am more than ready for the holidays. The screen play, written by David Berenbaum, was so clever and magical that watching this movie over and over again is a delight!

Buddy: "The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing load for all to hear!"

Buddy's Dad: "Thanks, but i don't sing..."

Buddy: "Oh, well, it's just like talking, except longer and louder, and you move your voice up and down."


This last line was made for Will Ferrell. The tone, and the excitement he carried behind the way he delivered the line was so merry and fun to hear. It makes a world of difference when the actors are lined up with a part they can most relate to and Will defiantly can pull off the innocent man dresses in elves clothing.
I would suggest this movie to anyone who is having troubles getting in the holiday spirit and I would give this two thumbs up without question!

Clip from Elf..."Santa Announcement"

I've tried, but I can't escape it...

Now that I have made it through the first unit of this course, I have taught myself to over analyze just about everything in movies. From lighting to camera angles, music to different camera movements, this class has officially turn me into a monster when it comes to watching movies.

It's not just movies I've noticed. While watching The OC, beginning to end, I caught myself noticing small details about how things are arranged or placed in certain film sequences. Just to catch you up on this overly dramatic show…Ryan (Ben McKenzie) is taken in by the Cohen family. Before taking him in, they lived a very simple life. This new addition to their family encouraged new drama to surface itself. Cocaine, big parties, alcoholics, rocky pasts, affairs, sex scandals, etc. are just a few conflicts that arise in this awesome show. It, no doubt, keeps me on the edge of my seat every time I watch. One thing i have noticed though is the music in this show is perfectly placed. When there is a romantic first kiss, or a very classy first date dip in a pool, the music is always there with the a sound that suits the emotion in the scene.

Another interesting thing I picked up on was the amount of close ups that are used in this show. Close ups are often used to show a very detailed shot of a persons face and how they are reacting to certain things. When Summer (Rachel Bilson) leaves her boyfriend Zack at the airport right before their flight to Italy, the close up of Zack's face did make me almost shed a tear. As actors, it's in their job description to be a convincing train wreck in times like this but it seemed like real life to me.

The use of all of these film techniques really makes this more then just a "bubble-gum-for-the-mind" show. It adds depth to a potentially boring story of four rich kids growing up in Orange County....Oh who am I kidding. This show is so full of drama it pulled me right in the first time I saw it. With my new knowledge, I've discovered a new way to watch this awesome show and really appreciate it more then others might.

The Art of Film

Watching movies for some is a way of relaxing, but for others, while you watch, your mind is racing. Thinking about shots, editing, photography, color, sounds, ect are just some of the things Mr. Klobuchar thinks about when watching movies. When I watch a movie I just follow the story line, and when it's done I either love it or I hate it. Art of Film will teach me how to look at films in a more profound way and I will really be able to analyze movies.