Dark Skies Movie Review

1. A supernatural thriller follow a young family - the Barrett family who living in the suburbs. The Barrett family consist of father Daniel, mother Lacy, eldest son Jesse and the youngest son Sammy. Daniel has been out of work at least three months which become an issue they fight for everyday. Sammy communicate with Jesse from their beds via walkie-talkie and reads scary stories about the Sandman to him in order to distract him from their parent's fighting. The family start to experience an escalating series of disturbing events which involving their family safety and peaceful. From that time, Sammy tells Lacy that the Sandman had came to his room. Daniel and Lacy try to brush it off but the incidents become more intense. When the myth become clearer, Daniel and Lacy realize they targeted by an unimaginably terrifying and deadly force. Daniel and Lacy take action to solve mystery of what is after their family. However, they failed to protect their children from being taken away by the Grey - aliens that have traveled millions of light years to experiment on human. Three months later, Lacy realize that the walkie-talkie begins to crackle and Sammy pick up the walkie-talkie. He hears Jesse call his brother's name.

2. Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginative content such as futuristic settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, time travel, parallel universes and extraterrestrial life. 

The Dark Skies different from other movie that marked as genre sci-fi because the film add horror genre into it. The director manage to generate some tense and creepy atmosphere in the film such as the ransacked kitchen, some paranormal furniture rearrangement and a convoluted camera monitoring system. Besides that, the director try to create the feeling of terror in this film by using the sound effect. The director first using the quiet scene and suddenly using increasingly loud tension chord to shock the audience. For example, the way of characters banging their head against glass or staring agape into the camera. Despite all these scenes, the director didn't use the visual effect of  the alien " grey" directly at the front part of the movie but his choose to build up the emotion of the audience to feel the tension of the character. Therefore, the Dark Skies different from other Sci-Fi movie such as ET, Men In Black and more that using a lot of imaginative content and futuristic visual effect.

3. The time background setting of the film is 20th century.  We can know that the idea of the film present is 20th century because the convenience of the internet accessible by the character and there is no futuristic setting gadget for the film.

The place setting for the Dark Skies is suburbs - a usually residential area or community outlying a city.

There are a lot of scenes showing that the resident around the area doing activities around the residential area.

Some of the important props that use in the film are

bicycle

walkie-talkie

food can

the dead bird

gun

wood 

drawing paper

4. Here is the shot types that had been used in Dark Skies.

1) WS (Wide Shot)
The subject takes up the full frame, or at least as much as comfortably possible.
AKA: long shot, full shot.

The starting of the movie show that this is an ordinary family. 

2) MS (Mid Shot)
Shows some part of the subject in more detail while still giving an impression of the whole subject.

After Jesse heard some voice that cannot be hear by other, he become unsound mind.

3) MCU (Medium Close Up)
Half way between a MS and a CU.

Lacy was trying to protect her children so she was looking up and down for Sammy and Jess. However, she didnt not realiaze that Grey is standing behind of her. She end up with locked alone inside the room.

4) CU (Close Up)
A certain feature or part of the subject takes up the whole frame

Lacy realized Daniel wasn't in bed and when he found Daniel, she saw Daniel in this expression and later he was nose bleeding.

5) Cut-In
Shows some (other) part of the subject in detail

Daniel realized that he had some allergic symptoms on his left ear in the morning.

6) (OSS) Over-the-Shoulder Shot
Looking from behind a person at the subject. 

Lacy was talked to her client at that time after that she walk to the glass and started to bang to the glass which shocked client.

7) Two-Shot
A shot of two people, framed similarly to a mid shot.

Lacy asked Sammy whether he know who did about the prank of the ransacked  kitchen and Sammy answered her it was done by Sandman.

5. One of the critic of editing style in the film of Dark Skies is that the film using jump cut.
Jump cut is a cut in film editing in which two sequential shots of the same subject are taken from camera positions that vary slightly. The jump cut usually have to avoid in the film. However, the Dark Skies using the jump cut well and bring a good effect.
 Here is the comment of the audience about the jump cut that use in the film
"One of my favourite moments is a P.O.V. shot that turns expediting jump cuts into otherworldly temporal blips by amplifying the disturbing soundtrack hum at the point of each edit. It's more effective, frankly, than the one or two awkwardly-rendered shots we get of the "Grays," who are at least used sparingly. "

As a conclusion, if the jump cut use well in the film, it will add a sense of speed to the sequence of events.

Reference

Bill Chambers(2013). Dark Skies (2013) - Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet. Retrieved from http://www.filmfreakcentral.net/ffc/2013/05/dark skies.html#sthash.ebyhl2Oa.dpuf

Bordwell, David; Thompson, Kristin (2006). Film Art: An Introduction (8th Edition). New York: McGraw Hill. p. 254. ISBN 978-0-07-331027-5.

Shaun Munro(2013). Dark Skies Review: Laughably Derivative Sci-Fi Falls At Every Hurdle
. Retrieved from http://whatculture.com/film/dark-skies-review-laughably-derivative-sci-fi-falls-at-every-hurdle.php.

Kyle Anderson(2013). Interview with “Dark Skies” Writer/Director Scott Stewart. Retrieved from http://www.nerdist.com/2013/02/interview-with-dark-skies-writerdirector-scott-stewart/.

Media college.com. Shot types. Retrieved from http://www.mediacollege.com/video/shots/.

Rotten Tomatoes(2013). Dark Skies Movie Info. Retrieved from http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dark_skies_2013/.

Director Journal Week 6

Tonight there is not presentation on our production meeting.

Dr Azlan gave us time for the production team to discuss about the preparation of the rehearsal shooting and the real shooting.

We will having the rehearsal shooting on tomorrow.

Therefore we discussed mainly about the preparation of the props for tomorrow.

For the rehearsal shooting and real shooting, it is quite important to have a reference for the shooting angle such as close up, high angle shooting, wide shoot and more so we have to prepare a storyboard. A storyboard is a graphic representation of how our video will unfold, shot by shot. Maybe it will take a little time to put storyboard together but in the long run it will save time because it save time to explain the vision to the people that working on the video shooting.

We will having shooting according to the storyboard that we had drew.

Reference

Video Maker Tips（2014). What is a Storyboard and Why Do You Need One? Retrieved from http://goanimate.com/video-maker-tips/what-is-a-storyboard-and-why-do-you-need-one/.

Director Journal Week 5

Today for the production meeting, we had moved to the audio room for the presentation. Surprisingly, the class full of people and we have to stand or sat at the stage. 

The presentation conducted by each production team director. The presentation can be said full of laughter especially when we watched the outcome of the first year production team. They shooting their video in comedic funny way therefore it is quite relax and happy to watch their production outcome. However, they have to improve some shooting way such as lighting, the angle of shooting, some mistake of the editing style such as jump cut. 

Here is our turn to present our production outcome - Zahirah.

After the presentation, we having a short discussion on our date of rehearsal shooting which is on 3 May 3pm. All of the crew members must be there while we having rehearsal shooting to make sure that we be familiar with the situation of real shooting.

Besides that, we also discussed about the place that we going to have real shooting. We decided to find a homestay that not too far away from University of Malaya to save some cost. Therefore, we found a homestay that place at Kampung Endah. 

Here is the detail for the homestay - http://www.tourismselangor.my/homestay-kampungendah/

It is a really nice place for us to shoot for the short film:)))

We really look forward for the shooting in this nice homestay!

BEFORE THAT, we have to write letter and consent letter to gain the permission of the owner of the homestay. It is very important step in production!

Director Journal Week 4

This week, our crew members discussed about the budget of the production. 

We had planned that the short film will be shooting at Melaka. 

We are given around RM 500 financial support from HEP for our production (but haven't confirm yet). Therefore, we have to managing items in budget to make sure that expenses stay within our expectation. After we had discussed, we predict that we will spend most on the transportation and accommodation. 

For the props, we have to prepare 

graduation robe, 

pills, 

photos, 

photo frames,

 "dulang", 

cups, 

plates,

 cakes

tea. 

We will try to borrow from others or bring by ourselves for all of these props to save the budget.

However, not all of the crew members able to go to Melaka for shooting due to the budget control but never mind we have confidence that everything will be alright while having shooting in Melaka:) 

This is because we will having a rehearsal shooting in UM before the crew going to Melaka and the rehearsal shooting can let us understand where is the problem while having actual shooting.

We plan to stay in homestay hotel in Melaka because the background of the scene in short film is house.

Review of The Sixth Sense

1. M. Night Shyamalan (1970-present) is an Indian screenwriter, film director and producer. He is known for making movies with contempary supernatural plots that climax with a twist ending. 

One of the special characteristic of his movies is he filming his movies and staging his plots around Philadelphia, Pemmsylvania, the palce where he was raised. 

The movies that bring M.Night Shtamalan to the top of the world including Oscar-nominated smash The Sixth Sense(1999), the Bruce Willis superhero origin story Unbreakable(2000), the alien thriller Signs(2002), American psychological thriller film The Village (2004) and American supernatural thriller film The Happening (2008).  

Shyamalan gained international recognition when he wrote and directed The Sixth Sense, which was a commercial success and nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

2. The movie start with a child psychologist Malcom Crowe visited by an ex-patient named Vincent, who is angry and despressed. Vincent shoot Crowe and kills himself. 

After this encounter, Crowe takes on the task of curing a 9-year old young boy named Cole with the same ills as the ex-patient. 

The young by claimed that he sees dead people who do not know they are dead. He became so depressed and he is called a freak in school. Cole doesn’t understand his power, and he terrified by what he sees.

 Therefore, Crowe spending a lot of time with Cole and help Cole to control his power by helping the people who had died. However, as the doctor digs deeper into Cole's strange powers, it leads to strange and unexpected consequences for both of them.

3. The Sixth Sense is a not assume as horror genre because the film depends mostly on in- depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. 

However, the horror genre is intended to frighten the audience or startle audience by inducing feeling of horror and terror.  M. Night Shyamalan takes advantage of this and uses the horror genre to subvert our expectations. When I watched the film, I thought I will be scare and screaming, but at last I were touched by the sad incident that occurs to the main characters in The Sixth Sense.

The Sixth Sense is blend of psychological drama and horrific imagery. 

There are moments when audience touched by the emotional connection and relationship between the little boy Cole and his mother. The central issue of the movie is not the Cole can see ghosts. The crucial to the film’s success is his relationship with his mother. When Cole decided not to hide things from his mother, the films reached to the climax and touched audience so much. The powerful mother-son relationships become the core of the film. 

Besides that, I also touched by the scene when the main character Crowe’s wife confessed her love to Crowe at the last part.  Although there are moments when audience frighten by the disturbing images were shown but the whole film deal with the human emotions more. Therefore, the genre of the film is in drama rather than horror.

Anna talks in her sleep. ANNA I miss you. MALCOLM I miss you. ANNA Why, Malcolm? MALCOLM What, Anna? What did I do? What’s made you so sad? ANNA Why did you leave me? MALCOLM (with moist eyes) I didn’t leave you.

4.  M Night Shyamalan developed his character very well. 

The exposition of the plot is The Sixth Sense start with Dr. Malcolm Crowe received an award for outstanding work in the field of psychology for children. Unfortunately, he failed one of his patients which is called Vincent Gray. He has grown up but he still plagued with his problems. After he blames Crowe, he use gun wound Crowe and then kill himself. After a few months, he had found another child suffering from the same symptoms -- Cole Sear. Cole is a withdrawn child who doesn't have friends and gets teased at school. His mother is worried about him and seeks help but nobody can seem to help him--except Crowe.

The plot reached rising action when Crowe talks with Cole and tries to get him to open up. When he finally does, he admits a terrible secret. "I see dead people." Four words, and with them, the course of the film changes. The Sixth Sense is no longer about the emotional trouble this kid is having. Instead, it's about Malcolm's fight to beat the kid's problems. He was helping Cole to get over the trauma of seeing dead people by guides Cole to help these ghost resting of their souls.

I see dead people

The film reached the climax when Cole confesses his secret to his mother. Although his mother at first does not believe him, Cole soon tells Lynn that her own mother once went to see her perform in a dance recital one night when she was a child, and that Lynn was not aware of this because her mother stayed in the back of the audience where she could not be seen. He also tells her the answer to a question she asked when alone at her mother's grave. Lynn tearfully accepts this as the truth. Cole also counsels Crowe on his marriage, suggesting he try talking to his wife while she is asleep.

 Crowe returns to his home, where he finds his wife asleep on the couch with the couple's wedding video on in the background, not for the first time is the falling action of the plot. As she sleeps, Anna's hand releases Malcolm's wedding ring revealing the twist ending of the film: Crowe himself was actually killed by Vincent and was unknowingly dead the entire time he was working with Cole.

Lastly, the denouement of the plot is Crowe's realized unfinished business rectifying his failure to understand Vincent is finally complete. Recalling Cole's advice, Crowe speaks to his sleeping wife and fulfills the second reason he returned, saying she was "never second," and that he loves her. Releasing her to move on with her own life, he is free to leave behind the world of the living.

  

5. A plot twist is a radical change in the expected direction or outcome of the plot of film. 

It is a important and common practice in narration to keep the interest of an audience. If the narration can be predicted by audience, the film will bored them. 

Besides that, when plot twist happens near the end of a story, it will change one’s view about the prediction event in the film. It is also known as surprise ending. The best plot twist is an unexpected one. This means something happens that the audience could in no way infer was going to happen, or perhaps a change in the story that might not have been completely unexpected, but occurred at a completely unexpected time in the story. 

In the film of The Sixth Sense, the audience were shocked by the ending of the film. This is because the main character Crowe has been death all along but he didn’t realized until he recalled his memory when he visited his wife.

Reference

1. Spoiler Warnings (2010). Crtical Approaches to the Films of M. Night Shyamalan. Palgrave Macmillan. pg 71-74. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.my/booksid=lZrGAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA71&lpg=PA71&dq=Critical+Approaches+to+the+Films+of+M.+Night+Shyamalan&source=bl&ots=63fPHvmQ5k&sig=Pm4BeI1uIrw1lNR8y4G8UYGJ_ks&hl=en&sa=X&ei=7x0lUbMBoiHrgervYDoDw&ved=0CEMQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Critical%20Approaches%20to%20the%20Films%20of%20M.%20Night%20Shyamalan&f=false. 

2. Kyle Buchanan (2013). Vulture. Is This the Moment Where It Started Going Wrong for M. Night Shyamalan? Retrived from http://www.vulture.com/2013/05/the-buried-secret-of-m-night shyamalan.html. 

3.Rotten Tomato(1999).  The Sixth Sense. Retrieved from http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sixth_sense/. 

4. IMDb(1999). Plot Summary. The Sixth Sense. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167404/plotsummary. 

5. Ralph Stuart Singleton, James A. Conrad and Janna Wong Healy (2000). Filmmaker's dictionary. Lone Eagle Pub. Co. p. 229. ISBN 978-1-58065-022-9. 

6. Judith Kay and Rosemary Gelshenen ( 2001). Discovering Fiction Student's Book 2: A Reader of American Short Stories. Cambridge University Press. p. 65. ISBN 978-0-521-00351-3. 

7. Boyd Petrie( 2000). The Sixth Sense. Retrieved from http://rhinoxsis.homestead.com/zMsixth.html.

8. IMDb(1999). Synopsis for The Sixth Sense. Retrived from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167404/synopsis.

Director Journal Week 3

This week we had to present our idea to other production crews. 

This is a great idea for us to present in front of other production crew because we can gained different opinion and perspective from them. It is important to know more about what other peoples think about our short film production. We have to test our idea on production crew before we develop our audience profile.

After we presented our idea, we were glad because most of the production crews had gave us good comments on our short film. Therefore, we might having a rehearsal shooting on next week. We hope that everythings can be going smoothly!

In order to shoot a good short film, I had watched quite number of short film on Youtube for reference.

The shooting angle, the props, the way of editing the film, the meaning of the short film want to bring out and the sound are the things that I will emphasize while watching to the short film.

Here's some nice short film that I would like to share with you. I hope you can also learn something while watching these short film.

The Piano Tuner

Plastic

What I want from Christmas

MY GENERASI

2 + 2 = 5

Hope you guys enjoy!:)

Kill Bill Movie Review

" Revenge is a dish best served cold"

This proverb means that the best revenge to your enemies is the one who come with planing and brings the most horrendous pain to them."Dish best served cold" means that when you going to get with someone, it's better to wait until you are not angry or "hot". This is because whatever you plan to do will be more detail and likely to succeed. 

Let's take a look of the movie that bring the proverbs to life -- Kill Bill.

The movie start with a blood -covered bride who lying down at the floor. She carried  Bill's baby who is the guys to use gun shoot to her head. Luckily, the bride did not died and she suddenly awaken from her coma after four years later. The bride realizes what has been done to her by the member of Deadly Viper. The member of  Deadly Viper are formed by Bill and his circle-Vernita Green, Elle Driver and O-Ren Ishii. She setting out the plan to seek revenge on the assassin group members. After she kills the various members of the group one by one, she saves Bill for last and the story will be continue on Volume 2.

Kill Bill is written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. According to Wikipedia, the director use his favorite movies as the reference to the film. Therefore, I would like to share some of the movie scenes that I had been watched and the director used it in the movie.

Game of Death 

In the final scene of the revenge in Japan, The Bride wore the same clothes with the Bruce Lee in "Game of Death".  Quentin used this scene to salute to the kung fu master Bruce Lee

The Green Hornet

The O-Ren Ishii subordinate wearing the black mask. 

Battle Royale

She won role in the Kill Bill because of the Royale Battle movie.

Besides that, we can see the director add in different elements such as pop music and animate into the movie.

For the music part, the opening credit begins with the background music of “ Bang Bang" is the part I like most.

I listened to this song before and I think the song really suit the opening very well because the meaning of the lyric and the feel of song "Bang Bang" bring out the memory of the bride with Bill and the sadness of the bride in the start of movie.

The other part that I like most is the typical Mexican music style had made the last battle of the bride and O-Ren Ishii become interesting. Because of the flamenco music style and the rhythm of the music, the battle action seem to become a "dance".

For the animation part, the director make the animation based on his script to craft this bloody, hand drawn expansion of mythology, a setup to dimensionalizes Ishii and her violent practices. 

At first, I am not comfortable to watch this kind of movie.This kind of movie make me thinking of "The Hunger Game" and "Battle Royale". However, Kill Bill is different compare with that two movies.

 "The Hunger Game" and "Battle Royale" are adapted from best-selling novel into movies but for the "Kill Bill" we have to understand the meaning and background of the movie scenes so that we would enjoy more with the movie.

 Therefore, I would like to watch again after I understand some of the meaning and background for movie scenes. This movie ain't no only show the fountains of blood, death and maiming but behind every scenes there are a classic movie as a reference.