Film Theory: Adaptation

Most films are adpated from books. This is a very hard and important process in which the screenwriter sometimes has to make shorter a 4 days book into one hour and a half of cinema action. As you can imagine, this needs a great knoledge of the book and the audiences to which it will be directed

Movie Review: Up

Today I will talk about a great Disney-Pixar movie named Up. This movie was directed by Pete Docter and Bob Peterson. The story is about a 78-year-old man named Carl Fredricksen, who sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America. Right after lifting off, however, he learns he isn't alone on his journey, since Russell, a wilderness explorer 70 years his junior, has inadvertently become a stowaway on the trip.
This movie is a great family tale which also explores life and death, being a special film because of this particularity. This film won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature and the soundtrack, made by Michael Giacchino, is a masterpiece that gets to the heart of audiences. This is definitely a must watch

Film Theory: Alan Smithee Film

Is the pseudonym used by directors who refuse to put their name on a film and want to disassociate themselves, usually when they believe their control or vision has been co-opted by the studio (i.e., the film could have been recut, mutilated and altered against their wishes); aka Alan Smithee Jr., Allan Smithee, or Allen Smithe.
Example: Examples: Death of a Gunfighter (1969), Let's Get Harry (1986), The Shrimp on the Barbie (1990), and the last film with the ironic alias: An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn (1997).(This movie was really directed by Arthur Hiller.

Film Review: Red

A great action movie directed by Robert Schwentke and with an A list of actors, such as Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malcovich, Morgan Freeman, Mary Louise Parker and Karl Urban, this film is a bomb in special effects and fighting scenes, especially the stunts done by the "veteran" stars which is the main point of the film. RED stands for Retired Extremely Dangerous and boy they are. I mena, who would have thought of seeing dame Helen Mirren with a gun, especially a K8? I didnt, but still, she portrayed the part wonderfully. Morgan Freeman was the peaceful man that if needed, could be a letal weapon and John Malcovich was the crazy, yet amazing shooter. Together, with fellow new member and love interest of Bruce Willis, they unite to stop a spree of killings that relate to a case in Guatemala, which because of political reasons, people in high positions in the government want to uncover it. Filled with action and comedy, love and drama, this film will give you a good laugh and a great idea of weapons and explosions.

Film Theory: Why the Oscar is named Oscar

According to one biography of Bette Davis, it says that she named the Oscar after her first husband, band leader Harmon Oscar Nelson. But, one of the earliest mentions in print of the term Oscar dates back to a Times Nagazine article about the 1934 Academy Awards and Bette received the award in 1936.
Walt Disney is also quoted as thanking the Academy for his Oscar as early as 1932. Another claimed origin is that the Academy's Executive Secretary, Margaret Herrick, first saw the award in 1931 and made reference to the statuette's reminding her of her "Uncle Oscar" (a nickname for her cousin Oscar Pierce).

Movie Reivew: The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings was directed by Peter Jackson and it had actors Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Ian Mckellen, Christopher Lee, Liv Tyler and Hugo Weaving. Based on the novel of the same name, the LOFT was a major hit around the world. With an amazing theme and setting, the LOFT delivered something to audiences that they had never seenbefore. Great sound and special effects were implemented in fighting scenes and the scenenography, which was shot in New Zeland, but, in the film it is barely recognizable, the director creates a tale which while being magically it also refers to a reality that we mostly saw during the dark ages around Europe. With great themes and the addition and creativity in costumes, you get yourself transported to a different time and place. A must watch for the whole family, you wont get dissapointed.

Film Theory: Over the Shoulder Shot

Used in many film sequences and a most shot for many directors, the over the shoulder shot gives a new perspective in the way an actor is seen. While we see the back from one actor, we can see the face and middle body of the other one, so we actually know that they are having a conversation. Although we can only see the full expressions of one, we can see part of the face and body of the one actor that is in front of the camera. A creative and yet effective shot.