01 April 2012

10 Most Significant List


          Ok, so the past couple of days I've been talking to my fellow film students about their applications.  I told them how my first application was horrible so I had to apply a second time.  Part of the application was to make a top 10 significant list.  And they couldn't believe what I put on my list the first time.  So, mainly for their enjoyment, I'm posting that part of my application below.


1st application (Fall 2010)

Indy Mogul:  This website has everything a movie lover can ask for.  It has shows that teach how to make props and do special effects.  There are also shows the showcase the works of other amateur filmmakers.  And alongside these are shows that keep up on the latest news coming out of Hollywood.  It is a goldmine in my personal opinion.

IMDB:  As much as I love watching and making movies, I love learning about them.  I like reading other people’s opinions, posting my own, and discussing multiple meanings for different scenes in the message boards.  I also love reading the trivia section to learn more about the “behind the scenes” of any recently watched movie.

Pan’s Labyrinth:  My favorite thing about this movie was the ending. I usually like movies where the lead character dies because I feel it adds more to the character, making them almost a martyr in many instances.  So I was real nervous when the movie reached the climax, not knowing in which direction it was going to go.  I was so relieved and happy when they combined both: the martyrdom and the typical “happy” ending.

Youtube:  This is a great way to see the work of other people.  There are quite a few you-tubers that have very entertaining channels.  I also can upload my own videos and share those with others.  I also like the DIY videos and have made my own snorri-cam from one.

Six String Samurai:  I love the originality of this movie.  Who would have thought that Buddy Holly was deadly with a sword?  I also love how they used Slash from Guns’n’Roses to portray Death—such a fitting look!  It is just great how they combined so many different elements together in such a unique way.

Godzilla series:  This is my one guilty pleasure ever since I was little.  The horrible dubbing, crazy music, incoherent plot lines makes these movies so bad they are good.  And who can’t love two guys in rubber suits wresting each other?

Robocop:  This has been my favorite movie as long as I can remember, having seen it once on TV as a kid.  Besides having a lot of funny dialogue (not sure whether it is intentional or not), it has a great story of human development.  In the beginning, Robocop does not remember who he was, but as the film progresses he learns his identity:  Murphy.

Orphan:  This is one of the few horror movies that actually scared me.  But, unlike most horror films, this one had a lot of touching moments, in particular between the mom and her deaf daughter.  The first time I watched it, I was terrified, but as I watched it again, I was angry with the antagonist for her actions and truly felt sympathetic for the family.  No other movie has evoked two totally different emotions upon subsequent viewings.

Billy Madison:  This is my favorite Adam Sandler movie.  A lot of the dialogue is just ridiculous.  My friends and I were inspired to make a similar movie, but instead of seeing a penguin, the main character saw Rosie O’Donnell.

Animorphs series:  These books truly fired up my imagination as a child.  These books had vicious aliens, shape-shifting teenagers, violent battles; what else could a kid ask for in a book?  In addition to all of that, one of the characters changed into an animal right in the corner of the pages!


2nd application (Winter 2011)

(book)  Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
I found this to be a gripping, refreshing, realistic take on the vampire lore and it raises some interesting questions about the nature of relationships.  Is love really blind?  Will Oscar continue to love Eli even after knowing the truth?  Does she really love him, or is she using him?  It also inspired a beautifully filmed and scored movie.

(movie)  Leon: the Professional

I like how Leon grows as a character.  In the beginning he is tempted just to kill her, but in the end he sacrifices his life to protect her.  It’s moving to see his transition from cold, heartless cleaner to a protective, father figure.  And the song by Sting used at the end of amazing!

(website)  Netflix
While I enjoy the experience of going to a video rental store and spending 2 hours to pick out a movie, I like this website because it offers me a huge selection of diverse films.  I am now free to expose myself to many different films about a gamut of topics created by people with a wide range of backgrounds. I am no longer bound to the limited supply at Hollywood Video.

(movie)  Waste Land
This movie reminded me of the hymn “Because I have Been Given Much”.  This is a goal I now have: to be in a position where I can help others by using my talents.  By serving my mission in Mexico, I saw a lot of people living in humble conditions and I could really relate with Vik and his quest to help.  I feel that doing something similar would be a great experience for me and for those I collaborate with.

(poem)  And One Other Thing by A. Wilber Stevens
This poem captures the essence of my major fear.  My worst fear is,as the lights of life grow dim, to look back and have regrets, knowing that I didn’t fulfill my potential.  I fear looking back over a life of mediocre and not one lived fully.

(movie)  The Man Who Laughs
This reminds me of the story of Beauty and the Beast.  A beautiful blind, young lady falls in love with a man who has a creepily disfigured face.  What I liked the most was the development in the the title character and the ending.  In this film, the “Beast” isn’t transformed into a handsome prince at the end.  But rather, he accepts himself for who he is and lives a happy life with his love.

(movie)  Al Otro Lado
I found this movie intriguing because of whose point of view it portrays.  Normally, when immigration is discussed, we only focus on the immigrant.  But, this told the same story through the eyes of the children left behind.  I realized that I had taken my parents for granted and how lucky I had been in having them home my whole life.

(poem)  Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church by Emily Dickinson
This poem reminded me of my favorite Sunday activity:  hiking.  When church is over, and weather permitting, I love to be out in the mountains feasting on the beauty of God’s creations.  Sometimes I go alone with just my thoughts and the hush of the forests.  Or I go with some friends for safety purposes.

(movie)  Johnny Got His Gun
I loved how the memories were blended seamlessly with the imagination.  Not only did I see what he was going through, I felt it.  His delusions seemed real.  As I watched this, I felt a small connection with him and almost understood what he was going through.

(essay)  On Art, Morals, and Morality by Orson Scott Card
I felt this was relevant to me because I watch a lot of movies and am constantly scanning content summaries to see if there is anything objectionable.  I liked his definition of moral art:  not art that lacks the bad and only shows the good, but art that portrays bad honestly.  Sometimes it is necessary to see something 'ugly' in order to learn and grow.  There must be opposition in all things.


But that's just my opinion...



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