Review: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

This beautiful love story directed by Michel Gondry could build emotion into those who don’t even have the stability to be emotional.

This unique love story makes one want a relationship for all the right and wrong reasons. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind is the opposite of a typical romantic film since it shows what is missed in a relationship once it’s gone. 

Clementine, played by Kate WInslet, decided to erase her memory of Joel, played by Jim Carrey after an argument during their 8 year relationship. Joel, after finding out that Clementine had removed him from her life, decided it was time for him to remove her from his memory too. 

During the long process of erasing, Joel revisits his memories with Clementine, the good and the bad. He slowly sees what life without her is like as he sees her disappear slowly from his previous memories. 

Joel soon realises that he has made a mistake in erasing her however he cannot stop the process. Joel tries to hold onto Clementine as he is revisiting his memories, however she still disappeared. He then tries to hide her in other memories. This also fails.

This heartbreaking moment as you see a lovely relationship break into nothing and fall apart.

After the long process is over Joel has no recollection of Clementine as everything had been removed. Joel and Clementine eventually re-meet and start dating unaware that they were once in love until a college at the memory erasing centre contacted everyone informing them of their situation. 

This tragic love story turns into a truly inspirational hope for a life that consist of love and not loneliness. 

Review: The Bang Bang Club

The Bang Bang Club is a film based on a true events of the apartheid system in South Africa. Steven Silver was the director of the film.

The Bang Bang Club, a group of photojournalists in South Africa capturing the devastating events that are happening there between 1990 and 1994. The film shows a real edge to the civil war as it captures a realistic view of events. Kevin Carter, Greg Marinovich, Ken Oosterbroek, and João Silva were all members of The Bang Bang Club, these people were reenacted in the film by Taylor Kitsch, Ryan Phillippe, Frank Rautenbach and Neels Van Jaarsveld. Greg Marionovich and Kevin Carter both won Pulitzer Prizes in their years of being a part of the bang bang club, the pictures that won the prizes consisted of  a suspected Zulu being burned and killed and also a vulture stalking a child. These images are extremely powerful in society.

I found the film very educational since I new little about the war, it definitely gave me an insight into what had previously happened. I found the film very moving yet disturbing at times, since it gives a graphical view and image. Graphical images gives a powerful image which engages the audience with it’s deep messages.

The film also shows the dangers of being a photojournalist and the bravery needed. This is inspirational for aspiring photojournalists, it shows the advantages and disadvantages of the job.  It gives a real sense of the amazing things a photojournalist can capture and also how a photo can change the view of a situation.

The Bang Bang Club is a deep film filed with situations which make your stomach churn, however I would recommend this film for a day which you feel as if your brain is working. The film is the opposite of a light hearted film and needs much concentration.

The film constants of a balance of war, love, friendship, death and heartache. It’s a truly amazing film which deserves much more credit than it has received. If you decide you will watch the film, enjoy!  

Review: Like Crazy

It is quite a cute film I must say.

Like Crazy (2011) is an american romantic drama directed by Drake Doremus starring Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence and Alex Kingston. 

The film has a predictable love storyline, boy meets girl, they can’t be together then they find a way to be together, happy ending. This film portrays exactly that. Like crazy has a minimalistic and simple edge to it thought, which in my opinion makes the film. It has long camera shots of just Anna and Jacob glaring at each other throughout, this gave me chills, it shows them communicating without words, it is honestly what makes the film. It gives you a real understanding of the feelings that are apparent.

If your’re a girl it will make you all giddy and hope to experience that kind of relationship, unless your a passive aggressive kind of girl who hates everything. If you’re a guy then take some tips man!

Felicity Jones is also a very pretty lady which would make guys fall to their knees. I must say Anton Yelchin is mediocre kind of guy, Drake Doremus could have probably picked a better looking guy, this would have increased interest. Its always films with hot guys in that do well.

The acting of Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence and Alex Kingston is sensational, they are simply amazing.

I would recommend you watch it on a rainy day, when all you will do is stay in bed and do nothing. 

Here’s the trailer enjoy!

Review: Mary and Max (2009)

‘Mary and Max’ is an Australian clay-animated comedy drama which was written and directed by Adam Elliot.

This film is simply amazing. I can honestly say that I did really enjoy it. It’s odd because I never usually like animated films, unless you count ‘Space Jam’ because that too is just great. 

The film is a stop-motion film which made me really appreciate the making of it. My flatmate studies animation and when we watched it, she was saying it must have taken such a long time to create the film.

It portrays sadness, loneliness and emptiness however at the same time, brightness, enjoyment and an everlasting feeling of someone being there, no matter where ‘there’ is. The emotions and situations are so real. The loneliness and emptiness the film can portray from a young girl and an old man is incredible.

The film also raises awareness for Asperges in which Max suffers from. It shows how people in society cope with Asperges. This is a great way to educate children about the disorder.

The advantages of this this film is that it can be suitable for anyone, whatever mood you may be in, whether or not you want to laugh or even cry. This film is different, I’ve honestly never seen anything like it. I won’t tell you what happens in the film, you can find that out for yourself. I will just recommend it.

For some people the clay-animated genre would annoy them as this type film may not appeal to them. I guess it just depends on your taste for films. I would recommend that you watch it, if not then you’re missing out.

Here is the trailer for the film… enjoy if you watch. 

The Guardian Guest Speaker, Leo Hickman, Environment Writer, The Guardian

Journalism is changing, Leo Hickman an Environment Writer for The Guardian, told Falmouth’s BA(Hons) Journalism Students today.

Hickman said: “Another thing going on in the world of journalism as well, are technological changes, different types of Journalism are being affected by social networking, the internet, all the different things.”

Hickman told Journalism students that The Guardian gets around 80 to 90 million viewers online.  He also mentioned that The Guardian have an Ipad application which figures dropped when customers were asked to pay.

Hickman also explained that writing for the internet has more challenges than writing for a newspaper as 40% of people online arrive on articles when they don’t mean to through Google, which gives the writer a wider audience.

“Every time we write an article about 95% the readers will have the ability to write a comment underneath it.  I think it’s massively positive, I love it.” Hickman told students.

Hickman told students that he had no experience studying in Journalism and that he had graduated in 1994 with a history and art degree. However in 1997 Hickman answered an ad for The Guardian which focused on a new media lab and explored how online media would work. Since then Hickman’s work for the guardian has ranged from feature writing to being an editor for the Guardians magazine, The Week.

Hickman was involved in a yearlong experiment with his wife and new-born baby. The experiment focused on environmental issues and the impact they have on their lives.

Hickman for the past 10 years has worked on environmental issues for The Guardian in which he has an Eco Column, Ask Leo, which focuses on readers asking environmental questions to him. He has also written books on tourism, climate change and the impact it has on social and environmental life.

Guest Speaker, Brendan & Rebecca Matthews, WED magazine

Rebecca Matthews and Brendan told University College Falmouth’s BA(Hons) Journalism students that If you can make it into publishing you can make it into anything.

Matthews said: “A lot of the study’s I looked at predicted that magazine publishing was a bit like a pie, it was going to get smaller and smaller segments.”

Matthews and Brendan own WED magazine, a magazine based in Cornwall which specialises in weddings. Brendan said: “I didn’t grow up and think I’m going to work in the Wedding industry.”

Brendan studied public engineering at college and went onto university to  study it further, however he dropped out and ended up going into marketing and advertising. “I ended up going into advertising and marketing which I didn’t really know what it was about, but I was 20 years old, it kind of just flew from there I ended getting with the right company and right people.” Brendan said.

“If you are interested in working in magazines and journalism you must realise that the advertising funds most of the magazine you read or most of the newspapers you read.” Brendan said.

Matthews studied at Falmouth where she did a post graduate diploma in professional writing and then went into magazine publishing, in which herself and Brendan created Movie Magic, a magazine based in 
Cornwall for local cinemas which they later sold and created WED magazine.

WED magazine is the online wedding magazine in Cornwall. Matthews said: “If you are getting married in Cornwall, then essentially you will have to read this magazine.”

Guest Speaker, Helen Gilchrist, The Stranger Collective Writing Agency

It’s all about strengthening numbers and bringing your expertise together, students of University College Falmouth were told today.

Helen Gilchrist told BA (Hons) Journalism students about The Stranger Collective Writing Agency on Monday 29^th November. Gilchrist spoke about her background and about the different types of media the agency work within.

Gilchrist said: “It’s a writing agency with the idea of strengthening numbers and putting all our talents and ideas, expertise and creativity together.”

Gilchrist added: “We piece together the best teams for the individual projects we work on.”

Gilchrist studied English Literature at university, she then went on to do a postgrad diploma in Journalism.  After that she was a freelance journalist who lived in London and also a contributing editor of a magazine called Adrenaline. She is now runs The Stranger Collective Writing Agency.
Glichrist said: “It’s about how the story works on the page… It’s about the relationships we have with people.”

Port Elliot festival, fashion projects, project exhibition, Sea scape and iTunes festival are many of the events and projects the agency has reported on and worked with.

The Agency tries to make work different. Day 10 is a procedure the company use. Every 10^th day writers have to blog about something they enjoy or report on different topics.  Outdoor Culture could be an example Gilchrist said.

Guest Speaker, Jim Douglas, Editorial Director for Future Publishing

Jim Douglas, told Journalism students at University College Falmouth about the value of content and the growth technology, including tablets and IPads.

Douglas, Editorial Director, Future Publishing said: “It used to be that we could make some great articles, wrap them all up stick them in a magazine put them on a news stand and sell them for 3 or 4 pound and sell some advertising around them, and that would be the way we would determine the value of content, but now a days that isn’t really the case.”

Douglas also added that writers should be thinking about whether or not they can produce an Ipad addition with the value content and also maybe execute a website with it. Douglas works for a specialist media company, Future.

Douglas said: “Last 2 years Future had been recognised as the digital consumer media publisher, it means some of the stuff we’re doing in the digital is getting recognised as the best in class.”
Douglas also said: “For future we now generate more than 5 million pound worth of revenue from sales on the Apple.”

Douglas made aware the importance of tablet for publishers, he said: “In 2014 we’re going to sell 252 million tablet devices, in 2015 that’s going to grow to 326 million tablet devices so the worldwide penetration of tablets is fantastic for us as publishers, our content looks absolutely brilliant online.”

Douglas also said: “What we are trying to do now a days is make as much money as we can from the attention of a particular audience.”

Top 3 ways to deal with an unwanted grade

Published on studentwire.co.uk 

http://studentwire.co.uk/top-3-ways-deal-unwanted-grade/

University can get stressful at times, and there isn’t anything worse than putting all your effort into your work and then receiving a bad grade. I understand that this can get you down and make you feel like really rubbish but you need to think more positively and use this grade as learning curve. 

Here are three ways to deal with an unwanted grade:

Look at it as an incentive:

Any grade is good, it is still a grade and it is progress.  If it is something you are not happy with then at least you know you can work towards something to achieve better results. Think of it as a push, a push in your work and a push to get you to deliver the best possible outcome you know that you can give – it should make you want to do better.

Do not compare yourself to what others achieved:

Everybody has strengths and weaknesses, nobody is perfect. There may be times when you think everyone else seems so happy with their results. The way you are feeling now, is the way many people feel at some point in their lives. Comparing your work with others will just make you feel even more disappointed. You will probably think “what makes theirs better and more special than mine?” Do not think like that. It is not fair on you, do not be too harsh on yourself. Nothing good will come of that.

Re-do the work or the task:

It may sounds silly especially if it has been a final hand in, but re-doing the work will help you improve and as they say practise makes perfect. Take on board all the feedback given by your tutor and simply try again, maybe try something different too or even try adding a little personal twist to your work. Even show your tutor afterwards and ask for more feedback, they are there to help you learn and help you through your difficulties. Your tutor will see that you are eager to learn and will see your work progress.

Do not get down about a bad grade, it is not the end of the world. See it as a something to work on and take a challenge. It is only down to you to make the best out of the worst outcomes.

Image courtesy of Richard Hruzek via Comp Fight

Review: Warm Bodies

Published on geeksunleased.me

http://www.geeksunleashed.me/2013/03/15/review-warm-bodies-2013/

He’s still dead but he’s getting warmer.

Humans are alive. Zombies are dead looking humans. Bones are zombies represent death.

Warm Bodies was first published in 2010 as a novel written by Isaac Marion, the novel was seen as a zombie romance. Jonathan Levine directed the film as a humorous new adventure involving zombies and humans living separate life, split by one wall. When Julie and her friends enter the zombie state to collect supplies the two worlds change.

This light hearted film is perfect for a quiet night in. With jumpy scenes which make your heart race for the safety of Julie and R. There is a perfect balance of romance, comedy and horror which keeps the audience on the edge of their seats unsure how the plot will develop.

Comedic values of R, played by Nicholas Hoult, are hilarious, the audience take a liking to R as the narration of his voice is witty and humours. Honestly this is what makes the film interesting. The plot to the story is unusual for a romantic film and also a zombie film, in a positive way.

A positive aspect of this film is that the story begins straight away rather than having to wait for the story to unravel during the film, which is usually annoying.

Warm Bodies has a very uncomfortable atmosphere to it as it includes the colour schemes used as cold colours, such as blues and blacks , creating a cold image, this ties in nicely with the film as it is a zombie film.

The zombie are being healed, by love.