Unit X Course Review

Now I have always had this blog for a couple of years already, but when I heard about us doing a whole unit on doing a blog I couldn't of been happier. I love writing reviews and just anything on my interests in media, but this unit has helped my skills even more with blogging such as creating infographics and writing film reviews which I hadn't actually ever done before on this blog. In this unit we had two cinema screenings every week which was of course the biggest highlight of the unit as who doesn't love free films?

Every film we seen were the very latests releases as well, I think my favourite film that we seen was A Long Way Down out of all the options. As the unit began we had plenty of interesting lectures with some special guests so I had high hopes from the start of the course. The only thing I found disappointing was the amount of lectures we had because there was very little and they only seemed to keep up for the first 2 weeks. We did however have a seminar every Friday in my case with Rob Hamilton which I have had before in other units and found very comfortable being in his group. 

We mostly talked about cinema all the time in the seminars and what we have seen this week. I did however find out quite a lot about infographics which I found the most useful thing I learned from unit x. We had a lecture on what they were all about and how to mange them on our blogs and how to write reviews without them sounding boring. 

We got told to use such things as catchy titles of the review summarizing what there going to get from the review. Uses images but keep it to two or three max and express your true opinions without giving a film just positive feed back all the time because no film is perfect. As a whole the unit opened my mind to new things in cinema and I will carry on film reviews on this blog without a doubt and hoping to carry on more infographics at least one every week. Out of all the units on the course this one did seem very simple but effective, it was a lovely unit to finish off with after plenty of essays and practice units later.

Film Infographic I Am Legend

Source Code More Like Intense Code

I know this is an older film compared to some of my recent posts, but its one of my favourite films of all time so I couldn't resist doing a review. The plot in this film is rather confusing so I will keep it brief, the film is about a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. The Source Code is suppose to trigger a part of the brain to make them feel like there alive again, when there really being used as part of an operation to simply prevent crime and change the future. 

The two main characters are played by Michelle Monaghan and Jake Gyllenhaal who is my favourite actor he really gets into all the roles he does which have been very different types of acting. Michelle and Jake make me intrigued in the film right away they make you believe the characters are real and you don't see it as just them playing another role. 

The film is a nail-biting one I have to admit and keeps you watching with plenty of twist and turns throughout the whole 93 minutes. Its a very futuristic film and only little things are changed to show this like the train that it takes place on, they are only simple changes but enough for you notice how they have tried to show this. I'm sure once you have watched the film you will agree with me that there are whirlwind of emotions that you feel watching Source Code. The script behind the film you might say is very far fetched but I think its a brilliant unique idea and is but together well enough to understand. You might get a bit confused and frustrated with the film but its what makes it one to remember. So if you haven't already get watching this one you wont regret it.

Film Infographic Youtube & Media

More Seth Rogan and less Zac Efron please

The film Bad Neighbours is kind of what you expect with elements of surprise. I did find the film funny and it kept me watching, it had quite a good cast of new and old faces in your typical American comedy. I was rather shocked with the amount of nudity in the film as in these comedy films it tends to be bad but bad neighbours really doesn't leave much to your imagination.

There are some hilarious parts in the film even with it's simple storyline it does make you want to find out how everything ends up. I love Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne together in this film it really works well, they both suit each other as a cute couple that have moved into a new neighborhood and trying to start a family. I would recommend it to people if they fancy watching a very daft comedy but who doesn't love Seth Rogan. I know all the women will enjoy Zac Efron in this film but I'm not a huge fan and it isn't just because of his insane body that does not look physically possible. I think it's because of all the high school musical films that he has been in that puts me off. So in conclusion more Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne in the future please!

Film Infographic Genres Targeted To Specific Genders

Creeps, Freaks And Scarlett Johansson

Under The Skin is a film that will leave you wondering why the hell have I come to see. But is it in a good or bad way. The plot is very strange and involves an alien that seduces men in order to feed off there skin, the whole film takes place in Scotland and shows the city plus the vast country woods sides to the area which I like.The film is very intriguing and made me feel extremely uncomfortable at times, but the upsides are how the film keeps you watching to find out what will happen to this alien played by Scarlett Johansson.

She plays a great role in the film and makes Under The Skin an entertaining viewing for the audience, I mean it is Scarlett Johannssen after all and she is pretty much fully naked throughout. Jonathan Glazer directors the film very well and keeps a scary atmosphere throughout the 108 minutes. But at times it does get quite repetitive and looks like there playing for time quite a bit. 

 

The film is produced by a small British film company, I think it can get a lot more feature films and become a larger company with many more successful films under there name. As a whole I found this film a bit too weird for me but the approach is done well with some scenes I think that we're not needed.

The creepy silent Scarlett Johansson puts you on the edge and she plays a totally different kind of role that she has ever done before. The music is done to perfection and without it would no where near be as creepy as it is. The film involves a hell of a lot of sexual scenes and nudity so be warned if your not expecting it to be that bad, when people mention nudity they don't expect it to be as bad as people make out but this film gives you nudity as often as they can hence the narrative of the film. Overall I found it rather dull but at points scenes so creepy they made me have nightmares, I would recommend you check it out if your brave enough just don't watch it alone. 

Film Infographic How To Make A Successful Film

Mixed genres in a film is it such a good thing?

A long way down is a different kind of film I will give you that and is based on the novel by Nick Hornby. Not only does it have such a mix range of age in the cast, it has such mad moments that you think are daft but end up working out really well. The film explores four people who meet on a roof in London planning to kill themselves, which does seem quite stupid that four people would all have the same idea, same time and same place.

I think at the start it's kind of hard to tell where there taking this and you are thinking what is happening, but director Pascal Chaumiel surprisingly puts it together quite well, I do think that some parts are a bit too daft for me and I didn't like it when they had a serious scene and ruined it with a joke. Other than that this dark comedy is totally different to any other film and shows a different style to a narrative that can have comedy, romance and drama. The mix genres of comedy and drama don't always work the way you want and this has just that in some cases but overall each part of the film is separated and it knows when it wants a comedy effect involved on a dark subject of matter.

(All four of the unlikely friendship)

 It is strange seeing Pierce Brosnan in a comedy compared to other roles we have seen him in and it doesn't really work but he plays his role well. The stand out role in this film has to be Aaron Paul and Imogen Poots these two together just work, they have recently done Need For Speed as well and I can see future projects with them for sure. The film in General is very good in my opinion with some dull moments but I would recommend you go see it because it's a good watch and although the subject might put you off don't be fooled by it. And its always good to see a good British film with new and old actors paired up.

(Imogen Poots and Aaron Paul)

Media Diary review

This is my media diary about all the things I have came across in everyday life, involving any type of media for a new project at University called unit X. I found out that my routine is very similar and I tend to stick to the same routine unless I go out for the day it will change a lot. 

I apologise if the table is hard to see the picture quality could not get better no matter how much I tried. Anyway most of my routine consisted of waking up and putting on daytime telly, then checking my emails, texts and social networking sites everyday I stayed to this routine. 

Then on the days I wasn't going out somewhere I would always put on a TV show on dvd or a film. Some of them I watched within this week was Mission Impossible 2, Blood Diamond, Gladiator, How I Met Your Mother, Game Of Thrones and The Moaning Of Life. These are just some of the shows and films I watch quite a lot especially some of the TV shows I said. I think since I started this assignment I have really got to see what kind of things I do the same a lot and things I look back and see where I might have had an ever so slightly change from the usual. 

                                    

                                   

                                  

                                    

A Whole Other Kind of Emotion

12 years a slave is a very thought through film and really gets straight to the point on the subject of slavery. I found it very hard to watch and it made me feel dreadful for how the black community was treated by white people all that time ago.

The British director Steve McQueen puts the film together in such a strong way and really grabs the attention of the audience and there feelings to what they are watching. Some shots he will keep the same angle and without changing the shot for ten minutes I think these kind of shots were the most effective in the film. The film is set in the United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery and taken away from his family.

                     

                                          

Throughout the film you see a whole lot of punishment and it is very graphic. I would say that if your not very good at watching films on hard topics prepare yourself, I have seen many films and found this by far the hardest to watch. Even so it is still a brilliant film and I think one of the best films ever made, especially for making you feel very educate on the subject and like you was a part of it yourself. 12 years of slave really brings you a whirlwind of emotions you don't know whether to be angry or upset. 

The film made me feel very frustrated but that's just because of certain scenes, without spoiling it you see things that makes you want to go and help. I would recommend the film to anyone but again warn them how shocking and gripping it can be towards you. I would give the film a solid nine because nothing can be perfect.

                                           

                                   

The Suitcase

Well I have done the first term of University and everything is going well so far and I am enjoying my time at Manchester Metropolitan University. As you may have seen in the last post we had to make a short film all about Manchester, but over the Christmas break we had been set a task for a new practice unit that we started before Christmas. 

The task was to make a film about a suitcase and you could do a story in anyway you want it to be. I went for a different story about a girl who is played by my wonderful girlfriend Catherine who also has a blog on here you should check out called Agnes Cat. Anyway on her way home from somewhere the audience doesn't know she comes across a very old looking suitcase and is very curious, she takes the suitcase back home and inside is a picture of a family from the war period. 

The audience is left confused to how this suitcase full of memories has come to the future. Its a very simple idea but I liked the idea and think it all came together very well. Let me know what you think and what you might have changed to improve it.

Thanks, Rob 

The Suitcase

Me getting ready for some filming setting the camera up

Catherine looking very beautiful with a quick picture before the filming started

Manchester; Lost in Time

Sorry about the wait but we have finally finished our film project from University. As I briefly explained in the last post the film is all about culture and identity surrounding Manchester, so we thought It would be a good way of interpreting it with a Popular Manchester poem and showing what's thought in the poem and bringing it to life. 

Please let me know feedback and anything to improve, I hope you gain some sort of knowledge on what Manchester is all about and what a brilliant city I come from or that's what I think. We have to present it on Friday and are getting graded at the end, fingers crossed we get good marks.

From a nervous Rob,
Thanks