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(Omnibus Paper) Media and information literacy in 10 films and TV shows

An omnibus paper for my Media Information and Literacy class identifying how media literacy was applied on each of the viewed audio-visual material (how each concept/principle/proposition of media literacy was illustrated in each assigned film/TV show) 1. “Beauty in a Bottle” This 2014 satirical comedy by Antoinette Jadaone follows the story of three different women with a common struggle relating to their physical insecurities. Their lives intertwine somehow through the craze for a new beauty product as one of them works

(Response Paper) The Essence of Realism Through the Photographic Image with Andre Bazin

In response to: “The Ontology of the Photographic Image” from the book “What is Cinema?” by Andre Bazin A response paper for my Advanced Film Theory and Criticism class Reading “The Ontology of the Photographic Image” from the book “What is Cinema?” by realist film theorist Andre Bazin reminded me how a film makes a character immortal, and to a large degree, makes an actor immortal as well. One’s physicality, which eventually gets lost in time with aging, will always remain as is,

(Response Paper) Cinema as an Invention, Art, and Idealistic Phenomenon with Andre Bazin

In response to: “The Myth of Total Cinema” from the book “What is Cinema?” by Andre Bazin A response paper for my Advanced Film Theory and Criticism class The Andre Bazin reading “The Myth of Total Cinema” from his book “What is Cinema?” focused on the desire of humans to find a representation of reality as complete as possible, rooted from the innovations in cinema, by discussing techniques of mechanical reproduction of reality. This started in the nineteenth century, then carefully moved on

Influential Movies in Hollywood Film History: 1990 to 2010

Who can forget films that influenced eras and generations of film enthusiasts? Anyone from film school or just about any film buff well adept with classics would have seen films like "The Birth of a Nation," "Battleship Potemkin," "Citizen Kane," and "2001: A Space Odyssey." Even the young filmgoers of today would most likely know big movie franchises such as "King Kong," "Jurassic Park," and "Star Wars." The past 30 years has its own offering of influential Hollywood motion-picture projects worth chronicling

The Future of Film through IMAX and Digital Cinemas: A sneak peek at James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ and looking into the current digital cinemas in the Philippines

Experiencing “Avatar” is seeing the future of film technology right before my very eyes. The realms of CGI and 3D technology on this age of filmmaking are definitely starting to write their own history already. From the initial experimentations to the developing of the medium to the hype of the format, both the filming process and the theatrical playing field prove that the evolution of cinema technology is really revolutionizing our film experiences in various levels. Gone were the days when imagination

(Response Paper) Laura Mulvey: The Women as Element of Spectacle in the Patriarchal Order

In response to: The Laura Mulvey essay “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” from the journal “Screen” A response paper for my Advanced Film Theory and Criticism class In the essay “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey objectively examined the roots of woman’s oppression in cinema using the socially established interpretation of sexual difference which controls images, including the erotic ways of looking at spectacle, as applied in films. She looked into the language of patriarchy using the tools provided by psychoanalysis, offering

‘The Red Balloon’ Short Film Critique: Relationship and Poetry Through a Child’s Gaze

A short essay for my Film Theory and Criticism Class The 1956 French short film classic “The Red Balloon” (Le ballon rouge) features a tender drama with a fine touch of flight of fancy. Its subdued setting features a lot of grays, suggesting the depressing quality of the film’s mood and tone, which is then contrasted with the blazing red balloon in mid air.  This post-war motion-picture classic written and directed by Albert Lamorisse features a seemingly cynical world that turns magical

‘Hedgehog in the Fog’ Short Film Critique: The Phantasm of Venturing Into the Unknown

A short essay for my Film Theory and Criticism Class The 1975 short animated film “Hedgehog in the Fog” (Yozhik v tumane) by Yuri Norstein offers an amalgam of terror and pleasure using the phantasm of venturing into the unknown. This evocative work of imagination features the journey of a hedgehog one evening to see his bear cub friend. As he travels in the foggy forest, he encounters many scary things that eventually become transformative moments of wonder. This 11-minute Russian

‘Tango’ Short Film Critique: Overlapping Routines as a Collective Ritual

A short essay for my Film Theory and Criticism Class Filmmaker Zbigniew Rybczyński presents his critically acclaimed 1981 Polish short film “Tango” as a rhythmic play set in a stage that gradually progresses. It begins with a vaguely minimalist room where there are three points of entrance and exit: two doors and a window. These points become the gateways of a plethora of characters that initially starts with easily recognizable parts until each one’s repetitive acts create layer after layer of

(Response Paper) Cinema and Ideology with Jean-Luc Comolli and Jean Narboni

In response to: The Jean-Luc Comolli and Jean Narboni essay “Cinema/Ideology/Criticism” from the journal “Screen” A response paper for my Advanced Film Theory and Criticism class This essay entitled “Cinema/Ideology/Criticism” by French writers Jean-Luc Comolli and Jean Narboni started with an introduction of the pioneering French film magazine Cahiers du Cinema, offering a general overview of its objectives, goals, and ideology. It also presented the perennial question “What is film?” and “What is cinema?” – questions that continue to linger around many

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