One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: Acting Crazy

     In this particular film, I felt that it was very useful for some of the actors in the movie to research and sit in on psychiatric wards for researching purposes, but did not feel that it was needed overall. For instance, nurse Ratched was one of the those characters that the audience needed to be authentic. Within the real reels article, the young and elder nurse both agree that, as far as being a realistic nurse in a psychiatric ward, Louise Fletcher was able to appear genuine.
     However, not all the characters in the film necessarily needed their respective actors to sit in a mental institution for weeks on end. A character who has severe mental illness, such as Bancini or Martini, did not require that the actors go out and heavily prepare for their role, but rather seemed to only require them to exhibit one defunct trait that was caused by their mental debilitation. Someone like the main character, however, such as the one played by Jack Nicholson, would indeed require that the actor do some outside research, given how deeply the audience delves into his mind. If he does not appear to be completely authentic, that is, a lazy jail-bird with aggressive tendencies, then the movie will lose its credibility, and would no longer be a success like it is today.

What's More West Than Rio Bravo?

     In Howard Hawks's film "Rio Bravo," many characteristics heavily resemble and help define the movie as a Western-genre film. There are some, though very few, differences in the movie that do not resemble the normal Western archetype, but in general, "Rio Bravo" screams Western.
     Similarities seen between most Westerns and "Rio Bravo" would be that they both share the same central theme; that is, a conflict between civilized order (John Wayne and Dean Martin), and the lawless frontier (John Russell and Claude Akins). Another similarity would be that both tell tales of morality, in this case that justice and the good will prevail over the unjust and wicked. The Dude and Sheriff Chance defeat the Burdette brothers, even though outnumbered, because they fight for what is right. The scenery and imagery are also similar to Westerns, because the movie takes place in Texas in the Wild West, and has a plethora of shots of saloons, horses, cowboys & their hats, six-shooter revolvers, etc.
     The differences, however, are not as numerous as the prior mentioned similarities. "Rio Bravo's" main character John Chance does not ride into town as a wanderer or nomad, but rather is the sheriff and wishes to keep his town safe and full of justice. Also, John Chance never rescues a damsel in distress. He does fall in love with a beautiful woman, Feathers, but she is not as dainty as she appears, helping Chance fend of the lawless whenever possible.
      Overall, "Rio Bravo" proved to follow the Western-genre archetype, despite the few differences listed above. Even though Westerns have existed since the late 19th century, Hawks's movie proves that the Western film style is still very strong, as well as incredibly recognizable.

Mon Oncle's Unique Artistic Approach

     In Jacques Tati's film, Mon Oncle, the seemingly sporadic character-focus and film progression appears to categorize Tati as a director without aim or purpose. However, he is able to create a rather unique and unconventional story that the audience, upon first glance, may not understand. Throughout Mon Oncle, the boy's uncle seems to be an Inspector Clouseau-type character, a witless fool who just wanders about the city, but rather it is Tati's way of showing how not everyone fully merges correctly with their environment, especially with technology. Everyone else in the town consumes new technology and the newest, most expensive thing is what impresses neighbors, but the boy's uncle fails to abide by this lifestyle. He is a true outsider of the consumerist world, and chooses to leave it at the end of the film.
     Tati, however, does not blatantly express this theme, like most tend to do, through his dialogue. He instead uses a very unconventional method of film producing, and artistically expresses this outcast theme through sounds and sights, a steady segment of squirrel-like attention. Mon Oncle possesses a very minimal amount of dialogue, and when there is, it is used to help enhance the visual theme the movie is expressing. Every time the uncle and boy are in the market-place in the less-industrious side of town, there is a buzz of commotion, showing individuals interacting and enjoying each other's company, but every time they are at the boy's home, there is a deafening silence, unless of course some automatic cupboard needs opening. Also, the uncle, when faced with some new technological boundary, seems to be completely oblivious, such as when he tries to work at Plastac and cannot even make a tube correctly. This, however, is not an expression of ignorance, but rather one of questioning technology's relevance. Tati never expresses directly a disdain for technology and consumerism, but through his unique shots and character interaction, the audience is able to fully see his true meaning and theme of Mon Oncle.

Exit Through the Gift Shop: Fact or Fiction?

     In the controversial film Exit Through the Gift Shop, the producer of this documentary, Banksy, ultimately constructs a somewhat unbelievable story, which is why some believe to be fake, rather than a real-life documentary. However, even if the film is real or fake, the message still remains the same; art is undefinable, and unpredictable. The film shows how this frenchman is able to become completely famous based on his graffiti work, which the "real street artists" say is a copy, and also quick to catch on. But who is to say this man's commercial and generic artwork is not in fact art? Banksy uses this film to ultimately express that message to his audience, and perhaps question the norms and politics-as-usual of the art community.
     However with all that being said, it is difficult to determine if the movie is actually based on Mr. Brainwash, or just an actor hired by a purposefully underground artist who wishes to remain hidden, yet still reap the benefits of stardom. I personally feel that despite most of the conspiracy theories out there, this movie is genuinely credible. As one watches the documentary, they are able to see the true depth of the character Mr. Brainwash, and as the film shows clips from numerous tapes he recorded of his life, one feels they are not being cheated, but rather witnessing the obsession of a true human-being. If Banksy truly did make this elaborate scheme to craft a documentary about street art only to promote himself in the end, he deserves every penny he's made for creating a genius plan.