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.