For those of you wondering what Machinima is, it is the use of a game engine, such as Halo, as the base of an animation, without the work of making custom animations. This new group is using the game Halo 3 as the base of their series, the Dreamer Chronicles. As of yet, they have only episode, which more of a preview, the first of several interview style trailers they will be making, depicting interviews with each of the main characters.

So far, this small company has only been on YouTube, and a free hosting site, called synthasite. The link to their temporary site (they are working on purchasing a domain and hosting their own site) is http://wedontknowwhatweredoing.synthasite.com/

Their youtube account can be found at this url.

Their first episode shows the character Evan, played by Thomas Endicott, the founder of the series and company. Evan is shown preparing for the interview, not realizing the camera man is already filming, and makes a complete ass of himself. I have posted it below:

"[We] are a little short on cash right now, and so we don't have the means necessary to purchase equipment for it, such as a capture device, to clean up the video footage, and proper mics, to clean up the audio," said Thomas, in an interview with me. He went on to tell me that he and his four associates, (Nathan, Faber, Jon and Jamie) were strictly in this for the fun of it. If the made money in the process, that's a perk, but honestly, they are just die-hard halo fans, looking for something to do.

Thomas also gave a small indicator that some of the characters in the series would be the personalities of some everyday stereo-types; in the first preview-interview, the character Evan is depicted as "Emo."

What should you look for as a sign of where they've been? Well, all great things have a symbol. Batman, has the bat-light. Superman has the S in the diamond. Spiderman has a black spider.

Well, We Don't Know What We're Doing... Productions has this :

Personally, I love it. This production company has a lot of potential.

Now that you've seen this, do what you will. Digg it, send the link to this article to friends, or do nothing at all, the choice is yours. But me, I'm going to watch this budding Roosterteeth, and I'll be proud indeed to be able to say I knew of and support We Don't Know What We're Doing... productions from the beggining.

Kudos, WDK, Kudos.

When I got there, they didn't have it in stock, nor the next time. But it was worth the wait. Eagle vs. Shark is a true gem. It's wonderful to discover a film that is not marketed at you with all the commercial strength and success of the filmmaking industry.

Eagle vs. Shark is pure cinema. By that, I mean that it is all about using visuals, characters, story and music to create an emotional response in the audience. (It's not about movie stars or special effects or hackneyed plot devices.)

I was very touched by this film. It's about two dorky nerd "kids" in New Zealand who are strangely attracted to each other. It comes from a very wise perspective, and it's perceptive social criticism taught me a lot about surface impressions, reality vs. fantasy, true friendship, forgiveness, and the nature of true love.

Don't be fooled by the seeming simplicity of this film. I had to watch it twice before I realized it is NOT a sad, depressing, hope-less story about a pitiable girl with no self-confidence. The second time I watched it I laughed a lot more and I had so much admiration for the "nerd girl," Lily.

Her New Zealand accent is a delight. She reminds me in looks and somewhat in her personality of a girl I once loved, and still love. The funny thing is that I loved the "nerdy" part of my girlfriend more than the "cool" part of her personality. So life imitated art there.

This movie, like life, is definitely not what it seems to be, and it is definitely worth seeing. Your full attention to every detail is rewarded by this movie.

This is the rare movie that has the power to change your perspective on life.

Please don't miss this one.

Plot

EAGLE VS. SHARK is about the human condition in this fallen, failed, superficial and deceptive world.

It's about many important issues in life: insecurity, disappointment, pain, lies, pretense, family stuff, unemployment, rejection, and failure.

It's also about security, real success, truth, happiness, forgiveness, love, truth, acceptance and joy.

In the end, it's a lot about both.

The title EAGLE VS. SHARK refers to costumes by Lily and Jarrod, the title characters: they get dressed up as these for an "animal party."

It's a story about Lily's feminine pursuit of her love, Jarrod. It's about her success. She's a "Dangerous Person." She's a shark. A big soft shark of love.

The music in this film is wonderful.

The second time I watched it, I realized that Jarrod was not as much of a jerk as I thought he was the first time, and that Lily was not as weak as I thought she was in my first viewing. For example, Lily gets strong with the rude girl who confronts her at the counter at the Meaty Boy fast food restaurant in the very beginning of the movie. I didn't really even notice this the first time I watched it.

There are many other things in this film that you might miss:

Lily tells a "white lie" to the the two little girls who approach her counter, saying that her register is broken--because she wants to wait on Jarrod.

Lily is the "solitary predator" just like a shark is, and after she achieves some kind of "success" with Jarrod, she is shown walking (swimming) by a group of girls--the lone predator who has actually done what the girls over there are only talking about.

I love the transformation of the little slips of paper that the boss used to fire her, all with Lily's name on them: I love how they become the confetti of success in the hula-dance scene.

Lily is a beautiful flower of a girl and she is going for more than just sex with Jarrod: she wants his love.

When she arrives at the costume party, there is a bassy piano that plays a simple theme reminiscent of JAWS.

Think of all the ways winning and losing can be looked at in this film: the dad, who just wanted his suicided son Gordon to "win." Nobody wants to be valued just for winning: it's dehumanizing.

It's very interesting in this film to pay attention to what the characters say--and what they don't say. (If you watch a film you enjoy more than once, consider turning on the subtitle captioning feature--it can be a very enlightening experience.)

I love the scene where Lily is playing the video game against Jarrod--it seems that she certainly could win, but she is looking at her real prey: Jarrod. So, she wins by losing. Big insight into female psychology there.

Note Jarrod's prideful remark to Lily about what it takes to beat "a real champion."

When Lily goes to Jarrod's place of work, notice that after she talks with Jarrod, she blows on her hands and then wipes them on her clothes: she was sweating. She got excited that Jarrod asked her out, that he showed her some kindness.

Notice the very telling connection between Jarrod's anger and his "depression." Notice also how he doesn't take responsibility for either--or forgive.

It's hysterical that Damon, Lily's brother, is in the room when they are having their intimate conversation on the couch.

Notice that when Jarrod comes out of the store he works at, that he says to Lily that the "six" (sex) was good--not that he cared about her.

Lily wants more than cheap sex--she wants love.

The movie is saying: What is cool? What is winning? Not being a fake, but being sincere, and loving people, that's cool, that's winning.

I love what the movie is saying about the dad in the wheelchair: he is crippled by his grief, he is not physically crippled at all.

Notice that Jarrod lies, saying that his brother died in a fire while saving children, (something noble and impressive), instead of the truth: he committed suicide by jumping off a cliff.

I love that Lily doesn't want just anyone to love her--she wants Jarrod, and she turns down the guy on the bike who asks her out. (I love that he is wearing a T-shirt with a black-and-white photo of Hugh Grant in a mugshot, holding jail numbers. (Even winners are losers sometimes.)

At the end, the rock Lily throws at the bird, accidentally, is shaped like a heart, and the rock also is the color of renewal, green, as is her hat, and the grass that she and Jarrod lie on, in the end.

Everyone is this film trades on lies and borrowed fame, trying to bolster their image in the eyes of others, not just Jarrod. Note all the references to Rambo, Mr. T, James Bond, Hugh Grant, Hugh Jackman Austin Powers. (Austin Powers himself being a mockery of James Bond.)

Kinda like Americans in general, no?

I love the foreshadowing of the dad's wheelchair to the final confrontation with the Samoan at the end. (And that the crippled and regretful Samoan finally gets mad and wins again, anyway.)

I love the PULP FICTION music and the reference to a Samoan, which is also a PULP FICTION reference.

I like the symbolism of how Jarrod's hatred gets him to burn a cross. (Burning the love and forgiveness of Christ.)

I love movies where you have to read between the lines and think, not just get the plot spoon-fed to you through obvious actions.

I love that Lily tells Jarrod that the girl he originally invited to the Animal Party is a "lesbian" --hysterical!--to force Jarrod to stop thinking of her as a possible love interest.

I love that the most externally beautiful girl in this movie is NOT the love interest.

I love that the dad calls his ex-wife a "lesbian" to avoid any responsibility in the failure of of his marriage.

I like how Jarrod fakes a fall on the bike just to get Lily's loving attention. (Yes, much of this stuff is very subtle. I missed this the first time I watched the film.)

I love that Jarrod's eight-year-old daughter starts performing her rock band dance only when she is being watched--another person looking for attention and admiration by association with a "rock star."

I love the "AWESOME" sports jogging suits. This has to be the most un-Awesome name for a line of clothing!

I love the commentary on what is really failure and what is really success.

I love that Lily changes her mind about the horse counting game when Jarrod says it is dumb, but then Jarrod starts playing it again at the very end, just because he can win, but we all know who has really won: Lily, just as she planned from the very first shot of the film.

This movie is saying that love is the most important thing: kindness and commitment.

Not hypocrisy or fakeness, or false values.

And the movie is right.

The goofiness of the characters in this film disarm us and allow its truths to penetrate deep into our hearts.

What a persevering and loving character Lily is.

Finally, I love Lily's commentary on life:

"You know, life is full of hard bits, I think. But in between the hard bits, are some really lovely bits."

This movie is one of the lovely bits. :)

The state of equilibrium in the film Napoleon Dynamite is quite obvious, as the film begins with Napoleon on his way to school on the school bus. He is seen playing tetherball by himself, getting taunted by the jocks and beaten up by the bully and it can be inferred that he is a social outcast with no friends. This, however, is quite normal for Napoleon. His older brother is soon introduced when Napoleon goes home. Kip has been on the computer all day chatting to his Internet girlfriend and grandma is at home. Everything up until this point is quite the norm in the Dynamite household, that is until grandma goes on a trip with friends and injures herself. With grandma gone, Uncle Rico arrives to take care of Napoleon and his thirty-two year old brother. This event disrupts the equilibrium and sets off a chain of narrative events that help steer the course of the film. At the end of Napoleon Dynamite there is a new state of equilibrium as most of the characters have changed significantly. Napoleon has a best friend in Pedro Sanchez, who has also been elected class president, and he begins a relationship with Deb. Kip moves away with his girlfriend he met on the Internet, grandma returns home and uncle Rico is reunited with his ex-girlfriend. The new state of equilibrium is a result of a number of major kernel and satellite events during the course of the narrative.

One of the first kernel events in Napoleon Dynamite occurs when Napoleon first meets Pedro Sanchez, the new student at his school. This pairing of Napoleon and Pedro opens up many opportunities and possibilities in the film. It creates a friendship that eventually leads to their adventures and quest for self-fulfilment. A second important kernel event is when Uncle Rico comes to look after Napoleon and Kip, as grandma is in hospital. This begins a family feud between Rico and Napoleon, while Rico and Kip form a partnership, which inturn opens up opportunities for Kip and his girlfriend. Another important kernel event is when Pedro decides to run for class president after seeing a sign advertising the upcoming elections at the dance. This event begins another quest for both Napoleon and Pedro, as they combine their skills to find a way for Pedro to get noticed and beat popular girl, Summer Wheatley in the elections (Conan, 1988 p54).

As in any narrative, Napoleon Dynamite utilizes a number of main characters in actantial roles as agents of action (Fowler, 1977). These agents of action add depth to the plot and help move narrative events to the eventual conclusion and restore the equilibrium. Napoleon is a subject, as he is on a quest to make Uncle Rico leave and acts as a helper to Pedro, as they both want Pedro to be elected as class president. He is also an object of Deb, as it can be inferred she is intent on getting closer to Napoleon. Pedro's actantial role is also that of a subject, as he is on a quest to beat Summer Wheatley and become class president. Napoleons brother Kip's actantial role is one of a subject. Kip is on a quest to bring his Internet girlfriend, who he believes is his soul mate, to visit him in Preston, Idaho. Uncle Rico acts as an object of Napoleon, as Napoleon is on a quest to make Rico leave. Uncle Rico also performs the actantial role of hinderer, by making Napoleon's life harder than it usually is (Fowler, 1977).

During the narrative film, Napoleon Dynamite, there are plot events that are specifically covered, there are also many parts to the story that can be safely assumed. Napoleon and Kip live with their grandma, this is covered in the plot, so it can be inferred that their parents have either passed away or left them. At the beginning of the story not much is known about Napoleon, however it is assumed that Napoleon has few, if any friends at all. While not covered in the plot, it can also be inferred that Napoleon is a liar and this may be one reason he has so few friends. From how each character dresses at school, it can be inferred that Summer Wheatley it the "cheerleader" type, dating Don the typical jock. Other non-diegetic themes in the narrative such as music and clothing suggest the film is taking place in the mid to late 1980s. It can be assumed Napoleon Dynamite is a modern day story however, with such non-diegetic props as the Internet and mobile phones being present. It revolves around students who attend a high school in Preston, Idaho, though time and place are never specifically covered during the film. Another disparity in story and plot is when Napoleon is in the second hand thrift store. The viewers see him browsing and he picks up a VHS tape called "D-Qwons Dance Grooves". The film never shows Napoleon purchase this video, but at home you see him insert a video into the VHS player and he begins to practice dance moves. It can be inferred that Napoleon did purchase this video, though the plot does not cover this detail, this event proves quite critical further into the story.

The film moves from event to event in chronological order and is able to utilize a number of narrative forms such as ellipses, summary, scenes and descriptive pauses. An example of an ellipse is when Napoleon draws a picture of Trisha, his date to the school dance. The viewer does not see much of Napoleon drawing the picture, but finds out later it took him over three hours just to shade the upper lip. A summary is used when Napoleon goes to work at the chicken farm to make some extra money. This segment of the film is broken up into a series of scenes, separated using ellipses. There are also a number of obvious scenes in Napoleon Dynamite. During the scenes at the diner, when Kip and Uncle Rico are planning their impending project, the scenes are shown in real-time; there is no summary or ellipses present. Descriptive pause is used at the beginning of the film, as up until the first kernel event of Pedro being introduced, Napoleon's character is too introduced and established as the friendless, cynical nerd.

Narrative Elements

As mentioned previously, Kernel and satellite events are frequent in Napoleon Dynamite and successfully continue the flow of the movie, creating opportunities for characters and furthering both the plot and subplots (Conan, 1988 p54). The first important kernel event in the film is when Napoleon meets and befriends Pedro, the new Mexican student. They form an instant bond and the characters compliment each other perfectly. The second kernel event that opens up opportunities for Pedro is when he decides to ask Summer Wheatley to the school dance, and they are unsure what Summer's response will be. This indirectly affects Napoleon, as he must suddenly decide on someone to ask, Shortly after, a key satellite event is when Napoleon and Pedro leave a cake Pedro baked for Summer on her doorstep. This brings us closer to Summer's response, but does not open any more opportunities. The next day at school when Napoleon is playing tetherball by himself, there is another key kernel event, when Summer reveals she does not want to go to the dance with Pedro. Once again, this event indirectly affects Napoleon, as he learns Pedro asked Deb to the dance as "backup". Once again, new opportunities exist for Pedro and Deb, and Napoleon has to find someone else to take to the dance, as he was obviously planning to take Deb. Another Kernel event that stems from this event is when Napoleon draws a picture of Trisha and asks her to the dance. She unwillingly accepts his proposal and this acts as a satellite event leading up to the dance. A major kernel event occurs at the dance when Pedro notices a sign advertising an impending student election for class president; Pedro decides to run in the election against Summer Wheatley. Napoleon offers his services and a number of satellite events occur leading up the election. Events such as Napoleon and Pedro putting signs up around the school and Pedro making a piñata that resembles Summer. At the election assembly, other examples of satellite events are Napoleons dance in front of the school and Pedro's speech. Napoleon learned these dance moves from a tape he bought at random in a second hand store. All of these satellite events aid in the progression of the plot, while not creating more opportunities, but giving Pedro a better chance at winning the election (Conan, 1988 p54). There are also a number of kernel and satellite events that help the continuation of the sub-plots in the film. One such kernel event is when Uncle Rico gives Kip a job as a door-to-door salesman. This gives Kip the opening to save some money to bring his girlfriend to visit him. When Lafawnda, his girlfriend, finally arrives, she adds more to the narrative then one would have thought. When she meets Napoleon, and finds out he is practicing dance moves, she gives him a cassette tape her cousin made. This tape contains a song that Napoleon dances to during the election assembly, as part of Pedro's presentation, resulting in him winning the election. It proved to be a great opportunity for Napoleon, and if she hadn't given him this cassette, Pedro may not have been victorious against Summer, and thus equilibrium not restored. It is quite interesting how the film reaches disequilibrium and through the actantial roles of the characters equilibrium returns, however, each character has grown and circumstances have changed. The one event, which causes disequilibrium, is when grandma is injured and Uncle Rico is introduced. When equilibrium returns, each character has been on a journey and grown significantly. Although not stated in the plot, it is believed that Napoleon and Deb get together as they are seen playing tetherball as the film ends; Napoleon is seen playing tetherball by himself throughout the film. Kip is finally united with Lafawnda, who he believes is his soul mate. Uncle Rico eventually leaves the Dynamite household and gets back together with his ex-girlfriend, while grandma comes home. Pedro is elected class president and there is a definite sense of closure for all characters.

Characterization Elements

The film Napoleon Dynamite is a very character driven story and can be classified character-centred more so than action-centred (Rimmon-Kenan, 1983). On the surface, the characters seem to be one-dimensional, but upon further investigation, each character plays an integral role in communicating the story. Characters traits are portrayed in an indirect presentation throughout the film with the use of one-time and habitual actions. Napoleon quickly becomes known as a character that often lies and makes quite outrageous claims. One clear example is when the jocks are taunting him in the changing rooms before gym class; Napoleon states he was in Alaska all summer, shooting wolverines with his uncle. Soon after, he meets Pedro and tells of how his girlfriend cannot make it to the school dance, because of a modelling shoot in another state. He then shows Pedro a picture of this non-existent girlfriend. The audience clearly knows Napoleon does not have a girlfriend. Napoleons contemplated lying says much about his character; he is insecure, however, it seems his telling of stories seems to amuse himself and the viewer more so than other characters (Rimmon-Kenan, 1983). This contemplated lying also proves Napoleon says what is on his mind and acts at the spur of the moment, without thinking too much of the consequences. This quality plays an important part at the end of the film when he does a solo dance in front of the entire school. Pedro finds out just before his speech that he also needs a skit. Napoleon has an idea to do a dance in front of the entire school, and ultimately, helps Pedro wins the class election.

Speech and appearance in the film is used to indirectly add depth and develop characters (Rimmon-Kenan, 1983). Napoleon is immediately classed as an outsider at school with his consistent grunts and moans and his obsession with mythical animals. His appearance remains true to current ideology of what a nerd at high school should look like; tight jeans, very outdated moon boots, a shirt with some obscure image printed on it, thick glasses and a red afro. His brother Kip is much the same, in that he speaks with a high-pitched voice, has a lisp and dresses the same as Napoleon. Through what Uncle Rico says about his failed football days, it is obvious he is constantly living in the past and has never quite made anything of his life. Deb's character is solely defined by what she says, or more specifically what she does not say. She is very shy and when she does speak, she talks quietly. This is in contrast to Napoleon's character who says what he thinks and is not shy at all. Minor characters like Don and Summer's social status at school are portrayed through their external appearance. Summer dresses like her family has more money than Napoleon or Deb's, and Don, her boyfriend, wears collared shirts and has the appearance of a jock. Don and Summer also compliment each other well as the couple everyone at school wants to be (Rimmon-Kenan, 1983).

As also briefly discussed earlier, all major characters in Napoleon Dynamite are all agents of action in clear actantial roles (Fowler, 1977). When Uncle Rico arrives, he is immediately established as object of Napoleon and hinders his quests a number of times during the film. He diminishes Napoleons chances of a relationship with Deb, by lying to her in order to sell her products and makes him look like a fool in front of other classmates. Uncle Rico makes life much harder for Napoleon, but in contrast, acts as a helper to Napoleon's older brother Kip. Uncle Rico gives Kip a job as a door-to-door salesman so Kip can save some money to bring Lafawnda, his girlfriend he knows only through the Internet, to visit him in Preston. Napoleon too has a various actantial roles as subject and helper. Napoleon is on a quest to rid his household of Uncle Rico, as all Rico does is make life tough for Napoleon. The actantial roles these characters perform are vital to the plot and each character, no matter how minor, all characters play important roles in the film and its narrative structure (Fowler, 1977).

Step Brothers was thoroughly disappointing to me because I am a fan of both Will Ferrell and John C. Rilley. I thought they were magic in Talladega Nights. I expected this movie to have that same chemistry, but it simply was not there.

Nothing about any of the characters in Step Brothers was believable. I could not wrap my mind around two men nearing their 40's living at home, out of work, and acting like juvenile's when their parents married. I wanted it to be funny. I really did. I kept thinking with two such great comic actors that the movie would get better, but it didn't.

I never laughed and the bickering of the two main characters behaving like 12 year olds made me uncomfortable. I love stupid funny, but this was just plain stupid. So, I walked out.

If you are a glutton for punishment, watch the movie trailer.

• Game Plan

This movie is about a famous football player that learns he is a father of young girl. Finding out that he was a father was a complete shock and it turned his life inside out.  Everytime I watch this movie I am brought to tears and laughter numerous times. It portrays the importance of a loving bond between parents and children.

• Facing the Giants

In this movie a highschool football coach has been struggling on the field with a losing season again. Everything beging to go on a downhill spiral. His teams' parents are not satisfied, his team has no confidence in themselves, car troubles, and he is even having difficulty fulfilling his wife's dream of creating a family. However, instead of giving up and being defeated, he turned to GOD. This is an amazing movie to watch and witness the power of GOD's love.

• Click

Just like many parents today, we sometimes get caught up with work so much that we take our families for granted. Adam Sandler plays the part of a father who's trying to get ahead in the business world that he loses sense of the role that a father and husband should maintain in a family unit.  Magically, he found a remote control that could fast forward undesirable or stressful situations in his life. This movie is not only funny but also a tear jerker, atleast for me. It reminds us that family time is valuable and should NEVER be taken for granted.

So if you are looking for an excellent family movie to enjoy together, please consider one of these. I promise you won't forget it.

Set in the small dead end town of Trona, California things are not quite as they are in the rest of America, to get to Trona there is just one way in and one way out, it's not on any path to anywhere. Trona has just one shop that's always empty, and one bar that nobody really drinks in; the houses are wooden shacks and caravans all of which are falling into disrepair. Trona's population consist of users and low lives, but Ray (Dylan Walsh) is different, he works, and he has dreams. When things could not get much worse in life local thug Spoonie (Jason Long) starts charging the locals to enter the town on the order of Dirk the landowner, if you don't pay he'll make your life miserable. In a short time Ray's life turns upside down, his mother slips into a coma, and returning home early he finds that his agoraphobic wife Charlene (Penny Balfour) has been having an affair with Ray's brother Mark since 9 months before their son Eddie (Jonah Hill) was born. At a time of great sadness in Ray's life Merl (Danny DeVito) arrives in town to open a new petrol station, he talks about all the things that are right and wrong in life; and Ray decides it's time for Trona to see some change.

Just Add Water is a really quirky enjoyable movie, all its characters are to be blunt kind of inbred, and the smallest simplest things make them happy. The highlight of everyone's week is the lottery, when each and every one of Trona's occupants believes that this will be the week that their lives will be changed. For the lead actor Dylan Walsh known best for his role of Sean in the popular TV show Nip/Tuck, the weaknesses that Sean has in the show are magnified for his role of Ray.

The really clever aspect of this movie is that amongst the general feeling of pleasure you get watching the movie, laughing at all the oddities that to the residents of Trona are normal life; it also gets you quite angry. You are more than aware that the sort of people like Dirk and Spoonie do actually exist in the world, the sort of scumbags that enjoy making the lives of others miserable because they like to have the upper hand. It's that unique synergy of quirkiness and anger that make Just Add Water a real winning formula. Nothing is more pleasing than an underdog story that has the potential to turn right.

The cast are all great you don't need to question any of the actors for their performances; they are all familiar faces that you know and love. But in this mix is the return of some great actors Masters Of The Universe Actress Chelsea Field last seen with any clarity in Thirtysomething scores a great return performance. Tracey Walter a very odd looking, but ultimately familiar Cult actor whose popularity was at its prime in the 80's stars as a backwater lawyer. While bit part actress Tracy Middendorf gets to play a pivotal role as Nora the movies love interest.

I'm not much of one to quote movie lines, but three stood out to me for unknown reasons.
"It's called a French Kiss, it's a little more intimate than a regular than a regular kiss I read about it recently in one of those Harlequin books over in the miscellaneous section on aisle three"
"What the hell are you doing? Fighting over a bottle of antifreeze what the f**k is that?" To three women thinking they have found some tropical juice.
"Hey, hey, you Ray... You might wanna think about cleaning up this yard... your god damn turtle turned this place into a sh*thole!" Referring to a tortoise.
There really is very little to the movie, it follows the most traditional success stories in movie history, its fairytale like in its development. But the great mix of humour, endearing characters, and overall joy of watching a nice serene piece of filmmaking that while featuring a bit of swearing, for the most part is fairly innocent storytelling.

Thomas Schatz bravely tackles a definition of sorts where most articles steer clear of nailing down a definition of comedy. “The screwball comedy is distinguished essentially by its style and theme. The genre derives its identity from a style of behavior (reflected in certain camerawork and editing techniques) and from narrative patterns ….” This breaks the genre down into two sides, narrative and visual. Almost akin to the building blocks/theme approach that Rick Altman discusses in his article “A Semantic/Syntactic Approach”. He defines the two terms as building blocks and overall structure into which the blocks are arranged respectively. Schatz's “style”, the visual cues telling us this is a comedy, would fall under the Semantics of a genre. This would include, but not limited to: High-key lighting, quick dialogue, role reversal, animals, slap stick, prat falls, longer time between cuts, two-shot composition, romance and many others. This could be referred to as the style of comedic films. Bringing up Baby, not surprisingly has many of these “building block” characteristics. The scenes are lit fully, even though a lot of it happens in the dark; the woods of Connecticut are unusually bright at night. The characters need neither torches nor flashlights to get around. Few shadows fall on the faces of the characters. This is high-key lighting used to let us take in our surroundings and be comfortable with where we are. Had this been a horror movie, you could guarantee that the lighting would a significantly contrasted look and the shadows would hide nearly everything giving us a more uneasy feeling when watching it.

The quick dialogue is also found in Bringing up Baby especially in Hepburn's role. A lot of this might have to do with the training she received on set. Hepburn had not acted in a screwball comedy before and was learning on set by Vaudeville performers that were hired (IMDB). There are many signs of role reversal in this film as well, Hepburn's character continuously pronounces she is the aggressor and in some cases the man of the relationship. She is the sexually driven one. At one point, when he is in the shower, she puts his hat on. Later when he comes out of the shower he must wear her robe. He even refers to himself going “gay” all of a sudden, a definite blow to the manhood. Animals are also used efficiently for a laugh. Baby and George both bring their own sense of comic style to the story. The slap stick comedy of stunts is also typical of these films. In this case Cary Grant did almost all of his own stunts and falls (IMDB). The prat falls and destruction of huge dinosaurs add to the chaotic nature of comedies. The famous two-shot is widely used in comedies. It is one of the most appealing shot choices a filmmaker can make. A two-shot is simply a medium shot of the two subjects in the scene where we can see most of their actions but little else outside of them. This pulls our attention away from most of the background and focuses us in on the scene, very little visual tension. There is a typical story that is found in most comedies, the romance. It is a device used to easily get us on the side of the protagonists. With such chaos and goofy antics it may be difficult to connect with these zany characters, but one thing we can all focus on is the story of boy likes girl. These are a few of the many building blocks or style choices that make up a comedy, and Bringing up Baby has them in abundance.

The narrative and the themes of comedy are a little harder to pin down. The overall structure that these little building blocks can work within is one of combined themes and a happy ending. Audiences want to feel complete and satisfied at the end of the comedy. In Brining up Baby, the union of the heterosexual couple is indeed the happy ending that we were looking for. This is a part of the syntax, or the overall framework, of the comedy. Another piece of syntax is also the dive into chaos. Most comedies start out as if everything is okay and right in the world, maybe not the happiest of circumstances, but things are moving forward at least. Comedies are known for taking this series of circumstances and turning them upside down and moving into utter chaos before everything is resolved. Bringing up Baby not only moves into emotional chaos but leaves the state and travels to Connecticut and into the woods where there is real physical chaos. The end of the film, though it is happy, does not quite revert back to the old ways of normalcy as do most comedies. This movie embraces the chaos and tells us that things will never be the same again.

The syntax and semantics of comedy are indeed present in this film. It is a comedy. So why, in an era where comedy was praised, both critically and commercially, did it flop? Howard Hawks himself has an answer, he said he failed at making a good comedy here because the characters were too “madcap”, with no straight men or woman to ground it (IMDB). This comment, though true, does not answer why it has gained the acclaim it has today, but missed out the time it was released. Maybe the fundamental problem of this film is one of the things it is hailed for today. The syntax of comedy where we dive into chaos and emerge into order is not present in this film, as I have stated before. But, what if this is the exact thing the audience really needed at this time. With a good three or four years till the depression would be over, I do not feel the audiences were ready to see a movie where the chaos was not quite resolved. The audiences own lives were plunged into chaos from which they wanted resolution. The audiences didn't want to hear that everything was going to be changed forever because of this detour into chaos. Maybe it is as simple as that.

Saved is the story of a young perfect Christian girl (played by Mandy Moore) and her posse of ab fab religious nut jobs attending the American Eagle Christian School. When she learns that her long time love is gay, she has a head-trauma induced vision of Jesus telling her to “do whatever she can to help [him]”. She misinterprets this as the divine okay to sleep with him, thereby “fixing” his homosexuality. However the boy's parents find out about his homosexuality. The boy is sent to Mercy House (a Christian rehab) and Moore is stuck with the inevitable aftermath of a 21st century chick-flick drama-dy romantic entanglement: she's pregnant.

Starting the new school year with her faith wavering, accompanied by all the usual emotional trauma of teen pregnancy, she ends up confiding in the school's “trouble case”, a Jewish girl named Cassandra. Cassandra smokes, has sex, and frequently makes a spectacle out the school. Teaming up with the pastor/principal's son Patrick and the most popular girl in school's handicapped brother, these four “heathens” form a bond of friendship and end up showing the school that some things can't be handled with prayer.

Saved is an incredibly funny movie to everyone except Christians with no sense of humor. While the movie is pretty much a cookie-cutter film from start to finish, it does have some truly excellent moments. In one scene, a group of Christian girls attempt to exercise Moore. She explodes at the main girl saying that she doesn't know “anything about love.” To which the girl responds by throwing the bible at Moore's back screaming “I am FILLED with Christ's love!”

This review is a little shorter than my others, but I really think the movie speaks for itself. You should definitely watch this film.

So, the final verdict… you should buy this movie (8 out of 10).

In the movie Don't Mess With the Zohan, Sandler plays a very likable Israeli counter-terrorist. It opens as Zohan (Sandler) struts down the beach in his sleeveless shirt and cutoff jeans. He shakes his hips and sticks out his bulging crotch. The wind blows in Zohan's unruly hair as he poses for the women, plays Hacky Sack with the guys, and engages in tug of war with a bull. The images are zany and over-the-top, but they contain a quality that lets us know everybody is having fun.

Zohan's vacation gets interrupted by the Israeli army, who need the expert Mossad agent to capture his arch nemesis, a Palestinian terrorist who calls himself The Phantom (John Turturro). But Zohan is tired of always being the go to guy when it comes to thwarting Israel's enemies. He doesn't find counter-terrorism fulfilling any more and tells his mother and father (Dina Doronne and Shelley Berman) he wants to go to America to be a hair stylist, "to make the hair silky smooth." They laugh in his face.

During an uproarious action sequence, Zohan takes out an entire Palestinian compound by himself. The man is so good he can turn around in the blink of a frame and catch bullets with his teeth. He chases The Phantom into the ocean for a game of water ping pong with a live grenade, which gives Zohan the perfect opportunity to fake his own death. He sneaks on a flight to New York with two dogs named Scrappy and Coco and appropriately assumes the name "Scrappy Coco." Zohan's goal is to work for Paul Mitchell, but after he's turned away, he makes friends with Michael (Nick Swardson) and even better friends with Michael's mother (Lainie Kazan), with whom he "makes the sticky."

Unable to find a stylist job at more reputable salons, Zohan enters the Palestinian-Israeli district, where his friend Oori (Ido Mosseri) runs a "Going Out of Business" electronic store. He points Zohan to a Palestinian salon across the street, run by the ravishing Dalia (Emmanuelle Chriqui). To prove he is worthy of cutting hair, Zohan performs no-handed pushups and treats a chair like a pummel horse. Dalia makes him hair sweeper and Zohan doesn't let one piece drop on the floor. One of the movie's biggest laughs comes when Zohan gets his first string of customers, all of them old ladies, whom he sensualizes with the shampoo and a showerhead...and then later with other things in other places.

The underlying plot revolves around a business tycoon (Michael Buffer) wanting to tear down the Israeli-Palestinian community to put up a new mall. There's also the matter of Salim (Rob Schneider), a taxi driver who wants revenge against the Zohan for stealing his precious goat back in Israel. During an amusing scene, Salim calls the Hezbollah hotline, where the answering service says things like "For terrorist supplies, press 5."

This was a great movie. There was not one person in the theater that was not laughing through out the entire movie. Adam Sandler is a great actor in this movie. So watch Don't Mess with the Zohan; you will not be disappointed.

Bruce (Masi Oka from the TV show Heroes) and Lloyd (Nate Torrence) are two geeky young inventors for the agency Control. They have developed a top secret invisibility cloak so when someone buts the cloak on, they become invisible. (Much like the invisibility cloak in the Harry Potter movies).

However, the cloak is stolen while the two host a party in the Control secret laboratory. The beautiful secret agent from a South American country steals it in order to give it to her dicatator so he could free her hostage father.

Bruce and Lloyd end up saving the day, recover the cloak and ridding the country of the evil dictator.

The movie is full of young adolescent humor. One of the funniest scenes is when Lloyd is is day dreaming about a beautiful girl in her bikini and she says “you can do anything you want with me Lloyd.” Well the next scene is she jumping up and down in the bikini and beating him on Mortal Combat style game. That was his dream?!

The running joke throughout the movie is how no one can ever figure out which actor is Bruce and which one is Lloyd. Everyone keeps switching the actors up. Another running joke is how Lloyd cannot talk to women. He gets so nervous around women that he just mumbles and says stupid things, even though he thinks he's smooth.

The movie is short, running at 71 minutes. It isn't a great film, but it is worth watching. I watched it with my 12 years olds, which liked the movie a lot.