play it again Sam

Casablanca a film noir directed by Michael Curitz and released in 1942 defines the word “classic.” The romance film takes place during World War II in the Moroccan city of Casablanca starring Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine and Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund.
Rick Blaine owner of Rick’s Café Americain struggles to choose between his love for Ilsa and helping her husband, a resistance leader, flee to America. Ilsa and Rick had a passionate love affair in Paris which ended abruptly due to the German invasion of the city. Rick along with his piano playing friend Sam, fled to Casablanca and opened a bar. Years later Ilsa and her husband walk into Rick’s Café, leaving both lovers in a state of shock; “of all the gin joints and all the towns in the world, she walks into mine” –Rick. When Major Strasser (a Nazi) realizes that Laslow, Ilsa’s husband, is trying to flee the country Rick must make a decision between his love for Ilsa or saving her husband; love and virtue.


Although the plot is at times “cliché” the constant question of whether Rick will save his love life or that of Ilsa’s constantly keeps the viewers attention. The couple’s love song motif, As Time Goes By hints that their love with last, but until the last seven minutes the audience waffles on the choice that must be made. The costumes and lighting both allow the viewer to step into Rick’s Café during World War II. The costumes are exceptionally beautiful; Ilsa’s especially, her long gowns and waved hair truly make her look like the ideal, unforgettable women. Along with Ilsa the Major, Captain and other soldiers uniforms symbolize the ever present war. Although the lighting is usually pretty dim, shadows are often used – especially with Rick – giving the viewer a mysterious feel. The cinematographer, Arthur Edeson also uses catch lighting with Ingrid Bergman to make her eyes sparkle, giving the overall effect of sadness and nostalgia.


Music also plays a large role in the film. Along with the love motif, As Time Goes By and Sam’s constant piano playing the “battle of the anthems” scene was unusually memorable. The Nazi’s, with the help of the piano, start singing their national anthem in Rick’s café, which is then challenged with the French national anthem started by Laslow and café’s band. This powerfully emotional scene ends in tears by many of the characters, depicting their struggle to maintain their French culture during this time of War.

Casablanca will forever remain a classic film due to its romance and captivating storyline, after viewing this film you too will be asking, “play it again Sam.”

Juno - far from great? I think not...

Upon reading Peter Rainer’s critique of Juno directed by Jason Reitman, I became a little angered. Although Mr. Rainer (who writes for the Christian Science Monitor) accounted for the valueless quality of Ellen Page’s (Juno) acting in the film, he thought it didn’t score very high on the “greatness scale.”

“’Juno’ the second feature directed by Jason Reitman, is far from great but it has qualities of feeling that lift it far above the ordinary. The screenplay by 29-year-old Diablo Cody, is her first to be produce, and it has the tang of a lived in experience.”

I do not agree with Mr. Rainer what-so-ever, I thought the film Juno was remarkable. Not only did it provide great laughs, but it also embodied Juno’s sense of struggle which lead to tears toward the closing of the film. Ellen Page was absolutely amazing; her quick, sarcastic humor carried the show. Mr. Rainer argues that, “as talented as she is, Cody relies too heavily on Juno’s wisecracking.” I never felt that the Juno’s jokes were overpowering the film in anyway – if anything it allowed the viewer to look through an optimistic lens during the long teen pregnancy.

Ellen Page is not the only strong actor in the cast - Michael Cera who plays Paulie Bleeker (Juno’s best friend and the father of her baby) is exceptionally excellent. Bleeker is a scrawny, nerdy, track runner who sticks beside Juno the entire way, hoping eventually she will feel the love he feels for her. Along with Michael Cera, Juno’s father (J.K. Simmons) and stepmother (Allison Janney) provide many fits of laughter throughout the film. When Juno informs her family that she will be having a baby their response is far from predictable, “I was hoping she was expelled or into hard drugs – anything but this.” Rainer feels that the parents are too understanding, giving the movie a lack of reality:

“Another flaw is that the entire enterprise is engineered a bit too transparently to be heart warming. There is nothing terribly painful or humiliating about Juno’s high school experience as a visibly pregnant teenager; her parents are unwaveringly sympathetic; Paulie is OK with whatever Juno wants to do about the baby, and so on. It all culminates in a moral lesson from Dad: ‘In my opinion, the best thing you can do is to fine a person who loves you for exactly what you are.’”

Again, I disagree. Any person who is visibly pregnant in high school will experience humiliation – and during the film it is extremely apparent that Juno is made fun on multiple occasions for eating too much food, not being able to go to prom etc. Although I do agree that her parents’ reaction to the news is somewhat underestimated, they are kind parents who choose to support their child throughout the entire pregnancy, giving her the advice life’s goal is to find someone who loves you for who you are – nothing more.

something about film...

I guess for my first post i'm supposed to write something about film. Unfortunately I don't know very much about the techincal aspects of film other than what we have just learned in class. Honestly, I think I know more about the acting aspect than anything else - but I look forward to learning how to be an "active film watcher." I hope this is sufficient!