Caught in the Crossfire- movie review

Caught in the Crossfire

Introduction

The movie “Caught in the Crossfire” is one that explores the prospects that are involved in peace keeping of the Canadian forces in the Yugoslavia nation which is war ton. The movie is crafted in such a way that it presents the actual reality of the situation through the eyes of a soldier who is directly involved in the dangerous mission. The movie is like a tribute aid to the great Canadian men and women who have laid down their lives for the sake of a good course of bringing peace I the world. The movie further presents the viewers with an opportunity to get to appreciate and understand how difficult the work of peace keeping is. Through the movie, the importance and the achievement of Canada’s neutrality in conflicts is portrayed.

Contemporary issues the film explore in Canadian society

The film exposes a lot of issues that face Canada. These issues range from the uncertainties, opportunities and the challenges that are both domestic based and globally based. The issue of policy making is also exhibited with the various players and expectations for participation and openness drawn. There are issues of public service policy at stale where Canada is still on the verge of trying which policies work and which ones do not work. Canada is a nation that is vastly involved in trading activities and in which globalization has really brought in a lot of development in terms of the customer choice range, the economic growth and the variety of jobs. The country in however not insulated from the effects of recession and fiscal deficits alongside the challenges that are faced by institutions in the country. The policies of Canada are being shaped and affected by the emergence of Russia, Brazil, India and China, with this emergence seeing shift from the traditional G8 to a more solidified G20. This has caused the emergence of multilateral and bilateral relationships that are vital in the advancement of the interests of Canada. These changes play a great role in the foreign policy of Canada including the peace keeping setups. The emerging structures have forced Canada to have a shift and be more strategic in terms of foreign involvement, being a member of the Commonwealth, NATO and the Francophone among other international affiliations.

With the East and West war coming to an end, there has been an ironic increase in instability. This has been attributed to the small wars, failed states and the rise of international terrorism. These changes in the world dynamics have eventually led to the shift and renewal of issues of security as opposed to the focus on peace dividend. There have been the rises of vices and negative attributes including angry men, people being jobless and unmarried among other societal vices which have continued to cause a lot of instability across the world including in Iraq, Pakistan and Yugoslavia. Canada considers the United States of America as a very important and close partner of the nation and this is not likely to change in the near future.

Canada has been pitted against a number of issues ranging from the domestic to global issues. There have been advancement in the economy of Canada as a result of globalization but there are still a number of issues that the nation is yet to address. This is because there are certain governance structures that are lacking in the country.

Challenges faced by the Canadian people in the 21^st century

Despite the fact that the country has a lot of strength with respect to its economic growth, there are certain challenges that are faced by the people and the nation of Canada as a whole. Climate change is one issue that is yet to be dealt with by the Canadian government. There has been a huge increase in terms of energy that is consumed by Canada. This is due to the fact that industrialization has developed and the consumption of energy by these industries has been on the rise. The issue of climate is to be addressed and is a challenge because the rate of development and advancement is fast due to the globalization rate in the country.

Product and food safety is yet another challenge that is faced by the people of Canada. Canada has a lot of food contents that also include the ingredients from various countries. This has greatly compromised on the security and safety of food in the country. There is need for a comprehensive and effective food inspection policy and program in order to deal with this situation. In doing so, there is need to deal with the monitoring and strengthening of the systems so as to enhance the building of capacity. The rise of infectious diseases has also been a challenge to the country. The nation is faced with the challenges of stopping infections when there is an outbreak in order to prevent them from spreading.

The issues facing Canada are by and large similar to those faced by the United States of America. Just like Canada, there are the issues of climate change given the fact that United States of America is also intently industrialized. There is an increased level of energy consumption in the industries which eventually results to an effect on the climate. This results to climatic challenge which needs to be addressed by both countries. Just like Canada, the United States of America is faced with the challenge of food security as there are a lot of food substances that get their way into the American market. This is a task that both countries are faced with and which they both have to deal with.

Depiction of Canada

From the film, Canada is depicted as a country that loves peace and that is neutral in its operations even during times of regional conflicts. From the film, Canada moves into Yugoslavia with an aim of helping the country to move above wars and to achieve stability. This is a gesture that extends to the Canadians themselves as they are seen as being compassionate, neutral and caring about the well being of other nations. In the peace keeping mission, the Canadian forces endure the pain, sufferings and hardships that they meet in order to restore peace in Yugoslavia.

From the film, Canada has various groups of people. There are those low income earners, those in the middle and those who are in the high class. The gap exists between them as those in the lower levels are subjects to those at the top. This is common in various countries as the ones in the upper level of class act like the bosses. However, the relationship between the groups is cordial and one built on mutual respect. The wealth is seen to possess a lot of power and might due to the resources that they have. My view on Canada has greatly changed as I see it as a country with people who are warm and who care for other people’s welfare.

Work cited

http://www.nfb.ca/film/caught_in_the_crossfire

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Human Sexuality- Film Analysis on movie “Shame” (2011)- APA

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Film Analysis on movie “Shame” (2011)

Film Summary

The film “Shame” is a drama film that is British. Steve McQueen is the director of the film, with Carey Mulligan and Michael Fassbender being the starring in the movie. The film was co-produced by Sea-Saw Films and Film4 and was rated NC-17 in the United States of America due to the sexual addictions that eventually resulted as a result of the films explicitly sexual scenes. The film was opened on a limited release in America on 2^nd of December the year 2011.

Characters

In the film, Michael Fassbender stars as Brandon Sullivan. Brandon is a guy whose sexual proclivities seem to be insatiable and extreme. He is a man who is addicted to prostitution, has his computer filled with pornographic content and is always in masturbation blissfully. Sexual lust, masturbation and pornography have totally taken over Brandon’s life and he is isolated totally without any close friends. Brandon’s boss, David is a married man. James Badge is the guy who plays the role of David. David is found of hitting on the chicks like breathing in a second manner. “Shame” makes one understand why Brandon’s time is spent so much on sex. Brandon’s relationship with his sibling Sissy who is singer by aspiration creates another twist. Sissy is unreserved ant went to an extreme end of showing up at Brandon’s apartment without notice went to the shower and stepped out t greet Brandon on his arrival back.

Through covering few days of Brandon’s life, author MacQueen allows for the development of the relationship of the character hence deflating before the eyes of the viewers. Brandon’s date with Marianne, a coworker, creates a further connection as Fassbender seems to squirm a little. In fact, Brandon seems not to be too sure about the date or whether it is a plan for another sex, leaving the viewers in suspense.

Critical Analysis

The film ‘Shame’ is a movie that is very controversial. Consequently, the film has merit or value that must be given to it. However, the level of sexual abuse and trauma that is exhibited in the film cannot be ignored. This is especially based on adolescent sexual abuse and the effects that are caused by such actions to the lives of individuals. Brandon’s life is full of lack of intimacy as exhibited by the “I want your love” subtitles, forming the basis of the narrative and sound track. Addiction to drugs and sex is viral in the film. Throughout the film, there is no exhibition of the working of the diseases on Brandon’s life.

MacQueen in his movie uses copious nudity of both male and female to prove its braveness. However, this does not mean that the performance by Fassbender or Mulligan lacks the necessary focus.

The film ‘Shame’ focuses mainly on the life of man who is embattled with the acceptance of his addiction to sex. Brandon gets desperate every day as he tries to suppress his sexual urge. This urge of having sex takes over his life and controls him completely. The theme of sexuality is dominant in the film ‘Shame’. Brandon feels guilty and bad about his sexual actions and struggles to hide his sexual urges. This condition makes him struggle daily and he gets it very hard to be like the other people who are around him. Subsequently, the sexual situation he is in gets out of hand when his sister arrives. Sissy appears at his house and requests if they can stay together. At this juncture, there is the rise of tensions attached to sexual desires. Brandon eventually drowns in the sexual addiction and ultimate shame. He ends p affecting the lives of the people who greatly care for him. (Coconi, 2013)

Themes presented

Social alienation strongly presents itself in the film. Right from the start of the film, there is an outright alienation where Brandon seeks to be separated from the other people in the movie. He struggles very hard to distance himself from the rest of the people in the film. The distance in the film is further exhibited by the long, lingering shots and the soundtrack which basically show the level of social alienation. The audience is left to watch and judge the film and everything that is happening in the movie. This alienation is as a result of the addiction of Brandon. Sex addiction is generally frowned upon by various people of the society. Brandon has a constant feeling that he is different from other people in the film and that everything he does seems to be wrong. An instance of alienation is when Brandon sits in a room and then someone tells him, “I find you disgusting. I find you inconsolable. I find you invasive.” The zooming of the camera takes us to a meeting where Brandon is sited and the boss is speaking about a topic that seems irrelevant according to Brandon. Brandon seems to have a lot of fear on hearing the words at the meeting. The author, MacQueen, at one point becomes open and tells the audience of Brandon’s paranoid and shame and even indicates the fact that those around Brandon are likely to find about his own state of mind. (Cladwel, 2009)

Accuracy of the themes.

Sexual addiction is used to refer to the urge, thoughts and behaviors that are usually exhibited by an individual, driving him towards wanting sex or engaging in sexual activities. Scientists view sexual addiction as a sexual behavior that is compulsive. Sex addiction affects the social alienation of an individual. The ability of an individual to function normally is reduced. Medical experts, clinical sexologists, psychologists among other experts have indicated that sex addiction is a psychological and physiological addiction. This can greatly lead to destruction of an individual.  The film has masturbation, intercourse and nudity. The accuracy of the theme can be said to have been achieved. Basing on what Brandon feels the extent of sexual addiction’s effect is exhibited. Brandon’s relationship with his sister and other people close to him is difficult, a proof to the fact that sexual addiction is destructive.

Film Messages

The film uses a cold color wonderfully portraying the general mood in the story. The director aims to portray the feelings of Brandon in a manner that is very subtle. The style of shooting is that full of melancholy and beauty. The main point of the film is to bring out the effects of sexual addiction and social alienations to an individual. The purpose is to illustrate the extent to which addiction to sex and being socially alienated can cause more damage and shame.

Implicitly, the film portrays the extent to which sexual addiction can drive one, using Brandon as a case study. Explicitly, the idea of sexuality, masturbation and the urge for sex is exhibited. The messages in the film seem negative though there is some positivity. For instance, by Brandon masturbating to satisfy his sexual desires, there is a negative message sent to the audience.

The message in the film seems to be in contravention with the societal ethics and norms. The sex scenes have been too much. The themes and concept presented in the film are those of sexuality and sex.

References

Caldwel, (2009). Cinema Autopsy: Film reviews and discussion. Link: http://blog.cinemaautopsy.com/

 Coconi, A. Movie reviews: Shame (2011)Link: http://www.helium.com/items/2266350-movie-reviews-shame-2011?ref_=ttexrv_exrv_18316^thSeptember 2013

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Cliffhanger- Movie Review

A Brief Review of the Cliffhanger Movie

Introduction

‘Cliffhanger’ is a 1993 American adventure thriller movie that  runs for about one hour and forty-five minutes staring Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, Janine Turner, Rex Linn, Caroline Goodall, León, Craig Fairbrass, Gregory Scott Cummins, Denis Forest, Michelle Joyner, and Max Perlich.

‘Cliffhanger’ was written by Alan Marshall and Renny Harlin and produced by Michael France and Sylvester Stallone based on story by Gene Patrick Hines and John Long. It was directed by Renny Harlin and it remains one of the best action thrillers of the 1990s.

The Synopsis Summary

The movie begins with a clever mid-air theft and crash-landing: sort of a cross between "The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper" and "Alive!" A gang of expert criminals, led by John Lithgow, hijacks a U.S. Treasury plane carrying millions of dollars in large bills. Their cockeyed plan is to transfer the money to another plane, and indeed one of the crooks transfers from one plane to another on a wire rope. This feat, which was actually performed by a stunt man, is one of the movie's most breathtaking moments.

Expert climber and Rocky Mountain rescue worker Sylvester Stallone drops a climber to her death during a rescue but he must face the mountain by himself to save his friends from criminals in the action-packed thriller. In the movie, a well-armed gang of international thieves lures a rescue party with a fake call for help after their getaway plane crash-lands in the Rockies, and their loot is lost in the snow-covered wilderness. They need the mountain experts to locate the cash and will stop at nothing in this suspenseful, danger-filled adventure.

Brute force is the deciding factor as Stallone attempts to beat the villain and save his friends on the mountain top. For Rocky Mountain Rescue, the mission is almost a routine: locate five climbers. With the woman he loves and his best friend, Gabe Walker braves the icy peaks only to discover that the distress call is really a trap set by merciless international terrorist Eric Qualen. Now millions of dollars and their own lives hang in the balance. Against explosive firepower, bitter cold and dizzying heights, Walker must outwit Qualen in a deadly game of hide-and-seek.

That sets up the main thread of the plot, as the crooks and the good guys chase each other over the mountainside and through a series of bluffs, showdowns and fights to the finish, all taking place on the edge of suitably vertiginous precipices.

Movie Review

 "Cliffhanger" has all those ingredients and remains one of the best action thrillers of the 90s. The opening 10 minutes contain more tension than most action blockbusters can muster in their total running time. Director Renny Harlin hits the viewer hard with a bravado scene that's tough to top. (Haflidason, 2001)

This movie shows action filmmaking at its best – a career high for director Harlin and arguably Stallone as well. The cinematography is stunning, with the aerial shots, the mountain vistas and the climbers hanging thousands of feet in the air, all combining to make this a visually amazing film. Stallone turns in his usual stoic performance, slim on dialogue but huge on action. Janine Turner's performance is a joke, but Michael Rooker helps out with a good effort as Stallone's partner. John Lithgow makes a great villain, and, along with his gang, is responsible for the brutally offensive content with the bad guys getting what they deserve.

Like a lot of recent movie villains (most of them played by Alan Rickman or Charles Dance), Lithgow seems subtly effete and dangerously intellectual, and speaks with a slight British accent. He also of course cares for nothing but the money and his own skin, and in the great tradition of all cliffhangers he eventually has to face Stallone. It is one of the achievements of the movie to convince us that Lithgow and Stallone are a good match.

"Cliffhanger", taken as an entertaining movie, is effective, especially during those moments when Stallone is hanging by his fingernails over a three-mile fall, and the bad guys are stomping on him (Ebert, 1993). However, extremely offensive dialogue and brutal violence destroy the entertainment value of the movie. This is attested by the existence of 62 obscenities an15 profanities; graphic violence in the form of multiple bloody, sadistic killings and brutal beatings; and, murder, theft & corruption of law enforcement.

Cliff Hanger is not a movie about climbing. It's a Stallone Hollywood action flick, pure fiction, with about 1 minute tops of actual climbing footage, most of it fake. It does have some nice mountain scenery, and is entertaining enough if you're into action movies, but as a climbing movie it plainly leaves a lot to be desired. Lots of people get shot, killed, beaten up, fall out of planes, helicopters and cliffs. There are also ample explosions to satisfy the masses. In it's day, Cliff Hanger was probably a highly popular movie, but it's got little or nothing to do with climbing.

References

Almar, H. (1993). BBC Moview. A Review of Cliffhanger. City, Publisher. e.g New York: Cengage)

Haflidason, R.  (1993). Moview Review. Cliffhanger (City, Publisher. e.g New York: Cengage)

Wolf. (2005). Stallone’s Best. City, Publisher. e.g New York: Cengage)

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Analyzing Memento movie

“We all need a mirror to show us who we are ''

In the movie, the back of the hands of Leonard are tattooed the words,” Remember Sammy Jakis.” Leonard says that he keeps telling the people about Sammy so that they can help him to understand the condition that he is in. He says that the story of Sammy greatly helps him to understand his own condition. Leonard further says in the last lines on the movie that, “We all need a mirror to remind ourselves who we are. '' in this aspect, I think that Memento turns out to be one of the mirrors that can really help us know who we are. This is because the film majorly explores the situation of personal identity problem which most of us suffer from.

The mirror of the society is evident in Leonard’s photographs that suggest that there is a desire for evidence that is objective. The problem of memory loss by Leonard can be interpreted as a sign of modernity and the loss or fading away of traditions in the society. The condition of Leonard is a clear show and warning to us that there is needed to be careful and never to trust what others write for us. In a larger perspective, there should be caution in following people’s advice blindly.

The truth in the film

This fact cannot be under looked as movies do have meanings and apply to the events in our normal lives. In struggling to know who he really is, and in getting various versions of memories, Leonard’s life depicts the situations that we face in our normal lives, situations of not being able to clearly identify our personality and forge a clear course for ourselves.

All through the movie, there is deception and lies from a lot of people. The movie therefore bears some truth of the matter as it presents to us what life is like and what kind of people surround us in normal life.

Analyzing Memento movie

The movie ‘Memento’ creates challenges and puzzles in every aspect. This challenge is exhibited from the movie’s characters, stories to the DVD box set of the movie itself. Watching the movie once only is not enough to unravel the puzzle as it requires revisits in order to understand. The film is not easy to understand and there have been varying conclusions that have been made by different viewers depending on how they have interpreted the movie and on what they have chosen to believe.

The quote “They’re just an interpretation [Memories], they’re not a record, and they’re irrelevant if you have the facts.” as uttered by Leonard in the movie creates a lot of doubts and possibilities. A question must be thrown to any flashback that is referred to in the movie. There is a wonder as to whether the events really happened in the manner in which Leonard is remembering them. One wonders whether it is a reality or Leonard’s own thoughts and perceptions. In many scenes, Leonard recollects various events, each with two different versions and is torn between believing either of them as the real memory. A contention is opened up on whether memories are just interpretation following Leonard’s quote. There is a fall out between the true events between the original and the altered one. This leads to difference in the conclusion that is made depending on the version that is believed.

 “You know, I’ve had more rewarding friendships than this one. Although I do get to keep telling the same jokes.” – Quote by Teddy.

In the movie, all the characters take advantage to lie to Leonard, except one character. The motives of these characters are therefore questioned. For instance, Teddy tricks Leonard constantly for the purposes of his own gains. He lies that he had never met Leonard and that he is a cop and worse still plans to rob Jimmy of the money gotten from drugs by setting up Leonard for the kill. Natalie also used Leonard. After her realization of what Leonard did, she take that advantage to make Leonard take care of the drug partner of Jimmy, Dodd. Jimmy turns out to be the only character in the movie that does not have any motive to lie and does not lie to Leonard. At his death point, Jimmy mumbles something concerning Sammy Jakis to Leonard who then believes that it was not Jimmy that killed his wife. Leonard further remembers his previous meeting with Jimmy and realizes that Teddy is the one who had set him up. At that point, Leonard tends to believe that his wife was killed by Teddy.

 “I was the only guy who disagreed with the cops – and I had brain damage.” – Leonard

Leonard appears to be telling the truth but he actually isn’t. This deception and confusion is further added by the narrator who is not reliable. One wonders why the audience should believe him yet the police never believed him. Further questions emerge at this stage with no answers being given. Many people throughout the movie are taking advantage of Leonard’s condition, including Leonard himself. This ultimately defines the interesting twist at the end of the film. The film eventually ends in surprise because the stories seem to be just beginning at this end. “She’s gone. And the present is trivia, which I scribble down as fucking notes.” – Leonard

The narrative in the movie Memento is a strong one. Despite the fact that there are some explained circumstances in the movie, there is maintenance of a balance that is perfect and enigmatic throughout the movie without contravention. From the analysis of the movie, there can be a lot of theories seeking to unveil the puzzle in the movie but certainly, none can succeed in solving the movies puzzle. The movie’s structure has an ending that is open and creates a platform for all the viewers to have their own interpretation and opinion concerning the movie. This has ensured that the movie is talked about and analyzed ever since it was released.

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