AMERICAN SNIPERBY ETHAN PARISIER

Features | Page 20

Amidst the controversy over Clint

Eastwood’s next directorial piece af-

ter his rather lackluster Jersey Boys,

many critics, fans and followers of his films

wondered whether his next film would meet

their expectations. Well, American Sniper

may be the best modern war film, providing an

emotional, raw depiction of the Iraq War and

the physical and emotional toll that war takes

on soldiers and their families.

The film stars Bradley Cooper as the tit-

ular Chris Kyle, a Texas rodeo cowboy who

becomes a Navy Seal sharp shooter in the

wake of anti-American terrorist attacks and

is deployed to Iraq, where he becomes the

deadliest sniper in U.S. history. Sienna Mill-

er also makes her return to the big screen

as Taya Kyle, Chris’ wife and moral tentpole

throughout his emotionally scarring and mor-

ally testing journey from rodeo nobody to

American hero. Both Cooper and Miller put

up excellent performances, especially from

Cooper as he displays Kyle’s slow transition

from a confident, untested rookie seal, to the

emotionally scarred “legend” who is haunted

by the events and horrors of war that he en-

dures during his journey to military stardom.

The previous roles in Cooper’s career, such

as his role in Silver Linings Playbook, have not

tested the young actor’s range of emotion as

much as American Sniper, where he performs

masterfully and proves that he may be one of

the best actors of his time. He paints the por-

trait of the emotionally maimed Kyle with the

finesse of a skilled artist. And Miller delivers

an emotional performance, conveying Taya’s

concern about Chris’ absence and the toll that

the war has taken on him. Her performance

highlights his transformation into a more re-

served and damaged person after returning

from every one of his four tours in Iraq. Their

chemistry on-screen is noticeable and helps

to increase the realism of the film, driving

the story through its emotional lulls and cre-

scendos and making the film a suspenseful,

hard-hitting drama.

In addition to the artful acting from the

leading cast, Clint Eastwood does a fantastic

job of creating a suspenseful and emotional

experience and makes American Sniper his

best work in the director’s chair. In the scenes

taking place in the streets of Fallujah and oth-

er locations in Iraq, Eastwood creates enor-

mous amounts of tension even with the film’s

minimal soundtrack. An example of this is in

the first scene of the film, where audiences

find Kyle set up on a rooftop with his spotter,

overlooking a war torn street as American

troops and vehicles move through. All seems

to be going to plan until Kyle spots a mother

and child emerge from a house through his

scope. The mother then reveals an anti-tank

grenade from under her clothing and hands

it to the child. As the child begins to run to-

wards a convoy full of marines, Kyle has to

make a crucial decision to shoot the child or

not. “They will fry you if you are wrong,” says

his spotter as Kyle sets up the shot. As ten-

sion is at its highest, audiences are left at a

cliffhanger ending an extremely well-made

scene by Eastwood. As the film progresses,

Kyle entangles himself in a somewhat intense

rivalry with an enemy sniper named Mustafa,

who eludes his scope and proves a formidable

yet inconspicuous adversary. The dynamic

between these two snipers was played upon

in depth by Eastwood and the director makes

use of both their similarities and differences

to create a yin and yang dynamic between

Mustafa and Chris. But most notably, East-

wood’s depiction of the post-traumatic stress

that Kyle experiences after his tours in Iraq

allows the audience to look inside the mind

of the scarred Kyle and the triggers of his

stress. In order to show this to the audience,

Eastwood created visual and aural cues such

as a barking dog, which precipitates an emo-

tionally fraught reaction from Chris. Overall,

Clint Eastwood’s direction of American Snip-

er brought an ugly and almost eerie tone to

the story of Chris Kyle, while creating more

respect for him and his exploits and conveying

his tale to audiences in a creative and artistic

fashion.

Whether in the streets of Fallujah or on

the plains of Texas, American Sniper delivers

not only as a traditional war film, but also as a

deep and profound drama about the psycho-

logical effects of combat on individual soldiers

and their families. Bradley Cooper gives an

outstanding performance as Chris Kyle, deliv-

ering a vast range of emotions as he depicts

“the legend’s” life and his ascension to mili-

tary fame. Sienna Miller also puts up a great

display of her acting talent as she plays Chris’

loving, supportive and strong wife, Taya. To

any viewer, American Sniper is a must-see, not

only as a phenomenal war film, but also as an

immersive and complex commentary on the

brutality and ugly nature of modern war and

the side effects that many veterans endure

for the rest of their lives.

There are three types of people in this world: sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs, some people prefer to believe that evil doesn’t exist in the world, and if it ever darkened their doorstep, they wouldn’t know how to protect themselves. Those are the sheep. Then you’ve got predators, who use violence to prey on the weak. They’re the wolves. And then there are those blessed with the gift of aggression, an overpowering need to protect the flock. These men are the rare breed who live to confront the wolf. They are the sheepdog. – Wayne Kyle

The peppy red head famously known

as Annie is not just an orphan who

luckily winds up living in a billionaire’s

home. She had been first created in Harold

Gray’s popular comic strip as the mouthpiece

for America, airing Gray’s ultra-conserva-

tive views against policies like the New Deal.

Adaptations to the comic, the first of which

was released in 1938 by Paramount Pictures,

have all made minor changes to Annie’s ad-

ventures, yet Annie has always been stuck to

her outdated, early 20th century self. That is,

until now, for a 2014 version of Annie has re-

cently been released with refreshing, modern

variations.

The new movie stays in sync with themes

of the original story, but with a spunkier twist.

Annie (played by Quvenzhané Wallis) stays a

New York City orphan with a miraculous op-

portunity to change her life, but this time, she

lives in the 21st century. Despite the change

in time period, she still connects to the politi-

cal ideas of Gray’s 1924 comic strip by demon-

strating to her class how the New Deal helped

put people back to work. Annie still wears red

in practically every scene, but this time, she

dresses like a typical kid in leggings and jean

jackets. Not only is she set free from her dress

collection, but she also is no longer limited to

her signature red hair. In fact, a smooth tran-

sition from the former white Annie to the

new black Annie is carefully arranged. Some

characters like optimistic Annie, caring Grace,

cute Tessie, and bitter Pepper are kept the

same while others are modernized. Oliver

Warbucks is kept distant and work-orient-

ed but renamed as Will Stacks; additionally,

he has been changed from a billionaire stock

investor to a cellphone company billionaire.

Miss Hannigan is kept abusive and drunk but

changed to have a new soft side that saves

the day. Punjab is kept the “Magical Negro”

bodyguard but renamed Nash. Rooster is

kept as a selfish character but renamed Guy

and changed from Miss Hannigan’s brother

to Stacks’ betraying advisor. and America’s

favorite Molly is kept adorable but renamed

Mia.

Unfortunately, myopic and nitpicky review-

ers have only criticized Quvenzhané Wallis’

heart-warming singing and Rose Byrne’s en-

ergetic dancing. Moreover, they neglected to

praise its excellent reshaping of the American

classic and the fact that thousands of children

adore the new Annie because of its relatabili-

ty and its music’s catchy beat. Critics have yet

to realize that America finally has our grand-

parents’ favorite 1900’s classic turned into an

unbelievably impressive go-to family movie

for the younger generation, so don’t listen to

the fallacious reviews. Go watch Annie with

your younger brother or sister because even

a millennial will find the movie’s 21st century

jokes and set pieces exciting.

It’s A Hard-Knock Life for Criticized AnnieBy Christina Cho

Film | Page 22 Film | Page 23

BOR OFFICIPSAM

BOR OFFICIPSAM

Just like the “British Invasion” that occurred in the mid-1960’s,

a phenomenon which led to Beatlemania and the rise of sever-

al other famous British pop and rock bands, the movie industry

is experiencing a revolution of its own. When the Oscar’s Best Pic-

ture nominees were announced in mid-January, it shed light on the

growing popularity of British actors and British films in 2014. This

overwhelming trend can’t help but be noticed. Two out of the eight

Best Picture nominees are British biographical films, The Theory of

Everything and The Imitation Game. We also see this popularization

in the TV industry, with shows like BBC’s Sherlock and Doctor Who.

The Theory of Everything tells the life story of Stephen Hawking,

played by Eddie Redmayne, concentrating on his scientific achieve-

ments as well as his personal struggles with his marriage and his dis-

ease. The film debuted at #7 in the Box Office after its widespread

release, making almost $5 million its opening day. The film was nom-

inated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screen-

play, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Eddie Redmayne, and Best Actress

in a Leading Role, Felicity Jones.

The Imitation Game focuses on the mathematician Alan Turing’s

race to crack the enigma code during World War II, a feat which

would allow Western allies to decipher secret radio communications

used by Nazi Germany. The film was nominated for eight Oscars in-

cluding Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and

Best Original Score. It also produced two of the best performances

of the year, by Benedict Cumberbatch, who was nominated for Best

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, and Keira Knightley, for

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role.

British actors have successfully assimilated into Hollywood’s film

industry in not only English roles, but also American roles. Even

Amy Poehler, the co-host of the 2015 Golden Globes, couldn’t resist

cracking a joke about the unusual number of British actors playing

Americans this year. “I like when they talk like this. I can’t tell that they

are British when they are speaking in our movie parts,” she said in a

sarcastic, over-annunciated voice. But, considering the success of

The British Invasion of the 21st Century Movie Industry: The Influx of Brits Who Were Nominated This YearBy Maggie Brill

Film | Page 23

these actors that is reflected in the Oscar nominations, it seems that

America and the movie industry don’t mind this new trend. For exam-

ple, David Oyelowo, who delivered a powerful performance as Mar-

tin Luther King Jr. in Selma, has a distinctive British accent. So does

Rosamund Pike, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role

in Gone Girl.

The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything are connected by

the level of their success in Oscar nominations and by their biograph-

ical nature. Both of these films are based on books that depict critical

advancements in science and mathematics with a backdrop of social

and personal issues that haunt the main characters. The new genre of

British biopics is emerging as a force to be reckoned with, for the films

are expected to take home several Oscars this year. British actors have

been weaving their way into the movie industry for a while, and the suc-

cess of these two films cements their welcome into Hollywood by both

critics and fans.

BOR OFFICIPSAM etust, nusdae niet ut ut ea sit, nonsedipsant quoste del elenimus

Film | Page 24 Film | Page 25

BOR OFFICIPSAM etust, nusdae niet ut ut ea sit, nonsedipsant quoste del elenimus

Marvel’s new TV series, Agent

Carter, has promise to becom-

ing an exception to the ‘all spin-

offs are bad’ rule. Set in post WWll 1946,

the show focuses on Agent Peggy Carter

(Hayley Atwell), following the events of

Captain America: The First Avenger. With

men returning from the war, Carter takes

a job at the S.S.R., Strategic Scientific Re-

serve, where she’s treated like an inno-

cent secretary. Surrounded by coworkers

that doubt her abilities, and those who go

so far as to openly mock her, such as Ray

Krzeminski (Kyle Bornheimer) and Jack

Thompson (Chad Michael Murray), Cart-

er becomes dejected and depressed. To

make matters worse the S.S.R.’s investiga-

tion of Carter’s old friend, Howard Stark

(Dominic Cooper), could potentially dis-

miss all the efforts made by her, Stark, and

Captain America throughout the war.

Carter’s circumstances drastically

change when Stark secretly asks for her

help in clearing his name. The S.S.R. be-

lieves that Stark is a traitor, selling his

dangerous inventions to foreign criminals,

when in reality, the weapons have been

stolen. Stark enlists the help of Carter and

his butler, Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy), to

track down and collect his weapons before

the S.S.R. does. Carter and Jarvis’ person-

alities are completely contrary to one an-

other, yet they are the perfect pair. Both

are equally resourceful in their own right

and their short but comedic exchanges are

sure to entertain.

To heighten the 1940s vibe, the crea-

tors, Christopher Markus and Stephen

McFeely, add glamor to the series. Their

controlled use of loud band music, old

slang, and occasionally putting Carter in

dazzling clothes all makes the show that

much more exciting.

Agent Carter provides the action and

adventure that the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D

was missing. With only four episodes the

show cannot be deemed a huge success,

but it’s pretty safe to assume that it will be.

Film | Page 25

Marvel’s Agent CarterBy Zarina Iman

Torecto del il ium laut quaes cores imagni ipid qui dem expedit volup-tat. Loreres et volorib ea-

Film | Page 27Film | Page 26

There were those of us who, as children, would

plead to our parents to watch our favorite movie

for “five more minutes” (which would then turn

into two hours). And for a lot of young girls, those mov-

ies often featured Disney princesses that we idolized

and admired. Often, that princess was Cinderella, the

girl with the glass shoe and the fairy godmother. And

now, Cinderella, the classic fairy tale that we know and

love, is coming back to the silver screen.

The story follows the fortunes (and misfortunes) of

Ella, whose merchant father remarries following the

tragic death of her mother. Wanting to support her

kindhearted father, Ella enlists the help of her new step-

mother Lady Tremaine and her daughters Anastasia and

Drizella and welcomes them into her home with open

arms. But when Ella’s father suddenly and unexpectedly

passes away, she finds herself stuck with her new family,

who are not who they at first appeared to be. Instead of

the happily ever after she wanted, she instead received

a family who practically treated her as a slave. Becoming

nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes and

renamed Cinderella after working in cinders, Ella could

have easily lost hope, just as many people would have

done in her situation. But despite the cruelty inflicted

upon her, Ella was determined to honor her mother’s

dying words and to “have courage and be kind.” And

then she meets a handsome and kind stranger in the

woods. Not knowing that he is actually the prince of the

kingdom and not a footservant, Ella finally feels she has

met a kindred soul who understands her suffering. And

her luck is just beginning when the palace sends out an

open invitation for all maidens to attend a ball, raising

Ella’s hopes of once again encountering the charming

stranger. But like the evil woman she is, her stepmother

forbids her from attending and rips apart Ella’s dress,

given to her by her mother. But like all good fairy tales,

help can always be found as a kind beggar woman steps

forward and, with a pumpkin and a few mice, changes

Cinderella’s life forever.

For the most part, the new film follows Disney’s 1950

animated adaptation, but still finds ways to be original

with its several twists. In this version, Cinderella and the

Prince meet prior to the fateful ball and the Fairy God-

mother is a more important character than in previous

versions, as she is initially disguised as an old beggar

who watches over Cinderella before revealing herself as

a magical being. And this movie expounds a lot more on

the original story line of Cinderella; we can actually see

the background of her life, all the way back to the time

that her mother was alive. With Lily James from Down-

town Abbey, Richard Madden from Game of Thrones,

and renowned actress Helena Bonham Carter, this mov-

ie is bound to be magical. The trailer features beautiful

music and incredible effects, which only further builds

the anticipation of the film. And kudos to the prop de-

partment for designing a glass slipper that won’t shatter

into pieces when Cinderella wears it. This adaptation

might be darker than Disney’s animated version, but

it is guaranteed to be a lot of fun for the whole family.

Cinderella stumbles into theaters March 13, 2015.

Film | Page 27

Cinderella PreviewBy Kaileen Germain

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Neil Patrick Harris has been a phenomenal

performer, host, and even author. As a per-

former, he has garnered two Golden Globe

Awards nominations, four Primetime Emmy Awards

nominations, four Teen Choice Awards nominations,

and three Satellite Award nominations for acting as

Barney Stinson in the television series How I Met

Your Mother; the 2014 Tony Award for Best Actor

in a Musical for acting as Hedwig in the Broadway

show Hedwig and the Angry Inch; and an Emmy

for his guest acting in the television show Glee. As

a host, he has amused global audiences of the 61st

and 65th Primetime Emmy Awards and the 63rd,

65th, 66th, and 67th Tony Awards. As an author, he

has released his popular autobiography Neil Patrick

Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography. And to

add to his long list of noteworthy achievements: this

February 22, Harris will host the 2015 Oscars!

In 1929, the Academy decided that Douglas

Fairbanks and William C. DeMille would emcee the

first Oscars. Ever since, the Academy has exhausted

every possible combination of hosts to amuse audi-

ences: one host, two hosts, three hosts, four hosts,

five hosts, six hosts, funny hosts, serious hosts,

young hosts, old hosts, you name it! Despite efforts,

no host has ever been or will ever be guaranteed

to be able to keep live viewers from 225 countries

glued to their screens for over three hours. In fact,

disappointing viewers is the very fear that keeps

hosts from hosting again. According to moviefone,

“the job requires a difficult and rare set of skills: a

host must entertain both the Hollywood big-shots

in the auditorium and regular folks at home. They

can poke fun at the huge egos in the room, but

can’t deflate them with too much snark, and they

can’t be too inside-baseball. They may also have to

take focus away from outside events, from talent

strikes to wars and assassinations that threaten to

darken the celebratory mood. Most of all, they have

to think quickly on their feet.” Such pressure that

piggybacks the excitement of hosting the Oscars

is so extreme that it convinced Ellen DeGeneres,

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Chris Rock to pass up the

opportunity to host this year.

After those three rejections, the Academy had

turned to Harris who immediately jumped at the

opportunity and shared, “It is truly an honor and

a thrill to be asked to host this year’s Academy

Awards. I grew up watching the Oscars and was al-

ways in such awe of some of the greats who hosted

the show. To be asked to follow in the footsteps of

Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres, and

everyone else who had the great fortune of hosting

is a bucket list dream come true.” Undaunted, Harris

will most definitely dazzle the world with the wit

he showed in Spider-Man and will perform opening

numbers like the ones he did in Hedwig and the An-

gry Inch. Congratulations on this milestone, Harris!

Film | Page 28

Harris the HostBy Christina Cho

BOR OFFICIPSAM

Torecto del il ium laut quaes cores imagni ipid qui dem expedit volup-tat. Loreres et volorib ea-

Film | Page 29

Shonda Rhimes, producer of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, has

again succeeded in creating one of the most gripping and dra-

matic shows on television. Written by Peter Nowalk, How to

Get Away with Murder has a complex and unique plot with extreme-

ly diverse characters. The record-breaking show stars Viola Davis

as Annalise Keating, a powerful lawyer and criminal law professor at

Middleton University in Philadelphia. As a renowned defense attorney

with her own firm, Keating chooses her brightest students to work for

her. With no apparent insecurities, Keating and her fierce attitude are

both feared and admired by her students. However, as her personal

life with her husband, Sam (Tom Verica), and her professional life begin

to intertwine, Keating is faced with challenging predicaments that test

her will and resilience.

Each episode of How to Get Away with Murder is an intricate mix of

flashbacks and flash-forwards. The first episode begins with a group

of law students deciding what to do with the body of someone they

presumably murdered. The show then cuts to a few months before

present day, where the viewers discover that the students are all en-

rolled in Keating’s class and will be the fortunate few who will eventu-

ally work for her. Keating’s students are from a range of backgrounds,

each with his/her own story to tell. Wes Gibbins (Alfred Enoch) is a

sincere student accepted off the waitlist, while Connor Walsh (Jack

Falahee) is a sarcastic narcissist. Michaela Pratt (Aja Naomi King) is an

ambitious scholar who looks up to Keating, and Asher Millstone (Matt

McGorry) a know-it-all from a privileged background. Laurel Castillo

(Karla Souza) is a reserved optimist who is left questioning her values

after every case. Keating’s brilliant student interns are monitored

by her two colleagues, lawyer Bonnie Winterbottom (Liza Weil), and

Frank Delfino (Charlie Webber), who deals with matters of discretion.

This talented cast elevates the intense and surreal plot to a point of

believability, making the show even more thrilling.

How to Get Away with Murder brings its viewers into the lives of

five unique law students and their esteemed mentor. Throughout the

show the group defends a variety of criminals whose cases each have

something interesting to offer. Shonda Rhimes uses cinematography,

her cast, and the depth of each character to create a masterpiece.

The irregular format of each episode creates an alluring sentiment of

tension and chaos. The suspenseful plot is comprised of a perfectly

interwoven combination of adventure and emotion. Right now I feel

completely confident saying that How to Get Away with Murder is one

of the most engaging TV shows of this year.

Film | Page 29

How to Get Away with Murder A Riveting Tale of AdventureBy Zarina Iman

BOR OFFICIPSAM etust, nusdae niet ut

ut ea sit, nonsedipsant quoste del elenimus

Ida, a frontrunner for this year’s Best Foreign Film

category at the 87th Academy Awards, is arguably

one of the most beautiful and uniquely done films of

the year. The film has also been nominated for Best

Cinematography at the Oscars, and rightly so; every

gorgeous shot could stand on its own as a photograph.

Through director Paweł Pawlikowski’s innovative and

striking visual style, Ida is able to recreate the mood

and atmosphere of 1960’s Poland. The film follows an

orphaned young novice, Anna (Agata Trzebokowska).

Right before taking her vows to become a nun, she

meets her only living relative, her aunt Wanda (Agneta

Kulesza), who informs her that Anna is in fact Jewish. Both

women go on a journey to discover their Jewish heritage

together and the death of their family.

Although set during Poland’s Communist rule and mod-

ernization era, the film does not have a strong focus on the

historical forces at work; rather, the story Pawlikowski tells

us is about the personal conflicts and choices the protag-

onists encounter. The movie explores the issue of identity

and the meaning of nationality, religion, gender and polit-

ical affiliation. Anna is shaken up after learning that she is

not really who she thinks she is. She draws a stark contrast

with her aunt, who served as a judge with a high commu-

nist rank and sent many people to their death during the

Stalinist era. Anna is innocent and incapable of committing

such evils, and in this way they are also profoundly differ-

ent. Their differences are reflected in their clothing too;

Anna will almost always be wearing light gray, a religious

habit, while her aunt frequently wears dark black clothing

throughout the film.

Pawlikowski’s past as a documentary

filmmaker is evident in his meticulous use

of authentic locations and his visual style.

He filmed Ida in black and white with a 4:3

aspect ratio, narrow framing, and almost

completely static shots. The fact that we see

the characters constrained by some type of

frame such as a door, a window or a gate, and

mostly at the edge of it and not in full view,

has the visual impact of describing fractured

lives and broken dreams. We never see the

complete story or fully grasp what is going

on. Pawlikowski shows the very tops of their

heads and in the background a building or

some piece of furniture. He uses empty

space and jump cuts to tell a story. Instead

of providing every piece of information to

the audience he tells a story by creating

gaps visually and through editing. The movie

suggests more than it shows.

IFilm | Page 30 Film | Page 31

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IdaBy Benjamin Ades

Film | Page 31

“Ehendaera qui blantiat untiore icaepre riberi-

bus, cum consed eseque omnis alit lab quam

aceseriandae omni vo-lorum am as siminci isi-mus solorro recusdae.”

His visual choices further underscore the

contradictions of the time period, such as jazz clubs

in Communist Poland, but also serve as a tool to

demonstrate the rhythm of the film and visually

manifest the constantly changing emotions of the

characters. One example is a scene in which Anna

is divided between her wishes to become a nun and

her desires to live a normal secular life. Pawlikowski

and his director of photography Lukasz Zal show

this fork in her life by using a tight telephoto shot

that is cut diagonally by a wall in the foreground;

the audience sees her disappear and reappear

as she moves back and forth between the line,

deciding which direction to take in her life. This

shot along with others like it attempt to convey

certain meanings visually rather than through

exposition. There are various silent sequences in

the film where we learn more information about the

young novice or her aunt without being told about

it through dialogue. Amazingly, this is Lukasz Zal’s

first feature film as Director of Photography, who

was forced to step in when the original Director of

Photography fell sick on the first day of shooting.

Pawlikowski attempted to contact several other

talented cinematographers in Poland, but all were

busy except for young Lukasz Zal, who had only

worked as a camera operator before this film. He

was merely twenty-nine at the time of filming.

The movie is a tour de force, captivating the audi-

ence with its bold cinematography and its brilliant,

subtle acting. Novice actor Agata Trzebokowska,

who plays Anna, had never acted in a film prior to

Ida, and most likely will not act again in the future.

Pawlikowski found her in a café and liked the way

she looked and chose Agata even after auditioning

hundreds of professional actresses for the part.

Pawlikowski has reached the very pinnacle of

filmmaking in Ida. Every aspect of the film is perfect;

nothing falls short of the viewer’s expectations,

especially the film’s ability to create powerful, iconic

unforgettable images.

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Film | Page 32

If you combined the chilling tone of the movie Black Swan with the

sports aspects of the movie Coach Carter and put the creation of

these two movies on corticosteroids, then you may get something

that surmounts to the movie Foxcatcher. This movie recounts the

frightening story of the Shultz Brothers, who were Olympic wrestlers.

and their experiences with John DuPont, a wrestling coach and famed

member of the legendary American DuPont family. The opening scene

gives background about the DuPont family through old family clips of

their training horses then proceeds to document the dim life of Mark

Shultz, revealing slight tensions between him and his brother, Dave

Shultz, a coach at the University of Oklahoma. The movie takes a turn

when Mark Shultz gets a call from John DuPont who wants him to

come down to his Estate to train Mark to participate in the Olympics.

However, Dave Schultz is immediately doubtful and suspicious as to

why this man wants his brother to come down. As Mark is settling in to

his new role, the movie reveals the dark side of John DuPont.

There are scenes wherein Mark is sexually abused, forced to do co-

caine, and later calls John his father. John asks Mark assemble a bunch

of men to form a wrestling team to train in his Pennsylvania estate.

However, after repeated abuses, John reveals that Mark needs his

brother Dave Shultz with him, threatening Mark’s career if he doesn’t

show. After his brother comes down, the movie slows and focuses on

the tense relationship between John DuPont and his mother. After

the first day at the Olympics, he loses his match and goes to his ho-

tel room, banging his head on glass, eventually binge-eating, and later

puking it all up. Interestingly, Dave comes and helps his brother. After

Mark eventually leaves wrestling and the Pennsylvania DuPont estate,

his brother, who has remained there, is shot by John DuPont, and his

mother dies, both of whom entrain the depth of John’s insanity.

Based on a real tragedy, Foxcatcher leaves you very frightened.

Although some movies may show glimpses of human happiness and

strife, this movie is very dark and tense throughout. Bennet Miller has

adeptly crafted Foxcatcher with masterful scenes and dialogue, giving

the audience the feeling of being there with the characters every sec-

ond. However, it is obvious that Channing Tatum will rack up the Oscar

for best actor along with Steve Carell for supporting actor.

Overall, the movie is phenomenal and works to convey what is in-

tended to show, a gut-wrenching story without fluff, and it did so mas-

terfully. Roger Ebert once said, “We live in a box of space and time.

Movies are windows in its walls. They allow us to enter other minds,

not simply in the sense of identifying with the characters, although that

is an important part of it, but by seeing the world as another person

sees it.” This is the effect I believe Foxcatcher has and what makes it

such a phenomenal movie.

FoxcatcherBy Seth Younger

Film | Page 33

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The Grand Budapest Hotel is the 8th film Wes Anderson

has directed and is arguably his best one. It contains

brilliant writing, hilarious visual gags, and a classic plot-

line that he managed to make original. This film takes place in

the 1930s and centers around an old-fashioned hotel that is

brimming with guests. Most of its guests are not there to enjoy

the mountain-top view the Grand Budapest Hotel offers but

rather to see its Hotel Manager, Mr. Gustave, who is played by

Ralph Fiennes (the Harry Potter series). The character of Mr.

Gustave is poetic, witty, and sleeping with the most of the elder-

ly women visitors. When one of these guests dies, Mr. Gustave

travels with his newest lobby boy, Zero, to see her. Upon arrival

at her estate, Mr. Gustave, not her four children, is promised the

woman’s most expensive painting in her will. On account of this,

the family frames Mr. Gustave for the woman’s murder.

This story is told through the eyes of Zero, the young lobby

boy, who eventually becomes owner of the hotel. While Mr.

Gustave is one of Wes Anderson’s greatest creations, Zero

lacks the layers of emotions that his boss has. Zero, played

by Tony Revolorio (The Perfect Game), and is a taciturn char-

acter who shows loyalty to both his boss and his wife Agatha.

His speechlessness furthers his characterization, making him a

fine character, but not nearly as multi-faceted as Mr. Gustave.

The character who Wes Anderson really gave up on, however,

was Agatha, who is a main character that is one-dimensional.

She is given a small part in the movie yet it seems that the film

attempts to make her one of the protagonists. She only exists

in the Grand Budapest Hotel as a baker and love interest for

Zero and does not get many lines that reveal her true self, like

Mr. Gustave gets. While Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) does an

okay job playing the part she is given, she is overshadowed by

Ralph Fiennes in every scene the two share, which is most of

her scenes. What this film lacks in characterization, however, is

quickly made up by its plot and writing.

The writing is amazing and is able to transform the film into a

comedy that can be taken seriously enough to be nominated for

The Grand Budapest Hotel

by Sam Heller

9 Oscars. Almost every line uttered

by the characters is brilliant, from

Mr. Gustave trying to remain poetic

in all that he says through the film

to Zero stating firmly and angrily to

his boss to stop flirting with his wife.

This film will probably not make you

laugh as much as an average R-rated

comedy such as The Hangover or 21

Jump Street, but it is far better than

these types of films in many ways..

This film also contains many genres

within itself, including comedy, ac-

tion, mystery, period piece, and ad-

venture. Wes Anderson is known for

doing this, which is what makes his

movies so great.

Wes Anderson is also known for

his odd special effects. While watch-

ing this movie, you might notice that

the hotel looks extremely fake on

the outside and that the background

looks like a bad drawing. Wes Ander-

son tries to stray away from using a

computer for special effects and ul-

timately uses them for under a min-

ute throughout The Grand Budapest

Hotel. This isn’t laziness or a lack of

knowledge in computers on his part,

but rather a statement. Wes Ander-

son wants to make it clear that it is

the quality of the story that matters,

not the quality of the effects.

Overall, this film was great and is

one of the best films that came out

in 2014. It has a surprisingly clever

plotline and was a pleasure to watch.

While it may have done a bad job

characterizing some of its charac-

ters, the film is still worth a viewing

and will be two great hours of your

life.

Film | Page 33

Selma, written by Paul Webb and directed by Ava DuVernay, tells

the story of the events leading up to and surrounding the three

Selma to Montgomery marches that called for the voting rights

of all African Americans in Alabama. Though the film is one of the first

to focus on Dr. Martin Luther King (David Oyelowo), Selma is not a bi-

opic. The film does not focus on all of the key parts of Dr. King’s life,

but instead revolves around the voting rights movement and all those

involved.

Selma begins with Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King (Car-

men Ejogo) in Oslo, where he accepts his Nobel Peace Prize. The film

then cuts to a shot of four young girls descening the stairs of their

church. The peaceful scene is briskly interrupted by a tremendous

blast, followed by silence. The debris and a young girl’s legs gradually

fly through the air. The next image we see is a large pile of rubble cover-

ing the girls, as small flakes of cloth and dirt flutter to the ground. This

re-enactment of the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing clearly

establishes the context of the confrontations to come.

The viewers are then shown Annie Lee Cooper (Oprah Winfrey), a

working-class black woman, who is attempting to become a registered

voter in Alabama. She fills out a form and then is called to a booth

where a registrar must determine if she is eligible to vote. The racist

white clerk asks her difficult questions about the state and govern-

ment to determine if she should be allowed to vote. Cooper, who has

prepared, is able to answer the questions, except the clerk’s final trick

question that is impossible to answer. The clerk then happily denies

her the right to vote.

Before the actual marches we are brought to meeting between Dr.

King and President Lyndon B. John-

son, who passed the Civil Rights Act,

making the segregation of public facil-

ities illegal. Dr. King asserts that loop-

holes allow racist politicians to dis-

enfranchise black voters, even when

they hold the right to vote. Johnson

dismisses Dr. King and tells him that

he has larger problems to deal with.

For the remainder of the film, Selma

focuses on the three marches from

Selma to the Montgomery’s capitol

building. Knowing that the local gov-

ernment or people will oppose the

march and will fight the protesters,

Dr. King plans to nonviolently march

in front of as many reporters and

cameras as possible. The outcome of

the first two protest are as Dr. King

predicted, and the second march re-

sults in an astonishing re-enactment

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Film | Page 34 Film | Page 35

of Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965. The camera

movement of the marches give viewers a pro-

tester’s perspective, as if they were a part of

the events unfolding before them. The cam-

era lingers on different marchers, showing the

fear in their faces. By reducing movement, the

camera establishes the chaos and destruction

of the scene in a genuine way.

David Oyelowo humanizes Dr. King in his

amazing performance. He captured the great

leader’s commanding persona, as well as his

sincere interactions with close friends and

family. Oyelowo conveys how Dr. King reacts

in different situations, when he is not giving

speeches and in public. David Oyelowo in con-

vincing beyond belief, and he truly deserves

all his nominations and then some.

Selma takes on even more relevance be-

cause it coincided with the deaths of Michael

Brown and Eric Garner, demonstrating that

the message of the film is still relevant today.

We realize that it was only a mere 50 years

ago that black people had to fight for the right

to vote and that if Dr. King were still alive he

would be 86, around the age of our grandpar-

ents.

Selma is inspiring. It is not only a tells the

tale of one of the most important chapters of

the civil rights movement, but it shows how

with unity and persistence the marchers from

Selma to Montgomery were able to overcome

adversity and obtain the right to vote.

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Film | Page 35