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Love Witch

Very few films can do what was done with the 2016 film, The Love Witch. Stylistically, the film appears to have been filmed in the 70’s, with everything in the film feeling like a flashback to that era of film making. The camera quality is lower, certain shots look like ones filmed in the 70’s, the acting is comparable to many other similar films of the time. With some poor line delivery and non-correlating facial expressions throughout the whole film. Even the music and sound effects used in the film pay homage to the classics its was inspired by. 

The story of ‘the love witch’ known as Elaine, follows her life and journey to find her own independence. This comes after she was abused by her husband, who later she murdered . She starts to use her witch powers to help concur men and her fear of being unloved. This comes from the next three killing in the film.

After she murdered her husband, she soon meets a man who gives up a potential partner just to be with Elaine. Then after his death, she has a man cheat on his wife with her. Between the magic elixir he drinks and his own personal issues, he soon commits suicide.

The ending of the movie, was foreshadowed though a reappearing painting throughout the run time. It shows a women, who appears to be both conformable in herself, due to her naked body, and thinks highly of herself, due to the cape around her neck. Maybe showing that she is some kind of Queen in her head. She is seen holding a mans heart in one hand, with a knife in other. She kneels over his body, wearing all white next to a spilled chalice. This is taking place in a peaceful, wooded area. 

When Elaine finds a police detective at her home one day, that she soon falls in love with after a short investigation into her actions. The detective finds out that she murdered three other men in some fashion using her magic. Instead of turning her in, he debates the morality of it and takes time to think about what he’s learned. This soon leads to Elaine stabbing him, in a manner that is almost picture perfect to the painting that has been shown during the film. 

There are fast cuts to three different scenes at the end of the film. One of the painting, one of the stabbing Elaine just preformed, and a scene with Elaine on horseback with the detective. It directly comes from a earlier scene where Elaine and the detective have a pagan wedding. She is seen smiling and the scene plays at what seems to be half speed. Personally, I think this whole scene is meant to show that she is in a place of nirvana. Her whole goal was to gain a level of independence that she never had before. After this killing, she finally realizes that this is what she’s meant to do, that this is what makes her the most happy. Getting men to love her, having them succumb to their weakness, and then relishing in the death and defeat of that man. She gains her power, by slowly draining it from her partner until she see fit. 

This movie really made me think about the motives and motifs used thought the story. I enjoyed the film so much, I watched the rest of the movie again after catching up on the beginning. Not only was this film great because it was able to replicate a style of movie, from a distant decade, it had a compelling story and interesting characters. 

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Warrior Princess

I’m so glad I decided to take this course because we are watching different shows, with me having varying interest in them. I’ve always watched to watch more of Black Mirror, wanted to start Handmaid Tale, and I’ve never heard of Coupling before. With Xena Warrior Princess, I’ve always wanted to know what the show even was. I’ve heard jokes made about it for years, weather it be on Family Guy or another show in passing, but I’ve never actually seen the show. Now that I have, I am more surprised by the absolute craziness of the program.

We watched the first episode of the second season and it opened with an extremely physical and stylish fight seen. Proving from the first scene of the season that Xena is one bad ass bitch. She’s able to defeat about a dozen men without even braking a sweat. Even to the way that she speaks, she takes charge and doesn’t take no for an answer.

The programs special effects, while revolutionary for 1996, are absolutely laughable by today standards. With jumps and cuts coming form all CGI in the episode. The Centaurs in the beginning were especially funny to look at. Almost as funny as the Poseidon that was in the opening (I want to go back and find that scene, I was dying in class when I saw that).

My suite-mate was thrilled when I told him that I watched this in class. Unaware to me, him and his mom used to watch it together all the time. He shared his memory of the show and how it personally means a lot to him. I stopped to think, “ wait really?” I couldn’t believe that anyone watched this show in modern times without the goal of having a laugh. He said that they would always joke about the CGI, but that they really enjoyed the story. Something that I could see in the first episodes, but was relatively confused on. The story seemed to be all over the place and something that needs to be watched from the beginning to really understand.

Maybe I should be a little bit more open to the show, but I have too much else to watch as of now. Who knows, maybe I’ll watch it sometime with Eddie and his mom.

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Satanic Coupling

Never would I have though I would genuinely like a British comedy from 2000, but after watching Coupling in class, I can’t believe that I went and watched two episode in my free time. The show is actually very funny and had the acting is relatively decent, especially for the time and content of the show.

The series is very raunchy, with sexual innuendoes and tension in every episode I’ve seen. I would equate the show to something of a hyper sexualized Friends. I can also see comparisons to shows like The Office, due to the office setting in the show as well. 

The delivery of lines is much better in this show then comparable comedy’s on Television at the time such as Will & Grace, Malcom in the Middle or Frasier. I felt like all the people picked to star in Coupling are great actors and really cared about their respective roles. 

We also talked about the “Satanitc Panic” in class and the wave of fear that swept over the nation in the 80’s. I think looking back on many of the programs that addressed this topic, It’s hard to take them seriously. They all seem to be fear mongering and make large claims for few cases.

Its hard for me to believe that this topic was at the center stage of national discussion at one point. It seems like a no brainier now, and something you would see as a special on the History channel at 2 a.m. 

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Handmaids Tale EP2

The second episode of the Handmaids Tale shows the audience the true reason why there are handmaids in this tale. Janine, one of Offreds friends before this social change happened, was impregnated by her commander and has ‘her’ baby in this episode. The process of her delivering this baby relays to the audience what is actually happening in this new world. 

It’s revealed through a scene from Offred with the Commander and his wife, that the wives are all infertile and unable to have children. Thus, the Commander, or man in the relationship, must impregnate the couples handmaid. The result is when the baby is delivered, it is taken away from its biological mother for most of the day, and the baby’s custody is given to the Commander and his wife. Relinquishing any ownership in the biological child. 

It’s revealed that many women have essentially become slaves in this society, only meant to serve their men. It’s very difficult to believe that the original concept of this show came out in 1985 with a book of the same name. The ideas, observations and political commissary that the show makes are extremely timely and shows that this has been a systemic problem for a long time. 

Many aspects of this show help to showcase the inequality of women that have been over looked for such a long time. The best way to show people the wrongs in society, is to show them a hyper realized version of it. I think that women coming out and dressing as handmaids for rallies and speaking on the issue of inequality, is a step forward in truly having all people become equal. It’s a problem that has plagued our race since the beginning, and the only way to fix it is though discussion and action. Two things I think this show is helping to move forward. 

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Handmaids Tale EP1

My mother has been asking me for well over a year if I have a Hulu account. Each Time I tell her no, she says, “darn, I really want to watch that Handmaids Tale show. I hear it’s really good”.  Besides her desire to watch the show, I only heard it spoken about by online personality Philip DeFranco, calling the show one of the best shows he’s ever seen. That is why when we begin to watch the show in class, I was so intrigued and interested.

The beginning starts off very odd, with a family driving and running though the woods. Being chased by men with firearms. It is soon reviled that this post modern society had adopted an extreme form of Evangelical practices and have become something close to a totalitarian government. In this society, women are seen as less then men, with the correlation that women are more or less owned and controlled by the men in their lives. It follows the story of Offred, a women kidnapped, brainwashed and completely changed from her original self, who is forced into this societal change. It joins her for the reawakening of her self, and her journey to leave this way fo life.

The thing that interested me the most about the show was its use of cinematography. The camera angles used in almost every frame provide the amazing story with engaging visual elements. Some of the wide open shots are absolute stunning and definitely were planed well before being filmed. 

This show was much different form what I expected it to be like and I’m excited to watch the rest with my mom when I go home.

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Are Cellphones Hurting Us?

In the Playboy Interview of Marshall McLuhan, the concepts of technology and where as a society is comes into effect. He shares his philosophies on how technology has developed into an extension of mankind, “i.e., the wheel as an extension of the foot, clothing as an extension of the skin, the phonetic alphabet as an extension of the eye…”With this logic, you can argue that phones in the 21st century have become an extenuation of humans.

“… Man must, as a simple survival strategy, become aware of what is happening to him, despite the attendant pain of such comprehension. The fact that he has not done so in this age of electronics is what has made this also the age of anxiety,…But despite our self-protective escape mechanisms, the total-field awareness engendered by electronic media is enabling us – indeed, compelling us – to grope toward a consciousness of the unconscious, toward a realization that technology is an extension of our own bodies.” What McLuhan is trying to say when mankind makes products and technology, it has a negative effect on mental and emotional wellbeing. Even if it does not seem evident or clear, all inventions provide some form of subconscious allurement.  He tries to argue that since it provides a service and benefit, it will become a part of everyday life. Similar to how the wheel is used in most mobile inventions or how everyone wears clothing for warmth and social class. 

While I agree that over the course of my life, cellphones have become a necessity and something that roughly every single person owns. They are needed to contact others, find out questions,  and are even used as our payment or ticket for events. The cell phone has become an extension of us, but saying that all happened subconsciously is foolish though. Many young people have mad it clear that the internet era and content contact art for them. Many young people have decided to cut their time from their phones, delete social media, or even flip on over to flip phones. Many people have seen how phones effect peoples communication and daily lives and they are making an effort to fix it. 

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“No use in reaching across the aisle”

This past week, the American public has thrown for a loop, and it only seems to be getting worse. In August, President Donald J. Trump nominated a new supreme court justice after Anthony Kennedy retired from the office. Brett Kavanaugh is Trumps pick to fill the vacant seat and his hearing for the spot began last week.

Before the hearing could even start, Kavanaugh was already accused of sexual misconduct that occurred during his time in high school and college. During the actual senate hearing, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forward and gave her testimony about what happened between her and Judge Kavanaugh one night at a high school party on her account. This included the sexual assault said to have been conducted by Kavanaugh. Judge Kavanaugh has come out against Ford, say that her statement of 100% certainty, was 100% false. Creating a situation of He said/ She said, between a well renowned judge and doctor.

My personal opinion is that this issue is one of the biggest glaring examples of partisanship in our nations history. Our nation went almost two years with only eight supreme court justices, because of the republicans disruptive efforts in 2015 and 2016. Yet, when one seat is vacant during their time in the executive office, they make it clear that the democrats wont block their pick. Something that was done just a few years ago be the opposite party. 

When someone who is meant to be a judge for the whole nation and determine laws and rights of citizens, is accused of an illegal action that would land a guilty person is jail, they should be taken out of consideration right away. The organization that Trump hired to pick a list of optional nominees stated, “you could throw a dart at the paper and we would be good.” Meaning that everyone else on the sheet is just as qualified as Kavanaugh. So why hasn’t Trump withdrawn the pick and mad a new one?

The culture of our nation is slowing becoming one of partisanship and taking sides. Myself and many others are saying that this could be the end of any actual mediation in our political sphere. Senator Jeff Flake on 60 minutes last week said, “There is no use in reach across the aisle anymore.” Citing the growing difference between the two parties. He also stated that if he changed his vote, and passed the nomination, he could run again. He was able to follow his moral judgment and vote no, because he does not have to worry about reelection since hes stepping down. 

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Twin Peaks Essay and Review

For years I’ve heard countless friends mention a show called Twin Peaks to me, hoping that I would start the series in time for its 2017 reboot. Besides the constant proclamations that it’s “just about the best show ever made” and “it’s the best murder mystery I’ve seen”. Everyone who I know that has watched the show has fallen head over heels for it.

The first episode of the series opens up hitting hard and directly to the point. Laura Palmer, a local high schooler, is found with her body blue and in a plastic wrap. Her parents filed a missing persons report, because she did not come home the night before. This triggers a full scale investigation by Sheriff Harry Truman. This leads to a special agent from out of town being assigned to the case. Dale Cooper is an odd man, who speaks into a recording device to log this thoughts. He seems very methodical and always to be thinking. Almost as if he already knows the answers, he’s just trying to make it seem he doesn’t.

From what I’ve seen in the first episode of the series, and the random sections I’ve seen with my friends, the acting is some of the best I’ve seen on the small screen. Especially for the time that this was made, television acting was simply not this good and actors of this quietly did not preform like this. It’s truly the small inflections and little quirks that make he feel like the actors clearly cared about portraying real people going through a real tragedy. 

Twin Peaks also includes some great camera work and angles. The panning from one scene to another or clear moving single shots are great. I’m not too sure how many shows did this at the time, but it seems to be used almost perfectly in this show. It is also relatively evident that David Lynch created the show and directed the first episode. I’ve seen the Elephant Man and I see a lot of similarity’s in the way the film was show in comparison to this series. 

The series of Twin Peaks is a very interesting look into the investigation a single murder and play around with the concept of being a detective. Yet, after watching the first episode, I’m not overly interested in watching the rest of the three season story. It seems that this show is going to take many twists and turns, evident by the fact that the first episode offers so much actions and backstory, I can’t imagine how they are able to make so many episodes. 

Hopefully one day, I’ll watch episode two and get hooked on it. I’m pretty sure I will try to get back into it again at some point. All my friends tell me they couldn’t believe who was Laura Palmers killer, and now I’m a little bit curious. 

Twin Peaks was an American television show that premiered on ABC in the spring of 1990. It was the brain child of director and screen writer David Lynch. It follows the investigation of a local high schoolers murder. The whole town is brought to there knees when they have to deal with the slaying of Laura Palmer, a very well know and well liked young women. The concept, story telling, acting and and plot all have helped pave the way for modern television that is praised for being cutting edge. With Lynch’s work being cited as inspiration for many different shows over the past nearly three decades. 

During the original airing of Twin Peaks, the shows unique nature and clever writing had dedicated fans coming right out the gate. Excited to see how Lynch’s work would play out and how this murder mystery would end. Yet, one thing that drew in many was the unconventional shots, angles and plot developments. Twin Peaks did not simply rely on the cliches of modern detective series. With keeping the mystery of the murder hidden behind multiple layers. Unlike most shows that the time, where the mystery was solved for the watcher relatively fast. In “Twin Peaks and the circular ruins of fiction: Figuring (out) the acts of reading” by Maria Carrion, she points out that, “It might have to do with the fact that one is not just trying to reveal the name of this particular entity who has put an end to somebody else's life. For Twin Peaks' basic narrative structure falls under the category of what John Irwin calls "pure analytic detective stories," a fictional genre that lends itself to endless acts of rereadings, "grows out of an interest in deductions and solutions rather than in love and drama land] shows little interest in character, managing at best to produce caricatures” (Carrion) Where Twin Peaks is different then many other detective shows, is that the characters and their development throughout the show is substantial. Really showing the narrative progression of their motivations and lives. This is smoothing that has been stressed and adapted to many programs around today. Personal development and truly knowing who each character is a main factor is almost every modern show.

Rolling Stone made an article before the new season of the show was released in 2017. They make a list of shows that were heavily influenced by the creation of Twin Peaks. With examples like Riverdale, X-files and Desperate Housewives, it’s pretty obvious that David Lynch’s brain child helped to shape our small screens today. One example that I thought of before even watching episode one, was Bate’s Motel. A prequel to Psycho, follows a young man named Norman and his dark life with his mother and there motel. Many of the dark shots seem to be comparable side by side between the both shows. Along with similar charters and their development, like many side actors portraying odd and unstable people. 

A huge example of this would be Lost, the plane crash serial survival show directed by J.J. Abrams. “the story got far strange. Very strange. By the end of its six seasons, the series had incorporated elements of sci-fi, supernatural and the psycho-spiritual, with characters ranging from jittery physicists and charismatic cult leaders to, well, polar bears and Smoke Monsters. Much like Twin Peaks, the show raised many more questions than it ever took the trouble to answer.” (Rolling Stone) Both shows took their viewers on a rollercoaster ride through the odd and sci-fi. Without Lynch’s contributions to the genre in the 90’s, Lost would have never have been able to pull the 180 degree plot twist like they did. Flipping the show into a completely different entity and reimagining the plot.

If anyone is allowed to talk about the significance of Twin Peaks, it’s David Lynch himself. During his press tour for the new season last year, David did multiple interviews with only one direct request, to not ask him about the new season. Instead to focus on the shows legacy and how hes prepared for the new season. When asked how his show is taking off from where it was left off, “it’s built with many, many, many different types of elements and you want to get them all as good as you can get them so they feel correct to you, and in doing so you hope they feel correct to others” said Lynch. He was referring the complex nature of the show, and how it takes a great deal of effort and work to make it feel right. Then when asked about how many fans had theories for the cliffhanger it the show was left on, Lynch said,” We want to figure things out. Life, you know, we want to figure out life, and we want to figure out what’s going on, so it’s beautiful. It’s beautiful that people are thinking.” He states that he wants the shows audience to be well informed and to try to figure the show out as they go, almost as if everyone is playing a came of Clue. Lastly, Lynch describes how his shows has influenced movies, stating that, “It’s like a small theater. It’s a cinema on a TV screen.” Referring to how now television is about making long form stories and serves essentially as long movies. 

Twin Peaks was a show well ahead of its time. Placing the plot and story elements behind a layer of mystery and odd nature. Focusing on personal development and expanding on one story arc throughout it’s whole run time. David Lynch’s work with ABC during the early 1990’s is what helped to make television what it is today.

Carrion, Maria M. “Twin Peaks and the Circular Ruins of Fiction: Figuring (out) the Acts of Reading.” Literature Film Quarterly, vol. 21, no. 4, 1993, pp. 240–247., web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=73c78f53-1268-4699-8c68-c9e33f4d1340@sessionmgr102&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==#AN=9403213833&db=ufh.

Nguyen, Hanh. “David Lynch Q&A: The Legend on 'Twin Peaks' Fan Theories, 'Breaking Bad,' and Cats.” IndieWire, 18 May 2017, www.indiewire.com/2017/05/twin-peaks-david-lynch-interview-showtime-1201818889/.

Tobias, Scott, et al. “20 TV Shows Most Influenced by 'Twin Peaks'.” Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018, www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-lists/20-tv-shows-most-influenced-by-twin-peaks-126797/bates-motel-114269/.

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Made me want to Nosedive

My freshman year in Comp English, my professor explained this show call Black Mirror to us. A series with multiple, one episode contained stories that attacked the growing dependence on technology in society. From the way it was described, I was excited to spend class time watching something like that. The concept seemed cool to me, yet after the episode NoseDive, I never wanted to watch another episode of the show again.

The episode starts with a woman named Lacie, who lives with her brother. She checks her phone constantly, looking at her ‘rating’. She is a 4.2 on this scale. It is relieved through interaction she has, that every time you meet someone, they have a chance to rate you one through five. This is only based how the person felt during the interaction went with you. In this world, everyone seemingly has a rating and device to measure and record it. Over the course of the episode, Lacie has poor interactions with multiple people, causing her score to drop by the end of the episode to zero. 

This concept in my eyes is meant to show how social media is changed our perception of people and interactions. It aims show how our current social media is about how popular you are and how well you can make it seem like you have a perfect life. Everyone who is in the episode with high ratings, is conceptually attractive and seemly have lives with little problem. It’s not that their lives are truly that greats , it’s just all the farce to gain a high rating. It’s vey similar to how followers work in our society. 

Yet, the one thing I couldn’t get over the whole episode is the idea that this is even happening. For this to take effect, the majority of people would have to agree to it. I don’t see that ever happening. The way this system works is unfair and directly goes against market place ideals and ethics. For example, when Lacie buys her plane ticket, it’s absolutely crazy to think a private business, one who’s whole goal is to make money, would refuse the service of someone only based on the score the have on their phone. This goes against a main American ideal, Capitalism. 

The acting throughout the episode was nothing to write home about either. Multiple times the hair on the back of my neck stood up, cringing at the delivery some actors gave. The writing didn’t help either, providing little substance throughout the episode. Every stories and plot element seemed to be very generic and stereotypical. Leaving me thinking I was watching a grandparent describe how “this damn social media will ruin our lives”. 

The episode makes it seem as each new generation with become more and more dependent on technology especially the social aspect. This is without taking into account that many young people who grew up with 21st century gadgets, are taking a step back from social media and phones. Coming to the realization that phones really are effecting the way we live in a negative manner. Taking our time up, causing us to be less social, and interrupting our sleep, many young adults are making a continuous effort to limit their use.  

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Shut up and Dance

Black Mirror has been one show that I have had on my radar to watch for a while now. My time watching it had been halted after an episode in class my Freshman year. We watched the episode Nosedive in Comp I and I was incredibly disappointed with the episode. The bland scene work, cliche writing and story, and just an overtone of pretentiousness turned me away from the series. Yet, after watching this episode in class, I’m looking forward to binging the rest of the series.

Shut Up and Dance took everyday scares and fears of the 21st center, and let them play out with some very unfortunate characters. Kenny’s computer catching a virus and spying on him through his webcam is a incredibly common fear that I and many other have. One of the many reasons I keep my webcam blocked out. 

This episode goes to show that no matter what you are doing, doesn't matter when or where, someone and probably is watching. Then if it’s not, It eventually will be. The blackmail used by the anonymous ‘Troll’, really goes to show the feats people will go to to not have their deeps secrets leaked out. Also, the Troll must have done a decent amount of research to be able to find information about their victims before.

I hope that we able to watch a few more of these episodes in class, I’m starting to enjoy this series. I’m probably going to go binge a few episodes this weekend!