In this blog post, I will calmly examine, from the perspectives of genre and narrative, whether the ‘eternal sleep’ appearing at the conclusion of the film 「A.I.」 is a simple cessation of function, or the moment of reaching humanity through love. Introduction “Blue Fairy? Please…….please, please make me into a real live boy.” In the film “A.I. (A.I. Artificial Intelligence)” directed by...
Why do we keep watching the love and breakups in Eternal Sunshine?
In this blog post, we’ll explore Eternal Sunshine as a melodrama, examining why we ultimately cannot turn away from love and breakups that repeat even after erasing memories, and the emotions its sad realism leaves with the audience. Why do we watch melodramas? Labels like “tearjerker,” “predictable melodrama,” or “packaged love” have been hurled at melodramas with as much ferocity...
How does the film “Hitch” inherit and reinterpret the framework of traditional romantic comedies?
This blog post examines how the formula of traditional romantic comedies is both preserved and modernized in “Hitch,” focusing on its genre characteristics and narrative structure. Genre Definition of Romantic Comedy Romantic comedy is commonly known as a genre also referred to as screwball comedy. Since my professor used this term during lectures, I wondered if there was a conceptual...
Why does Hal Hartley’s film “Hal Hartley,” which deals with the Second Coming of Jesus, subvert the formula of destruction and salvation?
This blog post examines how Hal Hartley’s film “Hal Hartley” breaks free from the framework of traditional fantasy narratives, overturning the formula of destruction and salvation to pose new questions. Introduction I readily answer questions about my favorite directors, but when asked about my favorite genres, I always end up giving a vague response. This is because listing my...
How Does the Film ‘Seven’ Realize Modern Noir Aesthetics?
This blog post takes an in-depth look at how the film ‘Seven’ recreated modern noir aesthetics through its dark urban imagery, color composition, unsettling mise-en-scène, and psychological tension. The Emergence of Film Noir in the 1940s Background: By the 1940s, Hollywood began developing films exhibiting new trends in both form and content compared to existing cinema. French critics...
Why does the movie ‘The Sixth Sense’ leave a profound emotional impact beyond mere horror?
This blog post explores why the movie “The Sixth Sense” leaves a deep emotional impact beyond simple horror. We examine how the combination of its shocking twist, its narrative of healing loss, and its blend of Eastern and Western sensibilities created a resonance that transcends time. Why I Love The Sixth Sense In the fall of 1999, I saw this film simply because it featured the familiar...
How Did the Monster Shrek Become a Hero?
This blog post explores how Shrek, who defied the typical hero narrative upon his arrival, overcame prejudice, grew, and ultimately established himself as a true hero. Prologue “Shrek” made a huge splash in the global animation world when it arrived in May 2001. The film garnered widespread acclaim from both critics and audiences, and after its release, it earned the honor of winning major...
How does the film ‘The Apartment’ reflect modern life?
In this blog post, we will examine how Billy Wilder’s film ‘The Apartment’ portrays love, loneliness, and the fragile state of modern individuals caught in the repetitive grind of daily life. ‘The Apartment’ is a romantic comedy depicting the journey of underdogs overcoming adversity and growing through their struggles. I believe Billy Wilder intended this work to show how the...
Why do the symbols and allusions in The Matrix reveal new meanings with each repeated viewing?
In this blog post, we explore why the hidden symbols and allusions in the film ‘The Matrix’ expand into new meanings the more you watch it. Let’s delve into the film’s profound philosophical structure that traverses the boundaries between reality and virtuality. Why I Love and Am Enthralled by The Matrix I first encountered The Matrix during my high school years. At the time...
What future of human cloning does the movie “The Island” warn us about?
In this blog post, we examine the ethical and social issues that could arise when human cloning becomes a reality, exploring the warnings and implications posed by technological advancement. What does the movie “The Island” warn us about? Released during a period of explosive public interest in human cloning following Dr. Hwang Woo-suk’s successful embryonic stem cell cloning in...