Call Me by Your Name - Review

Call Me by Your Name - Directed by  Luca Guadagnino

Interesting film, very poetic and a sort of “classically queer” film. Coming of age story, set in the 80′s about a teen in the Italian countryside who becomes involved with an older male student, staying with his parents over the summer.

I think the story differed greatly from the traditional story structure, perhaps because it was based on a novel, and had a very “slice of life.” kind of feeling. I still found a lot of novelty in the characters, their emotions and experiences especially involving young love, and queer attraction. 

Opening Image: Elio hanging out with his friend  Marzia. Shirtless, summer, he looks and feels very naive and young. 

Theme Stated: I don’t know if this was stated early on, but the theme seemed to be “Call Me by Your Name.” They each believed the other was the better of the two, thus calling each other by their own names.

Set up:

Catalyst: Oliver, a friend of Elio’s fathers and traveling student visits the home to stay for the summer.

Debate:

Break into two:

B story:

Fun and Games:

Midpoint:

Bad Guys Close in:

All is lost:

Dark Night of the soul:

break into three:

Finale: Elio gets a call from Oliver, who announces that he is engaged. They still call each other by their own names, it still feels special and significant, even though it hurts.

Final image: Elio staring into the fire, finally accepting and embracing his heartbreak over Oliver. bundled up in layers, change of season, cold. 

http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2017/11/30/blueprints-call-me-by-your-name.html

https://blog.blcklst.com/anatomy-of-an-opening-scene-call-me-by-your-name-a9c5474f0a92

The Shape Of Water - Review

THE SHAPE OF WATER

Honestly, a work of art. The visuals, the special effects, the actors and the cinematography, this film is the full package. Unexpectedly sweet, unexpectedly romantic, and full of eggs, my dream film has truly come to life. 

“The fact that we all have this nostalgia now for this period is interesting because in a way, it never really existed. People were talking about the future and how great it was going to be, but it was difficult for anyone who wasn’t white and male. So it’s the right time period to frame a story about ‘otherness’ and the persecution of ‘otherness.’” 

That’s partly why Eliza and the Creature are mute, why Elisa’s neighbor and friend Giles (Richard Jenkins) is gay, and why her co-worker/confidant Zelda (Octavia Spencer) is black. The story gives a voice to those who typically didn’t have one. 

Opening Image: Underwater, the apartment submerged. Elisa’s happy, ideal dream.

Theme Stated: I couldn't find the theme explicitly stated in the script, but the theme did seem to be ‘giving a voice to those who were voiceless.” i.e, black, queer, women, mute, aquamen ect.

Set up: Elisa, the protagonist, is sweet, romantic, and mute. She is caring, a good person, but lonely. She loves eggs, and dreams of water. She feels classic, elegant, but youthful still.

Catalyst: Her job receives a mysterious new asset, with a new team at the facility. 

Debate: Everything is changing. The new head of security is an asshole, and the asset/room Elisa and her friend Zelda are tasked with cleaning is dangerous, bloody, ect. 

Break into two: The new asset room, is the strange new world. Set apart from the world she knows, dangerous, and full of adventure.

B story: Eliza and the creature begin an egg and music filled romance.

Fun and Games: Teaching him about records, making him eggs, teaching him signs, Dancing, the two grow closer. 

Midpoint: Danger! The Russian spy wants to kill the asset, to stop the American scientific progress! and the Americans want the Asset’s body for space travel research! Either way, bad news for Elisa and her Fish Boyfriend. She’s gotta save him!

Bad Guys Close in:

All is lost:

Dark Night of the soul:

break into three:

Finale:

Final image: Elisa and the Asset underwater, embraced. Her scars become gills! Love wins! Her dream came true!

http://scriptslug.com/assets/uploads/scripts/the-shape-of-water-2017.pdf

https://screenwritingumagazine.com/2017/11/27/shape-water-writer-writing-adult-fairytale/

A Monster Calls - Review

A monster calls is a dark/fantasy/serious coming of age story about a young boy coping with his mother’s terminal illness, though a huge tree monster. Directed by J. A. Bayona and written by Patrick Ness, based on his novel of the same name. Screenplay by  Patrick Ness.

l really enjoyed monster calls. what a powerful movie. The animated sequences especially stood out to me, I wasn’t surprised to find that the Visual Development artist was Alexis Liddell, a French artist largely responsible for the look of the animated sequences in the final harry potter film. his blog is:

http://alexisliddell.blogspot.com/

In terms of the story, it had loads of heart. The cast was totally all-star. the lead boy, Conor, was so compelling. It felt like it understood emotion, and loss, and all of the feelings that no child should ever have to go through. The metaphor for losing his mother was… it was intense. “ I let her go” was unexpected. The lessons he learns, “humans are complicated beasts.” is a valuable lesson for all ages. In terms of filmmaking, I loved the moments you could feel. Shots that felt textured and tangible. Moments that felt nostalgic, like his mother finding the projector and the animation machine, and with Conor exploring and touching all the treasures in the house.

Opening image: Connor waking up from a horrible nightmare, showing him losing his mother. 

Theme Stated: “the truth will be what he hides and is most afraid of that he dreams of. “

Set up: He’s a very troubled boy. He doesn’t want to open up to teachers who reach out, and he has trouble at school socially, from bullies. In addition to his mother’s suspected fatal illness. typical day.

Catalyst: Introduction of the tree monster, who introduces the story’s premise. he will be told stories, and then he will finally tell the fourth one in return.

Debate: Conor doubts the tree monster, doubts the stories, chalks it all up to a stupid dream.

Break into two: “go on then” Conor agrees to listen to the story, and we are transported into the magical and whimsical animated story world.

B story: would the b story be the stories the tree monster tells? or Connor’s relationship with his dad, or grandmother?

Fun and Games: Living at his grandmother’s house, drawing more. Seeing his dad again, having fun then.

Midpoint: The second story. Conor destroys his grandmother’s house.

Bad Guys Close in:  his dad leaving, his mother still sick,  the bullying gets worse. connor snaps, and now is in trouble with the principal. 

all is lost: The medicine isn’t working, again. Conor can see how sick his mother looks. (his nightmare comes true, he admits that sometimes he wishes it was all over. he lets go, because it hurts.)

Dark night of the soul: Conor arguing with the giant.

break into three: his mother validates his feelings. she tells him everything will be ok, she knows everything he needs to tell her already. break things, and I’ll be right there with you.

finale: his mother’s final moments. he tells her, “I don’t want you to go.” she passes at 12:07. “it ends with him finally holding on to his mother, (even though it hurts.) and by doing so, he can finally let her go.”

final image: Connor finds the drawings his mother made as a child, of the stories he heard from the giant. he makes the connection. She’s right there with him, through the drawings. 

I also found this: https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/how-to-read-a-screenplay-parts-1-7-3c5b51ecee15

highly useful.

Matilda - Review

Screenplay by Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord

Adapted from the novel by Roald Dahl

I love the book, I love the musical, I love the movie. Roald Dahl is a genius, and studying his work as the first screenplay I’ve read feels pretty right. In terms of the movie’s actual plot and structure, It didn’t feel super clean and close to the cat’s story beats. It holds a lot of good feelings, good themes, and 90′s nostalgia, which is why I still consider it one of my favorites. I didn’t expect Danny Devito to play such a primary role in this version.

opening image: Matilda as a baby, meeting uncaring and unloving parents.

Theme Stated: Her father tells her “when a person is bad, that person has to be taught a lesson.”

Set-up: Mistreated but sweet and clever youngest child must be independent and self-sufficient when her horrible parents mistreat her.

Catalyst: Matilda uses her mind to destroy her family’s TV set, after being provoked and abused by her father. powers???

Debate: Shes sent to school, and meets the terrifying ms. trunchbowl. and the wonderful ms. honey!

Break into Two: 

B-story: The mystery behind Ms. Honey’s Father’s death, and the unfair treatment she receives from her aunt, Mrs. Trunchbowl.

Fun and Games: The school cheering after cake, matilda mastering her powers, 

Midpoint: Ms. Truchchbowl visits the classroom, and terrorizes the students. Newt scene. Ms. Honey and Matilda get closer. 

Bad Guys Close in: Ms. Trunchbowl comes back early while they are still in the house, and they run and hide to try and escape her. 

All is Lost: Ms. Trunchbowl almost catches them, they lose Lissie doll and all of ms. honey’s treasures.  

Dark night of the soul:  Ms. honey tells her to give up and never go back into the house. defeat.

Break into Three: Matilda uses the information she learned from Ms. Honey about her father and her Aunt, and takes the initiative towards Mrs. Trunchbowl. She works towards mastering her powers, scaring Ms. Trunchbowl in the house.

Finale: All of the children rise up against Mrs. Trunchbowl, throwing their lunches at her. Her hold on them, and ms. honey is broken. Matilda also stands up to her parents, when they try to escape to Guam.

Final Image: Ms. Honey reading with Matilda before bed. shes finally found a mother.