Sometime it's Better Unseen

Doubt and Molly Sweeney  are both texts that revolve around characters that see things that nobody else can understand. In Doubt, Fr. Flynne see's Ronald Miller as a sad, helpless boy that needs care and guidance. By befriending him, Sister Aloysius see's a completely different relationship taking place. The movie drives viewers to see the relationship that they want to by not ever disclosing what really went on between Ronald and Fr. Flynne.

The main themes of the movie (doubt, intolerance, gossip, and sight) all seem to connect with each other throughout the film. Sister Aloysius first depends on others to believe her accusations, but ends up taking action herself when nobody else will see what she wants them to see. To everyone else at the school, like Sister James and the other students, Fr. Flynne is nothing more than a caring teacher to Ronald. Mrs. Miller, on the other hand, doesn't want to believe that anything is wrong with the relationship because she just wants Ronald to be happy and stay in school. The movie shows that one persons vision can create a massive impact. I believe that the movie reinforces the idea that people see what they want to see.

This still of Ronald looking down and lost is an example of what Fr. Flynne see's. Sister Aloysius looks at Ronald but doesn't see Ronald. Especially after she hears of his "strange" behaviors from Sister James, she takes it upon herself to save him. She's only looking out for herself because in her eyes, she's doing the right thing by extracting Fr. Flynne. Though in the end even she realizes that she let her own sight get in the way of the schools overall vision: a place where teachers guide and care for its students. However, Sister Aloysius' stance is understandable and even relatable. For example, a child could see or hear their parents fighting just one time and come up with a whole theory about divorce and thoughts of hatred. From that point on, all they can think about when they see their parents together is bitterness and rivalry, even if the parents are genuinely loving each other. All it takes is one instance to make an assumption that can snowball into a web of thoughts.

On the other side of sight is blindness; not being able to see anything at all. Molly, in a way, is a parallel to Sister Aloysius, because she feels superior for being able to see, or in this case not see, things that other people cannot. They both seem to take pride in the theories and visions they've come up with in their minds.

"Oh, I can't tell you the joy swimming gave me. I used to thing that the other people in the pool with me, the sighted people , that in some way their pleasure was actually diminished because they could see, because seeing in some way qualified the sensation; and that if they only knew how full, how total my pleasure was, I used to tell myself that they must, they really must envy me." (pg. 19)

Molly's thoughts here really show that sometimes, seeing isn't the best thing. Everyone's been in a situation where they see something that they wish they hadn't. Seeing leads to emotions, even if one doesn't realize it. By being blind, Molly must really feel something before she can analyze it and come to conclusions about how she "see's" it.

Social Class: A Choice

                 In Wes Anderson's Rushmore, we see two general social classes interacting with one another: rich and not rich. I don't want to say middle-class or upper or lower middle class because as a viewer, I can't identify which one Max or Rosemary or any other of the supporting characters belong to. Max is certainly part of the "not rich" category while Bill Murray's character, Herman, is rich. Anderson's choice to make the two main characters come from different economic classes was a good one because it made their relationship more valuable. When Rosemary is put in the middle of Herman and Max, it's not a war between social class but rather between age. I think this shows that factors like age and things like gender and physical appearance are more dividing than social class. When Herman asks Max about his dad's job, Max lies because he doesn't want his dads job as a barber to affect his social standing. Being on the lower end of the spectrum, Max is definitely more aware of his social standing than his classmates at Rushmore are. However, the students all wear the same uniform and attend the same school, so Max doesn't stand out. Ironically, when Max goes to public school, he's automatically richer seeming because of the way he dresses and how he presents himself. Max was born into his not rich lifestyle, but he doesn't allow that to hinder him in anyway.
           Social class can essentially be procured by an individual's physical presentation. If you put two, well groomed, intelligent sounding boys in blazers side by side, they would be classified the same. Max doesn't talk about money unless it's brought to his attention by someone else. I think that social class is only somewhat dependent on economic status. The rest is up to the individual. In the United States, an individual can make their dreams come true by working hard, which is what Max does throughout the movie. With scholarships, students like Max have the power to earn their education. Each individual decides for themselves how much effort and work their willing to put in in order to achieve the economic and social status that they want to be a part of. Class rank is not a definite thing, for it can be raised or lowered. Everyone starts off on a different rung on the social ladder and they can choose to climb up or down.
         I actually feel that Max's low economic status puts him in a higher social class - or it should anyway. If Max's financial background has him working harder, doing more, achieving more, shouldn't that make him better off in life than his classmates? Sure, they're already wealthy, but as a result of that they don't really have the drive that Max does to succeed. There are too many factors that go into someone's social class that it's hard to point them all out. For example, take the student body of New Trier. When it comes to economic status, we're all pretty much on the same page give or take, yet many would argue the social standings of their peers. Social class is just too bendable to be taken too seriously.

Uggs: Cute or Uggly?

The Ugg Trend

You're on a beach in Australia or New Zealand - you choose. Your eyes follow a surfer as he runs up from the water, surfboard under his arm. Once he's put down his surfboard, he dries off and puts on what seems to be a furry, boot slipper of some sort. Suddenly, a group of surfers walk by and they're all wearing the furry things on their feet! 

Uggs, originally produced in the Australia or New Zealand, started as a beach boot for surfers and beach goers in the 1960's. Though the boot didn't gain popularity in the U.S until the late 1990's, today one can't go very far out of his/her house without seeing at least one person wearing a pair of Ugg boots or slippers. Their extreme comfort and durability in snow, rain, and other wet terrain make Uggs a no brainer for, well, anyone looking for something to wear during the winter months. 

The Ugg trend started when Uggs started gaining serious popularity in 2004. Once available for adults in a couple shades of tan, Ugg Australia (the company name) began producing Uggs for babies, toddlers, kids, teens, and adults. They also began to offer an array of colors and designs. After the trend picked up you could see girls wearing Uggs with skirts to school and babies wearing Uggs to daycare. Not only were Uggs "in", they were a status symbol. With the average price of a pair of Uggs being between $100-$200, they allowed you to wear strange looking snow boots while still being upscale and classy. Like Crocs, Uggs are comfortable and colorful - but are they fashionable? Many people will bash Uggs and their looks, yet everyone seems to have at least one pair (real or fake) in their house. 

Fussell's idea, "everyone must wear a uniform, but everyone must deny wearing one", relates to Uggs because they've come from being practical to being a statement piece. It's interesting though, because even though Ugg produces a variety of cheetah print, bedazzled, fur covered, and other funky designs, you will rarely see those designs off the shelf and on someones feet. This is because everyone wants to wear what everyone else is wearing: tan, black, or grey Uggs. This makes it easier to pick out the people who truly dress for themselves. Next time you see someone wearing glittery Uggs, give them a high five for individuality. 

Out of this World

           I believe that everyone lives in their own world. I mean, sure, we're all here living on the same Earth. Looking at the same things. Listening to the same things. But we're seeing everything and hearing everything differently. From the moment one is born, they create their perceptions of everything in their own mind. No two people look at the same thing and see the same thing. Everyone has their own needs, desires, and qualities that are unique to them. How would we cope with everything that life throws at us if we weren't able to have our own thoughts? I think our mind is a safe place in which we can think anything we want and not be judged, criticized, or humiliated for it. I feel like we are each the center of our own universes. This may sound dumb or arrogant, but the world does revolve around us. My world revolves around me.
       
          The world is of course a mirror of who we are, because we're looking at it through our own eyes. We're able to make the connections we want, when we want. We have the power to ignore, worry, change, lust, feel, hear, see, and touch. We use our powers everyday to manipulate the way we feel when we're exposed to any given situation. Sure, there's hundreds of people that may have touched and influenced a person's life, but at the end of the day, that person is only that person (if that makes sense). It's up to each individual human to create the world they want. I don't think we are shaped by the world, I think we shape the world simply by existing. We may belong to Earth, but the world belongs to us; to me.

Hidden in the Shadows

          This shot from Double Indemnity takes place just as Keyes is leaving Neff's apartment after visiting to let Neff know that he's close to figuring out the Mr. Dietrichson murder case. Phyllis has arrived just in time to hear Keyes begin to make an exit, allowing her barely enough time to quickly hide. I think the way the scene is set up with the lighting, the dimly lit hallway, and the placement of the characters is really representative of the movie's plot. First, we've got Phyllis hidden away from view (but still in the view of the viewers) while Keyes is  further down the hallway with his back towards the audience. Finally, Neff is standing in his doorway, half blocked by the door. Keyes is oblivious to what Neff has done, so his distant placement in the shot shows that.

         One of the interesting things about this shot is that each character has their back facing the audience, making it so that we can't see their faces. This goes to show that each of them has their own hidden thoughts, ideas, and motives regarding the murder. The placement of Neff in this shot is key, because it shows him in the middle of two of his closest alliances, who just so happen to be working against each other. Another interesting piece to the shot is the darkness (clothing/lightning) of Phyllis and Keyes on either side of Neff, to Neff's central, brighter lighting.  Putting Phyllis behind the door and in the shadows and Keyes on the other side of the frame in another shadow only strengthens this idea that Neff is in the middle of a situation (two alliances) that he can't escape from. This shot creates an almost spine tingling moment of mystery for the viewers who are on the edge of their seats as Keyes almost catches Phyllis. With a dark set and dark characters, this shot brings Neff into the light, directing the viewers eyes to the movements and actions of the main character in charge of piecing together the crime the story centers around. Overall, shadows play a big part in this film, especially in this shot, because they're able to deliver darkness into settings, like a residential hallway, that wouldn't normally be so dark.

Minority Report - Frame Analysis - The Precogs' New Life

I chose this shot of the female precog, Agatha, in her cabin at the end of the movie. Here, in this scene, Agatha looks very light and serene, which is quite a change from her usually frantic disposition. Agatha is shown in a yellowish soft light from the setting sun in this frame. The fact that she’s bathed in light while the rest of the frame remains in shadow draws the viewer to her. This frame is interesting because all 3 precogs are shown, but Agatha is separate and highlighted, as she seems to be for the length of the film. The 2 boy precogs are in the background, very dimly lit. All 3 of them are reading books, which unites them in this shot. The 2 male precogs are still important, just not as important as Agatha, which is represented in this frame with the placement of the 3 precogs. The director made sure that all 3 precogs weren’t separated in this shot. I think this shows that they started out together at the beginning of the movie, and they’re still together at the end of the movie, sharing the same habitat. The lighting in this shot is significant because it shows the relationships between the 3 precogs. The 2 male precogs are lit, yet still in shadows, while Agatha is very well lit, showing her importance. The left top corner and the right bottom corner are both lit, creating a kind of symmetrical effect. It shows that all precogs are powerful and special humans, but Agatha’s lightning puts her on a different level than the other 2.

This shot is a combination of a panning shot and a long shot, because the camera moves throughout the little house while scanning each subject shortly until it moves out of the house and zooms out on the land leaving the house a little, scenic cabin in the distance. I believe that this shot was used to show the continuous movement of life. It shows this by constantly moving, slowly, showing each of the subjects as they carry on their lives. Life doesn’t stop for anything – I think that’s the idea that’s being represented in this shot. This shot also concludes the film quite well as it brings it to an end in a gradual and subtle way that leaves the viewer with a good feeling about the resolution of the film. Something that stands out to me was the talisman or charm that Agatha is holding onto while reading her book. Again, this differentiates Agatha from the other two precogs, who are only holding books. Another thing I’d like to point out about this frame is the costume choices. All 3 of the precogs have swapped out their high tech, almost supernatural suits for normal, comfy looking clothes. I think this lends itself to the resolution of the precogs and their new life as “normal” people.