Crazy Rich Asians: A New Cinderella Story

 

I hate Rom Com's. Hate them! I think part of it is jealousy. No way, no how, does anyone in a relationship treat someone that well, fall that deeply in love, and do the most amazing things for their partner, forever.  As I type the words I'm thinking of the law of attraction and how maybe that's not my experience because I'm such a cynical person. I worry that film, and Romantic Comedies in particular, set us up for a false sense of reality. There's plenty of research that proves there are ill effects to Romcom syndrome, or the naïveté that results from believing real life can be wrapped up in 90 minutes of incessantly proving you love the other. I have to admit, I do love some of the films on the best romcom list. They can't be super formulaic though. There has to be something different about them.

List of Top Rom Coms

Something I often question about film and all media consumption is cultural influence. How much impact do these mediated images actually have on our psyches? We know these stories are constructed. I always ask my journalism students to imagine a perfect family, hot or successful person, then have them tell me who they are thinking of. Most of the time they reference something like The Incredibles, Jamie Dornan, or 007. Rarely do they say their families, partner, or their future career. I hypothesize that our memories are intertwined with mediated ones. What we strive for, crave, want to work for, is usually something that has been presented to us in media.

So all of that brings me to Crazy Rich Asians. Yes, it is a Cinderella story, jam packed with evil step-sisters, a wicked stepmother, gossiping aunties who try to sabotage the relationship, and of course an heinous ex-girlfriend who is still in love with the RICH Prince Charming. I guess part of the reason I like the Cinderella version of Crazy Rich Asian's is because Rachel, the Cinderella character, is a bad ass! She doesn't need Prince Charming, she wants him, but her career, position in life, where she lives, and what she wants to do is hers to determine. The first scene we see Doctor Rachel Chu whoop up on an economics graduate assistant because she specializes in game theory. It's an awesome scene. Yep, badass. 

I also like the film because it is primarily a Chinese cast. There was a little backlash that some of the main characters were biracial and not fully Chinese. I still think it's the best representation of an all Chinese cast since Joy Luck Club in 1993. 

We have to be honest that it's rare to see a cast that doesn't have many white people in it. I really enjoyed taking in the cultural indications from this movie but still got lost in the narrative to the point that their race did not matter. I did imagine from the onset that there would be a happy ending, but I also got in the story at some point and wondered if the couple might not make it. That's got to be a good romcom if you really think they might not get back together. But of course with the impeccable Michelle Yeoh playing the most villainous of interfering mothers, I was convinced she may just stop that relationship. 

I felt real anger towards Michelle Yeoh for being so evil. Now THAT'S good acting!

Overall, this is just one of very few examples where Hollywood takes chances beyond the Marvel universe. One of the limited examples of something that many films don't do today: Make something uniquely special and see if the audience will like it. Although every aspect of this film isn't a brand new idea, it is unexampled. I've never seen a Chinese Cinderella and I loved it. 

The most beautiful wedding I've ever seen in Film

I give this Romcom 5 out of 5 hearts - Yes, I cried and I'm a little salty about it (that's a joke :)

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An Open Love Letter to Alice Guy Blache (And Pamela B. Green)

Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy Blache 

How often have women been erased from history? Considering, as many feminists have pointed out, that it is literally HIStory, I would say for at least the last 6000 years. When did we decide socially that men were the dominant gender in society? It's not only based in religion. In this brilliant blog on The Creation of Patriarchy, by Renee Gurlich, she researched that: 

"(Around 4000BC) In Mesopotamia, patriarchy become embedded with the transition from subsistence living to agriculture, the formation of cities and the rise of militarism; and this seems to be a pattern." 

Yes, this seems to be a pattern in all societies as humanity moved from hunter/gathering, and the gendered roles of civilization became codified into the fabric of what women and men were supposed to be. Gender is a social construction, and unfortunately, for the amazing Alice Guy Blache, the late 1800's France adhered to these gendered principles. 

Alice Guy Blache producing in the late 1890's

That's why Born Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy Blache is so incredible. I've been studying film for 30 years and I'd never even heard her name. I'd learned of Leon Gaumont, the French inventor whose Film Company is the oldest functioning in the world, but I'd never heard of his secretary, Alice. 

Leon Gaumont and one of his still camera inventions

That is the historical significance of Born Natural, we learn of the true female inventor of cinema and based on the notion of patriarchy discussed above, she is remarkable! She is the first human to tell a story with moving pictures and it's time to replace the irreverent notion that men and only men began this industry. For it is the unscrupulous ideology of maleness that determined moving pictures were only a 'fad' in the late 19th century that allowed Guy Blache to become the first to make what we consider a movie today. Before her, moving pictures only captured the natural movements that people were organically making. There wasn't a narrative directed into these moving pictures. Alice was the first to tell a story with this medium and she became the premier teacher of how to do so. For me, that deems her a modern Socrates. She could have kept the knowledge to herself. Instead, she spread her tutelage throughout this burgeoning industry. 

Timeline of all Alice Guy Blache did, BEFORE her male counterparts in the film industry

Instead of thanking Alice Guy Blache for what she gave them, the men she taught took credit for nearly every film she produced. Yes, patriarchy can be a real bitch! So today, I am very thankful for the astounding work of Pamela B. Green. Thank you for introducing me to Alice Guy Blache. And today, I'm tormented by the fact that I can't thank Alice. As a women in her 50's who feels that I had to push a little harder through my life to equal my male counterparts, I am enthralled, enraptured, mesmerized and honored to learn of the great Alice Guy Blache. I also know the patriarchy of her time was a bit more prolific than mine, which makes her story even more momentous. Thank you Pamela B. Green, for giving me the opportunity to express my gratitude in this letter. Without you, I would have never known. It is my hope that the angel Alice, in some sort of way, may now know that her life's work has contributed to the confident optimism of so many of us today. Please, Lord, let her know!

Pamela B. Green - Auteur of Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy Blache

Dear Ms. Alice,

It is with great joy that I wish to thank you personally for the amazing contributions you made to the advent of cinema. Though the ideas, techniques, and tools you established, may have eventually come to light, it is my belief that the world of cinema would have been vastly different without your touch. Women are great communicators and organizers. On a scientific level it has been proven so (just in case a man wishes to argue this point). Your ability to master every aspect of this craft and then teach it to hundreds, if not thousands of others, makes you one of my all-time favorite humans. As a feminist, the fact that you are a woman is merely icing on the cake. But it is the grace with which you told your story, the absence of any visceral anger, that I most admire. How did you keep it together when all the men you taught took credit for what you did? Worse, they almost resentfully critiqued that with which you actually were accredited? Yes, Ms. Alice, I've learned from you one of the greatest lessons of my life, and I wish desperately that I could have shared it with you in person. Nobody can ever take away what you have truly accomplished. When you are certain of your own truth, it simply isn't anyone else's to have. Bless you and please know, there isn't a film class that I will ever teach, that will not know your name, what you've bestowed upon the film industry, as well as your amazing grace.

With all the gratitude in my heart,

A really big fan ~ Guin

I give Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy Blache 5 out of 5 hearts

One for each score that she was forgotten. It's heartbreaking that it took 100 years to get to review this story. It is enlightening and I feel nothing short of exuberance, that alas we get to do so!

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Avengers: Endgame is a money game! (and I still love it).

 Avengers: Endgame is a money game!

I love the Marvel universe! Every action packed, humor infused, save the world, love story! They are so good that you are disappointed if the Rotten Tomatoes rating of a Marvel flick is less than 90%. How can EVERY SINGLE FILM be so good?  Don't even get me started on JJ Abrams and his Disney, Star Wars reboot. I was mad at him for years but the films were still good. That's why I also love to hate on Disney. I think it's more of a jealousy thing than anything. How can one company own EVERYTHING in house? Disney's list of holdings makes it easy to understand that it's one of the largest companies in the world. It is also one of seven media companies that control every piece of information that comes in or out of my brain! It also brings in over 82 billion dollars a year. PLEASE let that sink in for a second...82 BILLION a year!  That's almost a trillion dollars profit in a decade. I also push back on the company that claims to corner the market on Family Values, when its original innovator, Walt himself, had less than altruistic beliefs. Disney wanted to make good films for SOME people, but not others. Not very family oriented if you ask me. 

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Disney

Okay, okay! So this post is about Avengers: Endgame. But as a cinephile, I would be remiss if I didn't explore my true feelings about the blockbuster, every time I review one of these masterpiece Disney action films. They do it so well!!  Most Disney releases are proclaimed a "Classic" in a couple of years. But part of the reason is that Disney has so much money, it's near impossible for a film to fail. The budget for Avengers: Endgame was around 400 million dollars. It's crazy that after saying 82 billion, that doesn't sound like much but goodness gracious, it is! The average price of a blockbuster today is around 50 million. Every Marvel universe film at least quadruples that number. I can't blame them for doing it! Avengers: Endgame has made almost 3 Billion dollars. Okay, let that one soak in. ONE FILM MADE ALMOST 3 Billion dollars!!!

So yes, I love the action packed, hugely enjoyable, blow up the world and save it romp that is the Avengers franchise. And I cried at the end of Endgame. Yep, I said it. As much as I know that it's wrong, some strange little person in me is in love with Tony Stark. I KNOW HE'S NOT REAL! lol! Somehow Disney and RDJ made me connect to him on a personal, professional, and save the world level. From the first 2008 Iron Man, he became my pretend boyfriend. I told my children he was their real father!

Spoiler ending of Endgame. Not sure how it could be spoiled for anyone unless you are NOT one of the hundreds of millions of people that have seen this film! 

My soul was crushed at the End of Endgame and that is exactly why I know it was a brilliant franchise. As with most fictional films, these characters are not real, but we love them like they are. That is what Disney does so well too. Vertical integration: The building of every aspect of a company within and outside of it without any outside resources needed. Disney has mastered this and it is why the films are so hugely successful and also why they make so much damn money. There is no separation of ideas when in housing all aspects of a film project. It becomes a seamless congruence of efforts and ideas of what the film should be. It's brilliant, but gives Disney an awful lot of power over the film industry, our psyches, and the overall impact on society that this "family values" company has. I think we are at a point where most everyone has considered how problematic it was that every Disney princess until Jasmine was white. They even whitewashed the story of Pocahontas. They clearly got the message in a few decades though, as Black Panther is the most successful film in the Marvel Universe. It took 100 years from Walt's Jewish hating self, for this company to move in the direction it should have. That is problematic for me. This is a company that claims to corner the market on family values. 

Alright, I know this wasn't much of a review of Endgame. IF you could possibly be a human that did not see this movie, SEE IT! But please watch the first two first. And if you are really smart, you will watch the WHOLE Marvel universe in chronological order, through every franchise.   I did this with the Star Wars trilogies and it CHANGED MY LIFE (yes, I'm a drama queen). 

So of course, I give this film 5 hearts out of 5 hearts and each one of them beats for Tony Stark!  But do not ever forgot the financial, societal, and personal influence that this company has over you, and billions of other people all across the planet. Disney lives in our brains and that's exactly where they want to be. 

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A Quiet Place Won't Stop 

Making Noise In My Head 

When I first watched the above trailer of A Quiet Place, I decided not to watch the movie. I thought, "Another alien movie, attacking earth, in an apocalyptical future, plus it's directed by "Jim" from "The Office." I've seen that one already a hundred times. No thank you!"  

I really thought it was another attempt to create a summer horror flick that drives kids to go just because of the genre. And I LOVE horror movies! I just don't like them when they are rip offs or the same old Alien Invasion we've already seen. Take a look at this Wikipedia list of these types of films and you will get my point. Just War of the Worlds has been made 11 times!

Now, I say that was a dumb call on my part and I owe Krasinski an apology because his directing WAS GREAT! The acting performances were stellar as well.

The impetus of this film is what drew me into it. Most parents know the painstaking feeling of trying to protect their children at all costs. "Don't fall, burn yourself, or talk to strangers" Keeping kids quiet so they aren't eaten by alien monsters, was not on my list of protections for my children. KEEPING KIDS QUIET? Anyone who has ever interacted with a child knows this is pretty much an impossibility. Still, that is where A Quiet Place lies, in this world where even the slightest noise can get you wiped out. Krasinski and his sound design team of Erik Asdahl and Ethan Van der Ryn (who also did sound for the recent release Cocaine Bear) wanted to play with the fear of silence in a world where you must be silent and I have to say it was brilliant. 

Millicent Simmonds gave a profound performance as the oldest daughter of the family. The decision to clear sound (envelope as they called it on set) in the scenes where she was the pinnacle protagonist, was uncanny. We WANTED to hear for her so she would be safe but we couldn't. What an awesome choice to help the viewer feel what the character was feeling. I would say it went one step beyond that as well, because we could empathize in a way that most of us never get an opportunity to do: Not hear, like she couldn't. It was shocking to us, normal for her. 

John Krasinski explaining why they used the silent effect for the daughter

In my opinion it is the sound design of this film that makes it so...everything. The fear, the intensity, the drama, the emotion, our connection with these characters is all guided by the soundscapes that were created in each scene. Listen to the completely eerie sound of those monsters. I don't even need to see them to be freaked out! For example, (SPOILER ALERT) when the mother is about to go into labor and the monster is entering the house. It's not just what we see that is scary, it's the combination of the monster, that time ticking, the alarm, the quiet, held-in screams as she had each contraction. This was probably one of the most thrilling scenes I have watched in ANY scary movie!

What is usually the determining factor of a good horror or thriller for me is the denouement. How long do I feel the effects of how this film unraveled in the end? I was thinking about it for days. I watched it again the following weekend and found myself jumping at the same stuff...THAT I KNEW WAS COMING!  How was this effect created? By blending silence that we aren't prepared for, with loud blasts that were unexpected as well. Many horror films use a crescendo technique to build intensity, but not this film. It would be totally silent for many seconds and then BOOM! It is a physical response that we have to consider is remarkable from a two-dimensional space. Let's face it, we only use two senses when we are watching movies, what we hear and what we see (unless you count the smell of popcorn:). It takes incredible artists to play with these senses to give us something that feels 3 dimensionally REAL! A Quiet Place is a compelling example of how sound can bring you deep into the action and make you feel things beyond what you are seeing. After my second viewing of this film, I had a nightmare. Not about the monsters, not about keeping my kids safe, not about someone dying, but about that damn creepy clicking noise that those creatures made. I couldn't get "A Quiet Place" out of my head and that is the sign of great sound design!

Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van Der Ryn won Best Sound Design at the 2019 Academy Awards

I'm certain I will watch it again and I'm certain I will jump all over again as well! I give A Quiet Place 5 out of 5 hearts, though I thought mine was going to come out of my chest a few times! 

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MOONLIGHT REALLY SHINES

 Moonlight Really Shines

Barry Jenkin's 2016, Moonlight brings many viewers inside this film

I was born in San Francisco, in 1971, to hippie parents. I've often wondered what it would be like to grow up in an inner city. I’ve been in a lot of what people call “bad” neighborhoods, but I didn’t grow up in a large city. I definitely lived in ‘projects’ though.

Maybe I was 1 and this is the only photo of us all together

My mom and I moved to Marin county after my parents split. I think I was 2. We lived in pretty extreme poverty. My dad disappeared. Trying to survive when I was little was no joke. There were always lots of drugs laying around our house. People came and went a lot. I used to throw away needles, bags of cocaine, and grew up way faster than any kid should have. I remember being very angry about that at a young age. I would tell my mom at 5 years old that "people don’t act right when they take drugs." I was an isolated kid. I went to 8 different schools growing up and always felt like an outcast. To say I related to to the main character of Moonlight is an understatement. I saw myself as a child in him, and I wanted to hug us both. I was angry at his mother as if she were mine.

 

"Little," feeling as if he doesn't belong - The camera movement when they wrestle makes you feel like you are wrestling with them. The shaky, hand-held movement, with zooms and closeups puts you in the action.

I couldn't help but feel like I was walking along with Chiron through the whole film, intimately; like I was growing up with him. I ached for him as a small boy, craving the love of his mother, friends, companionship altogether. Wishing she would get her shit together so he wasn't so alone, but knowing that she wasn't going to. At such a young age already wondering why he's not like everyone else; already feeling like he doesn't belong. He built walls. The camera showed us this. So often in this film, the director of photography uses a first-person-point-of-view to force us to see (and feel) what Chiron was. 

"Little" despondent that his mom can't get it together. Many of the scenes where Chiron has peace are hued in blue but when he's at home we see reds, auburn's oranges and pinks. Much warmer colors that convey the hotness of his situation.

Through the three phases of Chiron's life, I was bound to his story. Feeling like I was part of his daily life was gifted masterfully by D.P. James Laxton (also born in San Francisco). His use of unconventional framing, movement, and closeups are a big part of the reason that many of us who watch this film feel like we are right next to Chiron the whole time. The camera always brings us right into the action. My favorite scene from the film is when Juan, whose impeccable performance by Mahershala Ali wins an academy award, teaches Chiron to swim. The camera sits a bit above the water but also just below the water line. You are swimming with them. It’s the first time Chiron has peace. When you grow up being tortured, you remember those moments of tranquility deeply. They are just so rare. 

Juan teaching Chiron to swim and you are in the water with them

In the final Act of Moonlight we see that Chiron now calls himself "Black" after a stint in prison. Although I never did prison time (I didn’t say I hadn’t been arrested), I sure went through a rebellious phase and got into a lot of trouble. Getting knocked up, instead of locked up is what saved me. I yearned for Black's happiness in the same way I yearned for my own in my 20's. He deserved it. He'd put up with enough. He built an emotional suit of armor along with his 20 inch biceps and it seemed impossible that anyone could hurt him any more. He had finally come into his own. 

          

The color palette of most of the last act is filled with warmer tones when Black returns to Miami. This kept me curious about a potential happy ending. Most of the red/hot pink/orange scenes from earlier in the film were negative for Chiron. A subtle clue that Chiron had changed his destiny.

In the end, after deeply understanding the hurt and pain "Little" had gone through as a child, after clenching from the torture of Chiron dealing with his drug addicted mother, and wincing at the thought of how Black was certainly tormented in prison, Chiron finally gets the hug I was desperate to give him the entire film. And I felt it. 

Chiron meets Kevin after years apart and they share an embrace, followed by what I construe as a memory of Black saying goodby to the tortured "Little" boy within him.

I loved the slower pace of this movie. It felt like real life. We've grown so accustomed to the blockbuster that we don't have a penchant for anything that doesn't explode. There is also no doubt that some viewers will feel homophobic discomfort that is entrenched throughout the film and in Chiron’s hatred of self. I make no apologies for this. It’s time we stop letting society destroy people because they don’t understand them. It’s called empathy...we can all do better.

CHIRON’S STORY IS MEANT TO TEACH THIS AS WELL!

         

Film is often an artistic representation of real life. For me, this particular interpretation of survival really struck a cord, as it obviously did for many others by the high accolades it received. 

And thank you Barry Jenkins for letting me be in this movie. 

                                            My little self thanks you too<3

I definitely give this film 5 hearts but they are Blue to match the Hue of Moonlight :) 💙💙💙💙💙

TROPIC THUNDER

             TROPIC THUNDER & COMEDY LIMITS IN 2023

Jack Black, Ben Stiller (Director, 2008), and Robert Downey Jr. from Tropic Thunder Poster

Tropic Thunder is a movie about making a movie, where a group of ego-driven actors join forces in a farcical, yet real, war film. Think a satire of The Expendables (dir. Stallone, 2010), which may be where Stallone got the idea for his franchise. Part of the allure of Tropic Thunder is Stiller's uncanny knack at using irony to point out our own personal flaws. If you laugh at the method acting, black-faced Downey Jr, or the horrible acting that embodies Simple Jack, then you are flawed, because those are off limits by societal decision. 

Simple Jack trailer as seen in the film Tropic Thunder

Making fun of race, ability, sexuality, religion, or any other sensitive issue should be prohibited to some. I would argue that without satire, we never understand where those limits are, or when they are being abused. Comedy is the SAFEST place to test this! We've all been in serious, heated discussions. They don't go over as well as a good action comedy. 

 Last week Ben Stiller brought this film back onto the radar with the following tweet:

I'd like to say there are two camps to this debate; those of us that are free speech purists, and those that get butt-hurt easily. Okay, so that's rude, but understanding the subjectivity of film viewing tells us there are millions of impressions of this movie. There are certainly a wide-range of opinions as to whether Tropic Thunder is offensive or not.

Robert Downey Jr in Blackface using the word "retard."

Just two of the controversial issues broached in Tropic Thunder

Still, just because I find THIS satirical approach to blackface funny (I don't think all blackface is funny), I don't find joy in the hurt feelings of others. It's funny because it's SO wrong. It's shocking and then Downey Jr. played it to a tee. He employed every stereotypical, tropey aspect of method acting,  ACTING like he was good enough to pull it off... lot of layers to that character actually. He was nominated for an Oscar, so the Academy acknowledged this. For me, this is the whole reason I agree with Stiller, he should not apologize. Can comedy go too far? I can only answer for me, and yes, there are times I have found comedic representations offensive. In this case, the portrayal pointed out the absurdity. As much as I hate the word "retard," the Simple Jack scenes would have fallen short without it and would have been less absurd, ensuring some would miss the point. Whether it's right or offensive or stupid, I still don't think it should be brought to its knees by "Cancel Culture." 

The best outcome from any of this is a cultural discussion about meanings and intent. Even better, make us really think about the Les Grossman character that is a total asshole and preys on others. I'm sorry that it took almost a decade after Tropic Thunder to actually catch up to Harvey Weinstein. 

Click here to read this Telegraph article by Robbie Collin

Tropic Thunder is comedic satire, which doesn't inherently protect it from controversy, but it sure opens the door to parody a lot of ridiculous aspects of the film industry. Would we accept an expose on the extreme egos of actors and the lines they may cross to remain famous? Well, they exist! It's a fact that documentary isn't going to draw the same audience as an action flick. Like the gawkers that hold up traffic staring at an accident, we would rather be shocked then simply informed. Tropic Thunder does this to make us ask, how far is too far? How ridiculous is too ridiculous? I mean, there's a movie called Cocaine Bear coming out next week! We will hear from animal rights activists. It will gross millions.

INTENT MATTERS! In their own words, hundreds of times, Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, and Etan Cohen have said they are proud of the film and the issues it raised. It was intentional and entertaining! That's exactly what I want from my art. They were asking us to think about how we value celebrity. We ARE the consumers of superstardom. We crave unique, thought provoking performances that are Oscar worthy. We want to see our favorite stars pushing boundaries and giving us something we've never seen before. We will stop buying tickets or streaming if we aren't impressed. And as I've just had 23 out of 24 students tell me Citizen Kane is quite assuredly NOT the greatest movie of all time, audiences are changing. That's what I think Tropic Thunder was asking and telling us at the same time.  At the absolute heart it was a funny action movie, as it was intended, with some scenes that would even make Michael Bay proud. 

Moviefone Interview

To be media literate is to understand the mediums you are consuming. Tropic Thunder is a piece of art entertainment that sought out to enthrall a contemporary audience while making them laugh. Maybe 15 years ago audiences were different than the current one that won't blockbust anything other than Superhero movies.  

To understand Tropic Thunder's intentions means you understand this film was trying to show you a line, and then like all good comedy, they attempted to push past it to make a point. It worked for me.

I give this film 💜💜💜💜💔 4 purple hearts and broken heart for anyone who was really hurt by it.

 

CITIZEN KANE

Why It's Still The Greatest Movie

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Sled Scene from Citizen Kane

This iconic scene; when we see young Charles truly happy for arguably the last time. The scene that sets up a life time of accumulation trying to fill the void that came from lack of family and love. Charles Foster Kane was happy sliding down that hill. We never see him filled with that kind of joy again. The age old question of whether money can buy happiness is answered. No, it certainly can not, nor can it buy love. As young Charles slides down the hill almost coming through the window, the audience sees the ultimate decision taking place that will change the trajectory of his life forever. Both parts of this scene equally important: Seeing Charles happy and the torturous decision his parents are making. Equally important and equally visible is everything in the entire frame of the shot. Without a split screen, the viewer is watching two actions happening at once, one in the background the other in the fore. It's one of the first times we see the deep focus technique that will change the way directors move through scenes in movies from that point forward.

Examples of Deep Focus

For taking one of the oldest adage's in story telling and making it brilliantly different, I believe Citizen Kane (Dir. 1941 Welles) is still the most remarkable film. The syuzhit narrative is vital to Kane's reception by the audience. Because the reporter uncovers the information out of chronological order, our emotions bounce all over the place. The pity evoked at the same time many feel true disdain for Kane, is awesome, and due to this narrative technique. I can't imagine character emotions before Kane ever dripping off the screen the way they did in Kane. The narrative and camera told us how to feel. The combined techniques amplified their individual effects.

Viewers can feel the dissolution of the Kane marriage through camera work

Twisting this antiheroic love story on its side is not the only reason Kane should still be considered the greatest movie ever. For the first time in film history, cinematography proved a 2-dimensional medium could FEEL 3-dimensional. Director of Photography, Gregg Toland was a genius behind the camera and he understood lenses as a science. It was also his humble, quiet teaching after production hours that allowed Welles to take credit for the masterpiece that became the greatest. Every single shot in the movie is a masterpiece, as if it were orchestrated like notes in a symphony. It proves cinema is undeniably an art form that uses many nuanced techniques to achieve its messaging. 

Gregg Toland (1904- 1948)

Finally, the cajones of Welles himself, to go after the greatest Tycoon of his time in spoofing the life of William Randolph Hearst, cracks me up every time I think of it. Hearst attempted to black list Welles for the film. Not necessarily well received at the box office, Hearst made sure only bad or no reviews made it into his monopoly of newspapers. Still, it was nominated for nine academy awards only to win one for best screen play. Was Hearst's sentiment influential within an academy that depended on his papers for press? The preeminance in Kane was obvious. How could it not win more, best cinematography at the least? It wasn't until Kane aired on television in the 50's that film scholars and critics began to look at the movie through a deeper more analytic lens. Its true influence was chronicled.

Comedy Central ~ Drunk History on Hearst & Welles :)

Many students ask me if I've been brainwashed to think Kane is the best because industry leaders have been saying it for so long. Haven't I seen Avengers!!!? It's a great question and my response is perhaps argumentum ad populum is taking place. Still, just saying it doesn't make the cinematography awesome, it truly is incredible for anyone to see, even by today's standards.

Like I respect Mohammad Ali as the best, Alice Paul or Sandra Day O'Connor as original badasses, others may not agree. There are definitely better movies than those made by Alice Guy Blache, 100 years ago, but it is her firstness, plus greatness, and almost perfection, that combine to equal 'the best.' In an age where GOAT's are determined precisely, statistically, and change often, being perfectly awesome and first is a better calculator for me. There's a bravery in it, that those who follow don't have to have. That is part of the reason I say Citizen Kane is the best. For the first time in cinema history all of the stars aligned; a daring, innovative narrative, jaw-dropping cinematography, masterful editing, gorgeous and disturbing chiaroscuro lighting, and uncanny acting performances that you really believed, all came together like a strike of lightning. I respect Kane's position as the first of the thousands of films that would try to emulate its excellence. Many have come close to matching the greatness of Kane, some have surpassed it in ways, but none have matched the synergy of mastering all the amazing cinematic techniques and innovations that made up the 1941 classic.

Chiaroscura in Kane

Students also ask me 'if I think it's the best, shouldn't it be my favorite movie'? I don't think so. Whether it's my favorite doesn't change that Citizen Kane was the first to do so much right in one film. Like many other mediums, technologies, or historical advancements, it gets to keep the title of 'best' for its historical significance as well as its prodigiousness. That's the reason I feel passionately that film students should see this movie and understand what it did, is, and does, even if some are bored by it. My job is to help you see the significance. I DO love Avengers! I hope my students can see there are aspects of Avengers that wouldn't exist without Kane. 

And whether it's my favorite or not, if I'm rolling through the channels on the TV (if we actually do that anymore) and Citizen Kane does happen to be on, you can bet I'm stopping and quit assuredly seeing something I've never caught before. And I've seen it dozens of times. The ONLY other movie I can say that about is Airplane:) I'm pretty certain the Zucker brothers took a page out of the Kane playbook for their scenic design, which is exactly the point I'm making. Kane is the greatest until another film break's every boundary in cinema history, all in one feature...then thousands of films copy and millions of people talk about it for decades and decades after its release. 

I give this film: 💜💜💜💜💜  Five Purple Hearts out of Five Purple Hearts!

~Lady Guinevere