Journal #5: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2: an End to an Era

The article 'Harry Potter' stars say final scene was a challenge for the ages written by Geoff Boucher is rather nicely summed up by its title alone. I found it really interesting to see how the cast felt about putting together the epilogue for the movie. I was surprised that they weren't particularly confident about the first take on the epilogue, but I'm really glad they came back to redo the scene.

A lot of the Harry Potter fandom thinks that the epilogue was a shoddy scene not only in the movie but also in the book. While I didn't exactly like it in the book, I can see the reasons Rowling put it in there. It finally provided the happy ending Harry was never able to have. As for the scene in the movie, I agree that it wasn't really all that appealing. It didn't have the magic that every other part of the series had. But again, I think that considering the options available, the epilogue in the film was very well done, especially the make up for the actors.

But to be honest, I didn't enjoy the epilogue very much. In the book, it felt forced. I was perfectly satisfied with the ending the movie provided before the epilogue came in. It just didn't feel like it fit in with the rest of the series, and I think that's the problem most of the fandom has with it. It just felt too perfect, and we weren't used to that. But if there's one sure thing, it's that Harry should not be able to name children after the atrocity that was "Albus Severus Potter."

Journal #4: A closer look at The Social Network

One of the most important scenes in The Social Network in my opinion, begins at one hour and thirty-nine minutes into the movie. In this scene, shots between the legal meeting and the past are cut much shorter than in the rest of the film, and color saturation remains low for the most part. One important factor is when Zuckerburg is shown going into an office as a revenge stunt devised by Parker, who doesn't appear to take much seriously. Next is when Saverin returns to the Facebook offices to celebrate Facebook's one millionth member and to take care of, as he was told, a business meeting. What he wasn't expecting was having to sign papers that diluted his share of Facebook to 0.03% to make room for new investors.

At this point in the film, color saturation is much higher than in any other part. The Facebook offices create a more casual, fun atmosphere filled with color, rather than the grey and bland business-like atmosphere we're used to. Shots are shorter in order to indicate higher emotions and a sense of urgency as Saverin storms over to Zuckerburg and slams his computer down to get his attention. You'd expect Zuckerburg and Saverin to start arguing, but a few short words are exchanged before Parker jumps in and takes over, completely reaming Savering and forcing him out with security. After the event, Parker is shown as taking things lightly once more when he treats it like no big deal.

The final part of the scene is a party attended by Parker and a few interns from the company. Color saturation and exposure are both low and shots are short once again as Parker goes off onto a tangent about new features on Facebook and how revolutionary they are. While Parker is distracted, someone else brings out some cocaine right as the cops break up the party downstairs. Long story short, Parker is caught and phones Zuckerburg who keeps his cool even when it's obvious that he's panicking. It's then that Zuckerburg finally realizes that Parker doesn't take the company seriously and he had a much better chance working with Saverin. The scene ends as Zuckerburg tells Parker to go home before contemplating how he's going to clean up the mess Parker's caused.

Journal #3: What makes a chick flick?

Mindy Kaling's article "Flick Chicks" introduced a few more ideas that I had subconsciously recognized were there but hadn't been entirely aware of, such as the portrayal of women in romantic comedies. I'll admit, I enjoy the occasional romantic comedy, but more often than not, I'm very much put off by the leading female in the film. I initially saw these women as ignorant and/or simply unintelligent, not to mention, for lack of a better word, weak, because they found it absolutely essential to have a man in their lives. But now, I've expanded my definition.

The women in a number of romantic comedies aren't necessarily unintelligent or ignorant, but simply caricatures of stereotypes. They're practically nothing more than hyperboles of aged up versions of those girls in the petty high school cliques we've come to know. And then of course, as Kaling pointed out, there's the fact that every single female love interest must look absolutely perfect, God forbid an attractive man falls for a woman with a little meat on her bones, blotchy complexion, and hair that doesn't always do as it's told.

I'm getting a little preachy here, but all I really want is to see strong, independent women showing up more on the big screen. I want to see gender roles swapped, or even lesbian or gay relationships, just to investigate the dynamic there. And can we please have a romantic relationship that involves more than just wanting to get into each other's pants? There's never enough emotion involved. Then again, I could just be taking everything about movies way too seriously. Wouldn't be the first time.

Journal #2: Reviewing Films

All throughout watching the video on film analysis and reading the article on reviewing films, I couldn't help but think of my own endeavors in film reviewing. Now I'm not saying I'm a professional, and any newspaper that thinks I can do more than blabber endlessly about my personal life is sadly mistaken, but if I ever watch a movie and find myself uninterested in the content, I can't help but start dissecting it. Especially when it comes to horror films.

See, I'm a real movie-goer. I love watching the newest blockbusters and reviewing old classics, but horror films are my passion. There's just something about that adrenaline rush as your heart starts to pound and your mind begins to race that's positively addicting. But there's nothing more aggravating than reading reviews about horror films written by someone who doesn't understand how horror works. These people are becoming even more difficult to find as horror films fall to the wayside while gory thrillers take their place.

The Paranormal Activity films are a perfect example of this, as they are the first true horror films I've seen come out in a long time. They don't show you what's causing all the mayhem (until the third movie, sort of) and they condition the audience to be afraid at the right times.


That's what I love about film reviewing; realizing how movies have psychologically conditioned us to react in the proper ways to the situation at hand just by using effective music, camera angle, and even the coloring of the shot. We've been trained to react to movies the way we do, some more effectively than others.

Though the video I watched mentioned some aspects of film reviewing that I normally wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. I never like going into the social and cultural aspect of film reviewing because it involves making broad assumptions about both the audience and the directors and writers of the film. It's what I've always hated about writing essays on books as well. Who are we to assume what the author or director meant by putting a red rose next to a blue book on a shelf unless they tell us themselves? For all we know, it was just there to look pretty and balance out the green in the room so it didn't become an eyesore.

All I know now is that the next time I watch a movie, especially a bad one, I'm probably going to be sitting there captivated by what motivation every single camera angle has and I'll have no idea what's actually going on in the movie.

College Cuisine: Zuppa Toscana 101

With winter just around the corner, nothing can beat a tasty hot soup for dinner. Unfortunately for the average college student, these hot home-cooked meals come only once in a blue moon, due to a lack of time, culinary skill, or money. Well there’s one Italian soup that’s easily made, whether it’s in a crockpot or on a stove, isn’t horribly expensive, and doesn’t take all that much time. Zuppa Toscana is made with nothing more than Italian sausage, potatoes, onions, kale, bacon bits, whipping cream, and your average chicken broth, and if you’ve got a slow cooker, all it takes is throwing most everything in for three or four hours that you’ll then have as free time. It’s a great winter soup that’ll warm you straight to your bones and keep you coming back for more.

Things you need to make Zuppe

Before you do anything, you may need to take a trip to the grocery store to make Zuppa Toscana. In the produce section, you will need a red or white onion, depending on personal preference, some fresh garlic, three Russet potatoes, and kale. In the meat department, of your grocery store you will need bacon and Italian sausage, mild or spicy depending on your taste. In the soup aisle, you will need two cans of chicken broth. Then finally in the dairy department, you will need shredded parmesan cheese and 8oz of whipping cream. You will also need a crock pot, a frying pan, a cutting board, a pancake flipper, and a few knives.

Let’s make some Zuppa

Journal #1: A New Trek

So, I read the article "Zachary Quinto getting in Spock shape for 'Star Trek' sequel" by Rebecca Keegan, and to be honest, there wasn't much new here for me. I already knew that Quinto had come out thanks to word going around on Tumblr moments after the news was released, and I already knew about the new Trek movie coming out next year. I had also realized that Abrams' approach to Star Trek was far more action-oriented than Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), but I suppose I hadn't really thought about it before.

In TOS, episodes centered more around speculative science fiction, or puzzles that had to be solved with the mind, rather than physically. If there was any physical fighting, it was usually Captain James T. Kirk instead of Mr. Spock, anyway. The episode where Spock had probably the most physical action in the whole series was "Amok Time" from season two, where he becomes increasingly violent due to the seven year mating cycle of Vulcans. But that's beside the point. J. J. Abrams' reboot takes an entirely different approach when it comes to telling the story of Star Trek.

In the first few minutes of the movie, the screen is filled with explosions and chaos as Kirk's father pilots the ship into the belly of a Romulan war ship in a suicide mission to stop the Romulans from destroying any other fleets. Even Spock gets a shot at extra action in the reboot as he runs through falling debris to save the last of his race from the implosion of their home planet. However, it is revealed in the movie that this is a separate timeline from that of TOS, justifying any inaccuracies from its predecessor, such as the added action and a slightly more emotional Spock.

It'll be interesting to see what Abrams does next, as sci fi today is so drastically different from what it was when TOS was on the air. We no longer have the opportunity to speculate what science will bring us in the future, because if we haven't already thought it up, it's probably already in the works in some laboratory, ready to become the next best thing since sliced bread.

Back to the actual article, I think Keegan could have added a bit more background on Quinto's career as an actor. If I remember correctly, he had a few roles before he showed up as Sylar in Heroes, and I think she should have gone a bit more in depth on what Quinto's new movie "Margin Call" will be about, as I don't ever remember hearing about it and would certainly like to know more. And there isn't really much to agree or disagree with here, as the article is composed of mostly fact or quotes from Quinto.

Well, there you have it. The new Trek as seen from the eyes of a new Trek who wishes she had seen the original first.