The Graduate

I can’t really see why this movie is so great… it could have been made a lot better but oh well. Its good, but I’ve seen a lot better. The plot is a graduate who has an affair with Mrs. Robinson and ends up falling in love with Mrs. Robinson’s daughter.

I like the way it was shot, I like the dimensions. I don’t know whether its just my computer or it was all that they could afford or something but its so long but not very high. It looks almost artistic.

He’s graduated and his parents have this party for him but its filled with their friends and family friends who just fuss over the poor young man. I totally felt for him then.

I recognized the classic shot of Mrs. Robinson’s leg and Dustin Hoffman in the background with the classic line “Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me.” However, they used the word ‘seduce’ too often that it lost its ‘meaning’ if you know what I mean.

The tan lines on Mrs. Robinson’s body were funny, but also a nice change as you normally never see tan lines on women in movies. It was quite clever how they angled the camera to be over Mrs. Robinson’s shoulder so we see Hoffman, but we get very quick cuts to show areas of her naked body. That actually made it more tasteful than movies these days that would go ahead and show it all.

It was interesting to see another side to affairs. Most of the time in movies, the affairs are done so gracefully but in this one, at least at the beginning of the affair, Hoffman’s character hasn’t a single clue what to do which seems realistic.

Tootsie

I loved this movie! It helps that I love myself a bit of drag >.< But aside from that, its actually just really funny! I really enjoyed it. My dad walked into the living room as me and my mum were watching it and I told him to guess what we were watching and as soon as ‘Dorothy’ came on screen he went “Tootsie!!” I think this is going to be one of those movies that I’ll recommend to my friends, it’s a great comedy. Now onto my notes which I don‘t think will do this movie justice;

At the beginning, we have a kind of opening montage so we get to know the character in about 3 minutes rather than the usual 15. I liked that at the beginning we see him dressing himself and making up himself to look like an older man. It a nice contrast to the rest of the movie. Then we also see him teaching other people acting, going to auditions himself [and constantly turned down] and he’s waiter which is what most wannabe ‘actors’ lives are like. I think its important for people who want to be actors to realize that it won’t just come to you and you will be turned down pretty much all the time.

Dustin Hoffman [our main man/lady] is roommates with Bill Murray! Yay! I think Murray is slowly starting to become one of my favourite actors even though I probably shouldn’t admit that. I just love his humor, especially in this one, its just so dry and witty! My kind of humor! I could of quoted him so much in my notes but that would be a bit pointless as you’d have to watch it to really understand/get it. I did write one down but this probably won’t seem funny unless you’ve watched it; it’s the first time Murray’s character sees ‘Dorothy’ and he’s just woken up and he stares at him and goes “mum?!” See! Its funnier visually. And when he walks in on the actor ‘Dorothy’ is working with tries to kiss ‘her’ and when he leaves, Murray’s character looks at ‘her’ and goes “you slut.”

At first, I really didn’t like Hoffman’s [male] character because he’s the actor who takes himself too seriously and thinks he’s amazing and should do things his way. Those kind of actors piss me off. “I can’t work with this” type people, ergh, bugger off you ungrateful diva bitch. You should be grateful for what you have and the opportunity. But I suppose we’re supposed to be a bit pissed off with him and then love him when he goes female.

Now, when he does become ‘Dorothy’, he really does look like a woman! Well, that’s until we get a profile shot of him and then we can clearly see the man but that’s turned into a joke! So when they’re arranging the cameras and they want to get an emotional shot, the camera man asks how close and the production team scream “NOT TOO CLOSE!!” Once again, its funnier than I’m typing it out to be.

I really didn’t like Hoffman’s ‘female’ voice in this. I don’t know whether its supposed to be on purpose but I just thought it was a bit poor in some places.

I liked that as Dorothy, he could even fool his agent.

Me and mum made a little comment that the apartment that Hoffman and Murray’s characters lived in was rather big for two waiters who want to be actors and playwriters. They may of tried to make it look grudgy but it was still too big.

I thought it was good that Hoffman’s male character spoke of ‘Dorothy’ like she was an actual, real person. And that he gets really into the whole dressing up part [without going camp, though, which is great]. There’s a scene where he’s talking to Murray’s character; Michael [Hoffman] “No. I don’t have the right shoes for it, I don’t like the way the horizontal lines make me look to hippy, and it cuts me across the bust.” Jeff [Murray]: [slight pause] “I think we’re getting into a weird area here.”

Geena Davis is very skinny in this. Just to warn you. You may want to shield your eyes.

Like I said, I knew my notes wouldn’t give this film justice. Its mainly negative notes, isn’t it? Ooops. But, no, please, take my word for it, it’s a funny movie, it really is. I loved it.

I don’t like when somebody comes up to me the next day and says, “Hey, man, I saw your play. It touched me; I cried.” I like it when a guy comes up to me a week later and says, “Hey, man, I saw your play… what happened?”

55/212

Kate
xoxo

All The President’s Men

I was bored whilst watching this movie. Unfortunately, I’m a teenager who isn’t interested in politics at all and doesn’t know that much about recent American history. The only good thing I found which was relatively impressive was the speech and sound. The actors have to talk over airplanes and loud office noises which makes the scenes more realistic and like a documentary. The characters also spoke over each other which is also realistic; if you listen in on any conversation in real life, you’ll hear them talking over one another, not waiting for the other to stop speaking like ‘in the movies’.

Oooo, I did like one other thing. When they’re talking to each other through their typing is something that us girls do when we’re talking about stuff we don’t want anyone else to hear but on our mobile/cell phones! It just made me smile.

Er… that’s about it. I regret to say I didn’t enjoy it but I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who will/do. My mum does!

18/212

Kate
xoxo