ME AND MY MOVIES

Action/Thriller/Sci-Fi

I am Number Four (2011)• Genre: Action/Sci-fi/Thriller• Director: D.J. Caruso• Producer: Michael Bay• Distributer: Touchstone Pictures• Release date: 18/2/11• Budget: $50 Million• Box Office: $145,982797

Aliens and their Guardians are hiding on Earth from intergalactic bounty hunters. They can only be killed in numerical order, and Number Four is next on the list. This is his story.

Four Main Things That Drawn me:

• Special Effects• Attractive Female• Good narrative • Action

http://youtube/g5djHG3hPu0

Predator (1987)• Genre: Action/Sci-fi/Thriller• Director: John Mctiernan • Producer: Lawrence Gordan • Distributer: 20th Century Fox • Release Date: June 12, 1987• Budget: $15,000,000 • Box Office: $98,267,558

A team of commandos, on a mission in a Central American jungle, find themselves hunted by anextra-terrestrial warrior

Four Main Things That Drawn me:• Special effects• Action• Constant Thrill• Dominant Predator

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrDsvVKY_d4

Knowing (2009)• Genre: Action/Sci-fi/Mystery• Director: Alex Proyas• Producer: Todd Black• Distributer: Summit Entertainment• Release Date: 20/3/09• Budget: $50 Million• Box Office: $187,858,642

A teacher opens a time capsule that has been dug up at his son's elementary school; in it are some chilling predictions -- some that have already occurred and others that are about to happen -- that lead him to believe his family plays a role in the events that are about to unfold.

Four Main Things That Drawn me• Mysterious Narrative• Real Events• Main character• Interesting relation to conspiracy theories

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxPQhm_Aq-E

Codes and ConventionsI like this type of movie because after setting the scene the film involves

• Villains • Heroes• Big explosions• Guns • Threatening situations• Fights• Chase scenes• Challenging Situations

This type of film keeps you on the edge of your seat and wanting more.

AttractionPeople are drawn to watch this type of film because of:

• Cinema trailers• Media literacy and television hype• Social Networking such as Twitter and Facebook• YouTube• Websites• Preferred reading in related books• Fandom brings together like minds at conventions • Word of Mouth

A good movie featuring intertexuality and framework of interpretation creates its own publicity.

Genre Analysis of Men in Black 3Area of Analysis Example Technical feature

(Camera/sound/mise en scene/ editing)

Conforms to genre? Y/N

Breaks conformity? Y/NIf yes, how?

Codes and conventionsBlack suitsFuturistic GunsAliensBlack CarsNormal Time

Wide angle shots of attacking space shipsLaser noisesRealistic Alien Custumes and effects

Y N

SettingCurrent Day USAUrbanCity

New York City Streets and Skyline, Kennedy Space Centre Florida

Y N

CharacterAliensHumans MIB Agents

Serious men in black suitsAlien costumes and realistic effects

Y N

ThemesDestruction of EarthHumans in danger

Fast action shots highlighting danger

Y N

NarrativeDouble Narrative Two stories at once

developing through the film

Y N

IconographyIntelligent aliensMore Intelligent humans

Humour Everyday life

Y N

Ideological messageNever give up Y N

Men in Black 3 (Barry Sonnenfeld, 2012)• Star Theory – The film was successful because it cast stars such Will Smith

and Tommy Lee Jones.• Reception Theory – The film was a sequel to a sequel both had been very

successful to the audience.• Intertextuality – The film was a success it contained the character props

and location that we have grown familiar with.

Genre Analysis of Face OffArea of Analysis Example Technical feature

(Camera/sound/mise en scene/ editing)

Conforms to genre? Y/N

Breaks conformity? Y/NIf yes, how?

Codes and conventionsDetective VillainGunsExplosionsBlood

Wide shots of explosionsFast editing during action scenes

Y N

SettingCurrent Day USAUrbanCity

Dull surroundingsPolice sirens

Y N

CharacterGangsterPoliceFamily

Close up shots of faces Y Y, swaps identity with evil villain’s body

ThemesLoveHateRevenge

Fast action shots highlighting dangerEmotion music

Y N

NarrativeDouble Narrative Two stories at once

developing through the film

Y N

IconographyJustice over Super villain

Strong hatred between 2 main characters

Y N

Ideological messageGood will overcome evil - Y N

Face Off (John Woo, 1997) • Star Theory – The film was successful because it cast stars such Nicholas

Cage and John Travolta.• Reception Theory – The film was a typical action/thriller/sci-fi which was

targeted at the general cinema going audience.• Intertextuality – The film was a success because it showed the hard hitting

battle of good vs evil.

Conclusion• In conclusion I think these films are similar because both good and evil in the films eventually

becomes quite personal and they both star actors who share equal amount of fame although I think that in terms of box office, the gross amount is totally different and MIB 3 has an unfair advantage because of this as it is a sequel movie to the previous so people have already experienced an MIB movie before. As for face off it was its only film and it was quite unique for its genre and this may of seemed like a gamble at the time the film was being produced and also the films are a different certificate which means that as MIB was a PG during cinema showing, it means a lot more wider range of audience could attend whereas face off was certificated 18 when it was first shown in cinemas.

• MIB was made 12 years after face off was made as well meaning that another unfair advantage of it being better quality, neater editing and effects due to the advancing in technology.