Thursday 14 April 2011

Catfish: Is it a catch?

Olla, fellow bloggers – Cheeky Lamby here again and this time with a film review on a film that highlights one of the main problems that has appeared in modern day society, due to the world wide social phenomenon that is Facebook (along with fellow social sites such as Twitter): The issue of true identity over the Internet!


"Catfish" is film that has been directed by new directors on the block Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, and shows the story of one of their friends and brother of Ariel Yaniv Schulman, who is known as Nev in the film (as shown from left to right respectively in the picture below).


The film follows the story of Yaniv and his virtual relationship with a little girl, whom before the filming began sending Yaniv paintings of his published photography in the post. Overtime Yaniv becomes friends with the little girl and her entire family on Facebook and begins frequently contacting them through (obviously) Facebook, letters and even via phone; but is everything as it seems? Yaniv’s relationship with the family starts off as a friendly correspondence, before taking a world of twists and turns that will change the relationship between them forever.

"Catfish" itself was released not so long after the critically acclaimed film also featuring Facebook “The Social Network” hit our movie screens, and was properly released around this time in order to gain more viewers following the film's success (although the events in the film are said to have occurred in 2007). Following the same style as films such as "The Blair Witch Project" and "Cloverfield" the film is filmed using hand held cameras in order to create a documentary feel.


I myself held about this film when I attended a YSC film choosing meeting (a society that I am a member of at university) and became intrigued in it when one of my fellow members described the shocking revelations that were shown in the film and the fact that, despite the rumours surrounding this film, they believed the whole film to be true. Although "Catfish" was not chosen in the end to be shown at YSC, I could not get the film out of my head and one day found myself looking at a trailer of the film on YouTube (which is shown below).



After seeing this trailer I was drawn even more to watch the film, and within in a few minutes (sorry film industries) found it online and watched it straight away late one night by myself on my laptop. From the start I had an inkling where the story was going to in terms of shocks and twists, as everyone has held about similar stories in which people are not always what they seem over the Internet. Yaniv saying “She must be pretty awesome, at least from Facebook” to the camera whilst being filmed pretty much sums up the premonition that many viewers will definitely obtain about the film’s plot whilst watching it unfold. Despite this I would be completely thrown away by the truth that would become revealed in the last 40 minutes (as the trailer itself says), and would come away afterwards thinking “Holy S**t!"


Was the film however a new Alfred Hitchcock film that he never directed and did it live up to its hype? Firstly the film was in my mind nothing like an Alfred Hitchcock film. I still find it hard to comprehend how someone could think they were on a par! The trailer in general I believe is effective in drawing in your interest, but wrongly gives the impression that the film is a horror thriller and therefore is slightly misleading, (I expected a Scream like figure to explode through the garage door in the trailer and kill Yaniv with a pitchfork)! Secondly the film did to me live up to its hype and was indeed as shocking and mind blowing as people had claimed, but was not ground breaking or unique.


I am not sure whether I think this film is real or not as there are certain events that occur that I can’t believe would happen, were too coincidental and were down right too shocking to believe. Nevertheless "Catfish" is a film I would definitely recommend seeing, as I enjoyed watching it and I believe it importantly reinforces the issue in taking caution when meeting people over the Internet.

That’s it for now folks xD

Stay happy (and interweb safe)

Cheeky Lamby
xxxx

Tuesday 22 December 2009

Uni Life - Cheeky Lamby - a year and a half wiser (or dumber?)

Hi Fellow Bloggers

Finally, Cheeky Lamby has come back to Blogger - sorry for The Rock reference there (for how long this time I don't know hahaha). The last time I wrote a blog was just before I came to York Uni to start a four year course in Chemistry and I must say times sure have changed between now and then, and I myself think that I have sure grown during the (nearly) two years I have been at York Uni.

When I left college I was ready to embrace the Uni world and to become, like thousands of other people in the UK, a student (aka alcoholics, test subjects in clinic trials, party goers, disco lovers, sex driven, and occasional workers). I am not going to lie, my first few weeks (and in general my first term) were very hard for me without a doubt. Uni was a work shock, a huge liftstyle change (as it is not easy leaving all your friends and hobbies back at home to start anew with virtually strangers) and a big culture shock, as I had never gone out clubbing properly or even really drunk alcohol and got drunk.

I have now thankfully got over that extremely difficult period, made lots of new friends and am having the time of my life. In revisiting my blog I found this written in an unfinished blog entry (and this blog continues on from that, hence why it is dated at December 2010 and not early 08th April 2011). This is shown below:

.......................................................

"Helloooooooo Fellowwww Bloggers :)

It has been a while since I have written a blog this year, because for the last 10 weeks or so I have been at the University of York studying for a degree in Chemistry :) Woop Woop

During the 10 weeks that I have stayed at York Uni, I have been to acquire a bigger uderstanding from the way that people act at my age to the reason why many people who go to University drop out within their first term. As a result I decided to write this new blog, in order for me to convey my new understandings and experiences that I have gained in just under 10 weeks.

......................................................

I obviously due to revision in the Christmas period and other reasons never got back to this blog (I am currently trying to revise now whilst writing this blog - hugeeeee fail that is hhahaha). I wish I had finished that blog as well as it would have been very interesting to how I first reacted to Uni life.

So what has changed? That's the big question

- I am now a Shodan-Ho in GKR (a provisional black belt in my Karate style)
- I have been drunk a few times (wayyyy :/ haha)
- I am now House Manager of YSC at York Uni (a fantastic student run society at York Uni)
- I am a drummer for York University Concert Band, and
- I have on a few occasions been drunk (oh dear)

Times are looking good though and I hope the rest of my time at Uni will as good (if not better) than my first year and a bit at uni :)

Don't really think I have anything else to say right now so chou for now (and don't revise too hard now)

Stay Happy
Cheeky Lamby
xxxxx

Monday 5 October 2009

Mumford and Sons: New artists to look out for?

I myself am a massive fan of music and see it as an extremely important part of my life, as being a musician has enabled me to lead an fulfilling and happy life. As a result I am constantly on the look out for new songs, or old songs that I have never heard, on the radio and everywhere on the internet. One new song which has really got my attention and won me over is "Little Lion Man" by "Mumford and Sons", which was recommended to me by a friend. I think "Little Lion Man" is a great song and could the be the start of an amazing career for the new band.

Hope you enjoy this song as much I do :)

WARNING: This song does contain some strong language
If you would prefer to listen to a clean version go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7e6rsJKIag



Stay Happy
Cheeky Lamby
xxx

Sunday 6 September 2009

Analysis of a scene: Harry vs. Draco (WITH SPOILERS!)

One of my favourite scenes to appear in a film this summer was the fight scene between Draco and Harry in "Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince", as I believe it contained excellent acting, was beautifully shot and was one of the best scenes in the whole film.


Following the accidental posioning and near death of Ron Weasley, Harry spots Draco Malfoy acting mysteriously in Hogwarts and decides to follow him, as Harry believes Draco was responible for nearly killing Ron in yet another one of his failed attempts to kill Dumbledore. Draco, whom has been protrayed as wearing a black attire throughout the entire film at this point to portray his darkness and inner evil, is then seeing running to the toilets in an upset state, and when he reaches the toilet he is shown taking off his black jacket to reveal a white T-shirt underneath.

The removal of Draco's black jacket brillantly illustrates the pain that Draco's conscience and sanity has been taking during the film, excellently portrays his inner innocence and reveals to the audience that Draco is in fact another innocent young boy with a heart like Harry who wants to rid himself of his darkness. It also shows the audience that Draco's conscience can not go through with the task that Lord Voldermort has assigned to him (which is to kill Dumbledore). Tom Felton is brilliant in this scene as his portrayal of Draco's sadness and collapse in character is stunning, as we then see Draco's face in the mirror which perfectly reinforces the pain that Draco is suffering deep inside of him.


Draco's mood then suddenly changes as he realises that he has been followed to the toilet by Harry. As a result Draco fires a wond spell at him in anger and a fight then breaks out between the pair. The fight between both characters is at an even match until Harry suddenly fires a spell at Draco, that he discovered earlier in the Half Blood Prince's book, which sends Draco flying to the ground and out of sight to the audience. The music in the background in the music suddenly stops in order to make the scene more dramatic and to add more tension, as the audience is left in eager bewilderment as to what as happened to Draco.

Draco's chilling child like cry can then be heard alongside Harry's deap and anxious breathing, as the camera follows Harry as he slowly walks forward to where Draco fell. The audience is then shown the shocking image of Draco on the floor quivering in pain with blood glashes across his chest, with blood slowly seeping out onto the floor. The new attire of Draco Malfoy adds more shock to this part of the scene as the red colour of his blood really shines and stands out on his white blood stained T-shirt. The dark background of the scene also adds to this effect as the eyes of the audience are immediately drawn to the blood gashes on Draco's body.

A close up of Harry's face is then shown as he gasps in horror at what the spell has done to Draco. The black and white attire contrast between Harry and Draco effectively, and temporarily, gives both characters a role revearsal, as for the only time in the entire film Harry is shown to be the evil one where as Draco is portrayed as the innocent one. Due to Draco's earlier sign of "weakness" in this scene he is purposely portrayed lying in a pool of blood in agony to show that Draco has been effectively punished for showing what some would see as inner weakness. As a result Draco is never seen wearing a white T-Shirt again and continues to wear his black jacket attire for the rest of the film.

Professor Snape then runs into the toilets and discovers what has happened and the next shot of the scene shows Harry in front of the camera as Snape is seen peering down as Draco in shock, followed by Harry and Snape both looking at each other in the eye is shock and horror. This part of the scene (LOOK AWAY IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE PLOT OF THE BOOK / FILM) cleverly hints at the identity of the Half Blood Prince, as this part of the scene gives the image of Snape looking back at his younger self whom wrote down the evil spell that Harry used and has now mortally wounded Draco. This part of the scene also hints at a later scene and the eventual murder of Dumbledore by Snape, as both Scenes have similar appearances to one another.

Harry then runs off in fright and horror at what he has done leaving Snape to heal Draco in the toilet, as Snape is shown in the final part of the scene to be muttering a spell with his wand over Draco, whilst the blood that was seeping onto the floor seeps back into Draco and his gashes slowly heal up. This reasures the audience that Draco will survive this attack and ends the suspensation and actions of the scene.

To read my full review on the Harry Potter film simply go to http://cheekylamby.blogspot.com/2009/08/harry-potter-and-half-attempted-film.html

Thanks for reading and remember, keep blogging :)
Cheeky Lamby
xxxx

Sunday 30 August 2009

The best scene to appear in a film?

There are many film scenes which are seen as groundbreaking, unique and inspirational, from the plane chasing scene in "North by Northwest", the first cell conversation in "Silence of the Lambs" to the infamous Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker fight scene in "Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back". Perhaps one of the best film scenes to appear in 21st Century films so far is the cell / interrogation scene between the Joker and Batman in "The Dark Knight", which is one of, if not the, best action hero films to be made in years.

The entire scene from the surprise appearance of the Batman to the Joker being interrogated just shines with brillance. The acting skills of Heath Ledger as the Joker is outstanding, from the occassional mouth licking to the sheer insanity and loss of fear the character expresses, which shows extremely well in this scene. The dialogue between the Joker and Batman is also an excellent example of batter between the main hero and villain in a film, as the Joker gains the uphand over the Batman by causing him to lose his temparement, despite the fact that is the one trapped in prison with seemingly no means of escape.

Another great contribution to the scene is the music theme in the background during this scene, which appears throughout the film whenever the Joker appears and acts as the Joker's theme. The scene at first starts off in silence and the music gradually builds up in the scene from the moment when Batman appears, with the sound of echoing drums in the background, to when Batman starts getting impatient with the Joker, when a high pitched screeching sound is all that can heard apart from the dialogue, which effectively adds to the tension of the scene, draws the viewer in and gives the scene a claustrophic atmosphere.

This scene also has the most chilling moment in the entire film, when it is made clear to the viewer, and to Batman, that the Joker has absolutely no fear and that Batman can't not threaten him with anything, which makes him one of the most dangerous and mysterious villian to ever appear in a film. Well, that's enough from me, here is the amazing scene in all its glory. Enjoy! :)

Cheeky Lamby
xxxx