NEOREALISM

 The Neorealism movement was an international film movement started in Italy. It was also known as the Golden Age of Italian Cinema.

This movement in film was most often characterized by stories set amongst poor characters and setting, filmed on location, and usually utilizing non-professional actors.

Neorealism films often centered their stories around the harsh impoverished conditions of post WWII Italy. They often took place and were shot in run down, poor cities, to add to the effect.

The movement was used as a sort of commentary on the cultural and social progress in the world.

Despite its cultural impact and popularity, the movement began to decline in the 1950s. Liberal and socialist parties were having a hard time presenting their message. Levels of income were gradually starting to rise and the first positive effects of the Italian economic miracle period began to show. As a consequence, most Italians favored the optimism shown in many American movies of the time. The vision of the existing poverty and despair, presented by the neorealist films, was demoralizing a nation anxious for prosperity and change. The views of the postwar Italian government of the time were also far from positive, and the remark of Giulio Andreotti, who was then a vice-minister in the De Gasperi cabinet, characterized the official view of the movement: Neorealism is "dirty laundry that shouldn't be washed and hung to dry in the open."

Some notable directors of the era include Roberto Rosselini, Vittorio De Sica, Cesare Zavattini, Luchino Visconti, Guiseppe de Santis.

THIS IS NOT A FILM REVIEW

This grading period, I decided to review the documentary This Is Not a Film.

This film follows a film-maker who was put under house arrest and banned from making films due to his spreading of "propaganda against the regime." In his attempt to salvage his art and not lose his touch, he films himself in his apartment during his house arrest. He also invites his colleague and collaborator, Martahmasb, to help him film. In his filming, he reads some of his ideas for films he was planning on making in the future that he can no longer make. He then interviews a young boy, who cleans the litter in the apartment, and asks him questions about life and his goals.

This film portrays the feeling of being locked in a confined space for so long very well. It is so simple, but manages to create such an emotional experience. The audience really sympathizes with this character, and as a film maker myself, I cant imagine being in the position that he was in.

It really is touching and is such a sad accurate depiction of censorship.

BLACKFISH

Blackfish, a film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, is one that I'd been anticipating and planning on watching for a while. I, personally, feel very passionately about the unethical treatment of orca whales in captivity. I was extremely curious to see what the film had to offer in terms of information, and also curious to see what kind of bias the film carried throughout.

For some reason, I expected a lot more out of the film visually. I thought going into it that it would be a lot more beautiful than it was, but understanding that it is strictly a documentary; this did not make me think negatively of the film.

The film covers such a broad spectrum of sources, such as old Seaworld trainers who understand that what was happening was wrong. I found it so interesting that they were using former Seaworld employees to testify AGAINST Seaworld. They mentioned that the employees were so painfully misinformed on what was going on in the facility, and that made me think a lot.

Surprisingly, it keeps an unbiased perspective. It is a mature approach to the topic and manages to persuade you without simply putting down Seaworld or Waterworld or whatever company it is informing you about.

I found Blackfish to be passionate, informative, and smart. It was touching and made you take a step back and look at what you thought was a pleasant experience as a child and realize it for what it was. It gets an excellent point across while managing to really persuade you in a professional, intelligent manner.