Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

Set around the 18^th century in British Port Royal, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) sets out to find his love, Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), who was kidnaped by the pirate captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). He teams up pirate Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), who wishes to take back his ship The Black Pearl, which Barbossa stole from him after the crew started munity. The pair soon find out the whole crew is under an ancient Aztec curse, after stealing gold medallions. With help from the British Navy, they must battle the undead crew, to escape with their lives.

The contrast of the bright daytime shots with grand ships sailing on the high seas with the dark and sometimes candle lit scenes, highlights the adventure and intrigue of the glorious life of a pirate with the supernatural damnation of being a thief. The brilliant shades of red and brown perfectly fit the mood of the piece. At time, the soundtrack is upbeat and then suspenseful, catering to each scene. The combat scenes are excellently executed and with great cinematography; in one scene the camera is underneath a sword fight with Jack and Will. Although the CGI is not up to standards today, at the time it was excellent. Director Gore Verbinski brings sophistication from a ride adaption that no one thought was possible.

Singin' in the Rain

In 1927 Hollywood, a silent film production company attempts to make the transition to sound after the first Talkie was just released. Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) are some of the biggest silent film stars; the movie they are currently working on has been turned into a musical. Not only do they have problems capturing the sound, but Lina's voice is shrewd and even the dictation coach does not help. With the help of Cosmo (Donald O'Connor), a musician, and Kathy (Debbie Reynolds), an aspiring actress and Lina's voice dubb, they make the film a great success.

Surprisingly, when this film was first released, it did not receive much praise. Though, today it is considered a classic and one of the greatest musicals of all time. The bright colors not only exemplify a cheerful tone but remind us of the Technicolor brilliance of the first color films.  Though the whole soundtrack and soundscape is wonderful, the song “Singin' in the Rain” along with the sound of falling rain and Don jumping in puddles, creates a fantastic soundscape in an unforgettable scene. In fact, when filming the scene, Gene Kelly had a 103 degree fever. Directors Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen did an amazing job, especially since there are such diverse sets and visuals throughout the whole movie. 

Jaws

On the island of Amity, the new police chief Martin (Roy Scheider) discovers the remains of a shark-attack victim. He attempts to close the beaches, but with the Fourth of July holiday approaching, the Mayor insists closing them will decrease the tourism income that they all heavily rely upon. Shortly after, a young boy is killed by the shark while playing at the beach, and his distraught mother puts a bounty on the shark. Quint (Robert Shaw), a local fisherman, says he will kill the shark; and with Martin, as well as a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) tagging along, they set out to catch the monstrous great white. 

The shark's presence is only hinted at during most of the film, by showing only its fin or its  shadows, adding to the film's intrigue and suspense. It's very Hitchcock-esque, yet, it was not what Spielberg had originally intended, but as a last-resort after the mechanical sharks failed to work. The Da-na, Da-na, high register music that is played when the shark approaches, only enhances the suspense; it is still used in scenes expressing impending danger. It is thought that movies that feature a "monster" killing everyone in sight are typically considered Trash Cinema or B-Films, however with the cinematography and Spielberg's directing, it instantly became a classic and the first summer blockbuster. The limited amount of gore leaves your imagination to fill in the gaps and makes the movie that much better. 

Children of Men

The year is 2027 in Dystopian, England. Most nations have collapsed and refugees flock to England, the only government that is still intact, though these illegals are rounded up and deported. The youngest person in the world just died and all females are infertile. That is until Theo (Clive Owens) discovers Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), a pregnant woman, and attempts to help her escape the chaos of gunfire and warfare to a safe haven ship.

The fluid movement of the Oners and the point of view shots made me feel as though I was part of the action. Noise from dogs barking, government ads, traffic and a continuous stream of news provide for a totalitarian city soundscape. A fusion of classical, hip-hop, pop, and rock music help create a unique and diverse score while the bleak colors perfectly matched the setting, where the world is literally falling apart and England is barely holding on. Yet, the theme of the film is hope, and I did become more hopeful as the film progressed. I believe Alfonso Cuarón very much did succeed in using the elements to set the tone of the film, and I thoroughly enjoyed this piece of art.