Tag: Drama

  • Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Dir. John Hughes. Paramount. 1986.

    (Scene beginning 55:15) ‘Mr. Rooney’s sole motivation is “getting Bueller”,’ claims Media Literacy author Art Silverblatt; ‘To reduce Ferris’ influence over the other students, which would re-establish adults, Rooney, that is, as traditional authority figures.’[1]  Rooney does not ‘get Bueller’ however, thus never truly establishes himself as having any executable authority.  This is no better exemplified than through…

  • Marley and Me. Dir. David Frankel. 20th Century Fox. 2008.

    Is this love, is this love, is this love, is this love that I’m feelin? This is the one question undoubtedly playing on John Grogan’s mind when looking at his cushion shredding, underwear stealing, jewellery eating, chaos causing canine; an ebullient bundle of joy whom he later asserts is “the world’s worst dog.” It goes…

  • We Bought a Zoo. Dir. Cameron Crowe. 20th Century Fox. 2011.

    We Bought a Zoo is a film loosely based on a memoir of the same name by Benjamin Mee which describes his purchase and restoration of the failing Dartmoor Wildlife Park – subsequently renamed Dartmoor Zoological Park – in preparation for its reopening. In the film, the death of Benjamin’s wife has led to a…

  • Babe. Dir. Chris Noonan. Universal Pictures. 1995.

    Based on Dick King Smith’s “The Sheep Pig”, Babe is the story of a young pig that is taken in by sheep dogs and the farmer Hoggett who eventually becomes a sheep herder himself. At the beginning of the film we first meet Babe in a pig farm where the pigs are shipped to meat factories.…

  • Dolphin Tale. Dir. Charles Martin Smith. Alcon Entertainment. 2011.

    Dolphin Tale begins with a view of the underwater world, showcasing the inquisitive nature of dolphins to their surroundings. Dolphin Tale is based on the remarkable true story of a Bottlenose Dolphin named Winter. When Winter’s tail becomes hopelessly entangled in a fisherman’s ropes causing Winter to wash ashore, a friendless and lonely boy tries to help…

  • The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Dir. Wes Anderson. Buena Vista Pictures. 2004.

    Wes Anderson’s fourth full-length film, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, details the life of oceanographer and documentarian Steve Zissou following the death of his professional partner and best friend. The film, like many directed by Wes Anderson, ultimately became a cult classic, but not before being met with serious criticism from film critics. The dissonance…

  • Flicka. Dir. Michael Mayer. 20th Century Fox. 2006.

    Flicka is a film partially based on the novel My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara written in the 1940’s. This movie however, is set in the 21st century and the main character is not a boy, but a girl by the name of Katherine “Katy” McLaughlin. This gender change from book to movie could be…

  • The Misfits. Dir. Arthur Miller. United Artists. 1961.

    The Misfits (dir. Arthur Miller, 1961) The final two scenes in The Misfits (dir. Arthur Miller, 1961) epitomise the varied conflicts that underpin the changing zeitgeist narrative of the film.[1] The relationship between the bucking beast and the faded hunter is complex; the mustang and the cowboy are two of the most poignant and pervading symbols…

  • The Drop. Dir. Michaël R. Roskam. Fox Searchlight Pictures. 2014.

    Synopsis The Drop is a tense and dark crime drama set in Brooklyn and centers on the character Bob, portrayed by Tom Hardy in a incredible understated performance, who tends the bar of his cousin Marv, James Gandolfini’s final fantastic performance. This bar is a ‘drop bar’, which means it collects money for the local Chechen mob. The…

  • Shooter. Dir. Antoine Fuqua. Paramount Pictures. 2007.

    Shooter The animal presence in the film Shooter in form of the main character’s dog Sam plays into the theme of friendship and loyalty that is present throughout the whole film. The first time the viewer meets Sam is right after a 36 months time skip following the opening scene of the film. Through the events in…