Fraylin Ventura
Intro to Film B3
Blog Drafts
Mr. Monahan
9.27.2018
Life, and the pursuit of Happiness
THEMES:
The American Dream: The idea or promise that America provides equal opportunity for all and will succeed through hard work and determination. This can be evidenced by material success-ownership of property- and having a family and friends. Crossing or Blending Genres: Both and Sugar be considered sports films; however, they both incorporate elements of romance and drama (personal relationships). Additionally, sugar takes a sharp turn turning from what is essentially a sports film into a tale of imagination.
Outline:
- Evidence Collection I: Sugar by directors Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, featuring Algenis Perez-Soto.
This honorable man that you see in this image was the protagonist on this film. This film represents empowerment and boundless. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck made a noteworthy narrative feature debut with Half Nelson, and they establish themselves as filmmakers of uncommon integrity, compassion, and vision with their superb follow-up, Sugar. However, while the film deals with familiar elements -- it is a fish-out-of-water story and a sports drama -- the filmmakers scrupulously avoid cliché, and in their own unobtrusively artful way, subvert audience expectations. Furthermore, the film isn't really about baseball, so much as it's about a young man's coming to terms with what he wants out of life, Boden and Fleck have done their research.
Observation/ something I noticed or observed:
From the opening credits until the final act the protagonist or main character Miguel “Sugar” Santos is a man on the move. The opening credit sequence establishes this motif by having the camera take Miguel’s point of view as he looks out the bus window at the Dominican countryside going from the Kansas City Knights’ training facility to visit his family in the village of Boca Chica. This motif occurs when Miguel is chosen to go to spring training in Arizona, followed by the move to Iowa, and then finally to “New York”. His arrivals in New York is demonstrated by him seeing the Statue of Liberty From the window of the bus - Lady Liberty is a definite symbol of the American Dream, a welcoming land full of hope and opportunity and privilege as a human being. Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (Half Nelson) weave this introspective sports drama concerning a talented Dominican baseball player who longs to break into the American big league and earn the money needed to support his impoverished family. Miguel Santos is a talented pitcher who might just have what it takes to earn a prized spot on a Major League Baseball team, but before that happens he'll have to prove his worth in the minor leagues. Furthermore, Santo’s when he came down from the Dominican Republic the first things that he did was going to a motel with his colleagues from a couple of weeks after he settles down. After a week, he started watching porn with his buddy. Not even that, the secretary from the motel ask him “when are you going to pay me?” He asked. May you give me one more week and then I’d pay you all the demurrage I was here?. Santos answered her with a question. Then, there was a part where he was talking on the phone with his girlfriend telling her that everything in America was so sweet. He thought that everything was going to taste with spice and other flavors. Moreover, Miguel is warmly welcomed into the small-town Iowa home of his host family, but can't help but struggle with language and cultural barriers despite the kindness of strangers. Subsequently forced to reevaluate his life's ambition after his once-trusty arm becomes unreliable, the previously single-minded pitcher gradually begins to question both the world he lives in and the role he has chosen to play in it.
II. Evidence Collection II: Rocky directed by John G Avildsen and starring Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa AKA “The Italian Stallion”.
Observation/something I detected:
Going back to this idea that the American Dream is the promise of success through hard work and fortitude I am reminded of two things: the power of words and the training sequences. For example, more than anything the end of Rocky illustrates that Rocky has "gone the distance" (all 15 rounds of the fight). That's all he wanted. He didn't care if he lost the fight, (which he did at the end of his battle. Apollo is the victor by points in this match) only that he didn't lose by knockout. He's elated that he "went the distance" and demonstrates to Adrian that he had what it takes to go the distance. Also, he's looking for Adrian because he wants to celebrate this victory with her. Nothing else is important than that, because he doesn’t even care what people think about his personal experiences or their opinions. This is why he doesn't care about having a rematch. He was never interested in winning the fight because he didn’t have self- assured into himself. Which brings him into the situation. Additionally, Rocky proves to everyone’s that being strong doesn’t make you a superior. It doesn’t mean refusing to show your sadness and vulnerability. Furthermore, he was only interested in "not being another bum from the neighborhood". The quote that really stand out, and that had a meaningful meaning for me was when he was with the old man chatting about his favorite quote from one of the greatest baseball players. For example, “if you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth.” -- Roberto Clemente.
This film had an impactful moment which has developed a wide of range of innovative filmmaking supports programs. The message that Rocky sends to the general audience was it means treating ourselves with kindness and compassion, even when you feel like you don’t deserve anything. Also, it means giving yourself permission to get all your needs met by setting boundaries to others.
This gentleman that you see right here was the main character or the protagonist of this film which had intense moment. Rocky's personal life is rough around the edges, and so is his fighting style. Mickey tells Rocky, "You got heart, but you fight like a goddamn ape." Our little Magilla Gorilla can't spell finesse and he doesn't have any in the ring. Additionally, part of the reason why is because he's a southpaw, or a leftie. Moreover, Apollo's coach, Duke, tells Apollo, "I don't want you messin' with southpaws. They do everything backwards." That line could apply to Rocky's life as a whole because he always feels like a bass-ackwards screw-up.
Over the past years, this two filmmaking had such incomparable similarity. For example, while we can be self-involved from time to time, human beings nowadays we’re not being so generous to the society. On the other hand, many people would say that people are simply unique, and matchless. These two leaders did a tremendous job by avoiding all the controversies that were going on in the streets. In the particular. I lamented that both main characters did a phenomenal job by having self-improvements and self-sufficiency because one of their main goals was to demonstrated to the nation that when you have passion and dedication to any of your objectives or goals you can achieve then by your hard working and fortitude. Nevertheless, I believe that these two protagonists people shouldn’t have gone at this level because I believe that everyone should deserve all the rights as needed as an immigrant and others.
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