Les Miserables

Movie Analysis

Genre: Historical Novel
Characters: Jean Valjean, Fantine, Inspector Javert, Cosette, Marius, Bishop, Eponine, Gavroche
Setting: France
Theme: justice and Injustice, The Power Of Love,
Plot:
Based on the novel by Victor Hugo, 'Les Miserables' travels with prisoner-on-parole, 24601, Jean Valjean, as he runs from the ruthless Inspector Javert on a journey beyond the barricades, at the center of the June Rebellion. Meanwhile, the life of a working class girl with a child is at turning point as she turns to prostitution to pay money to the evil innkeeper and his wife who look after her child, Cosette. Valjean promises to take care of the child, eventually leads to a love triangle between Cosette, Marius who is a student of the rebellion, and Eponine, a girl of the streets. The people sing of their anger and Enjolras leads the students to fight upon the barricades.

1. What does the title mean in relation to the film as a whole?
the title "Les Miserables" talks about the life of every different people in the movie. It shows on how they handle their lives. Poverty, corruption and prostitution are some of the problems shown in the story which also can be seen in present life, that pushes and make people miserable.
2. Among the characters to whom can you relate to?
 To all the characters in the movie, I can relate to Fantine. I know how hard to do some things that you really dont like, but because of someone that you love, you will do everything even the worst thing. Fantines love for her daughter was one of the amazing part of the movie for me.
3. Which of the presentation struck you the most? Why?
the presentation that struck me the most is the scene where Fantine choose to be a prostitute even she didn't want to do it at all. But because she want to earn money so that she can get her daughter (cosette) and to be with her. That scene shows us how mother really love their daughter/son, that they will do everything, even the worst thing just to be with their children.
4. What is the movies message?
 The movies message is more on how we deal in our life. That we have to believe in ourselves always. Choose the right path in making decisions in our life and to be more helpful. And always do what is right so that we can live with no regret and to live with peace.
5. Did I like this in general? Why?
I like the movie very much. The story is part of the history of France. But as we can see right now, all that happened before to them was still happening right now on our country which also facing the problems about poverty, corruption, prostitution and injustice for the poor. This story lets me realize how hard life can be during the revolutionary in France. I like the story goes. All in all it was an amazing movie.
6. Did I agree with the main theme/pupose? Why or why not?
As what i said, I like the movie so I also agree on the theme or purpose of the movie. It talks about a lot of things in life, not just on what happened before but it also tells us what is really happening on our country in our present time.That almost of the Filipino citizens encounter this kind of life.
7. What specificaly I like or dislike?
i like the theme of the movie. I also like how the story goes. I like how the characters play their role that was very challenging.i like the the role of the characters that they play, we can see here the different kind of people at the same time. It inspires me a lot on how to stand my rights and be brave in facing all the hardships that will come on my way.
8. Are there any aspects of the theme which are left ambiguous at the end? Why?
 For me, the story is perfect because the whole part of it is beautiful. the way Jean Valjean fight and die as well as the many people die just to fight for their rights.Those people who died didn't die with no sense because their country attain the freedom and peace that they longing for. The outcome of all the tragedy made sense because of the freedom and peace that come next for their country.
9. How these films relate to the things that one happening in your life?
All this things happens not only to my life but to all Filipinos right now, especially the poor one. We are now facing poverty, injustice, and corruption in our country which also happened in France before. So i can say that the movie is the mirror on what is happening to our country today.

"Life of Pi"

Movie Analysis

Characters:Pi Patel, Santosh Patel, Ravi Patel, GitaPatel, Tiger, Writer, Cook,Anandi, Priest, Mamaji, etc.

Setting:India, Ocean, Mexico

Plot:

A novelist has come to talk to Pi Patel, a middle-aged Indian immigrant living in Canada. Pi's parents named him Piscine Molitor after a swimming pool in France. As a child he changed his name to "Pi" (the mathematical symbol, π) because he was tired of being called "Pissing Patel". In flashback it was seen that his family owned a zoo, and Pi took great interest in the animals, especially a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. When Pi tries to feed the tiger in great curiousity, his father runs in and angrily tells him that the tiger is dangerous and not like a human. He forces Pi to witness the tiger killing a goat to prove his point. Pi is raised Hindu and vegetarian, but at 12 years old, he is introduced to Christianity and then Islam, and starts to follow all three religions as he "just wants to love God."

When Pi is 16, his father decides to move the family to Winnipeg, Canada, where he intends to settle and sell the zoo animals. They book passage on a Japanese freighter named Tzimtzum. One night there is a storm; the ship begins to founder while Pi is on deck. He tries to find his family, but a crew member throws him into a lifeboat. Pi watches helplessly as the ship sinks, killing his family and the crew. After the storm, Pi finds himself in the lifeboat with an injured zebra, and is joined by an orangutan. A spotted hyena emerges from the tarp covering half of the boat, and kills the zebra and then the orangutan. Suddenly the tiger Richard Parker emerges from under the tarp, killing the hyena.

Pi gets out biscuits, water rations, and a hand axe. He builds a small raft and stays at a safe distance from the tiger. Pi begins fishing and is able to feed the tiger. He also collects rain water for both to drink. When the tiger jumps off to hunt fish, at first Pi wants to let it drown, then he relents and helps it climb back into the boat. After many days at sea, Pi trains the tiger to accept him in the boat. He also realizes that caring for the tiger is keeping him alive. Weeks later and half dead, they reach a floating island. Both Pi and Richard Parker eat and drink freely and regain strength. But at night the island transforms into a hostile environment: the fresh water turns acidic, the resident meerkats sleep in the trees, the plants are carnivorous. Pi discovers the island's secrets when he finds a human tooth. Pi and the tiger leave.

The lifeboat eventually reaches the coast of Mexico. Pi is crushed that that the tiger does not acknowledge him before disappearing into the jungle. Pi is rescued and carried to hospital, weeping. Insurance agents for the Japanese freighter come to interview him. They do not believe his story and ask what "really" happened. He tells a less fantastic account of sharing the lifeboat with his mother, a sailor with a broken leg, and the cook. The cook kills the sailor to use him as bait. In a later struggle, Pi's mother pushes him to safety on a smaller raft, and the cook stabs her as she falls overboard. Later, Pi returns, takes the knife and kills the cook.

In the present day, the novelist notes the parallels between the two stories: the orangutan was Pi's mother, the zebra was the sailor, the hyena was the cook, and Richard Parker, the tiger, was Pi himself. Pi asks him which story the writer prefers, and the writer chooses the one with the tiger because it "is the better story", to which Pi responds, "And so it is with God". Glancing at a copy of the insurance report, the writer sees the agents wrote that Pi somehow survived 227 days at sea with a tiger: the insurance agents had also chosen the more fantastic story.

Theme: Hope, Survival, Faith, and Friendship

1. What does the title mean in relation to the film as a whole?

The title "Life of Pi" means that the story was about Pi's life. His life was something more different than a usual person. He struggle more to live. He took all the risk, he was very optimistic and wise person on how to survive in a long time in the ocean with a tiger named Richard Parker. The title is describing what the story is all about. 

2. Among the characters to whom can you relate to?

I can relate more to Pi, I can see myself to him in terms of Struggling in order to survive life. Like him, I was trying to be strong because i believe that if there is life, there will be always hope for us and opportunity to achieve our goals or to succeed. All you have to do is to be strong and wise like Pi. 

3. Which of the presentation struck you the most?why?

The part of the movie that struck me most is when Richard Parker left Pi when they already reach the Mexico shore.Richard Parker just left him without turning back to him.For Richard Parker, all that they've gone through was nothing for him.And that fact hurts Pi a lot.Just like on our lives,we got hurt when someone leave us suddenly without saying any word even you spend you life together, helping and struggling together for life. For others, it really  meant a lot and it hurts to face the fact that anytime, those person that we thought they feel the same way like we did, just leave you hanging. And forget everything just like nothings happen.

4. What is the movies message?

The movies message was about how strong your faith in God, in times of trouble. Second is that life can be hard on us. If we want to survive, we have to be strong and wise in making decisions.And last, don't give up.you have to summon all your courage and think positive always. because if you want to win life, you have to be brave like Pi did in the movie.

5. Did i like this in general? why?

In general, I really like the movie. the movie was very inspiring and it let us realize how thankful we are and how lucky we are that we don't have to experience Pi's life to learn something and to realize how important life is.

6. Did i agree with the main theme? why?

I agree on the main theme/purpose. This movie will have good effect to the viewers. It can inspire lots of people. It can also encourage them how to win life. and to believe in yourself always.

7.What specifically i like?dislike? why?

I like the attitude of the main character in the movie. Pi was the kind of person that everyone wants to be. The way he face life was very encouraging.the story of his life let's me realize something new in life which I will always remember.

8.Are there any aspects of the theme which are left ambiguous at the end? why?

For me, the ambiguous part is the friendship that Pi and Tiger had shared. I was expecting that it will be a start for both of them. that the tiger won't leave Pi. But still, the over all story was very beautiful and tells a lot about reality in life.

9. How these film relate nto the things that one happening in your life?

I can say that not all the people or any of the people experience what Pi had gone through.But Pi's feeling empty, alone and helpless was very common in other people in just different way. Sometimes we feel this kind of emotions if some of our love ones left us. We feel helpless when we have some problems that no one can help us and all we want is ti give up. all of these are really happening in everyone of us and it depend on us if we choose to be brave and believe what we can like the main character did in the movie.

Little Yellow Flowers

Little Yellow Flowers

Valerie Dohren

Little yellow flowers

Dancing in the breeze

Little yellow flowers

Huddled round the trees

Little yellow flowers

Seemed to know my pain

Little yellow flowers

In my mem`ry will remain

Explanation :

This poem reminds me of myself when I was a child, about all the things happened when I am playing with my friends, the way we play, sing, and  laugh. I chose this for it signifies the happiness I experienced from my childhood and pains that tore me into pieces that until now I always carry. But all those experiences helps and reminds me on how to be determined and persevere in the battles of life. It also made me strong and open in all the possibilities that life can offer on me. I know that all those experiences i gain when i was little mold me a better person of today and of the future.