Comments on: Culture Warrior: What Makes a Sam Mendes Film? http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/culture-warrior-what-makes-a-sam-mendes-film.php A Website About Movies Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: John Rhym http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/culture-warrior-what-makes-a-sam-mendes-film.php/comment-page-1#comment-154012 John Rhym Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:51:15 +0000 http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/?p=46101#comment-154012 Landon, this is an insightful treatment of the oeuvre of a director that I've had great difficulty contextualizing in the past. What I find most helpful about your piece is how you approach this filmmaker employing tools from a critical perspective/tradition -- auteur theory -- that seem to have been abandoned by many of this country's most popular film reviewers (at least, when it comes to this director). A brief glance at much of the articles represented on rottentomatoes shows a lack of concern for how AWAY WE GO fits into (or differs from) Mendes's earlier works, as if the majority of these critics have simply given up trying to figure that out (as you've noted, the narrative and stylistic variety of his films make it quite difficult as it is). By carefully examining which (if any) themes are consistently repeated, your interpretation of Mendes's cinematic articulation (and re-articulation) of "home" in his films is thoroughly convincing. I'll have to revisit some of his earlier works with all of this in mind. Landon, this is an insightful treatment of the oeuvre of a director that I've had great difficulty contextualizing in the past. What I find most helpful about your piece is how you approach this filmmaker employing tools from a critical perspective/tradition — auteur theory — that seem to have been abandoned by many of this country's most popular film reviewers (at least, when it comes to this director). A brief glance at much of the articles represented on rottentomatoes shows a lack of concern for how AWAY WE GO fits into (or differs from) Mendes's earlier works, as if the majority of these critics have simply given up trying to figure that out (as you've noted, the narrative and stylistic variety of his films make it quite difficult as it is). By carefully examining which (if any) themes are consistently repeated, your interpretation of Mendes's cinematic articulation (and re-articulation) of “home” in his films is thoroughly convincing. I'll have to revisit some of his earlier works with all of this in mind.

]]> By: John Rhym http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/culture-warrior-what-makes-a-sam-mendes-film.php/comment-page-1#comment-144476 John Rhym Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:51:15 +0000 http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/?p=46101#comment-144476 Landon, this is an insightful treatment of the oeuvre of a director that I've had great difficulty contextualizing in the past. What I find most helpful about your piece is how you approach this filmmaker employing tools from a critical perspective/tradition -- auteur theory -- that seem to have been abandoned by many of this country's most popular film reviewers (at least, when it comes to this director). A brief glance at much of the articles represented on rottentomatoes shows a lack of concern for how AWAY WE GO fits into (or differs from) Mendes's earlier works, as if the majority of these critics have simply given up trying to figure that out (as you've noted, the narrative and stylistic variety of his films make it quite difficult as it is). By carefully examining which (if any) themes are consistently repeated, your interpretation of Mendes's cinematic articulation (and re-articulation) of "home" in his films is thoroughly convincing. I'll have to revisit some of his earlier works with all of this in mind. Landon, this is an insightful treatment of the oeuvre of a director that I've had great difficulty contextualizing in the past. What I find most helpful about your piece is how you approach this filmmaker employing tools from a critical perspective/tradition — auteur theory — that seem to have been abandoned by many of this country's most popular film reviewers (at least, when it comes to this director). A brief glance at much of the articles represented on rottentomatoes shows a lack of concern for how AWAY WE GO fits into (or differs from) Mendes's earlier works, as if the majority of these critics have simply given up trying to figure that out (as you've noted, the narrative and stylistic variety of his films make it quite difficult as it is). By carefully examining which (if any) themes are consistently repeated, your interpretation of Mendes's cinematic articulation (and re-articulation) of “home” in his films is thoroughly convincing. I'll have to revisit some of his earlier works with all of this in mind.

]]> By: Dorothy Miller http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/culture-warrior-what-makes-a-sam-mendes-film.php/comment-page-1#comment-144127 Dorothy Miller Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:37:31 +0000 http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/?p=46101#comment-144127 The message of this film is profound, sincere and very humbling. I really prefer these heartwarming films over the big-budget action movies that promote violence and sex : / I cannot wait to watch Away We Go, thanks for posting about it! The message of this film is profound, sincere and very humbling. I really prefer these heartwarming films over the big-budget action movies that promote violence and sex : / I cannot wait to watch Away We Go, thanks for posting about it!

]]> By: Cole_Abaius http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/culture-warrior-what-makes-a-sam-mendes-film.php/comment-page-1#comment-144091 Cole_Abaius Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:55:18 +0000 http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/?p=46101#comment-144091 You know it does seem like Mendes is obsessed with different concepts of the home, but he also seems really interested in the concept of people playing roles and sacrificing their own happiness in order to appear a certain way - whether that's "perfect" or "tough" or "important" or "fulfilled."<br><br>I really liked Away We Go because he gets away from that theme and really focuses directly on searching for home. Maybe I like how simple and overt it is, but sometimes that's a better way of presenting something.<br><br>I also like how "boredom" isn't a theme in it. Unlike at least one of his movies... You know it does seem like Mendes is obsessed with different concepts of the home, but he also seems really interested in the concept of people playing roles and sacrificing their own happiness in order to appear a certain way – whether that's “perfect” or “tough” or “important” or “fulfilled.”

I really liked Away We Go because he gets away from that theme and really focuses directly on searching for home. Maybe I like how simple and overt it is, but sometimes that's a better way of presenting something.

I also like how “boredom” isn't a theme in it. Unlike at least one of his movies…

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