the candy trail continues on…(ILUSM candies)

ENCHANTED

runtime: 107 minutes

Having watched a movie that brought back feelings that I used to have 10 years ago, it made me really glad to remember how fun simple things can be. Disney’s live action movie, Enchanted, is aimed at all age groups, considering the fact that its content and plot can let older ones appreciate it as well. It is also like the other Disney movies that tells about princesses.

Giselle (Amy Adams) gets rescued by Prince Edward (James Marsden) one morning in the forest and decides that the they must get married the next day, for they believe they have found their “true love’s kiss”. On the day of the wedding, the evil Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) realizes that she would have to give up the crown once Giselle marries her son, Edward. She then decides to stop Giselle’s happily-ever-after by luring her into a fountain which leads to the human world. The next thing Giselle knew was that she came out of a manhole in the middle of  New York, after being pushed into the deep abyss of the fountain she fell into. 

One important difference between Enchanted and the past animated ones, is that the live action version can tell the viewers that true love and the magic of believing can happen in real life, even without the help of animal friends or magic spells, and while you are even in the middle of the city.

I simply adore this movie. I admit that at first I thought that it would be the “same-old” type of movie, but then while
I was watching it, I kept on getting hyped up about every little thing that they did in the whole film. The cinematography along with the CGI animation was great, they made me remember the classic Disney movies. The soundtrack is really sweet in terms of how good it is. I mean, every song was sung as if it has been in broadways or stage plays for years. They were really great and it made me happy with how they remained the class of a true lady and princess. As for the actors, I have to say that Amy Adams who played Giselle, was really excellent in acting her role out. The way she speaks, sings, moves, and even how she dresses and looks, seemed as if she really is a princess from a make-believe land.

To place in simple words on how to describe the film, it was (in every aspect), something that made me feel ENCHANTED!

  “The Pope is Antichrist” by Lucas Cranach

  The Finnish Maiden

             The pictures above are mostly under the propaganda category, since both are trying to tell the viewers and those who properly study the pieces what it was really meant for. For instance, the first picture that tells that the Pope is Antichrist, is most likely telling the people that the Pope at that time has been doing things that were not according to the church’s teaching and is probably asking for taxes and fees that are too much for the poor to handle. It was said that this was commisioned by Martin Luther, so it must have been used in one of his campaigns against the Church and its religion. As for the second picture, it shows a Finnish Maiden, which also represents the country of Finland. I think that the hidden agenda in this work is that since it is used as a symbol of national consciousness and independence, is to bring the Finnish people together though the symbolic meaning of it. I’ve read that the Finnish Maiden was believed to be the human representation of Finland because its pose perfectly matches the way the country is placed and drawn on the map.

           I believe that such hidden agendas are appropriate whenever an organization, a group, or an individual wants to tell something to the the people, since they would be able to show it in a very indiscreet way. This would be very nice to apply in, if you are going to start a propaganda or a campaign, especially if the message that you are trying to tell the masses are being monitored or considered as illegal by the eyes of the law. Of course, such hidden agendas are best used if it would be for the progress of the people and if it could actually bring good deeds and effects.

1. definition of Propaganda

 - committee of cardinals: a committee of Roman Catholic cardinals, the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, in charge of supervising foreign missions and educating priests to serve in them. [1]

2. definition of Popular Literature

- is written by journalists, who are employed by the magazine for which they write. Journalists cover news and current events in a field, write profiles of people, places, or events, and express political opinions. Some examples of popular literature are :

• The New York Times
• Newsweek
• National Geographic
• Psychology Today
• Natural History
• The Nation
• New Republic
• Science News         [2]

3. reaction: Discrimination [in the movie She's The Man]

                   The discrimination in this movie might not be that visible since it is a comedy and it is a fact that this issue has been very common to our knowledge nowadays. In this example, in particular, is how the guys from the soccer team looks down to the girls from the other team, despite the fact that they are studying and playing for the same school. This then results to Olivia (played by Amanda Bynes) to dress-up as a boy to be able to prove to the others that even girls can do what they do and that they need the same respect. She loves the sport and just wanted to play it, whatever it could actually take her. In my opinion, I like the whole movie and the sense that it can actually show good morals to those who have low self-esteem and trust in theirselves. In is like an indirect way of telling others that gender doesn’t really matter in most of the things and life and that we should get rid of the usual ideas that there are things that are only meant for the male or the female.

Here is the trailer the trailer of the film. (It’s really funny!)

                   Taking discrimination in a more broader concept, it is actually everywhere. Even if people claim that the issue about this has died years ago, it still is ongoing. For example, our OFW’s who work overseas are taken for granted and seen as low kinds of people in the society. Well, they might be doing work that are a bit dirty (in its literal context) but it doesn’t mean that their self and dignity are the same with that. Another is, the difference between the black and white skinned. It might be not that evident compared to how it was years back but it still can be seen sometimes in simple ways. Most of the time, the asian race are a good source of jokes in the american culture. I admit that I myself laugh at those jokes despite being asian myself but I can’t help but wonder “Don’t they know that alot of Asians can actually have decent jobs and can speak fluent English?”.

sources:

 [1]   Soukhanov, Anne H.. Encarta World English Dictionary. Ney York: St. Martin’s Press, 1999.

 [2]   Murtha, Leslie. “Popular Literature Versus Scholarly Literature.” 2000. 10 Jan. 2008 <http://newarkwww.rutgers.edu/ecollege/popular.htm>

She’s the Man. Dir. Andy Fickman. Dreamworks, 2006