English and American Popular Genres

A KNIGHTS TALE

2007-12-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

A Knight's Tale brings a totally new spirit to the medieval type movies. How many medieval dances are danced to David Bowe? You can't find many at all. All of the different aspects are brought to one's attention in this review by Elizabeth Abele, which is the link for this post.

Gangs of New York

2007-12-04T16:42:00.000-08:00

In his 2002 review, Jeffery Westhoff praises the movie Gangs of New York by Matrin Scorcesse. Before giving a biography of the film Westhoff begins his review by saying, "both flawed and delayed, Martin Scorcese’s “Gangs of New York” still emerges as his most vital work since (GoodFellas)." After his biography Westhoff ends his review by compairing the film to Michal Moor's "Bowling for Columbine", which shows America as a Violent culture.

Transformers

2007-12-04T07:57:00.000-08:00

In Steve Rhodes review on the 2007 sci-fi flick, Transformers, he doesn't seem to really make any connection. He seems to think that the movie is like by many of its viewers, but those viewers seem to be a younger audience who most likely play with action figures. He doesn't seem to think that it would appeal to an older audience and thinks it is a big headache. He also describes the movie as " one long commercial for General Motors." I happen to disagree with Rhodes about this film. I am young, but I do not, and never have, played with action figures, and I saw the film and really enjoyed it.

Wimbledon Review

2007-12-04T07:55:00.000-08:00

Wimbledon

2007-12-04T07:46:00.000-08:00

In this review, Ebert expresses why he likes the movie so much. He seems to think that the character really have something to say to one another as if it were an actual conversation and not just the actors lines. He really seemed to enjoy the scenes where the characters were connecting through their love of tennis. Roger also seemed to like the scenes where they were playing tennis. It wasn't just a movie that concentrated on the relationship two characters shared, but a movie with the sport played out in it. He gave this movie three stars! I also agree that the movie was touching and attacked real controversies surrounding love.

In this review Roger Ebert expresses the reasons why he enjoyed Wimbledon. He talks about how the conversation between the characters is actually a conversation and not just dialog. What Roger Ebert enjoyed most about WIMBLEDON was the warmth between the characters and the tennis action scenes. He gave the movie 3 stars and also says that the movie has a warmth that is worth

Gone With The Wind

2007-12-03T20:56:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows Gone With the Wind as a classic love story. But do we know why it is so popular. It's been popular since it premiered in 1939 buy why? What is so great about it? This article goes on to explain why Gone With the Wind is so great.

The Pursuit of Happyness

2007-12-03T17:59:00.000-08:00

On my other post, I wrote about Wilonsky, who said The Pursuit of Happyness is a horrible movie, well according to Michael Sragow of the Baltimore Sun, he disagreed with Wilonsky's ideas. Sragow loved Will Smith's performance and the different emotions he portrayed. Sragow also loved the director's approach to the movie and the overall theme he was trying to get across. Sragow wrote an excellent review and he criticized this movie with praise.

A Super Good, Super Bad Review

2007-12-03T17:29:00.000-08:00

"Superbad is superfun across the board,"claims Peter Travers. He really seemed to enjoy the movie, reflected by the praise he gives the movie throughout his review of the 2007 comedy. He goes on to talk about Mintz-Plasse, a high school student who has never even acted before, made all the hopeless geeks around the country hopeful again. He goes on to talk about how well the movie related to teenagers everywhere. And seeing the movie myself, I have to agree with Peter and say that Super Bad is Super Good!

Saw

2007-12-03T14:46:00.000-08:00

In this review of Saw, Roger Ebert didn't seem to like the film very much at all. Ebert claims, "Saw" is an efficiently made thriller, cheerfully gruesome, and finally not quite worth the ordeal it puts us through." Throughout the whole review, he claims that the movie is not as good as it could be and he doesn't seem to like horror films too much. He only gives the movie two stars, which I definitly do not agree with. I think that the movie was very well thought out and pulled viewers in. It made a lot of money in the box office and the creators ended up coming out with Saw 2, 3, and 4. I'm sure there are more on their way. I like this review because he makes many claims that I personaly do not agree with, which will be perfect for my final paper.

The Mist

2007-12-03T14:05:00.001-08:00

Roger Ebert talks about the mist in more of a seen that kind of movie. Talking bout the simple outline for the movie. The mist is a film that is based on a Stephen King novella. A strange mist takes over the town having mysterious creatures in the mist. After a religious battle happens between the two distinct groups and many people dying the sane groups decides to take their own fate. Ebert goes on to talk about the things in the mist being invisible and somewhat not scary. To finally get into his own opinion of the director choosing the wrong novella to copy and saying that the budget is what helped saved the film from its actors. Don't take his word on it and just see the movie for yourself and form your own opinion.

Titianic

2007-12-02T18:53:00.000-08:00

I looked around and came to this review which I found very interesting because the reviewer at first enjoyed the movie but in the eight month time period he some how started to change his view about the movie and ver much dislikes it for some very ovbious mistakes made in the movie which I also i agree with.

We Own the Night

2007-12-02T12:33:00.001-08:00

This review Roger Ebert gives We Own the Night a three star review. The reason being is that the movie in itself is not all that original, for the material is similar to films such as “The Departed: (2006), and “Infernal Affairs” (2002). These movies also had a plot where two brothers were on two different sides of the war. Overall, Elbert did state that the film was intense and had good acting, but most importantly he liked that the film explored the fact of whose lives owned the night, for “We Own the Night” was a slogan used by New York police in the 1980s.

PROOF THAT MY REVIEW IS DOCUMENTABLE!

2007-11-29T19:23:00.000-08:00

In the link, I have a review written by Chris Carle. Carle's work has been published on IGN.com, a popular internet movie and gamer website. Within his review, Carle claimed that "Hostel" was actually a movie worth watching.

For further proof, I lead you to this link, http://www.google.com/search?q=Chris+Carle&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-
The man has to be a good candidate for a persuasive paper, he has so many links with his name on them!

...Please Mr. Bushnell, allow me to use him. I would really rather not re-write my whole paper.

Red Dragon

2007-11-29T10:25:00.000-08:00

This is an article published in the Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert, reviewing the 2002 film, "Red Dragon", Which is meant to explore the life of Hannibal Lecter before the events that occured in "Silence of the Lambs". Edward Norton takes on the lead role, and in my opinion, spectacularly. Ebert does not disagree. However he makes some interesting points about how Lecter is the most evil villain in history, and why we can forgive him. I disagree, but read it and make your mind up for yourself.

Together and apart in The Mist

2007-11-29T09:18:00.000-08:00

The Mist is a movie that is based on a Stephen King novella. About a little town in Maine that gets engulfed in a mysterious mist. Some of the town is stuck in the supermarket trying to comprehend everything that is happening. Do they leave or do they stay and wait out the mist? Where is the mist coming from? Why is the mist in this town? All questions that arise from watching the movie. All of this is discussed in the New York times review of the movie. Also going into the whole religion vs man thing and having a crazed group of followers that will do anything the leader says. Bringing into the mix all of the fear that every is having even if it doesn't show. The reviewer even thinks that the movie isn't have bad. Well don't take it from me and go see the movie!

Killer Klowns From Outer Space

2007-11-29T04:19:00.000-08:00

This review by Jerry Saravia contains detailed reasoning why the reviewer didn't enjoy this film. Jerry states that he had been "yawning throughout his junk," and how it should have never been thought of. Killer Klowns From Outer Space is a movie in which clowns in fact come from outer space and kill people. Its a funny horror and a great B-movie from the 80's.

Poetic Justice

2007-11-28T20:53:00.000-08:00

In this review Robert Ebert explains how the movie is told from the point of view of a young woman named Justice. He explains how the movie started out as Justice and her male companion being on a date at a drive in movie theatre, where he was killed because of an altercation. He compares the movie to " Boyz in the Hood". He states that "unlike 'Boyz' which was fairly strongly plotted, 'Poetic Justice' unwinds like a road trip from the early 1970s, in which the characters are introduced and then set off on a trip that becomes a journey of discovery." He concludes that "Poetic Justice" is a soft gentle film, more of a romance than a commentary on social conditions.

Public Speaking

2007-11-28T17:46:00.000-08:00

This link sends you to a page that will explain how to make a great presetation without making a fool of yourself. It takes you through each step of how to create and present a great speech and it gives you tips and advise on how to be a successful public speaker. Another good site is http://www.hawaii.edu/mauispeech/html/speaking_tips.html this is students talking to students allowing the reader to relate more to the article.

Ebert vs. "Kinky" Phantom

2007-11-28T16:12:00.000-08:00

Any Phantom of The Opera fans out there?! Well if you like the film as much as I do, I think that this review by Roger Ebert will set you up in flames. He argues several points and I know that this review will be one in which would be easy to write a persuasive paper on. Check it out.

Is it a hammer? A nail gun? A screwdriver? No... it's "Saw"!

2007-11-28T12:21:00.000-08:00

In this review by Roger Ebert which was published in the Chicago Sun Times he basically tears down the movie, calling it a movie that is: "...not quite worth the ordeal it puts us through." He gives the movie 2 stars, which i do not agree with, i believe it deserves better. Through this review he talks about how there is no motivation behind the killings in Saw. He makes claims about the killer Jigsaw, stating that : "he joins that sturdy band of movie serial killers with time on their hands to devise elegant puzzles for their victims and the police." I personally would have thought that Roger Ebert being such a well known film critic would have given this movie a better thought and a better review, but i suppose he's just not a fan of horror flicks. This also gives me some good arguments for the paper.

Perfume: Story of a Murderer

2007-11-27T20:16:00.000-08:00

Roger Ebert's review on the movie "Perfume" starts of by him saying "Not only does 'Perfume' seem impossible to film, it must have been almost impossible for Patrick Suskind to write." He mentions positive incidents he had with the movie, which shows him getting personal with the movie. Ebert then begins to tell the story and the main idea. He again relates an event in the film with one of his own. He comes off as if extrememly interested with the uniqueness of this film. At the end he says, "Why I love this story, I do not know. Why I have read the book twice and given away a dozen copies of the audiobook, I cannot explain." He also says he does not see anything fun about the movie, yet there is. There is a lot of fun things to watch since in very unique and maybe wierd ways the movie involves horror, action, detective-ish, and obsession, which we can relate to romance in a way. Imagine all of these genres put together to make a film simply about perfume! A very creative movie that keeps you at the tip of your chair!

A Movie of "Titanic" Proportions

2007-11-27T19:36:00.000-08:00

In this review published in the Chicago Sun-Times in 1997, Roger Ebert explains his feelings about Titanic. He opens his review by calling the Titanic itself a "great iron Sphinx." His entire introductory paragraph is about the Titanic ship. Ebert never ceases to say extremely good things about James Cameron and his masterpeice of a film. He explains the characters of the film and goes more into depth about the film. He does not dismiss this movie as a flop but as a work of art by giving it a full 4 stars.

Two Weeks Notice

2007-11-27T18:09:00.000-08:00

In this article Kirk Honeycutt ("The Hollywood Reporter") reviews "Two weeks Notice." Honeycutt starts his article by saying, "Marc Lawrence's script for "Two Weeks Notice" is so perfectly tailored to its stars." This is such a good statement, because after watching this movie and trying to figure out who could have done a better job playing the roles, no one comes to mind. In this movie Sandra Bullock's character works for Hugh Grant's character. The story goes about setting up situations for romance to arise. Of course a romance brews and begins with an ending of a professional relationship. The end isn't original at all. The general outline of this film isn't original, but it is an enjoyable film.

SAW

2007-11-27T16:46:00.000-08:00

The New York Times writer, Stephen Holden, comments that Saw does a "better than average job" at creating the torture games between sadist and victim, but just isn't all that scary. He even gives it a low ball hit by comparing the movie to the physical game show, Fear Factor. The twisted gore scenes is not what gets Holden, but the reason why "The Jigsaw Killer" is out to kill is whats creepy. I'm not sure if I agree, and Holden's evidence isn't too supportive either but Saw did shine one new twisted plot ideas.

The Pursuit of Happyness

2007-11-27T16:38:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, movies generally based on true stories have a ton of heart and emotion depicted on screen. Well, in the opinion of Robert Wilonsky of the Village Voice, The Pursuit of Happyness is a movie with bad performances and horrible directing. Wilonsky picks apart this movie from Will Smith's performance to the entire movie as a whole. He said, "The movie, the first English-language film directed by Italian Gabriele Muccino, is too emotionally slick to work, too visually glib to have an impact, made by people who think grit is something that's brought in by the prop department." He criticizes this film without any mercy. This man is so severe in his writing style because he honestly does not care what others think about the film or how much money it made overall.

How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days

2007-11-27T14:29:00.000-08:00

Published in the Suntimes newspaper Roger Ebert reviews the movie "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days." He begins off by saying "I am just about ready to write off movies in which people make bets about whether they will, or will not, fall in love. The premise is fundamentally unsound, since it subverts every love scene with a lying subtext." This opening to his review is very bold and his opinion on the movie seems to be very clear from the beginning. He gave the movie a dismal one and a half stars. Perhaps it is because he is a guy and this sappy romance did not appeal to him as say an action film would have. He goes on to talk about the characters and says "The hardest thing is to sympathize with two people who are denying their feelings, misleading each other, and causing pain to a trusting heart." Overall Roger Ebert does not seem to be very impressed by this film.

Scene it?

2007-11-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

This review article in the New York times is a great persuasive article about the film American Gangster. It's an articulate well written article that touches bases on all the movie has to offer. It is a encaptivating summary of a true cops and robbers story or in this case drug dealer.

Why Isn't There More Political Films? 'Fahrenheit 9/11'

2007-11-27T13:46:00.000-08:00

With the link I have provided it will direct you to a piece of writing from the San Francisco Chronicle about the documentary Fahrenheit 9/11. The reason this film was chosen is because it can closely relate to Titanic. That is through it's tragedy stand point. This piece talks about how the film is both persuasive and passionate. Michael Moore gives us this amazing documentary persuading the viewers about the true story. Who really knows what the true story is? Here it's broken down into small pieces and convinces you about what the truth really is. This is what it's about,"Its serious purpose. Its tone. Its mix of words and images, and the way both linger in the mind. There's the way the movie fashions its arguments, and the cumulative effect the experience provides -- what you feel walking out, what you think about the next day."

American Gangster

2007-11-27T11:34:00.000-08:00

In this review the reviewer outlines many reasons why the movie American Gangster deserves a top stop in the history of movies. Todd McCarthy, the reviewer, states that this movie should have been released a long time ago and it's a wonder that nobody thought of the idea for this plot. One main reason that the movie does good is that the movie chooses really good actors for the roles that they must play. Specifically, pitting Denzel Washington against Russel Crowe was an excellent choice. Another reason why this movie does good is that plot that the movie portrays. Todd McCarthy states that there is alot of irony with twists and turns and this keeps the interest of the viewer.

To saw or not to saw; that is the question

2007-11-27T11:13:00.000-08:00

Realistic characters, realistic setting; it gives you the chills. The link I have provided here is to a movie review on the 2003 movie SAW. If you have not watched this movie you have most likely heard something about it. It is full of lots of suspense, lots of gore, and lots of violence. Victoria Alexander, the author of this review, thinks that all these characterists and the way they are combined make SAW a must see movie. She says, "It is an intriguing thriller that has enough surprises that it is not a letdown."

MI3 Back once again, and not to dissapoint

2007-11-27T11:04:00.000-08:00

In this review, by Kenneth Turan, a Los Angeles Times Staff Writer, the film is praised numerous times with supporting evidence and description of the plot, characters, setting, and director. Turan describes two major characters, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Tom Cruise. Turan quotes, "Good-versus-evil films often rise or fall on the strength of the evildoer. In the Oscar-winning Hoffman, who isn't counting "Twister" when he says he's never done an action film before, "M:i:III" has a spectacular actor who delivers deadpan some of the most unnerving speeches in villainy's history". He also states that the director, J.J. Abrams, has proficient directing esp. in Tom Cruise's role. Turan also shares with us in the second paragraph two other hit television series, "Lost" and "Alias", that Abrams was a part of as co-creator.

Should you see Saw?

2007-11-27T10:51:00.002-08:00

In this review of Saw, Roger Ebert lets the viewers know about what made Saw an amazing movie and what the producers did wrong. He also compares Two other movies in the same genre that had characters almost deal with the same problems. Ebert then goes on to list the characters and what special traits of theirs they used to make it a unique film that was remade into three stories. From this, Ebert lets his viewers know the basic truth, rent or buy the film?

Jelani Whitehorne

Should you see Saw?

2007-11-27T10:51:00.001-08:00

Saw IV

2007-11-27T10:39:00.001-08:00

In this review Ethan Alter explains why he feels as though jigsaw is dead. He states "Old Jigsaw is as dead as a doornail." He compares the movie to "Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Friday The 13th". He sees Saw as the 21st Century version of those long running franchises, which have racked up a combined 17 films over the past two decades. He feels as though the Saw sequel will not stop until it reaches its 10th series, which is very unneccesary. He states that the Saw movies are fanatical about continuity. He feels that the Saw movies have grown increasingly arbitrary and nonsensical. To conclude his review he feels as though Saw IV is a disappointment.

Wimbledon

2007-11-27T08:40:00.000-08:00

In this review Roger Ebert expresses the reasons why he enjoyed Wimbledon. He talks about how the conversation between the characters is actually a conversation and not just dialog. What Roger Ebert enjoyed most about WIMBLEDON was the warmth between the characters and the tennis action scenes. He gave the movie 3 stars and also says that the movie has a warmth that is worth welcoming.

Transformers (2007)

2007-11-27T06:45:00.000-08:00

In this review on the sci-fi action flick, Transformers, Steve Rhodes explains that the film would be more liked by the younger audience than adults. Transformers is a movie that appeared to be well-liked by many viewers, or maybe just by those who like to play with action figures. Rhodes describes the movie as "one long commercial for General Motors". The movie is said to be way too long with a concluding part that goes on for about an hour. Overall, Transformers is a movie that would most-likely be enjoyed by boys who recieve entertainment by action figues and Power Ranger episodes, as for adults on the other hand, will see the movie as nothing more than a migrane headache.

Apocalypto

2007-11-26T23:03:00.000-08:00

Author A. O. Scott (The New York Times) begins his review with a quote from the movie; “I’m going to peel off his skin and make him watch me wear it.” After briefly listing the most memorable action scenes from the movie, Scott begins talking about the director, Mel Gibson, and compares this film with others he produced. Scott claims this is another "conservative anti-imperialism" movie by Gibson. After Scott explains the setting, he starts describing key parts of the film's plot. Finaly, an overall opinion is stated about the film, just before a list of the crew and cast.

Spiderman 3

2007-11-26T22:36:00.000-08:00

In this review Rodger Ebert, he ask if there was a made up relationship with Peter Parker and Mary Jane. Rodger Ebert's answer was no because the audience of today's date would not accept a great hero so dump and a heroine so docile. Rodger Ebert gives this movie two stars. He also asked in a question, "How does a microorganism from outer space know how to replicate details of the Spider-Man costume so Topher Grace can become Venom?" These are some good question about the movie that can't be explained in the movie. Well, Rodger Ebert does point out the good and the bad points of the movie. Either way, he does recommend this movie to people to see this movie if they loved Spider-Man and loved to watch superhero movies.

Superbad

2007-11-26T22:29:00.000-08:00

Peter Travers, of the Rolling Stones, praises Superbad for its capability of packing "more gut-busting laughs than you can count." Especially the acting skills of Fogell, or McLovin, played by Mintz-Plasse, who makes his geeky character a icon for viewers. But that is not even the beginning. The writer's hilarious one-lines make viewers have to watch the movie over and over again just to see what they missed. Not to mention the totally gross teen situations that come along with the crazy conversations. Overall, Superbad is a knee slapper that you cannot just pass up.

Across The Universe

2007-11-26T21:39:00.000-08:00

There was a lot of attention surrounding this film when it was first released. Many people felt that re-making the brilliant music of The Beatles, and adding a story to them would ruin the songs. Adding a love story seemed even more far fetched. But in this review, Roger Ebert gives Across The Universe strong positive feedback. Ebert calls Across The Universe "A bold, beautiful, visually enchanting musical". He states that the cinematography went particularly well with the music. He also adds the the love story is not outdated or boring. As a fan of The Beatles, Ebert believes that this movie is not only a well done, original love story, but that it also does justice to the Fab Four.

Kill Bill Vol. 2

2007-11-26T21:28:00.000-08:00

Peter Travers, of the Rolling Stones corporations, could only rave of the brilliant mastermind, Quentin Tarantino. He mentions how Tanrantino brought together all of his b -list movie and combined all the ideas to create the Kill Bill collection. Also unlike most critics, he applauds Tarnatino for splitting the film into two parts by saying, "I'd prefer four hours of untamed Tarantino to one film edited into a multiplex-friendly two hours." Simply put, Travers believes that the only way the film could have been better is if he could see it for the first time again.

The Last Kiss

2007-11-26T21:07:00.001-08:00

The Last Kiss is a drama and romantic comedy about a man in his 30s who's life is about to change. His girlfriend is pregnant and all of his fri4ends around him are having problems of their own as well. In this review the basic plot of the movie is told. Zach Braff plays a confused man who begins having an affair with a young lady he met at his friends wedding. The movie portrays common problems in relationships and life itself. In the following review the up and down side of the movie is told. It is mainly positive feedback, making the reading want to watch it. Garden State was also a popular movie with an amazing soundtrack and it is said that The Last Kiss is still even better. It hypes up the movie and says many positive things about it by telling us a basic plot story and even comparing it to another great movie. This review does an amazing job at persuading the reading to watch it.

A Walk to Remember

2007-11-26T20:40:00.000-08:00

This review written by A.O. Scott gives a very male approach to A Walk to Remember in my opinion. He basically just rips on the movie throughout the entire article.He briefly summarizes the article and tells who the main characters are and what actors portray them. Personally a Walk to Remember was one of my favorite romance movies of all time. He claims that A Walk to Remember was " another soapy teenage romance movie". He even goes far enough to compare A Walk to Remember to Not Another Teen Movie which have absolutely no relation to one another. This article should be fun to argue with because the more i read of it the madder it makes me.

Hitman

2007-11-26T20:23:00.000-08:00

Roger Ebert talks about the movie Hitman in this review. He states how it was better than what he expected. He gives the names of the actors and the characters that they play. He gives a brief summary of the movies and how it was first a video games. He gives the directer and the writer names and how they took some things away from the video game. He tells us why he likes the movie and why it was better than he thought it would be. Overall he gives the movies three stars.

VIdeo Game Film Should Be Assassinated

2007-11-26T19:56:00.000-08:00

Hitman

There has been buzz about he movie Hitman. Many that go to see this movie are those who have played and enjoyed these games for hours, but even they are not satisfied.

"So why would anyone who enjoys gaming buy a ticket to, essentially, watch someone else play?
Although this might make a diverting video game, it makes for a lousy picture. People who enjoy playing "Hitman" are advised to skip the movie and keep right on playing their game. People who've never heard of either are heartily to be envied."

I agree i saw this movie after a friend reviewed it well, and i was totally disappointed. Even though i enjoyed the game it was a terrible movie with terrible actor choices.

Beowulf a Must-See

2007-11-26T18:58:00.000-08:00

Published in the movie magazine, Boxoffice, Annlee Ellingson comments that the newly released Beowulf succeeds in connecting the audience to the movie. After reading Beowulf in my sophmore year of high school, I was nowhere near psyched to hear about a movie; however, Ellingson comments on its "stunning cinematography" and "unchoppy narrative" making it seem about 1000 times better then the poem. The review of the sci-fi movie does comment although on the animated quality of the characters that distracts from sympathizing with them. Ellingson describes only that one negative factor and rates the movie a must-see hit, longing for more (in a good way).

30 Days of Night

2007-11-26T18:30:00.000-08:00

In this review Rodger Ebert points out flaws of the film. He points out things that completely undermine the plot of the film for example; why cant the planes come in at night, and why do the vampires make the 300 mile trip when there are much closer places. He gives the film two and a half stars because its well made and well photographed. Ebert is also bias towards the film because there are so many vampire films that he seen that they don't surprise him anymore. However he said it will be worthwhile to go see the film to the people who haven't seen a lot of vampire films. Rodger ends the review with a quote from a horror blogger, who was very pleased with the film.

Persuasive Essays!

2007-11-26T15:51:00.000-08:00

How do you feel about soundtracks in movies? How are they different from the past? Anton Borst tries to persuade his readers that soundtracks in movies add complexity, more entertainment, and liveliness to the film. He feels it is important to include soundtracks in film to keep it flowing, and keep the audience from being bored. However, he also feels that soundtracks are disappearing from today’s’ movies. He feels that movies without soundtracks are extremely tedious and dull. He says, “And then it stopped. The gleam, the sheer potential, vanished, and movies began to feel as flat as the screen upon which they were projected. Now I cannot remember the last time I did not check my watch during a film.” It is obvious Mr. Borst feels strongly about soundtracks in movies. His essay is a good example of a piece in persuasive form.

Snakes on Da Plane

2007-11-26T15:39:00.000-08:00

This site I found basically bashes "Snakes on a Plane" like no other. "It has '70s-style plot holes you could drive a Dodge Rambler through, plus can o' corn music, a march of stereotypes..." This review is full of critical comments on how this movie is horrible, so horrible its funny. I'm not sure if the makers of this movie wanted it to be scary or funny. If they wanted this movie to be scary then I'm sure they won't be making any more movies in their life time. (And this review explains why this movie is so bad).

Across the Universe: More than just Drugs, Sex, and Rock-and-Roll

2007-11-26T15:07:00.000-08:00

In this review, Roger Ebert explains the character and basic plot line of the Beatles and 1960s-inspired film, but he also delves deeper into cultural and more importantly, political aspects of the movie. The "Drugs, Sex, and Rock-and-Roll" era is exemplified through scenes that catch your eyes and ears through remade Beatles songs and wonderfully choreographed dancing under the direction of Julie Taymor.

War of the Worlds (2005)

2007-11-26T14:09:00.000-08:00

Roger Ebert wrote "War of the Worlds is a big, clunky movie containing some sensation sights but lacking the zest and joyous energy we expect from Steven Spielberg". He feels that this film is not one of his best works. He tells the reader that the film is a remake of a 1950 version. Ebert compares the film to other works that Spielberg has created and others of its genre. It is compared to Minority Report and The Day After Tomorrow. He questions the invasion of the robot aliens. He does not understand their purpose. Later in the review the film is compared to the novel version of the story by H.G. Wells. Overall Ebert's only problem with the film was the robot aliens. He enjoyed the cast and the roles they played. He just did not like those robot aliens.

Love Actually

2007-11-26T12:33:00.000-08:00

Film Critic Roger Ebert Reviews the 2003 film "Love Actually". This romantic comedy is comprised of a dozen or so relationships whose stories "go round and round." Although Ebert does not attempt to summarize all of the relationships webbed through out the film, he provides a sufficient plot line to convince the reader this film is worth viewing. He credits director Richard Curtis and leading actor Hugh Grant, mentioning "Grant has flowered into an absolutely splendid romantic comedian." This specific article provides enough claims in order to make a successful persuasive essay.

Presenting tips

2007-11-25T17:36:00.000-08:00

This site states that you should know the needs of your audience in order to give a good presentation. You should try and memorize what you are talking about. A little humor can go along way as well. If you are using visual aids with equipment like computers make sure they are working well before you deliever your speech. Make sure you have confidence in what your talking about otherwise your audience won't believe in what message you are trying to get across.

August Rush

2007-11-23T19:33:00.000-08:00

This is a review by Rodger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times. Ebert gives August Rush both negitive and a postive feedback about the film. He says, "Here is a movie drenched in sentimentality, but it's supposed to be". Then says positivly, "I'm telling you, the ghost of Dickens would be applauding. The movie, directed by Kirsten Sheridan and written by Nick Castle, James V. Hart and Paul Castro, pulls out all the stops, invents new ones and pulls them out too." Ebert gave August Rush only three stars, but he liked that the film "it seems to sincerely love music as much as August does."

Training Day

2007-11-22T20:33:00.000-08:00

Mark G. E. Kelly wrote about the movie Training Day. This movie stars Denzel Washington as a crooked cop, training Ethan hawke on how police work is really done in the streets. in this passage Kelly relates the movie to the war in Iraq. "This story is a metaphor for America’s involvement with Iraq over the last thirty years. Hoyt is America, of course; Alonzo is Saddam Hussein. Alonzo dwells in a neighbourhood where he has the “golden pass. ” He is apparently a king, but in fact he is hated, secretly."

Transformers

2007-11-22T20:24:00.001-08:00

Roger Ebert wrote a review on Transformers on July 2, 2007. He gave the movie 3 stars. Ebert found both positive and negative things about the movie. He said, “It’s goofy fun with a lot of stuff that blows up real good, and it has the grace not only to realize how preposterous it is, but to make that into an asset.” He says how the high school situation between Sam and Mikaela could have been its own teenage comedy without the transformers. He would have given the movie 4 stars, but the battle scene got him bored. He liked how the cars looked, but it didn’t seem possible for that to ever happen. He thought it was too long and that they didn’t need to go on and on. He believes, “you could bring it in at two hours by cutting CGI shots, and have a better movie.”

Beloved Book, Lousy Movie: "Love in the Time of Cholera"

2007-11-22T18:04:00.000-08:00

The link I have provided above will take you to a review of the film entitled Love in the Time of Cholera, directed by Mike Newell, and based on the novel of the same name by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The reviewer of this film is Kyle Smith of The New York Post. Smith opens the review by saying,

"If you've seen "Gone With the Wind," you've seen what "Love in the Time
of Cholera" isn't. "

By the looks of it, many others who have viewed the film share the same feelings as Smith, in that the film does the novel no justice and is not worth seeing. The end result of which was the film was found to be 'horrible' by most viewers.

There is no FIGHT CLUB

2007-11-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

From the film magazine Film Comment, Gavin Smith takes a look at David Fincher's Fight Club. The movie is based on Chuck Palahniuk's novel, the movie says Smith is "ostensibly an anti-New Age satire on both the dehumanizing effects of corporate/consumer culture and the absurd excesses of the men's movement." Smith talks about the characters in the movie, he comments on how well the actors did in the film, and he also talks about the other films the director, Fincher, has done. Smith also says, "Fight Club takes things one step beyond into new realms of dissociation and movie mindfuck." Smith also mentions the recurring scenarios from Fincher's past films. In a quick summary, I think Smith enjoyed the film and praises it with his words.

Your Reaction to "The Mist"

2007-11-21T09:18:00.000-08:00

In this critique of the new movie "The Mist," Roger Ebert talks about the new movie based on Stephen King's book, "The Mist." He also talks about the convention formula for the Horror movie where you mix in an unknown threat, people gathered together, and change the place and threats to make a plethora of other horror movies. He reviews the movie and the acting, but he also relates some things back to the director and comparing his new works to his older, more popular ones. "The Mist" was directed by Frank Darabont. Ebert goes on to say, "Frank Darabont, whose "The Shawshank Redemption" is currently No. 2 on IMDb's all-time best movies list, and who also made "The Green Mile." Both were based on Stephen King's work, but I think he picked the wrong story this time. What helps, however, is that the budget is adequate to supply the cardboard characters with capable actors and to cobble together some gruesome and slimy special effects. If you think Frank Darabont has equaled the "Shawshank" and "Green Mile" track record, you will be sadly mistaken." It seems that, even though you can write and direct some smash hits, you can always assure yourself you'll miss sometimes.

Don't sweat it

2007-11-21T08:32:00.000-08:00

For many people there is this fear of standing before a crowd of people waiting to hear what you have to say. We tend to transform in to robots simply uttering the words we have on paper in front of us. A simple piece of advice giving by this site states, "Be conversational; speak naturally; be yourself (or your best self)". The link I have provided here is an excellent resource that gives information on how to prepare a speech presentation, how to deliver it, and how to show confidance while delivering. The information provided is easy to understand and is outlined very well.

Kill Bill Vol. 1

2007-11-20T18:48:00.001-08:00

What is more persuasive than the critic comparing the director style to a flasher. That is what critic Peter Travers from The Rolling Stones wrote about the film Kill Bill Vol. 1. He fully loved this film from Quentin Tarantino directions and the style, look, and sound of the actions scenes. It stars Uma Thurman she plays the revengful bride who is after the people who killed her unborn baby and put her in a coma. Peter Travers said about the film is that, "In Kill Bill, Tarantino brings delicious sin back to movies -- the thrill you get from something down, dirty and dangerous." He persuades his readers to watch this movie.

http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/5947809/review/5947810/kill_bill_vol_1

Presentation Tips

2007-11-20T10:57:00.000-08:00

The link above is a guide of presentation tips for public speaking. When you are presenting a public speaking, you should know the needs of your audience and match your contents to their needs, know your material thoroughly, and Know what your strong and weak points are. Tips:

Use body language
Speak with conviction
Do not read from notes
Maintain sincere eye contact
Pause
Add humor
Give handouts to the audiences

Presenting Fears

2007-11-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

This link provides us with ten fears commonly associated with giving a presentation. From this we gather the do's and don'ts of presenting and what we can do not to make common mistakes that people usually make. Some of the stresses of presenting include preparing to much, trying to please everyone, and trying to mimick other speakers. We gather that we need to have our own style of speaking and remember not to be to critical of ourselves. I find myself often trying to please the whole crowd and am somewhat to critical on myself when i give a presentation. I expect it to go perfectly and have everyone's attention, but sometimes that cannot happen. This article gave me a good understanding of how a presentation should go and to take it easier on myself next time i have to present to a class.

Tips to A Good Paper Presentation

2007-11-20T08:14:00.000-08:00

The link that has been provided will lead you to a good resource of main tips, on how to give a good paper presentation. Here are the list of main points that the site gives us and then when you click on the link it will give it to you in more detail. Not only in detail but it also provides you with advice.

1. Read the entire paper at least 3 times.
2. Find the important ideas.
3. Create a talk outline.
4. Slide Organization
5. Summarize main points.
6. It's ok to waste space.
7. A picture is worth a thousand words.
8. Number of slides.
9. Provide a talk road-map.
10. Repeat you point.
11. Explain concepts in your own words.
12. Talk to the audience.
13. Practice.
14. Nervousness: How to fight back.
15. Talk to me.

Here are the tips. Check it out!

# 1 Fear In The U.S.

2007-11-19T21:08:00.000-08:00

The number one fear in the United States, based on this article, is public speaking. I do not know about you, but I definitely have this fear ranked top 5 on my list. The author tells us how the fear of public speaking is part of our personality. Can we get over our fears or will our fears conquer us?? Read the article and find out.

Classroom Presentations

2007-11-19T21:01:00.000-08:00

Presenting project in front of your entire class can be a bit of a challenge for some. The following website i have linked gives good techniques when presenting by giving some basic elements while you are presenting, on how to use visual aid and mentions that one should rehearse before presenting. These strategies are very basic and easy to follow. It helps the presenter be more prepared and gives he/she more confidence.

Public speaking - the nerves = success!!

2007-11-19T20:29:00.000-08:00

This website has a couple tips for speaking publicly. Most believe that speaking publicly is all about the way you present your information to the audience but that is only a part of the battle. The website opens knowing your audience. This is an important lesson because different audiences mean that you need to tailor your speech to fit that type of audience. It also states that you should see yourself as an actor when you are presenting your information. This is so true considering you have somewhat of a script and gestures that should be made in certain place during your speech. Gestures are another important factor in giving a speech. The right gestures give emphasis on your point. There are many other things that the website state but gestures, stance, and speaking ability are the most important but not the only things to be attentive to.

Help in Public Speaking

2007-11-19T17:35:00.000-08:00

The Website that I found gives 6 great tips on improving anyones public speaking. The Berkeley's Office of Education Development is really helpful to make the person's public speaking more effective. Here are the 6 tips:
1) Keep the audience in mind as you you prepare.
2) Stay away from predictacble beginnings, and start with a intriguing questions.
3)Get some clear goals that is most important points and focus on them.
4)Talk about your material instead of lecturing about it.
5)Interact with the audience by asking questions,get people involved, because peoploe learn better when they are active in participation.
6)Leave time for question and answer and address everyone politely.

I'd Rather Die Than Say That

2007-11-19T16:42:00.000-08:00

This article is an excellent source of information on how to get over those pre-presentation jitters. Over 75 percent of Americans suffer from a public speaking disorder called glossophobia. It is a common joke that people are more afraid of public speaking than of death. This article includes helpful tips on how to relax and clear your head before the presentation. It gives examples of things to do and not to do. The number one thing that is emphasized as a bad thing is a word for word memorization. Memorizing it completely will be ineffective because it will create a lot of stress which makes people forget things. 93 percent of human communication is non verbal, so this means if the presentation is just recited, it will not be as good. Overall I think this article will be very useful to whomever takes the time to do the described steps.

Taboo's

2007-11-19T15:29:00.000-08:00

This site gives 20 tips for presentations; 10 do's and 10 "taboos." Along with two extra bonus tips. "Bonus tip! Show a visual every one to three minutes. Using this guideline can help you stay on schedule during your presentation. In the planning stage, if you allocate a maximum of three minutes for each slide, it will help you stay on time during your actual presentation." This site helps with presentations. Mostly with visuals, or PowerPoint's. The main "do's" are to smile, move, make sure everything works before hand, appeal to the audience (paying attention to age group), be sincere, use technology, be yourself and use different visuals. The site also emphasizes that someone should not speak to quickly and making sure everything on your slides are spelled correctly.

Many tips

2007-11-18T19:41:00.000-08:00

I found many different types of tips on this page that may help for different types of presentations.

1. Know your material
2. Speak slowly, enunciate clearly, show appropriate emotion
3. Put what you say in a logical sequence
4. Practice at home
5. Use a tape recorder and listen to yourself

Here are some tips that may help you image

1. Dress appropriately for the occasion
2. Be solemn is your topic is solemn
3. Look pleasant, confident and proud
4. Remain calm
5. Speak slowly

This is a list of things you should remember to be careful with

1. Body language
2. speak with conviction
3. Do not read from notes
4. Maintain sincere eye contact
5. Speak and listen to their questions
6. Pause
7. Make sure any equipment is set up and working
8. Know when to stop

If you want more details on these 8 things to remember, go to the link and you will find a lot more to read. Good Luck to all those who still haven't done their presentation!

Butterflies, they're a good thing!

2007-11-18T19:08:00.000-08:00

How to be a Great Speaker is an article about Sandra Schrift, who writes from experiance. Being a professional speaker burea owner allowed Schrift to come up with tips that actually work for public speaking. Every one dreads the butterflies they get before presentations but turns out they arn't such a bad thing, "You want to be nervous. Get your butterflies to fly in formation. Some tension brings about a great speech."

Public Speaking Tips

2007-11-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

The web site I linked to gives ten steps to help make someone a better public speaker. Here are a brief description of each step:

1. Make eye contact with everyone in the audience
2. Put the audience at ease.
3. Use visual aids.
4. Give the audience handouts.
5. Remember that the audience has a responsibility also.
6. "Don't think how I can survive this?, think how can I do this brilliantly?"
7. Work out what you want done with the speaking to avoid a panic.
8. Change voice tonality and speed during speech.
9. Repeat previous exercises until the thought of public speaking can be relaxing.
10. Read a good book on public speaking.

GET OVER THAT LAST MINUTE NERVOUSNESS!

2007-11-16T14:39:00.000-08:00

<-------THIS IS PATRICIA FRIPP

There are three things to keep in mind when you are giving a speech; you have to be mentally, physically, and logistically prepared. Patricia Fripp is a speaking class instructor and she tells anyone who wants to get over their of speaking to make sure to prepare for their speech as well as possible. Meaning, if you have a half hour speech prepare for three hours. Also, make sure that you know the beggining and ending of your speech, making you start and end with fluidity. By being logistically prepared she means that you have to get to know the environment where you will be speaking. If its a large room or stage get in early and walk around to get used to it, so when it is time to speak you are focused on your audience. being physically prepared does not mean that you do push ups before you start, she means to shake hands and make eye contact with the people you will speaking to. Connecting with the crowd will make it less scary. If all fails, shake it out of you; shake your head form side to side, jump up and down, and relax your jaw. Nervousness is natural you just have to learn how to control it and use it to your advantage.

Study Guide for Public Speaking

2007-11-16T10:58:00.000-08:00

Being able to speak in public to large groups is a very useful skill to have. Many people have a fear of public speaking, actually most people fear public speaking over death! To get over this fear, you must first learn the basics of speech preparation and delivery. This website contains the top 10 points to think about when preparing and delivering a speech. This site of study guides and strategies not only explains these top 10 points but also has a fun little matching game too.

Tips for Public Speaking

2007-11-16T09:17:00.000-08:00

To some of us public speaking is an easy thing to do but to others it may be the hardest. It does not matter whether it is in front of twenty people or two hundred people. Getting in front of a group could be a little overwhelming. With this in mind, I searched Google for presentation tips for public speaking. I came across a website called, A Research Guide for Students. I choose this website in particular because it has tips on public speaking. Tips that include knowing the needs of the audience and matching it with the information one will be presenting. Also, it has how body language is important while presenting such as to staning up, walking, and using appropriate hand gesture instead of sitting down. There are many more tips for presenting so I ask of you to take the time to visit this website, possibly before your presentation in our English class. If it is not possible visit this website for tips for your next presentation. Good Luck and hope this website is of some help.

Public speaking

2007-11-15T18:08:00.000-08:00

In a research guide for students public speaking tips are given. There are many things you need to know about the about your audience in order to get your content to reflect to them. Through out the article you find bold heading to get tips from all sorts of catagories. There are many sections including body language, speak with conviction, and many more. Reading through this article will be very helpful in getting tips on presenting anything you need to. Lastly at the end of the article you will find other links that could help you with public speaking. I hope that this helps you!

Preparing for a good Presentation

2007-11-15T16:12:00.000-08:00

This site advices people on how to prepare for a good presentation. It points out that it's helpful to have good research, materials, and organization, prior to the presentation. Also, on this site, we are recommended to be highly familiar with the topic that we are to discuss during our course of the presentation, and also that we should try to attract our audience by gaining their undivided attention, with interest and enthusiasm. This site has more helpful advices, such as; be ready to answer questions asked by the audiences, know in advance who your audiences will be...etc

Communication Skills- Making an Oral Presentation

2007-11-15T12:03:00.000-08:00

This article developed from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne lays out exactly what you need and how to act for a successful presentation. This article is most helpful because of its simplicity. The article walks you through all the componts of the preparation, presentation, delivery, and visual aids. It concludes by stressing the fact to "Enjoy yourself" and "the audience will be on your side and want to hear what you have to say!"

SELLING THE PITCH

2007-11-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

No matter what you may be pitching, a movie, ideas for a party (as Whitney from "The Hills" is doing) or presenting a new concept for a bussiness - this link will help one make it successful. They mention what to include, what things to emphasize, and tips for screenplay and casting.

Public Speaking

2007-11-15T07:59:00.000-08:00

This link provides a great variety of tips, in order to overcome your fear of public speaking. It also helps with tips on how to create a great presentation. Tips just like keeping eye contact, body language and audio-visual aids are just few of the many helpful hints given to you.

Useful Tips

2007-11-15T05:46:00.001-08:00

The link I have provided will take you to a site that includes tips for presenting a pitch. It is primarily for people who are associated in business, but the concepts are the same. Some tips it includes are:

1. Be Brief
2.Be Organized
3.Arouse Interest Immediatley
etc.

Tips on Public Speaking

2007-11-14T22:55:00.000-08:00

Being nervous before a public speach in natural. There are several things you can do to get you prepared for public speaking. One tip is know your matierial as well as you can. The more you know the more comfortable you will be. Another is practice as much as possible. The more you practice the more you eliminate errors. However the most important tip is the hardest to achieve, relaxation. You need to find something that will help you relax once you this you should have no problem giving a speech.

Presentation Tips for Public Speaking

2007-11-14T20:59:00.000-08:00

I found this website The Craig Web experience, I find it very helpful, because it doesnot involve reading paragraphs it bullet points some very important things to keep in mind about presenting and how to not bore the audience and should feel confident about whatever your are talking about. If you are confused yourself about your topic, how to expect others to understand and be interested in it?

How NOT to Give a Presentation

2007-11-14T18:32:00.000-08:00

Is there anything worse than sitting through a boring presentation? I'm sure everyone knows what it feels like to want to scream,"SHUT UP!", to a boring presenter. So next time you are giving a presentation, try not to think about cramming information into everyone's head, or if your slides have enough information, or the fact that 3 people are sleeping in front of you. Just think about pleasing the people who are paying attention. Because one of the greatest feelings may be knowing that you have just impressed everyone with your incredible people-pleasing skills.
This website was invented by a sarcastic fed-up employer who would like to tell the world how NOT to give a presentation. And he does just that. Take his advise to heart! It may gain you infinite respect from your peers and future co-workers.

How to Pitch a Movie!

2007-11-14T16:31:00.000-08:00

The website eHow is designed to show people how to do anything from writing a movie to selling a movie idea to Hollywood producers. The article I found is on How to Pitch a Movie to producers and directors. This website lays out six steps with a brief descrpiton on what to when it comes to selling your movie idea. One of the steps says, "While the pitch should not be memorized, to avoid sounding like a robot you should be able to pitch the entire story without looking at any notes." They give good advice on what to and what not to do in order to sell your movie idea well.

How To Give A Great Presentation

2007-11-14T15:01:00.000-08:00

The site I linked to is called To-Done.com. It is a collection of people's thoughts, tips, and tricks about personal productivity. On the post on how to give a great presentation, the author gives ideas on mental and physical preparation before your presentation, preparing your support materials, and tips on giving the presentation. It's worth reading if anyone is feeling a little iffy about tomarrow.

How to Conquer Public Speaking Fear

2007-11-14T12:45:00.000-08:00

Public speaking is stressful for everyone. Many go certain measures to avoid this entirely, but it is hard to do. Public speaking, however, does not have to be stressful at all. Just as long you keep a few principles in mind, public speaking will become an easy and satisfying experience. In this report, Morton C. Orman, gives helpful tips and advice for overcoming public speaking fear. he gives ten key principles to always keep in mind. The report also reveals eleven "hidden"causes of this fear along with the ten principles at the end. So, for those who fear public speaking, Orman's report would be of great help.

Effective Presentations!

2007-11-14T08:58:00.000-08:00

On the web, I found an interesting link that addresses pretty much all you need to be prepared for when making an oral presentation. From the actual format of your presentation all the way to knowing how to answer questions fired afterwards, this outline has it all. It addresses the four key players to a great proposal: strategy, structure, style, and the supplement aspects of answering questions. One phrase I thought was clever was "Compose for the ear, not for the eye," referring that ultimately your verbal presentation will surpass any visuals. I would definitely check out this link.

Also, I was reading my next psychology chapter in my Kosslyn and Rosenberg textbook and it said that usually we are persuaded by fast talkers than slow talkers. Just something to keep in mind!

Alien, "a haunted-house movie in outter space"

2007-11-13T17:38:00.000-08:00

Alien Autopsy rather self explanatory I would say. Michael Agger does an excellant job disecting the movie, sharing his thoughts on each big scene and character. Agger goes on to explain why Alien directed by Ridely Scott is so "unnerving". First off audiences couldn't resist the taunting tag from the trailer "in space no one can hear you scream". Right there that's enough to scare me. Yet people still went, it actually attracted more people. Agger goes on to explain why Alien differs from other horror movies and actually makes it better then the rest. Unlike other films Alien does not offer any super gory scenes, but the actual alien is a picture that coud stay with you for months. The following quote gives an exact example of how Alien differs from others, "The late-'70s pitch meeting is all too easy to imagine: "Star Wars meets Jaws!" Yet Alien does something neither of those movies does: For the first 45 minutes, nothing happens, just like some European art-house films. It's all buildup, all prologue. Scott shows the crew waking up from hypersleep and exchanging pithy banter. He feeds you details about how a commercial towing starship operates."

Presenting Your Product

2007-11-13T17:03:00.000-08:00

“You only get one chance to make a first impression,” this site give information on how to present a produce to a possible consumer. This will help in presenting our possible movies because it is still a product that needs to be sold. The best adivce on this sites is, "before you make your presentation, make sure that you are prepared. Have all the materials you need to make your presentation a solid one." Each step is coverd and after reviewing this site you are sure to do well on any presentation.

How to Pitch a Movie Idea

2007-11-13T16:52:00.002-08:00

Cartoonist Scott Meyer has developed a creative way to guide future movie writers on to the right path when it comes to proposing a film. In his cartoon, "How to Pitch a Movie Idea," Meyers draws out a story of a pursuing film writer trying to impress a film director. Although short and sweet, it is definitely a lighter way of looking at film writing. Enjoy!

How to be a better Public Speaker!

2007-11-13T16:03:00.000-08:00

As one of the most common fears amongst people of all ages, public speaking is not as difficult as it may look or sound. Morton C. Orman gives hints to being a better public speaker. In this article Morton says, “The truth about public speaking, however, is IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE STRESSFUL” Pointing out a few helpful techniques to keep the stress level minimal, public speaking can actually be fun. There are a few principles mentioned in this article; for example, how to deliver main points, how to add humor to your speech, and much more. These hints can make your public speaking experience much better.

Public Speaking Web Help

2007-11-13T15:11:00.000-08:00

In High School, I used to be one of the shyest people you would know. Well since then I've changed, and a lot of it was forced onto me by my public speaking teacher. I linked to a website that has some good advice including...

"Standing in a corner to hear your voice projected back at you so you can have an idea of what you sound like to a group of people."

"Practicing in front of a mirror to help with your eye contact and body language."

and

"Visualize your audience as not important."

Be careful with the last one. For a lot of people, it doesn't help imagining the audience naked, but what helps me is if you pretend your an expert on your topic and that the audience really wants to see a professional at work. Good luck on Thursday!

Pubic Speaking-Just have fun with it!

2007-11-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

On Monsters.com there is a section called career advice given on public speaking to make it easy. "Understand that the audience really wants you to do well," says Patricia Fripp, a San Francisco-based professional speaker and speech coach. She gives her tips that would help you on your next public speech.
First, she says you should always practice and not to admit that your nervous. She says that silence is your friend. “Silence is the antidote to the "you know" and "uh" stalling tactics.” You want to stay away from “you know, like, um, yeah.” The most important tip she has is to not forget to have fun.If all else fails, “Look at everyone in the room and imagine them in their underwear. Then, with a private grin on your lips, start your speech.”

Public Speaking 101

2007-11-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

Public speaking is a fear that many people share, especially in front of ones own peers. This is why tips can be very helpful and ease the worry that people have. After reading the tips on the website that I have found you should feel much better about presenting something in front of others. The tips discussed will give you the boost of confidence that you need to do well. The very first tip given is know your material. It is important to know what you are talking about. If you know your material inside and out then you will already feel more confident about yourself and your speaking abilities. Another important tip that the website gives is to practice. Specifically the site says, "Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; Practice, pause and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected." Some other tips include knowing your audience, concentrate on the message, and to relax. Just by following these simple tips and the others in the link then you are set up to succeed when public speaking.

http://www.toastmasters.org/MainMenuCategories/FreeResources/NeedHelpGivingaSpeech/TipsTechniques/10TipsforPublicSpeaking.aspx

Alien

2007-11-13T14:26:00.000-08:00

"Being stalked by an evil alien is bad enough but having one inside you is even worse. There really is nowhere to hide." As said by Bill Randall in his interesting review of "Alien." As Randall talks about the idea of where the movie orignally came to the leading role of Weaver who plays Riply. Even giving a little bit of detail about the director and other films he has directed. This is a horror movie that makes space, aliens, and robots something to fear. The technology is shown to be supior to the humans and ends up making it all worse then it need to be.This movie gets into the sci-fi scene and makes a whole new genre of the horror film.

Alien... Influential?

2007-11-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

"Alien is probably the single most influential science-fiction/horror film of the 1980s." The review i found starts off by explaining the plot of the movie. It laster moves on to talking about how Alien influenced many other horror/sci-fi movies that came after it.
He moves on to talk about the acting in the movie, and how since Alien is just a movie rehashed from movies in the 50's like The Thing From Another World the acting is much better and so are the characteristics portrayed by the crew.
The review continues by talking about the directing in the movie, and how it compares to other directing. The author considers it to be very good.
The review is topped off by talking about where the main actors in the movie went on, and also the producers and directors. Sure is influential.

Alien

2007-11-13T11:19:00.001-08:00

The movie Alien is a different movie then all the other horror movies out there. Especially because this movie is taking place away from the world which to me is pretty scary. You can't get any help and are left all alone. When all the crew members started to die and the end the girl was left alone, was just so scary. The horror movies that scare me are ghost or supernatural movies, and i am not really scared of the UFO movies, but this one really got me scared. The website that I have linked is a very good review of the movie.

Alien

2007-11-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

The link is a collection of character lists, related film ideas and various other things dealing with "Alien". It shows photos and quotes from the film along with a general history. Within the link there are other links giving backgrounds of characters and message boards allowing the viewers to see what otherr peoples opinions on the film are.