Reviews
Blackfish (2013)
The film Blackfish tells the story of multiple killer whales in captivity, its main focus being Tillikum a massive killer whale captive at SeaWorld.
The film Blackfish tells the story of multiple killer whales in captivity, its main focus being Tillikum a massive killer whale captive at SeaWorld. The effects of captivity are highlighted, one Orca researcher himself even says "There is no record of an orca doing any harm to a human in the wild". This is a film that will rip your heart out and send you on an emotional roller coaster. Not only does it beg for the protection of the killer whales but it shows how detrimental that places such a SeaWorld are to the physical and mental health of any animal. It causes you to ask the questions, "What is morally right?" and "Are they taking animal captivity too far?" With a mixer of interviews, recorded footage of animals in captivity, and stories from people who have lost a love one due to an attack the importance of cutting down on captivity is expressed very well. If you love watching inspirational, moving films then you will adore Blackfish. It drives an unexplainable emotion in the watchers heart. You will not be able to stay the same and just let captivity continue. Blackfish will cause you to get off of your couch and be determined to make a difference. If you love places such as SeaWorld and local zoos this film may drive negative emotion. Experiences and memories that you had at those place may be ruined and stolen from you. You will either walk away after viewing the film and be angry with SeaWorld or feel like the film was too bias for you.
Sadly, this film is has a lot of bias because it only shows one side of the spectrum, how awful the whales are being treated. It shows no positive things that could come along with places such as SeaWorld. The footage highlights things such as cuts and wounds on the animal. As a watcher you do not get to experience the full effects, negative and positive, of a whale being captivity. Then again, there could also not be a positive side to a whale being captured besides the animal being ill or hurt. Even if a whale has been captured, if it is able to heal well enough to be sent back into the ocean that is where he/she should go. There is nothing better for an animal than its natural habitat. The only good excuse to keep an animal in confinement is because if the animal was sent back into the ocean it could not survive there. It is awful to allow an animal to become dependent on humans and their easy sources for life when they were designed to be independent or be a part of a family that cares for them.
Cast Away (2000)
Chuck Noland, an employee for FedEx, is sent on a business trip that resulted in a plane crash
Cast Away does an incredible job using cinematography to convey a message. Film makers using extreme long shots to show distance and the enormity of the island. Close shots are also used to make you feel secluded. They are used to make you feel like there is nothing else around except for Chuck and you as you are watching it. The directors did a create job with just casting one actor (Tom Hanks) and using him without dialogs to portray everything that was going on. There were incredible aerial shots of Chuck standing on top of a large cliff that is over the island and ocean to show how massive that the island itself is and how high up that Chuck is. Panning shots were also used very well to make a specific area of land or body of water to seem longer or bigger than it actually is. Symbolism played a big role in Cast Away. It created multiple ideas in an audience's mind of how the movie could go. The use of natural lighting made the overall film quality better.
If you love wondrous, slightly intense dramas then Cast Away is for you. It does not keep you on the edge of your seat but it keeps your mind always thinking ahead about how this story could possibly end out. If you enjoy just a little romance and not an extreme amount you would also enjoy this movie. This movie is for all types of people. It is not over dramatic and girl like. It is for both guys and girls. If you like feeling a part of a setting this movie will give you that exact feel. If you love adventurous movie shots, such as, views from a top of cliffs and underwater then this is a movie you will come out of wanting to watch over and over.