Gladiator

                                                "What we do in life, echoes in eternity!"

1.) The soldiers follow Maximus into battle because Maximus displays characteristics of nobility, courage and loyalty.

2.)The fall of Maximus is rather fast, one moment he is a roman general and then the next a slave by coincidence. Although the events that lead up to this were all caused by the Emperor, who hold a much higher role in roman than a general. The probability of this happening is pretty slim.

 3.) "We mortals are but shadows and dust" I do agree with this phrase, we do not live forever as we are mortals and not immortal and we will eventually turn to dust. Although we still hold a relevance "What we do in life, echoes in eternity."

 4.) Having the emperor figure it all out moved the motives of the story along. It let the plots of both side develop and grow to an escalation.

 5.) I believe that the Empress's eulogie and the burial of the little statues bring closure to the story. The eulogie tells the people of Rome that Maximus gave his life for Rome and that he should be honoured for it not Commondus. The burial of the statue is a symbol that Maximus is at peace with his family in a heaven, as well as it is symbolic to his freedom and the freedom of the other slaves as they can now go home and be with there families.

 6.) Gladiator teaches us both positive and negative lessons based on the human condition. Although more of it is negative because in the end our hero does die. But the fact that a general was able to become a slave and then take over the Emperor teaches us that we are truly capable of anything if we are strong and determined enough. But on the larger scale of the human condition Gladiator proves that we live in a bleak society and that we tend to show very little empathy towards one another, as well as humans are capable of doing very horrific things to one another.

Cast Away

1.) In the begging of the Cast Away Tom Hanks character Chuck Nolan is a clean cut Fed Ex employee who wears the most god awful wool sweater I have ever seen. He is in love with and on the verge of marrying his girlfriend.When Chucks plane crash lands his appearance slowly transforms into the appearance you would find in a hunter gatherer civilization. His hair and beard grow to great lengths, he shreds his clothes and only wears a piece of it over his private and his skin is tanned. Chucks appearance adapts to his surrounding. One that he is so eager to escape as he spends the whole time on the island trying to get off and back home to his girlfriend. Wilson, Chucks best friend is a volleyball with Chucks bloody red hand print on it. Chuck goes to lengths to make him appear like a human he gives Wilson a face and hair.

2.) The idea that his girlfriend Kelly is still out there missing him, waiting for him to return home to her keeps Chuck alive. The coccunt, fish, fire and shelter keep him physically alive. He also makes tools from the items in unopened Fed Ex boxes that have washed to shore.

3.) Chuck Needed Wilson, other wise Chuck would have gone insane. He need some form of companionship (even a fabricated and non human one)

4.) I would not want to leave the island, at first I would think about nothing else but getting home. Getting to sleep in my warm bed, taking a hot shower, eating my moms homemade lasagna. But after a period of time (years or decades) I would realize I have changed and if I have changed them so have the times themselves. I would not be able to function or relate to society anymore. Its like when a man spends a long enough time in prison he knows no other way of life so he goes out and commits a crime just to go back. Therefore when I got home and realized things have changed I would simply look for a way back to the island.

5.) The film is believable, Chuck surviving the plane crash and surviving being stranded on a deserted island is a believable premise, the probability of surviving those two things is low but possible. Also where Chuck is and where they think Chuck crash landed is miles apart so they cant find him that is why he is never rescued. Although in this day and age the probability of no one sighting him from sea or air is much greater. Even Chuck getting himself off the island is believable, it was almost impossible but remember the word possible is in impossible. Chuck simply seems to be a man who has many fortunes in the most unfortunate situations. Chuck is that rare one percent chance of something being possible, he is the "what if", the "it could happen to you".  

6.) I give Cast Away 2 thumbs up! The movie captures the reality of what it is like to live a life of solitude. The movie runs for 2 and a half hours most of which is on the island with only Tom Hanks.Tom Hanks performance of the solitary man is believable and entertaining. The story itself makes you question "What would I do" therefore you put yourself on the island with Hanks and you constantly try to find a way to survive and a way off of the island. Robert Zemeckis long, wide and high angled shots makes the movie visually entertaining he covers a depth with the camera that seems to never end. He places you on the island and covers all the angles of it as well as the escape in the water which give you as an audience member the feeling of Hanks characters reality. 

Tuesdays with Morrie Essay

"Death ends a life not a relationship" I agree with Morrie when he says this. 

For my thesis I will write about relationships and how they affect us.

                                               "After I am dead you talk, ill listen."