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A look back at the extremely polarizing “The Last Jedi”

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Back in 2017, “Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi” was released. It was as highly anticipated as any movie in the franchise for one reason – the return of the saga’s biggest hero, Luke Skywalker. Image source: themarysue.com However, very shortly after opening day, the fandom had experienced a divergence in the Force. This schism proved to be extremely volatile. Each day that passed, thousands of fans went to social media to either exclaim either their distaste or love for the film. While there was a middle ground, it was a minimal patch. Mike Giuffrida . Rian Johnson, the director of the movie, was central in dividing the fandom. He took what many fans loved about the series and turned it on its head. The effects were varied. Probably, the biggest blow was the role of Luke Skywalker, who many fans had waited decades to see. Mike Giuffrida . Image source: comicbook.com Luke didn’t fight, as many fanboys and fangirls had hoped for. Instead, he chose to project himself...
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Three revolutionary movies that centered on virtual reality

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Some of the most iconic films in history centered around virtual reality (VR). Having another world opens up limitless possibilities in storytelling. Here are three films centered on VR that have made their mark on cinema history. Mike Giuffrida . Image source: alienationmentale.wordpress.com Tron : When “Tron” first came out, critics were divided, not knowing what to make of it. But as time passed, this visual spectacle became a cult classic and earned its place as one of the most recognizable films of all-time. Not only did “Tron” push the envelope of science fiction, but it also pioneered so many filmmaking techniques still studied and used today. Mike Giuffrida . The Lawnmower Man : While not as big a hit as the other two films on this list, “The Lawnmower Man” is still recognized as one of the pioneering VR films in the post-“Tron” era. Based on the book by Stephen King, this sci-fi suspense thriller portrayed VR as a power-giving entity that allowed the film’s antagonis...
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Why Dungeons & Dragons has become popular again

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More than a hype -- Mike Giuffrida Image source: theverge.com Dungeons & Dragons, or D&D for short, is the pioneer of not just tabletop gaming, but role-playing games or RPGs in general. It has been around since 1974, reached much popularity in the ‘80s, but is not seeing an unprecedented era of success. Indeed, more and more people are playing the fantasy game in the late 2010s and there’s no sign of the hype dying down anytime soon. Mike Giuffrida . One of the main reasons for the resurgence of D&D is its role in the popular Netflix series "Stranger Things." The otherworldly setting of the entire show mimics the so-called “Underdark” of D&D lore. The first season of the series even begins with the child protagonists playing D&D in one of the boys’ basement. Mike Giuffrida. Moreover, the rise of the digital age has helped with D&D geeks broadcasting actual or live plays of the game on streaming services such as YouTube and Twitch. Studies...
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Martin Scorsese, a modern legend

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The greatest films from a true American legend -- Mike Giuffrida Image source: time.com For over 50 years, Martin Scorsese has been a fixture in Hollywood. Before he made his directorial debut with the stunning “Taxi Driver,” Scorsese had been studying with the best and brightest, honing his craft at film directing. Responsible for so many of the greatest and grittiest movies known to man, Scorsese hasn’t shown any signs of stopping. Mike Giuffrida . Goodfellas : Often compared to “The Godfather” in terms of cinematic scope and influence, “Goodfellas” is a sprawling adventure into the life of a player in organized crime. With golden performances from Robert de Niro, Joe Pesci, and Ray Liotta, “Goodfellas” features the story of the mafia in incredible brutality. Seldom are films directed this perfectly. Image source: amazon.co.uk The Departed : Mike Giuffrida. Not too many people know that “The Departed” is actually an American remake of the Hong Kong thriller “Infernal ...
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Set design: No longer an underappreciate fixture in cinema

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I’m Mike Giuffrida, and I love everything about stage and film. I love talking to relatives, friends, or even strangers about them, and I love blogging about them. Image source: businessinsider.com For today, I’ll be discussing a previously (in my opinion) underappreciated part of filmmaking – set design. Yes, while there have been people who see just how great movie sets of epic classics were, casual audiences didn’t give set designers enough credit. In the past 30 years however, everything has changed. Set design has become a character of sorts in film. Take for example Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. In all three films, there were sets that simply blew everyone away. Without the sets, audiences would have had a hard time believing that the story was taking place in Middle Earth. But as it stands, everyone who saw had a hard time taking themselves out of Middle Earth. And that’s just one example. More recently, HBO’s “Game of Thrones” has featured m...
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Two films that changed modern cinema forever

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I’m Mike Giuffrida and I’m taking film and acting classes. Last week, we had one of the most interesting sessions since I started going to school here. Our professor, who also happens to be a renowned cinematographer discussed two films that changed modern cinema forever. First off, he mentioned Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather,” and how the history of film could be halved before and after this masterpiece came out. “The Godfather” not only defined an era, it also stood head and shoulders above any film created before or since. Our professor mentions only two other films that come close, “Citizen Kane” and “Gone with the Wind.” However, unlike “The Godfather,” both “Citizen Kane” and “Gone with the Wind” aren’t nearly as beloved, and haven’t stood the test of time with film going fans.                     Image source: mentalfloss.com The second movie our professor mentioned was “The Matrix.” He mentioned that the Wa...
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Get into character faster with these acting exercises

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Contrary to popular belief, not a lot of actors can start getting into their roles at the drop of a hat. In reality there are lots of actors with a “switch”. Some of the actors I know are actually introverts who need time to internalize a character. While I consider myself more of an extrovert, I must admit that I also need to psych myself up before I face an audience or the camera. Here are some of the the acting exercises we do to get into character faster: Image source: Thoughtco.com Repetition Instead of the usual mirroring exercise where you try to imitate what the other actor is doing, repetition allows you to put a different spin on what he’s saying. It allows you to do so much with one line. If I start out as an overly confident version of Mike Giuffrida, we can go on without changing the line but this time with me being a hysterical character and my partner playing a criminal. It’s a good game that draws out your expressions. Feel the music Image source:...
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