The End

So, as you can tell by the post below me, this is our last blog post. While we are relieved and proud that we have our final magazine draft out, we've had to overcome some problems on the way. Overall, I'm proud of the work we've managed to done, and I'm glad that I've gotten to know my group members better. I think that this was a good course to have freshman year start out with, because it's everyday schedule provided consistency, and most of the work was in class, so we where learning a lot but at the same time it didn't overload us with work.

It's hard to believe that we've done so much in such a short time. We've gone from trying to remember words like "folio" and "body copy" to using them regularly in class. I also like the perspective that this blog has given me on film. Before looking up film news, I didn't realize how many sequels had been made, and how that was affecting the film community. I learned a lot more about the box office ratings, and how they work.

Over all, it was a good semester.

~Jessica

Final Post: Good Bye, Little Blog

Our first semester is coming to a conclusion, as this will be my last blog post. We are very close to the completion of our Montage magazine and our Electronic Magazine class. Throughout this first semester in Ezine, I learned a few things about the general American film industry that I had not known before. To be honest, I know only little to nothing about entertainment in America. As an anime/manga nerd, I don't pay attention to anything happening in America. Sure I know a few celebrities, most of whom I dislike and will not specify at the moment. Other than that, I have ZERO KNOWLEDGE about what is going on in American film. A specific example would be that I didn't even know the difference between an Oscar and a Grammy. Now I know that Oscar = film and Grammy = music.
After having to research about news in film for my blog posts, I was able to find out a little bit more about what is going on right now in the film industry of America. Upcoming films, new or recent releases, horrible films, five star films, I explored through a lot of those this semester. In this case, a lot means more than usual, in which usual means never.
Of course, movies always change as time flies. After a few months, even weeks, I will go back to knowing nothing about current films and movie news in America. But even so, I still gained a little knowledge about the entertainment here.

It was an interesting experience, and I'm probably going to miss being able to sit in front of a computer during the whole class.

Farewell!
--Ellen--

Last Post

This is a bittersweet week in the history of the great magazine Montage. We are making finishing touches on the first, and the last issue. All of our adoring fans will finally be able to see the great works of myself, Ellen, and Jessica. You will finally be able to see the bios of the stuntman Richard Hancock and the teacher Vanessa Mokry. You will finally be able see the opinions on the latest films and anime. And we, finally, will be able to move onto the dreaded SciTech. Oh we will cry when we are ripped away from our computers and our Indesign files. We will beg Ms. Young and Mr. Pace to let us stay and create more delicious content, just for you. There are many more films that we can report to you, Black Swan, Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Ong Bak 3, Blue Valentine, and so many more. How we wish to stay, but for all great things, there must be an end. And sadly, that end is now. I’m sure that my partners Ellen and Jessica feel the exact same way about this moment. Goodbye. This is Alex S., signing off. I’M OUTTA HERE FOOLZZZ!!!!! –Alex S.

Catherine Hardwick's New Project

Catherine Hardwick, director of "Twilight" (the first movie for the Twilight saga), has been chosen to direct a film for "The Maze Runner." It is said that she has great talent in directing movies revolving around the genre of young adult romance and horror. In my opinion, "Twilight" was a very lame movie. The transition from Bella and Edward falling in love to randomly climbing a tree made me fall over laughing. Although I do not like Twilight, I cannot say that I am ready to hate "The Maze Runner." I have not yet read the Maze Runner and this movie news just gave me a new book suggestion. It may be that I don't like Twilight's story, resulting in why I don't like Twilight's movie. For those who are fans of Hardwick's work, they can be looking forward to "The Maze Runner." This movie can also be for the Maze Runner fans out there. I am looking forward to see how this movie comes out, but before then, I will read the book.
 For more information, you can find the article here.
--Ellen--

Actor Leslie Nielsen Dead

When I first read of Leslie Nielsen's death on the Huffington Post last night, I was intrigued. It seems the star of such parodies as "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun" series was once a dramatic actor. It's hard to believe that a man who fell on the Queen of England, knocked Barbara Bush off a balcony, and politely asked not to be called Shirley could look or say anything remotely serious. But it turns out that he starred in the 1956 science fiction film  "Forbidden Planet" and in many serious television shows. Even more surprising is what he did before acting. Nielsen was born and raised in Canada and his father was a Canadian Monty. After graduating high school he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. I find it very hard to believe that a man could serve for the Air Force and eventually become a famous actor, always associated with absurd and stupid humor. Another irony in Nielsen's life is that he starred in the first disaster movie "The Poseidon Adventure" and then was later cast in the first film to parody disaster movies, "Airplane". I can't tell if I happy or disappointed that Nielsen left dramatic acting for absurd humor. I really enjoyed "Airplane" and "The Naked Gun", but they started a new genre of movie that would lead to crap that is "Scary Movie" and "Meet the Spartans." Either way, Nielsen's career is a great and prolific one, and I will miss the movies that he can't continue to make. -Alex

The full article can be found here.

Buffy Movie Remake

The movie poster for the original Buffy movie.

When I first heard about a Buffy movie remake, I didn't really know what to feel. On one hand, I'm so tired of remakes and sequels. To me, you can only make a movie series if it's based on a book, or has a clear way to continue without becoming boring. On the other hand, after finishing the real Buffy movie, all 7 seasons, all 5 seasons of Angel, and the Buffy comic books (out so far) I'm kind of ready for something else. And also, the original Buffy movie sucked, so you can only move forward from that.

DVD cover for the first season of the TV series.

But at the same time, Joss Whedon wouldn't be involved in the movie. At all. The main reason people (including myself) believe that the movie was the worst thing that came out of the Buffy phenomenon, was because Joss Whedon wrote it, but he wasn't involved in producing, casting, directing or even acting in it. For every thing after the movie, he was involved in many ways, including all of the ones above. So if your not even going to have Joss Whedon write it, your not going to have him directing, your not even going to have him anywhere near it, then how could it be any better than the original? Also, the chances of getting all of the actors back are very slim. And if you don't get the actors from the T.V. series (God forbid they get them from the original movie) then how could it be any amount of success? When Joss Whedon later said that what they where doing was a sad reflection of current trends the movie industry seems to be fallowing, I had to agree. Unless they pull off all of it, getting the actors, getting Joss, and probably getting other people who where very involved in the series, then they could probably make it pretty successful. But that's probably not going to happen, so why even try?

Click Here To Read The Story

Click Here To Read What Joss Whedon's Responce Was

~Jessica

Foreign Movie Poll

Here is a poll about foreign movies! Please fill it out!

--Ellen--