Lion// Media Project #2
1. INTRODUCE your subject.
Tell why you chose this particular movie, book or recording. Why does it stand out? Is it in the news?
Include a movie trailer or picture from the film; or a photo of the author or the book cover; or a YouTube video of the artist performing one of her/his songs. Select a visual element that stands out!
While doing my typical Sunday night netflix-ing bing this past week, I stumbled across a movie in the popular now section titled Lion. I had seen it in my suggested of you category a few times, but never paid much mind to it. This time however I decided to at least read the synopsis the kind workers of Netflix had written. What I found was this, “An Indian man who was separated from his mother at age 5 and adopted by an Australian couple returns home, determined to find his birth family.” It intrigued me. I also saw it was an hour and 58 minutes, which is a rather long movie. I was considering it, reviewing who was in the movie not that I know many actor or actresses names anyway but then I stumbled across that it was based upon a book and a true story. Knowing that this really happened to someone, gave me the incentive to hear about their journey. Although it is obviously a smaller budget movie as it is on netflix, and wasn't something in which millions of dollars were spent on I still felt compelled to watch the movie. Here is the trailer to the movie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmlyGscXing
2. Do some background research on the subject, citing your sources.
DESCRIBE the subject of your blog post in detail.
Add some background information such as a brief biography of the movie’s director or lead actors; the author of the book; or the musician or band. Include a short list of their previous work or awards they’ve won. Tell us something we didn’t already know!
If you choose a movie or book, summarize the plot in only a few sentences -- and don’t spoil the ending!
Note how the product did in terms of sales, box office, best-seller lists, etc.
After watching the movie, I looked up the book which is actually called A long way home: A memoir written by Saroo Brierley. Published on June 24th, 2013. Only to be later made into a movie directed by Garth Davis. Sara has since appeared on a variety of different talk shows and other places such as Talks at Google which is a bit of a long interview very good at that. Also featured on Good reads, he has his own website, even ABC did an interview with him and published an article on their website. His book has a 4.1/5 score on the good reads scale. Penguin Publishing House is who published his book. The movie version of his book was actually never played in theaters here in America. However it was released in Russian and the United Kingdom and since has been given an 8.5/10 rotten tomatoes score. This movie launched in October of 2016 three years after the book was originally published. The movie made a solid 51 million almost 52 million dollars in theaters. It also has 6 academy award nominations.
4. ANALYZE the subject.
How is it similar and different from other work by that artist? Cite EXAMPLES.
How it is similar and different from other works in that genre? Again, include EXAMPLES.
This is Saroo Brierly’s only work in the literature field. Saroo works daily and typically as a business professional but also as an advocate for orphans and lost children. He is an icon for the dream of a a reunited family. Aside from it all being about Saroo, the director of his film Garth Davis. Who has also produced 4 other movies. Lion is by far the highest rated and most acclaimed movies he has done, Mary Magdalene is the most recent film he has directed. Among all of his films there is a trend of having them all be drama biography based.
5. After you’ve analyzed it, offer some INTERPRETATION.
Why is this piece of art/culture important? Why does it matter?
Does it reflect a trend in our culture? Cite some EXAMPLES.
Who is the TARGET AUDIENCE?
Does it include STEREOTYPES or OFFENSIVE MESSAGES? EXAMPLES? If not, how are those avoided? Explain, and cite examples.
I viewed this movie as awareness, and an eye opener. I think many people do not understand the dangers in which those in the middle east face on a daily basis. In this movie you view many different emotions. As well as you see the results and family growth after adoption. You see the tight brotherly bond, and the way in which adoption and childhood can affect you later in life. There is the common trend of, “not fitting in” which is displayed and a common theme in many hit shows. However this movie is different in that sense because he feels that he is missing something, his pain and emotion is somehow deeper and more accredited in my opinion. I feel that the target audience is probably the middle class because they are able to feel empathy and also know that there is a happy ending and see the value of adoption. Or to be able to relate to the journey of adoption. The age group I would say would be more than likely 18 and up audience just because I wouldn't think a younger demographic would feel as much empathy or have as deep of an understanding.
I didn’t see many stereotypes in which I personally would find offensive. In fact I felt this movie did a very good job displaying actual relationships, and not the stereotypical roles in which adopted parents would normally meet. This didn’t occur because this movie had a strong story line.
https://prezi.com/en8t15gbwmbp/target-audience/
6. Next, make an EVALUATION.
What are its STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES? Use specific EXAMPLES.
The strengths of this movie were its real and relatable value. We all or most of us all have a close relationship with a family member. A weakness is that some of the adopted family scenes and parts were a little brief, not only in time shown within the film but also with deepness and a connection with that family. As well as there were many parts in his journey, before he was found and adopted that were left up to the viewer's imagination and left to them to figure out and put an end to in their own mind. I feel as if some things that were definitely in the book were left out in the movie. Which is almost always the case however it is rare to watch a film and have a feeling that things were left out.
Is this movie, book or music good, bad or mediocre?
I came to believe and feel that this movie was very good. In my opinion it was above par, higher than my expectations for the movie when I originally watched it. As well as seeing how it was received and compared to other movies done by Garth Davis.
Is it the best piece of work by this artist? Or does it fall below her/his usual standards?
Considering that he is just writing a memoir about his life, the book I would presume is quite well written. Along with that there is nothing to compare it to because he has never written anything before. Considering the movie, I would say it is the producer's best work seeing as it has the best overall ratings. And that it is the most viewed movie of his.
Is it memorable, or will it be forgotten next week? Tell why.
There is no way that this movie is not memorable because it is so impactful knowing that he really lived this life. Knowing that this is his story, and a journey in which others have yet they do not always the same happy ending. Here are some professional reviews im including:
Davis seems to be striving to avoid some of the conventions of melodrama. But coloring within the lines might have done a couple of favors to his actors and the flow of his film. Full review
Esther Zuckerman
Paradoxically suggests that Saroo managed to go two decades without thinking much about his mother, only to become obsessed with finding her at just the moment the technology made that possible.Full review
Peter Debruge
If you have ever been a child, raised a child, lost a child or met a child — or any of the above with respect to a mother — this movie will wreck you. Full review
A. O. Scott
IMPORTANT: What do the professional critics think? Look up some of their reviews online and cite a few of their comments. How does your take compare to theirs?
7. Beyond writing this blog post, how did you ENGAGE with the subject?
How is the author, musician, movie producer using SOCIAL MEDIA? How many “likes” or “followers” do they have? What are people saying?
Did you go out and buy another book, CD or DVD featuring this artist?
Did you look up this artist’s work online or on YouTube?
What do your friends or family think of this work?
I don’t related to any of the things portrayed in this movie, other than the feeling of being close with a family member. However you cannot help by feeling sympathetic with Saroo through his journey to be reunited with his birth mother and brother. His facebook page is decently talked about, however mainly he uses his social media platforms for his movie use. I think his time spent marketing and touring for his movie was a good idea and meaningful. Saroo does not have any other movies about him, however the book he wrote interests me. I liked the way that Garth Davis filmed this movie. However I also think that he had really good content to work with on this movie, not saying he doesn’t with other films he has directed I just am curious to know if the measure up to the level of quality in which I feel this film contained. I watched this movie with my boyfriend, we were both captivated the entire film. I have never spoken so much and analyzed a film after viewing it as much as I did with this film. There were so many different things he experienced in which I have never come across or even been as close to encountering. It was a completely different life and concept then I would've ever been able to comprehend.
8. Wrap up with a SUMMARY of your findings and conclusions.
Also note what you learned by doing this critique.
In conclusion, what I learned from analyzing and reviewing who directed this movie and what the movies are to be portrayed as. When a movie is launched internationally, there are many different platforms and demographic groups you run into when you go international. However the way this movie was so well received internationally says something for not just the way the movie was shot but also what the movie was about.
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