The Films Appeal - Movie Review Example

Morgan Spurlock’s Supersize Me (2004) 1. What features of the film appealed to you; what did you like about these aspects and why? (E.g. the plot, genre, characters etc...) Justify your answer according to personal respond. The film’s appeal lies in the way the director plots the story of his documentary. As in most classical film structures featuring the dilemmas of protagonists piling up as the film’s plot moves to the final act to drive the message at home, the filmmaker takes the role of an actor-protagonist to achieve this basic requirement. To push the story forward, and as the supposed hero of this documentary, Spurlock pulls off a gimmick – subjecting himself to a 30-day McDonald’s diet plan and then recording himself as each day passes – knowing all along the result that he can use for dramatic effect – shake off faithful consumers of fast foods. To this end, Spurlock suggests that consumers become more careful and vigilant in their consumption of these products because the toll is much more than what they enjoyed gorging McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken or Burger King. As in most classically-plotted films, where the hero or the protagonists come to the point where everything seems hopeless, but at the end of the day, finding himself the victor, Spurlock achieves this by enduring the month-long experience of taking only McDonald’s with no exercise or physical activities at all. Then as the days move, he then experiences the brunt and the consequences of his actions with each shoving of McDonald burgers in his mouth, he receives the blow physically. But should he lose hope? The film makes sure he soon win the fight because no matter how bruised he became, there is victory. Moreover, the film’s witty visuals help in harmonizing into bit-size chunks some loaded information that the film raises. These visuals are very contemporary and the goal of injecting fresh information about the subject are not only entertaining but also informative. 2. What features of the film did not appeal to you; what did you not like about these aspects and why? (E.g. the plot, genre, characters etc...) Justify your answer according to personal respond. Morgan Spurlock’s attack on the American eating habits and his exploration of the alarming and growing obesity crises almost succeeds but stunted in part by the director felling in love with showing himself in the camera for long. At the latter part of the film, the short vignettes of his month-long avowal to consume nothing but McDonald’s products meanders and sometimes overstate the obvious – that Spurlock could well be one of the casualties of his experiment. His singling out McDonald’s products and lack of exercise as the culprits in the diet crises may also boomerang to him since common sense dictate that even elementary grade students are taught that poor diet, not only brought about by eating at McDonalds, and no physical activities, are really harmful to one’s health. With more of the film’s running time showing the spectacle of Spurlock’s experiment on screen then spiced with the commentary of the filmmaker, these lowered the film’s supposed goal of encouraging the public to act intelligently but independently minding their action to what they watched. In addition, just because the film’s subject was treated with obvious intent to entertain, but it leaves the audience asking what the film really accomplishes. The film’s exploration of the topic would be more effective if Spurlock invested highly on research and investigation of the complex web of the fast food industry operations than merely watch a man gorge on McDonald’s until he get himself sick of it. In addition, the film may be interesting for allowing its filmmaker-actor tests his limits by proving an assumption that the unhealthy products of one of the leading fast-food brands today can kill slowly. This effort is over-the-top muckraking documentary but falls short in inspiring action among the very people he considers should be alarmed of the threatening epidemic of obesity and health related problems. 3. What is the messages beneath this film text? What is it saying about people, society and the world? Justify your answer according to personal respond and critic view. Super Size Me, a film directed by Morgan Spurlock in 2004, is not an unconventional documentary just because it treats its subject about the dangers of our fast-food obsessions in an entertaining way. Spurlock’s theme is not a new one because there already have been some popular and even wonderful documentaries that dealt with the obesity and what the fast food industry has been doing. Some critics who reviewed the film asserted that the film’s argument may be threading on the issue of corporate power, role of marketing, and health. One from the New York Times, A.O. Scott, said it is the people (us) “who should kill McDonald’s before McDonald’s kills us” (2004). In 2004, David Steritt of the Christian Science Monitor called the film a health scare, whose intention is to shock Americans “who are told they are the fattest people in the world” (2004). However the film suggests a subtle message that greedy capitalists will continue to pursue their agenda to the extent of the citizen, the society and the whole nation falling ill due to their consumptions of fast food products. These capitalists, who are well-aware about the repercussion of the growing obesity problems, may already be aware that the expenses they will incur in every legal battles that will surface against them due to complaints from people are easy to overcome because their products are not only saleable but already become part of the lifestyle of the people. Fully aware of these realities, Spurlock’s attempt may fall on deaf ears but he may have intended the film to add something to the discussion and for his contribution to the fight against people’s obsession with fast foods. On behalf of the people, Spurlock believe that they are the captive and unwary victims in this web of deceits and greed. Capitalist-owners of these fast foods use advertising and various forms of marketing not only to promote fast food lifestyle but also create a need and necessity for the consumption of these products. Lastly, some there are questions that remain open for discussion as well – Who then is to blame? What are the limits of personal and corporate responsibility? 4. Discuss the following aspects of film language which convey the purpose or meaning of the film – a. Editing Super Size Me utilizes editing styles akin to music video and reality television shows and muckraking investigative documentaries. To explore the boundaries of his very personal documentation of fattening himself by gorging for 30 days McDonald’s in an entertaining yet personal way, the film’s editing may have been influenced heavily by reality TV shows like the Fear Factor, Extreme Makeover, and more. The result then is a dynamic, often fast-moving, tongue-in-cheek documentary for mass appeal – those who prefer conventional yet intriguing documentaries. The film wittingly use cutting edge visual graphics or animation to deliver some interesting information (e.g., personal, medical) about the argument that Spurlock was trying to deliver. These visuals that are interspersed in several scenes helped in heightening the film’s goal to make the film appealing visually but, to some degree it distracts or lessens the seriousness of the intention of the film because of too much visual and aural feasts. Since this style is very personal indeed, when the film shifts to a more serious mode or when presenting loads of information about what it wants to convey – the film meanders as it finds it difficult to shift gears to stay relevant. Take for example several points in the film when Spurlock takes time out from his narrative to probe the impact of fast food obsession on children. To investigate, he takes school lunches, the way way capitalists’ targeting of children, and the relevance of branding. b. Camera The handheld camerawork used in the documentary Super Size Me when Spurlock starts with his experiment maintains an air of uneasiness and discomfort, the conscious intention of its director to project an image that the film is headed to a nauseating journey up the corporate power and health problems besetting America. In another respect, the camerawork used can act as a way to project that its filmmaker and the film itself is closer-to-home, very intimate and personal as if Spurlock may be anybody or any citizen on the brink of fast food addiction. The freedom afforded by this camera style proves effective in allowing the director go independently to any scenario or situation or people to cover or interview with minimal distraction. However, such style may be too alienating to some viewers, and sometimes distracts the more serious-toned aspect of the film, especially when carrying interviews with resource people in the film. c. Music The film uses up to 30 novelty or wittily-composed songs – all with lyrics or tone that resonates several themes that the film wants to convey, such as inciting consumers to protest or fight megarich fast food owners, anti-McDonald’s theme, and more. Several songs were interspersed with hard-hitting wordings, including one from the track, “Rock N Roll McDonald’s” which attacked McDonald’s hamburgers being the worst among other fast food joints like Burger King. Some songs are very country American, some pop and other kid’s camp-kind, but nevertheless, the intention is to heighten the film’s atmosphere as candid, upbeat and seemingly nationalistic song meant to stir the audience’s emotions, in a way suggesting that before one can love beloved America, the people should first show love to itself, which include making sure they are healthy and make those accountable for the ills pay. The use of music in this film only did not only serve to heighten the mood and accelerate the film’s pacing, but the purpose is to complete the total mix of the film, not only to sound sweet but offer a contrast to the very horrible reality hidden in the catchy, upbeat melodies and tunes used in the film’s tracks. Read More

The film’s exploration of the topic would be more effective if Spurlock invested highly on research and investigation of the complex web of the fast food industry operations than merely watch a man gorge on McDonald’s until he get himself sick of it. In addition, the film may be interesting for allowing its filmmaker-actor tests his limits by proving an assumption that the unhealthy products of one of the leading fast-food brands today can kill slowly. This effort is over-the-top muckraking documentary but falls short in inspiring action among the very people he considers should be alarmed of the threatening epidemic of obesity and health related problems. 3. What is the messages beneath this film text?

What is it saying about people, society and the world? Justify your answer according to personal respond and critic view. Super Size Me, a film directed by Morgan Spurlock in 2004, is not an unconventional documentary just because it treats its subject about the dangers of our fast-food obsessions in an entertaining way. Spurlock’s theme is not a new one because there already have been some popular and even wonderful documentaries that dealt with the obesity and what the fast food industry has been doing.

Some critics who reviewed the film asserted that the film’s argument may be threading on the issue of corporate power, role of marketing, and health. One from the New York Times, A.O. Scott, said it is the people (us) “who should kill McDonald’s before McDonald’s kills us” (2004). In 2004, David Steritt of the Christian Science Monitor called the film a health scare, whose intention is to shock Americans “who are told they are the fattest people in the world” (2004). However the film suggests a subtle message that greedy capitalists will continue to pursue their agenda to the extent of the citizen, the society and the whole nation falling ill due to their consumptions of fast food products.

These capitalists, who are well-aware about the repercussion of the growing obesity problems, may already be aware that the expenses they will incur in every legal battles that will surface against them due to complaints from people are easy to overcome because their products are not only saleable but already become part of the lifestyle of the people. Fully aware of these realities, Spurlock’s attempt may fall on deaf ears but he may have intended the film to add something to the discussion and for his contribution to the fight against people’s obsession with fast foods.

On behalf of the people, Spurlock believe that they are the captive and unwary victims in this web of deceits and greed. Capitalist-owners of these fast foods use advertising and various forms of marketing not only to promote fast food lifestyle but also create a need and necessity for the consumption of these products. Lastly, some there are questions that remain open for discussion as well – Who then is to blame? What are the limits of personal and corporate responsibility? 4.

Discuss the following aspects of film language which convey the purpose or meaning of the film – a. Editing Super Size Me utilizes editing styles akin to music video and reality television shows and muckraking investigative documentaries. To explore the boundaries of his very personal documentation of fattening himself by gorging for 30 days McDonald’s in an entertaining yet personal way, the film’s editing may have been influenced heavily by reality TV shows like the Fear Factor, Extreme Makeover, and more.

The result then is a dynamic, often fast-moving, tongue-in-cheek documentary for mass appeal – those who prefer conventional yet intriguing documentaries. The film wittingly use cutting edge visual graphics or animation to deliver some interesting information (e.g., personal, medical) about the argument that Spurlock was trying to deliver. These visuals that are interspersed in several scenes helped in heightening the film’s goal to make the film appealing visually but, to some degree it distracts or lessens the seriousness of the intention of the film because of too much visual and aural feasts.

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