Follow the attach instruction to complete this work.
Discussion, you will need to watch two films:
Nomadland (Chloé Zhao. 2020) and a film of your choice from the provided list.
Film One
Nomadland (Chloé Zhao. 2020)
Frances McDormand is one of America’s most acclaimed actors. Over a 4-decade career, she has created numerous characters, mainly in independent films, earning 3 Academy Awards among numerous other awards. In
Nomadland, she creates a memorable character as an out of work widow traveling around the country. Chloé Zhao, the director, specializes in independent character studies working according to McDormand “like a journalist… she gets to know your story, and she creates a character from that” and that she “draws a razor-sharp line between sentiment and sentimentality” [“Chloe Zhao, the Chinese director reinventing US cinema”. Deutsche Welle. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021]. In this film, Zhao also works with non-actors playing fictionalized versions of themselves. Watch the actors in the film, their performances and whether you can distinguish the professionals from the amateurs.
Film Two
This week watch one of these
Acting Award winning films and discuss and compare it to
Nomadland:
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Capote (2005) (Philip Seymour Hoffman)
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The Dark Knight (2008) (Heath Ledger)
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The Departed (2006) (Leonardo Di Caprio, Mark Wahlberg, Jack Nicolson)
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Elle (2016) (Isabelle Huppert)
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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) (Jim Carey, Kate Winslet)
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Fences (2016) (Viola Davis, Denzel Washington)
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The Fighter (2010) (Christian Bale, Mark Wahlberg)
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Her (2013) (Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson)
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Inglorious Basterds (2009) (Christopher Waltz, Michael Fassbinder)
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Jackie (2016) (Natalie Portman)
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Manchester by the Sea (2016) (Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Lucas Hedge)
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Monster (2003) (Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci)
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Monster’s Ball (2001) (Halle Berry, Bill Bob Thornton)
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Moon (2009) (Sam Rockwell)
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Mother (2009) (Kim Hya-ja)
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Mulholland Drive (2001) (Naomi Watts)
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) (Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher)
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Raging Bull (1980) (Robert De Niro)
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Sexy Beast (2000) (Ben Kingsley)
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Sophie’s Choice (2022) (Meryl Streep)
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A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
(Marlon Brando, Vivien Leigh)
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Taxi Driver (1976) (Robert De Niro)
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Under The Skin (2013) (Scarlett Johansson)
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La Vie En Rose (2007) (Marion Cotillard)
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Whiplash (2007) (JK Simmons, Miles Teller)
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Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) (Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton)
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You Can Count on Me (2000) (Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo)
For both
Nomadland and the film you selected, compare:
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Character Development: How did the actors bring depth and authenticity to their characters? Were there specific moments that stood out as particularly effective in conveying a character’s growth or transformation?
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Physicality and Body Language: Analyze how actors used their physicality and body language to convey their characters. Did physical gestures and expressions enhance the portrayal of their roles?
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Character Arcs: Discuss any character arcs in the film. Did the actors effectively convey the evolution or changes in their characters over the course of the story?
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Diction and Delivery: Consider the actors’ diction, line delivery, and accents (if applicable). How did their vocal skills contribute to the effectiveness of their performances?
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Emotional Range: Discuss the emotional range of the actors. Were they able to convey a wide spectrum of emotions convincingly? Can you identify key scenes where the actors excelled in expressing complex emotions?
