Lessons on How to Read a Movie by Ebert

The article covered by Ebert entitled, “How to Read A Movie,” was extremely insightful and informative.   I have always been a movie buff and am pretty big on imagery and hidden meanings inside of films.   Ebert points out that the visual aesthetics of a film can convey various meanings.   I found his comments alluding to the juxtaposing of a character in respect to his/her given scene can convey certain meanings.  For example, I liked Ebert’s comment about how:

“in simplistic terms: Right is more positive, left more negative. Movement to the right seems more favorable; to the left, less so. The future seems to live on the right, the past on the left. The top is dominant over the bottom. The foreground is stronger than the background…”

In thinking about this relates to certain films which I have seen…I would contend that I tend to see this more so in independent films where the effort to appear more dramatic more and intense.  It’s funny I can’t seem to place the films (as I have seen so many)  but in general independent films seem to do this.

In terms of angles, one of the movies of which comes to me is an earlier  Danny Boyle film Trainspotting credit to imb.com

I would think that it is considered a dark comedy sort of coming of age film as it follows the lives of young Scottish youth who are heavily caught up in the drug scene.  The cinematography and imagery makes you feel as if you are going on this drug filled downward spiral with many of the characters–sort of a mind warp.