Michael Jackson's Music Videos

He was the 'King of Pop' after all, and his music videos show why. Almost every single he released were made into music videos, but some of his lasted an average of 9 minutes. Perhaps what he wanted was to tell a story, and that's what he did.

His memorable music video was 'Thriller', which was a 14-minute mini-movie about Jackson becoming a were-cat and scaring his girlfriend. Later, as the song played he then turned into a zombie, further scaring his girlfriend. Setting overall is what made the video special, with the lighting, prosthetics and special effects made this stand out.

In 'Bad', what stood out are the deserted subway setting, Jackson's rebel leather attire, and the band of thugs who were behind him in the choreography. Everyone knows the four-minute short version, but there's actually an 18-minute video, in which Jackson played a young student who became more of a thug in an effort to fight against petty crimes. The storyline, overall is awesome and well-thought of.

From that point on, Jackson's videos continue to be innovative, starting with the morphing technique for 'Black or White', the visual effects on 'Remember the Time' (and later 'Earth Song'), and the costly 3-D technology and expensive sets for 'Scream' (with sister Janet). Jackson became the music video maestro, and it paved the way for other artists to create more elaborate and story-oriented music videos that can make a music fan scream, literally.

The Last Samurai

This Tom Cruise classic was one of a kind. The film about an American soldier learning the Samurai way of life was a magnificent storyline, considering that the film focuses on the last vestiges of the samurai life in the advent of Japan's westernization. And the scenes were well-executed and well-planned, despite the fact that I hate the final portion where the samurai were badly outnumbered by the American soldiers and their modern weapons. And the shots were fast and furious to make it more exciting and breath-taking.

Even in the rise of the fantasy genre (with all its CGI and elaborate prosthetics), I believe that films concerning history are still important because they are all worth the learning that students can relate to. They may not accurately recreate some of the events, but nevertheless these films can portray a portion of history that can be worth learning for.

Teen Flicks of the 1980s

The 80s teen flicks I refer to are the following: The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo's Fire and Pretty in Pink.

The three films have something in common: they were the films that became cult classics in the coming-of-age genre, and it also indirectly inspire the rise of teenage pop sensations such as Debbie Gibson, Tiffany and New Kids on the Block (although New Edition started the trend, it was the trio that made it more prominent in the late 80s). Personally, as a teenager, I loved the 80s, with all the weird hairstyles, synth music and colorful personalities. So these three flicks certainly became my personal favorites, although teenagers nowadays would better relate to the more recent films of the fantasy genre such as Avatar.

The films remain a sought-after favorite for retroactive teens, and with an inspiring storyline, attractive setting and delightful characters, these films are worth remembering for. The hit songs that accompany the films also add to its terrific and well-acclaimed story.

House of Sand and Fog

The 2003 movie which starred Ben Kinglsey and Jennifer Connelly, was a good film to begin with, although I have to be a little negative about the special effects used in the film, with the emphasis on the sand and fog. You can't see who's who in the film, so that gives you some sore eyes, but it also makes you distinguish between the elements and of the characters.

The 'tweener' characteristic of Amir Behrani (Kingsley) in relation to his relationship with Kathy Nicolo (Connelly) make the film something to watch. Behrani, who at first was a thorn to Kathy's drive to regain her house, would later become friendly to Kathy and decided to adopt her. It was one of the film's twists and turns that happened through the two hours of watching the film. The characterization overall was also terrific, but also confusing, which emphasizes more of the twists and turns. It was one of the best films I ever watched.

The Wrestler

Mickey Rourke's comeback film parallels that of his character, Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, who twenty years later, decided to come out of retirement, and despite a near-fatal heart attack, he still managed to entertain the wrestling fans even though he only performed in minor wrestling promotions. The film is all about comebacks and ageless performances, and it shows that age is no hindrance to maintaining a career.

The film, with all its lighting and high-angle shots, make it one my favorite films. Although I have to disagree with the fact that they didn't cast stars from either TNA or WWE, the wrestlers themselves had fun acting with Rourke. The film was an ultimate masterpiece, given the positive accolades by critics and various awards.

The Bronx is Burning

Basically an eight-part mini-series about the 1977 New York Yankees and the state of New York City at the time, the series talks about the Yankees of Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson and Manager Billy Martin whose strained relationship with then-Yankee owner George Steinbrenner almost cost them the World Series. It also talks about 'Son of Sam' and the widespread riots around NYC.

Personally, I admit that the mini-series was great, even though they have to save costs by using stock footage of the Yankees games in 1977 mixed with the live-action footage of the actors playing the baseball players. The film was a historical masterpiece, showing that despite the turmoil and the discontent, what it matters most, is that the commitment to win remains intact.

Cast Away

The film was shown ten years ago, and it inspired Mark Burnett to produce a reality show, which we know today as Survivor. It was a story that can make viewers imagine about getting stranded in the sea and was given up for dead.

Tom Hanks' performance in the film was remarkable, even though shooting the film was both painstaking and demanding. Director Robert Zemeckis, the same man behind the 'Back to the Future' trilogy, did an amazing job in directing the film even though he had to stop filming for a while in order for Hanks to lose weight and grow a beard.

The isolated island setting in the film was what I rave about. Imagine yourself getting lost and washed up in the sea, with no one inhabiting the place. This was one intricate part where Cast Away was most famous for. The film was like a survival guide to those who ended up lost in the sea, so the film can help you survive in an unfortunate situation.

The storyline was terrific even though it was vain, so I like watching the film as a motivational piece for survival.