MODERN FAMILY: Journal 4

In Joe Reid's review of Modern Family's latest episode, ""The Late Show" he looks into the quality of the show overall. He writes the review for the AV Club. He ultimately gives the episode a B- and the community grade is C+. In the episode, the three main adult couples are trying to get to a restaurant on time. It's a new restaurant in town and they're all very excited to go but all have multiple reasons why they come to the reservation late. 

His main concerns with the episode were that it was a bit repetitive and we didn't learn any new information as an audience and that the characters sometimes seem stuck in their roles. I agree and disagree with his review. A B- seems pretty harsh because overall the episode was funny as was intended and the writing  and acting remained good throughout. 

One of the points Reid also brings up is the constant bickering between the spouses. He focuses on Mitch and Cam's constant banter but also mentions he could say the same thing for Gloria and Jay. I do agree that this part of the show is getting a little old. Cam and Mitch seem to mostly complain to each other and it's hard to see if they really get along or not. 

                I agree with his review, in that the fighting between the couples and the lack of new information is getting rather old. I don’t agree with his final grade, however, of B- because I feel overall the writing and acting were great. 

ARGO blog post

The movie Argo is based a true story of Americans held hostage in Iran. There are quite of few dramatic scenes in the movie, especially towards the end; involving the Swissair flight taking off. This is a pretty remarkable scene. The director builds suspense by almost using stop motion to show the different aspects of the event.

            The suspense starts at the beginning of the movie but really escalates at the beginning of that scene; when they are showing their passports at the airport. They first have their passports examined by security before having to go to secondary inspection. While there, they show their idea for a movie through a series of comics. The anger that’s portrayed in that scene builds the suspense – because although the film is going to end well – but it’s filmed in a way that makes it seem uncertain. 

            They eventually are let through but it only gets more intense after that. More suspense is built when the boarding of the plane begins, the phone gets pick up at the last second and they’re ultimately approved to board the flight. The next scene shows the Americans getting on a shuttle to the plane and at the same time are being chased by Iranians and ultimately cop cars and military trucks. The plane seems to take forever to take off and when the vehicles are chasing the flight down for a minute it feels like they might not get away.

            This scene is more or less the climax of the movie. The first ¾’s of the movie builds up to their departure. They don’t truly know they’re safe until they’re in the air and the flight attendant announces alcohol could be served. Their goal of trying to pass off as a movie crew in order to leave the country eventually worked.