I think the Machinist was a very clever and unique film. I felt that it was quite depressing and yet interesting. All the scenes were very dark but well thought out. There were very specific details in certain moments, like the cigarette lighter suddenly popping out. That suggested to me that it was the point where Trevor kind of snapped, and then there was the appearance of Ivan. Throughout the film, certain things begin to show their relevance and towards the end you discover what is truly going on. It’s a revelation to find out the causes of Trevor’s hallucinations, caused by his severe guilt that has been suppressed for so long. Ivan was a representation of Trevor’s sub consciousness. And in the end, the only way he found peace and was able to sleep was when he turned himself in for the hit and run he was responsible for. The scene when Ivan distracted Trevor and the accident was caused, that seemed almost like a warning from Ivan, that if he continues to hide his guilt and the truth of his crime, more people will get hurt. Overall, a very interesting film.
Paris, Texas was another unique film. I think it had some wonderful filming and photography elements. It showed the deserts of Texas in a lot of detail. There were a lot of shots with contrasting colours, like the bright blue of the skyline and the dusty yellow and orange hues of the desert. One of the first things I thought that stood out so much in the film was Travis’ red cap. It looked especially odd in the desert, such a bright colour, and he himself stood out from the place considering what he was wearing and the fact he was alone in the wilderness. Also another interesting point, when his brother turned up, he was wearing a bright yellow cap. So they were in stark contrast to each other. From the start of the film, you are kept wondering when Travis will speak, you constantly wonder what happened to him and where he is trying to go, but we are kept in the mystery for a long while. I think this was done so that we would not only be interested in Travis as a person, but also feel his brother’s frustration. I thought the themes that the film had were pretty interesting. It was like a constant journey and the city and desert will in contrast with each other. The film goes full circle and the story is always leading ahead to the conclusion.
