This is a very unique film that took a span of 12 years to make and some may say it is a one of a kind film. There were many interesting features about this film besides the fact it took so long to make. We are able to see a family grow right before our eyes and see all the ups and downs a family goes through. The cinematic aspects of this film are very interesting and well done, but the one that stuck out to me the most was the camera shots/angles. A scene where I thought this was displayed very well was when Mason and his father went to one of his fathers buddies shows. As they sat on the top level overlooking the ban, Mason's father friend notices how big Mason has gotten since the last time he had seen him. He looks above from the stage and tells him how big he's gotten and all of the wonderful things his father has told him about Mason. I found this to be interesting, almost as a turning point for Mason as he appears to be standing all high and mighty at the top as he over looks the band and his told all these positive things about him. I feel the director was trying to portray that things for Mason were finally looking up as he was getting ready to take off for college. That he was starting to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. Another scene that used this aspect well was the very last scene when Mason is off at college and is hiking with his new friends. He is sitting with a girl he met and they are having small conversation, nothing important, just getting to know you talk. But in the moment, it seems more than just small talk, Mason overlooks the mountains realizing this is were he starts his life. The open space symbolizes all the opportunities he has in life and it all starts here.
A moment in this film where I thought that this aspect wasn't used to its full potential was when Mason is getting ready to leave for college with his mom and his mom begins to cry and review her life as a waste. This is the first time we see Mason's mom really show a negative attitude and I thought was a key part to the film, but there was nothing special about the scene. I thought they could of had more interesting cinematic aspects to it, especially with the camera angles.
I felt that this cinematic aspect helped emphasize the importance of someone's childhood. The free and careless aspect of a childhood is important, to do whatever you want and be able to try new things out and see what you like and dislike. It also shows some of the traumatizing things some people have to go through like seeing your parents get a divorce or experiencing your first love slip through your fingers, thinking you'll never find anyone else like that again. This movie does a great job letting viewers observe this and maybe help us reflect on our own childhood or help people that are passed that stage in life to make sure that they will look at their own kids childhood differently.
I think that another movie that used this cinematic aspect well was The Dark Knight. This was a very high spoken movie and many peoples favorite, but what I felt made the movie so effective was the unique camera shots they had throughout the film. Christopher Nolan did a great job of making Batman look even more powerful than he already is with his camera angles. The scene that stands out to me the most is one of the very last scenes where Batman is faced with a decision on whether to try and save Harvey Dent and turn him good again, or eliminate him to save innocent lives. During this scene, the camera angles are shot at a low point when facing Batman to make him look more superior than Harvey Dent. This gives the viewers a sense on who might come put on top at the end of the scene.
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