500 days of summer
Marc Webbs movie of 500 days of summer is described as " The Rom-com remixed-Fresh,funny and very original." quotes by Heat. This statment I found entirely true. Scott Neustader the writer has brought a really unique twist on the sterotypical love story. The tagline of the movie is "This is not a love story. This is a story about love." The content plot follows many arthouse perspectives. Its taken a modern theme of love that everyone can relate to but brought a whole new opposite approach by making it an "anti-romantic comedy". The film is very character based; it follows a non linear structure, jumping between 500 days of the character 'Toms' relationship and meeting with 'Summer'.
Due to the casting of the two leads being well established Hollywood actors. It made the film a blockbuster hit showing at most multiplex cinemas. Whereas usually arthouse films have a more private exhibiton. Although its mainstream success takes nothing away from its quirky arthouse style. Which is shown clearly in the movies narrative voice. It gives it a fairytale atmosphere of a grandad telling a story but really heightens the movies character based focus. As the voice informs us of the characters background, childhood and personality traits. Yet the rest of the music choices for the movie are modern day alternate bands. Such as "the smiths", "doves" and the soundtrack for the film was a new release from indie band "Temper trap". This conveys how the films aimed at a more individual alternative audience.
In regards to camera shots and editing, the film includes many montage clips;shots from differnet days merged together. This is a clever way of representing 'Toms' whirl wind love. It also has reaction shots/noddy. The shot mimics an interview feel where the characters answer how they feel to love and reply talking/looking directly at the camera. I really found this effective as it takes it away from the mainstream films where there is no connection with the camera. Throughout the film has prodominatly more close ups of the two shots and shot reverse shots. As its entirly structured around the two characters has a more engaging effect to their story than long wide-angle shots would have.
Key moments of the film which I felt echoes art house conventions. Was its use of black and white clearly demonstrating a characters flashback. Its use of subtitles in a scene where 'tom' describes in French how his love feels like an intense foreign film. And the movies use of drawings, theres a moment when the real life image is rubbed away and the character becomes a drawing. This is very clever as includes art (which is art house's sub-genre). Lastly, a bizzare scene which mocks the musical genre as the lead starts singing. Its randomness and sudden burst of energy keeps the movies upbeat and humorous tone.
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