A Scanner Darkly [2006]

This film starring Keanu Reeves is a complex film, that is filmed in a different style which is called 'rotoscoping'. The cartoon effect is created by layering animation over normal filming to generate a distinctive look that has been around for quite some time.

The films plot put simply, is set in the future and is about the world and how drugs have taken over society, specifically a drug called Substance-D. The main character, Reeves is the character Bob Arcter who is in a gang addicted to this drug, and is also an undercover police officer Fred who is trying to find out who the main dealers and distributors are of the drug. The officers wear a suit making them unknown to anyone, and Fred has to take footage from his dingy home to catch users.

The movie itself is very different to anything I've ever seen before, and could be classed as a sci-fi and the fact that the film is done using rotoscoping adds to the film tone of voice which is drugs, and seems to give the image of actually being on drugs. One of the films main concepts is the suit that officer Fred wears, and is a suit that is able to shift around faces and clothing at a second a clip, and could not be captured without animation. The images fit perfectly for the storyline of the film, creating an overall tone of voice that is completely new and would not have worked with other films.

When I watched this film, I got the look of Sin City which experiments with camera style and uses different techniques to emphasise the storyline. I also noticed that in the movie A Scanner Darkly, there are no real action sequences, no gun fights, car chases or explosions which not be every ones ideal film. The film got me thinking about society and the drug generation, and how the world make actually become something similar to that of this movie, where the majority of people are addicted to drugs.

Overall, I think this movie is worth watching to see the rotoscoping technique in use, and the quirky storyline with some interesting dialogue, but may not be every ones ideal film.

A Clockwork Orange [1971]

I decided to watch the well known movie by director Stanley Kubrick, who also did The Shining and Full Metal Jacket, when a friend bought it on DVD.

The film is about is group of youths who simply go around terrorising innocent people,and get their thrills from hurting people. The gang leader, Alex DeLarge is then caught by the police and is put in prison, but is chosen to take part in an experimental procedure to cure violent people, and can then be released back into society. The procedure is a success but changes Alex's life completely and results in unexpected events.

I honestly think that the film is brilliant, which explores morals and society, and what the world is coming to. The film in my view is something that I have never seen before, and there is not much more with this sort of surreal cinematography and imagination out there. The props used within the film are odd, with bright colours and are extremely unusual to see in a film. These, along with the costumes, and the sarcastic soundtrack that is used in the film, makes you wonder what kind of person would dream of making a film like this.

Whilst watching the film you are put in the shoes of a wild teenager who gets their kicks out of sexual violence, and how they are transformed from the evil side to the good side but at a cost. Alex loses the power of choice within his own life, which brings morals into the film. You are then put in the shoes of a reformed Alex who is disowned by his parents and is left with nothing, and how he is unable to live a life.

The film uses great camera work to emphasise shadows and tones that create a style and tone of voice for the film, but the most interesting production aspect for the film is the music soundtrack. The main part of the music used in the film is classical, and Kubrick used this odd choice to make the film great and again fits in perfectly with the tone of voice of the film.

This film is a must see for everyone, but make sure you are open minded and are prepared to see a great deal of disturbing scenes that make this twisted film a masterpiece.

Wall Street [1988]

This movie starring Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen, directed by Oliver Stone is about a young stockbroker who is hungry and impatient, and will do anything to make it to the top and is taken under the wing of a rich and greedy corporate raider that is dealing illegally with inside information. The young stockbroker becomes involved with the illegal dealings, and gets tricked into running his hard working father out of business buy Michael Douglas, and then has to find a way to get his own back.

The film in my view is brilliant, continually showing how the stock market works. I know this has not much to with design, but if you're interested in how money and stocks work, its a must see. The film shows how greed can take over a person, and how it is like a drug, and shows what money with this greed can cost you. The film questions whether money is the root of all evil, and are you willing to sell your sell to the devil.

The movie has some brilliant quotes like 'every dream has a price' and 'greed is good'. The film depicts the 80's American lifestyle, drugs, greed, the importance of assets and seems to be captured well in my view within the characters and the classic images of business men wearing suits that add to an opening montage for the film. I noticed when watching the film it does not have have much of a soundtrack, and I feel that this adds to the tension and atmosphere, creating an overall tone of voice for the film. There is a great deal of techno talk within the film that gets confusing in the film at times, but the story is simple to understand in spite of this.

I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a business movie, and be prepared for devious thinking.

i-TeDDy

The new i-TeDDy was launched last month, and is for sale in retail stores such as Argos, and the inventor, Imran Hakim, recently won the 'Technology, Innovation and Design' award from the business awards.Hakim, who designed the product won Young Entrepreneur of the Year award last year so is an experienced businessman, and also appeared on the TV show Dragons Den, where Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis agreed to invest £70,000 each. This gave Hakim the opportunity to turn this product into a business.

The product itself is made for young children that aims to educate and entertain, is an interactive bear which incorporates a personal media player and a mini computer screen on its tummy.

I am not too concerned with the actual aesthetics of the product, but the idea which I think is excellent. The overall idea is so simple, but nobody else has had this idea and only came on to the market not long ago, and is a profitable idea as it has got the investment of two well known business men. The product is predicted to be as profitable as the iPod, as Hakim has found a segment in the market that has not been touched.

This is the logo for the product and is pretty self explanatory. The name itself is similar to that of the iPOD, and it's functions are also similar. The main things that need to be taken into are health and safety as young children will be using the teddy.

Apple iPhone

The new iPhone was just launched last week in America, and the reviews for the phone are excellent.

I'll be honest, I didn't realise Apple were going to release a mobile phone, yet when I think about it, it sort of seemed inevitable that Apple would design a phone. I've not had a chance to look at the phone because it is not out in the UK yet, but on first looks it doesn't seem like much. The design just looks to be similar to that of an iPOD, but a phone! The new technology within the phone seems quite good, with the phone having a touch screen function meaning that buttons are one less thing to worry about on the phone design, but Apple have kept their trademark center round button. This product does not seem like a phone, but a multimedia system, because it has everything: sat nav, music/video player, phone, Internet, camera, wi-fi, bluetooth. However, these are things that other phones seem to be able to do now. I'm guessing that Apple are relying on the same thing that help sell the iPOD, simplicity and a sleek stylish design, and the fact that it is cool to have and everybody has one. The only problem with this is that it is not an innovative design, so consumers may not feel the same way about the iPhone. Consumers have already got an iPOD so may think why buy an iPhone. Critics will be comparing the iPhone with the iPod, and not with other phones on the the market so will make it difficult for Apple to be successful in this category. Only time will tell if the iPhone will be a successful mobile phone, and as successful as its inspiration, the iPOD.