Gaming Narrative

This week we were assigned to read the video game novel, You, by Austin Grossman. I found that the way the author jumped around on the timeline was one of the more interesting ways I’ve seen it done. As the reader, we weren’t told when we were going back or forward in time, but had to infer by which video game the main character, Russell, was playing. This got somewhat confusing for me as I’m not a huge gaming person. Another consequence to me not being a gamer was the long, sometimes unnecessary explanations of the more technological aspects of a games creation.

Nowadays I do believe that games are becoming more and more cinematic. For example, I’m currently watching a video game that recently came out called Beyond: Two Souls. In order to create this game they used motion capture, so everything from the people to their environments are extremely realistic.  Even the main characters in the film are well-known Hollywood actors (Willem Dafoe and Ellen Page). The gameplay itself isn’t demanding, you only have to click specific buttons when it tells you to, making it feel more like you’re watching a movie with slight interaction. For this game specifically, I’m finding the story to be very lacking and done-before, so as a literary experience I don’t think it would hold up.

I am also currently watching a game called The Last of Us, convinced after hearing how great it was. The zombie theme in any form has been overdone in so many ways, but this is a completely fresh take on it, and the writing really tugs at your heartstrings. For example, within the first ten minutes, we’re introduced to the main character and his daughter just as the apocalypse is starting. Shortly after, we see the daughter get mercilessly killed, thought to be infected. We follow the main character through this whirlwind of near-death experiences with a young teenager he has to take care of, and it’s never a dull moment. If this were made into a book or graphic novel I would definitely read it. However, as a book, it would be impossible to replicate the stunning visual that hundreds of artists worked on. Then again, maybe if it were a book, the individual reader could imagine something far more complex and imaginative that could be brought up on a screen.

Video games and books are very difficult to compare. I think this is because when you’re experiencing them you’re holding them to different standards. For example, when you play a video game, you’re most likely going to judge if it looks pretty, but with a book that’s not something you have to worry about, aside from descriptions for the viewer. Sometimes people will play a video game even if the story is terrible, but it looks good and vice versa. This could never happen with a novel because we’re relying on solely whether or not the story holds up. I think both mediums are a good way of communicating a story, it just depends what you’re looking for. 

Wes Anderson's Auteurship

For this week’s assignment, I chose to watch three movies by the director, Wes Anderson. Having seen his film Moonrise Kingdom recently, I was quite intrigued by his distinct style of auteurship. All of his movies are extremely aesthetically pleasing, from the sets to the costume designs, which is part of the reason that they’re so fun to watch. He has a keen eye for complimentary colors, and using them to emphasize the parts of the scenes that are important. For example, in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, the main characters trademark look is that of a bright orange hat. This seems like a simple costume choice, however he carefully plans all of the backgrounds to be colorful blues and teals, making Zissou even more noticeable and the shot appealing to the eye.

            Another aspect of Anderson’s films that I picked up on that makes them so unique is the storybook feel to his movies. For example, in the beginning of Moonrise Kingdom, the camera pans through the Bishop household, almost as if we are looking at it like we would a doll house. He takes this even farther as the camera then zooms out, showing the rest of the house and making it look very small, as the title sequence plays. Anderson also likes to use camera shots that are very centered, and symmetrical. When he does this, it feels as through I’m opening a children’s book, and I’m filled with child-like wonder. 

            One of my favorite films he’s done has been Fantastic Mr. Fox. As a stop-motion film it’s absolutely incredible, because all of the characters are so unique, and flawed in their own way. Again, in his style, the color palette was very appealing, with lots of orange hues, giving it a very rustic feel, enhancing the story. When you think of today’s animation you think of something smooth, and moves easily, but Anderson took a different route, making the characters a little rough in their movements. In this film, he also panned out, for example when the rodents were digging deeper, to make it look like a doll-house, or we were reading a picture book.

            When you go to the movies to see a Wes Anderson film, you can almost always expect to see some of the same actors, such as Bill Murray or Owen Wilson. I enjoy both actors, and it’s always a good time to see how they handle all of Anderson’s different characters, because they’re usually so strikingly different from one movie to the next.

            Overall I enjoy watching Wes Anderson’s films, and I really appreciate how much care he puts into every aspect of his projects, and look forward to seeing more in the future.