Author: Nolan Pisacane

Fight Club is certainly a unique movie and one that is quite a bit weird when you first watch it for what it is. However, it has a deep message about modern culture and society that it conveys throughout the movie and once this is realized it becomes an extremely powerful and impactful film. 

The narrator and main character of the film is a man who is a slave to the corporate and consumer society. He lives a mundane life that features daily repetitions of the same unfulfilling tasks. He feels meaningless, depressed, and most of all emasculated. Then he meets Tyler Durden who is the complete opposite of a man. He has no attachment to materialistic things, works for himself, lives a life of constant adventure and excitement, and represents supreme masculinity. Together they form a deep bond and start “Fight Club”, a club where members fight each other in order to become more attached to their masculine roots and feel present. This club becomes revered with seemingly a large portion of the male population around them joining for its benefits. Eventually, it becomes extreme with their “Project Mayhem” in which members perform tasks to ultimately dismantle modern civilization and the system in which we all live under. 

At the end of the film it is revealed that Tyler Durden is nothing but a figure of the narrator’s imagination. A physical depiction of the man he could be and wants to be. The narrator purposely has no name as he is meant to represent any man – or person for that matter. This film wonderfully showcases how so many people have become slaves to the system we live in. People work mundane jobs they hate in order to buy a new product so that they will be better perceived by their peers. Purpose and meaning has deteriorated. People are depressed. They take drugs and party to temporarily escape this reality before repeating once again the next day or week. Men have become weaker and testosterone levels are at all time lows. The average person is seemingly worse and worse off as time passes. Fight Club puts these deep societal problems on full display and warns its viewers against falling into this trap. 

That being said, the extremism displayed at the end represents its own message. While it is obviously not good to be a slave to your job or consumerism, you also have to learn to control and regulate yourself to an extent. The exaggerated actions shown towards the end of the movie offer an opposite warning of how letting extremism and unconformity run loose will tear apart many of the good aspects of our civilization we have worked so hard to build. This is just as scary a reality as being a slave to the system. Thus, it is all about finding this balance in which we can live more freely and be stronger individuals while also not letting these emotions overrule us. This is an extremely powerful message that was needed in 1999 when the film came out, and I would argue is even more needed now. 

This film is a great example of how movies can use storytelling coupled with amazing visuals to portray a powerful message that can reach large audiences and have immense impact. Over this series, I have covered movies that are purely entertaining and comforting to movies like Fight Club that preach against comfort. This versatility is why I love movies and I enjoyed being able to share some of my favorites and most meaningful through this series of blog posts. If you’ve been reading, I appreciate your time and again encourage you to watch all of them I covered in these blog posts.

The movie Whiplash offers a dramatic and exaggerated portrayal of an experience that many go through and gives an insightful perspective on how the characters really feel over the course of the movie. In the movie, Andrew Neiman is a dedicated young drummer at Shaffer Conservatory, one of the most prestigious music schools in the world. His instructor Terence Fletcher is known for being extremely harsh and demanding with his students. He’s aggressive, he screams at his students for little mistakes, he curses them out, you name it. That being said, his reputation goes both ways. He draws the best out of his students and therefore has one countless jazz competitions with his groups. 

Neimen initially is spotted out by Fletcher and comes on as an alternate in his band. He gets his opportunity to showcase his skills and seems to impress Fletcher at first. However, Fletcher pushes Neimen hard and it seems that the more Neimen improves, the more he is challenged, yelled at, and pushed. Neimenn doesn’t back down though as he is totally invested in being the best. The movie features an impactful scene where Neimen eventually gets himself into a car crash trying to retrieve his drumsticks before a competition and gets dropped from the band when he subsequently messes up. Fletcher is also dropped from Shaffer due to complaints about him as an instructor. Him and Neimen eventually reconnect later where Fletcher shares that his challenging of Neimen and harshness was because he knew how great Neimen was and that he wouldn’t give up no matter how hard he was pushed.

While, yes, it is exaggerated and dramatic like I said from the beginning, this movie has a meaningful and impactful message on top of being a great film. For starters, it inspires one to be the best. The movie shows just how far we can go when we truly push ourselves to the fullest of our abilities. It was a great message that I try to remember because in a lot of moments in life people give up far before they reach their limit or they never give full effort from the beginning and thus achieve mediocrity. This film  shows what it takes to be the best, but it also does show a limit. We see Neimen practically drive himself to insanity over his obsession for drumming and impressing Fletcher. While anyone can look at Neiman getting into a car crash and still focusing on getting to the show as utterly insane, it shows his dedication and is inspiring in a way for me to see that if he can go that far I can definitely push myself a little harder. 

Additionally, the movie shows an interesting perspective that is not always considered from the external pushing forces in our life. Most people have had someone in their life that is very harsh and intense that is constantly yelling to be better it seems. Maybe it’s a coach, a boss, or even a parent. The movie shows an important perspective that often these types of people are doing so out of belief or love. They see more potential in us than we even do in ourselves and that is why they are harsh and constantly push us. I think this is a good perspective to have. It makes you think if those people that we might feel hatred towards for their intensity, if we should instead be grateful. 

 

I’m usually not a fan of superhero movies or anything of that sort. A lot of my friends love all the Marvel movies, I never did. I think they come across as super fake and all the special effects I think are completely over the top. With this said, The Dark Knight is one of my favorite movies I have ever seen. It is a complete exception to this opinion of mine, and I think that makes it even more special. 

For starters, it is not overly fake. Obviously, it is fictional, but yet it still manages to feel realistic. The characters are real people and neither Batman or the Joker have any “crazy” superpowers that would usually make me feel disconnected from the film. 

Furthermore, the movie is centered around a very interesting plot featuring a mayor and DA trying to clean up crime in a city with a very dangerous and active dangerous mob running rampant. The Joker adds perfectly playing his role of trying to control the mob and destroy DA Harvey Dent. Finally, there’s the “superhero” Batman who tries to keep it all together, but is also a very well connected and successful man as Bruce Wayne when he’s not Batman. 

The Joker in this movie is the highlight of the entire movie. I believe Heath Ledger’s acting he did for the Joker in this movie is some of the best I’ve ever seen. He perfectly portrays the Joker in his own unique way that makes him – again – feel very realistic, but also perfectly encapsulates his evil. We get to see the master planning of the Joker starting from the first scene with the bank robbery all the way through the movie. However, his consistent lack of motive and demonstration of pure chaos always keeps you on the edge of your seat. You never know what is coming next, but you know it will be good. It truly adds an extra layer of suspense and intensity to the movie. 

Christopher Nolan is one of the best directors ever and is responsible for many masterpieces. Therefore, it’s not necessarily surprising that he would be able to make the best superhero movie ever. He does the perfect job balancing the use of special effects so that the audience gets that “coolness” that many love from traditional superhero movies, but it is not in your face. He helps portray the characters so that they are most impactful to the movie. I’m sure he’s the mastermind behind much of what makes this movie so great and his talent as director was on full display in this movie.

For my Evolving Ideas project, I will be showcasing the story and evolution of the stock market. The stock market has evolved and changed greatly over the years to get to the place it is at today. I plan to cover a range of topics. I will cover the invention of different financial instruments such as mutual funds and derivatives and the effect they’ve had. I will cover the evolution of how people have been able to invest in stocks. From receiving physical stock certificates at banks or exchanges to now tapping a button or two on a mobile app. 

I think this is an important story to be told because the stock market plays a massive role in the world economy and is a pillar of financial systems. I think it can often be taken for granted today how simple and accessible the stock market and all its financial instruments have become. However, behind that the stock market and the finance industry that surrounds it is very complex and intricate and has changed drastically to get to where it is today. 

With a greater understanding of this evolution, people can get a better sense of the value of the stock market and the role it plays in the world. Furthermore, it can encourage people to invest in the market and even make use of some of the more modern financial instruments that I will talk about which could help each individual get a more personalized experience with investing. 

I’ve been very interested in the stock market for many years. I think it’s very fascinating to see the role it plays in society and the economy and the effect it has. Due to my interest in the stock market, I think it is important and also intriguing to explore and better understand how the systems we have today came to be and what it was like in the past. 

I am still not totally sure where I plan to start. I think a couple good options could be with the Amsterdam Stock Exchange which was the first stock exchange back in the 17th century. Another good option would be with the beginning of the New York Stock Exchange in 1792 which really kickstarted the popularity of the stock market. 

The book I found from the library is simply titled The Stock Market. It is written by Rik Hafer and Scott Hein. This book offers a lot of valuable information including a history of the US Stock Market as well as recent innovations in the stock market. I think it is a reputable source because it cites many other sources that the authors compiled information from and it incorporates a lot of data and numbers which are generally harder to manipulate. 

 

The Imitation Game is a fantastic movie based on the true story of how Alan Turing essentially developed the first computer to help crack the Nazi Enigma Code during World War II. It covers everything from the development of the technology, how it affected war strategy, and our lives today to Alan Turing’s personal struggles and eventually an unfortunate end to his life. The depth it offers with these different perspectives and how it demonstrates the impact of the technology on history and the war truly makes it special. 

At its core, “The Imitation Game” is a biographical drama based on the life of Alan Turing, portrayed masterfully by Benedict Cumberbatch. Turing was a brilliant British mathematician and logician who played a pivotal role in breaking the Enigma code used by the Nazis during World War II. This code-breaking effort was an extraordinary technological feat, as it involved deciphering complex ciphers created by the Enigma machine, which had been considered unbreakable until Turing’s work.

The movie showcases the depth of technology development during a critical period in history. It vividly illustrates the challenges Turing and his team faced as they grappled with Enigma’s immense complexity. The audience is given a real view into the complexity of these codes which further helps one appreciate the intellectual prowess of Turing and the feat he and his team accomplished.

“The Imitation Game” is not merely a story of technological triumph though. It paints a poignant picture of Turing’s personal struggles, which were exacerbated by his unconventional thinking and social awkwardness. The film depicts the harsh realities of a society that misunderstood and marginalized Turing due to his homosexuality. He was ousted from society, not given proper credit for any of his work at the end, and eventually killed through an attempt at chemical castration. The discrimination and struggle of not fitting in is seen taking a larger and larger toll on Turing emotionally throughout the movie.  

The film is deeply meaningful and important because it showcases the not so popular development of a technology that is now a fundamental pillar of our daily lives: computers. The Enigma code-breaking efforts spearheaded by Turing were instrumental in the Allied victory, shortening the war and saving countless lives. The work done during this time laid the foundation for modern cryptography and computer science, making it clear that Turing’s legacy extends far beyond the confines of World War II.

It is a great movie that I recommend anyone watch. It offers a rare display of history, technology, and a man’s personal journey that is both a very important story and an entertaining one.

 

TED Talk: Kelly McGonigal, “How to make stress your friend”

https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend

 

In her speech, Kelly McGonigal talks about how the different ways in which we view stress or deal with it change the effects that it has on us. In the beginning of her speech, she cites a shocking study that followed thousands of people and how stress affected them. It showed that people who experienced high levels of stress were nearly 50% more at risk of dying. However, the shocking exception to this statistic was that it only applied to those in the study who viewed stress as harmful. For the people that experienced high levels of stress yet did not perceive it as unhealthy, they were actually at a lower risk of death than those who experienced low levels of stress. A similar study she cites talks about how helping and serving others also counteracts the possible negative health risks of stress.  

Based on these studies and this data, McGonigal advocates that we not avoid stressful situations, but view stress in a different light. Instead of viewing your increased heart rate or sweating from stress as an unhealthy response, think of it as your body adequately preparing you for the task at hand. This was a very intriguing perspective for me to consider because I could relate to the exact examples she was giving about our bodies’ natural response to stressful scenarios. I think the ideas she gives – backed by evidence – for how to positively harness the nature of stress is something that is genuinely life changing, or even life saving as she states in her speech. 

This speech did a great job expanding my knowledge of this topic of stress and how to handle it. I feel like I had a good understanding of some ways to lessen stress or ease it before, but this basically implies in my mind that it is purely negative and should be kept as low as possible as often as possible. This speech opened my mind to a new way of thinking about stress and how to make it positive and the use of evidence, data, and specific relatable examples made the speech very understandable and also convincing. 

I think Mcgonigal’s presentation style is great in this speech. She does a great job balancing the inclusion of data and evidence, relatable anecdotes and stories, and audience interaction to make her speech both trustworthy and convincing, but also engaging. I think the difference in this speech versus giving a presentation is that it is free flowing and continuous. There is no flipping through slides or reading bullet points. That being said it does include some aspects more traditionally associated with a presentation such as the use of visuals and audience interaction. 

“The Big Short” is a complex, but beautifully crafted movie that showcases multiple different perspectives of the 2008 financial/housing crisis. While I thoroughly enjoyed this movie the first time I watched it, it actually took me a second watch to fully understand the whole story. 

It focuses on four investors who made money by predicting and betting on the subsequent collapse of the housing market and American economy. The film obviously covers a very complex and heavy topic, but one of its greatest traits is its ability to still appeal to all audiences and be a good movie for anyone to watch. 

One way it does this is through its consistent incorporation of humor. Even in the midst of the most serious parts of the movie, there are genuinely funny and relevant jokes that keep the viewer engaged and entertained. 

Another way it manages the complexity of the plot is by using celebrities in different scenarios as analogies and to help explain the most complex issues of the movie. From Margot Robbie in a bathtub or Selena Gomez in a casino, not only are the celebrity appearances fun and offer a quick break from the actual movie, but they also do a great job at explaining the advanced financial tools and terminology referenced in the movie. This is a really unique choice made by Adam McKay, the director of the film, and one I honestly don’t think I’ve seen in any other movie. Most directors would be scared to take this unconventional approach of taking breaks from the normal plot and scenes to incorporate the celebrity appearances, but I find they help provide a good balance to the overall seriousness of the rest of the movie and combined with the humor make it a great movie for anyone. 

While “The Big Short” is certainly a very entertaining and interesting movie, it is also a very meaningful movie to me. It does a great job of showcasing a range of perspectives during the financial crisis and the impact it had on these different people. It showed the harsh realities that many faced of losing their home, struggling to provide for their families, etc. It shows the moral struggles the investors faced and backlash they initially received despite eventually making millions – if not billions – of dollars. Finally, it shows how the majority of the bankers and politicians responsible for causing the crisis got away free of any repercussions. 

This movie helped get me interested in economics and markets and I was fascinated by the depth of the financial systems that exist. I began looking into investing and in fact Michael Burry, the main investor depicted in the movie, quickly became someone I idolized and followed. Today, I am continuing this interest through my studies in college and following markets and Michael Burry still remains one of my favorite people to look to for advice or ideas. 

 

This bumper sticker states “There’s only one political party: THE CORPORATE ONE”. With this it recognizes the loyalty that many people have to one or the other political party. It uses logos to argue the fact that neither are good and there is really no difference, both are essentially owned by corporate interests.

I think this appeal is effective because it plays on an idea that many party supporters have about the other, but uses it to target them both. Most people are knowledgeable about the corruption that exists in politics, however, I believe many see it from a skewed perspective and are blind to the scale and scope with which corruption exists across all political parties. In my personal experience, I have heard both democrats and republicans argue that the other party is “bought out” or “run by corporate lobbying”. It is often a one way reflection on how bad the other party is, but the party they side with is not guilty at all. I think this way of thinking and blindness to the fact that both sides are guilty leads to a lot of pointless political arguments and division.

The bumper sticker directly targets this thinking. It likely can cause a viewer to to reflect on the fact that if one party is “bought and paid for”, then maybe both could be. Furthermore, the dollar signs inside the party symbols offer a good visual display referencing the monetary influence with in each party.

I think this message is especially effective because of how direct and clear it is. I see a lot of bumper stickers or slogans that leave me questioning what it is arguing for or even what topic it is addressing. The message in this bumper sticker is clearly represented and easily understandable. I think this is great because it allows one to ponder on it as they see it. They might see this at a stoplight or in traffic and right then and there they are already thinking about the specific point argued in the sticker as opposed to trying to interpret the meaning behind a vague slogan. Furthermore, the clarity of the message allows the viewer to look deeper into the content. For example, they could easily be inclined to look into lobbying and corporate influence of each party.

 

 

For this passion blog, I am going to be talking about the movie “Midnight in Paris”. I remember watching this movie when I was on vacation in Mexico. It’s warm at night, but the cool ocean breeze is passing through the house. As you can probably imagine, my mental state was about as chill and relaxed as it could be. When I was then looking for a movie with my friends, I didn’t know that there was a “perfect” movie for this exact time, but once I was done with this one, I was very pleasantly surprised. 

This movie is no “Inception” or any of those action packed thrillers that keep you from blinking, but it is one of the most enjoyable and comfortable movies I think I have ever seen. 

The movie takes you through the adventures of the character Gil, who after some struggles with his marriage, stumbles back to the 1920s and hangs out with some of his idols. As Gil lives his daily life on a vacation in Paris that just seems to be getting worse as he conflicts with his wife and the people around him, he then escapes to his own, special world every night where he gets to experience his personal peace and serenity. 

I think we’ve all had times when our daily life gets tough and we have or create this imaginary world in our heads that to us seems perfect and we wish we could teleport right there. For some it might be a different place, infinite money, or a different time period like Gil. Gil gets to not only dream, but live out this nostalgic world of his where his life is simple and he gets to meet some of the people he consistently idolizes. 

As viewers, we get to watch this journey, and the same nostalgic, comfortable feeling that Gil experiences is passed on to us. This is what creates the magical, super enjoyable feeling that this movie gives off. It does almost feel nostalgic just watching it and certainly very comforting. 

I think this is a great movie to watch at any point, but especially if you’re in a very relaxed and peaceful state already. It is super enjoyable, lets your imagination have some fun, and there are even some good lessons to take from it.