Jack Oberli's Blog

 When it comes to suspense, there is no more iconic film than Jaws. The shark themed thriller uses a wide variety of tactics from sound and music to cinematography that would make most anyone sweat in their seat.  Who wouldn't be able to recall the famous heart pounding bass and cello that is the Jaws theme. It is such an iconic rhythm and for good reason. When it appears in the film its hard not to get excited. Pair that with switching point a view between Jaws and their victim, and you have a perfect formula for thill. One of the most creative parts of Jaws is how they picture the legendary man-eater, in that they don't. With this film being developed in 1975, there would really be no way of showing Jaws without it looking cheesy and, in all honesty, it does not hold up well. However, showing the shark isn't largely necessary. Reflecting reality, what makes sharks so scary to people is that you really don't know where they are. The film makes it so you're on edge ...

 One of the biggest influences in the modern world is social media. Everyone knows what everyone else is doing at almost all times. The Social Dilemma steps up and tackles this issue head on. It may not be the most thrilling documentary, but it is certainly one of the most impactful when it comes to modern day relevance.  The Social Dilemma does have a fictional story aspect to it; however, it is not its strongest part. The scenes can come off slightly cheesy, but they do have function in that they illustrate the impacts of social media and data tracking. Where this documentary shines is in its boldness. They talk to engineers and marketers from all major social media platforms and get valuable information. Although the film may develop too strong of a voice to where it becomes preachy, I have certainly become much more aware of my social media presence its voice is certainly heard.