How Spotlight Dramatizes Good Journalism

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  • Опубликовано: 21 сен 2024
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    SOURCES
    The Image of the Journalist in Silent Film, 1890 to 1929
    ijpc.uscannenbe...
    David Simon on Spotlight
    www.vulture.co...
    Hoard Good, "Outcasts : the image of journalists in contemporary film"
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    Richard Brody, "Newspaper Movies"
    www.newyorker....
    Bill Kovach, Tom Rosenstiel, "The Elements Of Journalism"
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    Jordan Orlando, "William Goldman Turned Reporters into Heroes in “All the President’s Men”
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Комментарии • 604

  • @skenzyme81
    @skenzyme81 4 года назад +2573

    Spotlight isn’t just a film, it’s a memorial. Investigative journalism was a luxury that could only be paid for by the local advertising monopolies newspapers used to have.

    • @orangedalmatian
      @orangedalmatian 4 года назад +109

      that's interesting. Is that related to why nowadays a lot of media and news outlets have garnered a reputation for being corporate owned click bait merchants instead of the old investigative gumshoe like stereotypes al la All the President's Men?

    • @cloudincus4052
      @cloudincus4052 4 года назад +93

      @@orangedalmatian They lost the monopoly with the internet. Which lost paper sales. In turn webiste like youtube or blog summerise the days news better and faster than reading a webside or paper. So they ended up loosing clicks through advertisement.
      In the end they had to fall back on clickbait headlines to draw people in. As they couldnt resist the clicks.

    • @lex3768
      @lex3768 4 года назад +22

      I also like Truth (2015). It's also a story about journalism, but it's about the failure in journalism. Sometimes, people can learn more from failure than success.

    • @teri_24
      @teri_24 4 года назад +15

      @@cloudincus4052 Here's the part I'm still trying to grasp. If newspapers (or any news outlet for that matter) spent the time and resources on investigative journalism, why couldn't they deliver that information through the internet/web/social/email deliveries? They could still sell the advertising they need on those platforms to survive rather than focusing on subscriptions. Did it just not tap out in profits? Because it's obvious we still need our reputable watchdogs.

    • @FratterKnox
      @FratterKnox 4 года назад +65

      Teri Conklin Ads don’t provide the same amount of revenue that newspapers and local ads do. With newspapers, typically you had subscription services, coffee houses, libraries, or restaurants purchasing subscriptions as well. That’s a lot of revenue that ads just can’t replace since clicks only provide cents on the dollar compared to a $5 or more monthly subscription, on top of the ad revenue. That’s what ultimately killed most of print journalism, especially local newspapers.

  • @mokonamadoki7
    @mokonamadoki7 4 года назад +1999

    I am a journalist, and most everyone i know in the profession agrees that spotlight is a pretty accurate portrayal of the reality of journalism. The work is slow sometimes, but it builds on itself.

    • @curiousworld7912
      @curiousworld7912 4 года назад +79

      @Laura Siegman I just want to tell you how much I admire those in your profession. I know it's become a vastly underappreciated and in some places, extremely dangerous one - but the world depends on you and others to provide the rest of us with information that power often would rather us not know. It is also a vital resource for local stories of interest and concern. Thank you - you have my applause.

    • @rickhubbell8296
      @rickhubbell8296 4 года назад +14

      @Hu Kares You can state your opinion (I agree with you), but don't assume that because this person is a journalist that they are the type you're referring to.

    • @srslywtfcl4p404
      @srslywtfcl4p404 4 года назад +35

      @Hu Kares That is an incredibly ignorant thing to say

    • @owltreewitch
      @owltreewitch 4 года назад +16

      @Hu Kares Oh piss off, trash.

    • @guyyouseewhenyoudie
      @guyyouseewhenyoudie 4 года назад +12

      Hu Kares You’re embarrassing yourself.

  • @AcolytesOfHorror
    @AcolytesOfHorror 4 года назад +481

    The big thing that always astounded me in that movie is how everybody works together so seamlessly. There's no interpersonal conflict designed to artificially raise the stakes. The work itself is enough.

    • @RomanZolanski123
      @RomanZolanski123 4 года назад +74

      I know that was really satisfying. No weird rivalries or office romances to distract from the real work.

    • @maryannemakes
      @maryannemakes 4 года назад +12

      Such an accurate observation! :)

    • @cgill914
      @cgill914 4 года назад +22

      Yes! I also really enjoyed how this film did not need any added drama and was still so engaging and interesting. I do appreciate the drama-filled films as well, but Spotlight is true drama at its very best.

    • @artcurious807
      @artcurious807 2 года назад +3

      imagine if Discovery channel directed the movie....puke

    • @kendallevans4079
      @kendallevans4079 Год назад +2

      What about the cat fight/screaming match Keaton and Ruffalo have about timeline? That didn't look like affection to me

  • @StreetHierarchy
    @StreetHierarchy 4 года назад +1456

    Spotlight was outstanding, and even though it got awards, I still feel like it's underrated.

    • @shaleenpathak6786
      @shaleenpathak6786 4 года назад +70

      there hasnt been any talk about spotlight in the recent days. It isnt remembered as it should be

    • @johnspence234
      @johnspence234 4 года назад +34

      Yeah, it's such a fantastic movie. Emotional, great acting, an important story. But I never hear it being talked about. I've recommended it to friends and they all loved it, but it's a really heavy movie that a lot of people don't want to just dive into I guess.

    • @Onionmaster97
      @Onionmaster97 4 года назад +46

      I don't think it's underrated, rather it's overlooked.

    • @koubl
      @koubl 4 года назад +9

      Spot on. Viewers are quick to forget films that are "undramatic".

    • @JPacerox1
      @JPacerox1 4 года назад +16

      Street Hierarchy
      I think the subject matter is the reason why it’s not widely talked about. It’s difficult to stomach the hard truth of child abuse. While the movie was excellent it’s still really sad that this happened and became a film in the first place.

  • @Pranav-rp8wi
    @Pranav-rp8wi 4 года назад +14

    this is one of the few oscar winners that i enjoy rewatching. all the characters seem so real. the way all the pieces of the story fall into place. how mark ruffallo's anger slowly buidls up. the way micheal keaton realises his only flaws. calm and composite demeanor of the new editor throughout the movie.... it's all so captivating.. it feels like the best episode of some actual reality TV show

  • @davidfryer4353
    @davidfryer4353 4 года назад +2686

    How do you tell a story about telling a story about telling a story?

    • @plaham7288
      @plaham7288 4 года назад +98

      You make Adaptation (2002)

    • @AdarshKumar-nj7rp
      @AdarshKumar-nj7rp 4 года назад +6

      @@plaham7288 You beat me to it.

    • @plaham7288
      @plaham7288 4 года назад +3

      @colson kuliopulos fuck. I was thinking of Being John Malkovich

    • @quiroz923
      @quiroz923 4 года назад +2

      Ask Kiarostami

    • @KP-zd3hc
      @KP-zd3hc 4 года назад +2

      Ask James Franco.

  • @averylazyowl
    @averylazyowl 4 года назад +634

    I think the reason this film works is because it doesn't shy away from showing the hard work, but rather makes that the main focus. The obstable for the main characters isn't any singular evil antagonist (although there certainly is opposition). One of their main obstacles is the requirement of a high standard of work that is carried out ethically.
    This film like motivated me into studying harder for my exams. And since boring revision was my greatest challenge at the time, the fact that thier biggest challenge was disciplined research was actually quite relatable. Very human and real.

    • @alexispapageorgiou72
      @alexispapageorgiou72 4 года назад +9

      In a way, they were fighting an evil antagonist, which was the system. It's even constructed in a way that this system, through individual components, worked as a single organism with a purpose diametrically opposed to the journalist's goal. Hide the truth vs reveal it. And this notion of the team as heroes (that's also why a lot of shots are wide shots that capture the team instead of a member of the team) trying to defeat evil, makes it in a very realistic manner a hero movie. Real heroes with proper superpowers. Their superpowers forced me to write the previous line and made a hell of a difference worldwide.

    • @cgill914
      @cgill914 4 года назад

      @Desh Desh, yes! I really enjoyed your viewpoint on this. And I agree, I love seeing movies where the focus is on the reality of the situation. It really has to be done right to be engaging and Spotlight is such an amazing example of that.

    • @cgill914
      @cgill914 4 года назад +1

      Alexis Papageorgiou, I didn’t notice how they often frame the characters together to show their strength as a team and how that is reminiscent of the teams of superheroes we often see in movies. Great observation and analysis! There are so many examples of great filmmaking and attention to detail in Spotlight.

  • @TwistVisuals
    @TwistVisuals 4 года назад +785

    A movie that's also about investigative journalism is the underrated David Fincher film Zodiac. That also has Mark Ruffallo.

    • @spinakker14
      @spinakker14 4 года назад +100

      It also depicts the other side: how a righteous crusade can turn into an obsession, which in the end is fruitless

    • @Onionmaster97
      @Onionmaster97 4 года назад +103

      I don't think Zodiac is underrated, rather it's overlooked. It was critically acclaimed when it came out. But not enough people have seen it

    • @cultivatepod
      @cultivatepod 4 года назад +4

      Thought about Zodiac too! Another good one.

    • @williamrayburn5314
      @williamrayburn5314 4 года назад +9

      Love, love love that movie. Zodiac is incomparable to anything really out there. Mark Ruffalo and all involved gave outstanding performances. Say what you want about Fincher, this movie was indulgent for him and I loved the results.

    • @Graenelolz
      @Graenelolz 4 года назад +3

      Zodiac appreciation train here, I love it. Great and indeed overlooked movie.

  • @andrewbovey9669
    @andrewbovey9669 4 года назад +465

    "This isn't a knock on the people who work on these things..." Cut to Rachel McAdams knocking. Brilliant!

    • @IMatchoNation
      @IMatchoNation 4 года назад +14

      That was some *hard-hitting* symbolism right there.

    • @maskichef
      @maskichef 4 года назад +1

      The devil.... and the details....... 💖

    • @Bluriness
      @Bluriness 4 года назад +4

      It’s classic montage, you link what you say with what you see but yes brilliant :P

    • @aravindp1862
      @aravindp1862 4 года назад

      Here’s another detail. He says it’s the other way around and the scene was also the other way around of knocking (not from first person point of view)

    • @MrUndersolo
      @MrUndersolo 4 года назад

      I liked that, too.

  • @danielwareking
    @danielwareking 4 года назад +179

    My favorite movie of the decade. I love that you went into the understated nature of Spotlight; there are no big cinematic flourishes (what I *usually* love), just pure storytelling. The one truly remarkable visual motif is the use of churches in basically every outdoor shot in the whole movie. It gives the church an ominous, omnipresent feel as looms in the background of whatever scene is playing out.

    • @serenabramble260
      @serenabramble260 4 года назад +12

      One rare moment where the cinematography draws attention to itself is a long take that tracks Brian D'Arcy James from his house to someone on his list, making the audience really feel the connective tissue of how close a suspected pedophile lives to his family. Little flourishes like that pop out more in a movie that's so understated.

  • @elenachapella
    @elenachapella 3 года назад +8

    I am a journalist. You really hit the nail on the head about this -- journalism is wonderful, but it can be slow, full of data, full of papers on top of papers to sort through and a million phone calls. You said it perfectly, the work is sober, the workers meticulous, and I truly love this video for how you combed through us just as I love Spotlight for being real about us. Thanks for spotlighting us :)

  • @blissclair9743
    @blissclair9743 4 года назад +27

    Spotlight is one of my favorite movies. it's such an understated movie but everything about it was so important.

    • @wanderback
      @wanderback 4 года назад

      Bliss Clair agreed entirely

  • @peterfrank3365
    @peterfrank3365 4 года назад +174

    Besides the muted colors and set design, the film has an essemble cast and their respective star-powers just dissolve.
    I guess what 'The Post' lacked was the sense of sincerity.

    • @bennettsnyder315
      @bennettsnyder315 4 года назад +9

      I feel like that's casting. When you have a broad institution that your main characters feel like a natural part of, even though they're the focus of the story and the audience knows they're movie stars, that's the work of a good casting director.

    • @chellymurphy
      @chellymurphy 4 года назад +20

      Agreed! Never have I referred to Spotlight as the “Mark Ruffalo or Rachel McAdams newspaper movie” to this day I still call it Spotlight . Which in a way is good because when I rewatched it with my family they were surprised to see how many great actors were in it.

    • @subversivelysurreal3645
      @subversivelysurreal3645 4 года назад +1

      Peter Frank : 💯

    • @emmanuela7528
      @emmanuela7528 Год назад +1

      @@bennettsnyder315 They casted stars that are very comfortable being character actors (Schrieber, Tucci, Ruffalo, McAdams), a former megastar (Keaton), and then threw in a well-respected theatre veteran (D'Arcy). There's no one here who needs to be given star treatment. The story stays the centre, never the role or actor.

  • @SweetasSugar42
    @SweetasSugar42 4 года назад +9

    I've seen Spotlight more than ten times since I saw it in 2016. What makes it my favourite is because of two things: 1. I grew up in Catholic Ireland. Never had I ever heard of the Church abuse scandal. That's how hush hush the community still is here. Especially if you grow up in a small town. Priest's being anything other than untouchable beings? didn't exist. It changed my thinking and perspective on life for good. 2. I finished the film with a newfound respect for investigative journalism. I had never really learned much of the career, despite being a reader of many articles and Spotlight showed me how the day-in-day-out efforts of many journalists go unnoticed.

  • @ajellis2891
    @ajellis2891 4 года назад +6

    I relate to this as an architect. The work is dull most days, so much minutia and details to constantly check on and correct. But it tells a story too, the momentum builds and so much is learned through the unique process in any project. Every architect is committed to it for life and experience is the only teacher and understand the continuity of a places, people, and issues.

  • @ferodrigues811
    @ferodrigues811 4 года назад +212

    Rachel McAdams is so underrated

    • @oso1165
      @oso1165 4 года назад +10

      Sadly she's a victim of her poor choice in the movies she does

    • @dantdt4693
      @dantdt4693 4 года назад +1

      Oso 11 I agree

    • @jeffrogers3782
      @jeffrogers3782 3 года назад +5

      @@dantdt4693 I agree, she has pick some bummers, but I still watch anything she's in. I think she picks movies that challenge her, instead of just being the cute on on film, and she certainly IS that.

    • @gogo-vt2sx
      @gogo-vt2sx 3 года назад +1

      @@jeffrogers3782 Exactly!! that's what i like about her as well, and even if the movie is mediocre, she would still give an amazing performance in it.

  • @h.n.r_funi3324
    @h.n.r_funi3324 4 года назад +11

    The soundtrack on the film contributed soo much to it being unforgivably exceptional than other investigative/reporting movies,. This movie is one of my favorite movies ever

    • @emmanuela7528
      @emmanuela7528 Год назад

      I'm a writer/editor and I work to this soundtrack a lot

  • @madelynsonego5977
    @madelynsonego5977 4 года назад +20

    you say “thank you so much for watching”
    and i think “thank you so much for creating”

  • @sidharthwarrier9001
    @sidharthwarrier9001 4 года назад +334

    This is one of my favourite Oscar winning films .

    • @timchildsmovies
      @timchildsmovies 4 года назад +1

      u hav bad taste

    • @sidharthwarrier9001
      @sidharthwarrier9001 4 года назад +41

      @@timchildsmovies Thanks for letting me know Tim !

    • @bicyclefilms3693
      @bicyclefilms3693 4 года назад +2

      Same here, i watch it atleast once a year.

    • @coc_champs
      @coc_champs 4 года назад

      Sorry but why?...This movie is not something you watch twice because you liked the movie this movie has not comedy action....it feels boring .no offense this movie is a masterpiece.

    • @ackbarfan5556
      @ackbarfan5556 3 года назад

      I was watching the Oscars that night and pulling for it. I cheered like my team won the Super Bowl when they said it.

  • @earthbenderjfjdj4335
    @earthbenderjfjdj4335 4 года назад +5

    That last line!! 😭😭 "But journalists do that all the time..." ahhh!! My writer heart is full!! Being a journalist requires a lot of patience, hardwork and the ability to send your message in the briefest but most concise way possible (depending on the field, but still...).

  • @mehoymenoy8841
    @mehoymenoy8841 4 года назад +71

    Zodiac is one of my favorites in terms of this genre of dramatizing journalists. Robert Downey and Jake Gyllenhaal are phenomenal in that flick.

  • @CalvinJourno
    @CalvinJourno 6 месяцев назад +1

    As a reporter of more than a decade now, I have to say...dude, you get it. You nailed it. Spotlight captures the tedium, frustration, and overall purpose in spite of all of that to do high quality, meaningful reporting. Keep spreading the good word!

  • @bums009
    @bums009 4 года назад +4

    I watched this movie recently and really didn't expect that much, but I ended up thoroughly impressed.
    As a survivor of child sexual abuse another thing I didn't expect from this movie was how it affected me emotionally and most importantly *when* it affected me emotionally. It wasn't the victims crying while telling their stories or anything like that, it was after the movie ended, when they showed all the locations in the world where catholic church related child sexual abuse scandals have been uncovered.
    Rows and rows of states and towns in countries all around the world. The sheer amount of trauma and long lasting effects attached to all that... Honestly it was as if the cumulative effect of all the pain, suffering and confusion those children went through (just like I did) really hit me and as it went on, I started to cry.

  • @reyesbiencarlo1893
    @reyesbiencarlo1893 4 года назад +391

    Please make a video about the korean movie "Parasite". I'm eager to know your take on that

    • @PixeLabor
      @PixeLabor 4 года назад +2

      yees pleas. i liked the movie but i think it is not very "deep"

    • @HakeemRDaud
      @HakeemRDaud 4 года назад +1

      it has to be released on VOD / blu-ray first

    • @Albanez39
      @Albanez39 4 года назад +4

      Few people have seen it. Wait until it comes out on DVD, so we can download it and watch it before the video essay. The same applies to Joker and other new films. Most people are located outside of the US and EU, where cinemas only screen shitty blockbusters. I personally can't even afford the DVDs, so torrents have saved me (especially considering I'm a film student)...

    • @davidfoster989
      @davidfoster989 4 года назад

      @@Albanez39 👍

    • @doxfad
      @doxfad 4 года назад +12

      @@PixeLabor saying parasite is not deep is like saying water is not wet

  • @MikeGrahamDSM
    @MikeGrahamDSM 4 года назад +20

    6:14
    Yo, I DIED when Meryl Streep said, "Let's go.". 😂 😂 😂 😂

  • @Little1Cave
    @Little1Cave 4 года назад +25

    As much as I loved The Big Short, Room, and Mad Max: Fury Road, Spotlight truly deserved its Best Picture Oscar win in my opinion. Damn good year for movies. Lol

  • @eastside1997
    @eastside1997 4 года назад +8

    One of my favourite movies. I think it gets overlooked because it is not a stylized movie.

  • @dameinoferrall2400
    @dameinoferrall2400 4 года назад +43

    Outstanding film. I watch it over and over again.

  • @YoMamasLlama22
    @YoMamasLlama22 4 года назад +15

    It’s so important that we live in a country where this story is allowed to be told

  • @Megan-wf2yv
    @Megan-wf2yv 4 года назад +18

    Spotlight ignited my desire to be a journalist- the years since have made me realise that journalism in the old sense is dead

  • @tatianayoon2992
    @tatianayoon2992 4 года назад +2

    Thank you for this. I watched Spotlight over 10 times now and it's still good every time I watch it. Glad to see there are so many people who appreciate it.

  • @Cyrillic_108
    @Cyrillic_108 4 года назад +19

    Now someone needs to tell the story of Nerdwriter telling the story of how Spotlight tells the story of investigative journalism

  • @Meg_Davis
    @Meg_Davis 4 года назад +2

    Thank you so much for highlighting this movie. I remember reading the reports when the ripple effect came to Albany. I’m so thankful McCarthy honored both the reporters and the victims with this tribute. As others have commented, it is a memorial.

  • @michellebroer9188
    @michellebroer9188 4 года назад +5

    I've always wanted to be a journalist and watching this movie just intensified that dream. I can't wait to do the kind of important work these journalists have done.

  • @vanimaduray5473
    @vanimaduray5473 4 года назад +2

    You guys really hit the nail on the head with this one - I've seen this film at least 3 times and just as reporters are supposed to be objective and stand outside the story - evidence and facts are King - the majority of the film is told in the same way.
    This is why Mark Ruffalo's outburst, Rachel McAdams' scene where she talks to her grandmother and Michael Keaton at the school are all so poignant and striking. The film doesn't shy away how hard this was for the reporters, both personally and professionally, yet they conducted themselves so honorably in the struggle against such a powerful institution that it was brilliant to watch.
    Another person commented on the sincerity of the film which was lacking in The Post, and I really agree. The casting here was stellar and your analysis was awesome. Great job!

  • @bootstrapfilm
    @bootstrapfilm 4 года назад +63

    Evan's ability to see the reasoning in things is unparalleled. Once he has said it it becomes so obvious.

  • @Moontess
    @Moontess 19 дней назад

    Still one of my all-time favourite movies - and one that I can watch over and over again. The subject matter of the subject matter (what they were reporting on in the movie) was already important in itself to cover, but I loved how the film portrayed the teamwork and process that got the Spotlight team closer and closer to the truth until the moment when they realised they were sitting on a huge story that needed to be told properly. I also loved the subtlety that you mentioned - it's what makes this film so compelling to watch as we grapple with the real horror of the what the Spotlight team uncovered.

  • @TheGoodfella2012
    @TheGoodfella2012 4 года назад +4

    Spotlight is a really, really well done film and well worth the Oscar is got. Also, OMG I’m so glad someone called out the almost ridiculously done The Post. Every second scene in that movie is a slow push-in close up of a character. But of course it will get nominated because Spielberg/Streep/Hanks.
    Also, 5:21 why the pixelation??

  • @Mayah428
    @Mayah428 3 года назад +5

    The way you described the movie made me appreciate it more. I thought it was an interesting story since im doing a research paper on it, however i thought the movie itself was so uninteresting to watch because there was nothing outstanding that caught my eye, in fact i remember thinking how ugly those khaki pants looked on Rachel and on everyone else. It was just sad to watch, however, I was very interested in the story nonethelesss. I knew it was purposely made that way but you just made me appreciate it more because i didn’t t think that making the characters boring and how the color scheme was very calculated so they were able to put the “spotlight” on the actual story. That’s amazing.

  • @amcaesar
    @amcaesar 4 года назад +12

    Not only did you feature an excellent film, but you also have the requisite amount of credit to investigative journalism.

  • @juancarlosojano
    @juancarlosojano 4 года назад +1

    YES to more Spotlight video essays!
    I truly believe it has been taken for granted by most post-Best Picture win. There is so much to unpack in this amazing miracle of journalistic filmmaking. It's a complete film, a perfectly calibrated one, both an ode to journalism and a rallying cry for victims and survivors of the abuses done by Catholic priests as well as victim of other sex crimes.

  • @daniellambert6207
    @daniellambert6207 4 года назад +1

    Love how you sprinkled the Spotlight soundtrack in the background while showing other films. Really ties it all together.

  • @IndanavettaPutri
    @IndanavettaPutri 4 года назад +1

    I'm a writer who wrote about (mostly) Indonesian short film; which is not something mass people would read. It's still consider as a nieche as most people see film just an entertainment while we want to focus more about the issue and subject. It's sad sometimes but I love what I'm doing right now and Spotlight is my go-to film whenever I need an emotional support. It's not only showed a good journalism, it focused on writing process would be. Our articles might be won't as impactful as what the Spotlight team did, but it's a nice reminder to produce a high quality piece of article. Finally you talk about this film as it deserve, thank you!

  • @stenarospcc
    @stenarospcc 4 года назад

    Beautiful summation. And that movie still makes me cry, not just for it's subject matter, but for how well the film was put together.

  • @williansiqueira8624
    @williansiqueira8624 4 года назад

    Although not the focus of the movie, i love how it portrays the fact that documents and information are the key to discover, uncover and denounce thw wrongs of great instituitions. As an archivist, the ignorance of the general population of that fact always blow my mind. The most important lesson learn through this movie, to me, is that anyone could have discovered what theses journalists have, but they were the only ones who decided to go and do it.

  • @loneranterism
    @loneranterism 7 месяцев назад

    It was sn experience of a lifetime for me...never thought I would appreciate a movie about true nature of journalism.

  • @rogerkincaid931
    @rogerkincaid931 4 года назад +28

    I was about the make a comment about The Post, the you showed the clip.
    I always thought that movie was too safe for Spielberg and kinda formulaic. Great cast, though.

  • @TheCanvasArtHistory
    @TheCanvasArtHistory 4 года назад +8

    Super inspiring as always!
    Every time you publish a video, I'm reminded of how influential you've been in my own content creation!
    Keep doing your excellent job!

  • @TheDailyConversation
    @TheDailyConversation 4 года назад +24

    Great video as usual. Just a head's up that your Patreon link doesn't seem to be working (at least not for me). I searched the platform and was still able to bring up your page that way...

  • @bamb0ostick
    @bamb0ostick 4 года назад

    Better Call Saul does a great job in portraying the mundane and boring in a very entertaining way. It doesn't glamorize it and you understand the tedium and monotony of some of the things the characters do. Like the scene where Jimmy stays up all night putting together paper shreds, or calling through a list of clients, it really hits home how boring their work can be. However it's done in a way that keeps you engaged because you know it's progress, albeit slow.

  • @pedroV2003
    @pedroV2003 9 месяцев назад

    "Spotlight' along with 'The Big Short' is one of the most impressive movies I've seen in the last 10-15 years.

  • @squalooceano2291
    @squalooceano2291 4 года назад +2

    I learn something in every one of your videos, Nerdwriter1 is truly the best video essay channel on RUclips.

  • @t3chnicolor
    @t3chnicolor 3 года назад +1

    And distilling that complex and nuanced message in 8 minutes and 29 seconds is also impressive :)

  • @Mahii_si_raj
    @Mahii_si_raj 4 года назад

    Hey first of all thanks for the another video, i was waiting someone to talk about this movie, because the way story was captured in this movie is just amazing. The movie feels so natural that , it gives us the idea that this is something happening in our neighborhood. It's so simple and very serious in its own way. Specially the last shot .

  • @mljh11
    @mljh11 4 года назад +2

    If that pixelation at 5:22 was to highlight understatement (by showcasing colour palette), I have to say that portraying it in this was a very weird choice. It was so unexpected and unexplained and felt super jarring - basically the opposite of understatement.

  • @esyphillis101
    @esyphillis101 4 года назад +48

    Interesting that you made this video, as journalism as a profession has arguably never had it's reputation more tainted in the history of the profession than it has now.

  • @TheTuttle99
    @TheTuttle99 Год назад

    Just finished and wow what a rollercoaster. Cried a lot at the end, because, obviously, this happened and is still happening

  • @chippyspeilberg
    @chippyspeilberg 4 года назад

    I'm an investigative journalist and I love this episode! I work for TV news where things are different and changing. We spend so much time in After Effects trying to make things flashy to get the information across in a way that keeps people's attention. We still try and be militant about how we portray things. We are not allowed to use music in our investigative pieces because it "manipulates the viewer." We're not allowed to stage shots or stylize the footage too much. It's very difficult to tell a long form investigative piece without using stylized production techniques.

  • @D0NTREPLY
    @D0NTREPLY 7 месяцев назад

    i only watched this movie, because it was so randomly chosen as best film at the oscars. then i actually watched it completely out of intrigue. omg, this is literally the best movie i've seen in the last 20yrs, maybe more, it is that damn good.

  • @dragonsquishmallow180
    @dragonsquishmallow180 3 года назад

    watching this movie in my journalism class next week, perfect timing on my recommends part

  • @davideastman928
    @davideastman928 4 года назад

    I like the way you set out your position re. Amazon at the end of that. Not simply transparency - confirming that you aren't just implementing a marketing strategy

  • @TheKenttt
    @TheKenttt 4 года назад

    Saw this in my notifications, watched the movie, then came back. This is one of my favorite channels.

  • @stormthrush37
    @stormthrush37 9 месяцев назад +1

    Spotlight was journalism. But so much of what passes for journalism today isn't, it's just PR. Real journalism is speaking truth to power and it's so rare that happens.

  • @spinakker14
    @spinakker14 4 года назад +4

    A relevant ad!
    Also a shout out to your sponsor for giving you full creative control

  • @carrie_the_recruiter
    @carrie_the_recruiter Год назад

    I have watched spotlight at least 10x now. I truly never have watched a movie this many times but this truly is a masterpiece. I'm blown away by this movie time and time again.

  • @lordterrible
    @lordterrible 4 года назад +1

    Man, from the bottom of my heart, I frigging love this channel!

  • @superdoo9874
    @superdoo9874 4 месяца назад

    the rewatchability of this movie is amazing

  • @roastedmarhmallow
    @roastedmarhmallow 4 года назад

    I enjoyed that ‘knock’ line and matching scene. Well done.

  • @MikeGrahamDSM
    @MikeGrahamDSM 4 года назад +4

    This was a great analysis.
    I looked it up - I'm going to watch The Report tonight at the IFC Center here in Manhattan!!
    Thank you!
    UPDATE: It was a great movie. I reccomend it.

  • @hridaykhattry
    @hridaykhattry 4 года назад +33

    You forgot to mention Michael Mann's "The insider".

  • @edwindungdung1998
    @edwindungdung1998 4 года назад

    We watched this movie in our previous semester for a Media Law and Ethics class. Man! what can I say, for someone who studying Journalism and found it boring instantly made me re-think and made me appreciate my course.

  • @dshe8637
    @dshe8637 4 года назад

    One of the most realistic aspects of Spotlight is the way it shows how events can go on for years before being called out. It's not as simple as a conspiracy of silence, rather that people are half-aware, but don't choose to focus on abuse that is widespread, yet underrated.
    When the journalists realise that they have actually run the story years ago... wow, that's powerful!

  • @Raymando
    @Raymando 4 года назад +4

    I'm 4.5 minutes in, and there's hardly any talk about Spotlight itself. Great video essay.

  • @fajarsetiawan8665
    @fajarsetiawan8665 4 года назад

    I'm really touched by how the fillmmaker is really devoted in portraying an issue as genuine as it can. No wonder it became a great film.

  • @hayteren
    @hayteren 3 года назад +1

    As a journalist, this movie portrays a rare event: journalists doing a good job. Usually we don't have time to make a good story like this so concise sensationalism has to foot the bill. The organization makes money by getting people to watch, not being accurate. And as long as we find a sweet spot between sensationalism and outright libel, that's all we'll deal out.

  • @techiekaamil8964
    @techiekaamil8964 4 года назад

    Liev Schreiber was overlooked in this movie. His performance was outstanding and understated and brilliant.

  • @avastans
    @avastans 4 года назад

    I loved Spotlight so much!!! One of my favourite films. So powerful

  • @santiagocavanagh
    @santiagocavanagh 4 года назад +75

    05:22 Unrelated, but why are half the people there censored/pixelated?

    • @iandavid7730
      @iandavid7730 4 года назад +3

      I was about to ask the same thing. It's the scene near the beginning of the film where Robbie (Michael Keaton) is giving a speech for a retiring colleague (about 3 and a half minutes in to the movie). The main guy pixelated is Ben Bradlee played by John Slattery, with everyone else having their back to the camera. Wondering if it's just a production error for NW and nothing more.

    • @alejandromorales9532
      @alejandromorales9532 4 года назад +83

      Santiago Cavanagh i think it’s to show the dominant shades of color per so and so many pixels, showing that the color tone is muted as he says in that moment

    • @AlexScene
      @AlexScene 4 года назад +1

      I was wondering that same thing.

    • @joelsmith3473
      @joelsmith3473 4 года назад +16

      Paused the video and scrolled down to see if this was addressed. It's exactly half the screen, so could be equally an error or used to show the palette. If the latter, I don't think pixelation is even necessary and if it is, seems out of place to only apply it to half the frame.

    • @amandasmith1236
      @amandasmith1236 4 года назад +25

      To highlight the color palette.

  • @Ammoniumbicarbonat
    @Ammoniumbicarbonat 4 года назад

    Seeing as you mentioned David Simon, Season 5 of The Wire comes to mind with this topic - I think it does an excellent job depicting a newspaper office too.

  • @CaliberDawn
    @CaliberDawn 3 года назад

    I like how u feat the comparison of The Post, which helps further support the necessity for the subtlety in the film. Which otherwise would come across as overly dramatic, taking away the sincerity of the work.

  • @pedroeiras9945
    @pedroeiras9945 4 года назад

    Spotlight is one of the best movies ever made. I watch it every year and it gets better each time.

  • @lorrig33
    @lorrig33 4 года назад +1

    I loved this analysis! Spotlight is one of my favorite films of all time.

  • @uncleben1922
    @uncleben1922 4 года назад +1

    The idea of journalists being hero's is even reflected in comic book movies like superman and in a way Spider-Man, I know Peter Parker is a photographer not a journalist but the same principle applies and even his boss is shown as good in character like whenever a villain threatens JJ to find out who supplies the pictures he always claims he doesn't know.

  • @notyournigga
    @notyournigga 4 года назад

    I absolutely love this movie. It’s the type of film I can watch in any mood & love every second. Ruffalo really killed it.

  • @Hendri-ou9wj
    @Hendri-ou9wj 4 года назад +4

    I hope "Official Secrets" get attention like "Spotlight" too, that movie so underrated

    • @jackcroatan
      @jackcroatan 4 года назад

      It's a good movie, but not outstanding.

  • @huzistiglitz5122
    @huzistiglitz5122 4 года назад +2

    I believe it has the one of the best use of tracking shot this decade. The shot means something, that monsters can live just by the street

  • @StellaAdler_
    @StellaAdler_ Год назад

    Absolutely love this movie & The Report as well. Two fantastic movies.
    And love ur movie & tv show analysis.

  • @tanmeysaraiya4130
    @tanmeysaraiya4130 4 года назад

    The grounded feel of the movie with few points of escalation like Mark Ruffalo's outburst makes the movie all the more humane.

  • @GraemeGames
    @GraemeGames 4 года назад

    Speaking of understated.
    My favourite character in this movie was Liev Schreiber's. It was a totally out of the norm role for him, and he absolutely killed it!

  • @janettekenos3674
    @janettekenos3674 4 года назад

    What an amazing dinner guest you would make because of your excellent story telling and in depth explanations of all different forms of art we consume and enjoy. Having a long history of family members being in the newsprint business (ink stained wretches) it has sadly become a shadow of what it once was.

  • @LetsReadSFF
    @LetsReadSFF 4 года назад +13

    Nothing exciting about imputing data into excel? Speak for yourself, it gets my adrenaline pumping.

  • @toritori3371
    @toritori3371 4 года назад +2

    In my first year of journalism school my professor made us watch this movie in class.

  • @Litera_Trotter
    @Litera_Trotter 4 года назад

    i saw this video on Monday and thats when i heard about Spotlight for the first time and decided to check it out. now rewatching the video.

  • @ericoffill3697
    @ericoffill3697 4 года назад

    Dude, you made the same observations my podcast Arthouse Legends made about the film back in 2016! I'm not saying that anything was lifted, but hey, we would love the shout out. Lol.

  • @koubl
    @koubl 4 года назад

    Evan, stop being such a legend. Impeccable writing, as always, man!

  • @dotstarss
    @dotstarss 4 года назад +1

    Love Spotlight. Love The Post. Love Sweet Smell of Success. Love Ace in the Hole. LOVED this video. Can’t wait for The Report. And also going to check out most of the other films mentioned here. Any I should start with that I haven’t listed?

  • @kdcndw1
    @kdcndw1 4 года назад

    This is film is modernist classic in the post modern area of cinema..and because of this and many other reasons..this film is such a necessity. Working in TV news my entire career until 2012, I saw the decline of journalism on all levels. This movie is a reminder of how powerful good journalism can be for holding corrupt institution's feet to the fire. I will say..the demise of local t.v. news in the area I live in was brought upon by hedge companies owning 3 of the 4 t.v. stations and cutting costs. Now my market is saturated with Sinclair T.V. ownership. It's a sad era for the whole journalism industry..both print and t.v.

  • @jerrykuang5993
    @jerrykuang5993 4 года назад

    thank you for making a video on my favourite film

  • @theroebuck123456789
    @theroebuck123456789 4 года назад +1

    I think the best picture win for this movie was well deserved

  • @blupeppers6437
    @blupeppers6437 4 года назад +1

    I know this is off topic but did Houdini really jump from one airplane to another mid air,I'm so impressed