No hands attached

I think that the mirror exercise is easy as well but when we had to do the opposite I got so confused. When we do the exercise with the objects and we have to make them bigger or smaller, I think that is so hard. I did not know how to make it something new. The no hands exercise was not as hard as I thought it was going to be. Deciding what other body part to use was challenging but once we got up there to do it I was fine. This class really does make you think about everything around you and how you use every part of your body to function.

Hardness

Adam Sandler really doesn't do it for me, unless it's Spanglish. Also, Nick Cage is great unless he has a mullet. I actually don't think that the mirroring is that hard if you really get into it. I think that the hardest things we've done so far have been when we have to pretend to use props that don't exist, or when I feel like I have to improvise a motion for no reason. Rather tricky.

moving objects

I feel that the exercises we are doing in class are  defiantly harder than they look, especially when you have no idea what you are even trying to mirror.  I feel that doing it with one other person is a lot easier than doing it with 4 people, especially because its harder to be completely in sync with another persons movements and be able to make it work as a whole.  

Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler is an amazing actor. There is no one that can do the things he does. He can be very funny and also very serious. His roles in Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore are so funny. The way he change his voice in an instance makes it even more funny. He can also play serious roles like he did in Spanglish and Rain on Me (or whatever the name is).

Also, I love how all his friends are in every movie.

Problem Solving (No Hands)

I am pretty sure that if we were the first group to have to preform the action with no hands of moving the television cart, it most likely would not have ended to well for us. After watching the first group and hearing the suggestions made by the professor, it made the concept seem easier. Plus Juan and I were able to watch the group physically move the television stand to see how it might move awkward on them.

The acting exercise where the other group had to mirror what we were doing is probably the hardest exercise yet. Without knowing what someone is trying to accomplish, it makes it very awkward to predict what the next type of move would be.

Surprising Challenges

I agree that many of the exercises that we do in class seems like they would be easy but they really are not. The talking on the beat exercise was really hard for me. Maybe it was just the topic I had, but trying to think of something to say that fit the beat was difficult. Also the exercise where we had to use the same object. It was different to have to use the same "object" between two or more people. I still find myself having a difficult time paying attention to the little details. For example when Paige and I did the blanket I ended up making the blanket shorter.

No Hands

I found the exercise that we had to move something with a partner to be completely difficult. Once he said that we could not use our hands the task in my mind became so much more difficult and my assumptions proved right. I don't think we realize how much we do with our hands. Once my hand were taken from me in that exercise I had no clue what I was going to do and I found it really hard to do the task without hands. I love my hands and I hope he never takes them away from us again because once he said no hands everything changes.

Comment on Briana's Post

I was just reading about how you think Adam Sandler is an awful actor and I strongly disagree. While Adam Sandler is great in movies like Happy Gilmore and Big Daddy, I would recommend that you watch Spanglish. I have never seen a more honest performance in my whole life. He is so real and approachable in this movie. He is sincere and serious. I was more than impressed when I saw it for the first time and it gets better every time I watch it. I think it takes a great actor to be so in touch with his emotions to go from light-hearted, ridiculously funny movies to such an honest movie about real life.

Surprising Challenges

Some of the activities we do in class seem like they should be easy, but then once I actually get up and try them they are way more challenging than I expected. For instance...the talking on beat exercise. When people were messing up I thought that it was humorous, but at the same time I was thinking to myself 'how hard can this activity really be'. I thought that once I got up there I would be able to do it with no problem. However, I was extremely wrong! I got up there and struggled along with almost everyone else in class. It was simliar to having to tap your head and rub your stomach at the same time. Talking and keeping a beat...once you get off beat, it screws up your talking and everything falls apart from there. ha. Even with supposively simple activities like these, a lot of practice must go into it before you can actually master it.

Thinking outside the box

The exercise we did at the end of class when we had to move an object but could not use our hands was very challenging in my opinion. My partner and I had an idea of how to move the object and once we got up there we were both completely clueless. I realized that I need to be more creative and try to "think outside the box" more. I have never been very creative, and in this class creativity is essential. It is good that I am being challenged in this class! Hopefully my creativity will improve as this semester continues!

bears

Nicolas Cage is a good guy leave him alone. Yes he's in a bear suit, yes, he punches a woman, but no, he is not a bad guy. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOpsbAUEe90)........I never saw this movie, but other movies I've seen him in, not too shabby if you ask me. I also like Christopher Walken, especially when he dances. it's pretty much awesome. Anyway, today in class I learned it is much harder to pretend to make make a snowman without hands. Maybe when it snows this winter I'll do a case study of sorts. Also, I learned that the speaking to rhythm thing can make even the lamest of subjects kinda fun, I'm suggesting that all AU staff adopt this new method of teaching. the end

People who suck

I would agree with hallie that Nicloas Cage sucks. The only movie that I ever really liked him in was "Raising Arizona" , which came out 20 years ago. I also think Adam Sandler is not very good at what he does. He is suppossed to be funny, but all he ever really does is run around and make stupid noises/faces. Also, when I watch old saturday night live shows, he always seems to be laughing at his own jokes.

Passing Objects

I have to mention the exercise we did in class Tuesday where we were passing objects. I found this exercise surprisingly difficult. While other were passing. all I could think about the entire time was things I could turn the object into but when it got passed to me, I completely blanked out. When the exercise was introduced, I thought it would be simple for me. On the contrary, it was quite challenging for me.

Actors

I don't think that Keanue Reeves is a bad actor.  Well at least i really like the movies he's in, however i think that Nicholas Cage is terrible.  He is monotone and can only play in action movies, he is not a versitile actor, however his movies usually do pretty well in the box-office.

Bad Acting

Is it just me, or is Bill Paxton the worst actor ever. It is very easy to see that he has no clue what he is doing. He tries to show his emotions way too much. Just watch him in movies like Twister and Apollo 13. The way he yells and reacts in situations is not at all believable. Has anyone else notice this. If not, look for it in some of his movies.

Unconventional Acting

I wonder sometimes if Keanu Reeves is actually a bad actor. He gets made fun of for it a lot and in the movies I've seen his delivery seems a bit wierd, but I have always wondered if he is actually some brilliant actor whose character is so complex that extreme subtlety is the only way to convey what is actually happening. I also wonder why comedy actors seem to never get nods for awards shows unless they do a serious role. It seems like it would be hard to be able to act comically and still make a relatable hardcore character. Maybe it has never been done.

Class

In class i though that the mirror exercise got a lot harder once the leadership was taken away. I am usually the leader in most group projects, however it is sometimes better to step back and follow every once in a while. When you act I can see where following can be better because you are going of what others are doing and that is what real acting is, taking in your surroundings and adjusting yourself to what you have to do to make the audience believe it is really happening before there eyes.