Reviews

The atmosphere of Brooklyn adds a lot of life and realism to the story. I think the characters were interesting to watch and it had some fun moments. But the rape scene seemed to come out of nowhere, didn't add to the story, and was done very flippantly. I also don't like how Jamie is still portrayed as a decent guy and the movie continues as if nothing happened. I was glad to see Nola choose to not be tied to monogamy at the end of the film, as none of these men are real 'catches'. I like how it goes against the grain of the Hollywood ending and the expectation that women need a relationship to be fulfilled.

Polanski created a great atmosphere for horror throughout the film. The lullaby at the beginning of the film alludes to what's to come and intrigues the viewer, and when it is repeated at the end it's taken on a new feeling of dread and despair. Building suspense and creepiness allows them to accomplish horror without excessive jump scares or gory/graphic scenes. Mia Farrow's performance was so convincing, her pain and fear is palpable.

The film was not very engaging, I just didn't feel invested in the characters and I think at times it got a bit slow. I was also bit disappointed by the ending, I felt it didn't really satisfy the build-up of the film. I think it could have been shortened a bit without taking away important aspects of the story, but giving it a better pace and making it more enjoyable to watch. I do like how we don't actually know what really happened by the end of the film, it puts the viewer in the shoes of the jury and leaves us to decide for ourselves. I also think the soundtrack did add to the film and make it more entertaining.

The tension of when the birds are not in the scene is almost more intense than when they are at some points. It makes the fear and uncertainty of the characters more palpable as the viewer, especially when they are trapped in the house. The technical elements are impressive and make the film more immersive. The choice to not have a soundtrack was very different, but it added more suspense in the silence and made it almost more realistic, when we are in a scary situation in real life quiet is more terrifying than overly dramatic music. Spending a good chunk of the film on backstory and character development lets us relate more and feel more connected with the characters and their fears when the attacks do begin.

I loved the cinematography of "Psycho". There were so many unique shots like, the overhead of Norman arguing with his mother from the stairway of the house, the different angles of Norman in the parlor with his birds looming behind him, and the close up of him peering through the hole in the wall. The double exposure of Norman and his mother's skeletal face over his was also really artistic and shocking. I was really surprised at the ending, and it was a really satisfying end to all the build up of tension. The scene with Norman's (or rather his mother's) monologue at the end with the fly on his hand was really well done and creative.

I really disliked Cathy as a character. I understand that in that time women had to be more reliant on men financially, and so her marriage to Mr. Lipton was sensible. But she ended up treating Heathcliff pretty poorly when she needed to be direct with him. There was a lot of great visuals in the film. Like the scene where Heathcliff is giving her all the Heather, the landscape is really beautiful. And lighting was done really well to great dramatic shots, like when she ran off after Heathcliff, and when she got attacked by the dogs.

The music really makes this film what it is. Classic western music that encapsulates adventure and cowboy spirit. The visuals of Utah and Arizona landscapes where it was filmed were beautiful. The combination of soundtrack and setting make the film more immersive. Westerns aren't my favorite genre and I can't say I was deeply enthralled in the story, but it was definitely a fun film to watch nonetheless. The way that women and people of other races were portrayed definitely shows its age. One detail I did enjoy was how they called the baby coyote because it sounded like one.

My Man Godfrey is a perfect example of good on-screen chemistry. Godfrey and Irene bounce off each other perfectly, providing humor that can still make us laugh almost a hundred years later. Every character is very well thought out and executed, and though I don't know these actors from any other role they seem like the only possible choice for such memorable parts. These characters evoke strong emotions by their very presence - the forbidding Cornelia jumps to mind especially. The anti-rich message feels just as impactful as I imagine it was in 1936, yet it doesn't overpower or bog down the fun, comedic atmosphere of the film. Overall, My Man Godfrey is a wonderful movie with a story that still immerses the viewer today.

"I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang" gives a great look at how American prisons use and abuse prisoners for slave labor. This is because of the clause in the 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, "except as a punishment for crime". Which has only got worse as the prison population has grown because of the labor incentive.

The film raises some great questions about what justice is and whether our justice system is truly just, like in the questions posed by newspapers. Is the loss of freedom punishment enough, or should sentances be more punitive with hard labor or cruel conditions? Is punishment effective in turning a criminal into a decent member of society?

The shots of him underwater hiding from the prison guards was really impressive and made me want to know more about how they filmed it. Muni portrays the complicated emotions of the hardships of war and prison, being cornered into a marriage out of fear and self preservation, and trying to become a better man for the woman he loves.

Fritz Lang delivers another great critique of society with "Fury", much like "Metropolis". Although this one is not a view on society at large, but of human mentality and the danger of forgetting our humanity and the worth of a life. Lang is really effective at building suspense and energy, especially in the moments leading up to the mob confrontation. Lang makes a great example of how people are prone to a mob mentality and how quickly information gets twisted and exaggerated as it's passed on, like a game of telephone.

It's interesting how Lang shows the women spreading the gossip and cuts to a shot of hens, and when the men start to gossip, they quickly become violent. It seems to make the women's part in the lynching seem less harmful, but everyone involved is guilty. Although the ones actually committing the acts of the lynching hold more responsibility.

Where I do take away points is the outdated way the characters speak about Native Americans. There aren't even any in the film so the remarks really stand out. The film was released in 1936, so it's debatable whether we should apply modern expectations to it. But watching it as a modern viewer, I feel it's important not to pretend this aspect of film history exists.