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cinema_student2010
Reviews
Palo Alto, CA (2007)
hmmm
When I first discovered this movie in 2007, it had only been played at the Tribeca Film Festival. Then it was released for an audience at UCLA, and well i was more than anxious to see this movie . Even when it did make its way to DVD release, it was very difficult to find. Thank god for Netflix! I thought it would have a whole dazed and confused type feel to it. It didn't. But it still does emit that sort of indie movie feel when you watch it. Okay, so basically theirs a group of four friends, that are home from high school. Their all kind of going off in their own directions, but still trying to hold on to the past. Whats really neat about this film is that it all takes place over a course of one night. So you get very attached to the characters. You can really feel the actors confusion, care and emotion. I was so excited to see this movie mainly because of the cast. I've always found Tom Arnold very amusing, and who doesn't love Ben Savage (Boy Meets World). I was also curious to see Aaron Ashmore and Ryan Hansen reunite again after working so well together on Veronica Mars. After seeing Johnny Lewis play a tough biker in Sons of Anarchy, I found it a little hard to watch in such a meek/geeky role. But I guess it goes to show how much a dynamic actor he can be, because he has portrayed both quite well! The comedy is surely underplayed, but their are a few amusing(not funny) scenes.the camera work in the film is purely average.Does do a good job of depicting the changes we go through as we grow up. New relationships beginning, old ones ending.
All About Eve (1950)
Bette Davis has it
Bette Davis proves just why her name carries so much weight. She does a fantastic job with the character Margo. She plays an aspiring actress. I've heard the line,"Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night," so many times. Either people doing imitations, in t.v shows or other movies. Its one of those classic film lines that will always be floating around. I love when I discover little interesting things like this to cure my curiosity. very interesting to see Margo scheming, and how she makes it to the top.The neat thing about this movie is it could be applied todays society.. Through in some new actors, new props and set, same script equals a box office remake.although there are times where the plot slows down and kind of lags alittle. Overall, recommended!
The Big Sleep (1946)
pretty good one
Very interesting movie. Philip is a private detective hired by a wealthy family. Don't wanna give away the plot but its got it all. Suspense, romance, murder,blackmail, mystery. Has your classic old fashioned P.I movie to it. I found myself very immersed in this movie. Once again Humphrey Bogart's portrayal of Philip proves just what a fantastic actor he truly is. Thevery dramatic lighting/use of darkness in this movie really helped to build the suspense I think.Sometimes the plot would slow down, and feel a little lagging. Kind of scattered if you will. But other than that it really is a great movie that is definitely worth seeing!
Criss Cross (1949)
interesting
At times the plot got a little hard to follow, but at least it held my attention. I don't think there's anything special about the film,but its definitely not a bad one overall. Entertaining to see how the characters cross one another(hence the title) is somewhat suspenseful enough to make you wonder what is going to happen next. Was very interesting to see the female role kind of take on the lead as head bad guy and mastermind, which i would think would be very uncommon in films of that time. Anna, the female character, was extremely manipulative. It seemed to me that all she cared about was money. You actually come to feel bad for steve, because hes really just a man in love. One scene that was all too real for me and kind of freaked me out, the couple is running through a meat packing plant. And there's like cows, and parts of cows hanging everywhere.
Easy Rider (1969)
???
I had heard of this movie, that it was an American classic and was a must watch. So i was kind of excited when I had to watch it for a class. Now im just left wondering what all the hype was about. Maybe its just not my taste. I found it hard to follow at times, but maybe that was just because the movie was just so ridiculously boring.The highlight of the movie for me was Jack Nicholson's performance. I find the whole feeling of the movie just kind of strange, roaming. In a nutshell its these two guys just roaming around. I understand that the movie was suppose to representative of the time and the changes that were occurring in America. Although I like unpredictable movies,The ending to the movie really kind of disturbed me. To think peoples intolerance would result in senseless murders of people who did nothing to them. The most interesting scene would be when their high with a prostitute. The cameras flash quickly and their a lot of splices that were interesting enough to catch my attention. They do a great job of making you understand their on a lsd/drug trip, kind of makes you feel disoriented, like you are in it. I would of liked to have seen a better sound track, I think it would of made the film more interesting. Having seen Dennis Hopper in some of his more recent films before his death, it was very interesting to a younger version. If my professor hadnt of pointed him out I think I would of missed him. My professor informed us that this one of the first films after the hayes code ended to explore subjects like they did. So that alone makes it an important film in my opinion. Even though I didn't enjoy it, I would still recommend seeing it.
Gun Crazy (1950)
so so
Gun Crazy is watchable, but my no means is it a spectacular movie. Bart has had an interest in guns since hes been a child, and been an excellent shot. He makes a career out of it going into the army. Once he returns home, he goes to like a carnival, where he meets Annie( while watching the movie I wonder if the choice of the name Annie had anything to do with annie get your gun), who is almost as good with guns as he is. Well he instantly falls for her, I think its a little unrealistic the way their whole relationship happened, and how quickly. The couple end up committing robberies bonnie and clyde style. Im torn on the ending(both main characters die). I like that in the end Bart cared enough about his friend to protect him from being shot by Annie, but find it hard to believe that his love for her was so strong that he would commit all these crimes, but then he would be willing to pull the trigger on her. It just didn't jive right with me.
The Killing (1956)
thrilling
I remember at some point watching a movie that had to do with or make mention of a robbery at a racetrack, but I just cant remember what it was. But the plot is different, you often watch movies where crooks are ripping off banks or fancy stores. But the whole race track thing was different and really interesting to me. So basically everybody's got their part to pull of the robbery, it almost has an Oceans Eleven feel. very suspenseful, held my interest, kept me wanting to know just what was ganna happen next. I think the acting throughout is just so so to be quite honest. The dynamics of the characters were very interesting though. Overall I think its definitely worth seeing, classic film noir(and one of the better ones that I've seen).
On the Waterfront (1954)
Fantastic
I had never even heard of this movie until i had to watch it for a class. And I must say I well definitely be watching it again! I was on the edge of my seat, couldn't wait to see what would happen next. This movie literally has it all. Romance, action, suspense, mystery.Terry is an ex fighter who becomes a lackey for the union bosses. He inadvertently becomes partly responsible(unknowingly) for a murder. But then to make things even more interesting, he falls for the victims sister. Throughout the movie Terry tries to protect her and do the right thing, while struggling with just what that is. Gatta love anything with Marlon Brando,he does a great job as Terry Mallory. a lot of action in this film too (ex. scene where the car is chasing them down the alley, accidents on the dock etc) but yet you also had the romantic elements too. the ending was very powerful, andat certain parts hard for me to watch. After Terry has done the right thing , and risked everything to set things right and try to disenpower the union bosses, he ends up in a fight with Mr. Friendly. He gets beaten up pretty bad. But he somehow manages to to get up and walk to show the bosses that they are no longer in charge. ITs a very powerful scene. just don't know how to put into words how superb Brando's acting was. Overall, its such a compelling movie, definitely worth seeing.
Foreign Correspondent (1940)
a must see
I actually found this film to be very enjoyable and extremely interesting. Althouhg Im not the biggest fan of movies from this time period, I have to admit i found my self being drawn into it. A young American female reporter goes to Europe at the start of WW2 to get dirt on the enemy. She soon finds a romantic interest in John Jones( McCrea). This movie has everything you could once. Suspense, romance,plot twist, action, and very appropriate dialog .the acting all around is pretty good. One thing I noticed was everything looked pretty well realistic but then again its Hitchcock. Nice to see one of his more tame/calmer films. The only thing that felt off to me was the courtship between John and Carol. It happened so quickly that it didn't seem realistic. But I guess that element had to movie quickly to keep the whole espionage element moving and exciting.
Stagecoach (1939)
not a western fan
I've never been into John Wayne films, so of course this film was no exception. I know its suppose to be a classic, but it just down right bored me. Westerns are just not my taste, and i frankly couldn't wait for it to get over. John Wayne does a good job portraying his character, but at times I think its a little over done, loosing some of the authenticity. The actual filming of the movie was pretty nice though I must say that. A lot of the scenes/sets looked very real, so I'm assuming a good portion of the film was actually filmed on location. The action scenes were plentiful enough to break up the movie. I honestly thought they were pretty well done, very realistic, at least for the time period. They happened quite quickly and there was well depth to them I guess you could say. Like they were more than just watching someone performing a stick up.
Flying Down to Rio (1933)
Some awesome scenes
As soon as the artwork for the cover of this movie popped up on my Netflix I knew it was going to be a little, well, strange for my taste. Im not one for musicals, so maybe thats where the bulk of my dislike comes from, just having a hard time getting into it. I found the story to be very uncomplicated and boring at times. Fred Astaire is very enjoyable to watch though.The one thing I can say that is fantastic about this movie is some of the dancing shots. Watching those chorus girls, do absolutely synchronized dance movements on top of airplanes. Im assuming special affects were limited in those days, Im not sure exactly how they did it. But anyway you slice it, still very amazing scenes/shots/filming. Even for today in my opinion. the movie's enjoyable, but nothing amazing in my book.
The Gold Rush (1925)
Chaplin is funny
I had to watch this movie for a class. I know that silent films is where are cinema history began, but i have to say i find them utterly boring.I was honestly bored and found myself drifting away from the movie, it just didn't hold my attention. At least Chaplin comedy can be fabulously expressed even without words. For example there's a scene where their so hungry there imaging a chicken and chasing each other around. The scene could be funny even if taken out of context. There's also a scene where hes shoveling snow, but not realizing that hes making an even bigger pile out of what hes shoveling. I found myself laughing quite a bit during that scene. The scenes do seem a little bit over done at times though.The movie is about just what is sounds like, Chaplin finds him self searching for gold,and comedy ensues. The props for The Gold Rush were noticeable bad, very fake. For example there's the cabin scenes. Everything just looks like a set, especially when the cabin is about to slide off the side of the mountain, the scenes/effects(all the back and forth motion) is not very authentic. But for the time period its completely understandable.
Casablanca (1942)
People Are Right
I've heard Casablanca talked about as a classic for years, but hadn't gotten the opportunity to see it until now. Boy am I glad I did! Although I'm not one of those people that feels Casablanca is the best film ever made, it is enjoyable. The quality I liked most about this film was its ability to suck me in, although I must admit there where parts where I got lost a little bit.There's a lot going on this movie, World War 2, the running of his club, double crossing, and of course you cant forget the ultimate love story. for being a movie thats older, well not from my generation,i didn't find the dialog to be overly cheesy.The ending of this movie is pretty awesome.I like that you think you know whats going to happen but you don't, (at the airport situation, who gets blame etc).There's also some great cinematography in Casablanca. The use of lighting to set up shots for the camera is magnificent. They also tend to focus on a searchlight in the movie as well.The actors in Casablanca are just magnificent, they really add a certain well, realistic element, for lack of a better term. Humphrey Bogart is enjoyable as usual. I've only seen a few of his films, but this is my favorite by far. He does such a good job of keeping his character in line, invulnerable and cold at times, but heartfelt at others. now i can really understand the line "of all the jin joints in all the world."
Scarface (1932)
well well
Okay okay I have to be honest, I've never seen any versions of Scarface before viewing this film. Having watched it for a film class, well not my type of movie, although I can see why others liked it. Having seen Paul Munni in I am a fugitive from a chain gang, i just didn't care for him in this role, not that his acting was bad. Scarface gets real gritty, real, dramatic.After one crime boss is killed, a new one takes over, its a mafia movie, we all know how they go. I understand that to many people its a classic, overall a pretty decent gangster film though. Its on my list to watch the remake of Scarface and find some interesting comparisons.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
A Must See
i this movie years ago for a psychology class and recently watched it again. wow what a movie! This is probably one of the best performances of Jack Nicholson's career. Its amazing how dynamic of characters he can play. I think he carried the movie entirely, with out him it just would of been a weird mess. Whats so impressive about this movie is that its got its comedic elements(that I think only Nichlson could of pulled off) but its very very very intense dramatic moments as well. It just felt so real, the props, the acting. It makes the thought of mental institutions scary, it was even hard for me to watch at times. There was a large portion of time where i was glued to the screen though, which i think made it very hard to notice impressive cinematography, but the plot and the actors were so good i guess it doesn't matter. overall i would give it a 9 out of 10, at some point everyone should see this movie.
The Graduate (1967)
Very interesting
The graduate was definitely on my list to see, I've heard people make reference to it and other movies/t.v. shows. The Jen Aniston movie Rumor Has It, for example. So I kind of knew in a nutshell what it was about. All though overall I cant say it was one of the best, most remarkable films I've seen, it was quite good. After taking a film class I've come to appreciate how this movie was for its time, it was one of the earlier movies that chose to take on such a risqué subject.Faults I had with the movie, Ben's love for Elaine was so intense but their were very few scenes leading up to that, it kind of through the whole movie off for me. But there were some very funny parts throughout. Dustin Hoffman's awkwardness as Bed was just down right hilarious. It was really interesting to see Hoffman in a younger role as well. While watching this film I noticed some very interesting things. Towards the end there's a scene where he steals a small red sports car to chase after Elaine before she gets married. He pulls into a gas station to ask for directions. While watching this I instantly was reminded of the movie Wayne's World. He goes into the church and starts banging and screaming on the glass window above the ceremony, and then locks them in the church by sliding a broom handle through the door. A minute later when the car brakes down, the couple hop a bus. Waynes World totally ripped this scene off from the graduate.There was also an earlier scene in the movie where Mrs. Robinson was trying to seduce Ben. So for me personally it was very interesting to see how more current films are still keeping The Graduate alive. definitely a classic that im glad I got the opportunity to see, I enjoyed it and wouldn't mind watching it again.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
well who knew
Having heard of this film before I was very interested. Not my kind of film but still good.The fights and arguments of this manipulative couple were very real for the time period. It made the movie interesting, and helped to feel as if you really knew them, you were really there. But Martha and George's relationship was sort of weird if you ask me. It kind of made the movie uncomfortable to me. The one thing i must say about this is movie, i was extremely impressed with Elizabeth Taylor's acting chops. It was also very interesting to see Richard Burtono in this role, and younger of course, but Taylor still outshines him in my opinion.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Whats the right thing?
As a little girl I remember watching the show GhostWriter and hearing mention of a Spike Lee contest, which lead me to watch Do The Right Thing, at the time I wasn't all that impressed, in fact if I remember correctly I was a little upset with Mookies character. Having watched the film again, I cant understand why anyone would recommend this movie to a child
but I will get into that later. The film is very representative of the time in my opinion, the dancing, the music, the clothes. The music really added to the film i must point that out, songs with lyrics telling to fight the power. I like how throughout almost the entire movie its got this hand-held camera kind of feel, the way the movie is shot makes you really feel as if you are right there on the street with the movies characters. There are also some very interesting camera shots in this movie. For example the scene where Radio Raheem goes into Sal's. We as the viewer see a point of view shot from Sal of Raheem, but this shot also painted Raheem in a more intimidating light,at least to me. I didn't care for the ending of the movie, I found it somewhat unrealistic. To think that someone starts the destruction of your business, and the next day you can friendly with them, just doesn't seem to realistic to me. I normally don't like movies that take place over a course of a day such a short time period, but in this particular movie it helped to hold my attention. Obviously the social message of the film is to do the right thing, but what is the right thing? I liked how it seems like the decision of what the right thing was, was left up to the viewer. I think that open interpretation is what Spike Lee was going for. I also find it very neat that Spike Lee wrote, directed and starred in it. It was also fun to see a younger Martin Lawrence and Samuel L Jackson. Overall I think it's a classic cultural movie that everyone should see, but its nothing special if that makes any sense.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
See it!
Finding Ashton Kutcher absolutely hilarious, I could watch Guess Who over and over again. Once I realized that Guess Who was actually a remake of the 1967 movie Guess Who's Coming to Dinner I was very curious to watch it. The time span of the movie, being basically just one day, kind of felt a little cramped and unrealistic to me. Very interesting story plot though. Joanna is a white women who brings home her new African American doctor fiancé. The surprise and well disacceptance by Joanna's family carries the comedy scenes in this movie, and that's the best parts of the movie. There's time where the witty banter and comments back and forth well make you laugh out loud. A little more action would of definitely held my attention more, im not talking car chases and exploding bombs here, but maybe a car ride, outings, something to brake up the manonity. For example like the scene when Tracey (Matt) backs into the car. The ending of a father realizing that all that matters is if his daughter is happy, and who gives a hoot what others think, touched my heart. Katherine Hepbirn, is of course fabulous in this movie, as always. I had heard of Sidney Poitier before but couldn't recall having seen any of his work. I must say he did do a great job portraying John. His dry sense of humor throughout the movie helped to make his character very realistic in my opinion.Definitely worth the watch, especially since its so worthy It has even been updated and remade.
The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
Welles does it again
I was excited to see more of Orson Welles work. Im pretty sure i had heard the title mentioned before, but had no knowledge of the movie really. I sometimes found the plot hard to follow, as well as the characters.But at the same time i remained very interested in the story line. There was a sense of mystery and whats going to happen to next, a suspense element if you will. The mst interesting scene in this movie is hands down the mirror scene. Orson Welles does an amazing job portraying a person going insane, and the camera angels focused on the mirror makes for some very different and interesting cinematography. Overall, on a scale from one to ten a 7.2!
Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl (1919)
well...
As someone who has very little exposure to silent films (I know they are the basis for our cinema today), I know I'm probably sounding somewhat ignorant, but I just didn't care for it much. I found it kind of hard to get into. It was somewhat hard to follow in certain places, I felt like if you turned your head way for a second you kind of get lost. Definitely a movie you have to pay attention to. Im not a big fan of the way the movie was narrated by subtitles so often, I think it would of better more interesting for the viewer to be able to see that unfold for themselves. The one thing I can say overall that really grabbed me was the details in the sets. Great artefacts, like the Chinese pipes , decorations etc. The buildings in all scenes are extremely convincing. Great effects like with the fog and use of light. But overall I just didn't love the story for some reason. All though his love for Lucy was very touching.
The Palm Beach Story (1942)
Great love story
I thoroughly enjoyed the Palm Beach Story. The acting was believable and it was fun and entertaining. Mr. Jeffers is a failing businessman, who's wife decides to leave him and head to Florida for a divorce, and in search of wealthy man to take care of her. Oh, and did I mention she does this with almost no possessions and no money. Almost instantaneously she meets one of the wealthiest men in the country, who falls for her. It all happened so quickly, I think it would of been a little more interesting if the plot was drawn out here. This is the aspect of the movie that was somewhat unbelievable to me. To think that Mrs. Jeffers can make it all the way to Florida with no money, instantly meets a rich man, its like everything just falls into place to easily. But I guess it could help make it entertaining .There was pretty decent verisimilitude in the Palm Beach Story, with the cast wearing expensive appearing costumers, on yachts and in expensive homes. There's a very interesting train scene involving a gentlemens gun club that is quite amusing and is sure to grab your attention. I was kind of surprised about how the topic of divorce was portrayed. So openly discussed, it made the practice seem common for that time. Its kind of like just head to Florida, get a divorce, find a rich man, like it was the norm. In the end the message that I took away from the movie is that love is more important than money. overall, a great love story, with just enough of a comedic edge to keep you amused!
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
A great One!
I actually really enjoyed this movie. Its emotional and gripping. Kept me as viewer really enthralled and interested which I personally think is hard to do. And what a plot! Never once did the movie get boring. One of the highlights for me personally , is a chase scene on a bridge, with some major destruction. I was very impressed by this scene. Great effects for that period of time in my opinion. This was my first time ever seeing anything with Paul Muni, but he was extremely convincing and gripping as James Allen. The other thing I thoroughly enjoyed about I Am A Fugitive From A Chaingang is the great social point it makes. Depicting conditions in prisons, and how easy it is for criminals to get sucked back in. For example James Allen was placed in prison, when he really didn't do anything, but running from the law eventually makes him a convict. It's a great example of how well someone can do if people arnt aware of their past, and how easily people can get involved in criminal messes. I was actually surprised that this movie was allowed to have this message, due to the censoring of the time period. Overall, great movie!
Frankenstein (1931)
Not my style
I didn't hate this movie, I didn't enjoy it either though. Frankenstein is not at the top of my list. Just not my kind of movie i think. Its elements kind of got a little confusing for me at times to. Like there's a scene where Frankenstein is interacting with a little girl that is funny, but then quickly turns tragic, emotional and upsetting. From there we go to the emotionally gripping scene of the father carrying his dead daughter through the street. It sort of went from one to another, and It kind of got lost on me. Great sound effects, especially in the lab, and at the end where we see Frankenstein's demise. The feeling is very dark through out the whole movie. Kind of gross with people grabbing abnormal brains and so on. The plot didn't really hold my attention at all. Although there was a time when I almost felt bad for Frankenstein. The only social message that I could find to take away from this movie, is that "playing god" can be extremely dangerous. I know its a classic horror film, but just not for me.
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Great Movie
I thought the Grapes of Wrath was a genuinely good movie, It was my first time seeing it, and now I know why it is such a highly held classic. The cinematography in this movie is fabulous I noticed. Great use of the camera, especially with shadows, and different textures and degrees of light. The movie was not hard to follow at all, but held my attention easily. I think that is partly because this really happened to people. You could feel the Joad's pain. Just a great depiction of the struggles they go through. Real and raw. it was almost hard to watch at times, watching these people just watch helplessly while their home is being demolished. Very compelling and gripping story. overall, extremely interesting film!