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Reviews
Mildred Pierce (1945)
An Excellent Movie
Mildred Pierce was a fantastic movie in my opinion. It tells an inspirational yet tragic tale of an empowered woman who crafts her own future from the bottom rung of the ladder of society all for the sake of her spoiled daughter, whom she ends up losing in the end because of all the efforts to make her life better. I found it very tragic that from the very beginning Mildreds efforts were all done to try and make her daughter happy and she ended up betraying her and spiting everything shes done for her. A very strong, cohesive, emotional plot that will have you entwined in the story from beginning to end. I found the acting in this film to be very interesting and well done. Every character fulfills their role perfectly and are all very believable and emotional in their presentation. The daughters role as the spoiled, rotten child is acted out so well that at times you'll wish you could reach through the screen and give her a firm smack. In terms of camera-work, I found it to be very satisfactory. It wasn't the most amazing cinematography I've ever seen but I found it to be very good for what it was. Overall, a great movie. I would recommend it to anyone who's looking for a good movie with a nice intricate plot!
Casablanca (1942)
The Ultimate Romance
This movie was by far one of the best romances that I have ever seen. It is generally not my favorite genre of movie but the raw emotion present throughout this masterpiece greatly moved me. The cinematography of this film is just absolutely beautiful. Every scene seems like it was shot less as a method of capturing a story, but more as if trying to paint a beautiful picture. The sets sometimes seem to frame characters at important moments in the plot and the heavy use of contrast to create very shadowy scenes sets the mood for a mysterious romance so perfectly that you can only call it a masterpiece. I found the acting to be masterful. The characters that the actors and actresses portrayed were done so flawlessly that i couldn't find a single character who i didn't think was portrayed beautifully. They captured the raw emotion of the characters and i almost believed that I was watching real events unfold before my eyes.
Easy Rider (1969)
counterculture exemplified
I found this film to be an amazing glimpse into the generation gap that was being rapidly formed during the time period of this movie. The younger generation was beginning to develop a much different view on the world than their predecessors and starting to question institutions they had been told their whole life were unquestionable. The story follows two young bikers who are travelling across the country selling drugs and wandering with no particular goal in life other than to have a good time. They end up joining up with an alcohilc lawyer whom they introduce to the ways of their culture and in the end it ends up killing him indirectly. Although this movie was not as polished as it could have been i feel that the roughness added to rather than detracted from the character of the film. It gave it a gritty feel which perfectly matched with the lifestyles of the main characters. I found the ending when all of the characters are killed to be a deeply disturbing yet also intensely accurate portrayal of the mindset of the time. Change was to be feared and suppressed because change bred conflict. The only criticism i can possibly give this movie was that the dialogue at times got somewhat static. I found the acid trip scene to be the most appealing visually as the chaos and intensity of that scene perfectly portrays ones mind on lsd.
The Graduate (1967)
Hilariously dark
I found this movie to be amazing. Although at times the plot was rather unrealistic, the intense performance of the lead roles more than made up for it. The camera work in the film is beautifully done and you can tell that every little angle or tint or shot was shrewdly calculated and planned and placed there in such a way that the aesthetic experience of the movie was as amazing as possible. On top of the brilliant acting and beautiful unmatched cinematography the soundtrack was beautifully done. Simon and garfunkel provide the perfect peaceful backdrop to the turmoil of the story and all of the mezsed up details behind the characters personal relationships. My favorite use of sound was in the scene where his car us running out of gas and the music slows along with the car. I also found it brilliant that the characters did not make eye contact at the end. It goes to show that the hasty decisions of youth don't always end foe the best but the ride is always worth the toil.
Frankenstein (1931)
Zapped me like a lightning bolt!
Simply amazing are the only words I can use to describe how masterfully this film was put together. The mise-de-scene of this movie is so dark and foreboding and truly leaves a very good impression of this film on the viewer.
The acting alone makes this film worth watching. The crazed obsession of Dr. Frankenstein with completing his experiment was very well reflected through his wild appearance when he gets excited about it.
The monster itself, despite having no speaking lines had some amazing acting going on. Without using a single word he perfectly reflected the confusion and fright of being brought back from the dead. A creature, not inherently evil, but drawn to acts of unknowing wickedness by the way it was treated by its creator and its own ignorance of the ways of interaction is perfectly shown in this film.
The scene at the end where the monster is trapped on top of the tower that they have just set on fire is amazing because you can see the confusion and fright that the monster is feeling because it doesn't know that its even done anything wrong and doesn't understand why it's being hunted down.
Excellent movie, I would recommend it to anyone.
Stagecoach (1939)
Wonderful work in the wild wild west
This film is not by any stretch your average Western. Although the plot may follow the typical 'lone cowboy saves the day' format the overall smoothness of the story and the incredible flow that it has throughout kept me much more tuned in than I would normally be for a Western.
I found the humor in this movie to be very well done. The doctors drunken antics never failed to make me laugh and the overall sarcastic form of humor the movie had was right up my ally.
The main characters equal regard for everyone and his tendency to treat everyone with kindness and respect was truly moving in the film. When he spoke to someone he didn't speak as if he was speaking to a gambler, or a prostitute but instead spoke as if he was speaking to a person which I feel reflects the underlying theme of the movie.
On the surface the film is your classic Western but if you look a little deeper you find that the film has a very socially critical message. Everyone is equal and should be treated as such. The harsh judgments placed on the prostitute by the travelers in the beginning illustrate this perfectly. Later on in the film we find that she is not a bad person at all but rather, is very sweet and caring.
An awesome, socially critical, well put together masterpiece. Well worth a watch or two!
My Man Godfrey (1936)
An Incredible Story
This film made a very good impression on me. The tale that it tells is funny, sad and heartwarming all at the same time. Once a homeless man due to running away from a broken heart Godfrey resolves himself to remaining alone and poor in a shantytown at the dump however he is lifted out of his misery when a local rich girl offers him a job as a butler. He later ends up gaining the affection of the whole family and in particular the girl who got him the job.
I found the humor in this movie to be very clever and well done. The family's drunken antics provide a very humorous backdrop to what otherwise is a very serious story.
I found Godfrey's interactions with the family to be most humorous as he was constantly shooting down their attempts to pry into and interfere with his life.
I found it most amazing that he used the necklace hidden in his room to get him in trouble to save the family from the financial trouble they had been sinking into. At the end of the movie when he reveals what he has done, quits and leaves, only to end up marrying the girl he clearly had been suppressing his feelings for the whole movie is wrapped up in a very satisfying and heartwarming way.
Dracula (1931)
Excellent in All Aspects
I found this movie to be one of the greatest experiences with classic horror films that I have ever had. I usually find them slightly tacky but the excellent acting and classic storyline of this movie made it an excellent experience all around.
Lugosi never fails to amaze with his signature 'creepy' persona. He captures the feel of Count Dracula to a tee in this amazing film. You can almost see all the years of inflicting pain in his eyes every time he bites a victim. You can almost feel the conflict going on behind his eyes as he takes a victim for sustenance and snuffs out their bright light of life. The scene where he takes the girl in the asylum you can almost see the tears in his eyes as he bites the girl.
Dracula's servant also has some incredible acting in this movie. The scene on the ship where they open up the hatch and you can see him staring up at you from the inside of the ship reflects such evil and insanity that it truly makes an unforgettable impression.
Besides all of the incredible acting that this movie has to offer, the scenes are set up masterfully and truly set the mood for the film. Draculas castle, set up to be dark, dank and abandoned looking truly sets the scene for evil events to unfold. The cobwebs and long winding staircases could only be the most perfect dwelling place for the King of Vampires and lord of evil himself.
The Navigator (1924)
Not a Big Fan
Despite this film being branded as one of the classics I didn't find it very entertaining. The acting was nothing to write home about and the scenes were far too dragged out for my enjoyment(i.e. The scene on the boat where they haven't seen each other yet and are frantically running around in circles).
I found the sense of humor that was most prevalent in this film to be juvenile at best. I'm sure that if I was between the ages of 8 and 10 I would have found it quite entertaining but at my current age I found the jokes to be very typical and very rehashed.
The plot wasn't very thought out and I didn't feel that it had any real depth. It was simply a scenario put in place to set up the scene for a series of bad slapstick jokes.
Perhaps I judged too harshly but I didn't find this film to be of any real artistic value.
Scarface (1932)
Masterpiece
A true gangster film down to the very core. This film was so masterfully put together in every aspect from the placement of the lines to the scene work to the very plot itself.
Starting out as a sort of rags to riches tale this story tells the tale of a man who took his life and through illegal means propelled himself to the top of the metaphoric food chain and ended up having to face the consequences.
The acting in this film alone makes it worth a watch. At times you'll forget your watching a movie and become totally immersed in the plot and characters, which to me is what a good movie should be all about.
The almost constant sound of violence sets a very tense mood for the film and truly reflects the tense state of a bootlegger in the Prohibition years. You can almost feel the intense stress that Tony feels knowing that at any given time he could be shaken down and destroyed.
Along with the awesome scene work the depth of emotion in this movie is quite palpable. Tony's care for his sister is evident through the whole film and this care eventually leads to his downfall. I think this represents the good that is still left in his heart leading to his failure in the cold hearted world of alcohol running.
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
A Socially Critical Masterpiece
I found this movie to be a stunning journey into the life of the wrongly convicted. The main characters portrayal of the emotions of someone who has done nothing wrong and must suffer the short end of a corrupt system is breathtaking. I find it amazing that this movie comes from the era that it did. It was very socially critical, aware and sought to bring to the publics attention the very things which they were trying to ignore. The camera work in this movie alone makes it worth watching. The camera adds a very cool effect in the action scenes (i.e. the car chase at the end) and a very somber effect in the scene of hopelessness. I found the use of silence in this film to be quite amazing as well. The scene where the main character is getting whipped and the music drops out and all you can hear is the sound of the whip striking and the painful breaths of the wrongly accused adds a stunning effect and truly heightens the feeling of cruelty and hopelessness that the audience feels. The plot of the movie was very well done and takes you on an incredible journey from hope, to despair, from rags to riches and back again. I find it very interesting that the characters motivation to be truly great and not just settle back into the normalcy of his life before he fought in the war was what, by an unfortunate turn of events led him to the very bottom of the social ladder. I find that this is a very accurate representation of how in American life, even to this day, trying to be more than people expect of you and break away from the norm to forge your own path is looked down upon and often punished despite the 'American Dream' of individuality and independence. The scene that I found the most moving in this film was the very last scene where the main characters fades into the darkness and all you can hear is him exclaiming 'I steal.' The irony that an honest man who up until then had never committed a dishonest act and was driven by the very system which was supposed to correct improper behavior to committing crimes in order to survive was truly emotionally cutting. I think that this film, besides being an amazing tale of woe and fortune was very important in its time for exposing the corruption of the chain gang system.
The Circus (1928)
Charlie Chaplin, Master of His Craft
I watched this movie in my history of American Cinema class. From the very beginning of the movie I picked up a somber vibe. Charlie Chaplins ability to mix comedy and tragedy flawlessly never ceases to amaze me. His ability to convey emotions based solely on non-verbal communication is legendary in its ability to affect people. I found this movie to be very entertaining in many aspects. The comedy found in this movie remains funny to this day, which in my opinion cant usually be said about many classic comedies from the silent film era. Its been said that Mr. Chaplin was a perfectionist and would shoot his takes over and over and over until he was one hundred percent satisfied with the outcome. I find that you can see this perfectionist attitude in everything from the way the scenes were shot to every little nuance in the characters movements and facial expressions. Charlie's energy is unfailingly invigorating in all of his comedy scenes and his ability to capture an emotion based solely on facial expressions and body language was so keen that even a class full of people who usually cant drag themselves away from their cell phones for 10 minutes and usually cant enjoy a movie unless its full of stunning visual effects and unnecessary 3D scenes to hold their attention found themselves immersed and completely involved in the characters and the twists and turns of the plot. I think the ending of the movie was my favorite part as it didn't follow the usual cookie cutter happy ending that many movies tend to go for and was very unexpected and strangely satisfying. When the circus was moving away and Chaplin was left standing in the empty area, presumably thinking about all of the experiences he had at the circus and about the love which he had knowingly given away for the sake of his loves happiness the sadness and disappointment were so thick in the air you could cut it with a knife.
As one of my first silent film experiences The Circus has left me with a very good impression and has made me want to explore this genre of movies that I had up until watching this film considered somewhat inferior to modern films. In fact after viewing how genuine and original this film felt as compared to the many movies which come out today and all seem to follow the same basic plot I almost feel that the age of silent films may have significantly more substance and emotional content than the modern movie scene.