"Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you." - Henry Ward Beecher
#111 From Up on Poppy Hill (4/26/13)
Dir. Goro Miyazaki
2011
What an extraordinarily epic way to finish my second set of reviews with a film dealing a lot about appreciation for the past. On a related note about Japan, I learned that in America producers would get rid of an annoying actress (Such as Kristen Swanson who was given very little lines that she received little screen time.) by sending them to Japan. As soon as the actress was too out of control, the people would say, "It's time to wear the big kimono." (People that go to Japan probably have such a blast over there that they would never want to come back to America.) Besides Japan being an amazing place, the beauty is truly captured in animated form. The musical score was just splendid, and had a lot of fun jazzy energy. Nothing can take away from the vividly written script that flows so smooth, and naturally. Every scene was just on point every time which gave plenty of opportunities for the characters to follow their predestined path. It's difficult for me to see how this film could pertain to the younger audiences, but man did I enjoy the many twists that just blew my mind. From Up on Poppy Hill is one of the more humbling love stories that I can see being talked about for many years to come. Truly a fantastic film!
10/10
2011
What an extraordinarily epic way to finish my second set of reviews with a film dealing a lot about appreciation for the past. On a related note about Japan, I learned that in America producers would get rid of an annoying actress (Such as Kristen Swanson who was given very little lines that she received little screen time.) by sending them to Japan. As soon as the actress was too out of control, the people would say, "It's time to wear the big kimono." (People that go to Japan probably have such a blast over there that they would never want to come back to America.) Besides Japan being an amazing place, the beauty is truly captured in animated form. The musical score was just splendid, and had a lot of fun jazzy energy. Nothing can take away from the vividly written script that flows so smooth, and naturally. Every scene was just on point every time which gave plenty of opportunities for the characters to follow their predestined path. It's difficult for me to see how this film could pertain to the younger audiences, but man did I enjoy the many twists that just blew my mind. From Up on Poppy Hill is one of the more humbling love stories that I can see being talked about for many years to come. Truly a fantastic film!
10/10
#110 2001: A Space Odyssey (4/25/13)
Dir. Stanley Kubrick
1968
Science Fiction at its finest...oh wait, it's actually real. Even today, I find it so fascinating looking back at Arthur C. Clarke predicting the future in 1964. It takes a visionary to see the big picture of what humanity is capable of achieving. Clarke stated that, "If what I say now seems to you to be very reasonable, then I have failed completely. Only if what I tell you appears absolutely unbelievable, have you any chance of visualizing the future as it really will happen." I was speaking with my friend about the material graphene, and how in the future it will replace silicon substrates in all our devices. This discovery just makes me think of other unknown materials that are out there in the world that may be even more efficient, but we just have not discovered it. Besides going on a Lewis and Clark/ Corps of Discovery tangent rant, this film starts off way to the beginning of the caveman days. The whole act ends symbolically by showing that humans differ from other animals with their ability to wield weapons. Speaking of mankind being a violent race, HAL 9000 was the only one who actually expressed actual emotion compared to the astronauts on board. I personally loved the film from start to finish. It was an experience that seemed really tedious, but made the point across that evolution takes A LOT of time. In my opinion, it serves the visual medium very well to appreciate every aspect of what you hear and see.
8/10
1968
Science Fiction at its finest...oh wait, it's actually real. Even today, I find it so fascinating looking back at Arthur C. Clarke predicting the future in 1964. It takes a visionary to see the big picture of what humanity is capable of achieving. Clarke stated that, "If what I say now seems to you to be very reasonable, then I have failed completely. Only if what I tell you appears absolutely unbelievable, have you any chance of visualizing the future as it really will happen." I was speaking with my friend about the material graphene, and how in the future it will replace silicon substrates in all our devices. This discovery just makes me think of other unknown materials that are out there in the world that may be even more efficient, but we just have not discovered it. Besides going on a Lewis and Clark/ Corps of Discovery tangent rant, this film starts off way to the beginning of the caveman days. The whole act ends symbolically by showing that humans differ from other animals with their ability to wield weapons. Speaking of mankind being a violent race, HAL 9000 was the only one who actually expressed actual emotion compared to the astronauts on board. I personally loved the film from start to finish. It was an experience that seemed really tedious, but made the point across that evolution takes A LOT of time. In my opinion, it serves the visual medium very well to appreciate every aspect of what you hear and see.
8/10
#109 Liars Fires and Bears (4/24/13)
Dir. Jeremy Cloe
2012
This is a very inspiring film created by UNLV graduate Jeremy Cloe who I had the opportunity to speak with after the film. The lead child actress Megli Micek, and the producer humbled us with their presence during a Q&A. Another worthy mention is that my Cinematic Structure professor Mr. Clark appeared in the film as a judge for the court scene. The story takes place in Colorado, but all the scenes were shot in Las Vegas. I absolutely enjoyed the creativity put into the location shooting. The guest speakers shared their experience of how they acquired all the locations, set house on fire, and painted the slum house of the brother's. The lead character Dave (Lundon Boyd) is a hilarious actor reminiscent to known comedic names like Seth Rogan. I would say the film does truly well in capturing the personal relationships of characters, and how they all tie in with the film. The music was especially enchanting, and very fitting. (The all-is-lost moment scene that plays Beach House is my favorite.) Of course, the film would not be the same without the character Eve who is played by the 9-year old child actress Megli. She is 11 now, because the film was shot 2 years ago, so she is literally not so little anymore. I felt the chemistry, and limitless amount of love put into the film reflects just that with how fun and enjoyable the final product appeared on screen.
8/10
2012
This is a very inspiring film created by UNLV graduate Jeremy Cloe who I had the opportunity to speak with after the film. The lead child actress Megli Micek, and the producer humbled us with their presence during a Q&A. Another worthy mention is that my Cinematic Structure professor Mr. Clark appeared in the film as a judge for the court scene. The story takes place in Colorado, but all the scenes were shot in Las Vegas. I absolutely enjoyed the creativity put into the location shooting. The guest speakers shared their experience of how they acquired all the locations, set house on fire, and painted the slum house of the brother's. The lead character Dave (Lundon Boyd) is a hilarious actor reminiscent to known comedic names like Seth Rogan. I would say the film does truly well in capturing the personal relationships of characters, and how they all tie in with the film. The music was especially enchanting, and very fitting. (The all-is-lost moment scene that plays Beach House is my favorite.) Of course, the film would not be the same without the character Eve who is played by the 9-year old child actress Megli. She is 11 now, because the film was shot 2 years ago, so she is literally not so little anymore. I felt the chemistry, and limitless amount of love put into the film reflects just that with how fun and enjoyable the final product appeared on screen.
8/10
#108 The Opposite of Sex (4/19/13)
Dir. Don Roos
1998
The Opposite of Sex is a great example of a picaresque film, which utilizes narrative elements effectively. Dede Truitt (Christina Ricci) is a character you would call a "picaro", or a rogue. She drives the story forward with her selfish, and unsympathetic acts which give plenty of conflicts for the story. I found it very interesting that a story which includes an anti-hero main character with no rooting interest still keeps us willing to watch, in order to see what happens to the characters we do have an emotional investment for. There is plenty of drama to go around in this film, and the film is constantly moving so it doesn't drag. The film is all about sex/love, but it knows it has no need to show it to get its point across. Relationships, having a baby, and AIDS are all responsibilities each individual may acquire when choosing to engage in the practice. I particularly enjoyed many of the structural elements that defined certain characters. (School restroom scene when a student tells Bill Truitt (Martin Donovan) that it's probably not a good idea to use his real name. (Key scene which shows he likes to correct everything.) The film is pretty decent for what it is, but perhaps not a favorable style of storytelling for me personally.
7/10
1998
The Opposite of Sex is a great example of a picaresque film, which utilizes narrative elements effectively. Dede Truitt (Christina Ricci) is a character you would call a "picaro", or a rogue. She drives the story forward with her selfish, and unsympathetic acts which give plenty of conflicts for the story. I found it very interesting that a story which includes an anti-hero main character with no rooting interest still keeps us willing to watch, in order to see what happens to the characters we do have an emotional investment for. There is plenty of drama to go around in this film, and the film is constantly moving so it doesn't drag. The film is all about sex/love, but it knows it has no need to show it to get its point across. Relationships, having a baby, and AIDS are all responsibilities each individual may acquire when choosing to engage in the practice. I particularly enjoyed many of the structural elements that defined certain characters. (School restroom scene when a student tells Bill Truitt (Martin Donovan) that it's probably not a good idea to use his real name. (Key scene which shows he likes to correct everything.) The film is pretty decent for what it is, but perhaps not a favorable style of storytelling for me personally.
7/10
#107 Grapes of Wrath (4/18/13)
Dir. John Ford
1940
Director John Ford did a tremendously great job in capturing the perspective of people, that even today, many refugees suffer today. We see a lot of discrimination, and dirty politics take place. I remember when Hurrican Katrina affected many individuals, and when the people migrated would receive very little help. In the Phillipines, people affected by the flood who migrated to Japan were also discriminated. Humanity at times can be selfish, and greedy but there are places which care as can be seen in the film.The shift from a really poor place to a happy place with flushing toilets was intriguing. The brightness of the nice town contrasts the dark barren prison they were in beforehand. This film is a prime example that an adaptation of a book can be done as long as it has the right direction. On screen we are more visually capable of depicting the experiences rather than just reading about it.
8/10
1940
Director John Ford did a tremendously great job in capturing the perspective of people, that even today, many refugees suffer today. We see a lot of discrimination, and dirty politics take place. I remember when Hurrican Katrina affected many individuals, and when the people migrated would receive very little help. In the Phillipines, people affected by the flood who migrated to Japan were also discriminated. Humanity at times can be selfish, and greedy but there are places which care as can be seen in the film.The shift from a really poor place to a happy place with flushing toilets was intriguing. The brightness of the nice town contrasts the dark barren prison they were in beforehand. This film is a prime example that an adaptation of a book can be done as long as it has the right direction. On screen we are more visually capable of depicting the experiences rather than just reading about it.
8/10
#106 In the Heat of the Night (4/12/13)
Dir. Norman Jewison
1967
In the Heat of the Night is absolutely a great murder mystery film with serious racial undertone issues. This film best captures the idea of a Macguffin which is what predicates the story. I was always a big fan of Sidney Poitier ever since I saw him in The Defiant Ones and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Perhaps, he has that sort of strong independent nature about him that you feel you have to respect. Well, he plays a very intelligent investigator in this film that due to his race is bombarded with racial discrimination. This film is one of those murder mysteries that no one can possibly have had figured out without actually watching the film before. The real issue the film pinpoints the the tension of all the characters in this racist city. The most memorable, but fascinatingly creepy scene for me was when the girl Delores Purdy is being interrogated and she says, "Hey girl. You know the coolest spot in town is? And I say, No Sam. I guess I don't. Then he says, The cemetery that's where." That had to be one of the most weirdest dialogue I have heard in a film this old. My third favorite performance would have to be by Rod Steiger who played such an authoritative role with much to admire. This is one of those movies that really touched on social institutions so it had the element of a comedy of manners which always implicit a threat of adultery.
8.5/10
1967
In the Heat of the Night is absolutely a great murder mystery film with serious racial undertone issues. This film best captures the idea of a Macguffin which is what predicates the story. I was always a big fan of Sidney Poitier ever since I saw him in The Defiant Ones and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Perhaps, he has that sort of strong independent nature about him that you feel you have to respect. Well, he plays a very intelligent investigator in this film that due to his race is bombarded with racial discrimination. This film is one of those murder mysteries that no one can possibly have had figured out without actually watching the film before. The real issue the film pinpoints the the tension of all the characters in this racist city. The most memorable, but fascinatingly creepy scene for me was when the girl Delores Purdy is being interrogated and she says, "Hey girl. You know the coolest spot in town is? And I say, No Sam. I guess I don't. Then he says, The cemetery that's where." That had to be one of the most weirdest dialogue I have heard in a film this old. My third favorite performance would have to be by Rod Steiger who played such an authoritative role with much to admire. This is one of those movies that really touched on social institutions so it had the element of a comedy of manners which always implicit a threat of adultery.
8.5/10
#105 Annie Hall (4/11/13)
Dir. Woody Allen
1977
You can tell how intelligent Mr. Woody Allen is just by examining the work he puts in his film. Besides him being neurotic and a narcissistic Jew, he really does have a lot to say especially when he break the fourth wall talking to the camera. I caught the existential motifs in the dialogue, and he brings up many forms of readings such as Russian Literature when he is trying to make Annie smarter. The story is much more about Alvie (Woody Allen), and how he tries to figure out why Annie (Diane Keaton) outgrew him. Annie Hall started out as this shy, tentative comic to a confident, independent woman capable of exploring the world on her own. Her timidness was molded to someone that needed to be taken seriously by Alvie himself. The making of the film had a funny accident (Cocaine sneeze scene) that became a widely recognized comedic scene for audience members in the theater. The transitioning tension that highlighted Christopher Walken's character was just too hilarious seeing Alvie feel uneasy. I find a lot of inspiration from Woody Allen personally because his style of film-making was unheard of, and would have never been encouraged especially with a script including extensive dialogue. He helps me to have confidence in my stories, and to believe in the work I do as long as it feels right. A trait of Woody Allen I admire is his professionalism, he burns an idea completely if the narrative does not work for him. (Even if the idea took a lot of painful hours to come up with.) What you have to understand about him is that he is the type of person that after finishing a film, does not party, but goes to writing his next film. It's also interesting to note that he still types his scripts on a typewriter, and is afraid of computers. He is still awesome, and I wouldn't mind watching a Knicks game with him.
9/10
1977
You can tell how intelligent Mr. Woody Allen is just by examining the work he puts in his film. Besides him being neurotic and a narcissistic Jew, he really does have a lot to say especially when he break the fourth wall talking to the camera. I caught the existential motifs in the dialogue, and he brings up many forms of readings such as Russian Literature when he is trying to make Annie smarter. The story is much more about Alvie (Woody Allen), and how he tries to figure out why Annie (Diane Keaton) outgrew him. Annie Hall started out as this shy, tentative comic to a confident, independent woman capable of exploring the world on her own. Her timidness was molded to someone that needed to be taken seriously by Alvie himself. The making of the film had a funny accident (Cocaine sneeze scene) that became a widely recognized comedic scene for audience members in the theater. The transitioning tension that highlighted Christopher Walken's character was just too hilarious seeing Alvie feel uneasy. I find a lot of inspiration from Woody Allen personally because his style of film-making was unheard of, and would have never been encouraged especially with a script including extensive dialogue. He helps me to have confidence in my stories, and to believe in the work I do as long as it feels right. A trait of Woody Allen I admire is his professionalism, he burns an idea completely if the narrative does not work for him. (Even if the idea took a lot of painful hours to come up with.) What you have to understand about him is that he is the type of person that after finishing a film, does not party, but goes to writing his next film. It's also interesting to note that he still types his scripts on a typewriter, and is afraid of computers. He is still awesome, and I wouldn't mind watching a Knicks game with him.
9/10
#104 Django Unchained (4/8/13)
Dir. Quentin Tarantino
2012
My favorite performance would definitely have to be by Christoph Waltz who plays Dr. King Shultz. The professionalism he displays as a bounty hunter reminds me so much of characters in the films by Michael Mann. The film felt like it came straight out of a comic book, which I know Tarantino is a huge fan of that medium. The Unity of Action was terrific in the film, helping it flow and transition perfectly. The soundtrack was absolutely amazing, and I was quite amazed to hear the theme music of the Japanese film Battle Royale in the horse mob scene. I know Tarantino to be a big fan of that story as well. Of course, any film of Tarantino's would not be as controversial as they are without the extensive use of the "N" word which I think for his films are very fitting. Tarantino is a pop culture revolutionary who isn't afraid to be criticized by people with a political agenda. He brings up a solid point that people are strongly affected, and suppressed by social hindrances of the past. Racism is still prevalent, obviously not as much as the early days of America, but we should be past that point to forget the mistakes of humankind. People need to remember that the film medium is all just a fantasy world exploring our creativity. Individuals just need to see the film for themselves before they have an opinion on it. We all have free will, and don't have to like or hate anything based on opinions other than your own. Django for me was an enthralling experience, and I support Tarantino's style of film-making which has no fear in delving through blaxploitation concepts.
8.5/10
2012
My favorite performance would definitely have to be by Christoph Waltz who plays Dr. King Shultz. The professionalism he displays as a bounty hunter reminds me so much of characters in the films by Michael Mann. The film felt like it came straight out of a comic book, which I know Tarantino is a huge fan of that medium. The Unity of Action was terrific in the film, helping it flow and transition perfectly. The soundtrack was absolutely amazing, and I was quite amazed to hear the theme music of the Japanese film Battle Royale in the horse mob scene. I know Tarantino to be a big fan of that story as well. Of course, any film of Tarantino's would not be as controversial as they are without the extensive use of the "N" word which I think for his films are very fitting. Tarantino is a pop culture revolutionary who isn't afraid to be criticized by people with a political agenda. He brings up a solid point that people are strongly affected, and suppressed by social hindrances of the past. Racism is still prevalent, obviously not as much as the early days of America, but we should be past that point to forget the mistakes of humankind. People need to remember that the film medium is all just a fantasy world exploring our creativity. Individuals just need to see the film for themselves before they have an opinion on it. We all have free will, and don't have to like or hate anything based on opinions other than your own. Django for me was an enthralling experience, and I support Tarantino's style of film-making which has no fear in delving through blaxploitation concepts.
8.5/10
#103 Evil Dead (4/5/13)
Dir. Fede Alvarez
2013
I am a huge fan of the original series, but it was rather difficult for me to fully enjoy the film. Perhaps, I just can't feel any passionate effort put into the film that had a 14 million dollar budget. The original was a low budget film that seemed so much more fun, because it had elements in the film that made it okay to make fun of itself. This may be the problem with Hollywood Productions making careless, and lazy films. It's an awful cycle that we waste our hard earned money for the sake of seeing just about any film that is made. Meh! I'll stick to the original slapstick/camp of Evil Dead (1981) and others such as Dead Alive. Just a few goofs for continuity issues I found were the exposition explaining the five people sacrifice in order to summon the abomination. (If I am not mistaken...only four were dead...) Another would be the scene where the character rips her own arm off that is caught between the mud and truck. (It was freaking raining, and she could not have the brightest idea to just push down on the mud and free her arm!!) Besides my troublesome grievances, the story was kept in tact but we needed something more that would keep us all excited. I don't think it's ever enough to settle with average, because there are plenty of other films that can take its place which will entertain us a lot more.
4/10
2013
I am a huge fan of the original series, but it was rather difficult for me to fully enjoy the film. Perhaps, I just can't feel any passionate effort put into the film that had a 14 million dollar budget. The original was a low budget film that seemed so much more fun, because it had elements in the film that made it okay to make fun of itself. This may be the problem with Hollywood Productions making careless, and lazy films. It's an awful cycle that we waste our hard earned money for the sake of seeing just about any film that is made. Meh! I'll stick to the original slapstick/camp of Evil Dead (1981) and others such as Dead Alive. Just a few goofs for continuity issues I found were the exposition explaining the five people sacrifice in order to summon the abomination. (If I am not mistaken...only four were dead...) Another would be the scene where the character rips her own arm off that is caught between the mud and truck. (It was freaking raining, and she could not have the brightest idea to just push down on the mud and free her arm!!) Besides my troublesome grievances, the story was kept in tact but we needed something more that would keep us all excited. I don't think it's ever enough to settle with average, because there are plenty of other films that can take its place which will entertain us a lot more.
4/10
#102 The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (4/5/13)
Dir. Preston Sturges
1944
This film was actually quite interesting with an old-fashioned sense of culture back in a small town during the 1940's. The film satirizes Canada with the first event birth of quintuplets who were taken away from their parents immediately, and placed in a "viewing center" (human zoo) for the state. Besides the underlying theme, the film is quite hilarious and you just have to feel bad for the humble main character Norval Jones (Eddie Bracken). Director Sturges had a bright cast who were full of energy that brought out an amazing screwball comedy. I just love the characters so much, because they feel very genuine,but are also shown to make mistakes. It's interesting to note that the film plays out so well in its well-written humor that most people will forget the brutal depiction of political hypocrisy. This film is one of the top comedies that released during World War II.
9/10
1944
This film was actually quite interesting with an old-fashioned sense of culture back in a small town during the 1940's. The film satirizes Canada with the first event birth of quintuplets who were taken away from their parents immediately, and placed in a "viewing center" (human zoo) for the state. Besides the underlying theme, the film is quite hilarious and you just have to feel bad for the humble main character Norval Jones (Eddie Bracken). Director Sturges had a bright cast who were full of energy that brought out an amazing screwball comedy. I just love the characters so much, because they feel very genuine,but are also shown to make mistakes. It's interesting to note that the film plays out so well in its well-written humor that most people will forget the brutal depiction of political hypocrisy. This film is one of the top comedies that released during World War II.
9/10
#101 The Third Man (4/4/13)
Dir. Carol Reed
1949
The Third Man is a great film that really captures the skill and execution in Orson Welles' acting. Go see this film if you want to see a character who is self-absorbed, literally in love with the sound of his own voice, and takes pleasure in his detachment to people. Quite similar to Orson Welles in Citizen Kane, he is just one of those fascinating characters you can't find anywhere else because it is so unique. Orson Welles cuckoo clock speech in The Third Man was bone chilling to me, and is unbelievable that it was improvised. Well, he did get it wrong that the cuckoo clock was in Switzerland when it actually came from Swarzwald and Bavaria. (Doesn't really bother me considering how convincing he was in his acting.) When Harry Lime (Orson Welles) talked about people as if they were dots that could just stop moving reminded me strongly of Christopher Nolan's Joker. I would guess highly that the surroundings of The Dark Knight Batman were influenced by this film. The main character Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is wrong about everything, and never changes clothes. (Many films like The Sixth Sense do the same with Bruce Willis wearing the same clothes.) The supposed villain Harry Lime is the most important character in the film, and I just love how he tells off Holly Martins. (Especially when he knows he is trying to take his girl Anna.) Just about the film in general, the mindset that we have right now with our freedoms can really show how much we take our lives for granted when seeing this film. We don't have closed divisions for areas so we can just about drive anywhere we please, and we also have the opportunity to enjoy simple pleasures like sugar and coffee. Around the world, that is not always the case because there is war and no trust.
9/10
1949
The Third Man is a great film that really captures the skill and execution in Orson Welles' acting. Go see this film if you want to see a character who is self-absorbed, literally in love with the sound of his own voice, and takes pleasure in his detachment to people. Quite similar to Orson Welles in Citizen Kane, he is just one of those fascinating characters you can't find anywhere else because it is so unique. Orson Welles cuckoo clock speech in The Third Man was bone chilling to me, and is unbelievable that it was improvised. Well, he did get it wrong that the cuckoo clock was in Switzerland when it actually came from Swarzwald and Bavaria. (Doesn't really bother me considering how convincing he was in his acting.) When Harry Lime (Orson Welles) talked about people as if they were dots that could just stop moving reminded me strongly of Christopher Nolan's Joker. I would guess highly that the surroundings of The Dark Knight Batman were influenced by this film. The main character Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten) is wrong about everything, and never changes clothes. (Many films like The Sixth Sense do the same with Bruce Willis wearing the same clothes.) The supposed villain Harry Lime is the most important character in the film, and I just love how he tells off Holly Martins. (Especially when he knows he is trying to take his girl Anna.) Just about the film in general, the mindset that we have right now with our freedoms can really show how much we take our lives for granted when seeing this film. We don't have closed divisions for areas so we can just about drive anywhere we please, and we also have the opportunity to enjoy simple pleasures like sugar and coffee. Around the world, that is not always the case because there is war and no trust.
9/10
#100 Spring Breakers (3/31/13)
Dir. Harmony Korine
2012
My impressions of the film within the first act was that it was too condescending and offensive with little to no narrative. What I am not too happy about was how repulsive and sickening it became as it went on. It is sort of ironic with what the whole premise is revolved around which is escaping reality to have a good time. As an audience, we sort of do the same to want to see a film not related to our troubles at home, but a lot of times ends up actually reflecting life. I felt one of the girls in the film constantly kept alluding to a particular scene from The Conformist where the character is completely asinine with an "imaginary" gun and concludes that they should just blow their own head off. Pretty much speaks for itself in describing the hopelessness for some of these individuals claiming to "find themselves". One point of my life I actually believed that, it wasn't until I met a great friend who helped me realize that it was just an excuse to explain stupid mistakes on decisions that could have been prevented. People will always be who they are, and it's up to each individual to make the choice of being genuine to yourself. Another scene where the ladies believe themselves to be superstars from a movie for committing violent acts is quite similar to the character O-Dog in Menace II Society. *SPOILERS* What bothered me most about the film was the two ladies who had committed terrible acts of violence ends up getting away with it. Films always add repercussions, or the audience will end up being left with that bitter taste in their mouth. (Which is what I had as I left the theater.) Who am I Kidding!? This film apparently believes Britney Spears to be the best singer in the world. (Seriously a big joke!). I know it was not just me who thought James Franco had played a terrible caricature of a White gangster who deep throats gun silencers...This film can be described to look aesthetically pleasing, and excitingly erotic to the perverse group of audiences. Spring Breakers just had poor execution with many fictional attitudes that lead to racial stereotypes. The film attempts to embody a work of art, but falls very short and comes off highly pretentious.
4/10
2012
My impressions of the film within the first act was that it was too condescending and offensive with little to no narrative. What I am not too happy about was how repulsive and sickening it became as it went on. It is sort of ironic with what the whole premise is revolved around which is escaping reality to have a good time. As an audience, we sort of do the same to want to see a film not related to our troubles at home, but a lot of times ends up actually reflecting life. I felt one of the girls in the film constantly kept alluding to a particular scene from The Conformist where the character is completely asinine with an "imaginary" gun and concludes that they should just blow their own head off. Pretty much speaks for itself in describing the hopelessness for some of these individuals claiming to "find themselves". One point of my life I actually believed that, it wasn't until I met a great friend who helped me realize that it was just an excuse to explain stupid mistakes on decisions that could have been prevented. People will always be who they are, and it's up to each individual to make the choice of being genuine to yourself. Another scene where the ladies believe themselves to be superstars from a movie for committing violent acts is quite similar to the character O-Dog in Menace II Society. *SPOILERS* What bothered me most about the film was the two ladies who had committed terrible acts of violence ends up getting away with it. Films always add repercussions, or the audience will end up being left with that bitter taste in their mouth. (Which is what I had as I left the theater.) Who am I Kidding!? This film apparently believes Britney Spears to be the best singer in the world. (Seriously a big joke!). I know it was not just me who thought James Franco had played a terrible caricature of a White gangster who deep throats gun silencers...This film can be described to look aesthetically pleasing, and excitingly erotic to the perverse group of audiences. Spring Breakers just had poor execution with many fictional attitudes that lead to racial stereotypes. The film attempts to embody a work of art, but falls very short and comes off highly pretentious.
4/10
#99 Martyrs (3/29/13)
Dir. Pascal Laugier
2008
Martyrs was indeed as shocking and mysterious as the initial scene that starts off the film. I almost felt the film was going to be like a common story structure starting out with a happy family that is within that suspense of danger, but the film immediately takes a sharp turn with relentless gun slinging and psychopathic paranormal insanity. I don't much care for the confusion early on in the film, and the violence towards a seemingly "normal" family was just jaw-dropping. I have never seen a film where characters who seem to play a vital role just get wiped out instantly with no remorse. It isn't until near the end who the real culprit that pulls the strings is revealed. This film reminds me of a lot of French films I have seen that are very intrusive to how the mind sanely thinks. If you manage to get through watching this film, you may experience a lot of uneasy tension through the haunting message the film attempts to convey. It's wonderful in my opinion how a film can make you feel so many things, but in the end is just a medium that means nothing else. I wouldn't be disheartened to find out that most people disliked this film, because it didn't "feel" good. Maybe deep down inside everyone's mind, we know we are capable of these fantasies we see in film whether good or bad..."Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."
8/10
2008
Martyrs was indeed as shocking and mysterious as the initial scene that starts off the film. I almost felt the film was going to be like a common story structure starting out with a happy family that is within that suspense of danger, but the film immediately takes a sharp turn with relentless gun slinging and psychopathic paranormal insanity. I don't much care for the confusion early on in the film, and the violence towards a seemingly "normal" family was just jaw-dropping. I have never seen a film where characters who seem to play a vital role just get wiped out instantly with no remorse. It isn't until near the end who the real culprit that pulls the strings is revealed. This film reminds me of a lot of French films I have seen that are very intrusive to how the mind sanely thinks. If you manage to get through watching this film, you may experience a lot of uneasy tension through the haunting message the film attempts to convey. It's wonderful in my opinion how a film can make you feel so many things, but in the end is just a medium that means nothing else. I wouldn't be disheartened to find out that most people disliked this film, because it didn't "feel" good. Maybe deep down inside everyone's mind, we know we are capable of these fantasies we see in film whether good or bad..."Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."
8/10
#98 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (3/22/13)
Dir. Michel Gondry
2004
I never really analyzed, or broke down what I absolutely loved about this film even though it has held up being my all time favorite film. I've watched this film countless of times, and every viewing was much more splendid than the last. First off, lets look at our character Joel...He is introduced as this shy, and very quiet individual who thinks a lot in his head. That's terrific! Many of us can relate, and the line, "Why do I fall in love with every woman who shows me the least bit of attention." It easily identifies the character's need and longing for affection that many of us desire. The film brilliantly starts from the end, then explains itself from the beginning like other movie classics such as Citizen Kane and Lawrence of Arabia. Besides the wonderful surrealism, heartfelt music, and memorable quotes, what has made this movie so popular and enjoyable in every sitting? The answer in my opinion lies within the actual journey of living through the experiences of Joel's memories that make the film so unique. They are characters in a fictional world that feel so real, and genuine. It's very difficult for me at least to not have a very high rooting interest based on the fact I am witnessing characters battling the very worst of themselves in order to come reach the realization that they can live with everything not being perfect. Everyone is guilty at one point or another for wishing to just forget someone completely as if they had never existed, going through all the pain of missing someone is a horrible feeling. This is a film that definitely took the time to invest a lot on each of the characters. There is no scene in the movie that doesn't push the story forward, and each particular sequence was significant. FANTASTIC ALL AROUND!
10/10
2004
I never really analyzed, or broke down what I absolutely loved about this film even though it has held up being my all time favorite film. I've watched this film countless of times, and every viewing was much more splendid than the last. First off, lets look at our character Joel...He is introduced as this shy, and very quiet individual who thinks a lot in his head. That's terrific! Many of us can relate, and the line, "Why do I fall in love with every woman who shows me the least bit of attention." It easily identifies the character's need and longing for affection that many of us desire. The film brilliantly starts from the end, then explains itself from the beginning like other movie classics such as Citizen Kane and Lawrence of Arabia. Besides the wonderful surrealism, heartfelt music, and memorable quotes, what has made this movie so popular and enjoyable in every sitting? The answer in my opinion lies within the actual journey of living through the experiences of Joel's memories that make the film so unique. They are characters in a fictional world that feel so real, and genuine. It's very difficult for me at least to not have a very high rooting interest based on the fact I am witnessing characters battling the very worst of themselves in order to come reach the realization that they can live with everything not being perfect. Everyone is guilty at one point or another for wishing to just forget someone completely as if they had never existed, going through all the pain of missing someone is a horrible feeling. This is a film that definitely took the time to invest a lot on each of the characters. There is no scene in the movie that doesn't push the story forward, and each particular sequence was significant. FANTASTIC ALL AROUND!
10/10
#97 A Streetcar Named Desire (3/21/13)
Dir. Elia Kazan
1951
I can't say this enough...Marlon Brando is a revolutionary in acting! When I saw this film, the love I had for it was difficult to describe. I was honestly mesmerized by Brando, because I would pay attention to every detail of movement and expression that was so natural. It's interesting to note that Marlon Brando did not win an Oscar for the film, but the annoying Vivien Leigh got the Best Actress Award for the film...(This is why I don't watch the Oscars! Social Institutions aren't corrupt at all...) Another thing to note was that the film was a film adaptation of the screenplay by Tennessee Williams. You literally are seeing old style of acting equivalent to plays (Blanche played by Vivien Leigh) versus the new style of acting (Stanley by Marlon Brando) of just being yourself with a soft-spoken voice. It seemed very familiar to recent new films that have released in theaters that I sincerely enjoy obsessively. Just to name a couple, the main characters in Silver Linings Playbook (Bradley Cooper) and Drive (Ryan Gosling) are particular films you can just feel was highly influenced by Marlon Brando. You can see a lot of tension and dramatic action in just about every scene with Blanche and Stanley. That same pattern and style is very similar to the crazy and irritating relationship between Pat and Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook. Ryan Gosling in Drive has the same physicality of Marlon Brando as well as the soft-spoken, but authoritative persona. After watching this film, it is interesting to note how so many actors were influenced by Brando even today. Many interviews with Alec Baldwin, Robert De Niro, and Sean Penn will all mention Brando with their process of acting.
9/10
1951
I can't say this enough...Marlon Brando is a revolutionary in acting! When I saw this film, the love I had for it was difficult to describe. I was honestly mesmerized by Brando, because I would pay attention to every detail of movement and expression that was so natural. It's interesting to note that Marlon Brando did not win an Oscar for the film, but the annoying Vivien Leigh got the Best Actress Award for the film...(This is why I don't watch the Oscars! Social Institutions aren't corrupt at all...) Another thing to note was that the film was a film adaptation of the screenplay by Tennessee Williams. You literally are seeing old style of acting equivalent to plays (Blanche played by Vivien Leigh) versus the new style of acting (Stanley by Marlon Brando) of just being yourself with a soft-spoken voice. It seemed very familiar to recent new films that have released in theaters that I sincerely enjoy obsessively. Just to name a couple, the main characters in Silver Linings Playbook (Bradley Cooper) and Drive (Ryan Gosling) are particular films you can just feel was highly influenced by Marlon Brando. You can see a lot of tension and dramatic action in just about every scene with Blanche and Stanley. That same pattern and style is very similar to the crazy and irritating relationship between Pat and Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook. Ryan Gosling in Drive has the same physicality of Marlon Brando as well as the soft-spoken, but authoritative persona. After watching this film, it is interesting to note how so many actors were influenced by Brando even today. Many interviews with Alec Baldwin, Robert De Niro, and Sean Penn will all mention Brando with their process of acting.
9/10
#96 Electrick Children (3/15/13)
Dir. Rebecca Thomas
2012
I was lucky enough to be invited to see the first screening in Vegas at my school, and meet the very humble director. It's always a pleasure to hear it from the director themself that they made their films very personal as with Ms. Thomas. The inspiration for this film had to do with her actually being a local from Vegas, and being Mormon. A great story she would choose for her first feature film would be biblical, and about the Virgin Mary. My thoughts on the film would be that I was quite intrigued by the village Mormon characters mixed in with the city life. Living here in Vegas where this film actually takes place makes me really happy to see how accurate she has captured a true image of my home. (I grew up in North Las Vegas, and the rock band characters were very true to the culture I had lived with.) The shots were nothing less than exquisite, and I truly believe the production of this film had a helping hand from God. The scene with the wide shot of the characters riding on their bikes, and skateboards had a well timed lightning strike in the sky which just looked purely graceful with the mise en scene. I completely adore the cinematography of the film which was shot with the Arri Alexa. (Great shots of Fremont Street, Desert Breeze Park, etc.). Ms. Thomas shared her experiences being on the desert locations, and that there were technical complications with equipment working along with rainfall. Despite these difficulties, the film crew was blessed with the Arri Alexa functioning 100%. (Perhaps luck and divine intervention?) For an Indie Film, I was completely surprised to see Billy Zane and I am extremely jealous that Ms. Thomas had the privilege of working with him. Overall, stunning performances from all actors and brilliant writing that shows the artistry of Ms. Thomas.
8/10
2012
I was lucky enough to be invited to see the first screening in Vegas at my school, and meet the very humble director. It's always a pleasure to hear it from the director themself that they made their films very personal as with Ms. Thomas. The inspiration for this film had to do with her actually being a local from Vegas, and being Mormon. A great story she would choose for her first feature film would be biblical, and about the Virgin Mary. My thoughts on the film would be that I was quite intrigued by the village Mormon characters mixed in with the city life. Living here in Vegas where this film actually takes place makes me really happy to see how accurate she has captured a true image of my home. (I grew up in North Las Vegas, and the rock band characters were very true to the culture I had lived with.) The shots were nothing less than exquisite, and I truly believe the production of this film had a helping hand from God. The scene with the wide shot of the characters riding on their bikes, and skateboards had a well timed lightning strike in the sky which just looked purely graceful with the mise en scene. I completely adore the cinematography of the film which was shot with the Arri Alexa. (Great shots of Fremont Street, Desert Breeze Park, etc.). Ms. Thomas shared her experiences being on the desert locations, and that there were technical complications with equipment working along with rainfall. Despite these difficulties, the film crew was blessed with the Arri Alexa functioning 100%. (Perhaps luck and divine intervention?) For an Indie Film, I was completely surprised to see Billy Zane and I am extremely jealous that Ms. Thomas had the privilege of working with him. Overall, stunning performances from all actors and brilliant writing that shows the artistry of Ms. Thomas.
8/10
#95 Waking Ned Devine (3/15/13)
Dir. Kirk Jones
1998
The film was what I would describe as a fun experience that compliments a fitting day of Saint Patrick's Day. Yes, we do indeed have the luck of the Irish when seeing the right supplementary material at an appropriate time. Despite the story taking place in Ireland, the actual film was shot at the Isle of Man. The plot was very fresh, and it ended up becoming a shared goal among the whole village. I particularly like this idea, because it shows humility for everyone especially since money was scarce for everyone. The old selfish lady who played a minor struggle for them was used as a side comedy to show deus ex machina. I liked the music especially during the driving sequences that added suspense and the ticking clock. For me, this is a real feel good film with old people as protagonists for a change.
8/10
1998
The film was what I would describe as a fun experience that compliments a fitting day of Saint Patrick's Day. Yes, we do indeed have the luck of the Irish when seeing the right supplementary material at an appropriate time. Despite the story taking place in Ireland, the actual film was shot at the Isle of Man. The plot was very fresh, and it ended up becoming a shared goal among the whole village. I particularly like this idea, because it shows humility for everyone especially since money was scarce for everyone. The old selfish lady who played a minor struggle for them was used as a side comedy to show deus ex machina. I liked the music especially during the driving sequences that added suspense and the ticking clock. For me, this is a real feel good film with old people as protagonists for a change.
8/10
#94 The Player (3/14/13)
Dir. Robert Altman
1992
The Player is pretty much an anti-Hollywood film which gets out a message through social satire or comedy of manners that their are dirty politics involved within this particular institution. Director Robert Altman infuriated a lot of people with his technique of overlapping dialogue. The opening sequence of the film shows a lot of dialogue and transitions to the next group of people talking all in one long uninterrupted take. To sum up what I learned about who Robert Altman was, all he would need is three joints and Jack Daniels. It is no surprise that he used drugs for creativity, and he was completely against institutions that dehumanized people. (Army, Politics, Movie Business, etc.). He is a director that cared more about the characters than the actually story itself. Sound is a very important aspect of the film that helped it transition through the story. You could hear just about everything from conversations on the other side of the wall to running cars. The sound was also used for dramatic effect in scenes like the death threats to Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins). I do understand the whole reasoning why Altman made this film, and I believe it triumphs well in a new film movement much different than your standard Hollywood style formula we all are use to seeing.
7.5/10
1992
The Player is pretty much an anti-Hollywood film which gets out a message through social satire or comedy of manners that their are dirty politics involved within this particular institution. Director Robert Altman infuriated a lot of people with his technique of overlapping dialogue. The opening sequence of the film shows a lot of dialogue and transitions to the next group of people talking all in one long uninterrupted take. To sum up what I learned about who Robert Altman was, all he would need is three joints and Jack Daniels. It is no surprise that he used drugs for creativity, and he was completely against institutions that dehumanized people. (Army, Politics, Movie Business, etc.). He is a director that cared more about the characters than the actually story itself. Sound is a very important aspect of the film that helped it transition through the story. You could hear just about everything from conversations on the other side of the wall to running cars. The sound was also used for dramatic effect in scenes like the death threats to Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins). I do understand the whole reasoning why Altman made this film, and I believe it triumphs well in a new film movement much different than your standard Hollywood style formula we all are use to seeing.
7.5/10
#93 Abre Los Ojos (3/12/13)
Dir. Alejandro Amenábar
1997
I was quite fascinated by Vanilla Sky that I felt prompted to see the original inspiration of the film, and compare many of the differences. There really wasn't too much of a difference besides the actors, and just some tweaks here for many of the plot. Penelope Cruz still gives an amazing performance as the same character Sofia in both films. I found as if I was watching the same film, but in Spanish. I do feel that Vanilla Sky was somewhat of a remake to take some of the fire from this film. (Not taking away anything from Cameron Crowe.) It's great the story spreads around so the whole world can see it. Popular Disney movie and still one of my favorites, Lion King, indeed took ideas from a Japanese animated series called Kimba the White Lion. I'm not going to be upset because the story is getting out there for everyone to know about it. I can say that I enjoyed both films, and the creators should get every bit of credit for an idea that may have inspired a lot of people.
8.5/10
1997
I was quite fascinated by Vanilla Sky that I felt prompted to see the original inspiration of the film, and compare many of the differences. There really wasn't too much of a difference besides the actors, and just some tweaks here for many of the plot. Penelope Cruz still gives an amazing performance as the same character Sofia in both films. I found as if I was watching the same film, but in Spanish. I do feel that Vanilla Sky was somewhat of a remake to take some of the fire from this film. (Not taking away anything from Cameron Crowe.) It's great the story spreads around so the whole world can see it. Popular Disney movie and still one of my favorites, Lion King, indeed took ideas from a Japanese animated series called Kimba the White Lion. I'm not going to be upset because the story is getting out there for everyone to know about it. I can say that I enjoyed both films, and the creators should get every bit of credit for an idea that may have inspired a lot of people.
8.5/10
#92 Vanilla Sky (3/10/13)
Dir. Cameron Crowe
2001
I am familiar with Cameron Crowe's other works such as Say Anything... and We Bought a Zoo. Needless to say, this is a very melancholy film with a taste not so sweet. I would say that I thrive for films like these, not because I am a negative person or enjoy seeing people suffer...but because I think life is an experience so unpredictable that it is worth the trip. Tom Cruise plays David Aames who shares his past about being an inherited shareholder of a major publishing firm, relationships between friends/ love affairs, and a terrible accident that reshaped the life he faces. (Pun intended! I'm a horrible person.) The mind, and thoughts we are unconsciously unaware of prove to be very powerful in the world of dreams in this film. I personally felt very amazed at the concept, and it felt very Matrix like. The symbolism with the mask, and his disfigured face was so reminiscent of the story Phantom of the Opera. I enjoyed the love triangle's performances with Penelope Cruz's angelic persona, and Cameron Diaz's intense emotional explosion with so very little screen time. Of course Cruise did great, it's a pleasure seeing him in a different film other than Top Gun and Mission Impossible. (Don't have anything against those films.) The tragedy in the film is a beautiful work of art that truly suggests money not being able to provide happiness.
8.5/10
2001
I am familiar with Cameron Crowe's other works such as Say Anything... and We Bought a Zoo. Needless to say, this is a very melancholy film with a taste not so sweet. I would say that I thrive for films like these, not because I am a negative person or enjoy seeing people suffer...but because I think life is an experience so unpredictable that it is worth the trip. Tom Cruise plays David Aames who shares his past about being an inherited shareholder of a major publishing firm, relationships between friends/ love affairs, and a terrible accident that reshaped the life he faces. (Pun intended! I'm a horrible person.) The mind, and thoughts we are unconsciously unaware of prove to be very powerful in the world of dreams in this film. I personally felt very amazed at the concept, and it felt very Matrix like. The symbolism with the mask, and his disfigured face was so reminiscent of the story Phantom of the Opera. I enjoyed the love triangle's performances with Penelope Cruz's angelic persona, and Cameron Diaz's intense emotional explosion with so very little screen time. Of course Cruise did great, it's a pleasure seeing him in a different film other than Top Gun and Mission Impossible. (Don't have anything against those films.) The tragedy in the film is a beautiful work of art that truly suggests money not being able to provide happiness.
8.5/10
#91 Psycho (3/8/13)
Dir. Alfred Hitchcock
1960
Looking back at this film, the mother's dress is still a terrifyingly disturbing thought that comes to my head. I love murder mysteries, because it involves a certain organized structure that builds up a a lot of tension I like to see towards the end. The shower curtain slasher scene has endured the tests of time by being included in many film after it. I cannot really recall a film before this that presented the idea of mental illnesses. I have to mention the fact about the money, especially if you are like me and consider different options in starting a story. The money in this film is just a plot device that really has no significance to the real story. It's so awesome how the case becomes an assumed theft to a murder mystery, which is common in a lot of other films. Hitchcock's puzzling films like this, and Vertigo will always leave me with a new experience for every viewing.
8/10
1960
Looking back at this film, the mother's dress is still a terrifyingly disturbing thought that comes to my head. I love murder mysteries, because it involves a certain organized structure that builds up a a lot of tension I like to see towards the end. The shower curtain slasher scene has endured the tests of time by being included in many film after it. I cannot really recall a film before this that presented the idea of mental illnesses. I have to mention the fact about the money, especially if you are like me and consider different options in starting a story. The money in this film is just a plot device that really has no significance to the real story. It's so awesome how the case becomes an assumed theft to a murder mystery, which is common in a lot of other films. Hitchcock's puzzling films like this, and Vertigo will always leave me with a new experience for every viewing.
8/10
#90 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (3/8/13)
Dir. Peter Weir
2003
This was a film I watched in class to learn more about what an epic was. Pretty much they were just stories to explain who you were. Epic indeed goes in conjunction with a quest, because of going out on an adventure to uncover a mystery. The constant threat of death differentiates between going on vacation, and an actual quest. This film included many play on words such as "The lesser of two weavels". Most memorable scene for me would be the fesbid foreshadowing where it helped them discover to use camoflouge against the Spaniards. The reference to the Galapagos island was rather interesting, and was a breath of fresh air considering most of the film takes place on a ship the majority of the time. Character relationships in the film define the many themes which highlight what the film is about such as loyalty, friendship, and a bug. (Yes, the stick bug was a key component in the film.) Most importantly, the single most essential part of the film was the metaphor that explained what the film is truly about. Russel Crowe pridefully yells out, "This ship is England!" as to describe that if the ship goes down, then everyone in it goes down too.
7.5/10
2003
This was a film I watched in class to learn more about what an epic was. Pretty much they were just stories to explain who you were. Epic indeed goes in conjunction with a quest, because of going out on an adventure to uncover a mystery. The constant threat of death differentiates between going on vacation, and an actual quest. This film included many play on words such as "The lesser of two weavels". Most memorable scene for me would be the fesbid foreshadowing where it helped them discover to use camoflouge against the Spaniards. The reference to the Galapagos island was rather interesting, and was a breath of fresh air considering most of the film takes place on a ship the majority of the time. Character relationships in the film define the many themes which highlight what the film is about such as loyalty, friendship, and a bug. (Yes, the stick bug was a key component in the film.) Most importantly, the single most essential part of the film was the metaphor that explained what the film is truly about. Russel Crowe pridefully yells out, "This ship is England!" as to describe that if the ship goes down, then everyone in it goes down too.
7.5/10
#89 Out of Sight (3/7/13)
Dir. Steven Soderbergh
1998
I didn't think the chemistry between George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez would ever work. Their whole relationship in the film is just unbelievable, and illogical. Well, who am I to say what is normal these days...this obssessive love fantasy keeps this film going. I truly do enjoy the editing of the film, such as how the film transitions with Clooney's lighter through sounds and close-ups. The red light motif was excellent in making the mood feel very surreal in the trunk, and bathroom scene. Also, the use of voice-over while it cuts out the trunk shot with related scenes was perfect in helping me not to feel claustrophobic the whole time. I would say the editing was very effective in making a scene that wasn't suppose to be funny into a work of comedy. Particulary, the scene when White Boy Bob accidently shoots himself due to his clumsiness of tripping. It jump cuts to the actual act of Bob running with a gun, then back to a close-up of Clooney's priceless expression, and back to Bob laying dead on his own puddle of blood. Even with all the interesting conflict and action, the film's strength lies in how it captivates the audience with a relationship between an unlikely pairing, and visually appealing aesthetics.
7.5/10
1998
I didn't think the chemistry between George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez would ever work. Their whole relationship in the film is just unbelievable, and illogical. Well, who am I to say what is normal these days...this obssessive love fantasy keeps this film going. I truly do enjoy the editing of the film, such as how the film transitions with Clooney's lighter through sounds and close-ups. The red light motif was excellent in making the mood feel very surreal in the trunk, and bathroom scene. Also, the use of voice-over while it cuts out the trunk shot with related scenes was perfect in helping me not to feel claustrophobic the whole time. I would say the editing was very effective in making a scene that wasn't suppose to be funny into a work of comedy. Particulary, the scene when White Boy Bob accidently shoots himself due to his clumsiness of tripping. It jump cuts to the actual act of Bob running with a gun, then back to a close-up of Clooney's priceless expression, and back to Bob laying dead on his own puddle of blood. Even with all the interesting conflict and action, the film's strength lies in how it captivates the audience with a relationship between an unlikely pairing, and visually appealing aesthetics.
7.5/10
#88 Ball of Fire (3/1/13)
Dir. Howard Hawks
1941
This film absolutely entertained me very well with its intellectual dialogue, and diversity of characters reminiscent to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Interestingly, the elderly scholars represent the different European countries who were struggling against Nazi Germany. This was a time when the neighboring countries of Germany would call out for help to America explaing that a man by the name of Adolf Hitler was a bad dude. Unfortunately, America ignored them and didn't want to get involved until is actually started to affect them. Sadly, events of the Holocaust and numerous lives lost were too late to be remedied. A key scene in Ball of Fire that symbolically represents the political turmoil was the goon shooting the globe. The dialogue is just amazing between the intellectuals which the screenwriters from the popular television show Big Bang Theory took influence to. There was a scene in the film called Drum Boogie that did not really progress the story, but it was quite entertaining. The story had great twists that just blew my mind, and I felt the film did a good job in showing that opposites do attract.
9/10
1941
This film absolutely entertained me very well with its intellectual dialogue, and diversity of characters reminiscent to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Interestingly, the elderly scholars represent the different European countries who were struggling against Nazi Germany. This was a time when the neighboring countries of Germany would call out for help to America explaing that a man by the name of Adolf Hitler was a bad dude. Unfortunately, America ignored them and didn't want to get involved until is actually started to affect them. Sadly, events of the Holocaust and numerous lives lost were too late to be remedied. A key scene in Ball of Fire that symbolically represents the political turmoil was the goon shooting the globe. The dialogue is just amazing between the intellectuals which the screenwriters from the popular television show Big Bang Theory took influence to. There was a scene in the film called Drum Boogie that did not really progress the story, but it was quite entertaining. The story had great twists that just blew my mind, and I felt the film did a good job in showing that opposites do attract.
9/10
#87 The Election (2/22/13)
Dir. Alexander Payne
1999
This film was very clever in its use of runners, or leitmotifs. Election has a lot to do with explaining democracy in a nutshell. Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) and Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) give a wonderful performance depicting the treachery of politics with a humorous touch. Surprisingly, I found the cynicism rather enjoyable in the film probably because the movie does not take itself too seriously, along with great deadpan execution. This film would best be described as a "comedy of manners" for its use of satire toward institutions. The overall fear that is socially implicated in the film is the threat of adultery. Besides the adulterous relationship in the film between student and teacher, there are many ethic and moral decisions that go to the dumpster when personal agendas interfere. The recurring garbage motifs sum up what politics amount to. My favorite scene was when the monotone kid Paul Metzler (Chris Klein) gave his speech, followed by his anarchist sister's rebellious speech. The comedy is brilliant with a diverse cast of characters stirring up a mess of conflicts. Don't be fooled with thinking this film to being a vulgar comedy, the dark humor is as true to the culture it reflects.
8.5/10
1999
This film was very clever in its use of runners, or leitmotifs. Election has a lot to do with explaining democracy in a nutshell. Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) and Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) give a wonderful performance depicting the treachery of politics with a humorous touch. Surprisingly, I found the cynicism rather enjoyable in the film probably because the movie does not take itself too seriously, along with great deadpan execution. This film would best be described as a "comedy of manners" for its use of satire toward institutions. The overall fear that is socially implicated in the film is the threat of adultery. Besides the adulterous relationship in the film between student and teacher, there are many ethic and moral decisions that go to the dumpster when personal agendas interfere. The recurring garbage motifs sum up what politics amount to. My favorite scene was when the monotone kid Paul Metzler (Chris Klein) gave his speech, followed by his anarchist sister's rebellious speech. The comedy is brilliant with a diverse cast of characters stirring up a mess of conflicts. Don't be fooled with thinking this film to being a vulgar comedy, the dark humor is as true to the culture it reflects.
8.5/10
#86 Heat (2/21/13)
Dir. Michael Mann
1995
Heat by Director Michael Mann was originally a television series called L.A. Takedown. The character who played the ex-con chef and getaway driver is actually a faculty member of my school. He was a guest speaker who talked very highly of Michael Mann as an enthusiastic person who put so much passion into his work. Looking at Michael Man's work, I highly recommend Manhunter (1986) which delves into the psychology of the infamous Hannibal Lecter. One thing to note about his work is that he really cares about each individual character whether good or bad, and depicts them all with integrity as working people just trying to survive. In the film Heat, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are on two opposite sides against each other, but share their own sense of professionalism that they have adapted. With this film and many others by Michael Man, all the characters say what they think and are incapable of irony. To those who are a fan of Director Wes Anderson like myself, he took inspiration from Michael Man in this film. The exact scripted scene in Heat when they were purchasing explosives appears in the film Rushmore as the Ready Demolition Man scene. I really like the tension in the film, and the action scene with the failed bank robbery was extremely intense.
8/10
1995
Heat by Director Michael Mann was originally a television series called L.A. Takedown. The character who played the ex-con chef and getaway driver is actually a faculty member of my school. He was a guest speaker who talked very highly of Michael Mann as an enthusiastic person who put so much passion into his work. Looking at Michael Man's work, I highly recommend Manhunter (1986) which delves into the psychology of the infamous Hannibal Lecter. One thing to note about his work is that he really cares about each individual character whether good or bad, and depicts them all with integrity as working people just trying to survive. In the film Heat, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are on two opposite sides against each other, but share their own sense of professionalism that they have adapted. With this film and many others by Michael Man, all the characters say what they think and are incapable of irony. To those who are a fan of Director Wes Anderson like myself, he took inspiration from Michael Man in this film. The exact scripted scene in Heat when they were purchasing explosives appears in the film Rushmore as the Ready Demolition Man scene. I really like the tension in the film, and the action scene with the failed bank robbery was extremely intense.
8/10
#85 The Karate Kid (2/18/13)
Dir. Harald Zwart
2010
I know I am getting old when I see Jaden Smith all grown up now...Have you seen what he looks like in the film After Earth? He looks like Will Smith back in the day on the show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Will Smith has definitely set his son up for great success in the movie industry by starting him out so early. I digress, but The Karate Kid was a good change especially with Jaden being able to work with the humble Jackie Chan that helped market the film. As with most re-makes, I much prefer the original, but it was fun for me to watch and very nostalgic. I'd just like to add that Jackie Chan is great at playing some very emotional roles (e.g. Shinjuku Incident and Little Big Soldier) so it fit well in the sad car scene. I believe the film was geared appropriately for children and a wide audience so there is not much you can really ask past it being a children's film.
7/10
2010
I know I am getting old when I see Jaden Smith all grown up now...Have you seen what he looks like in the film After Earth? He looks like Will Smith back in the day on the show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Will Smith has definitely set his son up for great success in the movie industry by starting him out so early. I digress, but The Karate Kid was a good change especially with Jaden being able to work with the humble Jackie Chan that helped market the film. As with most re-makes, I much prefer the original, but it was fun for me to watch and very nostalgic. I'd just like to add that Jackie Chan is great at playing some very emotional roles (e.g. Shinjuku Incident and Little Big Soldier) so it fit well in the sad car scene. I believe the film was geared appropriately for children and a wide audience so there is not much you can really ask past it being a children's film.
7/10
#84 Sweet Smell of Success (2/15/13)
Dir. Alexander Mackendrick
1957
I have not seen much classic noir films with such well written dialogue until I saw Sweet Smell of Success. There are so many leitmotifs in the dialogue that you really have to pay attention to catch and appreciate them. The impressive acting accompanied with a tremendously underrated script helps the movie flow so well. Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis are the stars that take the spotlight. Lancaster's character J.J. Hunsecker, I found was a completely despicable person that if I ever met someone like that, you would not see me as my nicest. This may sound harsh, but people as treacherous as him should be wiped off existence. Maybe I am sounding a little too harsh, but he is the kind of person that steps on others to get to the level of power he is at. The scene where Tony Curtis gets slapped around by the crazy incestuous J.J. Hunsecker was very memorable to say the least. When I finally realized why he was so jealous and adamant about breaking his sister's relationship, I felt so disgusted and uncomfortable....To quote one of the many great lines in this film, "The cats in the bag, and the bag is in the river."
9/10
1957
I have not seen much classic noir films with such well written dialogue until I saw Sweet Smell of Success. There are so many leitmotifs in the dialogue that you really have to pay attention to catch and appreciate them. The impressive acting accompanied with a tremendously underrated script helps the movie flow so well. Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis are the stars that take the spotlight. Lancaster's character J.J. Hunsecker, I found was a completely despicable person that if I ever met someone like that, you would not see me as my nicest. This may sound harsh, but people as treacherous as him should be wiped off existence. Maybe I am sounding a little too harsh, but he is the kind of person that steps on others to get to the level of power he is at. The scene where Tony Curtis gets slapped around by the crazy incestuous J.J. Hunsecker was very memorable to say the least. When I finally realized why he was so jealous and adamant about breaking his sister's relationship, I felt so disgusted and uncomfortable....To quote one of the many great lines in this film, "The cats in the bag, and the bag is in the river."
9/10
#83 The Coonheads (2/14/13)
Dir. Ralph Bakshi
1975
I remember the first crossover between live action and animation that I saw as a child. The film was called Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and I think the effects of both films were quite about the same to me. Generally, when we see cartoons, the physics and seriousness of their world is distinguishable from reality. You mix them together, and your guess is as good as mine that our minds are not in that usual comfort zone we are use to seeing. There were more films dealing with Blaxploitation and cartoons such as Coal Black And De Sebben Dwarfs. What people need to remember was that cartoons were originally not innocent at all, they were actually meant for an adult audience. There was a video of Porky Pig actually cussing and saying the "B" word back then. You will find just about every type of stereotype from every race such as Blacks and Italians. Speaking of racial controversy, Tarantino loves this film and its not to say that he is racist but he challenges society by stirring up controversy. He brings up a point that racism is still a problem in America, and people choose to just not talk about it. Tarantino's Django Unchained has surely pissed off people like Spike Lee who abhor the "N" word. The film is not necessarily one of my favorites, but I just have to respect the style of how it was filmed. The main character is pretty much a Black version of Bugs Bunny living in an atmosphere of sex, violence, and drugs.
7/10
1975
I remember the first crossover between live action and animation that I saw as a child. The film was called Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and I think the effects of both films were quite about the same to me. Generally, when we see cartoons, the physics and seriousness of their world is distinguishable from reality. You mix them together, and your guess is as good as mine that our minds are not in that usual comfort zone we are use to seeing. There were more films dealing with Blaxploitation and cartoons such as Coal Black And De Sebben Dwarfs. What people need to remember was that cartoons were originally not innocent at all, they were actually meant for an adult audience. There was a video of Porky Pig actually cussing and saying the "B" word back then. You will find just about every type of stereotype from every race such as Blacks and Italians. Speaking of racial controversy, Tarantino loves this film and its not to say that he is racist but he challenges society by stirring up controversy. He brings up a point that racism is still a problem in America, and people choose to just not talk about it. Tarantino's Django Unchained has surely pissed off people like Spike Lee who abhor the "N" word. The film is not necessarily one of my favorites, but I just have to respect the style of how it was filmed. The main character is pretty much a Black version of Bugs Bunny living in an atmosphere of sex, violence, and drugs.
7/10
#82 Silver Linings Playbook (2/13/13)
Dir. David O. Russel
2012
Just WOW! The trailer had me very excited, but the movie itself was extraordinarily heartfelt. The opening scene of the film seemed very familiar with Robert De Niro's style of acting in films such as Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. Coincidentally, he stars in this film and still has it in him to give a stellar performance. Bradley Cooper's performance shows his versatility in conveying so many different emotions. Also, the more than exquisite performance by Jennifer Lawrence never ceases to amaze me. If you know me, films with mental disorders intrigue me a lot and our character Pat (Bradley Cooper) with bipolar disorder has a lot of room to play around with being transgressive without it seeming unrealistic at all. Dialogue is sensitively serious, but transforms into a comedy of facing your problems directly. The psychological instability Pat and Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) has is seen as a social stigma to society that they place discrimination on. The film touches a lot on many beliefs, social problems, and the awareness of people to subordinate others based on their perception of social status. I loved the way how Pat and Tiffany first started interacting with each other in the beginning by jogging with each other, and towards the end the same motif would occur but the roles have changed. The rooting interest for Pat for me was off the roof especially when so many conflicts would just put him down. The traumatic wedding music was a great touch, and the Indian football fight scene were great obstacles just to mention a few. I really enjoyed this film for the most part, and feel that a wide audience can appreciate it for its entertainment and wonderful moral story. EXCELSIOR!
10/10
2012
Just WOW! The trailer had me very excited, but the movie itself was extraordinarily heartfelt. The opening scene of the film seemed very familiar with Robert De Niro's style of acting in films such as Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. Coincidentally, he stars in this film and still has it in him to give a stellar performance. Bradley Cooper's performance shows his versatility in conveying so many different emotions. Also, the more than exquisite performance by Jennifer Lawrence never ceases to amaze me. If you know me, films with mental disorders intrigue me a lot and our character Pat (Bradley Cooper) with bipolar disorder has a lot of room to play around with being transgressive without it seeming unrealistic at all. Dialogue is sensitively serious, but transforms into a comedy of facing your problems directly. The psychological instability Pat and Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) has is seen as a social stigma to society that they place discrimination on. The film touches a lot on many beliefs, social problems, and the awareness of people to subordinate others based on their perception of social status. I loved the way how Pat and Tiffany first started interacting with each other in the beginning by jogging with each other, and towards the end the same motif would occur but the roles have changed. The rooting interest for Pat for me was off the roof especially when so many conflicts would just put him down. The traumatic wedding music was a great touch, and the Indian football fight scene were great obstacles just to mention a few. I really enjoyed this film for the most part, and feel that a wide audience can appreciate it for its entertainment and wonderful moral story. EXCELSIOR!
10/10
#81 The Barbershop (2/8/13)
Dir. Tim Story
2002
One thing I enjoyed about the film was the character variety which gives you a taste of what the people of South Side Chicago is like. The film is is simple, but the story is driven separately with each character desiring a different goal. The main character Calvin (Ice Cube) is introduced to be a character you can empathize for because of his effort to pursue a passion in order to make a living with his family. A barbershop owned by Calvin becomes the central point of discovery for what the main character truly was looking for and was under his nose the whole time. The ATM in the beginning of the film does not actually become relevant to the story until the end which uses the same concept back in Aristotle's days called "Deus Ex Machina." This phrase literally translates to God from the machine, and it was a plot device usually used to progress the story by solving a problem that was unsolvable. In the film Barbershop, the ATM was used to pay off the debt Calvin had to keep his shop. It's nice to see Ice Cube's character experience a happy ending for a change and avoiding a tragedy like in the film Boyz N the Hood.
7.5/10
2002
One thing I enjoyed about the film was the character variety which gives you a taste of what the people of South Side Chicago is like. The film is is simple, but the story is driven separately with each character desiring a different goal. The main character Calvin (Ice Cube) is introduced to be a character you can empathize for because of his effort to pursue a passion in order to make a living with his family. A barbershop owned by Calvin becomes the central point of discovery for what the main character truly was looking for and was under his nose the whole time. The ATM in the beginning of the film does not actually become relevant to the story until the end which uses the same concept back in Aristotle's days called "Deus Ex Machina." This phrase literally translates to God from the machine, and it was a plot device usually used to progress the story by solving a problem that was unsolvable. In the film Barbershop, the ATM was used to pay off the debt Calvin had to keep his shop. It's nice to see Ice Cube's character experience a happy ending for a change and avoiding a tragedy like in the film Boyz N the Hood.
7.5/10
#80 The Comedy (2/7/13)
Dir. Rick Alverson
2012
To many people's dismay, The Comedy offers a portrayal of what seems to be the dreary side of how pointless humanity is. This film pushes boundaries to the point unimaginable without having remorse, or thought to apologize. The best line for me would have to be "Hobo dicks are...I was reading this the other day..hobo dicks are cleaner than hospital scalpels." The best word to describe this film is transgressive, and care-free mumblecore. People can be ignorant of the truth, but many individuals live and feel this way all the time as they are going through the motions of what we made life to be. Not to be negative or misanthropic in any way, but the scene with the Indian taxi driver, shows the commonality of individuals persuaded by greed to break the rules. The main character may come off as rude to the majority, but he is equivalent to a care-free child that has no intention of hurting anyone. He seeks simple happiness as was mentioned early in the film as taking a swim in the pool. The dialogue which mentions the belief that there are people who live like robots, and never takes a second to question why they are alive doing what they do hints a bit of existentialism. Perhaps a coincidence, but it was surely fitting towards the end with the rhythmic patterns of his breathing while he rode his bike. I view this depiction as the endless cycle of life of how we struggle so much only to get back to the point where we started. The ending to me was satisfying, because it goes back to his original desired simple pleasure.
8/10
2012
To many people's dismay, The Comedy offers a portrayal of what seems to be the dreary side of how pointless humanity is. This film pushes boundaries to the point unimaginable without having remorse, or thought to apologize. The best line for me would have to be "Hobo dicks are...I was reading this the other day..hobo dicks are cleaner than hospital scalpels." The best word to describe this film is transgressive, and care-free mumblecore. People can be ignorant of the truth, but many individuals live and feel this way all the time as they are going through the motions of what we made life to be. Not to be negative or misanthropic in any way, but the scene with the Indian taxi driver, shows the commonality of individuals persuaded by greed to break the rules. The main character may come off as rude to the majority, but he is equivalent to a care-free child that has no intention of hurting anyone. He seeks simple happiness as was mentioned early in the film as taking a swim in the pool. The dialogue which mentions the belief that there are people who live like robots, and never takes a second to question why they are alive doing what they do hints a bit of existentialism. Perhaps a coincidence, but it was surely fitting towards the end with the rhythmic patterns of his breathing while he rode his bike. I view this depiction as the endless cycle of life of how we struggle so much only to get back to the point where we started. The ending to me was satisfying, because it goes back to his original desired simple pleasure.
8/10
#79 Citizen Kane (2/7/13)
Dir. Orson Welles
1941
The opening sequence of the film was very unusual, and fresh which right away introduces many questions that need to be answered about this guy named Charles Foster Kane. I say unusual because there always has to be a reason why people would resent someone and seriously go out of their way to burn every memory of them to ashes. So we learn he was this kid who just wanted to have fun with his sled outside, but his parents felt money would give him a happier life so they give him away. The tragedy as you will find out is that he lost his sense of humility, and was incapable of attaining love even with all the money in the world. The cinematography was just purely amazing, and is a great resource for finding great examples of how setting affects the mood in film. At many times, I almost confused this film with many others that are quite recent such as The Hobbit. That scene where everyone was just walking past the short guy uninvited was shot very similarly. Probably my favorite quote in the film, "If I hadn't been very rich, I might have been a great man." It's also odd that with all the money he had, there was no thought to help other people who were in need. The singer he had funded did not wish to truly sing, and was forced to perform so he could protect his ego. The use of setting with the shot of the singer conveyed disaster, and frustration in order for the audience to feel her state of being. The only detail that makes me see the film to be a bit dated would be how the camera angles look down on women to make them appear submissive and weak. Of course, this film was back in the day before the women's rights movement, but I find the film still fun to watch.
8.5/10
1941
The opening sequence of the film was very unusual, and fresh which right away introduces many questions that need to be answered about this guy named Charles Foster Kane. I say unusual because there always has to be a reason why people would resent someone and seriously go out of their way to burn every memory of them to ashes. So we learn he was this kid who just wanted to have fun with his sled outside, but his parents felt money would give him a happier life so they give him away. The tragedy as you will find out is that he lost his sense of humility, and was incapable of attaining love even with all the money in the world. The cinematography was just purely amazing, and is a great resource for finding great examples of how setting affects the mood in film. At many times, I almost confused this film with many others that are quite recent such as The Hobbit. That scene where everyone was just walking past the short guy uninvited was shot very similarly. Probably my favorite quote in the film, "If I hadn't been very rich, I might have been a great man." It's also odd that with all the money he had, there was no thought to help other people who were in need. The singer he had funded did not wish to truly sing, and was forced to perform so he could protect his ego. The use of setting with the shot of the singer conveyed disaster, and frustration in order for the audience to feel her state of being. The only detail that makes me see the film to be a bit dated would be how the camera angles look down on women to make them appear submissive and weak. Of course, this film was back in the day before the women's rights movement, but I find the film still fun to watch.
8.5/10
#78 Warm Bodies (2/3/13)
Dir. Jonathan Levine
2013
If you ever find the time to read the novel by Isaac Marion, I highly recommend it for those looking for some gruesome explicit writing. For those who have already read the book, then watched the film would know the story is vastly different. I like to look at the film as a toned down version which offers a new experience that includes many elements from the book. In any case, the way Director Levine had cut a lot of the scenes from the book and actually changed the appearances of many characters completely actually works for the film. In another novel, Casino Royale, author Ian Fleming physically described James Bond initially as a mix between himself and American singer Hoagy Carmichael. Sean Connery has become the icon for James Bond, but he does not even come close to fitting the description for what Fleming originally had in mind. My point is that change can be a good thing, and does not always ruin a great piece of work. Regardless, experiencing both the book and the film for me is always an absolute treat. I'm not going to lie, I liked the soundtrack a lot and thought it went so well with the film in every mood. The whole unique world was just fascinating to me, and the whole brain eating idea was a little too fresh for me to digest at first. It's interesting to note that Nicholas Hoult who played R had a previous role in X-Men: First Class as Beast. I was just thinking about the film Beauty and the Beast because they share a similar background as being the misunderstood monster. I found the film easy to follow, and the rules of the universe is established quite cleverly in the zombie perspective. There is much to comment about the film, but the film simply does a great job in holding an emotional investment for a zombie. (If that is even possible!)
9/10
2013
If you ever find the time to read the novel by Isaac Marion, I highly recommend it for those looking for some gruesome explicit writing. For those who have already read the book, then watched the film would know the story is vastly different. I like to look at the film as a toned down version which offers a new experience that includes many elements from the book. In any case, the way Director Levine had cut a lot of the scenes from the book and actually changed the appearances of many characters completely actually works for the film. In another novel, Casino Royale, author Ian Fleming physically described James Bond initially as a mix between himself and American singer Hoagy Carmichael. Sean Connery has become the icon for James Bond, but he does not even come close to fitting the description for what Fleming originally had in mind. My point is that change can be a good thing, and does not always ruin a great piece of work. Regardless, experiencing both the book and the film for me is always an absolute treat. I'm not going to lie, I liked the soundtrack a lot and thought it went so well with the film in every mood. The whole unique world was just fascinating to me, and the whole brain eating idea was a little too fresh for me to digest at first. It's interesting to note that Nicholas Hoult who played R had a previous role in X-Men: First Class as Beast. I was just thinking about the film Beauty and the Beast because they share a similar background as being the misunderstood monster. I found the film easy to follow, and the rules of the universe is established quite cleverly in the zombie perspective. There is much to comment about the film, but the film simply does a great job in holding an emotional investment for a zombie. (If that is even possible!)
9/10
#77 The Professionals (2/1/13)
Dir. Richard Brooks
1966
Director Richard Brooks wanted to inform a wide audience about the war in Vietnam. He believed that young soldiers would lose their lives for a wasted cause. Brooks drew out a parallel between the mercenaries in the film to brotherhood soldiers fighting for the same cause which eventually is for each other. The enemy that both groups seek out ends up not necessarily being the true enemy they believed to be. There are a lot of religious indicators in the film such as the cross, the antagonist's name Jesus, and metaphor's spoken in the dialogue. This film has some of the most memorable dialogue in Western films such as, "So what else is bothering you besides 100 proof women, 90 proof whiskey and 14 karat gold?. The characters are very outspoken and well-defined by their actions with the amount of interesting dialogue used.The cinematography is very great for a Western, I especially enjoyed the wide shot of the moving train invasion sequence. The way it was shot shows how easily a guerrilla unit easily dispatches a large army with a lot of firepower. The morality of the film really gets deep with finding the truth, and understanding who people really are in themselves. This is another film where a plot device such as a large sum of money ends up being completely forgotten and unimportant. I find this film to be a really inspiring Western with great plot twists that moves the story forward.
8/10
1966
Director Richard Brooks wanted to inform a wide audience about the war in Vietnam. He believed that young soldiers would lose their lives for a wasted cause. Brooks drew out a parallel between the mercenaries in the film to brotherhood soldiers fighting for the same cause which eventually is for each other. The enemy that both groups seek out ends up not necessarily being the true enemy they believed to be. There are a lot of religious indicators in the film such as the cross, the antagonist's name Jesus, and metaphor's spoken in the dialogue. This film has some of the most memorable dialogue in Western films such as, "So what else is bothering you besides 100 proof women, 90 proof whiskey and 14 karat gold?. The characters are very outspoken and well-defined by their actions with the amount of interesting dialogue used.The cinematography is very great for a Western, I especially enjoyed the wide shot of the moving train invasion sequence. The way it was shot shows how easily a guerrilla unit easily dispatches a large army with a lot of firepower. The morality of the film really gets deep with finding the truth, and understanding who people really are in themselves. This is another film where a plot device such as a large sum of money ends up being completely forgotten and unimportant. I find this film to be a really inspiring Western with great plot twists that moves the story forward.
8/10
#76 The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (1/29/13)
Dir. Garth Jennings
2005
In the opening sequence of the film, did anyone else but me think about the Simpsons episode about the dolphins taking over Springfield? This film is as weird and quirky as the beloved actress Zooey that it fits so well too have her play a key role. I would go to Madagascar with her any day of the month if she asked me to. Besides my unrequited love for one of my favorite actresses, there is quite to admire in this film such as references from Star Trek. It's pretty much a funny film for me, and you just gotta love the robot with melancholy feelings. I laughed during the scene with the falling sperm whale for some odd reason. It was actually quite a sad scenario that was short lived with curiosity. The bowl of petunias is actually a book reference from a creature named "Agrajag" who wants revenge on Arthur but keeps getting killed and reincarnated. I've heard the same grievances so many times with book to film adaptations, it is true that the movie deals with so much cutting. Which in my opinion should encourage the reading experience to be all the more worthwhile to do.
8/10
2005
In the opening sequence of the film, did anyone else but me think about the Simpsons episode about the dolphins taking over Springfield? This film is as weird and quirky as the beloved actress Zooey that it fits so well too have her play a key role. I would go to Madagascar with her any day of the month if she asked me to. Besides my unrequited love for one of my favorite actresses, there is quite to admire in this film such as references from Star Trek. It's pretty much a funny film for me, and you just gotta love the robot with melancholy feelings. I laughed during the scene with the falling sperm whale for some odd reason. It was actually quite a sad scenario that was short lived with curiosity. The bowl of petunias is actually a book reference from a creature named "Agrajag" who wants revenge on Arthur but keeps getting killed and reincarnated. I've heard the same grievances so many times with book to film adaptations, it is true that the movie deals with so much cutting. Which in my opinion should encourage the reading experience to be all the more worthwhile to do.
8/10
#75 Red Dawn (1/26/13)
Dir. Dan Bradley
2012
I had a conversation with my father about the original Red Dawn (1984) which was about the scare of Russians attacking the United States when we are helpless because our troops are busy fighting in Vietnam. He has served in the Navy of the Philippines alongside with the American military , and this idea intrigued him. People can say this whole idea is completely outrageous, but I think it is more outrageous to think there are no countries that hate us. This idea is the equivalent to America being the terrorists and the North Koreans and Russia are the enforcers. People forget that guerrilla warfare is not new to American history. The Civil War between the Union and the Confederates is a prime example of how effective guerrilla warfare is in winning a war. I pray that we never get into conflict with Russia, but if that day ever comes...I believe it will be a very sad day for me. It's a pity that humanity has not unified with each other, and continue to argue over different beliefs even though we are all the same. Despite my grievances, I would say the story really gives a big picture of what goes on outside in other states of America as it is being taken over by North Korean military. The film had a good selection of actors from Thor, Drake & Josh show, and Hunger Games. It really surprised me to see a different persona in some of these actors. (Except for Thor.) The film is great for those itching for an action war film that actually takes place on U.S. soil.
7.5/10
2012
I had a conversation with my father about the original Red Dawn (1984) which was about the scare of Russians attacking the United States when we are helpless because our troops are busy fighting in Vietnam. He has served in the Navy of the Philippines alongside with the American military , and this idea intrigued him. People can say this whole idea is completely outrageous, but I think it is more outrageous to think there are no countries that hate us. This idea is the equivalent to America being the terrorists and the North Koreans and Russia are the enforcers. People forget that guerrilla warfare is not new to American history. The Civil War between the Union and the Confederates is a prime example of how effective guerrilla warfare is in winning a war. I pray that we never get into conflict with Russia, but if that day ever comes...I believe it will be a very sad day for me. It's a pity that humanity has not unified with each other, and continue to argue over different beliefs even though we are all the same. Despite my grievances, I would say the story really gives a big picture of what goes on outside in other states of America as it is being taken over by North Korean military. The film had a good selection of actors from Thor, Drake & Josh show, and Hunger Games. It really surprised me to see a different persona in some of these actors. (Except for Thor.) The film is great for those itching for an action war film that actually takes place on U.S. soil.
7.5/10
#74 Orange County (1/25/13)
Dir. Jake Kasdan
2002
I never really looked at this summer flick in a critical perspective, but I was quite amused with its simplicity. It narrates a lot, but for the most part to understand how society in that world is perceived. My initial viewing of this film, I did not realize how ridiculous some of the character were. The subtle depiction of the characters wearing formal waist up and casual waist down to a funeral gives a small description of how the people are like. The scene with the teacher rambling movies as to attribute them to Shakespeare shows the I.Q. of the students not being very bright. The story works as far as building tension, and every sequence has a purpose such as the social and personal conflicts among each character. Heck! Even the dog served a role with progressing the story. The scene with dramatic action was well done, and I believe it to be classic. Sean's objective is to give a good impression to the rich people so he can get into Stanford, Bob needs his medication or he will go crazy, Sean's friends want to blow up their deceased friend's surfboard, Jack Black is looking for the clean urine sample or his parole officer will arrest him...you get the idea of what may happen when all these objectives meet in one house. The ending of the film on a side note seemed very similar as any usual plot device that gets the story going, but is no longer important to the main character in the end after the lesson is learned.
7.5/10
2002
I never really looked at this summer flick in a critical perspective, but I was quite amused with its simplicity. It narrates a lot, but for the most part to understand how society in that world is perceived. My initial viewing of this film, I did not realize how ridiculous some of the character were. The subtle depiction of the characters wearing formal waist up and casual waist down to a funeral gives a small description of how the people are like. The scene with the teacher rambling movies as to attribute them to Shakespeare shows the I.Q. of the students not being very bright. The story works as far as building tension, and every sequence has a purpose such as the social and personal conflicts among each character. Heck! Even the dog served a role with progressing the story. The scene with dramatic action was well done, and I believe it to be classic. Sean's objective is to give a good impression to the rich people so he can get into Stanford, Bob needs his medication or he will go crazy, Sean's friends want to blow up their deceased friend's surfboard, Jack Black is looking for the clean urine sample or his parole officer will arrest him...you get the idea of what may happen when all these objectives meet in one house. The ending of the film on a side note seemed very similar as any usual plot device that gets the story going, but is no longer important to the main character in the end after the lesson is learned.
7.5/10
#73 The Godfather (1/24/13)
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
1972
I unbelievably just love this movie to death with how the production of this film began to everyone who was involved in its creation. The film is completely about family, and the idea "passage of time" or passing onto the next generation. Talia Shire (Mother of Jason Shwartzman and played Adrian Balboa in Rocky) was cast as the sister Connie Corleone. Interesting trivia, Francis Ford Coppola used his daughter Sofia Coppola (Director of Lost in Translation!!!) as the baby for the christening shot. Probably one of the best scenes in movie history would have to be Marlon Brando playing around with his grandson in the garden wearing fangs. It is one of the best improvisation ideas suggested by Marlon Brando to have his character die as a literal monster to the hands of innocence. Speaking of monsters, I really do believe Coppola had wittingly made this film very personal and passionately with how he was feeling. It's interesting to note that his daughter Sofia Coppola would make films that were very personal such as Somewhere. Perhaps the mother daughter relationship was not as close as they had wanted. Just to prove how much passion and energy was put into this film, everyone involved in the production was completely broke. Francis Ford Coppola had to pay gambling debts on horse races. The book by Mario Puzo that the film is based on was considered horrific garbage. The film used technicolor IB which made it really difficult to see anything, and it infuriated many. The odds to make this film a success was completely against them, and yet persistence and dedication silenced the critics. Copolla had to persuade Paramount in casting Marlon Brando as the Godfather by screen testing him because he was unheard of at the time by them. Similar to the Conformist, the film shuts out women whenever violence or anything important happens. It may just be how society felt back then especially before equal rights with women. This film was the first to portray gangsters being treated as royalty, and really little was known at the time about organized crime.
9/10
1972
I unbelievably just love this movie to death with how the production of this film began to everyone who was involved in its creation. The film is completely about family, and the idea "passage of time" or passing onto the next generation. Talia Shire (Mother of Jason Shwartzman and played Adrian Balboa in Rocky) was cast as the sister Connie Corleone. Interesting trivia, Francis Ford Coppola used his daughter Sofia Coppola (Director of Lost in Translation!!!) as the baby for the christening shot. Probably one of the best scenes in movie history would have to be Marlon Brando playing around with his grandson in the garden wearing fangs. It is one of the best improvisation ideas suggested by Marlon Brando to have his character die as a literal monster to the hands of innocence. Speaking of monsters, I really do believe Coppola had wittingly made this film very personal and passionately with how he was feeling. It's interesting to note that his daughter Sofia Coppola would make films that were very personal such as Somewhere. Perhaps the mother daughter relationship was not as close as they had wanted. Just to prove how much passion and energy was put into this film, everyone involved in the production was completely broke. Francis Ford Coppola had to pay gambling debts on horse races. The book by Mario Puzo that the film is based on was considered horrific garbage. The film used technicolor IB which made it really difficult to see anything, and it infuriated many. The odds to make this film a success was completely against them, and yet persistence and dedication silenced the critics. Copolla had to persuade Paramount in casting Marlon Brando as the Godfather by screen testing him because he was unheard of at the time by them. Similar to the Conformist, the film shuts out women whenever violence or anything important happens. It may just be how society felt back then especially before equal rights with women. This film was the first to portray gangsters being treated as royalty, and really little was known at the time about organized crime.
9/10
#72 Mama (1/21/13)
Dir. Andrés Muschietti
2013
The title of the film is simple, but don't be fooled or dissuaded from seeing this film! Mama is the most brilliant horror film that has got my heart so excited after its viewing. I absolutely love this style of storytelling without a doubt, and I can just feel the influences that the person with the idea must have had. Maybe its just weird coincidence, but when I was growing up and discovered "ghosts", similar incidents occurred in my lifetime. The scene where Annabel (Jessica Chastain) was on her bed after she had experienced a dream has happened in many reports of other people experiencing the same incident. People wake up with unexplained bruises, and also witness weird phenomena in their houses. My personal experience with a ghost just involved drawers and window curtains moving on their own on a non-windy day alone in my house. I'm only afraid in my mind of course, but I keep myself extremely nonchalant in my emotions and actions. Back to the film, bits of the story is briefly explained during quick expositions on the radio and later on recordings. We only get a small slice of information and connect the pieces from there. This is very effective in keeping the film suspenseful, and the stories presented to us in child drawings was very imaginative. It reminded me of a more cleverly done job that the film Sinister somewhat did to shock the audience. Early in the film, the close-up of the ballerina to me represented an example of one of the few life aspirations the two feral children could have had if they were given normal lives with loving parents. Certain angled split shots intrigued me a lot because of its suspense factor and the complete creepiness of the unknown creature playing with Lilly (Isabelle Nélisse) in a tug of war while Annabel was approaching the door. Withholding the creature was done amazingly by the several techniques used to keep it hidden. The blanket was comical, blurry vision perspective from the girl seemed very interesting, and the mysterious dark portal was very innovative. If you really pay attention to the shots, you may find symbolic structures like a cross in the background that serves no feasible purpose but comes off as theatrical dynamite. There is much to appreciate in this film, and the ending strays away from most cliche storytelling that it may come as a surprise to many.
10/10
2013
The title of the film is simple, but don't be fooled or dissuaded from seeing this film! Mama is the most brilliant horror film that has got my heart so excited after its viewing. I absolutely love this style of storytelling without a doubt, and I can just feel the influences that the person with the idea must have had. Maybe its just weird coincidence, but when I was growing up and discovered "ghosts", similar incidents occurred in my lifetime. The scene where Annabel (Jessica Chastain) was on her bed after she had experienced a dream has happened in many reports of other people experiencing the same incident. People wake up with unexplained bruises, and also witness weird phenomena in their houses. My personal experience with a ghost just involved drawers and window curtains moving on their own on a non-windy day alone in my house. I'm only afraid in my mind of course, but I keep myself extremely nonchalant in my emotions and actions. Back to the film, bits of the story is briefly explained during quick expositions on the radio and later on recordings. We only get a small slice of information and connect the pieces from there. This is very effective in keeping the film suspenseful, and the stories presented to us in child drawings was very imaginative. It reminded me of a more cleverly done job that the film Sinister somewhat did to shock the audience. Early in the film, the close-up of the ballerina to me represented an example of one of the few life aspirations the two feral children could have had if they were given normal lives with loving parents. Certain angled split shots intrigued me a lot because of its suspense factor and the complete creepiness of the unknown creature playing with Lilly (Isabelle Nélisse) in a tug of war while Annabel was approaching the door. Withholding the creature was done amazingly by the several techniques used to keep it hidden. The blanket was comical, blurry vision perspective from the girl seemed very interesting, and the mysterious dark portal was very innovative. If you really pay attention to the shots, you may find symbolic structures like a cross in the background that serves no feasible purpose but comes off as theatrical dynamite. There is much to appreciate in this film, and the ending strays away from most cliche storytelling that it may come as a surprise to many.
10/10
#71 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 (1/15/13)
Dir. Jay Oliva
2013
I felt like I was waiting for this forever! The wait was absolutely worth it, and the surprise appearances gave me goosebumps. I absolutely hate the perfection that is Clark Kent, writers practically made him unstoppable with stereotypical good looks. The scene when an eagle flies to his hand was completely unnecessary, but it did give me a little laugh. The Joker's appearance would definitely have to be the best, and his first violent action shows that he is still the same after 10 years. As Batman says, "There is nothing wrong with Joker that I can't fix...with my hands." Joker is too much of a psychological master, and too tragically destroyed to be "fixed". Various scenes with the Joker are amazingly bloody, and brutal that this Batman film is actually not suitable for children. If you ever wondered if Batman had a breaking point with allowing the Joker to live for all these years, this is the final time. Batman and the Joker are too old, and they will leave in a high note. All great things must come to an end...yes, even Batman. Despite this, I don't actually believe he has compromised himself, and his beliefs that he held on to for all these years. Ironically, the voice actor for Batman was also previously the voice actor for Robocop, and the most epic surprise in the form of a super Batman suit just gave me a nerdgasm. The story between Batman and Superman is quite similar to Superman: Red Son. Except, Batman relies on aid with a friend other than Wonder Woman and actually defeats Superman!! This film was intriguing indeed, and I feel helps solidify the legacy of Batman so his name will always live forever within humanity.
9/10
2013
I felt like I was waiting for this forever! The wait was absolutely worth it, and the surprise appearances gave me goosebumps. I absolutely hate the perfection that is Clark Kent, writers practically made him unstoppable with stereotypical good looks. The scene when an eagle flies to his hand was completely unnecessary, but it did give me a little laugh. The Joker's appearance would definitely have to be the best, and his first violent action shows that he is still the same after 10 years. As Batman says, "There is nothing wrong with Joker that I can't fix...with my hands." Joker is too much of a psychological master, and too tragically destroyed to be "fixed". Various scenes with the Joker are amazingly bloody, and brutal that this Batman film is actually not suitable for children. If you ever wondered if Batman had a breaking point with allowing the Joker to live for all these years, this is the final time. Batman and the Joker are too old, and they will leave in a high note. All great things must come to an end...yes, even Batman. Despite this, I don't actually believe he has compromised himself, and his beliefs that he held on to for all these years. Ironically, the voice actor for Batman was also previously the voice actor for Robocop, and the most epic surprise in the form of a super Batman suit just gave me a nerdgasm. The story between Batman and Superman is quite similar to Superman: Red Son. Except, Batman relies on aid with a friend other than Wonder Woman and actually defeats Superman!! This film was intriguing indeed, and I feel helps solidify the legacy of Batman so his name will always live forever within humanity.
9/10
#70 Life of Pi (1/8/13)
Dir. Ang Lee
2012
I seriously have to pick up a copy of this book, because the film itself was extraordinarily enlightening in ways that you just have to hear the whole story all the way through. The opening sequence of the film is beautiful, and sets a tone of imaginative qualities that prepares its viewer for a splendid adventure. The main character Pi (Suraj Sharma) is of Indian descent, and was given the interesting name Piscina Molitor Patel at birth. In the film, he explains the origin of his name to a writer, but we are cast in the perspective of his childhood to gain a vivid understanding of all his experiences involving many struggles. The film is a "Castaway" film, but the story is much more unique because he is in the company of a tiger who has the natural killer instinct to hunt any meat that moves. This predicament just adds to the trouble, but many life lessons are learned. When viewing films with a person stranded, there are phases that every lost character faces such as boredom, insanity, and just about every struggle you can think of. I don't want to get too much in detail with the film without spoiling it, but there was minor things like Pi reading a book written by Dostoyevsky that made me intrigued by his character. I was very interested in his hungry mind for knowledge, and open-mindedness to understand various religions. His life story is like any others, (Maybe not to the extreme like his.) he generally wishes to find personal meaning in his life, and to not think about life as if it were like the irrational number Pi. I loved every bit of how the film looked and felt. When the view went underwater, it was nothing short of amazing.
10/10
2012
I seriously have to pick up a copy of this book, because the film itself was extraordinarily enlightening in ways that you just have to hear the whole story all the way through. The opening sequence of the film is beautiful, and sets a tone of imaginative qualities that prepares its viewer for a splendid adventure. The main character Pi (Suraj Sharma) is of Indian descent, and was given the interesting name Piscina Molitor Patel at birth. In the film, he explains the origin of his name to a writer, but we are cast in the perspective of his childhood to gain a vivid understanding of all his experiences involving many struggles. The film is a "Castaway" film, but the story is much more unique because he is in the company of a tiger who has the natural killer instinct to hunt any meat that moves. This predicament just adds to the trouble, but many life lessons are learned. When viewing films with a person stranded, there are phases that every lost character faces such as boredom, insanity, and just about every struggle you can think of. I don't want to get too much in detail with the film without spoiling it, but there was minor things like Pi reading a book written by Dostoyevsky that made me intrigued by his character. I was very interested in his hungry mind for knowledge, and open-mindedness to understand various religions. His life story is like any others, (Maybe not to the extreme like his.) he generally wishes to find personal meaning in his life, and to not think about life as if it were like the irrational number Pi. I loved every bit of how the film looked and felt. When the view went underwater, it was nothing short of amazing.
10/10
#69 Chinese Zodiac (1/6/13)
Dir. Jackie Chan
2012
I love Jackie Chan's movies, particularly his foreign films the most because I see a sense of passionate work take place. Jackie Chan held off on creating this film, but stated that this was a project he was aiming to complete for a long time as his final film, which he fittingly screened on December 21, 2012. The Chinese history he implements in the story covers factual events that take place even today. Our ancestors at most times were driven by greed, and sad stories of how they expanded will forever be a grim part of all of our history. There is no one truly to blame, but it does not mean people should stop making the right decisions and doing the right thing. I thought the dialogue in English and Chinese to hide the misguided anger and misunderstanding was brilliant. I definitely enjoyed how Jackie's character changed throughout the film, and I feel I understand the direction where Jackie was going with the film to help educate the audience while at the same time entertaining them the way he knew how. With that said, his performance doesn't fail and I never get sick of his version of slapstick humor accompanied by acrobatic martial arts. The choreography really has evolved into an art, and is still as effective as ever since the Charlie Chaplin days. It's been awhile since I've seen a Jackie Chan film, and I must respect all of the exposition he has written as a writer. (Lots of it, but you can tell he wanted to fit a lot of information that just loses people...but not me!).
8/10
2012
I love Jackie Chan's movies, particularly his foreign films the most because I see a sense of passionate work take place. Jackie Chan held off on creating this film, but stated that this was a project he was aiming to complete for a long time as his final film, which he fittingly screened on December 21, 2012. The Chinese history he implements in the story covers factual events that take place even today. Our ancestors at most times were driven by greed, and sad stories of how they expanded will forever be a grim part of all of our history. There is no one truly to blame, but it does not mean people should stop making the right decisions and doing the right thing. I thought the dialogue in English and Chinese to hide the misguided anger and misunderstanding was brilliant. I definitely enjoyed how Jackie's character changed throughout the film, and I feel I understand the direction where Jackie was going with the film to help educate the audience while at the same time entertaining them the way he knew how. With that said, his performance doesn't fail and I never get sick of his version of slapstick humor accompanied by acrobatic martial arts. The choreography really has evolved into an art, and is still as effective as ever since the Charlie Chaplin days. It's been awhile since I've seen a Jackie Chan film, and I must respect all of the exposition he has written as a writer. (Lots of it, but you can tell he wanted to fit a lot of information that just loses people...but not me!).
8/10
#68 Cloud Atlas (12/31/12)
Dir. Tom Tykwer, Dir. Andy Wachowsky, & Lana Wachowsky
2012
Cloud Atlas opens up many questions with life, and how lifetimes always seem to be closely related to destiny among past lives. Events in life always change and revolutions persist in a constant struggle with mankind. This movie to me is a movie about movies, or a reflection of how we believe history to be true. Reincarnation seems to be a prevalent theme in the many chain of events. The quote, "Death is only a door. When one closes, another one opens." was a great line that fit the film very well. Of course, you would need to have an open mind because everyone has their own set of beliefs and can't be forced to believe in ideas sought by society as ambitious. There was a lot of emphasis on elitists who pushed the concept of Social Darwinism to bully the weak susceptible individuals. An example in the film would be the scene with the doctor speaking to the sick lawyer saying to him, "The weak are meat, and the strong do eat." I cannot stress how flawless the acting was in this film that the chosen actors live up to their revered reputation. If you're a person who demands a narrative, this film may not be for you. The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing which was briefly shown in a shot wittingly refers to another story which is linked with what is to come in the future. Past, present, future is all the same in terms of struggle, ideals, and beliefs that history truly does repeat itself. I feel a sense of nostalgia viewing this film because I feel that I have seen this film before, strangely enough. I say this to myself all the time, because I may be crazy. "There is no coincidences in this world...only the illusion of coincidence."
10/10
2012
Cloud Atlas opens up many questions with life, and how lifetimes always seem to be closely related to destiny among past lives. Events in life always change and revolutions persist in a constant struggle with mankind. This movie to me is a movie about movies, or a reflection of how we believe history to be true. Reincarnation seems to be a prevalent theme in the many chain of events. The quote, "Death is only a door. When one closes, another one opens." was a great line that fit the film very well. Of course, you would need to have an open mind because everyone has their own set of beliefs and can't be forced to believe in ideas sought by society as ambitious. There was a lot of emphasis on elitists who pushed the concept of Social Darwinism to bully the weak susceptible individuals. An example in the film would be the scene with the doctor speaking to the sick lawyer saying to him, "The weak are meat, and the strong do eat." I cannot stress how flawless the acting was in this film that the chosen actors live up to their revered reputation. If you're a person who demands a narrative, this film may not be for you. The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing which was briefly shown in a shot wittingly refers to another story which is linked with what is to come in the future. Past, present, future is all the same in terms of struggle, ideals, and beliefs that history truly does repeat itself. I feel a sense of nostalgia viewing this film because I feel that I have seen this film before, strangely enough. I say this to myself all the time, because I may be crazy. "There is no coincidences in this world...only the illusion of coincidence."
10/10
#67 Sinister (12/27/12)
Dir. Scott Derrickson
2012
I am amazed to see a horror film that just surprises me sometimes. I've heard plenty of negative criticism towards this film, but I definitely had to see the film for myself to be the judge. I absolutely enjoyed the film in general for various elements that kept me satisfied in the sake of horror genres. At first, I felt a little bit displeased that the film seemed to be going to the direction of a border line "snuff" film that seemed all too real. Then, I was just amazed of how it was shot to hold on the suspense. For instance in one scene, as the main character Elisson Oswalt played by Ethan Hawke was watching the haunted films, the killing would reflect on his glasses which I thought was purely amazing. This simple transitional shot for me took away the grotesqueness of the killing by distorting it. The effort of explaining the urban folklore was done nicely, and believably. I don't think the film gave away too much information to make it predictable in an obnoxious way, because it felt like a crime scene investigation noir film that was building up to the epic climax due to disillusionment. Of course it is simple to call the loud thump after a silent pause, but it does not ruin the film whatsoever, but live up to the trademark display of horror genres. (I love that feeling when watching horror movies, but even more so when the audience jumps in confusion.) What probably fits the title and is a recurring theme would be the children being "silent, but deadly". The imagery drawn on the walls, and the so-called "Boogey-Man" that manipulates the environment is sure to get the audiences' attention. The ending felt like a savory alternate route compared to most horror films released these past years. I just want to go on a tangent and say that this film was frightening, but I'm not afraid of creepy kids or the Boogey-Man. Also, Ethan Hawke looked so different!!! I could not believe I did not recognize him, but it must have been the beard and a role so different to Gattaca.
9/10
2012
I am amazed to see a horror film that just surprises me sometimes. I've heard plenty of negative criticism towards this film, but I definitely had to see the film for myself to be the judge. I absolutely enjoyed the film in general for various elements that kept me satisfied in the sake of horror genres. At first, I felt a little bit displeased that the film seemed to be going to the direction of a border line "snuff" film that seemed all too real. Then, I was just amazed of how it was shot to hold on the suspense. For instance in one scene, as the main character Elisson Oswalt played by Ethan Hawke was watching the haunted films, the killing would reflect on his glasses which I thought was purely amazing. This simple transitional shot for me took away the grotesqueness of the killing by distorting it. The effort of explaining the urban folklore was done nicely, and believably. I don't think the film gave away too much information to make it predictable in an obnoxious way, because it felt like a crime scene investigation noir film that was building up to the epic climax due to disillusionment. Of course it is simple to call the loud thump after a silent pause, but it does not ruin the film whatsoever, but live up to the trademark display of horror genres. (I love that feeling when watching horror movies, but even more so when the audience jumps in confusion.) What probably fits the title and is a recurring theme would be the children being "silent, but deadly". The imagery drawn on the walls, and the so-called "Boogey-Man" that manipulates the environment is sure to get the audiences' attention. The ending felt like a savory alternate route compared to most horror films released these past years. I just want to go on a tangent and say that this film was frightening, but I'm not afraid of creepy kids or the Boogey-Man. Also, Ethan Hawke looked so different!!! I could not believe I did not recognize him, but it must have been the beard and a role so different to Gattaca.
9/10
#66 Les Misérables (12/26/12)
Dir. Tom Hooper
2012
First of all, I have to admit I have never seen the live musical or claim that I have any ounce of good taste in anything. What I have is an opinion explaining what I have seen, and how it made me feel at the time of viewing. This film to me felt as if I was watching a live musical captured on the movie screen. It is apparent with many flaws in the actors' singing, not to mention that they are highly well-known in the acting industry. Nonetheless, their acting was incredible and the film itself was beautiful. I really like to get personal when I watch a film, because it is one of the few arts (along with music) that can really inspire and move me as a person. Yes, watching movies in my belief can be really life changing. Les Mis really knows how to capture the lives of a wide array of characters that you can stop and take the time to empathize for. I could not have been the only one to feel grief struck for Fantine (Anne Hathaway) when she sold her hair and teeth for petty money and performed an act she would not have done otherwise. Just goes to showing that true love has a lot of sacrifice. The one horrid scene where the little boy Gavroche was shot perfectly (no pun intended...) emitted a strong response from me, reminding me of the futile loss of young soldiers that is still going on even today. If you are like me, it can be so simple to be lost in the story and still enjoy the film because of how beautiful the music is or that intense chase scene that captures the theatrical back-alleys of France.
8.5/10
2012
First of all, I have to admit I have never seen the live musical or claim that I have any ounce of good taste in anything. What I have is an opinion explaining what I have seen, and how it made me feel at the time of viewing. This film to me felt as if I was watching a live musical captured on the movie screen. It is apparent with many flaws in the actors' singing, not to mention that they are highly well-known in the acting industry. Nonetheless, their acting was incredible and the film itself was beautiful. I really like to get personal when I watch a film, because it is one of the few arts (along with music) that can really inspire and move me as a person. Yes, watching movies in my belief can be really life changing. Les Mis really knows how to capture the lives of a wide array of characters that you can stop and take the time to empathize for. I could not have been the only one to feel grief struck for Fantine (Anne Hathaway) when she sold her hair and teeth for petty money and performed an act she would not have done otherwise. Just goes to showing that true love has a lot of sacrifice. The one horrid scene where the little boy Gavroche was shot perfectly (no pun intended...) emitted a strong response from me, reminding me of the futile loss of young soldiers that is still going on even today. If you are like me, it can be so simple to be lost in the story and still enjoy the film because of how beautiful the music is or that intense chase scene that captures the theatrical back-alleys of France.
8.5/10
#65 The Campaign (12/26/12)
Dir. Jay Roach
2012
The film seems to be a parody about elections in general, and I would say the film has a decently funny sense of humor. In a small predominately White community, the life stereotypically comes to life to depict the lifestyle of the candidates. Will Ferrel always seems to take on these strong goofy confident white American characters that he seems to be the same character in a way. (Talladega Nights and Anchorman.) I think the cast was well picked and matched the way they wanted to make this political comedy. My experience of learning the competitive culture of Political Science and debate always leads me to visualize the filthiness/dishonesty used in order to win at every cost. Terms like Gerrymandering, mudslinging, lobbying, and every sort of dirty trick to influence groups in your favor shows how ruthless any political group can be. Other than my disinterest for this culture, the film showed some pretty inappropriate acts that were a bit out of hand of gave me a little giggle on the side. (Will Ferrell's character Cam Brady sleeps with Marty Huggin's wife and airs it on live television.) If you don't mind immature and childish comedies satirizing political campaigns, this could an interesting film viewing experience.
7/10
2012
The film seems to be a parody about elections in general, and I would say the film has a decently funny sense of humor. In a small predominately White community, the life stereotypically comes to life to depict the lifestyle of the candidates. Will Ferrel always seems to take on these strong goofy confident white American characters that he seems to be the same character in a way. (Talladega Nights and Anchorman.) I think the cast was well picked and matched the way they wanted to make this political comedy. My experience of learning the competitive culture of Political Science and debate always leads me to visualize the filthiness/dishonesty used in order to win at every cost. Terms like Gerrymandering, mudslinging, lobbying, and every sort of dirty trick to influence groups in your favor shows how ruthless any political group can be. Other than my disinterest for this culture, the film showed some pretty inappropriate acts that were a bit out of hand of gave me a little giggle on the side. (Will Ferrell's character Cam Brady sleeps with Marty Huggin's wife and airs it on live television.) If you don't mind immature and childish comedies satirizing political campaigns, this could an interesting film viewing experience.
7/10
#64 Here Comes the Boom (12/25/12)
Dir. Frank Coraci
2012
I would have never thought to mix MMA with comedy, but here it is...I have to respect the script and all of its Hollywood elements that come with a standard good movie. We have a passionate teacher who has many flaws, but is for the best interest of his students and the school. I get the same persona from the teacher from "Election", because he seems to love what he does for a living and should make him a rooting interest for the audience. We have our conflicts that are very straight forward, and the plan of attack or strategy that Kevin James' character will do to overcome the obstacle of losing the music class. The quote "Without music, life would be a mistake." and I find it very true. Life would be quite boring and creativity would cease to exist. Like every art, it allows us to express ourselves that we would not be otherwise capable. I guess the logic for the school to make this move is that there is no room for art in the "real" world. If the real world is to be slaves to money, an eternal slumber sounds like the best alternative in my opinion. Besides me going on a rant, Here Comes The Boom is actually quite entertaining and enjoyable. The smart Filipino girl in the film is actually a famous singer in the Philippines named "Charice". The appearance by Bas Rutten was a delight, because he represents MMA very well and is one of the best personalities. (Forrest Griffin is another MMA comedian in my book.) For a comedy with good moral values, this film should be great with the family especially if your are into MMA.
8/10
2012
I would have never thought to mix MMA with comedy, but here it is...I have to respect the script and all of its Hollywood elements that come with a standard good movie. We have a passionate teacher who has many flaws, but is for the best interest of his students and the school. I get the same persona from the teacher from "Election", because he seems to love what he does for a living and should make him a rooting interest for the audience. We have our conflicts that are very straight forward, and the plan of attack or strategy that Kevin James' character will do to overcome the obstacle of losing the music class. The quote "Without music, life would be a mistake." and I find it very true. Life would be quite boring and creativity would cease to exist. Like every art, it allows us to express ourselves that we would not be otherwise capable. I guess the logic for the school to make this move is that there is no room for art in the "real" world. If the real world is to be slaves to money, an eternal slumber sounds like the best alternative in my opinion. Besides me going on a rant, Here Comes The Boom is actually quite entertaining and enjoyable. The smart Filipino girl in the film is actually a famous singer in the Philippines named "Charice". The appearance by Bas Rutten was a delight, because he represents MMA very well and is one of the best personalities. (Forrest Griffin is another MMA comedian in my book.) For a comedy with good moral values, this film should be great with the family especially if your are into MMA.
8/10
#63 The Apparition (12/25/12)
Dir. Todd Lincoln
2012
Hmm...I am quite speechless about this movie, and not in a good way either. There was advertisements of Costco, MacBook, Volkswagon, and oh yeah Street Fighter. If I can recall all of these minor details in the film, it is usually not a good thing. I'm wondering where the vision of the film was or what the particular goal as a horror film wanted the audience to feel. I believe the film's weakness was the numerous plot holes, and few characters lacking a rooting interest. Film practically offers nothing new or anything of interest.
4/10
2012
Hmm...I am quite speechless about this movie, and not in a good way either. There was advertisements of Costco, MacBook, Volkswagon, and oh yeah Street Fighter. If I can recall all of these minor details in the film, it is usually not a good thing. I'm wondering where the vision of the film was or what the particular goal as a horror film wanted the audience to feel. I believe the film's weakness was the numerous plot holes, and few characters lacking a rooting interest. Film practically offers nothing new or anything of interest.
4/10
#62 The Tree of Life (12/22/12)
Dir. Terrence Malick
The Tree of Life was an interesting experience to me personally, and I find the title very appropriate in describing this impressionistic film. The film is indeed about childhood and it to me portrays a long sequence of events that most children especially in America go through within life. I'm not praising the film and saying it's the best film of all time, but rather stating that this film is different for everyone so it will affect individuals in a broad subjective range of feelings. I cannot explain the film with just one word because it would be the equivalent of giving life one meaning. So to just name a few, there are moments of struggle, curiosity, death, sadness. happiness, and maturity. The list just goes on, but an old film that I have seen which has given me the same effect would be Tokyo Story. If you happen to take anything from the film, it may have given you a moment to yourself to think about your own life and the many experiences that you can recall which made you happy, sad, or just feeling anything at all.
8/10
The Tree of Life was an interesting experience to me personally, and I find the title very appropriate in describing this impressionistic film. The film is indeed about childhood and it to me portrays a long sequence of events that most children especially in America go through within life. I'm not praising the film and saying it's the best film of all time, but rather stating that this film is different for everyone so it will affect individuals in a broad subjective range of feelings. I cannot explain the film with just one word because it would be the equivalent of giving life one meaning. So to just name a few, there are moments of struggle, curiosity, death, sadness. happiness, and maturity. The list just goes on, but an old film that I have seen which has given me the same effect would be Tokyo Story. If you happen to take anything from the film, it may have given you a moment to yourself to think about your own life and the many experiences that you can recall which made you happy, sad, or just feeling anything at all.
8/10
#61 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (12/16/12)
Dir. Peter Jackson
2012
This film brings me back so much memories of nostalgia. I remember as if it were not so long ago when I first viewed the animated film of the Hobbit. At the time, it did not mean a whole lot, but now I understand how great of storytelling books really are. My thoughts of the main character Bilbo is that he is a reflection of the attitude America had right before they finally became involved to stop the menace known as Nazi Germany. Living comfortably does not necessarily mean you are really "living" when others around you are suffering. I really liked the scene when the dwarf guests walked past Bilbo in numerous numbers. The way it was shot is very similar to a scene in Citizen Kane with the journalist building. Other than the small things about the film, it looked very beautiful, crisp, and clear. I have not seen very much films that appear so very "life-like." The musical score following it was very pleasant, and the alluring story will keep the audience entertained throughout the long duration of the film. I'm a bit surprised and fascinated with how long the film ran, because the actual novel is only 310 pages. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is expected to be that long...(Large piece of work man!)
9/10
2012
This film brings me back so much memories of nostalgia. I remember as if it were not so long ago when I first viewed the animated film of the Hobbit. At the time, it did not mean a whole lot, but now I understand how great of storytelling books really are. My thoughts of the main character Bilbo is that he is a reflection of the attitude America had right before they finally became involved to stop the menace known as Nazi Germany. Living comfortably does not necessarily mean you are really "living" when others around you are suffering. I really liked the scene when the dwarf guests walked past Bilbo in numerous numbers. The way it was shot is very similar to a scene in Citizen Kane with the journalist building. Other than the small things about the film, it looked very beautiful, crisp, and clear. I have not seen very much films that appear so very "life-like." The musical score following it was very pleasant, and the alluring story will keep the audience entertained throughout the long duration of the film. I'm a bit surprised and fascinated with how long the film ran, because the actual novel is only 310 pages. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is expected to be that long...(Large piece of work man!)
9/10
#60 HOT SNOW (12/12/12)
Dir. Gavriil Yegiazarov
1974
Let me tell you about Hot Snow! The plot for the film pretty much dwells on the experiences of an anti-tank division of Russia under conflict against German troops and tanks trying to pass through. What the film offers is the close relationship we see with each character and their role to survive their objective. War movies with Russians or any race for the matter always seems to show the emotions of individuals that are very human. It is indeed crazy to say, but even when people are turned to machines to kill for your country, people will never truly lose their human side. Unless of course, an individual (Adolf Hitler) was truly evil to begin with. Russian land troops in my opinion were very merciless, in particular the scene where a soldier runs up to a tank to attempt to throw a bomb at it. The Russian leadership portrayed in the film had in my belief a ton of humility and effectiveness. There is no tolerance for cowards, but vindication can be proven with a second chance and the lieutenant granted exactly that for the pitiful soldier. The belief Russia had to allow women the equal opportunity chance to contribute in the war effort shows proof that America was a little behind in their ideologies at the time.
7/10
1974
Let me tell you about Hot Snow! The plot for the film pretty much dwells on the experiences of an anti-tank division of Russia under conflict against German troops and tanks trying to pass through. What the film offers is the close relationship we see with each character and their role to survive their objective. War movies with Russians or any race for the matter always seems to show the emotions of individuals that are very human. It is indeed crazy to say, but even when people are turned to machines to kill for your country, people will never truly lose their human side. Unless of course, an individual (Adolf Hitler) was truly evil to begin with. Russian land troops in my opinion were very merciless, in particular the scene where a soldier runs up to a tank to attempt to throw a bomb at it. The Russian leadership portrayed in the film had in my belief a ton of humility and effectiveness. There is no tolerance for cowards, but vindication can be proven with a second chance and the lieutenant granted exactly that for the pitiful soldier. The belief Russia had to allow women the equal opportunity chance to contribute in the war effort shows proof that America was a little behind in their ideologies at the time.
7/10
#59 Raging Bull (12/9/12)
Dir. Martin Scorsese
1980
The amount of passion I feel that Mr. De Niro has invested in the character Jake La Motta is enormous. Just to give an idea of how dedicated he was with being Jake, he actually refused to wear anything to make himself look fat and instead gained over 60 pounds to play washed up Jake. The whole production of the film was stopped so he could gain the weight. I remember when I first viewed this film, it was because I was actually more interested in a different boxer named "Sugar Ray Robinson" who fought Jake La Motta in real life. It is interesting how film or the camera are like eyes, "Eyes are windows to the soul." So in this film Raging Bull, we obviously only grasp the perspective of Jake. The shot with Sugar Ray Robinson about to knock out Jake depicted a skyscraper monster with the low angle shot. If you are like me, and particularly like Sugar Ray Robinson as one of the best boxers of all time, you would perhaps have a more positive image of him. Again, another great entertaining film that captures the life of a sort of anti-hero you can empathize for but in my opinion will almost become a dated film in terms of its portrayal of women abuse. Even the character Jake's wife Vickie can only be portrayed in the light of how Jake saw her. The actress (Cathy Moriarty) playing Vickie was forbidden to meet the real Vickie because it would completely mess up the vision. Instead, De Niro and Cathy would give an amazing improvised performance with many memorable scenes not originally written in the script. If I could say I learned anything in the film, would be that masterful pieces of work are sometimes unexpected and happen by chance due to people like De Niro having a fascination with a certain book that really touched him.
8.5/10
1980
The amount of passion I feel that Mr. De Niro has invested in the character Jake La Motta is enormous. Just to give an idea of how dedicated he was with being Jake, he actually refused to wear anything to make himself look fat and instead gained over 60 pounds to play washed up Jake. The whole production of the film was stopped so he could gain the weight. I remember when I first viewed this film, it was because I was actually more interested in a different boxer named "Sugar Ray Robinson" who fought Jake La Motta in real life. It is interesting how film or the camera are like eyes, "Eyes are windows to the soul." So in this film Raging Bull, we obviously only grasp the perspective of Jake. The shot with Sugar Ray Robinson about to knock out Jake depicted a skyscraper monster with the low angle shot. If you are like me, and particularly like Sugar Ray Robinson as one of the best boxers of all time, you would perhaps have a more positive image of him. Again, another great entertaining film that captures the life of a sort of anti-hero you can empathize for but in my opinion will almost become a dated film in terms of its portrayal of women abuse. Even the character Jake's wife Vickie can only be portrayed in the light of how Jake saw her. The actress (Cathy Moriarty) playing Vickie was forbidden to meet the real Vickie because it would completely mess up the vision. Instead, De Niro and Cathy would give an amazing improvised performance with many memorable scenes not originally written in the script. If I could say I learned anything in the film, would be that masterful pieces of work are sometimes unexpected and happen by chance due to people like De Niro having a fascination with a certain book that really touched him.
8.5/10
#58 Delicatessen (12/4/12)
Dir. Marc Caro & Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
1991
The film possibly takes place in an alternate 1950s, postapocalyptic-imaginary time, the people of the small town have turned to cannibalism in order to survive. There is a malevolent butcher by the name of Clapet (Jean-Claude Dreyfus) who secretly kills unsuspecting tenants, and serves the meat to the reliable tenants that supply grain to him as currency. He acquires an unsuspecting tenant by hiring them as a maintenance worker in exchange for room and board. In the film, he hires a new maintenance worker named Louison (Dominique Pinon) who is an unemployed clown from a circus that is grieving the loss of his monkey friend Dr. Livingstone. The story takes an interesting turn when Louison befriends the butcher's daughter named Julie (Marie-Laure Dougnac). Their grotesque and unsophisticated romance offers an interval of rationality and optimism from the many dark themes of the film. The rules of the universe is so out of the ordinary, but what may be a shock to some is more than likely the truth of what has already or eventually will happen. According to Murphy's Law, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." The beauty of any world is that people will always have the power to change the way things are if they truly believe in their cause. Delicatessen is a French film that does a splendid job in establishing a unique world despite most of the shots being within an apartment building. An interesting experience to say the least...
8.5/10
1991
The film possibly takes place in an alternate 1950s, postapocalyptic-imaginary time, the people of the small town have turned to cannibalism in order to survive. There is a malevolent butcher by the name of Clapet (Jean-Claude Dreyfus) who secretly kills unsuspecting tenants, and serves the meat to the reliable tenants that supply grain to him as currency. He acquires an unsuspecting tenant by hiring them as a maintenance worker in exchange for room and board. In the film, he hires a new maintenance worker named Louison (Dominique Pinon) who is an unemployed clown from a circus that is grieving the loss of his monkey friend Dr. Livingstone. The story takes an interesting turn when Louison befriends the butcher's daughter named Julie (Marie-Laure Dougnac). Their grotesque and unsophisticated romance offers an interval of rationality and optimism from the many dark themes of the film. The rules of the universe is so out of the ordinary, but what may be a shock to some is more than likely the truth of what has already or eventually will happen. According to Murphy's Law, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." The beauty of any world is that people will always have the power to change the way things are if they truly believe in their cause. Delicatessen is a French film that does a splendid job in establishing a unique world despite most of the shots being within an apartment building. An interesting experience to say the least...
8.5/10
#57 Tokyo Story (12/3/12)
Dir. Yasujirô Ozu
Before viewing this film, it would help to take into consideration of the culture it was made by in comparison to our own. If you take the time to differentiate the different norms and customs we have with Japan, you would perhaps realize that we may accidentally take offense to them because of a misunderstanding. Japan is a place where many people tend to be much more quieter than what Americans would be used to. With that said, the movie may still come to a dismay to most because it is very slow paced, characters are un-relatable, and the story drags longer than what people would ever imagine. I would like to try and help ease any frustrations that people may have with my thoughts by saying that the film's intention may affect those more who have actually experienced the same scenario. I have been to plenty of funerals to understand that we truly don't live forever, and that there may be a time where everyone's time is important. So why would the youth waste their time on the people that have just run out. Well, the film depicts just that when the old people are pretty much ignored and forgotten by their own blood relatives. The miraculous point in the film is that a stranger was by their side taking care of them. It can be said that the people who will be there for you as you get older or are dying will be someone who you do not even know. I have spoken to enough old people when I worked in the hospital and church to appreciate that they use to be people just like us with aspirations of their own. This film will be more appreciated by the elderly, because due to the slow pacing of the film, it helps to give time to reflect on your own life and what you have done.
8/10
Before viewing this film, it would help to take into consideration of the culture it was made by in comparison to our own. If you take the time to differentiate the different norms and customs we have with Japan, you would perhaps realize that we may accidentally take offense to them because of a misunderstanding. Japan is a place where many people tend to be much more quieter than what Americans would be used to. With that said, the movie may still come to a dismay to most because it is very slow paced, characters are un-relatable, and the story drags longer than what people would ever imagine. I would like to try and help ease any frustrations that people may have with my thoughts by saying that the film's intention may affect those more who have actually experienced the same scenario. I have been to plenty of funerals to understand that we truly don't live forever, and that there may be a time where everyone's time is important. So why would the youth waste their time on the people that have just run out. Well, the film depicts just that when the old people are pretty much ignored and forgotten by their own blood relatives. The miraculous point in the film is that a stranger was by their side taking care of them. It can be said that the people who will be there for you as you get older or are dying will be someone who you do not even know. I have spoken to enough old people when I worked in the hospital and church to appreciate that they use to be people just like us with aspirations of their own. This film will be more appreciated by the elderly, because due to the slow pacing of the film, it helps to give time to reflect on your own life and what you have done.
8/10
#56 Do the Right Thing (12/1/12)
Dir. Spike Lee
1989
Do the Right Thing is definitely my favorite Spike Lee film to date, because it shows the intensity of emotion when you mix a hot day with a melting pot of people. It is a hot day in Brooklyn and heated tensions between groups become violent. This film directed by Spike Lee depicts a lot of rebellious youth, jealousy, and racism. The song played by Radio Raheen Fight the Power by Public Enemy makes a lot of references that are negative to John Wayne and Elvis Presley because of racism. There was an influential reference taken by Night of the Hunter with Radio Raheem's fists that show the words "Love" and "Hate". Spike also steals scenes from his own movie 25th hour. He has a unique way of shooting a scene by slanting the shot to reveal a confrontation. He also continues to cast actors like Ossie Davis, John Turturro, and his sister Joie Lee. Spike Lee himself stars in the film as Mookie who is a pizza delivery boy for a family of Italians. He continuously delivers a message that old people are not getting the respect they deserve from today’s youth. References of Bull Connor were shown when his idea of fire hosing people occurred. Another reference involving Tawana who made Al Sharpton known was made on the wall. The Mayor’s of New York City is prevalent throughout the film. The illegal choke move done by the police is restricted because of its lethal force. The mayors consisted of Rudy Giuliani who was Italian, Ed Kock who was Jewish, and David Dinkins who was African American. Symbolism and values in the film are very powerful in the attitudes and decisions the characters make. Misguided anger by the Black, Italian, and Korean community escalated the destruction of people’s life work. The ending is unlike any others because it reveals the complete truth that humanity is superficial and selfish. Despite that being true, there is still hope that "individuals" can listen to the mayor in the film and do the right thing as cliche as that sounds.
8.5/10
1989
Do the Right Thing is definitely my favorite Spike Lee film to date, because it shows the intensity of emotion when you mix a hot day with a melting pot of people. It is a hot day in Brooklyn and heated tensions between groups become violent. This film directed by Spike Lee depicts a lot of rebellious youth, jealousy, and racism. The song played by Radio Raheen Fight the Power by Public Enemy makes a lot of references that are negative to John Wayne and Elvis Presley because of racism. There was an influential reference taken by Night of the Hunter with Radio Raheem's fists that show the words "Love" and "Hate". Spike also steals scenes from his own movie 25th hour. He has a unique way of shooting a scene by slanting the shot to reveal a confrontation. He also continues to cast actors like Ossie Davis, John Turturro, and his sister Joie Lee. Spike Lee himself stars in the film as Mookie who is a pizza delivery boy for a family of Italians. He continuously delivers a message that old people are not getting the respect they deserve from today’s youth. References of Bull Connor were shown when his idea of fire hosing people occurred. Another reference involving Tawana who made Al Sharpton known was made on the wall. The Mayor’s of New York City is prevalent throughout the film. The illegal choke move done by the police is restricted because of its lethal force. The mayors consisted of Rudy Giuliani who was Italian, Ed Kock who was Jewish, and David Dinkins who was African American. Symbolism and values in the film are very powerful in the attitudes and decisions the characters make. Misguided anger by the Black, Italian, and Korean community escalated the destruction of people’s life work. The ending is unlike any others because it reveals the complete truth that humanity is superficial and selfish. Despite that being true, there is still hope that "individuals" can listen to the mayor in the film and do the right thing as cliche as that sounds.
8.5/10
#55 Boyz n the Hood (12/1/12)
Dir. John Singleton
1991
This film shows the actual truth of what really goes on in South Central Los Angeles. The main character Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) gets in trouble in school so his mother gives him away to his father to be taken care of in the suburbs. His father Furious Styles (Laurence Fishburne) raises him to be a well-respected man which keeps him away from trouble. The film comes from true life accounts John Singleton experienced showing the violence, poverty, and corruption that took place. It was quite sickening how a black police officer was racist to his own people, and encouraged the black community to murder each other. This is a great film that not only gives awareness to what goes on in the hood, but also does a splendid job to entertain. The movie did a great job to give us a sort of emotional attachment to some of the characters as they were growing up. Some moments were very intense and heartbreaking, but extremely necessary to tell a truthful tale rather than one that is sugar-coated. In truth, the loss of life in the hood is a wasteful endless cycle that leads nowhere.
8/10
1991
This film shows the actual truth of what really goes on in South Central Los Angeles. The main character Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) gets in trouble in school so his mother gives him away to his father to be taken care of in the suburbs. His father Furious Styles (Laurence Fishburne) raises him to be a well-respected man which keeps him away from trouble. The film comes from true life accounts John Singleton experienced showing the violence, poverty, and corruption that took place. It was quite sickening how a black police officer was racist to his own people, and encouraged the black community to murder each other. This is a great film that not only gives awareness to what goes on in the hood, but also does a splendid job to entertain. The movie did a great job to give us a sort of emotional attachment to some of the characters as they were growing up. Some moments were very intense and heartbreaking, but extremely necessary to tell a truthful tale rather than one that is sugar-coated. In truth, the loss of life in the hood is a wasteful endless cycle that leads nowhere.
8/10
#54 Rise of the Guardians (11/30/12)
Dir. Peter Ramsey
2012
This new world definitely puts life into perspective with some of the most awesome fairy tale creatures we have created through stories. An idea is so much more powerful than people think, because it has the ability to inspire. Especially through young kids, they can learn to grow up with a wonderful imagination or to be able to think freely for themselves. Rise of the Guardians is a fun film with a lot of diversity, but don't allow the character stereotypes to be offensive in any way. It offers a simple good vs. evil narrative that goes back to restoring balance in the world of dreams for children. What surprised me the most was the Jack Frost back story origin which gives meaning to the guardians' purpose in protecting kids. The film feels very fresh, but uses familiar references from cultural legends and myths. The decision to make Santa Clause Russian fit very well in explaining many stories. I loved the Matryoshka doll story even though it may seem a little silly to some in its reasoning. To introduce yetis into the mix with elves was a witty way to show many differences of classes in their society. (The elves are just slow!). Besides the unique differences of each individual character, the film overall was fun to watch and it experiments the crossing of great legends. Just like the Avengers, a super team called the Guardians shows what unity can do to banish a great evil.
8/10
2012
This new world definitely puts life into perspective with some of the most awesome fairy tale creatures we have created through stories. An idea is so much more powerful than people think, because it has the ability to inspire. Especially through young kids, they can learn to grow up with a wonderful imagination or to be able to think freely for themselves. Rise of the Guardians is a fun film with a lot of diversity, but don't allow the character stereotypes to be offensive in any way. It offers a simple good vs. evil narrative that goes back to restoring balance in the world of dreams for children. What surprised me the most was the Jack Frost back story origin which gives meaning to the guardians' purpose in protecting kids. The film feels very fresh, but uses familiar references from cultural legends and myths. The decision to make Santa Clause Russian fit very well in explaining many stories. I loved the Matryoshka doll story even though it may seem a little silly to some in its reasoning. To introduce yetis into the mix with elves was a witty way to show many differences of classes in their society. (The elves are just slow!). Besides the unique differences of each individual character, the film overall was fun to watch and it experiments the crossing of great legends. Just like the Avengers, a super team called the Guardians shows what unity can do to banish a great evil.
8/10
#53 Argo (11/29/12)
Dir. Ben Aflleck
2012
I've always been anxious to see this film, and learn another piece of history that our government was hiding from us. Argo is definitely one of those films that needed to be kept confidential, but I am sure Hollywood may have increased the suspense slightly higher than what actually went on. Nonetheless, the idea is a great one which tells a very interesting story. The style of the film is straight forward with the task at hand for expert operative Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) who must save lives of six Americans. The depiction of what goes on in Iran should give people insight of how dangerous it is out there. It is just sad that innocent people working in the embassy are targets for war as well. The interesting part of the film is Tony's game plan which at first is seen as a laughing matter to the U.S. government. The process shown in the film of how a production is made was done so well. The parody reference to Star Wars was enough to get me laughing obnoxiously. I just loved the costume design, artwork, and the general rip-off of the story which later shows the ignorance of this classic to foreign countries. Guts and faith is what the main character had to convince his team that his plan is full proof. To the real Tony Mendez who carried out this operation, he gets a high gratitude of respect from me for showing true passion in his work by putting his life on the line in order to help others. This film was a joy of rush that made my heartbeat move similar to roller-coasters that do somersaults.
8.5/10
2012
I've always been anxious to see this film, and learn another piece of history that our government was hiding from us. Argo is definitely one of those films that needed to be kept confidential, but I am sure Hollywood may have increased the suspense slightly higher than what actually went on. Nonetheless, the idea is a great one which tells a very interesting story. The style of the film is straight forward with the task at hand for expert operative Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) who must save lives of six Americans. The depiction of what goes on in Iran should give people insight of how dangerous it is out there. It is just sad that innocent people working in the embassy are targets for war as well. The interesting part of the film is Tony's game plan which at first is seen as a laughing matter to the U.S. government. The process shown in the film of how a production is made was done so well. The parody reference to Star Wars was enough to get me laughing obnoxiously. I just loved the costume design, artwork, and the general rip-off of the story which later shows the ignorance of this classic to foreign countries. Guts and faith is what the main character had to convince his team that his plan is full proof. To the real Tony Mendez who carried out this operation, he gets a high gratitude of respect from me for showing true passion in his work by putting his life on the line in order to help others. This film was a joy of rush that made my heartbeat move similar to roller-coasters that do somersaults.
8.5/10
#52 La Haine (11/27/12)
Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz
1995
Director Kassovitz work is unlike many French films, because he was driven to make movies he liked. His inspirations came from American pop culture. In many of the scenes, you can recognize these elements with the rooms of the characters with baseball pictures, Marilyn Monroe poster, and many more. One of the characters actually wears a Spider-Man t-shirt which I totally did not expect. He is heavily influenced especially in the scene when he does a Robert De Niro impression in front of the mirror.The story revolves around a group of three who lives in the suburbs, and are involved with a significant protest. The film was very controversial in its release, because of its portrayal of the police being violent, racist, and uncomprehending. Also, the film pretty much strayed from the trends of how most French films are made which are heritage film and cinema du look. It is quite obvious that not everyone will be quick to approve something that is different. At first, I believed the film to just be about a group of suburban kids who are much like the original ones we have in America who just watch television and cause trouble. In fact, the characters are more interesting and unique as the story unfolds after one of the characters finds a gun. The group experience inner conflict with themselves as well as each other, but learn to progress and make the right decision. Towards the end it becomes obvious of what the intention of the director was in his political agenda to bring awareness to the public about "Hate".
8.5/10
1995
Director Kassovitz work is unlike many French films, because he was driven to make movies he liked. His inspirations came from American pop culture. In many of the scenes, you can recognize these elements with the rooms of the characters with baseball pictures, Marilyn Monroe poster, and many more. One of the characters actually wears a Spider-Man t-shirt which I totally did not expect. He is heavily influenced especially in the scene when he does a Robert De Niro impression in front of the mirror.The story revolves around a group of three who lives in the suburbs, and are involved with a significant protest. The film was very controversial in its release, because of its portrayal of the police being violent, racist, and uncomprehending. Also, the film pretty much strayed from the trends of how most French films are made which are heritage film and cinema du look. It is quite obvious that not everyone will be quick to approve something that is different. At first, I believed the film to just be about a group of suburban kids who are much like the original ones we have in America who just watch television and cause trouble. In fact, the characters are more interesting and unique as the story unfolds after one of the characters finds a gun. The group experience inner conflict with themselves as well as each other, but learn to progress and make the right decision. Towards the end it becomes obvious of what the intention of the director was in his political agenda to bring awareness to the public about "Hate".
8.5/10
#51 Come and See (11/27/12)
Dir. Elem Klimov
1985
The film's title is from the Book of Revelations, referring to the summoning of witnesses to the devastation brought by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Interestingly in an interview, Klimov wished for the title to be named Kill Hitler which actually is a pretty accurate name to describe how the Byelorussians were feeling in this film. According to Francois Truffaut, "There is no such thing as an anti-war film" but this film is possibly the closest if any. The reason being that as soon as the nightmare starts, the film depicts every aspect of war in a very sickening way. The scenes do not look at all patriotic or heroic. Villages burned, dead corpses of innocent people, both sides are hit with a great blow and no one is a winner. Yes, this greatly depicts the human race in possibly the worst way possible, but it should serve as a reminder that humans are capable of committing evils that probably would not process in most people's minds. I can't even begin to describe what goes on in this film, because it might come to a shock to people who are not ready for it. I would try to think of it like the world got turned upside down, and people just all turned into the Batman's nemesis The Joker. The Nazi troops lead by Hitler see some of the most horrific acts to be pure comedy. Imagine someone points a gun to your head and laughs while you are on your knees as his friend takes a picture. There was a scene where the Nazi soldiers murdered everyone by setting them all in flames, but they would drag a bed with a confused old lady on it outside where it was safe. One of them would laugh and tell her to go procreate. This film definitely invoked a lot of powerful emotions in me, and I was completely awed with how they experimented with sound to get the distorted ringing effect. This was a superb film, and anyone who sees it will want to talk about it because it's one of those movies that get stuck in your head.
10/10
1985
The film's title is from the Book of Revelations, referring to the summoning of witnesses to the devastation brought by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Interestingly in an interview, Klimov wished for the title to be named Kill Hitler which actually is a pretty accurate name to describe how the Byelorussians were feeling in this film. According to Francois Truffaut, "There is no such thing as an anti-war film" but this film is possibly the closest if any. The reason being that as soon as the nightmare starts, the film depicts every aspect of war in a very sickening way. The scenes do not look at all patriotic or heroic. Villages burned, dead corpses of innocent people, both sides are hit with a great blow and no one is a winner. Yes, this greatly depicts the human race in possibly the worst way possible, but it should serve as a reminder that humans are capable of committing evils that probably would not process in most people's minds. I can't even begin to describe what goes on in this film, because it might come to a shock to people who are not ready for it. I would try to think of it like the world got turned upside down, and people just all turned into the Batman's nemesis The Joker. The Nazi troops lead by Hitler see some of the most horrific acts to be pure comedy. Imagine someone points a gun to your head and laughs while you are on your knees as his friend takes a picture. There was a scene where the Nazi soldiers murdered everyone by setting them all in flames, but they would drag a bed with a confused old lady on it outside where it was safe. One of them would laugh and tell her to go procreate. This film definitely invoked a lot of powerful emotions in me, and I was completely awed with how they experimented with sound to get the distorted ringing effect. This was a superb film, and anyone who sees it will want to talk about it because it's one of those movies that get stuck in your head.
10/10
#50 Night of the Hunter (11/26/12)
Dir. Charles Laughton
1955
The movie Night of the Hunter is a film adaptation of Davis Grubb’s novel which is inspired by the serial killer Harry Powers. It was Charles Laughton’s first noir classic film that he directed and the last. The film was a critical and box-office failure in its initial release, but was highly influential and praised by film critics. Many view this film as Charles Laughton’s masterpiece of horror, because of his ability to invoke a fear of uneasiness. He achieves this feeling of scary discomfort with his brilliant display in imagery and haunting sounds. The film is very complex in how it makes its audience feel, because in one way a scene will feel comical but at the same time be shockingly horrifying. Personally, I find the film graceful in telling a story within a world that is very surreal. It is very dream-like in a way that disguises the true reality of horrors with a calm reverberant nature we are unfamiliar with. The false prophet truly is one of the most terrifying figures in cinema even today. His deceptive nature and ability to manipulate weak minds makes a great point that true evil hides. Night of the Hunter succeeds in its genre of creating a complex world filled with intriguing insight and tendencies of human nature.
9/10
1955
The movie Night of the Hunter is a film adaptation of Davis Grubb’s novel which is inspired by the serial killer Harry Powers. It was Charles Laughton’s first noir classic film that he directed and the last. The film was a critical and box-office failure in its initial release, but was highly influential and praised by film critics. Many view this film as Charles Laughton’s masterpiece of horror, because of his ability to invoke a fear of uneasiness. He achieves this feeling of scary discomfort with his brilliant display in imagery and haunting sounds. The film is very complex in how it makes its audience feel, because in one way a scene will feel comical but at the same time be shockingly horrifying. Personally, I find the film graceful in telling a story within a world that is very surreal. It is very dream-like in a way that disguises the true reality of horrors with a calm reverberant nature we are unfamiliar with. The false prophet truly is one of the most terrifying figures in cinema even today. His deceptive nature and ability to manipulate weak minds makes a great point that true evil hides. Night of the Hunter succeeds in its genre of creating a complex world filled with intriguing insight and tendencies of human nature.
9/10
#49 Arsenal (11/25/12)
Dir. Aleksandr Dovzhenko
1928
The film Arsenal, Dovzhenko summarizes in his film the Ukrainian Revolution by showing the war of 1914 consisting of a miserable countryside and horrific war front, revolutionary fraternization, and mutineers returning home from a derailed train. There is a hostile invasion of the Bolshevik-controlled munitions plant in Kiev by nationalist forces. The same actor Semyon Sveshenko who played Timoshka in Zvenigora plays the same character Timosh in this sequel and is loyal to the Bolshevik side. During the end of the film when Timosh’s machine gun jams, he throws it to the side and stands tall against the enemy. The enemy shoots Timosh with three volleys, and begins to think he is wearing armor. When Timosh rips his shirt off showing no scratch, the enemy falls back and disappears. The representation of Timosh standing is a symbol of the working class’s vitality. The fighting between the groups show that everyone is a target including the innocent civilians who are caught up in the crossfire. There is a lot of confusion which gives the impression of turbulence, chaos, and impending catastrophe. The film takes on a very political role which is capable in deciphering a viewers’ political party by their reactions. If you are interested in Russian Civil War history, this film along with the other two films Zvenigora and Earth all relate to each other and are interesting pieces of film to see.
8/10
1928
The film Arsenal, Dovzhenko summarizes in his film the Ukrainian Revolution by showing the war of 1914 consisting of a miserable countryside and horrific war front, revolutionary fraternization, and mutineers returning home from a derailed train. There is a hostile invasion of the Bolshevik-controlled munitions plant in Kiev by nationalist forces. The same actor Semyon Sveshenko who played Timoshka in Zvenigora plays the same character Timosh in this sequel and is loyal to the Bolshevik side. During the end of the film when Timosh’s machine gun jams, he throws it to the side and stands tall against the enemy. The enemy shoots Timosh with three volleys, and begins to think he is wearing armor. When Timosh rips his shirt off showing no scratch, the enemy falls back and disappears. The representation of Timosh standing is a symbol of the working class’s vitality. The fighting between the groups show that everyone is a target including the innocent civilians who are caught up in the crossfire. There is a lot of confusion which gives the impression of turbulence, chaos, and impending catastrophe. The film takes on a very political role which is capable in deciphering a viewers’ political party by their reactions. If you are interested in Russian Civil War history, this film along with the other two films Zvenigora and Earth all relate to each other and are interesting pieces of film to see.
8/10
#48 Zvenigora (11/25/12)
Dir. Aleksandr Dovzhenko
1927
Zvenigora was a film that is recognized as a cinematic poem that is structured by dramatic conflict on the collision of two brothers. The main protagonist is an old grandfather who informs his two grandsons, the Bolshevik Timoshka and the nationalist Pavlo, about the legendary buried treasure located at a magic mountain called Zvenigora. Pavlo becomes greedy when he hears of the story which makes him turn his back on the revolution and leave for foreign parts, dreaming of quick riches. Timoshka on the other hand, decides to stay and fight for the revolution. The diabolical Pavlo who is now an adventurer, steals box-office receipts from a Prague theater occupied by people expecting to view his public suicide. Instead, he returns help with the nationalist struggle. Grandfather attempts to stop a train with a hammer, but fails to derail it. Afterwards, Pavlo shoots himself in the head and grandfather joins sides with his Bolshevik grandson. For the most part, the whole plot was creatively done by Dovzhenko because he himself was an artist and actually painted portraits. In order to really appreciate the film's story, you have to know what the real meaning behind the story is and knowing about the life of the director makes it all come together to make sense.
8/10
1927
Zvenigora was a film that is recognized as a cinematic poem that is structured by dramatic conflict on the collision of two brothers. The main protagonist is an old grandfather who informs his two grandsons, the Bolshevik Timoshka and the nationalist Pavlo, about the legendary buried treasure located at a magic mountain called Zvenigora. Pavlo becomes greedy when he hears of the story which makes him turn his back on the revolution and leave for foreign parts, dreaming of quick riches. Timoshka on the other hand, decides to stay and fight for the revolution. The diabolical Pavlo who is now an adventurer, steals box-office receipts from a Prague theater occupied by people expecting to view his public suicide. Instead, he returns help with the nationalist struggle. Grandfather attempts to stop a train with a hammer, but fails to derail it. Afterwards, Pavlo shoots himself in the head and grandfather joins sides with his Bolshevik grandson. For the most part, the whole plot was creatively done by Dovzhenko because he himself was an artist and actually painted portraits. In order to really appreciate the film's story, you have to know what the real meaning behind the story is and knowing about the life of the director makes it all come together to make sense.
8/10
#47 Viy (11/24/12)
Dir. Georgi Kropachyov & Dir. Konstantin Yershov
1967
Viy is one of the very-rare Soviet era horror films you can have the pleasure of viewing. Thankfully, a user named mosfilm on youtube is gracious enough to share the full-length movie with us. THANK YOU THANK YOU! The start of the film seemed really unnatural to me because milking a goat, and saying a prayer with a large religious group is not something you see on a normal day. I describe the film as spooky and strange. (In a good way!) The granny particularly reminds me of that common mysterious old person archetype you see in a lot of horror films. Not to be rude, but those characters stick out in the film because they have very unappealing features. When the guy in the scene makes fun of her, it leads to a classic silent stare down which to me is still effective in adding suspense to a horror thriller film. One of the characters talks comically to the weird character, but there is no response to be heard and not a clue of what will happen next. What happens next...I am quite positive would surprise anyone who views this film, it's very interesting...I love the effects along with the movement of what is going on in the screen. The circle scene with the reminiscent movement of miming intrigued me so much that I may just have to borrow that idea. This film gets an applaud from me by how well they made the film to be paranormal. For its time and even now, this film is still really good and people interested of this genre may also like Pan's Labyrinth but don't take my word for it. You're going to have watch the film for yourself and see how it makes you feel.
8.5/10
1967
Viy is one of the very-rare Soviet era horror films you can have the pleasure of viewing. Thankfully, a user named mosfilm on youtube is gracious enough to share the full-length movie with us. THANK YOU THANK YOU! The start of the film seemed really unnatural to me because milking a goat, and saying a prayer with a large religious group is not something you see on a normal day. I describe the film as spooky and strange. (In a good way!) The granny particularly reminds me of that common mysterious old person archetype you see in a lot of horror films. Not to be rude, but those characters stick out in the film because they have very unappealing features. When the guy in the scene makes fun of her, it leads to a classic silent stare down which to me is still effective in adding suspense to a horror thriller film. One of the characters talks comically to the weird character, but there is no response to be heard and not a clue of what will happen next. What happens next...I am quite positive would surprise anyone who views this film, it's very interesting...I love the effects along with the movement of what is going on in the screen. The circle scene with the reminiscent movement of miming intrigued me so much that I may just have to borrow that idea. This film gets an applaud from me by how well they made the film to be paranormal. For its time and even now, this film is still really good and people interested of this genre may also like Pan's Labyrinth but don't take my word for it. You're going to have watch the film for yourself and see how it makes you feel.
8.5/10
#46 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (11/24/12)
Dir. Milos Forman
1975
Nicholson's performance in this film is one of my favorites, and I still believe him to be the best Joker when it comes to a super sane villain. Early in the film, we see how disorderly to society he is by trying to prove his logic with rape, getting into fights, and sleeping with a minor. The mental institution where he is to be corrected includes a variety of characters with very diverse personalities that relate to mental disorders. I was actually surprised to see Christopher Lloyd playing a character with a mental illness named Taber, and Danny Devito as Martini. Nicholson's character R.P. McMurphy is a very outspoken person that has qualities of an encouraging leader. The scene when McMurphy is teaching the Native American Chief Bromden to shoot a basketball really depicts his persistence and attitude. Nicholson was completely hilarious to me when he rode on Bancini's back, because of the seriousness of everyone else around him while he invokes his care-free nature. McMurphy possesses a quality that helps the other patients to muster up courage to speak up for themselves. By just being himself, he is looked at as an inspirational hero towards the people with mental disorders but a nuisance to Nurse Ratched who is a symbol for the system. In the scene where he attempts to lift a sink, he inevitably and utterly fails but speaks out to a speechless crowd saying, "At least I tried...". McMurphy gained the trust of others with his charisma, and is also humbled in learning the secret about the Chief who no one else has knowledge of. Billy Bibbit who stutters, and lies about his confident actions in a discussion, finally is given confidence with a girl because of McMurphy. The antagonist Nurse Ratched crushes Billy's confidence afterwards which leads to a series of unfortunate events. The events with the world series, going on a boat to fish, and having a party at night were all experiences which McMurphy wanted to share in order to help the patients. Many of his actions did help to make the patients realize what they want, and that they should not allow anyone to suppress their happiness. The Chief helps McMurphy to escape any further torture, and he himself escapes the institution he was held.
9/10
1975
Nicholson's performance in this film is one of my favorites, and I still believe him to be the best Joker when it comes to a super sane villain. Early in the film, we see how disorderly to society he is by trying to prove his logic with rape, getting into fights, and sleeping with a minor. The mental institution where he is to be corrected includes a variety of characters with very diverse personalities that relate to mental disorders. I was actually surprised to see Christopher Lloyd playing a character with a mental illness named Taber, and Danny Devito as Martini. Nicholson's character R.P. McMurphy is a very outspoken person that has qualities of an encouraging leader. The scene when McMurphy is teaching the Native American Chief Bromden to shoot a basketball really depicts his persistence and attitude. Nicholson was completely hilarious to me when he rode on Bancini's back, because of the seriousness of everyone else around him while he invokes his care-free nature. McMurphy possesses a quality that helps the other patients to muster up courage to speak up for themselves. By just being himself, he is looked at as an inspirational hero towards the people with mental disorders but a nuisance to Nurse Ratched who is a symbol for the system. In the scene where he attempts to lift a sink, he inevitably and utterly fails but speaks out to a speechless crowd saying, "At least I tried...". McMurphy gained the trust of others with his charisma, and is also humbled in learning the secret about the Chief who no one else has knowledge of. Billy Bibbit who stutters, and lies about his confident actions in a discussion, finally is given confidence with a girl because of McMurphy. The antagonist Nurse Ratched crushes Billy's confidence afterwards which leads to a series of unfortunate events. The events with the world series, going on a boat to fish, and having a party at night were all experiences which McMurphy wanted to share in order to help the patients. Many of his actions did help to make the patients realize what they want, and that they should not allow anyone to suppress their happiness. The Chief helps McMurphy to escape any further torture, and he himself escapes the institution he was held.
9/10
#45 Holy Motors (11/24/12)
Dir. Leos Carax
2012
This is one of the most daring films I have seen this year which explores a bizarre chain of events that is full of mystery. I came into the movie with a very clear head, and never assumed what would happen next. The camera at most times focuses on Denis Lavant because he is clearly set as the star. My observations have come to make me think that the "rules of the universe" are much more complicated than what the audience will initially think. Through the dialogue and many specific scenarios, it highlights the social media, the audience, and the film industry. The film may be a message of showing how individual's interpret the world. The scene when the main character Oscar and his limousine driver laugh hysterically after re-enacting a typical bird chase scene shows the understanding of the cyclical nature of the world and how it repeats itself. A powerful scene when Oscar had an "appointment" with his daughter, and he tells her that her punishment will be to live with "being herself" for the rest of her life captures the pressures of social influence and expectations still existent today. Of course, nobody will admit to being fake, but the way life is set forces individuals to wear masks and adhere to the rest of society. The complexity of the film requires a tedious analysis in order to give the film justice. I personally felt inspired and enlightened by this film because it reminds me of what art is and its significance to the expression of human existence. Think of it as unpredictable like the big bang, moments of the film radically explode with a rush that purposefully pushes an audience out of their comfort zone. There is a lot of beauty in this film, but one must be willing to embrace the insanity that is thrown at them.
8.5/10
2012
This is one of the most daring films I have seen this year which explores a bizarre chain of events that is full of mystery. I came into the movie with a very clear head, and never assumed what would happen next. The camera at most times focuses on Denis Lavant because he is clearly set as the star. My observations have come to make me think that the "rules of the universe" are much more complicated than what the audience will initially think. Through the dialogue and many specific scenarios, it highlights the social media, the audience, and the film industry. The film may be a message of showing how individual's interpret the world. The scene when the main character Oscar and his limousine driver laugh hysterically after re-enacting a typical bird chase scene shows the understanding of the cyclical nature of the world and how it repeats itself. A powerful scene when Oscar had an "appointment" with his daughter, and he tells her that her punishment will be to live with "being herself" for the rest of her life captures the pressures of social influence and expectations still existent today. Of course, nobody will admit to being fake, but the way life is set forces individuals to wear masks and adhere to the rest of society. The complexity of the film requires a tedious analysis in order to give the film justice. I personally felt inspired and enlightened by this film because it reminds me of what art is and its significance to the expression of human existence. Think of it as unpredictable like the big bang, moments of the film radically explode with a rush that purposefully pushes an audience out of their comfort zone. There is a lot of beauty in this film, but one must be willing to embrace the insanity that is thrown at them.
8.5/10
#44 House on the End of the Street (11/23/12)
Dir. Mark Tonderai
2012
Generally when a trailer is revealed to be really good, the actual movie becomes an unsatisfying time spent. Fear not! I have no regrets, because Jennifer Lawrence was the one who attracted me to view this film initially. First off, I really enjoyed her acting ability in this one, and surprisingly the other characters as well. Although, the film does the actors no justice by feeding them with a script that is very limited. The start of the film was decent, and Jennifer Lawrence is great as usual but there was literally no suspense factor in the film. I felt as if I was watching a horror movie where the killer lost his knife. It's like if Carrie had no telekinesis or if Jaws lost his teeth...you get the point. Nothing appealing really jumped at me because the film looked too typical. There was nothing executed really well to make me care about this film.
6/10
2012
Generally when a trailer is revealed to be really good, the actual movie becomes an unsatisfying time spent. Fear not! I have no regrets, because Jennifer Lawrence was the one who attracted me to view this film initially. First off, I really enjoyed her acting ability in this one, and surprisingly the other characters as well. Although, the film does the actors no justice by feeding them with a script that is very limited. The start of the film was decent, and Jennifer Lawrence is great as usual but there was literally no suspense factor in the film. I felt as if I was watching a horror movie where the killer lost his knife. It's like if Carrie had no telekinesis or if Jaws lost his teeth...you get the point. Nothing appealing really jumped at me because the film looked too typical. There was nothing executed really well to make me care about this film.
6/10
#43 Silent Hill: Revelation
Dir. Michael J. Bassett
2012
PYRAMID HEAD! This film definitely attracts fan boys, and does achieve great success in making itself feel like the video game. It was just as I expected, and the effects looked really amazing in a supernatural way. The appearances of many of the Silent Hill creatures were awesome, and it had plenty of sequences to get the audience jumping in a balanced manner. I would say the film does help in explaining itself for viewers not familiar with the franchise. The scene when the surgeons brought the traitor to the operating room with the psycho nurses inside was classic. I tend to hold my breath and not blink during scenes like these because you might miss the part when they sporadically jump on the people. Watching films in a movie theater with a live audience is the best because it gives the film more substance and enjoyment for films like these. I know every time Pyramid Head would make an appearance, that I would not be the only one who would freak out. This film really captures what Silent Hill should feel by making the characters, background, and music show a dark empty suffering. The whole main idea for why there is evil in the first place is because humanity itself does not have a clean reflection.
8/10
2012
PYRAMID HEAD! This film definitely attracts fan boys, and does achieve great success in making itself feel like the video game. It was just as I expected, and the effects looked really amazing in a supernatural way. The appearances of many of the Silent Hill creatures were awesome, and it had plenty of sequences to get the audience jumping in a balanced manner. I would say the film does help in explaining itself for viewers not familiar with the franchise. The scene when the surgeons brought the traitor to the operating room with the psycho nurses inside was classic. I tend to hold my breath and not blink during scenes like these because you might miss the part when they sporadically jump on the people. Watching films in a movie theater with a live audience is the best because it gives the film more substance and enjoyment for films like these. I know every time Pyramid Head would make an appearance, that I would not be the only one who would freak out. This film really captures what Silent Hill should feel by making the characters, background, and music show a dark empty suffering. The whole main idea for why there is evil in the first place is because humanity itself does not have a clean reflection.
8/10
#42 The Lovers on the Bridge (11/20/12)
Dir. Leos Carax
1991
The Lovers on the Bridge is a great film that really touches on the human emotion between two characters that are literally on a bridge. Interestingly, Director Leos Carax created the film very personally which included ideas with a lot of meaning in an original stylistic way. In his biography, it notes that as a teenager he would write short stories to impress a girl who he really had an attraction for. Generally, his themes for his films was the "folly of love" which always focused on a young couple. The film is an artistic piece that uses many elements of surrealism and expressionism. If you watch many of Leos Carax's films, interpreting any of his films are highly subjective to how you are feeling personally. The best moment or key scene is an explosion of feelings that is impossible to miss unless you are in a very deep sleep. (Namely because it is the loudest scene and very flashy.). The music accompanying the film is very precise and actually has a patented name under it called "Caraxysm". The actor Denis Lavant gave a spectacular performance alongside Juliette Binoche that defines us as people. I felt a lot of compassion for these characters as they took me through a wondrous journey seeking the desire for love.
10/10
1991
The Lovers on the Bridge is a great film that really touches on the human emotion between two characters that are literally on a bridge. Interestingly, Director Leos Carax created the film very personally which included ideas with a lot of meaning in an original stylistic way. In his biography, it notes that as a teenager he would write short stories to impress a girl who he really had an attraction for. Generally, his themes for his films was the "folly of love" which always focused on a young couple. The film is an artistic piece that uses many elements of surrealism and expressionism. If you watch many of Leos Carax's films, interpreting any of his films are highly subjective to how you are feeling personally. The best moment or key scene is an explosion of feelings that is impossible to miss unless you are in a very deep sleep. (Namely because it is the loudest scene and very flashy.). The music accompanying the film is very precise and actually has a patented name under it called "Caraxysm". The actor Denis Lavant gave a spectacular performance alongside Juliette Binoche that defines us as people. I felt a lot of compassion for these characters as they took me through a wondrous journey seeking the desire for love.
10/10
#41 Larisa (11/20/12)
Dir. Elem Kilmov
1980
I find it very inspiring when a husband makes a loving film tribute in memory of his wife who was a great Russian filmmaker. It pains me to see great people like Larisa Shepitko die in a car accident at the age of 41. Shepitko was a prized student at VGIK who made a feature film called Heat as her final project, and the film was fairly well-received. Just around graduation she married Elem Klimov who is also a director at VGIK. Shepitko was creating a film based on Valentin Rasputin's novel Farewell to Matyora before she passed away. Shepitko along with her production designer, and camera operator were killed in the crash. Within every frame, you can just about get the sense of Director Klimov's tears because he is truly devastated by this tragedy. I really get the feels for him, and believe that his use of montage to reflect personally on his loss makes me feel a deep melancholy, but at the same time glorify the film.
10/10
1980
I find it very inspiring when a husband makes a loving film tribute in memory of his wife who was a great Russian filmmaker. It pains me to see great people like Larisa Shepitko die in a car accident at the age of 41. Shepitko was a prized student at VGIK who made a feature film called Heat as her final project, and the film was fairly well-received. Just around graduation she married Elem Klimov who is also a director at VGIK. Shepitko was creating a film based on Valentin Rasputin's novel Farewell to Matyora before she passed away. Shepitko along with her production designer, and camera operator were killed in the crash. Within every frame, you can just about get the sense of Director Klimov's tears because he is truly devastated by this tragedy. I really get the feels for him, and believe that his use of montage to reflect personally on his loss makes me feel a deep melancholy, but at the same time glorify the film.
10/10
#40 Menace II Society (11/19/12)
Dir. Allen Hughes & Dir. Albert Hughes
1993
The actual film that was suppose to screen in my class was called The Night of the Hunter. Unfortunately, the player was having difficulties reading the blu-ray disc so this film became the alternative. Indeed it is a much more modern film to relate, but ghetto black society is a different culture of its own that many people are unaware of. The many motifs of the film revolve around life being a cycle. The film is a parable that explains that there is no lesson learned in the film, and that it is all an endless loop. If the beginning of the film does not catch your attention right away, then it might be likely that you're not human. The violence in this film is explained within the narrator's perspective (Caine) who is revealed to be mentally conflicted with himself. His best friend O-Dog is a reckless care-free individual who would murder anyone just to get what he wants, and not feel an inch of despair about it. Violence is shown to be inescapable. and there are victims on all sides. The point is, many films follow a strict guide of moral principles that the "good" will always survive and persevere. With this film, the Hughes brothers state that those lessons are all lies and that the "bad" people like O-Dog end up being the one that lives on. This mindset is shared with the well known director Sergio Leone which breaks out of archetypal roles. Another scene which is unexpected, is when the Hispanic gang finds the two main characters dropped off in their territory by the cops and calls the ambulance. In a way, they way the film truthfully depicts the lives of this culture is very depressing due to its lack of ambition. I do understand this culture, because I had to live in a similar environment while I was attending school and the reality is rough. The film reminds me of a sickening letter the "KKK" made which thanked the ghetto society for doing their job for them and "cleansing" the population much more faster than they had ever done.
8/10
1993
The actual film that was suppose to screen in my class was called The Night of the Hunter. Unfortunately, the player was having difficulties reading the blu-ray disc so this film became the alternative. Indeed it is a much more modern film to relate, but ghetto black society is a different culture of its own that many people are unaware of. The many motifs of the film revolve around life being a cycle. The film is a parable that explains that there is no lesson learned in the film, and that it is all an endless loop. If the beginning of the film does not catch your attention right away, then it might be likely that you're not human. The violence in this film is explained within the narrator's perspective (Caine) who is revealed to be mentally conflicted with himself. His best friend O-Dog is a reckless care-free individual who would murder anyone just to get what he wants, and not feel an inch of despair about it. Violence is shown to be inescapable. and there are victims on all sides. The point is, many films follow a strict guide of moral principles that the "good" will always survive and persevere. With this film, the Hughes brothers state that those lessons are all lies and that the "bad" people like O-Dog end up being the one that lives on. This mindset is shared with the well known director Sergio Leone which breaks out of archetypal roles. Another scene which is unexpected, is when the Hispanic gang finds the two main characters dropped off in their territory by the cops and calls the ambulance. In a way, they way the film truthfully depicts the lives of this culture is very depressing due to its lack of ambition. I do understand this culture, because I had to live in a similar environment while I was attending school and the reality is rough. The film reminds me of a sickening letter the "KKK" made which thanked the ghetto society for doing their job for them and "cleansing" the population much more faster than they had ever done.
8/10
#39 Twilight Breaking Dawn (11/18/12)
Dir. Bill Condon
2012
During times like these, it makes me wish I had my very own legit Magneto helmet. I swear I was mind-controlled to go see this film, but there is no undoing what is done. I have not seen the previous films, or read the book to really understand and give an unbiased review. So I can point out things that I particularly liked about the film, and talk about the painful experiences I had with certain scenes. First off, I thought the camera work was actually pretty darn good in capturing great shots inside and out of the house. The close-ups looked very intriguing, although it did seem to make itself "sparkle" many times just to look pretty. Now, I did not enjoy the first 20 minutes of the film where it felt like one of those sappy sitcoms, but with vampires acting ever so flamboyantly. You start to get a sense of Stephenie Meyer's fantasy, and obsession with sparkly vampires. She also brings up a topic between age differences where Jacob is a pedophile with the baby. Again, I don't mean to be so negative but certain things need to be addressed for a healthy discussion of how wrong that is. I felt I was the only one bothered when the sex scene between Edward and Bella started to literally SPARKLE! My apologies for these spoilers, but I believe it was completely unnecessary that they added that! We learn of Bella's powers which is very significant throughout the film, because the protagonists would be completely doomed without her. I thought the scenes where she shows off her new powers were very interesting which did get me excited for the long awaited battle scene. Not to be even more of a hater, but I knew it was too good to be true when I started to feel satisfied with the film becoming grim during the battle scene. Of course, Stephenie Meyer comes up with a "happy ending" where you can have your cake and eat it too. But really think about who she picked to not be able to experience the same ending as everyone else. Perhaps, she is racist towards Asian people, but you be the judge of that.
5/10
2012
During times like these, it makes me wish I had my very own legit Magneto helmet. I swear I was mind-controlled to go see this film, but there is no undoing what is done. I have not seen the previous films, or read the book to really understand and give an unbiased review. So I can point out things that I particularly liked about the film, and talk about the painful experiences I had with certain scenes. First off, I thought the camera work was actually pretty darn good in capturing great shots inside and out of the house. The close-ups looked very intriguing, although it did seem to make itself "sparkle" many times just to look pretty. Now, I did not enjoy the first 20 minutes of the film where it felt like one of those sappy sitcoms, but with vampires acting ever so flamboyantly. You start to get a sense of Stephenie Meyer's fantasy, and obsession with sparkly vampires. She also brings up a topic between age differences where Jacob is a pedophile with the baby. Again, I don't mean to be so negative but certain things need to be addressed for a healthy discussion of how wrong that is. I felt I was the only one bothered when the sex scene between Edward and Bella started to literally SPARKLE! My apologies for these spoilers, but I believe it was completely unnecessary that they added that! We learn of Bella's powers which is very significant throughout the film, because the protagonists would be completely doomed without her. I thought the scenes where she shows off her new powers were very interesting which did get me excited for the long awaited battle scene. Not to be even more of a hater, but I knew it was too good to be true when I started to feel satisfied with the film becoming grim during the battle scene. Of course, Stephenie Meyer comes up with a "happy ending" where you can have your cake and eat it too. But really think about who she picked to not be able to experience the same ending as everyone else. Perhaps, she is racist towards Asian people, but you be the judge of that.
5/10
#38 Jaws (11/17/12)
Dir. Steven Spielberg
1975
This is by far one of the best films ever made fitting the genre of horror/thriller. It is thanks to Spielberg's powerful techniques that the film is much more terrifying, and visually informative. There is a reason why snuff films just give people a sickening feeling over an exciting rush. Seeing the actual killing or the killer ruins the fearful surprise, hence the element of surprise being essential. It is much scarier, and a complete nightmare when a person knows about the horror, but is tentative about it. For example, the main character Brody was uncomfortable, and distracted at the beach as he conversed with people. A girl struggling in the water would make him feel very tense, but it was just her boyfriend playing around under the water. When he finally is relaxed, the horror strikes inconveniently for him which can be mentally scarring to see. Perhaps, he felt a sort of post-traumatic stress disorder with the way he conducted himself at his home. Just viewing the immense strength of the shark as it pulls the wooden beach structure and rips off the metal chain is frightening enough. Spielberg captured a theme of xenophobia illustrated by a killer shark that was powerfully fitting in making the movie a fantastic horror thriller.
10/10
1975
This is by far one of the best films ever made fitting the genre of horror/thriller. It is thanks to Spielberg's powerful techniques that the film is much more terrifying, and visually informative. There is a reason why snuff films just give people a sickening feeling over an exciting rush. Seeing the actual killing or the killer ruins the fearful surprise, hence the element of surprise being essential. It is much scarier, and a complete nightmare when a person knows about the horror, but is tentative about it. For example, the main character Brody was uncomfortable, and distracted at the beach as he conversed with people. A girl struggling in the water would make him feel very tense, but it was just her boyfriend playing around under the water. When he finally is relaxed, the horror strikes inconveniently for him which can be mentally scarring to see. Perhaps, he felt a sort of post-traumatic stress disorder with the way he conducted himself at his home. Just viewing the immense strength of the shark as it pulls the wooden beach structure and rips off the metal chain is frightening enough. Spielberg captured a theme of xenophobia illustrated by a killer shark that was powerfully fitting in making the movie a fantastic horror thriller.
10/10
#37 Diva (11/14/12)
Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix
1981
This film appears in the "NEW New Wave" of French cinema, but I like to simply say it is a "different" film than any other previous works. The freshness of the film at the time would be how it incorporated opera into cinema. I definitely can see how the popular film Fifth Element is influenced by this piece of work. Elements of this film have indeed improved, but they certainly would never exist if this film had not preceded those future films. The story is not straight forward like most French films where there is no point A to B, but just the suspense of what will happen next carries the film forward. In my opinion, the film's greatest strengths are its visuals with the way the camera covers interesting shots that have an artistic feel. I am envious of France of course, because the country is so beautiful that just about every corner of the place makes its inhabitants feel as if they are living in a movie. Well, the mailman carrier Jules who is also an opera fan gets tangled in very dangerous affairs involving a tape. Besides the so many interesting characters like the two Parisian mob killers, African Opera singer, and Asian teenage thief that are introduced, the cool friend of the thief interested me the most. Gorodish speaks very intellectually about life in terms of ascending space. He is a complete stranger to Jules, but we are never truly certain if he can be trusted. How he handles matters seems very just and full of results on both ends. I thought of the films Law Abiding Citizen and Saw which I strongly believe took influence to this character. On a less serious note, the short Parisian killer that rarely talks humored me because I could not take him seriously in the film. He struck me as a hyperbole of the Terminator, but he actually gets the job done pretty efficiently. The ending of the film seemed to be a great conclusion to the way Dir. Beineix thinks. The focus on the Diva, Cynthia Hawkins, helped to emphasize "space" where everything around what was being focused had no real significance especially when they cannot be seen. We are fooled that there is an applauding audience by Jules who plays a tape of the Diva singing in order to apologize for his theft.
8/10
1981
This film appears in the "NEW New Wave" of French cinema, but I like to simply say it is a "different" film than any other previous works. The freshness of the film at the time would be how it incorporated opera into cinema. I definitely can see how the popular film Fifth Element is influenced by this piece of work. Elements of this film have indeed improved, but they certainly would never exist if this film had not preceded those future films. The story is not straight forward like most French films where there is no point A to B, but just the suspense of what will happen next carries the film forward. In my opinion, the film's greatest strengths are its visuals with the way the camera covers interesting shots that have an artistic feel. I am envious of France of course, because the country is so beautiful that just about every corner of the place makes its inhabitants feel as if they are living in a movie. Well, the mailman carrier Jules who is also an opera fan gets tangled in very dangerous affairs involving a tape. Besides the so many interesting characters like the two Parisian mob killers, African Opera singer, and Asian teenage thief that are introduced, the cool friend of the thief interested me the most. Gorodish speaks very intellectually about life in terms of ascending space. He is a complete stranger to Jules, but we are never truly certain if he can be trusted. How he handles matters seems very just and full of results on both ends. I thought of the films Law Abiding Citizen and Saw which I strongly believe took influence to this character. On a less serious note, the short Parisian killer that rarely talks humored me because I could not take him seriously in the film. He struck me as a hyperbole of the Terminator, but he actually gets the job done pretty efficiently. The ending of the film seemed to be a great conclusion to the way Dir. Beineix thinks. The focus on the Diva, Cynthia Hawkins, helped to emphasize "space" where everything around what was being focused had no real significance especially when they cannot be seen. We are fooled that there is an applauding audience by Jules who plays a tape of the Diva singing in order to apologize for his theft.
8/10
#36 Wings (11/14/12)
Dir. Larisa Shepitko
1966
Wings heavily reminded me of one of my favorite episodes of Twilight Zone called A Stop At Willoughby. Distinct similarities would be that the main character feels that they have no place in society. They are not truly happy with their life, and eventually commit suicide. Both ways of how they depict suicide was elegant, and done in an imaginative manner. (By no means do I condone suicide!). The main character Nadezhda Petrovna was once a famous female fighter pilot, but now comes to the civilian world where she is unable to relate with anyone. Nadezhda ends up feeling alone in the world, because she has no one who has experienced war like her. As a head principal, the students don't care about her or even respect her. Shots show her in locked narrow spaces, but in a plane flying around the sky is when she feels free. It is easy to understand why the film was not received positively, because a symbolic figure of Russia has to be depicted strong in order to represent the country properly. If she is shown falling apart, it would ruin the image of the people's hero. The ending is very grim to the audience, but in my opinion is open to debate. For Ms. Petrovna, it may have been her only way to find happiness but for everyone else they view it as a tragic loss.
8/10
1966
Wings heavily reminded me of one of my favorite episodes of Twilight Zone called A Stop At Willoughby. Distinct similarities would be that the main character feels that they have no place in society. They are not truly happy with their life, and eventually commit suicide. Both ways of how they depict suicide was elegant, and done in an imaginative manner. (By no means do I condone suicide!). The main character Nadezhda Petrovna was once a famous female fighter pilot, but now comes to the civilian world where she is unable to relate with anyone. Nadezhda ends up feeling alone in the world, because she has no one who has experienced war like her. As a head principal, the students don't care about her or even respect her. Shots show her in locked narrow spaces, but in a plane flying around the sky is when she feels free. It is easy to understand why the film was not received positively, because a symbolic figure of Russia has to be depicted strong in order to represent the country properly. If she is shown falling apart, it would ruin the image of the people's hero. The ending is very grim to the audience, but in my opinion is open to debate. For Ms. Petrovna, it may have been her only way to find happiness but for everyone else they view it as a tragic loss.
8/10
#35 The Graduate (11/10/12)
Dir. Mike Nichols
1967
I was able to relate with the main character Ben in "The Graduate". The scene when Mrs. Robinson requests a ride from Ben shows how stiff and worried he feels. (Character defined by action.) He is an innocent individual who apologizes heavily for his actions like when he draws conclusions of Mrs. Robinson seducing him. I found it very ambiguous, and difficult to tell if the character is feeling one way or the other. When Mrs. Robinson directly asks if Benjamin would like her to seduce him, he gets emotionally panicked because he figures out she is completely serious. At the end of the film, Ben finally takes a stand but massacres a holy wedding in the process. I feel for development purposes, it shows a great example of the main character pursuing his interests and not compromising. His decision to be involved in an affair is unethical, but it goes along with life in making any decision for yourself.
Update* 1/29/13
I have realized what had made me uncomfortable with this film has helped to enlighten my perception about the world. Perhaps, my adamant behavior against adultery had blinded me from enjoying this film at all back then, because I was too focused emotionally. This film has ended up being one of my favorites now, and I am still a big fan of Dustin Hoffman. I realize that the film's intention does its job so well to dive into deep waters concerning adultery. Other than that, it gives us a character we can empathize for because we have all been in his shoes one point or another. I absolutely loved the music used in the film, and I can say that I just get lost with infatuation during the "sound of silence."
9/10
1967
I was able to relate with the main character Ben in "The Graduate". The scene when Mrs. Robinson requests a ride from Ben shows how stiff and worried he feels. (Character defined by action.) He is an innocent individual who apologizes heavily for his actions like when he draws conclusions of Mrs. Robinson seducing him. I found it very ambiguous, and difficult to tell if the character is feeling one way or the other. When Mrs. Robinson directly asks if Benjamin would like her to seduce him, he gets emotionally panicked because he figures out she is completely serious. At the end of the film, Ben finally takes a stand but massacres a holy wedding in the process. I feel for development purposes, it shows a great example of the main character pursuing his interests and not compromising. His decision to be involved in an affair is unethical, but it goes along with life in making any decision for yourself.
Update* 1/29/13
I have realized what had made me uncomfortable with this film has helped to enlighten my perception about the world. Perhaps, my adamant behavior against adultery had blinded me from enjoying this film at all back then, because I was too focused emotionally. This film has ended up being one of my favorites now, and I am still a big fan of Dustin Hoffman. I realize that the film's intention does its job so well to dive into deep waters concerning adultery. Other than that, it gives us a character we can empathize for because we have all been in his shoes one point or another. I absolutely loved the music used in the film, and I can say that I just get lost with infatuation during the "sound of silence."
9/10
#34 Wreck-It Ralph (11/9/12)
Dir. Rich Moore
2012
This is hands down the best animated film of 2012. FACT! Looking back, the many films to incorporate familiar video games I can think of would be The Wizard and Scott Pilgrim. Perhaps, directors feel it is too much of a risk to make movies that would only be geared to a particular audience and end up losing more than they make. Wreck It Ralph is a film that a mature audience along with children can enjoy. I laughed so much at the movies that I believe the kids were staring at me with a bewildered look, because they were not catching on to the allusions. The film was also very touching, and made you want to invest sympathy for particular characters. I know a kid in the audience fell in love with the character Vanelope, because he started crying and screaming for his mom to make it stop when that scene of her dreams literally getting smashed appeared. Misunderstood characters are my favorite when it comes to investing time on their stories because it is so much different then the stereotypical roles of the hero. I will say that I loved the message of "being yourself" because it promotes open-mindedness and tolerance. I feel that the people who hate on this film have not watched the movie all the way through, and are incapable of tolerating a different aspect in the world. What this film does wonders for is the nostalgia of video games that fans can appreciate throughout.
10/10
2012
This is hands down the best animated film of 2012. FACT! Looking back, the many films to incorporate familiar video games I can think of would be The Wizard and Scott Pilgrim. Perhaps, directors feel it is too much of a risk to make movies that would only be geared to a particular audience and end up losing more than they make. Wreck It Ralph is a film that a mature audience along with children can enjoy. I laughed so much at the movies that I believe the kids were staring at me with a bewildered look, because they were not catching on to the allusions. The film was also very touching, and made you want to invest sympathy for particular characters. I know a kid in the audience fell in love with the character Vanelope, because he started crying and screaming for his mom to make it stop when that scene of her dreams literally getting smashed appeared. Misunderstood characters are my favorite when it comes to investing time on their stories because it is so much different then the stereotypical roles of the hero. I will say that I loved the message of "being yourself" because it promotes open-mindedness and tolerance. I feel that the people who hate on this film have not watched the movie all the way through, and are incapable of tolerating a different aspect in the world. What this film does wonders for is the nostalgia of video games that fans can appreciate throughout.
10/10
#33 Paperman (11/9/12)
Dir. John Kahrs
2012
This short film amazed me in representing the idea that actions speak louder than words. I found it ironic that the main character used paper which was a medium for words in order to strike an action. The film uses a great sense of imagination to tell a simple story of a guy who does not feel self-fulfilled in his life. He finds a spark of interest (girl who left a kiss on one of his papers) that shows he is able to "feel" again in his life. This motivation is enough to help him feel determined in meeting her again which by fateful chance, he is given the opportunity in a distant barrier. Of course Disney films always are optimistic, and give the hero a happy ending every time. Despite my pessimistic view of the world at times, I do believe that individuals are entitled to experiencing love and feeling happy because life is difficult to live through with so many hardships pulling us down. The world somehow undergoes homeostasis whether it be in our dreams, or real life in order to help us get closer to equilibrium. (world making sense through a significant other.) We will never be in the middle completely, that is why we call it balance.
10/10
2012
This short film amazed me in representing the idea that actions speak louder than words. I found it ironic that the main character used paper which was a medium for words in order to strike an action. The film uses a great sense of imagination to tell a simple story of a guy who does not feel self-fulfilled in his life. He finds a spark of interest (girl who left a kiss on one of his papers) that shows he is able to "feel" again in his life. This motivation is enough to help him feel determined in meeting her again which by fateful chance, he is given the opportunity in a distant barrier. Of course Disney films always are optimistic, and give the hero a happy ending every time. Despite my pessimistic view of the world at times, I do believe that individuals are entitled to experiencing love and feeling happy because life is difficult to live through with so many hardships pulling us down. The world somehow undergoes homeostasis whether it be in our dreams, or real life in order to help us get closer to equilibrium. (world making sense through a significant other.) We will never be in the middle completely, that is why we call it balance.
10/10
#32 Hiroshima Mon Amour(11/6/12)
Dir. Alain Resnais
1959
Director Resnais really does make some great documentaries, and this film definitely was interesting by evolving from a strict documentary style. At first, I was wondering why the sudden narrative with the film, but I got my question answered in an interview I saw. Apparently, Director Resnais never planned for this film to be longer than 30 minutes, but just grew bit by bit until it hit 90 minutes. His explanation is that he has no explanation for his own film. The viewer must come with a solution that may satisfy him, because Resnais's opinion is apparently not important like every other spectator. I personally am intrigued by his way of thinking, because he lets his films become a work of art that is subjective to every viewer. So in turn, this film is definitely not for everyone and also may upset an abundant amount of people who are use to spoon-fed narratives. What I admire most about Director Resnais is his humble attitude in not taking credit as an auteur, and giving credit where is needed. He simply suggest that he is within the cinematic traditions. The important themes to catch on with this film are memory and oblivion. Elle who is a French actress and Lui who is a Japanese architect pretty much discuss their past memories as they continue having an affair with each other. Other than the story, I found it interesting having a French woman with a Japanese man because mixing of cultures was very new at the time. This film is not one of my favorites, but it is quite interesting within the notion of art and how individual lives can get tangled together to create an experience worth remembering.
8/10
1959
Director Resnais really does make some great documentaries, and this film definitely was interesting by evolving from a strict documentary style. At first, I was wondering why the sudden narrative with the film, but I got my question answered in an interview I saw. Apparently, Director Resnais never planned for this film to be longer than 30 minutes, but just grew bit by bit until it hit 90 minutes. His explanation is that he has no explanation for his own film. The viewer must come with a solution that may satisfy him, because Resnais's opinion is apparently not important like every other spectator. I personally am intrigued by his way of thinking, because he lets his films become a work of art that is subjective to every viewer. So in turn, this film is definitely not for everyone and also may upset an abundant amount of people who are use to spoon-fed narratives. What I admire most about Director Resnais is his humble attitude in not taking credit as an auteur, and giving credit where is needed. He simply suggest that he is within the cinematic traditions. The important themes to catch on with this film are memory and oblivion. Elle who is a French actress and Lui who is a Japanese architect pretty much discuss their past memories as they continue having an affair with each other. Other than the story, I found it interesting having a French woman with a Japanese man because mixing of cultures was very new at the time. This film is not one of my favorites, but it is quite interesting within the notion of art and how individual lives can get tangled together to create an experience worth remembering.
8/10
#31 Night and Fog (11/6/12)
Dir. Alain Resnais
1955
This documentary touches on the concentration camps the Nazi's created to express their hatred (Social Darwinism) toward subordinate groups. The documentary actually includes real footage with Adolf Hitler, and the acts conducted in these concentration camp facilities. Interestingly, some of this same footage is found in other films which actually glorify Adolf Hitler and the acts he advocates. It really puts things into perspective on how adamant the Nazi's were in spreading their hatred, because of their belief in superiority. This film is so powerful to depict the horrors of an inhumane society by pretty much revealing only truth. Nothing is changed, and the footage is FACT which make any outside opinions on the matter irrelevant. I feel so sickened having to see children walked to their "last train ride". This piece of history in the world is nothing to be proud of, and it is very unfortunate that this has ever happened. I am against war, but the need to fight an evil as great as this was necessary to improve the progression of human society all around the world.
9/10
1955
This documentary touches on the concentration camps the Nazi's created to express their hatred (Social Darwinism) toward subordinate groups. The documentary actually includes real footage with Adolf Hitler, and the acts conducted in these concentration camp facilities. Interestingly, some of this same footage is found in other films which actually glorify Adolf Hitler and the acts he advocates. It really puts things into perspective on how adamant the Nazi's were in spreading their hatred, because of their belief in superiority. This film is so powerful to depict the horrors of an inhumane society by pretty much revealing only truth. Nothing is changed, and the footage is FACT which make any outside opinions on the matter irrelevant. I feel so sickened having to see children walked to their "last train ride". This piece of history in the world is nothing to be proud of, and it is very unfortunate that this has ever happened. I am against war, but the need to fight an evil as great as this was necessary to improve the progression of human society all around the world.
9/10
#30 Ivan's Childhood (11/6/12)
Dir. Andrey Tarkovskiy
1962
Besides that awful film called Chernobyl Diaries, this would have to be the first Russian horror film I have seen. It's a horror film in its own right psychologically, which indeed for me is the best kind. An interesting aspect of how the film was shot was that it was "right on the toe". This generally means that it was shot all the way at the bottom that if there was any minor error, the film will come out completely black. So to reiterate, it used the absolute minimum amount of light to get an image. The focus in this film is a young boy named Ivan who was used as a scout for the Russian military. One of the scariest scenes in the film for me would be when it shows him with post-traumatic stress disorder down at the basement. The scene encapsulates a terrifying mindset of Ivan as he plays war by himself. Ivan's adult comrades wished for him to go to school, and not continue further fighting the war with them but Ivan refuses. His childhood was already ruined with experiences young children should never be exposed to. This film starts out with a physical aspect of the story, but most importantly adds the spiritual aspect that reveals the dark thoughts. This film would not be the same if we did not experience the hell Ivan experienced. We see dark themes throughout such as dead trees, and crosses which are fallen or broken. The river with the two dead comrades of Ivan was reference to The River of Styx. Director Tarkovsky basically introduced spiritualism in film because "Life After Death" was a big part of his beliefs.
8.5/10
1962
Besides that awful film called Chernobyl Diaries, this would have to be the first Russian horror film I have seen. It's a horror film in its own right psychologically, which indeed for me is the best kind. An interesting aspect of how the film was shot was that it was "right on the toe". This generally means that it was shot all the way at the bottom that if there was any minor error, the film will come out completely black. So to reiterate, it used the absolute minimum amount of light to get an image. The focus in this film is a young boy named Ivan who was used as a scout for the Russian military. One of the scariest scenes in the film for me would be when it shows him with post-traumatic stress disorder down at the basement. The scene encapsulates a terrifying mindset of Ivan as he plays war by himself. Ivan's adult comrades wished for him to go to school, and not continue further fighting the war with them but Ivan refuses. His childhood was already ruined with experiences young children should never be exposed to. This film starts out with a physical aspect of the story, but most importantly adds the spiritual aspect that reveals the dark thoughts. This film would not be the same if we did not experience the hell Ivan experienced. We see dark themes throughout such as dead trees, and crosses which are fallen or broken. The river with the two dead comrades of Ivan was reference to The River of Styx. Director Tarkovsky basically introduced spiritualism in film because "Life After Death" was a big part of his beliefs.
8.5/10
#29 The Conformist (11/5/12)
Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
1970
First off, this film is in no way a conventional film with a 3 act story structure. Mr. Bertolucci intended to avoid just that, and purposely made gaps within scenes that are completely ambiguous. *SPOILERS* The main character Marcello is one of the most deceptive people I have ever watched in any film. His mask towards society helps him to get by, and avoid any conflict. Our hero is a passive weak-willed closeted homosexual joke that not only deceives everyone with his lies, but sells them all out. Despite this being true, the film offers some of the best visual shots with a $750,000 budget. The shot where the assassins are running and throw the gun to each other was very unexpected and interesting to me. Many inspirations came from this film from movies like Godfather to directors like Wes Anderson and John Woo. Giulia who is Marcello's wife is the shallowest woman that represents all that is useless which began to make me think the film was being sexist. Marcello had used her as a tool, and you really see how much he cares when he ditches her in the scene by sending her in a cab to the Eiffel Tower. Color is very important in describing the mood or temperature of the scene. For instance, the colors rapidly changed when Marcello was seducing Giulia in the train. In Italy, it was forbidden to be gay so Marcello confessed to a priest about having sexual relations with a gay chauffeur and violently shot him to death. He creates a red herring to avoid explaining the "gay" details by emphasizing that he believes murder is a greater sin. The gay chauffeur is seen near the end of the film so we know he lied about part of the story. The mind of Marcello can be looked at with the saying of "Banality of Evil". This film for me was a cautionary tale that gives a representation of what you do not want to be. Marcello is a sort of chameleon that conforms to everybody without making a stand. Interestingly, he uses a deadpan voice when he speaks to anybody and in a scene is mentioned that he never smiles. The shot where he plays around with pointing the gun to his face artistically conveys that he does not know what he is doing. Yes it is easier to just not face evil, but just by avoiding it will not help make it disappear. (Ignoring Nazis, and not helping against Holocaust.).
9/10
1970
First off, this film is in no way a conventional film with a 3 act story structure. Mr. Bertolucci intended to avoid just that, and purposely made gaps within scenes that are completely ambiguous. *SPOILERS* The main character Marcello is one of the most deceptive people I have ever watched in any film. His mask towards society helps him to get by, and avoid any conflict. Our hero is a passive weak-willed closeted homosexual joke that not only deceives everyone with his lies, but sells them all out. Despite this being true, the film offers some of the best visual shots with a $750,000 budget. The shot where the assassins are running and throw the gun to each other was very unexpected and interesting to me. Many inspirations came from this film from movies like Godfather to directors like Wes Anderson and John Woo. Giulia who is Marcello's wife is the shallowest woman that represents all that is useless which began to make me think the film was being sexist. Marcello had used her as a tool, and you really see how much he cares when he ditches her in the scene by sending her in a cab to the Eiffel Tower. Color is very important in describing the mood or temperature of the scene. For instance, the colors rapidly changed when Marcello was seducing Giulia in the train. In Italy, it was forbidden to be gay so Marcello confessed to a priest about having sexual relations with a gay chauffeur and violently shot him to death. He creates a red herring to avoid explaining the "gay" details by emphasizing that he believes murder is a greater sin. The gay chauffeur is seen near the end of the film so we know he lied about part of the story. The mind of Marcello can be looked at with the saying of "Banality of Evil". This film for me was a cautionary tale that gives a representation of what you do not want to be. Marcello is a sort of chameleon that conforms to everybody without making a stand. Interestingly, he uses a deadpan voice when he speaks to anybody and in a scene is mentioned that he never smiles. The shot where he plays around with pointing the gun to his face artistically conveys that he does not know what he is doing. Yes it is easier to just not face evil, but just by avoiding it will not help make it disappear. (Ignoring Nazis, and not helping against Holocaust.).
9/10
#28 Wild Strawberries (11/1/12)
Dir. Ingmar Berman
1957
In "Wild Strawberries", Isak who is a very knowledgeable person in the realm of science, neglected his family members. I believe he is not an awful person, but one that is very passionate about his studies. He prioritizes being a Doctor over showing more love to his family because he is distracted. Isak just needed a reminder in order to see how his life is heading with all of his relationships. The coincidental running into people who act parallel to the life of Isak reminded him of how his life was. These scenes heavily reminded me of a sort of "Scrooge" dream sequence that motivates the main character to turn a new leaf. That realization of being unloved after you die is similar to Scrooge having to stop being greedy, but with Isak he needs to give people more attention rather than only focusing on his studies. Marianne helped to be truthfully honest to him. She compared Isak to Evald that they were both selfish and similar in many ways. Isak is reluctant to believe her and compares his old age to Evald's youth. In the flashback, Evald does not wish to accept the responsibility of having a baby. Marianne discusses to Isak that in life there is only cold, death, and loneliness which Isak and Evald are living presently. All the realizations made him decide to change, because he ends up still alive and there is still hope. Isak and Marianne's relationship progressed the best because they were able to talk privately and understand each other.
8/10
1957
In "Wild Strawberries", Isak who is a very knowledgeable person in the realm of science, neglected his family members. I believe he is not an awful person, but one that is very passionate about his studies. He prioritizes being a Doctor over showing more love to his family because he is distracted. Isak just needed a reminder in order to see how his life is heading with all of his relationships. The coincidental running into people who act parallel to the life of Isak reminded him of how his life was. These scenes heavily reminded me of a sort of "Scrooge" dream sequence that motivates the main character to turn a new leaf. That realization of being unloved after you die is similar to Scrooge having to stop being greedy, but with Isak he needs to give people more attention rather than only focusing on his studies. Marianne helped to be truthfully honest to him. She compared Isak to Evald that they were both selfish and similar in many ways. Isak is reluctant to believe her and compares his old age to Evald's youth. In the flashback, Evald does not wish to accept the responsibility of having a baby. Marianne discusses to Isak that in life there is only cold, death, and loneliness which Isak and Evald are living presently. All the realizations made him decide to change, because he ends up still alive and there is still hope. Isak and Marianne's relationship progressed the best because they were able to talk privately and understand each other.
8/10
#27 Thankskilling (10/31/12)
Dir. Jordan Downey
2009
I must say that I realize how much patience I have regardless of what movie I am watching. This film will make you cry, because of how glob awful it is. The first shot of the film is so irrelevant, and to say the whole story revolves around what happened in the olden days with that useless scene...why do I even bother to continue watching? Well, the acting was so amateurish purposefully that I imagined Charlie Brown's teacher speaking which is really difficult to understand. The relationship between Darren and Billy though was a bit satisfying in death. I see that they were trying too hard to be funny with all the cliche roles, and obvious jokes that it became too overbearing. This is clearly a horrendous film, and the film didn't know how to end so they stalled time. I was thinking in my head, "When is this film going to be over? Just shoot me now!" In many ways, this film is one to be watched with a group of friends on a night like Halloween to see reactions from each other. Personally, I prefer good films over the bad because friends tend to just talk during the whole film due to the dialogue being uninformative. Yes, the film is low budget but the camera is just way too shaky, lighting makes me believe the world is orange, and music accompanied with the long unnecessary montage makes me want to puke. The killer Turkey is suppose to be an ancestor of some Indians who wants revenge on the white people. Apparently, Gandhi raised a Turkey from the dead to massacre animals and people that get in his way. I feel that I have turned just as dumb as all of the redneck people by watching this film. HELP ME!!!
3/10
2009
I must say that I realize how much patience I have regardless of what movie I am watching. This film will make you cry, because of how glob awful it is. The first shot of the film is so irrelevant, and to say the whole story revolves around what happened in the olden days with that useless scene...why do I even bother to continue watching? Well, the acting was so amateurish purposefully that I imagined Charlie Brown's teacher speaking which is really difficult to understand. The relationship between Darren and Billy though was a bit satisfying in death. I see that they were trying too hard to be funny with all the cliche roles, and obvious jokes that it became too overbearing. This is clearly a horrendous film, and the film didn't know how to end so they stalled time. I was thinking in my head, "When is this film going to be over? Just shoot me now!" In many ways, this film is one to be watched with a group of friends on a night like Halloween to see reactions from each other. Personally, I prefer good films over the bad because friends tend to just talk during the whole film due to the dialogue being uninformative. Yes, the film is low budget but the camera is just way too shaky, lighting makes me believe the world is orange, and music accompanied with the long unnecessary montage makes me want to puke. The killer Turkey is suppose to be an ancestor of some Indians who wants revenge on the white people. Apparently, Gandhi raised a Turkey from the dead to massacre animals and people that get in his way. I feel that I have turned just as dumb as all of the redneck people by watching this film. HELP ME!!!
3/10
#26 City Lights (10/31/12)
Dir. Charles Chaplin
1931
People have been raving to me about this film for quite some time now, and I have to admit that Chaplin's tramp has done it for me yet again. Besides admiring the charm of the main character, the shots of the city and organization of people in the frame was well done. It took Chaplin 3 years to shoot this masterpiece, and it is no wonder why people highly recommend this film over the rest. The initial scene where we are introduced to the tramp was very comical to me, and definitely reminded me of another favorite actor of mine Michel Simon in Boudu Saved from Drowning where he also plays a tramp. Don't get me wrong, the two have their own originality but the performances they display become memorable in cinema history. It is interesting to note that Simon's character Boudu was saved from a rich character much like Chaplin's character being saved by a drunk wealthy man who considers suicide. Perhaps just coincidence, but both scenes are very important to the development of the story in building a closer relationship between a tramp and man of wealth. The tramp's relationship with the blind flower girl seemed very genuine to me because it felt so honest and in goodwill. I can sympathize with the tramp as he struggles, and is laughed at by some satanic kids. The ending is definitely one of my favorites, and it leaves me with great satisfaction.
*Update* 11/3/12
Just watched a live orchestrated performance by Philharmonic, and the film really does come to life in a completely flawless performance. The film really has not aged one bit. Every time I watch a film with screwball comedy, I cannot help but think of Charlie Chaplin and the many innovative ideas he has given us to work with from the future on.
10/10
1931
People have been raving to me about this film for quite some time now, and I have to admit that Chaplin's tramp has done it for me yet again. Besides admiring the charm of the main character, the shots of the city and organization of people in the frame was well done. It took Chaplin 3 years to shoot this masterpiece, and it is no wonder why people highly recommend this film over the rest. The initial scene where we are introduced to the tramp was very comical to me, and definitely reminded me of another favorite actor of mine Michel Simon in Boudu Saved from Drowning where he also plays a tramp. Don't get me wrong, the two have their own originality but the performances they display become memorable in cinema history. It is interesting to note that Simon's character Boudu was saved from a rich character much like Chaplin's character being saved by a drunk wealthy man who considers suicide. Perhaps just coincidence, but both scenes are very important to the development of the story in building a closer relationship between a tramp and man of wealth. The tramp's relationship with the blind flower girl seemed very genuine to me because it felt so honest and in goodwill. I can sympathize with the tramp as he struggles, and is laughed at by some satanic kids. The ending is definitely one of my favorites, and it leaves me with great satisfaction.
*Update* 11/3/12
Just watched a live orchestrated performance by Philharmonic, and the film really does come to life in a completely flawless performance. The film really has not aged one bit. Every time I watch a film with screwball comedy, I cannot help but think of Charlie Chaplin and the many innovative ideas he has given us to work with from the future on.
10/10
#25 Breathless (10/30/12)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
1960
There is so much I liked about this film that I find it very weird that Godard's success with this film has left him loving film a lot less than he did before. I believe that Godard considered himself as an artist more than just someone who makes films. With all the positive criticism, he feels that people will no longer question his film-making which is troublesome for an artist because they wish to be different. Directors like Godard and Leone broke the boundaries in cinema with what was acceptable in a hero and what could be shown. Godard's protagonist in Breathless is definitely on the edge with scenes depicting him killing a police officer, and mugging an innocent civilian with no emotional hindrance. Anti-heroes are my favorite protagonists in any film, but Michel may have been just a little too extreme but we can all agree that he is without a doubt a huge douche bag especially to his girlfriend Patricia. The main difference between the main character Michel and his American girlfriend Patricia is that he does not compromise his desires. He is very straight forward with what he wants, and is so persistent that multiple slaps to the face does not bother him at all. Many allusions are introduced such as when he reads William Faulkner and his obsession with the screen style of Humphrey Bogart in the scene in front of the window. Also the dialogue mention Bob Montaigne forgetting to cash his last check references Bob Le Flambeur. Surprisingly, this film was conceived to be a parody of American Film Noir. It also depicts a certain misogyny as you will see within the perspective of Michel in the end. The editing with the jump-cut accidentally became Godard's most rewarding bold decision. The film ended up not dragging, and moving along smoothly to a pace the audience can enjoy.
9/10
1960
There is so much I liked about this film that I find it very weird that Godard's success with this film has left him loving film a lot less than he did before. I believe that Godard considered himself as an artist more than just someone who makes films. With all the positive criticism, he feels that people will no longer question his film-making which is troublesome for an artist because they wish to be different. Directors like Godard and Leone broke the boundaries in cinema with what was acceptable in a hero and what could be shown. Godard's protagonist in Breathless is definitely on the edge with scenes depicting him killing a police officer, and mugging an innocent civilian with no emotional hindrance. Anti-heroes are my favorite protagonists in any film, but Michel may have been just a little too extreme but we can all agree that he is without a doubt a huge douche bag especially to his girlfriend Patricia. The main difference between the main character Michel and his American girlfriend Patricia is that he does not compromise his desires. He is very straight forward with what he wants, and is so persistent that multiple slaps to the face does not bother him at all. Many allusions are introduced such as when he reads William Faulkner and his obsession with the screen style of Humphrey Bogart in the scene in front of the window. Also the dialogue mention Bob Montaigne forgetting to cash his last check references Bob Le Flambeur. Surprisingly, this film was conceived to be a parody of American Film Noir. It also depicts a certain misogyny as you will see within the perspective of Michel in the end. The editing with the jump-cut accidentally became Godard's most rewarding bold decision. The film ended up not dragging, and moving along smoothly to a pace the audience can enjoy.
9/10
#24 Ballad of a Soldier (10/30/12)
Dir. Grigoriy Chukhray
1959
These new wave of films in Russia starting with Chapaev has made me respect Russian culture so much more. The mentality of the way they think was so advanced for their time. The portrayal of women as being equals, and not looked at as objects for men to use as tools gives me a heart-warming image of the people when others will look at them as just cold monsters. We are all humans, and to judge a group of people based on hearsay is one of the worst decisions anyone can make. You should never simply take someone's word for anything until you've witnessed or experienced it. War is very ugly, and can really destroy the good in people. Despite that fact, there will always be those compassionate people around even when everyone else are monsters. Just to give you an idea of what kind of monsters the Russians had to face, the Germans lived by a code called "War Feeds Itself." Basically, the Germans were very resourceful, and anything they killed would be theirs to take. (Guns, food, clothing.) An advantage the Russians had against the Germans though would be the harsh cold climate. Everyone around the world including the Germans would have difficulty adjusting to the climate change. Pretty much German spies had no dice when it came to surviving in Russia to gain intelligence. Enough with history, and more about the film. The main character Alyosha is a boy who is a soldier that valiantly took charge to take out several Nazi tanks. He is rewarded with the opportunity to see his mother as he wished, and is given a few days to visit then come back. On the way to his travels in a train, he bumps into a girl named Shura who claims is trying to travel back to her husband. Many moments in the film were very compelling to the human spirit. The characters to me represented a friendship that was innocent and more valuable than the typical American love. Life is valued greatly in the film, and is never taken for granted. The compassion in the film reminds us that not everyone is selfish. The acting in the film between the two main characters was so enjoyable to me in a weird quirky sort of way. I really felt the chemistry between them, and was so entertained that it helped me to escape the idea that they were even at war to begin with.
10/10
1959
These new wave of films in Russia starting with Chapaev has made me respect Russian culture so much more. The mentality of the way they think was so advanced for their time. The portrayal of women as being equals, and not looked at as objects for men to use as tools gives me a heart-warming image of the people when others will look at them as just cold monsters. We are all humans, and to judge a group of people based on hearsay is one of the worst decisions anyone can make. You should never simply take someone's word for anything until you've witnessed or experienced it. War is very ugly, and can really destroy the good in people. Despite that fact, there will always be those compassionate people around even when everyone else are monsters. Just to give you an idea of what kind of monsters the Russians had to face, the Germans lived by a code called "War Feeds Itself." Basically, the Germans were very resourceful, and anything they killed would be theirs to take. (Guns, food, clothing.) An advantage the Russians had against the Germans though would be the harsh cold climate. Everyone around the world including the Germans would have difficulty adjusting to the climate change. Pretty much German spies had no dice when it came to surviving in Russia to gain intelligence. Enough with history, and more about the film. The main character Alyosha is a boy who is a soldier that valiantly took charge to take out several Nazi tanks. He is rewarded with the opportunity to see his mother as he wished, and is given a few days to visit then come back. On the way to his travels in a train, he bumps into a girl named Shura who claims is trying to travel back to her husband. Many moments in the film were very compelling to the human spirit. The characters to me represented a friendship that was innocent and more valuable than the typical American love. Life is valued greatly in the film, and is never taken for granted. The compassion in the film reminds us that not everyone is selfish. The acting in the film between the two main characters was so enjoyable to me in a weird quirky sort of way. I really felt the chemistry between them, and was so entertained that it helped me to escape the idea that they were even at war to begin with.
10/10
#23 Vertigo (10/29/12)
Dir. Alfred Hitchcock
1958
Wow, not sure if it was just me feeling this but I got the impression this was a stalker film. Well, that was the vibe I got off of it, but it does not make the film any less interesting. The main character was introduced with a flaw in the beginning of the film which gives an audience important insight to a foreshadowing to come. This film pursues a very creative direction involving many colors, sound, and objects. It is interesting to note that this film was Danny Elkman's favorite musical score. The music he constructed gives the film a unique life of its own when matched with the brilliant ideas of Director Hitchcock. Many color motifs can be found in the film with green and red being most prevalent. For example, green reoccurs with eyes, a dress, a car, curtains, the forest, and the haze effect. Red can be seen with the main character's face depending on how he is feeling, but essentially red is significant with Carlotta's necklace. Going on a tangent, Saul Bass created the red movie poster of Vertigo and he was arguably the best graphic designer of the 20th century. My opinion of the film was that it fit a sort of story that was full of insanity at first, but eventually finds truth because of it. This film did surprise me with its noir story twist, and I liked how it invoked a sort of creepiness at times that kept me guessing.
8/10
1958
Wow, not sure if it was just me feeling this but I got the impression this was a stalker film. Well, that was the vibe I got off of it, but it does not make the film any less interesting. The main character was introduced with a flaw in the beginning of the film which gives an audience important insight to a foreshadowing to come. This film pursues a very creative direction involving many colors, sound, and objects. It is interesting to note that this film was Danny Elkman's favorite musical score. The music he constructed gives the film a unique life of its own when matched with the brilliant ideas of Director Hitchcock. Many color motifs can be found in the film with green and red being most prevalent. For example, green reoccurs with eyes, a dress, a car, curtains, the forest, and the haze effect. Red can be seen with the main character's face depending on how he is feeling, but essentially red is significant with Carlotta's necklace. Going on a tangent, Saul Bass created the red movie poster of Vertigo and he was arguably the best graphic designer of the 20th century. My opinion of the film was that it fit a sort of story that was full of insanity at first, but eventually finds truth because of it. This film did surprise me with its noir story twist, and I liked how it invoked a sort of creepiness at times that kept me guessing.
8/10
#22 The Bicycle Thief (10/27/12)
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
1948
Speaking of thieves, someone broke into my car at work and stole my 80 gig ipod. I probably feel like the saddest panda ever, but yet again life moves on...The Bicycle Thief depicts the life of a poor young man trying to take care of his family by barely making ends meet with his job hanging posters all around the city walls. Unlike me, the main character Antonio is actually struggling in his life with real problems. As he was hanging a poster, a thief steals his bike right in front of his face, which leads to an unsuccessful chase scene. Antonio really needs this bike because he uses it for work to travel all around the city. Without it, he will get fired from his job and be unable to support his wife and son. *SPOILERS* I believe the ending to "The Bicycle Thief" was believable and true to its era of the time. With Neo Realism, it is a story without a mask that depicts the struggles of poverty and working to survive. In any case with times of hardship, the citizens unfortunately end up taking the dark aspect of life because it is more rewarding and quicker. This path however comes with great consequences if caught, and is a horrible influence especially to children. I can only imagine what the son may have thought seeing his father steal a bike. Perhaps, I would have kept the scene the same except have the kid not there by him actually making the train. Then again, it was punishment enough to disgrace him by showing that he is setting a bad example for his kid. In the end, it's all just a sad cycle of depression seeing the world for what it really is.
7.5/10
1948
Speaking of thieves, someone broke into my car at work and stole my 80 gig ipod. I probably feel like the saddest panda ever, but yet again life moves on...The Bicycle Thief depicts the life of a poor young man trying to take care of his family by barely making ends meet with his job hanging posters all around the city walls. Unlike me, the main character Antonio is actually struggling in his life with real problems. As he was hanging a poster, a thief steals his bike right in front of his face, which leads to an unsuccessful chase scene. Antonio really needs this bike because he uses it for work to travel all around the city. Without it, he will get fired from his job and be unable to support his wife and son. *SPOILERS* I believe the ending to "The Bicycle Thief" was believable and true to its era of the time. With Neo Realism, it is a story without a mask that depicts the struggles of poverty and working to survive. In any case with times of hardship, the citizens unfortunately end up taking the dark aspect of life because it is more rewarding and quicker. This path however comes with great consequences if caught, and is a horrible influence especially to children. I can only imagine what the son may have thought seeing his father steal a bike. Perhaps, I would have kept the scene the same except have the kid not there by him actually making the train. Then again, it was punishment enough to disgrace him by showing that he is setting a bad example for his kid. In the end, it's all just a sad cycle of depression seeing the world for what it really is.
7.5/10
#21 Frankenweenie (10/26/12)
Dir. Tim Burton
1984
Honestly, I was quite surprised to see the young child actor Jason Hervey who plays Dwayne in The Wonder Years which is my all-time favorite television show. It was really difficult for me to watch the beginning of how Victor loses his pal Sparky. Sadly, I know from experience how hard it must feel that raising loved ones from the grave seems far from crossing into insanity. "Everything I know, I know because of love." I must say that for a live action film, the acting to me seemed very cartoon-like. Tim Burton's films always take on a weird quirky theme that I really enjoy. The neighborhood looks so much like the one from Edward Scissorhands, and the neighbors are very "normal". (Dull sort of normal, except for the short old lady who reminded me of Tangina in Poltergeist.). Speaking of Edward Scissorhands, Frankenweenie plays into the concept of misunderstood "abominations" as with Frankenstein. Sparky still has the same loving heart when he gets turned into a Frankenweenie unlike in Stephen King's Pet Cemetery...I love this short film because of it's simple and concise with its message. Can't wait to see the 2012 re-make!
8/10
1984
Honestly, I was quite surprised to see the young child actor Jason Hervey who plays Dwayne in The Wonder Years which is my all-time favorite television show. It was really difficult for me to watch the beginning of how Victor loses his pal Sparky. Sadly, I know from experience how hard it must feel that raising loved ones from the grave seems far from crossing into insanity. "Everything I know, I know because of love." I must say that for a live action film, the acting to me seemed very cartoon-like. Tim Burton's films always take on a weird quirky theme that I really enjoy. The neighborhood looks so much like the one from Edward Scissorhands, and the neighbors are very "normal". (Dull sort of normal, except for the short old lady who reminded me of Tangina in Poltergeist.). Speaking of Edward Scissorhands, Frankenweenie plays into the concept of misunderstood "abominations" as with Frankenstein. Sparky still has the same loving heart when he gets turned into a Frankenweenie unlike in Stephen King's Pet Cemetery...I love this short film because of it's simple and concise with its message. Can't wait to see the 2012 re-make!
8/10
#20 The 400 Blows (10/23/12)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
1959
Francois Truffaut has got to be one of my favorite directors in French cinema because he has experienced a hard life. The character Antoine is a representation of Truffaut when he was a child. In the film 400 Blows, Antoine experiences punishment regardless if he is innocent or not. He was accused of stealing his father’s Michelin guide even with no proof. Another instance is when his teacher accused him of plagiarizing in his essay when he really tried his best to write a report about his grandfather. Many of Antoine’s actions consist of lying because people around him do not wish to listen to him. He was very unfortunate to have one problem arise after the other. The parents giving time to Antoine did help him. He was labeled an arsonist by his father for innocently lighting a candle in memory of his grandfather. When the mother suggested quality time at the movies, it showed Antoine very happy and appreciative. If the parents continued to nurture Antoine and keep an eye on him, he may have not been tempted to steal his stepfather's typewriter. The parents clearly have failed when they let him go completely, and send him to a social institution. My thoughts on the final freeze shot was that Antoine was looking back at a society that has failed him, and he is lost in a place that he thought would make him happy.
8/10
1959
Francois Truffaut has got to be one of my favorite directors in French cinema because he has experienced a hard life. The character Antoine is a representation of Truffaut when he was a child. In the film 400 Blows, Antoine experiences punishment regardless if he is innocent or not. He was accused of stealing his father’s Michelin guide even with no proof. Another instance is when his teacher accused him of plagiarizing in his essay when he really tried his best to write a report about his grandfather. Many of Antoine’s actions consist of lying because people around him do not wish to listen to him. He was very unfortunate to have one problem arise after the other. The parents giving time to Antoine did help him. He was labeled an arsonist by his father for innocently lighting a candle in memory of his grandfather. When the mother suggested quality time at the movies, it showed Antoine very happy and appreciative. If the parents continued to nurture Antoine and keep an eye on him, he may have not been tempted to steal his stepfather's typewriter. The parents clearly have failed when they let him go completely, and send him to a social institution. My thoughts on the final freeze shot was that Antoine was looking back at a society that has failed him, and he is lost in a place that he thought would make him happy.
8/10
#19 Alexander Nevsky (10/23/12)
Dir. Sergei M. Eisenstein & Dir. Dmitri Vasilyev
1938
Historically, this was Director Eisenstein's first completed sound film, and it was during a time in the Soviet Union when the Russian's wished to make movies which were better than Hollywood films. Alexander Nevsky was about a revered Russian prince who was well known in war. The Mongolians knew that it was unwise to cross paths with him for death would be certain. I love the quote Nevsky says which was, "Those who come to us in peace will be welcome as a guest. But those who come to us sword in hand will die by the sword! On that Russia stands and forever will we stand!". He reminds me of a Leonidas, but a lot more humble and quieter. The film does look like a precedence of film history that inspired films like 300. Russians looked to each other as equals regardless of gender, so we do see a woman named Vasilisa fighting alongside at the front. The German army was depicted very ruthlessly with how they carried out executions. Nevertheless, Russian with their scare numbers gave the vast German army an old-fashioned Soviet butt whooping. The shot I found most interesting was when Nevsky and his army scared the German towards the unstable ice, and made them fall into the water to drown. How they shot the scene was unbelievable, because it was a one shot take or they would have to re-create the unstable ice again and dye everything which was tedious work.
7.5/10
1938
Historically, this was Director Eisenstein's first completed sound film, and it was during a time in the Soviet Union when the Russian's wished to make movies which were better than Hollywood films. Alexander Nevsky was about a revered Russian prince who was well known in war. The Mongolians knew that it was unwise to cross paths with him for death would be certain. I love the quote Nevsky says which was, "Those who come to us in peace will be welcome as a guest. But those who come to us sword in hand will die by the sword! On that Russia stands and forever will we stand!". He reminds me of a Leonidas, but a lot more humble and quieter. The film does look like a precedence of film history that inspired films like 300. Russians looked to each other as equals regardless of gender, so we do see a woman named Vasilisa fighting alongside at the front. The German army was depicted very ruthlessly with how they carried out executions. Nevertheless, Russian with their scare numbers gave the vast German army an old-fashioned Soviet butt whooping. The shot I found most interesting was when Nevsky and his army scared the German towards the unstable ice, and made them fall into the water to drown. How they shot the scene was unbelievable, because it was a one shot take or they would have to re-create the unstable ice again and dye everything which was tedious work.
7.5/10
#18 The Apartment (10/22/12)
Dir. Billy Wilder
1960
This is definitely one of my favorite films of all time that appeal to me greatly. I adore the humanist qualities of the film that show a balance of many emotions. Jack Lemmon's character Baxter is someone I admire greatly with his humble personality and good spirit. The whole idea is that he is a pushover that allows others to walk all over him, and "borrow" his apartment so he can gain a promotion within his company. I can't help but love the allusions in the film such as the bowler hat that Lemmon's character wears which references to Charlie Chaplin's character "The Tramp". The reason he is portrayed in the light of Charlie Chaplin's character is because they are both comic tragic figures. There are many motifs like the number 3 which show up. (The 3 lovers and 3 drinks just to mention a few.) I also have to say that I love Shirley MacLaine's character Fran because of her loyalty and kind-heart. Her performance was like that of a sweet huggable teddy bear that you can sympathize for. Baxter and Fran could be described as pure individuals who are taken advantaged of, but their purity is compromised with certain actions in the film involving sexuality. I would describe this piece of work as a sort of satisfying melancholy that does well to convey a character like Baxter with quintessential qualities of doing good deeds optimistically for people undeserving of it. As the story progressed, the change in Lemmon's character was very remarkable and in no way compromised his principles or his self- respect for the sake of getting ahead in life. If you notice in the film, sex is not attributed to pleasure.There is also a scene with Fran's brother who is extremely outraged with the very thought of her being pregnant and Baxter taking the bullet for it. Back in the day during these times, it was actually illegal to have an abortion but they coincidentally lived in New York which was one of the few places where it was legal. This film is the most grimmest piece of comedy I have ever seen, and I find it truly amazing. Although there is no plot mechanism, this film was brilliantly put together to display probably the best performances in actors like Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine.
10/10
1960
This is definitely one of my favorite films of all time that appeal to me greatly. I adore the humanist qualities of the film that show a balance of many emotions. Jack Lemmon's character Baxter is someone I admire greatly with his humble personality and good spirit. The whole idea is that he is a pushover that allows others to walk all over him, and "borrow" his apartment so he can gain a promotion within his company. I can't help but love the allusions in the film such as the bowler hat that Lemmon's character wears which references to Charlie Chaplin's character "The Tramp". The reason he is portrayed in the light of Charlie Chaplin's character is because they are both comic tragic figures. There are many motifs like the number 3 which show up. (The 3 lovers and 3 drinks just to mention a few.) I also have to say that I love Shirley MacLaine's character Fran because of her loyalty and kind-heart. Her performance was like that of a sweet huggable teddy bear that you can sympathize for. Baxter and Fran could be described as pure individuals who are taken advantaged of, but their purity is compromised with certain actions in the film involving sexuality. I would describe this piece of work as a sort of satisfying melancholy that does well to convey a character like Baxter with quintessential qualities of doing good deeds optimistically for people undeserving of it. As the story progressed, the change in Lemmon's character was very remarkable and in no way compromised his principles or his self- respect for the sake of getting ahead in life. If you notice in the film, sex is not attributed to pleasure.There is also a scene with Fran's brother who is extremely outraged with the very thought of her being pregnant and Baxter taking the bullet for it. Back in the day during these times, it was actually illegal to have an abortion but they coincidentally lived in New York which was one of the few places where it was legal. This film is the most grimmest piece of comedy I have ever seen, and I find it truly amazing. Although there is no plot mechanism, this film was brilliantly put together to display probably the best performances in actors like Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine.
10/10
#17 On the Waterfront (10/17/12)
Dir. Elia Kazan
1954
I completely agree that Marlon Brando's performance in the film "On the Waterfront" was real and true to life. Many previous actors have a sort of exaggerated expression that is more theatrical than natural. I believe that actors back then tried to just interject in order to be heard by an audience, but Brando speaks uniquely as if he was a simple waterfront worker. His ability to use method acting to make his character lifelike really captivates people to follow and relate to his character on a personal level. His acting compared to Clark Gable in "It Happened One Night" is characteristically different in terms of who they are trying to portray, but both have brilliant performances. I personally love the persona of Clark Gable because of his charisma and confident nature. With Marlon Brando, I respect his acting in being able to capture a unique persona that shows he is a human that has feelings and gets hurt. The scene when it showed him emotionally torn seeing his brother killed by the mob and hanging on a hook really showed true emotion to me. Various scenes had a natural feel to it with the use of facial expressions, body gestures, and changes in the tone of voice. We see a performance that feels like it has no masks and is an actual person on screen with human flaws.
8.5/10
1954
I completely agree that Marlon Brando's performance in the film "On the Waterfront" was real and true to life. Many previous actors have a sort of exaggerated expression that is more theatrical than natural. I believe that actors back then tried to just interject in order to be heard by an audience, but Brando speaks uniquely as if he was a simple waterfront worker. His ability to use method acting to make his character lifelike really captivates people to follow and relate to his character on a personal level. His acting compared to Clark Gable in "It Happened One Night" is characteristically different in terms of who they are trying to portray, but both have brilliant performances. I personally love the persona of Clark Gable because of his charisma and confident nature. With Marlon Brando, I respect his acting in being able to capture a unique persona that shows he is a human that has feelings and gets hurt. The scene when it showed him emotionally torn seeing his brother killed by the mob and hanging on a hook really showed true emotion to me. Various scenes had a natural feel to it with the use of facial expressions, body gestures, and changes in the tone of voice. We see a performance that feels like it has no masks and is an actual person on screen with human flaws.
8.5/10
#16 Bob le Flambeur (10/16/12)
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
1956
This film is definitely a classic, and has not deterred after the many years that have passed. I can see the many inspirations other films like Oceans Eleven and Reservoir Dogs take homage to this masterpiece. Persona is a very important aspect of the film in giving characters a natural feel that is mesmerizing to the audience. The story is rather simple, old gangster who has been clean for years is low on dough so he decides to come up with the biggest hit. The film has a typical gangster noir theme. At the time, it was revolutionary because there was no other films preceding it. As with many known French New Wave films that came after, it uses mise en scène which basically means visual storytelling. The cinematography, the way the stage is designed, and arrangements in the shot are critical for the audiences attention to understand where the direction of the film is going. I really enjoyed the film with how it all played out with Bob. He was addicted to gambling, and just didn't know when to call it quits.
8.5/10
1956
This film is definitely a classic, and has not deterred after the many years that have passed. I can see the many inspirations other films like Oceans Eleven and Reservoir Dogs take homage to this masterpiece. Persona is a very important aspect of the film in giving characters a natural feel that is mesmerizing to the audience. The story is rather simple, old gangster who has been clean for years is low on dough so he decides to come up with the biggest hit. The film has a typical gangster noir theme. At the time, it was revolutionary because there was no other films preceding it. As with many known French New Wave films that came after, it uses mise en scène which basically means visual storytelling. The cinematography, the way the stage is designed, and arrangements in the shot are critical for the audiences attention to understand where the direction of the film is going. I really enjoyed the film with how it all played out with Bob. He was addicted to gambling, and just didn't know when to call it quits.
8.5/10
#15 Rules of the Game (10/15/12)
Dir. Jean Renoir
1939
Renoir's films capture the true nature of people in many ways as seen in his other works like La Grande Illusion and Boudu Saved from Drowning. Obviously, the characters he depicts in each film are completely unique and natural to the role they are fulfilling in society. In Rules of the Game, you see the truth unfold of what the upper class people and their servants are like during the times of France after World War II. The way he depicts them is nothing short from the truth, and the bourgeoisie of France were completely outraged by the film. Many scenes disgusted me, but a powerful scene that caught my attention right at the get go would have to be the hunting competition scene where they shot down rabbits and pheasants to the slaughter. The waste of life is a foreshadowing of the destruction the war was going to inflict. This film is very merciless in describing human nature, and the evils many of them commit. The party of guests is filled with deceptive people who initially hide their true feelings, and is later revealed being involved in acts of lust. Learning about the many characters who are in affairs is just a complete mess all around. My analysis of how the film title fits with the story is that there really are no rules in this self-destructive society.
7.5/10
1939
Renoir's films capture the true nature of people in many ways as seen in his other works like La Grande Illusion and Boudu Saved from Drowning. Obviously, the characters he depicts in each film are completely unique and natural to the role they are fulfilling in society. In Rules of the Game, you see the truth unfold of what the upper class people and their servants are like during the times of France after World War II. The way he depicts them is nothing short from the truth, and the bourgeoisie of France were completely outraged by the film. Many scenes disgusted me, but a powerful scene that caught my attention right at the get go would have to be the hunting competition scene where they shot down rabbits and pheasants to the slaughter. The waste of life is a foreshadowing of the destruction the war was going to inflict. This film is very merciless in describing human nature, and the evils many of them commit. The party of guests is filled with deceptive people who initially hide their true feelings, and is later revealed being involved in acts of lust. Learning about the many characters who are in affairs is just a complete mess all around. My analysis of how the film title fits with the story is that there really are no rules in this self-destructive society.
7.5/10
#14 Perks of Being a Wallflower (10/15/12)
Dir. Stephen Chbosky
2012
Generally, you feel disappointed when you read any book and then decide to watch the film adaptation. With this film, characters like Patrick was just as flamboyant as I had imagined. Having the author as the director definitely helps to tediously fit in exactly how scenes should be played out in the film. If you wish to know exactly why I find this story interesting, it's the main character Charlie. Looking back to many films, books, or stories about teens, most of the plots are very cliché. (Losing virginity, becoming popular, vengeance on bullies.). I mean 80's films like Say Anything starring John Cusack were classics and not at all that sappy. With Charlie, I see a character that is very real who just acts normal. (Normal meaning being himself.). He is very shy and too much concerned with other people's happiness over his own. Despite his purity, the darker side of the world takes advantage of this. I can confidently say I enjoy the story because I can relate to Charlie's position. The tone of the film noticeably takes on a melancholic theme especially with the music as referenced in the book. Typically, films fail when the protagonist is not in pursuit of anything but the film comes to life as the perceptive Charlie sees the many dark secrets characters around him have. I find it very interesting to understand the struggles of every character because everyone handles their problems a different way.
9/10
2012
Generally, you feel disappointed when you read any book and then decide to watch the film adaptation. With this film, characters like Patrick was just as flamboyant as I had imagined. Having the author as the director definitely helps to tediously fit in exactly how scenes should be played out in the film. If you wish to know exactly why I find this story interesting, it's the main character Charlie. Looking back to many films, books, or stories about teens, most of the plots are very cliché. (Losing virginity, becoming popular, vengeance on bullies.). I mean 80's films like Say Anything starring John Cusack were classics and not at all that sappy. With Charlie, I see a character that is very real who just acts normal. (Normal meaning being himself.). He is very shy and too much concerned with other people's happiness over his own. Despite his purity, the darker side of the world takes advantage of this. I can confidently say I enjoy the story because I can relate to Charlie's position. The tone of the film noticeably takes on a melancholic theme especially with the music as referenced in the book. Typically, films fail when the protagonist is not in pursuit of anything but the film comes to life as the perceptive Charlie sees the many dark secrets characters around him have. I find it very interesting to understand the struggles of every character because everyone handles their problems a different way.
9/10
#13 Casablanca (10/13/12)
Dir. Michael Curtiz
1942
In the film Casablanca, I agree that love should be sacrificed for a higher purpose because it helps all of humanity in this film against unjust causes lead by the Nazi revolution. The film truly depicts the genuine love Rick and Ilsa had for each other especially when their song was played in the piano by Sam. The pain and hurt Rick was feeling is measured by the abundant consumption of alcohol he takes in at the bar. We see Ilsa is very sensitive to Rick's feelings that she still comes to visit him rather than just leaving him a letter saying that she cannot see him. Victor, the man Ilsa is married to, and the leader who is fighting for a just cause against the Nazi revolution needs her love. Love is shown to be a slight distraction to Rick from the common good of removing the Nazi regime out of power. He is convinced to help the lady from Bulgaria that wants to go to America because of her love speech. He was unconvinced initially to help refugees which was a primary focus for him, but he understands what it is like to be in love with a person which made him decide to help. In the end, he acted in the best interest for the one he loved, and allowed her to go with another man he helped escape to be safe in America. Audiences prefer to see happy endings, and this was a good sacrifice in favor of the resistance. If the ending turned out otherwise, the love may just be temporary and a majority will be affected negatively. Pretty much the Gestapo will eventually find an imprison them, and no one will be happy. I respected Ilsa for giving Rick the final decision with what should be done, and Rick for making one of the most difficult decisions any man can make. It was no surprise to me that this was originally a play because it seemed so much of a romantic tragedy within the unfortunate sphere of Nazi evil.
8/10
1942
In the film Casablanca, I agree that love should be sacrificed for a higher purpose because it helps all of humanity in this film against unjust causes lead by the Nazi revolution. The film truly depicts the genuine love Rick and Ilsa had for each other especially when their song was played in the piano by Sam. The pain and hurt Rick was feeling is measured by the abundant consumption of alcohol he takes in at the bar. We see Ilsa is very sensitive to Rick's feelings that she still comes to visit him rather than just leaving him a letter saying that she cannot see him. Victor, the man Ilsa is married to, and the leader who is fighting for a just cause against the Nazi revolution needs her love. Love is shown to be a slight distraction to Rick from the common good of removing the Nazi regime out of power. He is convinced to help the lady from Bulgaria that wants to go to America because of her love speech. He was unconvinced initially to help refugees which was a primary focus for him, but he understands what it is like to be in love with a person which made him decide to help. In the end, he acted in the best interest for the one he loved, and allowed her to go with another man he helped escape to be safe in America. Audiences prefer to see happy endings, and this was a good sacrifice in favor of the resistance. If the ending turned out otherwise, the love may just be temporary and a majority will be affected negatively. Pretty much the Gestapo will eventually find an imprison them, and no one will be happy. I respected Ilsa for giving Rick the final decision with what should be done, and Rick for making one of the most difficult decisions any man can make. It was no surprise to me that this was originally a play because it seemed so much of a romantic tragedy within the unfortunate sphere of Nazi evil.
8/10
#12 Submarine (10/11/12)
Dir. Richard Ayoade
2010
The main character Oliver Tate played by Craig Roberts is a character many can relate to in this coming of age film. He meets a special girl Jordana Bevan played by Yasmin Paige that gives him another objective in his life other than losing his virginity before his birthday and fixing his parent's inactive marriage. This film is a young lover's romance film with honest sensible humor. Much of the dialogue gets to me at times with its simple, yet truthful nature that appeals to me personally. I believe it depicts the social climate of urban areas in an interesting way. It is such wonders how life can be much different depending on where you are, but in the end life will always have its quirky moments in between it all. Director Richard Ayoade who I was not very familiar with other than being that awkward nerd Maurice Moss from the IT Crowd has caught me by surprise in his ability to make a feature film that I am quite pleased with. Definitely have my eyes on the lookout for more of his upcoming works, but I really enjoy films of this genre. Colors are a very important theme in the film that you can easily find distinctions between characters by their clothing. Just the small details in many scenes kept me fascinated such as the items in Oliver's room, specific books revealed, and spoken words like atavistic that really shows the intelligence of Mr. Ayoade. The closeups on objects on certain scenes were really nice and descriptive. Shots of the film with narration, beautiful setting, and of course the amazing deadpan executed was excellent. The conversation were Oliver's mom Jill Tate played by Sally Hawkins talks about her hair to her husband Lloyd Tate played by Noah Taylor became too good when Oliver interrupted with his hilarious remark. The ocean is 6 miles deep, but this film is far from sinking.
9/10
2010
The main character Oliver Tate played by Craig Roberts is a character many can relate to in this coming of age film. He meets a special girl Jordana Bevan played by Yasmin Paige that gives him another objective in his life other than losing his virginity before his birthday and fixing his parent's inactive marriage. This film is a young lover's romance film with honest sensible humor. Much of the dialogue gets to me at times with its simple, yet truthful nature that appeals to me personally. I believe it depicts the social climate of urban areas in an interesting way. It is such wonders how life can be much different depending on where you are, but in the end life will always have its quirky moments in between it all. Director Richard Ayoade who I was not very familiar with other than being that awkward nerd Maurice Moss from the IT Crowd has caught me by surprise in his ability to make a feature film that I am quite pleased with. Definitely have my eyes on the lookout for more of his upcoming works, but I really enjoy films of this genre. Colors are a very important theme in the film that you can easily find distinctions between characters by their clothing. Just the small details in many scenes kept me fascinated such as the items in Oliver's room, specific books revealed, and spoken words like atavistic that really shows the intelligence of Mr. Ayoade. The closeups on objects on certain scenes were really nice and descriptive. Shots of the film with narration, beautiful setting, and of course the amazing deadpan executed was excellent. The conversation were Oliver's mom Jill Tate played by Sally Hawkins talks about her hair to her husband Lloyd Tate played by Noah Taylor became too good when Oliver interrupted with his hilarious remark. The ocean is 6 miles deep, but this film is far from sinking.
9/10
#11 Pickpocket (10/9/12)
Dir. Robert Bresson
1959
Pickpocket is a film about a character named Michel played by Martin LaSalle who has this addiction with skillfully stealing possessions from people all over the city of Paris. I suppose Mr. Bresson wanted to depict that there is naturally evil in society, and that people act with evil intent even though there is no admirable reason for it. It seems he really had a pessimistic view of the world that I cannot really blame him for. (So many people are evil, we forget to look on the bright side of things.) I read that he was a fan of superheroes in his day, but he definitely would not like the idea of Marvel at all. Perhaps he would have an interest towards DC superheroes, or Christian Bale's Batman because of the dark stories attributed to many of them. Well anyways, I did not really connect with Michel because he never really changes as a character or even gets a second thought of living an honest life. Many of the camera shot patterns like face to hand did not seem orgasmic to me at all as many film theorists have explained. I don't find masturbation an eloquent practice that should be applauded because people decide to turn into animals. Also, I thought it was plain rude to assume that Michel was a homosexual in the scene when he gazes his eye towards another pickpocket that catches his interest. Sometimes I feel certain analysts think too hard when trying to praise a film that is very simple. I just believed it was good because it was simple, and over hyping the film for scenes that are left out like certain transitions or mother's death being an idea of transcending time is complete bullshit to me! (Pardon my French.)
6.5/10
1959
Pickpocket is a film about a character named Michel played by Martin LaSalle who has this addiction with skillfully stealing possessions from people all over the city of Paris. I suppose Mr. Bresson wanted to depict that there is naturally evil in society, and that people act with evil intent even though there is no admirable reason for it. It seems he really had a pessimistic view of the world that I cannot really blame him for. (So many people are evil, we forget to look on the bright side of things.) I read that he was a fan of superheroes in his day, but he definitely would not like the idea of Marvel at all. Perhaps he would have an interest towards DC superheroes, or Christian Bale's Batman because of the dark stories attributed to many of them. Well anyways, I did not really connect with Michel because he never really changes as a character or even gets a second thought of living an honest life. Many of the camera shot patterns like face to hand did not seem orgasmic to me at all as many film theorists have explained. I don't find masturbation an eloquent practice that should be applauded because people decide to turn into animals. Also, I thought it was plain rude to assume that Michel was a homosexual in the scene when he gazes his eye towards another pickpocket that catches his interest. Sometimes I feel certain analysts think too hard when trying to praise a film that is very simple. I just believed it was good because it was simple, and over hyping the film for scenes that are left out like certain transitions or mother's death being an idea of transcending time is complete bullshit to me! (Pardon my French.)
6.5/10
#10 CHAPAEV (10/9/12)
Dir. Georgi Vasilyev & Dir. Sergei Vasilyev
1935
The film in many ways explains a major figure of Russia, Vasili Ivanovich Chapaev. To the children of Russia, he was like the hero to our "cowboy vs. Indians"in the West. He essentially was the Red Army hero during the Russian Civil War.The film follows a simple narrative that strays from the usual artistry past films have had developed by Eisenstein, Pudovkin, and Vertov. In many ways, it encompasses many shots that could be seen in a Hollywood film such as the two lovers Petka and Anka. Those two lovers from what I can grasp, show a motif in the scene they are introduced dealing with confusion due to ambiguity, and never leaving your comrade. A lot of Russian humor can be found within the dialogue between Chapaev and Furmanov who is his right hand man. Although Chapaev was illiterate for 2 years, he shows competence in his ability to lead the army. In many ways, I see why I enjoyed the Russian humor because it was very dry and serious which makes me reminisce of a sort of deadpan humor I am most familiar presently.
7.5/10
1935
The film in many ways explains a major figure of Russia, Vasili Ivanovich Chapaev. To the children of Russia, he was like the hero to our "cowboy vs. Indians"in the West. He essentially was the Red Army hero during the Russian Civil War.The film follows a simple narrative that strays from the usual artistry past films have had developed by Eisenstein, Pudovkin, and Vertov. In many ways, it encompasses many shots that could be seen in a Hollywood film such as the two lovers Petka and Anka. Those two lovers from what I can grasp, show a motif in the scene they are introduced dealing with confusion due to ambiguity, and never leaving your comrade. A lot of Russian humor can be found within the dialogue between Chapaev and Furmanov who is his right hand man. Although Chapaev was illiterate for 2 years, he shows competence in his ability to lead the army. In many ways, I see why I enjoyed the Russian humor because it was very dry and serious which makes me reminisce of a sort of deadpan humor I am most familiar presently.
7.5/10
#9 Beauty and the Beast (10/2/12)
Dir. Jean Cocteau
1946
Interesting fact, there are four films with the same name of Beauty and the Beast and all were rated with high regard. The original, which is this film, would have to be exceedingly greater than the one created by Disney. I am totally not biased when it comes to Disney of course...I WOULD NEVER! Well, this French masterpiece tells the story with no sugar-coating involved. Many of the dialogue sounds quite realistic to me. For instance, Belle initially speaks very shallow and ill towards the Beast. She definitely calls him hideous from what I remember, but her honesty goes a long way. I don't think I could trust anyone with big teeth, hair of an animal, and looks like they would eat my grandma...but maybe that is just me. The Beast acted like a total creeper in the film with Belle, but I suppose I have a soft spot for misunderstood characters, because I am quite odd myself. Many of the elements of the film include perspective with the wide use of different camera angles and shots to delve deep into the view of the character or group. The background of a lot of scenes had a lot of detail, especially the Beast's castle. It must have been an interesting idea at the time to have candles held by hanging hands, and objects having a life of its own. In all honesty, I did laugh when I saw what the Beast looked like. Despite my immaturity towards how costumes looked back then, this is a really great film that gives a lesson on what true beauty really is, and who the real "monsters" are that dwell in society.
8.5/10
1946
Interesting fact, there are four films with the same name of Beauty and the Beast and all were rated with high regard. The original, which is this film, would have to be exceedingly greater than the one created by Disney. I am totally not biased when it comes to Disney of course...I WOULD NEVER! Well, this French masterpiece tells the story with no sugar-coating involved. Many of the dialogue sounds quite realistic to me. For instance, Belle initially speaks very shallow and ill towards the Beast. She definitely calls him hideous from what I remember, but her honesty goes a long way. I don't think I could trust anyone with big teeth, hair of an animal, and looks like they would eat my grandma...but maybe that is just me. The Beast acted like a total creeper in the film with Belle, but I suppose I have a soft spot for misunderstood characters, because I am quite odd myself. Many of the elements of the film include perspective with the wide use of different camera angles and shots to delve deep into the view of the character or group. The background of a lot of scenes had a lot of detail, especially the Beast's castle. It must have been an interesting idea at the time to have candles held by hanging hands, and objects having a life of its own. In all honesty, I did laugh when I saw what the Beast looked like. Despite my immaturity towards how costumes looked back then, this is a really great film that gives a lesson on what true beauty really is, and who the real "monsters" are that dwell in society.
8.5/10
#8 EARTH (10/2/12)
Dir. Aleksandr Dovzhenko
1930
This piece of film is a poetic montage not consisting of many strict limited visuals. The film at the time was intended for farmers of agriculture. We hear sounds of the swift wind blowing which provides symbolism that the harvest is on its way. The main message of the film is that it does not matter that you die, because we all become part of the Earth in the end. Unity is a recurring theme that is metaphorically related to the crops of the harvest and the people. In all honesty, I do see the many wonders of how directors like Eisenstein and Dovzhenko cut their films, and many patterns utilized for a particular emotion, but I feel so spoiled. I have progressively gotten better in my understanding for what is going on, but I adamantly enjoy the storyline narrative significantly better. I got a sense that Stephen King was inspired by this film in making Children of the Corn, because I thought the farmers in unity were all possessed.
*Update 11/25/12
I usually tend to dislike viewing films more than once, but I feel I have grown in the way I see films especially ones without sound and color. Oddly enough, I appreciate the simple things the film provides such as the movement and character's expressions. As I read more about the life of Dovzhenko, his work all made sense and I wasn't left with my usual routine to over think about what was going on. The only reason for seeing a film for me was because I simply just like to watch movies.
8/10
1930
This piece of film is a poetic montage not consisting of many strict limited visuals. The film at the time was intended for farmers of agriculture. We hear sounds of the swift wind blowing which provides symbolism that the harvest is on its way. The main message of the film is that it does not matter that you die, because we all become part of the Earth in the end. Unity is a recurring theme that is metaphorically related to the crops of the harvest and the people. In all honesty, I do see the many wonders of how directors like Eisenstein and Dovzhenko cut their films, and many patterns utilized for a particular emotion, but I feel so spoiled. I have progressively gotten better in my understanding for what is going on, but I adamantly enjoy the storyline narrative significantly better. I got a sense that Stephen King was inspired by this film in making Children of the Corn, because I thought the farmers in unity were all possessed.
*Update 11/25/12
I usually tend to dislike viewing films more than once, but I feel I have grown in the way I see films especially ones without sound and color. Oddly enough, I appreciate the simple things the film provides such as the movement and character's expressions. As I read more about the life of Dovzhenko, his work all made sense and I wasn't left with my usual routine to over think about what was going on. The only reason for seeing a film for me was because I simply just like to watch movies.
8/10
#7 Once Upon a Time in the West (10/1/12)
Dir. Sergio Leone
1968
The various techniques Mr. Leone established on camera were very effective in really getting me to feel a certain way. The beginning scene irritated me when the three bandits are annoyed with the water dripping and fly buzzing were made really loud on purpose. It made me anxious all the way through until it finally got to what we were waiting for which was the encounter. I was very intrigued with how the director didn't want the film to be like any other "Western". He purposely cast Henry Fonda to play the evil villain because he stated in an interview that it was always the nice looking people who had blue eyes that screwed him over. At the time, Henry Fonda was looked at as be far from evil but in Mr. Leone's perspective is that it was all just deception for true evil. That way of thinking to me is very respectable and reasonable because people will do things to win the respect of other while having an ulterior motive. The music was absolutely in good taste signaling a showdown between characters. The back story was done in a very interesting way initially because you get a sense of how a character is like before they say anything. The flashback with the character known by a harmonica was a powerful scene explaining the hatred fueled by vengeance. I don't watch a lot of Westerns to really compare, but this film in general is an amazing piece of work.
9/10
1968
The various techniques Mr. Leone established on camera were very effective in really getting me to feel a certain way. The beginning scene irritated me when the three bandits are annoyed with the water dripping and fly buzzing were made really loud on purpose. It made me anxious all the way through until it finally got to what we were waiting for which was the encounter. I was very intrigued with how the director didn't want the film to be like any other "Western". He purposely cast Henry Fonda to play the evil villain because he stated in an interview that it was always the nice looking people who had blue eyes that screwed him over. At the time, Henry Fonda was looked at as be far from evil but in Mr. Leone's perspective is that it was all just deception for true evil. That way of thinking to me is very respectable and reasonable because people will do things to win the respect of other while having an ulterior motive. The music was absolutely in good taste signaling a showdown between characters. The back story was done in a very interesting way initially because you get a sense of how a character is like before they say anything. The flashback with the character known by a harmonica was a powerful scene explaining the hatred fueled by vengeance. I don't watch a lot of Westerns to really compare, but this film in general is an amazing piece of work.
9/10
#6 Looper (9/30/12)
Dir. Rian Johnson
2012
I have to give props to Joseph Gordon-Levitt in creating a character reminiscent to Bruce Willis. The look and mannerisms were just unbelievably good, and it felt genuine rather than mimicked. In general, I am fascinated with ideas regardless if it sounds too unrealistic. Science fiction films tend to contain many loopholes in their explanation, but I felt the film did a decent job to eliminate as many of them as cleanly as possible. I was totally loving the idea of how the future looked which reminded me of Megacity in Dredd because of society being torn apart. The atmosphere was quite believable and the technology shown in the future looked no different besides the hovering vehicles. Story wise, it is very unique and original in intellectually engaging the audience. The action is definitely suspenseful (no pun intended!) and flows quite reasonably in transitioning to very important story plots. There was many elements in the film that surprised me a lot which did not make it feel overabundant, but very mind-blowing. I felt that the film does a great job to appeal to anyone, especially my dad who has trouble understanding why scenes kept repeating...he understood it in the end.
9.5/10
2012
I have to give props to Joseph Gordon-Levitt in creating a character reminiscent to Bruce Willis. The look and mannerisms were just unbelievably good, and it felt genuine rather than mimicked. In general, I am fascinated with ideas regardless if it sounds too unrealistic. Science fiction films tend to contain many loopholes in their explanation, but I felt the film did a decent job to eliminate as many of them as cleanly as possible. I was totally loving the idea of how the future looked which reminded me of Megacity in Dredd because of society being torn apart. The atmosphere was quite believable and the technology shown in the future looked no different besides the hovering vehicles. Story wise, it is very unique and original in intellectually engaging the audience. The action is definitely suspenseful (no pun intended!) and flows quite reasonably in transitioning to very important story plots. There was many elements in the film that surprised me a lot which did not make it feel overabundant, but very mind-blowing. I felt that the film does a great job to appeal to anyone, especially my dad who has trouble understanding why scenes kept repeating...he understood it in the end.
9.5/10
#5 It Happened One Night (9/29/12)
Dir. Frank Capra
1934
The qualities displayed by the character Peter Warne played by Clark Gable in "It Happened One Night", more than qualifies to be a star in any era. His acting was superb in the scene when Shapeley played by Roscoe Karns is pestering Claudette Colbert's character Ellie in the train. Peter does not appreciate the insulting sexist treatment Ellie is taking so he interrupts Shapeley. He convinces him that Ellie is his wife so he can have a seat with her and shut the guys mouth. Shapeley apologizes and feels very embarrassed for his rude actions. We all know that Ellie is not his wife, but I would be fooled by his eloquent acting if I saw just this scene. His charm and wit would make him a star today. People of today love to relate to charismatic interesting characters especially if they make the film fun and humorous. He acts so masculine and confident in front of Ellie in the scene when he is undressing. Many actors of today need to be comfortable when they perform in every situation, which he shows as he smokes a cigar and lays on a bed. Another quality is his assertiveness with telling Ellie what to do. Peter made her decision for her to not buy the chocolate in the train, and getting her out of the bed in the morning as she was awed of him preparing all her necessities. The gentlemen persona of Clark Gabe is imitated throughout film history because it is a quality many men aspire to be. His acting alone was great, but the film itself is rather memorable in its narrative. I like how the relationship of the two main characters built up in a very peculiar way with how they met. Integrity and principle were the major themes that kept me awed throughout the film.
9/10
1934
The qualities displayed by the character Peter Warne played by Clark Gable in "It Happened One Night", more than qualifies to be a star in any era. His acting was superb in the scene when Shapeley played by Roscoe Karns is pestering Claudette Colbert's character Ellie in the train. Peter does not appreciate the insulting sexist treatment Ellie is taking so he interrupts Shapeley. He convinces him that Ellie is his wife so he can have a seat with her and shut the guys mouth. Shapeley apologizes and feels very embarrassed for his rude actions. We all know that Ellie is not his wife, but I would be fooled by his eloquent acting if I saw just this scene. His charm and wit would make him a star today. People of today love to relate to charismatic interesting characters especially if they make the film fun and humorous. He acts so masculine and confident in front of Ellie in the scene when he is undressing. Many actors of today need to be comfortable when they perform in every situation, which he shows as he smokes a cigar and lays on a bed. Another quality is his assertiveness with telling Ellie what to do. Peter made her decision for her to not buy the chocolate in the train, and getting her out of the bed in the morning as she was awed of him preparing all her necessities. The gentlemen persona of Clark Gabe is imitated throughout film history because it is a quality many men aspire to be. His acting alone was great, but the film itself is rather memorable in its narrative. I like how the relationship of the two main characters built up in a very peculiar way with how they met. Integrity and principle were the major themes that kept me awed throughout the film.
9/10
#4 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (9/26/12)
Dir. Jay Oliva
2012
This film was indeed very entertaining, and had such a great script. The legacy of Batman being iron-willed all the way through despite his years getting ahead of him is how he should be portrayed. I am not the biggest fan of this drawing style of Batman, and Peter Weller's voice. Fortunately, it does not deter the quality of this brilliantly made film. The main antagonists "The Mutants" were very slow and non-intellectual in their variety of henchmen. Batman easily takes out, and gets into the minds of them very smoothly. The only one slightly interesting and gives Batman trouble was the leader of "The Mutants". The scene when Batman rolled up in his Bat Tank and said, "Mutants, surrender now or be destroyed" made him look completely bad-ass as he took out the whole army. I love how the bullets were all rubber, showing the true Batman that does not kill. He was also honorable in defeating his enemies at their own game, in this case obliging to hand-to-hand combat against the leader. This part 1 of the film builds up the jaw dropping suspense of the next act to come. The familiar villain shown in the end made me scream like a little girl. This film was quite wonderful all around with it's memorable flashbacks to key moments of Batman's resolve and unbreakable will. I am dying in grueling anticipation for Part 2.
9/10
2012
This film was indeed very entertaining, and had such a great script. The legacy of Batman being iron-willed all the way through despite his years getting ahead of him is how he should be portrayed. I am not the biggest fan of this drawing style of Batman, and Peter Weller's voice. Fortunately, it does not deter the quality of this brilliantly made film. The main antagonists "The Mutants" were very slow and non-intellectual in their variety of henchmen. Batman easily takes out, and gets into the minds of them very smoothly. The only one slightly interesting and gives Batman trouble was the leader of "The Mutants". The scene when Batman rolled up in his Bat Tank and said, "Mutants, surrender now or be destroyed" made him look completely bad-ass as he took out the whole army. I love how the bullets were all rubber, showing the true Batman that does not kill. He was also honorable in defeating his enemies at their own game, in this case obliging to hand-to-hand combat against the leader. This part 1 of the film builds up the jaw dropping suspense of the next act to come. The familiar villain shown in the end made me scream like a little girl. This film was quite wonderful all around with it's memorable flashbacks to key moments of Batman's resolve and unbreakable will. I am dying in grueling anticipation for Part 2.
9/10
#3 La Grande Illusion (9/25/12)
Dir. Jean Renoir
1937
It is always a great pleasure to experience a piece of film relevant to times of the World War. The three main generals of France are struggling to escape from the clutches of Germany. I absolutely love the way Jean Renoir depicted the horrors of war without actually showing it on screen. Sure, there is an unfortunate casualty on screen, but nothing like the bloodshed of thousands of soldiers in a battlefield at once. Aristocrat Boeldieu played by Pierre Fresnay is a character that I respect highly for his ability to befriend the aristocrat Van Rauffenstein. Many of the dialogue invoke humanistic philosophies that both men agree upon. Their friendship is based on the respect they have for each other. They possess similar qualities of intellect, and have a clear understanding with what is going on. Boeldieu's other friends Marechal and Rosenthal persistently wish to escape. The film is definitely not an anti-war film, but rather a humanist film that does not dismiss any of the characters based on class. I particularly enjoyed the scene of the film when Van Rauffenstein shoots Boeldieu in the stomach (meant to hit him in the legs) and apologizes that he did not mean to kill him. In the hospital, Boeldieu is honorable in understanding that Van Rauffenstein was just performing his duty, and it was not his fault at all. The two acknowledge that they will just be forgotten aristocrats after the war is over, and are just living pointlessly for a necessary evil.
9/10
1937
It is always a great pleasure to experience a piece of film relevant to times of the World War. The three main generals of France are struggling to escape from the clutches of Germany. I absolutely love the way Jean Renoir depicted the horrors of war without actually showing it on screen. Sure, there is an unfortunate casualty on screen, but nothing like the bloodshed of thousands of soldiers in a battlefield at once. Aristocrat Boeldieu played by Pierre Fresnay is a character that I respect highly for his ability to befriend the aristocrat Van Rauffenstein. Many of the dialogue invoke humanistic philosophies that both men agree upon. Their friendship is based on the respect they have for each other. They possess similar qualities of intellect, and have a clear understanding with what is going on. Boeldieu's other friends Marechal and Rosenthal persistently wish to escape. The film is definitely not an anti-war film, but rather a humanist film that does not dismiss any of the characters based on class. I particularly enjoyed the scene of the film when Van Rauffenstein shoots Boeldieu in the stomach (meant to hit him in the legs) and apologizes that he did not mean to kill him. In the hospital, Boeldieu is honorable in understanding that Van Rauffenstein was just performing his duty, and it was not his fault at all. The two acknowledge that they will just be forgotten aristocrats after the war is over, and are just living pointlessly for a necessary evil.
9/10
#2 The Man With A Camera (9/25/12)
Dir. Dziga Vertov
1929
So far this was the best film I have seen out of my Russian film class. It really reminds of certain French films that focus on surrealism, because of the camera tricks like double exposure. The stop motion trick to move the camera on the tripod gave it a life of its own. The film really has an obsession with technology that is very apparent. As usual the film has no storyline which really shows how much they were against Hollywood's film style. I would certainly say that this film shows how life of the Soviet Union was in the 1920's. It gives a great depiction of the Russian people that I love and appreciate. The people of Russia basically have superior work ethic, and are a force to be reckoned with.
7/10
1929
So far this was the best film I have seen out of my Russian film class. It really reminds of certain French films that focus on surrealism, because of the camera tricks like double exposure. The stop motion trick to move the camera on the tripod gave it a life of its own. The film really has an obsession with technology that is very apparent. As usual the film has no storyline which really shows how much they were against Hollywood's film style. I would certainly say that this film shows how life of the Soviet Union was in the 1920's. It gives a great depiction of the Russian people that I love and appreciate. The people of Russia basically have superior work ethic, and are a force to be reckoned with.
7/10
#1 Network (9/24/12)
Dir. Sidney Lumet
1976
Network was a film meant to be outrageous at the time it was made, but not far from the truth as we are living it currently. The wild provocative predictions entered into our reality unexpectedly. People once asked me what the difference between "satire" and "parody" is, which is a very reasonable question. My response is that a really good satire is actually difficult to tell from reality unless you already understand the conditions that were going on at the time. Obviously, a parody is comedy that is noticeable. As I was watching this film, it reminded me of a satirical show I enjoyed called "The Daily Show" starring Stephen Colbert. I am quite positive that the show took influence from this film. Another piece of work that came to mind was "Anchorman" starring Will Ferrell, but that movie is a lot less serious. Network was shot like television rather than an actual movie which is apparent in the opening credits. I did notice the acting was screened somewhat like a play. They get to fully express their thoughts without being interrupted. The main character Howard Beale played by Peter Finch is a news anchor who becomes morose and full of suicidal thoughts. He gets caught up in a major turn of events when the viewing audience takes interest in him for radically wishing to blow his brains out during live television which raises the ratings. The CEO's approve this notion of him ranting propaganda to the audience as a messiah. The motif of the film is truth and honesty which Howard Beale rants about, exposing the corruption of the people he works for.
8/10
1976
Network was a film meant to be outrageous at the time it was made, but not far from the truth as we are living it currently. The wild provocative predictions entered into our reality unexpectedly. People once asked me what the difference between "satire" and "parody" is, which is a very reasonable question. My response is that a really good satire is actually difficult to tell from reality unless you already understand the conditions that were going on at the time. Obviously, a parody is comedy that is noticeable. As I was watching this film, it reminded me of a satirical show I enjoyed called "The Daily Show" starring Stephen Colbert. I am quite positive that the show took influence from this film. Another piece of work that came to mind was "Anchorman" starring Will Ferrell, but that movie is a lot less serious. Network was shot like television rather than an actual movie which is apparent in the opening credits. I did notice the acting was screened somewhat like a play. They get to fully express their thoughts without being interrupted. The main character Howard Beale played by Peter Finch is a news anchor who becomes morose and full of suicidal thoughts. He gets caught up in a major turn of events when the viewing audience takes interest in him for radically wishing to blow his brains out during live television which raises the ratings. The CEO's approve this notion of him ranting propaganda to the audience as a messiah. The motif of the film is truth and honesty which Howard Beale rants about, exposing the corruption of the people he works for.
8/10