Chinatown

Chinatown is a unique film in many ways and is considered a classic. It is generally deemed to be a film noir but i have to admit I had a little trouble seeing it. Many of the plot elements fit the film noir genre but visually it was a little harder for me to see. I enjoyed watching the film but the ending changed my opinion a bit.
First of all, the plot and dialogue was very intelligent and I really like that about it. I'm not surprised that script won an academy award; it certainly deserved it.
The casting was also very good. Nicholson and Dunaway had a unusual but strong chemistry and the supported cast helped build a believable world around them.
Again, as far as considering it a film noir, much of the film didnt feel like one. It had the fairly typical detective plot but so much of the film was shot in bright, outdoor scenes.
My major problem with the film was the ending. In a largely objective way, it was okay. I did fit certain themes of the film and brought an odd sort of closure to the plot. But personally, it was too disappointing for me. I just have trouble enjoying a story that ends too negatively.
In the end, i think Chinatown was a very intelligent movie that kept my attention but i cant say that i want to watch it many more times.

Blade Runner

Before seeing this movie i had a lot of different assumptions about it. I knew that it was somewhat of a classic now and i knew i really liked Ridley Scott so i expected to really like it. I also thought it was going to be somewhat of an epic sci-fi action film. It turned out to be a lot different than i expected. The film was on a smaller scale than i expected. The setting of the film was less important than the story unfolding in it. Admittedly i didn't like it as much as i was expecting but it was still really good. Even though the style or genre of the film was different than i was expecting i liked it for that very reason. The way i look at it there are the films that have extraordinary settings and the plot sort of shows it off. Star Wars is a good example of this. The plot involved many aspects of the setting like light speed travel and large space wars. Blade Runner on the other hand was simply a detective story that just happened to take place in the future. Most of the events in the story could very easily happen now. Again, i didnt like it as much as i thought i would but i liked it a lot, just in a different way i was expecting. I definitely want to watch this film again to see i how like it, knowing what to expect.

Double Indemnity

Double Indemnity is my first experience in traditional film noir and i quite enjoyed it. The film stood out to me in a number of ways, mostly the unique story and the look of the film. Double Indemnity's story was unique largely because the protagonist in many ways didn't seem to be a good person. It was one of those movies where its hard to completely identify with any of the characters yet it still remains interesting. I really liked the typical noir look that the movie had. I think the film is a fairly typical example of film noir and im looking forward to seeing more movies like it.

The Elements Of A Great Film

Is there one thing that all movies must have in order to be considered great or even just good? My short answer to this question is kind of. First off, I think there must be some elements of realism and believably in the characters that inhabit the films. i say SOME elements because i think there can be a wide range of realism to characters. On the one hand are characters in traditional Hollywood films such as Casablanca and Do the right thing that exhibit normal human characteristics. Many may remind you of actually people that you may know. On the other hand you have eccentric, abnormal characters, often in unrealistic settings such as the photojournalist in Apocalypse Now and many of the characters in your typical sci-fi action film. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, every character has something about them that makes them human, even if they're not. I think the important part is that every movie should have a character that you can identify with. In fact i think thats probably the most important part of any story. I think this is the main reason why I had trouble enjoying Scorsese' Raging Bull and yet may also be why other people liked it so much. Personally, i had so much trouble identifying with any of the characters in the film while others may find certain redeeming qualities in them.

That being said, i think there are two extremely important things that can make a film great. A good film doesn't have to have both but i think it needs to have on or the other. The first one draws from what I said above in that a great film often has actors that portray their characters as realistically as possible, interacting with each other in a strong linear plot. This sort of film must have a interesting dynamic plot. Classic examples of this include The Godfather, Casablanca, Gone Baby Gone, The Departed and many others both old an new.

In an effort to not leave out many good films, a film may also achieve greatness without having an especially linear evident plot. A film like this must then rely more on the actual images shown on the screen and the way the music creates certain moods than on what the characters are trying to achieve. An extreme example of this is Daughters of the Dust. There isn't to much more to the plot of the film than simply waiting with the family until they move to the mainland. Instead, the beautiful images of the island and the men and women that live on it make it literally like a moving piece of art. I have often said that music is also more important to a film than many people realize. If done well it creates strong moods and feelings to supplement the emotions of the characters and even of the images themselves. Admittedly, I am some what partial to films that follow this "path to greatness" than the former. While movies with good plots and interesting characters are often great I'm more inclined to consider a film the best when it plays out like a complex piece of art than simply a good story. Naturally, the best sort of film will emulate both of theses characteristics.
Irregardless it is extremely important that the Characters and the actors that portray them join together in a special way. In other words, the actors must make you believe that they are their characters and that they make sense to at least a minimal extent.

I think some of the best examples of all this are There Will Be Blood and Apocalypse Now. There Will Be Blood has many great shots of the California landscape while Apocalypse now has wonderfully chilling shots of the dark of the jungle supplemented by good editing effects. In addition, the acting is very good in both films, especially Daniel Day-lewis as Daniel Plainview. These films, among many others, are what i consider to be cinema at its finest. I think my passion for movies comes from the fact that I see film as such a complete form of art, combining beautiful images, dramatic music, and intriguing story's. Any film that combines these elements eloquently and entertainingly is what I call a great film.

Casablanca

Casablanca is generally considered to be on of the greatest films of all time. After watching it i can certainly some evidence for it but i'm not sure if i would necessarily hold it in that high regard.

I think a large part of my opinions of this movie come from the fact that it is an older movie and many movies have been influenced directly from it. Watching in today, much of the story, particularly the romance, seemed comical simply because i had seen it used so often. Admittedly, before i saw it i was expecting to not like it at all but luckily i did enjoy most of it. First and foremost i really appreciated the writing. The dialogue, especially between Rick and captain Renault, was both entertaining and intelligent. I found myself enjoying the political intrigue in the film much more than the romance.

I was certainly impressed with this movie. Mostly because of the writing and setting. though I wouldn't call this the greatest film ive ever seen it does deserve most of the credit it receives.

Ran

i enjoyed watching ran. it was quite different than most American films in a lot of ways. it had an unique combination of humor and drama. I particularly liked the large battle scenes. i think a lot of the epic battle scenes in movies that i like now were heavily influenced by this film. this film has an interesting mix of both American and foreign film styles. The influence of Japanese Noh theater is clearly strong. While some American audiences might be put off by some aspects of the film, i still think it reaches a wide, diverse audience nonetheless.

daughters of the Dust

Calling daughters of the dust an unusual film is somewhat of an understatement. the film doesn't follow most Hollywood film conventions. That being said i think daughters of the dust is a good film, worth watching for, if nothing else, its originality. it shows the life of a family living on the Gullah islands, days before they plan on moving to mainland America.

The film is quite simple with most of the time spent showing the character's relationships and interactions with each other. The actors in the film do a great job at playing there characters honestly and realistically. Daughters of the Dust intentionally doesn't follow a strong linear plot. Julie dash wanted to create a new kind of film and she seems to have succeeded. The power of this movie is in its images, music and relationships of its character.

Raging Bull

Rarely sit through a movie that i don't like. Unfortunately Raging Bull was one of those movies. Though im told that i have to like it just cause Scorsese or Deniro or whatever but i just didn't enjoy it. The problem was that i had no sympathy for any of the characters in the film and i think thats the most important part of a good story. As far as film quality goes it isn't too bad but its just not a movie for me.

Do The Right Thing

Do The Right Thing is a very loud and in your face film and set Spike Lee up for a long career are racially charged films. Overall i quite liked the film and while there are some specific complaints that i have it still warrants praise, especially for its complex and controversial subject matter.

The film starts out quite simple, simply showing life in New York in a black neighborhood. For a large part of the film I had trouble finding any particularly coherent plot. Normally I would immediately be put off by this in a film but I think Lee makes it work. His honest portrayal of communities like this one overshadows the lack a specific plot. Later on though, different character dynamics begin to take prominence and the point of the film becomes clearer.

The acting in the film plays a large part in making to film seem real and all the actors played their parts well. I’m especially impressed by Spike Lee’s ability to write, direct, and act in his films, especially at his young.
The deeper messages of the film are especially interesting though many things in the plot don’t seem to get resolved. This is another thing that normally would cause me to not like a film but I think it fits the subject matter. Spike Lee doesn’t try to bring unrealistic closure to the issues being dealt with.

I thought Do The Right Thing was a very good movie and deserves the acclaim it has been given and the place of cultural significance it has.

Apocalypse Now anylitical

Apocalypse Now is an intensely visual film. The shots were filmed with many different things in mind such as lighting, color and framing. With those basic cinematographic concepts, the filmmakers created a great cinematic experience.

The film has a wide variety of shots ranging from extreme close-ups to broad crane shots. The long shots, like the helicopter attack, were stunning. The point o view went from seeing the helicopters flying across the sky to views from the helicopters looking down at the fighting. Together, the scene really makes you feel like your experiencing the fight first hand.

I also noticed that different sections of the film were dominated by different colors. The beginning o the film had an unsaturated green and yellow ting to it which I felt invoked an uncomfortable feeling. Some scenes, like ones in the forest had strong blue colors to them. The overall mood of the film changed as the colors did.

Coupled with the colors was the lighting, especially in the second half of the film. When the main characters arrive at the last army outpost the lighting is so dark that it is hard to see. This actually works very well for that scene because it makes look as horrible as it is supposed to feel. Also, the initial lack of lighting on Colonel Kurtz helps to extend the tension already built up on his character.

Apocalypse Now is a perfect study in good cinematography showing how all the elements make or break a good shot.

The Horror: an Apocalypse Now review.

Where could I possible start with this movie. First of all i don't think my head has stopped spinning. Apocalypse Now is an odd movie to say the least and nothing like i have ever seen. It was strange, disturbing, violent, seemingly immoral, and guess what, i loved it. From the very first scene it becomes obvious this isn't your typical war movie. The farther in you go the more it plays out like a psychological horror film. Francis Ford Coppola achieves this style many different ways. Everything from Martin sheen's inner monologue, to the films striking cinematography to its intense plotting works cohesively to bring this films intensity and brilliance

In a large sense, it is an extremely artistic film. The entire movie is immensely visual and surreal. The filmmakers used a fascinating array of colors and textures in their shots. The camera gets everything from sweeping shots of helicopters flying over the Vietnamese landscape to ominous close-ups of men covered in shadow.
Another striking component to the film is its foreboding soundtrack. I usually find that music play an extremely important role in the quality of the film and Apocalypse now doesn't disappoint.

The sensual aspects a film can only take you so far unless the subject matter holds your attention as well. As if the effect this film has on your senses isn't commanding enough, Apocalypse Now's effect on the mind takes it to an entirely new level. I left the film utterly confused on the moral message of the film but i think that was more or less intentional. So many of the actions of the different characters are appalling but Coppola brings you so deep into the world of the Vietnam war that it is hard condemn them.

Apocalypse Now is an extremely representational film. I think the only way for a film to even come close to conveying the horrors of the Vietnam war is to show it with a surreal darkness. Apocalypse Now does its job phenomenally and holds your attention long after the film is over. As it turns out, Marlon Brando's famous quote encapsulates the essence of this film exquisitely.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly analytical entry

The most striking element of the film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is most certainly the cinematography. The majority of the film is shot from the perspective of Jean-Dominique Bauby's eye. This creates some very interesting and dynamic shots. I found the first couple scenes particularly interesting. When the film begins, Mr. Bauby's eye slowly opens and looks around the room. The Camera is extremely out of focus and blurry. It immediately draws you deep into the film. As people begin to take notice of Mr. Bauby's awakening the shallow focus becomes more obvious. People's faces are blurry until they move as close as possible to the camera. As the film progresses, the depth of field progressively become deeper. As Mr. Bauby's vision becomes clearer, so do ours. The attention to realism and detail in the film is the most important part of it. The purpose of the attention to detail is clear; the film invites us to become fully immersed in the experience of Jean-Dominique.

Later in the film we are kicked out of Jean-Dominique Bauby's perspective rather abruptly. The cinematographer makes some really unique stylistic choices throughout the film. For example, the scene in which Mr. Bauby is driving in his convertible soon before his stroke, the camera moves often and abnormally. Sometimes the camera focuses upward at the sky and the tops of buildings from inside the car. While many different symbols and other things can be inferred from this stylistic choice, it at the very least sets the film apart from the norm.

As with any film, a combination of cinematography, directing, and editing make a film work or fail but “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’s” cinematography creates a unique and intriguing feel to the film that draws you in and never lets go, even when it kicks you out.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

I found The diving bell and the butterfly to be a very beautiful film. They made many artistic choices that i really enjoyed. The film is mostly told from the eye of Jean-do Bauby which creates really interesting shots. Bauby's inner monologue provides both humor and heartbreak that, along with the cinematography, really draw you into the film. The film is completely in french which i really enjoyed because i am studying it. Also, it sets a nice mood to the film. Though it seemed to drag on at times i still really liked the artsy style of the film and would certainly recommend it.

Psycho Remake

Almost, no one likes it when movies are remade. Especially, movies held in such high regard as Psycho. I say almost because I think I’m one of the few (and the proud), who enjoyed Gus Van Sant’s version more than the original. Not to say that he made everything in the film better but many of the fundamental flaws that I discovered in the original film were rectified by the new cast’s interpretations of their characters.
My biggest problem with Hitchcock’s is that the characters didn’t seem believable in many ways. Ironically, Norman Bates, with his highly unusual condition, was the most believable character in the film. In the remake, different characters interactions and reactions seemed more natural and less melodramatic. Most importantly, it was easier to understand Marion’s motivation throughout the film. Though this took away from the sense of fear Marion had in the original, it seemed unnaturally intense in Hitchcock’s version.
Vince Vaughn’s portrayal of Norman was both positive and negative. He lacked the handsome, timid quality that Anthony Perkins had but was significantly more intimidating. In and of itself, Vince did an acceptable job at playing Norman and in his defense; Anthony set the bar quite high. I might be “that guy”, you know, the one critic who liked the movie no one else did, but I’m okay with that because I think Gus Van Sant deserves more credit than he most likely received.

Psycho Review

While i dont like the "slasher" films that i see coming out these days, I found the archtypal slasher film "Psycho" to be quite good. A few complaints aside, i can see why the film is considered a classic. Im actually quite new to Hitchcock's films but i quickly took notice to his signiture style. The film builds tension extremely well. The muisc is key in developing this. Even in scenes where the dialouge seems innocent enough the music made me apprehensive to what would come next. Hitchcock's unique cinematography is appealing to me as well. I think my favorite aspect of the film is Anthony Perkins' acting. He pulles off both sides of Norman Bates' dual personality extremely well. My only qualms with the film was that it was hard for me to follow Marrion's "motivation". In other words i didn't realize her intentions to steal the money untill she met Bates. Also, i think the psychiatrist gave to much information away at the end, taking away all the mystery that Hitchcock had so masterfully built throughout the film.

Vantage Point

! was quite satisfied with this movie. The film unfolds the plot in a very unique. Remenicent of Christopher Nolan's classic Memento, Vantage point graps your attention and does not let it go untill the very end. The acting in the film is solid, with big names like Whitaker, Quaid and Hurt. While the plot itself isn't particularly unique, Vantage Point's special form of storytelling makes the film worth repeated viewings. 7 out of 10

Gone Baby Gone

Synopsis

On the surface, Gone Baby Gone, is a crime thriller about a child kidnapped from a cocaine addicted mother and the private investigator recruited to find her. Beyond that though, the plot only continues to get thicker every step of the way through the film.

Opinion

Upon hearing of this movie I was slightly intrigued, mostly because of the Oscar nomination attached to Amy Ryan who I had never heard of. After watching it though, I was very pleasantly surprised. The movie was considerably well made, a great start for Ben Affleck’s directorial career. Based on a novel by Dennis Lehan and adapted by Ben Affleck, Gone Baby Gone starts out with a deceivingly simple plot and expands and grows with great intensity. Simply put, the story is wonderfully written.
There is an impressive mix of character dynamics in the movie. In other words, certain characters relations to each other greatly facilitate a complex and interesting story. Along with its fine plot, Gone Baby Gone has a phenomenal cast and they help to display these dynamics excellently. On top of Amy Ryan’s Oscar nominated role (which is quite deserved I think), Casey Affleck, Ed Harris, and Morgan freeman deliver splendid performances as well. While the performances are what we should expect of actors with the experience of the latter two, Casey Affleck is deservedly building an impressive resume too.
In keeping with a good plot, deeper messages in the story very thought provoking. In some senses, it displays the traditional dilemma of “do the ends justify the means” but does so in a way that makes it too hard to simply take one side or the other.

Overall

An outstanding debut for Ben Affleck: the director. Thanks to an extremely well written book and Ben Affleck’s directorial talent Gone Baby Gone is a great movie and I definitely recommend it to those looking for a deep, edgy drama.

9 out of 10

Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Synopsis

Sweeny Todd tells the legendary tale of a man who loses his wife and daughter to a corrupt judge, is sent to prison unjustly, and comes back to exact revenge. The whole history of the story is rather convoluted but apparently it might have started as a true story and was converted from a legend, to novels, to a Broadway musical, to several movie adaptations. The most recent of which, directed by Tim Burton, is musical film drawing mostly from the Broadway play.

Opinion

Sweeny Todd is probably my favorite movie of the year next to There Will Be Blood. The movie is the combined effort of regular collaborators Tim Burton, Jonny Depp, and Helena Bonham Carter. The film has Tim Burton’s signature style all over it with its dark macabre look, its dark macabre romance, and its dark macabre everything else. But that’s okay because it works.
Probably the first thing people will notice about the movie is that it’s a musical. Though you don’t usually think of serial killers and musicals at the same time, Sweeny Todd really makes it work and the music, credited to Stephen Sondheim, is excellently written. The performances in Sweeny Todd are very good as well. Jonny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter work wonderfully together while Alan Rickman and young newcomer Ed Sanders do extremely well also.

Overall

This is a great movie and I highly recommend it. The level of violence may get to some people (not many these days) but if that doesn’t bother you then by all means, see it. I didn’t really like musicals as a kid so if I can enjoy this as much as I did than I’m sure you can too.

9 out of 10

Juno

Synopsis

Juno is a movie about a sixteen year old who gets pregnant. No, it’s not an episode of Maury, it’s the story of a young girl who gets pregnant and tries to find a couple to adopt while, as she puts it, deals with “things way beyond my maturity level.”

Opinion

Juno is a very good, unique story and one of my favorite movies of the year. If you ask me (and in a sense you are.) the real star of this film is the script. Written by first time screenwriter Diablo Cody, Juno really is as they say “this year’s little miss sunshine” It’s refreshingly original, quirky and funny. It is also very heartwarming…but only towards the end. Through the majority of the film, like little miss sunshine, things pretty much get worse for the protagonists as time goes on but it is certainly not without laughs throughout. Besides, that is what makes the ending all the more powerful.
The thing that struck me the most was the honesty in the dialogue. It certainly isn’t completely realistic and Juno and her friend have more witty things to say then is probably natural but nonetheless, the dialogue in the film is probably more realistic than most. The film’s acting is also something of note. Ellen Page, who was nominated for an Oscar for her role, delivers a great performance. In addition, the other actors in the film, such as Michael Cera and Jason Bateman also give good performances. Like his other roles, Michael Cera who plays Juno’s love interest (more or less), plays awkward better than any actor I have seen. If you’ve seen Superbad or any episode of Arrested Development than you know what I’m talking about.

Overall

Juno is defiantly a movie worth seeing. Juno defiantly isn’t a laugh-out-loud kind of comedy but I don’t think that’s what they’re going for. With a good cast, simple humor, and a believable script, you can’t really go wrong and I don’t think they did.

8.5 out of 10

1408

Synopsis

Adapted from a Steven King short story, 1408, like every Steven King story ever, concerns a struggling writer. Mike Enlsin makes a living visiting “haunted” hotels and writing about them. After receiving an anonymous tip of room 1408, Mike heads to the hotel to stay in the room. Upon arriving, he meets the hotel manager, played by Samuel Jackson, who begs him to not stay in the room. Naturally Mike insists and gets the key to the room. If you’ve heard anything of this movie at all then you know this is where things start going horribly wrong. If not then, well, this is where things start going horrible wrong.
The rest of the movie follows Mike Enslin as he tries to combat the evil of the room and make an escape. 1408 takes the viewer through the vast array of horrors that Mike endures ranging from psychotic and suicidal ghosts to pictures coming alive. Also, John Cusack’s character has a strong back-story involving his ex-wife and their dying daughter that plays a large role in the movie.

Opinion

Steven King has long been a favorite author of mine and 1408 is just another basic example of his work. I quite liked this movie adaptation but I have yet to read the original story. While the movie is not particularly scary, it certainly has a creepiness all its own. There a few twists and turns including one very big and…shall I say, misleading, one in the latter half of the film. My main concern with this movie on the other hand, is that it includes a lot of back-story and other plot elements that don’t seem to flesh out or get explained at all by the end of the film
1408’s acting isn’t really much to talk about but it is quite good nonetheless. John Cusack’s character is a rather typical caricature of the cynical man who “believes in nothing but himself” and has a dry sarcastic comment for everything. The movie spends the largest amount of its time around Mike Enslin for obvious reasons. I haven’t really seen him act in much else but he certainly does a good job in this movie especially since he was forced to act by himself and respond terrified to nothing. Samuel Jackson acts pretty much the same as he does in most of his movies but with significantly less yelling. The first exchange between the two characters in particular is a fine display of their acting talent.

Overall

All together, 1408 is entertaining enough that a second view can be just as enjoyable as the first even after all the twists have been exposed. Eventually I’d like to see more Steven King adaptations but for now this is one of my favorites (second to Secret Window). If you enjoy a creepy but fun film or are a big Steven King fan than I certainly recommend this film.

7 out of 10