The GodFather Review

Rarely do I enjoy a movie as I enjoyed Francis Ford Coppola's adaption of Mario Puzo's novel, The GodFather. This film has made a lasting impression on what I now expect to get out of any other movies I see. Not only were there subtle hints peppered throughout the movie, the color orange for instance, but the killings were also so graphic that it forced me to not turn away. During Luca Brasi's murder, when he was strangled in an empty bar, there was no music and the shot was an over the shoulder shot that focused on Brasi the entire time. This was meant to place the viewer there and give the impression that this was not a glamorous way to die. The symbolism of the color orange throughout the film is also important. The color orange is commonly believed to represent conflict. Which is why, when Vito get shot he is shown buying oranges which then roll across the street. Orange is also prevalent in the final office scene, Kay is wearing an orange dress. The door then closes on the orange dress, showing that the conflict has been temporarily resolved. Last, but certainly not least, food is very important to Italian culture, and it is no different in the film. No business talk at the dinner table, only fresh, homemade meals, and cannoli's play a part in a murder.

Crime films will always be interesting, but great crime films will always have a special place in movie lovers hearts, most likely because they will be trying to live up to The Godfathers.

Psycho Review

Psycho, arguably one of Alfred Hitchcock's best known film, can still pack a punch for unsuspecting viewers. Having recently re-watched it, I knew what I was in for, however some others that viewed it with me weren't so well versed and hadn't seen the film before. Lets just say that Hitchcock's still got it, he managed to rile a few screams from the crowd of high school students, which is seemingly harder than one might think. Psycho centers on a beautiful, blonde, real estate agent who steals a large sum of money from her employer. She then flee's town to be with her lover, only to never make it after staying the night at the Bates Motel. The story then makes a whole bunch of twists and turns from that point that shouldn't be spoiled. To many, Hitchcock is still considered the master of suspense, and for good reason. The film has you guessing until the very last minutes, when everything is explained to you very neatly and leaves no cliff hangers, however they still made three more movies after this one. My favorite thing about this movie, however, is the way that it was shot. Some camera angles are directly from a character's point of view, making it seem as though you are in the film. This gives the movie an interesting feel, coupled with Hitchcock's legendary shower scene, this film could possibly get any better. And that was meant as a compliment.

Citizen Kane Review

Citizen Kane was an exciting film, not modern day Michael Bay exciting, but for the time it was thought provoking and very technologically advanced. Orson Welles made quite a splash in the film world with his camera techniques. He used many fades and different transitions to give the film more depth. Wipes were used to transition a sequence of shots in which Kane and his first wife were having meals at one of their many tables. The wipes were meant to show the passage of time, in correlation with the costumes that the two characters wore, as well as their makeup. But, the special effects can only make up so much of the film. This isn't Gravity. The main plot follows a reporter who wishes to get a better understanding of the meaning of "Rosebud", Kane's last words. He travels to see many of Kane's old friends and lovers, and they tell the story of Kane's life and what they think Rosebud might be through flash backs. This is why special effects and make up were crucial for Citizen Kane. Without it the actors would just look stupid, trying to play older versions of themselves. The audience would also be confused as to what time period they were in. Thankfully, this wasn't the case, and Citizen Kane was a delightful success. A must watch film classic.

Memento Film Review

Memento, a film by Christopher Nolan, is a rather interesting adaption of a short story by Jonathan Nolan called Memento Mori. However, if you looked at both of these pieces without knowing their connection it is hard to understand that they are related.

The differences between Memento and Memento Mori aren't too extensive. The main idea of a man with memory loss who has lost his wife and now wants revenge is still there. And there are more similarities between the two main characters. Like the fact that they both use tattoos to  make notes on the body with tattoos. You could also point out that the two characters don’t have the same tattoos however.

The adaptation made by Nolan is clearly a loose adaptation. I feel however that this is the only way that it could be done in order to make an interesting film. In the short story the audience quickly understands that the character has memory loss. It had to be quick because Jonathan only had a limited amount of time. But, since Christopher Nolan had an ample amount of time he was able to go more in depth with the idea of the memory loss and the viewer got a better understanding of what the main character was going through.

Memento Mori also chooses to only focus on the one main character, Earl, instead of include us in the entire story. Earl starts us out in a mental institution, unsure of how long he has been there. The story then jumps to Earl outside of the mental institution and on the hunt for his wife’s killer. The short story finishes with Earl finding and killing the murdering rapist, but of course he soon forgets. This extremely basic story line is very similar to the Memento story. The Memento story however goes much more in depth, develops other characters, and offers an explanation to how he found his supposed killer

Overall I feel that the adaptation made by Christopher Nolan of Memento Mori  was successful, but it was a successful loose adaptation. I think that this is the only way that it could have been done, however, in order to make a worthwhile movie that really grabbed the viewer in a way that they could understand the first time they watched it.

Singin' In The Rain Movie Review

Sing'in In The Rain, a film directed and starring Gene Kelly was definitely a musical. There aren't many things I have to say about this movie. I didn't hate it but I didn't really enjoy it that much either. First off I have never really enjoyed the other musicals that I have seen in the past so my perception of musicals is tainted.

Sing'in In The Rain is a very ascetically pleasing movie. The costumes are nice and the sets are interesting, because of the musical within a musical plot line. The acting in the normal scenes were everyone didn't break into song were not the greatest. But the musical numbers were choreographed nicely and were actually the best parts of the film.

One of my biggest gripes with other musicals is that characters seem to pour out of the woodwork and randomly join in the dance numbers that they would have no way of knowing. The only scene that does this is a scene from the musical within Sing'in In The Rain. But the actual sing'in in the rain scene only has Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) jumping around in the rain by himself. He is confronted by a policeman which brings his dance to a halt which I think is a neat idea and gave an element of realism to the characters and the musical itself.

If fun, nonsensical musicals are the thing you enjoy most in the film world then I would have to recommend this one. It incorporates musical numbers from older musical gives the film some historical content even though it isn't meant to be analysed that much.

Modern Times Film Review

Modern Times, a film directed and starring Charlie Chaplin, is a testament of how good films can holds up over time. To expand, Chaplin made this film in 1936 and it focused on the events of the time.

Not only did the comedy stand the test of time but the message Chaplin was trying to convey held up as well. Chaplin focused on the issues of  dehumanization, unemployment, hunger, police brutality, and industrialism to name a few. All of which can be applied to today. I feel, however, that without Chaplin's acting style the message would have been, not necessarily lost, but certainly less powerful. Chaplin has the ability to make someone laugh while conveying a different and in most cases serious message while using on or two or even no dialogue titles and his body.

The film was made several years after talking films where released but Chaplin decided to keep the actors in the film silent, only allowing them to talk through televisions or radios and various other technologies. This makes the film  appeal to people who appreciate a good silent film yet it is not boring for someone who normally needs dialogue to enjoy a film. Chaplin also gave his character the little tramp the leading role in the film. Modern Times was also the final film that the tramp appeared in. The tramp is what gave the film it's fun and comical bits. Without the funny and whimsical acting of Chaplin's tramp character I don't think that the film would have been so widely accepted among most viewers today.

The camera techniques and directing style of Chaplin make the film seem like it is ahead of its time. For example, Chaplin's use of tracking and crane shots during the protest scene gives it a look that I think is ahead if its time.

In my opinion if you enjoy black and white film or really any genre of film and have a chance to view this film you should. It is a great example of how old film can still be watched and enjoyed.

Battleship Potemkin Review

For the time period, it was a great technical achievement. In my opinion the content of the movie isn't relevant today, but the techniques used certainly were. For the average person in 21st century North America the content of the film would be lost. The meaning and basic story line may still come through but the back story and history of the film may be lost. However, the effects and techniques used in Battleship Potemkin can still be seen in current films. That was my favorite aspect of the movie. Eisenstein was one of the first filmmakers to successfully use montage in his films. He used montage throughout Battleship Potemkin, but it is most effective during the opening, the rebellion on the ship and the Odessa steps scene. His use of cuts also give the movie a sense of unity. In my opinion it was a good film but not great seeing as the content did not resonate with me and most of the characters were weak.