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Reviews
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Midnight Cowboy
Joe Buck goes to the big city of New York for the very first time in his life. He likes the flatter and think of himself as a big and important man when it turns out that he's really the underdog and needs to take action and become street smart. While in the city he does make one real friend however who takes him around and shows him city life and how to live it. As they pow around together they really become friends and their relationship becomes very deep. It just goes to show that unlikely people can become very close and find a bond that they can share.
Really cool film, great photography, actors, dialogue. Would definitely watch it again to get the full view.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
A young woman brings her well to do fiancé home to meet her parents for the first time, the only thing that the parents don't know yet is that he's a black man and she and her family are white. Although he's a well off and respected doctor and has nothing but good qualities to him the fact that he's black makes things awkward and uncomfortable for all who are involved. Many awkward things happen such a s meeting of both families at dinner. This film deals with a time when it was pretty socially unacceptable for a white person to be dating someone of another race. Although the film was made in the late 1960s the stereotype still existed.
A really interesting film that deals with an interesting aspect of life during a time when something like this was unacceptable. The photography was great and Katherine Hepburn, also the cast, were great.
The Naked Kiss (1964)
The Naked Kiss
A prostitute finds her way to the town of Grantville where she will experience some life changing events. While there she meets the captain of the police whom she spends a romantic evening with. She finds a way to redeem herself and change her life and becomes a nurse to handicapped children, this changes her whole outlook on life and makes her see things much, much differently. She enjoys her life therefore enjoying those around her until a shocking event that will change her and make her more like her old self. It's a good story of how someone can turn their life around and make things better because it takes the person them self, not only those around them.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Do the Right Thing
One sweltering day in a mostly black populated city fires up local residents and puts everyone on edge. The film revolves around Sal's pizzeria that has one black worker named Mookie and features pictures of only Italian Americans on the walls of the interior. This angers one guy imparticular and he wishes to start a revolt and boycott Sal's pizza shop but fails as everyone loves the pizza from there and would never boycott it in the first place. The film features black and Italian stereotypes and shows an exaggerated view into how people of different origins interact with one another. A major revolt against Sal's does take place at one point though as a result of the death of a teenager with a loud radio that he refused to turn down anywhere he was, even inside the pizzeria where he found Sal smashing it, he was killed outside by police after he attacks Sal and almost kills him. Mookie, the worker of Sal's, surprisingly starts the revolt by smashing a metal garbage can through the front plate glass window of the shop and the community proceeds to dismantle and burn the place until the fire department shows up. Sal and his son's are devastated by their loss but things resolve as human's Will interact as they were meant to.
Actually a really great film, used many interesting and unique filming styles that reflected the weather and the personalities of the people. An interesting film worth watching not only for the visuals but for the story also.
Out of the Past (1947)
Out Of The Past
Small town gas station worker Jeff Bailey suddenly is awakened again by his past that he would rather forget. He's reminded of his past when he's ordered to meet with bigtime gambler Whit Sterling. His girlfriend at the time Ann goes with him and on the way he tells her all about his past and his story - he was a private eye who was at one time hired by Whit to find a woman by the name of Kathie who shot Whit and ran off with $40,000 of his money. They do some researching and turns out she's been hiding out in Acapulco, Kathie seduces Jeff and makes him forget about the man who hired him in the first place - only thing is that it's all a scam and it only leads for more trouble ahead for Jeff.
A really great film noir, really dramatic and features the typical femme fatale present in most films of the time. Great actors and great filming with an interesting plot and storyline.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest
McMurphy earns his way to jail yet again due to his girlfriend's lie about being 18 when in fact she was only 15. To avoid going to jail he convinces the guards that's he's crazy and should be hospitalized for such, his story is believed and he makes his way to the institution where he changes how things had been happening before and makes one nurse inparticular frustrated and angry as he refuses to follow their rules and regulations.
Really great film, Jack Nicholson was great as were his costars. This film is clearly filmed during the "New Hollywood" time as it seems to be more different than movies made in previous years. It touches topics that were touchy during the time and handles them in a way that makes them real and vulnerable. Really great film.
The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
Lady of Shanghai
The story revolves around Michael O'Hara (Orson Welles) who finds a job working as crew on Arthur Bannister's yacht currently sailing towards San Francisco. On the way they pick up Arthur's business partner Grisby. Bannister's wife Rosalie (Rita Hayworth) takes a liking to Michael and decides in her mind that she loves him more than her own husband Bannister. The yacht reaches it's destination and soon enough a plan to fake Grisby's death comes about so he can take off. Turns out that Michael only wants the $5,000 so he can run off with Bannister's wife Rosalie who he has fallen in love with. Things take a terrible and odd turn and Grisby turns up actually dead and Michael takes the blame. The story from that point on is unclear as to who did it and whi it happened but it makes for an interesting ending to an interesting film.
A really great film, Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth have great chemistry. The filming style was great, really great lighting of characters and overall a really clear setup. Great film, would definitely watch again.
Psycho (1960)
Classic!
Psycho, so much to be said about it but it can't possibly be described in words. An amazing American film that revolves around Marion Crane who isn't happy with her life at that current moment in time. The time she can spend with her boyfriend Sam is restricted by her working and his situation of having to pay alimony. One day her employer trusts her with $40,000 in cash, at this point in time she sees the perfect opportunity to take the money and run to meet Sam in California when, during a terrible storm, she has to pull over to stay the night at the Bates Motel. Peculiar things go on at the motel run by a man named Norman who seems to share an odd relationship with his mother.
A really great film with amazing camera effects - the shower scene is infamous for many reasons one of which is how many camera takes are really in it. The photography of the film is outstanding and it shall remain a classic to be admired for it's production quality and the writing of the story itself.
Citizen Kane (1941)
Citizen Kane
An amazing film that is so spectacular that words really can;t describe it the way it is meant to be described. From the way the film is filmed to the way the characters are portrayed. The film focuses on Charles Fpster Kane, a well known and powerful tycoon and his extraordinary life. The film travels throughout his life all the way from his heartbreaking childhood to his final word "Rosebud." The film follows a group of newspaper writers and their quest to find out the meaning of Kane's final words.
A great film with extraordinary filming and great actors. Some say the story line and the movie itself is boring but most are engrossed in the story and by the end of the film the viewer almost knows Kane's character played by the great and talented Orson Welles.
King Kong (1933)
King Kong
Director Carl Denham has a movie he needs to desperately finish and finds the perfect place the film what remains to be filmed, Skull Island. He finds the woman he wants to play the leading female character, Ann. They go to the island unaware of what lurks and soon enough they find out, a giant gorilla who captures Ann and makes it impossible for them to get her back and out of his reach. To get Ann back her lover Jack goes looking for her though the thick jungle avoiding things also hazardous.
The film for the time was very good, the story was good and just a little outlandish but fun nonetheless, it keeps the viewer interested as do the amazing effects used.
Gun Crazy (1950)
Gun Crazy
The film Gu Crazy revolves firstly around Barton who, since childhood, has loved guns and everything about them other than the killing part because of an instance when he was just a small child. He was sent away at an early age to reform school and when he goes back home for the first time in years he surprises everyone with how he had grown up. He and his childhood friends go to the carnival in town when he sees his dream ideal woman, Annie - the best female shooter from canada. He impresses her with his abilities in a test that she proposed and asks if he'd like to join her act on the road, he complies and soon enough a loving bond forms and pretty soon a marriage at that. Unhappy with their financial problems she proposes that they rob some banks for easy and quick cash, at first he disputes the idea but her threat of leaving him scares him enough and he complies. They go on a spree of robberies across states and after one last MAJOR robbery he realizes that this isn't the lifestyle he wants to live for the rest of his life.
This was a really great film, it had a couple of unknown actors at the time and they did the film justice. The woman who played Annie's character was really annoying but the man who played Bart was very good. The filming in this movie IMO is not that great but it was a lower budget film and they worked with what they had, such as the scene where they are driving through the city and the camera is stationed in the backseat of the car they were in. A good film, difinitley worth watching over again.
The Graduate (1967)
Fantastic Film!
This film is such an American classic and can be enjoyed during any time period, such a fantastic film with great actors and an amazingly awesome storyline.
The film revolves around fresh-out-of-college Ben whose parents expect great things from him. At his graduation party an older woman, Mrs. Robinson, asks him to drive her home in his new car as her husband had already left. He complies after a while and upon arrival at her house she begins to seduce him and after the awkwardness settles they start a sexual relationship with each other. The relationship goes on until Ben's parents hound him to ask her daughter out on a date, the affair unknown to them obviously. He resists to ask her until his parents force it and because of the fact that Mrs. Robinson said that she absolutely did not want him to be dating her daughter or she would expose him. He takes Elaine, Mrs. Robinson's daughter, on one date where he intentionally tries to make her not like him in any way. As the night went on however they take a liking to each other and he risks his relationship with her mother to go with her. She finds out about he and her mothers affair and wishes to never see him again as she goes off to college in the big city. He's determined to marry that girl and follows her to her college much to her dismay as she's already planning to marry someone else. The marriage falls through because she still loves them and they run off together much to her mother's dismay.
A really great film with a great storyline and great actors.
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Great All American Film
The film revolves around Tom Joad and his family during the great depression in the dustbowl. Jobs are scarce and in order to find a good one, one needs to search and search hard to find it. The family loses everything and is forced to abandon their home after much dismay. They travel to California in search of jobs as flyers were sent out all over the United States advertising them. To much disappointment upon entering California - the jobs were even scarcer there. Tom has a falling out with the law and the family is forced to pick up and go again - this time without him as it would put his family at risk.
This film was really an amazing film with great photography and beautiful settings. It's a long film but well worth it just to see the great photography, the story is also very interesting at that. This was a film that I honestly did not think I was going to like but much to my surprise it's now a film that I respect and would definitely have to watch again.
Casablanca (1942)
Casablanca
The film Casablanca revolves around Nick, and exiled American who runs a small but powerful night club far from where he was from originally. Through the course of the film he runs into Ilsa, the woman he left in Paris years before, though she was upset with him she couldn't stay away therefore involving themselves with each other again.
This film is deemed a classic but it definitely has to be watched more than once to understand the plot and the storyline, it's a well-filmed movie but it's very easy to get lost in the storyline itself. I felt myself getting lost and to be perfectly honest I probably wouldn't watch this film again, not that it was bad but because it wasn't of my interest.
Criss Cross (1949)
Criss Cross, Great Film!
The film Criss Cross starring Burt Lancaster and Yvonne DeCarlo is a great film filled with action and suspense. It's of the film noir genre and is very clear at that. The story line is very easy to follow and it keep the viewer interested the whole way through. The film focuses on Steve, a man with a plan who goes back to Los Angeles to see if there is another chance with his former wife Anna who is now "owned" by a powerful head boss of the "mafia." Everyone warns Steve that she's not worth it and tells him to not bother and go home but he's too blindsided and doesn't care what it takes to win her back. He bargains to get her back by organizing a certain heist that only backfires and causes more drama. In the end they do wind up with each other, maybe not the way they intended though.
I absolutely loved this film, it's interesting and well filmed and it just kept my interest the whole way through. Burt Lancaster and Yvonne DeCarlo were great together and I wish they had made another film together as their chemistry was outstanding. All in all a great film that's not too long in length and has an interesting storyline at that.
On the Waterfront (1954)
Great Film!
This film starring Marlon Brando was actually very good, I was surprised as Brando hadn't really impressed me up untiol the point I saw this film but I grew to have more respect for him as an actor. The film focuses on Terry, an ex-boxer who takes pride in raising his pigeons and working for the corrupt dock employers. He witnesses the death of a close fiend of his and soon enough meets his deceased friends sister who sees more to him than meets the eye. They quietly turmoil among each other and things work out for the best for everyone, he takes a stand and fights for his fellow dock workers.
This film was really good, I wouldn't say that it's one of my favorites but it was good nonetheless. Brando impressed me with his role as Terry and although sometimes he was a little stiff, he made the character charming and likable.
Frankenstein (1931)
An OK film
This film revolves around Dr. Frankenstein and his quest to recreate life and play the role of god. He reaches his dream and realizes that he's created a terrible epidemic that the town has to face. The only thing is that the monster he has created does not know any better as his brain was that of a criminal. Many frightful events take place but overall nothing that will make the viewer cringe, except maybe the scene with the little girl and the lake. The ending is pretty clear. Overall I pictured this film to be completely different and was actually really disappointed when I saw that it really wasn't as scary as the disclaimer at the beginning says.
His Girl Friday (1940)
Great Film, Great Actors!
I've always thought that Cary Grant and Rosilind Russell were great actors but when I saw "His Girl Friday" I was simply blown away by the chemistry between them. In this film they both truly shined and worked so well together, Grant played Walter Burns, a big time editor for a major newspaper called the Morning Post and Russell played his former star reporter and also his ex-wife!. Hildy Johnson (Russell) is about to marry Bruce, an insurance man, and they are planning on moving to Albany NY to live a quiet and peaceful life. Walter (Grant) isn't too pleased with the idea and talks Hildy into writing one last article for the paper, as she was the star reporter. The three characters get involved in many different situations mostly revolving around Walter's fear of letting Hildy go, some funny and some pretty serious with a twist. All in all this movie was really great and it was great to hear of a local place (Albany) in a big time film such as this. I would definitely recommend this film to anyone looking for a good comedy with an edge because of many factors including the amazing actors and the story line itself.
Baby Face (1933)
Good but Racy Film
The film "Baby Face" is the story of Lily Powers, who has trouble with men wherever she goes - some forced upon her and some seduced by herself. She leaves home to go to the city and finds a job there at a local bank, here she discovers that it's easy to get ahead in life by using herself and her sensuality by seducing men to raise her status. As she increases her status many events happen that directly involve her and then she meets the man for her and events follow that too dealing in money and wealth of course.
In my opinion this film was very good and is definitelty worth seeing, I'm sure that it was a pretty racy film for the time simply because of the circumstances and the ordeals that take place in the film. Oddly enough it was made in 1933 during the beginning of the great depression, this film definitely has some irony with the story and the film itself.
Don't Change Your Husband (1919)
Another Cute Film
The film "Don't Change Your Husband" Starring Gloria Swanson and Directed by award winning director Cecil Demille was overall a pretty fun film with twists thrown in there to keep things interesting. The film revolves around Leila Porter (Gloria Swanson's character) and how she basically got sick of her husband James resulting in divorce, she thought that once she was a away from him she would be much happier with another man but thing's didn't turn out the way she would have liked them to. She moves on to marry another man and sure enough things didn't go as exactly planned when she realizes that he's much worse than her original husband - hence the title "Don't Change Your Husband." It's just a fun film with a somewhat shallow plot but fun nonetheless, the story line keeps you interested and although it is a silent film it's still worth seeing at least once, not that there's anything wrong with a good silent film. Great Actors and Great Story line.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
Cute Film
My opinion on the film "My Man Godfrey" is that it was a cute and fun film but probably only worth seeing one or two times, after that it probably gets old. The film was very good on the other hand, the plot made sense and the characters pretty much all had depth to them. There's a lot going on in the film so it's important to stay intune with the story line or else it just seems like a silly comedy that nothing really important happens in. "My Man Godfrey" is considered a "screwball" comedy and it's definitely apparent in the film that this is true, some of the turnarounds in the film really made sense and others were just for comedic purposes. Carole Lombard plays a ditzy socialite and William Powell plays the "forgotten man" of sorts, she takes him in as her butler and soon realizes that she's in love with him resulting in a crazy screwball comedy. This film may not have been at the top of my list of movies to see but it's well worth it for a carefree laugh once in a while.
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
Great Film
I can honestly say that the movie "I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang" is one of my all time favorite films. The story line is excellent and the actors chosen for the roles are superb. This movie is an excellent example of how the film industry was ever changing and improving itself. If I didn't know that this film was from 1932, I would have said that it was probably from around the mid to late forties - that's how greatly the film industry improved in such a short amount of time.
The film was exciting and kept you interested and always on the side of the main character - you find yourself always routing for him and hoping that he finds his way in life, which in some ways he does and in others not so much. It's an amazing film and should always be considered as such - great actors, great story line, great movie. Loved it!
The Gold Rush (1925)
Amazing silent film
This was the first silent film that I've ever watched all the way through and I'm sure glad I did. I've always thought that Charlie Chaplin was a genius and it shows in this film extraordinarily. This film is the perfect film to start with if your a beginner in watching silent films, or even classic movies in general. The film keeps the viewer entertained and it's hard to find a boring part although some points are rather repetitive. One of the best parts of the film is that dialogue is not necessary, the antics in the film speak for themselves. All in all I would give this film an 8 out of 10 because it's such an entertaining movie that anyone can watch, it doesn't matter if your not into classic films, or silent films for that matter, the comedy featured is classic and transcends time and CC is an absolute comedic genius and icon.