Moonrise Kingdom (2012) review [Revisited]

(10/10)

     Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom is whimsical, awkward, and nostalgic enough to create a warm, childlike love story driven by adolescent fantasy. The many skilled performances and distinct characters suck the audience in and takes them on journey through waves of charming, childlike wonder. Anderson personifies the emotional impact of the nostalgic charm of a young adolescent love story.

PLOT: On a peaceful, suburban island in 1965, two twelve-year-olds fall in love and become pen pals. Eventually, Sam (Jared Gilman), the unpopular, orphan boy scout, and Suzy (Kara Hayward), the neglected child looking for an escape, meet up in the wilderness and run off on an adventure all their own. The two lovebirds travel all over the island, finding out new things about life, the world, and each other, all the while being tracked by several parties. Scoutmaster Ward (Edward Norton) and the rest of his scouts have set out to find Sam and bring him back, while Suzy's father, Walt (Bill Murray) and Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) search for Suzy. The two have the time of their young lives as they flee the island from adulthood and responsibility. The plot is very well thought-out yet basic at the same time. The plot is mainly an awkward, childlike love story, but the several twists and turns as well as the moments of intimacy between the two adolescents make it work. The audience is left intrigued yet surprised and cheerful yet awkward - just as the spirit of this film suggests.

ACTING: One aspect that kept the audience hooked deeply into the story is the expert performances from the all-star cast as well as the young leads. Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward did fantastic jobs as the infatuated main characters, Sam and Suzy. I believe no young actors could have portrayed these two adolescents as solidly and fittingly as these two. Aside from the young leads, the all-star cast was pretty fantastic. Bruce Willis did a great job at his calmer role of island cop, Captain Sharp, and Bill Murray played his part excellently as the cranky, disappointed father, Walt Bishop. These two in addition to the quirky Edward Norton as Scoutmaster Ward did fantastic jobs with their unique and more serious and subdued roles. Other shining performances also come from Tilda Swinton as the Social Services worker, Frances McDormand as Mrs. Bishop, Jason Schwartzman as Cousin Ben, Harvey Keitel as Commander Pierce, and Bob Balaban as the Narrator. Every big name actor and actress in this film plays a more obscure and subdued role, almost to ironic conditions for some roles.

SCORE/SOUNDTRACK: The soundtrack and score behind Moonrise Kingdom is just as elegant and flowing as the film presents itself. A collection of classical and quirky compositions make up the majority of the soundtrack, adding a touch of elegance and whimsy throughout the film. The soundtrack also makes the use of some well known artists, like country master, Hank Williams, and elegant composer, Alexandre Desplat.

OTHER CONTENT: The elegance and whimsy through which Wes Anderson crafted this masterpiece is a fleeting emotion not often accurately captured through the movie medium. This film represents the lovesick romances each of us has probably experienced with someone in our childhood. The human race's perception of relationships in an adolescent mind is the subject matter of this film, and Anderson captures that fleeting, nostalgic emotion as tangibly as a butterfly in a net. There's just the right amount of charm, awkwardness, innocence, and nostalgia to bring a wise mind to tears. Anderson captures this accurately from proper casting and script-writing to the elegant score and smooth cinematography. Each shot has a clear, colorful focal point and is smooth and almost Kubrickian in its favor of long, clean shots. Ultimately, Moonrise Kingdom is an anthem for the spirit of adolescent fantasy and relationships, told in an elegant yet basic way.

     Some films attempt to go beyond expectations and catch an entirely abstract emotion on film. Not many filmmakers succeed, and those that do are truly skilled. None other than the quirky Wes Anderson achieve the capture of the fleeting spirit of inexperienced youth, especially in such a smooth and personal manner. An enthralling cast of characters help in capturing the audience's attention and the quirkiness of the junior love story anchor them to the screen, filling them with both joy and awkward intrigue. Moonrise Kingdom is as full of whimsical spirit as light- pleasantly warm but passing much too fast, leaving little trace that it ever existed in the first place.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) review

(10/10)

     More than just a charming holiday classic, It's A Wonderful Life teaches one of the most valuable lessons of life in a distinct, warm way, making it likable for everyone. There's enough feel-good moments to satisfy the casual moviegoer and enough dark moments of realism to satisfy the analytical critic. Perfectly-done performances and solid direction make the film as truly wonderful and effective as it wants to be. 

PLOT: George Bailey (James Stewart) has had a major impact in his friend's and family's lives though he doesn't realize it. From saving his little brother's life and a drugstore manager's job to managing the money and housing of several locals including his family, George has left a major impact on the town in which he lives. In fact, his family business, the Bailey Building and Loan is the only one with enough honor to run independently from greedy businessman, Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore). However, George has a a bad day on Christmas Eve when his Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) loses his business' money for the bank examiner and gets the business in trouble with the law. George, after lashing out on his family and getting in a fight at the bar, debates throwing himself off a bridge, prompting his guardian angel, Clarence (Henry Travers), to travel to Earth to save him. After the two begin talking, George says he wishes he would've never been born, which Clarence makes a reality to prove to George that he's had a major impact on his society. Now, George must navigate this alternate world and realize his worth under the guidance of his angel, Clarence, yearning to earn his wings through this task. The plot is very well done with just enough charm and with to balance out. There's an ample balance of everything in this film. There's enough moments of uplifting Christmas charm to match the moments of serious reality when George debates his existence. The film proves to be just as much a holiday film as a basic fundamental lesson for a good life. 

ACTING: The performances in this film are very excellent for their time. James Stewart steals the show as the main character, George Bailey. Stewart plays the role as natural as if he were living it, making it as iconic as it is fitting. Other great performances came from Lionel Barrymore as greedy Mr. Potter, Thomas Mitchell as forgetful Uncle Billy, Henry Travers as Clarence the angel, and especially Donna Reed as George's wife, Mary. The two had a very visible chemistry in the film, setting the standard for cinematic romance with memorable dialogue and charm, as well. 

SCORE: The memorable score done by obscure, foreign composer Dimitri Tiomkin, is quite warm and elegant, like that of most cinema in its time. However, the film does bear a fairly memorable end scene with a simple rendition of "Auld Lang Syne". 

OTHER CONTENT: During this time, this film was probably peaceful message to everyone, giving off the Christmas spirit most had yearned for. It's A Wonderful Life is just what it wishes to be: wonderful. Even though it gets dark at times, it finishes with a feel-good feeling outdoing any other Christmas film to come. The film is its own Christmas Carol, molding the dark to make the light, which is what the holiday feeling is anyhow: being light in times of dark. 

     It's A Wonderful Life is a must-see holiday film for audiences of all ages. There's enough Christmas charm for the sentimentalists, enough dark seriousness for the more critical, and enough meaning for the skeptics. The film presents a perfect balance of all cinematic elements, letting it become just as effective a stand-alone film as a Christmas film, which is what is truly wonderful in the end. 

Forrest Gump (1994) review

(10/10)

     Forrest Gump falls nothing short of the classic it wants to be. With an iconic performance by Tom Hanks, a story full of history, and an inspiring message behind it all, this film lives on as one of the most popular of its time and well-deserving of its many Academy Awards.

PLOT: Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) is a simple man from Alabama with a small IQ and a big heart. Since he was little, Forrest had always dealt with problems from bullies to his scoliosis. However, things start to change for Forrest when he meets a young girl named Jenny (Robin Wright) and becomes best friends with her. Their relationship grows strong throughout history and the many events Forrest attends, but both eventually go their own ways. Forrest joins the military where he meets shrimp-enthusiast Bubba (Mykelti Williamson) and harsh Lt. Dan (Gary Sinise), whereas Jenny joins the hippie movement and travels the country freely. Throughout their time apart, each starts to realize how much they care for each other. For the rest of the film, we're guided through Forrest's life and roles in history as he goes with his intuition and realizes he eventually has to stop running. The plot is very well written and executed. All of Forrest's roles in important historical events make this feel both like lesson and a treat for history enthusiasts. Seeing how everything is connected and tied back to the meaning is simply amazing to watch.

ACTING: All of the performances in this film are perfect. Every performer acts to fit his or her character in such an accurate way. I couldn't picture anyone else playing any other character in this film, especially with Tom Hanks in his iconic role of the titular character, Forrest Gump. Tom Hanks almost acts as if he had really been Forrest his whole life. No role could have said any of his iconic lines better. Robin Wright, Mykelti Williamson, and Gary Sinise all played their roles just as excellently. Every performer in this film is fully-deserving of respect after each's consecutive roles in this film.

SCORE: The score for Forrest Gump is just as inspirational and uplifting as the overall film is. Talented composer Alan Silvestri takes the reigns in writing the background score for the film and does so in a simplistically fitting way. The soundtrack is also one of the best soundtracks in film history, with each addition fitting the decade it arose from in the film. From classics like "Hound Dog" from Elvis and "Can't Help Myself" from The Four Tops to classic rock hits like "Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival and "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield, Forrest Gump's soundtrack feels much like radio station made only for the classic rock generation.

EFFECTS: There aren't many special effects to focus on in Forrest Gump aside from the Vietnam sequences. The explosions are very realistically done with an impressive "wow" factor upon first viewing. Everything done effect wise in the Vietnam sequence is amazing. They aren't the best, but they definitely succeed in the entertainment factor.

OTHER CONTENT: Forrest Gump is truly a film with both a brain and a heart behind it. Through the many inclusions of the simple-minded titular character in history, the film slyly teaches a lesson on how no matter how small someone thinks he or she is, he or she has probably made a huge impact on one's life. Prestigious director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Cast Away, Romancing the Stone) shows his skills in making the film with a clean, unique understanding of  the points he wants to get across. This is also evident from the symbolic focus on the feather, which stands for the ups and downs life can take a person through. Everything in this film, from the screenplay to the specific script is well-crafted and aimed for cogent perfection.

     Forrest Gump is an iconic, memorable film for obvious reasons. There isn't a question about why it became as popular and award-winning as it did. Perfect performances, solid direction, a great soundtrack, and a clear expression of meaning lead this film into a sort of safe zone. Almost everyone enjoys it and can relate to it, critics and the general public alike. I'm not saying people can't hate the film, but if one looks at the big picture, one can't help but to enjoy it. Forrest Gump itself is like a "box of chocolates"; when watching it, you never know what you can get out of it.

American Beauty (1999) review [Revisited]

(10/10)

     American Beauty still remains to be one of the most thoughtful, controversial, and brilliantly executed films of all film history. After multiple views, the inner meaning and surreal approach to conveying this meaning become more cogent and true to real life's dysfunctions. Through the expert performances, intelligent script-writing, and visionary direction by Sam Mendes, American Beauty becomes as overwhelmingly beautiful as it seeks to be.

PLOT: Middle-aged man, Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), is stuck in a rut in life. He's gotten in the same routine of fighting to keep the job he hates, being pushed around by his striving-for-success wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening), and being hated by his angst-y teenage daughter, Jane (Thora Birch). Things change when Lester attends a high school basketball game to see Jane cheer and falls for Jane's preppy best friend, Angela (Mena Suvari). Lester vicariously begins to recapture his youth by fantasizing about Angela before starting to physically and mentally change his life. He quits his job, starts smoking pot, starts to work out, and fights against his wife's bossy attitude. Meanwhile, Jane starts to unknowingly fall for the new neighbor, Ricky Fitts (Wes Bentley), who has an eye for the beauty in life and loves to film it. Ricky also starts selling pot to Lester against the wishes of Ricky's militaristic father, Colonel Fitts (Chris Cooper), who is led to believe his son performs homosexual acts for cash. Carolyn, during all of this as well, begins to have an affair with a past lover (Peter Gallagher) as to restore her lost backbone. The plot is very bizarre, intricate, and executed professionally. Every event in this film fits together like a piece of a very beautiful, complicated puzzle. Through this execution, it becomes evident how much intelligent development was put into the overall composition of the film. Just a in a well-crafted novel, everything is developed intentionally.

ACTING: The performances in this film are all done excellently and accurately, with the actors matching their roles perfectly. Both Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening deliver iconic and believable performances of a couple who's marriage is quickly falling apart. As both characters grow in the film,  the audience feels that the struggles are as real to the actors as they are in the film. Thora Birch and Wes Bentley also deliver a realistic performance as the angst-y teen and visionary outcast. The two bring a unique approach to the idea of a real teenage couple. All performances in this film are excellent; not one falls short of respect.

SCORE: The score is very unique and quirky by awesome score composer, Thomas Newman. The score only adds to the film's feeling of being surrealistically beautiful. The soundtrack is just as memorable and fitting as the score, adding classic rock poster songs like “The Seeker” and “American Woman” and interesting covers from Annie Lennox (“Don't Let It Bring You Down”) and Elliot Smith (“Because”).

OTHER CONTENT: Everything about this is film is intelligent and beautiful in its own imperfect way. Even with this being his first film, it's clear that director Sam Mendes knew what he was doing in making American Beauty. Through clean, expertly-filmed shots, his vision for this film is shown as well as the meaning. American Beauty serves its purpose as being what it's title declares, an American beauty. We are led through the story of the typical american attitudes in each character, conveyed by the presence of Lester's mid-life crisis and the lifestyles of the dysfunctional families (Burnham and Fitts). The beauty in the world is the imperfections we see, and that's what I perceive Mendes was trying to convey. As said in the script, just as intelligent as the film: ". . . it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life."

     Sam Mendes' first work still feels like just as much a masterpiece as he intended to be when he made it in 1999. American Beauty conveys beautiful America just as real as it can be, with realistic  situations all connected as to prove this common point. Through expert performances, quirky score, intelligent scriptwriting, and visionary direction, this film remains true to at the very least one thing: its imperfect beauty.

Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) review

(10/10)

This sequel to the first Star Wars installment is much more developed than its predecessor. More character development, visionary direction, nostalgic and iconic moments, and a more involving story leave the viewer more stunned as they get sucked into the world of Star Wars.

PLOT:Since the rebel base has been found on Yavin's moon, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and the other rebels move shop to the snowy planet of Hoth. However, a probe finds the rebel base, causing the remainders of the Empire and the surviving Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones) to invade and attack Hoth. Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca and the droids load up in the Millennium Falcon and head for safety, with an idea of peace in Cloud City. Luke, however, takes R2-D2 and heads to Dagobah, a swamp system as foretold by the spirit of Ben Kenobi. Ben tells Luke that a retired Jedi warrior will be there to teach him. Luke finds short, green, and old alien Yoda (Frank Oz) as his mentor. While Han and the rest find solitude, Luke must train with Yoda to be a great Jedi warrior and defeat Darth Vader. However, some evil plots are going on in Cloud City, and more seems to be behind Luke's family history than he even knew. It's a good plot executed brilliantly.



ACTING:The performances in this film are great and even more improved over its predecessor. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher all play excellently improved parts as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia. Everybody did an improved job, from Prowse/Jones as Darth Vader to Anthony Daniels as C-3P0 and even to Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca. The introduction of new characters Yoda, Lando Calrissian and Boba Fett are also pleasant, excellently played by Frank Oz, Billy Dee Williams and Jeremy Bulloch. The performances in this film are just much more improved overall.

SCORE:The score in this film is about as great as its predecessor. John Williams borrows some themes, like the title, from the original and adds a few new in the middle. "The Imperial March" also seemed to be a nice touch throughout the film.

EFFECTS:The effects in this one aren't as well done or realistic, as stop-motion Taun-Tauns and puppet Yoda prove, but the set designs and other effects really made up for it. The set designs were pretty well crafted, as well as the effects for Luke's hand near the end of the film. Most effects were a fall, but the sets and latter effects made up for it.




OTHER CONTENT:This Star Wars film doesn't even need effects to keep it good and interesting. The added character development, love story, and many twists make the film work out even better. Much more character development is added from Luke and Vader's relationships to Yoda's relationship with Ben. A lot more is found out, causing some major twists. Even without the character development, several unexpected twists take place, swinging everything out of proportion. Also with the character development, a love story takes place between Solo and Leia that escalates into pure chemistry. Aside from all of this, the film also contains many iconic scenes and lines that make it nostalgic and memorable. Not one year has passed for me where I haven't heard an "I am your father" reference. This is one of the most well known Star Wars film in content, also accompanied by visionary direction by Irvin Kershner. Kerhner really took the film and put it on a different course, and I loved it.

OVERALL,an epic Star Wars film with a brilliant plot, great and improved performances, nice classic and new themes, mixed effects, more character development, many unexpected twists, a love story with great chemistry, iconic scenes and lines that everyone remembers, and visionary direction that improved the film.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011) review

(10/10)

This conclusion to the Harry Potter franchise is powerful in performance, emotion, action, and story all together. Director Yates definitely knew where he was going in making this film that concludes a franchise of a childhood.

PLOT:After Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) finds the Elder Wand, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends continue to the best of their abilities to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes before Voldemort and his army build up and destroy Hogwarts, where the three head next. A war of epic proportions is about to start between Voldemort and Harry and their many followers, but Harry might find that the only way to win it is through a tragic sacrifice. It's an excellent plot executed brilliantly.



ACTING:The performances in this film are excellent as well. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson shine brightly in acting their last performances as Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The emotion they put into the roles this time feels real, more real than its predecessor's have been able to accomplish, except maybe in its latter additions. Every performance in this film was excellent; there was no bad acting that I could spot. The best performers in this film would be Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort, Alan Rickman as Snape, Tom Felton as Draco, Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix, Maggie Smith as Prof. McGonagall, Michael Gambon as Dumbledore, Matthew Lewis as Neville, and James and Oliver Phelps as Fred and George Weasley. These few really tied the whole film together.

SCORE:The score in this film is beautifully done with intense and gentle themes by the great Alexandre Desplat. Desplat really knows where to go in conducting scores for these kind of films.

EFFECTS:The effects in this one were very well done and detailed. There was so much creature and magical action from the army of stone soldiers, to the many spells cast by each wizard, and even to the snake attacks. The effects in this one were really action-focused and worked very well.



OTHER CONTENT:This Harry Potter film had to have the best balance between action, emotion, and story that actually works. The emotional backstories of certain characters revealed in here really hit home among audiences. I believe this addition was truly made as a conclusion more than an individual film, but it ended right with a bang and a nod to nostalgia of the generation that grew up with this franchise. Everything in this film just falls brilliantly together to form an ending worthwhile.

OVERALL,an epic Harry Potter film with a brilliant plot, excellent performances, beautiful Desplat score, very well focused effects, a great balance between action, emotion, and story, great emotion in backstories, and a fine conclusion to a childhood franchise of mine.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) review

(10/10)

This Harry Potter film may be halfway through the series, but it's only the beginning of the inner story. This film is where everything from the plot to the performances and on start maturing drastically, and frankly, I could not look away.

PLOT:It's Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) fourth year at Hogwarts and things are already going bad. After a nasty attack by the Death Eaters, which are Voldemort's followers, at the Quidditch World Cup, talk about the dark lord coming back is among the teachers. However, things have to stay positive, for Hogwarts is hosting two other wizarding schools for the Triwizard Tournament, which is a dangerous three tasks which only one student from each school 17 or over can be in. The three from each school are picked, but then the goblet spits out a fourth name, which turns out to be Harry's. By this strange turn of events, Harry is the fourth and youngest participant in this years Triwizard Tournament. However, Harry didn't even want to be entered in the tournament. Could this strange coincidence be linked with the Death Eaters, Harry's frightful dreams, and this year's new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, the dark wizard-hunter, Mad-Eye Moody (Brendan Gleeson)? I'll leave you there. It's a great plot executed brilliantly.



ACTING:The performances in here are excellent and greatly matured overall. This is where I can truly call the youth actors' performances adult, or at least comprehensible enough to be out of the "child-actor" stereotype. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and even Tom Felton have greatly matured in their roles as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Draco Malfoy. The other performances I found really convincing and emotional would have to be Michael Gambon as Dumbledore, Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, Brendan Gleeson as Moody, Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort, David Tennant as Barty Crouch Jr., and Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid. These performances, especially with the introduction of Fiennes and Tennant, were very excellent and convincing as well as entertaining. There wasn't a terrible performance in the bunch this time. The other performances I would consider honorable mentions would be Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory, Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, and Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy.

SCORE:The score in this one was more intense and beautiful than it had been in the past Harry Potter films, composed this time by the great Patrick Doyle. I really liked the themes put into this one; they fit the mood and could stand alone nearly as well.

EFFECTS:The effects in this film are even better than in the last. They add some even cooler effects, from the merpeople to Voldemort himself reforming, and even the dark mark. The effects seem a bit more detailed than they have in the past few films.



OTHER CONTENT:This Harry Potter film was one that I could not look away from. The story was so compelling that I was kept glued to the screen the whole time. The performances, twists, and all kept me watching thoroughly to the very end. This is where we start to learn about Voldemort's true history and power, so in a sense, this is only the beginning. I believe this addition to the series is the beginning of the mature Harry Potter, but still with some teenage perks (like great interest in the opposite sex and a laid-back attitude).

OVERALL,an epic Harry Potter film with a great plot, excellent and mature performances, intense and beautiful score, more detailed effects, a compelling and new story, and an introduction to the young adult Harry Potter.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) review

(10/10)

This third addition to the Harry Potter canon is a great improvement over the first two with an even darker atmosphere, matured acting, a complex story, and improved direction overall.

PLOT:Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) returns to Hogwarts for his third year after a big fiasco with his aunt and other family, but with great care. This year at Hogwarts, a watch is out for the escaped murderer, Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), who is rumored to be after Harry himself for some strange reason. Posted around every major entrance to Hogwarts is one of many Dementors, which are dark, ghostly creatures that feed off of people's lives and happiness. Harry, after a conflict with one on the train that caused him to faint, has grown a fear for the Dementors. This year is like treading on broken glass for Harry and his friends, for there's a killer on the loose, there are dangerous guards on every corner, and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), has a bit of a mystery behind him. Will Harry and the rest solve the mysteries behind Sirius Black and the rest? I'll leave you there. It's a brilliant plot executed excellently.



ACTING:The performances in this Harry Potter film are even better than that of its predecessor. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have really matured by this point in their roles as Harry, Ron, and Hermione. By now, you can tell they're teens with more of a clue of what they're doing. Their acting skill has built up a lot by now. You could say that the same follows for most of the other youth performances as well. Of the adult performances, the introduction of Gary Oldman as Sirius Black and David Thewlis as Professor Lupin were excellent. Gary Oldman played a great part as the convicted prisoner, and David Thewlis did brilliant as well as the strange professor. The other great adult performances would have to be from Alan Rickman as Professor Snape, Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid, Richard Griffiths as Vernon Dursley, Emma Thomspon as Professor Trelawaney, and Timothy Spall as Peter Pettigrew. All of these performance, returning and new, convinced me and just showed evidence of very skilled acting. The other couple of performances I would like to mention in specifics would be Lenny Henry as the shrunken head and Dawn French as the fat lady in the painting.

SCORE:The score in this addition was a little more intense than the past two have been, with a choral song added into the mix. John Williams, returning to the Harry Potter score chair, does a really good job at conducting the score to this one.

EFFECTS:The effects in this one were really good as well. The effects aren't as fresh as they were before, but it was still pretty cool to see the Dementors and the Hippogriff in action. The Dementors and their effects had to be the coolest of all the effects in this film.



OTHER CONTENT:This film is probably one of the best of the Harry Potter films out there. Unlike the first two, this addition has a more complex story to tell with many more secrets to find out and more aspects to play with, such as time travel. Along with the matured performances and more complex story/storytelling, this film adds a darker atmosphere to the franchise and shows evidence of a change in direction. The tone was pretty dark in this film's predecessor, but the addition of certain death, intense family struggle, and murder scandal make this one a more mature film overall. Aside from character development, this film could almost stand on its own without any assistance from the other films in the franchise. This one I really enjoyed in particular for its story, tone, and change of direction, for it births a more mature film all around.

OVERALL,an epic Harry Potter film with a brilliant plot, matured and convincing performances, more in-depth and intense score, cool effects, a more complex story, a darker tone, and an evident change in direction.

The Man Who Laughs (1928) review

(10/10)

This silent horror taking place in medieval times still unnerves today with beautiful cinematography, touching performances, and a sense of being ahead of its time.

PLOT:Gwynplaine (Conrad Veidt) was kidnapped as a child because of a political fight between two royal families and sold to a notorious group of people who surgically disfigure his face, leaving it in a twisted, contorted smile. After walking a while, Gwynplaine finds a baby lying next to her deceased mother in the cold. The two wander the area until they discover a philosopher named Ursus (Cesare Gravina) who takes them in. Years later as an adult, Gwynplaine and now-grown Dea (Mary Philbin) travel with Ursus in a theater show entitled "The Man Who Laughs". However, the Duchess of this area (Olga Baclanova) may have her eye set on Gwynplaine as a lover, which could affect his life and love for Dea; not to mention, Gwynplaine is getting sick of the laughter and pressure of being a circus freak. What will this all boil down to? It's a great plot executed brilliantly.



ACTING:The performances in this film are very excellent. Conrad Veidt plays a very touching and convincing part as the forever-scarred Gwynplaine. His performance unnerved me and evoked plenty strong emotion in me, as well as Cesare Gravina as Ursus. His performance nearly made me cry near the end. Most of the performance in here were really great for a silent film. The female leads of Mary Philbin as the blind Dea and Olga Baclanova as the loose Duchess Josiana were just as good as well. The other performances I'd like to mention would be Brandon Hurst as Barkilphedro, Stuart Holmes as Lord Dirry-Moir, George Siegmann as Dr. Hardquononne, and Sam De Grasse as King James II.

SCORE:The score in here was pretty nice. Since it's a silent film, the score has to carry the main sound for the film. The score seemed to match the mood fairly well while keeping a partially-relaxed tone. It wasn't anything too special, but I appreciated it.



OTHER CONTENT:This film was a beautiful silent horror throughout. The cinematography and the way each shot was taken was just beautiful and caught the moment just right, setting the mood and tone for many certain emotions. Also, this film seemed to be actual ahead of its time. Not only was it a pretty scary and meaningful film at the time, covering the lessons of acceptance and fitting in, but it also included spoken dialogue and brief nudity in a time of silents and purity. I felt this film was a big step in breaking the barrier of silent film and the purity era. This film was just a beauty much overlooked these days by the bigger name horror silents like Nosferatu and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, as well as many others, but it's nothing to look over for a true film buff.

OVERALL,an epic horror silent with an brilliantly-done plot, excellent performances, fairly good silent film score, beautiful cinematography, the ability to still scare today, a few good common lessons, and an overall feel that the film was truly ahead of its time.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) review

(10/10)

This original horror classic tops almost all horror films I've seen to date. The emotions captured in this film are amazingly shown with amazing performances and visionary horror direction by Tobe Hooper.

PLOT:A group of friends, including brother and sister Sally (Marilyn Burns) and Franklin (Paul A. Partain), go on a road trip through Texas to visit Sally and Franklin's deceased grandfather's old house. However, weird and disturbing things start happening, including picking up a freaky hitchhiker that looks a lot like Dracula (Edwin Neal). Things get even stranger, especially with the news of graves being robbed and "artwork" of decomposing bodies is being made close by. After their encounter with the strange hitchhiker, the group stop at the house for a while and spot another house out in the distance, which is believed to have gasoline for their van. Upon visiting the house, however, the group finds that the residents aren't your typical neighbors, specifically a psychotic killer brandishing a chainsaw (Gunner Hansen). Now the group must get away or fall victim to the chainsaw. It's a great horror plot executed brilliantly.



ACTING:The acting in this film is excellent. I could see the fear and insanity in each person's eyes during the horrific scenes. The best performances I could mention would be Marilyn Burns as Sally and Gunner Hansen as Leatherface, or the chainsaw killer. I could see perfect horror and insanity in her eyes and actions that it seemed real. Hansen's iconic performance of  Leatherface was just brutal and frightening with beauty in its own ways. Every performance was great because emotion and insanity itself was captured perfectly. The other performances I'd like to mention would be Allen Danziger as Jerry, Paul A. Partain as Franklin, William Vail as Kirk, Teri McMinn as Pam, and Edwin Neal as the hitchhiker.

SCORE:There wasn't much background score in the film except for the music on the radio, which was mainly southern-type. The one memorable theme with the scraping sound effect, however, was very creepy and good in its minimalism. The sound effects worked above everything else because they were insane.

EFFECTS:The effects here were really good for being low-budget in the seventies. The make-up and prop effects for Leatherface and the house were very creepy and well done. The blood effects for the kills and cuts we see are also quite realistic in itself, while not being too brutal.



OTHER CONTENT:This horror film is one of the king's of all horror films. This film captures the feeling of insanity above anything. For more than a couple scenes in the film, I was actually scared due to the scary silences and horrific portrayals of the characters. It takes a lot for a film to really scare me, and this one did just that. I was very convinced. Also, this film is shot so artfully for a horror film, even with some of its flaws. Hooper knew what he was doing going into this boat by angling the camera just right from the beginning to the end. Every thing I believe Hooper wanted to capture was truly captured. Even all of the flaws this film may have make it even better.

OVERALL,an epic horror film with a brilliantly-executed plot, excellent acting, creepy sound-effect score, well done effects, a thundering feeling of insanity that it even scared me, and artful capturing of the film itself.

A Bug's Life (1998) review

(10/10)

A lot of Pixar fans say this is one of the weakest films they made, but the voice acting, clever script, beautiful imagery, and simplicity of the story come together to make it an overall great film.

PLOT:Flik (Dave Foley) is an oddball ant in his colony on Ant Island. He always tries to come up with a new way to gather grain and food faster to reach the ants' annual goal: collect enough food to offer to the grasshoppers, who offer them "protection" while really pushing them around, and then scavenge enough for themselves. However, Flick really screws up with one of his inventions and loses all of the food gathered up for the grasshoppers, causing them to burst into the anthill and demand twice the amount of food by the end of the season. Flik then, to the great disappointment of Princess Atta (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and the rest of the colony, stands before trial to be sentenced. Flik comes up with an idea, though, to go out to the city and find bigger bugs to help them fight the grasshoppers away. Granting Flik his wish in hopes he won't return, the council sends him out to the city where he finds a group of bugs appearing to be tough. However, little does Flik know that they are circus performers. It's a good plot executed very well.



VOICES:The voice acting is done very well and just very well cast overall. Dave Foley plays a great part as the outcast hero, Flik, as does Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the princess-in-training, Princess Atta. Kevin Spacey also plays a very great part as the villain and leader of the grasshoppers, Hopper. There really isn't a bad performance in the whole film. The other shiners would have to be Phyllis Diller as the Queen, Richard Kind as Molt, Hayden Panettiere as Dot, Joe Ranft as Heimlich, David Hyde Pierce as Slim, Jonathan Harris as Manny, Denis Leary as Francis, Madeline Kahn as Gypsy, Michael McShane as Tuck and Roll, Roddy McDowell as Mr. Soil, Bonnie Hunt as Rosie, and John Ratzenberger as P. T. Flea. The cast is nearly all-star as is.

SCORE:The score in this film is light and very well composed by the great Randy Newman, with a unique theme and original song, called "The Time of Your Life".

ANIMATION:The animation in this film is very beautiful and pretty detailed for its time. The animation of the blue sky, green trees and grass, and the many different colors of the bugs are just beautiful, colorful, and detailed overall. If you don't appreciate the movie for its story, you could at least appreciate it for the beautiful, early Pixar animation present.



OTHER CONTENT:This Pixar film is known as one of the weakest because it doesn't go as deep and intricate into its story and lesson as the likes of Wall-E or Ratatouille. However, I believe the pure simplicity of the story and its lesson of making a difference and standing up for yourself is enough to accomplish the simple task of making a great film and entertaining the masses. I will admit, I'm also partial to this film because it was a major part of my childhood and the memories that came with it. However, this Pixar film also has some pretty smart dialogue between the characters to match, played off the characters very well. I honestly don't see that much of a flaw in this film. It's simple, beautiful, and well-acted to say the least.

OVERALL,it's a great animated film with a great plot, very well done voice acting, light and well composed Randy Newman score, beautiful animation, a simple and entertaining story and lesson, and some smart dialogue.

The Lion King (1994) review

(10/10)

This has to be my favorite Disney film of the '90s canon of films. This film's touching, emotionally deep, and just beautiful above all. This one shall forever remain a classic.

PLOT:Mufasa (James Earl Jones) is the king lion ruling over all of Africa. One day, Mufasa and his wife give birth to a son, which they name Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), eliminating Mufasa's brother, Scar (Jeremy Irons), from taking the king's place on the throne. Mufasa tries to teach Simba everything he knows to be king one day, but Mufasa's life is cut short by a tragic accident caused by Scar. All Simba ever wanted to be for his dad was brave. Now, however, Simba is convinced by Scar that the best thing to do is to run away and never come back. Simba, down on his luck, is found by the two, loveable, careless outcasts, Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella). Here Simba learns the life of no worries until he grows up to be an adult (voiced by Matthew Broderick) and his past comes back to haunt him, not even knowing how bad his former pride is actually doing. It's a great plot exected very well.



VOICES:The voice acting in this film is brilliant. All of the voices are entertaining, fitting, cartoonish, and all-star. The best voice performance had to have been by Matthew Broderick as the adult Simba. He performed his role best. James Earl Jones and Jeremy Irons also played excellent roles as Mufasa and Scar. The other shiners would be Nathan Lane as Timon, Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa, Rowan Atkinson as Zazu, Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi, Cheech Marin as Banzai, Jonathan Taylor Thomas as young Simba, Moira Kelly as Nala, Robert Guillaume as Rafiki, and Jim Cummings as Ed. As you can see, there really wasn't a bad performance in the cast.

SCORE:The score was beautiful and very well done by the collaboration of Hanz Zimmer, Lebo M., and Elton John. Every song in the film is either fun or beautiful, including the score itself.

ANIMATION:The animation in here is also beautiful. The animation is realistic, rich, and shows evidence of a lot of effort. Disney didn't laze around on the job with this film.



OTHER CONTENT:This film is more than just a fun Disney animation. This film contains a bunch of touching, emotional twists as well as a realistic story (if you replace the animals with humans). This film can make you laugh, cry, and cheer more than most animated films nowadays. This film has all of the techniques and such needed to make a good film.

OVERALL,an epic Disney film with a great plot, brilliant voice acting, beautiful and fun score and soundtrack, beautiful and rich animation, many touching moments and emotional twists, a realistic story, and all of the elements a good film needs.

Gorillaz: Demon Days Live (2006) review

(10/10)

This concert performance will probably live to be the best performance the Gorillaz have ever done so far.

Ever since it came out in 2006, I've been watching it over and over again. This concert covers the complete tracklist of the Gorillaz' album, Demon Days, with two additional songs as an encore. Most of the songs were performed either just like the album intended or better. Songs like "O Green World" and "Fire Coming Out of a Monkey's Head" were almost better than the album. However, some songs nearly missed the mark compared to the album, like "Dirty Harry" and "Dare". It nearly turned "Dare" into a comedy act, but either way, I found some bit of good in it. The visuals to the songs were also pretty cool and contained shots of the animated characters as well as some live video; they personified the story of "Fire Coming Out of a Monkey's Head" as well. I love how the band went against their usual style and performed a live show with the band silhouetted, then Damon Albarn, the lead singer, exposing himself in the end. I've been watching this concert and listening to the original album over and over again, for it brings back many memories of better times for me.

Overall, it's an epic concert for the great Gorillaz fans out there.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) review

(10/10)

"There's no place like home." Do I even need to say anymore? This classic film is iconic in every way and a family favorite in nearly every household.

PLOT:Young Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) is a farm girl living in the grey plains of Kansas with her Aunt Em (Clara Blandick) and Uncle Henry (Charles Grapewin). Even though she's a young girl, she dreams big of traveling the lands before her. However, a tornado comes along and sweeps her house up with her and Toto, her little dog, inside. The house comes down in the town of Munchkinland in the wonderful land of Oz. To find her way back home, she has to find the wizard in the Emerald City while avoiding the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton), who's out to get her for dropping a house on her sister. On the way, she meets a Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), a Tin Woodsman (Jack Haley), and a Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), who choose to accompany her on her journey to see the wizard, wanting a brain, a heart, and courage in return. It's a great plot executed brilliantly.



ACTING:The performances in here were really good. Judy Garland played an innocent and iconic role as the young farm girl, Dorothy. Playing well off her and each other, Jack Haley, Ray Bolger, and Bert Lahr performed excellent, iconic roles as the Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman, and Cowardly Lion. I favored Bert Lahr out of the trio, for his performance doubled comedically as it did iconically. Margaret Hamilton also played a great part as the Wicked Witch of the West. She still seems menacing today. The other shiners would be Clara Blandick as Aunt Em, Charles Grapewin as Uncle Henry, Billie Burke as Glinda the Good Witch, Frank Morgan as The Wizard of Oz, and all of the munchkins. There really wasn't a bad performance in here.

SCORE:The musical score and soundtrack for this film are iconic, memorable, and catchy to sing as well as to hear. Everybody knows a song from it, whether it's "We're Off to See the Wizard", "Ding-Dong the Witch is Dead", or even "If I Only Had a Brain." Everybody knows the catchy soundtrack to this film.

EFFECTS:The effects were astounding back in their time and are still very colorful today. The best effect at the time would have to have been the dramatic and iconic change from sepia/grayscale to Technicolor. That was a dazzling change for people back then and is still a prominent mark in film history. The prop effects were pretty colorful, and the more digital effects (such as the fireballs and the bubbles) were pretty interesting. The effects overall back then were pretty top-notch, but they still stand as interesting to watch now.



OTHER CONTENT:This film is iconic on so many levels. Everybody has either seen or heard of the Wizard of Oz, and it's a family favorite for the young children and the older adults. Comparing it to the original book, the film seems to be based only loosely on it. However, this film adaptation improved it from its book form. Everything about this film is really perfect for its time and loveable even today.

OVERALL,an epic film with a brilliant plot, really good performances, catchy score and soundtrack, colorful effects, and an iconic legacy left for filmgoers everywhere.

American Beauty (1999) review

(10/10)

I consider this to be one of the best movies I have ever seen. It entertains on both a comedic and dramatic level with flawless acting and execution.

PLOT:Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is a depressed, old man. He has a negligent wife named Caroline (Annette Bening) and a teenage daughter named Jane (Thora Birch) that pretty much hates him. Things are going horrible for Lester until he meets one of Jane's best friends, Angela (Mena Suvari), and immediately falls in love with her, sending him into a mid-life crisis in which he takes up several new hobbies and a new attitude on life. Meanwhile, Caroline is starting to have frequent lunches with her rival in the real estate business, Buddy Kane (Peter Gallagher) and Jane is developing a crush on the weird neighbor, Ricky Fitts (Wes Bentley), who has an abusive veteran father (Chris Cooper). It's a very unqiue plot executed excellently.



ACTING:The acting in here was brilliant. Kevin Spacey performs brilliantly as the confused Lester Burnham, including his narration as well as his on-screen moments. Annette Bening also plays well off of Spacey as Caroline, the controlling wife. All performances were really good. The other shiners would be Thora Birch as Jane, Mena Suvari as Angela, Peter Gallagher as Buddy Kane, Wes Bentley as Ricky Fitts, and Chris Cooper as Colonel Fitts. The ones that stand out in this bunch would be Thora Birch, Mena Suvari, and Wes Bentley; Bentley plays a very memorable and rather likeable part.

SCORE:The score was pretty cool. It wasn't extremely unique or prominent like some film scores, but it was fitting and well done by Thomas Newman. Other than that, the soundtrack was made up of several classic rock songs (The Who, Annie Lennox, etc.) and showtune crooners.



OTHER CONTENT:This film was brilliant. Aside from the acting and execution, this film had a lot of deep meaning embedded within it on the hidden beauties of life you have to realize exist. This film opened my eyes the first time I saw it how beautiful and meaningful the world can be in the slightest things. This film is deep and dramatic, but also funny and comedic at some times. I don't believe it's an uneven mix, but that it all balances out in the end. For being his first film, I believe the director, Sam Mendes, has a lot of potential in him.

OVERALL,an epic film with an excellent plot, brilliant acting, cool soundtrack, lots of deep meaning, and a good balance of comedy and drama.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) review

(10/10)

Have you ever watched a movie so brilliant that it brought tears to your eyes at the end? This is one of those films I'm speaking of. Jack Nicholson gives what might be his best performance in this brilliant film.

PLOT:Randall P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) was put in jail for charges of assault and statutory rape earlier in life. Now, he's being carried over the the local mental institution with assumptions that he's crazy. McMurphy plays it cool and says he's not, but they keep him for evaluation anyhow. While here, McMurphy bonds with the patients of the mental ward, including the deaf Chief (Will Sampson), the anxious Martini (Danny DeVito), the insulting Taber (Christopher Lloyd), and many more by doing many illegal things. However, being under rule and watch by the uptight Nurse Rached (Louise Fletcher), McMurphy must plan his schemes right and keep them convinced that he's crazy, whether he is or not. It's a good plot executed brilliantly.



ACTING:The acting in here was great. Jack Nicholson stole the lead as the insane Randall P. McMurphy. His acting in here got him an Academy Award and several others, and I believe that it was a great decision to choose him. The other shiners would be Will Sampson as Chief, Danny DeVito as Martini, Christopher Lloyd as Taber, Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched, Scatman Crothers as Turkle, Brad Douriff as Billy Bobbit, Sidney Lassick as Charlie Cheswick, William Redfield as Harding, and William Duell as Sefelt. Each performance was unique and expertly done.

SCORE:The score in here is great and done by the great Jack Nitzche. He does it so hauntingly and beautifully that it brings more emotion to the film.



OTHER CONTENT:This film was pretty brilliant. The visionistic approach in Nicholson's character inspired the whole film as well as an insightful look into the mental institutions of that time. The emotional impact this film contained packed such a hard punch that anyone who really watches the film will feel great delight in it. This film left me with an unforgettable feeling .

OVERALL,an epic film with a brilliant plot, great acting, haunting score, and a powerful emotional impact.