Most liked to least

1) The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
2) Psycho
3) Shawshank Redemption
4) Citizen Kane
5) V For Vendetta
6) The Simpsons Movie
7) Cinema Paradiso
8) Gone With the Wind
9) Ben Hur
10) The Graduate
11) The Great Debaters

The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly is truly a masterpiece of both Western/Adventure epic movies and filmmaker in general. The main plot of this movie revolves around three men: The Good, “Blondie” .or “The Man With No Name” (Clint Eastwood); The Bad, Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef); and The Ugly, Tuco (Eli Wallach). They all have very different personalities but are alike in one aspect—they all want the $200,000 in Confederate gold buried in a cemetery. Both Blondie and Tuco have different information leading to the gold so they are forced into working together while continuously being pursued by Angel Eyes.

For me, the best part about this movie is how well their titles fit with their characteristics. The Bad is evil personified and is willing to do anything to get the gold, even if it means killing indiscriminately. The Good is not what many would consider “good” today, but he does have a sense of honor and fair play which was lacking in the Old West. Also, the scene where he shares a puff of his cigar with Confederate soldier is powerful, and it sums up everything that the Man With No Name is all about, without saying a single word. Finally, the Ugly is definitely the most complex and central figure of this movie. Unlike Angel Eyes who is just evil, Tuco is a product of a very terrible environment. He worked hard keeping his family together but eventually took the more difficult route of being a vigilante (as opposed to his brother who became a priest). He really represents the ugly side of people, not good or bad just doing what one must to survive.

This is definitely one of my favorite movies of all time and I highly recommend it to anyone anywhere. There is hardly a Western cliché that is either given a unique twist or utterly destroyed by the director’s (Sergio Leone) storytelling.

Shawshank Redemption

            Shawshank Redemption is a Crime/Drama which takes place at the Shawshank Prison. The main cast includes Tim Robbins as Andy Dufrene and Morgan Freeman as “Red” Redding. This stories main focus is, as explained in the title, a tale of redemption. Andy is wrongly imprisoned and sent to the Shawshank Prison and meets many friends and enemies while he’s there. The best of these friends is Red and they form a very close but difficult relationship. I would like to talk about my favorite part of the movie and how it relates to the movies overall message.

            A recurring plot devise is how, after decades of imprisonment, the inmates become institutionalized. Brooks, an inmate of over fifty years, finally gets out of prison but is overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of modern life that he ends up committing suicide. This appears to be one of the many anti-prison messages that the director, Frank Darabont, is trying to imbed in the audience. This change in lifestyles almost gets to Red as well, but he has the thought of Andy to keep him sane.

            Overall I love this movie. Though I had a good feeling about the ending, I really was surprised when the twist ending occurred and it definitely made my heart start pounding. I would recommend this movie, not just to a few thespians or critics, but to anyone looking for both aesthetically and spiritually fulfilling drama.

V for Vendetta

I give this movie XI v's out of X

            This movie takes place in the fictional dystopian future of London. This movie is a combination of Action, Sci-Fi, and Thriller movies. The primary plot follows the exploits of our anarchist protagonist V (Hugo Weaving) who wears a Guy Fawkes mask and clothing covering his whole body and Evey (Natalie Portman) as they attempt to take down the totalitarian government that has sprung up after a resent biological disaster.

            The most important parts of this movie are the characters and they do an excellent job of portraying them. Evey starts out as a pretty typical woman, but soon begins to realize that the world around her is not the way that it is supposed to be. She ends up saving the life of V as he escapes from delivering his message (over the centralized television screens) and he takes her to his secret lair. Throughout the movie the relationship of these two evolves from an acquaintance to a fully developed romance (though V never reveals who he is).

            While this is happening, the world is beginning to crumble around them, as V’s plan for England unfolds with the date of November the 5^th quickly approaching (the date of Guy Fawkes’s attempted blowing up of Parliament). The government, led by Chancellor Sutler (John Hurt), has gained power through fear by unleashing a powerful virus on the people. And “by the grace of God”, they have found a cure and give it to the people to win their hearts and minds. It is also revealed that many of V’s victims were a part of this conspiracy and that V was the lone survivor of the experiments.

            Overall, the movie is fantastic. I have to recommend it to any fan of revolution, anarchy, or just a good vs. evil story. There are still problems, but what movie doesn’t have some. This film is based on a graphic novel, so the oversimplifications and added drama are to be expected.

The Great Debaters

I will give this movie 7 lynched Negros of 10

This film was very emotionally driven and that seems to be appropriate for a movie Drama/Biography about the Jim Crow Laws of the South and the discrimination of Negros under them. This film focuses on the exploits of Mr. Melvin Tolson B. (Denzel Washington) as he trains an elite group of three college debaters: Henry Lowe (Nate Parker) as the down-on-his-luck black man who is not to optimistic about the world, Samantha Booke (Jurnee Smollett) as the neo-feminist who wants to show the men what's-what, James Farmer Jr. (Denzel Whitaker) as the shy but strong willed and smart one who saves the day through sheer willpower and determination.

The plot revolves around the increasingly tense race relations of the south as the Great Depression continues and the debate team goes undefeated. One startling fact is how well educated the Negros are in comparison to the average white folks. Though the Negros are more literate, they still must treat themselves as second-class citizens and inferior to the white man. The tension of the story comes from the protagonists struggling against the oppressors and coming out on top.

There are several subplots ranging from relationship conflicts between the three debaters to the discrimination of Mr. Tolson for being a communist/socialist/labor leader and his push for workers' rights, and the main plot climaxing with their debate at Harvard University. There is even a point near the third act where the gang comes across a group of Texans lynching and burning a Negro and they barely escape with their lives.

For all of its good parts, there is still one part of this movie that does not go over well with me. the debate at the end of the movie. The debate is well done and invokes plenty of emotion—but that is the problem—the original speech was less glamorous and more poignant and does not end with a triumphant victory. The white characters are also pretty stock and one-dimensional and don’t offer much except to be the antagonists of the story.

Overall, this movie is worth watching and it really takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Even for its flaws, I would still give this movie for someone to watch and enjoy. The final speech at the end, while not like the original, is still worth waiting an hour and a half to see.

The Simpsons Movie

1. Irony
1. The town of Springfield was trapped like rats, except rats couldn't be trapped that easily (they're trapped more like carrots).
2. Ned Flanders: Thank you, Lord, for this bountiful...
   Ned Flanders: [screams]
   Ned Flanders: PENIS!
   Rob and Todd Flanders: [devoutly] ... bountiful penis.
   Todd Flanders: Amen
3. Homer: Hey, those idiots don't even know where we live.
4. Russ Cargill: Of course I have. You ever tried going mad without power? It's boring. No one listens to you!
5. Girl on Phone: You hang up first.
   Boy on Phone: No, you hang up first.
   Girl: Okay.
   [hangs up]
   Boy: What the-? She hung up on me!
2. Puns
1. Swartzeneggar: I came here to lead not to read.
2. Dome Sweet Dome
3. Nome Sweet Nome
4. Montgomery Burns: Smithers... I don't believe in suicide, but if you'd like to try it, it might cheer me up to watch.
5. Comic Book Guy: I've spent my entire life doing nothing but collecting comic books... and now there's only time to say... LIFE WELL SPENT!
6. EPA Official: S-sir, I'm afraid you've gone mad with power...
3. Parody
1. The Green Day boat sank like the Titanic.
2. Lisa made a presentation similar to An Inconvenient Truth.
3. Barney Gumble: "Honey, I'm home."
4. If you can find a greasier sandwich, you're in Mexico!
5. Bart (as he wears bra as Mickey Mouse ears): I'm the mascot of an evil corporation!
4. Satire
1. Homer: "We have a great life here in Alaska, and we're never going back to America again!"
2. Pres. Swartzeneggar never read any of orders.
3. Nobody knows what the EPA is.
4. The gov't finally found a criminal that they are looking for
5. The gov't is listening to all phone calls and conversations
6. "Finally, a white man is in control"

Top 10 Favorite Movies:

1. The Godfather (1972)
2. Lion King (1992)
3. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
4. The Great Dictator (1940)
5. The Secret of Nimh (1982)
6. Brazil (1985)
7. Star Wars:  A New Hope (1977)
8. Indiana Jones: And the Last Crusade (1989)
9. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
10. Plague Dogs (1982)

PHS Paradiso

2012 Senior Hallway

Kim (Who always helped me when I needed it)

Mrs. Janet Turgeon

My Sable (The only way to work)



Citizen Kane

 

(*********)* I give it 9 broken snow globes out of 10

“Rosebud”, this one word kept me captivated the whole movie and I kept asking myself, “What does that mean”. If one is not a fan of black and white movies or of boring, yet complex and interesting, stories I suggest that one should not continue with this review. This is definitely a movie I would like to watch again.I did very much enjoy this movie and I would hope to see it again. My intention is to understand the mind of Kane in a way that would get across to someone that was confused while watching this movie.

Orson Welles stars in the 1941 classic drama Citizen Kane along with:

·Joseph Cotton as Jedediah Leland

·Dorothy Comingore as Susan Alexander Kane

·Everett Sloane as Mr. Bernstein

·Ray Collins as Jim W. Gettys

·George Coulouri as Walter Parks Thatcher

·Agnes Moorehead as Mary Kane

·Paul Stewart as Raymond

·Ruth Warrick as Emily Monroe Norton Kane

·William Alland as Jerry Thompson

·Etc.

The movie starts off with the death of Charles Foster Kane, an extremely wealthy media proprietor, as he utters his dying words “Rosebud…” and drops a snow globe he’s been holding. The newsreel reporter Jerry Thompson is sent to uncover the meaning behind Kane’s cryptic, last word. The whole movie is through the telling of various friends and associates flashbacks, going from his ex-wife Ms. Alexander to Jedediah Leland, his best friend. Kane is revealed to have been torn from his family at a young age and spend much of his adult life tearing apart the wealth and possessions of his new guardian, Walter Parks Thatcher (George Coulouris). I won’t go any further into the story, in fear of spoiling the ending or key plot points; but, I would like to give my own opinion of this movie.

The mind of Kane is very simple in that all he wants is to regain his lost childhood. All of his actions have either been in defiance of those who removed him from his family or in the pursuit of “love on [his] own terms”. Even the statues he collects are incomplete, representing his own incomplete nature and his drive for perfection the way he wants it to be. Kane starts off as an idealistic young man with a set of principles, but quickly abandons them in the pursuit of what he thinks is right, even if others don’t approve.

I would have to recommend to anyone focused on character development or a fan of the mystery/drama genera. I know that I won’t be able to add anything new that hasn’t already been said, so I won’t try. I just wanted to understand Kane and what he was going through. By the end I sympathized withed him and hoped that my life would not be spent lost in a world that I could never find again.

Ben-Hur

I’ll give it 7 white horses out of 10

Memorable Quote: by Quintus Arrius: “Your eyes are full of hate, forty-one. That's good. Hate keeps a man alive. It gives him strength.”

What can I say that hasn’t already been said about Ben-Hur? Probably not much so I will only give my own opinion and a little of the plot and movie history. Ben-Hur is the 1959 epic Action/Adventure/Drama directed by William Wyler and most notably starring Charlton Heston. It takes place along the same time scale as Jesus Christ (so roughly 1-33 A.D.) and also makes several prominent cameos.

The movie starts off with the birth of Jesus, marking the similarities with Judah’s and Jesus’s lives later on in life. Jesus makes many brief appearances in the film and most of the time it’s just the cast talking about his miracles and powerful message. The movie mostly centers around Judah’s fall from grace as he constantly wants revenge against Messala (his former best friend and governor of Judea [played by Stephen Boyd]) and his later redemption. There is also a secondary plot about his mother and sisters (Miriam and Tirzah [Martha Scott and Cathy O’Donnell, respectively]) getting leprosy, Judah finding out and revealing that he knows their lepers. They are later healed by the blood of Jesus as he “dies” on the cross.

Now, all that’s left is my own opinion. I personally view this movie as an epic drama that can take hold of one at times. I, being an atheist, cannot truly be completely enthralled by the spectacle of the story of Jesus. I can understand the joy, sorrow, weeping, and teachings of the Christ, but I have never been able to fully grasp the fullness of the tale (I can see why the Vatican approved this movie). Overall, I really enjoyed the scale and epic-ness of this film and my favorite parts are the revenge story against Messala, the leprosy, and the awesome chariot race in the Circus Maximus (or what I believe is the Circus Maximus). I would recommend this to any Christian who wants a better understand of the start of their religion and many of the teachings it holds; also, I would recommend anyone else of other faiths and non-faiths to watch it just for the sheer power of this movie.

Psycho

I give this movie 9 stuffed birds out of 10

The 1960 film is a classic in the Horror/Thriller/Mystery genre. It was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Anthony Perkins as Normon Bates (the motel owner), Vera Miles as Lila Crane (the banker on the run), John Gavin as Sam Loomis (Lila's boyfriend), and Janet Leigh as Marion Crane (Lila's Sister). I really enjoyed this film and (thankfully no one told me) the suprise ending. I was genuinely scared of this movie. Not so much from the shower scene or the deaths but more from the psychological aspect. I want to go somewhat into Bates’s psyche and explore around a little.

From the beginning, one gets the feeling that this movie will be about Lila Crane and her escape from the law with the $40,000, but the movie takes a sharp turn as the focus is shifted to the other characters instead. This includes one of the most interesting of them all, Normon Bates. The quote “a boy’s best friend is his mother, never rang more true than with the twist ending with… well, I wouldn’t want to give anything away to any non-Psycho viewers, but one must watch from beginning to end. I really felt for Bates, and I don’t know how many would say that. It seemed to me that his behavior stemmed from a lot of psychological abuse and dependency issues. It’s not so much that he was a bad guy as he was a tragic case of mental breakdown.

I would recommend this movie-just like my Kane review-to any fan of subtlety and suspense. This movie deserves to be among the greats of film classics. i would also like to note that... don't be afraid of black and white films, they are very well done and offer something that color just can't reach.