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TabithaNoel
Reviews
Shaft (1971)
A good Detective Film
I thought this film was good. There was good acting, The choice of costume I thought was one part that made the character's personality, The music was just like what a person would think when it comes to a detective film in the 70s, a little bit of jazz, little bit of pop, and a little bit of jazz here and there. The film with the lighting and the music added a mysterious feel. The lighting was very dark and never really got really bright; it was always kind of dark throughout the movie. The film was mostly talking and some action scenes here and there so it went a bit slow in my opinion. But other than that, it was a good movie.
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
A Classic Film about a Legendary Couple
This film was very well done; I liked the cinematography, acting, color, and the difference in lighting. I loved how crisp the color was; everything was heightened in terms of color, the cuts in the film were a little too much in my opinion but other than that, the angles were very well done to get everything in the picture. The acting was done well, it wasn't too much but it wasn't too little either. I like how there was a significant difference in lighting whether they were inside or outside.
12 Angry Men (1957)
Such a Classic yet Simple Film
I remember watching this film in 9th grade after reading the short story in English class. I didn't think it was a great film at the time but watching it now, I find it really interesting. This film has different personalities and arguments to explain their views on the case. The camera angles were good, getting every detail that was important for the audience to see was filmed. The premise of the film, 12 men sitting in a room debating and fighting about a case is a really good premise and was really well done. I like how the creators gave each juror a personality such as the one who has prejudice, the shy introverted, out spoken, and so on. I gave this film a 9 out of 10 because it is a really well done classic and even though it was so simple, it was a really good film.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
A great Movie as well as Important
This movie was really good; the acting was good, costumes, and the lighting. The costumes fit the time period and were sometimes extravagant, the lighting was a bit darker throughout the film and gave a neutral feeling; it wasn't a good feeling, but it wasn't a bad feeling either. The acting was really good with the first shock of the parents and how they get used to the that was well done. Sidney Poitier was fantastic in this film; I feel like he put in a lot of feeling into his role as Dr. John Prentice. I like how Kate Hepburn preformed her crying scenes because it was really convincing that she was feeling happy or sad with those tears. I give this movie an 8 out of 10 because I feel like it's an important film and it touches on a subject that was frowned upon at that time and it was very well done.
North by Northwest (1959)
A Very Good Classic Film
This film is another great film by Alfred Hitchcock. The acting is good, cinematography is good, and the costumes are good. I like how when they're climbing down Mount Rushmore how the camera is filming not straight but kind of at an angle. I think the color looked nice and the picture in general; it looked crisp and clean. The outfits are nice; one thing I have learned is Alfred Hitchcock and Eva Marie Saint went shopping for her characters clothing to make it more authentic and more of the actress's style. I thought the acting was good; at some point in the film when Eva Marie Saint's character is in danger or is feeling guilty, you can see that feeling in her face and eyes even if she's not talking. I give this film an 8 out of 10 for being a classic and how well everything was put together.
Psycho (1960)
A Classic Alfred Hitchcock Film
When it comes to thrillers, this has to be one of the best. The acting is great, story is great, Hitchcock is really a legend when it comes to these kinds of films. The cinematography was good; I thought there were some nice shots like pans, zooming in and zooming out shots, I thought they were done well. Anthony Perkins who played Norman Bates is great; he has great facial acting and he sold the idea that his character was off from the very beginning. The music queues were really good too. During some of the scenes that are meant to be scary or suspenseful, we hear that high pitch violin to really give the full effect of suspension. I give this film an 8 out of 10 because it's such a classic.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
A Fantastic Judy Garland Film
This film is a great musical; I love the songs, the acting, the characters, and the cinematography. The songs are such classics and I don't think there's a lot of people that haven't heard of the songs or listened to them. The acting and characters are great; I think the actors did a great job in portraying the characters the developing the relationship with other characters. I absolutely love how the film went from no color in Kansas to having color in the Land of Oz; I thought that was very clever. Judy Garland was fantastic as Dorothy; I think she portrayed her perfectly and her singing voice was amazing. I gave this 8 stars because it's another great classic and I would definitely recommend this film to anyone.
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
A classic Gene Kelly Musical
I absolutely love this musical; the music is great, the cinematography is great, and the color is amazing. If I had to pick my favorite song from this musical it would probably be "Make 'em Laugh" because that song just puts a smile on my face and Donald O'Conner had to do all of that in one take, which is very impressive. The cinematography is great and the color is crisp. I like how they added in the first sound film, "The Jazz Singer", saying it was a hit and having some of the actors/actresses doubt how sound films were going to be since they've only done silent films up until then. I give this film a 10 star rating because it's such a classic musical and the actors are great, the songs are great, and the choreography is fantastic.
Out of the Past (1947)
A Classic film noir film
I thought this film was great; the acting, cinematography, the first half and how it was told, and the sound. The acting was really good; the actors made the characters human and there seemed to be a lot of human development with individual characters and the development between characters. The cinematography was crisp, and you could tell what was going on. I like how in the first half of the film; it was told in flashbacks by the main character and then it transitioned over to real time events. I thought the sound for that time was average; it was a little musty, but it wasn't bad at all. After watching this film, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to start watching these kinds of films.
Double Indemnity (1944)
A Great Film Noir Movie
This film was really good; I thought the acting was good, the cinematography, the music, and how the story was told. This film's story is being told in a flashback not so far into the future which I think is a great idea for telling a story. Even though the film is in black and white, the picture is really crisp and clean looking. The music was really good, being suspenseful at the right times and doing a great job in making the viewer feel a certain way depending on what is going on in the film. I thought the acting was good; the actors managed to tell the audience what their characters were like by their interaction with other characters and their back stories.
Saboteur (1942)
A great Alfred Hitchcock film
This film reminds me of "I'm a Fugitive from a Chain Gang" in a way. The story is similar and the main character is similar to the main character; always on the run. The characters were okay; I didn't really see any growth besides the relationship between Barry and Patricia. I like how they portrayed the idea that some people in the world are good and other people not so much, it spoke about how the good people will, most of the time, get in trouble for what the bad people do. The cinematography was okay; I thought it was an average camera work for the time period. I would give this film a seven out of ten even though the story was really good. I would recommend this film to people who are Alfred Hitchcock fans and like this type of film.
Casablanca (1942)
Such a classic
This film was really good; with the story, actors, character, their stories, and the cinematography, it made for a really good film. We saw some character back stories and their relationships with other characters, mainly Rick, Sam, and Ilsa. As well as how they interact with each other now. Rick and Ilsa have a dynamic where they don't want to relive the past, but they do miss each other and Ilsa feels guilty for what happened and why she did what she did. I like how the movie went into a flashback for this relationship between Rick and Ilsa and it shows why Rick is the type of person he is in Casablanca. The cinematography was crisp and there were a lot of details in the sets that were used. I like how the characters were thought out like their personality especially throughout the movie where we see some character development. I gave this film an 8 out ten because everything in the film was very well done and thought out, it's a classic film I would recommend to anyone.
Dark Victory (1939)
A Spectacular Film with an Awesome Message
This film was very well done; it captured the feelings a person may go through when they're dealing with a medical issue that can't be resolved. Judy who was played by the beautiful Bette Davis went through all the emotions, worry, denial, happiness, and then the cycle started all over again post recovery. Though the acting was a bit dramatic and hyper at times, it was still enjoyable to watch and see the journey the character went through and how the other characters went through it with her. The music in the film was very well done and I like in one scene how Judy related to one song and it brought out emotions in her even though they were sad. The dramatic yet whimsical melodies were to convey the feelings that the character was feeling that way the viewer could feel those emotions as well. This film is one spectacular film that wasn't over dramatic, and it was done in a way that it felt real. I also like how they put in a message and an example in the film; I feel like the message is to not waste any second or minute of your life and live to the fullest and live it with happiness. Judy was an example when she was miserable after she found out but then she started living happily when she realized what she was doing. I would recommend this film to anyone.
Stagecoach (1939)
A Classic Western Film
I gave this film a seven out of ten because it is a classic western film and stars the legendary actor, John Wayne. The acting is good and the story line is good; the film does a great job in making either love or hate a character. I thought the cinematography was okay, it showed the emotions of the characters with close up shots and it gor the action scenes just right. Showing the fight scenes and then a close up of person then right back to the fight scene, there wasn't too many close ups and the cuts weren't everywhere. The music in the film was really good even if it was the same melody over and over again; sometimes it was a faster tempo and sometimes it was a regular tempo. The melody that was heard the most throughout the film has a heroic feel to it as if the character's are going on a big adventure which they are going on a big and possibly dangerous adventure so I think it was smart to add that melody in when they leave an area to continue their journey.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
A good, comedic film
I thought this film was a good film for its time, amazing actors, a good story line, and a good message. Some aspects of the film I didn't like was how obnoxious the family was; always hyper and there's always something going on like screaming or crying, it was always loud and obnoxious all the time. I liked Irene's character since she was kind of the comedic relief even though she was acting more obnoxious than anyone else in the family. Now for the good things, I liked how they had a message deep in the movie. I got the message to not judge anyone by where they came from. One of the family members was constantly trying to get Godfrey back to where he came from and at the end, he ends up saving from the family from loosing their house and everything they had. She felt bad for everything she had done since he helped all of them. I would recommend this film to anyone looking for a good, comedic classic.
Imitation of Life (1934)
A Fantastic movie
This film was one of the best films I watched. It's filled with emotions and you fall in love with the characters easily with their personalities and their stories. It's happy in the beginning but it turns sad in the end. The acting was very good and the cinematography was amazing. The acting wasn't too dramatic but it wasn't too bland either; you really felt the emotions the characters went through in a moment of happiness and in a moment of sadness. I would definitely recommend this film to anyone. It's a great movie and I feel like it has a great message in the end.
Dracula (1931)
A classic horror film
The story is of Count Dracula is a classic story about a man who lives off of human blood and only strikes at night. This film was good at telling that story with the acting and the cinematography in it. The actors were magnificent in acting how they were supposed to act; either crazy, scared, menacing, or acting possessed. The actor of Dracula, Bela Lugosi, was awesome at doing the minimum but still effective in showing how powerful and menacing Dracula could really be. The actor of Reinfeld, Dwight Frye, who also played in Frankenstein as Fritz, was awesome in acting crazy and acting like a devoted follower of Dracula. I like the little laugh he does as it adds to the creepiness of his character. I would recommend this film to anyone; it's a good watch and it's great movie about a classic monster.
Frankenstein (1931)
A classic Horror Story
This story of Frankenstein is such a classic one. This film with the actors, the make up with Frankenstein's monster, and the way it's filmed is spectacular. Boris Karloff is a legend when it comes to scary movies and the make up that was done to achieve the look of Frankenstein's monster was done really well and his acting done with no voice and only grunts is spectacular. I thought the actor (Colin Clive) who played Victor Frankenstein portrayed the character very well; especially the parts where he's kind of "going mad" when he's so wrapped up in creating another life from the remains of deceased human being. I would recommend this movie to someone who might want to watch some old school horror movies; it's definitely a classic and it's a good portrayal of the beloved monster we know and love today.
Scarface (1932)
The Original Scarface
This movie was pretty good; of course Paul Muni's acting was awesome as always. I just felt it was a little repetitive through the gang wars and Paul Muni's character trying to get Karen Morley's character to start a relationship which did happen somewhat in the film. A pleasant surprise was to see the great Boris Karloff playing a rival gang leader; I haven't seen him outside of having prosthetics on for other films. Something I liked about the film was how they filmed it and the acting in it; old language use and phrases were used such as "you see?" when making sure someone understood what they were saying. I would recommend this film to someone because it is such a classic gangster film.
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
A Classic Fugitive Film
I would recommend watching this film. The acting was really good especially from Paul Muni; his voice acting, mannerisms, and his eye acting was very good since they have a lot of close-up shots. His acting when something happens that isn't to his character's liking is realistic and some of his reactions are a little overreactive in some scenes but most of the reactions are realistic. It's amazing how his eye acting is; There's one scene in the film where he finds out something that would be heart breaking and you instantly see a change his how his face is. It's a neutral expression at first but then as soon as he hears that news it turns into a face that is almost numb but then comes back to a face that is devastated and mad. This is a great movie and I would definitely recommend giving it a watch.
The Gold Rush (1925)
Charlie Chaplin's Best
I would recommend this movie for a first-time silent movie viewer like myself. Charlie Chaplin is a legend when it comes to silent movies. Him and the actors and actresses in this film are spectacular in showing emotion such as sadness, happiness, and going a little bit insane since no words are said in the actual film. I enjoyed the comedy in this film; it was simple yet affective to put a smile on my face at some points and it kind of reminded me of "The Three Stooges" at one point. The music did a great job in expression as well when there was a fight, a sad moment, a happy moment, or a moment that is supposed to be a little silly. I also like how they included folk songs such as "Loch Lomond" in the middle of the film and "Auld Lang Syne" in the dance hall scene on New Year's Eve. All in all, this was a great movie and I would highly recommend it to a person who may want to see a silent movie.