Change Your Image
danburyn
Reviews
Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950)
good movie
Perhaps the most gripping and intelligent of crooked cop movies is Otto Preminger's 'Where the Sidewalks Ends,' from a really excellent script by Ben Hecht based on the novel 'Night Cry' by Frank Rosenberg. Dana Andrews is the honest, tough New York policeman, always in trouble with his superiors because he likes his own strong-arm methods as much as he detests crooks. When he hit someone, his knuckles hurt. And the man he wants to hit is a smooth villain (Gary Merrill) who points up the title. 'Why are you always trying to push me in the gutter?' he asks Andrews. 'I have as much right on the sidewalk as you. this film showed great camera work and use lighting in great ways. they zoomed in great and used the camera as a character in the film. Over all this is a good movie it worth watching and recommend it to everyone.
The Lady Eve (1941)
Awesome Film!!!
One of my favorite films of the forties and, I believe, one of Barbara Stanwyck's best. Fonda also gets a chance to show some comedic chops as well as the foil for her Eve. It's apparent everyone involved knows they're in something good and enjoys it - Eugene Palette as Fonda's wealthy Father, William Demarest(think Uncle Charlie in My Three Sons)in one of his best supporting roles as Fonda's crusty valet, and Charles Coburn and Eric Blore doing brilliant comic character turns as card sharks on Eve's side. the film was quite well made though in some shots the composition, lighting, and editing seem off. it seem to shift fast between frames making the film loses focus. Over all this movie made me laugh and is a great movie to watch!
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Great movie!!!
First thing's first, while I watched this movie, I found myself stunned. This movie is so entertained the viewer, as it did fascinate, and inform. A chilling, disturbing, and revealing look into the mental institutions as seen through the eyes of a con. Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Brad Dourif, Danny DeVito, and Christopher Lloyd, round out the excellent, and very well casted. the filming of this movie was great every shot seemed planned and you would think every film would be planned them but sometimes movies have little goofs. This movie though showed everything shot was planned, the composition and lighting seemed to be perfect. over all this is great movie everyone should appreciate the art of the film making.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
not a good movie
this movie did not have a good plot at all, the whole time it was about different races hating each other. Some of the ethnic groups seemed like they were entitled to do whatever they wanted but during the whole movie they were just lazy pieces of crap. also they never understood the concept of respect to other people. the only thing that was good about this movie was the filming itself. The editing was cleanly done nothing seemed to a mistake, the ending when the African Americans destroy the restaurant and burn it down, the filming was smooth. it seemed like you were there in it and just could not stop the chaos. over all this movie just showed that people think they can do what they want because they don't agree with something and try to solve it in violence. Have they ever heard of talking it out?
Penny Serenade (1941)
sad movie
this movie was very unusual story but also sad. The fast marriage then adopting the baby (Trina), to fill that gap in the marriage, then finally the loss of her. this movie did not really keep my attention it seemed to drag on which is a turn off for me. the editing in the movie had some glitch's it seemed to jump or hesitate, though they are not that noticeable. Another thing I saw the lighting seemed to bright in a couple of scenes, and yes it is black and white but when there is to much light, it makes it easier to notice because there is not the other colors to blend into. Over all it was interesting movie again dragging at some parts, but its plot was quite complex and sad.
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
good classic!
this movie was quite good, it really changed the role of women by having bonnie be a robber with Clyde. I know it is based on the real bonnie which were famous bank robbers. this movie had a lot of good effects for example, at the end when they fall for the police trap and get shot, the blood splatter is amazing. also during the shooting scene while the gun fire all the bullet holes in the car just seem flawless. they used the right amount of effects to make that a really good ending. the only thing I did not like about the movie was the romance between the two of them it seemed really corny and took away from the over all story. Over all I liked this movie it kept my attention and seemed to illustrate the true story of Bonnie and Clyde, for the most part.
The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
pointless movie
this movie was awful, it didn't have a good plot and the ending was bad. The whole plant eating the people then there faces would end up being on the flowers, was corny. another thing that the plant could talk made this seem like a comedy, like when the police chase after the guy they really just run around and seem like they are playing in the tires. nothing in this movie seem serious. the lighting and fading seemed very simple, a couple of jump cuts but, they always seem to have to show the shot of the front of the flower shop before going into the the scene. They only needed to show it if it was necessary, but they did it every time. over all I think they should rethought-out this movie and gave it a better plot, acting, and ending.
The Exorcist (1973)
Classic horror film
this movie is what made horror films what it is today the special effect though there was not a lot, they used the limited amount effectively. the spitting of the green vomit made disgust and creepiness ever evident also the spinning of her head. the helplessness of the family also give the audience the sense of helplessness, that you wish you could change it but there was nothing anyone could do. when they had the chair block the door and the dresser sliding toward the mom really made the movie what it was, though the make up made it all seem real. the way her face got puffier and had like a rock look to it made the cute little girl into a monster. over all I like this movie it is creepy and no matter how many times I watch it I still jump at certain parts, and that is what a horror movie should do.
Easy Rider (1969)
movie with no plot
this movie was awful, a movie with no plot, bad acting, and bad editing. it never showed any progress through out the film. they buy drugs in Mexico, then go on a trip to New Orleans which really does not make sense at all, and finally get shot by two hicks on a country road. another thing they do in this movie is demote womens role in society. Every single one is either living of the land as a hippie or a prostitute. another thing was the editing of the film nothing was clean about the cuts. I also did not like the fast back and forth cuts which gave a sense of tension when it was not necessary. over all this movie was awful again I would not recommend this movie because nothing happens worth watching.
Annie Hall (1977)
funny movie
This movie made me laugh all the way through! Woody Allen and Diane Keaton made this movie so much like a real relationship between the of them it was just enjoyable. The editing and effects also had a lot to do with it. In the beginning when he is in the class room and his teacher ask what are you going to be when you grow up? then there is a zoom in shot of certain kids and say what they grew up to be like car salesman and addict. the use of subtitles at the part when they are talking but the subtitles say what they are thinking, is just amazing because everyone knows when you are talking sometimes you are just thinking a different thing. Also when Annie does not want to have sex and she said that she doesn't feel into it then a ghost version of her sit on the chair. these moments are the things that kept the audience so connected to this movie and it really shows a true side to relationships.
The Killing (1956)
A good movie!
This movie was one of the first big robbery films of the time. Yes you can say The Great Train Robbery was the first but this movie is what you could consider was the inspiration for movies like Ocean's Eleven. Now The Killing was a great film showing how a group of complete strangers can perform a big robbery, each doing it for different reasons. Though in the end most of them die and the main guy gets caught. the way they shot the movie, it seemed like they used the overlapping of the time lines as each person completed there job was interesting. When you first think they are going to just jump one to another they surprise you by movie the story line back. The camera angles used made the viewer seem like you were part of the robbery, though I did not like when they shot the horse. Over all this movie kept my attention and there was quite a surprising ending.
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
not my favorite movie
Though i really respect this movie for its up beat tunes and use of sets, it was not my favorite movie. To start out i'm not a huge fan of musicals and this movie had no point really. Yes it was suppose to be when films with sound just came out and they are trying to make a movie better then The Jazz Singer. they were trying to hard to make it a hit. regarding the plot they made it really corny though i know more recent musicals try to take more youth wide problems for people to relate. though they still never interest me. A couple of things I thought they did well with the shooting and lighting. they used the lighting to interact with the characters making it very visual. over all again I did not enjoy the movie as a whole but certain aspects were really great!
The Graduate (1967)
such a funny movie!
this movie is just a laugh out loud movie! they did such a great job making even the uncomfortable scenes funny for example when Ben is trying to get a room at the hotel to sleep with Mrs. Robinson! also the editing of the film was excellent no edit was edit seem by mistake. some films you watch it and you see a edit and all you can think is that does not look right, well you can't say that about this movie! another thing is the music in the movie is awesome, it could be because Simon & Garfunkal did it but, the way they inti-graded it into the movie was amazing. the repetitiveness of certain songs and the guitar slowing down as the car runs out of fuel. these things just help make this movie what is today. Overall this is one of my favorite movies! I really like the end when he gets the and he looks at her then when he turns away she looks at him. giving the impression he achieved his goal in getting the girl now what?
Psycho (1960)
Classic Hitchcock!
this movie is what Hitchcock was all about the over emotional characters to create tension, using the camera as another character interacting with the movie, has characters break cliché'e, and using suspense as information. these things are just some of the things that he really showed within this movie. in regards to the lighting of the movie is quite stunning, when you see the outside of the house he makes look very bright making it look welcoming. though when any character entered the house, it is very dark and mysterious. the contrast he used in the movie were quite interesting. for example when the lady is being killed in the shower the contrast of the blood on the white tile and white tub gives the flow of blood definition. another interesting thing about that scene is you never see the knife make contact with the lady. it always has a jump cut to a blood splatter or it running down the drain. over all i think this is one of his best movies, the way he keeps you on the edge of your seat makes a movie for me and a added bonus is when a movie can continue to do it no matter how many times you see it!
Mildred Pierce (1945)
this was a great movie!
This movie really was quite different from the usual movies you would see during this time. For one thing having Mildred pierce going from house wife to successful business women was not like the usual role of women. Though they made sure that there was the spoiled rich girl (mildred's daughter) who used her mothers love for her to her advantage. she would manipulate her mother into giving her money and even manipulated her step father against her mother till she shot him. Now for the filming itself, they did an excellent job! the movie was told in all flash backs as Mildred is telling police who killed her husband. they used a lot of night scenes and dark rooms like clubs and bars. the editing was mostly fade into besides when there were more serious scenes then it was jump cuts. over all I thought the movie was good had a lot of twists and turns to keep you guessing and just when you knew who the killer was something made you change your mind!
Citizen Kane (1941)
What a great movie!
Citizen Kane was a great film it was perfect across the board! To start the use of flash backs to tell the story was a great idea because it gave a new perspective each time some one was telling a piece of his history. as for the people who saw Citizen Kane know it is about Mr. Kane dying and the reporters are trying to figure out what Mr. Kane final words are. the lighting used in this movie was dark giving his life shadows which make it him mysterious.the further the interviewers get to know Kane's life the editing becomes slower because you are reaching the older Mr. Kane. Over all i thought it was a great movie because the movie conveyed every thing it wanted, love, anger, and jealousy,
It (1927)
Not a great film
This movie didn't really interest me that much because I thought it was to over the top. Yes it had some funny parts in it but the whole sales girl getting the big store owner just didn't interest me. The camera angles were also not great, they almost seemed very still to me no interaction with the characters in the film. the one thing I did like was Clara Bow she really tried to interact and open her self up to the audience but again with the bad camera angles it just didn't seem possible. Over all though I do have respect for this movie and I know it was shot in 1927 so early film making. Though The Circus by Charlie Chaplin was much better put together and well throughout. I believe they should have taken so tips from The Circus which kept the audience attention.
Stagecoach (1939)
Great film!
This film really had the true meaning of the wild west! One of these reasons could be because they did a lot of location shooting and the characters took on the roles of people of that time.No one does this better than John Wayne, the cowboy of all cowboys! He really takes on each character he plays very well, it also helped that he was probably in a hundred wild west movies. Anyway the shots they used during the scene when the Indians are attacking the stagecoach, during this scene they use a lot of close ups on the people shooting back and forth but also lots of wild angle shots creating a more intense scene. They make the scene more intense by showing the Indian's coming into the frame more and more as the scene continues, giving the illusion that they are going to kill all of them. Over all this movie was awesome, though I might be bias because i'm a big fan of John Wayne!
Casablanca (1942)
Great film!
The director of this really knew what he was doing from lighting to camera angle. Every shot seemed well planned out before they even started filming. In some movies you can tell when they just threw in another scene here and there but not in this movie. Also the lighting on the each characters face was right on the money and allowed the viewer to really connect with every character. the camera angles allowed you to really enjoy the back ground as much as the characters in them, giving you a whole new spectrum of feeling. The feelings of World War II is also well shown in Casablanca (1942). The they talk about the war and the actors really doing a good job channeling the feelings of war and really there characters. Over all I would highly recommend this movie to anyone!
Dracula (1931)
Not a great film..
This was the first monster movie for American cinema. Again the movie does not really follow the book but does a pretty good job getting the overall view. To start Dracula was quite the corny movie. Bela Lugosi did do a great job portraying Dracula, the way he walked, talked, and interact with the other characters was very funny at times but also creepy. The film itself was put together pretty good, there are a couple of spots where you can see they over lapped the film and also the camera angles were not great. They either zoomed in on Dracula's face or had a wide shot. Though overall I also have respect for this movie because it was the first monster film and it paved the way for all monster films.
Frankenstein (1931)
Not a great classic movie
This was not one of my favorite movies that I recently watched. Frankenstein was nothing like the book but I know they filmed the movie more off the play. During the movie, in many spots it would go to fast or to slow. It was almost like they couldn't keep the speed consistent because they were trying to go with the film. Films should stay at one pace, if you want it to be slow and have action it is fine. I feel they just couldn't get it right. Also the camera angles were not as spectacular as some other movies made within this time frame. I think what really hurt this film was it had to much going on, one minute Dr, Frankenstein is create the monster and next thing you know he is getting married. Overall I do have some respect for this movie because it was one of the first monster movies made and the later movies really fixed that.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
Awesome Film!
This film was a great film! It had tons of wittiness and comedy to make anyone laugh. William Powell (Godfrey) and Carole Lombard (Irene) did such a good performance that it just made it funnier! At the beginning of the movie when you see the dump, you just don't know where it is going. After just a couple of minutes into the film it just like amazing how funny it is. I feel they portray the rich family just how middle class people think of them, spacey, bored with there money, and have no respect for poor people. The way Godfrey interacts with the family is also something to be amazed about. For each family member he almost has to become this different person so that they will allow him to do his job. The camera work was also great with all the different angles and close ups. Overall it was a great movie that everyone will enjoy!
Scarface (1932)
Great Classic movie!
This has always been one of my favorite movies! This is the gangster movie that paved the way for any gangster film. Further more since the film was made in 1932, it has the gangster vibe already with the classic looking cities, closes, etc. Paul Muni was a great actor to play Tony. He really knew how to completely become his character and it shows on screen. The look that he got every time tony was about to kill someone was so creepy almost like he liked it. The way he walked and talked you could tell in his voice that he was power hungry. Over all this movie showed lots major things for being filmed in 1932. For example the panning of the camera to show the drive by shooting scenes or the when you just see the shadow of tony shooting someone. Again this is a great classic movie that everyone should watch and I definitely recommend it!
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
Awesome film
This movie really was a staple in America Cinima history. The way they used the sound and lighting to keep the scenes moving or to show time lapsing. For example they use the clinks of hammers to drop the calender pages and the over lapping of a map and a train to show where he is traveling. The acting in this movie was also great, the main character Allen made you feel everything he felt. From being forced to steal money, the pain which he suffered in the chain gang, when he escapes from the chain gang, the freedom, and the pain of him returning to prison. As for the camera work the the film it was top knoch for 1932. the way they panned the camera, made the camera shake a little to make tension and zooming in on faces to get their true emotion. Over all this movie really keeps your attention and is worth watching!
The Circus (1928)
Great movie!
I thought the movie was great! Charlie Chaplin really knew how to make his emotions known with just his body language and use of props. The movie was really one of his greatest works, though all of his movies are funny. The Circus has this different feeling to it, I feel that he was more emotional in this movie than others. The way he interacted with the circus girl and how he let her go with the tight rope walker because he knew that she would have a better life with the other guy then him. Charlie Chaplin also did a great job interacting with the animals on set, some of the funniest parts of the movie were when animals were in the scenes. For example the lion cage and the monkeys on the tight rope! Over all this movie is worth watching because it will make you laugh and remind you how classic movies are still worth watching!