Change Your Image
j-maloney13
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Notorious (1946)
Hitchcock masterpiece
Hitchcock has something about his filmmaking that sets him apart from all other directors. He includes so many shots, such as the long shot, medium, close up, and over the shoulder shots. However, he revolutionized some shots such as the tracking shot. For instance, the tracking shot in the lobby at the top of the stairs all they way down to show the key in her hand was a remarkable display of ingenuity. He exaggerates things, such as a zoom out at the table, as it slowly zooms in what seems like forever, slowly revealing more people at the table. The use of sound was terrific, as the film started out with a lot of non-diegetic music, but as the film progresses it becomes less and less and silence starts to fill the emptiness of scenes. The film was very high-key in lighting, and dissolve shots were common throughout. My favorite shot was with Alicia, as she gets dizzy and passes out, the camera switches to a POV shot and we see what she is currently seeing and that is a wavy, disturbed image as she loses her vision. Tremendous film, and a must see for all.
Apocalypse Now (1979)
great film
This was a marvelous film that features a star studded cast. Marlon Brando was absolutely phenomenal in this film, with his "horror" speech being one of the most famous in history. The camera work contributed to creating such a highly respected film, with the dolly shots, the long shots with the Vietnam scenery, medium to medium long shots, and the establishing shots of the ocean and sunsets. It was extremely well done, and the fact that it was filmed in Philippines likely allowed it to be as realistic as possible. Sound helped as well, with non- diegetic music playing during action scenes, building up intensity as the action would pick up. The character's were very believable, and they were dressed the part to make it for an authentic experience. With such amazing acting, and with the cast alone, this should be watched for all film lover's. It's got everything in it, but it is not a war film as one might believe. Pay attention to the cinematography and the editing, and enjoy the performances of those that made this film win so many awards, such as best cinematography, director, and score.
The Exorcist (1973)
unforgettable
Once you see her face, you will never be able to get it out of your head. This is a terrific, terrifying film that used amazing make-up and camera work to bring everything together. There were many long shots, notably in the beginning to show off the surrounding scenery. The pan shot was very common in this film too. Other shots used include tracking shot and low and high angle shots. But the most important of them all is the over the shoulder shot. This was by far the most noticeable shot, as anytime something important happens or is about to happen, there is an over the shoulder shot. There was a good amount of zooming in and out, and because this is such a dark and intense film, jump cuts were used to lessen the stress and give the viewer a bit of a break from the evilness of the devil. The acting in this film was superb, and the cast did a great job in making this film come to life. It's not all gloom and doom, as I found some scenes to be particularly funny, such as some of the vulgar things the devil says. A must see for horror lovers, and for film lovers in general.
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
great performances by Hoffman and Voight
It's easy to see why this film won so many awards, even with all of the controversy surrounding it's nudity and explicit images for the time. The camera work was done really well, and many different types of shots were used such as close ups, tracking, medium and medium- long, long, and high and low angle shots. There were several great, establishing shots of the city as well. Tilt shots were used often too. Aside from this, the non-diegetic soundtrack was very good even though there wasn't a whole lot of music in this film. Some interesting things I found while watching were the "montage" type shot of Joe Buck in bed with a woman. While they were in bed, the television in the room was fully displayed, and the channel was changing rapidly. Every once in a while the two in bed would be displayed as if they were on the TV as well. Another thing I enjoyed in this film was how close we could get to Buck's character. There were several shots of him imagining something happening, which helps us get into the mind of his character. Lastly, I liked the costume choice, and how Buck was wearing a cowboy outfit while in New York City, making him appear out of place. Overall, I really thought Hoffman and Voight did a tremendous job in this film, as they obviously won awards for their roles.
The Stranger (1946)
great thrilling noir
Another terrific film and performance by Orson Welles, as he plays a sinister criminal in this film. Welles utilized fade in and out, as well as dissolve cuts for his transitions. Since this is a noir film, there was a great amount of low key lighting, but high key was used too. Welles really likes to use the low angle and high angle shots, as the shadows on the character's faces that are created from these shots gives them a more evil presence. His usage of music was great as usual, with the more non-diegetic intense music picking during action sequences. There was a lot of close ups and medium shots, over shoulder shots, as well as tracking shots. One scene in particular used a crane for a tracking shot, following the detective as HE follows a man from a distance. Overall, the performance by Welles was phenomenal, with the sinister and calm nature of his delivery when describing how he just killed a man, and very intense sound of tick-tock to add the suspenseful notion that time is running out during a pivotal scene. If you are a Welles fan, no reason to skip this one.
The African Queen (1951)
enjoyable experience
This was a great film featuring fine performances by the wonderful Katharine Hepburn as well as Humphrey Bogart. They are such legends that they can make their character's love appear believable, and allow for the film to be re-watchable even today. Hepburn conveyed such beautiful emotion, whether it be the expressions on her face or the tone in her dialogue. There were some odd moments, with a cheesy line here and there at the fault of the writer, not of any of the actors. I liked the allusion to the code, while the pair were going to sleep at night Hepburn, or Rosie, hung up two blankets to hide herself from Charles. There was a lot of good in this movie, from the acting to the great editing in the use of dissolve cuts. There seemed to be many medium shots and long shots, because the backgrounds were filled with amazing views. My favorite part of this film was that it was filmed in Africa, so this allowed for the director to include so many beautiful scenic shots. The foreshadowing at the end of the film was a nice touch, as their is a shot of a sinking boat, and right before the couple were to be hanged, the ship blows up. At the end, there is a shot of a piece of wood with the name of their ship "The African Queen," showing that they accomplished what they set out to do. Great film, and any film lover should watch this at least once.
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
amazing film
One of the best films I've ever seen, a classic that every movie lover must see. The cinematography and editing in it alone was just wonderful. There were many dissolve cuts used throughout, and several medium and medium-long shots as well. I liked the use of the montage in the beginning of the film, followed by the slow tilt to establish the location of the film. However, I really think the use of sound is what brought this film together. There was a narrator, which helped with the flow of the story. The non-diegetic music was great, and wasn't overused like many films do. There was a scene where the child talking overlapped into the next scene. Silence was also used extremely well, and often too. There were several scenes where the dialogue took center stage, with no music playing in the background to take away from it. It was used for suspense too, such as when the dog was put down in front of the kids. The most notable scene, I think, was in the courtroom when Atticus was giving a speech, a very long take was used with silence as he spoke. I think this really helped convey his message, and you could feel the tension as everyone listened on. It's no wonder Gregory Peck won best actor for this film, as his acting was played with sincerity and perfection.
Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)
OK, but boring at times
This is a film that I don't have strong feelings one way or the other. Nothing stood out to make me think it was a terrific film, and it wasn't such a terrible movie where I dreaded every minute of it. There was some good camera work throughout, such as the tracking shot of Lincoln along the river, or some pan shots. I liked the high-key lighting, as this wasn't a film that needed any added suspense, so it was better to see everything and to not leave anything to the imagination. The plot itself was interesting enough, but I was not a fan of the use of sound. There always seemed to be non-diegetic music playing, which is common. I just think that the choice of music wasn't ideal, and that this was the type of film that could use more music during scenes with less dialogue, and less music when scenes were filled with dialogue. I liked that the characters were dressed very appropriately, and while the acting wasn't anything special, Henry Fonda did a good job in looking the part. The editing was fluid, and there was a large amount of dissolve cuts which were standard.
Laura (1944)
great noir film
This was a remarkable film, and a great example of what a perfect noir film should be. Several scenes featured a dark setting with pouring rain that captured this. The outfits were also well done, as they seem to show the character's personality, and they kept up with the times. It was one of those films where I tried guessing who the guilty party was, and it was easy to do so. The way Waldo was played made it seem as if he was the bad guy right from the start, but the clever acting by Gene Tierney allowed for uncertainty to hit, until finally it became obvious. She was truly wonderful in this film, and it appears that anyone would fall in love in just the odd way the Detective Mark had. When he fell in love with her in her home, as she was "dead," the zoom on his face as he was sleeping and then back out made it seem like he was dreaming Laura's return from the dead. The camera effect made it seem like a fairy tale, but when she was confirmed alive it caused it to seem that much cooler. I liked how simple the editing was done, with just simple dissolve cuts instead of a large sometimes annoying variety. This was definitely one of the best films I've seen for this film class, in terms of plot, the simple editing and camera work.
Dracula (1931)
entertaining
This is such a classic horror film, epitomizing everything that is good in this genre. While the actual scare factor has decreased as time goes on, due to the newer style of jump scares in recent years, it was still a truly suspenseful and thrilling film. You really can get the feel of how evil Count Dracula is with the help of cinematography. In the beginning of the film, there were several medium and close up shots of Dracula and that devilish look in his eyes, with a pitch black background. This low-key lighting enabled us to feel fear, as the sole focus was on his face. Bela Lugosi really knocked this role out of the park, but what really stood out to me was Dwight Frye's role as Renfield. After he turned, he played the maniac role quite well, with his eyes imitating Dracula's, and his sinister laugh giving us goosebumps. The fact that there was no soundtrack improved the film tremendously, as it really helped with making it as eerie of a film as possible.
I thought that the camera work added quite a lot to the creepiness of the film. As good as the acting was, cinematography played a major key in making this a quality picture. There were a lot of pan shots, and the film utilized the fade in and out effect for transitions. But the best shots were the evil close ups, because each time we were reminded of how terrifying he looked and how suspenseful he can make things. After Renfield cut himself, there was a quick zoom on Dracula's face that made us wondering if he was going to do it right then and there. Lastly, in the beginning there were establishing shots of Dracula's castle, which helped to showcase the mysteriousness of this man.
Don't Bother to Knock (1952)
great Monroe performance
Don't Bother to Knock is a solid film despite it being a slower film. Marilyn Monroe was terrific, playing an innocent, lonely girl who quickly turns into the maniac that she is. We get to see just how good of an actor she really was, instead of the sex symbol she was forced to be. Richard Widmark plays a relatively round character as a pilot, who starts out as a man without a heart but proves himself and his girlfriend that he does indeed care about others. The film was not a masterpiece in my eyes by any means, but for a 70 minute film, it was a memorable experience to see Monroe act with such strong emotion.
Roy Ward Baker seemed to enjoy using establishing shots in this film, with the over the shoulder shot being used quite often when characters were having a discussion. Low-key lighting also added to the suspense, especially in the little girls room when Monroe was having her most sinister moments. He utilized medium close shots for her most vulnerable moments, such as the end when the realization is setting it. The editing definitely contributed in making it a solid experience, but Monroe is what really made the film work.
Scarface (1932)
pretty good film
Scarface is a classic gangster film, with Paul Muni appearing as a confident, no nonsense mobster. The film contains exemplary camera work. The use of shadows was perfect for a pre-noir film, and this is captured in the opening sequence by introducing Muni's character through his shadow on a wall as gun's down a man. It was definitely not one of the best films of this great Hollywood era, but there was a lot of good to be seen in the film with the help of Muni's acting and charm. There were some well done shots, with a large use of medium shots to get the right amount of both background and character. There were some good close-up shots to really get a feel of what the character was thinking. The low-key lighting also helped fuel the sinister atmosphere. While this film is a very good film, it simply does not compare to the great 1983 remake starring Al Pacino.
His Girl Friday (1940)
excellent screwball
His Girl Friday was a superb screwball comedy, featuring a perfectly assembled cast in Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell as two news reporters. I thought that they both played their roles amazingly, as Cary Grant is a master at the screwball genre. The film includes a very fast-paced environment, much like what a real life reporter's daily life would be like. The characters spoke very quickly, and this film is the first/ one of the first films to ever have characters talk over one another's lines. This created a more authentic experience, making it seem as if this were a real life discussion instead of one created by writers. The comedy was driven through creative dialogue, as Grant's character had many deadpan lines throughout that you had to really pay attention to understand, as did Russell. The love story seems to take a backseat, so that we could truly appreciate the humor and delivery of the characters.
The photography was great, and it being from 1940 caused no issues in terms of the smooth editing. The lighting wasn't dim, and we could see what is happening quite well. The mis-en-scene was wonderful, as each scene included accurately dressed characters, and nice background props to give a sense of where they actually were. The movie took place in only a couple of rooms, and they were very simple. There was not too much going on to distract the audience, to ensure that Cary and Rosalind were rightfully the center of attention for the entirety of the film.
Sherlock Jr. (1924)
great film
I thought that this was one of the best silent films of all time, as Buster Keaton did a tremendous job yet again. The humor of this film holds up remarkably well even in today's times. We can really feel the emotions of the characters through their exaggerated facial expressions an actions. Also, the sequence in which certain scenes were filmed were very creative, such as when Buster is dreaming and actually leaves his body. I thought that this was incredible coming from a 1924 movie with the minimal technology available. There were so many scenes that just caught me off guard, that really made me have to think about what I just saw, and how it even happened. One that stands out was when he jumps through the person and the suitcase they were holding. The film is a rewarding experience, as it has humor unparalleled to today's standards. My favorite scene had to be towards the end, when Sherlock was consoling the girl. He took cues from the movie that he was showing, and did exactly as the man in the film did in order to eventually kiss the girl. It was enjoyable to see him in panic waiting for the next step,