Change Your Image
yilmazomar
Reviews
The Naked Kiss (1964)
The Naked Kiss
I liked how the film starts with a wicked pre-credit sequence, where the cameras seem to be strapped to the actors, in which we see an enraged woman beating a man with her handbag. There are some brilliant and meaningful moments throughout the film, sometimes eerie and other times emotional, all in a nightmarish atmosphere. There are some boring moments too which feel cheap and staged and as a result rather laughable. The acting isn't amazing and there are weak moments. It's rather surprising in its gritty treatment prostitution and child molestation. The cinematography was gorgeous in parts, with the lighting and camera work which were sometimes very evocative. It had a little of everything whether it was Noir or psychological, or kind of sexual.
Psycho (1960)
Psycho
I think all that can be said about this film, like some classics has already been said. Janet Leigh screaming in the shower is the seminal horror film image of all time. The movie has some of the best plot twists toward the middle I've ever seen, the control of climax and character study, their psychology and manners is impressive. There's a pleasurable amount of photographic technique and detail, of precision throughout the film and that makes it lasting. There's very little gore or violence which is great, because it leaves that up to the imagination unlike other films. Some of the actors come across brilliantly in their creepiness and darkness, and their motives aren't always exactly known, the thrill is skillfully and cleverly composed and arranged and released throughout the film, it lives up to its name.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
elvis was a hero to most....but he never meant @!#$ to me
Man what an excellent collage of golden-red-sepia nostalgic tones and Brooklyn colors, humor, hip-hop jams and classic inner city characters. I've worked in a pizza shop myself downtown and I can tell you this is all real, most of these people and situations exist in one way or another, even if they're not as dramatic in actuality. The film was a love note to Brooklyn. You literally felt the sweltering heat throughout the entire film, a number of times I felt like I ought to wipe my forehead. I think it was admirably honest about race-relations, and I liked how it didn't just concentrate on the racism and ignorance of certain white people but also the sad anger and senselessness of some black people and interestingly enough I think we can identify with all of that, there aren't any clear explanations or messages in the film, in fact the ending feels hopeless but it begs our attention and asks us to look around.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Pulp Fiction
This was pure entertainment. Sure it had gratuitous amounts of violence, sure it was over the top, sure a watch carried in someones butt for a long time is hilarious, sure there was weird and freaky things going on but the film wasn't ever boring or badly told. Tarantino is a master of storytelling, editing and fun. There's never a lost moment, perfection abounds. Samuel Jackson is unforgettable, John Travolta, Uma Thurman, I mean I don't even know what to say, they're all just wonderful. How can you forget the scene with Christopher Walken? I can't remember any of the acting being bad ever, each character was interesting and fun to watch in his or her own way. The dialogue in the film is funny and slick. Pop culture references are tossed around, characters are found in funny situations and conversations, it's a helluva ride.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Taxi Driver
Robert Deniro committed to history, signed his name, in this film with his acting a masterpiece and nothing less. The way his character was so dreadfully lonely and isolated, and the way his anger and loneliness grew into what it did, and the way the cinematography and jazz music captured that loneliness in the city, of a single man amongst the crowds, the desolation and hunger amongst the people in the city and the people he encounters, the destitution and darkness it's all powerful. What's even more heartbreaking to me is the fact that Travis Buckle is a smart, optimistic warmhearted caring person full of humor and how that sort of shrivels away the longer he is in his environment. I love how his taxi becomes a ghost like figure. I also thought it was interesting how almost everyone was isolated or a depressing figure in some way, how most of the men especially in the film were lonely and how that loneliness effected all the women around them
The Graduate (1967)
The Graduate
I liked how Dustin Hoffman portrayed the clueless and aimless college graduate. I think we've all been his character at one point or another. The humor in the awkward scenes between Misses Robinson and Benjamin were great, so was the tension and excitement. Misses Robinson was damn seductive and sultry and just a sexy lady all around and I love how that changed and how she became an evil sexy woman, she was subtle throughout the entire film. The music was wonderful, and the camera work was hip and smooth, the film felt youthful, it felt lively and sexy and naive all at the same time,amazingly seeing as it's over 40 years old.The story itself was strange and a nice change from the Hay's Code era I'm sure.
Easy Rider (1969)
Easy Rider
It's worth watching for the sheer beauty of its rock and roll infused shots of shining choppers gliding across the deserts. The hippie culture and the counter movement are not things I'm personally familiar with, I know as much as the next Y generation kid. But I did appreciate how the film didn't necessarily glorify anything whether it be America, drugs, alcohol, the average Joe or freedom/the American dream. In fact the film seemed to raise a good amount of questions about them. The two characters in the film Hopper and Fonda weren't necessarily admirable people, the freedom of riding your motorbike across America wasn't as great as you imagined it would be, and besides they were doing this to get drugs to a certain destination. I felt as if though the film presented these two characters in such a way which almost veiled what they really were and made them out to be charismatic and likable fellows. I didn't feel as if there was any message in the film which we haven't heard, nothing extraordinary, it was a pretty average film in terms of message. The story itself was simple but it was told beautifully with images and music. I think the film showed how banal and senseless the actual counterculture can be, if you look at the film it never celebrates the hippies in fact it presents them negatively, it also does the same thing with middle America, in fact I didn't feel as if the film ever really showed us who the good guys were.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
I commend the film for the honesty, openness and courage with which it treats its subject, especially during a violent time full of upheaval when ignorance and racism were more rampant than ever. Of course the sad truth is it's still around and the kinds of people we see in the film still exist. Sidney Poitier was charismatic and interesting, Spencer Tracy was brilliant as well, in fact everyone was great, no less than professional. Some parts were weird but I'll blame that on its age and time period. It was unique how tense and dramatic and even exciting and entertaining moments could come out of something that's more of a tragic and dullingly real fact. The drama they made out of this theme was well done, I'm sure it's not easy to treat and present these topics as drama, but I felt that the right amount of acting ,style, humor, music and gravity were mixed.
Mildred Pierce (1945)
Mildred Pierce
This was a bleak film that depressed me more than anything. The atmosphere was well constructed though because it's one of the few Noir's which contain a darkness in them that's capable of flowing out of the screen and into your living room. The melodramatic heartbreaking story and the way it's told and the acting helped to bring that in a nice package. I assume if there's quality soap operas out there somewhere even though I've never seen one this is what they'd look like. The daughter and Monte were extremely repulsive characters, I felt sorry for Mildred as she kept staring at the camera with that near-cry look. Made you feel like looking out after her and showing her that good people exist. It sure as hell wasn't a film with what I'd consider a happy ending or anything remotely similar to it, in fact it kind of reminded me of Tarantino's Jackie Brown which kind of left you hurt and empty too. I won't give it out but I feel like for Hollywood especially right after World War 2 this was a step in a new direction, I don't know why they made something like this and whether or not it was popular at the time but it's very depressing even for today's standards which actually haven't really changed have they?
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Singin In the Rain
I'm not a fan of musicals but I have to admit this one had some darn catchy tunes. The joy and sense of music was contagious, the colors and the infamous rain scene were delightfully directed and acted. One of my favorite scenes was the dreamlike one in which the woman with the very long white dress flowing danced and the man danced around her and her dress, the camera movements and the choreography not just in that scene but the entire film were awe inspiring. It made you feel like a kid, kind of brought out that sappy youthfulness which was alright. It's a positive feel good film, the technique and wonderful singing and dancing help keep your eyes glued to what's going on because it's so elegant and over the top, and so it's worth watching if you're ever feeling down.
The Killing (1956)
The Killing
I have to admit it was a complicated story and honestly not one that I felt I needed to seriously follow. The entire film contained that classic Kubrick sense of detachment, that cold and calculating style which distances us considerably from the characters and pierces straight into the action instead, which he's known for in most of his films. The one character played by Elisha Cook Jr. was unique though, he had that John Cazale in Godfather part 2 look going on, that complex psycho loser lost and fiery eyed and reckless look. You felt sorry for him. You definitely see Kubrick's influence in other heist films and this might be the first one in that modern style that we're used to. The climax at the end at the airport was nicely executed. The film was quick though and if you didn't pay attention you could miss something important, it's worth another watch . Everything about it had a sense of senseless urgency and I liked how that came out as a whole.
Citizen Kane (1941)
Classic
I have to praise this one for its futuristic and completely innovative camera work. I was shocked when I first saw this movie, I had never expected such defined, glowing, steady and adroit camera movements and cinematography. I don't know how Orson Welles did it after hearing from a number of sources that this was his first film ever and that he had little filming experience in general. I just know that the whole thing contains a great message. The narration is insane too, the complexity of time within the film, and the plot as it's winded in so many different directions. The film in its style and speed feels fresh enough. But the story is not a new one, although it is a thought provoking and well-told one, it felt a bit too much for me in this day and age. There were elements of age within the film, certain things that didn't mean as much today for me. Orson Welles has an unforgettable charisma as well as a face which is contagious, he puts those elements to good use.
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
The best goodbyes are short. Adieu.
The story was dark and rather disturbing due to the complexity of the plot, after all it's a novel by a great American writer adapted to the screen, and the various portraits of evil and brooding men. The photography was atmospheric, conveying all the heat and suspense artfully. I liked how well the story was developed as the film went along how the anticipation was carefully built and released in the well arranged conversations and dialogues between the characters. The acting was my favorite part though especially Sydney Greenstreet as Mr. Gutman, he was great at portraying his characters creepy nature, there was something about his size and manner of speaking that just made me uncomfortable. Humphrey Bogart was the quintessential detective bad-ass, he was cool and slick and I rooted for him even though he had a bit of an attitude.
Casablanca (1942)
Beginning of The Golden Age of Hollywood
The sets, costumes and designs were absolutely gorgeous. Each shot in each scene was carefully composed and mathematically balanced, there was a symmetry to shapes and buildings and the way in which they were captured. The lighting was incredibly clean and succinct, objects were so smooth and defined I couldn't believe my eyes. I also think the camera movements like quick zooms or when the camera moved up to a character, or shots like of the entire club were revolutionary and you can definitely see the influence of the camera work in later films. I feel like this is the film or one of the films in which our cinematic history transitions into the modern period with acting and camera-work the kind that were used to, the film strangely didn't feel old to me it looked and flowed like it could have been made yesterday. The plot itself isn't bad, it's suspenseful and exciting and interesting, Bogart and Bergman are talented actors but Bogart stood out to me the most. You can see his influence on later actors portraying dark disturbed men in historical films or action films or a combination of both.
The Women (1939)
The Women
It's a fascinating look into the world of women in all their beauty and loveliness, malevolence and ugliness, wretchedness and wickedness, jealousy and joy, goodness and grace and smarts and sexiness. The acting is great, the dialogue is sharp and the story flows and moves along quite nicely. There's a lot going on, it's a dense and complex film with many facets. It's a canvas in which comments and criticisms on social status, beauty, divorce, jealousy, adultery, fashion and more are shaped. The film accomplishes this in such a way that it sparks a lot of thought and debate, the films story lasts long after the film is over which is why I enjoyed it. It wasn't just a comedy it was socially meaningful and I think it resonates in many ways today. The things portrayed in this film are not ancient nor are they outdated, these values and behaviors are still found in our society and I think this film is a valuable portrait of that.
Stagecoach (1939)
"There are some things a man just can't run away from."
It was pure visual excellence. A visionary and influential presentation of the wild west, impressive in its scope and grandeur. Some really beautiful photographs in this one really transported me to that time.The slow camera pan as it followed the horse-drawn wagon galloping across the ever-wide expanse of desert hills and shrubbed dusty plains midst a never-ending backdrop of bright clouds in the thousands hanging softly and serenely was gorgeous. I think John Ford was one of the first to cinematically and photographically realize the potential of the so- called Western setting. The actors mixed well together, each one with his or her own unique personality adding to the whole, it was highly entertaining, the drunken doctor and silly stagecoach driver being my favorites. Of course the film is also chock full of racism, misogynistic undertones, homophobia and especially worst of all the lack of respect for Native Americans. It's embarrassing and somewhat distracting if not repulsive but like most are quick to say it was a part of that period. John Wayne was John Wayne and I praise him for that he created a new style, the way he looks at people is timeless and all throughout the movie he exudes pure manliness and lust.
His Girl Friday (1940)
Walter, you're wonderful, in a loathsome sort of way.
The acting was effortless and masterly, the one liners were razor-sharp and quick like pistol-fire. It was so fast paced I'm sure I missed a thing or two, so I definitely think that this film deserves at least two views. The actors were a delight to watch, they commanded attention with their humorously overt dramatic interpretations, in other words they made it obvious that it was a comedy, but they also retained a certain desperation that resembled real life. Rosalind Russel was beautiful and made great use of her eyes and oval face and you could tell that they were all having great fun. I thought some of the really wacky over-the-top scenes were wonderfully staged and funny, it was full of laughs at every corner. It was artful comedy at its best, some of the jokes are still fresh in my mind and I definitely appreciated the sophistication, it didn't cater to my fast-food side, it was delicate and thoughtful.
Scarface (1932)
The World Is Yours!!!!
Wow this was some incredibly raw and gritty stuff full of violence, immorality, vice and lust. Incredibly lax in relation to its time period, the only thing missing was vulgar language. Other than that it was all there. I loved the accents, the panama hats, the suits, the machine guns and Paul Muni's somewhat stereotypical portrayal of the Italian mafioso, nevertheless it was some masterful acting, he really got into his character. You can see how influential this film was to the gangster epics in the following decades. This film and others made during the same period are blueprints for what a gangster film ought to be, I enjoyed seeing how it all started out, where it all came from. I liked that the story was real that it didn't necessarily glorify gangster life and riches and that it had a cold tragic ending. It was almost like a documentary as if we were there along with a news crew getting a juicy glimpse into the lives of these men. It was cinematic in a very subtle way at times for me it felt too real which I thought was pretty fascinating. The camera work and shadows were lovely and conveyed an atmosphere that one could get lost in.
Dracula (1931)
"I am....Drac-u-la. I bid you velcome."
Two things really stood out to me in this one. First Bela Lugosi and his hilariously phenomenal acting, his version has been immortalized, we can thank sesame street for being a part of that. His gazes, his manner of speaking, his eyes everything about him just emanates pure evil-mystery and a sick feeling of dread. I wasn't expecting it to be so effective, I thought because it's so old and a tired victim of cliché that it would be silly and ridiculous. But boy was I wrong, I honest to god got the creeps when the white arm slowly crawled out of the coffin it was so beautiful, at the shots of the castle and the surrounding country, the shadows were weird, something about them was paranormal there was a tone to it all that I really absorbed and felt as my bones ached and my fingers went cold. Sure it's all fantasy but you have to forget that, the sets are perfect, the contrast of pale white and grey-black, shadows where you could almost see what they contained, eerie eerie stuff, the camera did a nice job with tone. Suspend all disbelief as you watch this one and just get lost in a world of nefarious cinematography, the images will linger in your mind and perhaps who knows haunt you!
The Circus (1928)
Around The Side Shows Hungry and Broke
I first have to commend and praise its humor and overall humanity, even though the story itself is somewhat depressing on its own, Charlie Chaplin with his supernatural powers makes it enjoyable, warm, comic and hopeful. Now one obviously did not become a clown throughout the early 20th century for the sake of donning embarrassing makeup and contorting ones facial features in laughable ways and making a fool of themselves, nor did one train animals and spend precious hours in the coordination of all the performances simply because they enjoyed it, one did it for none other than the money and when money is in the balance greed, inhumanity and the feeling of hopelessness soon follow as is the case with the evil circus master who has a dictatorial command over his entire troupe and especially his daughter. I don't want to go into meaningful or preacher mode and I realize that it's a movie but I'd argue that money is the lions taming whip or underlying force if you will in this film from the very beginning, if it weren't for the greenbacks our sad-fated tramp would not have fallen into this mess, it's worth acknowledging as you watch the film unfold and see how Charlie Chaplin treats this subject, one might if observant enough call it a communist comedy. The scene in the mirror maze is one of my favorite scenes in which we see the tramp, policeman and the thief bumping into one another and into their own reflections all confused and disarrayed. The men crashing into their own reflections is in my opinion metaphorical and can be interpreted in many different ways depending on the viewer, which is what makes it so wonderful. It's worth remembering that Chaplin came from a poverty-ridden background himself. The way he's discovered and the way he falls into this way of life in the film is rather strange and sad, seeing how whimsical and consequential it is, a poor guy starving and desperate running from the law, thrown into the circus out of sheer need. The chemistry between Chaplin and Merna Kennedy is brilliant and the scene in which they share bread is beautifully acted, timed and shot. I felt like each scene was so well setup and scripted that they all felt like films within films or little vignettes. It's rare but heavenly when a film completely sucks you into each scene throughout the entirety of a movie, where you are practically hypnotized by the film and this one remarkably accomplished that. The comedy is rich and sophisticated and naturally has the Chaplin touch and flair to it, the tryout scene comes to mind, I doubt anyone could watch it straight faced except the evil circus master. It's easy to see why Chaplin was a phenomenon and hardly needs to be argued that he's for all time.
Frankenstein (1931)
EEERraaaraargghhhhh!!!!! OOOaaahhhmmmmpphhhhrrrrggggrrr
Man Mister Karloff if I saw you in the street casually walking to work I'm sorry to say I wouldn't recognize you no sir not one bit, but if I saw you lumbering through the woods with your hands awkwardly placed in front of you, groaning like you're stuck in traffic or like you just checked the fridge for something to eat and all you found was 2 week old meatloaf, with those screws popping out of the side of your neck I would ask myself what I'm doing in these dense woods on a shadowy stormy night acknowledge the brilliance of the photography around me and then.....well probably run to the nearest village. The settings and backgrounds and special effects were absolutely gorgeous, ominous and believable, just exactly how much character and mystery they put into each shadow and each light, it's stunning what they could do with black and white, the special effects they were capable of producing and how beautifully they did, that burning revolving windmill at the end is a fascinating scene that white fire burning into the blackest night I've seen in a while is wondrous. I have a feeling that it wouldn't be as effective in color. There's something depressing and disturbing and and gloomy about these ancient colors, perhaps it's all become a part of the imagination over time. Boris Karloff has made such a legend out of himself that it's double scary when you first see him step through that door, it's as if it's this great arrival of this man this myth something truly otherworldy, and when he slowly turns to face us there's this evil curl in his lip and drunken look in his eye as if he knows that he will live on forever and he's just there basking in all that glory. The story really is frightening if you think about the monsters (industry, technology, trying to be god, greed) man is capable of and how these monsters can come to destroy us and ruin us and if you think about it it's going on all around us. So beware not all monsters come out of the dark.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
A Dizzy Display of Dreamy Cinematography
Sure the film was funny and smart and had its witty one liners, afterall it is one of the early seminal works of the "Screwball Comedy" a genre and artform, a discipline all its own which seems to be on fire here in this film. The actors compliment one another and maintain cool control especially the lead man "William Powell" he sort of enchants you with his eyes and devious smile as well as his warm nature but it's always counterbalanced by his sensible and no bullshit allowed sharp tongue, he stands out to me more so than the rest who are too caricatured for my taste. In that sense some of the jokes and comedic setups if you will don't stand the test of time, or perhaps it's just too much for me to handle. At certain parts I felt myself lost as to the actual storyline, it's a matter of personal taste, patience and perhaps attention span and intelligence in this case. BUT what I adored about this film was the camera and the bewitching things it saw, the lighting it captured, the calm contour of each setting where it felt like it was all magically in the right place, nothing stuck out to my eye and disturbed me visually, everything blended into this glitzy glossy creamy visual mixture, things shined like halos, the cameras movements felt very natural very friendly to the viewer in fact the combination of all these things was so great it felt like my eyes were being massaged and there were moments where I was extremely close to just dozing off.
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
I'm hungry. What would you say to a hamburger?
"Boy. I'd take Mr. Hamburger by the hand and say, "Pal, I haven't seen you for a long, long time." and with that line begins one of the darkest most refreshing moments in cinema history. This film is like a film that I haven't seen in a long long time, it's not a happy story or even a sad story, it's portrayed and shot in such a way that it's a story dipped in grit, reality, dirt and dust, a film where our hero loses at the game of life, he loses his love, his passion, his profession, his peace of mind and better yet we don't see how that turns out for him. The films portrayal of law and order is surprising especially for its time, I was truly frightened by the faces of the judges and sound of the chains and the hounds chasing our fugitive, about the fragility of any one mans peace in society, the viciousness and perhaps even the lasciviousness of certain women, the film oh how wonderfully it topples the notion of our old boy coming back home from the war, finding love and finding a job and making pa and pa proud and happy. Paul Muni's acting is superb as well especially his awkwardness at the train station when he's greeted by family and friends and his face of anarchy at the dinner table later that night and let us not forget the look of misery and finally utter deep desperation at the end all of which he acts out so skillfully. The ending and its final lines pack a wallop and is one of the best endings I've ever seen.
Sherlock Jr. (1924)
Buster Keaton The Face of the Modern Average Loser
First and foremost without a doubt in my mind, Buster Keaton's phenomenal acting is the treasure of this film. With the slyest most reserved but most amazingly formulated and at the same time completely natural facial expressions Buster Keaton is able to communicate the entire spectrum of his characters soul, from its despair all the way to its joys and minor annoyances in between, he is truly an artist of the subtle and a craftsmen of the minimal. He says more with this kind of acting than most of us can today with words. It is as if he has taken the whole array of facial expressions found amongst the faces of the average man in the crowd and created a calculated art out of it. I was also impressed by the clever use of what was going on in the film within the film and what was going on in the film itself and how Keaton's character dreamed himself into the film at one point, it's a remarkable statement which could be seen as satire or perhaps warning to the then emerging public fascination with films and the glamour of Hollywood if you will. Absolutely a fascinating little film, far ahead of its time, recommended to those interested in the magic cinema is capable of.