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Reviews
Good Will Hunting (1997)
My Favorite
"Good Will Hunting" is one of the signature movies of Matt Damon's acting career. Something that I didn't know was that it was also written by Matt Damon and his good buddy Ben Affleck. The film debut in 1997 is universally praised.
Matt Damon stars as Will Hunting an incredibly smart individual with a challenging past. Ben Affleck is Chuckie Sullivan, Hunting's best friend who helps push him in different directions. Robin Williams plays Sean Maguire who is Will's appointed therapist. Minnie Driver plays Skylar, Will's love interest who is quite smart herself but nowhere near Hunting's level.
This film is a character driven drama that basically revolves around Will Hunting's life. It begins with Will's talent for math being discovered when he anonymously solves complex equations left on a chalkboard on the campus of MIT. Will was working as a janitor there at the time. After a few attempts with other therapists, Will gets paired up Sean Maguire. These sessions and dialog between Hunting and Maguire are one of the highlights of the film for me and bring out some of the complexities of Hunting's character. Throughout this, Chuckie is maintaining his friendship with Hunting, but also doing his best to help push him in the right direction. Will's relationship with Skylar is also a theme throughout the film It is complicated due to Will's inability to trust people. These relationships with Skylar, Chuckie, and Sean all help will open up, become more trusting, and develop emotionally. The film ultimately concludes with Will leaving his past life behind him and better pursuing his incredible gifts.
This is a film about people and the complexities they have, especially those with difficult pasts. It is a must watch for anyone who enjoys a character driven drama. Also, the performances, specifically by Damon and Williams, make this an amazing film. They are clearly quite talented, but the chemistry and commitment to their characters is quite noticed. It's a story of growth, self-discovery, and power of mentorship and friendship for someone in need. This film is easily one of my favorites and highly recommended for anyone seeking a great watch.
Apocalypse Now (1979)
A Different War Film
"Apocalypse Now" is the different type of war film. Sure, it has some complicated characters, men with bravado, striking landscapes, but it really challenges the audience's perceptions of war and morality. This film was directed and produced by Francis Ford Coppola. To me he was the real star in this film. His work was so well done and his reputation as one of the greatest directors was very clearly exhibited in this one. Coppola made you feel like you were part of the team and actually over there in Vietnam.
Martin Sheen starred as Captain Benjamin L. Willard and his inner dialog was one of the highlights of the film for me. It really took you inside his head, and really broke up the film, helping with the pacing. Marlon Brando was the rogue Colonel Walter E. Kurtz who is a little off his rocker. Robert Duvall plays Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore and who doesn't love his famous line of "I love the smell of napalm in the morning". Each was quite good in the film.
The plot of the film revolves around Captain Willard's mission to assassinate the rogue Colonel Walter Kurtz. Willard's journey is an interesting one. He encounters some bizarre and disturbing events, including an unhinged Colonel Kilgore, surreal encounters with Playboy Bunnies, and a terrible experience later on. It culminates in a tense confrontation with Kurtz at his compound.
The highlights for me in this one were clearly directing and production. Coppola did an amazing job showcasing the landscape of Southeast Asia. He also balanced that with really close up scenes that did a great job showcasing the actor's emotions and expressions. The use of inner dialog was awesome as well. It broke up the film some and made you really feel close with Sheen.
Overall, this is a film that everyone should watch. While it is a war film, it is more a film about the difficulties that people have. That dilemma plus the amazing cinematography make this a film one that even those that don't enjoy war can still enjoy. Also, the sound of those helicopters make it completely worth your while.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
Complex, Dysfunctional Marriage
"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is an interesting black and white film from 1966. It was directed by Mike Nichols and written and produced by Ernest Lehman. Elizabeth Taylor stars as Martha, the complicated wife of George who is played by Richard Burton. They have a very interesting, difficult relationship that is even made more difficult by their drinking. It is an intense, emotional drama that explores a highly dysfunctional marriage.
The story starts with Martha and George at home conversing with each other. It is clear from the beginning that this marriage has its challenges with constant combativeness and power struggle. Soon a younger couple arrives at the home of George and Martha. Nick, a college professor played by George Segal, and Honey, his naïve with her own issues played by Sandy Dennis, are their late night house guests. As the night goes on, Martha and George use Nick and Honey as participants in their twisted games and relationship, even alluding to an imaginary son that they supposably have. After a while, things reach a breaking point in a nasty conformation between Martha and George. The film concludes at daybreak as Nick and Honey finally leave the house, scarred by what transpired the night before. It is film about a complex, dysfunctional marriage and it is packed with great acting and emotion.
The highlight for me was just the acting. Both Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton are great. An interesting fact is that they were actually married in real life at the time of this film. They are both so emotional and clearly display the issues within their marriage. Also, for a film that was essentially filmed over a single night, which I found very interesting, it doesn't feel slow. The raw emotion that each Martha and George have makes the film pretty intense.
My one issue with the film is that it doesn't really have a ton of variation. Nearly every aspect of the film is about the complex, challenging relationship of Martha and George. It becomes a little old after a while.
Overall, this film is a good view if you want to watch some raw, intense acting. The storyline or production isn't overly complicated, but Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and their chemistry, is so, so good.
Monster (2003)
Complex Character
"Monster" was written and directed by Patty Jenkins in 2003. It is a tragic crime story about a prostitute with a difficult life, Aileen Wuornos who was played by Charlize Theron. Aileen has an interesting relationship with Selby Wall, who is friend played by Christina Ricci. The film is a look into the challenging life of Aileen Wuornos who somewhat becomes a sympathetic character, even though she is a serial killer.
Charlize Theron is the absolute highlight of this film. This is a relatively different role for her than many of the other films I've seen her in. Her depth of the character is amazing, as she very evidently conveys the challenges Wuornos has, and her relationship and chemistry with Ricci is quite evident. She makes it very clear just how troubled Wuornos is. She won an Oscar for her work in this film.
The film starts with Aileen and Shelby, who is troubled herself, meeting each other. The begin forming a close relationship while Aileen is working as a prostitute. Throughout this time, Aileen is trying to deal with her demons and ultimately falls into murdering her abusive and harassing customers. She hides much of the details of her actions from Shelby. Aileen is ultimately captured and put in jail.
Outside of Theron's performance the highlights for me are the gritty nature of the film and the complex nature of the storyline. Obviously, Aileen shouldn't have done what she did, but it is understandable and the viewer is really able to sympathize with her. I think in some ways it was a little show and predictable. It was very clear that this story was going to end poorly from the very beginning. It also has pretty dark subject matter with prostitution and murder. It may not be for the faint of heart.
All in all, this is a very interesting, complex movie. It is a really thought-provoking film that will have any viewer sympathize with a murderer. Charlize Theron is clearly amazing as she very clearly displays a character struggling with life. Her performance alone honestly makes this film worth watching.
The Great Dictator (1940)
Charlies Masterpiece
What didn't Charlie Chaplin do in the film "The Great Dictator"? He wrote, produced, directed, and stared in film, and he did it all quite remarkably. It is a comedy filled black and white drama that is set in a fictional European country that clearly resembles Nazi Germany. The film looks at important issues such as racism and politics in a funny, interesting way.
Chaplin played two characters in the film, Adenoid Hynkel, a ruthless and egotistical dictator, and a nameless Jewish barber. His acting was top notch as always, using his signature energy and dramatic facial expressions. The film tells the story of the nameless barber returning to his neighborhood after spending some time in a hospital due to a head injury during World War 1. The neighborhood and country are now under the rule of the oppressive dictator Adenoid Hynkel. During Hynkel's ambitious reign, the nameless barber runs into a young Jewish woman named Hannah, played by Paulette Goddard, who becomes his love interest. After the dictator's big plans, that typically lead to funny mishaps, the barber is mistaken for the dictator due to their resemblance. The barber, who is impersonating the dictator, makes an important speech in which he implores humanity to reject hatred and oppression.
I think the highlight here is the overall message and Chaplin himself. You can't take your eye off him during the film, and he plays the characters with his typical flair. The message is great too as obviously oppression and racism are messages that need to be talked about even more.
This film is quite obviously great. Chaplin is amazing and using comedy to defuse politics is typically a genre I like quite well. I think the film is quite similar to "Napoleon Dynamite" in the sense that it attempts to use comedy to look at important issues. It is also quite similar to "Do the Right Thing" in the sense that both Chaplin and Lee take daring and courageous jumps to attempt to tackle such serious issues in their respective films. This is especially courageous due to the time period each of these films happened in. Great film.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Boiling Racial Tensisons
"Do the Right Thing" is a drama written, directed, and even stared in by Spike Lee. It was one of Spike Lee's earliest works and believed by many to be one of his best. This film put him on the map, and kudos to him for taking on such a tough subject so directly early in his career. "Do the Right Thing" is a great highlight of racial tensions, discrimination, and ultimately unfortunate police brutality. While these issues highlighted the era of this film, they are still unfortunately quite prevalent in society today.
The film is set on a really hot day in Brooklyn, New York. The film is about the diverse and vibrant residents of the neighborhood including Mookie, played by Spike Lee himself. Mookie works as a pizza delivery guy for Sal's Pizzeria. Sal, played by Danny Aiello, and Mookie have a friendly, but underlying strained relationship. As the heat rises throughout the day so do the racial tensions. Some of this is brought on by one of Sal's sons Pino, played by John Turturro, who openly talks about his distain for black people. This leads to some confrontations. As the day goes on, tensions continue to rise eventually leading to police intervention, an unfortunate event and rioting in the neighborhood. The film is a great example of the turbulent times of the era when it comes to racism and discrimination.
This is a raw, truthful portrayal of racial tensions in America. I also think the camera work was quite good. They did a great job helping the audience capture the heat and I especially enjoyed the use of light in the shoot. I also enjoyed the music throughout the film which really added to the overall work.
Not a lot bad to say about the film. Perhaps one might say the ending was a little ambiguous, but I think that was on purpose as Spike was trying to display the many ongoing issues there still are in America regarding racism these days. How right he was.
Overall, this is a great, powerful film that has really held up over the years. It was quite similar to "The Great Dictator" as it looks at such important issues such as discrimination in a very direct way. The issues in "Do the Right Thing' are still quite relevant and Spike Lee was awesome. Both as an actor and director, he took fearless approach to looking at such a difficult issue.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Quirky Challanges
"Napoleon Dynamite," was directed by Jared Hess, who did an unbelievable job putting this film together on a shoestring budget. It was co-written by Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess, and the film made a ton of money with the limited budget but strong public appeal. I think the best way to describe the film is quirky. It has quirky characters, quirky to very limited storylines, and a very dry sense of humor. That being said, it is a film that should absolutely make you laugh at times.
The film revolves around Napoleon Dynamite, a socially awkward high school student. John Heder played Napoleon, and he played it perfectly. Everything about him screamed quirky and akward. The storyline revolves around Dynamite's right hand man's and best friend Pedro, played by Efren Ramirez, attempting to become the class president. Napoleon's and Pedro's "challenges" along the way are laugh out loud funny, and many times brought on by nobody but themselves. There are also some hidden messages in Napoleon Dynamite, specifically the highlighting of bullying. Also, the appearances by uncle Rico, played by John Gries, are scenes that really made me laugh.
All that being said, this film is not necessarily for everyone. The humor is very, very dry, the storytelling is weak and disjointed, and at times you'll think "is there even a storyline". It is also clear they didn't spend a ton of money producing the film and man this film can be really slow at times. There will be instances throughout the film that you think to yourself "what did I just watch". If you are looking for a traditional movie with a well written script, Napoleon Dynamite is not necessarily it.
I think when you watch the film Napoleon Dynamite it's important to view the quirkiness as a feature, not a bug. The serious issues such as social anxiety and bullying brought up in the film make is somewhat similar to Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing. While institutional racism and police brutality are far more serious, each film has a serious component. Napoleon Dynamite is a different film, but the characters and interactions will make anyone with an open mind laugh.
Raging Bull (1980)
Complex Brawler
"Raging Bull" is a film directed by the world-renowned Martin Scorsese and produced by Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff. It was filmed in 1980 and it is thought of by many as one of the great movies of all time. "Raging Bull" is a biography of the boxing champion Jake LaMotta. It is a great look into both the personal and professional struggles, and triumphs, of LaMotta.
Robert De Niro absolutely crushes the roll of Jake LaMotta. This was one of his best works, and a film that help allow him become such a bankable actor. Like most of De Niro's great films, his strength, focus, and energy shine through in the film. He is an actor that truly becomes the character his is playing. Joe Pesci plays Jake's brother Joey LaMotta. Their relationship in the film is a difficult one, but the chemistry between De Niro and Pesci is easy to see. They, and sometimes Scorsese, teamed up in several different films.
The film begins with Jake winning a number of fights in impressive fashion. After some subsequent struggles both inside and out of the ring, Jake does something that he will regret forever. After regaining his success in the ring, Jake finally wins his championship. Throughout all this, his brother Joey is by his side giving Jake advice and sometimes drawing the ire of his brother. The film ends as Jake is still struggling with his many demons outside the ring.
While I obviously enjoyed the film, I do think the fight scenes are a little unrealistic and over the top. They lack the real nuance of the sport and look like fight scenes out of mortal combat or another video game to me. Also, not that it didn't happen in real life, but there was a lot of violence in the film and was difficult to watch at times.
This is a great movie, especially for a sports fan like me. The highlights are Robert De Niro's portrayal of the complex Jake Lamotta, and the obvious chemistry of De Niro and Pesci as Jake and Joey Lamotta. Anyone who loves a great drama, and can handle a little violence, will love this film.
Vincent & Theo (1990)
Art Trageity- Art1145
"Vincent and Theo" was directed by the acclaimed director Robert Altman in 1990. It is a biographical movie that looks deep into the life of famous artist Vincent Van Gogh, specifically the relationship he had with his art dealer brother Theo. I typically enjoy biographical films, especially when it involves someone as complex as Van Gogh. I also thought seeing all the art, and a behind the scenes look at the process of what a great artist goes through was a really cool feature of the film.
Tim Roth plays Vincent Van Gogh and everything from his facial expression, demeanor, and dialog do a great conveying the many challenges Van Gogh went through. He was obviously a very complex individual with many issues. Paul Rhys plays Theo and he was very good in the role of providing his brother with continued support.
The film begins by offering glimpses into the great artistic mind, and the many struggles, of Vincent Van Gogh. As he dove even deeper into his art, his mental state grew worse and worse until his ultimate passing. Throughout all that, his brother, Theo, offers him both emotional and financial support, even throughout Vincent's most difficult times.
All in all, I thought the film was fine, but not something that I'd be interested in watching again. I understand the need to build up and really develop a character as complex as Van Gogh, but it was just too slow for me. The movie is also somewhat of a tragedy, not a movie that makes you feel good inside, so perhaps it is good as a one-time watch to appreciate what Van Gogh went through in his life. Also, did we really need to see her pee in a pot?
This movie was a very well-done biography of Vincent Van Gogh, and I know far more about his life now than I did previously. His life is a tragic story, as he realized none of the fame that his works like "stary night" provide today. The highlight of the film is the unwavering support and love his brother shows for him, and this is something many people with family can understand.
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Review for ART1145- A Highlight of Human Spirit
"The Grapes of Wrath" is an all-time classic of American Cinema. It is a movie that still stands the test of time, and in many people's eyes is a masterpiece. The things that really stood out to my untrained eye were the attention to detail in the sets, the great use of lighting, and the passion of the actors.
"The Grapes of Wrath" was directed by John Ford in 1940 and based on the novel of the same name by John Steinbeck. The film was produced by Darryl Zanuck. The story was based on a family from Oklahoma being displaced from their farmland during the great depression. The film depicts the trials and tribulations the family goes through during their relocation to California.
Tom Joad, newly released from prison, is the main character and ultimate leader of the Joad family. His character is played by Henry Fonda. While initially coming off as selfish, Tom develops into a caring, compassionate, and strong leader. Ma Joad is the matriarch of the family. She was played by Jane Darwell and she did her best to hold the family together. Jim Casey is another important character. He was a former preacher who Tom Joad brought along for the journey with the family. In turn, Jim did his best helping to turn Tom into a better person. In the end, Tom ended up putting his life on the line for avenging Jim's demise.
While the movie was great in many aspects, there are certainly some aspects that perhaps leave something to be desired. It is quite crude with many aspects of the film that are not appropriate for young people. Also, some of language and actions would not be accepted in society these days.
In conclusion, all the acclaim of the movie is absolutely warranted. It is a story with compelling characters, a great story line, unexpected outcomes, and does a great job highlighting the challenges of this era and human spirit. It is a must see for anyone interested in American history, and enjoys a film that brings to life the struggles, hopes, and dreams of people.