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Reviews
A League of Their Own (1992)
A great expansion on a silent story.
Honestly, until the point of watching this film, I did not know that a women's baseball league existed during this time. However, because of this film's many great elements, I became interested in this fact, and am now aware of the incredible story there was to tell. It was clear what Penny Marshall (director) wanted to convey through this film, and everything is very clearly accepted to the individual watching.
This film is plentiful of entertainment to enjoy. The performances such as Geena Davis (as Dottie) and Tom Hanks (as Jimmy) kept me interested within the film within its entirety. The film has enough going on in each sequence to ensure a lack of boredom no matter what, and that is the exact element many films in the 90's lack.
In general, Penny Marshall has delivered a timeless film that will be sure to amaze and inform people about the women's baseball league that once was, and makes sure to expand upon a story that rarely gets told.
Newsies (1992)
Glorifying the Great Depression... and I guess in a okay way?
"Newsies" in no way is a perfect movie. With script writing that just seemed improvised, to music sequences with pretty sloppy choreography, I just don't see how this could possibly be respected in this time. Alright, I suppose I'm being a little harsh. This film is still a good musical if you're looking for something to watch, and will still find more than one way to keep you interested.
In some ways, I feel as if it is wrong for Disney to create a film based on the Great Depression. I mean, even the American Revolution with "Johnny Tremain" seemed like a bloody experience with sprinkles on top, Newsies tries fairly to make this an enjoyable experience. Though this isn't wrong, it does portray the experiences of individuals within that time period in a way they would most likely not agree with.
It should be known, however, that the performances of Christian Bale (as Jack Kelley) and David Moscow (as David Jacobs) were nothing short of great. It is clear that Bale found a good foothold within Hollywood following his performances within this musical, although... this is greatly diminished by the performances of others within the cast, with some lines just coming off as unoriginal as "Yeah, what he said!" which fails to show much complexity within the plot. This is common with Disney movies, but a linear plot structure could at least have some decent writing in every part with an exception of the leads.
That being said, "Newsies" is still a movie that I'd recommend trying out. A lot of elements within this movie can be liked by many, and already has accumulated a great deal of fans. However, there is flaws within it's historical context that further persuades me to believe that Disney has no business making historical movies... especially a time period like the Great Depression.
Race (2016)
History Through a Discarded Lens.
"Race" finds itself to be a prominent example within the vast spectrum of movies focused on civil right's movements. Director Stephen Hopkins finds a great blend of both entertainment and breathtaking sequences that kept me on the edge of my feet during every single race.
Jesse Owens (Played by Stephan James) is the renowned protagonist within the film, and the plot essentially follows his journey to the 1936 Olympics, and the political struggles of it being held by the Nazi regime. It should be noted, however, that this film greatly expands on his life more than any history book. Due to the discrimination at the time this film is based, (1933-1936) Owens was rarely recognized for his accomplishments at home, with the U.S. Government not once acknowledging his outstanding 3 gold medal wins. "Race" finds a way to tell people his story, however, and does it in a way that leaves you unable to look away from the screen.
There's is no movie that is quite as impactful as "Race" either. Sure, there are several films that tackle the same issue as described within history, but there are very few that are capable of immersing you into the past with great sequences that should be nothing less than revered in the film industry.
"Race" provides an element that just about anybody can enjoy. With award-winning performances and sound designs, Race is nothing less than an amazing experiences, and that is exactly why I decided to give it a well-deserved 10/10. This film will provide you with the historical context of the situation while still maintaining the kind of entertainment that many pieces fail to provide, and is a movie that, like the accomplishments of Jesse Owens, should be remembered for decades to come.
Wonder Woman (2017)
A World Wonder.
"Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins succeeded in hitting all key points in this film. The emotion, direction, and storytelling aspect of this intense, WWI-based film. Yes, this isn't necessarily the most accurate when referring to the actions within World War I, but it finds great ways to relate events within the story with events in real life, such as the battle within No Man's Land.
The gender role switch is also a great element of this movie. Yes, in current times, superhero movies don't necessarily have a female protagonist, but this is also reflected in the time period, with Diana being noted multiple times of her malpropism involving elements especially surrounding her appearance. It does, however, display a great deal of the commotion of the world during the war, with multiple scenes showing struggle and conflict.
Overall, "Wonder Woman" is a film that shows anything from love to pure struggle. It's a great film that covers all the bases that should happen within a superhero movie. I would say my rating is still generous, however this is easily a 24,000/10 for a DC movie in the past 5 years. If I see another great movie like this from the company, I might consider subscribing to DC Universe.
Cinderella Man (2005)
Undoubtedly Stellar.
"Cinderella Man" follows a venture by James J. Braddock, a popular boxer within the 1920's. However, his title is diminished following the start of the Great Depression, and the story follows the struggles he and his family face within the 1930's. This film is absolutely magnificent, and is a thrill to watch over and over again.
The Great Depression within America was nothing short of a catastrophe. It is described by several as the worst war the United States has ever fought, and left many to fend for themselves and even starve. The severity of the situation is greatly portrayed through the story of "Cinderella Man." Braddock himself goes through several challenges throughout this period, one being trying to keep his head above debt by working at the docks. All of these personal struggles within Braddock's life helps with the relative and personal aspect of the Great Depression, and really provides an aided eye to the viewer when trying to understand the time period.
This piece is more than extravagant, and gets more praise simply by providing an unbelievable amount of depth than just the life of a boxer. It expands upon the socioeconomic issues of the time, and helps viewers further understand the kinds of struggles that were faced within the Great Depression. It is a rare occurrence for director Ron Howard to fail in covering all bases within effective storytelling, and this film stands as one of his triumphs, continuing to knock out the competition for decade to come.
Iron Jawed Angels (2004)
Absolute masterpiece.
The women's suffrage movement found itself to be a great element of the United States, especially during the early 20th century. However, film and pieces that depicted this (Let alone, from the movement's point of view) were scarce, and many lacked those intense and dramatic moments that draw in an audience. "Iron Jawed Angels" is not an example of this. The performances of both Hilary Swank (Alice Paul) and Frances O'Connor (Lucy Burns) alone showed great promise from the start, and was capable of maintaining my interest throughout.
"Iron Jawed Angels" follows Alice Paul, an individual that later becomes the leader of the National Women's Party. While the focal point surrounds the story of Alice, Katja von Garnier (Director) is capable of expanding the lens to more than just the events enacted by the women, detailing issues within Congress as well as the interactions of both the party and President Wilson. It's always great when a story learns to expand on a movement that many aren't aware of or just didn't fully understand, and this film did exactly that for me. Sure, I'm not the average 17 year old (Lord help me if I was), so I had an understanding of the National Women's Party and the suffrage movement. However, at the same time, this was a very wide scale understanding, which was greatly focused by Garnier.
Throughout the film, the women are put through several trials, one of which was enduring time being political prisoners. This portion of the movie really shows how dedicated the party was willing to go, and greatly displays how much they are willing to sacrifice. As said by Alice Paul in the film, "The women that started this fight are dead and buried." The film makes sure to make clear the idea that every move made by the National Women's Party, although more radical than their counterparts, directly followed the Constitution in ever way. This, in turn, reminds people of what unjust actions have been enacted upon this party, and how everyone should be thankful about their right to vote, as every single one of us had an ancestor that struggled through some sort of suffrage. (Revolutionary War, March on Washington, etc.)
To conclude, "Iron Jawed Angels" is a beautiful piece, and finds itself to be a necessary film to understand the severity and intensity of this time. Garnier gives a film that will leave every individual on the edge of your seat, and remind you that great battles within history do not always happen on the battlefield.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Amazing... when I wasn't bored.
"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" is known as one of the greatest western movies throughout all of history, and many can argue in support of that statement. I can see how this title was given such reverence, as there are many points in the movie that left me in awe due to the creativity within this film that has influenced many westerns to date. However, there are just some things about this film that left me in awe... and not with a positive intent.
It should be known that the film follows two main characters: Butch Cassidy (played by Paul Newman) and The Sundance Kid (Robert Redford). These two are bank robbers that continue to be chased by police and law enforcement until the end of the film. While this does provide great sequences of action and entertainment, the whole chasing sequence that lasts around 20 minutes just seems so unnecessary. Finally, following the dive into the river by the two men, this sequence comes to an end. There is simply just ways to tell a story, especially a western, that doesn't leave me and my fellow classmates in my US History Through Film Class constantly looking at the clock, wondering why time is passing by so slowly.
The music sequences in which the camera switches between multiple scenes (and even pictures) definitely intrigued me. Although some would argue that the Hill's implementation of a slide show is not the best move, I felt as if a story was told throughout that really didn't require a full, extended scene (Unfortunately, Hill didn't think this was needed for that damn chase scene).
In conclusion, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" is in no way a perfect film. However, when it comes to westerns, this definitely deserves a spot in the essentials, as it still provides an element of history that is subtly delivered throughout the plot. Despite scenes that left me snoring, this film did leave me on edge for the majority, and works well for both a great watching or napping experience based on your position.
Far and Away (1992)
A boat with more than one hole.
Far and Away is a story about an Irishman and his potential lover finding a new life within America. To put it simply, this film has a lot going for it. With several sequences leaving me on edge, the director as well as cast have plenty to offer on the entertainment side of things. With Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's amazing performances, the storytelling aspect is well-deserved of it's nominations of several awards.
However, just because the boat known as "Far and Away" isn't sinking, doesn't mean it doesn't have a few holes. The sad part is that these could've easily been fixed with a few more weeks of rehearsal and re-writing of the script. A first notable problem would be Tom Cruise's accent... oh, may the gods save us... Alright, so this isn't too large of a problem, and it shouldn't be something that ruins the entire movie. However, this affected me on an emotional level. Cruise's accent is so unbelievably exaggerated, that I'm almost certain Howard forgot to run through a few lines from Cruise with an actual Irishman. I don't want to exaggerate too much, but if there was a way to throw an accent into a meat grinder, it can be safe to say that Cruise's dialect would land somewhere around that degree of quality.
As said in the title, the boat has more than one hole, so I'll finish off with the second biggest issue I had with this film, this being the ending. This is my opinion on the situation: Howard, the cinematographer, and several others calling the shots went into a room. After creating an argument lasting longer than the screen time of 12 Angry Men, they came to the conclusion that Joseph (Played by Tom Cruise) would die... but then come back to life? I just don't get it. I mean, I get how a good ending would probably give the audience something they'd be comfortable playing for a second time, but that only works if the good ending fits. In fact, I'm almost certain that this film would've gotten a better overall rating if Joseph had just died.
To conclude, "Far and Away" has several things going for it, but that is with it's faults. No movie, piece of literature, poem, or even art can be perfect... But a lot can be better than this film. If I were to go to the past to help Howard fix his mistakes, I'd tell him to either kill off Joseph or just not hurt him at all... and to learn what a real Irish accent sounds like. (Hint: It's more mild)
The Alamo (2004)
Should I feel guilty?
On release it was met with disdain at worst, indifference at best, and now historically it stands as the second biggest box office failure. The pre-release word of mouth wasn't good, and with "difficulties" of the financial and creative kind leading to Ron Howard leaving the directors chair-and Russell Crowe and Ethan Hawke dishing out roles for two of the main characters, the film has never had an equal footing from which to try and sell itself as a worthy epic. Yet if there is a western styled war film most likely to improve with age, then Hancock's Alamo is it. You see, in time it's hoped that people can embrace that this take on the Alamo legend thrives on humanistic depth, telling it not as a "hooray" hero piece, but as it was, men doomed to die. And more pertinent, men who "knew" that in all probability, they were waiting for death to come.
Hancock should be roundly applauded for having the courage to craft such an honest depiction of the siege, and it's not as if we aren't warned about it, either in history as fact, or during the downbeat opening five minutes of film. So a film rich with in depth characterizations, then, but also a picture layered over with considerable technical skill. Hancock himself only really misfires by having a tacked on coda that shows Houston defeating Santa Anna and gaining his surrender. Who made the decision for this uplift I'm not sure, but it feels forced and doesn't have the impact intended. It would have been more telling and poignant to just have a title card flash up to tell us that Houston defeated Santa Ann in 18 minutes. We don't need to see a hurried recreation, the somber mood needed to be kept up right to the last end credit rolled. For that's the true pain of The Battle of the Alamo. In other words, if you're movie is more depressing than a funeral, don't try to cheer someone up with a 5-minute scene.
And now returning to the present day. As watching this from my "US History through FIlm" class, I think to myself, "Should I feel guilty?" I believe I shouldn't, but there's a constant voice in my mind asking me why not... how my American ancestors are responsible for making this happen. However, I then remind myself that I'm supposed to be an arrogant teenager, so I try to forget any problems that exist in our society. Anyway, I'm getting off track, so I'll return to the review. Although "The Alamo" has several flaws, it is still a movie worth the watch, and will help educate many individuals on the great, dire battle that lacked meaning in all ways. This movie: 7/10 The battle this movie is based on: 0.00001/10
In the Heart of the Sea (2015)
Almost perfect.
So, Hemsworth seems to have a different accent from moment to moment... and none of them sound like he's from Nantucket. So what?! No one other than Fairley seems to be able to pull the accent off very well. The score, while very good, is derivative. The film has its problems. "In The Heart of The Sea" is nevertheless a very good film. The sets, costumes and effects are remarkable. The directing is strong, and although choppy at times, it spares the viewer from what easily could have been a long, slow slog had the director taken this film too seriously. It is, after all, a story about whalers sailing around the world and not catching anything for more than a year. A les "epic" approach almost certainly would have been very, very boring. I liked this film a good deal. If you're a fan of historic films like I am, this is a worthwhile movie. Although maybe not providing the most accurate historic information, Howard definitely provides an interpretation that is both entertaining and believable.
The Crossing (2000)
Maintains Historical Accuracy But Entertaining at the Same Time
The Crossing is easily one of the best films I've seen detailing the American Revolution, perhaps one of the best films detailing history in general. Jeff Daniel's portrayal of General Washington seems to be more accurate than any other interpretation I've ever seen. This film is very educational, while also providing a great, entertaining experience. The realistic yet fantastic telling of this story has left me interested in both the American Revolutionary war, as well as U.S. history itself. I would recommend this to anyone interested in the history of the United States. With a mix of great fight sequences, interesting communion pieces, and more helps to conjure a beautiful story that I can watch again and again.
Johnny Tremain (1957)
"Disney-fied" in a Good and Bad way.
I remember seeing this film at the age of 8. At the time, I enjoyed it very much, and I felt like I learned a decent amount about American history. However, there are some things I've noticed as I've aged. Although there are several elements in this story that give a wide range of entertainment, there are other things that simply make no sense whatsoever.
Don't get me wrong: this movie still remains to be one of my favorite Disney titles. However, when it comes to especially the fighting and violence, Disney sure tried hard to make this movie accessible to everybody. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it helps to lack historical accuracy throughout the movie. First of all, the violence within Lexington was much more rigid and barbaric. Sure, the formations by the British soldiers still seemed to reflect some historical accuracy, but the whole strategy Disney used in order to avoid elements such as blood and just pure struggle came to provide a very odd, overextended 10 minute scene.
Although the historical accuracy is a slight problem within Johnny Tremain, it shouldn't be forgotten that this movie still succeeds in providing multiple cases of true information. The perspective of the "rebels" seems to offer a great story for the average child to immerse themselves into, hopefully absorbing some information in the process.
In conclusion, Johnny Tremain is a movie that has yet failed to entertain me. Whether this be the well-constructed story or the hilarious bad acting when dying, I'm not so sure. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a film to entertain you, or you have quite simply never heard of the Revolutionary War, (First of all, you should know about the war. Second, this really only details the Boston Tea Party and the Battle of Lexington and Concord) then Johnny Tremain is the movie for you.
The New World (2005)
Pure Art.
Terrence Malick comes through to deliver a beautifully crafted story of John Smith and Pocahontas. With very unique divides between the environment of "The Naturals" as well as Jamestown, simply hearing this movie can help you envision so much about the situation the film was engaged into. The camera work provided by Malick never seems to fail to become pure eye candy on the screen. Although sometimes finding me dumfounded, this film is an experience nevertheless. In fact, the sometimes confusing situations seems to be Malick's way of conveying the experience given to John Smith and Pocahontas alike, introducing many new engagements throughout the whole film.
The movie seems to demonstrate three very separate "New Worlds" as given by the title. The first being the introduction of North America to the initial settlers, such as John Smith. While this is a very important aspect of the film, the world of Jamestown introduced to "The Naturals" shows itself to create quite a conflict within the story, causing a fully-fledged war at a point in time. However, these are not the only two "New Worlds" detailed within the film. When Pocahontas marries John Rolfe, she leaves with her uncle as well as many other individuals to England, in which a whole new experience is presented to her. Referring back to the sound design, there is an iconic seen in which bells can be heard and continuously become more and more overwhelming as the film progresses, telling a story within itself.
To conclude, Terrence Malick comes to provide a truly amazing story that could only possibly be told in such a way by himself. The camerawork, sound design, and overall reactions and experiences displayed by the cast show a true work of art that deserves to be revered.
Le voyage dans la lune (1902)
A Masterpiece out of This World!
I first watched A Trip to the Moon as an assessment for my History Through Film class. Being a silent film, it seemed odd to me that I would come to enjoy such a film. However, as a picture can say a thousand words, A Trip to the Moon says millions through its very intriguing story. The plot starts of in Paris, in which a team of individuals work together to build a mode of transportation to the moon, which seems to be a cannon. Following a successful landing on the rock orbiting Earth, they are first introduced to an entire wasteland, that seems reminiscent of a desert. When travelling further, however, they disturb a colony of creatures that reside in the area, thus creating a very interesting conflict within the story. Nevertheless, after fighting and overcoming these creatures, the group is capable of returning home to Paris. I very much enjoyed the progression shown in this film from previous pieces in history, as well as the idea of creating a universal way of telling a story. The only thing I would comment on as being a negative would be the scene in which the rocket-like craft lands into the moon's eye, which can be seen as funny, but actually presents my opinion of unnecessary personalization. All in all, this piece provides a very unique and wonderful storyline that anybody around the world can enjoy.