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I haven't seen as much of Hitchcock as I would like, but "Dial M For Murder" will probably remain as my personal favourite from his bunch anyway. He truly is a master at building tension.
Luis' Movie Log for 2018 (excluding new releases)
→ in Movie Reviews
1. Citizen Kane (1940)
Director: Orson Welles
Director: Orson Welles
No wonder this is an absolute classic, The first film on my list is one of the greatest character studies. The opening 10 minutes are a great set up to our protagonist, Charles Foster Kane as it introduces a series of events that really peak your interest as to who this man was, and how he became so successful. What follows is 90 minutes of a thorough and fascinating dissection of this man's psyche, life and work. We get treated to the pivotal moment that changed his life in his childhood, his first time digging into a world of business, his road to success, his life as a married man, and his ultimate downfall.
Every single flashback scene kept me invested in the narrative of the film. The most powerful thing in this film, in my opinion, is the way it executes the idea of what makes us human. We are taken through this man's most pivotal moments in his life, and we see how his success has been dehumanizing him, and how it has become his downfall. I was beginning to wonder why in the world Welles would leave this character at such an ambiguous point at the end of the movie, until the last shot. The last shot just brings everything together to such a deeply affecting place. It brings forward the idea of how the most warm and human memories from one's childhood can take a toll on one's adult demons, and how it can ultimately bring a man that's become so power hungry to his knees. I've never really seen a story build so much of what makes a character great based solely on one word and one shot, and when that final shot did come, I audibly gasped. It is rare that I give a movie a perfect score, it is even rarer that I give a movie a perfect score on my first watch, but there was not a single moment in Citizen Kane that diminished the narrative flow. I can see this becoming an all time favorite upon rewatch.
SCORE - 100/100
...If you watch Citizen Kane again, you might watch the commentary track with Peter Bogdanovich, it really gave me a deep appreciation for the staging and cinematography of the scenes. Orson was a genius.
Love your movie watching idea and I'm following along. I might not always comment but I'm appreciating your thread
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Bravo! I applaud you...Not because you gave a perfect score to one of the all time great films. But because your review beautifully captures the essences of Citizen Kane. You nailed it!
...If you watch Citizen Kane again, you might watch the commentary track with Peter Bogdanovich, it really gave me a deep appreciation for the staging and cinematography of the scenes. Orson was a genius.
Love your movie watching idea and I'm following along. I might not always comment but I'm appreciating your thread
...If you watch Citizen Kane again, you might watch the commentary track with Peter Bogdanovich, it really gave me a deep appreciation for the staging and cinematography of the scenes. Orson was a genius.
Love your movie watching idea and I'm following along. I might not always comment but I'm appreciating your thread
Thanks again!
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4. The Sound of Music (1965)
Director: Robert Wise
Director: Robert Wise
Two things were made clear for me from the opening scene alone, one: this film would be a visual feast, and two: I was in for a sonorous heartfelt adventure. The latter rings true for the first 100 minutes or so, the film is at its peak when it is about Maria, and her growth as a character. I was so invested in her as a character as well as I was invested in her interactions with the children, and I was so anxious to see where their storyline would end up. The musical sequences are all exemplary, not only is the music itself catchy and well produced, but so is the creativity and imagination in the sequences pertaining to the specific musical numbers.
The film faltered a bit for me once the Nazi/father plot point became the dominant force. I don't know, it just felt like two completely different films, with the second not being \\ as strong as the first. I would've liked the story to have stayed with Maria, the children, and the children learning to accept Maria while continuously trying to get their father's attention. I understand this was based on the true story of the Von Trapp Family Singers, but perhaps a more seamless connection between the two extremes of the story would've been nice. The second half wasn't bad at all, but I was so happy and enchanted with the lightheartedness of everything that came prior, that I was taken a little aback. Regardless, the character work is truly wonderful, and like mentioned before, the visuals are jaw-dropping. Overall, this was a film that made my heart soar with it's lightheartedness and enchanting musical identity, which definitely trumps any shortcomings. I can also see this becoming a favorite of mine once I watch again knowing of the shift in tone, taking into consideration how much I adored those first 100 minutes.
SCORE - 93/100
Last edited by Luis; 01-29-18 at 08:41 PM.
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5. Taxi Driver (1976)
Director: Martin Scorsese
If you've read any of my reviews, you know that I love character driven films, and that is definitely my favorite part about Taxi Driver. Robert De Niro delivered a fantastic performance as this disturbed, observant man who finds his escape being a Taxi Driver. The second best thing is the narrative flow, I didn't find the film to be predictable at any point, and the different shifts that take place always kept this thrilling and exciting. The third act sequence in the apartment was shot, acted, and edited magnificently well, it is probably one of the best shoot outs I've ever seen on screen; I was tense throughout its entirety. Overall, a very good movie, I can see why it's acclaimed, and while the film never quite delivered anything more than "very good" stuff, (except for that one scene) It was nice to have finally seen this film.
SCORE - 75/100
Last edited by Luis; 01-29-18 at 07:22 PM.
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My wife loves The Sound of Music. It's ok for me, but it is insanely long. Far from a favorite.
Think we are about on the same level with Taxi Driver. I respect it more than I enjoy it and there's at least five other Scorcese films that I like more than it, possibly a few more.
Think we are about on the same level with Taxi Driver. I respect it more than I enjoy it and there's at least five other Scorcese films that I like more than it, possibly a few more.
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My wife loves The Sound of Music. It's ok for me, but it is insanely long. Far from a favorite.
Think we are about on the same level with Taxi Driver. I respect it more than I enjoy it and there's at least five other Scorcese films that I like more than it, possibly a few more.
Think we are about on the same level with Taxi Driver. I respect it more than I enjoy it and there's at least five other Scorcese films that I like more than it, possibly a few more.
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I wasn't big on Witness and Goodfellas is one of my all time favorites.
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I m following you Luis, and have a little time for a few comments. I m glad you were swept along by the beauty and grandness of Sound Of Music. Seeing your reaction as a young person ( born in fact in a later century than I) adds an interesting perspective to the film. Did I find it too long when I first saw it years ago, probably so. The feeling it is two stories may be due partly to that - but the stories are seamlessly bound to each other. I believe that for my generation - having parents and grandparents who witnessed WW2 the impact of the war, and that film, had a more immediate resonance. And the turnabout of this relatively
Darn!!! Posted too fast but I ll continue if I may.....
The Turnabout of the relatively innocent 1st story, so enjoyable and entertaining; contrasted with the increasing horror of the 2nd storyline - is what gives the film the depth and lasting power that makes it a classic, I think you may see that more upon later viewings, even if those viewings are 5 years hence.
At any rate you did give it high marks. I will also add to the enthusiastic cacophony of opinions here that Witness is one of my all time favorites. Lol
Well whatever your verdict, I enjoy your perceptive and thoughtful comments on movies; and especially for giving me the viewpoint of a young person((of an intelligence that is eager to embrace and explore ) who is just t embarking on life 's adult journey, You are showing me a young man's experience of the classics I am so familiar with, and have 'taken for granted' all these years.
Onward!
The Turnabout of the relatively innocent 1st story, so enjoyable and entertaining; contrasted with the increasing horror of the 2nd storyline - is what gives the film the depth and lasting power that makes it a classic, I think you may see that more upon later viewings, even if those viewings are 5 years hence.
At any rate you did give it high marks. I will also add to the enthusiastic cacophony of opinions here that Witness is one of my all time favorites. Lol
Well whatever your verdict, I enjoy your perceptive and thoughtful comments on movies; and especially for giving me the viewpoint of a young person((of an intelligence that is eager to embrace and explore ) who is just t embarking on life 's adult journey, You are showing me a young man's experience of the classics I am so familiar with, and have 'taken for granted' all these years.
Onward!
Darn!!! Posted too fast but I ll continue if I may.....
The Turnabout of the relatively innocent 1st story, so enjoyable and entertaining; contrasted with the increasing horror of the 2nd storyline - is what gives the film the depth and lasting power that makes it a classic, I think you may see that more upon later viewings, even if those viewings are 5 years hence.
At any rate you did give it high marks. I will also add to the enthusiastic cacophony of opinions here that Witness is one of my all time favorites. Lol
Well whatever your verdict, I enjoy your perceptive and thoughtful comments on movies; and especially for giving me the viewpoint of a young person((of an intelligence that is eager to embrace and explore ) who is just t embarking on life 's adult journey, You are showing me a young man's experience of the classics I am so familiar with, and have 'taken for granted' all these years.
Onward!
The Turnabout of the relatively innocent 1st story, so enjoyable and entertaining; contrasted with the increasing horror of the 2nd storyline - is what gives the film the depth and lasting power that makes it a classic, I think you may see that more upon later viewings, even if those viewings are 5 years hence.
At any rate you did give it high marks. I will also add to the enthusiastic cacophony of opinions here that Witness is one of my all time favorites. Lol
Well whatever your verdict, I enjoy your perceptive and thoughtful comments on movies; and especially for giving me the viewpoint of a young person((of an intelligence that is eager to embrace and explore ) who is just t embarking on life 's adult journey, You are showing me a young man's experience of the classics I am so familiar with, and have 'taken for granted' all these years.
Onward!
I m following you Luis, and have a little time for a few comments. I m glad you were swept along by the beauty and grandness of Sound Of Music. Seeing your reaction as a young person ( born in fact in a later century than I) adds an interesting perspective to the film. Did I find it too long when I first saw it years ago, probably so. The feeling it is two stories may be due partly to that - but the stories are seamlessly bound to each other. I believe that for my generation - having parents and grandparents who witnessed WW2 the impact of the war, and that film, had a more immediate resonance. And the turnabout of this relatively
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Darn!!! Posted too fast but I ll continue if I may.....
The Turnabout of the relatively innocent 1st story, so enjoyable and entertaining; contrasted with the increasing horror of the 2nd storyline - is what gives the film the depth and lasting power that makes it a classic, I think you may see that more upon later viewings, even if those viewings are 5 years hence.
At any rate you did give it high marks. I will also add to the enthusiastic cacophony of opinions here that Witness is one of my all time favorites. Lol
Well whatever your verdict, I enjoy your perceptive and thoughtful comments on movies; and especially for giving me the viewpoint of a young person((of an intelligence that is eager to embrace and explore ) who is just t embarking on life 's adult journey, You are showing me a young man's experience of the classics I am so familiar with, and have 'taken for granted' all these years.
Onward!
The Turnabout of the relatively innocent 1st story, so enjoyable and entertaining; contrasted with the increasing horror of the 2nd storyline - is what gives the film the depth and lasting power that makes it a classic, I think you may see that more upon later viewings, even if those viewings are 5 years hence.
At any rate you did give it high marks. I will also add to the enthusiastic cacophony of opinions here that Witness is one of my all time favorites. Lol
Well whatever your verdict, I enjoy your perceptive and thoughtful comments on movies; and especially for giving me the viewpoint of a young person((of an intelligence that is eager to embrace and explore ) who is just t embarking on life 's adult journey, You are showing me a young man's experience of the classics I am so familiar with, and have 'taken for granted' all these years.
Onward!
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The non-fiction book The Story of the Trapp Family Singers made much more sense storyline-wise. In the film, they rushed into the Nazi plot so that they could make it more "Hollywood."
The Sound of Music is a classic I've appreciated since I was a child, but it would be very interesting to see a second take that is closer to the source material (i.e., the book). There's enough in there for a mini-series.
The Sound of Music is a classic I've appreciated since I was a child, but it would be very interesting to see a second take that is closer to the source material (i.e., the book). There's enough in there for a mini-series.
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