dfiscaletti8 Reviews

Apocalypse Now (1979)

review for Apocalypse Now

[2/10 · 16 December 2012]

Apocalypse Now started off with a confusion which made it hard to become interested, but the use of loud noises and action did manage to keep me somewhat involved. However, I was impressed with the film work and effects due to the time period, but it was still hard to pay attention. As the movie went on it continued getting strange which made it difficult to pay attention; the movie lacked interest and depth so did not see the point to try to understand what was going on when I was not the least bit interested, if anything I did not like it one bit. Besides the strange plot and actions the message in the movie itself is disappointing. It puts down the war veterans of the Vietnam War making it seem as if they were more interested doing drugs and being crazy that fighting for their country. This movie may have had a slightly intriguing plot, but it was nothing special. I was in no way impressed by this film and I would not recommend it on any circumstances.

Charade (1963)

review for Charade

[6/10 · 16 December 2012]

Charade was very thrilling as it kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to end. Regina is bombarded with constant threats due to her sudden trap surrounded my money, misconception, and murder. She has no choice but to put her life in danger as she searches for the truth and constantly questions who she can trust. Stanley Donen keeps the audience entertained with the combination of dark lighting, loud eerie music, a cast of actors that portray every aspect of their character with absoluter perfection, and of course an intriguing mystery. It starts to even break the Hayes codes by including more sexual content and detailed murder scenes which also keeps the audience intrigued. I cannot really say anything too bad about this film, it was a somewhat slow at some points leaving me to drift off a little, but overall I would have to say this film is actually exceptionally impressive, especially for its time

The Big Combo (1955)

review for The Big Combo

[16 December 2012]

The Big Combo was nothing extraordinary, the run of the mill Film Nior/ Gangster flick with dark lighting (this film actually played with lighting which made it enjoyable and is one of its stronger points), harsh noises, and quick movement. It was no surprise to me that this film lacked depth or interest in the story as it followed a predictable format. There were a few interesting parts throughout the film, but it was the acting that kept my attention. Cornel Wilde and Jean Wallace do not break character once despite their many roles as they try to please the others and deal with the conflicting relationship they share. These two may have been impressive, but it was Richard Conte who rose above and beyond portraying his character with perfection, convincing the audience he was a true mobster. Although I got a little lost throughout the film the thrilling sexual and actions scenes kept me tuned in. The ending especially grabbed my attention with the combination of lighting, film work, and excitement. However I would not particularly recommend this film to anyone unless the film would fulfill some type of requirement or guideline they were searching for.

Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

Review for Little Shop of Horrors

[1/10 · 30 November 2012]

The little Shop of Horrors was not all that impressive,I had heard the title before and was expecting something that was somewhat intriguing, but i was completely wrong.I found the film extremely bizare and was not able to really gain any interest in the film or story line itself. As if the story was not bad enough the lighting made it hard to pay close attention and the acting completely turned me off. The message portrayed by the film was not interesting at all because it was illustrated with poor supporting details and unrealistic events. Although this is can be calssified as a love story, which happen to be my favorite, I was disappointed by the film. Even though Seymour is willing to do whatever it takes in order to impress Audry and obtain her love, killing people and feeding a plant is not romantic.I suppose this film would impress people who enjoy this type of genre, but even then I am not o sure. I would not recommend this film to anyone.

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

review for Bonnie and Clyde

[6/10 · 30 November 2012]

Everyone knows the classic Bonnie and Clyde; it is a pastime favorite by many. To my surprise I found this movie interesting as it incorporated the mixture of romance and action, however it was very overdramatized which is something I do not particularly enjoy. Both Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway did an impressive job portraying their characters, as they seemed to fill every attribute of the real Bonnie and Clyde themselves. I found this love story a little different due to Clyde's hesitation and display of emotions, but it was something different that I found somewhat interesting. The action had its positives and negatives. For example being able to see the "behind the scenes" of a robbery was interesting and it did not exaggerate the lifestyle of a thief. By showing every aspect of Bonnie and Clyde's life from the fighting, to the love making it makes the story come alive and gave it a good sense of verisimilitude. However this was shortly taken away by the many gunshot scenes. It seemed as if there was a noisy over dramatized gunshot scene every 5 minutes, this was unnecessary as it took away from the movie. In my opinion Arthur Penn was a little too excited when it came to the guns and should have focused more on the story. Despite the over use of the gun scenes, especially in the end with the unrealistic and even disturbing death scene I did enjoy that the loves Bonnie and Clyde died together supporting the romantic aspect of the film making it seem as if their love would go on forever

The Stranger (1946)

Review for The Stranger

[5/10 · 29 November 2012]

The stranger was an alright film, nothing to spectacular, but I did enjoy it. It was my first Orson Wells film so I was expecting something very impressive, however that could be my own fault because I did pick one of his less popular films. Despite other opinions I have heard about this film I thought it illustrated an intriguing story supported by great acting which was mostly demonstrated by Orson Wells himself. The story took a historical issue and combined it with action and mystery keeping the audience's attention while creating suspense and interest. The story only had a few moments where I felt it was a little dragged out and over dramatized, but overall it was very strong; until the ending. I feel as if Orson Wells got tired of filming so he quickly killed of the antagonist and the day was saved at once so he decided it was time to cut the film. I supposed this was a resolution to the problem and a conclusion to the story, but I feel it was undeveloped and could have had some more detail and closure included.

The Graduate (1967)

review for The Gradute

[29 November 2012]

The Graduate was a very entertaining film; nothing really tuned me off completely while watching it. It was a little slow and unbelievable at some points as it seemed to drag, but over all I found myself enjoying the story and laughing along the way. The love between Ben and Elaine seems very far-fetched, no one really exhibits behavior for one another the way the two of them did, however the humor Mike Nichols incorporates leads the audience to believe that the entire story is very lackadaisical. As for acting Dustin Hoffman did a phenomenal job (as always) playing Benjamin, a nervous lost college graduate, he was very convincing as he developed every aspect of his role. The other actors did a fine job as well helping support the story, but nothing that impressive to go on about. On another note there were a lot of fascinating uses of editing to make this film standout amongst others of its time like different angles, cuts, use of modern day music, and the use of nudity. Although the story line itself seems a little questionable and lacks interest Mike Nichols keeps the audience's attention with the use of unique editing techniques, impressive acting, and the perfect harmony of humor and significance.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)

Review for Guess Who is Coming to Dinner

[10/10 · 16 November 2012]

Guess Who is Coming to Dinner might have to be added to my favorites list; I can say that I truly enjoyed every aspect of this film. From the acting, directing, story line, and underlying message I can honestly say that that it was all impressive. Stanley Kramer made a bold move choosing to produce a movie that dealt with such controversial issues, but his risk was very worth taking. Civil rights were booming as African Americans were becoming to be seen as equal, well to majority, however they still dealt with everyday problems regardless of who they were or what they had accomplished in their life. Kramer did an excellent job illustrating that an African American man may be a prestigious person with an impressive background, but that is not going to stop anyone from judging him by his skin color. The love story is beautiful as well as it depicts two people falling in for each other for nothing else, and regardless of what any other person may say or feel they were confident in their love. Nothing is as remarkable as the ending though, as the two lovers are struggling with their parents approval Joey's father comes to the realization that is does not matter of John is black white yellow or purple, he Is the man her daughters loves and ultimately he wants her to be happy. Spencer Tracy's monologue at the end was breath taking as he speaks with such power and pure magnificence, not breaking character once as he brought real emotion to the movie and enforced the message that love knows no boundaries as it will conquer all in the end and it does not matter who it may be with because the true importance is finding love, that perfect soul mate, and not letting them go. I would absolutely recommend this movie as there is not one ounce of disappointment throughout this immaculate film.

The Killing (1956)

Review For The Killing

[4/10 · 16 November 2012]

The Killing was an interesting movie I suppose, but nothing special. I found myself drifting of into thought for majority of the movie; it was not until the end that my attention was devoted to the film. It had a slow start and not much of an interesting storyline as it dealt with an everyday issue, but offered and impossible solution. Every scene seemed to be overly filled with drama, and the actors were not impressive at all. In fact the acting was so disappointing I did not even bother to look up who they were or what they performed in. As the story, or lack of story, dragged on it attempted to give off some excitement, but it was not until the last twenty minutes or so that I enjoyed any of the movie. Although it was a very impossible solution it was intriguing to watch as the men played out their scheme to rob the track. After the climax of the film the ending was dragged out just as the beginning, with an immature conclusion and a weak message.

Blame It on Rio (1984)

Extra credit review for Blame it on Rio

[5/10 · 6 November 2012]

Blame it on Rio was a different movie, to say the least. I think the movie industry was going crazy being the Hayes code was recently lifted so they were having fun with anything that would have violated it. The movie did not have much of a story at all, a basic she loves him he doesn't love her back idea, but there was no depth. It seemed to focus on sex and nudity. Although there was an overuse of showing topless women the art in the movie was beautiful. There were so many bright colors with intense detail; everything from the beach scenes to the kitchen in the house were so illustrated. I am not exactly sure where the film was shot, but wherever it was could definitely pass for Rio. I actually found the movie itself annoying though because Michelle was portrayed as an over emotional and naïve (some may call a typical teenage girl) and I did not like this. It is very unrealistic for an 18 year old to run around topless in front of her father and then have sex with his best friend who is also her best friend's father and a man she refers to as her uncle. Meanwhile Victor, Michelle's father had been sleeping with his best friend's wife, this is also very unrealistic. Even though the story line was a disappointment the actors did play their role very well and did not break character. I would not say this movie was particularly good, but the situation the characters were put in was somewhat interesting which is why I was able to make it through the entire movie. I would in no means recommend this unless it met some type of criteria for an assignment or research etc.

Psycho (1960)

Review for Psycho

[7/10 · 2 November 2012]

Finally a good thriller. Horror movies are by far my favorite and I must say Alfread Hitchcock did a great job of casting a sense of fear. The movie started off a little slow, the story line was kind of boring to follow,and the acting really wasn't the best; but for some reason I still found the movie entertaining and convincing. During the horror scenes and the ending is when the movie really got interesting and even though the music was incredibly cheesy it worked well with the film. I enjoyed the fact that this movie didn't just focus on murder, it also played with the idea of being a true "psycho" by portraying the murderer with multiple personality disorder or maybe even schizophrenia.I can understand why this movie is a classic horror film and I think any fan of the genre needs to see this film, if they haven't already. It sets the framework for may horror films that have been produced later on and gives a certain standard they have to meet.

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Review for Singin in the Rain

[10/10 · 1 November 2012]

Singing in the Rain definitely met every expectation I had and then some. I hadn't heard much about the movie, but the name was very familiar and anything I had heard about the movie was very positive. In the beginning it was a little slow, but as soon as the singing and the dancing started I couldn't not stop smiling, I enjoyed every moment of it. The color of course was amazing, especially compared to all the black and white movies I have been seeing. But the talent of the actors is what makes this movie. Gene Lockwood and Donald O'Connor are a great pair together as they dance many duets, never missing a beat and always staying on key. I found their tap dancing to be amazing. The singing also blew me away; Gene Lockwood Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds are triple threats as the acted, sung, and danced their hearts out. I never thought I would enjoy a musical and was kind of nervous to have to review this movie, but I must say this has to be one of the best movies I have ever see, it really blows me away. I found this film absolutely entertaining and would recommend it to anyone in a heartbeat.

Mildred Pierce (1945)

Review for Milred Pierce

[9/10 · 1 November 2012]

I absolutely loved this movie; I don't think there is one bad thing I can say about it. I had never heard of this movie before and thought it would be just another mediocre movie from the 1940's, but I was wrong. Mildred Pierce portrays women in a completely different way. It shows how powerful and independent a woman can be, and that if she really wants something she will get it. Mildred does not let a cheating husband and a broken heart stop here; she is determined to do what it takes for her girls. The acting is phenomenal in this film; no one breaks character; not even for a second. Joan Crawford does an excellent job playing the strong, independent, loyal mother, Ann Blyth does an outstanding job portraying a stuck up spoiled snob, and Jack Carson never breaks the role of the upbeat and self-concerned Wally. On top of great acting the movie holds a story that keeps the audience very interested by having a few small stories inter locking with each other. The use of flashbacks also works very well with this film and helps the audience understand what is going on. The ending was by far the best part, giving you the "oh my god" "no way" feelings, although I had a feeling things would end up the way they did. There was not one moment of the film that I caught myself getting bored; I truly think it was a very fascinating film.

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Review for The Maltese Falcon

[8/10 · 16 October 2012]

The Maltese Falcon falls among the better films that I have seen from the 1930's. This movie actually has an impressive story line, acting, and set. There aren't many flaws that I picked up on. This could be because I was too busy trying to keep up with what was going on in the movie rather than spending time searching for what was wrong with it. I enjoyed this. The movie may have been fast paced, but it keeps the audience interested, wanting to know what was going to happen next; they barely have time to predict it before the next exciting thing was going on. The story focuses on a group of mischievous people trying to track down a one of a kind falcon statue that is said to be worth a lot of money, and during their journey they come across a lot of drama and violence. I think I enjoyed this movie so much because it has an actual interesting story and the characters coincided with the script and layout of the film. I must say Humphrey Bogart did impress me much more with this film than in Casablanca, and is another main reason why I enjoyed this film so much. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone who was looking to see a great old time film.

Casablanca (1942)

Review for Casablanca

[12 October 2012]

Casablanca is a movie title that everyone has heard of and many talk about, so naturally I was excited to see it. Well yet again this "classic" let me down. I would not say it was a bad movie in anyway it just was not all that exciting or interesting. It seems to me that they focused on the something miniscule and the message the movie was portraying wasn't all that important, it was not until the very end when my attention was actually grabbed and I was enjoying the movie. I suppose because the movie didn't follow the traditional build up, climax, fall down set up it kind of threw me off. There were moments throughout the movie that grabbed me though, there was also a little bit of surprise here and there which I also enjoyed. Although the movie itself did not impress me that much, the art work within the movie was astonishing. Inside Rick's café it was beautifully decorated, especially in the scenes when looking down from the balcony stairs looking over all the guests and performers. The movie also played with shadows very well, casting the right mood and making everything look flawless. I wouldn't say the acting was amazing, actually I really didn't even like Humphrey Bogart . It may just have been his character, but I flat out didn't like him. Ingrid Bergman did an alright job, but once again nothing special. Just like the entire film, not impressive. The ending was another thing I found disappointing, I like love stories to have a happy ending, not a practical one.

The Lady Eve (1941)

Review for The Lady Eve

[7/10 · 9 October 2012]

The Lady Eve was an interesting movie to say the least. Actually the entire "screball comedy" genre is a little strange; the characters are cooky and the story line does not have much depth, but I guess that is the point. The Lady Eve didn't make me laugh as much as other screwball comedies, and it was not to interesting either. However I found Eve's role very entertaining. This was the first movie I saw from the 1930's that featured a manipulative, smart, and driven woman as the main character. I man not agree with what she did in the movie, but I think the film has a hidden women's rights movement message without many people realizing this. Although Eve was vindictive and some might even say evil she played her role very well and helped kept the weak story interesting. None of the other actors really jumped out as me as they all played their role, but I don't think it was anything special. In fact I found Henry Fonda quite annoying and even a little disappointing in this movie; maybe that's how it was supposed to be, but I did not like it. I may not have enjoyed the movie itself all that much, but the message it portrays and the role of Eve sway my opinion in a more positive way.

Stagecoach (1939)

Review for Stagecoach

[7/10 · 9 October 2012]

Stagecoach was my first "western" movie, and honestly it was much better than I expected. It was a little dry and boring at times, but overall I would recommend it to someone who enjoys a western love story. Love stories happen to be my favorite genre, so needless to say I loved following the story of Dallas and Ringo. Despite everyone else's opinion of the prostitute Dallas, Ringo saw her for who she really was and didn't let other opinions effect his perception of her. For me that was the main story in the movie, but there were also many other important stories going on as well. I liked this aspect of the movie. Every character had their own purpose, and perused what they were after. It was all very convincing, except for the Indian fighting scene. There were about 50 Indians shooting arrows and guns at every angle and yet the stagecoach barely got hit, meanwhile Ringo, Buck, and Curley had no problem hitting an Indian every time. Besides this unrealistic scene the film was very entertaining; there were very few negative characteristics.

Dracula (1931)

Review for Dracula

[5/10 · 2 October 2012]

Dracula being an all-time classic film did not meet my expectations and actually left me with a feeling of disappointment. I anticipated something spooky that would leave with an eerie feeling when quite honestly I feel asleep three times while trying to watch this film and had to continually re-start it. The movie started off good and indeed grabbed my attention, but shortly into the movie I was lost. They went from being in Transylvania to being on a ship then being in Europe or something I am not even sure. I did not see the point of this at all and it is where I started to drift off. I was ready for blood sucking excitement, not doctors and a scientist discussing what was taking place while a random victim here and there was murdered by Dracula. Another thing I found very confusing was Renfield, he was very distracting and somewhat annoying and I found him purposeless in the film. On a positive note Helen Chandler's acting was phenomenal as Mena; she played every aspect of her role to a T. The movie did have a few scenes that I enjoyed, but overall I'd have to say it was a mediocre film with a poor plot and average acting (besides Helen Chandler). The film was not necessarily bad, but it isn't something I would really suggest to anyone who is looking for an interesting all-time classic film.

Frankenstein (1931)

Review for Frankenstein

[3/10 · 2 October 2012]

James Whale's Frankenstein was not all that impressive. I viewed the movie Frankenstein for the first time the other day and I must say it will be the last time I will be watching any Frankenstein movie. From the beginning with the dark and dreary set to the end with melodramatic music there was no enjoyment while being forced to watch this movie. The story itself just doesn't fascinate me; I find it very stupid (I apologize for the lack of a better word) that a "mad scientist" attempts to bring a human back to life and in the process creates a monster. It's very unrealistic causing my attention to be lost. I suppose back in the 1930's this is what interested the audience, but in today's world this does not rank with the current horror films. Despite the terrible story line the movie did display some impressive acting along with some important messages. Boris Karloff did an amazing job playing the monster. I can only imagine how hard his role could have been; he was a very convincing monster and did not lose his character at any point in the film. I do believe the movie's portrayal of the ideas "man was not to play God" and "free will- people will be what they want to be regardless" was excellent also. James Whale knew how to create a film filled with emotion and significant themes, but I just don't think he applied his skills to the right story.

Scarface (1932)

review for scarface

[4/10 · 30 September 2012]

Scarface definitely kept the audience awake whether you wanted to pay attention or not; there were so many loud noises it was hard not to watch. In my opinion the story itself was not that impressive because it was clouded with violence and gun shots, and was not supported with much background information or detail. I believe the director was to eager when it came to the violence and gun shots; it was something new in the film business and he got caught up in this new fad and forgot to illustrate a story line to follow all the noise and commotion. On top of a poor story I don't think the acting was all the great either. The actors all seemed to have one emotion and when they attempted to portray another it appeared to be forced and out of place. The sister was the worst of them all in my opinion; she was too loud, over dramatic, and unconvincing. Most of the mobsters over played their role and tried too hard to be someone that they weren't. That might have been the under lying problem for the acting; none of these men knew how to be mobsters because there wasn't much background information on how to act like a real "mobster" so they tried their best, but in the end majority of them were unable to pull off a convincing role. In conclusion the movie lacked two key aspects in order to be considered anything close to remarkable; this could be a main reason why the movie was remade in the 1980s. With more focus put into the story and an improved acting crew the remake was indeed a success. Howard Hawks had the right idea, just not the right techniques in order to pull off an unforgettable film.

My Man Godfrey (1936)

Review for My Man Godfrey

[9/10 · 23 September 2012]

After hearing a brief summary of My Man Godfrey I thought oh here we go another typical love story where the girl falls for the wrong guy and they obviously end up together in the end. Even though that is the gist of the story, there is so much more to it. The characters were anything but typical; they were crazy, hilarious, and incredibly ignorant, which is what makes this considered to be a "screw ball comedy". Even though the behavior of the characters was outrageous the film had a great sense of verisimilitude by having Godfrey balance everything out. As he transforms from "unwanted man" to butler to a person with secretly wealthy family and finally to an independent and successful business man it portrays the idea of how many different shades people can be, and we should not "judge a book by its cover". Gregory La Cava supports this idea by illustrating a popular stereotype about people with wealth by casting the family with personality traits such as arrogant, selfish, and flat out stupid. Some people disagreed with how the women were portrayed in this movie, but I completely disagree and believe it is one of the strong points of the movie and better help La Cava get his point a crossed to the audience. This is the first movie that I have truly appreciated in class and can honestly say I followed from beginning to end and enjoyed every moment of it.

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

Review for I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang

[8/10 · 23 September 2012]

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang was an interesting movie that kept the audience waiting for what would come next. It started off a little slow with a lot of traveling scenes which I'm sure had some importance, but they were definitely over used in my opinion. Then all of the sudden the movie became interesting filled with intense action scenes along an emotional side that connected you to the characters; you couldn't wait for what was going to happen next. I believe this movie was ahead of its time by having such an interesting story line followed by some really great acting. The director, Mervyn Leroy took a chance by taking someone real life story and making it into a movie, but this wasn't the only chance he took. He exploited chain gangs in general, which were seen as a useful way to treat criminals rather than sending them to prison. I believe the chance was worth taking because he made a phenomenal movie that showed a side of the law enforcement not everyone got to see. Leroy got his point across very clearly by combining the right actors, the perfect sound, and a true story.

The Navigator (1924)

review

[6/10 · 16 September 2012]

The Navigator was an alright film, I wouldn't say it was amazing…but I don't have much experience with silent films so I guess my opinion isn't worth much. The movie did have quite a few funny parts though, some that were actually funny and others that were just so outrageous you couldn't help but laugh. I enjoyed the fact that the woman had a predominate role, I feel like that wasn't very common back then; I believe she did an excellent job portraying her role. As did Buster Keaton, but together they both made the film enjoyable. By the middle of the movie I found myself getting distracted and kind of lost sense with what was going on. I think it was because the comedy had gotten predictable and slowed down and the story seemed to drag out what seemed like could have been short scenes. Although I didn't enjoy the story line of the middle of the movie I do believe the film work was impressive with all the creative shots and use of detail. Even though there weren't many title cards it was very easy to understand what was going on, which was very refreshing. Over I think the acting and use of detail were some of The Navigators strong points and any silent film fan would enjoy this movie.

Sherlock Jr. (1924)

Review for Sherlock Jr

[8/10 · 10 September 2012]

Sherlock Jr. was my first silent film that I have watched beginning to end, and I have to admit it was not as bad as I expected it to be. Even without dialogue the characters kept it interesting by over expressing things and incorporating quite a deal of comedy. The music also worked well with the movie by helping describe each situation. With every silent film I believe there is expected to be some boring parts, but luckily only found myself drifting off once, but even that part tried to stay intriguing by incorporation a lot of stunt work. Buster Keaton is known for his stunt work, which he executes very well in the film;everything seemed to line up perfectly. I believe anyone who is interested in seeing a silent film should definitely view Sherlock Jr.because it keeps the audience entertained and creates and interesting story line that you will want to follow until the end.