Leaving Las Vegas movie review

Rating: 9/10

Nicholas Cage brought home an Oscar in 1995 for his performance in Leaving Las Vegas. Looking back at Cage’s career now in 2011, his movies are either a miss or a hit. Quite frankly, he has more misses than hits. Leaving Las Vegas is definitely one of the good ones.

Leaving Las Vegas follows the story of Ben Sanderson, an alcoholic who decides to move to Las Vegas and drink himself to death. There he meets and forms a friendship/relationship with a prostitute, Sera.

I loved this film, loved it more than I expected. I put this film on and expected a feel-good movie that will entertain me for a couple of hours. Boy was I wrong. This film is dark. It’s gritty. It’s depressing. There was even one scene where it was so gut wrenching I could barely watch. As the film progresses, it just got darker and darker, and more depressing as well.

It is a movie that I, as the credits start rolling, admire the story of the film itself, without having messages of the film thrown in my face. Often times when a film ends, I ask myself; so what? What’s the point of the film? I did not do that with this film.

I simply accepted the film for the story it wanted to tell; a story of two people who needed each other and fell in love with each other. The experience of watching this film is different than most films. It’s an experience where, at the end of the film, you miss the characters of Ben and Sera and the times they had together. You feel like you’ve known these characters for so long and now they’re not with you anymore.

The film comes together so well with the great direction and performances. Mike Figgis directed this film brilliantly. With the help of the music and great cinematography in this film, he brought the night life of Las Vegas to life so well that the setting of this film becomes another character.

Also, the way he showed the effects alcohol has on Ben was fantastic; the constant fade outs and ins that give you the feeling of dizziness. The editing was superb that it too made me dizzy.

The script of this film is outstanding. Nothing in the film would have worked without the script. In fact, there would not be a film without a script. Mike Figgis once again brilliantly adapted a novel by John O’Brien into this outstanding screenplay. Everything that happened in the film was brilliantly written and necessary to the story. Every character in the film was well written with great depth to them.

Nicholas Cage did a fantastic job in this film and clearly deserved his Oscar. It is, in my opinion, his best performance. He did such a fantastic portrayal as a drunk who loses everything he cares about in his life. He did a great job at making the audience feel for his character; how messed up he is and how isolated he is.

Elisabeth Shue was also great as Sera, a prostitute that formed an unusual friendship with Ben. Her chemistry with Nicholas Cage is fantastic. You buy their romance. You can feel their emotional and mental connection. This is due to the brilliantly written script and the beautifully acted performances. 

It was interesting to see these two characters form a friendship and transform that friendship into love. We then get to see the struggles that they go through and the consequences they have to face. It was definitely love that did not end when the film ended.

Leaving Las Vegas is a film about love, depression, and acceptance. Everything about this film is incredible. Everything blends in so well; the acting, directing, and writing. It’s a very powerful and emotional film for me. There were times when I just felt so happy for Ben and Sera and times where I just felt so sorry for them.

Leaving Las Vegas is a memorable film that will stick with me for a long time. It changed my perspective on film and changed me as a filmgoer. I definitely recommend anyone to check this film out. It will not disappoint you. Heck, even I want to watch the film again.

Edward Scissorhands Movie Review

Rating: 8/10

Edward Scissorhands is a highly praised fantasy film directed by Tim Burton. It is known to be Tim Burton’s favorite film he has done. Therefore, I was eager to see how this film would leave an effect on me although fantasy is not one of my favorite genres of film.

Edward Scissorhands follows the story of Edward, a near complete person created by an inventor who unfortunately died before he could finish him. Edward is left in a castle on top of a hill with scissors for his hands. He lives there alone until one day a kind lady welcomes him home and introduces him to her family and the neighborhood.

Edward Scissorhands is a solid fantasy film. I didn’t love it, I didn’t enjoy it that much but It was a good 2-hour fantasy film. The setting in this film is spectacular. I’m not talking about the neighborhood itself, but the world of Edward, a man who has scissors for his hands; the friends he made, different types of people he met, and the things he did in the neighborhood. Tim Burton did a great job at creating this world.

The reason why this film works as a fantasy is the character of Edward himself. If he was not mysterious or interesting, this film would have fallen flat to the ground. But it didn’t. Johnny Depp brings Edward to life and makes him a very unique and mysterious character. He doesn’t talk much. His feelings are mostly conveyed through his facial expressions and actions. Johnny Depp did a great job at creating a likable character who we, the audience, care deeply for and this is the reason this film works so well.

Edward Scisscorhands is basically a character study of how his neighbors view him. The film is centered around Edward, but the real story is how other people see him. First, they see Edward as this new thing in town. He is the odd one out and they all pay attention to him. Then, they start to fear him, when he is still the same person they fell in love with. It was fascinating to see that story pan out. It kind of reflects on the society in the real world.

There are quite a few good performances in this film. Winona Ryder was great as Kim. The chemistry between her and Edward was there and I bought there romance. Dianne Wiest was also great as Peg, the person who takes care of Edward throughout the whole film. I felt her love she has for Edward. The actors that portrayed the neighbors are great too. They did a great job at creating annoying and pathetic characters.

I have several problems with this film. At first, it was interesting and all to see Edward be put in the real world and see him interact with everybody. We see that happening for the whole first half of the film. Then, complications started rising and when it was supposed to be the climax of the film, I stopped caring about Edward. The climax was not interesting at all. I still wanted Edward to be alright but I just couldn’t care for him. When the film was supposed to peak, it bored me a little.

The first half of the film, we see the story Edward where he gets put in this neighborhood but to be honest, nothing much really happens. Some things happened but nothing that important or interesting that kept my attention for the climax. Then, the climax arrived, and I was already a little bit bored. I sat through the climax and the conclusion of the story kinda letting the story pan out on me. I was hoping to be surprised and entertained. But I wasn’t. The credits started rolling and I felt a little bit disappointed.

One other problem I have with the film is the character of Jim, Kim’s boyfriend. In the first half of the film, he is just a typical high school student. Then, in the second half, he turns out to be the main villain of the film. It was out of character for Jim to do what he did. His character is a little too over the top and it annoyed me a little. It made me think that the complications in the film were forced just for the sake of having complications.

Maybe fantasy is just not my cup of tea, but I didn’t enjoy Edward Scissorhands as much as I thought I would. When the credits started rolling, I thought the film was a little pointless. I didn’t really care about Edward and the story in the film was not that interesting. However, it is still a solid fantasy film that I think many people would love and enjoy. I just didn’t have that much of a connection with the film.

Edward Scissorhands is a solid film; good acting, directing, and writing. They did a great job at creating this fantasy world. It is not a bad way to spend two hours watching. If you like fantasy films, I think you would like this film. But for me, the film just didn’t do it for me. It is certainly not my favorite Tim Burton film.

Braveheart Movie Review

Rating: 9.5/10

Braveheart is an Oscar winning 1995 film, directed and starred by Mel Gibson. It won Oscars for best picture, best director, best cinematography, best sound effects, and best make up. Although hugely successful and a highly praised movie, Braveheart was criticized of its historical inaccuracies for its portrayal of the English and the historical events that took place in the film.

Braveheart follows the story of William Wallace, a commoner, whose father and brother died in a battle against the English when trying to free their country, Scotland. After years of absence, William Wallace returns to his hometown in peace, not wanting anything to do with the ongoing war between Scotland and England. However, after another of his loved ones dies, William Wallace sets out to unite Scotsmen to overthrow the English rule.

Braveheart is a masterpiece. It’s almost 3-hour long and I enjoyed every second of it. Everything in this film is perfect: the directing, acting, soundtrack, cinematography. Everything blends in together so well. Randall Wallace wrote a wonderful script which turned out to be a great movie that was superbly directed and acted by Mel Gibson.

First things first, the person that truly shined in this film, Mel Gibson. He took a great risk directing Braveheart, this being his second film as a director. Not only did he direct this film, he acted in it. A lot of things could have gone wrong for Mel Gibson. He took a great deal of risk but he pulled it off. He did a great job both as a director and an actor.

As a director, he was superb. He filmed one of the greatest battle scenes I have ever seen. Together with the great cinematography in this film, he brought the 13^th century setting to life. The film looks incredible. The make-up is also incredible. He created numerous iconic scenes in Braveheart, particularly the scene at the end of the film showing William Wallace’s hand and the sky. If you have seen the film, you know exactly what I’m talking about.  He won an Oscar for the work he did in Braveheart and he clearly deserved it.

As an actor, he carried the film to perfection. With Mel Gibson being Australian-American, I was surprised to see him nail the Scottish accent. His facial expressions and line deliveries in this film are great. I could feel the emotions and feelings through his facial expressions and he delivered every single line perfectly conveying his different emotions throughout the film. He makes William Wallace a likable and a character to root for. He is the reason behind this film’s huge success.

 This film is almost three hours. It could have bored its audience to death if it wasn’t paced right. And it was. It was paced perfectly. I was not once bored during the film. The film is not slow paced at all, it goes on and on and on without losing my attention a single second. It balances well between the battle sequences, dialogs, and the soundtrack.

Without the soundtrack of this film, I would not have enjoyed Braveheart as much as I did. The soundtrack of this film brought the epic feeling to the film. When the scene seems to be normal and ordinary, the soundtrack makes that scene extraordinary. Once again, it balances well between battle sequences, dialogs, and the soundtrack. These three elements, together with the superb pacing, Braveheart is a masterfully crafted film.

The script Randall Wallace wrote in this film is outstanding. Every scene and every dialog is powerful and necessary to the story. He is also the reason a 3-hour long film is not boring. The subject matter in this film is exceptional. Every story arc in this film is interesting, making the audience eager to see what happens throughout the film. His characters are not one-dimensional. They are all superbly written which went on to create a number of brilliant performances.

Other great performances alongside Mel Gibson include: Patrick McGoohan as the evil English King who wishes to take over Scotland. Sophie Marceau was also great as the wife of the soon to be King, Prince Edward. She wasn’t in a lot of scenes but her storyline is interesting and she gave a great performance. Catherine McCormack, as the love of William Wallace, gave a fine performance. Although she was only in the beginning of the film, her chemistry with Mel Gibson was great and you could clearly see their love that was bonded right in front of your eyes. You could also feel the anger and pain that William Wallace suffered.

Brendan Gleeson also gave a good performance as Hamish, William Wallace’s friend that fought alongside him in battle. It was interesting to see the relationship between him and Wallace, and him and his father. Last but not least, Angus Macfadyen, who portrayed Robert the Bruce. He, in my opinion, gave a great performance portraying a very interesting character. The storyline for his character is fascinating and he did a great job.

I understand how people could easily get upset from watching this film and where the criticism comes from: the historical inaccuracies. I had no knowledge of the history of Scotland, England, or William Wallace before watching this film. This film shows the English in a bad light, which according to the history, weren’t as evil. Whether or not the film was truthful to the history, it doesn’t take away the fact that this film is a superbly written, directed, and acted film. I wish people could look beyond the inaccuracies of the film and enjoy its fascinating plot and story the film has to offer.

I loved this film. It’s one of the best films I have seen. It was well written, acted, directed, and cinematographed. I have no problems with the film. I loved every minute of it. It made me laugh and it also brought me to tears. It is thought-provoking and inspirational. I recommend anyone to see this film despite his long duration which might be a problem for some people. It was a three-hour well spent. Braveheart is a masterpiece.

“Brother From Another Mother” a-not-so-short story

Plot:

Ink and Chris are racist rebels in high school. They have their gangs and peers. Chris is in the states and Ink is from Thailand. Their lives overlap when Ink is forced to leave Thailand and enters the high school where Chris is.

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Do things happen for a reason? Or are we just randomly rambling on Earth? Does God really have a plan for all of us? Or is it all just a lie? Do people we meet or things we do have any impact on the course of our lives? Do they even matter? Are they significant? Or are they not? Is it fate or just a fucking coincidence? These are questions that people ask themselves everyday and no one seems to have an answer.

Chris is a white racist rebellious kid in a high school, living in the center of the world, Manhattan, New York.  He thinks he owns the world and no one can touch him. He wanders around school, asking for people’s money. He doesn’t give a fuck what anyone thinks of him whether it’s his teachers, classmates, his beloved gang peers, or his family. He is invincible.

Everyone is scared of Chris. No one would dare to touch him, talk back to him, or even look at him in the eyes. When Chris asks for something, they would do anything in their power to get whatever Chris wants. They will beg, lie, or even steal for Chris. Because they know what they’ve got themselves into if they don’t do what Chris says. A fucking brutal beating. And this is how whites escape a beating from Chris and his gang. But this is not the case for those little midget Asians that turn up to school with glasses and books everyday at school.

Chris hates Asians. No one knows why and no one asks him about it. He hates everything about Asians. He hates the fact that they go Ching Chong Ling Long Ting Tong at each other. He hates the fact that they have tiny slanted eyes. He hates the facts that they eat rice. He hates the fact that they don’t speak English. He hates every fucking thing about them.

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“Who the fuck do they think they are? They all fucking come to our country and make it their own. And everybody likes them. They act like they care about school but all they really want is our girls with tight Asian pussies, those white motherfuckers,” Ink expresses his hatred for white people in his little high school in Bangkok, Thailand, while passing a cigarette to one of his gang friends in a toilet during a lunch break.

“What the fuck are you looking at? Got a problem? Piss off and don’t tell the teachers or I’ll fucking kill you,” a kid walked into the toilet surprised to see five of his classmates smoking and drinking alcohol. Like Chris, Ink is the king of his school. He beats up little kids and steals their money. He sneaks in cigarettes and alcohol every now and then. He doesn’t give a shit what his teachers or parents think of him. He is invincible.

Everyone is scared of Ink and his peers. When Ink comes to school, everyone makes way for him. They will stop whatever the heck they’re doing and just stand still because they are so fucking scared something will happen to them. “Whoops, sorry bro, didn’t see you there,” Ink intentionally pushed a 9^th grader down while walking to his morning class and laughing his ass off.

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Chris and Ink are like the same person. They are racist. They beat up everyone at school. They don’t care what anyone thinks. They are the leader of their respective gangs. And everyone is scared of them including their teachers, gang friends, or even parents.  But there are two big differences between them. First, Chris is in New York City and Ink is on the other side of the world, Bangkok.

 The second difference is their parents. Even though both their parents don’t give two shits about them anymore, they still give them a bed to sleep on until they are 18 and go off on their own. But all this is about to change now. Ink is 16 years old, into his 11^th grade in high school, and his parents have had enough.

They can’t wait two more years until Ink turns 18. They can’t tolerate him going around torturing everyone and hurting everyone around him anymore. So they decide to send him to the place he hates the most, where he will change, learn, and find out how lucky he is to be among friends and family. And that place is America, a country full of white people. They hope America will discipline Ink and return him as a changed kid who got his priorities straight.

“What the fuck mum? I don’t want to go to that shithole. What if I get killed and hanged by those white niggers? Don’t you care about me anymore? Aren’t I still your only child? Fucking hell, this is utter bullshit.  Why do you have to torture me like this? FUCK,” so there he was, swearing, crying, and screaming his hearts out, on his way to a great adventure in a land far far away crowded with the type of people he hates the most.

It’s a freezing morning when Ink arrives in the center of the world, New York City. The airport is busy as usual. People are walking in their own pace, with earphones plugged into their ears, not caring about anyone else and almost walking to each other from times to times. Middle aged men are walking around with their winter jackets slash suits, always looking like they are late for work or probably having a bad day at the office.

So Ink calls for a taxi at the airport, heading to the address on a piece of paper his parents gave him. “Oi, fuck off. I was first,” Ink stepped into the cab. “To east side community school, and please hurry I’m late for my school interview”

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“Can you please stop now? What am I going to tell my parents? I’m bleeding,” cried an Asian student while suffering from a wicked beating from one of Chris’s gang members. Yes, that’s right. Chris doesn’t like to get his hands dirty. He doesn’t want to talk, touch or have anything to do with those Asians. But he loves seeing them in torture. “Eh! That’s enough. Are you fucking stupid. We’re just torturing him no trying to fucking kill him. What if I get in trouble or in jail for that matter? Use your brains for fuck’s sakes.”

“I heard there’s this new Asian coming to our school tomorrow,” Chris closes the toilet door leaving the Asian helpless on the ground. “Yeah, fresh meat everyone, be ready to get your hands on him. He thinks he can just come to our country and make it his own? He fucking made the wrong decision. I’ll teach him a lesson he will never forget”

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It was during class that Chris and Ink met. “Mr………uhmm, sorry I can’t pronounce that. Anyway, this is Ink everybody. Make him feel welcome,” Ms Mansfield, English teacher, checks the roll. “I sure will,” Chris turns to his peer then looks at Ink like a piece of meat he’s going to eat for lunch. Ink looks back and maintains the eye contact for a while. ‘Got a problem? You’re mine, white boy,’ Ink thinks inside. They both don’t know what they’re in for. They’re about to meet a brother from another mother.

The staring doesn’t stop. Whenever Ink and Chris meet, or whenever they’re in class together, they keep staring at each other. It’s a fight waiting to happen. Ink has had enough of it. Ink can’t tolerate being stared by Chris and his pussy friends anymore. He can’t take it anymore. “Come meet me at lunch in front of the toilet,” Ink decides to do something about it to end this once and for all. “And come alone, don’t bring your puppets with you”

Chris doesn’t hesitate for one second. He is sick and tired of Ink’s Asian face. So there they are, in front of the toilet, taking it out on each other. “So what’s your problem, huh? You keep staring at me like I’m a piece of meat,” Ink starts off first stating his curiosity. “Well, I do everything with a reason. And the reason I keep staring at you is I fucking hate you. I fucking hate you and all you people. You fucking come here and make our country yours. Who the fuck do you think you are”

“You hate me? Well, so do I,” Ink takes the first shot right in Chris’ eye. Chris turns red and starts punching back. “Fight, everyone, fight,” a schoolgirl shouts at the top of her lungs to get everyone’s attention so they will come and watch this race war. All the Asians scream Ink’s name and the locals scream Chris’ name. While the two keep punching and kicking and tackling. This is a race war.  

“Sir, there is a fight going on in front of the toilet in the food hall,” The principle’s assistant, quickly told her boss after hearing the news by the school’s janitor. The principle ran to the food hall, furious, to see what the heck is going on in his prestigious school. “What the hell is going on here? Keep eating your lunch or you will all get a detention,” everyone stops screaming and quietly walks away to their tables.

 But the two doesn’t stop fighting. They are still throwing punches. Blood is everywhere, both from Ink and Chris. The principle does not believe what is happening in front of him. He is shocked. “Gentleman!,” The principle angrily screamed at Ink and Chris. Silence. Both of them stopped punching. They look up and the furious principle and slowly stand up.

“You are both suspended. My school does not need racist people like you two. Before you go away and leave my school. You have a detention together. You will be locked up for three hours together and you better sort your problems out. When you come back, I do not ever want to see this happen again.”

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The door is shut. The windows are sealed. Ink and Chris are locked up in a cage with the people they both hate the most. There is no way to escape. They must sit there for three hours with nothing to do and no one to talk to. 5 minutes have passed. 7 minutes have passed. Time doesn’t seem to be on their side. “So, what’s your name?,” Chris throws out the first conversation out of boredom after sitting there for 10 minutes. He can’t believe what he is doing, talking to an Asian guy. But there he is, talking to Ink.

“The name’s Ink,” Ink answered. “What the heck kind of name is Ink,” Chris asks curiously. What the heck kind of name is Chris?” “Chris is a pretty common name, a boring one even. My parents probably ran out of ideas when they named me.” “Well everyone in my country has a nickname. So they wouldn’t have to call each other by their long first names. I guess that answers that.”.

“So where are you from?” Chris finds himself curious about Ink’s background. “I’m from Bangkok, Thailand. You know where that is, right?” “yeah, yeah I do. I’ve seen that Tony Jaa movie. What is it called again?” “Ong bak,” Ink replied. “Yeah yeah Ong bak, I loved that movie.” I love Thai food too. Oh man, I love Tom Yum goong, I’m hungry already.”

Thirty minutes have passed and they are talking like old buddies. They completely ignored the fact that the person they’re talking to is the type of people they hate the most. “You got a girlfriend, Chris? You’ve probably banged all them chicks out there eh? Leave some for me yeh?” “hahaha, yeah sure why not. It’s easier said than done though. With all the girls going crazy for me and all” “Fuck you,hahaha”

One hour has passed. They talked about all the girls they did to the kids they fucked up until Chris touches on a serious subject for once. “Hey Ink” “Yeah?” “I’m sorry for all the things I did and said” “I realize now that I was being a fuckhead” “The same goes for me, Chris” You are not a bad guy at all. Heck I even like you now.”

“It’s just that the world tells us we are not meant to be together, talk together, or be friends. Fuck them, I don’t give a shit about what they say anymore. I will do things I want to do and talk to the people I want to talk to,” Ink expressed his feelings and thoughts. “I thought it was hip and call to hate on Asians. But truth is, you guys are just normal people. Just like white people, there are bad people and bad people. Everything has its ups and downs. Nothing is perfect,” Chris took his turn.

“Right on man, I completely agree with you. Some goes for the blacks, gays and lesbians, they are what they are man. We have no right to hate them.” “Time’s up, boys. I hope you two sort things out between each other and I hope I won’t have to see something like this happen again in my school. Otherwise, you will be expelled. Now go home, and come to school in 2 weeks time,” the principle dismissed Chris and Ink.

“You got any plans for your two week holidays bro? We could hang out sometime, you know. I was just thinking we could both beat some people up or something like that?” “Bro, it’s on. What do you think about beating old people man? I’m so sick of my parents, I have to take it out on someone” “Same here man. Just tell me the time and place and I’ll be there.” “We’ll smoke some weed too yeh?” “Fuck yeah”

Almost everything you do in life is insignificant. Most days of the year are unremarkable. They begin and they end, with no lasting memories made in between. Most days have no impact whatsoever on the course of your life. This event is a significant one for Chris and Ink; one that changed the person they are, and one that they will remember until the last breath they take in life.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall Movie Review

Rating: 7.5/10

Forgetting Sarah Marshall follows the story of the broken-hearted Peter Bretter whose heart got torn apart by a TV star, Sarah Marshall. Peter travels to Hawaii to get his mind of Sarah, only to realize she is confidentially there with her new boy friend.

I didn’t expect much going into Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I expected a solid comedy with solid performances, solid story, and solid comedy and that is exactly what I got. I enjoyed Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I did not love it, but I had a great great time. It did exactly what a comedy should do, and it made me laugh.

The reason why I liked this film is the story. If Forgetting Sarah Marshal was just a mindless comedy with stupid jokes and terrible storyline, I would not have enjoyed this movie at all. Although a well-done comedy, this film has an emotional side to the story. It has great characters that we can root for and we see how the characters change during the course of the film.

I enjoyed the performances in this film. Especially, Jason Segel who was great as the broken hearted man who is miserable as hell. His character is not some guy with a six pack that we see in the back of a magazine. This is the reason we, the audience, can root for him during the film. We want him to change, get over Sarah, and get on with his life. To see his character development was quite fascinating.

Mila Kunis was also great as Rachel, a girl Peter meets on his trip. She brings her character to life very well with her great personality and her gorgeous looks. Kristen Bell gave a fine performance as Sarah, the girl that broke Peter’s heart. She is great as the little bitch in this film, you do not want Peter to get back with her and that is a sign of a fine performance by her.

Russell Brand is also great as Aldous Snow. Russell Brand acted like Russell Brand, nothing really special, but her certainly gave a personality to the film. These 4 actors are the reason this film worked so well as a comedy.

You will definitely have fun with Forgetting Sarah Marshall. However, do not see this film and expect great acting, story, and direction. It’s a comedy and a good one. It will definitely make you laugh. It is funny and at times sad. It’s not a mindless comedy, the film’s got emotions and feelings to it. It provides well-developed characters, and great acting by the actors.

I recommend anyone to see this film if you want to have a good time. If you’re having a bad day at work or school, check this film out and it will cheer you up a little. Just don’t go into this film expecting mind-blowing stuff, take the film for what it is and you’ll have fun with it.

Jaws Movie Review

Rating: 9.5/10

I have been meaning to check Jaws out for a long long time. This is the film that started Steven Spielberg as a director, one that brought him to the world’s attention.  I heard it is one of Steven Spielberg’s best work and I’m extremely curious how this film is going to turn out. Jaws is a 1975 film that won 3 Oscars for the technical aspects of the film; editing, score, and sound.

Jaws follows the story of Martin Brody, the new police chief of Amity, an island town, as he takes on the quest of catching a gigantic great white shark that killed 3 people in Amity. He receives the help of a fisherman and a scientist. He is afraid of water. However, the guilt that has been brought upon him by the people of Amity forces him to take on this mission and bring the shark home.

I loved Jaws. It was great in every aspect. I find it really hard to put a genre to this film. It’s a part thriller, part comedy, and a part character study. It is both funny and scary, entertaining yet thought provoking. What it definitely is a thriller and a highly suspenseful movie.

First things first, the reason why this film has such an impact and effect on me is the directing. Steven Spielberg did an incredible job with this film. He succeeds well in making the scary sequences e.g. the underwater scenes which made me jump of my seat a couple of times. Every time the camera is under water, I have a sense something bad is going to happen. Heck, even when it’s above the water with happy music playing, I even have a feeling something bad is going to happen.

There is two particular scenes that I really loved and scared the shit out of me. One is where Matt Hooper goes underwater in the anti shark cage. The other one is the graphic demise of one particular character who was eaten by the shark. If you have seen the film, you know exactly what I’m talking about. After seeing this film, I will probably feel a little insecure when I go into the ocean. That’s the indication of how well Steven Spielberg directed this film.

Another reason why I love this film so much is there’s so much story going on in the film. It’s not just a shark movie where this monster attacks and everyone is trying to catch it. It’s also a character study. We get these three unique and different characters; the chief, scientist, and the fisherman. The two characters, the scientist and the fisherman, are so different in terms of age and experience and opinions on things.

 But they have one thing in common, they have a passion for sharks. One studies it, and one catches it. It is intriguing to see those two discuss their differences by arguing back and forth and saying bitter remarks to one another. It is also intriguing to see the relationship that bonds throughout the film. They have a mutual respect for each other and respect each other’s views and opinions.

The score in this film is perfect. It’s the one that sticks with you. It gives you the sense of adventure and fear at the same time. It gives you the sense of happiness and scariness at the same time. Every time the score kicks in, everything seems so happy and quiet. But you get a feeling that soon something bad is going to happen.

Watching this film in 2011, where computer graphics have progressed a lot, this film doesn’t seem dated at all. Some people say the shark doesn’t look real. I haven’t seen a real shark but I could easily mistake this one for a real one, or is it? It is definitely gigantic as described by the characters in the film and it is extremely scary looking. And Boy, is it hard to kill that thing. A bullet is not going to do anything. When you see the shark up close, you do not want to be near that thing. You understand the fear the characters are having and this is why the graphic death scene I mentioned above worked so well.

As for performances in this film, everyone was outstanding. The three main characters that went out to sea to catch the shark all deserve recognitions for their portrayals. Roy Scheider was great as the chief police. I felt the pressure and guilt he was having. I understand how he thinks it is his responsibility, as the chief police, to catch this shark. He really cares for the people of Amity unlike the mayor of the town , played by Murray Hamilton who also gave a fine performance.

Other two great characters include; the fisherman and the scientist. The two great backbones of the film, who have different personalities. Richard Dreyfuss was terrific as the rich young man who has a passion for sharks since childhood. When he is being challenged about his knowledge and passion, I felt for him and anyone can. Anyone can relate to his character where you have a great passion for something and someone tells you that you don’t know anything about it.

Robert Shaw was outstanding as the experienced fisherman who has caught lots of sharks. He sometimes comes off as a person full of himself, a person that thinks he has more life experience that anybody else. And maybe he’s right, he does have more experience than anybody else. He provides this film with his unique personality that was a great aspect of the film. The stories he told about his life are a nice touch too.

I don’t have any complaints with this film. I think it is perfect. I loved this film. Jaws is a beautifully cinematographed film, masterfully directed film, beautifully scored film, and a superbly acted film. You cannot get a better film that this one. Jaws is a true classic and it deserves to be. I recommend anyone who likes films to watch this film. I would be surprised if a film fan hasn’t watched this already. It’s one of Steven Spielberg’s greatest films. As far as I’m concerned, it is my favorite Steven Spielberg film. Please check this film out if you haven’t already.

The Graduate movie review

Rating: 8.7/10

Directed by Mike Nichols, The Graduate is a 1967 film that was nominated for 7 Oscars and won 1 for Best Director. The film follows the story of Ben Braddock, a confused young man, who just graduated from a prestigious university. He is confused about his future and sick and tired of the pressure his parents and people around him put him under. He one day has an affair with Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father’s business partner, then finds himself in love with her daughter, Elaine.

It is quite difficult for me to review this film. I have mixed feelings about it. I don’t know how to interpret it. But what I know for sure is, it is a well directed film. It is the little things that Mike Nichols, the director of this film, did that makes it so special; scenes that depict the change in emotions of Ben or scenes that depict the happiness or sadness of Ben.

Not only does it make me understand the emotions of the characters better, it makes the film very well paced. In the beginning of the film, Mike Nichols depicts Ben’s happiness by making it look like the scenes and sequences have no cuts and everything is happening all at once. I think it’s a great technique by Mike Nichols.

When the sad part kicks in, he uses the good old fade out which conveys Ben’s emotions perfectly. As the scene fades out, the story gets slower, and that fade out is a great mood-change for the audience. It gets us ready for what the film is going to be like while at the same time captures Ben’s feelings. Without these little things that Mike Nichols did, this film would have been ordinary. He clearly deserved his Oscar for the work he did with The Graduate.

Another great technique done by Mike Nichols is when Mrs. Robinson seduces Ben. You never get to see what Ben sees, you only get a glimpse of it for like a micro second. But you could feel how Ben is feeling. You could feel how he’s nervous, feeling a little awkward, and just wants to get out of there. But at the same time, a little aroused by Mrs. Robinson. The reflection of Mrs. Robinson’s nude body in Elaine’s drawing/portrait is a nice touch too.

Now comes the hard part, my interpretation of the film. The Graduate says something about how confused teenagers are, how they don’t know what to do and aren’t sure of their futures.  Then there’s this thing about escaping from your parents, the world, everyone else, and act on your own impulses; what you think is right and what you believe you should do.

When the famous final scene kicks in and the twist is revealed, another message is being portrayed. It’s a great ending and also not a clichéd one. But it makes me all the more confused about this film. To be frank, I didn’t really get this movie. I didn’t know what it was trying to say. It’s the type of film that leaves rooms for interpretations. Maybe I will understand it a little more upon a second viewing.

The music in this film is also incredible. The score “sound of silence” is played numerous times during the film and you never get tired of it. There’s also one particular scene where Ben is driving and there’s guitar playing. The guitar is played in sync with the engine of the car. As the car stops, the guitar stops. I thought it was cool and really well done.

I have two main problems with the film. Firstly, the second half of the film seems kinda messy. The film is at the climax, Ben is trying to get the love of his life back, but somehow you can’t just wrap your head around what is happening. In my opinion, this is due to the lack of character development between Elaine and Ben. I didn’t buy their romance. I didn’t buy how someone would go crazy for a girl after one date. I didn’t get how a girl could forgive a guy that quickly and easily. I didn’t root for Ben at all and that just ruined the climax of the film for me.

Another problem is the reasoning behind Ms. Robinson’s affair with Ben and her command to keep Ben away from Elaine. She was trying to escape her loveless marriage and add a little excitement to her life. It is what both Ben and Mrs. Robinson needed. While also trying to protect her daughter from falling in a loveless marriage and abandoning her dreams like she did. From what I interpreted, she doesn’t like the idea of an arranged marriage and she believes Elaine should be able to choose the way she lives and who she wants to get married to.

At the same time, she arranges a marriage for Elaine just so she doesn’t do it with Ben when she clearly doesn’t really know what she wants to do. That really threw me away from the story a little bit. It seems like it’s about winning more than doing things by justice with her daughter.

Enough of the negative stuff, performances in this film are superb. Dustin Hoffman does a really great job with this film as a socially awkward person. We are in his shoes throughout the entire course of the film. We experience what he experiences, feels what he feels, and sees what he sees. He carries the film perfectly.

Other great performances include; Anne Bancroft, as Mrs. Robinson. She is great as the seductive mother and when the role calls for her to be evil, she does it perfectly. Katherine Ross is also great as Elaine, the confused young daughter of two controlling parents. You could clearly see her innocence and confusion portrayed by her. William Daniels and Elizabeth Wilson are also great as Ben’s parents. They played their parts perfectly and you can feel the nerves and pressure they’re putting on Ben.

The Graduate is a well directed film with great acting and good plot. I enjoyed this film to a certain level but I didn’t love it. It’s definitely a good time that I will probably watch it again sometime in the future to get a clearer understanding of the film. It tells a great story and message. The directing, acting, and cinematography are perfect in this film. Maybe it doesn’t deserve the praise and hype this film got, but it’s definitely a good solid film.

Paka's heartfelt letter to Kahu/Paikea - Whale Rider

Dear Kahu,

Kahu, I hope this letter finds you well. A lot of things have happened since we last spoke, extraordinary things. Things that made me change who I am as a person, the attitude I bring to life, and the perspective I have on life.

I was once blind and you made me see. You made me see the world through your eyes, those two innocent eyes. I now realized I was wrong all along. I should have loved you, respected you, and done everything by justice with you. But I cannot change what happened.

You were, are, and always will be the big chief of our tribe I had been looking for. Sometimes people look for things that are untouchable, unreachable, and unfeasible. They travel miles and miles to find whatever they are looking for, only to realize what they were looking for was so close to them that they couldn’t see. And when they can see, it is all too late.

This is what happened to me and you proved me wrong. You showed your determination to learn the Maori culture. You showed strength, courage, and leadership. You believe in the power of the whales and have a special connection passed down from out ancestor, Paikea. You are the Whale Rider.

Being the close-minded person that I am, I did not realize this until now. I ignored you. You showed signs and indications that you were and are meant to be the big chief and I ignored it. I ignored it for one reason, prejudice. I didn’t believe women can do jobs that men do. I didn’t believe that women can be tribe leaders.

But I now realize that sometimes men can’t even do jobs that men do, that it doesn’t matter what sex the tribe leader is. If the person is meant to be, he/she is meant to be. Kahu, my dear, you are meant to be the tribe leader.

I hope it is not too late. I am awfully sorry for what I did to you, your dad, and your grandmother. As I said, I cannot change things that are in the past. All I can do is strive for a better future. I will change and I will prove it. I will not have any prejudices against anything. I will not judge anything before actually knowing what she/he/it can do.

 I now know the importance of family and will embrace it. I now have a different mindset that I will bring to the world as the current tribe leader of our town. I will learn to forgive and forget and I hope you do too. Wise leader, forgive me for I am just a fledging new to flight.

Love, your Paka

300 movie Review

Rating: 9/10

300 is directed by the new Superman movie director, Zack Snyder. He is known as a visual director and one of the best up-and-coming directors in Hollywood. He has directed such good flicks as Dawn of the Dead, Watchmen, and is now currently filming Man of Steel, the new Superman movie. 300 is the first Zack Snyder film I have watched and it reassured me that he will definitely do a good work with Man of Steel.

300 follows the story of King Leonidas, the king of Sparta as he takes on his 300-man army to fight the God king Xerxes. The film revolves around the battle itself and the story of King Leonidas’ wife as she tries to convince the council to reinforce the Spartan army. The film has a simple concept, although it has a runtime of approximately 2 hours, which I consider to be quite long for an action movie. But it won’t be a problem of course if the film delivers.

300 blew me away. First thing first, the visual of the film, this film has one of the best visuals  I have ever seen. Looking like a graphics novel, I first thought that this aspect of the film was going to annoy me and distract me from the story. It only enhanced it. It made me appreciate the film more, and it certainly entertained me. The battle sequences in this film are much exaggerated. However, it is not a problem. This is the type of film that needs to be exaggerated in order for the audience to enjoy.

It also has one of the coolest camera work and editing I have seen. There are scenes that look exactly the same as the graphics novel and it worked. It has one of the coolest sex scenes and battle scenes I have seen. The cool camera work combined with the artistic lighting and visuals, this film is one of the most creative films I have seen in terms of appearance. I know I say the word “cool” a lot, but that’s what this movie is. It is cool.

Having said the cool aspects of the film, this film wouldn’t be successful without the actual story  of the film. A good story is what any film has to have in order to deliver and 300 definitely passes in this aspect. It might have a simple concept, but the filmmaker explores the concept very well. This film has heart. The film is not just about blood and gore the only men would enjoy. It is moving, inspirational, and touching. It also has a message. That, combined with the action sequences, makes for a really well crafted movie.

It balances well between action sequences and other aspects of the movie. As I mentioned, 300 moves back and forth between the story of the battle and the story of King Leonidas’ wife. I think those two stories relate to each other very well and they balance out the film really well. You could really feel the love of King Leonidas and his wife.

As for performances, I don’t think anyone stands out particularly. Everyone performed well and no one dragged the film down. What the film certainly has is iconic characters. King Leonidas, portrayed by Gerald Butler is the heart of the film. He moves the story forward and he is an iconic character. The uniform of the Spartan army is also the aspect of the film that everyone will remember; the black underwear, helmet, and a six pack.

Another performance that I love is Theron, played by Dominic West. I think his character is just plain evil. He is even more evil than the main villain of the film. Dominic West gave a good cocky performance as the cocky councilman. He is certainly one of the most interesting aspects of the film.

My only problem of the movie is that I think the first of the movie dragged a little bit. It was a little slow and it bored me a little bit. However, the first half of the film sets up the movie well and it clearly explains the story of the movie which makes up for a hecka entertaining second half. I also wish that the main villain of the film, Xerxes, would be a little bit more evil and has a bigger role to play in the film. He’s an interesting character and I’d like to see more of him.

The second half of the film blew me away. I was there with the Spartans the whole time, hoping for them to win and defeat the Persians. The demise of one particular character broke my heart. It came out of nowhere and it affected me as an audience. If you have seen the film, you know it exactly one I’m talking about. You kind of get what those Spartans are going through and the emotions they’re having. You also know that they have a strong merit code that they all obey to until the minute they die.

I’m a sucker for messages in film. I think every film has a message whether internationally or not. 300 sends out a beautiful one. This is one of the reasons that the plot of the film works so well. The filmmakers started exploring this message with the reason Leonidas decided to fight the Persians, the merit code Spartans always talk about, and the ending. The ending of this film is perfect. It left a good impression of the film and left a very inspirational message.

300 is a slow action film. It takes its time to explain the plot, build the story, and build the tension. Do not watch this movie expecting a mindless action movie without a story. I will say this again. The story of this film is a simple one. But they explored the concept of the film really well. The story is moving and by the end of the movie you will be sad and happy at the same time.

I recommend anyone to watch this film. It’s a guy movie but a woman can certainly enjoy the film. It’s a memorable action movie you will enjoy and have fun with that will stick with you for its originality in terms of the visuals. It will also stick with you for the good story and the iconic characters. I love this film and enjoyed it very much. THIS IS SPARTAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

The damned united movie review

Rating: 8.7

Being the avid football fan that I am, I was excited to see this film. I, however, have never heard of Brian Clough before in my life. Therefore, going into this film, I wish to learn a little bit of football history. I wanted to learn the history of the once great Leeds United, although truths may have been altered to create drama in the film.

I was curious how football is going to be portrayed in the film. I was curious how well the Oscar winning director Tom Hooper have done with this low budget film. I expected good things from this movie.

The Damned United is BASED on the story of Brian Clough, a former English footballer, as he takes on the challenge of managing one of the biggest football clubs at the time, Leeds United, after having successful years at Derby County. He has one objective during his career as a manager, to beat his rivalry, Don Revie.

The film flashes back and forth between the year 1974, as Brian manages Leeds, and the years where he managed Derby County with his long time friend and assistant Pete Taylor. The Damned United depicts the friendship between the two and the fights they had because of Brian Clough’s personality.

I loved The Damned United. It was fascinating in every aspect; the directing, acting, and especially the story and the message/theme of the film. Tom Hooper won an Oscar the following year for directing The King’s Speech, and I have no questions about it. The work he did with The Damned United is spectacular.

The way he constantly flashes back and forth between Brian Clough’s days in Leeds and Derby is just genius. It shows how Brian has changed, how his life has changed, and how people around him have changed. The way he films the football sequences is also fantastic. I feel like I was watching football in the 70’s. The choreography in this film is beautiful. With everyone constantly smoking in every scene, the film gave me realistic sceneries of what it would have been like in those days.

As I mentioned, I am a huge football fan, therefore, it gave me more the reason to love this film. In my opinion, the reason why I loved this film so much is because the story of the film and the message it tries to convey. I love the idea of how one’s egotistic personality can build him and destroy him at the same time. I love the idea of how one’s friend can save him/her from disaster and without him/her, he is nothing.

Brian Clough is nothing without his friend Pete Taylor and Pete is nothing without Brian. They are a pair of shoes. If it’s missing a shoe, it won’t work. This film is just one big example of this theory. It shows when they were together, and the shoes worked perfectly. It shows when they were apart and it didn’t work. It shows when they are reunited, and the shoes worked again.

Another aspect of the film that I can’t ever forget is the performances in the film.  Martin Sheen is perfect as Brian Clough. He brought him to the screen with perfection. He brought the emotions, feelings, and personality of Brian Clough to life. He also resembles the real Brian Clough which is a good thing. He is one of the main reasons why this film works so well. Without his performance, I would not have liked this film as much as I did.

Another performance that was equally great is Timothy Spall as Pete Taylor. He helped Martin Sheen carry this film to perfection. The chemistry between them on screen is just beautiful. When they were apart, you really want them to get back together. And when they got back together, there’s a smile on your face. That’s a sign of a great chemistry on screen.

One minor problem I had with the film is that there are so many factual errors with the film. I believe that they could tell the story just as great with the facts being correct and true. However, the film still told the story it set out to tell and told it perfectly.

I believe that this film is not about football. It’s about friendship and how one’s ambitions can build and break him. Football is just a small aspect of the story. Therefore, I don’t believe that one needs to be a football fan to truly enjoy this film. This film tells a beautiful story that anyone should hear and experience. It will give you a smile on your face and a new perspective on life.

Anyone can enjoy this movie. It’s barely a sports film. Football/soccer should not get in your way of enjoying a well made movie. I recommend anyone to watch this film, football/soccer fan or not. It is not getting the attention it deserves because of the football aspect of the film. Please watch this film, it tells a beautiful story. I can’t express enough how much I’m impressed with this film. It’s completely underrated, please watch it.

Full Metal Jacket movie review

Full Metal Jacket review

Rating: 9.2/10

Let me start off my review by saying that I’m not a big fan of Stanley Kubrick after seeing only one film of his, The Shining. I just didn’t get it at all. It was too vague for me. I don’t mind films that leave a cliffhanger at the end or has room for interpretations. But this is not the case for The Shining, everything is unexplained. For this reason, I can’t tell if the movie is plain genius or just straight out dumb.

Enough of me ranting, this is the review of Full Metal Jacket not The Shining. Full Metal Jacket follows the lives of young men who enlist for the US Marine Corps. The film focuses on how the brutal training and the Vietnam War affect the Marine recruits.

Watching this film gave me a very different experience from watching The Shining. This film feels like it is separated into two parts, the first half of the movie, and the latter. The first half depicts the training the Marine Corps go through. After completing the training, these men go on to be marines, wairriors, men that have purpose in life. But some don’t. Some just mentally don’t change and the training destroys him forever.

In the second half of the film, these men seem to have changed from what they were in that training. They changed the perspective on life, war, and everything else around them and it is fascinating to see the film captures that so well. The transition from the first and the second half is a brilliant one. I’m not going to tell you what it is but it sets out the mood and tone for the rest of the film; the cold atmosphere, the sadness.

This is what I love so much about this film. It tells truths, facts, and events that happened. It captures emotions and feelings that those men had. In this film, Kubrick doesn’t throw some philosophy stuff like he did in the Shining. By the end of the film, you know what he’s trying to say. You know that no one should go through what these men did, that war is bad, fighting is bad. This film was anti-military and I loved that about it.

The only problem I had with the movie is that in the second half of the film, it lost my attention a little bit. Something was missing. It feels like a whole different film with some of the same characters. You are introduced to this whole new world that you are not yet ready for. It lost substance that the first half had. It didn’t have those iconic moments that the first half had. The characters you loved in the first half were either gone or have changed completely.

However, this is just probably 15-20 minutes of the second half of the film. When those boring parts were gone, and the last 40 minutes or so kick in, I loved the film. It depicted great battle sequences and also very realistic ones. It depicted how War could so easily get out of control. But I still loved the first half way more than the second and the first half will remain what anyone remembers when thinking of Full Metal Jacket.

Another reason why this movie works so well is the performances in this film. The performance that, in my opinion, stood out the most was R. Lee Ermey who portrayed Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. I read somewhere that he is a former drill instructor or something along those lines. I think this is why his performance is so convincing. Everything word that comes out of his mouth is what I would imagine a drill instructor would say. Although, sometimes mean spirited and menacing, his character is one of the most memorable characters in this film.

Another character that stood out was Private Pyle played by Vincent D'Onofrio. I love his character. He is the type of person that you would not normally find in the Marine Corps. He comes out as rather childish. This is the reason why his character is so fascinating. He gave a perfect example of why some people can’t handle War, why some people are not born to kill. His performance was memorable, convincing, and a terribly sad one.

I loved loved this film. I think it is one of the best war movies ever although I still haven’t seen the other classic ones but this has got to be one of the top ones. It shows what War can do to some people. It would change people’s lives forever. It saves lives and also destroys lives. Stanley Kubrick achieves this so well without even having to put in brutal scenes in the film. I definitely like this film more than The Shining although they are very different films.

I recommend this movie to everyone. It’s beautifully directed, acted, and written. This is a film that depicts the realism of War. You will certainly have a think about what War could do to people after watching this movie. The film sticks with you. It’s a memorable film that anyone should watch. It’s brilliant.

Rear Window Movie Review

Rating:  9/10

**Please be ware of the spoilers in this review, please skip the spoilers part of this review (I have clearly annotated this in the review) if you haven't seen the movie. I don't want to spoil this classic to anyone.

Recently, I had a chance to watch the highly recommended classic “Rear Window”, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense. I am a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies. They are suspenseful, creepy, and always keep you at the edge of your seat. I had high expectations going into this film after hearing a lot of praise about the movie.

It has a high IMDB rating, it is directed by Alfred Hitchcock, what I’m afraid of going into this movie is that I might not like it or I might not love it. I expect to not once feel bored while watching this movie and that by the end of the film, the film will surprise me with its twist or ending like other famous Hitchcock movies. I expect a masterpiece.

Rear Window is about a photographer, Jeff, who is stuck in a wheelchair in his apartment with nothing to do except spying on his neighbors. He becomes convinced that one of his neighbors murdered his own wife and starts investigating the incident from his rear window. It’s a very basic plot, and also a perfect one for a suspenseful movie.

The film starts out nice and slow, explaining the plot and introducing the characters. It was even at times too slow for me but I knew that the film would get more intense as the story progresses. And it did exactly that. The climax and falling action of this film are the most suspenseful parts of the movie. I was at the edge of my seat, rooting for the characters, and always curious how the film is going to turn out. This is exactly what I want in a Hitchcock film.

The music was also great in this movie. Thrilling scenes in movies these days need scary music to intensify the suspense of the scene. But not Hitchcock, Hitchcock has the ability to make a scene with acoustic or soft music and make the scene really suspenseful. The acting and direction alone are suspenseful enough and it only made the scene more gripping and thrilling with the piano song playing.  It was genius.

(SPOILERS START)

I was, however, a little bit disappointed with the ending of the film. I think the director could have explored the idea of messing with other people’s privacy at the end of the film. They talked about this matter once in this movie and not mentioned it ever again. I mean is it really ethical or moral to spy on other people’s lives? Like Jeff said, if someone is watching a man with binoculars spying on another man, it wouldn’t be ethical.

I get that by the end of the movie, Jeff had nothing to be sorry for. He was right, Mr. Thowald killed his own wife. But when it wasn’t really obvious that Mr. Thowald killed his wife, Jeff was just as convinced as he was at the end of the film. He had no evidence yet he was so sure. I think Hitchcock could have toyed with that idea about morality a little more in the film.

He didn’t have to throw a big explanation, but a conversation or two during the movie or at the end would be nice. When Jeff acted a little cocky to his friend Doyle at the end of the film, I didn’t buy it and it had no impact whatsoever on me.

Following the idea I mentioned above, the film would have had a much more impact on me if Mr. Thowald didn’t really kill his wife and Jeff is just interpreting things the way he wants it to be interpreted. The ending would have a much more impact on me. The characters in the film would change. But in this ending, none of the characters changed. For this reason, when the credits started rolling, it just gave me a MEH feeling.

Another problem I have with the film is that towards the end of the film, when Jeff and Thowald finally met for the first time, it wasn’t as suspenseful as it could have been. Thowald walking slowly and stopping every time Jeff flashes his camera, I didn’t really but that. Jeff screamed out for help and Thowald started attacking Jeff. And the police arrived in time just to save Jeff. I expect a little more from Alfred Hitchcock.

(SPOILERS END)

Don’t get me wrong, I still thing this film is really well made. It was well acted, directed, written, and choreographed. Hitchcock directed the heck out of this movie. The climax was really suspenseful, the fade ins and outs during the film were nice. And as I was watching the movie, I felt claustrophobic. The direction/choreograph of the film was perfect that I felt like I’m stuck with Jeff in his tiny apartment.

As for performances in this film, everyone was perfect. No one held the movie down. They all helped carry the film to perfection. James Stewart was great as Jeff. Grace Kelly was great as Lisa. And Thelma Ritter was great as Stella. The neighbors in the movie were a nice touch too. We never really got to know them, but by the end of the movie, you feel like you already know and met 

them.

The direction was great, the story was great, the acting was great. But I didn’t like this film as much as I thought I would. It left no impact on me. The first half of the film was a little too slow for me and the ending was a tad disappointing. The fact still stands, however. This movie is really well made. It is a masterfully crafted film. The plot is genius and the acting is phenomenal.

Does it deserve to be called a classic? Yes, definitely. The film is as close as good cinema you going to get. It didn’t need special effects to drive the film, it got the acting and plot to do that. I just wish I could like this film a little more than I do right now. Maybe it will improve upon a second viewing. I recommend this film to anyone who has passion and love for cinema. It’s a masterfully crafted film from a legendary director, Alfred Hitchcock. This movie is a classic and a masterpiece, please check this film out if you haven’t already.