ErinKan214 Reviews

Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)

Great Early Film Noir

[6/10 · 9 May 2011]

While I was not completely head over heels for this film, I did enjoy its film noir qualities. I like that it was kind of a combination of genres. It was a suspenseful, crime, murder mystery; which is an undeniable combination. I thought it was both creative and creepy that Lorre's character was always shown lurking around and then finally speaking towards the end of the film. It really added to the spooky quality that made this film more appealing to me. I thought some of the shots were really creative and original as well as the overall chilling mood. The two main characters were not the most stellar actors in my opinion, I have read that some do not even think Peter Lorre did a good job in this film and, I will have to respectfully disagree with that. I kind of felt that the film ended suddenly, I know it is a shorter length film but I guess I just wanted more closure on the characters. I felt like the whole mystery was solved way too fast. Maybe I am just used to these modern day films that try to take the audience on countless twists and turns before revealing the truth. I really enjoyed that dream sequence; it was so strange and captivating all at the same time. My feelings on this film are not passionate but not completely passive. I acknowledge that it was a remarkable film for it's time given that some consider it the first "film noir" movie but, I just wanted a little bit more. The few suspenseful scenes were really enjoyable to watch and I wanted more from the film as a whole.

It's Always Fair Weather (1955)

Bittersweet but Worth Seeing

[7/10 · 9 May 2011]

This film was definitely a feast for the eyes. I loved the dance sequences, who does not like a good Chyd Charisse dance? I also loved the roller-skating number. I am a big fan of movies like "Singin' In the Rain" but to be honest, I had never heard of this film until I had to see it for a film class. This movies differs from those classic musicals though. In "It's Always Fair Weather" the three main characters are always drinking and smoking. This is a sign of the times but I can see why it would not be considered wholesome fun. Also, it is such a bittersweet musical while others are more of a classic, "tie it all in a bow" ending. I think this might have hurt its ability to become a classic. The music was alright, nothing extremely unique but definitely still enjoyable to watch. I did some research and it seems that "It's Always Fair Weather" premiered towards the end of the musical era. So I think it is fair to say that if you are a fan of this genre, it is a must see. Gene Kelly is fabulous as always, I am sad that we do not have talents like him anymore. I also wish this phase of Hollywood cinema would come back! It is such fun to watch. In conclusion, if you are expecting a completely happy musical, you may want to reconsider. These friends realize just how much they have grown apart which is a bittersweet truth for everyone. However, I would see it for Gene Kelly alone as well as the fabulous dancing by the other actors.

Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962)

Interesting Perspective

[7/10 · 9 May 2011]

This is the first film of Agnes Varda's that I saw. Cleo from 5 to 7 follows a self-absorbed woman as she waits to find out the results from a biopsy. I loved how Agnes Varda shot this in "real time". The viewer follows Cleo as she goes along her day and we are not taken on this Hollywood whirlwind of weeks and months smashed together into a couple of hours. I think the message of the film was well portrayed. Basically, life is a gift. Enjoy it while you can because it sure as heck does not last long enough! Cleo does not look on the bright side of things and I think this makes the viewer do the opposite. Watching someone sulk and knowing how he or she should act is an interesting viewpoint in this film. Now, I have only skimmed the surface of French Cinema but so far I like what I see. We read a book about this film for my film history class and if I remember correctly, they only opted to use color in the fortuneteller scene because they only had enough money to do that scene. I could be wrong but, I just thought that was an interesting piece of trivia. The woman who plays Cleo is gorgeous and I think this offers a really neat contrast of her beauty with looming sickness or "ugliness" as she calls it. In conclusion, I really enjoyed Agnes Varda's "Nouvelle Vague' style. I love how she places the viewer into another woman's world for an hour and a half. I love how her message is a positive one and I think I am also starting to love French cinema.

Simon of the Desert (1965)

If only Bunuel could have finished it!

[9/10 · 8 May 2011]

Louis Bunuel's "Simon of the Desert" is a great intro into surrealism is you have never viewed a surrealist film before. Simon is a very religious and spiritual man who takes worshiping God to the extreme (in my opinion). The locals seem to praise him but he encounters the devil in multiple forms. The way Bunuel presented the devil was quite funny and made the film a little more lighthearted, even though it still manages to offer up some social commentary on religion. I was shocked to see slight nudity in the film but it really made the film quite funny. I felt that the ending was a little bit too abrupt. I wanted some closure. However, after scrolling through some reviews on IMDb, I found out that Louis Bunuel actually ran out of funds and had to stop production early. What a shame! This film could have really turned into something magnificent. I already think very highly of this film though, it has a nice balance of crazy and sane. Still, Bunuel managed to work the ending in quite well. I had no idea it was not supposed to be so abrupt. This is definitely a film that is layered in symbolism and rich detail. I want to go back and watch it a few more times in order to truly understand what Bunuel was trying to say with this film. Other than the abrupt ending, "Simon of the Desert" is beautiful filmmaking. The characters are strong, the film has funny moments when you do not expect and it is a great example of the extraordinary work Luis Bunuel did.

Tsotsi (2005)

"Tsotsi" is Brilliant

[10/10 · 6 May 2011]

"Tsotsi" is a gritty, yet stunning film about the life of a South African man who has completely built up a wall around his emotions due to childhood trauma. During the first half hour of the film, I was certain I would not like it. Tsotsi does some horrible acts in the very beginning and I felt no connection at all to his character, I even thought of walking out of the screening because I just was not in the mood to watch a depressing film. However, as the film progressed, so did Tsotsi's character. The film shows how an infant really opens him up emotionally. I think it would be easy to criticize Tsotsi as being too "Hollywood" but I loved that the plot was easy to follow, the characters developed nicely and although I was left wanting more at the end, I was OK with where Gavin Hood decided to leave off. The soundtrack really adds to the mood of the film, I know that location shooting helped as well but the music was great to listen to. The actor who plays Tsotsi does a phenomenal job capturing his tortured spirit and I love that he is not a huge star so that his character is more believable. I can see how there could be some criticism on the fact that most of the filmmakers are white, you don't see them talking about how difficult their childhood was. Yet, I think everyone is entitled to make their own art, whatever they want it to be and I thought Gavin Hood did a brilliant job. Just remember that after the first half hour or so, Tsotsi really starts to transform as a character and the audience gets to witness a touching relationship start to form. Really great film!

The Whole Shootin' Match (1978)

Great Regional Cinema

[9/10 · 5 May 2011]

To be honest, before I saw this film I did not have high hopes. I was expecting a poorly made "indie" film about Texas. Wrong. This film is so beautifully natural in its composition. The actors are actually southerners, which brought so much depth to the film. As a Texan, I was very impressed with the small details Eagle Pennell put in the film. For example, he did not have the characters riding around on horses or chewing on toothpicks the whole movie, this would not have been an accurate portrayal. Instead he shows the ups and downs of two characters lives, Frank being more of the "main character." After viewing the film, I had the pleasure of listening to Sonny Carl Davis (Frank) discuss his experiences with the film. He brought up a great point about this film. Basically, he said that there are not "buddy movies" anymore between two straight men. Everything now is based on sexuality and violence. But here in this film, you have two friends (who were really friends in real life) who have an accurate relationship on film. He also said that the film was a real labor of love for all of the actors as well as Eagle Pennell. I loved that this film was really important for everyone on set and I think that really says a lot about the quality of this film. There is humor, drama and a sense of reality. Some here have criticized the production quality and to that I say, if you are looking for glitz, look elsewhere, this is Independent Cinema! This really is a great example of male friendship in a period when both are struggling to find out their place in the world.

Godzilla (1954)

A Great Monster Movie with Social Commentary to Match

[10/10 · 4 May 2011]

Gojira is definitely better than "Godzilla." I was completely naive to the fact that Godzilla was not the original version of this film and I have to say, seeing Gojira really changed my mind on the whole reputation of the Godzilla series. First of all, to me, this version is not cheesy at all, in fact I found it to be quite sad. This is a form of the horror/thriller genre that hits close to home. In this generation, natural disasters are all too familiar for people around the globe. Obviously, the monster is not "natural" but it creates a metaphor that really pinches a never in viewers. I viewed this film right before the devastating earthquake in Japan so I can't help but think this film was foreshadowing in some way. Now, do not expect stunning special effects or CGI creatures. I actually thought that Ishiro Honda did a great job at not making the monster sequences look too cheesy. I never felt like I was watching a poorly made, outdated film. Now, I can see why the U.S version "Godzilla" was so cheesy seeing as Raymond Burr wasn't even there at the original shoot! I would not go as far as to say that this is the best movie of all time (as some super-fans might say_ but I definitely think this is the best giant monster film. Besides being a great monster movie, the film also manages to make a social statement on the atomic bomb era and show the possible effects of an outbreak. The humans become sick, some of them die and this for me was the most frightening part because it really could happen. Although a monster coming to life from the atomic radiation is highly unlikely, the effects that Ishiro Honda shows are quite realistic and quite terrifying.

Gabbeh (1996)

Innovative

[6/10 · 3 May 2011]

Right after I finished watching the film, I didn't care for it. I was slightly confused throughout, this may have been because I was distracted, not focusing as much as I should have, but I just didn't feel a connection to it. However, after the screening of this in my film class, I overheard other students talking about how much they liked the film and I decided to research it more. My interpretation is that the old couple is the present day version of the young lovers but, I have read mixed thoughts on this. Makhmalbaf's use of color is visually stunning in the film. He uses it to express mood, and as the characters yell in the film, "color is life!" I am still confused as to what the young woman represented. Did she actually exist? Was she the younger version of the old woman? Was she a complete visualization? This may be ignorant of me because I may need to go back and watch the film again to really have a firm opinion on this film. The most innovative scene in my opinion was the scene in which the man is teaching the young children about colors and reaches out to them, bringing his hand back in and having the color all over it. This was such a modern thing to do but it somehow fit so well into the film. Makhmalbaf did such an amazing job combining the culture with modern touches like color or modern film techniques. For me, that was the biggest message I'll take from this film. I will surely need to have a second viewing before making any definite opinions on the plot.

Paisan (1946)

A Great Representation of Film & Italian History

[9/10 · 1 May 2011]

Having seen "The Bicycle Thieves" I was aware of Italian Neo-Realism as a film movement. The film is divided up into six sections with none of the stories crossing over to the other. I wished that the film was one cohesive story but I may have felt this way because of my previous viewing of "Bicycle Thieves." I have always liked the idea of Italian Neo-realism and its ability to capture stories in a realistic way. This is a really great example of an almost documentary style of filmmaking. The cities are real and so are the people. This makes the film more interesting to watch as it is in such a natural state. The characters in each story, particularly the sections that involve children were what moved me the most. Knowing that all of these stories most likely happened at some point makes this film very powerful to see. Even when I was reading previous reviews of the film, it was obvious that many people from other countries truly connected with this film because of how realistic it is. I am lucky enough to say I never experienced any of this turmoil but I can only imagine what kind of intensity the film would bring to my own life had I related to these characters. I would say this isn't my favorite representation of Italian Neo- realism but it is a great glimpse into the history of Italy as well as the history of cinema.

Hypocrites (1915)

Needs to be Watched More than Once

[7/10 · 29 April 2011]

I thought of myself as fairly knowledgeable when it comes to film history but I had honestly never heard of Lois Weber until taking my Film class. Her film, "Hypocrites" was a little bit confusing while I was watching, but after it was over, the real meaning of the film started to sink in.

I loved her use of characters as sort of a double meaning. For example, the naked woman represents truth; the priest represents Christianity as well as a modern man etc. For such an early film, it really was well thought out and intricate. I also found the film to be humorous in a way because the naked woman exposes the congregations desire for material things, something not really taught in the early Christian faith. I definitely think that the true meaning of this film cannot be felt at first viewing, it has to be thought out because Weber uses so much symbolism that it takes awhile to decipher. Also, I found "Hypocrites: to be extremely relevant in today's society. This is what I admire so much about Lois Weber's work,. She tackles the tough issues, which really makes her work timeless. On a bit of a side note, for the time period in which she made the film, it was shocking to see a completely nude woman but I think this is exactly what Weber was going for when she made the film.

Overall, I enjoyed the film after thinking about it but do not expect to be immediately riveted.

Battleship Potemkin (1925)

A True Masterpiece

[10/10 · 29 April 2011]

I have now seen this film twice. I didn't care for it the first time but upon a second viewing I have grown to appreciate it. I think it is fair to call this a masterpiece in terms of political propaganda.

Eisenstein's use of crowds is pretty stunning to watch. While the modern U.S audience may be frustrated with the lack of character development, I found the crowds to be particularly engaging to watch. Again, keep in mind this film has to do with the politics of the time. If one really pays attention to the film it is clear the Eisenstein really did a great job at portraying life on a ship, the Odessa steps etc. I think it is easy to classify this movie as an under- appreciated piece because of its non-narrative structure. However, no one can dispute that the Odessa steps sequence is one of the most famous in all the history of cinema. Eisenstien uses montage to really provoke the audience's emotions and it is heart wrenching to watch the small child and mother be killed. This section really brought a lot of emotion to the film and I loved it. Obviously, the music has been re-mastered but I loved what it added to the film. If you have seen this film once, then see it again because I think a second viewing will really help you understand it better.

Metropolis (1927)

A Must See Film

[29 April 2011]

Metropolis is hands down one of my favorite films of all time.

Fritz Lang does an incredible job of taking the audience into a sort of sci-fi wonderland, which is extremely impressive given the year this film was made. Yes, this film is silent so yes, the acting is a bit over the top but that didn't bother me at all. In fact I think that without the acting, the film would have been very confusing and less dramatic! I loved the sets throughout the film, the sharp expressionistic angles and the high contrasts. I loved the way that Bridgette Helm made her characters drastically different in order to make a statement. Her acting was so well done and heartfelt. I was lucky enough to see the uncut version that is closest to the original. If you haven't been able to see this version then the plot may not make much sense. This could definitely change a viewer's opinion. I had no trouble following the plot and the film really lacked this kind of depth in the cut down versions. This film is so timeless to me. The robot sequence is well done, the special effects are brave but not cheesy and I feel that the modern audience would still be on the edge of their seats when viewing the real cut of the film.

The music, the cinematography and the impressiveness of the overall film is what makes Metropolis one of my all time favorite films.

Days of Heaven (1978)

Terrence Malick is a Genius

[10/10 · 29 April 2011]

"Days of Heaven" is a great example of the art cinema movement of the 1970's. Terrance Malik does a remarkable job capturing the action in a natural state while still advancing the plot in a way that keeps the viewer's attention.

Every shot is well composed and captures the beauty of the Texas backdrop that fuels this film. I really enjoyed how Malik makes the viewer emotionally attached to each character in his or her own way. There is no villain in this film just as Linda says at the end of the film, we all have half devil half angel in us. I thought this really added to the film because it wasn't a typical "good or bad" "strong or weak" "sad and happy" movie. It was hard to watch at times, it was emotional and it was realistic. I know that there was criticism about the abundance of serene images of nature but I thought it was a giant metaphor. The images were also stunning so I think it would be hard to complain about the large amount of them. I'm glad that this film has lasted so well throughout the years as I was not born yet when this movie came out and only saw it this month, but I thought there were some great themes. The characters were timeless because Malik didn't try to make them anything but their time period. There was no elaborate interpretation of the time period, just the plain style and the natural surrounding. I liked that the pace was not so fast and yet I was very attentive when viewing it and it really did offer that "escape" that we all love when watching a great film.

True Heart Susie (1919)

Honest and Poignant

[8/10 · 29 April 2011]

D.W Griffith is considered the first director to implement narrative techniques to his filmmaking and "True Heart Susie" is a great example of this. While I wasn't immediately impressed, I found that as the movie progressed I connected with the characters more and more. Susie is a plain girl with completely honorable intentions who falls in love with William. Lillian Gish does remarkable job acting "for film." Her facial expressions are not too over- produced but it is easy to read her thoughts from a simple arch of her eyebrow. Griffith is definitely making a social statement on old-fashioned values. Susie is a pure character and the film really remains honest throughout. For a silent film, it really kept my attention. The thing I really loved was the character Clarine Seymour played because I think her acting; along with Lilian Gish's was a real testament to the time. Seymour's character is not meant to be hated and she does a lovely job pulling off the "vampy" personality without losing the viewer completely. Also, since I was watching this for a film history class, it was a nice departure to see more subtle acting. This is not similar to "Birth of a Nation" at all so if you are looking for a more epic film by Griffith, this is not it. "True Heart Susie" is an intimate, honest journey of a young girl whose values are tested in serious ways. No matter what statement D.W Griffith was trying to make with this film, he made it enjoyable to watch.