Change Your Image
livieelynn
Reviews
Annie Hall (1977)
A guy and girl have an awkward encounter and end up dating. Their love story unfolds
This was a weird movie. It was funny, there was a lot of unstaged comedy in it. I wasn't a big fan of it because it didn't really show the full progression of their relationship and there would be text on the screen to represent their thoughts which took away from being sucked into the plot. The way it was edited also was unappealing. I didn't like that it started from the end and spoiled the movie. It also set the scene to make you feel upset that they had ended before you even started watching it. The quality of the camera wasn't that great either, I felt like the screen was pixelated for the whole movie. It wasn't awful to watch but I felt as though there were better movies you could see instead.
Fantasia (1940)
A mixture of artists films in one.
I personally love this movie. Its really cute to start off, and the colors are really pretty because it's not just a bunch of solid colors, there are a lot of different shades that all blend in together. The soundtrack was probably my favorite part of the movie(s). It fit the scenes perfectly and didn't drag on with one melody throughout, it had several different melodies and never overlapped with the characters talking. It was like a silent musical. The camera got some pretty good shots in, as well. There was a lot of vertical and horizontal shots especially with some leading lines. It really added to the creativity in each scene. I felt like the meanings of this film all came together at the end, knowing that in the end everything will be okay even if things are bad at first.
Chinatown (1974)
A woman hires a man to stalk her cheating husband.
This was an interesting film. I loved the coloring in it, it was vibrant but it wasn't too obnoxious. It made the movie seem more dramatic. The acting wasn't all that great, I feel like the actual plot is what they were trying to portray more than the characters. It was a pretty socially risky plot, too. It wasn't unheard of having a male commit fidelity but a woman was another story. On top of that, she hired someone to watch him which a woman would have never done in that time period. I felt like the meaning behind it was that it takes two to make mistakes in marriages and commit infidelity. It also showed that sometimes when you dig too deep into something you end up finding things that you didn't want to.
Psycho (1960)
A woman tries to attain money but ends up in a bad situation.
For a black and white film, this was extremely well done. The lighting and contrast was perfect and really set the mood for a good film. It wasn't too bright or too dark and it outlined characters faces and the blood during the "violent" scenes. The camera was great when shooting at different angles. Especially in dramatic scenes, the camera would focus in and out of the scenes to add more flare to the subject and take long shots. I felt like the meaning behind the movie wasn't that strong because it was just a "horror" film. Behind it, though, there was definitely a hint of mistrust and deceit. It kind of showed that psychos are everywhere , no matter where you go and that you should be very careful in going to new places and with strangers because they could not be who they say they are. Acting was okay and some scenes you could tell were really fake but a good film overall.
The Naked Kiss (1964)
A secret pimp murderer tries to escape that life of misery but runs into another.
This was kind of an odd movie. I liked how different it was and the fact that a female was the protagonist and "villan" in the movie. I liked the way how the lighting was alternated between light and dark, it really gave a deceiving feel; it was as though everything was all happy and bright but there was a lot of evil lurking beyond our eyes. The characters did really well at portraying their roles. You could see how hard she was trying to keep a normal life and you could see that he wasn't all good looks and charms and he had another side to him, too. I felt like the meaning was that you don't know what kind of secrets people can hide. It was showing that no matter how perfect someone comes off as, they will definitely have skeletons in their closet, maybe less or more than yours.
The Graduate (1967)
A boy trapped in his parents shadow looking for an escape with his parents hot friend.
The film was very good. There were a lot of great qualities to the movie. First off, the acting was fantastic. The main two characters, Benjamin and Mrs. Robinson, really played their roles well and made you either have empathy for them or hate them at times. The editing had an impact on the film, making it stand out. There are a couple scenes where they are dissolving and jarred to represent his point of view. The yellow coloring of the film made the feel of it more old school and as though him and his family live in this perfect little world. Aside from Cinematography, the meaning behind the Graduate was very important. It really showed that breaking out of your shell is harder than it seems. Not only that, but it shows that the stereotypical prep boys don't actually have it all. They actually are trapped in a world following their parents footsteps and can't act outside how they're expected to behave. Overall, a great film with a break through in film making and social rebellion and love.
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
A young woman living in the city trying to find happiness.
This is such a good movie. Audrey Hepburn does a fantastic job getting into her character and make you feel how crazy she is with her attempts for happiness in life. It was a cute love story, too. The coloring in the movie was good for the most part. It could be very vibrate in some scenes but in a couple of them, it was a little washed out. Sometimes you had some trouble hearing but other times it could be a very loud movie. The lighting was great, too. In more emotional scenes it was a little darker but they did it in such a way where you wouldn't have trouble seeing. They would have darker furniture or dark heavy clothes on to emphasize the emotion in the scene. The only real downfall was how fast the characters spoke. It could get annoying and hard to keep up with them. Aside from that, there were a couple hidden meanings behind the plot but the one I found most prevalent was that if you don't love yourself, you can never be happy. An upbeat, classical movie with an unforgettable romance.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
An Interracial trying to explain their upcomimg marriage to their parents over dinner.
This was a very good film. The color was beautiful and rich. The acting was excellent, the actors really sucked you into the plot and made you either love them, hate them, or just wanted to talk them out of decisions. They made the film very funny and also very emotional. Speaking of plot, it was a very thought out story line. It was good because it kept you wanting to keep watching to see what happened. It was very strong themed, too. It had such a cultural significance to how much trouble interracial couples have especially in this time period. On the other hand, though, it also showed that regardless of color, you should be with someone who loves you as much as you love them and everything else shouldn't matter. The camera-work was great, too, it didn't just stick to the couple, the camera moved with the other characters so you got to have multiple perspectives. A very good movie, overall.
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
Two Children get into a tough situation with their criminal father hiding money and their stepfather trying to steal it
This film wasn't the greatest. Yes the plot was kind of classic, but it was very confusing. The editing was awful, sometimes you couldn't tell what current you were watching. For example, there were a lot of flash backs and sometimes you got mixed up. There was a lot of confusion about the plot too. Usually in a movie the scenes all have details that add up to a story line but this film left a lot of that out. A lot of scenes and features were very unrealistic like some landscapes and situations which took away from the film. The acting was very good, though. The characters really made you sad for them, afraid of them, or happy for them. Lighting was awful. It was a dark and sometimes hard to see and didn't allow for any shadows or contouring for effects, so it could be very bland. It was suspenseful which kept you wanting to watch it. Not a great movie but not a complete flop, either.
Scarlet Street (1945)
A young, beautiful women with a bad boyfriend makes nice with an older wealthy man so she can get money
This film was okay. The plot was good, it had a lot of iconic points to it and it kept your interest. It really showed how women are just as manipulative and sly as men are and that men can get pushed around in a marriage just like women can. It was pretty iconic with the role changes with Chris is completely head over heels for Kitty and lets her play him. There were a lot of flaws to this movie, though. The lighting was awful. The screen was either too bright or too dark or there would just be a blob of light right in the center. It could get pretty annoying as you were watching the film. The camera work was pretty good, though. There was a lot of perspective. The shots were from a lot of different angles and characters. You could get more than one point of view during the movie which made it more interesting to watch. The acting was very good, too. All the actors played their characters very well. Each were very convincing and could really get you into the feel of the movie. Sometimes you could look at the scene and just ask yourself, "Why is she doing that?!" Not a bad watch, overall.
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
A "couple" trying to make a break in movie history but turns into a love triangle.
For a musical, the film was actually pretty good. The colors were excellent, they were bright and really set the mood for each scene. There was a lot of different types of songs and feel in each music scene. It wasn't just one type of, say, a sad musical song. There were funny ones, romantic ones, and sad ones. The sound effects were great, too, they really gave the scenes more humor and drama. The acting was pretty good, too. They all did a fantastic job with showing the different personalities of the characters. Lastly, the camera. This was this movie's flaw. There were long random scenes that were boring and irrelevant. Not only that but there were a lot of shots that were either too close up or too far back. Over the film was well done with just a few flaws that could be fixed.
Mildred Pierce (1945)
A mother and daughter fighting it out, will things ever get solved and knit back together?
Very good movie. Lighting was excellent. There was always just enough light in the scenes to make it dramatic or emotional. There would be a lot of shadows in the background, outlining the characters bodies. The acting was great, Joan Crawford was very good when switching up roles. She could act like a pathetic, desperate mother, then an angry, cut- throat ex- wife. The daughter was great, too. She really could make you think she was innocent and just wanted bigger things in life but then you hated her with all your guts. She really hit the nail on the head with her spoiled, selfish, and greedy character. It was a cutting edge film, there were a lot of aspects in the movie for this time period. Divorce, working women, death,violence, and sexual innuendos pushed the limits in this film. It was suspenseful, enjoyable, and pretty iconic.
Nothing Sacred (1937)
Can this crazy couple keep their lid on their real identity?
The film had surprisingly very good taste. It incorporated both color picture and black and white into one film but alternated at just the right scenes. The color picture did add to the crazy feel of the film. All the colors were very vibrant, it was just like the plot. The camera sometimes shot from a far which made you feel very distant from the story. Most of the actors were good. It was a very wild feeling while watching it, since the characters were all over the place.The plot was actually pretty organized considering the way it played out. It was just a silly film, there was an actually suspenseful underline to it. Enjoyable and enhancing film!
Casablanca (1942)
Can love really make it out of ultimate corruption?
This film was extremely well done. The actors were great, you really could get into the plot as they shaped their characters. The sound effects were very good when it came to the airplanes and gun shots. The dialogue was loud enough to understand what they were saying which is a plus in this time period. The love story really sucked you into their relationship and past and makes you feel the hardships of corruption and economic struggles. The lighting was absolutely excellent. It really made the scenes bright and happy but could get really serious and dark with great face contouring and shadows. The camera did a lot of good shots involving Ilsa and Rick when they would argue, the fight scenes, and the plane taking off. It really emphasized the scenes.
Dracula (1931)
A vampire hiding his identity in a massive castle. Can Count Dracula keep it together?
This movie had some good aspects to it. The acting was pretty good, the actors made the scenes feel pretty creepy, and really shaped the characters; especially Dracula. The lighting was well done for this kind of film. There was enough darkness to set the eerie feel but was great when focusing in on contrast and contouring. The camera did a great job with different angles. It really gave a 360 view and didn't have random, unimportant shots. This was especially present in the staircase scene. The sound effects were pretty good when it came to creaking noises in the castle but was fairly quiet with the dialogue. The plot could get a little boring but the message was pretty clear so it wasn't a difficult film to figure out. Pretty well done overall.
Stagecoach (1939)
The Mid West has a war with the Indians
The sound effects in this movie were very good, the gun shots really rang through the speakers and made the fight scenes more intense. The ability to pick up who was a round or flat character was pretty distinct and showed a lot of evolution between the characters.There was also a social significance involving prostitution, and how most of the men were judging one of the women for being a former prostitute and didn't really look at her like an important human being. It also showed that sometimes in times of need, your unlikely allies will aid you and prior stereotypes go out the window. The acting was fairly good. The drunken doctor did an excellent job with continuing creating his character and the women he treated, and how she turned quiet and kind to an upsetting and judging woman. It had a lot of important scenes, but the plot could get confusing and the dialogue was really quiet and they never really explained anything that was going on.
My Man Godfrey (1936)
Irene picks a man up off the street and hires him into her crazy family.
This film did a very nice job involving acting. Every character added their humor in different ways. It was excellent. There was a lot of air-headed, and over dramatic humor which added to why it was so funny.The setting was perfect, because its almost like watching the Cinderella sisters bicker back and forth in the big house and act differently in the morning to the maid. The relationship between the characters really made the viewer feel like they were really in front of a crazy family, too. It was very realistic. It was a little hard to understand what the end goal of the movie was, which was the only downfall.
Hell's House (1932)
Lying for one person gets Jimmy in more trouble than he ever expected.
The acting in this movie was very good. All the characters really helped shape the movie. The plot/meaning behind it was very hard to decipher but the plot overall never got boring. It really made you learn about how that time period handled crimes and how even a young boy can be thrown into hell without a second thought. The lighting was very well done, too. It was perfect to watch the movie throughout and had darkened with shadows and face contours for effect when needed.This was very apparent in the scene with Shorty and Jimmy in the solitary confinement room. The photography was excellent, there were amazing shots and narrative when it came to the camera. The film lacked good sound effects. It was good, overall, but lacked in some areas.
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
James Allen gets framed for a crime he didn't commit and gets thrown in jail until he escapes. He builds his life back up but can he keep this facade up for long?
For a 1932 movie, this was very well done. It really was able to make you feel as though you were in that time period because it was so realistic. The acting was fantastic, all the prisoners really made the jail scenes uncomfortable to watch, and there were several emotions playing across the screen; it wasn't as if the actors were going through the motions. The lighting was excellent, it was never too dark where you had trouble seeing but the lighting for dramatic scenes really made a difference on how you watched and absorbed it. Another key affect of the movie was the sound. In a couple scenes, like the one where James is getting whipped with the belt, there's absolutely no sound of pain, just the whipping echoing of the walls. In this scene in particular, made a statement because it was trying to emphasize the fact that he wasn't making any noises of pain. In other scenes, these kind of affects were used to represent important foreshadowing, personality reference, and suspense. Overall, well done. The plot was creative and realistic with plenty of excellent affects and suspense.
Frankenstein (1931)
A mad scientist decides to try to spark a brain with electricity to a make a new man. It doesn't turn out as planned.
This movie was a classic but there were a lot of things about it that weren't too impressive. The acting was well done. The scientist really nailed the part of being absorbed into his work and crazed. The lighting, on the other hand, was only mediocre. It was really only a black movie. there weren't much "white" parts in it. It actually got very hard to see several times. Although, the dark did help in some scenes. It did give more of an eerie tone to the scene.There were some impressive camera shots, though. Especially in one scene when he lifts the monster up in the storm and the camera looks directly up and you can see the lighting come down straight to the monster. The plot wasn't very deep.It started out good but kind of just trailed off with little conclusion or ending. If there were scenes with hidden messages they were incredibly hard to pick up on.