Avatar (Flick’s Review)
Posted on | September 21, 2011 | 8 Comments
4.3 stars/reels
Avatar is about Jake Sully whose brother has recently died. Jake was a Marine, but now the Army wants him to take his brother’s job, which was being a scientist and studying the Na’vi, a species of blue creatures. Jake, Na’vi experts/scientists Grace and Norman and a group of Marines travel to Pandora the home of the Na’vi. But Jake doesn’t know that the Marines want to kill the Na’vi and steal the minerals so that they can make lots of money. Jake must choose: will he help Marines kill the Na’vi or will he fight the Marines to keep the Na’vi alive.
With visually stunning CG, Avatar looks amazing but it’s moral has been retold in different ways more than once. From the Planet of the Apes saga to the Harry Potter saga, the moral “everyone should be treated equally” has been done before. It’s good to do it again, but the original part of the story is a little too simple. And then just when the story is getting complex the action sequences become the focus. The middle is slow but it develops the story and the CG animators show their skill. The film doesn’t feel like it’s three hours until the overlong climax. There were some unnecessary zoom ins and zoom outs. There’s also the debate about if Avatar really deserved to be a Best Picture nominee. Is it that good? Or is it just another special effects filled blockbuster? In my opinion it’s both. The climax was too long, the cinematography wasn’t great, the moral wasn’t new and the story was simple but the special effects are excellent, the characters were unique and although its simple the story was interesting.
My favorite character is Jake Sully because he, despite his injury and the tough choice he had to make, kept going.
My favorite scene is when Neytiri shows Jake, Pandora.
Avatar is rated PG-13 and I agree.
Directed by:
James Cameron
Produced by: James Cameron and Jon Landau
Written by:
James Cameron
Produced by:
James Cameron
Jon Landau
Cast:
Sam Worthington: Jake Sully
Zoe Saldana: Neytiri
Sigourney Weaver: Grace
Stephen Lang: Colonel Miles Quaritch
Michelle Rodriguez: Trudy Chacon
Giovanni Ribisi: Parker Selfridge
Joel David Moore: Norm Spellman
CCH Poundermc: Mo’at
Wes Studi: Eytukan
Laz Alonso: Tsu’tey
Dileep Rao: Dr. Max Patel
Matt Gerald: Corporal Lyle Wainfleet
Sean Anthony Moran: Private Fike
Jason Whyte: Cryo Vault Med Tech
Scott Lawrence: Venture Star Crew Chief
Citizen Kane (Flick’s Review)
Posted on | September 17, 2011 | 2 Comments
5.0 stars/reels
Citizen Kane is a great movie. In fact it’s not just a great movie it’s a perfect one. I don’t think it’s the best movie of all time but it’s definitely in my Top 10 films of all time (maybe even my Top 5). It has a great story that is interesting, sophisticated and clever. The life of Charles Foster Kane is the focus of the film. His life is intriguingly unique. Kane is a complex and witty character played to perfection by Orson Welles. It’s surprising that Welles so excellently directs, writes, produces and stars in Citizen Kane because he was only 25 and it was his first film. I can’t wait to see if Welles’ other films are as good as Citizen Kane. At 119 minutes the film is the perfect length. The suspense of who or what Rosebud is adds to the story. By the end of the film, you’ll feel as if you’ve known Charles Foster Kane all your life.
Citizen Kane is about a group of filmmakers who make a newsreel about the life and death of Charles Foster Kane. They send one of their men to find out more about Kane’s last word: Rosebud. The filmmaker asks Kane’s friends and past wives about who or what Rosebud was while doing this he learns about Kane himself.
My favorite character is Charles Foster Kane because as I said before he is interesting and it’s a joy to learn about his life.
My favorite scene is when Kane wrecks his room because the character of Kane is shown in this scene unlike any of the other scenes.
Citizen Kane is rated PG and I agree.
Directed by: Orson Welles
Produced by: Orson Welles
Written by:
Herman J. Mankiewicz (original screenplay) and
Orson Welles (original screenplay)
Cast (in credits order):
Joseph Cotten: Jedediah Leland
Dorothy Comingore : Susan Alexander Kane
Agnes Moorehead: Mary Kane
Ruth Warrick: Emily Monroe Norton Kane
Ray Collins:James W. Gettys
Erskine Sanford: Herbert Carter
Everett Sloane: Mr. Bernstein
William Alland: Jerry Thompson
Paul Stewart: Raymond
George Coulouris: Walter Parks Thatcher
Fortunio Bonanova: Matiste
Gus Schilling: The Headwaiter
Philip Van Zandt: Mr. Rawlston
Georgia Backus: Miss Anderson
Harry Shannon: Kane’s Father
Sonny Bupp: Kane III
Buddy Swan: Kane – Age Eight
Orson Welles: Kane
The Bicycle Thief (Flack’s Review)
Posted on | September 6, 2011 | Add Comments
The Bicycle Thief (Flack’s Review): 5 out of 5 reels
This film is unlike anything else and is simply amazing. The Bicycle Thief is about Antonio, a poor man with two kids and a wife. He gets a job but needs a bicycle so he gets one. But then it is stolen. Along with his friends and family he looks for his bike. Why? Because he can’t do his job without it…….
This film is a masterpiece of cinema. The story is well developed, interesting, mysterious, sad, brilliant and simple all at the same time. The film is in Italian and was made in Italy, but you can watch it with subtitles or dubbed in English. I think the film would be just as powerful as a silent movie. All the actors are great especially Lamberto Maggiorani (who wrote the book the film was based on) as Antonio, and Enzo Staiola as his son, Bruno and the black and white is beautiful. But the best thing about the film is how real it is. For example in one scene when they are chasing the thief there is no big action packed music, it just is how it would be in real life. When you watch this film you won’t think “wow they made it seem real” because this film makes you feel like you are in the story.
My favorite characters are Antonio and Bruno because Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola are excellent actors and the characters are interesting.
My favorite scene is the last one because it is powerful.
This movie is sad. It’s real. It’s interesting, well acted, and excellent. This movie is The Bicycle Thief.
Note: I like the U.S. title Bicycle Thieves because it reflects the ending. If you’ve seen the movie you know what I’m talking about, but if you haven’t, I don’t want to spoil it.
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