https://padlet.com/osbornsage2/ugadho96dgfw 15 Film Reviews en-us 2016-12-08 19:07:30 UTC 2016-12-11 00:18:02 UTC hello@padlet.com osbornsage2 https://padlet.com/osbornsage2/ugadho96dgfw/wish/142658599 Citizen Kane (1941) directed by Orson Welles is a film about the life of Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) and what his last words meant before he died; “Rosebud.” Charles was a newspaper tycoon and had lived a very lonely and somewhat controversial life. Journalists and news reporters alike scramble to try to decipher what “Rosebud” really means. The scene where Charles Kane is giving a speech in front of the large banner as he is campaigning for office is a masterful shot. Gregg Toland encapsulated Charles Kane’s thoughts and actions into one scene and made the audience understand that to Mr. Kane he is larger than life in his eyes. Another shot that makes you realize the greatness of this film is the shot in the giant room with the seemingly average sized windows but then Charles Kane walks closer toward the camera and the audience realizes the windows are ginormous. Citizen Kane won awards for Outstanding Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Interior Decoration, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Music, and Best Sound Recording. Many great films do not get the recognition they deserve but Citizen Kane was not one of those films. Orson Welles couldn’t have asked for a better debut with this film as he and the rest of the cast are wonderful from start to finish. From the incredible shots to the wonderful acting; Citizen Kane is a cut above the rest and is one of the greatest films of all time.

]]> 2016-12-08 19:10:15 UTC https://padlet.com/osbornsage2/ugadho96dgfw/wish/142658599 osbornsage2 https://padlet.com/osbornsage2/ugadho96dgfw/wish/142658892 The Revenant (2015) directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu follows the journey of Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) a frontiersman leading a group of fur traders through the harsh wilderness. This movie pitts Hugh Glass against a bear, nature, and Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). The Revenant uses all natural light and every shot is taken outside in harsh climate. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki exposes the audience to the elements; bitterly cold, piercing wind, and painful snow to name a few. The costumes all feel authentic and are fitted to each actor accordingly. The voices of the characters are unique to the era and the cast were sensational with their depictions of the voices. Leonardo DiCaprio puts his incredible acting abilities to work as he faces the very real and very harsh environment. This film is a must see for anyone who is vying for action and adventure while also showing the audience some history of the United States of America. The struggles depicted in this film are some of the struggles real frontiersman might have faced in their journeys and Alejandro G. Inarritu lets us see first hand what this would be like. From the masterful shots and the beautifully accurate costume design, he hits it right on the head in every instance. You’ll be enthralled from the opening scene to the last shot. The Revenant is a masterpiece and will go down as one of the best films of the year. Alejandro G. Inarritu puts you inside this movie and doesn’t let you out until the credits roll. If you haven’t seen this film then you should consider seeing it.

]]> 2016-12-08 19:11:05 UTC https://padlet.com/osbornsage2/ugadho96dgfw/wish/142658892 osbornsage2 https://padlet.com/osbornsage2/ugadho96dgfw/wish/142659065 Her directed by Spike Jonze shows us Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) a lonely man with seemingly no joy in his life. That is until he downloads an OS and begins to strike up a relationship with Her (Scarlett Johansson). Her is everything you might want in a mate, she’s funny, caring, and smart. Theodore knows he has found the girl for his future. Only there is a slight problem; Samantha is an OS and has no real, physical body. At first this is weird for Theodore but then he becomes comfortable with Samantha and the fact that she is only a voice in his phone. A voice in his phone, yes, but a much more complex voice than you might imagine. “Her” is always seeking knowledge and wanting to experience new feelings which is great for her but jealousy sets in for Theodore and nothing was the same. The ideas of this film is a possible and not too far future for civilization. Spike Jonze gives us a glimpse of this possible future through the romantic relationship of a man and a familiar yet much more complex version of Siri which most of us have in our pockets at this very moment. Moments in this movie were quirky and knew how to let the audience let out a laugh in the right places as much of this movie had a more mature as well as saddening side. The part where Theodore have very detailed and in depth voice-sex scene is a moment where we get both of the mature and quirky side (the idea of sex with a device is laughable but in the instance with Samantha and Theodore was different as the both of them seemed really in love.) Although unnatural at first, this film pulls you in and really makes you think deeply of the future.

]]> 2016-12-08 19:11:38 UTC https://padlet.com/osbornsage2/ugadho96dgfw/wish/142659065 osbornsage2 https://padlet.com/osbornsage2/ugadho96dgfw/wish/142659219 Saving Private Ryan directed by Steven Spielberg gives us a star studded cast with Tom Hanks (Captain Miller), Matt Damon (Private Ryan), and Tom Sizemore (Sergeant Horvath) as the movie entrenches the audience into what feels like real World War Two combat. The battle scenes take your breath away and make you think you’re looking in a history book. The opening scene of D-Day is a bloodbath, director Spielberg and director of photography Janusz Kaminski, capture this scene perfectly as you feel the war around you as if it were taking place in your own house. Every death feels too real and every lost limb makes you want to call out for someone to help the guy. As the events to find and safely ship Private Ryan back to the states after his brother was killed in action unfolds we get caught up in the story and the struggles Captain Miller's squad faces along the way. Each German encounter could mean death, death means failure and Captain Miller and crew don’t seem like the bunch to fail very often. This movie is about brotherhood, sacrifice, and perseverance even when the odds are stacked against you. Spielberg gives the audience a glimpse what it would have been like on the front lines on a mission deep in enemy territory with nothing but a gun and the man next to you. Although sometimes lacking in creating a more complex set of sub stories and being a little too straightforward Saving Private Ryan is a masterful piece of work in terms of cinematography, acting, sound, and all things editing. If you haven’t already seen this film then make it a priority to see it sometime.

]]> 2016-12-08 19:12:05 UTC https://padlet.com/osbornsage2/ugadho96dgfw/wish/142659219 osbornsage2 https://padlet.com/osbornsage2/ugadho96dgfw/wish/142659542 Forrest Gump directed by Robert Zemeckis is another masterful piece out of the Tom Hanks vault of movies. Forrest Gump is a slow witted kid but he always means well. Throughout the film we see grown up Forrest telling bystanders and subsequently the audience stories of his pastime which almost all shows him caught up with a significant event in the nation's history. From meeting Elvis Presley without knowing who he was at the time and Forrest giving Elvis his signature dance move to winning medals while fighting in the Vietnam War. These stories are all elaborate and have Forrest at the center of each one. Hanks shows us how incredible of an actor he can be. Though Gump can become a world champion ping-pong player and get ridiculously rich off catching shrimp, he cannot catch his one true love. Jenny (Hanna Hall as a child and Robin Wright as an adult) is Gump’s one and only childhood friend and the girl he happened to fall in love with. As Jenny’s life is a disaster and Forrest is living an unexpectedly successful life, he still can’t seem to grab the attention of Jenny as more than a friend. The storytelling from both Zemeckis and Hanks is brilliant in their own right. What makes us fall in love with the stories aren’t the stories themselves but rather having Forrest narrate them and give us his version of the event. The editing and acting stand out to me in this production as Hanks is at his best and each event, although known by most, is put together with Gump added in the mix and it still seems somewhat real.

]]> 2016-12-08 19:12:55 UTC https://padlet.com/osbornsage2/ugadho96dgfw/wish/142659542