juliettekealy23-blog

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Us(2019)

Us is another movie i absolutely loved. The story, the visuals, the overall theme, the acting, the dynamic between all the characters was just stunning. Its about a family of 4 who goes on vacation to their beach house, but takes an odd turn when their doppelgangers appear and begin to torture and terrorize them. This movie was so cool because it's so different from other horror movies being made today. Without giving too much away, I loved the scene where you see all the other doppelgangers in the basement, walking around and doing things in the same way the real versions of them are doing. The red jump suits and scissors were an odd and nice touch. They all match which is visually pleasing. I really liked the scene in the mirror house where the little girl sees her reflection, but then you soon realize it's not really her and is her doppleganger. It appears that the doppelganger pulls the real self into the mirror, as if they switch places. We think the doppelganger goes back to the normal family and we never really know what happened back there in the mirror house. I love that mystery and even though ive watched it multiple times i think i know what actually happened, but there is no confirmation that happens in the movie. If you want to see a sick movie that will keep you on your feet, interested, confused and kinda freaked out, then you should definitely watch this movie, and watch it more than once.

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Joker(2019)

Joker was an amazing movie. Not basing it off of any other jokers or comparing it to any other jokers because I haven't seen any of those. If you haven't seen it, you totally should. I saw it 3 times i think. I just love the camera shots and angles. I loved the acting most of all. I loved the way the story was told and the colors in the movie. Just overall I really enjoyed this movie. It inspires me to make something as great as that was. Although it is a bit dark and disturbing, the way each of those uncomfortable scenes were shot just makes it intense, real and cringe in a way. Joaquin phoenix just did an incredible job. You can really tell he put his all into his role, on and off screen. The amount of weight he had to lose and the mindframe he had to think in throughout the whole movie just shows you how dedicated he was to this role. It really showed. A few scenes I loved is when he was walking away from someone, laughing hysterically and then went straight to a completely serious face. Going from one extreme emotion to another on command must be very difficult but phoenix made it seem so simple. The story is also incredible, and the way it was told and shot during the 2019 Joker. It blew my mind when towards the end you realize that the girl Arthur was with wasn't there the whole time, and that it was all in his head. It makes you question the whole movie, where it ends back with him in a mental institution. It makes you ask yourself was any of that real or was he really just in the hospital for the entire movie, just imagining everything. Excellent film, storytelling, colors, shots and everything.

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The Sting(1973)

The Sting is a Comedy/Crime/Drama. After the murder of a mutual friend, con man johnny hooker and Henery Gondorff team up to take revenge on the evil boss responsible for this crime. Things don't quite go according to plan when their con unfolds, leaving them with no choice but to improvise. I had a pretty neutral opinion about this movie, nothing I really disliked but nothing i loved. I did enjoy the old timey vibe about it. The town and buildings, the suits and outfits that were worn are something I really liked. I felt like it was kind of weird to watch because the mouths lined up with the voices but I felt like something was weird/ off about it. May have just been the production quality in the 70s. It looked like it was dubbed over after the fact, and the mouths don't match the loudness of what was coming out of them. Also I realized at times where one of them would be running, it was obvious that the footsteps were foley. I don't mean to be so harsh because I know it was a newer way of editing for that time period, but when I notice things like that it just takes me out of the feeling that I'm in the movie with them. It makes me feel like im watching a movie that wasn't really thought out completely or that put in 100% of the effort to at least make the footsteps look/ sound real. Same with the mouths and volume of the voices. Other than that, I did enjoy the vibe of the old cars and their outfits. Storyline didn't really hold my attention, but overall the movie was decent. 

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The Godfather (1972)

The 1972 film was written/directed by Francis Ford Coppola and co-written with novelist Mario Puzo. The Godfather did something new at the time. It presented an era in the 1940’s that takes the viewers into the world of the Italian Mafia. The film is an excellent portrayal of power, betrayal and family. It is beautifully written and stunningly executed. The film throughout, has absolutely stunning performances by Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall.

 The Godfather alternates between darkness and light. Camera shots and gorgeous lighting help control the different feels and textures thought the film. Its enjoyable to watch the The Godfather while having an understanding that each scene or shot is significant in a massive way. They are crafted to help support the story. It has great plot, great and well developed characters. The 2 hour and 55 minute drama never gets boring. It holds you interest full of thrills. The custom and set designs are spot on. The effects for the time are very impressive and the soundtrack really sets the mood throughout the entire film. The film is dark and has a depressing story with the relationships being torn between members of the Corleone family and the other mob family’s mentioned in the film. The Godfather deserves its status as one of the best films ever made. An essential film for any film fan.

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The Shining(1980)

The shining is a mystery/ Psychological movie. It's probably one of my favorite movies.i love the weird style of it, and the weird vibe it gives off. I didn't fully understand the movie the first time I watched it, and still im not fully sure i know what it's all about. The story is about a family who goes to stay at an isolated hotel for the winter. An evil presence leads the father into doing violent things, while his young son can see the past and future and most of these images are horrific, especially for a child to see. I absolutely love Jack Nicholson's acting. He really puts on a show and plays his character very well. I also feel like Shelley Duvall and Danny Lloyd play their characters very well. They have this weird dynamic together and it oddly works perfectly. I love when the elevator opens with the blood, i love the redrum, i love when Nicholson is yelling at Duvall as she is holding the bat walking up the stairs. There are so many scenes that I love for acting, and just for the visual of it. Another cool scene is when jack is chasing after his son in the maze outside in the freezing cold.  I really enjoy the intensity of it, and im not sure if they actually filmed in the freezing cold but if they did then that makes it even better. By the end of that scene, danny has escaped and you can just see that jack has gone crazy. The location of the movie and the colors/ style and time period is something I find really interesting. Something about scenes being shot in the hallway of an empty hotel makes the movie have an eerie feeling.

Id suggest The Shining to anyone over the age of 14, its a classic that everyone should see and appreciate.

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Raging Bull(1980)

Raging Bull is about the life of a boxer named Jake Lamotta, and how his violence and anger led him to be the best in the ring but ruined his life outside of it. The movie was written by Jake Lamotta and was directed by Martin Scorsese. I usually don't like fighting movies or fighting in general, but I really enjoyed this one. It was really intense, not only in the ring but everything that happened outside the right as well. The dynamic between him and his wife is crazy. Over the smallest things it has to turn into a big heated argument. For example, when she is making him steak and he wants it not cooked for so long it turns into a screaming match and he flips the table over. That is just one example of the intensity of this movie. I don't think it would have been as good as it was if they didn't have it be like that. The movie is also in black and white, but that didn't make it any less good. I usually feel like black and white makes me lose interest because it doesn't have the colors to set the mood. This movie is so strong that I didn't even really notice that it was in black and white. I also liked the Close up shots when he was in the ring fighting. It makes it more intense and keeps the viewer interested. It was a cool use of close ups because usually in a fight scene it's all wide shots. Seeing the facial expressions and emotions from the fighters gives the movie a different feel from others. The scene where he is repeatedly getting hit in the face and isn't fighting back is hard to watch. Then when its a shot on the opponent staring at Jake, and the camera zooms out around him. That's also a really cool shot. Right after that everything goes quiet and the camera is on Jake and I assume that's what is going on in his head, silence. I can go on about how cool all these camera angles and shots are, but to sum it up there are a bunch of shots that really caught my eye.

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Halloween(1978)

This movie is about a man named Michael Myers, who escapes from a mental hospital 15 years after killing his sister on halloween night. He returns to his hometown to kill again. This is a classic Horror/Thriller that is the basis for the history of Horror movies. I was told that if I love horror movies I have to see this one. Although I appreciate this movie for it leading other horror movies to exist, I didn't really enjoy it as much as i thought i would have. I felt like the acting was too obviously fake and dramatic on purpose. I felt like there was a wall in between me and the movie. When I enjoy a movie, i like to feel like I'm apart of it and get scared at what the characters are getting scared. With this movie, I didn't feel like that. It gave me more of an anxious feeling when id see Michael Myers approaching someone but that character didn't know.  It was slow moving and just didn't catch my attention. I enjoyed the story line but i wish they executed the acting better. Something I did enjoy about the movie was the music. It helped the story, it fit the scenes. The piano is an iconic and recognizable melody, everyone knows it is from this movie. Its spooky and mysterious and really makes the scene more intense. Music in a movie is really everything. It affects the mood or can completely change it. If it were a happy upbeat song, the movie would probably come across as confusing or in a funny tone. 

Id recommend this movie to someone who is interested in the history of horror films. Its not something you want to watch with children and if you enjoy older movies you would probably enjoy this one.

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The Wizard of Oz (1939)

This movie is another one that made history. Everyone knows The Wizard of Oz and I would hope 50 years from now people would still know this movie. The Wizard of Oz is about a girl named Dororthy, and she is swept away off her farm in Kansas and ends up in the magical land of Oz. she sets off on a new journey with her new friends she made along the way. They are trying to find the wizard of Oz to help Dorothy find her way home and help her new friends too. The Wizard of Oz won 9 awards and was up for 14 nominations. I feel like the difference between movies back then and now is that in the past, a lot of movies were creative in the way that they came up with creatures or different types of people. For example all the characters Dorothy meets in Oz aren't real people. In my opinion that's really cool and creative to go the extra mile to come up with such an idea. In movies today i don't feel like i see that as often. Or at least in the movies I watch, they are more like real life situations or stories that only have real people in it. That's something I love about this movie, is the world they are in and the creativity behind all of it. It also has a theatrical feel to it, where the characters break out into song and dance. I applaud that as well, because it takes alot to choreograph all of that, but then to also make sure you do it right because you are on camera. It must be hard to edit and have continuity while shooting a dance from different camera angles. That is something I want to experiment with.

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Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

This movie is a Action/Adventure/ Fantasy. This movie made history. It was the first of 9 movies that became very popular to all audiences. Some may say it was the greatest movie ever to be made. It changed people's lives. The story is not something that I fell in love with, but I can definitely see why it had such a huge impact on society. I love the visual aspects of the movie. It has an amazing storyline, dynamic between characters, visuals/ settings/props/ everything about it. It makes you feel like you are in a different world. Not only looking at it, but you really feel like you are right there in the movie with the characters. That is what makes it unique and different from other movies.

To sum it up, the first movie is about Luke Skywalker(main character) who joins with a few others to save the galaxy from the empires world-destroying battle station. At the same time, Luke is also trying to save Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader. Some things I love about this movie is all the creatures and characters. I like how they look like they are in a different world(which they are). It's interesting to see someone be so creative to come up with these new and different looks. I also love the music. It's so original and when you hear certain songs you know it's from the Star Wars movie. These things that stand out to the viewer is what makes this movie so memorable and legendary. You can tell that they must've had a very large budget. There was so much work that was put into this movie and i'm glad it paid off for them. Going into it, it must've been scary to put so much on the line, spend so much time and money into something that you weren't sure how the outcome would be. Luckily it was a hit and is still an ongoing franchise today.

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest(1975)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a deep serious film that is filled with comedy relief throughout. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a classic and masterpiece directed by Milos Forman. The acting from Jack Nicholson as Randle McMurphy, Danny DeVito as Martini, Christopher Lloyd as Taber, and many other great actors in this film, it is superb. From the beginning, the story grabs a hold of you right away and takes you along a tough journey until the very end. But really, its Jack Nicholson performance that really shines in this film. He electrifies the character of McMurphy and really brings him to life. Also to mention Louise Fletcher’s performance of Nurse Ratched. she is the definition of evil and she plays her so well.One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest shows the reality behind mental hospitals. somewhat normal or sane people who are being convinced they are crazy when they just need a little help eventually do go crazy do to the terrible ways the hospital treated their patients. This happens to McMurphy and its truly heartbreaking but fascinating to watch. The soundtrack fits well with the film as well as the overall look. The Cinematography is great. The use of a brownish greenish color pallet helps support the movies eerie cold and empty feeling.One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a must watch and it should be recommenced to anybody who loves darker realistic films. There are funny moments of course though and it only adds to the films greatness. 

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Citizen Kane (1941)

The film Citizen Kane was astonishing in 1941 when it was first released and it is still astonishing today. While directed and lead acted by Orson Welles who plays Charles Foster Kane, Citizen Kane delivers a power and in depth story while Welles portrays and very interesting character. The film takes you a ride across Charles Foster Kane’s life through multiple decades. Seeing the world around him change as well as Kane’s own values change, it sets up a sad world for a soon to broken man. Through all his life troubles with business and his love life, you see his world crumble beneath him as a result. The film is a one of a kind and one of the first films to do something this extreme. Especially how the film sets up a montage of news papers in the beginning and then shows Kane in the end of his life, it grabs a hold of the viewers and makes them want to find out what happened. Throughout the film your invested in finding out what did Charles Foster Kane’s last words mean as well as the characters.

Its enjoyable to see Wells begin as a young of 21 year old, go through his middle age and then eventually to his death. As weird as it may sound he makes every moment believable. The tone in his voice, walk, and gestures. You see all the other main characters around him grow old. Including Kane’s wife Emily Monroe Norton Kane (played by Ruth Warrick) and Kane’s friend Jedediah Leland (played by Joseph Cotten). Some on the inside, some stay the same.The Cinematography by Gregg Toland is innovative and unique. With new Camera angles at the time, and interesting camera moves, you feel totally immersed within the films story and its world. The lighting in every scene is amazing.

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It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

This film is considered a Drama/Family/Fantasy. It was directed by Frank Capra. Its a Wonderful Life is always more popular around christmas time. It's about an angel sent from heaven to help this desperate and sad businessman. The angel shows him what life would be like for others if he never existed. Obviously by the end of the movie, everything is happy and he is thankful for his life. 

For some reason it's hard for me to enjoy movies like these. They are cheesy and typical and predictable. I also have a hard time with the quality of the video, if it isn't new, I just hate the way it looks(i know i have to get over that and appreciate the movie for other reasons). I enjoyed the ending of the movie where George Bailey is excited to be back. He loves all the things he once hated because he thought he would never be back to normal ever again. This movie shows that you have to appreciate everything that you have. “You don't realize what youve got until it's gone” is a perfect quote to describe this movie. I appreciate all that was put into this movie considering when it was made. If it were remade today I would probably like it alot more. Black and white just takes away from the movie. Colors really set a mood. If in the beginning of the movie when he was unhappy the colors were faded and more dull, and towards the end when he is reunited with his real life the colors were brighter and more vibrant, i think that could really add to the movie. 

Id suggest watching this movie to see a classic that families still watch to this day. I know my mom will make us watch it for Christmas.

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Room(2015)

This drama/thriller was directed by Lenny Abrahamson. Room was nominated for an Academy award for Best Picture and won an academy award for best actress. This film is very unique and interesting in its own way. Ma (Brie Larson) and her young son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) are held captive in an enclosed space for years. Jack was born inside the space so he has never seen or been outside before, only on TV. They eventually make their escape but Ma is still not happy when she thought she would be. 

I find this film very creative for its use of location. The first hour is shot in just 1 room where they are trapped. At no point was I bored of the location or felt like there needed to be more. That is impressive considering i've watched short films where I felt the location needed to be moving.  The camera angles and movements really helped. The storytelling was also intriguing, hearing from the little boys point of view in his own head. He has a completely different perspective of the world because all he has experienced and all he knows is that one small room. I also liked the dynamic between the two characters, mother and son. She wants to make him happy even though he has no idea what situation they are in and it did get rough at some points where Ma would have a breakdown, Jack would be there for her even if he didn't understand why she was upset.

I suggest seeing this film. It has a different feeling from most films ive seen, where you start to become attached to the 2 characters in such a little amount of time and you sympathize for them.