Directed by: Norman Jewison
Released: 1967
Country: United States
Genre: Mystery, Drama, Crime
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
When, one night, an industrialist is found murdered in Sparta, Mississipi, a policeman suspects Virgil Tibbs (played by Sidney Poitier), an African-American man who was waiting for a train at a nearby station. However, when it is revealed that Tibbs is actually a highly successful policeman from Philadelphia, the racist police chief, Gillespie (played by Rod Steiger), asks Tibbs to help him solve the case. Although initially reluctant, Tibbs eventually agrees to help Gillepsie, and in a town shadowed by racism, he manages to discover clues that will help him solve the mystery.
While ''In the Heat of the Night'' is an excellent mystery film- with clues surfacing from unexpected places, culminating in an unpredictable solution to the mystery- there is a great focus on the subject of racism. In spite of the fact that Tibbs is a well-known homicide expert, he is subjected to racial prejudice and racist remarks over and over again. You can see how humiliated and indignant he feels when he is suspected by the police of Sparta and when he is subjected to prejudice. His indignant response to a racist remark- ''They cal me Mr. Tibbs!''- is possibly one of the most famous quotes in film history.
It is really sad the way he is often treated, but, no matter how indignant and humiliated he feels, he does not budge from his stance, from his determination to solve the puzzling, complicated mystery.
Another important character is, of course, Gillespie, played by Rod Steiger. Although initially unpleasant and prejudiced, he eventually learns to respect Tibbs and overcome his prejudices. Both Poitier and Steiger deliver excellent performances.
To sum it up, ''In the Heat of the Night'' is a very powerful film. Besides being an excellent mystery, it also explores a very important social issue.
Directed by: David Fincher
Released: 2007
Country: United States
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review
''Zodiac'' tells the true story of the Zodiac killer, who committed murders from the late 1960s through the 1970s. The killer sends letters to newspapers and sometimes coded, ciphered messages that, he tells them, will contain hints to what his motives are. Two employees of the San Fransisco Chronicle, Robert Graysmith (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) and crime reporter Paul Avery (played by Robert Downey Jr.) become interested in the case and work to solve the puzzling mystery.
''Zodiac'' is a very effective thriller. I really liked the suspenseful atmosphere that prevails in many of the scenes. I liked the way the mystery keeps getting puzzling. It is a well written, well directed and well-acted film and the performances by Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo and Chloë Sevigny are really good.
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Released: 1991
Country: United States
Genre: Adventure, Crime, Drama
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
''Thelma & Louise'' is such a great movie! I loved every minute of it.
Louise Sawyer (played by Susan Sarandon) is a waitress and her friend Thelma Dickinson (played by Geena Davis) is a homemaker who isn't exactly close to her husband. They go on a road trip, wanting to take a break from their everyday lives. On the way, they stop at a bar, where a man attempts to rape Thelma. Louise rushes to her rescue, but when the man refuses to apologize and rather insults Thelma, Louise shoots him. Refusing to go to the police, Louise decides to drive to Mexico. On their way, however, they come across more and more hurdles and face them with heroism.
The titular characters, Thelma and Louise are such great protagonists! I loved their heroism. I grew to care for these two characters over the course of the film! Both Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis are amazing in their roles. I loved their bond, their friendship! I loved the way they learn to stand up against the injustices committed towards them. Their friendship and the experience and ordeals they share over the course of the film culminate in an iconic ending.
Besides Sarandon and Davis, memorable supporting characters are played by Harvey Keitel (who plays Louise's boyfriend) and a young Brad Pitt (who plays a cowboy Thelma and Louise come across on their way). Keitel and Pitt are great in their roles as well.
''Thelma & Louise'' is an excellently written and acted film. I loved it. I loved the titular characters, their friendship and their depth. I loved the screenplay. The ending left me speechless.
Directed by: Anthony Minghella
Released: 1999
Country: United States
Genre: Psychological thriller, Crime, Drama
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
The protagonist of ''The Talented Mr. Ripley'' is also the titular character. Tom Ripley, played by Matt Damon, is hired by the wealthy Herbert Greenleaf (James Rebhorn), who asks him to travel to Italy and try to convince his son, Dickie Greenleaf (played by Jude Law) to come back to the United States. Dickie is spoiled and lives off his allowance, not interested to make anything of his life. Tom travels to Italy, where he meets Dickie and his girlfriend Marge (played by Gwyneth Paltrow). He becomes good friends with the two of them and Dickie comes up with a plan: they will use the money that Mr. Greenleaf sends Tom to indulge in more luxuries. Very soon, Tom gets very close to Dickie and Marge and over the course of time he becomes very obsessed with the privileged lifestyle led by Dickie and also with Dickie and his identity- something that eventually leads to disastrous consequences.
Well, I could assume that Tom would cause something disastrous from the time he reaches Italy and runs into heiress Meredith Logue (played by Cate Blanchett). He tells Meredith that he is Dickie Greenleaf. I could assume that things will eventually go very wrong, which they indeed did.
''The Talented Mr. Ripley'' is very suspenseful, very thrilling. Tom's lies and crimes cause him to get involved in more crimes and lies. He makes a great villain indeed. Matt Damon is fascinating in his role, making Tom look creepier and creepier as the movies goes on, ultimately culminating in an unpredictable ending.
The entire cast is really good: Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett, with Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jack Davenport playing important supporting roles. They all deliver great performances. The film is very well-written and besides being intense and suspenseful, it is a very good-looking film with beautiful cinematography. In short, it is a brilliant.
Directed by: Arthur Penn
Released: 1967
Country: United States
Genre: Biographical, Crime, Drama
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
''Bonnie and Clyde'' does not glorify the criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. However, it humanizes them. It humanizes them and makes the two characters real and human. While they are certainly outlaws and not people to be admired, the film takes us on a journey deep into the emotions of the characters.
Bonnie Parker, played by Faye Dunaway, longs for a better life. It is the Great Depression and Bonnie works as a waitress. However, she finds her life monotonous and wants more adventures in her life. She comes across Clyde Barrow- played by Warren Beatty- who has just come out of prison. Clyde robs banks, and thinking that her life will be much more adventurous if she is with Clyde, Bonnie joins him. Together, they rob banks- and soon they are joined by three more people: C. W. Moss- played by Michael J. Pollard; Buck Barrow, Clyde's brother, played by Gene Hackman; and Blanche Barrow, Buck's wife, played by Estelle Parsons. They become notorious, involving themselves in one crime after another. They make headlines, create a fear in people's minds, and the police keep looking for them.
''Bonnie and Clyde'' is, at times, a very intense film to watch. There is a lot of violence that are well-executed and seem real, resulting in a lot of suspense. There were times I looked away from the screen for a moment just because the violence felt way too real. There is heart throbbing suspense throughout the film.
Other than that, there is a lot of humor, a lot of romantic elements in the film. The relationship between Bonnie and Clyde develops over the course of the film, and the chemistry that develops between the two characters is excellent. There are times when their love for each other is so believable and touching that almost made me want to forget that they were criminals. Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty are excellent in their roles, humanizing and strengthening the characters they play. The three major supporting characters- played by Pollard, Hackman and Parsons- are developed really well as well. All five of them were nominated for the Academy Award for this film- with Estelle Parsons winning the award for Best Supporting Actress.
While the events of the film are very romanticized and the real Bonnie and Clyde were way more cruel than they are shown to be in the film, the film takes us on a deep journey into the lives of the characters it tells the story of. The ending has to one of the most intense, violent endings I have ever come across. ''Bonnie and Clyde'' does not glorify its title characters. Instead, the film humanizes two such notorious historic figures as Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. While definitely a crime film, the film also focuses a lot on the relationship between the titular characters. Perhaps they would have had a good, long life together had they not made the choice of becoming involved in crime, had the Great Depression not caused them to leave a hard, honest life behind. Perhaps.
Directed by: David Fincher
Released: 1995
Country: United States
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Drama, Mystery
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
Oh David Fincher, David Fincher. ''Seven'' has to be one of the grittiest and darkest films I have ever watched. As such, it is also one of the most captivating and intelligent films I have ever come across. And when I say intelligent, I really, really mean it. It has a storyline so brilliant that I kept- with apprehension and fear, I might add- waiting for what might happen next, trying to guess things, and often being met with shock and horror. Yes, indeed, ''Seven'' is a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant film.
The very first character we are introduced to is William Somerset, played by Morgan Freeman, an experienced detective who is about to retire, who, for the last few days of his career, has to work with the young David Mills, played by Brad Pitt, who has just been transferred to the city. The city is dark and has a lot of crimes going on- something that greatly upsets Tracy- the wife of Mills- played by Gwyneth Paltrow. The very first thing Somerset and Mills investigate together is the murder of an overweight man who was forced to eat until his stomach burst open. The second murder they come across together is that of a lawyer. However, one thing that deeply troubles Somerset is the fact that in the locations of both murders they could discover something written: in case of the location where the obese man was killed, the word has ''Gluttony'' is found, and in the place where the lawyer was murdered, the word ''Greed'' is written on the floor with blood. Somerset immediately thinks that the two murders are linked: the killer, whoever that is, is killing people in a way that would somehow relate to the seven deadly sins: pride, lust, greed, sloth, gluttony, wrath and envy. Somerset, experienced and having seen a lot of the criminal world, has his own ways of tracking the killer down, and Mills, initially not friendly with Somerset, eventually becomes to trust him as they investigate the gruesome murders together, as they try tracking the person who, by means nobody knows, is being able to cover his tracks and continuing to commit the gruesome acts.
The dark atmosphere of the film is clearly reflected in the way Somerset thinks. Having been in the profession for decades, he has seen a lot of the darkness, the extent to which humans can go, how the world can be so scary, so sinister. Mills, on the other hand, young and having a lot more to see, does not feel it the way Somerset does. A feeling similar to Somerset's is reflected in the way Tracy thinks. Having lived in a safe city all her life, the city she has had to come to because of her husband's work seems unfamiliar and strange to her, with all the crimes going on around her. It is definitely not the kind of life she had ever dreamed for herself. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt both deliver excellent performances, and Gwyneth Paltrow, although having comparatively less screen presence, is great too. Kevin Spacey is unforgettable in his role as well. The screenplay is excellent- much more than excellent- and about the director, David Fincher, nothing really needs to be said. He astounded me with ''Fight Club'' and now, having seen ''Seven'', I can understand what a great filmmaker he is.
I kept thinking about the film, the storyline, and the way it culminates so unpredictably for hours after I finished watching the film. The story is so masterfully designed, each and every brick is placed so perfectly that when I came across the final, shocking twist, I was undoubtedly surprised but at the same time, I could not admire the film enough for its sheer perfection, for the way everything falls into place, the way things lead to the finale. Trust me, I was kept in a great suspense throughout the film, and when the final scenes came along, I kept waiting, with my heart beating fast, for something that I knew was sure to shock me but at the same time, something that I thought would give the film the perfection I now know it definitely has.
Directed by: Billy Wilder
Released: 1944
Country: United States
Cast: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Hall, Jean Heather
Genre: Film-noir, Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Drama
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
''Double Indemnity'' works in an atmospheric way and it works greatly. Here you have a voluptuous female lead and a male lead influenced by passion: two people it's hard to sympathize with, let alone admire. It is a film noir with a well-crafted screenplay and two powerful performances.
The entire film is shown in a flashback- the male protagonist, Walter Neff, an insurance salesman played by Fred MacMurray- confesses about a murder that he has committed over a Dictaphone, planning to leave the confession for his colleague, Barton Kayes. He recounts how he first met Phyllis Dietrichson, played by Stanwyck. He had gone to visit Phyllis's husband, Tom, about some insurance related matters. However, Tom was not home, and he was welcomed by Phyllis, whose beauty and charm immediately impressed him. Phyllis told him that she wanted to start an accident policy for her husband- if her husband died by an accident, she would receive a sizeable amount of money. However, Neff was disgusted, thinking that Phyllis was trying to kill her husband for money. Phyllis did not deny it, and told Walter how she was being neglected and ignored by Tom, a man many years her senior. Smitten by Phyllis, Walter then decided to help her with the murder of Tom. And they did successfully accomplish the murder. However, back in the insurance office, Kayes was hesitating: he was sure that something was wrong with the case, that there was something fishy, and Kayes had set about to solve the case...
The atmosphere is definitely
tense and thrilling. I loved ''Double Indemnity''. In the second half of the
film, there is plenty of suspense as we start to observe Kayes' ingenious
method of trying to figure the mystery out, as it would mean all the secrets
and plans of Walter and Phyllis to be revealed. I don't know if I ever felt
sympathy for Walter. If I did, I felt it at the very end of the film. As for
Phyllis, oh well, I can't really comment on her character as that would mean
revealing a lot. But nevertheless, here is a character it would be hard for
anybody to forget, partly because of the character development and the climax,
and partly because of Stanwyck's impeccable performance. So far, of the few
Billy Wilder films that I have watched, all of them have managed to win my
heart. This one was no exception.
Directed by: John Huston
Released: 1941
Country: United States
Genre: Film noir, Mystery, Drama, Crime
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Elisha Cook, Jr., Lee Patrick
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Short review
Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) is a detective, who is approached by a certain Miss Wonderly (Mary Astor), who asks him to keep an eye on a certain man, Floyd Thursby. Spade's partner, Miles Archer, follows Thursby, but Miles is mysteriously killed, and, within a short time, Thursby is also killed. Who could have killed them? What was the motive? This incident sparks events that leads Miles to discover that Miss Wonderly is not actually the person who she claims to be, and it further leads him to problems regarding a certain, precious, expensive, historical statuatte of falcon, which is somehow related to the crimes. He comes across Joel Cairo and Kasper Gutman, criminals who desperately want the falcon.
''The Maltese Falcon'' is an excellent, twisted mystery film. Humphrey Bogart's performance is excellent, and Mary Astor is brilliant as well. Sydney Greenstreet is also great in his role as Kasper Gutman. Lee Patrick is similarly brilliant as Spade's loyal secretary. The climax, which takes place in the same room and lasts perhaps for thirty minutes and is full of shocking twists, is really very memorable. The cinematography is beautiful, the screenplay is excellent, the performances are brilliant, ''The Maltese Falcon'' is indeed an excellent film.
4.5 out of 5
Directed by: Charles Laughton
Released: 1955
Country: United States
Cast: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, Billy Chaplin, Evelyn Warden, Peter Graves, Sally Jane Bruce
Genres: Thriller, Crime, Drama, Film noir
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
There are probably very few villains whom I hated in the way I hated Harry Powell, the antagonist of the film ''The Night of the Hunter''. And, there are very few films that I loved as much as I loved ''The Night of the Hunter''. Scary, thrilling, suspenseful, and at the same time, gorgeous and magnificent, this is one of the greatest films I have ever watched.
What is the most memorable thing about this film? The storyline, the scary plot and the suspenseful and extremely frightening moments? The beautiful cinematography? The beautiful backgrounds and settings? The excellent performance from the talented cast? Everything is memorable, everything is unforgettable. It is the combination of all these that makes it one of the films that you can never forget. While it is one of the most thrilling and suspenseful films I have ever watched, it is also one of the most sublimely beautiful and captivating films I have ever watched.
Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) is secretly a serial killer while claiming himself to be a preacher. He is arrested as he was driving a stolen car. In the prison, he happens to meet Ben Harper (Peter Graves), a man who, in order to financially support his wife and two young children, robbed a bank, and had to kill two people. Harper tells Powell that he had hid the stolen money, and that his two young children are the only people who know where the money is hidden. Harper is hanged. Soon, Powell is released. He plans to get hold of the money by persuading Harper's children to tell him where the money is actually hidden. He goes to the little village where Harper's widow and two children live, and using his charm and amiable behavior he manages to impress everybody and ultimately persuades Harper's widow, Willa, to marry him... But his true intention is to get hold of the money, and when the children refuse to tell him the location of the hidden money, he gets violent, he reveals his terrifying true colors, bringing in bloodshed and torture... He will go to any length to get hold of the money, even if he has to kill or torture people for that.. How will the two little children get rid of his torture, of the horror of his mere presence?
Oh, what a magnificent gem of a film it was! It is definitely one of the scariest films I have ever watched. It indeed is. And oh, the antagonist, Harry Powell. He is definitely one of the villains whom I hated with all my heart. He is one of the scariest villains I have ever come across. Robert Mitchum gives a powerful performance that definitely remains unforgettable.
Lillian Gish plays Rachel Cooper, an elderly woman who provides John and Pearl with shelter after they run away, and does her best to protect the two children. Thirty-six years before the film was made, this very woman played a helpless girl who was oppressed by her father in one of the most heartbreaking films I have ever watched, ''Broken Blossoms''. Thirty-six years after ''Broken Blossoms'', this woman gave a powerful performance in ''The Night of the Hunter''. This time she played a powerful and righteous woman who stands up against all injustices, all oppressions.
And yes, the two children, Billy Chaplin and Sally Jane Bruce, are excellent and powerful in their roles as John and Pearl, respectively.
And oh, the cinematography. The beautiful images. These make the film so atmospheric, so beautiful-looking, these give the film nearly a Gothic, dark, and sublime atmosphere. There are scenes that are unforgettable because of their beauty, their excellent atmosphere, their beautiful cinematography. I must mention those scenes where we see John and Pearl rowing, amidst the darkness of the night. The water, their boat, and all the animals watching them (frogs, foxes, etc.) all these make these scenes so beautiful. There is a scene where Pearl sings a song on the boat, while John is deep asleep, and we get glimpses of the water, the frogs that are watching them. Sublime. Magnificent. These two words easily sum up my thoughts about the cinematography.
One of the greatest films I have ever watched, ''The Night of the Hunter'' is frightening, it is beautiful, it is magnificent. A scary and atmospheric film with excellent cinematography, excellent performances and great screenplay, it is a must watch.
Directed by: Michael Curtiz
Released: 1945
Country: United States
Genres: Drama, Film-noir, Mystery, Crime
Cast: Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, Bruce Bennett
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
 |
| Mildred, our protagonist |
Mildred Pierce. A heartbreaking, hauntingly sad film. To begin with, it's one of the strongest, one of the most overpowering films I have ever watched. It is, indeed. Joan Crawford's performance is one of the strongest performances I have ever come across. A puzzling beginning leads to a melodramatic, suspenseful, painful film. It is a film that is not be missed, it is a must-watch.
The film opens as the titular character's husband, Monty Baragon, is shot dead. We do not see who shoots him. Our protagonist, Mildred Pierce Baragon (Joan Crawford), is called to the police station, where she is informed that the murder was committed by Bert Pierce, Mildred's ex-husband. Mildred refuses to believe so, and when she is asked why, she begins to tell her story, and through flashbacks, we come to know about her life, about the circumstances preceding this incidence, about everything that ultimately led to this day, this incident.
When Mildred was married to Bert Pierce, she was just an ordinary homemaker, baking cakes and pies, looking after her two daughters, Veda and Kay, doing everything to arrange the best education and upbringing for them. Her husband lost his job, started an extra-marital affair, that destroyed the peace of the family, ultimately leading to their separation. Mildred had no money, but she was determined. She wanted to provide everything for her daughters. She did not want her two daughters to have a working class upbringing. She started working as a waitress, and soon earned enough money that could afford piano lessons for Veda, that could afford expensive ballet lessons for Kay, that could afford a maidservant, that could afford a comfortable peaceful life.
But can things actually remain this simple? Veda (Ann Blythe), Mildred's elder daughter, didn't like the fact that Mildred worked as a waitress. She wanted a much better, a much happier life. A life with no wants, no poverty. Veda was ambitious, she was ungrateful, she was spoiled rotten. She wanted to have a lavish, respected life. She wanted everything. Mildred couldn't please Veda. No matter how she tried, she could not win Veda's affection. But she led her life, she did everything, just for the sake of her children. After Kay suddenly died, Mildred decided to dedicate her life for the comfortable upbringing of Veda. She was determined to do everything for Vera's happiness. She started her own restaurant chain- and soon became a successful and wealthy businesswoman- earning a lot of money, working hard- all for Veda's sake. The sole purpose of her hard work was Veda. The sole purpose of her life was Veda. But Veda could never be satisfied. Never. She never showed any gratitude for anything her mother did for her- she wanted more, she did not remain satisfied with all the things her mother did for her. She did not show any gratitude, nor did she return her mother's life.
Where did Mildred's efforts lead everybody to? How did Mildred's affection, her determination to do everything for her daughter, and Veda's view to life, mess up everybody's life?
''Mildred Pierce'' has a wonderful mixture of emotional drama, heartbreaking moments, mystery, suspense, noir elements. There were times I forgot that this was actually a mystery film; I focused so much on Mildred, her sacrifices, her determination. Mildred is imperfect, she is completely flawed. But she is a mother, after all. The things that she does throughout the film are not unrealistic, because she is a mother. It becomes pathetic, the way she continues to forgive Veda. It is stupid, it is pathetic, but it is not illogical. The way she continues to forgive her daughter is logical yet stupid, because a mother can never get indifferent to her children, no matter how ungrateful, how horrible her children are. I felt pity for her, she is such a pathetic, yet such a strong character. Joan Crawford's performance is definitely unforgettable. Ada (Eve Arden), a confidant of Mildred, says,"Personally, Veda's convinced me that alligators have the right idea. They eat their young." In this case, I think, it's definitely logical. I was shocked at Veda's behavior. How can somebody possibly be so ungrateful, so horrible? How can somebody be so nasty? How can somebody be so indifferent to all the things her mother did for her? She is evil, and Ann Blythe does give a brilliant, extremely praiseworthy performance.
Suspense is aplenty, as we keep on waiting eagerly to discover what actually led to the event at the beginning of the film. With excellent noir elements and suspense, it works as a wonderful mystery film mixed with melodrama, great emotional depth, tragedy.
I loved this film, I really did. It is a film with an excellent depth, filled with melodramatic and suspenseful elements. It has got strong performances. The characters are all flawed but have excellent depth. It is heartbreaking, tragic, suspenseful film, an unforgettable gem of a film.
5 out of 5
Directed by: Billy Wilder
Released: 1957
Country: United States
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Mystery
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
''Witness for the Prosecution'' is directed by Billy Wilder and is based on a short story by Agatha Christie- amazing, isn't it? And the film is amazing as well: well-written, well-directed, puzzling, grave, and witty. It has got such a bunch of memorable characters, and the entire film is really enjoyable. I think it was quite unpredictable and it had a really great twist and ending.
Sir Wilfrid Robarts, played by Charles Laughton, is a barrister who has recently had some cardiac problem, and has been strictly advised by the doctor not to take any criminal cases. Miss Plimsoll (Elsa Lancaster) is a nurse who is taking care of him, and strictly disapproves of his actions, including hiding cigars in his canes. However, he soon gets the offer to take a murder case: a man named Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power) has been accused of murdering a middle-aged woman, Emily French, and Vole wants Sir Wilfrid to defend him. Soon, it is revealed that Emily French left Vole a large amount of money, which becomes a possible motive for murder, and Vole is arrested.
Though Miss Plimsoll wants Sir Wilfrid not to take the case as it may have drastic effects on his health, Sir Wilfrid decides to defend Vole, and takes the case. Things don't go quite smooth, as there are several evidences are against Vole, and most importantly, there is Christine (Marlene Dietrich), Vole's mysterious wife, whom Sir Wilfrid calls a ''remarkable woman''...
The film was amazing! An extremely puzzling story, excellent screenplay, the mystery, the performances of Charles Laughton, Elsa Lancaster, Marlene Dietrich, and Tyrone Power- all these make the film such an enjoyable, entertaining, memorable journey. Sir Wilfrid and Miss Plimsoll are two characters I absolutely loved. It is strange that Miss Plimsoll did not really have any role in the case the film is about, she is just the nurse of Sir Wilfrid, yet she is one of the most memorable characters of the film. such an amusing, such a funny character that I really, really admired! Elsa Lancaster won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film, and she definitely deserved it! She gives such a memorable performance! Charles Laughton, as Sir Wilfrid, is really excellent as well! In spite of being discharged from the hospital only recently, he is eager to resume working, taking up murder cases, and is very intelligent, very devoted to his work. What an excellent performance! Marlene Dietrich is very memorable as well.
It is a thoroughly entertaining film: the courtroom scenes are enjoyable with the numerous twists and turns that happen throughout the film, culminating in an unpredictable and extremely memorable ending. Excellently-directed, ,acted, and written, witty, puzzling, twisted and entertaining, this is a wonderful gem of a film. (This is only my fourth Billy Wilder film, and he is now a favorite of mine. Two of his films, ''Sunset Boulevard'' and ''The Apartment'' are among my all-time favorite films).
4.5 out of 5
Directed by: Joel Cohn
Released: 1996
Country: United States
Genre: Crime, Drama, Dark comedy
Cast: Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Harve Presnell
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
''Fargo'' is the story of something that starts as a not-so-serious crime but then results into drastic, tragic, dreadful consequences that affect the lives of many people. A visual beauty with great atmosphere and cinematography, ''Fargo'' is a film that remains unforgettable; it's not easy to forget how beautiful, how atmospheric the film looks, and throughout the film, so many unexpected things, shocking things happen; there is the great screenplay, there is occasional humor, and of course, there is Frances McDormand, who undoubtedly gives an amazing performance. Unforgettable gem.
It all starts when Jerry (William H. Macy) urgently needs some money, and gets in touch with criminals Carl (Buscemi) and Gaear (Stormare), and asks them to kidnap his wife, Jean. He will ask his wealthy father-in-law to pay the ransom for Jean, and will keep some of the ransom money, and after Carl and Gaear get the rest of the ransom money, Jean will be released. Simple, it sounds. Really simple. And Jerry doesn't worry much because he knows that Jean won't be hurt; as soon as the ransom money is paid off, Jean will be released.
Jean is eventually kidnapped, but, then... the idea had been simple, quite harmless, but nothing goes according to the original plan. ultimately, this crime leads to murders, bloodshed, tragedies, and more murders... the crime results into more crimes, drastic consequences... and the police has to intervene. The investigation is done by Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), a pregnant police chief, and in spite of her pregnancy and health, she is extremely dedicated to her work, calm, hardworking, and witty. She looks into the horrible crimes that take place throughout the film, and ultimately, none but her can solve the case.
Jerry had meant it as a harmless little venture, but who could have guessed the drastic consequences of this, of the crime that had been meant to be so simple?
Frances McDormand gives an amazing performance, as the amusing, intelligent and hardworking police chief, dedicated to her husband, dedicated to her work, dedicated to figuring out the reasons for the inhumanity and tragedies that take place over the course of the film. She definitely deserved the Oscar she won that year!
Steve Buscemi is quite amazing too, and so is Peter Stormare. Buscemi's performance as Carl, the one can understand that his life is falling apart because of the crimes that they are committing. Gaear, on the other hand, is the impassive one; I can't remember if he ever smiled or showed much emotion throughout the film. Impassive and never displaying his emotions, yet violent and cruel.
Another performances that I must mention is that of Kristin Rudrud, as Jean. The role is quite small and has very little screen presence, but during the scene the character is chased by Carl and Gaear, Rudrud's performance was so strong, as the scared and innocent Jean that I felt so much pity, so much sympathy for the character. Amazing performance by Rudrud.
The snow, and the cinematography, and the locations, create a very beautiful atmosphere and looks throughout the film. There is humor, too, and there is the overall tragedy, the overall severity of the situation. It's a film that shows us how dreadful things like this can be, how a simple crime can result into serious tragedies, graver crimes. It is an unforgettable film, atmospheric, shocking, saddening, and thought-provoking.
5 out of 5
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Released: 1971
Country: United States, United Kingdom
Genres: Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi
Rating: 5 out of 5
Review
The very thing that we see in ''A Clockwork Orange'' is the face of the protagonist, Alex, staring in a creepy way. As the camera zooms out, we see that Alex, along with his friends, is sitting amidst unique statues, and we come to know from Alex's narration that he and his friends spend their evenings involving themselves in ''ultra-violence''. What is ultra-violence? We come to know that very soon.
From the actions of Alex and his friends, we can instantly understand that they are complete sociopaths. They mercilessly beat a drunk old man, and break into the house of a writer, brutally beating him and raping his wife. These first few scenes are so graphic, so disturbing that it instantly makes us hate Alex.
Stanley Kubrick presents ''A Clockwork Orange'' in a wonderful way. Amazing set decorations, scores, disturbing, sometimes terrifying, and with an extremely powerful performance from Malcolm McDowell, this is certainly an unforgettable film.
Alex and his friends spend all their evenings doing such horrible, horrible, horrible things. His parents have absolutely no idea that their son is such a horrible person. Alex has apparently told them that he spends his evenings doing odd jobs, and his parents trust him. He skips school saying that he has pain in the ''gulliver'' (meaning ''head'', it's one of the several slangs used by Alex throughout the film). Alex acts like a boss to his friends, mercilessly beating them if they don't act according to his orders, which makes his friends secretly detest him.
Alex's life changes when he breaks into the health farm, owned by a middle-aged woman, an tries to rape the woman. When the woman tries to defend herself, he kills her, and when trying to escape, his friends attack him with a bottle of milk, and then run away. Alex is arrested, and is sentenced to 14-year imprisonment. Alex tries to impress prison officers, and has a desire to get out of the prison. He has recently heard of a new method of treatment, the ''Ludovico'' treatment, that apparently destroys the criminal impulses of the criminal, and makes sure that he never has to return to prison again. Eventually, Alex manages to impress the Minister of the Interior, who selects Alex to be the subject to the Ludovico treatment. Alex is delighted, thinking that he will never have to go back to prison. However, once the treatment starts, it turns out to be extremely painful and torturous: he is shown films with intense torture scenes, and it is arranged that he can not close his eyelids.
The view of this treatment? The criminal will become so sickened after viewing these footage that whenever he has any criminal impulses, he will feel sick, and thus he cannot involve in anything criminal. That is, his criminal impulses have not been destroyed; only, he will involuntarily feel sick whenever he wants to do something bad; he has not really turned a ''decent'' person, and nor has his criminal impulses been brought under control; it has only been made sure that he is not able to do any criminal activities
After the end of the cruel treatment, Alex returns to his house, only to discover that his room is now occupied by a lodger who is now like a son to his parents. His parents are not very happy about his return, and ultimately, Alex is compelled to leave the house. And then, all those people whom Alex had once tortured: the old beggar, his friends, and the writer- come back to his life once again, ready to take revenge and Alex has to pay for his past actions...
Here arises a complicated question. Are the audience supposed to feel pity for Alex? The Ludovico treatment was an extremely cruel procedure. It did something quite different from what it promised to do. Sure, the criminal who went through this treatment won't be able to commit any crime again, but his criminal impulse hasn't been destroyed; instead, through a very cruel procedure, it is arranged that the criminal's body will react tremendously, that is, a sickening feeling will grasp him, whenever he has the urge to do anything criminal. But that doesn't destroy the criminal impulse. Does the protagonist, Alex, actually feel any remorse for his deeds? Just after going through such a cruel and painful treatment, he is shunned by the society. The way it is presented, it does arise pity. But then. If we remember all those horrible things Alex did in the past, if we think of the people whose lives he had destroyed, we obviously feel that extreme hatred again. He got what he deserved. Through his actions, his family suffered a lot, and that's the reason his family cannot accept him. The other people, the old man and the writer, had been severely tortured by Alex.
The treatment certainly destroys Alex's life, but does he actually feel any remorse for his past deeds? Apparently, he starts feeling sorry for himself, but isn't this what he deserved? He had tortured so many people, he had destroyed the lives of so many people. By the end of the film, I guess most of the audience will be left with an intense hatred for Alex. Sure, we feel pity a few times for him, but overall, the hatred for him is so strong that the pity will perhaps have no effect.
Malcolm McDowell's performance as Alex is excellent. The screenplay is excellent, and the overall film is really disturbing at times. This is my third Stanley Kubrick film (the two other Kubrick films that I have watched are ''Paths of Glory'' and ''The Shining'') and I guess that he will become one of my favorite directors. ''A Clockwork Orange'' is such a brilliant, engrossing, yet disturbing, an extremely unforgettable film.
5 out of 5
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
Released: 1974
Country: United Kingdom
Cast: Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Michael York, Vanessa Redgrave, Jacqueline Bisset, Anthony Perkins, Martin Balsam, Wendy Hiller, Jean-Pierre Cassel
Genre: Mystery, Crime, Thriller
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Review
''Murder on the Orient Express'' is a locked room mystery film that has a great cast, excellent screenplay, extremely engrossing story and presentation. It's definitely a great film.
Based on Agatha Christie's classic novel, the film starts informing the audience about a recent kidnap case. 5-year-old Daisy Armstrong had been kidnapped, and when her parents gave ransom to the kidnappers, the girl was found slain...
The film then shifts to the famous detective Hercule Poirot. He is on a train journey. One day, Mr Ratchett, one of the passengers of the train, tells Poirot that he has been recently receiving threatening letters, and asks Poirot to give him some protection. However, Poirot denies.
The next morning, Mr Ratchett is found dead. All the passengers are shocked. Poirot's friend Bianci (Martin Balsam) persuades Poirot to look into the case. Bianci is confident that before the journey ends, they will have found the criminal, and after that, they would tell the police about the crime and hand the criminal to the police.
Poirot interrogates the passengers, and does thorough investigation. The case seems extremely difficult, and it is discovered that this crime is somehow connected with the Armstrong case.
Albert Finney makes an excellent Poirot! He portrays Poirot in a lively, energetic, way! It was great to watch Poirot on screen. (I am a fan of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot novels).
We see so many great actors in this film. There are Albert Finney, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Martin Balsam, Jacqueline Bisset... so many great actors.
The story is very engrossing and the very shocking solution to the mystery was presented in such a wonderfully atmospheric way. The climax was really shocking and unpredictable. And the ending was also wonderful.
Excellent performances, excellent story, great screenplay, an unpredictable ending- ''Murder on the Orient Express'' is indeed a great film.
4.5 out of 5
The Last Laugh (1924 movie)
Directed by: F. W. Murnau
Released: 1924
Country: Germany
Genre: (Silent film) Drama
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Short review: F. W. Murnau is simply amazing. From the artistic, creepy horror film ''Nosferatu'' to, ''Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans'', which is, according to my opinion, one of the most beautiful romantic movies that I have watched, he has always impressed me. ''The Last Laugh'' is no exception. This was also a beautiful film, a very emotionally intense film, and remarkably with only a single inter title. It tells it's story through the pictures, and there is only one intertitle (it doesn't represent a spoken dialogue). ''The Last Laugh'' is a film that delivers a painful and emotionally intense story, with strong performances and great direction by Murnau.
The story is simple. An elderly man who has worked as the doorman of a respectable hotel for a long time is reduced to the rank of a washroom attendant, as his old age doesn't allow him to work hard. He doesn't reveal this to his family and neighbors, who have always given him a lot of respect because of his respectable post. He has to deal with the tragedy alone...
The film was quite an emotional journey and Emil Janning's performance as the protagonist was extremely memorable and effective. One of the most emotional moments in this film was when the old man dreams that he is still capable of doing hard works and lifting heavy things.
The fairytale-ish ending was also extremely memorable. I loved this film. The more F. W. Murnau films that I watch, the more I think that he is one of my favorite directors.
Marnie (1964 movie)
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Released: 1964
Country: United States
Genre: Psychological thriller, Drama, Mystery
Short review: ''Marnie'' is often called one of the last great movies directed by Hitchcock. The story centers around Marnie, played by Tippi Hedren of ''The Birds''. She is a thief, who steals from the offices where she works (she gets into the offices using fake identity) and then flees from the office. A man named Mark Rutland (played by Sean Connery) comes to know about Marnie. Marnie, ignorant of this, joins as a secretary in Mark's publishing company. With the passage of time, they fall in love, and Mark confronts Marnie and tells her that he knows her real identity, and blackmails her into marrying him.
But Marnie has mysterious problems. She is afraid of the color red. She does not want any man to touch her. Mark suspects that something must have happened in her past that has caused her to fear these things. He tries to learn about Marnie's past and background, knowing exactly what happened that made Marnie afraid of these things.
Most of the parts of the film (the early part and the middle part) felt just barely enjoyable to me. I just liked it enough to keep watching it. I mean, I didn't really get what the story was heading to. But then. Then something happened that left me startled. The climax is not just a shocking revelation, but I also felt that the film has a very disturbing and painful climax. The ending was so strong that it made me feel that it was indeed a good film, it was quite worth a watch. Tippi Hedren, Sean Connery, and Diane Baker give excellent performances, and the screenplay is excellent as well.
Overall, ''Marnie'' is, though not one of Hitchcock's best films and not even a great film, certainly a very good film with a good story, good performances, and a shocking climax.
West Side Story (1961 movie)
Directed by: Robert Wise
Released: 1961
Country: United States
Genres: Musical, Romantic drama, Crime
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Short review: ''West Side Story'' is based on a play of the same name, which is inspired by William Shakespeare's ''Romeo & Juliet''. Robert Wise is a director who directed two movies I love: ''The Sound of Music'' and ''The Haunting''.
The film centers around two rival gangs, the ''Jets'', an American gang, and the ''Sharks'', a gang of Puerto Rican immigrants. After many incidents, the ''Jets'' and ''Sharks'' decide to fight, planning to meet under a highway for discussions about the future fight.
However, Maria (the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the ''Sharks'') and Tony (an inactive member of the ''Jets'') fall in love. However, their relation is affected because of terrible incidences that happen because of the rivalry between the two gangs.
''West Side Story'' was a lively, fast-paced, yet sad and thought-provoking film. The film's running time is 152 minutes, but the events of the film take place within a couple of days. It tells it's story in an energetic way, with a lot of songs and often sweet scenes with the two protagonists. I loved this film.
4.5 out of 5
