Pocahontas

The classic "Colors of the Wind" and "Just Around the River Bend" are the highlights of this classic Disney movie. Other than a few moments of triumph there are quite a few weak performances in this movie. It is understandable because it is a children's movie, but the rest of the movie simply does not stand up to the quality of those two songs which stand out as jewels! 

War Horse

This movie was simply beautiful! The bond between a young man and his animal is told in a new and wonderful way! It was very well written and directed so that little snippets of comedy broke up the tension of all the dark scenes without completely ruining the effect of those darker scenes! The animals in the movie were amazing creatures, and the costumes were fantastic! The only real complaint I have is that the effects with the flames and the machine guns firing were not as realistic, and well done as the rest of the movie. The characters were well developed and had the audience on the edge of their seat hoping wildly for the reunion of the boy and his horse. Overall it was a beautiful job well done; a great film!

Psycho

This film was simple brilliant; it is the best Hitchcock that I have watched so far. The music is perfectly timed to play with both the minds and emotions of the viewer. The fact that the whole story is based off of real/plausible events makes it all the more frightening. Hitchcock takes advantage of many tools in order to trick the viewers mind into being afraid. All the violence in the film is implied through various camera angles and movements, so all the fear essentially comes from the viewers own mind because everything is only implied. Every detail of this film built up to its dramatic ending! From the famous shower scene murder, to the symbolic use of stuffed birds at the hotel. The dialogue during the scene in the hotel was very well written, and had foreshadowing cleverly placed throughout it. Through this film Hitchcock truly earns his title as master of suspense. 

Little Women

Little Women is one of my favorite classic stories all time. Winona Ryder was an excellent Jo. In fact all the casting was very good for the film. The characters were well developed and the story was as heart warming and inspiring as ever. Nothing beats the book, but this was a very good adaptation of the story. 

Where the Red Fern Grows Part Two

I hate to say it but this movie was terrible in every way. The story was weak and underdeveloped, the characters were not very dynamic, and the love story between 'little sister' and Rainie was extremely cheesy. The soundtrack to this movie was even worse than the first one. The filmmakers had some interesting ideas, but they just didn't portray them well. For example the big train opening was a good idea, but it was slow and not used very purposefully so it made audiences disconnect before the movie even truly started. Also in the opening, the flashback was quite clever, but the music was mixed in rather loudly, and was therefore quite distracting. It didn't seem like the filmmakers trusted these dogs as much as they did in the first movie. They were nearly always on leash or locked up, and since it is supposed to be a movie about coon hunting dogs, that really took away from the story and slowed it down. The script prolonged  the protagonist's reluctance to accept the dogs as well, which also caused the movie to move REALLY slowly. There was one scene when Grandpa was talking to Billy after Old Dan died, and the way the scene was shot the viewers could see very little of the actors faces and expressions due to the lighting and the poor choice of camera angle. Also in this same scene, when Grandpa hugged Billy, he completely blocked Billy from the screen. This was very poor direction; in such a scene as that the protagonist's face is far more important for the viewer to see than Grandpa's back. The story was not very original either; the elements were all stolen from either the first movie, or other famous films (for example the opening train sequence is a classic film opening). Overall it certainly is not a movie I will ever find myself watching again; it was slow, and not well made at all. 

Where the Red Fern Grows

     This is a very family friendly movie that tells the classic tale of a boy and his dogs. The score of the movie was terrible, and often distracting, but the story is alive and full of emotion. As always, when working with younger actors, there was a lower standard of professionalism in the finished product, but besides that it was a nice film. Although it is quite sad, the best scene in the whole movie is when young Billy finds the symbolic red fern between the graves of his beloved dogs. This scene was shot in a specific way to emphasize the significance of the fern. As his family turned away to leave, there was a moment of pure symmetry on the screen. The two graves stood side by side and on either side of the boy was a parent and a little sister. Not only was this moment symmetrical, but it also formed a visual line drawing viewers eyes down to the fern. The tallest thing in the shot (the parents) were on the ends, and then the little girls standing (the next tallest), leading one's eyes to the little boy sitting before the grave. Billy's eyes turned downward towards the fern act as the final detail which influences the viewer to look at the fern. The meaning of this fern is told through a lovely bit of foreshadowing in the beginning of the film, when Billy's little sister tells the story behind her drawing. It is a beloved story, and a good film; it certainly isn't a masterpiece, but it has a great story!

Star Trek: Into Darkness

This film was very stunning on the big screen. I know very little about the original Star Trek movies, so I know very little about the fandom, but the movie was enjoyable even for one without such knowledge. Benedict Cumberbatch was brilliant as Khan. His portrayal of the already hated villein, from The Wrath of Khan, and others of the older movies, was very well done, there wasn't a moment when viewers didn't hate his guts. The reversal of the roles of Spock and Kirk near the end in the new movie verses The Wrath of Khan was a great tribute to the older movies! It was a fast paced adventure through space. The best things about the movie would have to be the interesting ties and parallels to The Wrath of Khan, and Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of Khan. A great film exploring space, humanity, and emotions! Certainly a roller coaster of a film that is well worth viewing. 

Sabotage

   I have to say that I was rather disapointed with this Hitchcock film. There were definently some brilliant moments such as the scene right before the bomb explodes with the quick cuts between the boy and the clock. Other than a few golden moments, this film was not as likable as other Hitchcock films. It moved slower in the beginning and the story took a while to set up. I did really like the loose ending it left off with. It was very abrupt, but it made the viewer think about the film long after it was done, debating what would have happened next if the film had continued. The ending and the bomb scene were the crown jewels of this film, but overall it was not the most entertaining film in the world. It had a good premise, and story, but it could have been set up better so that the audience would be more quickly tied into the story. 

Tangled

Not only is this film cute, but it also uses so many brilliant techniques! It uses a mirror as a prop lens, great foley art to highlight the comedy, and various other things. This adaptation of the well known fairy tale, Rapunzel, is very unique. It steps away from the traditional fairy tale formatting and yet maintains the vibe of a Disney princess film. The characters are very well developed, and the story moves at a great pace. If the audience isn't laughing their heads off to start with, they will when Maximus, the horse, enters the screen. The music is very well mixed into the story so that it advances the plot rather than distracting from it. Overall, it is very cute and is well made. hats of to Disney for another success! 

Serenity

This movie concluded the television show Firefly beautifully leaving only a few loose ends left untouched. From start to finish, it was action packed, and kept viewers on the edge of their seats. Several notable scenes include the flashback to River's escape, the battle sequence at the end, Wash's death, and the scene where River attacks everyone in the pub after saying Miranda.  The flashback was a brilliant piece of cinematography; not only did it serve to tie up loose ends for the audience, but it also introduced the film's villain. The battle sequence began with a very clever twist, and unfolded to create an epic sequence. Wash's death is tragic, and sudden, and end viewers are not likely to forget, though he is not the only casualty in the movie. Lastly River's attack scene gives the audience a taste of the girls capabilities and foreshadows the role River will play in the later battle sequence. The movie certainly exceeds the show in many ways, and leaves fans of the Firefly series thirsting for more trips on Serenity smuggling goods, making a way in the Verse!  

Les Miserables

   The new movie musical, Les Miserables was a stunning success. From the moment it begins, to its final moments it maintains its mesmerizing affect. The music is fantastic! None can deny that great power lies behind the songs of this movie, songs such as "Do You Hear the People Sing" and "Bring Him Home". The reoccurring theme of the two candlesticks that were the gift of the priest was a detail that stood out and attests to the great amount of work put into making every detail of this film shine. There was a very apparent spiritual twist throughout the movie that was often highlighted by the smallest of details. The movie presented a very strong message of the battle between law and grace which was made clear through the characters of Jean Valjean and Javert. Javert symbolized the law, and the path one can take in trying to please God by adhering to every letter of the law, which is impossible for mere men. Valjean symbolizes grace; he accepted God's help because he new that he could never meet the law on his own. The priest saved his soul for God which marked the turning point in Valjean's life. This theme of grace is highlighted not only through the repetition of the candle sticks, but also through other things. For example, when Valjean prayed over the sleeping Marius at the barricade, a large eye was seen in the background of the shot which could be interpreted to symbolize the eye of God watching over him, protecting him, hearing his prayer.
     The only real complaints that I have to voice about the film, is that it strayed too far into sexual themes particularly in the "Master of the House" number and of course the "Lovely Ladies" number which was of course unavoidable in a strict film adaptation of the play. These two scenes do serve important roles within the story, but perhaps could have been filmed in a way that was more suggestive of prostitution rather than simply showing the audience. My other main complaint would be Russel Crowe's singing was not up to the same standard as many of the other actors and actresses in the movie. He could have benefited from a few vocal lessons to improve his professionalism in that area of his performance.  Other than those two things, the film was brilliant and VERY well made. It is a favorite that will stick in the memories of all who watch long after the credits roll.

Mamma Mia

     This movie was very cute and the direction was brilliant. Not only was a mirror used as a prop lens, but there was plenty of symbolism scattered throughout the film as well.  When the character Donna says "it is like a trick of fate" the locals standing by burst out into a fit of apparently random laughter. This laughter however is not random, and shows Donna's mental confusion because of her current situation. The music of Abba is integrated very well into the story, and flows naturally with the narrative. Overall, it was cleaver, and cute. Well done cast and crew of Mamma Mia!

The Lady Vanishes

     Alfred Hitchcock, master of suspense, presents a beautiful, well edited film in "The Lady Vanishes". The plot is clever, telling the story of a young woman, Iris, who befriends an old British woman named Miss. Froy, who vanishes from the train entirely. Iris is convinced that something is wrong but nobody on the train save herself remembers the old woman. Hitchcock uses masterful cinematic storytelling as the mystery plays out. Screen direction, and montages are two powerful tool Hitchcock employed in this film.
     Throughout the movie there are many shots of the train's exterior as it runs across the tracks. To take complete advantage of these shots Hitchcock used screen direction to send a subtle hint to the audience of the trouble to come. The train often moves across the screen on the x-axis(horizontally), this is normal movement for a train, but what makes it clever is that it moves from right to left. In western culture, the eye is accustomed to moving from left to right due to the direction one reads. Therefore, when the eye perceives motion in the opposite direction it causes subconscious discomfort. This direction therefore can be used to increase the tension of a scene, as is done in "The Lady Vanishes".
    Montages are often used to represent the passage of time. The montage when Iris was coming to for the second time was particularly brilliant. Not only did it show time passing, but it also presented the chaos that was to come. The fast assembly of cuts gave a sense of panic to the film which raised suspense, and tension. It showed that while the character was out, the scene itself was developing and changing. This warns the viewer of the disorientation the character will experience when she wakes to find the world changed around her.
     The film was brilliant. Fresh, and watchable, it keeps the viewer's attention. The characters are likable and understandable, which created a tie with the viewer almost instantly. The tie with Miss Froy was especially important, and it was acquired quite easily in the first scenes of the film. Hats of to Mr. Hitchcock and his masterful direction!