Frozen II (2019)

Frozen II (2019)

6/10

Starring the voices of

Idina Menzel

Kristen Bell

Jonathan Groff

Josh Gad

Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee

This animation lacked the power and energy of Frozen (2013). While it’s another fun ride into the unknown, filled with strange creatures and weird events, it doesn’t capture the same level of excitement and fun as the first movie. That said, the visuals are just as magical.

In simple terms, if you liked Frozen (2013), you’ll probably enjoy this sequel—but not as much as the original.

Disney seemed to think what Frozen (2013) was missing was more songs, and in the first twenty minutes of this movie, we get about four of them. Unfortunately, none of these songs come close to Let It Go or my personal favorite, Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Frozen II introduces a new adventure, and unlike the first movie, it focuses more on the past and a mysterious situation where an entire community is locked away from the rest of the world. They continue to live, grow, and have children, but they can’t leave the place they’re trapped in. That place is the enchanted forest, which Disney tries to make intriguing with a five-minute glimpse into the past at the beginning of the film.

Frozen II is the 58th animated film by Walt Disney Studios and follows another sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), which itself was a sequel to Wreck-It Ralph (2012).

The CGI-animated story starts with Anna and Elsa as children, hearing stories about the enchanted forest from their parents. For me, this didn’t do enough to build interest, but I imagine it might work better for younger audiences. Fast forward to the present, after the events of Frozen (2013), and we’re thrown into a musical fantasy. We learn about the Northuldra tribe, who live in harmony with the four spirits of nature. Though they aren’t magical themselves, they use this connection to wield magic.

Elsa and Anna’s grandfather, the king at the time, built a dam for the Northuldra as a gift. However, during the celebration, a fight broke out, angering the spirits. As a result, the forest was sealed off from the outside world.

Now, our heroines must solve the problem. What problem, you ask? Well, Elsa is hearing a mysterious voice, and her actions have awakened the spirits, causing chaos. It’s up to Anna and Elsa to set things right.

In the end, the animation was just average, and I ended up liking Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) more than this one.

Upgrade (2018)

Upgrade (2018)

7/10

Starring

Logan Marshall-Green

Betty Gabriel

Harrison Gilbertson

Directed by Leigh Whannell

Upgrade is one of those movies you just have to see. The way it builds up to its unexpected ending is pure cinematic magic. To me, it’s one of the best movies written by Leigh Whannell so far. If you haven’t heard of him, maybe you’re not into the Saw franchise. I’m not a huge fan either, but after seeing one of those movies, I learned he was the mastermind behind them—and also behind the Insidious supernatural horror series. In Upgrade, Whannell both wrote and directed the film, and the screenplay is nothing short of epic.

The movie plays with your expectations. For about three-quarters of it, you can guess what’s going to happen—but then it flips on you. Just when you think you’ve figured it out again, it flips once more. The magic lies in the fact that even when you think you know what’s coming, you’re still gripped and compelled to see it through. That’s the brilliance of Whannell’s writing.

Upgrade is a cyberpunk action body horror film, so be warned: there are some gruesome scenes. The plot is set in the future, where everything is controlled by computers. The protagonist, Grey, is a man out of sync with the times. He prefers doing things with his hands, even though most of the world relies on automation. We meet his wife, and he introduces her to a client while returning a refurbished car. She’s surprised to learn the client is a renowned tech innovator who works for a rival company.

On their way home, their self-driving car malfunctions and takes them to a deserted area. There, Grey’s wife is killed, and he’s shot in the neck, leaving him a quadriplegic. Under the care of his mother, Grey attempts suicide but fails. The tech innovator then offers him a solution: a chip called STEM, implanted at the base of his skull, which will restore his ability to move.

The chip not only gives Grey back control of his limbs but also makes him stronger and faster. It also talks to him and seems to have its own agenda—helping him solve his wife’s murder.

The movie was a financial success, partly because it didn’t rely heavily on CGI. The acting is straightforward, and the film focuses on casting people who can deliver strong performances rather than relying on big-name stars. It was also a critical success, with major praise going to its storytelling. The ending leaves enough open for a potential sequel, whether to explore new ideas or revisit the same characters.

Green Room (2015)

Green Room (2015)

7/10

Starring

Anton Yelchin

Imogen Poots

Alia Shawkat

Joe Cole

Callum Turner

Patrick Stewart

Directed by Jeremy Saulnier

The Green Room is one of those movies that’s brutal, thrilling, and surprisingly captivating. It features some fine acting, and the cinematography is both freaky and gruesome. While I’m not usually a fan of movies with such graphic violence, I found myself drawn to this one.

The movie is written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier. I don’t know much about his other work, but this was a solid addition to his portfolio. The story follows a punk/rock band that, while on tour, makes some poor decisions about where to perform and ends up in a life-or-death situation with neo-Nazi skinheads.

The plot introduces us to the band, the Ain’t Rights, made up of Pat (the late Anton Yelchin), Sam (Alia Shawkat), Reece (Joe Cole), and Tiger (Callum Turner). We see their struggles as they live in their rundown tour bus, stealing fuel from other cars and playing gigs that pay them next to nothing.

A friend tells them about a gig at a neo-Nazi skinhead bar in the woods outside Portland, promising $350. Desperate for money, they take the offer. After their performance, which surprisingly goes well, they get paid. As the band packs up to leave, Pat goes to retrieve Sam’s phone, which she left charging, and stumbles upon the body of a girl named Emily, who has been stabbed in the head by one of the neo-Nazis.

Pat panics, calls the police, but the men at the bar overpower him, take his phone, and force the entire band into a room called the green room. There, their phones are confiscated, and they’re held captive with a massive neo-Nazi guarding the door.

When the police arrive, the neo-Nazis fabricate a story to send them away. Now, the band becomes their next problem. The neo-Nazis decide to kill them, along with Amber, a friend of Emily who’s also locked in the green room. They call their leader and devise a plan to eliminate the band. However, things don’t go smoothly when the band overpowers their guard and takes him hostage.

The movie earned a spot on many critics’ lists as one of the best films of 2016. Despite underperforming at the box office, I hope the critical acclaim made up for it. This is a movie you should definitely see. I do know if there are any streaming platforms showing this, so you may have to dig through the internet to find it to watch.

Attack the Block (2011)

Attack the Block (2011)

7/10

Starring

John Boyega

Jodie Whittaker

Directed by Joe Cornish

Why this movie underperformed at the box office is beyond me because it’s fantastic. The film stars John Boyega (who played Finn in the new Star Wars trilogy, 2015–2019) and Jodie Whittaker (who plays the 13th incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who). At the time of this movie’s release, neither had reached the star status they enjoy now. Plus if someone had told me both worked together, I would have argued.

The movie was written and directed by Joe Cornish, who did a fantastic job. He masterfully intertwines two worlds: the gritty world of South London hooligans and the chaos of an alien invasion in the same neighborhood.

Attack the Block is a British science fiction comedy-horror that grabs you once things start to click. It begins with a nurse named Samantha (Jodie Whittaker) being mugged by a street gang led by Moses (John Boyega). They take everything she has, but during the mugging, something falls from the sky and crashes into a nearby car. Samantha seizes the moment and runs away.

Instead of fleeing, Moses and his crew decide to investigate the crashed car, hoping to steal whatever’s inside. When Moses opens the car door, he’s attacked and scratched by a strange creature. After being mocked by his friends, Moses decides to hunt down the creature and kill it. They succeed, dragging the creature out only to realize it’s unlike anything they’ve ever seen on Earth.

Moses takes the creature to Hi-Hatz, a local drug dealer who lives in the same housing block as Moses and his crew. He stores the creature in the weed room, hoping to sell it later for cash. Soon after, more lights appear in the sky, and more of these creatures descend on South London. Hi-Hatz offers Moses a job as one of his drug runners, but Moses and his crew decline and leave.

Meanwhile, Samantha reports her mugging to the police, who are now on the lookout for her attackers. They spot Moses, find drugs on him, and attempt to arrest him. Just as they’re about to put him in a police van, a larger, fiercer version of the creature attacks the officers. Moses’ crew helps him escape, but they soon run into Hi-Hatz, who’s also after them. Now, they’re being chased by both Hi-Hatz and the alien creatures.

The movie is packed with action, humor, and thrilling showdowns. The fun never stops, and it’s definitely worth seeking out and watching.

Klaus (2019)

Klaus (2019)

7/10

Starring the voices of

Jason Schwartzman

J. K. Simmons

Rashida Jones

Joan Cusack

Directed by Sergio Pablos

Klaus is an animated Christmas comedy film written and directed by Sergio Pablos in his directorial debut. The movie is fun, entertaining, and genuinely interesting. Sergio Pablos, a Spanish animator and screenwriter, is best known as the creator of the Despicable Me franchise. This delightful animation, which serves as a fictional origin story for the myth of Santa Claus, is available to watch on Netflix.

As the name suggests, the story revolves around Santa Claus. The movie begins by introducing us to Jesper, a lazy, spoiled postman who only wants to laze around and enjoy his father’s wealth.

The first twenty minutes focus on Jesper, and the pacing during this part might make you want to tune out. This is because it feels like an extended introduction to a rather irritating character. However, things take an exciting turn when we meet Klaus. At this point, the movie shifts from “Why am I watching this?” to “Hmm, I wonder how this will play out?”—and it plays out beautifully.

The story firmly establishes Jesper’s self-centered nature. As punishment for his behavior, his father assigns him to a remote, perpetually snow-covered town called Smeerensburg in the North. The deal? If Jesper can get 6,000 letters posted, he can return to his comfortable, luxurious life. However, upon arriving in Smeerensburg, he realizes how tough the task is. The town is home to two warring clans—the Krums and the Ellingboes—who have hated each other for centuries.

Jesper struggles to accomplish anything and repeatedly finds himself in trouble. While wandering around in search of someone willing to post a letter, he encounters an old man living a secluded life in the woods. Intrigued, Jesper sneaks into the man’s house and discovers an impressive collection of handcrafted toys. But he’s caught and, in his haste to escape, drops a child’s drawing he had taken earlier. This child had reluctantly given him the drawing after Jesper demanded a letter in exchange.

That single drawing sets off a chain of events that changes everything. Without giving away too much, you’ll need to watch the movie to see how a selfish postman and a reclusive toy maker come together to create the legend of Santa Claus.

The story behind this animated tale of Santa Claus is more than magical—it’s truly sensational. It had me laughing and completely engrossed in how the events unfolded.

This is a movie about how one man’s selfish motives end up uniting an entire town and how a single act of kindness can inspire more good deeds in the most unexpected ways.

A must-watch and perfect for sharing with children.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

4/10

Starring

Errol Flynn

Olivia de Havilland

Basil Rathbone

Directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley

Before watching the movie, I saw a clip from it and worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype surrounding it. After seeing the film, I’m still puzzled by the praise it receives. The movie wasn’t funny, the adventures were stretched thin over a weak subplot, and the Robin character came off as an overconfident brat.

There must be something I’m missing about why this movie is so well-regarded. Looking at the characters and the plot, I honestly don’t like it and can’t understand why some consider it the best adaptation of Robin Hood. I’ve seen many versions of this British folklore hero, and in my opinion, even Mel Brooks' 1993 Men in Tights was better. However, only two Robin Hood adaptations truly stand out to me. One is Disney’s 1973 animated Robin Hood, and the other—the best of them all—is the BBC’s 1984 series Robin of Sherwood. That show combined incredible set design with elements of real-life history, 20th-century fiction, and pagan mysticism. Who could forget its use of witchcraft and magic?

This movie may lack the mature depth of the BBC’s Robin of Sherwood, but it falters even more in its storytelling. Here’s a summary of the plot:

Richard the Lionheart is held captive by Leopold V of Austria while returning from the Holy Land. Meanwhile, his treacherous brother, Prince John, seizes the throne and oppresses the people by raising taxes under the pretext of paying Richard’s ransom. In reality, Prince John is using the money to secure his own power, leaving the people destitute.

One man rises against Prince John: Robin of Locksley (played by Errol Flynn). Known to the people as Robin Hood, he gathers a group of outlaws and outcasts to form his band of merry men. Their mission is simple—steal from Prince John and give to the starving people.

Robin’s interference in the prince’s plans becomes such a nuisance that Prince John and his allies will do anything to capture him. The love interest, Lady Marian, enters the story when she’s being escorted by Sir Guy of Gisborne (Basil Rathbone) and is ambushed by Robin.

One aspect I looked forward to in this movie was Basil Rathbone showcasing his swordsmanship. Rathbone, one of the best swordsmen in the acting world, actually trained Errol Flynn. Their final battle didn’t disappoint—it’s the one redeeming feature of the film. The duel was executed with masterful cinematography, including a scene where only their shadows are shown fighting. That scene alone earned the movie an extra two points from me. Without it, I would’ve rated this movie a 2/10.

At the time of its release, this was Warner Bros.’ most expensive project, and their priciest film in color. It went on to win three Academy Awards: Best Art Direction, Best Original Score, and Best Film Editing.

Despite its accolades, I stand by my opinion—I just don’t understand why this movie is so highly rated.

Dora and The Lost City of Gold (2019)

Dora and The Lost City of Gold (2019)

6/10

Starring

Isabela Moner

Eugenio Derbez

Michael Peña

Eva Longoria

Directed by James Bobin

I’ll be honest—I didn’t expect to like this movie at all. But I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself laughing hysterically while watching it. For me, this movie was a mix of yuckiness and comedy. The two main characters who carried the humor were Isabela Moner (Dora) and Eugenio Derbez (Alejandro).

When both characters are in the jungle searching for Dora’s parents, get ready for some truly unexpected comedy. Even when you can sense something silly is about to happen, the way they handle it still manages to make you laugh.

The movie starts with some annoying yuckiness that might make you question your decision to watch it. We see young Dora and Diego in the forest, pretending to be on an adventure. Dora breaks the fourth wall and talks to her pet monkey, Boots, just like in the animated series. However, things improve as the movie progresses, so stick with it.

The main adventure revolves around finding Parapata, a place rumored to be filled with gold and jewels. Dora’s parents are determined to explore the location, and Dora has been helping them decipher clues. When her parents finally figure out the location, they send Dora to stay with her cousin Diego—someone she hasn’t seen in ten years. They want to keep her safe, as others are also seeking Parapata for less noble reasons. They also hope she’ll experience life outside the jungle. Boots, her pet monkey, stays behind with her parents.

Diego now lives in America with his family, while Dora has spent her entire life in the Peruvian jungle. Visiting a city for the first time as a young adult, Dora arrives with her unshakable optimism, making both friends and foes along the way. Her biggest challenge, however, is Diego, who feels embarrassed by her presence now that she’s attending school with him.

Dora’s world turns upside down when she stops hearing from her parents. Fearful that something terrible has happened to them, she’s left stuck in the U.S. with no hope. During a class scavenger hunt, Dora, Diego, and two other students are grouped together—only to get kidnapped and shipped in a crate back to Peru.

Once in Peru, they’re rescued by Alejandro, who claims to be a friend of Dora’s parents. Trusting him, they set off together to find Dora’s parents.

This is a great movie to watch with the family.

Even though it didn’t make much money at the box office—only doubling its budget—I believe home video sales could bring in a significant chunk. This might lead to a second Dora adventure, or maybe the studio will play it safe and move on. Who knows?

Lady and the Tramp (2019)

Lady and the Tramp (2019)

6/10

Starring the voices of

Tessa Thompson

Justin Theroux

Sam Elliott

Ashley Jensen

Directed by Charlie Bean

Well, well, the new Lady and the Tramp live-action isn’t that bad. In fact, this is Disney's fifteenth live-action remake of either a classic animation or a character from that era, and it’s much better than their last four releases this year: Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, The Lion King, Aladdin, and Dumbo.

You’ll love the movie’s setting, and the characters are perfectly cast. The changes made in this live-action version blend seamlessly into the narrative, enhancing the story. For example, when the Siamese cats show up at Lady’s home, their song is different from the animated version, but it still works really well.

Lady and the Tramp is a live-action adaptation of Walt Disney’s 1955 animated film of the same name. Interestingly, it’s the first Disney remake not to receive a theatrical release, instead debuting on their streaming service, Disney+. I really enjoyed how the script was tweaked to make the romantic storyline even more charming and heartfelt.

The plot closely follows the 1955 original. It begins with Jim Dear (Thomas Mann) gifting his beloved wife Darling (Kiersey Clemons) a puppy named Lady. Lady, a Cocker Spaniel voiced by Tessa Thompson, quickly becomes a cherished member of the family, enjoying walks and affection from Darling. However, Lady notices a shift in attention—Darling seems preoccupied, and even Jim Dear appears distracted and nervous at times.

In her confusion, Lady seeks advice from her friend, a dog from the neighboring yard. While speaking to her friend through the fence, she unknowingly ends up talking to the Tramp, a Schnauzer-mutt voiced by Justin Theroux, who is hiding from the dog catcher. The Tramp overhears Lady’s concerns about Darling’s growing belly and the reduced attention she’s receiving. When Lady realizes she’s not speaking to her friend but a stranger, she tries to raise an alarm. The Tramp, however, convinces her to stay quiet to avoid revealing his hiding spot and offers to explain her situation instead. He tells her a new baby is on the way and warns that she may no longer be the center of attention.

From this point, the story follows Lady as she navigates the arrival of the baby and embarks on a heartwarming adventure with the Tramp.

I loved the original animation, and I believe this live-action adaptation does it justice. It’s absolutely worth watching! However the only drawback is the fluidity of animation when it comes to doing absurd things cannot always be recreated in live-action.

Noelle (2019)

Noelle (2019)

3/10

Starring

Anna Kendrick

Bill Hader

Directed by Marc Lawrence

Disney+ launched with many new things to enjoy, and more are on the way. One of the early releases with the launch of the new streaming service (owned by Disney) is this Christmas movie, Noelle.

Noelle is a movie that tries to win you over with Christmas cheer. It tries to woo you with Santa making a connection to a little girl who is deaf, and all the girl wants is for her mother to get a job. It tries to woo you by making everything work out with emotional scenes. The whole underdog-getting-ahead theme in this movie isn’t a twist ending—you’ll have it figured out less than halfway through.

The movie’s well-misplaced ideas of how to make a fantastic Christmas movie were pulled together to create this film, and honestly, it sucks big time.

The plot starts far in the North Pole at Santa’s house. Santa has two children, Noelle and Nick. From the moment we join the movie, Nick is being groomed to be the new Santa, while Noelle has one job: to be his personal cheerleader. After many years, all grown up, Nick (Bill Hader) isn’t getting the whole Santa thing and is struggling big time to get things right. Their father has passed away, and the pressure is on Nick to be ready by Christmas Day to deliver presents. When Noelle (Anna Kendrick) sees her brother’s struggles, she suggests he takes a weekend off to cool down.

Nick is gone for more than a week—in fact, he runs off—causing the elders to make Noelle and Nick’s cousin the new Santa as they prepare for Christmas. Noelle decides she has to find her brother, and after deducing where in the world he might be hiding, she takes the Santa sleigh and reindeer to go find him.

Making women take the lead seems to be something Disney is trying to do in a lot of their projects now. Not all of their attempts at this wave of “wokeness” have been as crappy as this one. For one thing, I have no issue with females taking the lead or taking over roles commonly attributed to men. The moment I saw Noelle, I wanted the movie to go in this direction. I wanted a change, and even twenty minutes in, I could guess where the movie was going. Yet, despite hating the crappy way it was playing out, I stayed hopeful. In the end, I believe the Noelle character deserved a better movie to launch her place as a woman in a role dominated by men.

I feel this movie had the idea but didn’t have the delivery power to make the splash it could have made.

Roman Holiday (1953)

Roman Holiday (1953)

8/10

Starring

Audrey Hepburn

Gregory Peck

Eddie Albert

Directed by William Wyler

The movie is a fun time! I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did, but I was blown away by Audrey Hepburn’s performance. At first, it feels like a typical romcom and plays out that way too—you can pretty much guess where everything will end up. But then it surprises you with an ending that’s refreshingly realistic, not the usual Hollywood formula.

What you’d expect from a romantic comedy between royalty and a commoner takes a turn and ends in the most grounded, believable way possible.

If, like me, you’re watching this movie for the first time, the present-day English monarchy—with Prince Harry marrying Meghan Markle—might make you think everyone has a chance to become a princess. But realistically, it’s more like one in a million, if not a billion.

The movie begins by introducing Princess Ann. We see how she’s bored of her royal life, so much so that she suffers a nervous breakdown. After a doctor gives her a sedative, she’s left to rest—but instead, she runs away. Unfortunately, the sedative kicks in, and she ends up asleep on the street.

A journalist named Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) finds her and tries to help, but since she’s barely coherent, he takes her to his place and leaves her there while he goes to work the next morning. At work, he learns about the visiting princess in Italy and, upon seeing her picture, realizes the woman in his apartment is none other than Princess Ann. Sensing an opportunity, he promises his boss a scoop: an exclusive interview with the princess. Joe then calls his photographer friend Irving (Eddie Albert) to help.

Joe returns home, helps Ann get dressed, and gives her some money so she can explore the city. He and Irving secretly tag along, taking pictures of her adventures without revealing they are journalists.

Watching Princess Ann’s holiday experience is a delight. The movie captures her adventures so effortlessly that you’re never bored. Just as one escapade ends, another begins. You’ll also appreciate how Ann isn’t entirely clueless about how the outside world works—her curiosity and adaptability are endearing.

The movie was a massive commercial success, and the studio even considered a sequel, though it never materialized. Hepburn’s stunning performance earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress, along with wins at the BAFTA and Golden Globe Awards. The movie also won two additional Academy Awards, including one for Best Writing.

The joy this movie brings has cemented its place in history. It ranked fourth on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years...100 Passions list and also fourth in the romantic comedy category of AFI’s 10 Top 10.

If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you’re truly missing out!

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

8/10

Starring

William Holden

Gloria Swanson

Erich von Stroheim

Nancy Olson

Directed by Billy Wilder

One major thing stands out in this thriller when you sit through Sunset Boulevard, and that is Gloria Swanson as she plays the character Norma Desmond. She plays this character with so much intensity and passion that you’re left lost in pity for her and the idea of a human who has gone over the edge. The character Norma Desmond suits Gloria so well in the way she portrays it that I have to wonder if part of her personal life went into it. Gloria was, in reality, a silent-film era star before the time of talkies. In her life, she moved with the times and wasn’t stuck in the past like Norma, the character she plays.

The movie’s plot starts with us getting a look into the life of Joe Gillis (William Holden) as he gives us a flashback into what led him to the point we find him at the beginning of the film. Joe is down on his luck as a screenwriter—he hasn’t gotten a job in a long while, and his finances are in the dust. He owes rent and car payments, and they’re coming to repossess his car. He tries to raise three hundred dollars to keep his car, but all his attempts fail.

While fleeing from the repossession men, he gets a flat tire and drives into an old, abandoned mansion. He hides his car there, then hears a voice—the voice of a woman (Norma) who calls him to come upstairs. He goes. He’s let into the house by a man named Max (Erich von Stroheim) and soon realizes he’s been mistaken for a coffin maker.

He meets Norma and quickly understands that she’s living in her own fantasy world. Norma used to be a leading actress in the silent-film era, where she made her fortune, and now lives a reclusive life as the talkies began. She has carved out a time for herself and refuses to age beyond the time when she was still popular. In her world, she’s still a film star, receiving thousands of letters every week from fans asking her to make a comeback.

She’s truly rich, and her riches, along with Max’s love for her, are what Max uses to fund her fantasy world. She learns that Joe is a screenwriter and asks him to read her screenplay—she plans to use it to make a comeback. Joe reads it, sees an opportunity to make money, and tells her the screenplay (which is a waste of paper) needs a rewrite. He gets her to hire him as a ghostwriter.

He’s forced to move into the mansion with her, and she develops feelings for him. She starts to care for him and take care of him, all in the hope that they’re writing a movie together. It’s when reality hits that this movie takes a turn, and only by seeing it can you fully appreciate the shift.

The movie’s appeal is its energy. It has this scary, ghoulish feeling, like there’s something dark and amiss about what’s happening, and as you watch, you’ll see it unfold. The movie has a great score and features two iconic lines that have been referenced often: “All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up,” and “I am big; it’s the pictures that got small!”

Sunset Boulevard received Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Motion Picture Actress (Swanson), Best Motion Picture Director, and Best Motion Picture Score. It also received 11 Academy Award nominations and won three, including Best Screenplay and Best Musical Score.

The Third Man (1949)

The Third Man (1949)

8/10

Starring

Joseph Cotten

Alida Valli

Orson Welles

Trevor Howard

Directed by Carol Reed

The musical theme of this movie is something that’s well known, and the overall musical score can best be summarized in one word: classic. The movie itself pulls at the strings of your heart and senses from different angles.

In summary, the movie is about the death of Harry Lime (Orson Welles), which is weird because the accounts of his death don’t match. One witness saw three men carry Harry’s body, but according to the police report based on two witnesses, there were only two men there.

The person who discovers this inconsistency is Harry’s friend from America, Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten). Holly is visiting Vienna—the place where the movie is set—for a job promised to him by Harry. Upon arriving in Vienna, he hears of Harry’s death and attends the funeral. When Holly starts to investigate what happened to his friend, his path crosses with the officer in charge of the case, Major Calloway (Trevor Howard).

Holly wants to get to the bottom of the case and see what the police are missing or hiding because the Harry he knew growing up isn’t the same Harry the police are glad is dead. At this point, you wish you had a friend like Holly on your side. But that changes quickly as the movie develops, and later on, you wish you never had a friend like him. His way of trying to solve the case leads to many other people getting into trouble, while he gets off unscathed—though out of breath from running for his life. Then there’s Anna, Harry’s love interest. Her place in the movie is everywhere, and this thriller plays with these three characters in ways that make you wonder how the movie plans to wrap everything up.

You keep watching to find out what really happened to Harry. Who are these men who carried him to the sidewalk when he died? Did he die immediately, or did he live long enough to leave a message for Holly and Anna? Was Harry as bad as the police say, or was there a cover-up? Watch this wonderful movie to get the answers to these questions.

The movie has some very unusual camera angles. The cinematographer shot some scenes at angles that make you wonder if it was an error, but then it happens so often that you start to like it.

Seen as one of the best movies ever—which I agree with—the acting in this movie will leave you gasping for more and wishing the movie had more to offer. But it ends with your mind left to wonder how Holly and Anna will deal with the aftermath of Harry.

Broadcast News (1987)

Broadcast News (1987)

7/10

Starring

William Hurt

Albert Brooks

Holly Hunter

Directed by James L. Brooks

The movie is nice and tender. Broadcast News explores everything that needs to be done to get the news out for us, the viewers, to see. You’ll like the challenges they face and how many people hide behind their work and their drive.

What I liked about the movie is how it plays so close to reality and doesn’t try to spin out something that can only be done through cinematic magic. It shows the weird and lonely struggle to get a break, while the crafty and morally inept get ahead. In the movie, nice guys don’t get the girls in the end, and crafty guys don’t get their hearts crushed. Nice guys lose the girls, and crafty guys go far, win awards, and get even prettier girls. Meanwhile, the lady trying to get a grip on her life will, by the end, still be trying to get a grip—but, like in this movie, we see a glimmer of hope for her at the end of the tunnel.

The writing of this movie must have taken a lot of research to pull off. The acting will also have you on the ropes in appreciation because it’s clear that not everyone could have pulled off what we see on screen.

The plot starts with the introduction of the three people the movie focuses on, but everything seems to revolve around Jane (Holly Hunter). Jane is a very unhappy woman whose entire life revolves around her work. She’s excellent at what she does and is always ready to pull a diamond from a rock when things are tight and everyone says it’s impossible. We see her sometimes take time out to cry about how sad her life is and how much she wishes for more. What I liked here is that she acts out these feelings without us ever really hearing her address them in words.

Her seemingly best friend—and probably only friend—is Aaron (Albert Brooks). She adores him as a friend, and he seems to be the one person who gives her life the anchor it needs. Aaron is a full-time reporter nerd. He knows everything he needs to know about a story before he tackles it and is ready to go as far as needed to get it right. Aaron dreams of one day becoming a news anchor, but he lacks the charisma to reach such heights. Then there’s Tom (William Hurt), the man who becomes an anchor later in the movie and the one person we discover is willing to do anything to get ahead.

Written, produced, and directed by James L. Brooks, this movie was a critical and commercial success, earning numerous Academy Award nominations and other movie award nominations. It didn’t win an Academy Award, but it won other awards for its work.

It’s quite a long film, but it’s fun to watch.

Defending Life (1991)

Defending Life (1991)

9/10

Starring

Albert Brooks

Meryl Streep

Directed by Albert Brooks

I just love seeing Meryl Streep. She’s one person who can make you fall in love with the character you’re watching on screen, whether they’re the protagonist or the antagonist. She brings this movie to life in a way that makes you want to be Daniel. Her elegance and poise make this one of the most memorable romantic comedies I’ve ever seen.

I remember watching it back in the ’90s, and the scene where Daniel (Albert Brooks) goes after Julia (Meryl Streep), jumping onto a moving tram, has stayed with me all my life. It’s there that she looks at him and says gently, “Hold on! Hold on! Just please, hold on! Hold on.” At that moment, I just knew she wasn’t going to go on without him.

The movie isn’t just a romantic comedy—it’s also a drama that deals with the afterlife and facing judgment for every act we commit on Earth. It was written, directed by, and starred Albert Brooks [the voice of Marlin in Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dory (2016)].

Without giving away too much, the movie starts with an introduction to Daniel. On his birthday, he’s gifted a CD player at work and gives a funny, wonderful speech upon receiving it. He takes it a step further by buying himself a car, which he drives off in, planning to spend his birthday alone. On his way to solitude, he looks away for a moment while driving and hits a bus. He wakes up on the other side, being wheeled in a wheelchair. He’s so tired and unable to gather himself to speak or fully grasp where he is or what’s happening. He’s taken to a hotel, shown to his room, and goes to bed immediately.

Later, he’s woken by a call and meets his defender, Daniel. He’s informed he’s in a place for judgment to determine if he lived a full life, free of fears and regrets. He’s like a spirit there—he can’t be hurt or gain weight. He’ll sit through a hearing where two judges will decide if he should move onward or be sent back to Earth. Daniel isn’t having the best hearing, but things change when he goes to a comedy club and meets a woman named Julia.

With an amazing musical score that hits all the right notes as the movie progresses, this is a fantastic film to watch. I’ll be watching it again just because of how great it is.

The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)

The Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)

7/10

Starring

Humphrey Bogart

Walter Huston

Tim Holt

Bruce Bennett

Directed by John Huston

This was a better outing by John Huston. I much prefer this movie to his 1941’s The Maltese Falcon. Huston has made many great movies, with many tagged as classics, and this one is just as deserving of the term "classic."

What I liked about this movie is the irony that Howard (a character played by John Huston’s father, Walter Huston) sees in it. It’s like they went full circle and ended up where they started, but this time, two of them have a better idea of how they’ll live their lives from now on.

What makes this movie fantastic is watching it without having read the book it’s based on. John Huston wrote the screenplay and directed the movie, adapting it from a 1935 book of the same name by B. Traven.

The movie’s plot can be summarized in one sentence: You should never say never, and money brings out the worst in us. This theme is there from the start, but money just brings it out into the open.

We meet Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart), living in 1925 Mexico, trying to find any job to earn some money to get by. Down on his luck, he begs for money. He runs into another American, Curtin (Tim Holt), and the two talk about how hard things have been for them. A con man hires them to work on a site for him, but when they finish, he refuses to pay them and runs away.

                                     

The time it takes to get to this point in the movie might make you think the above is a spoiler, but it’s not.

They use their last cash to get a decent bed at what can best be described as a flophouse. There, an old man named Howard tells tales of gold. Dobbs gets interested but doesn’t have the money to fund the expedition. The next day, the lucky two run into the man who cheated them out of their pay. They track him down and manage to get their money. They use that money, along with some Dobbs luckily comes into, to board a train and go searching for gold dust.

Their train is attacked by bandits, who later play significant roles in the remainder of the movie.

The trio gets lucky, but the time they spend together gathering gold dust doesn’t do anything good for their minds. It’s these crazy behaviors that the movie is really about.

Fun, captivating, and interesting. I recommend this movie to anyone who wants to see a good movie take unexpected turns and leave them wondering how things got so out of hand.