Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Review

Is there really anything new that hasn't been said yet about "Raiders of the Lost Ark"? OK, if you're one of the ten people on this planet who hasn't seen this classic, then WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU WAITING FOR???? GO SEE IT!!!

Casablanca (1942) Review

Don't you hate when you watch a movie that has such a big reputation, won so much acclaim, is beloved by everyone, always pops up on lists of best films of all time and you realize that it's all just much ado about nothing? I watched Casablanca for the first time last night and let me tell you directly, it is a good movie but it's far from being as grand, important, lifechanging and whatnot as it is made up to be.

What we're dealing with here is basically just a love story, albeit an interesting one. Humphrey Bogart plays Rick who owns a night club in World War II Casablanca and he's a tough guy, as cynical a badass as there has ever been one. But when he is confronted with his long lost love Ilsa we realize he's a nice guy inside, he's just been hardened by the heartbreak she caused him.

If you really don't have any idea what Casablanca is about then I'm not gonna spoil the rest for you. This movie has been referenced, spoofed and honored so many times that any cinephile should recognize most of the shots. We get classic lines such as "Here's looking at you, kid" and "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" while Bogart plays his signature role to a tee and Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa just shines throughout the film. My favorite character nonetheless is Claude Rains as Captain Renault, a corrupt official who you can't really figure out until the very end.

So one might ask, what is there not to like about this film and frankly, there's not much not to adore but one thing that just kept bugging me and in the end ruined the film for me and brought it down to "just" a good level. As great as Bogart is in his role, I didn't feel much chemistry between him and Ingrid Bergman. She is this beautiful and fragile woman and he is just tough, I felt it just didn't click between them. I bet lots of people would disagree with me on that but hey, this is my blog and my opinion!

Maybe it's better to see films like Casablanca, Citizen Kane, The Godfather and any other classic without bias, just take them for what they are and appreciate what you actually get. Then you might avoid the slight disappointment I experienced with Casablanca.

On The Waterfront (1954) Review

 

How can I call myself a movie lover if I've never seen an Elia Kazan movie? Shame on me. To the younger audiences who consider movies from the 90s to be old, Elia Kazan was one of the most acclaimed directors of all time, creating mostly outstanding motion pictures during the 50s and making actors shine in their roles.

As I said before today I've seen my very first Elia Kazan flick, On The Waterfront starring Marlon Brando and I must say, I was not let down, this film was amazing.

Marlon Brando plays an ex-boxer who tries to get by as a longshoreman while being mixed up as a thug in some criminal activities. Through the love of a girl and a smoking and drinking priest he discovers his conscience and tries to stand up against his corrupt union bosses.

The movie starts out rather bumpy but once you get a glimpse of the top notch acting by Brando, Karl Malden (who plays the priest) and Eva Marie Saint, you'll be drawn in completely. And if that doesn't help you then the classical Leonard Bernstein score will put you into the right mood.

Nowadays the old classics don't get as much as attention as they deserve so if you have the choice of watching an acclaimed film that might be a bit older than your usual flick instead of the newest Harry Potter, comic book movie or Michael Bay idiocy then give the old one a choice, you won't regret it.