Jimmy's+Film+Responses

//The Shawshank Redemption//.

I laughed, I cried, I lived vicariously the tough, raw existence of prison through the amazing performances of Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, and the supporting cast. Tim Robbins portrays the seemingly innocent Andy Dufresne who is wrongfully sentenced to life in prison. He grabs the audience and forces them to care about him, to be on his team, to root for him throughout the whole movie. Morgan Freeman plays Red, the streetwise, patriarchal "guy who can get things" in Shawshank. He acts as the story's narrator, and his soulful gravely voice just adds that much more to the grittiness of the prison life. Clancy Brown does a great job, letting the audience immerse themselves in feelings of disgust, and loathing towards his believably vile character of Captain Hadley. Granted, this tale is near impossible and extremely unlikely, it is a well crafted piece of hollywood magic.//The Shawshank Redemption// is widely accepted as a general heart warming, inspirational, emotional rollercoaster of ups and downs. And boy what a ride.

//Casablanca,// white house, great movie.

Starring classic actors such as Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and the timeless, albeit funny looking Peter Lorre. This movie is the go-to for anyone wanting to delve into the black and white classics genre. Humphrey Bogart plays perhaps the suavest male character ever put onto film, barring maybe James Bond, Rick Blaine. He holds a reputation for being a non-partisan, politically unmotivated businessman. We find out later though, that he has fought on the side of many historical underdogs, and the situation in Casablanca would prove to not be that different after all. Ingrid Bergman plays the long-lost love of Rick Blaine, a woman named Ilsa Lund. The sparks really fly in this film when we can see Bergman and Bogart acting with only one another. Their passion seems almost real, like you could imagine it happening somewhere in that great big world out there. This is why I enjoyed Casablanca, a genuinely gripping dramatic storyline, with fine performances by all actors involved.

//On The Waterfront,// where shipment after shipment of crime drama are delivered right to your front door.

I'd always wondered why I heard Marlon Brando being referred to as the best actor of our time. Well thankfully Mr. Masson was able to shed some light on the subject for us. Whereas previous movies were overtly, sometimes seemingly over the top dramatic, //On The Waterfront// seemed to be the first black and white movie I had seen that had some sort of identifiable realism. Marlon Brando, as Mr. Masson explained, was the first actor to play to the camera, and not "to the back of the audience." The personal, moral conflicts that Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) goes through in this film is what really attracted me. Throughout the film he is torn between what he knows is morally right, and a blind allegiance to his brother and effectively, the mafia that is exploiting the longshoreman union, add that to a heaping spoonful of self degradation (IM A BUM) and you got yourself a gripping piece of cinema.

I want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? //The Graduate.//

Dustin Hoffman plays Ben Braddock in the hottest movie of 1967, //The Graduate.// The film was a microchosm of the ever present dissention between two completely differing generations. Ben had played through the goals that his parental generation had set, completing high school, graduating from college with honors, and was now supposed to be on the hunt for his future, but he wants something...different. A theme I can absolutely relate to at my age and stage in life, this is when you must decide what the rest of your life is going to be like. So Ben does what any sensible young adult would do--whatever he damn well pleases! Stylistically it looked to have a large impact on Wes Anderson films, with seemingly dry but deep tongue in cheek dialogue and equipped with one of the best soundtracks out there.

Forget it Jake, its just...

//Chinatown.// When I watch a film, I tend to really take a liking to the characters, especially if the lead is an eccentric actor. And who's more of an eccentric actor than Jack Nicholson? Everything about his physical person lends to the quality of his acting. The shark-like smile, the smooth voice that seems to mimic what you would think a snake sounds like, everything you would imagine a classic private eye to be. The movie is set so well, with even the extras and the vehicles fitting in so well, you can't help but feel like your watching a classic film noir piece from the '40s. I really liked how the story is presented to us, it's like we are right there with Jake, piecing together the situation one investigation at a time. This sort of "first person" narrative makes it so we never know what's going on before the event is revealed through Jake. I really liked this method of storytelling in the film, as it made me feel i was a super sleuth myself!