Cinema Paradiso

The Graduate Film Review

9/10

  Since the first time I saw The Graduate I instantly loved it for the humour and performances, which includes Dustin Hoffman in his first major role, and possible his greatest. Along with the spot on acting and writing, is the great directoral performance by Mike Nichols, who takes you on a ride through changing of the times in the late 60's.

  The first thing the film truly throws at you is its score (composed by Simon & Garfunkel directly for this film), and I think it's safe to say that you will be remembering these songs long after the credits roll. Songs such as Sounds of Silence and Canticle (Scarborough Fair) are still American Folk-Rock classics today, and are as catchy as they are intimate. After the first the rendition of Sounds of Silence is heard, you are almost immediately having various symbols and metaphors shown to you in a very non-discreet fashion, making it easy for casual movie goers to fully understand what this film stands for and what Nichols was trying to say.

  A major part of the film, along with the score and the message, is the awkward humour that is present throughout the film. No jokes here, just humorous interactions between the characters, which are very entertaining to watch. If you completely missed the whole, "youth in revolt" thing, I think you would still immensley enjoy this movie. I don't think there are many that have watched this and not had a good laugh as a result.

  I give this film a nine out of ten, which is a score that I think many would agree is well deserved. This film is just one of those few entities that has something for everybody. If you're into music, this movie is the reason for two of Simon & Garfunkels biggest songs. If you like the idea of a generation breaking away from the ways of its predeccesor, that is, in many ways, the movie. Even if you don't care about any of that, there's still the wildly entertaining part of the film that is the humour, that you'd have to be immensely prude not to enjoy. In any case this movie is worth your time, and I think you'd have to be a fool to pass it by, if you enjoy film.

Psycho Film Review

7.5/10

  While watching this Hitchcock classic, or any Hitchcock film for that matter, you can't help but notice a very distinct presence that is constantly evident throughout each and every one of his films. For lack of a better word, I will regard this distinct presence with the phrase "cool," because that's truly what it is. This Hitchcock thriller is "cool" for lack of a better word. I honestly can't see how someone can't, at the very least, be entertained by this film, let alone greatly dislike it. Granted this isn't, and never will be, one of my favorites, I wouldn't be able to blame someone for putting this film in that role.

  As Norman Bates, Anthony Perkins gives, possibly, one of the most memorable performances in the history of film, and the same can undoubtedly be said about Hitchcock's practically trademark directing. The plot twists and turns at the right moments, as should every thriller, and definitley has alot going for it as it progresses, though the film follows a very odd story structure that is not often seen in popular film. I am not particularly familiar with the Thriller film genre, as I do not especially like Thrillers, so I am not sure if the plot structure is more common in the Thriller genre, and cannot, therefore, give a great critical view on the matter, but despite that, I can definitley say that the plot is entertaining, but only contributes partly to what the film has going for it.

  Psycho will no doubt go down as one of the great Thrillers in film, and will do doubt be continually viewed by generations to come due to the masterful Hitchcockian directing, but I still have various problems with the film. For instance, the characters are very two-dimensional, which is incredibly odd, considering that one of them is supposed to be mentally and emotionally disturbed. The character arc of Marion is mundane, at best, but I suppose that's to be expected from a Thriller. I personally prefer much more developed characters, which is why I'm giving Psycho a 7.5/10. I admit it's probably not fair to judge a Thriller based on character development, but I can't help what I personally prefer.

My top ten movies

10. Pulp Fiction
9. Chinatown
8. The Shining
7. Rushmore
6. This is Spinal Tap
5. Almost Famous
4. Apocalypse Now
3. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
2. Easy Rider
1. Dr. Strangelove