On the Waterfront (1954)

Posted on July 8, 2012 by 4 Star Films

In his first great crime film Marlon Brando teamed with Elia Kazan and played a very different sort of character. It tells a moving story of a man who chooses to change in very difficult circumstances and to do what is ultimately right. This film has great characters and memorable dialogue that show the complexity of the human race. It proved that Brando could play a true hero and not only a villain.

*May Contain Spoilers
In this film starring a wonderful cast including Brando, Rod Steiger, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, and Eva Marie Sainte, a washed up prizefighter redeems himself. The waterfront is a tough area controlled by a gang led by Cobb. Brando’s Terry Malloy gives them information about a young man, because his brother (Steiger) is second in command. Only afterwards does he find out they knocked the man off and now Malloy must deal with his conscience. He slowly falls for the dead boy’s sister and must tell her the truth. With the help of Sainte and a Father played by Malden, Malloy testifies to put away Cobb for good. However his brother Steiger pays the ultimate price after one of the most poignant scenes in movie history. Kazan behind the camera does a good job at allowing his actors to flourish. This film is definitely a great one telling a classic story of redemption.

5/5 Stars

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Posted on July 8, 2012 by 4 Star Films

Coming from the great year in film of 1939 this is one of the quintessential musical, fantasy, and family films. It has some of the most famous songs around, a memorable cast including Judy Garland, and serves as a constant reminder that there’s no place like home. Furthermore whenever we think villain the film’s Wicked Witch is almost always ingrained in our minds.

*May Contain Spoilers

The story is adapted from the L. Frank Baum novel and it follows a young Kansas girl named Dorothy who lives on a farm with her aunt, uncle, the dog Toto, and three farm hands. When a big tornado hits, Dorothy becomes unconscious and when she wakes up she finds herself in Oz. There she encounters the good witch and the land of the Munchkins. As Dorothy begins her journey to the Great Oz to get home, she meets several unique characters. First there is a scarecrow who wants a brain, then a tin man who desires a heart, and finally a lion who aspires for courage. Together they travel to Oz and the wizard tells them they must kill the Wicked Witch of the West. Dorothy finds herself eventually in captivity but her new found friends rally to save her and inadvertently kill the Witch. When she gets back to Kansas Dorothy realizes that there is truly “no place like home.” With iconic characters, memorable lines, and infectious songs it is easy to understand how this film became a classic. The added color does not hurt and also the special effects are not too shabby for 1939.

4.5/5 Stars

Modern Times (1936)

Posted on July 8, 2012 by 4 Star Films

Arguably the first great superstar of film, Charlie Chaplin was the man known simply as the Tramp in his silent movies. For this reason Modern Times seems like the perfect bridge between the early silent era and the age of talkies starting in the late 1920s. Chaplin had many successes earlier including The Gold Rush (1926) and City Lights (1931). However people wanted to hear talking and soon enough everyone would have to make the transition or else die out. Because of Chaplin’s popularity he was able to make one last great silent picture. From that point on however it got a lot louder in theaters.

In this film the iconic Tramp character finds himself up against modern technology and the Great Depression. The whole movie seems to be critiquing factories, the police, the economy, and even modern film by using little actual dialogue. With that being said, this is a great film which exhibits everything that made Chaplin famous. He still has that walk, that mustache, and new hilarious antics to accompany everything else. Yet again there is a love story, between a tramp and a beautiful homeless girl played by Paulette Goddard (Only in the movies). Despite all the hardships they face this resilient pair amazingly still have hope. Fittingly, in the end the two lovebirds walk off into the background, seeming to bring the end of the Chaplin era, but also leaving us with a feeling of hope for the future.

5/5 Stars

My 25 Essential Films

Posted on July 8, 2012 by 4 Star Films

I have always been interested in lists and over the last two years I have become interested in film, specifically high-quality classic films. That being said, after seeing a good deal of movies I thought I would try my hand at making a list of the best. This obviously is a monumental task and is always going to be up for debate . For this reason I will give the criteria I used in order to come up with the compilation and then give my list.

I thought of this as a list of the best films which I would give to a friend unfamiliar with cinematic history.

The list was meant to span the decades and cover as many genres, actors, actresses, and directors as possible. That way someone could grasp a better understanding of the change in film after viewing a couple dozen movies. I also used five other criteria in order to help me decide which to pick. They were: