Nashville (1975)

Posted on August 8, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Directed by Robert Altman, this musical, comedy, drama has an ensemble cast made up of 24 different people. The film’s story takes place over several days in Nashville, Tennessee during the political season. From the beginning we follow the politics, music, and most importantly the folks who inhabit and visit this place. They come from all backgrounds, some are in Nashville for musical careers and others for their own personal reasons. You have shaky relationships, an ill country singer, a British BBC journalist, and many other characters who are all interrelated. All their stories culminate in one tragic moment at a show. However, they all quickly move on with their lives. This film was enjoyable because there were so many different people. Even if it made the story more difficult to follow, that did not really matter. By the end everything seemed relatively cohesive. True, the conclusion is abrupt but I think that is how the story was meant to end.

4.5/5 Stars

The Graduate (1967)

Posted on August 8, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Some may see this film as a comedy drama that is not in the category of great movies. However I feel if nothing else, The Graduate is culturally significant because it ushered in an age in the late 1960s where films focused on trying to attract younger audiences. Along with its good writing this film was one of the forerunners in using popular music in its soundtrack.

*May Contain Spoilers

Starring Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, and Katherine Ross with direction by Mike Nichols, the film opens with Benjamin Braddock returning home from college. He has excelled in many ways and yet he feels bored and alienated from his parents. However the naive Benjamin soon finds himself in an affair with an older woman. This further confuses him as he figures out what to do with his life. His unknowing parents want him to date a girl attending Berkeley. Things become complicated since it turns out to be Mrs. Robinson’s daughter. Not wanting anything to happen between Benjamin and Elaine, Mrs. Robinson sabotages the relationship and tries to marry her daughter off while her own marriage goes down the tube. Benjamin who is ultimately in love with Elaine crashes the wedding and takes her away to face an unknown life ahead. With the help of a memorable Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack, this film ushered in a new age geared toward the younger generations.

4.5/5 Stars

Inception (2010)

Posted on July 30, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Starring Leonardo Dicapprio, Joseph Gordon-Levit, Tom Hardy, and Ellen Page with direction by Christopher Nolan, the film follows the elaborate plot to plant an idea in someone’s mind. Dom Cobb is skilled at entering into peoples’ minds in order to steal ideas. However, in order to get back to a normal life now he must plant something instead. He gathers a team to help him enter the dreams successfully. However they are not just going one level down but in fact several tiers into the mind. This will make each successive perception more unstable and perilous. The team enters the first dream fine but soon they realize that their influential subject has built up defenses in his dreams. Furthermore, if they die the dream will not simply end but they will all be trapped in limbo. With those problems they enter the second tier and then the third and so on. Ultimately, Cobb must face one of his own realities or else all is lost. This film is so intriguing because it is different and in many ways it blows your mind (including the ambiguous ending).

5/5 Stars

Blade Runner (1982) – Final Cut

Posted on July 30, 2013 by 4 Star Films

This sci-fi, neo-noir directed by Ridley Scott stars Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard. The film opens in Los Angeles in 2019 which is continually dark and perpetually raining. In this futuristic dystopia, several replicants, which are superhumanoids, have escaped and gone rogue. After one man is killed, Rick Deckard is called in to execute them and take up his former job as a blade runner. First he heads to the Tyrell Corporation where he meets Rachael, a woman who is unknowingly a replicant. The fugitive replicants begin to search for their creator and Deckard continues his own search and with a little help he is successful. At the same time the replicants gain access to Tyrell and confront him. Then, ultimately it is down to Deckard and Roy Batty, the leader of the replicants. In a somewhat bizarre ending, Deckard fights to survive and he returns to Rachael, their future unknown. Scott played off his own difficult experiences for this film in order to create a universe full of uncertainty. This environment is paradoxically old and futuristic at the same time. Even the melding of film-noir and sci-fi creates a disconcerting atmosphere of technology but also fear. I think part of the aura surrounding this film also has to do with the fact that Scott made multiple cuts so depending on which one you see the film differs as a whole (I saw the final cut from 2007).

4/5 Stars

Taxi Driver (1976)

Posted on July 29, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film stars Robert De Niro with Jodie Foster and Cybil Sheppard. The story opens with a Vietnam vet, Travis Bickle (De Niro) who takes a job as a taxi driver. Travis is a quiet and lonely man who is turned off by the scum and filth he sees on the streets of New York. He becomes enthralled with a beautiful campaign worker who eventually turns him off. Then he also comes in contact with a young girl who makes her living working the streets. His frustration deepens and he begins to work out and collect weapons. It becomes obvious he is about to explode and after an initial failed attempt he does just that. However, ironically the aftermath leaves him as a hero. Travis is an interesting character because you feel sorry for him and yet he does things that are truly wrong. I found Bernard Hermann’s score, the voice-over narration, and the cryptic ending all to be interesting parts of this film.

4.5/5 Stars

Chinatown (1974)

Posted on July 28, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Starring Jack Nicholson with Faye Dunaway and John Huston, this skillfully written neo-noir is a nod to the work of Chandler and Hammet. J.J. “Jake” Gittes is a P.I. in the L.A. area during the 30s who specializes in marital cases. When a woman calling herself Mrs. Mulwray asks Gittes to watch her supposedly cheating husband, he enters something he does not understand. Soon he meets the real Mrs. Mulwray (Dunaway), learns Mr. Mulwray is dead, and discovers Mrs. Mulwray’s father is the powerful water tycoon Noah Cross (Huston). As he tries to uncover the truth behind some odd events, Gittes meets with opposition, more confusion, and eventually some answers. The mystery is twofold and he begins to understand the plot over the L.A. water, however he does not figure out the secret kept by Mrs. Mulwray right away. When he finally does find out he is too late and tragedy ultimately comes in Chinatown. This film was enjoyable in the buildup and the ending was okay if not tragic. However, it did seem that the mystery surrounding the water was predictable.

4.5/5 Stars

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Posted on July 26, 2013 by 4 Star Films

I have to admit that this sci-fi film directed by Stanley Kubrick left me feeling let down. The movie itself is split up into four parts, the first beginning in the prehistoric era with a group of apes. Over time a mysterious structure appears and the apes learn how to make tools. From there it cuts to the exploration of space where man goes to Jupiter and beyond with the help of HAL 9000, a skilled but dangerous computer. The classical score is quite good working with the visual but sometimes it seems the movie is lacking in other areas. There is minimal dialogue, it seems that there could be better editing aside from the famous jump cut near the beginning, and the plot jumps all over the place. What I take away from it is the progression of man over time. The fact that there is really no memorable character except the non-human computer is also interesting. Finally, this film was made before the moon landing so in a way it was ahead of its time. That being said it still was not my favorite film.

4/5 Stars

West Side Story (1961)

Posted on July 20, 2013 by 4 Star Films

In this 1960s, musical adaption of Romeo and Juliet, two lovers become infatuated with each other but the problem is that none of their friends would ever approve. They come from two different classes and backgrounds which are constantly at odds. The two sides frequently clash as represented by the Shark and Jet gangs. Naively, the lovers believe they can get away and be happy forever. However, the situation escalates when the gangs take part in a rumble. Pretty soon the situation is out of control and it has become something nobody wanted. Hope for the future finally seems possible for the pair but it is brutally crushed in an instant. The viewer is left with a feeling of tragedy. This is a very good film for the most part and many of the songs are great, sticking with you afterwards. I suppose it is quite difficult to go wrong with a story from Shakespeare .

4.5/5 Stars

Double Indemnity (1944) – Film-Noir

Posted on July 16, 2013 by 4 Star Films

If the Maltese Falcon was the first great film-noir then this film has to be a refining and improvement of the genre. Billy Wilder put together a crime film that is still intriguing today with its femme fatale and other techniques in storytelling and cinematography.

*May Contain Spoilers

Starring Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson, this is a classic film-noir. Walter Neff is your average American insurance salesman. However while trying to sell some accident insurance he falls for a woman who is married to a former widower. Together they plot and carry out a murder on her irritable husband trying to cash in on a double indemnity clause. Although everything goes as clockwork the two of them must stay apart and Neff’s colleague is hot on their trail. Through a series of visits with Deitrichson’s depressed step-daughter, Neff himself finds out Phyllis was seeing someone else. In their final confrontation he figures out she killed her husband’s first wife . Then she preceded to use Neff for her own purposes.Following their confrontation Neff feels guilt and so he records all he knows for his colleague Keyes to hear later. This movie was definitely full of suspense as well as great characters. Directer Wilder utilizes the voice over with flashback very effectively to tell the story.

5/5 Stars

Raider’s of the Lost Ark (1981)

Posted on July 13, 2013 by 4 Star Films

This film is a nod to all the old time serials and it put us face to face with one of the greatest cinematic heroes of all time . Raiders is wonderful because it is a pure and simple adventure with wonderful characters, a great score, and intriguing scenes. This truly is one of the best action films of all time.

*May Contain Spoilers

Introducing a great hero in Indiana Jones this movie is a blast every minute. With his whip, pistol, and iconic fedora, Indy travels the world in order to track down the Ark of the Covenant. However his arch rival Belloq is also searching for it backed by the Nazis. Indy’s search kindles an old flame in Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) and reunites him with his friend Sallah. Jones has a knack for adventure and despite constant obstacles he is never truly beaten. However Belloq does seem to have the last laugh by testing the uncovered Ark. Its power is so great though it destroys all who look at it. So Indy and Marion escape narrowly with their lives. With its great combination of George Lucas and Steven Speilberg along with a great score, this film is a lot of fun. It is difficult not to like the adventures of this classic hero.

5/5 Stars