''Chinatown'' (1974 movie)- Review

Directed by: Roman Polanski
Released: 1974
Country: United States

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Drama

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez, John Hillerman, Darrell Zwirling, Diane Ladd, Belinda Palmer

Rating: 5 out of 5

Review

Jake Gitties (Jack Nicholson) is a private investigator, who investigates about people committing extra-marital affairs. One day, a woman, introducing herself as Mrs Mulwray, comes to him, and tells him that her husband is, apparently, involved with another woman, and asks him to find out about this. On investigating this, Gitties finds out about secrets and crimes, murders and personal secrets of the past. 

Roman Polanski's Chinatown is a mystery with a lot of drama and depth in it, with excellent performances, screenplay, dialogue, and score. It's a film that remains quite unforgettable.

Hollis Mulwray (Darrell Zwirling) is apparently in a relationship with another woman. After the supposed Mrs Mulwray hires Gitties, he starts spying on Hollis and his girlfriend. But, after some time, a woman (Faye Dunaway) comes to Gitties and tells him that she is Mrs Mulwray. Then who was the woman who had hired Gitties? And for what purpose did she try to impersonate Mrs Mulwray? 

But before long, Hollis Mulwray is found dead. His death was apparently caused by drowning. Or was it actually murder? Gitties investigates and spies, and comes across a plot, a secret, a crime. Hollis Mulwray apparently came to know about it, and he was murdered. But who is behind all these? Gitties takes the help of Mrs Mulwray, and in time, comes across shadows and personal secrets related with the crimes...

Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway are excellent as the two lead characters. Dunaway's performance remains quite unforgettable, for example, the confrontation scene at the car, the scene where Mrs Mulwray tells Gitties the identity of Katherine, and of course, the last scene. Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and John Huston- all of them were excellent in the final scene.

The story was excellent and the wonderful screenplay developed the situations excellent--- it always remained suspenseful and exciting and dark, sometimes a little violent, and near the end, emotional as well.

''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (1975 movie)- Short review

Author: Milos Forman
Released: 1975
Country: United States

Genre: Drama

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, William Redfield, Will Sampson, Brad Dourif, Danny DeVito, Sydney Lassick

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review

R. P. McMurphy, a man who has been arrested several times for assault, pretends to be mentally unstable when he is serving a sentence in a prison. He is sent to a mental institution, where it will be checked whether something is wrong with him or not. McMurphy gets acquainted and becomes friendly with several patients, and comes to know the strict head nurse, Nurse Ratched (played by Louise Fletcher). The nurse is strict, and, because of her strict character, wants the patients to be firm in their work and their daily routine as well. McMurphy becomes annoyed because of her strictness, and inspires the patients to defy her, to have fun, to get out of the strict routine. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is an entertaining film, with amazing performances. Jack Nicholson is absolutely wonderful. Louise Fletcher is excellent... Dourif, Simpson and Redfield are amazing as well. I had mixed feelings towards Nurse Ratched's character. At times, I did hate her, but I didn't think her to be a complete villain. Nurse Ratched is strict and determined in whatever she does. Because of her overly strict character, a horrible incident happens near the end of the film. She is not really a bad person. She should have realized that it's sometimes necessary to mix emotions with whatever she has to do.

''Taxi Driver'' (1976 movie)- Review

Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Released: 1976
Country: United States

Genres: Crime, Drama, Psychological thriller

Main cast: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, Cybill Shephard, Albert Brooks, Leonard Harris

Rating: 5 out of 5

Review

Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), a Vietnam War veteran, has insomnia. To spend his night, he takes a job, driving a taxi during night. Life may seem smooth, but inside Travis, there is a desire to clean the social indiscipline of the city: to make it a clean city with peace and sanity. But his desire is something dark, he is clearly mentally unstable, yet so gentle, yet so violent.

Like many other great films, ''Taxi Driver'' is another film whose greatness can't be explained in a few words. This, certainly, will not be one of my favorite films- but no one can deny it's greatness, it's accomplishment. The disturbing theme of the film is artistically played on screen, so engrossing and a wonder to look at.

Travis Bickle wants to clean the social indiscipline of the city. Driving taxis at night, he keeps a diary where he describes how he's passing his life. He becomes attracted to a woman named Betsy (Cybill Shephard), takes her to dates, form a relationship with her, a relation that ultimately comes to an end when he takes her to a see a pornographic film. Why did he start a relation with Betsy? Because he thinks that Betsy is a lonely person. And he knows very well what loneliness means.

Jodie Foster and Robert De Niro in ''Taxi Driver''

Travis buys guns, does exercises, to become more physically fit, that will help him to ''clean up'' the city. He comes across child prostitute Iris (Jodie Foster), and becomes desperate to save her. To return to her the normal childhood.

Loneliness plays a major role throughout the film.  Travis Bickle is certainly a lonely man, and umm... it'll be really very difficult to describe him. Really.

It is an extremely well-written and well-directed film. The screenplay is wonderful. It is filled with wonderful dialogues (the most memorable dialogue: ''You talkin' to me?'' which Travis asks himself, looking into the mirror). The acting, mentionably that of Robert De Niro, is wonderful. Jodie Foster has importance only in some 20 minutes (or even less than that), but the young actress played her role perfectly in a wonderful way. Cybill Shephard's Betsy will also remain a memorable character. Actually, none of the characters, other than Travis, actually gets that much importance in the film. Sure, they are all important, they are all connected to Travis, and we don't feel that they are missing. Yet, the screen presence of most of these characters, compared to that of Travis, is quite less.

The film actually gets shocking and disturbing at it's climax. Sure, the audience expected a certain violence at the climax, but it is so disturbing, compared to the rest of the film. The ending is also excellent, but let's not go into details.

Overall, Martin Scorsese's ''Taxi Driver'' is one of the best works in the careers of both Scorsese and Robert De Niro. An excellently-made film, ''Taxi Driver'' is one of the films that should not be missed.

5 out of 5

''Amarcord'' (1973 movie)- Review

Directed by: Federico Fellini
Released: 1973
Country: Italy

Main cast: Bruno Zanin, Magali Noël, Puppela Maggio, Armando Brancia, Giuseppe Ianigro, Ciccio Ingrassia, Donatella Gambini

Genres: Coming-of-age Comedy-drama

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Review

Federico Fellini's ''Amarcord'', considered to be one of his best works, is a pleasure indeed. It is cheerful, bizarre, eccentric and funny. What is noteworthy is that showing the daily life and eccentricities of the eccentric people in a village, through humor, drama, and art, ''Amarcord'' succeeds in making the audience sit 2 hours looking at the screen, guessing what will happen next. No, it's not a film with a story, a problem, a solution. It is just a 2 hour of journey showing us the days of the protagonist, teenager Titta, and the people around him.

Titta recalls his days as an adolescent in the particular village, filled with eccentric but mostly goodhearted people. We meet a wide variety of characters: there is Titta's short tempered father, then there is the beautiful Gradisca (upon whom many teenagers have a strong crush on), there is Titta's mentally ill uncle, there is nymphomaniac Volpina. And so many other people, to name but a few.

The film starts as people of the village cheerfully welcome spring. And oh, this actually kept me gazing at the screen. So cheerful and carefree the characters were looking! Actually, I can't give a proper plot summary; it seems really difficult. But just remember that Titta recalls his days of his adolescene, in a village, in Fascist Italy.

The screenplay is brilliant, cheerful. The score is absolutely amazing. Cinematography deserves special praise. It is a delight to look at the film. Overall, this is a well-written, well-made, and oh, an excellent film by Federico Fellini! :)
  

Annie Hall (1977 movie)- Review

Directed by: Woody Allen
Released: 1977
Country: United States

Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Paul Simon, Carol Kane, Christopher Walken, Shelley Duvall, Colleen Dewhurst

Genres: Romantic-comedy, Drama

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review

''Annie Hall'' is one of Woody Allen's best known movies, and the film is a winner of four Oscars (Best Picture, Best Actress- Diane Keaton, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay). I think ''Annie Hall'' is a very good movie, but I also think it's overrated.

But I don't mean it's too overrated. I mean it's only a bit overrated. Well, it happened like this that since it was a Best Picture winner, I thought it would have been an excellent movie, perhaps a masterpiece, and I've also heard that it's one of Woody Allen's bests.

So, very well. I saw the movie. I loved it. I thought it was very good. But it didn't, however, meet my expectations. I expected, as I wrote before, it would be a great movie, but I found it to be just a fairly brilliant film.

Nevertheless, praises to you, Woody Allen, for directing such a brilliant film.

More of that later... First of all, the story.

Neurotic comedian Alvy Singer has broken up with singer Annie Hall. He remembers his times with Annie, mostly, as well some parts of his life, and he recalls a number of previously minor breakups with Annie, their deep relationship, their arguments, and the fun that they had.

But the story is not what makes it brilliant. Rather, I think ''Annie Hall'' is made such delightful to look at by the presentation. Alvy frequently breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to the audience. Not only this, sometimes, Alvy and others look at his past and discuss. That's an interesting thing. There are several more aspects in the presentation which makes it a delightful one.

Humor and romance and subtle dramas prevail throughout. The childhood of Alvy, shown through flashbacks, is hilarious, showing his mother taking him to psychiatrist, his house under a roller coaster, and also, the earliest memorable hilarious scene in the movie, the scene at the school. I won't go into details about that scene; it's a hilarious one and I want you to enjoy it yourself.

Next, it's a fast and smooth movie. That's a likeable thing about this movie as it's so relaxing to watch. It doesn't actually get serious. The whole thing is light and well, relaxing.

Background music can be hardly heard in this movie, but however, two songs Annie sings in this movie. I loved one of them, ''Seems Like Old Times''. That's a beautiful song sung by the character Annie in this film, and the song is adorable.

But one thing I'd like to criticize is that sometimes it merely get pointless. I won't like to describe the whole in detail. The story is very good, the screenplay by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickmann is excellent, but still, despite being such a good and relaxing movie, some parts felt actually a bit... umm... pointless to me. But then, it is a brilliant film, isn't it, and overall, nice one.

''Annie Hall'' is, as I said before, slightly overrated, but you have to admit that it's a pleasant and relaxing movie. Again, praises to Woody Allen for such a nice movie like this.
 


3.5 out of 5

The Godfather: Part II (1974 movie)- Review

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Released: 1974
Country: United States

Main cast: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, Robart Duvall, John Cazale, Lee Strasberg, Talia Shire, Michael V. Gazzo, G. D. Spradlin, Richard Bright, Morgana King, Marianna Hill, Gastone Moschin

Genres: Crime drama

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review

The story of the powerful Corleone family continues with The Godfather: Part II, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The film itself is as powerful as the first film, only it is not as engrossing as it's predecessor.

But more of that later. First let's discuss the basic aspects of the movie. While the film continues the tale of Michael Corleone's leadership over the Corleone family, it also shows us, through flashbacks, about the youth of Vito Corleone. The young Vito Corleone is played by Robert De Niro.

There are frequent flashbacks in the movie showing us about the youth of Vito Corleone and how he became engaged in crimes. As such there is a mixture of both a sequel and prequel in The Godfather: Part 2.

Some characters get more importance in this movie. Connie, Michael's sister, played by Talia Shire, who had remained not so important in the first movie, gets a little more importance in this movie. Like the first movie, Vito Corleone's wife, played by Morgana King, remains a minor supporting character.

But a real surprize is given by Fredo Corleone, played by John Cazale. In The Godfather we had seen Fredo as mild, getting not much attention. But in this movie his role gets bigger. And in fact, he plays a crucial role in the plot. He helps an enemy, Hyman Roth, in a plan against Michael.

It all starts like this. A failed assassination attempt on Michael Corleone leads him to take safety  measures so that his dear family can remain safe. He is sure that the assassination attempt has been done by Hyman Roth. But he doesn't let Roth realize he knows all this. Instead, in front of Roth, he pretends that he believes that the assassination attempt was planned by Frank Pentengeli, whom Michael trusts a lot.

On this context, while a conversation with Pentengeli informing him that he is certain that Hyman Roth is the antagonist, Michael says these famous words: ''Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer''; which had been taught to him by his late father.

But one man in his own family has been helping Hyman Roth. Who is he? When he finds out that it is none but his beloved, weak, and mild older brother Fredo, he is terribly shocked and saddened. What does it lead to?

While this story continues, the youth of Vito Corleone shown in flashbacks, is interesting in it's own way. We come to know more about this character.

It is surprising if you compare Michael from the beginning of The Godfather, with the Michael of The Godfather II. At the beginning of The Godfather, Michael Corleone was such a sweet, calm young man. His character started to change by the middle of The Godfather, and by the end of the movie, he had become a completely ruthless man. This transformation of Michael Corleone was an important aspect of The Godfather. And in The Godfather: Part II, Michael has become such a very ruthless, coldhearted man. Yet, he does remain devoted to his family. The character is played brilliantly by Al Pacino, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, for his performance.

A character whom I started to sympathize was Michael's wife, Kay, played by the talented Diane Keaton. Kay doesn't like the criminal activities her husband is engaged with. In a scene she tells her husband that he had once said her that he would make the family business legitimate within five year; it has been seven years since he said that but still the family business is not legitimate. Her husband says that he has been trying. How much he is trying, in fact?

Robert Duvall reprises his role as the family consigliere and informally adopted brother of Michael Corleone, Tom Hagen. His role remains just as important as it was in the first film. There is also the presence of Lee Strasberg as the villain, Hyman Roth. James Caan briefly reprises his role as Sonny Corleone, in a flashback scene.

It is, without a doubt, among the best gangster movies ever made, and obviously, a masterpiece. Then why did I give it 4 out of 5, if it is indeed one of the best films ever made? Why didn't I give it a 5? That I am explaining below.

The film starts looking very promising. And it turns out to be an excellent and powerful experience. There is no doubt in that. But, some of the very first scenes seem boring. It isn't engrossing. But then, after a few scenes, all of a sudden gets so very exciting and engrossing, and then you start enjoying it. Really. From that parts, you seem to enjoy it.

It being very enjoyable, but I thought one thing. The Godfather was as well a slow-paced movie. But however, it was engrossing in each and every scenes. The Godfather: Part II is, excluding some of the first scenes, very enjoyable, very much engrossing, highly interesting. So overall, comparing the two films, I think The Godfather was a better film, but however, The Godfather: Part II is a very much excellent film as well.

The dramatic cinematography and scores, and the editing, all of them, along with the story, screenplay, acting- make the film an excellent one. So, high praises to all of them!

Overall, ''The Godfather: Part II'' is a brilliant and excellent film by Francis Ford Coppola. The slow-paced film may not be entirely enjoyable, but watching it you will have a wonderful cinematic experience. Longer than it's predecessor, it is a little less interesting than the first film, but however, it is as excellently-made film as it's predecessor. Itself a great movie, ''The Godfather: Part II'' is, without a doubt, a classic!

4 out of 5

The Godfather (1972 movie)- Review

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Released: 1972
Country: United States

Main cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, James Caan, Diane Keaton, John Castale, Richard S. Castellano, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Gianni Russo, Al Martino, Richard Conte, Alex Rocco

Genres: Drama, Crime

Rating: 5 out of 5

Review

Considered one of the greatest movies of all time, ''The Godfather'' is truly so. It met with all my expectations, and perhaps very few 3-hour long movies have been so enjoyable and so engrossing.

''The Godfather'' is about the Corleone family, a powerful crime family. The don of the family is the aging Vito Corleone (played by Marlon Brando). The movie starts on the day of his daughter's wedding. The story of the film spans over ten years, from Vito Corleone's reign as the don of the family, to the rise of serious problems after he refuses to involve in a drug business, resulting in some tragedies in the family, to his youngest son Michael replacing him as the head of the family, and what happens next.

There are so many members in the Corleone family. There is the don of the family, Vito Corleone, a serious-minded aging man. His sons are the hot-tempered Santino ''Sonny'' (James Caan), the mild-mannered Fredo (John Cazale), and the youngest, mild, handsome and the calm Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). There is also another son, Tom Hagan (Robert Duvall), who was, years ago, found in the street as a homeless boy and Santino ''Sonny'' Corleone and brought him home. From then, he has been living as an unofficially adopted son of Vito Corleone, and is now the consiguere of the family. There is a daughter, Conny (Talia Shire), who is frequently beaten by her husband. Vito Corleone's wife (Morgana King) remains a minor supporting character.

There are so many incidences happening in this film, one after another. Yet, the film seems almost always clear, never confusing! This is a very long movie (almost 3 hours), but it is one of those 3-hour long movies watching which you never feel bored. Such an excellent presentation it has! The film does not rush or hurry, it is rather very slow-paced. Directed by the brilliant filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, ''The Godfather'' is presented so wonderfully that as it goes on, it gets more interesting and engrossing.

Family relationships are shown in this film. Another thing to be noted, is that, the transformation of Michael. Just see the transformation of Michael from a calm, gentle, mild young man to the head of the Corleone family. His father himself had many hopes for him, and he also never wanted to involve himself in the ''family business'', but later, after several incidences, he has to become the head of the family. The character is played excellently by the brilliant Al Pacino.

Marlon Brando's performance as Vito Corleone is also very remarkable. As Don Corleone the aging patriarch of the family, he gives an excellent performance.

Based on Mario Puzo's novel, ''The Godfather'' won several Oscars, including Academy Award for Best Picture.

Overall, this is certainly a great movie, and perhaps one of the greatest movies of all time. This family saga is a wonderful and engrossing one, directed brilliantly by Francis Ford Coppola.

5 out of 5!