Reviews

Watched this movie a week or two ago and so I really can't say much about the specifics of the film (poor memory...) but I do remember feeling like this movie was somehow different than the other biopics that we had been watching recently.

Ray, according to the film, was a popular soul musician who struggled with a variety of things during his path to fame: his relationships, vision (obviously), drugs, past mistakes and the death of his brother. I can't recall how many popular musicians toyed with drugs - at this point, it IS getting a little old, even if the act itself was a pivotal point in the musician's life (who wants to watch 20 people sniff up cocaine at once??)

It was also interesting learning about the music industry rather than just the guy's pure talent - of course, Ray was a great musician, but there was also a bit of strategy involved. The question of WHEN to release the music and WHERE they should target it felt refreshing after watching numerous biopics that only depict what resides in the spotlight. The controversiality that surrounded Ray as he combined Gospel music & his pioneered "soul" was something that stuck with me and provoked me to think about the AUDIENCE, its different groups/appeals and its general tolerance for new genres & ideas.

9 stars for its deviation from the regular old biopic formula.

Haven't watched an anime movie in a while, but this definitely exceeded my expectations. Loved the interactions between Ishida and all of the other characters, and never would have I expected a deaf girl and a suicidal boy to play such compelling roles under the genre of romance.

9/10 for quality and storyline

Performed this play in 7th grade and absolutely loved it (thank you Mr. March)! All I can really recall is the basic plot, but nevertheless I vividly remember how this film made me feel deep inside.

This is a rare film that encourages you to dive deep into yourself and be introspective. Every step the movie takes forces you to reevaluate and adjust your judgement of rationality. The 12 characters enable the person behind the screen the ability to be a part of the learning process that is cultivated by Juror #8, and it is done flawlessly.

Did you know that in the movie, they incrementally demolished the walls and moved them in to create more tension? It's such a small detail that I had not noticed prior to someone telling me about it, but its effect is REAL.

10/10 for its influence and outstanding execution.

The entire story is performed as a Broadway-styled musical, shifting between different settings and making use of all of the characters voices. It was informative and enjoyable at the same time: as much as I awed the movie for its well-coordinated choreography, I also found that, coming from a "Muslim" with very superficial knowledge about religion, it acted as a window for me to better understand other coexisting beliefs.

All of the different voices were cohesive, yes, but if you tuned in closely to the voices and melody of each character, you'll realize that each of them had a different "theme." Jesus is performed alongside a more holy theme (obviously.) Caiaphas is given a more sinister theme, based on his unique, ritual-like sound. Judas' voice maintains a hint of desperateness and, in some respects, guilt. What is most interesting is how the tempo rapidly changes when the "spotlight" shifts from one character to another. Even if the voices were altered so that you couldn't recognize who was who, you would still be able to tell which parts belonged to which characters, depending on how the backing track sounded. (now, this may be a LITTLE exaggerated, but you get the idea!)

A high educational value for someone with little to no knowledge about religion whilst also offering some musical appeal. Definitely a much deserved 9/10.

Unless you're some special movie analyst who's been analyzing movies for ATLEAST 20 years and has a degree from an Ivy in some sort of theatre/movie production, don't watch this movie. Just the thought of 6 characters playing Bob Dylan at once boggles my mind, and the movie is just a visualized representation of that thought with colors, actors, and lights.

Perhaps if you're a true Bob Dylan fan, you might be able to understand more than I was. If you're looking to learn more about him though, (and without all of the "artistic" elements in this movie), I recommend just finding a documentary and watching that, or just listening to his music.

3/10.

This month, I (along with another person) have been reviewing movies on the topic of black influence on popular white musicians and bands. This film beautifully captured this power structure and dynamic in the music world, and I highly recommend that you check it out! (no spoilers!)

Ma Rainey, played as Viola Davis (?) and Levee, played by Chadwick Boseman (!!!) were both such STRONG and OVERWHELMING characters in this film. The dialogue and the delivery of it was great - I admit, some parts did move a little slow (particularly the beginning when Levee and the band are in the practice room), and I do think that that could have been condensed a little bit more.

After researching a little bit post-movie, I discovered that Chadwick Boseman actually took the time to LEARN the TRUMPET just so he could play his role as Levee. Even though I have never played trumpet, I have played percussion and his performance in the movie really reflects the extra mile that he undertook to make Levee as authentic as he could be.

Solid 8/10 for relevance and acting!

There is nothing more for me to say to you than just to watch it. It's funny, comedic, and takes a humorous realistic approach to the protagonist's love life that can be considered still relevant to us today!

Bananas is subtle in my opinion, but it WRECKS HAVOC when it comes to the laughs that it can produce in a room with an 80 year old ecstatic woman, a 17 year old boy, and me...

Well deserving of 9 stars. Hope to see more of your movies, Woody Allen!

Along with a great soundtrack comes again, the comedic genius of Ferris Bueller. His tone and dialogue fit perfectly into his character. The humor is appealing and doesn't offend anyone (how rare, especially in the 21st century!!) although in some places (particularly nearing the end) it plateaus.

Overall, a good watch for some fun chuckles.

Amadeus repeatedly reigns supreme in the eyes of many critics as well as myself (even though my musical and film knowledge yield barely any results.) The music is expressive, evocative, and compels the listener to jump out of their seat and fall into a complete trance.

The romantic aspect is done to an extent where it does not feel cliché, but it does not feel meaningless either. The dynamic between Salieri and Mozart prompted MANY questions in our minds as well. Was there an empathetic connection between the two (musically, intellectually, and/or emotionally) and in what variegated ways did it contribute?

If you have not watched Amadeus, do it for the sake of your soul. Devoid in your being is the essence of Amadeus' sense of comedy and performance... If you wish to fulfill this vast longing, you can rent it for $3.99 on Amazon Prime.

An excellent 10 star film. I implore you to watch it.

A family friend and I watched this movie together. Although she described it as very "Broadway" and "Mainstream" with all of the sudden musical interludes, I found the music compelling.

There are certain parts of the movie where you can sort-of understand the director's thinking and decisions. Those symbolic moments are what mainly draw me to Rocketman.

I also wasn't entirely into the romantic aspect of the movie (not that I'm a homophobic!) I just didn't feel like it added anything other than unwanted tension and stress to the movie. Nevertheless, still a great film and a good watch.

An adequate 7 stars from me!

I personally loved this film - the camera shots were great, the plot stayed true to itself, the DIALOGUE and ACTING were superbly done, and there was a great sense of musical appeal to me. We have been listening to a lot of Don Shirley & The Trio after watching this movie.

In some places, I did feel like some things were moving too fast, although for the sake of time and the movie I'm willing to offer some leverage.

An excellent 9/10 in my eyes.