Reviews

Tape 1, Side a (2017)

Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) is dead. In fact, she killed herself. But that doesn't mean her story is over. Before her suicide, she recorded a series of tapes (13 sides in all) meant for 13 people who played some part in her decision to end her life. We follow one of those 13 people, Clay (played by Dylan Minnette). In the first episode, we listen to the first side, and the depictions of the scenario on said side. Hannah has her first kiss with a fellow student named Justin Foley (played by Brandon Flynn), but what should've been a wonderful moment for her becomes a nightmare.

Really wonderful acting from the cast, especially from Minnette, which definitely makes this show so great.

A Corner in Wheat (1909) Cast: Frank Powell, Grace Henderson, James Kirkwood, Linda Arvidson

Loosely based on Frank Norris' 1901 novel The Octopus, A Corner in Wheat is a short silent film directed by motion picture pioneer D. W. Griffith, telling the story about a greedy speculator who corners the wheat industry for his own profit, establishing a monopoly over the markets in the industry.

A rather good early effort from Griffith, who would later be known, even today, for his motion pictures, including The Birth of a Nation (which is controversial, even to this day) and Intolerance, it was nice to see the early roots of cinema as a whole. Admittedly, this did feel like watching a stage play at times though.

Saltburn (2023) Cast: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant

I have seen a lot, and I mean a lot of negative reviews for Saltburn on this website, and quite frankly I don't get the hate. True, I won't say it's perfect (although it is good enough to get seven stars from me) and I won't say I understand every directorial choice made by Fennell, (not to mention there were a few lines of dialogue that were cringe) but ultimately this had a really good story, good character, and most importantly really good acting, some of whom I probably wouldn't have given much thought of as far as their acting goes before this. So, please, give this movie an open mind when watching it. That doesn't mean you'll like it but at least you will have gone in with an open mind.

Homeland (Season 2, Episode 2)

In this episode, Carrie Mathison (played by Claire Danes) is asked by the veteran intelligence officer of the CIA, Saul Berenson (played by Mandy Patinkin) to go to an assignment in Beirut, Lebanon to try to get to the wife of a top Al Qaeda leader who is abusing her, since that is why she is asking them for help to rescue her and let her live in the Detroit. At the same time, Nicholas Brody (played by Damien Lewis) is at a meeting with the Vice President (played by Jamey Sheridan) who knows Israel wants access to a bomb that the United States has so they can strike a near-impenetrable missile base in Iran. This episode was another great one. I can't wait to see what the rest of the season has for me.

Homeland (Season 2, Episode 1)

A few months ago, I got the first season of Homeland on DVD and I was very impressed. This quickly became one of the best TV shows I have ever seen. I liked how suspenseful the show was and I also considered this show to be very thought-provoking as well. So, when I saw the second season on DVD at the thrift store, I knew I had to give this season a shot. In this episode, you see Nicholas Brody, a suspected sleeper agent for the terrorist group Al Qaeda, be asked to be the running mate for the Vice President's presidential campaign. Seeing Timothee Chalamet in this episode (approximately five years before he became an overnight star) was nice as well.

Anna Karenina (2012) Cast: Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Johnson, Kelly Macdonald

Full disclosure: I have ever read Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, although it is definitely one that I plan on reading sometime in the near future. As such, my opinion on this movie has nothing to do with how faithful or unfaithful to the book (although, even if I had seen the movie, I would try to review this on its own merits). I think this is a beautifully made and wonderfully acted movie. I can see why this movie won Best Costume Design at the Oscars. From a production/acting standpoint, this is a great movie. However, this film can drag on some moments, and compared to the 1935 film adaptation starring Greta Garbo as the title character, this one comes off as just decent.

Casablanca (1942) Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains

Out of the hundreds of movies I've watched, Casablanca stands out as my favorite movie of all time. It is a film that has stood the test of time almost 82 years later, and I would recommend this to anyone. Even if you are not a fan of black-and-white movies, I can truly say this should be the only one you watch. It's amazing to me that the filmmakers, although they thought Casablanca was good, would never have become the masterpiece that I and many others think it is. Truly one of those best picture winners that was truly deserved.

Downfall (2004) Cast: Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, Corinna Harfouch, Ulrich Matthes

It may seem like something impossible for a filmmaker to do, but director Oliver Hirschbiegel was able to make a humanizing portrayal of Hitler, but not a film that justifies or denies the atrocities that Hitler and the Nazis committed. Yes, the film does show his crazy side (how he still thought he could win in the war in 1945, his plan to rebuild Berlin), but also shows how he was capable of love for animals, especially his pet dog. To me, this is a sign of a great filmmaker, one who can make a film about one of the worst people ever, show they have a human side, and yet not justify their evil actions. The actor who played HItler also gave a great performance.