The Dark Knight Review

“The Dark Knight” is a film that is based on the character of Bruce Wayne or better known as Batman. Of course this film is full of action and takes place in Gotham City. The Joker is Batman’s arch nemesis in this film that is played by Keith Ledger, who was fantastic in this film. His methodical killings and plans were no match for Batman. Once again he rises above evil besides all the obstacles in his way.

                This is your typical superhero film that includes action, romance and good vs evil. Although this film contains all the typical requirements of a film of this nature, the plot was fantastic because it gave the audience an actual story rather than calculated mayhem. Of course the acting was suburb, especially Keith Ledger who dived into his role as the Joker. In all my life I have never seen a more convincing lunatic in any movie. In my opinion this is why “The Dark Knight” was number one in the box office in 2008, it included something for everyone.

                The use of film music was tremendous in this movie, the timing and type of music was very well done. During many of the fighting and chase scenes there was music, a low almost thunder sounding beat that enforced and enhanced the tone of the scene, as well as the viewing experience. Acting like I mentioned earlier also played a huge role in why this film was so popular among movie goers.

                There are always films where you say to yourself “oh that’s a rental, not a film I would watch in theatres”, this is not one of those films. “The Dark Knight” is an exciting action/thriller that includes amazing explosions and beyond amazing action. This is by far one of my favourite films of all time; I would rate this film 5/5 and would recommend it to anyone who hasn’t already seen it 5 times. 

From Hell Review

“From Hell” is a film that depicts the unsolved murders of the infamous Jack the Ripper. Since these murders have never been solved Alan Moore takes his own theory and produces a movie, which stars a drug using, but committed Inspector who becomes involved with a prostitute. After several gruesome murders Inspector Aberline is able to uncover the true killer; Jack the Ripper was the Royal Family’s Doctor, who was killing all the prostitutes that could have infected the Prince with syphilis.

                Obviously we can’t say for sure what happened in the Jack the Ripper case; though I can conclude that this perspective was tremendously interesting and captivating. As a viewer you would find it difficult to create a film based on theory and evidence that is circumstantial at best, but Alan Moore successfully creates that here.

The costumes and props used in the film increased the experience when viewing each scene because you felt like they were actually in east London during the era Jack the Ripper was killing. The costumes and dialogue also improved the real aspect of the film.

                In conclusion “From Hell” was a fascinating film that took an already interesting topic and just added to the legacy Jack the Ripper has created. Overall the film was interesting and compelling, so I would rate it 4.5/5 stars and would recommend the film to film lovers who aren’t afraid to see a little blood.

Born on the 4th of July Review

“Born on the 4^th of July” is a film based on the life of Ron Kovic, an American Veteran who fought in the Vietnam War. The story begins when Ron is just a child who idolizes all soldiers and dreams of one day becoming one himself, him and about every other boy at his age. When Ron see’s the opportunity to enlist in the Vietnam he does so without hesitation. While in Vietnam Ron accidentally kills a fellow American soldier and is wounded himself. Ron is paralyzed from the waist down and is sent home; he unfortunately is not welcomed with open arms as the anti-war campaign strengthens in the United States. Ron realizing the truth behind the anti-war campaigns decides to join in and become a full supporter of the end of the Vietnam War.

Tom Cruise played a wonderful role, really capturing the struggles an injured soldier would face when returning from Vietnam. The movie is quite interesting as it depicts Ron’s progression throughout his entire life; from a full pledged supporter of the war to a leading force in the anti-war movement.

The film had great fluidity and really showed a different outlook on the American soldier. Instead of the typical glorified American Soldier the audience got to view what really was going on in this time period. The movie appealed to me because I enjoy films that show the progression of a character, especially one so interesting. Overall the film was exciting and informing, i would rate it 4/5 stars and would recommend the film to all Vietnam enthusiasts.            

Apocalypse Now

“Apocalypse Now” is a film about the Vietnam and produced during the 70’s. Although the film takes place in the Vietnam War it focuses on Captain Willard and his mission to assassinate a rogue officer who has killed many civilians and isn’t responding to orders. The premise for the film is a little weird because it essentially is someone suffering from post dramatic stress disorder is hunting for someone who is also insane. That being said the film is very interesting and illustrates the hardships and atrocities that the Vietnamese people had to undergo from the United States hands. Throughout the film Willard and his crew kill innocent civilians in order to stay alive and accomplish their original mission. On his journey into Cambodia Willard struggles with the idea of killing Kurtz who leads a tribe of crazed people who believe he is their God. Ultimately Willard is successful in his mission and he kills Kurtz, but not without the disregard for human life.

                Acting played a huge role in this film and really improved my experience while viewing it. The characters were so interesting throughout that you never wanted to miss a beat. Kurtz is a fantastic example. His character was a distraught officer who was changed by Vietnam, without his amazing acting the message and tone of the message would have been less apparent. When Kurtz was torturing Willard you really understood his character.

                Shadows and lighting also played a huge role in the effectiveness of the film. When Willard finally reached Kurtz, the lighting only allowed you to see half of Kurtz face which illustrated his elusiveness and as well made the film more interesting. You got the feeling that Kurtz was just as insane as you expected maybe even more so.

                Even though the film location was the Philippines the audience had no idea and the setting worked in favour of the film. The huge brush and jungle just made it that more difficult to find Kurtz and added to the movie as a whole.  In my personal opinion I didn’t find that the setting wasn’t Vietnam to be such a big deal. It didn’t affect the effectiveness of the film and I would have never known if I hadn’t been told.

                In conclusion Apocalypse Now was a tremendously interesting film that took a different outlook on Vietnam. Though it mainly focused on Willard’s mission it also showed the hardships the Vietnamese had to face. The acting was superb by both Willard and Kurtz. I would recommend this film to people who want a new and fresh outlook on the Vietnam War, I would rate the movie 9/10 stars. 

Forrest Gump Review

Forrest Gump is a witty film that depicts serious situations and takes a light hearted spin on them. Forrest the main character in the movie is played by Tom Hanks, who has a low IQ and a disability in his back, that results in him wearing leg braces as a child. During his childhood Forrest is bullied because of his handicaps and can only seek refuge in his one and only friend Jenny. One day as Forrest is being bullied he is able to break loose of his leg braces and be totally free. This leads Forrest to a Football scholarship where he meets the President for the first time. Following his glory days as a Running Back Forrest enlists into the army where he excels. During the war Forrest uses his exceptional running ability to rescue numerous soldiers and is awarded the medal of honour where he once again meets the President of the United States and is totally oblivious to the situation as he moons the President. After his mother dies Forrest runs across the country for 3 years and then just stops, there was no reason for his madness, he just wanted to run. Although Forrest has a tremendously chaotic life there is always one constant, Jenney his long life friend who totally understands him. Forrest following a promise to his war buddy Bubba who unfortunately was killed in Vietnam, starts a shrimp business and becomes from hard work becomes tremendously wealthy. Later in the film Forrest has sex with Jenny and gets her pregnant, so he brings her to his childhood home until she dies of HIV, which she contracted most likely from dirty needles. Forrest lives a happy life with his son and shows everyone that anyone can overcome all their struggles and disabilities through honesty and sheer luck.  

                When taking a step back from this film I can see why many critics didn’t enjoy the tone and message that was expressed throughout the movie. For me personally I find it really hard to dislike this film based solely on the fact that Forrest is such a likable character. Tom Hanks really dived into his role and played a believable mentally challenged person that meant well. Though I liked the film as a whole I didn’t appreciate the fact that the message that was being expressed essentially illustrated that you can get far in life without working hard. Though the film also expressed that you can exceed in life through honesty I felt the film should have dived deeper into the struggles someone like Forrest would face. That being said the acting was suburb in this film. Tom Hanks played a believable role of someone with a slight disability. Even though the movie can be listed as a comedy Tom Hanks never laughed at his role, but played it seriously. The use of props in this film was also very interesting, for example when Forrest broke free of his braces it shows some foreshadowing into the future where Forest began a life of running. This is illustrated through Forrest becoming a running back, running in the war, and running for 3 years straight.

                On a personal basis I’ve watched Forrest Gump a handful of times and each time learn something new, may it I learn about Forrest’s character or the underlining message every scene has. When a movie can teach you something new every time you watch it, it must be considered good. Has a whole I would rate Forrest Gump an 8/10 because it was like watching 5 movies in one since so much occurred during the film. I also enjoyed the acting and use of props, but deducted a couple of stars for the message expressed. That being said I would recommend this film to everyone because it has a little of everything. 

Shake Hands With the Devil Documentary Review

Romeo Dallaire returned to Rwanda on the 10^th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide. This was a tremendously courageous act by Dallaire because he had to face his inner demons that haunted his thoughts and dreams. These demons that tell Dallaire he could have done more to save the lives of the Tutsi. The documentary visited all the locations where mass genocide took place and it provided real footage during the actual Genocide. This gave amazing insight into Dallaire’s struggles at this time. I was very surprised to see clothing and blood still at some of these sights a decade later. During the documentary Dallaire speaks to many survivors and learns their stories, he also gives speeches in stadiums outlining what went wrong and what western society feels about the Genocide.   

            The documentary also gave us some insight into the Red Cross and their role in the Genocide. It focused on one man who tried desperately to save lives and support what Dallaire and the UN were trying to achieve. It illustrated that Dallaire was not the only person in Rwanda trying to do something morally correct. I was outraged and a Belgium man accused Dallaire of making mistakes and not doing enough to save the lives of the Tutsi when in fact Dallaire opted to continue his effort in Rwanda even after the UN choose to pull troops out. As well it is ironic how this Belgium man is shifting the blame to Dallaire when in fact Belgium can be pinpointed for the reason there was a Genocide in the first place.

            In conclusion “Shake Hands With the Devil” was an insightful documentary that illustrated the improvement and change that has occurred in Rwanda over the past decade. It also showed the positive impact Dallaire had on Rwanda as he was greeted and praised by many people. I personally really enjoyed this film and how it all came together, I would rate it 8.5/10 stars for its overall fluidity and insightfulness.

Ghosts of Rwanda

After countless interviews with government officials, diplomats, soldiers, and survivors of the genocide, Ghosts of Rwanda uncovers, first-hand accounts of the genocide from those who lived it, the diplomats who served during the genocide; the Tutsi survivors who recount the despicable murders of their friends and family, unfortunately slaughtered by Hutu friends and co-workers; and the U.N. peacekeepers in Rwanda who were ordered not to intervene in the massacre happening all around them. The documentary relives the Genocide by visiting the locations where thousands were killed. In numerous occasions there were remains from the dead bodies, clothes and bones from ten years earlier still there. The documentary showed actual footage of Tutsi’s being slaughtered and really depicts the horrific murders.

                Ghosts of Rwanda was a fantastic documentary; it was extremely informative and illustrated the genocide in a whole new light. It didn’t show the good in Rwanda, rather focussed on real life accounts of survivors who saw their family and friends murdered right in front of their eyes. Many of the real life accounts were hard to swallow because it showed the reality of the genocide and how hard it must have been to see your family killed and being powerless while they died. This documentary was fabulous because it showed real people and their stories. I connected to each one and felt their pain. One story in particular was when a little girl had to hide under hundreds of bodies so she wouldn’t be slaughtered by the interhamwe. The church was supposed to be safe, but one day the interhamwe discovered their location and there was nothing they could do to prevent their death. Ghost of Rwanda was an amazing documentary that portrayed the genocide in a whole new light; it showed me what really happened during these 100 days. I would recommend this documentary to an older audience because of its gruesomeness, that’s interested in learning more about the genocide. I would rate it 4/5 stars, it really taught me a lot about the struggles the Tutsi’s must have faced on a daily basis.