No Country for Old men

An old hunter gets entangled in a botched drug deal. The old hunter comes upon the dealer’s money and takes it for himself. Running from both cartel and bounty hunter alike, the old man is forced into the hunt to stake a claim on the cartel’s fortune. 

The Coen brothers come together to create a film that is both gritty and heart pounding. The film takes place near the Mexico border in Texas during the 80’s. The look of the film is rustic and gritty with an old time feel with the color choices and rural locations. The choices in camera work is well done and paces the film well from beginning to end. Many of the characters within the film aren’t well developed but the audience does get a sense of who they are. 

Rural, wide open areas in the beginning of the film create a sense of the location, time, and even the characters without having to say or do much at all. The story is not spoon fed to the audience but the story comes across as straight forward and fairly easy to understand. A man comes across a gruesome scene of death and carnage in the wake of an apparent firefight between two drug cartels. The story begins to take off from there as the main character is now stuck in a game of cat and mouse. The story progresses into the chase and the film continues its consistent gritty feel with rundown locations and the look of the characters. The mystery of the main antagonist, Anton Chigurh, aids the film as well. The audience is exposed to his violent nature early in the film but his personality fluctuates making the audience ask “What is he going to do next?” The character of Chigurh is the opposite of Moss, the main protagonist of the film. Moss is the working man’s man whom the audience can identify with making them want to see him succeed. The film benefits from the interesting cast of characters, such as Moss and Chigurh, and the performance becomes the main selling point of the film. Although the film is well structured and well-cast, the main flaw with the film is pacing. The film begins on a roller-coaster arcing from action to reaction but the film begins to bog down in a bid to character develop  a few unimportant characters such as Chigurh’s rival Carson Wells and his employer.  Aside from the flaw of the film’s pacing, the film itself is a solid viewing experience.

Braveheart

Set during the brutal reign of the English King Edward Longshanks, a young Scottish boy’s life is wrought with tragedy. Years after he leaves his homeland, he returns to settle down. However, the English king chooses to pass down harsher laws of oppression upon the Scottish people. Tired of the brutality of Longshanks, the young man rises up against the King’s Tyranny. He becomes the rallying cry for a rebellion against the English Crown.

The tale of William Wallace’s rebellion against the English crown is presented in a grand sale. The savage warfare, the tranquil Scottish villages, and English abodes are presented in immense detail. The presentation of the Scottish villages and lives of its people depicts the ancient culture and society. Gibson’s choices for the battle sequences are as stunning as they are grand with Calvary charges and walls of infantry clashing into each other. Though the battle sequences sometimes show to much, with regards to extras not exactly fighting or reacting, the film overall is well organized and well presented.

The camera work in the film captures the lives of both the Scottish and English people in stunning detail. The audience is drawn into the ritualistic lives of the Scottish villagers and revolutionaries alike through the great character development, set design, and wardrobe. The battle sequences are another strength of the film. The battles on screen depict the brutal reality of medieval warfare through great use of the camera.  The variety of full shots, covering the chaos of the battles, and the medium shots that convey the soldier’s view of the gore and death create a true sense of the battle. Also the performance of the various characters can not be understated. The different characters from William Wallace and his band of rebels to the cold-hearted Longshanks and his English generals create a cast of characters that is memorable.  In the end, Braveheart is a great film that captures the fire of rebellion and instills the audience with a lasting image of William Wallace himself.

The Princess Bride

An old man reads his sick grandson a grand tale of love and adventure.  Within the tale, a young man falls in love with a young woman but becomes lost for many years. The woman is captured by a group of mercenaries after she is forced into a betrothal with an evil prince. The young man seeks to reclaim his lost love from the clutches of the mercenary gang and the evil Prince.

Rob Reiner creates a film in The Princess Bride that is one part fantasy romance and one part campy adventure. While the camera work is nothing special, the characters and performance make the film a must see.  

The characters within the mythical realm of The Princess Bride are all instilled with an over the top personality. From Inigo Montoya, a man characterized by his zealous sense of honor, to the evil prince Humperdinck, who is the overtly evil adversary to the main character Wesley, the characters within the film present a fun and amusing adventure of love and redemption. The over the top performance by the many characters plays to the idea that what the audience is seeing is the story told from the grandfather’s perspective.  Although the set design and costumes have aged over time, the film ultimately stands the test of time. The characters and over the top acting allow the film to be enjoyed regardless of its age.  In conclusion, the film is a fun adventure into the imagination that can be enjoyed for years to come.  

Jaws

The small beach town of Amity is preparing for the summer boom when an unknown threat begins to stalk its beaches. Police Chief Brody sets it upon himself to stop the unknown beast terrorizing Amity’s citizens at all costs.  When the plans of Chief Brody fail, the city of Amity brings in a large group of bounty hunters to capture and kill the menacing beast. In the end, Chief Brody sets out with an old hunter and a researcher to track down and end the beast’s threat once and for all.

Spielberg brings the small town of Amity to life with packed summer beaches and the rustic Amity natives. The unsophisticated sea town of Amity is explored and fleshed out through Spielberg’s growing epic motif. The Spielberg Face returns to create a memorable moment within the film. The characters within the film are portrayed well. Also, the fact that the beast is brought to life through the elements of atmosphere and mystery aids the film immensely.

Spielberg succeeds in conveying the true scope of the summer boom in a small town community.  The town of Amity is brought to life through a mix of shots of busy beaches and small town life. Which help to convey the true spirit of the town of Amity. The use of the Spielberg Face, consisting of a dolly zoom on a character’s face in a time of great dramatic tension, pulls the audience into the moment when the beast is first glimpsed and doesn’t let go. Spielberg keeps the audience engaged, even with the lowest of characters, which creates emotionally engaging characters that the audience can root for. The use of music and the camera succeed in creating both the presence and the character of the beast. The fact that the beast in the film is rarely seen works in Spielberg’s favor as the audience feels the impending and ever present threat posed by the creature. In the end, Spielberg succeeds in creating an epic atmosphere, engaging characters, and a mysterious beast that come together to create a great film.