Movie Reviews :)

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Parasite Movie Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

The film Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-ho was released in 2019 and was very well received by critics. Parasite was nominated for 6 Oscar Academy Awards and won 4. One of these awards was for Best Picture, Parasite was the first-ever non-English movie to win this category. After watching and researching the movie a little further, I would like to talk about some of the clever ways Bong Joon-ho was able to display themes such as the class conflict in the movie. 

The movie takes place in Seoul, South Korea and follows two families, the upper-class Park family and the lower-class Kim family. We watch as the eldest son of the Kim family, Ki-woo (Kevin) gets a tutoring job, teaching the eldest daughter of the Park family, Da-hye, after being recommended by his friend as a replacement. After one lesson with Da-hye, he recommends an art teacher for the younger Park sibling, Da-song, who happens to be his sister Ki-jung (Jessica), but the Park family does not know this. Over time they study the Park family and their staff very closely, learning their schedule, habits, and even medical information. They get rid of the Park’s family chauffeur and get the Park family to hire their dad, Kim Ki-taek. Their mom, Choong-sook takes over the role of the Parks family housekeeper after they make it look like the previous one is diagnosed with a horrible infectious disease. The Kim’s family's success comes to an end when the old housekeeper, Moon-gwang comes back to the house to collect something she forgot. It is revealed that her husband has been seeking shelter in the hidden basement of the house even before the Park family moved in, and ever since she was fired she hasn't been able to feed him. This leads to a struggle between the Kim family and the couple which ends quickly when the Kims successfully tie them up and lock them in the basement. The Park family returns early from their trip catching the Kim’s completely off guard and forces them to hide and overhear their conversations. That night the true opinions of the Park family on their staff is revealed, they complain of a certain “old man” smell that comes off Kim Ki-taek. The next day, at Da-song's birthday party violence, erupts as the old housekeeper's husband escapes from the basement and stabs Jessica in the chest. This whole event escalates further when Ms. Kim kills the man from the basement and Mr. Kim stabs Mr. Park who makes a face after smelling him. The movie then skips a few weeks into the future and we see Mrs. Kim and Kevin mourning Jessica’s death and Mr. Kim’s disappearance. We then learn that Mr. Kim is now hiding in the basement of the Park family’s old house, creating a loop to the beginning of the movie. 

After this long summary, I would hope you have a good understanding of the film. Something that was so interesting about this film is the director's approach to really showcasing the true theme of the film. Class conflict is very present throughout the movie, but the subtle ways in which Bong Joon-ho was able to represent the extremities of both classes were brilliant. For example, when the Kim family is laying underneath the table and the Park family is right above them on the couch. This shows an obvious difference between the families and is meant to display the Kims as less than or smaller than the Parks.

Another component of the film that was so genius is the way it restarts at the end of the movie. What I mean by that is we see Mr. Kim is living in the secret basement and sneaking upstairs to steal food at night. This is basically what has been happening throughout the entirety of the movie, even though it was not shown, Geun-se was doing the same thing. Geun-se, who was hiding from loan sharks in the same basement, also used to sneak into the kitchen in the middle of the night. Similarly, Mr. Kim is hiding from the police after he stabbed Mr. Park and does the same, they both also used the light switch in the basement to communicate using morse code. Finally, it's almost as if Mr. Kim is the new parasite in the house, as defined by the CDC: A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host. 

Overall I would recommend watching this movie if you are into dramatic thriller movies that also have more of a comedic side to them. I would rate this movie an 8/10 because it is really easy to watch and follow along, but at the same time you can look and reflect on the themes (such as class conflict) and relate it to your life. It’s definitely worth a watch if you like watching a movie and then thinking about it for a long time trying to understand all of the little details.

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Rear Window Movie Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

The film Rear Window was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and released in 1954, this is a mystery film that follows James Stewart’s character, Jeff Jeffries, a photojournalist recovering from a broken leg from his apartment. Due to his lack of mobility, he spends his days looking outside his window, while seated in his wheelchair, throughout the day he is joined by his nurse, Stella and his girlfriend, Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly) who come in and out of his apartment. Eventually, he gets invested in his neighbour's lives and notices something strange going on at Thorwald’s apartment, that's when he begins suspecting Mr. Thorwald, killed his wife, Mrs. Thorwald. With the help of Lisa, Stella and detective Thomas J. Doyle, they catch Mr. Thorwald red-handed and brings justice to the neighbourhood. 

In my opinion, Hitchcock’s style of directing is extremely unique and effective, this is seen throughout the movie in a few ways. First, I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entirety of the movie. Amazingly, Alfred was able to create this much tension and excitement while the main character never even leaves his apartment. In addition, we are watching all of the events unfold through Jeff's point of view, even when he uses a lens to zoom into his neighbour's apartments, we see what he sees. This was a clever way to make the audience feel like a part of the story and understand Jeff’s character even better through seeing which of his neighbours he focused on the most, and what about them specifically drew his attention. 

I would rate this movie a 7/10 because although I am not usually a fan of older movies I enjoyed this 1950’s hit! I was able to appreciate Alfred Hitchcock’s technique in directing this movie and was pleasantly surprised by the number of emotions he was able to invoke within the viewer from the small living room of Jeff’s apartment. The acting in this film is also outstanding, James Stewart did an amazing job portraying a grumpy, determined man who would stop at nothing until he proves Mr. Thorwald is guilty. Grace Kelly plays a beautiful, fashionable, innovative character that helps Jeff get out of his head for a bit and live his own life, not his neighbours.

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Casablanca Movie Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

The film Casablanca was directed by Michaell Curtiz and released in 1942. The movie takes place in french occupied Casablanca, Morocco during the Second World War. It has become a place where people escape during the war, for example, war criminals, refugees, and anyone who is trying to escape the Nazis. We are introduced to Rick’s bar, a nightclub owned by the American Rick Blaine (played by Humphrey Bogart) where lots of illegal activities and trades happen. Rick gets a hold of a few letters of transit that people need to travel freely through Natzi occupied Europe. Rick plans on selling these until Isla Lund (Ingrid Bergman) and her husband Victor Lazlo (Paul Henreid) walk into his restaurant. Now Rick is faced with an important moral decision, he can either give these letters to his old love, Isla or sell them to the highest bidder. One night, Isla arrives at Rick’s bar with a gun and threatens him to give her the letters or she will kill him. She is unable to shoot him and confesses her love to him, further complicating the situation. 

I believe Isla’s character is not as naive and innocent as she comes off. She hurt Rick by leaving him after planning a life with him in Paris and throughout France. In the handwritten note that she gives at the train platform, she writes that she loves him and can’t explain why she is leaving him. She is selfish for going back to her husband without providing Rick with an explanation or any closure. This clearly shows the kind of person she is which impacts Rick very negatively, as we see him get drunk the same night he sees her again, which means she must have triggered old, unresolved emotions. 

I would rate this movie a 5/10 because it felt a little incomplete in that we never got to see the story of the main protagonists, Rick and Isla complete, and it felt a little long. I am also not a huge fan of black and white movies which made it even harder for me to be interested in the plot of the story. Overall, I would recommend this movie to anyone who wants a classic romantic war movie that does not have a perfect ending.

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Forrest Gump Movie Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

The film Forrest Gump was directed by Robert Zemeckis and released in 1994, and surprisingly not liked by critics but very well received by the public. Forrest Gump grew up in Alabama with his mom and was bullied as a child for being different and wearing leg braces. Because he had to escape his bullies multiple times he got good at running fast and made a life out of it. He got a scholarship to a good college where he played football, then he enlisted in the army and fought in Vietnam, where he rescued most of his platoon from an attack and was even awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour. During his recovery from a gunshot wound, he discovers how good he is at ping pong so he pursues it professionally and earns a lot of money from sponsorships. He lives the rest of his life as a happy businessman who fulfilled his friend (whom he met at the army), Bubba’s dream, by starting a successful shrimping business. 

My favourite thing about the movie would have to be Lieutenant Dan’s character. His character represents more than a grumpy man who happens to cross paths with Forest, he represents healing and determination. He was introduced in the movie as a brave and smart commander of Forrest and Bubba's platoon, who like his ancestors before him, wanted to die in the war. Forrest did not let him die and saved him on the battlefield, but lieutenant Dan was upset with him and felt misunderstood by Forrest, and unfortunately, lost his legs in the war. But when they were reunited on New Year's Eve they met a few girls who were making fun of Dump and called him “stupid”, right away Dan stood up for him and kicked the girls out. This was a great representation of his character and showed that he can be empathetic towards Forrest like no one has before. His character is the only one in the movie who continuously defends Forrest, aside from his mom.

Forrest Gump’s relationship with Jenny is very unstable and her character in the movie annoyed me because sometimes it felt like she was using Forrest for her benefit. Since the beginning of their friendship, she was very controlling of Forrest and took advantage of his innocence about the world. For example, when Gump visits Jenny at college he sees her hooking up with a guy and since he’s unfamiliar with romantic relationships he assumes the guy is hurting Jenny, so he attacks him. Jenny doesn’t even try explaining to Forrest what she was doing and invites him upstairs where she leads him on and complicates his feelings towards her even further. Because Forrest has never been involved with anyone romantically, he puts all his trust in Jenny who is very unstable and keeps coming in and out of his life when it benefits her. Later in life, she even got pregnant and had Forest's son without telling him until it was necessary because she got sick, causing Forrest to miss the first years of his son's life.

Overall I would give this movie a 6/10 only because it is long and feels a little repetitive at parts. I found it hard to stay interested in the plot of the movie and remember all the little details of the almost 2 and a half-hour-long film. However, the story is unique and the movie has lots of references to pop culture and politics which makes it a fun watch overall.

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The Dark Knight Film Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

The Dark Knight is an action movie directed by Christopher Nolan and was released in 2008, the plot is based on the Batman DC comic books. Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is Batman, a rogue vigilante with a secret identity, who fights crime in Gotham city with the help of Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman). However, when a new criminal who goes by the name “Joker”, a complete psychopath with no rules, teams up with mobs in Gotham city they suddenly become way harder to defeat. 

Harvey Dent’s character development throughout the movie might be the most extreme compared to the other characters. Harvey Dent starts as a successful district attorney of Gotham city and is in a happy relationship with his girlfriend, Rachel Dawes. It all went downhill for Dent when he and Rachel were kidnapped by the Joker and placed at 2 different buildings, surrounded by oil rigs. Bruce Wayne was forced to pick between the two and could only save one, he picked Dent. Unfortunately, in the process half of Harvey’s face was burnt so he had to be hospitalized following the incident and suffered from survivors' guilt and loss. After a visit from the joker at the hospital where he apologizes for killing Rachel and is able to turn Dent against Gordon, Harvey escapes and officially becomes Two-Face. Two-Face is evil and ruthless and will not stop at anything until he gets his revenge against Lieutenant Gordon and avenge Rachel. He goes to extreme lengths to find his family and tries to kill his children and wife right before his eyes, but is stopped and killed by Batman. His character is so vital to the movie and just shows that his quote from the beginning of the movie: “If you don't die a hero you live long enough to become the villain”, is pure irony.

I would rate this movie a 9/10 because the Dark Knight is able to encompass many different aspects of what a superhero movie is. There is lots of action, romance and mystery but what separates it from other movies is the talent and the depth of each character. It is impossible to discuss this film without talking about Heath Ledger's role as the Joker, a genius, iconic portrayal. Heath Ledger is very well known for this role and even won an Oscar Academy Award for it, unfortunately, he passed away before he was able to see how well it was perceived by the public and how this character will live on forever. 

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Lord of War Movie Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

The film Lord of War, directed by Andrew Niccol, was released in 2005 and made over $72.6 million at the box office. This film follows Yuro Orlov (played by Nicolas Cage), who's an arms dealer that starts as a local gun runner and through connections and understanding of the industry is able to advance to a multi-millionaire international arms dealer. The lengths he goes through to be successful are extreme and at times deadly and result in the loss of his family, friends and honesty towards them. 

The beginning scene of the movie during which the angle is from the point of view of a bullet that is being manufactured and shipped to an arms dealer sets the mood for the rest of the movie. This intro scene is effective and impactful and very cleverly filmed. As we watch the bullet be constructed in the factory and be picked up and tested for quality, its journey ends as it's shot out of the barrel of a gun into the head of a child. Already this shocks the audience and tells us the movie will be violent and revolve around death war and guns. 

Jared Leto’s acting in this film stands out more than any of the other legendary actors in this movie, he is the only character I was able to sympathize with. His character, Vitaly Orlov, would have to be my favourite, he is misunderstood by his family and was pushed into the criminal lifestyle by his brother. Vitaly’s addiction to cocaine can only be blamed on Yuri because of when he trades guns for cocaine at the beginning of his career and offers it to his brother. He is constantly admitted in and out of rehab throughout the movie and faces difficulties staying sober. This is until he begins working at his family's restaurant again where he stays sober and motivated to work and remain on the correct path. At one point Yuri needs someone to go to West Africa with, someone he can trust, so he convinces Vitaly to join him. Against his better judgment, Vitaly flies with Yuri to complete the deal, and after seeing an innocent child and his mother murdered by the same weapons they’re selling, he tries convincing Yuri to call off the deal. Unfortunately, Yuri sees this situation in a different light and considers it a necessary evil, and does not listen to Vitaly who sacrifices himself to destroy the supplies and kills André Baptiste, a West African Leader. Vitaly dies a hero. 

I would give this movie a 4/10 because I am not a huge fan of war/crime movies and I did not find the plot of the movie interesting, and instead found it dark and depressing. The concept of a boy who loved his family and worked in the family business and was slowly corrupted by his environment and involvement with mobsters does not sit right with me. Because of his ways of life and habit of lying to get what he wants, his personality affects everyone around him, his brother, wife, parents and son, all suffer because of this.

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The Shawshank Redemption Movie Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

The film Shawshank Redemption was directed by Frank Darabont, released in 1994 and was based on the novel Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, written by Stephen King. We follow Tim Robbins’ character, Andy Dufrense as he is sentenced to life in jail after being falsely accused of murdering his wife and her lover. He is sent to Shawshank Prison where at the beginning of his sentence he keeps to himself and barely talks to anyone else. Over time he gets closer with a tight group of inmates who protect each other and connects with Morgan Freeman's character, Ellis Boyd Redding, also known as Red. He eventually finds his purpose in the prison working as a librarian and then doing financial work for the guards and the warden. Carefully, Andy plans an escape to Mexico from the prison and leaves clues for Red to find him after his release, the final scene of the movie shows the emotional reunion of the characters on the beach. 

A scene that stood out to me is the one where Brooks is releasing his pet, a black crow from inside Shawshank because he was released and is leaving the prison. This was a foreshadowing of Brooks' life after his release because freedom is often symbolized as a white pigeon which is the exact opposite of the black crow he released. This is evident in the movie after Brooks's release as he suffers from feeling like he does not belong in the real world and has trouble adjusting. He is miserable on his own and is not satisfied with the job he was given and the disrespect with which he was met. Sadly, he takes his own life and in memory of Brook, Andy names the prison library “Brooks Hatlen Memorial Library”.

Another unforgettable scene is the one in which Andy escapes, when we learn he is no longer in the prison, the morning after his escape, the movie rewinds to the night before. We watch as he plans his journey and just how detailed his plan is. Andy has to crawl through feces to get to the other side of the pipe. This is a great analogy of the horrible, disgusting things he had to go through to get to freedom. His escape ends when he crawls out of the sewage into a body of water where he is able to wash himself off and continue his journey towards Mexico. 

Overall I would rate the film Shawshank Redemption an 8/10 because it was very emotional and in my opinion had a great and satisfying ending. We got to experience all of the emotions with the characters, from happiness, sadness, hope, devastation, loss and relief. We learn as the audience alongside Andy that even though he is trapped behind bars and is physically isolated from the rest of the world, his hope and imagination can not be detained. I would recommend this movie to anyone who was looking to watch a film that they want to be invested in as Frank Darabont did a great job of making the audience feel as if they were watching the events unfold from inside of Shawshank prison.

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Contagion Film Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

The film Contagion was directed by Steven Soderbergh and released in 2011. The movie follows Gwenyth Paltrow's character, Beth Emhoff as she travels to Hong Kong for a business trip where she contacts a chef who didn't wash his hands, ultimately causing the death of millions. Beth dies shortly after her return to Minneapolis where she manages to infect her son, who dies a short time after her. Her husband, Mitch (Matt Damon) and his daughter, Jory seem to have immunity to the virus as they do not experience any symptoms the rest of their family did (seizures, fever, runny nose, etc.). The movie then splits off into a few different storylines that end up all relating to each other. For example, doctors who are trying to find a cure (vaccine), a kidnapped researcher used for ransom, a member of the EIS (Epidemic Intelligence Service), and a skeptic who does everything to prove to the public that the virus is a conspiracy theory created by the government. Following all of these storylines, we learn that the deadly virus impacts millions of people all over the world. At the end of the movie, we learn that it all originated from a little bat who dropped a small piece of a banana into a pigpen. The pig eats the banana and is later cooked in the casino in which Beth is spending her time, because of the chef's recklessness Beth encounters the virus and is officially declared patient 0. 

Something that stood out to me, is one of the beginning sequences where we, as the viewer, follow the virus. The camera is focused on certain spots that people who have contracted the virus touch or interact with. The camera focuses on specific objects touched by people to show how easily the disease is spread. First, we see a man taking the subway, touching seats, handles and a transit pass, then we see a woman at a job interview touching folders, chairs and doors, and so on for the first few patients who encounter the disease. This montage is very impactful on the viewer because it puts into perspective how easily germs are spread and how deadly these germs are, as most of the people in the montage die at the beginning of the movie. I think including this scene near the opening is very effective as the director can scare the audience and show them that this is only the beginning of a long, miserable journey.

Another aspect of the movie which was crazy is how realistic it is, especially after knowing what a pandemic is like firsthand. While viewing the film I was shocked at how many things Steven Soderbergh got right. The physical, mental and emotional impact we watch the characters go through, and the fear they have throughout the entirety of the movie feel familiar and scary. For example, Matt forbids his daughter from seeing her boyfriend Andrew, because he is unsure if he is immune to the virus, and when he sees the two sneaking around he takes all the correct measures. In addition, Jude Law’s character, Alan Krumwiede, does not believe the MEV-1 virus is real and is obsessed with proving to the world that he is right. Although his character seems very extreme and irritating, we know this isn’t unrealistic, as we are seeing so many people who are anti-mask and anti-vaccination in our lives today. 

Overall I would rate the movie a 7/10 especially now because of the ongoing pandemic, I think this movie could bring relief to people. This movie was much more extreme than the Covid-19 virus and I know that personally, it helped me appreciate our circumstances and severity of the virus because it could have been much worse. After watching the characters in the film go through grief, loss and be afraid of the uncertain, it is satisfying to have a happy ending.

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Shake Hands With the Devil Film Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

The film Shake Hands With the Devil directed by Roger Spottiswoode was released in 2007 and follows Lutenin General Roméo Dellaire on his UN peacekeeping mission in Rwanda during the 1945 genocide. This movie was based on Dellaire’s autobiographical book and did a great job of portraying how deadly and ruthless the genocide really was. Throughout the entirety of the movie we follow Roméo Dallaire, who is very empathetic and wants the best for the people of Rwanda and his fellow UN soldiers. We see this throughout the plot of the movie as he always makes sure to go out of his way and go about handling the deaths of innocent Rwandan people respectfully. With the help of his soldiers he removed bodies from the roads so that no one would drive over them, he made sure to cover bodies of children or exposed women as best as he could along the way. He also refused to leave Rwanda and his soldiers behind even after direct orders from New York because he knows Rwandans need the UN’s help and are defenseless against the aggressive Hutu Militia army. 

An interesting aspect of Shake Hands with the Devil is the jump cut scene that looks into Dallaire’s future where he’s receiving professional help from a therapist. This shows us how real and truely horrid the Rwandan genocide was for the people involved. We see that it is not a happy ending like other movies about the genocide that often end on a positive note and a happy ending. This adds to the overall impact of the movie as it keeps the viewer thinking and reflecting on the long lasting impact of the genocide.

A specific scene that stood out to me is the one in which Dellaire is on the phone in Rwanda with a UN leader in New York. This scene was filmed in such a clever way as it highlights the contrast between the different perspectives of the characters. The camera is shaky when we see Romeo’s point of view in Rwanda and we also hear real sounds in the background of explosions and gunshots. Compared to when we see the perspective of the leader in NYC and the camera is stable and there is no background noise as it is really calm and quiet. 

This movie does an incredible job of portraying the genocide and in a way that feels real and not cinematic. The film does not try to impress the audience and instead shows the truth behind the awful events in Rwanda. I would rate this movie a 7/10 since it was super educational and touched on so many aspects of the genocide (economic, social, political, etc.). I would recommend it to those trying to understand how real and deadly this conflict was while watching a beautiful easy to follow movie. (bonus points if you understand French ;))

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Hotel Rwanda Film Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

In the film Hotel Rwanda directed by Terry George and released in December of 2004, we get to learn about the bloody Rwandan genocide that occurred in 1994. We follow the main character Paul Rusesabagina (played by Don Cheadle) as he tries to protect his family, business and community. We experience as Paul sees the violence in the streets and the brutal attacks of the Hutus on the Tutsis for the first time. He is worried for the safety of his Tutsi wife and neighbours so he transports them to the Hotel Des Milles Collines which he manages. As the attacks escalate and the Hutus get control of more weapons (guns, machetes, grenades, etc.) Belgium sends UN representatives to Rwanda to do their best to maintain peace between the two, however that is not nearly enough. Some soldiers are posted at Paul’s hotel where he takes his family to because it is the safest place for them after their neighbours get massacred in the streets. Paul does not expect this to last for too long as he believed the rest of the world will be shocked at what is happening in Rwanda and send help. This is not the case as even the United Nations are only instructed to keep the peace and not stop conflicts between the two sides. Eventually the UN forces begin rescuing groups of refugees from the hotel amongst them, Paul’s entire family . As the truck is taking off Paul jumps out of the truck in order to stay behind and maintain his hotel. 

This part of the movie was very well done because of a few things. First, it provoked an emotion with the viewer of sadness, as we watched Paul put others' needs in front of his own and say goodbye to his family, not knowing when he will see them next. In this scene we also get to see what a truly courageous person Paul is, as his wife is screaming at him crying and begging him to come with her, Paul overcomes his emotions and decides to stay. He does this in benefit of the hotel and the rest of the refugees that were not able to get rescued.

This rescue mission however did not matter as the truck is ambushed on its route by Hutus and the truck is forced to turn around and go back to the Hotel Des Milles Collines. This leads Paul to resort to blackmailing the nation’s army general who ends up letting him leave the area safely along with the people in the hotel and aids them with crossing to safety behind the Tutsi lines. 

I would rate this movie a 6/10 because it focuses on a very important event in history that should never be forgotten and bring attention to it. However, I would recommend other movies such as ‘Shake Hands With the Devil’ which are less Hollywood and more realistic in the way that it portrays the genocide. 

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The Island Film Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

The island is a 2005 film directed by Michael Bay starring Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor as the two main characters. The film takes place in a dystopian society in which clones reside in an isolated compound that is supposedly the last place on earth that is pathogen-free. These clones are told that the outside world has become too contaminated to live in with the exception of one island that they can move to if they win a lottery. The clones believe that moving to the island means they will lead a better life with a beautiful ocean view, as we find out, this is not the case. Those who are chosen as the winners are used at the facility for organ donation, as they get put down and then harvested for the organs needed by their sponsor. Lincoln Six Echo (Ewan McGregor) is becoming skeptical about the real purpose of the island and using the help of his friend from the facility, James McCord (Steve Buscemi) starts exploring his theories further. This leads him to find the medical ward of the facility where the clones are harvested for organs and killed. This is when the real plot of the movie begins. As quickly as he can he finds Jordan Two Delta, who had just won a “trip to the island” and takes her on an escape mission out of the complex. After they escape they set off on an action-packed journey which leads them to finding out the truth about the world and meeting their sponsors, who are not too happy to see them. 

We then get to watch as the characters learn the truth about their existence and their purpose as clones, they quickly come to the conclusion that they must find their sponsors and educate them on what is being done at the compound. On their way to LA, where they hope to learn more about their sponsors they are being chased by Laurent and his team of soldiers who are trying to capture them and bring them back to the clone compound, as well as the Los Angeles Police Department. We watch as cars flip over on the road, helicopters crash in the streets and buildings get destroyed due to gunfire all while following Jordan and Lincoln on their path to the truth. 

This specific sequence of events stood out to me in the movie because we finally got to see Michael Bay’s direction with the movie. As we watch Jordan and Lincoln jump from car to truck to jet bike, explosions are constantly seen and heard in the background with the loud real sound of gunshots. This whole series of events of the characters escaping Laurent’s team is intense and a perfect highlight of Michael Bay’s true vision for the film and ability to create chaos.

Overall I would rate this movie 8/10 because I did enjoy the plot and in my opinion, Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor did an amazing job portraying their characters. I would recommend this movie to anyone who wanted an intense action-filled dystopian film and would highlight the mayhem (Bayhem) that is seen throughout the movie.

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Children of Men Film Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

Children of Men, was directed by Alfonso Cuarón, and released in 2006. It takes place in a dystopian society and follows the main character, Theo Faron (Clive Owen) on his journey throughout England to save society’s last hope, a pregnant teenage girl. In this futuristic world set in 2027, the world is in ruins after being hit with an infertility crisis. With the youngest person in the world, nicknamed Baby Diego’s death in the beginning of the movie it seems as if society has lost all hope and has given up on its future. Global warming and pollution are evident in the movie as most of it sets a dark, dirty, and depressing setting. The main plot of the movie begins when Theo is abducted by the leader of “The Fishes” an underground rebel group, fighting for equal rights for the refugees. The refugees, nicknamed ‘Fugees' are illegal immigrants trying to get into the UK because it is their only hope at survival. Throughout the movie we see these people being mistreated by soldiers with guns, as they are killing them in the streets and locking them up in cages for everyone to see. We also see as the regular citizens of the UK (such as Theo) are ignorant of their existence and moving along as if their human rights are not being stripped from them on display for the world to see. 

A certain scene that really stood out to me from the movie is the one where Kee and Theo are hiding inside one of the buildings in the refugee camp because of the ongoing conflict in the streets. Kee is holding her baby close to her chest while Theo is on top of her in order and protecting her from possible gunshots that are being shot in their direction. In this scene, we watch as Theo Kee and the baby get up after they hear the shots have stopped and as they are walking down the hallway the refugees around them reach their hands out towards the baby in disbelief. Because of the sentimental film music playing in the background of this scene, the baby’s cry and the real sounds of the faint gunshots this scene adds a lot to the tone of the movie and symbolizes how much hope this one life brings to people in this society.

Another scene that stood out to me from the movie in terms of how well it was shot is the last scene where Theo, Kee and the baby have escaped the refugee camp and are on a boat in the middle of the sea waiting for the Human Project, a secret organization that is said to be looking for a cure to the infertility crisis. The camera is held still however the boat is rocking as the main characters are having their final moments of the film. The shaky effect of the rocking of the boat helps convey the ending of the film and its uncertainty. We watch Theo die on the boat as Kee is telling him she will name her baby daughter after the son he lost, Dylan. This scene was a good final scene to the movie because it left the viewer thinking about the future of this dystopian world as the ship called Tomorrow, another reference to the future of this universe, is seen in the distance. 

Overall I would give this movie a 7/10 simply because personally I am not the biggest fan of depressing dystopian movies. Even though Kee’s pregnancy added a light to the film, I still felt as if too many factors were very sad and dark (Julian’s death, the killing of innocent people in the streets, the refugee camp and Theo’s death). However, it was also weirdly relieving to see our world is not that messed up. 

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V for Vendetta Film Review

*this review will contain spoilers*

The movie remake of the V for Vendetta comic book is directed by James McTeigue and was released in 2006. The viewer follows the main character Evey (Natalie Portman) as she learns the dark truth about the Fascist English government and joins the revolution against it after being saved by V (Hugo Weaving). In this dystopian society, citizens of England must obey their Leader, Adam Susan (John Hurt) and are constantly worried as they have to obey a curfew and many strict laws. Evey is first introduced to V’s character when she sneaks out after the country's curfew and is caught and threatened by Fingermen, a secret police force. He rescues her from that situation and invites her to accompany him for the night and together they watch as V blows up the House of Parliament. This being their first interaction foreshadows the future of their relationship throughout the movie as it is filled with violence and hope for the future. 

As time goes by in the movie we can see how much Evey’s character changes after she is introduced to V’s rebellious ways. When she is kidnapped and imprisoned, she gets her head shaved by someone dressed in a white coat. In this scene, we watch as the camera pans from left to right while Evey is seated and crying below the faceless figure shaving her head aggressively. This shot provokes a strong hopeless emotion in the viewer because Natalie Portman’s portrayal of the suffering teenage girl, mourning the loss of her freedom and hair is very impressive. This shot is also set up in a way where we can not see the face of the person shaving her head, this makes it even more interesting as we do not know the identity of who kidnapped her, so the viewer is forced to assume it is the government. When the viewer finds out that V was the one to orchestrate this imprisonment to test Evey’s loyalty, it serves as a shock factor to the audience, keeping them engaged in the plot of the movie and making them question V’s true intentions. 

Overall, I enjoyed V for Vendetta and the idea of this totalitarian, fascist government controlling the population and monitoring their every move was an interesting concept. The actors did a great job portraying their characters and Hugo Weaving’s performance was amazing considering the fact that he was wearing a mask the entire time and had to act solely through his movement and delivery of lines as his facial expressions were not visible. I would rate this film a 7/10 because it had an easy-to-follow storyline and kept the audience guessing with every scene. The reason I decided to remove 3 points from my rating is that in some parts it felt like it took a little too long to get to the point of the scene and some even felt unnecessary. In addition, the beginning felt long and a little confusing since we only got to learn about V’s background towards the end of the movie.