Tag: movie reviews

Take 3: Meet Me in St. Louis Review + 75 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

Last week, 18 Cinema Lane received 75 followers! Before I start this review, I’d like to take a moment to thank all of my followers for making this achievement possible. Without you, my blog would never have received this milestone (especially in this short amount of time). So, like I’ve done in the past, I will now review a film that was released 75 years ago (in 1944). Because I’ve only seen bits and pieces of Meet Me in St. Louis, I’ve chosen this movie to celebrate this accomplishment! When I picked this movie to review, I realized that the only films of Judy Garland’s that I had ever seen were The Wizard of Oz and A Child is Waiting. This gave me a good excuse to not only watch a movie that I had never seen in its entirety, but to also explore Judy’s filmography! Now, let’s finally start this review for Meet Me in St. Louis!

Meet Me in St. Louis poster
Meet Me in St. Louis poster created by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Loew’s, Inc. Image found at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Meet_Me_in_St._Louis_poster.jpg

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: The cast was very talented in Meet Me in St. Louis! To me, the two strongest performers in this film were Judy Garland and Margaret O’Brien! Like in The Wizard of Oz and A Child is Waiting, Judy has both the musical and acting talents to carry a significant weight of the film. Judy also has good on-screen chemistry with Tom Drake, who portrays John Truett in the film. Margaret O’Brien’s portrayal of “Tootie” Smith was one of the strongest elements of this film! During the scene where “Tootie” is so upset about moving to New York that she destroys the snowpeople outside, Margaret’s performance was so emotionally powerful. In fact, her performance was so emotionally powerful, that it was an affective way to make the audience feel sorry for the character. Both Judy’s and Margaret’s performance complimented the performances of the other actors as well.

 

  • The music: I really liked the music in this film! The collection of songs was a good balance of light-hearted and emotional material. Judy’s musical performances were a treat to see, as they were all delightful and enjoyable! My favorite musical number in this movie was when Judy and Margaret performed “Under the Bamboo Tree”. This performance was so joyful and added to the light-hearted nature of the film. When it comes to more emotional performances, I really liked Judy’s rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. Her version of the song was emotional enough to affectively reflect the mood of what’s going on in the film. It’s sad, as it addresses reflecting on times gone by, and it’s hopeful, as it talks about appreciating the things you have in your life. This assortment of songs made seeing this movie an enjoyable experience!

 

  • The sets: All of the sets in Meet Me in St. Louis were impressive! I’m not sure if the Smith family home is a real-life house or a house built on a studio lot. However, the facility itself was absolutely gorgeous! Everything in this house looked and felt like a home from the early 1900s. I also liked how the ballroom looked in the scene where Esther, Rose, Lon, and Grandpa attend the annual Christmas ball. The way the Christmas tree was placed in the greenroom was so pretty. The Christmas tree’s placement was also a good way to effectively pull off a surprise within the story!
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St. Louis, Missouri sticker image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/label”>Label vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • A weak first segment: From a story-telling perspective, I thought the story during the “Summer 1903” segment was the weakest element of the movie. Within the first twenty minutes, the primary story focused on whether Rose would become engaged via a long-distance telephone call. Because the first few minutes of a film is, usually, reserved for providing exposition, I don’t think Rose’s story was an effective way to start this movie. It is as if the screenwriters expected their audience to automatically care about a character whom they just met. For me, the overall narrative wasn’t interesting until the “Fall 1903” segment began.

 

  • Too many characters: Even though Meet Me in St. Louis had a talented cast, I feel there were too many characters associated with this story. In this movie, the overall narrative seemed to serve only a few of the characters. The individuals that benefited the most from this narrative were Esther, Rose, “Tootie”, John Truett, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. The rest of the characters either feel like they’re there for the sake of being there or like they weren’t given enough screen-time.

 

  • The limited presence of the World’s Fair: Throughout this movie, the World’s Fair is referenced by several characters on several different occasions. It’s even mentioned in the opening song, “Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis”. However, the World’s Fair itself was only featured within the last twenty minutes. Even in those few moments, the World’s Fair isn’t incorporated into the story enough to make me, as an audience member, feel satisfied. If anything, the World’s Fair in Meet Me in St. Louis was just a glorified extra.
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String of musical notes image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/pentagram-vector_710290.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Backgroundvector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Meet Me in St. Louis is a good film! The music is entertaining and the story is interesting enough to keep the audience invested. As I mentioned in my review, the acting is what helped keep this movie going. While Judy and Margaret were the two strongest performers in this movie, the rest of the cast was also talented. Yes, this film did have its flaws. However, there was a good amount of content that made the experience of watching this movie enjoyable. I’m glad I chose this movie to review for my 75 follower dedication post because it allows me to explore the filmography of both Judy Garland and Margaret O’Brien! It also gave me a good excuse to watch a film that I had never seen in its entirety.

 

Overall score: 7.5-7.6 out of 10

 

What are your thoughts on my review? Are you looking forward to seeing which movies I review in future blog follower dedication posts? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Edward, My Son Review + 70 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

Two weeks ago, 18 Cinema Lane received 70 followers! The reason why I waited this long to publish my 70 follower dedication post is to decide whether I should review Edward, My Son or The Secret Garden. I ended up choosing Edward, My Son because I haven’t heard many people talk about the film. In fact, I had never heard of this movie until this month. When I chose to review Edward, My Son, I discovered that it was based on a play. I also learned that it was about a father who wanted to protect the well-being and assets of his son. Curious about how this father was going to complete his mission, I became very intrigued by this story. With that, it’s now time for me to review my 14th movie in this series, Edward, My Son!

Edward, My Son poster
Edward, My Son poster created by MGM-British and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Image found at http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/73917/Edward-My-Son/#.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: I thought Edward, My Son had a good cast! Spencer Tracy’s and Deborah Kerr’s performance was one of the most memorable parts of this film! Both of them brought the emotional intensity and versatility that helped their portrayals of Arnold and Evelyn Boult be as strong as they were. All of their emotions appeared very natural, providing depth to their characters and to any given scene. Mervyn Johns’ performance in Edward, My Son was such a pleasant surprise! He convincingly portrayed the terrified nature of his character, Harry Simpkin. Even though this character was not on-screen very often, Mervyn found a way to make this character as memorable as possible.

 

  • The evolution of Arnold and Evelyn Boult: Throughout the film, Arnold and Evelyn Boult evolve as individuals. This process started because of the actions and choices of Arnold. As time goes on, Evelyn changes as a person, being negatively affected by Arnold’s decisions. The way that Arnold and Evelyn evolve over the course of the film was very effective. This was because of how well-written and well-acted these characters were. Arnold and Evelyn’s evolution also effectively showed how time was passing in the story.

 

  • The staging of the sets: Before watching Edward, My Son, I found out this movie was based on a play. When I saw the film, all of the sets reminded me of scenes that could be found within a play. In Edward, My Son, there is no action and very few transitions between locations. The story itself doesn’t seem too complex. These factors helped this play make a smooth transition to the screen. The only thing about this movie that felt cinematic was any time Arnold spoke directly to the audience.
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Birthday party set-up image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food photo created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • An Absence of Edward: Even though this movie is titled Edward, My Son, Edward never makes an on-screen appearance. In fact, Edward is only incorporated into the film through the dialogue of other characters. Because of this creative choice, it treats Edward and his story like an afterthought. Instead, the primary plot focuses on Edward’s father’s rise to power and fortune. The creative team behind this film did not show and tell their audience about Edward. They never give them the opportunity to get to know and connect with him as a character. Since the audience was not given this chance, the things that happen in Edward’s personal life don’t feel emotionally effective.

 

  • A longer run-time: Edward, My Son is almost two hours. This caused the story to feel a bit drawn out. It also made the film end about 10 to 20 minutes too late. Personally, I think Edward, My Son should have been at least an hour and ten minutes. If this were the case, then the story could have been a bit more condensed.

 

  • An uncompelling story: As I’ve already said, the primary plot of Edward, My Son is about Arnold’s, Edward’s father’s, rise to power and fortune. Since I was more interested in learning about Edward, I didn’t really think Arnold’s story was compelling. Watching Arnold progress from a caring father and husband with good intentions to a self-centered, power hungry man was a little bit interesting. However, it wasn’t interesting enough to make me, as an audience member, satisfied. Had the movie showed the points of view of both Arnold and Edward, I think it would have added intrigue to the overall narrative.
Jewels sparkle in the golden wedding rings lying on the leather
Fancy jewelry image created by Freepic.diller at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/wedding”>Wedding photo created by freepic.diller – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Edward, My Son was an ok film. It definitely had the pieces to be a good, quality project. However, the biggest issue I had with Edward, My Son was the lack of Edward. Even though Edward is not an on-stage character in the play, I didn’t like how Edward did not appear in the movie. The film focused more on Arnold and the changes he experiences over the course of twenty-three years. Therefore, the title should have been more reflective of the overall narrative. In my opinion, I think that Edward should have been an on-screen character. We not only could have gotten to know him, we also could have seen how his father’s choices affected him. It also would have been a great opportunity for an actor to either start their career or help their career grow. I’m guessing there were several actors, at the time, who would have wanted to accept a role in a movie like this. If Edward was an on-screen character, it could have helped an actor achieve a “standing ovation” that they had probably worked very hard to earn. Sadly, this opportunity was not available because of the creative choices that were made for this film. That is the one thing I will take away after watching Edward, My Son. Thank you so much to all my 70 followers! Your support of this blog really means a lot to me!

 

Overall score: 6 out of 10

 

What did you think of my review? Is there a movie from 1949 that is your favorite? Please tell me in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 Review

On By 18cinemalane7 Comments

I’m not going to lie, I don’t have a movie in my life that I would consider “so bad it’s good”. But, because of my involvement in the So Bad It’s Good Blogathon from Taking Up Room, I wanted to find that film that I could finally call “so bad it’s good”. For this review, I could have chosen a film that has a reputation for being “so bad it’s good”. However, just because other people say that a movie is “so bad it’s good” doesn’t necessarily mean I would feel the same way about that movie. So, I approached the topic with this mindset: find a movie that might be less-than-stellar but has qualities about it that are redeemable. When I thought about a film that could fit these criteria, my first thought was a Don Bluth film that hasn’t been well remembered. One of my favorite movies is Anastasia from 1997. Don Bluth’s animation style is one of the things that make that movie so memorable. But I know that not all of Don Bluth’s films were created equally. With that said, I have chosen All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 as my pick for this blogathon! Since I’ve only seen half of the first film and bit and pieces of its sequel, I coordinated a double feature so I could figure out if All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 is “so bad it’s good”. Even though it had some flaws, I thought that All Dogs Go to Heaven was a good film. It also gave me some perspective as to what I could or could not expect from All Dogs Go to Heaven’s successor. Now that I have revealed which movie I’m reviewing, it’s time to see if All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 is truly “so bad it’s good”!

All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 poster
All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 poster created by MGM/UA Family Entertainment, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation, and MGM/UA Distribution Co. Image found at https://mgm.com/#/our-titles/47/All-Dogs-Go-To-Heaven-2.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The animation: Even though Don Bluth was not involved in the production of All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, I still liked the animation within the film. Like in the first movie, there was a good balance between dark and bright colors. A good example of this is during the movie’s climax, when the darkness of the prison is balanced out with the bright red of the villain and the bright pink that came from Heaven. I also thought that the quality of the animation was sharper than in the first film. Even though the animation was good in All Dogs Go to Heaven, it was softer in terms of the lines and shape of characters, buildings, and landscapes. In the sequel, this softer style of animation was just reserved for landscapes.

 

  • Revisiting the characters of Charlie and Itchy: When it comes to sequels, one of the best parts is seeing familiar faces from the previous film. A highlight of All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 was having Charlie and Itchy return from the first movie! Their involvement in the sequel’s story helped provide some continuity between the two films. It was also nice to see both of these characters receive more character development. While in San Francisco, Charlie shares a memory of his youth with a new character named David. Not only did David learn more about his friend, the audience got to learn more about Charlie. Moments like this help characters like Charlie and Itchy gain more likability.

 

  • The villain: As I was watching All Dogs Go to Heaven, I noticed that one of the flaws of the film was Carface. While he was a good villain, Carface wasn’t as strong of a villain as the movie wanted him to be. He seemed to show up in the film only for plot convenience, which made him not as big of a threat to the protagonists as he could have been. In All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, the villain was a cat named Red. To me, this villain was scarier than Carface, even upstaging Carface’s villainy. No matter if Red was on or off-screen, the sense of dread and doom was always there. Even his transformations in the film were pretty terrifying. This helped make Red an even bigger threat to Charlie, Itchy, and their friends.
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Dog collection image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/dog”>Dog vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • No references to the first movie: Something that I look for in a sequel is how the story connects to its predecessor. Unfortunately, All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 didn’t really make an effort to address the events of the first film. One example of this is the absence of Anne-Marie. In the previous movie, Anne-Marie played a significant role within the overall story. Her friendship with Charlie and Itchy was depicted as being very meaningful. But in the sequel, when Itchy joins Charlie in Heaven, Charlie does not ask about Anne-Marie’s whereabouts. Because these important details were ignored, it almost seemed like everything that happened in the first movie meant nothing.

 

  • A rehashed story: The overall narrative of All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 felt like it copied some of the key plot points from the first film. David’s involvement in the sequel is a good example of this. Similar to Anne-Marie, David spends the majority of the film by himself. Charlie not only befriends the child protagonist in both films, he also helps them find their family. At one point in their respective films, Anne-Marie and David get taken by Carface. These coincidences made this story feel like it wasn’t as creative as it could have been.

 

  • The main plot being an afterthought: In All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, the primary plot was about Charlie and Itchy going back to Earth in order to retrieve Gabriel’s Horn. But as I watched the film, it seemed like the story focused more on the whereabouts of David than returning Gabriel’s Horn back to Heaven. The audience doesn’t see the consequences of not having Gabriel’s Horn until the climax of the film. After the initial loss of Gabriel’s Horn, it doesn’t show up in the film again until the half-way point. While this part of the story was an interesting way to continue the overall narrative, it felt like more emphasis was placed on recapturing the magic of the first film.
So Bad It's Good Blogathon banner
The So Bad It’s Good Blogathon banner created by Rebecca from Taking Up Room. Image found at https://takinguproom.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/announcing-the-so-bad-its-good-blogathon/

My overall impression:

As a movie, I thought All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 was just ok. As a sequel, this movie felt very unnecessary. Instead of complimenting or adding to the previous chapter, All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 almost rejected everything that came before it. All Dogs Go to Heaven ended on such a good, definitive note. This made for a memorable and enjoyable stand-alone film. As I mentioned earlier, the sequel made the events in the first movie feel like they meant nothing. However, I do think that the creative team behind All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 had their hearts in the right place. We did get to see Charlie and Itchy again, as well as being introduced to new characters. The animation was good and so were the songs. While I wouldn’t call the sequel “so bad it’s good”, I don’t think it’s as enjoyable as the previous film.

 

Overall score: 6 out of 10

 

What are your thoughts on my review? Which movie do you think is “so bad it’s good”? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Kim Possible (2019) Review

On By 18cinemalane4 Comments

The time has finally come for me to review a film that has gotten a lot of attention on 18 Cinema Lane, the new live-action Kim Possible film! If you’ve been following my blog since last year, you would know that I’ve been talking about this movie since the very beginning. In fact, the first announcement about this Kim Possible movie was the first Word on the Street story I ever wrote. As the months went by, I’ve discussed other news relating to this film, such as casting announcements and production updates. When the trailer for Kim Possible was released last December, I definitely took the time to talk about how I felt about it. To me, the trailer was fine, at best. I’ve also shared that I was very skeptical about the project. As I mentioned in my very first Word on the Street story about Kim Possible, I have enjoyed watching the original show. However, I was concerned about a newer audience receiving more attention from this film’s creative team to the point of alienating the audience of the original show. Even though I had very low expectations for this film, I still watched it with an open mind, with the hope that it could be good. After one whole year of introducing this movie news story to my readers, it’s time to talk about 2019’s Kim Possible!

Kim Possible 2019 poster
Kim Possible (2019) poster the Walt Disney Company and Disney Channel. © Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Disney XD© Disney Enterprises, Inc. Image found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kim_Possible_(2019_film)_poster.jpg

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: While watching this movie, I was really impressed with the acting! Every actor in this cast seemed to disappear into their roles, effectively bringing characters that I have come to know and recognize to life. Sadie Stanley shined in her performance as the beloved secret agent, Kim Possible. Whether it was an intense action sequence or an emotionally heart-felt moment, Sadie successfully brought the versatility that helped her embody this character on-screen. As I’ve mentioned before, Shego is my favorite Disney villain of all time. Seeing Taylor Ortega’s portrayal of this memorable character made me so happy! She captured Shego’s snarky attitude and strength that I best remember from my days of watching Kim Possible on television. The acting in this film was definitely a highlight!

 

  • Looking and feeling like the show: Throughout this film, I noticed how close almost everything looked to the show. From the Possible family home to the high school’s official sign, there were a number of things in this movie that looked like they were copied directly from the series. Because of this level of detail, it made the movie feel like the show. Since I am fond of the original series, I liked this aspect of the film. It made it seem like the creative team behind this movie truly cared about the project they were creating. Things like this made me enjoy the film that much more!

 

  • The humor: The Kim Possible television show was known for having humor woven into each episode. In this movie, there was humor that was effectively incorporated into the story. One example of this is the high school’s official sign. In the show, this sign would display funny sayings and puns. The sign in this movie not only had those funny sayings and puns like in the show, but the words on that sign correlated with the events in the story. The overall humor in this movie matched the tone of the show. Not only that, but I thought this film’s humor was genuinely funny.

 

  • The messages and themes: Another thing that the Kim Possible show was known for was including messages and themes into the story of each episode. This movie also had messages and themes that were related to the overall narrative. Friendship, jealousy, and not being afraid to ask for help when it’s necessary are some themes that stood out to me in this story. The messages of the importance of being a good friend and the difference between who you are and the things you do are messages that felt relatable. These messages and themes made me feel good about what I was watching.
Shego and Drakken pin
When talking about this Kim Possible movie, of course I was going to put a picture of this pin within this review! Apparently, this was the only Shego related Disney pin that was ever created. Screenshot created by me, Sally Silverscreen.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • The inconsistency of the special effects: When I first talked about the Kim Possible trailer, one of the things that stood out to me was how the special effects looked. At worst, the special effects in the trailer were distracting. Throughout the film, the special effects were 50/50. There were some times when the special effects looked good, such as when Shego uses her green blasting powers from her hands. But there were other times when the special effects looked less-than-stellar. This mostly happened whenever an explosion happened during an action scene. When this occurred, it appeared like the actors were moving in front of a screen. Fortunately, these less-than-stellar moments with the special effects were not as distracting as it looked in the trailer.

 

  • Kim Possible as a celebrity: In the show, the only people who seemed to know about Kim Possible being a secret agent were Ron and Wade. Because this part of Kim’s life was secret, it gave audience members the impression that Kim could still be a relatable character no matter how extraordinary her life seemed. In this movie, everyone knew that Kim was a secret agent, even having other characters treat her as if she were a celebrity. This new aspect of the character took away some of her relatability. But the creative team behind this movie still gave Kim enough relatability to her character to keep her as close to the original version as possible.
Vector cartoon illustration of college classroom
Picture of a high school classroom image created by Vectorpocket at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by vectorpocket – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Kim Possible was a better movie than I expected it to be! Despite its flaws, I thought this movie was good! Before this film’s release, my biggest concern was the movie possibly catering to a younger audience to the point of alienating the audience of the original show. However, the creative team behind this film did a good job at introducing new fans to the source material while, at the same time, respecting the fans of the original show. In fact, it felt like the creative team brought back the magic of the original series! As someone who not only watched the show in its original run, but also was very skeptical of the project, I ended up enjoying this movie more than I thought I would! I’m so glad I gave this film a chance!

 

Overall score: 8 out of 10

 

What are your thoughts on this review? Would you like to see your favorite animated show adapted into a live action film? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: The Story of Us Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! It seems like it has become a tradition for me to review a Hallmark movie on February 14th. Last year, I reviewed an appropriately themed film called My Secret Valentine. This film was also the first movie that I ever reviewed on 18 Cinema Lane! This year, I have decided to review another Valentine’s Day themed Hallmark movie called The Story of Us. While I thought the film’s basic premise sounded like other Hallmark movies I’ve seen before, I was looking forward to seeing Sam Page and Maggie Lawson’s performance in the film. So, even though I watched this film with low expectations, I still hoped that this movie was good. Was this movie as good as I had hoped? Keep reading if you want to see if my review of The Story of Us has a happy ending!

The Story of Us poster
The Story of Us poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=The+Story+of+Us.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: The cast in The Story of Us was very strong! I think that everyone in this movie did a good job portraying their characters! Even though I wasn’t a fan of My Favorite Wedding and Christmas Encore, I did enjoy Maggie Lawson’s performance in both of those movies. In The Story of Us, Maggie’s portrayal of Jamie was very believable, providing the right amount of natural reactions and expressions! Sam Page is another actor whose performances I’ve enjoyed in several Hallmark movies. His portrayal of Sawyer was great, giving his performance enough charm and talent to bring a sense of likability to his character! All of the performances in the supporting cast were very good as well! I really enjoyed Marco Grazzini and Zibby Allen’s performances as Rick and Lucy! Both of these characters came across as sweet and genuine. I hope that Marco and Zibby can appear in more Hallmark movies in the future.

 

  • The on-screen chemistry: Like I mentioned earlier, Maggie and Sam both gave a great performance individually. They also gave a great performance as a pair! Their interactions were fun to watch and their delivery of witty dialogue added to their on-screen presence. I also thought that Marco and Zibby had good on-screen chemistry! Seeing Rick and Lucy’s relationship develop over the course of the film was something that I liked seeing. Their interactions were so sweet and adorable, helping their on-screen relationship appear as genuine as possible.

 

  • The humor: Hallmark Channel movies are known for incorporating humor into their films. The Story of Us was no different, with several funny moments that were found throughout the movie. One of the funniest scenes in this project was when Sam’s character, Sawyer, accidently took too much of an important ingredient while he was having a disagreement with Jamie at a cooking class. This error that Sawyer made was hilarious because of how relatable the moment was. Having humorous moments that make audiences laugh with the characters and not at them is what makes The Story of Us so memorable.
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Valentine’s Day themed items created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background photo created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • Too many plots: In The Story of Us, there were six plots simultaneously going on throughout this movie. Because of this, some plots were given more focus than others. An example of this is how the Fire and Ice Festival was not talked about as much as Jamie’s efforts to save her bookstore. Personally, I think that The Story of Us should have had, at least, one main plot and two subplots. This way, all of the plots could have balanced out each other and had an equal amount of focus.

 

  • Limited amount of focus on the Fire and Ice Festival: Within The Story of Us, there was a Valentine’s Day themed festival called the Fire and Ice Festival. When this event was shown on-screen, I thought it looked like so much fun! Unfortunately, this festival was presented in the film for only a few minutes. It also wasn’t a part of the film’s main plot, causing the festival to feel like an after-thought. If Jamie used the Fire and Ice Festival to save her bookstore, this would have been a good way to incorporate both ideas into the film’s overall narrative.

 

  • The protagonist’s-ex-unexpectedly-comes-back-into-the-protagonist’s-life cliché: A cliché that I have found in several Hallmark movies is the protagonist’s-ex-unexpectedly-comes-back-into-the-protagonist’s-life cliché. This cliché was present in The Story of Us, when Jamie’s ex, a dentist who moved away to Texas, came back into Jamie’s life after hearing about her efforts to save her bookstore. To me, this part of the story felt unnecessary, like it was added to the overall narrative just for the sake of it. Within the movie as a whole, this part of the story didn’t seem to go anywhere. If this cliché were cut from the film, it wouldn’t have made an impact in the overall project.
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Pink themed image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/mockup”>Mockup psd created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

I really liked The Story of Us! While this movie had its flaws, there were things about this movie that I enjoyed. To me, this movie was much better than My Favorite Wedding and Christmas Encore. The narrative of The Story of Us was not only a better written story, but the movie’s overall tone fit the style of a typical Hallmark Channel movie. So far, the “Countdown to Valentine’s Day” lineup has been good. The only other Valentine’s Day themed movie I’ve seen (and reviewed) is Valentine in the Vineyard. I’m really looking forward to Love, Romance & Chocolate because the story sounds very creative and takes place in Belgium (which I believe is the first time Hallmark has ever filmed there)! Hopefully, that movie can be just as good as The Story of Us.

 

Overall score: 7.8 out of 10

 

What are your thoughts about this year’s “Countdown to Valentine’s Day” line-up? Which Valentine’s Day themed movie is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Valentine in the Vineyard Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Even though Valentine’s Day is next Thursday, Hallmark has wasted no time in starting their line-up of Valentine’s Day themed movies, “Countdown to Valentine’s Day”. Starting this line-up is the anticipated third installment, Valentine in the Vineyard! Last month, in a Word on the Street story, I not only announced that this movie would be Hallmark’s first Valentine’s Day themed movie of 2019, but I also said that Crown Media Family Networks released the film’s synopsis on their website. I was looking forward to see Valentine in the Vineyard, especially since I’ve seen and enjoyed the first two movies in this particular series; Autumn in the Vineyard and Summer in the Vineyard. However, I was concerned about how the possible “planning-a-wedding-in-an-unrealistic-time-period” cliché would be incorporated into the film’s narrative. But I still chose to watch this film because I wanted to know what happens in this series’ next chapter. Thanks for joining me for this review, as I’m about to talk about Valentine in the Vineyard!

Valentine in the Vineyard poster
Valentine in the Vineyard poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Valentine%20in%20the%20Vineyard&IsSeries=False.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: I really liked the cast of Valentine in the Vineyard! What helped was having the main cast members from the first two films return for the third installment. Once again, Brendan Penny and Rachael Leigh Cook did a great job portraying Nate and Frankie! Both of their performances appeared very natural, as if they were reacting to real-life situations. This made it easier for me to stay invested in what was happening in Nate and Frankie’s lives. I also liked the performances of the supporting cast! As I’ve mentioned before on my blog, I have seen Teryl Rothery is several Hallmark productions. Therefore, I knew how talented of an actress she is. Her portrayal as Frankie’s aunt was such a pleasant surprise, her character’s sweet and sassy personality was a joy to watch on-screen and it was hilarious! Stephanie Bennett’s portrayal of Shay Michaels was also a pleasant surprise, with her performance being so good that it made her character very likable!

 

  • The on-screen chemistry: Like in the first two movies, Brendan Penny and Rachael Leigh Cook had really good on-screen chemistry! Because of this, it made it look like Nate and Frankie’s relationship has truly been growing over the course of the series. I also liked how the other on-screen couples had good on-screen chemistry. Marco and Lexi appeared as if they truly got along because Marcus Rosner and Tegan Moss did that good of a job with their acting performances! Seeing Gabe and Shay’s relationship evolve over the course of the film was nice to see! This is not only because of Stephanie Bennett and Madison Smith’s performances, but also because the audience got a chance to learn more about these characters.

 

  • A unique perspective on Valentine’s Day: Hallmark usually does a good job at incorporating Valentine’s Day into their films. While Valentine in the Vineyard has no shortage of decorations and a festive color palette, this movie looks at Valentine’s Day from a unique perspective. The story put a lot of focus on what exactly makes a relationship romantic. A great example of this are the gifts that Frankie and Nate plan on exchanging for Valentine’s Day. These gifts not only help them better understand their significant other, but the gifts also help them improve their own lives. I have never really seen Hallmark explore the building blocks of a specific couples’ relationship. But because this is the third movie in a series, I think this creative choice worked well for Valentine in the Vineyard.
Vineyard in France
Vineyard on a sunny day image created by Jcstudio at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/green”>Green photo created by jcstudio – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • A slower pace: While watching this movie, I noticed that the pace was slower than in the first two films. This caused the film is feel a little drawn out.

 

  • Too much going on at once: In Valentine in the Vineyard, there were five plots within this story. Because of this, I honestly felt a little overwhelmed by what was going on in the film. It seemed like there was too much going on in the movie, as if the creative team behind the project tried to accomplish too much at once. This aspect of the film affected my overall movie-viewing experience.

 

  • Limited amount of humor: I found this movie to be not as funny as the previous installments. While there was humor to be found, there wasn’t as much of it as I was expecting. An example of this is any scenes involving the vineyard’s llama. In the first two movies, the llama provided some of the film’s comic relief. In Valentine in the Vineyard, however, the llama just seems like an after-thought.
Sale, Happy Valentine Day lettering with bunch of balloons
Heart shaped balloons image created by Katemangostar at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by katemangostar – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Valentine in the Vineyard was a decent movie. However, this film was not as strong as the first two films. My biggest issue with the movie was how much material was packed into this story. This not only affected my experience of watching this film, it made me feel just as overwhelmed as the situations made the characters feel. But it was nice to see Nate and Frankie’s relationship progress through-out this movie as well as this series. Everything about their relationship is so sweet and genuine, which helps make these characters so likable. I don’t know if Hallmark is planning to continue this series, but I hope a fourth movie is made and called “Christmas in the Vineyard”. If you think about it, we’ve never received a Hallmark Christmas movie that takes place in a vineyard. It would be something new for the network to incorporate into one of their stories.

 

Overall score: 7.1 out of 10

 

Have you seen any of Hallmark’s “Vineyard” movies? Would you like to see Hallmark create “Christmas in the Vineyard? Tell me in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Phffft Review + 65 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

Earlier this week, I received 65 followers on 18 Cinema Lane! With my blog’s first anniversary coming up next Saturday, I found this recent gain in blog followers to be a pleasant surprise! As I’ve been doing before, I have chosen to review a film that was released 65 years ago (in 1954). While researching movies with 1954 release dates, one film in particular instantly stood out to me. The reason is because of the title alone. Phffft (yes, that is the real title of this film) is a movie that seemed like it was begging for me to watch and, eventually, review it. So, because of everything I’ve just said, I decided to pick Phffft as my movie of choice this time around. Was this film as funny as this title suggests? I’m glad you came to this review, as we’re about to find out!

Phffft poster
Phffft poster created by Columbia Pictures. Image found at http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/86629/Phffft/#.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: I thought the cast of Phffft was good! Judy Holliday shined the brightest with her portrayal of Nina. Her performance appeared very natural as well as believable. I also thought that Jack Lemmon did a good job with his portrayal of Robert. Everything that happened with Robert seemed so convincing because of how versatile Jack’s performance was. Even though this is a movie about a couple experiencing a divorce, Jack and Judy gave a good performance not only as individuals, but also as a pair. Whenever Robert and Nina were together, I always had the impression that Judy and Jack had good on-screen chemistry. In a scene where Nina and Robert unexpectedly become each other’s dancing partner, it looked like they truly enjoyed one another’s company.

 

  • What it means to be a “hero”: During a flashback scene that explains how Robert and Nina met, it was revealed that Robert was a military lawyer. In this scene, his self-esteem has fallen a little bit because he doesn’t see himself as a hero. I found this character choice of Robert being a military lawyer very interesting. In fact, it seems like we, the audience, don’t get many portrayals of military lawyers in film. Besides A Few Good Men, I can’t really think of many movies that feature the importance of military lawyers. Phffft does take the time to show how lawyers can play a significant role within the military. The film does this by having Nina remind Robert, as well as Robert reminding himself, that if he wasn’t keeping an eye on the military’s finances, the military would have lost a lot of money. This message of how a hero can mean different things to different people was a good addition to this film.

 

  • Showing both perspectives: As I’ve already mentioned, Phffft is about a couple who experiences a divorce. In movies where divorce can be found in the film’s narrative, the main perspective is usually given to just one person in that relationship. Also, in movies about divorce, there are times when one person in the relationship is portrayed as an antagonist and the other is portrayed as a protagonist. In Phffft, however, the story is told from both of the perspectives of Robert and Nina. Each side of the story is given an equal amount of time for the characters to grow as individuals and experience their own personal journeys. It also shows an unbiased view of what each character is going through. To me, I thought this was a good story-telling choice.
exploding heart 0912
Breaking heart image created by Kjpargeter at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/broken-heart-valentine-background_1041991.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Kjpargeter – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • Lack of comedy: Despite the humorous title, I didn’t find Phffft to be very funny. While I did chuckle at some moments, there were no moments within the film that made me burst out laughing. I’m not sure if this movie just didn’t correlate with my sense of humor or if the comedic writing in this film was just that weak. But I, personally, found the lack of comedy in this movie to be very disappointing.

 

  • Too dialogue-heavy: In every movie, dialogue is a necessary component to the overall story. However, there is such a thing as too much dialogue. Phffft featured many scenes where characters were having conversations with one another. Unfortunately, there weren’t enough situations and conflicts happening in this movie to balance out the dialogue. Having too much dialogue in this film did not work its favor.

 

  • The premise being too basic: While Robert and Nina’s divorce was the main plot in Phffft, it was the only plot within this movie. Also, I found this plot to be so basic, that the scenarios Robert and Nina get themselves into feel like they were incorporated in the movie just for the sake of keeping the plot going. Like I just mentioned, Phffft didn’t have enough situations and conflicts to balance out the dialogue. To me, this movie needed, at least, one secondary plot in order to keep it interesting. Because of the lack of subplots, it caused the other characters in this movie to feel like they were just there because they knew either Robert or Nina.
ON40S80
Money plant image created by Dooder at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/infographic”>Infographic vector created by Dooder – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/watering-the-coin-plant_1076121.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

At the end of the day, Phffft was just ok. Because of how funny this title sounds, I was expecting the film to be just as funny. Unfortunately, this movie was somewhat disappointing for me. All of the comedy in Phffft felt weak, almost like it was poorly written. However, I would never say this is a bad film. There were things about it that I liked, such as Judy Holliday and Jack Lemmon’s performances. But when it comes to comedies from the 1950s, I think there are movies out there that are better than Phffft. Now that this review is coming to an end, I just want to take the time to say thank you to each of my 65 followers. When I started this blog a year ago, I never expected to receive this many followers in such a short amount of time. It just makes me appreciate all the success this blog has achieved, including the increase in readers and followers.

 

Overall score: 6.1 out of 10

 

What are your thoughts about this review? Are you looking forward to the 70 follower thank you post? Please tell me in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Howl’s Moving Castle Review

On By 18cinemalane7 Comments

I’m not going to lie, I didn’t know who Jean Simmons was before I signed up for The Wonderful World of Cinema and Phyllis Loves Classic Movies’ 90 Years of Jean Simmons blogathon. So, I had to take a trip to Jean’s IMDB Filmography page. What I discovered was a voice acting credit for the film, Howl’s Moving Castle. Since I’ve never seen this movie and since no other blogathon participant was planning to talk about this movie, I decided to contribute to this blogathon by reviewing this film! Before watching Howl’s Moving Castle, I had seen three other Studio Ghibli films. These movies are Kiki’s Delivery Service, Ponyo, and Tales from Earthsea. I have enjoyed all three of these movies, so I had a feeling that Howl’s Moving Castle would be somewhat enjoyable. How does this movie compare with the other three? Fly through this review if you want to find out!

howl27smovingcastleposter
Howl’s Moving Castle poster created by Studio Ghibli, Toho, and The Walt Disney Company. © Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Image found at https://movies.disney.com/howls-moving-castle.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The characters: Like any movie, Howl’s Moving Castle has a cast of characters that are very unique from one another. Not only do these characters have their own distinct physical features, they also have their own personalities. A good example is Howl himself. He has characteristics that help him stand out from the other characters (his hair can change colors more than once) and has a personality that adds to the uniqueness of his character (he is a powerful magician who has his fears and insecurities, but doesn’t let these feelings show easily). These two major concepts make Howl an interesting character. They also help shape the rest of the characters in this film.

 

  • The animation: Studio Ghibli films are known for their artistic animation. Howl’s Moving Castle is no different, filling up the screen with exquisite creations. In fact, the animation in this movie was so good, it honestly looked like priceless art. Everything that was featured on-screen was very detailed, even down to the very look of Howl’s castle. I also liked how the use of color was applied to this film’s animation. The bright colors that were found in some scenes complimented one another and, for the most part, made these scenes feel cheery and light-hearted. Whenever darker colors were used in other scenes, it never looked dull or devoid of color. Instead, these colors accompanied the darker moments unfolding on-screen.

 

  • The humor: When I watched Howl’s Moving Castle, I knew there would be some light-hearted moments sprinkled throughout the film. However, I wasn’t expecting this movie to have as much humor as it did. There were several moments in this movie that I found to be genuinely funny. One of these scenes was when Howl was freaking out over his hair changing from blonde to orange. These scenes, as well as the other humorous moments in this movie, were not only well-written, but also well-executed.
90 Years of Jean Simmons blogathon banner
90 Years of Jean Simmons blogathon banner created by Virginie from The Wonderful World of Cinema and Laura from Phyllis Loves Classic Movies. Image found at https://thewonderfulworldofcinema.wordpress.com/2018/10/26/coming-up-next-year-90-years-of-jean-simmons-blogathon/.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • Lack of exposition: While Howl’s Moving Castle had a basic story that was fairly easy to understand, I found this movie to have very little exposition. Characters were not really given fleshed out backstories and certain events within this story aren’t given a significant amount of explanations. Within this film’s narrative, there’s a war that happens which affects the characters’ environment. However, it is never explained why this war is taking place or how the war started. I was very frustrated by this flaw of Howl’s Moving Castle.

 

  • An underwhelming villain: This film actually has two villains and I found both of them to be very underwhelming. Not only were they not given strong backstories, but they weren’t given any villainous qualities that made them very memorable. Because of this, the only real sense of danger that was found within this story came from the war itself. When it came to the villains themselves, I did not find them to be threatening or scary. To me, both of these villains were wasted potential.

 

  • The run-time: Howl’s Moving Castle is approximately two hours long. This caused the story to feel more drawn out and a little bit too long. Because of this, I felt that the first half of the movie was stronger than the second half. In my opinion, I don’t think this particular story needed this long of a run-time. Having the movie be an hour and twenty or thirty minutes long would have worked better for Howl’s Moving Castle.
38972-O1TRK7
Fairytale castle image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/fairy-tale-castle_837803.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/design”>Designvector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

At best, Howl’s Moving Castle was decent. It was a fine movie-viewing experience and I enjoyed the film for what it was. However, out of the now four Studio Ghibli films I’ve seen, Howl’s Moving Castle was weaker than the previous three films. This movie does have its merits, but it also has its flaws. It felt like this story was trying to accomplish too much at once, causing some of the film’s meanings and messages to get lost in the shuffle. But, like I’ve already mentioned, most of these issues within the movie’s narrative come from the length of the run-time. I would suggest that people, especially those who haven’t seen this movie, give Howl’s Moving Castle a chance. However, if you have seen other Studio Ghibli films before watching Howl’s Moving Castle and if you really enjoyed those movies, you might want to lower your expectations.

 

Overall score: 7.1 out of 10

 

Have you seen any of Jean Simmons’ films? Do you like watching movies from Studio Ghibli? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Mystery 101 Review

On By 18cinemalane6 Comments

Because my review of Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness was fairly successful (with 55 views and 5 likes), it made sense for me to continue reviewing mystery films on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. The next film that the network released was Mystery 101. I was pretty excited to see this film because of Jill Wagner’s and Kristoffer Polaha’s involvement in the movie. One of my favorite Hallmark movies from last year was Pearl in Paradise, so I was looking forward to seeing Jill and Kristoffer lead another Hallmark production. However, I had low expectations for this film. This is because Mystery 101 appeared to have some of the same aspects of other mystery movies from this network. But, because I enjoy watching the mystery films on Hallmark’s second channel, I decided to give this movie a chance. Was this film as enjoyable as Pearl in Paradise? The only to solve this mystery is by reading my Mystery 101 review!

mystery 101 poster
Mystery 101 poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=307&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Mystery+101.

Things I liked about the film

  • The acting: The cast in Mystery 101 was one of the best parts of this film! As I said in my introduction, Jill Wagner’s and Kristoffer Polaha’s involvement in this film was what excited me about the project. Their performances did not disappoint, as both of their talents appeared very natural and believable on-screen. I was also impressed by the acting performances of the supporting cast. I was pleasantly surprised to see Preston Vanderslice within this film. I’ve really enjoyed his performances in other Hallmark productions, like Cooking with Love. His portrayal of Amy’s teaching assistant, Bud, was very good. I also liked Andy Thompson’s portrayal as Eldon, the university maintenance employee. His performance was so memorable, I’m still thinking about it as I write this review.

 

  • The on-screen chemistry: Because of their on-screen chemistry in Pearl in Paradise, I had a feeling that Jill Wagner and Kristoffer Polaha could also have on-screen chemistry in Mystery 101. Like their acting performances, Jill and Kristoffer’s on-screen chemistry did not disappoint either. Anytime Amy and Travis interacted with one another, it always came across realistically and convincingly. The banter between them was good to hear and the situations they were a part of were interesting to see. If this movie is the start of a new series, seeing Amy and Travis’ relationship grow will be something to look forward to.

 

  • The mystery story: In most mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, there are one or two mystery stories within the overall film. In Mystery 101, there were four mysteries within this movie’s narrative. This was a creative and ambitious approach, trying to do something different from the other movies on the network. Having more than one mystery with the film’s story allows the audience to stay engaged in what is happening in the narrative. It also made for an interesting interactive experience.
269703-P5H9WI-853
Magnifying glass image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/magnifying-glass-with-fingerprint-in-flat-style_2034684.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/flat”>Flat vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • A slower pace: Throughout Mystery 101, the pace was on the slower side. It almost seemed like the film wanted to take its time with each mystery instead of being as suspenseful and fast-paced as possible. It didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the film, but it was something that I noticed.

 

  • A delayed start of the mystery: As I’ve mentioned on my blog before, I feel that a film’s mystery should be introduced within the first few minutes of the movie. However, the mystery in Mystery 101 was introduced toward the end of the film’s first 20 minutes. I understand that this is a first movie to a potential new series, meaning that the film’s first few minutes are crucial to setting up the world of the overall series. But I still feel that this film’s mystery should have been introduced within the first 10 to 15 minutes of the film. This way, the story could have jumped right into the mystery and the audience could have started their mystery-solving journey a lot sooner.

 

  • Some of the mysteries not connecting with other mysteries: I won’t spoil Mystery 101 if you haven’t seen it yet. But some of the mysteries within this narrative didn’t connect with the other mysteries in this movie. Out of the four mysteries that were introduced in this story, two of them were stand-alone mysteries. They kind of felt like they were there just for the sake of being there. If Mystery 101 becomes a new series and continues to include more than one mystery in their films, I hope these mysteries have some connectivity with each other.
342407-PA9PYX-915
Library image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/stack-of-books-on-library-desk_2509490.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/school”>School image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Like Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness, Mystery 101 was a good start to this specific series. But, after watching Mystery 101, I liked this movie more than Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness. When comparing the two stories, I think that Mystery 101’s story had more creativity to it. The very idea of having more than two mysteries being explored within one movie is something that isn’t often seen on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. It’ll be interesting to see what’s in store for Mystery 101 in the future. Even though Hallmark Movies & Mysteries films, to a certain extent, seem to follow a formula, it looks like the network is putting in a good amount of effort to create movies and series that are unique and creative from each other. Hopefully, these efforts can continue as new series are welcomed and returning series come home.

 

Overall score: 7.5 out of 10

 

Have you seen Mystery 101? Would you like to see this series continue? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Ben-Hur (1959) Review + 60 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalane6 Comments

Two weeks ago, I received 60 followers on my blog! Because of this exciting milestone, I decided to review Ben-Hur. While this movie was released 60 years ago, in 1959, it is also a movie that I have never seen before (yes, you read that right). Ben-Hur is one of those movies that a lot of people have said should been seen at least once in your life. Since I now had a good excuse to watch this film, I decided to choose this movie for this specific blog follower dedication post. Over the years, I have become familiar with this film’s general synopsis as well as the existence of the film itself. I also knew that there was some Christianity that was associated with this film. Other than those things, I didn’t really understand the hype surrounding the movie. What did I think of this juggernaut of a film? You’ll just have to read this review if you want to find out!

ben-hur 1959 poster
Ben-Hur (1959) poster created by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Loew’s, Inc. Image found at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ben_hur_1959_poster.jpg

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: I really liked the acting in Ben-Hur! All of the performances were captivating, keeping me invested in what the characters were going through. The three strongest actors in this cast were Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, and Haya Harareet. These actors brought the emotional intensity that was not only required for their roles, but also complimented the scope of the overall film. Their performances, as well as the performances from the rest of the cast, helped make this film an enjoyable experience!

 

  • The sets/scenery: I was very impressed by the sets/scenery in this film! All of the sets were magnificent, feeling larger-than-life and beautiful. Whether it was Judah’s family home or the chariot-racing stadium, these sets were very grand in scale. The scenery was also great to look at! There were various landscapes throughout Ben-Hur, from the desert to the ocean, that were captured very well on film. The natural beauty of these landscapes was eye-catching and visually appealing. The locations in this movie were so great, that it made the experience of watching it so immersive. This aspect of Ben-Hur added to its overall quality.

 

  • The incorporation of Christianity/faith: In “sword and sandal” movies, faith is usually not found within that story’s specific narrative. For Ben-Hur, certain Biblical events were incorporated into the overall story. One example is how the movie starts with showing The Nativity, using this event to introduce the audience to one of the film’s characters, Balthasar (who happens to be one of The Three Wise Men). These events were included in a way that seemed to fit within the context of this particular film. They were effortlessly woven in with the main plot of Ben-Hur. It was also interesting to see how faith affected the characters and their actions. With the protagonist, Judah, faith played a significant role in his character development. It showed how he made decisions and chose to live his life. Before the chariot race begins, Judah says a prayer to God to forgive him for seeking vengeance and to place his life in His hands. This component was an interesting and crucial aspect of the story.

 

  • The cinematography: Ben-Hur had some interesting cinematography. One example of this was how Jesus’ face is never shown on-screen. While Jesus’ identity is not explicitly revealed in this story, certain events and references make it clear that Jesus plays an important role in this particular narrative. Another example is when Esther meets Miriam and Tirzah after a few years time. During this interaction, Miriam and Tirzah’s face is barely shown. But, this choice in cinematography was effective in showing both the heartbreak and emotional strain that their particular situation would have caused. Because of these faces being either barely shown or never shown on-screen, it keeps the film engaging for its audience, making them wonder if or when these faces will ever be seen. Creative choices like these helped make Ben-Hur as good of a story as it was.
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Chariot statue from the Roman Empire image created by Michel Meynsbrughen at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Michel Meynsbrughen.”

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • Feeling too drawn-out: Throughout Ben-Hur, the story felt a little too drawn-out. What made me feel this way was how some scenes seemed to drag on more than others. An example of this is how the introduction to the chariot race felt like it was a few minutes too long. The reason for the length of these scenes is, probably, to satisfy the film’s three-plus hour run-time. To me, I think this movie could have been cut down to, at least, two and a half hours. This way, the main plot could have kept the film’s main focus while having the overall story get straight-to-the-point.
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White horse image created by Gabor Palla at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Gabor Palla.”

My overall impression:

Over these 60 years, this movie has gained “classic” status. From being archived and preserved to appearing on best movie lists, Ben-Hur has earned a respectable reputation as well as many fans. Now that I have seen this film, I can honestly say that the hype was well-earned. I really enjoyed Ben-Hur! I was so engrossed in what I was watching, those three hours felt like they flew by so fast. If you have never seen Ben-Hur, I would highly recommend it! Please don’t let the three-hour run-time intimidate you. This is such a well-told and well-crafted story that truly deserves to be seen. To tell you the truth, if it weren’t for 18 Cinema Lane receiving 60 followers, I might have never seen Ben-Hur. But I’m glad I chose to review this movie for this blog follower dedication post because I had a good time watching it. Once again, I want to say thank you to all my 60 followers!

 

Overall score: 8.7 out of 10

 

Have you seen Ben-Hur? Which 1959 released film is your favorite? Please let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen