Best Film Studies Films

Best to Worst Films in Films Studies

1. Donnie Darko
2. Shawshank Redemption
3. The Great Debators
4. Wall-E
5. Cinema Paradiso
6. V for Vendetta
7. Psycho
8. Ben-Hur
9. Gone with the Wind
10. The Simpson's Movie
11. Citizen Kane
12. The Graduate

*one note when looking at the ranking. The top half films are pretty equal and interchangable.

Shawshank Redemption / Donnie Darko

Shawshank Redemption got a 4.5 out of 5 stars. The film was very well made. It had great acting and storyline. The movie really makes you have sympathy for criminals, especially those that change in prison but still live out their sentence. It also shows the reality that some people are sentenced and they are actually innocent. Friendship, hope, freedom and life are all the main themes in this movie. It shows that even when life may seem like a living hell, some people can still live and also have hope for a better future.

Donnie Darko really blew me away. I give the show a 5 out of 5 stars. Everything about the movie was so perfectly laid out, yet it was incredibly confusing. The stellar cast and crazy symbolism sucked you in to the point where you couldn't stop watching. I still do not fully understand the whole point of the movie, but I did catch some of the themes. Even though a lot of the movie has some atheist ideas, and me being christian, you would think that I would hate it, but I was actually very intrigued by it. The movie's cast was incredible. The actors, especially Jake Gyllenhaal, did an amazing job at pulling you in and both loving and hating his character. Sound and picture in this movie is very interesting too. It pulls you in with the psychedelic images and also the image of Frank. The giant demon bunny really freaked me out but at the same time helped to sell the movie. The idea that life and everything in it isn't what we believe is a very risky thing to make people think about. Donnie Darko brings daring ideas to peoples minds through the amazing cast, dreamy images and mind-blowing theories.

Both movies were great to watch. Independent films and Mainstream films have many differences that can be seen easily. Mainstream usually has a more well known cast as well as a more publicized movie because of the budget of the movie. The storyline of a lot of mainstream films is also more simple than those of the independent films. Independent are more complex and really provoke your thought. Independent films also usually have a purpose or idea they try to get out. Surprisingly, after this independent film, I am much more impressed by it than by a lot of mainstream films. Donnie Darko wins in my book.

Great Quotes from Donnie Darko:

Donnie- "Why do you wear that stupid bunny suit?"

Frank- "Why do you wear that stupid man suit?"

Roberta Sparrow-"Every living creature on earth dies alone."

WALL-E

At first sight I thought this movie looked really good! I wanted to see it but I never got a chance to. When I heard about the movie being a big environmental movie I didn't feel like watching it. I just didn't want to hear more talk about being green. Surprisingly though, it shed some light for me. I always believed that environment is important but just not to the extent that some people do. This movie really showed me how important it all is.


It showed me this in a very cute kidish kind of way. I loved the movie. The way it was animated with the thousands of camera angles really made you enjoy every second. The sounds also played a huge role in sucking you completely into the movie. I gave the movie a 4.5 out of 5.


Another way that it made you realize the environment was how it made you sympathize that those people were consumed by technology. It was sad and you felt grateful for the human race and of how far we've come. By being oblivious to it all, we could cause everything we know and love to be lost or damaged.

It had a great way of pulling in all ages too. The young and the old alike were targeted in this film. Romance, action, suspense and symbolism all spiced up the movie making it a great treat.

The movie was very good at how it pulled you in and fell in love with Wall-E. Great sound effects and camera angles. Also a very good plot line. 4.5 out of 5 stars. After this film I realize 2 things that we all need to do; work to help keep our planet clean and keep excercising to prevent obesity disaster.

The Great Debaters Podcast

http://www.box.net/shared/28dpri4ae8
http://www.box.net/shared/h5gpe2ua95
http://www.box.net/shared/me25qkqujk
http://www.box.net/shared/oqby29cxuq

V for Vendetta

In every country's history there are uprisings; revolutions or ideas that change the country and its people forever. Whether it sparks war or just changes the views of people, ideas make countries develop and sometimes deteriorate. These ideas can only make an affect when people join together. V for Vendetta was a great film that showed this revolution. I give the movie a 4 out of 5.

The film's connection with the actual story that the film is based off of about the 5th of november is very well shown. The movie gives you a feeling like it is actual history and could be. It is also a very thought provoking movie that makes you really think about your own country's government and the structure of the country. It also makes you want to join together with other people to stop unjustice and to rise for the common good.

One big thing that really seemed important and symbolic to me was the mask. The face showed that daring smile and kinda sneaky look. It's amazing to think of what those masks did for those people. It makes you wonder if they still would've joined together without it. A thought that we all can think of for ourselves. How courageous are we against that tyranny? Do we need a mask to hide behind? I don't know, but it is very interesting to ponder. It was a great movie though and made me think a lot. 4 out of 5 stars. This movie had great storyline, actors and symbolism. After this film I will always remember the 5th of november.

Natalie Portman................Evey

Hugo Weaving...................V

Stephen Rea......................Inspector Finch

Stephen Fry......................Deitrich

John Hurt..........................Adam Sutler

Tim Pigott-Smith.............Creedy

Rupert Graves.................Dominic

Roger Allam......................Lewis Prothero

Ben Miles...........................Dascomb

Sinéad Cusack...................Delia Surridge

Natasha Wightman..........Valerie

John Standing...................Lilliman

Eddie Marsan...................Etheridge

Clive Ashborn...................Guy Fawkes

Simpsons

I gave the simpsons movie 4 out of 5 stars. I thought that the film was very well made. The director did a very good job of showing the american culture and the topics and events of our time. It's interesting to watch a movie that you would think is mainly about the humor when in fact it was largely about showing the directors opinions and views. It touched on some great topics like family, government, religion and the environment.

My favorite topic that he really based the movie on I believe was family. I think the movie really tried to show the importance of family and that there are many dysfuntional families. It made me realize how bad our country has gotten with family and media. The media today is horrible and it really affects the way people act and see things. This also affects family and almost makes families worse. The movie showed people that family is still important and that it needs to be held to a higher regard. Overall it was a very good movie. Funny and political. The director did a great job of really expressing what he thought was important. 4 out of 5.

The Graduate

Love and Peace. The 60's were the years of change in America, the people and their views. Everything took a turn; traditions and the way people lived were re-sculpted. This time of change and rebellion is very well depicted in the book and movie, the graduate. I give the show 3 out of 5 stars. I just thought that it was very random and "out there".

I do believe that it portrayed the time period perfectly by showing the change in the views of americans. People became more rebellious and traditions were challenged. Morals and values seemed to be re-thought as well. The movie, The Graduate, shows that rebellious sauciness of the time. Things were more acceptable and people began to think outside of their churches and traditions.

The acting in this movie was good, but nothing to brag about. I thought it was good enough, but nothing about their acting really stuck out in my mind.

I also didn't like the movie for the fact that it just gave you a disgusting feeling. The whole movie is based on this kid and a woman having an affair with him and then that kid hooking up with her daughter. I think it's a gross story that just makes you dislike Dustin Hoffman's character, Ben Braddock.

The only reason it gets a three and not a 1 is because it has some interesting symbolism. For example, when ben wields that golden cross and blocks the door of the church, it shows that he is changing tradition or God is helping him. It also had some good filming and gave a look into the time period of the 60's.

Great Quotes

Benjamin- "Where did you do it?"

Mrs. Robinson- "In his car."

Benjamin- "What kind of car was it?"

Mrs. Robinson- "Come on now."

Benjamin- "No, I really want to know."

Mrs. Robinson- "A Ford."

Benjamin- "Goddamn, that's great. So old Elaine Robinson got started in a Ford."

Mr. Braddock- "Don't you think that idea is a little half-baked?"

Benjamin- "Oh no, Dad, it's completely baked."

Cast

Anne Bancroft.............. Mrs. Robinson

Dustin Hoffman............Ben Braddock

Katharine Ross............. Elaine Robinson

William Daniels............ Mr. Braddock

Murray Hamilton........ Mr. Robinson

Elizabeth Wilson...........Mrs. Braddock

Buck Henry...................Room Clerk

Brian Avery..................Carl Smith

Walter Brooke..............Mr. McGuire

Norman Fell..................Mr. McCleery

Alice Ghostley...............Mrs. Singleman

Marion Lorne................Miss DeWitte