#216. The African Queen

“Nobody in Africa, but yours truly, can get a good head of steam on the old African Queen.”

Boat captain Charlie Allnut and missionary Rose Sayer leave Africa on Allnut’s boat to escape German threat. Once Rose comes up with a plan to attack Germany’s warship Louisa, the couple embarks on the adventure of their lives.

This film was a pleasant surprise for me! It had a very slow start, but once the main characters Charlie and Rose started their love interest, I was hooked. I couldn’t wait to find out what would become of the couple’s journey, and if their plan of bombing the Louisa would actually work out.

The movie involves two classic actors: Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. Both of them have performed in other critically acclaimed films (I really enjoyed seeing Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story, and I can’t wait to watch Bogart in Casablanca once I get to it on the list), and their acting in the African Queen is nothing short of the wonderful. Everything was put together very well.  The animal noises and bugs flying around the couple definitely looked off, but what kind of effects could one expect of a movie from 1951? This film was a great mix of comedy, action, and romance, so my immediate rating is a solid 7.3.

Characters: 7.2/10

Acting: 7/10

Storyline: 7.2/10

Entertainment Value: 7.5/10

Immediate Rating: 7.3/10

Total Score: 36.2/50

#217. Rope

“The good Americans usually die young on the battlefield, don't they? Well, the Davids of this world merely occupy space, which is why he was the perfect victim for the perfect murder.”

Two young men choke one of their friends to death with a rope because they find him surpassingly inferior to themselves. They refer to their plan as the “perfect murder” and throw a party to prove it, hiding his body under the guest dinner table.

When I first looked up this movie, I was disappointed to find that I would have to watch something from 1948 (I seem to never be in the mood for extremely old movies), but that disappointment quickly faded when I saw that Hitchcock directed it. His movies have always sparked an interest in me, and I feel that they really do stand the test of time. The concept of the film is great, and I was hanging on the edge of my seat then whole time, trying to figure out if the two men would get caught or not.

Though I thought the minor characters were a bit boring, I loved Brandon (John Dall) and Phillip (Farley Granger). Brandon was probably my favorite character, because his arrogance progressively increased the suspense throughout the movie as he gave more and more hints of David’s murder. Farley Granger did a great job also as conscience ridden Phillip, Brandon’s foil. Though this film isn’t life changing, it’s still a good watch. My immediate rating is a 7/10.

Characters: 6.9/10

Acting: 6.8/10

Storyline: 6.9/10

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Immediate Rating: 7/10

Total Score: 34.6/50

#218. Crash

"It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something. "

The film follows several fictional stories of people of different races and personal backgrounds. As the plot progresses, the characters’ experiences intertwine with one another and provide self-enlightenment.

I was very put off by all of the racial themes. I honestly don't buy this movie concept as much as I wish I did. The film attempts to imply realism in today's society, but misses the mark completely. Sure, racism still exists, but very rarely do I hear it mentioned in any casual conversation, and this movie made it seem as if it’s the most prevalent problem in the world today. It also didn't help that I felt like it was trying to teach me some sort of politically correct lesson the whole time I was watching it. Racial situations were dramatized and forced so badly that it was almost laughable at points. Other than that unquestionable beef, I thought the movie was made well (as in good actors, good editing…that sort of thing) and it also kept my interest throughout. The problem is just looking past the ridiculousness of it all.

I know there were probably a lot of things I missed regarding the storyline that possibly could have increased my tolerance for this movie. It was just too difficult to pay attention to much else other than the overly obvious racial motif. That is why my immediate rating is a 5.9/10.

Characters: 5/10

Acting: 6.5/10

Storyline: 5.5/10

Entertainment Value: 6.8/10

Immediate Rating: 5.9/10

Total Score: 29.7/50

#219. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

"But why is the rum gone?"

After Elizabeth Swann is taken by Captain Barbosa, blacksmith Will Turner and pirate Jack Sparrow work together to rescue her. They soon come to find that there are secrets to Barbosa's ship that go much deeper than they expected.

This is definitely the best Pirates movie out of the four. The plot was good, the characters were good, and Johnny Depp's acting was pure gold. The other movies are decent, but don't have as good of dialogue or story development. They also lack the unique magic that this one brought. I think Captain Jack Sparrow will always be one of the greatest film characters of all time, because Johnny Depp absolutely brought the character to life. He had the demeanor of a tried and true pirate, but was still the most outstanding and one-of-a-kind of any film. Johnny Depp does a great job in every movie he does in my opinion, but the dedication he had for this role was what made this one so extraordinary.

I thought the other actors in this film did a great job as well. Geoffrey Rush was a wonderful antagonist, and really shined as Barbosa without taking the spotlight away from Depp. I also liked Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley's characters, and was very disappointed to see that they weren't in the fourth movie. It just wasn't the same without them.

I really enjoyed watching this film again, because it brought back the same wonder about it that I had about it when I was younger. I feel like anyone at any age can enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean, and this is simply a great movie that never loses its charm. I give it an immediate rating of 7.8/10.

Characters: 7.9/10

Acting: 8/10

Storyline: 7.8/10

Entertainment Value: 8/10

Immediate Rating: 7.8/10

Total Score: 39.5/50

#220. Bonnie and Clyde

"This here's Miss Bonnie Parker. I'm Clyde Barrow. We rob banks."

In the time of the Great Depression, Bonnie (Faye Dunaway) and Clyde (Warren Beatty) meet and become the most lovable criminals America has ever known.

I was kind of taken aback by the civilian murders committed by the duo at the beginning of the movie, and wondered how I would ever connect with characters that were so relentless. I even felt sorry for the police officer they tied up beside the pond. But as the film progressed, I grew more and more fond of the Barrow Gang, and increasingly against all authority that was trying to stop them. So much so that near the end, I thought of every police officer killed as a victory. I had the same mind set as they did, the perspective of an outright criminal. I felt like I personally knew the Barrow Gang, and I didn't want my friends to get hurt. That just goes to show how much this movie can pull a viewer in.

What I loved most about this film was the portrayal of Bonnie and Clyde's relationship. Their love seemed extremely genuine and almost had a child-like innocence despite their dangerous lifestyle. It's very rare to see a love like that perfectly portrayed in film, and for that alone Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, and director Arthur Penn should have each gotten an Academy Award. I pretty much adored every single character, with the exception of Blanche. I thought that Estelle Parsons' acting was a little overbearing, and I was very surprised and disappointed to see that she was the only actor to receive an award for this movie.

I have a good feeling that I will buy this film and watch it quite a few more times, because I find it entertaining and incredibly charming. My immediate rating is an 8.4/10.

Characters: 8.5/10

Acting: 7.9/10

Storyline: 7.7/10

Entertainment Value: 8.5/10

Immediate Rating: 8.4/10

Total Score: 41/50

#221. The Battle of Algiers

"Should we remain in Algeria? If you answer 'yes,' then you must accept all the necessary consequences." 

This film is a true account of the Battle of Algiers in the 1950s. The French and Algerian people are enemies in a bloody battle as the Arabs seek independence, both sides using bombs or methods of torture to ultimately win the Algerian War.

Even though I wasn't alive during this war, this film looked like a very realistic and authentic account. Also, reading other reviews has lead me to believe this movie's acclaim stems a lot from its realism of how the battle really happened. The torture scenes in particular seemed horribly realistic. It was just an extremely sad thing to watch. But more than that, I appreciate that this movie doesn't just show the atrocity of the French, but also of the FLN. Bombing buildings with many innocent people in them is just as bad as anything the French did in my book, and I'm glad the film director wasn't completely biased as far as showing only Arabs as victims of the battle.

Even though I don't find war movies or history movies in general to be entertaining in the least, I respect this film for showing both perspectives of the Algerian War, and not forcing one "good" side and one "bad" side for the sake of what sells in the cinema. Furthermore, it was pretty eye-opening to learn about a war that I never even knew existed. My immediate rating is a 7/10. 

Characters: 6.4/10

Acting: 7.3/10

Storyline: 6.7/10

Entertainment Value: 6.3/10

Immediate Rating: 7/10

Total Score: 33.7/50

#222. Duck Soup

"Don't look now, but there's one man too many in this room, and I think it's you."

The country of Freedonia isn't doing well finacially, so wealthy widow Mrs. Teasdale agrees to give 20 million dollars if  Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx) is appointed as its new leader. Then when a neighboring state sends spies Pinky and Chicolini (Harpo and Chico Marx), circumstances only get worse.

I thought this movie was absolutely horrible, and there is one word that can explain why: overacting. I honestly felt like I was watching a high school play. The plot was pointless, and the Freedonia song was excruciating to listen to. I was very thankful that it was only a little over an hour in length, because I don't think I could have endured watching it longer than that. There were a few scenes that I did enjoy somewhat, like the hat switch up in front of the lemonade stand, but I thought most of it was just stupid. To give this film a little credit, I'm probably too young and too inexperienced in the realm of old movies to enjoy or appreciate it.

I was looking at some reviews and noticed that most people that hated this movie had never seen a Marx Brothers film before, and everyone who loved the movie was a big Marx fan. This applies to me as well. I had never seen a Marx movie before this one, and I doubt that I will ever watch another one. I understand that this movie is extremely old, and not much was expected of the quality of movies in the 1930's, but I don't believe that calls for lower standards. My main belief is that a movie's purpose is to be entertaining, and I thought this film was boring. Because of that, my immediate rating is a 2.5/10.

Characters: 3.4/10

Acting: 2.5/10

Storyline: 1.8/10

Entertainment Value: 2/10

Immediate Rating: 2.5/10

Total Score: 12.2/50