Top 5 Films of All Time!

One of my favorite films of all time has to be Django Unchained. I loved everything about Quentin Tarantino's film from the realism of the times of slavery in the United States all the way to the amazing soundtrack and sound effects. Not only that, the casting was amazing in my opinion. The choice of Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio were the perfect combination. I was captivated throughout the entire movie, which was probably due to the storytelling and action-filled and bloody scenes.

Another film I love is Saving Private Ryan. How can anyone not like this movie? It has one of the most powerful films I’ve seen. On top of that, it incorporates genre conventions that are included in dramas, action films, and adventure stories. I also loved the realism in this film and with every gun shot was a true portrayal of combat scenes during World War II’s D-Day invasion. A fun fact is that some shots within the film are based on real camera roll that was filmed the day of the actual invasion, many years before the film was made. It is truly the best war-movie I had ever seen.

The Rush Hour Series will always be one of the classics in my book. I love comedies in general and this series literally made me laugh every other minute. The picture of the film was so amazing and there were many interesting shots during the chase scenes etc. that I liked. The cast of Chris Rock and Jackie Chan as partners in crime was perfect. The fast-paced storyline and action scenes appealed to me as well. I really think it is a blockbuster series.  

Another series I loved are the 6 Fast & Furious films. My favorites out of them, however, have to be 2 Fast 2 Furious and and Fast 5. Being a car guy, I was appalled at both the racing scenes as well as the cars used in the film. Also the compelling storyline and adrenaline-pumping chases helped when I was deciding which films to pick. Some of the scenes are actually impossible to recreate in reality. They defy physics and this is another factor that sold the film for me.

Limitless is a more recent film about a failing writer who takes a miraculous drug that enhances his entire life. The drug allows people to fully access 100% of their brains, which leads to both benefits and negative consequences. The protagonist, played by Bradley Cooper, must fight off gangsters and corrupt businessmen who will do anything to get their hands on the drug. I liked everything about this film. The best part about it was that it was a truly original story that I had never seen before. Yes, we’ve seen films about wars and bloodshed, cars, and the partner in crime duo, but nothing as original as this film. I liked the sci-fi aspect of it and how it explores what it would be like if people could have this much power. I also loved some of the camera angles used when the main character is at the top peak of his career and believes his life can not get any better.

What makes a great film?

    There are many things that make a great film. Since I like certain types of movies the conventions used in them truly make them great for me. I like a film that has well-trained and experienced actors, a wide variety of action or comedy scenes within them, and a unique plot line and twist that will make the film different than any other you have seen before.

   Actors are vital to a production. If your actors are not well trained, it can potentially ruin the entire film. They also have a lot of responsibilities such as knowing their lines, adding a sense of realism to what the director is trying to portray by being more believable, and also selling their role. This is the most important because the actor must know who the person they are re-creating really is. They must have the ability to act out all the emotions and actions in a way that will lure the audience into becoming interested in the film.  If you have good actors that know what they are doing, you're film will probably be successful. A film that I want to reference is one that my team made last year called What Had Happened Was. Our protagonist was played by a really good actor (guy on the bottom right) and he was the person that saved our film from really being a disaster.

   Also, since I like comedies and action films, I like it when films incorporate them into the plot. An example of this was in my favorite film of the year, White House Down. The movie had some humorous elements but was mostly an action packed thriller. I loved it because it was a very story: a new secret service agent must protect the president of 'Merica and the White House from terrorists while his daughter is somewhere inside and in danger as well. The scene below shows and ending scene in the film when the president is safe from danger with the newly-destroyed White House in the background. It was a wide shot which helped to show all of the chaos and destruction in the shot. 

   Another thing that makes a good film is the twist and the uniqueness of the film. Our class watched a film called Psycho last year. The basic plot was about a woman who had just stolen a large sum of money and was fleeing because she was trying to get to her husband in another state. She stops at a motel for the night because weather was getting bad and she soon realizes how weird the manager of the hotel is. The film revolves around the consequences for stealing the money and running away. Hitchcock introduced many original ideas such as this one and the twist at the end is what really sold the film because everything in the rest of the story led up to the moment of the twist. The shot below occurs right after the twist. Norman Bates, the hotel manager, is sitting in a room in the police department. Since it is an older film, we do not see the colors but I actually liked this factor because it added a sense of suspense and darkness to the plot. The shot here zooms in from a medium close up to an extreme close up and this is where we see how evil and controlling Norman's mom is because he has a devilish stare on his face.