Movies Graded

Director: Tobe Hooper Stars: Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal, Allen Danziger Runtime:  83  minutes Synopsis:  Five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw. Verdict:  With a runtime of only 83 minutes, Tobe Hooper’s classic slasher immediately throws its audience under the burning Texan sun under which a group of friends is driving themselves to a vandalized graveyard. Their already dire trip takes an unexpected turn when they stumble on a hitchhiker who clearly means trouble, leading them to a path that is as horrifying as it is shocking. Released in 1974, “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” paved the way for a generation of iconic slashers that include “Halloween”, “Friday the 13th”, or “A Nightmare on Elm Street”, making it easily one of the most influential horror films of all time. Despite it being one o...

Director: Ingmar Bergman Stars: Liv Ullman, Erland Josephson, Bibi Andersson Runtime:  169  minutes Synopsis:  Scenes from a Marriage chronicles the many years of love and turmoil that bind Marianne (Liv Ullmann) and Johan (Erland Josephson) through matrimony, infidelity, divorce, and subsequent partners. Verdict:  I never fully understood the reasoning behind marriages. They’re sold as being celebrations of love but they’re nothing more than legally binding contracts between two individuals that nearly always end in failure and heartbreak. Ingmar Bergman’s miniseries turned movie “Scenes from a Marriage” is an exploration of the relationship between Marianne and Johan over the course of a decade. More than being about the characters themselves, it serves as an honest study of the different stages of marriage and argues that it’s a legal document that tends to asphyxiate the romance within a relationship rather than allowing it to freely blossom, as exemplified by th...

Director: Yasujirô Ozu Stars: Chishû Ryû, Chieko Higashiyama, Sô Yamamura Runtime: 136   minutes Synopsis: An old couple visit their children and grandchildren in the city, but receive little attention. Verdict:  Considered by many to be one of the greatest movies ever made, Yasujirô Ozu’s “Tokyo Story” shines in its innovative technical prowesses and minimalist approach to filmmaking, utilized here to tell a sincere story about family values without running a risk of stepping into melodramatic territory. Set in a post-World War II Japan consumed by a growing westernization and a rush to the city by the new working class, the film focuses on an elderly couple’s visit to Tokyo where they are welcomed by their grown children. Children who now see them as a nuisance, an undesired distraction from their current livelihoods, and a symbol of the Japan of yore. In short, “Tokyo Story” is built around the devastating concept of families breaking up as years go by and the decline in ad...

Director: Martin Scorsese Stars: Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel,  Runtime:   164  minutes Synopsis:  The life of Jesus Christ, his journey through life as he faces the struggles all humans do, and his final temptation on the cross. Verdict:  I attended catholic school when I was young. The atmosphere there was naturally very religious, and we would occasionally be treated with a film about the teachings of Jesus and the exciting life he led. They were all very similar movies, aimed at showing the audience what they wanted to see without challenging any of it. To them, Jesus was, before anything else, an idea, an untouchable symbol of something much greater, the very foundation of the principles followed by countless Christians around the globe. Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader throw all that out the window in their controversial adaptation of the equally controversial novel “The Last Temptation of Christ”, published by Nikos Kazantzakis about three decades prior a...

Director: David Lynch Stars: Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph Runtime: 89   minutes Synopsis:  Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child. Verdict:  I understand that David Lynch’s debut “Eraserhead” is a favorite amongst fans of the filmmaker but a relatively divisive film overall. Some admire the surreal world it creates to tell the story of Jack Nance’s enigmatic existence that deals with themes of sexual frustration and parenthood above all, while others condemn it for being too inaccessible and ostentatious. For now, I’d put myself in the no man’s land area between the two camps. The film’s setting being the awkward protagonist’s subconscious, it was primordial for Lynch to capture an atmosphere of dread and unease, something he proved capable of achieving masterfully thanks to an unmatched attention to details. “Eraserhead” is a visual and auditory feast, a ban...

Director: Satyajit Ray Stars: Chhabi Biswas, Padma Devi, Gangapada Basu Runtime:   95  minutes Synopsis: Depicts the end days of a decadent zamindar (landlord) in Bengal, and his efforts to uphold his family prestige even when faced with economic adversity. Verdict:  Comparable to Shakespeare’s “King Lear” or Orson Welles’ 1941 classic “Citizen Kane”, famed Indian auteur Satyajit Ray’s “The Music Room” tells the tale of a middle-aged Zamindar consumed by his pride, vanity, and adoration for extravagant music concerts. Set in Bengal during the final years of the controversial Zamindari system, this magnificently crafted pillar of Indian Cinema serves as a character study of Chhabi Biswas’ Huzur Roy, a phenomenally acted wealthy landowner who has lived his entire life in the shadow of his own privilege. His fortune was inherited and he believes that his prestigious family name shields him from any mishaps. He is blinded by his arrogance and refuses to accept the reality of ...

Director: Masaki Kobayashi Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Ishihama, Shima Iwashita Runtime:   133  minutes Synopsis:  When a ronin requesting seppuku at a feudal lord's palace is told of the brutal suicide of another ronin who previously visited, he reveals how their pasts are intertwined - and in doing so challenges the clan's integrity. Verdict:  Considered a landmark in the Japanese jidaigeki genre legitimized by names such as Kihachi Okamoto or, more notoriously, Akira Kurosawa, Masaki Kobayashi’s “Harakiri” is a compelling 2-hour long watch that, instead of glorifying the Samurai code as many others do, questions its ethics and morals. Set during a time when desperate rōnins used to knock on the doors of palaces to request committing seppuku (or hara-kiri), a traditional suicide ritual, in their courtyards with the hopes that their masters would take pity on them and send them away with a few coins, the film tells the story of Hanshirō Tsugumo, the latest rogue s...

Director: Chantal Akerman Stars: Delphine Seyrig, Jan Dacorte Runtime:   202  minutes Synopsis:  A lonely widowed housewife does her daily chores, takes care of her apartment where she lives with her teenage son, and turns the occasional trick to make ends meet. However, something happens that changes her safe routine. Verdict:  On paper, “Jeanne Dielman” sounds like a cinephile’s worst nightmare. It’s a three and a half hours long feature entirely captured using a static camera, a multitude of long shots, minimal cuts, no musical score, and no proper narrative. It’s almost as if legendary Belgian director Chantal Akerman approached a random middle-aged woman on the streets and asked for her permission to record her life over the following three days. For 200 minutes, we passively watch the titular character - a widower who occasionally provides sexual favors for a limited number of clients to make ends meet for her and her teenage son - cook, clean her belongings, g...

Director: Masaki Kobayashi Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratama, Tamao Nakamura Runtime:   190   minutes Synopsis:  His ideals challenged by life as a conscript in war-time Japan's military, a pacifist faces ever greater tests in his fight for survival. Verdict:  Kaji's arc comes to a close in a harrowing way in the final two parts of what I firmly consider now to be one of the greatest trilogies of all time. His contributions at a labor camp and later on the battlefield have made him a shadow of what he once was. Only his love for Michiko and his socialist beliefs remain from the pacifist we've grown to admire in the first chapter of his story. He has become a product of the atrocities of war, a changed man who has to live with the burden of having killed soldiers who were thrown in situations similar to his. His psychologic journey resembles that of Dante in the Divine Comedy, where Virgil, representing conflict in his case, guides him from heaven (No Greater Lo...

Director: Masaki Kobayashi Stars: Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratama, Kokinji Katsura Runtime:   181  minutes Synopsis:  As a conscript in war-time Japan's military, a pacifist struggles to maintain his determination to keep his ideals. Verdict:  Since "Road to Eternity" is a direct continuation of "No Greater Love", there will be spoilers for its predecessor in this piece, so I advise you to click away if you still haven't seen it. Following the events of the first chapter in the "Human Condition" trilogy, Kaji, a pacifist whose ideals are tested during the final years of the Second World War, finds himself in the place he was most dreading: a training camp where he has to undergo his military service. His wife isn't there to comfort him, and he's treated miserably due to his sympathy towards Chinese prisoners, but that doesn't keep him from maintaining his anti-war philosophy alive. There, his biggest fears are materialized as he witnes...

Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger Stars: Deborah Kerr, David Farrar, Flora Robson Runtime: 101   minutes Synopsis:  A group of nuns struggle to establish a convent in the Himalayas, while isolation, extreme weather, altitude, and culture clashes all conspire to drive the well-intentioned missionaries mad. Verdict:  Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger are a pair of directors who deserve a place on the Mount Rushmore of filmmakers and that is a hill I’m willing to die on. Their work is as captivating as Hitchcock’s classics, as varied and influential as Kubrick’s projects, and yet they rarely pop up in a conversation that features these gigantic names. “The Red Shoes” is probably their most recognizable film, but “Black Narcissus” is a close second in terms of popularity. About a group of nuns’ attempt of establishing a convent in a secluded village located at the base of the Himalayas during the British Raj, the movie merges themes of isolation, cultural clash...

Director: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack Stars: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot Runtime: 100  minutes Synopsis:   A film crew goes to a tropical island for an exotic location shoot and discovers a colossal ape who takes a shine to their female blonde star. He is then captured and brought back to New York City for public exhibition. Verdict:  When a group of white American men set foot on a remote island in the middle of nowhere to make it the main location of their newest film, they are greeted by its local tribe and the giant ape they worship. Kong is unlike anything they’ve ever seen, he’s a colossal beast that is more intimidating than dangerous, an impressive animal whose most striking characteristic is his capability of loving a human being. But in true American fashion, the crew in question only sees him as a potential investment, an attraction that will draw hundreds of thousands of people. To them, he’s just a giant green bill. If it’s not already ...

Director: Satyajit Ray Stars: Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Subir Bannerjee Runtime: 125   minutes Synopsis:  Impoverished priest Harihar Ray, dreaming of a better life for himself and his family, leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work. Verdict:  Oddly enough, “Pather Panchali” not only marks my introduction to the legendary Satyajit Ray’s work but also serves as the first step in my hopefully long journey discovering Indian Cinema. I was stunned to realize that I had never seen a movie from the rich South Asian land before and hope to right that wrong in the future, especially after experiencing Ray’s directorial debut and first chapter in the Apu trilogy. What struck me most about the classic is how sincere and human it is. The dynamic, struggles, wholesome moments, and crushed dreams experienced by the poverty struck family at the center of it felt as honest as it possibly could, a miracle considering the many issues that occurred behind the scenes which...

Director: Jacques Demy Stars: Anouk Aimée, Marc Michel, Jacques Harden Runtime: 90   minutes Synopsis:  A bored young man meets with his former girlfriend, now a cabaret dancer and single mother, and soon finds himself falling back in love with her. Verdict:  My life has significantly improved ever since I discovered Jacques Demy’s enchanting work. From Cherbourg to Rochefort, he invited me into a world where music reigns supreme, a world where reality and dream are one and the same. His directorial debut “Lola” may not be a musical, but Michel Legrand’s symphonic score makes it seem like one. His timeless composition that combines original symphonies and existing ones added color to the black and white classic, a well-needed attribute for a film that relies on a lyrically romantic atmosphere to drive its plot forward. The plot itself is a rather simple one. It follows the single-mother and dancer Lola’s (Anouk Aimée) interactions with a couple of men who are not hiding ...

Director: Costa-Garvas Stars: Yves Montand, Irene Papas, Jean-Louis Trintignant Runtime: 127  minutes Synopsis:  The public murder of a prominent politician and doctor amid a violent demonstration is covered up by military and government officials. A tenacious magistrate is determined not to let them get away with it. Verdict:  5 days. Following the horrifying explosion that took place at Beirut’s port on August 4th of last year, the president of the republic issued a statement promising that those responsible for the murder of hundreds of people and the destruction of half a city would be held accountable within that reasonable amount of time. Nearly 7 months later, not only is justice far from being served to citizens that are also facing all sorts of turmoil including the arrest of activists protesting for their most basic rights, but the government had the audacity of removing and replacing the investigative judge the second he dared to question the involvement of hig...

Director: Sergio Leone Stars: Clint Eastwood, Gian Maria Volontè, Marianne Koch Runtime:  99 minutes Synopsis:  A wandering gunfighter plays two rival families against each other in a town torn apart by greed, pride, and revenge. Performances: 7/10 Screenplay: 5/10 Editing: 6/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack:  10/10 Entertainment Factor:  5/10 Verdict: Sergio Leone's biggest contribution to Cinema is the Spaghetti Western subgenre. Birthed in the mid-1960s at a time when Western fatigue was starting to be observed amongst moviegoers, he managed to resuscitate it with his signature genre, mostly associated nowadays with the famous Dollar unofficial trilogy. "A Fistful of Dollars" came out in 1964 and, for the first time, gave us Clint Eastwood's man with no name, a charming gunfighter, and the main antihero of that trilogy. With his blond hair, iconic squint, and laid off attitude, he definitely looks the part assigned to him. His cool factor is beyond the roo...

Director: Akira Kurosawa Stars:  Toshirô Mifune, Eijirô Tôno, Tatsuya Nakadai Runtime:  110 minutes Synopsis:  A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town. Performances: 9/10 Screenplay: 8/10 Editing: 9/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Score/Soundtrack:  6/10 Entertainment Factor:  8/10 Verdict: A skilled Ronan walks into a town and the first thing he sees is a dog walking towards him while holding a human hand. This can only signify one thing: trouble awaits him there. Soon, he learns that the town is controlled by two gangs whose ongoing war is keeping its residents hostage. Instead of fleeing, he sees a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the situation by pretending to be one of the gang's bodyguard, or Yojimbo in Japanese, in exchange for a reasonable sum of money. I watched this movie right after Sergio Leone's "A Fistful of Dollars" which I learned was a blatant rip-off of ...

Director: Jean-Pierre Melville Stars: Alain Delon, François Périer, Nathalie Delon Runtime: 101  minutes Synopsis:  After professional hitman Jef Costello is seen by witnesses his efforts to provide himself an alibi drive him further into a corner. Verdict:  An obvious influence to Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive", this French neo-noir crime film doesn't waste any time in establishing the stakes at hand. It may not have the tightest of scripts, but these leaks are easily overturned by the gloomy atmosphere it builds around the mysterious but riveting protagonist, brilliantly portrayed by Alain Delon. Story-wise, it never pretends to be more complex than it needs to be, making the watch a relatively pleasant one. FINAL GRADE: 8 /10

Director: Jacques Demy Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Dorléac, George Chakiris Runtime: 125  minutes Synopsis:  Two sisters leave their small seaside town of Rochefort in search of romance. Hired as carnival singers, one falls for an American musician, while the other must search for her ideal partner. Verdict:  Following a vibrant stop at Cherbourg where I was introduced to Jacques Demy’s work, I immediately booked myself a ticket to Rochefort, the little French town in which the events of his following film take place. Starring once again the wonderful Catherine Deneuve alongside her real-life sister Françoise Dorléac (who tragically passed away only a few months after the film’s release), many similarities can be drawn to Demy’s “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg”, most notably in the film’s presentation. “The Young Girls of Cherbourg” is also filled to the brim with colors and music, all of which contributed to turning the setting into a reflection of the film’s ambianc...

Director: Jacques Demy Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon Runtime: 91  minutes Synopsis:  A young woman separated from her lover by war faces a life-altering decision. Verdict:  With "La La Land" being one of my favorite movies of all time, it only made sense for me to check out the French classic that inspired it. And while the similarities between the two films are more than apparent, it was a relief to see that they both stand out on their own two feet. In fact, Jacques Demy's "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" filled me with the same wonder I felt when I watch Damien Chazelle's masterpiece for the first time and it wasn't until the very end that the parallels became clear to me. For approximately an hour and a half, I was transported into a world of music and striking bright colors. A world that for a second made me forget about the one we currently live in and which, more than ever, is devoid of everything that made Demy's univers...