Movie Review: Fatima (2020)

 Hello, everyone!

Today is Holy or Maundy Thursday, so the beginning of Holy Triduum. Because of that I thought I’d do a review of a religious movie! It would still be appropriate for people of non-Christian or non-Catholic faiths, too. Let’s go forth to it!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!


Fatima (2020):

Based on: As it says at the beginning, “Inspired by historical events and memories by Sister Lucia.”
In 1917 Lucia was visited by an angel and later, accompanied by her two cousins, saw the Holy Mother Mary herself. The Virgin Mary assigns them to be her messengers and to come back each month at the same time. Meanwhile they are to pray the rosary while  having to cope with the accusations made that they are making these stories up. Some believe and come from miles away while others try to stop what they think is ridiculous. With a war raging through the world is there some hope to hold on to?

“Professor, I can only give you my testimony. I don’t have answers for everything.”

Genres: Drama, Historical, Family, War.
Length: approx. 113 minutes.
Script: 9. There are no bad words! This doesn’t get a 10 because in one place a character says “seriously” under her breath and it did not fit the lingo at all and made me laugh. All of the accents were really impressive throughout.

‘“On the contrary, I’ve always been fascinated by opinions opposed to my own.”

“Well then, we do have something in common.”’

Crew: Directed by: Marco Pontecorvo.
Written by: Marco Pontecorvo, Valerio D’Annuzio, and Barbara Nicolosi.
Starring:
Stephanie Gil as young Lucia.
Sônia Braga as older Sister Lucia.

Alejandra Howard as Jacinta.
Jorge Lamelas as Francisco.
Lúcia Moniz as Maria Rosa.
Goran Visnjic as Artur de Oliveira Santos.
Joana Ribeiro as Virgin Mary.
Joaquim de Almeida as Father Ferreira.
Harvey Keitel as Professor Nichols.
Marco D'Almeida as António.
Ivone Fernandes-Jesus as Angel of Peace.
João Arrais as Manuel Santos.
João D'Ávila as Monsenhor Quaresma.

Costumes: 9. I liked the accuracy and small details that went into all of the wardrobes.
Cinematography: 9. I really liked the cinematography! My one complaint is that during a climactic point at the end it got confusing and I had no idea what was happening (I should’ve though, because it’s history). All of the visions were seamlessly executed. The atmosphere was convincing and I felt that I was actually in Fatima, Portugal.

Cinematography by: Vincenzo Carpineta.
Music: 8. Nothing too surprising, but I did like the credits songs.
Music by: Paolo Buonvino. Songs during the credits are performed by Andrea Bocelli.
Notes: I believe that there is a 1997 Italian movie that is also called Fatima about these same events. In addition to that there is one called The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima from 1952. This is a popular topic, and for good reason.
Quotability: N/A, since I just watched this.

Content: 9. There are visions that include scenes of war including death and injuries, as well as visions of a demonic nature, but both are very tame. It gives you the gravity of the situation without being overly graphic.
Originality: 9. When books or movies are based on a true story I sometimes don’t rate them in this category because what happened, happened. Other times, it’s good to look at how well a book or film structured it, because or else you could just be watching a documentary. I liked the emphasis with Lucia’s connection to her family. Jacinta and Francisco are her cousins so she spends a lot of time with them. The story begins with her worrying about her brother, and it deeply looks at her relationship with her parents. It addresses how she has an earthly and a heavenly mother. The only thing that could’ve been expanded more or introduced better, I think, were her sisters. I didn’t even realize that she had older sisters until the movie was almost over!

Also, it switches back and forth between 1917, when the events happened, and 1989 where Sister Lucia is telling the story. To me, it didn’t wrap it up as well as it could have. Who was the guy she was talking to? According to the credits his name is Professor Nichols. Why had he decided to write a book about it? He was there to offer some common questions when people talk about what happened at Fatima, but it felt very last minute and thrown together. I couldn’t follow the train of thought with the conversation that was carried and it had a sudden end with them that didn’t tie in. Maybe when I watch it again I’ll understand that part better.
Good For: Christians and Catholics, especially, but people of other faiths, too. Families.
Age Range: This is rated PG-13, but that seems extreme. As I mentioned in the content section, things are very mild. Still, younger viewers might not understand what is happening, so it depends on each person. Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta are 10, 8, and 7, so it can connect to people who are those ages

Overall Score: 9!
Worth watching?: Yes! I don’t know why I don’t know much about what happened at Fatima, so it was very educational to me. (Shout out to Megan Chappie who actually introduced it to me. She actually talks about this movie HERE, which she has quite brilliant thoughts so I recommend it. Spoilers for the movie are there, but then again, it is history).
Will I watch again?: Yes, I believe so. I think I want to watch it with both of my sisters eventually.

‘“I believe,”

“I believe,

“I hope,”

“I hope,”

“And I love God.”

“And I love God.”’

For the blogathon:
This is my entry in The Faith in Film Blogathon hosted by Pure Entertainment Preservation Society (PEPS). The Blogathon is going to run from the 2nd-4th of April, but since I'm taking a break from my computer tomorrow for Good Friday I'm posting it a day early. When Tiffany has the start of the Blogathon article up, the link will be HERE.

This Blogathon is about celebrating the representation of different religions in films, whether it is devoted to inspiring faith or if it just has a member of the clergy in it. Of course I wanted to join with my own religion!

This film has priests, nuns, bishops, you name it. With that, it looks at how beautiful faith and trust in the Lord are from a child’s point of view. I love it showed the struggle Lucia had with everything going on. It was interesting to see also how Francisco had a different experience while seeing the same things. My favorite was Jacinta, who was so pure, precious, and holy for being so young.

One of my favorite parts of the whole movie was when it flipped the prayer requests specific things into just asking to pray with someone. It was one of the most powerful parts of the film, to me.

I really like the cinematography, clothing choices, and overall aesthetic. It feels very authentic and reminds me of The Chosen, which makes sense because they are both faith related things, but there is more to it than that! Overall I really liked it and am very happy to have seen it.



Thanks to the Brannans at PEPS for hosting! Thanks to all of you for reading! What are your favorite films that represent someone having great faith? Have any of you seen this? Let’s talk about it! I wish a blessed Triduum to all of you.

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Life With Father (1947)

Good "day" everyone!

I hope that this finds you well. Do you know what I like to do on a snowy day (besides being in the snow doing crazy things)? I like to watch a cozy movie in my home. Today Iʼm bringing you a review of one ideal for this activity! Stick around because in addition to the usual review Iʼll be talking about the significance of home and family in this film. Enjoy!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free! After reading this review things will still surprise you when you watch the movie.

Life With Father (1947):

Based on: the memoir Life With Father - by Clarence Day Jr..

Set in New York in 1883, this tells the story of Clarence Day who lives with his wife and four boys. “Clare” is used to living by a very strict schedule, which he tries to control the monetary savings and income as much as he does at his bank. Life is always changing with the four growing boys. Whitney is trying to learn his catechism, John is looking for a job, and all is going well for Clarence Jr. until his motherʼs cousin brings a pretty girl with her. One day Mrs. Day learns that Clare was never baptized and she is horrified but determined to find a way to remedy that. Will the whole household and family be shaken up through sickness and finances?

ʻ“I notice when you have a headache you yell and groan and swear enough.” 

“Well, thatʼs to prove to the headache that Iʼm stronger than it is.”

Genre: Comedy.

Length: approx. 118 minutes.

Script: 8. By a technical standpoint there are no bad words, as when Mr. Day swears he says “Gad”, heavily saying an A. Itʼs too close for my liking to taking a name in vain, hence the deduction of two points.

Crew: Directed by: Michael Curtiz. Written by: Clarence Day Jr., Donald Ogden Stewart, Howard Lindsay, & Russel Crouse.

Starring:

William Powell as Clarence Day.

Irene Dunne as Vinnie Day.

Jimmy Lydon as Clarence Day Jr..

Martin Milner as John Day.

Johnny Calkins as Whitney Day.

Derek Scott as Harlan Day.

Elizabeth Taylor as Mary Skinner.

Zasu Pitts as Cora Cartwright.

Edmund Gwenn as Rev. Dr. Lloyd.

Emma Dunn as Margaret, the cook.

Heather Wilde as Annie.

Nancy Evans as Delia.

Moroni Olsen as Dr. Humphries.

 Frank Elliott as Dr. Somers.

Elisabeth Risdon as Mrs. Whitehead.

Monte Blue as The Policeman.

Mary Field as Nora.

Clara Blandick as Miss Wiggins.

Douglas Kennedy as Reverend Morley.

Costumes: 8, I like the 1880ʼs style! One of the subplots revolves around a suit. 

Cinematography: 8, some brilliant colors here! Compared with newer movies it isn't too shocking, but compared with the times it was made I think it's neat. 

Cinematography by: Peverell Marley & William V. Skall.

Music: 8, not the most memorable in the world, but the whole time I was thinking of how cheery it is.

Music by: Max Steiner.

Quotability: 8, it's not something that I would think of quoting every day, but after a phone call with my sister where I convinced her to rewatch it, we've been saying some of the lines from time to time. One of my favorites was when Harlan is complaining about oatmeal, saying he doesn't like it and Clare replies:

“Iʼll tell you what you like and what you donʼt like. Youʼre not old enough to know such things.”

Oscars won: This was nominated for 4 awards, including Best Actor for William Powell, but didnʼt win any of them.

Content: 8, there are one or two suggestive lines, but that's it. It talks about religion and faith, and while none of it is mine exactly, I like Vinnie's concern and care!

Originality: 8, the scrapes that the family gets into are pretty unique! I smile through the whole thing, so it is something to brighten your day.

Good For: Families, fathers and children, fans of the actors.

Age Range: This is perfectly fine for any and all ages!

Overall Score: 8! I don't remember the last time the score I gave was so easy!

Worth watching?: For sure! I was fun to fill in my memories of what this was. The stunning colors alone are worth looking at.

Will I watch again?: You bet! I have fun with this one and will be watching it again wherever I need a "pick me up" film.

“Thereʼs something wrong with your reasoning.”

For the blogathon:

Thatʼs right! This is my entry in Rebecca of Taking Up Room and Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviewsʼs Home Sweet Home Blogathon!

The requirements were easy, stating that the goal was to talk about films centering around the theme of “home” or “family”. It took me a while to decide, but then I thought that this was perfect as with itʼs title it deals with a father!

I used to get this confused with another movie because I think that I watched them for the first time very close to each other. For years I had wondered which one was which. When I was able to rewatch this last October I was glad to find that this one was the one with “Clare”. After some digging on my part I figured out what the other movie was, Cheaper by the Dozen (1950)! Funnily enough, that stars a lady who was famous for being in movies with William Powell, Myrna Loy!

They both feature fathers. In this one, while it is titled Life With Father, it is made clear that the mother, Vinnie, is what holds the house together. All of the family adores her and would do anything to make her happy. Even if it includes stepping outside of comfort zones.

Thanks for reading! Check out all of the other entries to the blogathon HERE.

Tell me, what are some of your favorite movies involving family? Has anyone seen this or the original Cheaper by the Dozen (1950)? What is your favorite William Powell movie? Have a good night!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Clouds (2020)

Hello, my friends!

Iʼm reviewing a movie today that I recommend for all people to watch. Why? Donʼt worry, Iʼll give you the reasons soon enough.

Plus, you'll be hearing thoughts from someone who has never been on this blog before, even though I mention her a lot...

The downside of this movie is that you can only watch it on Disney+. I know what youʼre all thinking, “MC, you finally got it!?” No, my sister got it and Iʼve been enjoying watching it with her. Iʼm not being paid to say this, but I think it is worth it to get it to watch this film. The reasons why? Read on.

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!

Clouds (2020):

Based on: The true story of Zach Sobiech, and the book Fly a Little Higher, How God Answered a Momʼs Small Prayer in a Big Way - by Laura Sobiech.

A boy in high school who is fighting with cancer learns that he only has so long to live and decides to make the most of it. The movie follows him and his family through it as they deal with the struggles, and all the while Zach fights the sadness that hits him as he just wants to make others laugh. He starts writing songs with his best friend and begins to hang out with the girl he has a crush on. How can he encourage others to live their lives when his is slipping away from him?

Genre: Biography, Drama.

Length: approx. 121 minutes.

Script: 8, this is rated PG-13 for “brief strong language”, but I actually didnʼt notice it. Yikes, now Iʼm afraid that Iʼm becoming too used to it.

Crew: Directed by: Justin Baldoni. Written by: Kara Holden, Casey La Scala, Patrick Kopka, Kara Holden, & Laura Sobiech.

Starring:

Fin Argus as Zach Sobiech.

Sabrina Carpenter as Sammy Brown.

Neve Campbell as Laura Sobiech.

Madison Iseman as Amy Adamle.

Tom Everett Scott as Rob Sobiech.

Lil Rel Howery as Mr. Weaver.

Summer H. Howell as Grace.

Vivien Endicott-Douglas as Alli.

Dylan Everett as Sam.

Tyrone Benskin as Doctor.

Benjamin Roy as Eli.

Aida Yirga as Tessa.

Morgana Mogent as Janie.

Mitchell Kluesner as Mitch.

Jason Mraz as himself.

There are many cameos of actually people that the characters are based on.

Costumes: 8, just standard, but there is a scene when someone isnʼt wearing a shirt.

 Cinematography: 9, you know how there are those movies that as you watch it you think, “Wow, this is spectacular!”? Then there are the ones that you watch and think, “That is painfully bad”? Then you have ones that you donʼt remember because it was nothing special? This is none of the above, but rather one of those that gets you in the mood and gently puts you in every single scene without you even noticing. Pretty cool.

Cinematography by: Ben Kutchins.

Music: 10, all of these songs are so incredible and inspiring. The title of the movie is after the song “Clouds”, and it is so fitting and beautifully tied in. Now, for contentʼs sake I will mention that there is a suggestive song, but itʼs supposed to be funny and the performance is so ridiculous and cringe worthy that you canʼt help laughing and doesnʼt do any harm. Listening to it again you think, “Wow, thatʼs really bad.”, but then you just continue with the movie.

Music by: Songs written by Zach Sobiech and Sammy Brown.

Quotability: N/A, as I watched it recently, but one line about painting masterpieces has really stuck with me. I didnʼt take my signature notes while watching it, so I canʼt tell you any exact lines.

Oscars won: N/A.

Content: 7. This movie involves a disease and the treatment of it, and while there are some details including throwing up and looking at scars, it focuses more on the mental side and doesnʼt show anything that would make anyone too queasy. There are one or two suggestive comments, and some kissing where it looks like itʼs going to get bad for a minute, but I promise that nothing happens. Also, the above song that I mentioned.

It also had a part where they are talking about Christian religion, and there are a few joking comments, but later there are some beautiful parts as well and I almost wish that they had expanded on that.

Originality: 10, I always give this score to true stories because it is real life. Especially in this movie everything was so creative and you constantly felt like you were seeing something new.

Good For: Anyone who has gone through cancer or has known someone who has, anyone who loves music, everyone.

Age Range: I mentioned that it was rated PG-13 for language, and I would agree with that but for some kissing. It depends on the person, and this is an important movie to watch, but it might just be too much for little kids.

Overall Score: 9!

Worth watching?: Oh my word, yes. This film was so powerful and inspiring. I am sure that I will never forget about it and the messages that it carries. I would expand more, but really, all of this review is me talking about how worthy it is of watching so Iʼll keep it short here.

Will I watch again?: Yes, and I actually plan to very soon! My little sister and I want to watch it with our older sister now and plenty of times after that.

Bonus thoughts:

I never know where to start telling people about how good movies are. This movie made me want to just know so much more about all of these real people. Like, apparently Sammy Brown was an Irish dancer! I now want to read Laura Sobiechʼs book that she wrote that this is based on.

In my mind I automatically start comparing this film to the movie Midnight Sun (2018) because their storylines are very similar. Personally, I think this one is better. First of all, it is a true story. Now, Iʼm not downing fictional stories at all, in fact I usually prefer to write them. Like in the book The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, one of the girls Jane Penderwick, has to write an essay about a famous woman, and she writes about one of the characters in her book. Thatʼs me. I always prefer to make something up and just write whatever comes into my mind to doing research about someone actually alive.

And just because cancer is a more well known disease than xeroderma pigmentosum doesnʼt make the other one less important or the people less worthy of care. But reading about the disease, Iʼve come to the conclusion that they “ramped it up” for the movie to make it more dramatic. Having the sun hit your skin for five seconds is not going to harm you that much, but five minutes could cause you to burn. Now, Iʼm not an expert, but you get my point.

Another thing is that in Midnight Sun (2018) you can tell that the filmmakers really wanted to make you cry. Which was very annoying that I fell for it. In here, Zach says that he doesnʼt want to be a “sob story”, and it actually just shows you the struggles of being terminal without trying to make you cry. It is painful, but in a natural and not forced way. These filmmakers didnʼt say, “Cry! You have to! If you donʼt youʼre a heartless human being!”

Instead they showed you good and bad and let you process your emotions how you wished.

Enough about comparisons! Thatʼs not what weʼre doing here! I want to just talk about how amazing Clouds is.

There is one element that I want to scream about for ages: The subtly.

I mentioned in the music section about how fantastic the songs, and how it features the songs that Zach Sobiech and Sammy Brown wrote, which are heartbreakingly gorgeous. In addition to that, the background music and score are phenomenal. One of the reasons is that it is so subtle. I can be a little dense sometimes and donʼt get subtle things, as I need the facts to be yelled at me. In here, though, they had a magical balance. They use to music to tell you what is happening.

In one spot in particular, you can hear the opening of a song being played while characters are talking, and I lost it. I was bawling so much that my sister had to pause the movie until I got it under control. She said, “This is a happy part! Why are you crying?”

Because the music had just told me so much.

Later, in a sad part, my sister was shocked when she was crying but I wasnʼt. I didnʼt need to, because I had already been told what was going to happen in that happy part. It is a joyous part in the movie, but they beautifully wove in the sadness along the edges and made it even more special.

My sister didnʼt know what the song was because she hadnʼt heard it before, but if you have heard it then I bet youʼll react like I did.

Another thing was the relationships between all of the characters contained that same subtly. People would squeeze each others hands and throw jokes around and other little actions so we didnʼt need to be told how they felt about each other, because we could SEE it. In one place that Iʼm thinking of the characters did talk about their feelings, but that was important because even though we could already see it, one of the characters couldnʼt. It was a really sweet moment.

One relationship did depend on it a little too much, I thought, but thatʼs just me.

Ah, and the little girl! Anytime in any movie their is a scene with a little kid, it utterly breaks me. This little girl was so adorable and sweet and amazing. This was before the moment that really destroyed me, so it helped contribute to it.

After all my talk, what does this movie mean to me? It showed me that life is beautiful even through the ugly parts. It seems like a simple sentiment, but it really affected me, and I hope that anyone who watches this is impacted as deeply as I was.

I watched this with my younger sister, FionaCateCreates so she is going to tell you her thoughts, too! She will be typing in italics. Take it away!

Hello! I am Fiona, MC's younger sister. These are my thoughts on the movie "Clouds":

This movie is a really inspiring and motivational movie. I would also recommend it to anyone. This movie reminds you of how truly special, what a gift, life is. Every moment matters, every day, every minute. Make the most of it. The only thing you need to hear to be convinced to watch it is a quote from Zach Sobiech "You don't have to find out you're dying to start living.".

 

When we hear true stories of people doing amazing things, they inspire us. They kick us back into full gear, wake us up from our state of putting only minimal effort into the things we do. For me, through this pandemic I have changed because I have always been a very motivated and productive person. I have always had big dreams and goals. But I lost my motivation back in March. I felt like all my dreams would never come true. But unlike Zach Sobiech, I decided to give up on everything and I didn't care about my hopes and dreams anymore. I became a different person, but the truth is we can't always be motivated. We get burned out. But I watched this movie back in October, and I feel like it lit a new fire in me. He was diagnosed as terminal, with only minimal time left to live, but he pushed through all the way, to make the most of it.

"You don't need to find out you're dying to start living" hit me. Even though I can't do much right now, this is a world of technology and we're growing everyday, I can do quite a lot. Even though things are going to be different, doesn't mean we should just give up on everything. We can make the most of what it is, do our best to make the most of everyday. So, I encourage you to watch this movie if you feel dead inside, lacking motivation, or hope. Especially now, during the holidays we can use this, but also anytime and every time of our lives.

Thanks, Fiona!

And thank you for reading! I want all of you to go watch this so we can talk! If you've seen this, please tell me all of your thoughts and which song is your favorite. Are there stories that feel like are just trying to make you cry and others where it comes naturally? Enjoy!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Hello, everyone.

Before I get into my review I want to say how deeply saddened I was yesterday when I heard that the world had lost Alex Trebek. His battle with cancer was so hard. Jeopardy! is one of my favorite game shows, and his reassuring presence will be missed more than I can say.


Last winter my dad, older sister and I got onto a kick of watching Best Picture Oscar winning war films. It was all my idea because I am trying to watch movies off of my 1001 Movies To See Before You Die list. We watched three movies: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) in October, Lawrence of Arabia (1962) in January, and Patton (1970) in February. After that we were really burned out because they were all multi-hour spectaculars, but we are thinking about starting another round as there are still many that we havenʼt seen. Iʼve reviewed the other two, so now itʼs time for the final one!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free! Which was hard to do, but I succeeded.

Lawrence of Arabia (1962):

Based on: The life of T. E. Lawrence, from Seven Pillars of Wisdom - by T. E. Lawrence. 

During World War I, T. E. Lawrence is given a new task from the British army. He is sent to talk with Prince Faisel about helping them with his army of native people against to Turks. To do that, Lawrence must journey through the desert. It is hard, but he bravely goes forward into the desert, befriending all whom he can and trying to collect various tribes into an agreement. He is known for his insolence and daring, and continues that as he ignores his orders and suggests new, daring, and reckless plans of attack. Is it possible for all of these people to follow him, and how will he accept the respect and admiration that he is receiving?

“Big things have small beginnings.” 

Genres: Biography, Drama, War.

Length: approx. 228 minutes. You read that correctly, this movie is so long itʼs crazy. We actually watched it in four parts over four nights because of that, with about an hour each time.

Script: 8, only one bad word and one time a name is taken in vain.

“It seems to me that you are free to choose your own name.”

Crew: Directed by: David Lean. Written by: T.E. Lawrence, Robert Bolt, & Michael Wilson.

Starring:

Peter O'Toole as T.E. Lawrence.

“Time to be great again.”

Alec Guinness as Prince Faisal. 

Omar Sharif as Sherif Ali.

Anthony Quinn as Auda Abu Tayi.  

Jack Hawkins as General Allenby.

. 

Claude Rains as Mr. Dryden

Anthony Quayle as Colonel Brighton. 

Arthur Kennedy as Jackson Bentley.

José Ferrer as Turkish Bey.

Donald Wolfit as General Murray.

Michel Ray as Farraj.

John Dimech as Daud.

I.S. Johar as Gasim.

Gamil Ratib as Majid.

Zia Mohyeddin as Tafas.

Howard Marion-Crawford as Medical Officer.

Jack Gwillim as Club Secretary.

Hugh Miller as R.A.M.C. Colonel.

Notes: If you read anything about this movie, you know the craziness that they went through with casting. Almost every character was cast multiple times. They say that they tried so hard to make Alec Guinness look like Prince Faisel that while they were shooting the film in Jordan some people who knew the late Prince Faisel actually thought it was him. José Ferrerʼs role is so small that I barely remember it, but he had a salary of $25,000, which was more than Omar Sharif and Peter OʼToole put together had.

Costumes: 9, there are times when people arenʼt wearing shirts, but it didnʼt really bother me. In fact, one of my favorite parts was all about clothing (am I being vague? Yes, yes I am).

Not this part. But, first thing into the movie my dad said, "He looks like Maz Kanata."

Costumes by: Phyllis Dalton.

Cinematography: 10, guys, guys. GUYS. My sister and I were talking and wondering how much time they spent just filming this stuff because it is pretty incredible. These sweeping desert scenes are jaw dropping. There is a scene that is like, 10 minutes long, where we are doing nothing but staring at the desert. Iʼm not kidding (okay, maybe it isnʼt that much time, but itʼs a lot). Another scene where my sister and I just couldnʼt believe our eyes is kind of a spoiler to mention, so I wonʼt, but it was like nothing Iʼve ever seen. You have to see it to believe it.

This image doesn't do it justice.

Cinematography by: F.A. Young.

Music: 9, after watching it I had the score stuck in my head for days and would do nothing but hum it. I donʼt usually have that happen. Something about it is so gripping! You can tell that since then it has inspired lots of things. I especially noticed parts that reminded me of Aladdin (1992). Iʼm listening to it right now, and Iʼm sure Iʼll have it stuck in my head for another couple of days now.

Music by: Maurice Jarre.

Quotability: 5, I havenʼt quoted this at all since then, but thatʼs not to say that there arenʼt good lines. I sadly canʼt put too many because I canʼt read my handwriting when I took notes. Ooops.

“Yes general, you have lied most bravely.”

Oscars won: 7: Best Picture, Best Director (David Lean), Best Music Score -- Substantially Original, Best Sound, Best Art Direction -- Color, Best Cinematography -- Color, and Best Film Editing.

Peter OʼToole was nominated for Best Actor, and while he did a great job, Iʼm very happy that Gregory Peck won it for his role of Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird (1962). Whenever I talk about the Oscars Iʼm bound to mention the 1962 ceremony because so many good movies were made that year!

Content: 6, this movie is intense, and a lot of that comes from the content. There is a lot of death, killing, blood and fighting, as this is a war movie. Something that was talked about was enjoying killing people. I think that what they had to say was important, but it couldʼve been handled a slight bit better just to make one or two things more obvious. All the same, it is made to show how bad war is.

Originality: 9, I always feel obliged to give stories based on real people a high score here because their lives are all so different. In addition to that, it really ripped me apart more than most stories do. Points for originality there! About halfway through I felt where it was going. I didnʼt know the exact details, but I just had this feeling that I knew was what I was supposed to feel at the end.

Good For: History fans, fans of the actors, fans of amazing cinematography and music. Honestly, I think that this is one of those movies that everyone should see sometime in their life, if they are willing to spare that many hours. It is by no means a cheerful movie, but it is important.

Age Range: It is rated PG but I should note that this was before there was a PG-13 rating, so it would probably get that nowadays. It is grueling to watch this because it is so long. I have a hard time paying attention for that long and Iʼm sure most little kids are the same way. Just because of that I would say it is best for 15 and older, but there is a possibility that it could be a good history lesson to someone a little younger, too.

Overall Score: 8.

These two were my favorites.

Worth watching?: Yes, Iʼm very glad that I watched it. The way that the orphan boys Daud and Farraj treated Lawrence (and said his name) was so cute. As I said, this movie will really tear you apart because of how intense it is. Iʼm feeling all destroyed just thinking about it. This was the middle film that my dad, sister, and I watched, and I liked it in the middle. I didnʼt love it as much as The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), but I didnʼt dislike it and find it as boring as Patton (1970).

Will I watch again?: My younger sister has never seen it, so I think that Iʼll show it to her some day, but maybe years from now.

For the blogathon:

This is my entry in The Third Annual Claude Rains Blogathon hosted by Pure Entertainment Preservation Society!

I havenʼt been able to join in the last two years, so I made sure of it this time. When looking through the list of films that Claude Rains made I saw this and decided that it was perfect timing.

The amazing thing about this movie is that most of the characters are based on real people! There are some fictional characters in here for the sake of the story, but they all feel like they couldʼve been real as well and some were based on a few different real life characters and just combined into one.

The “real life” characters are:

E. T. Lawrence, Prince Faisal, Auda Abu Tayi, General Allenby, General Murray, Daud and Farraj, and Talal. (I know this thanks to Wikipedia).

The “fictional” characters are:

Sherif Ali, Mr. Dryden, Colonel Brighton, and Jackson Bentley. (Check out Wikipedia HERE for more details on who they are based on)

As you see, Claude Rainsʼs character is fictional, but all the same he is important to the movie. We donʼt get a lot of screen time with him, but you could say that he initiates Lawrenceʼs inciting incident. (Can you tell that Iʼm in the craziness of NaNoWriMo and am very focused on all those technical phrases?). Mr. Dryden is from the Arab Bureau and he is the one who suggests that Lawrence is the one to do the job concerning Prince Faisal, even though others werenʼt sure that he was the right person. After that he appears a few times throughout the film. He is the person who sends other people to do the work and just pulls the strings.

His character wasnʼt particularly likable to me, but the portrayal was so well done by Claude Rains! This was close to the end of his career. Every time that I watch a new movie with him I am astounded by the depth to his acting abilities. It is great to watch!

In fact, so many of the actors in here were so great! I do get that it is historical and that it is war and because of that there arenʼt many, er...ANY female roles, which I didnʼt notice until right now. Anyway, the actors who stood out to me were:

Alec Guinness: He is flat out amazing in everything, and this is no exception. Iʼm sorry, but he was my favorite part.

Omar Sherif: As soon as I saw him I thought, “Oh no! Itʼs Doctor Zhivago!” I actively loathe that movie, so thank you for reminding me. “While youʼre at it, why donʼt you give me a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice on it?” (Sorry, I couldnʼt help myself...). But, I was really shocked by how strong his acting was. From the beginning I disliked him, but he just continued to grow on me and ended up being my second favorite from Alec Guinness. Did you know that Omar Sherif spoke six languages? That is incredible! Here I am struggling with two...

Peter OʼToole: Yes, I will admit that the way he played Lawrence was really moving. Sometimes it moved me in weird directions that I had no idea was coming. This was one of his first roles and I was glad to see it because I like some of his later ones. 

Arthur Kennedy: This was the most different role that Iʼve ever seen from him. Iʼm so used to seeing him as the “baddie” in westerns, that I wasnʼt prepared to have him play a newspaper reporter. He did a great job!

Whew, with that Iʼm going to start wrapping this up! I guess that the longer the film the longer my post about it. Thanks to the Brannans for hosting! Check out the other blogathon entries HERE.

Now tell me, what is the longest movie that youʼve ever watched? Do you ever get burned out on a certain genre? Thank you so much for reading!

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Tolkien (2019)

Greetings dwarves, elfs, hobbits, and wizards!

Today I am reviewing a film about a very famous author. Someone who created worlds and languages now explored by many. If you haven't guessed from my salutation (or the title of this post. I always forget about that...), you soon will!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!


Tolkien (2019):

Based on: the life of author J. R. R. Tolkien.

"Men should be comrades wherever they come from."

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is in the middle of WWI. After receiving a letter from the worried mother of one of his friends, he begins a trek to find her son, though he himself is sick and feverish. While doing this he relives his past, all of the years he was growing up, and begins to find inspiration in the terrible war scenes. Accompanied by Private Hodges he walks accross abandoned battlefields in search of his comrade, will they be able to find him?

'"Now what do we do?"

"We change the world."

"Oh good, something simple."'

Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance.
Length: approx. 112 minutes.
Costumes: 9, very fitting for the time, plus there are some lovely dresses and whatnot.
Script: 10, no bad words or swearing, I believe!

"Things aren't beautiful because of how they sound. They're beautiful because of what they mean."

Crew: Directed by: Dome Karukoski. Written by: David Gleeson & Stephen Beresford.
Starring:
Nicholas Hoult as J.R.R. Tolkien.

Harry Gilby as young J.R.R. Tolkien.
Anthony Boyle as Geoffrey Smith.
Adam Bregman as young Geoffrey Smith.
Tom Glynn-Carney as Christopher Wiseman.
Ty Tennant as young Christopher Wiseman.
Patrick Gibson as Robert Gilson.
Albie Marber as young Robert Gilson.

"We are your brothers through everything."

Craig Roberts as Private Sam Hodges.
Lily Collins as Edith Bratt.

Mimi Keene as young Edith Bratt.
James MacCallum as Hilary Tolkien.
Guillermo Bedward as young Hilary Tolkien.
Laura Donnelly as Mabel Tolkien.
Derek Jacobi as Professor Wright.

Genevieve O'Reilly as Mrs. Smith.
Colm Meaney as Father Francis.
Pam Ferris as Mrs. Faulkner.
Owen Teale as Headmaster Gilson.
Mia Woods & Sienna Woods as Priscilla Tolkien.
Paul Gurcel Escudero as Michael Tolkien.
Harry Webster as John Tolkien Jr..
Jack Riley as Christopher Tolkien.
Kallum Tolkien as Second Soldier.
Cinematography: 10, there were a lot of elements woven in that made it pretty spectacular on a visual scale!
Cinematography by: Lasse Frank.

Music: 9, I've been listening to the score while writing this and I'd forgotten how pretty it is! Light and airy while being magical.
Music by: Thomas Newman.
Quotability: 6, I haven't found myself quoting this a lot since I watched it, but my sister has. I thought that this was a trifle amusing:

"The stick was a metaphor, drop the stick." (paraphrase)

Content: 6, there are many war scenes involving the aftermath of battles, death, sickness, blood, and people on fire. In addition to that there are sometimes when characters are a little intoxicated, and one or two suggestive comments. If you don't feel good about those war scenes, you might want to be ready to skip a tiny bit. It's not super bad, but it's present. You know, I've seen far worse.
Originality: 9, I hadn't heard about Tolkien's life, so I didn't know much besides his most famous trilogy. In fact, anything that I did know about him took place after the timeline of this film, so it was unique to look into his childhood and young adult years.

Good For: Lord of the Rings fans, anyone who has lost friends and needed to find them.
NOTE: I recommend this movie, but there are lots of spoilers for the Lord of the Rings books, so don't watch this until you read those, or see the movie adaptations.
Age Range: It is PG-13, but primarily for those gruesome scenes. Violence and that kind of thing doesn't bother me as much as other things, but as I always say, it depends on the person.
Overall Score: 8.5!
Worth watching?: Oh yes! Though I'm sure a few things were fictional to add suspense and the like, I really enjoyed this glimpse into his life. It was an all around enjoyable movie and I can't think of a part that I didn't like.

"Lock all of this in you heart, lock it tight, and it will be there forever. I promise."

Will I watch again?: It is one of my older sister's favorite movies, so yes, I imagine I'll be watching it with her in the future some more.
Bonus thoughts:

"Languages never steal. Influence."

I would never have picked Nicholas Hoult to play Tolkien, but after watching it I can't think of anyone else. He is so earnest, you believe him in whatever he says and are interested to see where he goes. I'm not even that interested in languages and the structure and origin behind them, but when he talks about them I think, "Ah, this is so fascinating!". As for the other actors, Lily Collins was lovely and I was happily surprised to see Derek Jacobi (because, as you can see on my sidebar, he's one of my favorites).
I'm becoming more and more familiar with stories told in a broken timeline, and this one was ideal for it. Instead of dragging in places you are always wanting to know what will happen next. I loved looking for the references to his books, though I am sure that I missed many. I will fully recommend this to any and all Lord of the Rings fans, because even if it doesn't turn out to be your new favorite thing, it is a goregous way to spend a couple of hours.


And, as per usual I can't find half as many pictures as I want that do it justice, so you'll just have to watch for yourself!

Guess what? This is another entry in Hamlette's Tolkien Blog Party! I'm so happy to be joining with two posts this time around when I only had one in the four other years I did it. This is her eighth party, and here's to many more in the years to come! Check out all of the other entries HERE.

Thanks for reading! First, let me know if you've seen this, then tell me your favorite biographical film!

MovieCritic