Citizen Kane

Wow, after watching this film - I have a whole new respect for ambiguous, mystery-genre movies.

The directing in this film was so phenomenal. Every little aspect of the film suggested to some bigger purpose!

I loved how all in one scene Kane was portrayed as both large and then puny (image above); almost to represent the FOIL of his character; the irony of his being.

Kane's faces and tone of voice also played a huge role on my opinion of the movie. Though not always, particularly noticeable or over-acted; his face was always the representation of calmness and serenity and then his eyes or his lips would give away the slightest suggestion of what was to come. For example, in the scene when Susan Alexander is sick - his face is filled with such disappointment and agony and dissatisfaction; and all portrayed in the movements of his eyes.

Lastly, my overall impression of the film was very good. I REALLY liked that "rosebud" was just another piece of the puzzle; those last few lines really connected the film for me as a whole. I realized that a man's last words can't be the summation of his whole life. This film had a whole, deep level of deception to it. Kane was a deception with his desperate need of affection. Susan was a deception from first glance to her horrific attitude. The importance of "rosebud" was a deception; a deception that made the viewer think that such a complicated man's life had one simple solution; when in reality that word was just another grain of sand in that man's life.

Much like every word we say is also just a little part of who we are. I really like that this movie had this timeless factor about it.

All Quiet on the Western Front

It's really astonishing how, after learning about camera angles and director secrets - watching movies completely changes.

All of a sudden, I have a new respect for classical, war - movies.

I've began to see why things are happening in the movie. I've began to understand the concept of the "everything having a purpose".

All of a sudden, behind the acting - I hear the non-existent shouts of the director telling the actors to do this and that...

All of a sudden ...

I understand why the camera zig-zags from left to right; as if through the eyes of the soldiers.

I understand why the camera fills from up high; to demonstrate the significance of the soldiers during the war - the dehumanization - the value of their lives.

I understand why the camera is put on the ground and how it's basically being trampled on; to symbolize how the main protagonists of the movie are getting closer and closer to the ground and all in all - to their death.

The concept of dehumanization is both an obvious and underlying motif used within the whole plot line. For example, Franz Kemmerick's death portrays that motif extremely well. His death is only noticed by ONE person - as if he didn't matter. While in juxtaposition, before the war started; they were all best friends. This movies accurately (I believe) portrays how the war changes people; how they are transformed from humans to savage-like serial numbers.