The Replacements (2000)

The Replacements is a 2000 sport comedy directed by Howard Deutch. It did not receive any awards. I felt it interesting because it seems like a very good indication of what a strike looks like from a professional football player’s perspective, as well as from the perspective of those chosen to replace them. As far as fitting into the genre of a sports comedy I felt as if it was a very well suited design. The theme of this movie is something any sports enthusiast can relate to: you must have heart to be a champion. The sound effects and camera angles made the film seem very realistic. It was like watching a real football game. Some issues addressed in the film are greed (displayed by the striking players) and second chances (displayed by the replacements). I think the demographic would be sports fans of all ages and people that like a true underdog story. 

Avatar (2009)

Avatar is a 2009 science fiction movie directed by James Cameron. It won 3 Academy Awards as well as 41 other wins and 60 other nominations. I found the entire movie to be interesting, it was ground breaking and very fun to watch. It's also interesting to know that this i the highest grossing film of all time. This film perfectly depicts the science fiction genre, but it also falls into the action adventure genre. The film has many themes, including political themes, social and cultural themes, as well as religion and spiritual themes. The acting and plot were both well done. But the formal components really made this film great. The camera angles were excellent. The use of sound effects, the, the time-sequence, the dialogue, and the style of editing were all outstanding. What really stole the show was the special effects. The action sequences were superb. The movie was culturally significant, it was a huge hit and reached a very broad demographic. 

The Notebook (2004)

The Notebook is a 2004 romance directed by Nick Cassavetes. It won 11 various awards and was nominated for another 7. It is the film adaptation of the novel of the same name written by Nicholas Sparks. It works well within the genre of a romance film. The theme of the film is the timelessness of true love. The plot was fluent without contradictions; it kept the viewer on their toes. The camera angles were bland and generic, with the exception of the Ferris Wheel scene, in which the male lead climbed up to ask the female lead on a date. The acting was well done. It addresses the issues within relationships where each person is in a different social and economic class. I would say the demographic is aimed at women and couples. Overall it is a very well done film and is sure to be a tear jerker to any woman.

Due Date (2010)

Due Date is a comedy released in the US in 2010 and was directed by Todd Phillips. The most interesting thing about this movie to me was how it was even possible for these two men to get away with such stupid antics. Although it was funny and made me laugh quite a bit, it lacked in depth. The theme of friendship was obvious and lighthearted. The plot was a cliché for a comedy, but cliché enough for the film to be a good fit for it’s genre. I would guess that due to some of the crude humor and R rating this movie is aimed at young adults 18 and over. I did however find the acting to be very well done. I enjoyed Robert Downey Jr.’s cynicism and the naivety of Zach Galifianakis. By the end of the movie I was surprised Downey’s character had not killed that of Galifianakis. It was full of some pretty hilarious one-liners. The special effects were good and fun to watch. I would recommend it only to those with a perverse mind.

Grease (1978)

The movie Grease is a 1978 musical, directed by Randal Kleiser. It won both a People’s Choice Award and Germany’s Golden Screen Award. It was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. The thing I found most interesting about this movie is the singing. The songs are all catchy and I feel that this is the reason the movie is such a success, well that and the fact that it deals with one of the most used themes in movies: teen angst. Obviously being a movie based on teens in high school the movie is aimed at that demographic. The acting was believable and the characters were well rounded. As a musical I feel it perfectly represents its category. It could potentially fit into the romance and comedy genre as well. Since the movie was made in the 70’s the cinematics are somewhat obsolete. Overall it’s a fun watch.

Machete (2010)

Machete is a 2010 action film, written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It won one award, a Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress for Jessica Alba’s performance. Even though it was criticized, there were a few things I found very interesting about this movie. One of which is the fact that the character of Machete was originated in the 2001 movie Spy Kids. I found it really cool that such a dark character came from a children’s movie. The other aspect I found to be compelling was the overall feel of the movie. It was full of action and some scenes were so cliché and gory I couldn’t figure out whether it was serious or a spoof. My final conclusion was that the events were sincere. The themes were justice and revenge. That being said I felt as if this movie was both a good and bad fit for an action film. The cinematics and special effects were really well done.

Happy Feet (2006)

Happy Feet is a 2006 animated movie directed by George Miller, Warren Coleman and Judy Morris. It won an Academy Award. It also won twelve other awards and was nominated for another sixteen. The movie is a portrayal of animated yet life like talking penguins. What I found to be the most interesting is how the writers incorporated realistic penguin behaviors into an animated movie with a human based plot. It is a very good example for the animated genre and doesn’t really fall into any other category. It is a light-hearted tale that revolves its themes around accepting differences and true love. Mainly directed to families, especially with younger children. The animation is very well done, and the music is catchy and upbeat.

Leprechaun (1993)

Leprechaun is a 1993 horror film directed by Mark Jones. The only thing interesting about this movie is to see if it could be anymore terrible. The plot is easy to follow and it does contain some jumpy parts. Although it’s a horror genre it isn’t exactly the epitome of scary but is however very entertaining. The idea of an evil Leprechaun is an original villain and it makes for a unique movie. The theme is overcoming fear. The cinematics are very generic and the acting is mediocre. Especially considering it was one of Jennifer Aniston’s first starring roles. I found the costume and makeup design to be well done. The Leprechaun is very life like and looks extremely creepy.

He's Just Not That Into You (2009)

He’s Just Not That Into You is a 2009 romantic comedy directed by Ken Kwapis. It won one BMI Film Music Award and was nominated for a People’s Choice Award and a Teen Choice Award. The most interesting thing about this movie is how every character is connected to each other and their stories all intertwine. It is a very well done romantic comedy and a good representative of this genre. The theme of the movie is love and how there are no guidelines. It is culturally significant with a well-developed look into romance and dating. It is aimed at a younger demographic probably between 18 and 30 year olds. I found the formal components of the movie to be well done for its genre but average for a movie as a whole. Jennifer Aniston, Scarlett Johansson, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, DrewBarry More, Jennifer Connelly, Justin Long, Gennifer Goodwin,  and Kevin Connolly stared in this movie making it a rare film to have a great number of stars in such a prominent role.

The Godfather (1972)

 The Godfather is a 1972 crime drama directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It won three Academy Awards as well as nineteen other awards and seventeen other nominations. The most interesting part of this movie to me was the amount of power this one man (Vito Corleone) possessed. The movie some deem to be the greatest movie ever, completely encompasses everything a “gangster drama” should contain, and paved the road for future mafia based movies. From my understanding there are two main themes in this movie: Power and Family. Considering the movie was made over thirty years ago the cinematics are well done. The plot, dialogue, acting, direction and musical composition make for a harmonious combination. This movie is the definition of a classic.One of the movie's most shocking moments involved the real severed head of a horse. Animal Rights groups protested the inclusion of the scene. Francis Ford Coppola later stated that the horse's head was delivered to him from a dog food company; a horse had not been killed specifically for the movie. This scene was shot in  Port Washington, New York.