Recent reviews

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  The Birds 1963

  Added

  Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" did not quite meet my expectations coming off of "Vertigo". Primarily, I found the plot much less engaging and realistic, so that immediately interfered with my appreciation of the film. The film also has no score, a unique choice which left me uncomfortable with the soundtrack. At times, there is only silence, and at times there is only the sound of birds. The soundtrack achieved its goal of heightening suspense with the birds, but at times…

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  Psycho 1960

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  "Psycho" had many similarities to "Vertigo" in the narrative and cinematography. Narratively, both have a remarkable twist that completely changes the understanding of the plot. A difference is that the twist in "Vertigo" comes about halfway through, while "Psycho's" twist is not revealed until about five minutes before the film ends. Cinematographically, each film uses low angle shots on buildings (the tower at San Juan Bautista, and the mansion at the Bates Motel) to signify that building's mysteriosity. Obviously, both masterpieces also have a strong dark and creepy tone.

Popular reviews

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  The Big Combo 1955

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  The mise-en-scene in “The Big Combo” and “Double Indemnity” have many similarities. The most noticeable is the coloring of the film. Both films are shot in black and white, but on top of that, the contrast is significantly diminished. This effect gives the movie a somewhat dull feeling, and adds to the sense of suspicion and suspense that is inherent to film noir.
  Another similarity in the two films is the use of shadows. In both movies, shadows follow every…

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  Whiplash 2014

  Added

  One potential scene to analyze comes at 15:30. This scene is Andrew's first rehearsal with the Studio Band. When all the players come into the room at exactly 9:00, there is rapid, Eisenstein-ian amplification of cases opening and instruments being set up and brought to the players' mouths. The same technique occurs each time the band gets ready to play in rehearsals and performances.

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