The Analysis of Films - Movie Review Example

College: Movie Review Hoop dreams ‘Hoop Dreams’ is a documentary film produced by three great filmmakers known as Steve James, Peter Gilbert and Fredrick Marx. The filmmakers have keenly explored the life of two African-American kids named Arthur Agee and William Gates. The drive and talent portrayed by these kids made me totally glued to your screen. They play basketball with so much passion a character I admired a lot. They both wanted to realize their dream of starring the NBA just like Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas one day. The film explores the kind of life the two main characters are passing through. Both, Arthur Agee and Isiah Thomas, are from poor backgrounds what found to the major obstacle in realizing their dreams. Agee lives on Chicago South Side while Gates live in the Gabrini project. S.t Joseph’s School located in West Suburban Westchester sponsors the two kids because of their great talent. However, the school is a ninety minute walk from the kids’ homes and the film shows how they used to walk very early in the icy winter mornings to school. This demonstrates their determination hearts. In addition to walking, the school also expects the parents to pay small part of tuition fee which is hard to produce due to poverty. Watching what the two character go through I felt sad but still anticipated that all will be well. Both the families, though positive and supportive, they are a times unable to pay. For instance, in most cases gates fees are paid by a member of the booster club because the parents are not in a position to. At this point you would think this is too much only to get sadder when Arthur is forced to drop out of school after both his parent loss their jobs. The struggle and determined demonstrated by his mother only to get $268 food money a month will intrigue you to appreciating your life. Finally, the joy that one feels at end of the film, when kids make it in life as well as their families, is phenomenon. The movie inspired me to have determination and a strong will to achieve my goals regardless the obstacles. The Natural ‘The Natural’ is a film based on baseball, a game I believe one would grow to love after watching this movie. It is written by a renowned sports writer Max Mercy. The film revolves around Roy Hobbs who has had difficulties in his life and fate waits for his baseball performance. Right from the introduction of the movie, I felt sorry for Roy and all I thought was no kid should ever go through such hard times. Hobbs had a childhood sweetheart, Iris Gaines, but unfortunately he had an accident that made him not to hear from her for years. The separation was one of the many misfortunes in his life that to me seemed unfair. At point where Gaines reemerges during one of the games that her childhood sweetheart, Hobbs, was playing for his New York Baseball team. The tension between the two lovers when they meet I could tell both were still in love with each other. She forgives him; the part in the movie I found and felt was a fair treat towards Hobbs for the very first time. The other groups of people who are part of Hobbs’ life are the gamblers, the baseball players, his mistresses, crooks and sportswriters. The writer Max Mercy portrays Hobbs like a demi-god. This is illustrated by the way he bleeds from his stomach through to his baseball shirt but he can still play. This was not only a challenge to his fellow player but to me; his passion amazed me. Towards the end of the film, the writer tries to bring out the picture of hopelessness that ends up well. Hobbs is the only person his team, The New York, looked up to and hopped of deliverance. For a baseball fun, the movie a learning experience and only lost because of little league mistakes. On the other hand, when they won, they did it unsparingly that they even break the record and set high one. Hobbs has been in a slump but the message from his childhood sweetheart Gaines that he is the father of her son motivates him to swat a homer that hits the light which explodes into fireworks. The team wins and he emerges as the hero. The film reveals in the final end that God did intervene in the victory of New York baseball team. The Karate Kid "The Karate Kid" is one of a kind in comparison to films produced in 1984. The film is quite exciting, moving and at same time sweet. It was directed by john g. avildsen, a produces known for producing other films such as “Rocky.” It is about friendships involving people from different parts of the world. For instance, the main character Daniel (Ralph Macchino), a 10-13 years old kid, and the mother move from New Jersey into an apartment where an old Japanese man, Miyagi (pat morita) is the janitor. From the introduction it is somehow hard to point out the direction that the movie will take. Soon after, Daniel is attracted and starts dating a girl, only to find out later that she used to date a senior kid in his new school. At this point is perhaps when I could relate the movie to the title, "The Karate Kid". The senior kid starts harassing Daniel on daily bases. Surprisingly, the senior kid being a well trained in karate in addition to his body strength. . On the other hand Mr. Miyagi, who at first seems harmless and funny, tries to seize flies using his chopsticks, is a trained karate master and in all philosophies of martial arts. Miyagi was the last person judging from his humbleness and silence I thought could be a karate master. After noting Daniel’s misfortunes he decided to teach him karate. The two becomes good friends although Daniel was furious with Miyagi’s training system. Miyagi made him paint fences, wash cars, scrub pool floors as part of his karate lessons. I also felt I could have given up the training if someone made me work that much in the name of training. Daniel complains but then he knows that Miyagi was the only chance of surviving in that town. Additionally, the story ends up with Daniel participating in karate championship tournament but does not divert from the theme on friendship. The last tournament could be considered the climax of the movie because of the tension and suspense especially when Daniel dislocated his leg. Happy Gilmore ‘Happy Gilmore’ is a sports comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and Adam Sandler. It was directed by Dennis Dugan and the production was done by Robert Simonds. The main character is a young man known as Happy Gilmore who is aspiring to be a hockey player. His inspiration came from his father who taught him to take the hockey snapshots. But his dreams are cut shot due to lack of skating talent which excludes him from joining a hockey team. His aggressive character is shown when he beats up the hockey couch for not including him in the team. He also knocks down anyone who he dislikes. Happy goes to live with his grandmother after his father’s death. His grandmother cannot pay back tax of $275000 and the IRS wants to take her house. Happy pleaded with them and he was given three month to pay all that month. In his search for source of income, Happy realizes he can play golf. Chubbs Peterson a former golf star convinces him to enter the local tournament which he wins and joins the Pro Golf Tour. He also earn money that pays for his grandmother’s house. In this tour, Happy meets Shooter McGavin who is an arrogant golfer and they become enemies. They compete with him for weeks during the tournament. His character of being sad even when he is supposed to be and not able to control his temper makes a good public relations lady who was to teach him to control his temper fall for him. The character trait of Happy makes the film to be a comedy film in a sporting environment. Bull Durham ‘Bull Durham’ is a film revolving around Annie Savoy who is a diehard fan of Bull Durham baseball team. ‘Bull Durham’ is a minor-league baseball club. The film can also be looked at as a romantic comedy with love triangle revolving around the three main characters. It was written, produced, and directed by Ron Shelton in 1988. The film involves three main characters; Susan Sarandon who acts as Annie Savoy, Tim Robbins who acts as Nuke Laloosh and Kevin Costner as Crash Davis. Every year, Savoy chooses the best baseball player to spend the season with. This is because of her great love for baseball and its players. She hold talks with the two finalist of the season. These two are Crash Davis and ‘Nuke’ Laloosh. Laloosh is a young and energetic pitcher while Davis is an old and experienced and ageing catcher. Davis is brought to the team as an experience and to add more flavors to the game. The two players were not in terms just from the beginning. As the film proceeds, we see a love triangle between Annie and Davis and Laloosh. Annie just likes the company of both the two men. With time Davis realizes that Annie as a groupie but still holds on to her love. He feels that he has found himself a perfect catch. On the other hand, Laloosh enjoys the love of Annie but after sometimes he realizes he is on the wrong direction and need to remain pure. Davis on the other hand, incites him with the intentions of stopping him from loving Annie so that he can be the only one loving her. At the beginning of the film, the two players, Davis and Laloosh are in controversies but they end getting used to each other with Davis becoming the mentor of Laloosh. The two are now in another battle of love and each one of them want to walk out victorious. The film of 1 hour and about three quarters of an hour captive for wanting to be sure if this is real life occurrences. Laloosh started everything poorly. He started terribly at the beginning of the season and also with conflict with Davis. By mid-season the love between Annie and Davis was clearly strong but Laloosh was also deep in a relationship with her. Laloosh at this time had caught the momentum of the game as a perfect pitcher. Love is the dominating theme in the film ‘Bull Durham’. Annie love for the game as well as the relationships in the story is evident of the theme of love. We Are Marshall ‘‘We Are Marshall’ is a film about American football game based on a true story of a tragedy that happened to the Marshall Football team. This film was released in 2006 and was written by Jamie Linder. The good work of directing it was done by McG. The film starts with a plane carrying Marshall Players and team coaches crushing killing almost all of them. This leads to the university board of directors and the university president Donald Dedmon try to put an end to the program. When Nate Ruffin who was one of the players of the first team but never went for the tragic trip due to injury heard about the Donald’s motive, he led a solidarity march against it. The march also was to force the president to find a new coach and a new team to be formed the following year. After a long process of coach searching, Jack Lengyel who was Wooster coach came for the head coach job. Lengyel inspired a lot of people and led to the success of the team. Lengyel even talked lured Red Dawson who was an assistant coach of the first team and also never went for the fateful tragic trip to stay for another trip. Lengyel and Dawson started the process of forming a new team. This process was encountered by many challenges. These include one of the former player saying that this was disrespectful to the dead members. As the team was trying to sign new players, they were challenged by West Virginia which was signing all great players. One of the perished Marshall Player’s father was not happy with the rebuilding because he did not want a team without his son. But coach Lengyel was undeterred and though it was not easy for the team to pick momentum at the first go, it became successful. Personal Best ‘Personal Best’ is a romantic film written, produced and directed by Robert Towne. It was produced in February 1982. It is an involving two hours film full of romance, love and jealous. The film begins with Chris Cahill, a young United State athlete has participated in the 1976 Olympic trials but has been unsuccessful. She becomes sad and almost gives up but later meets Tony Skinner, a more experienced athlete. Cahill and Skinner automatically fall in love just from the first sight. Skinner gives Cahill some important tips to becoming a successful athlete. They were training in the 1980 United State Olympic team. Although the two are in the same team and compete in the same races but their love makes them to stick together. This is a show of real love. Their coach Terry Tinghoff wants Cahill to be advised by no other person. Terry wants that responsibility to be left for her. Cahill and Skinner’s love rises from a mere love to a more intimate relationship. Skinner kisses Cahill and Cahill return the kiss back. Denny Stites, a swimmer of the same team falls in love with Cahill. Cahill’s love now comes from a homosexual to a Heterosexual relationship. Cahill relationship with Denny causes anger and jealousy to both the coach and to Skinner. This film is a very fascinating and motivating to watch by the good way the events are organized. The film also demonstrates that real love has no boundaries of work or sex. The team trained hard but due to political reasons announced the government of the United States, they did not participate in 1980 Olympic Games. The Bad News Bears ‘The Bad News Bears’ is a fascinating film of little league players who start from a poor start but later becomes successful. The film was released in April 1976. It was written by Bill Lancaster and directed by Michael Ritchie. The fantastic production work was done by Stanley R. Jaffe. The team was started by a City Councilman who assembled one black, a couple of Mexican, a girl and various minority group members. The team is poor and has so weak that no any self-respecting coach would want to be associated with it. The city Councilman takes Walter Matthau to be the coach. He is a drunkard and a feared man and this scares the kids. He starts training the team and with determination the team improves in their performance. Matthau is a great performer and makes everything he speaks interesting. He works with the team, despairs with them and motivated them to win their first match. The team is given uniform but they won’t put it on until their captainAmanda wears one. She wears it and the rest of the team puts on theirs. The film has shown that juvenile team which is involved by an adult can be a very interesting team. This team has come from a bad start to be a very competitive team. The film has also shown that combining different people in a team can be very productive. It is one funny and involving movie that captures one interest from the beginning to the end. Cool Running ‘‘Cool Running’ is a film based on a true story of the first Jamaican bobsled team. The film is written by Lynn Siefert, Tommy Swerdlow and Michael Ritchie. It is directed by Jon Turteltaub. The 1993 film expresses how this bobsled team had no clue of the rules. They did against most of the rules in the Olympic. ‘Cool Running’runs for about one and half hours with numerous exiting and fascinating events of the structure of this team from its poor start until it became successful. The events start with one of the athlete, Junior Bevil trips and fails making other athletes such as Derice and Yul Brenner to fall.Derice who is a top 100 meters sprinter fails to qualify for the summer Olympics in 1988 as a result. The film shows that at first, the team almost despairs because of the problems they are facing. Their coach is portrayed as a looser and he has to prove his worth. The team problems almost make this coach despair. But the coach never gives up. The team finds their way to the Olympic. Their uniform is poor and so it took the coach to buy uniform for the team. In the first event, everything goes wrong with the team finishing last. The team couch identifies the problem and the second day the team comes first and finishing in the eighth position. The team in the end finds their way to success though a tragedy occurred in the final race. They were given a heroic welcome when they went back home in Jamaica. This is because of their determination and hard work. The characters in the film haves great charm that have ensured the film to be entertaining right from the onset. Sugar The film "Sugar" is base on a story about a kid who goes by the name Miguel Santos. Miguel is from the Dominican Republic and has an exceedingly sweet personality. This young kid’s sweetness was one the reasons that made me love "Sugar". Miguel is a baseball player that is assigned to a club far from his home. Doing so seemed to probably the only opportunity his poor family would ever get of having a decent life. With such an introduction to a film, I thought the whole movie will be about the games with winners and losers. Surprisingly, thanks to two remarkably gifted film writers and directors, Anna Boden and Ryan fleck, there is more to the film. It is unlike them to write or direct a “sports movie,” something that gets one thinking what exactly the movies is about. Unlike other films where characters posing as foreigner in a foreign country go through conflict and discrimination, sugar is naturally sweet. He instead day in day out blend and make friends with people surrounding him as well as baseball fans. The exceptional fact about the film is how keen it focuses on the emotional worries of a foreigner in a foreign country; language barriers, homesick, fear of disappointing the family, and poorly versed with that country customs. This film however is basically about the experience of sugar in America. Read More