SophiaMazzella Reviews

Fame (1980)

Successes and Failures on the Road to Fame

[30 November 2018]

Fame is more than a movie about high school and a group of developping teenagers. It is about what it means to go after a dream and the successes and failures along the way.

Increddibly crafted and edited, Fame is a joy to watch that keeps you invested in the journey of many characters despite its long runtime. The piece poignently captures some of the more meaningful moments of the students four years at performing high school while inserting some showstopping numbers along the way ("Fame" and "Out Here on My Own" for example). However, the film never strays from the more painful decisions and experiences of growing up and chasing a dream. It tackles a variety of topics with care and decisiveness.

Many complaints I have seen are against the film's openended nature. I would argue that this is part of the film's realism. High school is only the beginning of these students lives and there are countless more hurt and highs in their future that they have yet to experience. The film is about the lack of knowledge of whether one has talent or will "make it" in a nearly impossible business, and this choice only further upholds it.

The film is a wonderful drama that stands the test of the time for anyone who's been young with a wild dream and determination. It is definitely worth watching.

Three Identical Strangers (2018)

Stranger than Fiction - A Fascinating True Story of Psychological Importance

[8 July 2018]

I went to see Three Identical Strangers in theaters without knowing almost anything about the story and was surprised and amazed from start to finish. The story that focuses on triplets who were separated at birth and reunited by chance at age 19, wastes no time in drawing you in. With a series of both incredible and disturbing twists the film keeps you completely engaged throughout as it shifts from the exciting reunion story to the darker elements of how this event shaped these young men's lives. The film does a great job letting its audience get to know and feel for the main subjects. It delivers an intimate portrayal the unbelievable event that begins the story, as well as the events that followed, which keeps the audience all the more emotionally connected to the people at the center of this story. Finally, this film is an absolute must see for anyone interested in psychology, specifically the nature vs nurture debate. Although the film sometimes forgets to address all sides of the story, it ultimately asks more questions than it attempts to answer, which is a good thing. The fact that the film can't settle this debate, gives the audience more to reflect on and makes the film more interesting. Ultimately, Three Identical Strangers in a compelling, well crafted documentary telling a shocking true story that will keep you thinking for days after you see it.

Hancock (2008)

Review 1 of 213: Human Hero

[5 September 2012]

Hancock is a refreshing super hero movie about a hero a little more human than most of the ones we see in Super hero films. I really liked this movie because I grew to like Hancock throughout the movie. I also thought the idea was truly original. The performances of all the actors in this film were outstanding. Will Smith delivers a great performance as a hero who's lonely and can't live up to the public's perfect expectations of him. I had no problem with the directing, and found little problems with editing although the effects could have been better. The real thing keeping me from loving this movie was that the last third of the movie disappointed me compared to the beginning and middle. I felt the ending was a let down. I wanted more to the aftermath. All in all I would recommend this movie for sure. It's not only refreshing but defiantly more worthy of your time than some of the other things you could be watching. It has characters to care about and a great idea for a story. -Sophiacoolcat (sam)