Blindspot 2016: To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)

Plot: Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the Depression-era South, defends a black man against an undeserved rape charge, and his children against prejudice.

Rating: 9/10

YESSSSSS. Guess who is finally done with their 2016 Blindspot list?! MEEE! It hasn’t been easy. 2016 was such a busy, annoying year and I had some really heavy movies on my list. I was lagging behind all the time. It’s bad! Anyway, I finished this one up last night, and patted myself on the back.

To Kill A Mockingbird was so good. I loved Atticus Finch (I guess everyone does) and Gregory Peck was so good in the role. The character is kind and wise and ahead of his time. I appreciated that he stood by his morals even when it would have been a lot easier than just to punch someone. The children were surprisingly non-grating and their games reminded me of an Enid Blyton book. They were sweet and adventurous. Scout was so amusing with her tomboy ways and love for fighting. Her brother was a young miniature of their father – admirable when Atticus Finch is your father. The kid actors were also all very good – that is so rare these days.

TKAMB also deals with material that could only have been considered extremely risqué in the time the book was published as well as the movie. It is now so clear to me why the book was banned. An innocent black man? That must have boggled everyone’s minds back then!

It always amazes me that black and white films manage to show so much more than color films, being able to draw attention the smallest aspects of the shot. To Kill A Mockingbird is surprisingly easy to follow despite many events occurring at the same time, which in itself speaks legions about how well the film was written and directed.

I really liked this film – it’s not upbeat and it’s not depressing. It manages to show both the best side of humanity and the worst side of humanity all in one go, and makes you think a bit about on which side you really are. I only have one request – that they NEVER remake this film.

PS: Robert Duvall is Boo Radley?!?!

January 6, 2017January 3, 2017 by Natasha Categories: Blindspot, Movies, movies, Review, Reviews, UncategorizedTags: 1962, Blindspot, Blindspot 2016, Brock Peters, classic, Gregory Peck, Harper Lee, John Megna, Mary Badham, Movies, Phillip Atford, racial prejudice, Reviews, Robert Duvall, Rosemary Murphy 7 Comments

Blindspot 2015: The Godfather Part II (1974)

“There are many things my father taught me here in this room. He taught me: keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”

Plot: The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York is portrayed while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on his crime syndicate stretching from Lake Tahoe, Nevada to pre-revolution 1958 Cuba.

Rating: 9.5/10

I rated this one exactly the same as I did the first one, although I have to confess that I liked the first one just a bit more. The second film is really really good, but it took just a few seconds longer to really start running. I thought it was brilliant to provide some insight into Vito Corleone’s past that had made him the man he was at the time of his death. Robert de Niro did a beautiful job as young Vito – he had that same quiet quality to him that Marlon Brando had displayed in part one. Al Pacino was again my main man Michael – he did a great job with such a fascinating character and was utterly convincing yet again. Even though there is no way that he is above board, I rooted for him all the way through. His wife, played by Diane Keaton, turned so reprehensible at the end and I was furious about all her baby-killing antics. Robert Duvall was again one of my favourite characters with his cool head and loyalty to the people that raised him.

The change between the story of Vito and the story of Michael was done really well. I thought both were of extreme significance because it also highlights the love Vito had for Michael and the dynamics that shaped both of them. It also highlights the similarities between father and son and that Michael would always firstly believe in protecting his family and being the head of the family.

The best thing about these two movies is that three hours rush by and you barely notice that it is happening. I thought the scenes were extremely well laid out and progressed beautifully into each other. The score is also really well done, and I even liked the horrendous yellow couches in Michael’s home.

These two movies have definitely been the best of my Blindspot series so far 😀

May 13, 2015August 11, 2015 by Natasha Categories: Movies, ReviewsTags: 2015, Al Pacino, awesome movies, Blindspot, Diane Keaton, Love, Michael Corleone, mob, mobsters, Robert DeNiro, Robert Duvall, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Vito Corleone 7 Comments