Ok so based on how I personally feel, I am not awarding a LOW placement but someone will be eliminated unfortunately...
With that, here are the critiques:
NanoNerd - Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971) - Honestly I am really surprised I have never seen this movie before. I know it is iconic in cinema and has a huge legacy but I grew up on the Tim Burton version (which I still enjoy) so how does this version compare? Uhm well its definitely colourful! The boat scene is truly creepy like damn. I like the theory that the kids are being murdered because Gene Wilder just doesn't give a shit and its kind of great? Anyways, I wasn't feeling it for like the first 50 minutes but the movie started to pick up from the boat scene onward and a large part of that is solely on Wilder. He really steals the show which while its great to watch, it defeats quite a bit of the source material which is what I like about Tim Burton's version. It shares the screen between the awestruck Freddie Highmore and the very extravagent Johnny Depp. In this movie, Charlie is just boring (or he looks scared the entire time). While I also like the colours and use of them in this movie, I can't help but compare it to its more vibrant counterpart (same with the music). Its hard to not make comparisons when both strive to do different things and I enjoy one alot more than the other but thats not to say this movie has a place. Its iconic for a reason and while im not as invested in it, I see why it has been so successful and I wouldn't harp anyone who finds this the superior version.
Booyahhayoob - The Pink Panther (1963) - This film is a lie and barely uses the colour pink and has an absence of panthers im offended. I actually really enjoyed this and I wasn't expecting to. Sure there isn't any pink but the colours do pop off especially with really nice wide shots that help contrast the colours to the story. The story itself, while basic but probably innovating for its time, is very investing due to the sophisticated writing and the performances. I like the comedy, its physical which is nice. I don't need overly bombastic comedic timing when it can be simple yet effective and Peter Sellers sells it very well. Yeah, I really enjoyed this!
CarolinaSteele - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (2005) - I remember loving this movie as a kid. Took me a while to come around to it but when I did I was hooked! It's definitely interesting watching it through the eyes of an adult. To start, while some of the child acting is not the best (particularily from the boys), Georgie Henley is really good in this movie. Has a very sympathetic quality to her character. James McAvoy is also great and really helps introduce the world but the real scene stealer is Tilda Swinton. My god she has this alien like quality to her that just is gorgeous yet terrifying. I also really liked the score and the visuals. The animation on the animals looks pretty good for 17 years old and the score is just really pleasant. As for the colours, it does really well in its showcasing of white as well as its late 1930's/early 40's aesthetic. In terms of the pacing and story, it starts off very well and direct to the point while also setting up the characters but the 2nd act is very slow and quite boring but that picks up from Aslan's sacrifice onward and it finishes very strong so overall, a pretty good movie!
Voila - The Truman Show (1998) - You fucking nailed this. I wasn't exactly looking for this but you really understood what I wanted and god I just love this movie. Jim Carrey is just a masterclass actor and I love his performance in this movie. It might be one of my favs of any performance. Its so good. The colours and the almost pastelle like aesthetic are so pleasing and it really looks and feels artificial. It's great. I also love the way the shots are set up ro almost always be part of the show until it messes with the reality. Its just genius filmmaking and I could analyze this movie to death but im lazy. Even the acting is unreal. Actors playing actors portraying real people artificially its probably alot to take on and the subtle movements everyone gives as Truman starts to become unhinged is great. Phenomenal film and really exceeded what I wanted from this challenge.
JayElVeeIsBack - The Color Purple (1985) - Damn this movie is so beautiful. The cinematography alone is gorgeous! Its looks timeless to be honest. This is a very depressing movie though. Its hard to watch at some points and I have no relation to this material so I only look at this through a film standpoint but it really is a wonderful film. Every performance is solid and conveying. Quincy Jones' score is beautiful and the themes are still relevant. Im surprised this is not a movie (or novel) discussed in school I think its very important. That being said, this movie can be LONGGGGG! There are some moments that slow the pace down but for how mhch this movie moved me, I don't care. Its such a good movie. The use of Purple while not entirely prevelant, really helps with the atmosphere. The opening credits into the first shot of purple flowers, ugh I loved. Great film!
Which means NanoNerd you have been eliminated. Honestly you have done amazing in this competition and probably would have gone on to the finals had it just not been this movie unfortunately. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into it and thank you for playing <3
With that we are down to 4! We got one more round before the finals so stay tuned!
Wow... I grew up on the Tim Burton version too, but compared to the older version it’s just creepy. I’m really shocked that THIS was the movie that got me eliminated.
