The Pursuit of Happyness

Film Title: The Pursuit of Happyness
Year: 2006
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Length: 117 minutes
Film Genre: Biography / Drama
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Producer(s): David Alper, et.al.
Writers(s): Steve Conrad
Players:
Will Smith as Chris Gardner
Jaden Smith as Christopher Gardner
Thandie Newton as Linda
Brian Howe as Jay Twistle
Plot: The true story of Chris Gardner, a down-on-his-luck entrepreneur who wanted a better life for his family. With no qualifications, he attempted to become a stock broker on Wall Street. His struggles and victories are chronicled in The Pursuit of Happyness.
Acting: Though the acting is superb thorughout the film, Will Smith does continue to lock himself into one roll - the dramatic. No complaints to be heard though, as Happyness introduces the father-son duo of Will and Jaden. A bond of love that is shared by few (especially a 7 year old) is witnessed in the film and is a credit to the young Jaden's talent.
Cinematography: Good
Visual: Good
When I watched it last: Three days prior to review
What to watch for: Will and Jaden's performances; a heart-tugger.
What to watch out for: Some language; intense drama.
IMDB Rating: 7.4 out of 10
Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times) Rating: NA
Outside Review: "Inspirational...the word that best captures Will Smith's powerful portrayal of real-life father and pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps worker Chris Gardner" (Adam R. Holz, Plugged In).
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.3 out of 10;
--Reviewed by Brady

Amazing Grace

Film Title: Amazing Grace
Year: 2007
MPAA Rating: PG
Length: 111 minutes
Film Genre: Drama / Biography / History
Director: Michael Apted
Producer(s): Jeanney Kim
Writers(s): Steven Knight
Players:
Iaon Gruffudd as William Wilberforce
Ramola Garai as Barbara Wilberforce
Benedict Cumberbatch as Pitt the Younger
Rufus Sewell as Thomas Clarkson
Michael Gambon as Lord Charles Fox
Albert Finney as John Newton
Ciaran Hinds as Lord Tarleton
Plot: William Wilberforce, a young and ambitious member of the Parliament, comes to a moral dilemma in his life: should he follow the will of God or continue in politics? The striking answer is yes, on both counts. Wilberforce would go on to challenge the British Parliament for years in the fight against slavery.
Acting: Some of the best. Gruffudd is incredible in this film. His portrayal of the ever-tormented Wilberforce is the epitome of great historical drama acting. The supporting cast helps make this one of the year's best.
Cinematography: The camera work was very well done. It is often overlooked in historical dramas.
Visual: Very good.
Audio: Good.
When I watched it last: Less than a week ago
What to watch for: A moving account of the fight against the slave trade in Brittain; Gruffudd and his supporting cast.
What to watch out for: Some language, opium use for medicinal purposes.
IMDB Rating: 8.0 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: N/A
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.3 out of 10; Well made and worth seeing. If you have any interest whatsoever in the history of slave abolition, you must see this film.
--Reviewed by Brady

Cinderella Man

Film Title: Cinderella Man
Year: 2005

For production credits see Jason's post on this movie:
Cinema Standard - Cinderella Man by Jason

Acting: Incredible. Amazing. Awe-inspiring. Need I say more? Well, I'm going to anyway. You can send me to the gallows for saying this, but this is Russell Crowe's best performance. Renee Zellweger is great as the stand-by-her-man wife.
Cinematography: The camera is perfectly placed at all times. The movie is not filmed with some artful eye for "setup scenes" which look "cool". It's a joy to watch.
Visual: The visual team on this movie hit an absolute gold mine with the special effects during the boxing scenes. Watch carefully and notice that the big hits are actually snapshots taken by the reporters in the audience. There's a bright flash and a slight pause in the action...just as if it were someone taking a picture.
Audio: Watch this movie to feel what it must be like to take a hundred punches in a boxing ring. And it's mostly due to the sound. By the end of the fifteenth round, you may be lying on the floor writhing in pain. The punishing blows are gut-wrenching at times.
What to watch for: All around, a great movie. Thank you Ron Howard for letting family be the central core of the movie, when a boxing career could have - - and according to Hollywood - - should have been center stage. "Cinderella Man is as powerful as its hero’s punches" (pluggedinonline.com).
What to watch out for: Ron Howard's demonic protrayal of Max Baer; some language
When I watched it last: A couple of weeks ago
IMDB User Rating: 8.1 out of 10; #170 on the top 250 movies of all time as voted by users
Roger Ebert Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars; "Cinderella Man is a terrific boxing picture, but there's no great need for another one. The need it fills is for a full-length portrait of a good man."
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.9 out of 10; This is arguably the best movie about...correction - that includes boxing. This is a film to own.
- - Reveiwed by JB

Cinderella Man

Film Title: Cinderella Man
Year: 2005
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Length: 144 min
Film Genre: Biography / Drama / Sport
Director: Ron Howard
Producer: Brian Grazer
Writers: Cliff Hollingsworth
Players:
Russell Crowe as James J Braddock
Renee Zellweger as Mae Braddock
Paul Giamatti as Joe Gould
Craig Bierko as Max Baer
Plot:
Based on the life and boxing career of Jim Braddock. The movie chronicles his life during the Depression and his second chance as a boxer.
Acting:
Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger give stunning performances as the Braddocks. Both play well against each other and give amazing performances as people from the Depression era. Paul Giamatti also brings alot to the film as Braddock's trainer and manager.
Cinematography Ron Howard does a superb job directing this film. His use of the camera is recognizable. If you look at his work from Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind you can see the similarities in camera movement and framing.
Visual: The use of lighting and special camera capture moments really give a life to the fighting in the ring.
Audio: Once again superb.
When I watched it last: a week ago
What to watch for: Everything, this one is the Best boxing movie I've ever seen.
What to watch out for: some historical inaccuracies
IMDB Rating: 8.1 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 3 1/2 stars
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.8 out of 10. This movie will stir your heart as you watch the struggle of Jim and his family unfold, but oh is the payoff great.
--Reviewed by Jason

Click here to see Brady's post on this movie.