Notting Hill

          Being a person who was born in the 90’s, I was surprised to find that I thoroughly enjoyed Notting Hill. Unlike movies such as Hitch, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and (500) Days of Summer, Notting Hill felt like a pure romance movie instead of a blockbuster, teenage, romantic comedy; not that I have anything against romantic comedies. That being said, Notting Hill successfully delivered its heart-wrenching drama like most romance films. The reason for this is because the film was aimed at an older, more mature audience who would enjoy “classic” films such as Sleepless in Seattle, What Women Want, and When Harry Met Sally. 

          Along with the film in general, the writing was superb. The writer, Richard Curtis, has written other successful films like War Horse, Pirate Radio (The Boat that Rocked), and Four Weddings and A Funeral.  Because of Hugh Grant, Rhys Ifans, and Julia Roberts, the dialogue was a perfect mix between British and American Humor.

          Because of its immense popularity, I feel like I should mention the classic line said by Julia Roberts to Hugh Grant.  After Grant rejects her relationship proposal, she says, “After all... I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” While this quote is spectacularly written, it would be nothing without the stellar acting of Julia Roberts.  Her character, Anna Scott, becomes completely vulnerable to pursue the man she loves and still gets rejected. The reason I love this quote so much is because of her face as she is delivering the line. On the verge of tears, she produces an awkward smile, in order to respect his decision and to keep looking classy. This scene is absolutely heart breaking but it makes the ending even more satisfying.

Braveheart

          If I were to compare Braveheart to anything, it would probably be my relationship with an old friend. No matter how much time passes, we remain close, but when we are reunited, I couldn’t be happier.  After winning 5 Academy Awards and being nominated for another 5, Braveheart is definitely one of the greatest war films of all time.

          Braveheart is one of the worlds finest films and should be seen by everyone before they die. While it is one of the greatest historical war drama’s of all time, it does have its flaws. 

          First of all, the film is extremely historically inaccurate.  One reviewer even said, "The events aren't accurate, the dates aren't accurate, the characters aren't accurate, the names aren't accurate, the clothes aren't accurate—in short, just about nothing is accurate." Based on what I have read, her statement seems to be valid. She suggests that you watch the film like a fantasy such as Star Wars, because saying it is a ‘historical film’ is a lie. That being said, the story of Braveheart was phenomenal. The screenplay was even nominated for an Academy Award.

          Because I watched the movie on a large BluRay television, I was able to notice a great amount of detail. About an hour into Braveheart, I began to notice a few of out of focus shots. Based on what I have learned, a shot is in focus if the character’s eyes are in focus. As the movie progressed, the out of focus shots became more and more prevalent. I am assuming that many people have not noticed this because the focus was alway very close to its target. 

          Finally, my largest problem in the film is Sir William Wallace’s relationship with the Princess Isabelle of France.  In the beginning of the film, William Wallace marries Murron, his childhood friend and promises that he will be with her and her alone forever. Long after Murron’s death, Wallace randomly ends up having sex with Princess Isabelle. Watching this made me extremely disappointed in William Wallace. After all, Murron’s death was the beginning of his violent streak. I wish that his relationship with Isabelle would have been developed more or completely removed from the film.

          Along with Gladiator and the Patriot, Braveheart is one of my favorite “historical” war films. The brutal violence and patriotism within this film makes it a part of the “man movie collection.”