8/16/14 The Kid (1921) Director: Charlie Chaplin “A picture with a smile – and perhaps, a tear.” ★★★★★ The Kid is one of Charlie Chaplin’s finest films. Here we are introduced to the famous “Little Tramp” character in his first feature-length picture, after previously appearing in a vast array of…
Way Down East (1920) Film Review
★★★★☆ D.W. Griffith was apparently drawn to more sentimental film-making in his later years with films like Way Down East and Broken Blossoms. Once again, in Way Down East Griffith’s leading star Lillian Gish delivers a tender performance as an outcasted young woman who has fallen on hard times. However,…
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) Film Review
“I must become Caligari!” ★★★★★ Every so often a film comes along that completely changes the horizon of all future cinema, and for me The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is that film. Here, we find a quintessential classic of German Expressionism, and one of great examples of early horror. It…
Broken Blossoms (1919) Film Review
8/7/14 Broken Blossoms (1919) Director: D. W. Griffith (David Wark Griffith) ★★★★★ Full of innocence and simplicity, Broken Blossoms is a charming picture. It is meticulously crafted with striking cinematography. Broken Blossoms is by far my favorite of D.W. Griffith’s films, though it is unfortunately often overlooked in favor of…