Modern Times (1936)

Monson & Yeomans rating: 8.75/10


IMDB User Rating: 8.4/10

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Rating: 100%

Director: Charles Chaplin

IMDB Plot Summary: Chaplins last 'silent' film, filled with sound effects, was made when everyone else was making talkies. Charlie turns against modern society, the machine age, (The use of sound in films ?) and progress. Firstly we see him frantically trying to keep up with a production line, tightening bolts. He is selected for an experiment with an automatic feeding machine, but various mishaps leads his boss to believe he has gone mad, and Charlie is sent to a mental hospital... When he gets out, he is mistaken for a communist while waving a red flag, sent to jail, foils a jailbreak, and is let out again. We follow Charlie through many more escapades before the film is out.

Matt's Review: I think I used to be prejudice against films from the early and pre-talky era of film. This film proves to me that they contain some quality entertainment that can easily compete with the very best of Jim Carey’s physical comedies. I know I am speaking blasphemy for some, but I really appreciate Jim Carey. Well, Charlie Chaplin has all of the charisma, with much greater ambition. I appreciate how he decided to tackle real social issues within his films, while entertaining to the max. He’s an amazing stunt-man, comedian, actor, writer, and director, whatever. Anyways, Modern Times was an absolute delight to watch. Not only that, it by no means is lost on a present-day audience. I laughed out loud, at all of the funny escapades, while appreciating a romantic little story that didn’t leave me feeling taken advantage of at the end either. I haven’t seen a whole lot of Chaplin, but I imagine this being up there as one of my favorites; obviously not as important as The Great Dictator but still very valuable and enjoyable. I give it 4.25 out of 5.

Ryan's Review: Modern Times is a charming, satirical look at two individuals trying to make a life for themselves during the Great Depression. This is Charlie Chaplin's last 'silent' film, and possibly the last of the silent film era for Hollywood. I love watching classics such as this because so many of today's pop culture nods at or reenacts scenes and themes from these movies. It's like meeting someone for the first time after hearing so much about them from everyone. This film was profound in that it was both funny and serious, sometimes at the same time. It reminded me of Life is Beautiful, starring a similarly cheery and energetic Roberto Benigni. This film's optimistic outlook on a dreary life is enough to win my approval for it. I give it a 4.5/5.

Monson & Yeomans rating: 8.75/10

Yi Yi (2000)

Monson & Yeomans Rating: 8.75/10

IMDB User Rating: 7.7/10

Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Rating: 96%

Director: Edward Yang

Plot Summary: Each member of a family in Taipei asks hard questions about life's meaning as they live through everyday quandaries. NJ is morose: his brother owes him money, his mother is in a coma, his wife suffers a spiritual crisis when she finds her life a blank, his business partners make bad decisions against his advice, and he reconnects with his first love 30 years after he dumped her. His teenage daughter Ting-Ting watches emotions roil in their neighbors' flat and is experiencing the first stirrings of love. His 8-year-old son Yang-Yang is laconic like his dad and pursues truth with the help of a camera. "Why is the world so different from what we think it is?" asks Ting-Ting.

Ryan's Review: Despite the nearly three hour running time of this film, Yi Yi felt like the story flew by for me. There were many charming moments in the movie that really drew me into it. Because it is a somewhat lengthy movie, time is given for one to really experience the raw emotions being portrayed on screen. The most enjoyable part of this film for me was the young boy named Yang-Yang. Every time a scene with him came up, I began smiling instantly. He brought not only comic relief to the film, but also a sober and innocent look at life. The perspectives he brought to characters in the movie were refreshing and profound. The fact that these perspectives came from a child made them all the more profound.

Yi Yi is yet another movie that brings life's more serious issues into the cinema, but rather than being overly dramatic and depressing, the film is hopeful and optimistic. It also has a tinge of surrealism thatI always love to see in movies. I give this movie a 4.5 out of 5.


Matt's Review: Yi Yi impressed me as a very well done film. Edward Yang reveals himself as a talented and distinguished veteran film-maker. I think any Taiwanese person could proudly point to this film as evidence of respectable film-making within their country. All scenes are beautifully shot and confidently stretched out, allowing the actors to really develop their characters for the audience in a much more natural and convincing manner. The realism was absolutely refreshing and fascinating at the same time. I felt myself genuinely caring for each and every character as I grew to understand them more. While nothing very outrageous happens during the year that this story spans, there seems to be a good deal of interest built up within the viewer. This is a solid and beautiful film that made me feel grateful for all the experiences of everyday life, whether difficult or easy, exciting or mundane. I give it a 4.25 out of 5.

Monson & Yeomans Rating: 8.75/10