Art and entertainment

Story

Although Scarface has a simple plot, the storytelling has so much depth! I could analyze all of the characters in large detail!  

I love how the intro. of the film exposes us to Cuban struggles, culture, and motives. The Cubans didn't even need to speak much if at all during the exposition!

I love Tony's sense of humor at the start of the film. Already, you can see his fierce attitude and defiance. He's not scared of the cops. He exposes them for being communists who pretend to promote democracy. When he said "there's nothing you can do to me that Castro hasn't already done! Nothing!" - that was savage! 

I love how ferocious and fearless Tony is even when he's outnumbered as well as outgunned! He has the burning desire to overpower far more formidable threats than him and claim the world for himself! Tony is a man who will not let anyone, no matter how tough or feared, treat him lightly. Tony will commit reckless, senseless acts just to send a message. While Tony was getting shot at, he launches a grenade at gunmen.  

I loved the slow tension the film builds as well as the action scenes. Tony took charge of the situation. He wasn't even intimidated by the gunmen!       

I love Tony's intuition! There's sexual tension between Tony and Elvira! He senses it and says "the eyes never lie!"

I love how aggressive and dominant Elvira is! She has exceptionally high standards! 

Tony's mom had a heated talk with Tony! She was a woman of principle! It was disheartening watching her reject her own son! I was stunned when i saw her throw a thousand dollars to the floor, rendering Tony's power useless as he picked up the money!

The film does an excellent job of building tension at the beginning. You don't know who or where the attack on rebenga will come from! When the man shouts "libertad!", they make it look like a political protest against tyranny! The stab Tony gave him was brutal!

Omar looked uncomfortable Tony built a relationship with Sosa! Tony commits the reckless act of negotiating with Sosa on Frank's behalf! 

Elvira is afraid of Frank and seemed unhappy with him since the beginning. She was terrified of taking risks with men like Tony. 

I love how tension builds during the car bomb scene. Montana is pressured to make a critical decision. We see how strong his character is. 

The tension in this scene was incredible! Tony looked catatonic! After he killed Manny, you feel the regret in his demeanor!   

Sosa is more powerful than Frank. Tony doen't realize Sosa is using him as a pawn in a much more dangerous game. Tony's arrogance blinds him to that fact. 

Tony wears the same clothes Frank wears, implying Frank gave him clothes from his own wardrobe. 

The violence in this film was brutal! In a deleted scene, Omar fought for his life! He is seen screaming in terror and pain as Sosa's gunman repeatedly pistol whips his fingers with the butt of his gun. Omar holds onto the chopper for dear life. 

The dialogue was also memorable and hard-hitting! There are loads of unforgettable lines besides the infamous "say hello to my little friend!" line. In one deleted scene, Tony sees Rick at a dinner party. Tony says this.    

Tony: "Rick! I watch you everyday on TV! You know that uhh 200 kilo DEA bust you was congratulating the cops for on the tube the other night?..Rick! Check it out! I heard it was 200 and 20 kilos that went down there...that means 20 is missing right? Ask your friends, the cops, about that..and keep up the good work ok? Only don't believe everything you hear!"

Tony's words during the dinner scene were thought-provoking!  

Tony: "you don't have the guts to be who you wanna be! You need people like me..you need people like me so you can point your fu--in fingers and say 'that's the bad guy!' so? What that make you? Good? You not good! You just know how to hide..how to lie! Me? I don't have that problem! Me? I always tell the truth...even when i lie!'" 

You can feel the sense of hopelessness and confusion in Tony after losing Manny. He deeply regretted killing him. You feel a heaviness in the room as Tony sits there alone in reflection. He snorts crack to drown out his guilt, paranoia, and loneliness.      

I love how as the film progresses, Tony's wardrobe changes as well as the buildings. You get a taste of the wealth coming from Tony's illegal business.  

I love how Scarface makes you feel sad for Elvira. She has wealth, beauty, and a man but she was dreadfully alone. You could feel her sorrow when she said things like "i have Nick, the pig, as a friend!" You feel the emptiness Tony and those around him experience after his rise to power. Elvira was smart for leaving Tony. She realized the drug business was impoverishing her emotionally. 

I admire Frank Lopez's restraint and wisdom. He respects other people in the drug business. At first, he is enthusiastic about Tony's fearlessness and boldness. Gradually, he realizes Tony as a liability to the business and decides to eliminate him.   

The scene where Gina walks into Tony's room sent a shockwave of dread and moral revulsion! She passive-aggressively exposed Tony for his incestuous feelings to her! You feel she nullified his ruthless character. She shot him in the leg. If the gunman hadn't come out of hiding to spray a hail of bullets at her, she most likely would've killed Tony. He couldn't bring himself to kill his own sister. When Gina claims Tony has incestuous desires to her at the near-end of Scarface, i was horrified! My blood ran cold! Deep down, Tony knew it was true. He was horrified because his "protection" was a cage for his own forbidden desires. This explains why he neglected Elvira. 

Tony is a hypocrite. He says he's always loyal but tried to flirt with Frank's woman at the start of the film. Tony hints Frank won't last long, almost implying Tony will get rid of him completely. Tony claims he's protecting Gina but slaps her and kill Manny, her husband. Tony claimed he was protecting Gina from drug-dealers but ironically, she gets killed because of his involvement in the drug business. Tony was one of the very same drug-dealers he was criticizing.  

Cinematography

I love the cinematography at the beginning. It made the film look more like a documentary. The camera shots made you feel rebenga was a powerful figure until the attack scene. It made you feel he was just as equal as everyone else. After he gets stabbed and the camera shot gives you a somewhat aerial view of him, you'll see he's just a defenseless human. 

The cinematography during the chainsaw scene also did an incredible job at building suspense! The close-up shots of Angel's eyes as we hear the sound of the chainsaw was bone-chilling! You can feel the terror and dread Angel faced when he realized the gravity of the situation! More discomfort slowly seeped into my mind at the fact i couldn't see Angel's face! I was left to imagine his mental and physical state in that moment! The chainsaw scene was bone-deep dreadful and barbaric especially because we actually didn't see the graphic amputation of Tony's friend!

I'm surprised by how fast Montana's face changes and how the cam. makes him look slightly more intimidating than the Columbians!

The slow motion is used very rarely but when its used, it is used with purpose! When its used, it builds suspense! The slow-motion effect makes you feel Tony will commit reckless and explosive acts of violence! In many movies, directors rely too much on slow-motion to try to build suspense. This move often backfires because you can tell the slow-motion effects are hiding a lack of substance.  

The cam shows the aspirations of Montana and his friend to be wealthy.

The aerial view of the buildings makes you feel like you're watching the Ottoman empire in the past!  

Acting

The acting in Scarface is out of this world! The actors and actresses played their roles exactly how they should have! Nothing was exaggerated or under-emphasized! When the cam. filmed them, the actors and actresses pretended it didn't even exist! That's how natural they were in their roles!    

Tony looked like a bull ready to charge at his enemies!  

The actress who plays Elvira enunciates words very well! She gets very intense! 

Music

Elvira seems completely neglected emotionally. She explains how empty their married life truly is despite all the money and power. I love the fact there's no music during this scene. The dialogue and acting deliver the tension.

The music helps you relax. Sometimes, it sounds like video game music. The music reminds me of retro arcade games. The lack of music during the dinner scene where Elvira leaves Tony made the scene impactful! The director made a fantastic decision in allowing the acting and script to elevate the emotional tension to new heights!  

Theme 

This film warns about the consequences of ambition and greed. Recklessness and greed can cause you to make very poor decisions.  

I feel Frank is content with what he has because as he said "the guys who want it all..they don't last!" If Tony followed the same mindset and enjoyed what he had even if it wasn't much, Tony would've lived. Although Tony had everything, he still felt empty and had no peace because he was paranoid his enemies were plotting against him.       

The film delves with themes relevant to our times. This is what made it such a classic film. It echoes through our time. Americans fear latin Americans are bringing crime from their countries into America.  

Scarface leaves us with a portrait of a man consumed by his own hunger for power. It’s chaotic, loud, and unforgettable — a film that refuses to fade into oblivion, and one that still sparks conversation decades later.

I'll be giving my thoughts on the film District 9 with non-spoiler and spoiler reviews. Hopefully, i can convince you to watch District 9 by the end! 

Non-spoiler review

Story

District 9 has complex, three dimensional, and flawed characters. It has a complex story full of substance which takes you on an emotional journey you've never had before! When you look deeper into the film, you can piece together the identity of the aliens and what will likely happen after the end.    

Cinematography

The way District 9 opens with amateur ordinary cameras is impressive! It makes you feel as if there is an alien spaceship hovering over human civilization right now! 

Acting

The acting is amazing especially the main character! He makes you feel as if District 9 is a documentary! I've never seen acting like this before! 

Music

District 9's film score feels deeply spiritual as if calling man to return to its ancient, spiritual, and African roots! It can also build dread effectively! 

Theme

District 9 gives a strong message on immigration. The aliens are metaphors for human immigrants. This film challenges people to have compassion for them. Humans who think they are civilized act as if immigrants are savages when the irony is they are savages.   

 

In conclusion, District 9 is a science fiction grand work of art! I highly recommend you to own District 9 on DVD! 

How will this DVD change your life? 

Its affordable - You're paying less than if you bought this new! Warranties are scams! Warranties don't cover all damages nor do you need them. The store already ensures the product is new. If you take good care of your product, the probability of it breaking is low especially if its very durable and high-quality! DVDs are extremely durable! Save money with this product!   

DVDs are cheaper than streaming - Streaming sites are a waste of money. When you compare the time you're not using your monthly subscription to the time you are, you'll see you're not getting your money's worth. It's worse if your internet is poor to where your movies buffer. You could pay more for better internet but think of how much you're spending. With DVDs, you only make one-time buys which save you a ton of money long-term. Already in one month, you're saving $9-14 in your pocket with these DVDs! How much money would you save in a year with this DVD set vs. a streaming service? 

DVDs have tangible ownership, streams don't - When you buy DVDs, you technically own them. With streams, you only pay for permission to watch them. If a company no longer wants to have its content in say Netflix's library, the company can request Netflix to remove it. You won't be able to stream it anymore. If a company stops selling a movie on DVD, that's the worst thing they can do. The company won't bother to confiscate your DVD.    

DVDs have exclusive content, streams don't - DVDs (namely special editions) have much more content than streaming services such as extended editions, unrated editions, deleted scenes, interviews, "making of" documentaries, etc. Movie streams don't. Typically, streaming services play only standard editions of movies. This DVD has deleted scenes, commentary, and behind the scenes content! 

You can resell DVDs but not streams - You can resell DVDs since you have tangible ownership of them. With streams, you don't own them so you can't. Once again, you save a ton more money buying DVDs than streaming. 

DVDs have better quality than streams - Quality is determined by bitrate. Higher bitrate means higher quality video and audio. Quality can also be affected by codec encoding and compression techniques. Regular DVDs run at 6-8 megabits per second. Streams usually play movies at lower rates. Netflix for example plays movies at around 5 megabits with a standard connection. If you're a videophile and audiophile like me, what's it costing you to have some of the best video/audio quality possible with this DVD?

DVDs don't require Internet, streams do - If your Internet connection or streaming service fails, you won't be able to finish watching your favorite movies and shows. Nothing is worse than watching one of the most critical and intense scenes in a movie only to be interrupted by say internet lag. It ruins the viewing experience. With DVDs, you don't have those problems.

DVDs look fantastic on display! - DVDs will make your room look much more alive with its stunning physical artwork! There's nothing like holding a DVD of your favorite film or show in your hands! With streaming, everything belongs to the streaming service. It can feel like you're just renting your favorite films and shows. Show how much of a District 9 fan you are to the world by proudly displaying your collection!  

Click on the link below to own District 9 on DVD!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/315717555416

Spoiler review

Story

Cinematography

Acting

Music

Theme

I give my thoughts on Menace 2 Society with a non spoiler and spoiler review.

Non-spoiler review

Story

I love how Menace 2 Society opens. We already feel like its going to be serious! 

The monologue made you connect with the character instantly with the tone of voice. 

The opening scene was shocking! 

I feel this film is so profound and powerful! This film makes you analyze so many things including poverty as well as crime and systemic racism. One of the flaws of this film is some characters feel too one-dimensional.     

Cinematography

I love the cam. shots of the city. Every shot feels like a photograph!

Music

I love how the music instills emotions without being too distracting. The music is mostly playing in the background. It lets actors do their jobs with the characters. The music reflects the setting accurately. 

Acting  

The acting is outstanding! Everyone did a fantastic job! It feels so realistic!  

Dialogue

This film has powerful dialogue especially at the near end. The dialogue accurately depicts how illiterate and uneducated characters seem.  

Theme 

This film is not about heroes vs. villains. It shows how poverty and isolation can turn average people into cold-blooded killers. It can cause chaos in society.  

In conclusion, Menace 2 Society is a masterpiece that feels like a documentary! I highly recommend you to buy Menace 2 Society on DVD! 

How will this DVD change your life? 

Its affordable - You're paying less than if you bought this new! Warranties are scams! Warranties don't cover all damages nor do you need them. The store already ensures the product is new. If you take good care of your product, the probability of it breaking is low especially if its very durable and high-quality! DVDs are extremely durable! Save money with this product!   

DVDs are cheaper than streaming - Streaming sites are a waste of money. When you compare the time you're not using your monthly subscription to the time you are, you'll see you're not getting your money's worth. It's worse if your internet is poor to where your movies buffer. You could pay more for better internet but think of how much you're spending. With DVDs, you only make one-time buys which save you a ton of money long-term. Already in one month, you're saving $9-14 in your pocket with these DVDs! How much money would you save in a year with this DVD set vs. a streaming service? 

DVDs have tangible ownership, streams don't - When you buy DVDs, you technically own them. With streams, you only pay for permission to watch them. If a company no longer wants to have its content in say Netflix's library, the company can request Netflix to remove it. You won't be able to stream it anymore. If a company stops selling a movie on DVD, that's the worst thing they can do. The company won't bother to confiscate your DVD.    

DVDs have exclusive content, streams don't - DVDs (namely special editions) have much more content than streaming services such as extended editions, unrated editions, deleted scenes, interviews, "making of" documentaries, etc. Movie streams don't. Typically, streaming services play only standard editions of movies. 

You can resell DVDs but not streams - You can resell DVDs since you have tangible ownership of them. With streams, you don't own them so you can't. Once again, you save a ton more money buying DVDs than streaming. 

DVDs have better quality than streams - Quality is determined by bitrate. Higher bitrate means higher quality video and audio. Quality can also be affected by codec encoding and compression techniques. Regular DVDs run at 6-8 megabits per second. Streams usually play movies at lower rates. Netflix for example plays movies at around 5 megabits with a standard connection. If you're a videophile and audiophile like me, what's it costing you to have some of the best video/audio quality possible with this DVD?

DVDs don't require Internet, streams do - If your Internet connection or streaming service fails, you won't be able to finish watching your favorite movies and shows. Nothing is worse than watching one of the most critical and intense scenes in a movie only to be interrupted by say internet lag. It ruins the viewing experience. With DVDs, you don't have those problems.

DVDs look fantastic on display! - DVDs will make your room look much more alive with its stunning physical artwork! There's nothing like holding a DVD of your favorite film or show in your hands! With streaming, everything belongs to the streaming service. It can feel like you're just renting your favorite films and shows. Show how much of a Menace 2 Society fan you are to the world by proudly displaying your collection!  

Click on the link below to own Menace 2 Society on DVD!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/315705533680

Spoiler review

I love how Menace 2 Society opens. We already feel like its going to be serious! Although dog says he won't steal, you feel he will when he drinks the beer in store. 

The monologue made you connect with the character instantly with the tone of voice. 

The opening scene was shocking! The film doesn't glorify violence. Just shows you the reality of it! You think the man is innocent but we find he stole money from the store. 

I love how the film shows the history of white violence against the black community to give a backstory of the setting. 

You feel the despair the characters face when Caine mentions the drugs started after the riots stopped. 

Its shocking how adults act around children like Caine. 

The dialogue made this film more intense! 

I'm shocked and disturbed the nurse asked for forms after seeing Caine bleeding!

The scene where Grandpa talks about religion shows how much despair Dog has.

The line "do you even care whether you live or die?" was deeply powerful!

You can feel Caine's hopelessness as he stares at the ceiling reflecting on what he did.

You can feel the hate and anger with each shot fired!  

Caine's character progresses as the life he lives isn't what he thought it was. Regardless of what he does, he feels empty inside. I loved how the film shows Caine reflecting deeply in agony. 

You can see Dog among others are not Caine's friends. Dog drinks the beer and leaves none for Caine. 

Its disturbing when the child asks for a drink, alluding to the beginning of the film when Caine does the same.

There are some dark and heavy moments such as Caine's lover admits to him she's pregnant. 

There were some emotional scenes like the jail visit scene. 

The violence in this film was brutal! 

Menace 2 Society's story was profound in so many ways! I believe Dog was Caine's alter ego. In the opening scene, the Koreans didn't necessarily speak directly to Dog. They could've spoken to Caine. Caine's father could've subconsciously influenced Caine to be a murderer. To hide Caine's guilt, Caine blamed Dog for killing the Koreans.  

Dog doesn't help Caine's cousin to the hospital. Dog doesn't actually speak directly to Sharif. Caine's grandfather calls Caine "Kadee Kevin." Dog greets his grandparents but they don't respond to him. Caine's teacher also call Caine Kadee. After Caine's grandparents lecture him, Dog tells Caine he was going to tell him something before they went in the house. This doesn't make sense as Caine was already in the house.

The police only found Caine's fingerprints in the store at the opening scene. This doesn't make sense if Caine and Dog were different people as Dog's fingerprints were practically everywhere. 

When Caine wants a double burger with cheese, it mirrors Dog taking the bag with a double burger and cheese. 

Dog is never there when important people are there to help change Caine's life but he's always there to pressure Caine to commit crimes. 

Dog Sharif tells Dog "you not either Kevin.." Caine may have become an alcoholic as an adult after being given alcohol as a child. Because Caine wants to be like Pernell so bad, its reasonable to think he gave Anthony liquor. To hide his guilt, he blamed Dog. 

Dog almost always speaks rhetorically, reflecting what Caine feels subconsciously. 

Chauncy threatens to send the video tape of Dog shooting the Koreans to the police but he says "I bet you Caine won't be laughing after the police get a hold of this tape.." Why would he give the tape to the police if dog was real and his target was Caine? 

There's a clip of Dog being put in a police car which isn't a flashback. This implies Caine survived and spent life in prison. This explains why he still narrated his alleged death.

When the police chase Dog and Caine, it makes no sense for neither of them to escape if Dog was real. 

When Caine is in jail, Dog is nowhere to be found. 

Caine is resistant to moving to Atlanta just like Dog is because even if he moves there, life probably won't change.   

Dog represents Caine's insecurities, toxic masculine attitudes, fears of dying, and intimacy. You see Caine repeat his parents' behavior. He sells drugs and kills like his father. He doesn't hit Ronnie or get her addicted to drugs like his father but his alter ego, Dog, resents listening to her. He became neglectful of his children like his father.        

I feel Ronnie may have been no better than Dog. She's far older than Caine so one could argue she's a sexual predator. She also wants to isolate Caine from his friends. One of the flaws of this film is some characters feel too one-dimensional.       

Cinematography

I love the cam. shots of the city

I loved how the cam. followed Caine as he entered the house. Its like he was giving you a tour. 

Every shot feels like a photograph!

Music

Acting  

Dialogue

Theme