Room (2015)

MIMDB score: 7.2
Current IMDB score: 8.3
Director: Lenny Abrahamson, William H. Macy
Main Actors you care about: Brie Larson

Why I liked it: It originally stuck out to me when I watched the trailer that it would be like Plato's "The Cave" allegory.  It did explore this thought a bit and I liked that it sort of went there.  Unfortunately I wanted more thoughts from the movie.  Maybe if I didn't take philosophy class where I already went through that type of thought it would have been better.  So I feel like for most people it will be rather interesting thought process but not a super popular movie.  Although without knowing or thinking about the cave allegory I don't think the movie can hold up on it's own to be higher than a 7.  Like if you didn't understand the story that O'Brother Where Art Thou was based on you could still enjoy the movie to a great extent.  I don't think that's the case with this movie as much so I only have it at 7.2.

It's considered depressing but people think movies are depressing when they are not really.  Yea this girl gets kidnapped and is being held against her will but it really about a struggle to be better in her mind. People think The Road is too depressing as well.  The ending of that movie (and I dare say theme of that movie) is saying to trust people.  How is that depressing?  Just because bad things are happening doesn't mean it's depressing.  If that was the case, how would anyone get through a year on this earth?  Bad things are happening all the time and it's depressing if you want it to be.  If you learn something from all the bad things that happen then it's not really depressing . . . . it's uplifting.

What stands out:  The kid who played Jack did fantastic.  I didn't think for a second that he hadn't been through what Jack had been through.  Well done Jacob Tremblay (which is the actor who played Jack).

Brie Larson does well of course.  Nothing outstanding I don't think but still pretty good.  I think she is doing fantastic though with her career.  Especially in movies she chooses to be involved with like this and Short Term 12.  Hopefully she keeps doing movies like this so I can keep liking her a lot.

Thing(s) I would change:  William H. Macy character's just gives up after he can't look at Jack. We don't see him anymore after that scene.  Could he not get over it?  Jack didn't ask to be born.  He could at least be really nice around Jack.  Good thing the step-dad was a freaking champion.  He was calm and understanding and just plain perfect.  I feel like Ma's dad would or should have been more understanding.

I think it's odd that the reporter asked Ma about why she didn't try and get Jack out sooner.  I don't think anyone would have asked her that.  Who would think that she really had any control over what was happening during those seven years?  Old Nick had most all of the control.  I think it was just put in so that the suicide seemed more believable.

Favorite Line(s)/Scene:
Most of the lines Jack says about what is real or not real are interesting.  Most of the lines he narrates while a scene is playing are pretty interesting.

Similar Movies/TV Shows: Short Term 12 and I Am Sam

"Side" note: Allegory of the Cave is interesting philosophically thought.  The thought is about what the reality would be for a person that was stuck in a cave his or her whole life (at least since memories formed in childhood).  They were only shown shadows on a wall of objects.  To the person in the cave only the shadows would be what was real to them.  It goes to show you that only things you can see and are used to would be your reality.  The extent of this thought could be applicable to so many parts of your life.  It should really open your mind to a lot more possibilities than what you were used to before thinking through this.

It's so very great to see a movie that has this thinking on display.  If you read through the Wikipedia link I think you'll see that the main points are used as inspiration for this film.

Star Wars Episode 1-6 (1977-2005)

MIMDB score: 7, 7, 7, 7.8, 7.8, 7.4
Current IMDB score: 6.5, 6.7, 7.7, 8.7, 8.8, 8.4
Director: Mostly George Lucas
Main Actors you care about: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher

Why I liked it: Nostalgia.  The number one reason I think I like the Star Wars movies/world so much is nostalgia.  It was good back when it came out but if I were to watch it now for the first time I don't think it would have the same affect.  A ton of movies are like this.  Christmas Story is the biggest one that sticks out to me.  I personally could watch it for 24 hours straight but if you didn't watch it as a part of some traditional or nostalgic moment in the past then you won't enjoy it very much.  I think the Godfathers are like that as well. I did not have that nostalgic feeling for Godfather so I never thought they were that good.  I hope that is why I don't like the Godfather movies anyway.

I'm going to elaborate on the nostalgia.  The reason the episode 4, 5, and 6 are consider so amazing is the adventure you got to go on with your brother, sister, father, mother, friends, cousins, or whoever you watched it with on repeat.  I don't fully know why but after watching them you would just want to watch them again.  We had them on taped on VHS out of order.  We would watch 4, fast forward through 6, watch 5, rewind to the start of 6, watch 6, then because we were lazy just watch 5 again.  That was perfectly fine for my brother and I.  If you don't have that memory though then these will only be 7's for you at best.  Adults that have never seen Star Wars and watch them later in their life I don't think will have the same attachment to them as watching them as a kid.  Even kids today will watch them on repeat with the same enjoyment that kids watched them when they came out.

What stands out:  The adventure story.  I normally don't like the adventure genre movies but I can't think of a better journey to go on than through Star Wars.  The special effects at the time I'm sure were mind blowingly real.

Thing(s) I would change:  I won't complain too much about Episode 1, 2, and 3 because it's been done many times and I wouldn't do it justice.  I will agree that they could have been better.  They are not that bad though.  Notice the 3rd one does have a 7.7 on IMDB so at least that one isn't terrible.  The first one unfortunately should be that low.   As I said they should at least be watched once which is a 7 on MIMDB.

This is an order that the internet will tell you to watch them for first time viewers which Episode 1 has been left out (for probably good reason).  When you watch it you kind of sigh a lot during a lot of the lines.  Same things happens in Episode 2.

Favorite Line(s)/Scene:
I don't think I have a favorite scene.  I think the John Williams music is my favorite part though.  The music gives you the feeling in most of the scenes.  Well done John Williams.  Without the music I don't think it would be as good.

Similar Movies/TV Shows: Star Trek probably but not as good or popular I don't think.  Indiania Jones series,

"Side" note:  George Lucas thought the first movie would be a flop.  It went on to be the first film to gross over 300,000,000 dollars.  With inflation it is the second highest grossing film of all time.  2nd to Gone with the Wind.

Who shot first?  This is considered a big ordeal because originally when Star Wars (A New Hope) was in theaters Han Solo shoot Greedo first.  When Lucas remastered it he had to keep a PG rating by having Greedo shoot first and then later in an even more remastered version have Greedo and Solo shooting at about the same time.  Although George says that is the way he intended it originally.  When you ask a Star Wars enthusiast who hates the CGI remastered additions they will scream Solo shot first and get really mad.  Mostly because it makes more sense character and character building-wise to have Solo shoot first.