Olivia's Cinephile Critique

  Iron Man (2008) Directed by Jon Favreau Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot: It felt fitting to do my next blog on another Avenger, seeing that I am binging the entire series right now. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr., ) to put it plainly, is a brilliant, world-famous engineer and billionaire. After being kidnapped and forced to build weapons for terrorists, he takes this as an opportunity to build a suit of armor, with this helping him to escape. After escaping, he spends his time refining the suit and using it to combat evil, but is confronted with a conspiracy within his own company. Tony must figure out how to use his suit to his advantage to stop Obadiah Stane, who is stealing Stark's technology for his own gain.  Characters: This is yet another movie that the primary focus should be on the protagonist, but this doesn't dismiss all the other characters we are introduced throughout the movie, such as Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), and James Rhodes (Terrence Howar...

  Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) Directed by John Johnston Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ Plot: It's 1941 and World War II is in full effect. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) wants to do his part as an American soldier, but he is rejected due to his small stature. After many efforts trying to prove himself, he gets an opportunity to be apart of an experimental program that will turn him into a super-soldier. The experiment turns out to be a major success, giving Steve worldwide fame as the hero called "Captain America." But he must not forget the main problem at hand, and that is fighting against the Nazi-backed HYDRA organization.  Characters: I am going to keep the focus on Steve as the movie is strictly about him and his origin story.   Steve starts out as a scrawny, weak, yet determined young man that will not give up his goal in fighting for the United States. He is constantly battling against his physical limitations, but his inner qualities and desire to contribute outweigh thes...

  Rachel Getting Married (2008) Directed by Jonathan Demme Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot: Rachel Getting Married follows Kym Buchman (Anne Hathaway), a recovering addict who is released from rehab for a couple days for her older sister, Rachel's (Rosemarie DeWitt), wedding. Kym struggles to reintegrate herself with friends and family, finding herself shut out from everyone and seen as the black sheep of the family. Kym's behaviors throughout the film causes tension amongst the family, as past conflicts and years of bitterness are brought forward before Rachel's big day.  Characters: I think when it comes to the people in Rachel Getting Married, Kym is one I should focus on. This film focuses on sensitive topics such as death and substance abuse, and it is important to recognize Kym as the character that these topics affect the most. Kym must face responsibility for the events that haunt her family, such as her tragic drug history and for a devastating loss of a family member, and thes...

  Stardust (2007) Directed by Matthew Vaughn Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½ Plot: Long ago, in the small English village of Wall, Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox) has made a promise to retrieve a fallen star to win the heart of Victoria, the girl he has convinced himself he is going to marry. He soon discovers after crossing the wall that the fallen star is in fact a woman, named Yvaine (Claire Danes), who is being pursued by three witches so they can regain their youth. All while this is happening, the sons of the dying king of Stormhold are hunting for the star too, as she possesses the necklace that is tied to the throne's succession. Tristan and Yvaine embark on a journey full of adventure, and are faced to confront their personal conflicts while also attempting to confront what is happening between the two of them.  Characters: While there are many characters in Stardust  that are crucial to the storyline of the film, the characters who have the most important storyline are Tristan and Yv...