City Lights (1931)

City Lights is an English film directed by and starring the legendary Charles Chaplin. It is the story of a poor tramp and a blind flower girl who are entangled by fate and develop one of the most endearing relationships in cinema history. The tramp, upon finding out that the flower girl's blindness can be cured, ends up going on a wild adventure that eventually ends with success and jail time.

It's strange to find that certain things almost never change. The humor in this movie is still spot on and does not succumb to the generation gap. Timing and delivery definitely play a strong part in the success of this film, as Charles Chaplin was a master of both. Although I enjoyed this film, I would most likely not watch it again, as I am not particularly a fan of the silent movie genre, although I appreciate its place in film history.

This movie is worth a watch if you're up for a couple of laughs and want to experience cinematic history.

Tsotsi (2005)

Tsotsi is a South African film about a young boy who must learn to overcome the hardships of his past to become a better person. Although he is a very dark individual, he shows a certain innocence that the audience can connect with. After unintentionally committing a crime that stresses his morals beyond their breaking point, we find Tsotsi having to go through a period of self reflection and doubt while he decides on what to do next.

I enjoyed this film, although it is certainly dark and depressing. The main character's upbringing is just an example of the type of living condition that many children in this area are experiencing, starkly contrasting the rich homeowners in the suburbs of Johannesburg. This movie shows that no matter where one is in their life, regardless of the things they have done, they still have the chance to do better. Although it may not make up for past actions, it can be liberating and fulfilling to know that you can change your ways and become a decent human being.

The Graduate (1967)

The Graduate's appearance onto the cinematic scene brought a new type of film to the playing field. The Graduate is an American Language film directed by Mike Nichols and stars Anne Bancroft as the seductive Mrs. Robinson and Dustin Hoffman as the bright eyed and ever hopeful Ben Braddock.

I loved the movie's portrayal of a young graduate's life in America. Although it is a concept that would seemingly offer little in terms of emotionally moving themes, especially when compared to other films that take place in less fortunate landscapes, this film is able to produce characters that the viewer can feel for.

No matter where one comes from, they should be able to connect with the experience of Ben, someone with potential but no real direction. At some point, everyone goes through a searching phase, where they may get into trouble, but come out for the better in the end.