Student Film Reviews

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1. shannonpenrose 03.23.14 / 10pm

   This is a nice review. I saw this film a few months ago and really enjoyed it. It was very intense and featured many sad, frightening, and humorous scenes. The acting was incredible and it was amazing to see the ways in which the actresses transformed themselves to fit their roles. Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, specifically, were very convincing and brought the movie to life in my opinion. You never really knew what was going to come out of Meryl Streep’s mouth, which always kept me on edge. There were moments throughout the film where I laughed, cried, and cringed. The film was based on a play by John Wells and proved to be very entertaining, yet dysfunctional.
   The setting, costumes/makeup, and acting were my favorite aspects of the movie. I believe this film was unique and overall i really liked it.
2. Matilde McCallick 07.18.14 / 10pm

   I’ve been wanting to see this film for a while mainly just based on the cast. Is there anything Meryl Streep can do wrong?
   I think this film probably proves pretty interesting as you said because it’s plot relies on the conflicts between a dysfunctional family which is always entertaining and also can hit very close to home, however dramatized the conflict may be for film. And as Shannonpenrose mentioned above me, films that are made from plays can often really come to life when they hit the screen mainly because we have the elements of cinematography, such as like Jim Saell said, lighting, POV shots, close-ups to emphasize facial expression and emotion, scenery (that’s probably the most important) and also a wider range of motion which allows for better character-character interactions. I definitely want to see this film based on your review and also because a crumbling family is always interesting to watch. One always leaves the theater feeling a bit more graceful for the family of theirs at home.
3. Rachael Caughron 10.14.16 / 5pm

   This is an intensely emotional film about family relationships. It felt exceptionally close to home for me because I grew up next to Osage county in Oklahoma. Watching my childhood home onscreen brought back a flood of memories. I could almost feel the stagnant, humid August air and hear the singing cicadas. However, nostalgia is not the only reason I enjoyed this film. The story is strong and deep with plenty of volatile passion. There isn’t a weak performance in the cast, with Meryl Streep, as Violet Weston, in the standout part. But you expect an amazing performance from Streep. It’s the fact that every actor was just as brilliant that makes this such a riveting ensemble, even though the subject matter is so painful. The family navigates through the destructive forces of addiction, anger, and betrayal while doing so with a rawness that is so powerful that at times you’re crying, at times laughing, and other times you’re uncomfortable by its truthfulness.

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