Student Film Reviews

Film reviews from theaters, couches, and film festivals

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1. Renee Handley 07.12.14 / 10am

   I agree with your assessment that this is a great movie for Beatles’ fans. It was fun to watch “a day in their lives.” The film plays like a movie but looks a lot like a documentary. Since the film crew was following each of them around, they most likely used smaller cameras as done in documentaries. It is definitely more of a comedy than a music documentary. The film really captures the essence of 1960’s innocence when the band members got along and played pranks, enjoyed one another’s company, and teenage girls swooned at the sight of the shaggy haired punks from Liverpool. The best part of the movie is watching them perform together and listening to the music they create. It’s sad to think that only two of the original Beatles are alive, one murdered and the other succumbing to cancer. Even though the storyline is simplistic (i.e., a day in the life of the Beatles), the film has an art cinema feel to it with its black and white images, jump cut editing style, and camera work/shots. It’s definitely more of a comedy than a music documentary.
2. jeremy fox 07.12.14 / 3pm

   I absolutely love the beatles so i was interested to read this review. After reading this, I am certain i am going to enjoy watching this film. This is a great review because it states how if your a true beatle fan then this is a film for you. I cant wait to watch this film!
3. Ethan Lynch 07.14.14 / 12pm

   Great review. I liked how right off the bat you told us what the movie was about. I am a huge Beatles fan myself and I find their lives, as well as other artists, so interesting. No one really gets to see the behind the scenes of being in a band. It is a ton of hard work. It seems to be a very refreshing movie to document one of the most beloved bands in the world.
4. Sarah Martin 07.17.14 / 7pm

   I think that this is an awesome review. I love the Beatles and I wasn’t aware about this film so I was excited to see this review! I liked this review because it was written from a Beatles fan point of view. I like how you overview the fluffiness of the film, and truly see into the characters and their own uniqueness. Overall, great review and i can’t wait to watch this film!
5. cardenasluis4 07.18.14 / 4pm

   I think this review is great. I did not even know this film was made, i definitely have to see this now. Although i was not into the Beatles like a lot of other people, i did enjoy some of their music. But i always wanted to know what a day in the life of a rock band was. I have many assumptions to what goes on but its so much more authentic to see it, especially one of the most popular bands in history. I know what its like from a fan’s point of view and this film lets the fan live the rockstar life through this movie.
6. Ryann Rhodeman 07.18.14 / 8pm

   Good review! I myself have never seen this film but from what you have described I wouldn’t mind watching it. I think any movie that tells the story about any artist life is interesting. It gives people the chance to see how they live and how they deal with different situations and obstacles. The fact that you are a Beatles fan adds to this because you are able to describe what it is like to see this movie and appreciate it if you are a big fan. I also like how you included that some parts of the film are slower and that the movie sometimes feels like a documentary. You are being honest which makes the your review that much better.
7. Alice Cen 07.18.14 / 9pm

   I’ve never really watched this film before, but your review makes the film really interesting. Documentary films are really not my cup of tea, also I know very little of the infamous Beatles. However since the Beatles are a very famous band I feel the need to learn more about them by watching this movie. I think it would be really interesting to see bands in their daily lives because after all they’re humans too just like us. I feel that we expect a lot from celebrities that sometimes we don’t realize they do the same things we do. I can guess why viewing the bands in their daily lives would make someone smile, because we look up to our role models and when they’re happy it makes us happy too, even when we know they work their butt off to perform for their fans.
8. China Rose 07.18.14 / 10pm

   This is a fresh stye for its electrically charged subtext that the Beatles can be human to, they were so over overwhelmingly adored as to be treated godlike and they wanted to be able to be real people.This film has a decidedly slice-of-life, mockumentary feel to it. It exploits their real life through a false storyline contrived of their real selves, in side the story. And the film predates the onslaught of music video’s that followed staring in 1974.
9. stephwil23 07.18.14 / 11pm

   This is a wonderful review on a a film I was unaware until now was made. It really showcases your unique writing ability, having the Beatles somewhat tell their point of view. It made for such an interesting read that I am actually curious about fining this film online to watch. This is also a great film and just topic in general that is fascinating to many Americans, I cannot think of another band’s documentary that might carry such mass appeal.
10. Katrina Storton 07.19.14 / 12am

    Dear stephwil23,
    There are other band documentaries with mass appeal. I was tempted to mention some but didn’t wish to stray from my main point. One movie that is indeed a documentary but is seen more as a comedy is “This is Spinal Tap”, many heavy metal fans enjoy watching the film because it has many inside jokes only ‘metalheads’ would get. Also John Lennon did a documentary on his daily life called Imagine, along with The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, excetera.
    Films I personally enjoy the most are ones that are based off of an album. What I mean by that is, someone literally makes a movie with a plot and storyline completely based on a band or singer’s album. The two best examples I can think of are: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Pink Floyd: The Wall.
    Hope I taught you something interesting, these are all great movies. Also, if you do enjoy A Hard Day’s Night you might enjoy The Beatles two other films: Yellow Submarine, and HELP!. The other two actually have plots, little made up misadventures of The Beatles.
11. John Shugrue 07.23.14 / 4pm

    This was a fun read for a fun film. I enjoyed that you kept it short and to the point, while highlighting your own insight as to the importance and purpose of the film. I’ve seen a different Beatles movie myself- I think the name was “A Hard Days Night” but I can’t be sure. I loved how that film was filmed, using various forms of color to illustrate each individual Beatle, and to convey certain emotions as well. The Beatles film I watched had more of a plot line than this one according to your review, but I am sure they are equally as fun and entertaining to watch. Thanks for the review!
12. John Shugrue 07.23.14 / 4pm

    haha, I meant to say the film I watched was “Help!” not “A Hard Days Night”….
13. Laura Rizzotto 07.25.14 / 11pm

    I love the Beatles so I might check out this movie! I wouldn’t expect it to be about the plot, especially when none of them are actors and are appearing in the movie as a band altogether, play themselves. I liked your view because it made very clear what we are getting into with this movie and what to expect. I’m sure the movie was just another way for the Beatles to make money anyway, but I might give it a click just because their music is amazing and for nostalgia’s sake. Don’t we all wish there was a new band comparable to them nowadays?
14. Jourdan Tappeiner 07.25.14 / 11pm

    I have never heard of this film before but after reading your review, I think it would be a great film to watch. I have always enjoyed the Beatles music so I think I would enjoy this movie. I think it would be best for fans to see it but I think even people who had not heard much of their music before could still enjoy this film. Great film review!
15. kristenhunter 10.04.14 / 3pm

    I absolutely love this review. Through your use of generality, I am able grasp a strong hold on what the movie is explicitly about, as well as it’s implicit meaning. I think that just from reading this review, I’m convinced that A Hard Day’s Night is a film I need to watch immediately. I really enjoy how you covered the content of the movie on both a broad and a more specific level. This use of explanation really helps the reader to understand what the movie was actually about, as well as the message the movie portrayed internally. My favorite part in reading this was the referrence to emotions that the different scenes stir up. It really allows me, as the reader, to picture the scene that is being spoken of and get a partial feel for the emotions brought up within it. Awesome review–I’m definitely going to watch this film now!
16. Vance Brown 10.14.14 / 9pm

    I had to watch this film for a history of modern rock-n-roll class I had previously taken and this review hit the nail on the head very well. I am a Beatles fan also, so I enjoyed watching how the Beatles got away with their daily hi-jinks involving avoiding screaming crowds of girls, all the way to smashing their musical equipment live on television. The filming was a little dry in a sense that it did look like it was filmed as a documentary instead of a film for entertainment, but the content helped to save this feeling from ruining the film. I can understand how it might be a hard watch for someone who is not a fan, but also think they should give it a chance to possibly change their view of the band.
17. Christian Burns 10.14.14 / 10pm

    I have always been meaning to watch A Hard Days Night because I have seen Help! and loved it. I like how you make clear that the movie isn’t really based on plot because getting to actually look inside the Beatles’ personalities is just as great. I love how obvious it is that the Beatles were close friends, always goofing around and having a good time. Your review makes me want to watch the film just to have a good laugh and listen to some great music while seeing some of the greatest musicians act themselves. If you haven’t seen Help! and looking for the same goofy antics of the Beatles with a funny plot I recommend checking it out!
18. Jareli Soto 10.17.14 / 7pm

    This review was short, but interesting. The information provided, I think was a little to short. Maybe more background about the Beatles would have been nice. I have heard a couple of their music, but I am not very familiar with it and it would have been nice if it gave more information. Someone that doesn’t know so much of them will have not learned much about them after reading the review. He should have mentioned their names at the begging as will not all the way at the end. Overall the review was okay. I got a little sense of what the film is about and sounds great for the Beatles fans.
19. Hannah Cline 03.13.15 / 8pm

    I completely agree with this review of A Hard Days Night. It isn’t so much about a story or plot, but more just about the Beatles doing what they normally do, just with a script.Being a Beatles fan myself, I am always captivated when I watch this film because you feel like you know them personally because they let you in to that side of themselves. I see why this film was popular and why it made the Beatles even more obsessed by the young women of the world. There isn’t much footage of the Beatles in this way and especially now having half the members pass on. I agree, it is very interesting seeing them all together and this makes the audience like them more when they see they’re just regular guys. This film is a classic and will always be on music lover’s radar’s for years to come.
20. Nathaniel Fuller 10.20.18 / 6pm

    This is a very good review of this legendary movie. This film was made towards the early side of the beatles career, that’s why you fill find the humor a little more soft and appropriate then they were in their later years. You will also find that the songs in this film are still going to have relatively simple lyrics, I feel that the band was growing musically at this time, and their lyrical genius came later on. With that being said these are still great songs and it is always fun to watch the beatles play themselves. As the beatles had such a huge impact in the music world, and there is such a few amount of live footage of them, this film has will remain epic and something to cherish.

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