Student Film Reviews

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1. ugiumarra 11.17.17 / 4pm

   This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s actually one of the few movies I own, with streaming, I don’t understand why people own movies anymore, but that’s beside the point.

   They just don’t make movies like this anymore. It’s incredibly long, at times a bit cheesy or somewhat ridiculous (although I feel there is a slight wink at the audience, Leone is in on the joke as opposed to taking himself too seriously).

   It’s crazy to think how the western has died as a genre. I was told (and I believe have read… somewhere!…) that 1 in 4 movies use to be westerns. Crazy! It feels like 1 in 4 movies are Marvel, DC or Star Wars movies… Ugh. Can this end? I’m sure people felt that about westerns, but I miss them.

   It was great to see (hear rather) Ennio Morricone pop back up in a western with “Hateful Eight” recently. God bless him.

   Great review! Hope you enjoy the movie as much as I do.
2. Sean King 06.10.18 / 1pm

   The Good The Bad And The Ugly is a classic film, an originator of many of the cliches and narratives of the western genre, and and what many would consider to be one of the best films ever made. Personally I really enjoyed watching The Good The Bad And The Ugly, before watching it for this class I had never seen it before, and watching it made me realize where many western movie cliches had originated. Beyond the cliches I also thought the movie had a good and engaging plot, and while it was a very long film I felt engaged and focused on the film the whole time.
3. Jared Melvin 06.13.18 / 5pm

   Thank you for sharing you response to the movie, this is one of my all time favorite classic movies. I have to say from seeing the movie a few times, that if someone who has not seen the film were to read your review and summary of the film, that they would have a very good idea of what is going on in the film. One thing I love about the film is the back and fourth back stabbing mostly between Tuco and Joe I’m not sure where you go the name joe online it said the “good” had no name but besides the point the back and forth back stabbing happens numerous times but neither the good or the bad ever kills each other in the film they simply get away or are needed for information.

   I also really enjoyed reading your segment on the music in the film. The music is one of the most iconic elements of the film and really does add the suspense to the film with the long intro, and also the scene where Tuco is franticly looking for the grave at the end of the film.
4. Sabrina Shaw 10.19.18 / 9pm

   The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly by Sergio Leone is one of the most classic films I have watched today. I would have never found myself watching this film or even be interested in it, but I am so glad I did! The plot is complex and is obvious from the start. The use of music and props such as guns and horses played a big part wrapping up the mise-en-scene.
5. Fabian Garcia1 10.21.18 / 11am

   I have been meaning to get around to watching this film for a long time. Once I finally did I was extremely satisfied with what I watched. I believe this film had many aspects that aided in its status as a classic. The plot of the film was beautifully put together, I believe it was a great blend of action , comedy and suspense. One of my favorite scenes would have to be when Blondie and Tuco walk through the town and kill all of Angel eyes henchmen. This scene is one of my favorite because it highlights the bond the two share, which only progresses as they try to find the gold.
6. vmmariro 10.21.18 / 8pm

   “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is one of the three best western movies of all time. Everything done in this movie speaks of classic spaghetti westerns although I didn’t really see the comedy in it like the reviewer did. The scene where they have the showdown and the man with no name lets the bandit know that he has protection from the bullets after being shot is one of the most classic scenes of any movie.
7. Eli Neiman 03.08.19 / 7pm

   “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” is one of the original Western films, one which has also become a classic. Featuring Clint Eastwood, director Sergio Leone takes the viewer on the journey of three separate men, in search of a common treasure. Despite a long runtime, Leone packs this film with intense action, a typical characteristic of the famous spaghetti westerns. As mentioned above, the plot line is straightforward, with an explicit goal in the mind of the three main characters. In addition, I would agree that Ennio Morricone’s music plays an important role. The music sets many different tones at different points of the film, weather it be intense sound during a gun showdown, or lighthearted tunes at calmer parts of the film.
8. ThomasFernandez 06.04.19 / 3pm

   When you think of Clint Eastwood in regard to westerns, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” would probably be his best. The director Sergio Leone does a great job blending the three different men’s journeys along with the magnificent music composed by Ennio Morricone. Excluding the scene when Tuco gets beat up within the military camp, most of the music within this film doesn’t have lyrics. Furthermore, it seems as though the theme song was played all throughout out the movie. Although “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” is not a continuation of Sergio Leone’s previous films with Clint such as “For a Few Dollars More” and “A Fist Full of Dollars”, it is cool to see the majority of the actors within this film be carried on from the previous films, for instance, Lee Van Cleef.
9. Burak Efendioglu 06.08.19 / 7am

   I think you did a great job in describing the movie The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. I always sort of had a eye for good cowboy movies and this one basically just set the tone for all that would come after it. I watched movies like the hateful eight which was also great, but I think this one just set a bar which was I think the reason that cowboy movies nowadays have to be a high quality production with great characters and a great background story. Great review on the movie !
10. schalkley 11.29.19 / 9pm

    Looking at this film, it seems basic, too long, not that interesting. But when you break down the parts, especially per a beginning film class break down, suddenly this film has so much going for it. The music is a big part of it–it resonates with the unique instrumentation, the operatic singing, the melodies that build. The movie would be LONGER if the music didn’t tie scenes together. But what also works is the silences–when there is no music. The intro scene with the bounty hunters, with the wind gusting through the town–awesome and creepy, and really, where is everyone? This scene comes full circle at the end with the shootout and the silence, with only the wind blowing through as the three look at each other back and forth, trying to read each other’s signals. Powerful stuff.
11. Brian Perez 03.08.20 / 1pm

    The film itself is straightforward in concept but quickly evolves into something different as each scene presents itself with unique camera angles and music. I agree with Xinyu Zhou when he says that the music is a central part of the movie’s experience. The music can be intense, funny, and uplifting thanks to its varied soundtrack as well as its smart use of its themes. Certain scenes wouldn’t be as memorable if the soundtrack were changed or missing. An example would be the scene where Tuco finds the cemetery at the end of the film. The music escalates as Tuco begins to run through the graves, searching for the one containing the missing gold and allows the audience to experience the intense joy that Tuco must be feeling. The song is angelic and uplifting which ends up elevating the scene as a whole.
12. Griffin Ainsworth 06.04.20 / 3pm

    This is one of the best movies I have ever seen and one of the only 3 hour movies to keep me captivated for that long. I really appreciated how you talked about the interactions between the characters. You described it very well and captured what makes the movie so special. I think that people underestimate the camera work of this movie, the way it is filmed from the perspective of the characters adds a lot, the mis-en-scene, and the editing are all great parts no one seems to mention. I really enjoyed reading your review and it made me remember how much I enjoyed watching it.
13. Nathan Davis 10.15.20 / 11am

    Great movie! All time favorites, especially Clint Eastwood, to me he is the face of western movies. If he isn’t in the movie and it’s a western its not going to be good hands down (hahaha). This movie kind of reminds me of having like 3 best friends. we always have similar intentions, yet we all want to get there ourselves with no help. I’m actually going to be writing about this movie for my midterm paper. I think the last scene when they all have the classic stand off is one of my favorites. the added suspense along with satire that Tuco brings along makes the ending sort of funny. But this was a good little description of what the movie is about. Its a must watch when talking about classics nowadays.
14. Carlos Zaragoza 10.24.20 / 11pm

    “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” will forever go down in history as one of the greatest westerns of all times, because of how it shaped the peoples perspectives of westerns. The film gives us the most stereotypical view of the wild west as a lawless wasteland full of bandits and guns, and although the west wasn’t truly this way it has shaped the western genre. The film also gives many standoffs that have become a staple of the genre itself, because there is most likely no western without some kind of standoff. Clint Eastwood is the face of the western genre and it’s due to his stoic nature that we get the idea of the western badass who is nigh unstoppable in a gunfight. The film shaped the western genre into what it is today but, the film is a masterpiece in it’s own right because of it’s memorable characters and great build up to the final duel, so in short the film is a Masterpiece.
15. Kees Fedyk 03.04.21 / 4pm

    This is a great response to to the movie “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” I must say, you summed up the unique relationships that these three men had as well the differences in their personalities. They all had different intentions in how they lived their life but the one thing that brought them to meet each other and in a way work with each other was the buried treasure. This is a long movie at nearly three hours but when watching it doesn’t seem that long because the music plays well into the intense scenes as well as silence when it is needed in the film to provide suspense as well as wonder of what might happen next. Clint Eastwood is such a great actor which he proves in all movies he is in as a calm, cool and collected character who by just looking at him you can tell he is the main man in the film and everything goes through him as seen in his other western classics, this one being one of his better.
16. Andrew Peoples 03.26.21 / 3pm

    You review appreciates for the most part what I thought should be highlighted from this film. The film’s balance of the three characters to create fantastic stylized goof action sequences is when the film is at its best. Along with that, as you said, the way the plot weaves each central character’s story together is near perfect. Each is very well established in their beliefs, morals, and gray areas, with a ton being established just action alone. The score as you mentioned, is really special and they use it all throughout the film for various situations to create different senses. Something else I would have highlighted though, would be the title cards of each character. The Ugly’s title card in particular I find to be very well performing. Within a single still frame that they highlight for you, you know everything you need to know about Tuco. He’s not well liked, even from himself, he doesn’t care too much and uses that to make decisions to manipulate his situations in immoral ways. This Spaghetti Western I think had the most influence over seas than any other, despite being influenced by over seas itself.
17. Alexandro Sanchez 03.27.21 / 8pm

    The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is a very well made film that includes many different types of emotions. While the motives of the man with no name (The Good) and Angle Eyes (The Bad) are pretty straight forward. We see Tuco (The Ugly). Stugglr throughout the entire movie. When we first meet him he ends up being abandoned in the desert by the man with no name due to greed. Later on we find him in a Church with his brother who informs us that Tuco abandoned him and his parents. We see the pain in Tuco’s eyes as he leaves the Church, and realize that he is a confused man trying to make sense of the world.
18. Brennen Akely 06.05.21 / 10pm

    A classic western film, and one of the most iconic of all time, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” was unsurprisingly an excellent one. As you said, the plot is indeed quite obvious to the audience, however the unsuspecting turns in the plot keep it suspenseful. Along with the fantastic western music to follow the story, you simply can not go wrong or be disappointed with this film. A great job by Ennio Morricone for this.
19. Jeffrey Luna 03.05.22 / 4pm

    The review that Xinyu Zhou wrote really paints a picture of the movie, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. It goes into great detail about how these three men have a connection to one another through a secret to find the hidden money. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is still a very popular movie even though it is a classic. Although I thought I wouldn’t be a fan of older films such as this one, I figured you couldn’t go wrong with a Clint Eastwood movie. You will not be disappointed with this classic spaghetti western!
20. Jeffrey Luna 03.05.22 / 4pm

    This review that Xinyu Zhou wrote really paints a picture of the movie, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. It goes into great detail about how these three men have a connection to one another through a secret to find the hidden money. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is still a very popular movie even though it is a classic. Although I thought I wouldn’t be a fan of older films such as this one, I figured you couldn’t go wrong with a Clint Eastwood movie. You will not be disappointed with this classic spaghetti western!
21. Michael Thaure 03.10.22 / 8pm

    Hello Xinyu Zhou,
    I also believe the way the director tells the story is especially funny and light-hearted compared to what occurs on-screen during the film. I also loved how clear and sequential the plot of the film is. The story is easy to follow and by the end the plot pins “the good” and “the ugly” against “the bad”. I really enjoyed the cooperation between the characters of Blondie and Tuco. They both were extremely different people but showed they needed each other to ultimately find and keep the gold. Overall, this movie is the definition of a classic Hollywood film and definitely a must-see for anyone who likes western movies.
22. Fadi Saad 07.01.23 / 11pm

    This film is genuinely one of my favorite films everything about it I felt was just absolute perfection. Even the soundtrack, the music did not have any lyrics yet it was so dramatic and western and overall just fit the aesthetic of the movie perfectly. The movie was also so simple and it felt like there were not any hidden meanings but at the same time it still had you on your toes especially with the scene at the graveyard. My favorite scene of all was at the end when blondy left the other guy his fifty percent except he did not shoot the rope because of how greedy he was.
23. Caleb Desai 07.20.23 / 6pm

    The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is not only one of my favorite Westerns of all time but also one of my favorite movies. The soundtrack for the film is so memorable, with “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly” and The Ecstasy of Gold being two very iconic songs that are used in other films, commercials, and even parody sequential film that perfectly incorporates the main traits of a classic Western. The use of mise-en-scène is executed perfectly regarding costume design, background sets, and props used. The film submerges you into this Civil War-era small town, and the aforementioned visual elements work. I like how this review addresses the comedic aspects of this film, as it is something I also noticed. While the comedy is sporadic, it really flows with the simple but profound nature of the film.
24. Michael Avila 10.16.23 / 10pm

    The Good, The Bad & The Ugly has become one of my favorite movies that I have watched in a pretty long time. My favorite part of the movie is the characters and this review gives a good idea of how the characters work in the film and their motive in the narrative like all of them banding together to find this treasure ending in a standoff. The setting and the Mise-en-scene make this movie amazing nothing is out of place like the towns, the costumes, the firearms, literally, everything makes the setting pop out. The soundtrack too is amazing and it emphasizes the impact of some of the actions that the characters make or when a character comes into the scenes. I’m glad you highlighted the music in your review. The run time is a little intimidating almost 3 hours but I think the endless action and captivating setting make the run time feel like nothing. One of my new favorite movies ever.
25. Ethan Woodcock 11.05.23 / 12am

    The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is a film that despite its decently long almost three hour run-time, feels like it goes by in the blink of an eye. The film keeps the viewer enticed and intrigued in seeing what happens to its characters. The film is shot beautifully, utilizing long shots masterfully, especially at the films ending scene. The climax of the film, where the main three characters are having a standoff, is one of the best moments within cinema that I have ever seen. It is probably my favorite moment in any film I have ever seen.
26. Samantha Brown 03.22.24 / 11pm

    I absolutely loved The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. The western aesthetic of the film makes it feel like such a classic. The best part of the film that ties it all together is the music. It is so powerful, and it fits perfectly with the characters and scenery. Every part of the movie takes me back to the wild west. It’s like the good, the bad, and the ugly all displayed what kind of cowboys could exist. It does run a little long but at the same time you get such an action-packed movie. It is now one of my favorite movies because of how much happens and the character dynamic. It wouldn’t be the same without the three cowboys.

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