Student Film Reviews

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1. James Mitchel 10.08.19 / 4pm

   Since I love pretty much every film with Christian Bale, I’m extremely excited for this movie to come out. From your review, it seems pretty good considering you think it might be nominated for an Oscar. I’m sure the story is great, but if I’m being honest, I’m more excited for the racing scenes. With the great sound you were talking about, I bet it’s incredible.
2. Lawrence Gleeson 10.14.19 / 9am

   Thank you, James. I’m betting that if you’re a racing fan, you’ll appreciate the film on several levels including the technical aspects of the film and the behind-the-scenes maneuvering of the suits. And there’s more than just race cars and people. I don’t want to “spoil” it, some I’m not going to mention it. However, make sure you stay until the end – you’ll be glad you did. Thanks for commenting.
3. Harrison Savage 10.09.19 / 3pm

   I must admit I would more than likely not be going to see this movie if it weren’t for the star-power that it comes with. Christian Bale and Matt Damon are both somewhat incapable of playing poor lead roles in general. Together, I could only imagine what it would be like for the two to share the screen. I’m excited to see the competition and conflict that will be brought up between the two companies and their drivers as they fight to be the fastest. I really appreciated how you mentioned the more latent function of the film, the sound. I can’t wait to see how it contributes to the picture and the rest of the mise-en-scene.
4. Annie Bakke 10.18.19 / 3pm

   I knew I was going to want to see this movie as soon as I saw Christian Bale! You mentioned that the sound and how it plays a big role in the film and the emotion that it stirs in the audience. Growing up, my dad always made me pay attention to the film score and how it effected the way I perceived the movie. And that can include the sounds as well, which will be important to this film as we will want to hear every sound and screech of the cars. Very excited to hear it in theatres! And excited to see what sounds like a exceptional duo between Christian Bale and Matt Damon and the characters they portray.
5. Sarah Maninger 02.24.20 / 11am

   I absolutely adored this movie! I’ve noticed that before every awards season, I tend to love one movie more than the others and hope that movie wins everything. Why this movie didn’t win more Oscars I have no idea. For me, Matt Damon is that actor where I will watch almost everything he does (Downsizing was a rare disappointment) and this movie ranks high in his list of best work. It’s clear that one of the best aspects of the movie is the relationship between Shelby and Miles, and the movie thrives on their friendship and conflict. Though this movie is nearly as long as Avengers: Endgame, it doesn’t feel like it. The plot is fast-paced and so the movie becomes fast, and very high energy. I think that Mangold put just the right amount of his voice in the film, but let his very talented lead actors shine. One of the things that work the best about this movie is that it has a lot of recognizable actors and actresses but still focuses on the story. The film relies on its stars being able to bring this story to life rather than this story being a vessel for its actors.
6. bennettb 02.24.20 / 8pm

   I liked your review as a nice clean synopsis of the film. I agree with your observation to see it in a cinema with advanced sound and I did do that. It doesn’t surprise me that it won the Academy award for best sound editing. I think the mise-en-scene was effective in really putting you in the era as well as the proverbial drivers seat to experience this period piece. Equally I think both Bale and Damon did a great job creating the conflict between the two characters as well as the friendship. They were both highly driven and complex individuals and very believable.
7. Matthew Palamar 03.03.20 / 8pm

   I just recently rented this movie the other night as a recommendation from my dad. I wanted to see it when it came out in theaters, but never got the time. To say the least, this movie was fantastic. Throughout its entirety, I was fully engaged waiting to see what would come next. I personally think that Christian Bale played a tremendous role in this movie, teaching the audience that there’s really people out there who push limits to the absolute furthest imaginable. I was honestly a little upset considering this movie was based on a true story. The fact that some people are so corrupt with power and greed that they would try and take away another person’s goals and aspirations, really is unfortunate. In the end I think that Shelby and Ken Miles found the satisfaction they were looking for, even without Ken winning the title. I was shocked by the ending when Ken passed right in front of his sons eyes. That part really was emotional for the sake of his character and the person he was. Overall, a great movie with fast cars. What’s not to like?!

   Its funny looking at how this entry mentions the Telluride Film Festival. I’ve been to that festival several times… considering I grew up there!
8. Parker Maccianti 03.05.20 / 4pm

   This was an excellent movie, however my opinion may be biased. I am a car lover and actually drive Oval track race cars myself. Certainly not Le Mans style of racing but racing nonetheless. What I loved the most about this movie was perhaps the relate ability. See, for someone to be that committed to racing and have a total disregard for their own safety in that sense, they have to have the ultimate love for the sport and it simply has to be a part of who they are. I completely related to this aspect of the film and if I must admit I even began to cry as the monologue of “the perfect lap” came over the sound of the racing cars. It is quite remarkable how as they said in the movie, cars being a harmonious motion of thousands of moving parts, can turn into a simple and unexplainable connection to a living, breathing man. Enough about how the movie made me feel, when it came to the production of the film and the mise en scene, I think these producers hit the nail on the head. Everything from casting to the sets, to the types of cars driving around and even the sounds of the cars all were spot on. In fact I even heard that they created a soundboard from the motors of the actual motors with the actual exhaust setup that was actually used at that time, to keep it even more authentic. Being a huge car guy this spoke volumes and was the icing on the cake of a film that was the best I have seen in recent times.
9. LucasKelley 03.07.20 / 1pm

   At first, I was doubtful of this movie because there had not been many dramatic adaptations of The 24 hours of Le Mans, but I was very surprised. This movie was very breathtaking and truly inspired me with the mix of Christian Bale’s eccentric acting and Matt Damon’s ability to fill any role I truly felt that this was a story of the 1966 24 hours of Le Mans. One thing I noticed a lot in the film which you also mentioned was the cuts to Christian Bale’s face as he was driving the car and the way the camera just focused on him and the emotions he was feeling while driving. I also agree that the sound really added to the film making it more surreal and drawing the viewer in from the dramatized yet accurate engine noises.
10. Michaela Lara 03.15.20 / 11pm

    I am not sure what I was expecting out of this film since I don’t know much about racing but this film was pretty good. I think both Christian Bale and Matt Damon held their roles perfectly. I love that this showed the relashionship between the racers, and how it affected Ken’s son. The ending of this film was extremely saddening and actually had me in tears. It so upsetting to see a person so much talent die and knowing that it happened in real life hurt even more. Overall I really do recommend this movie for someone who likes true story movies.
11. Nissi Velasquez 04.10.20 / 2pm

    I was super excited when I went to see this film with my family on the opening day. This movie was a perfect fit for my family to watch because my dad is a mechanic, my brother is a mechanic, and I am not a mechanic, but I love cars and I am a mechanical engineer major who wants to design engines and cars. Overall this movie was fantastic and I agree with the article when it states that both Damon and Bales crushed their characters. My favorite aspect of the film was the realistic, loud, and intense car sounds that it was able to capture. I remember sitting in the theater and feeling so riled up and exited whenever Bale’s character was behind the wheel because the sound of the engine roaring really made me feel like I was inside the car with him. I think that this movie is fantastic and it is defiantly a really fun and interesting movie to watch because it keeps its audience engaged at all time.
12. Jackie Caplan 06.06.20 / 10pm

    Watching this film had me on the edge of my seat and encouraged me to watch it several times at home. It is a racing movie that can engage even those uninterested in cars, and amazed everyone who I know who has seen it. I would completely agree with you that the sound design was an essential part of the film’s beauty. Hearing those racing scenes in the theater took the audience to a 1960’s racetrack. I believe that another key mise-en-scene element of the film was the lighting. They did an amazing job lighting the nighttime racing scenes, and the blue hue on these scenes brought out many emotions. Besides this, the acting was remarkable. Christian Bale has played such a large spectrum of characters, and he nailed the role of Ken Miles. Overall, this was a beautifully executed movie and I plan to share it with others.
13. Lawrence Gleeson 06.09.20 / 3pm

    Yes, Jackie. The lighting was an essential part of the film. I appreciate you sharing the effect of seeing the blue hue from the sky. I completely relate to those responsive emotions. i’v share it quite a bit, too. Thank you for commenting.
14. Alyssa Pama 07.24.20 / 9pm

    Hi Larry, I liked your take on Ford v Ferrari. I agree the Sounddesigner really pulled this movie together with exceptional sounds live from real races and engines. The quality of sounds can often get audiences more involved with the films when they are more realistic. Also, I liked your point how the director made sure to emphasize the ambitions of peripheral characters. To add on, I thought Matt Damon did a great job at fully embodying his character. In all, this is a great analysis of Ford v Ferrari.
15. Paris White 07.30.20 / 3pm

    Hi I really enjoyed reading through your review about Ford v Ferrari. You mentioned the sound the role it played in the film and it also was able to capture the intensity of some scenes. The thrill of the race was capture through the mise-en-scene and the movement of the camera and the sound. This film was very realistic and the edition was done very well to incorporate all of the character development and the racing. The actors that were put into this film where perfect for the role and they really enhance the film. Great review of this film!
16. Arielle Katzschner 10.14.20 / 5pm

    I love what you said about the importance of a movies’ soundtrack. Sound interacts with what is shown on the screen in such a powerful way and plays an essential role in evoking emotion. In Ford v Ferrari, the soundtrack and film interact with one another beautifully! As someone who has very little interest in cars and racing, I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this film, but that was not the case. The emotion accentuated by the sound almost made me feel connected to the story. Just in the opening scene, when we are introduced to Carroll Shelby and he narrates what it feels like to reach 7000 rpm as a race car driver, the music and emotion we see in Shelby’s eyes pulls the audience in.
17. Jack Parker 10.16.20 / 9pm

    Like you mentioned, Ken Miles (Bale) and Carroll Shelby (Damon) have a powerful relationship. The two of them make this film special. Their relationship is a bit of a rollercoaster. There is plenty of conflict between the two. However, they get much closer throughout the film. After seeing their racing progress and friendship develop so much, I felt sad at the end. I also agree with what you say about peripheral characters. The director does a great job of fitting many strong characters in one film. For example, I like how Henry Ford Jr. was portrayed. He was not shown for many minutes. However, he is depicted well. He adds plenty of pressure to win the race. Being a movie about cars and racing, Ford v Ferrari requires great audio. They nailed the sound. Sounds from the cars add a lot to the viewing experience. This film makes me realize how crucial sound is to film. I realize that films without sound are severely restricted. Without impressive sound, car scenes in this film would be much less realistic. Audio in Ford v Ferrari put a smile on my face.
18. Adrian Arriaga 10.17.20 / 1am

    I completely agree with what you had to say about the sound in the film, as the sound of the engines and cars speeding past does make it feel like the viewer is in the driver’s seat. I thought that Matt Damon did an amazing job portraying Carroll Shelby, with the only thing he did not portray correctly was Shelby’s height funny enough. Christian Bale also did a great job portraying Ken Miles, not only talking like Ken Miles but also making the same facial gestures that Ken Miles made in real life, which I felt was excellent acting by his part.
19. Adrian Arriaga 03.05.21 / 11pm

    I agree that an aspect that is often overlooked by moviegoers is the sound and in Ford v Ferrari sound plays a very important role in the film as I felt that the film did a great job using sound to make it feel that you are in the car with ken miles at LeMans. Both Christian Bale and Matt Damon did a great job accurately playing their characters as well.
20. Aly Springer 03.09.21 / 9am

    I loved watching this movie. I actually went back to the theater twice to watch it. Christian Bale is one of my favorite actors as I am a huge Batman fan and he nailed the role of Ken Miles. He had to play so many different attitudes throughout the movie and it was really well done. I loved the sound in the movie as well I remember feeling it in my seat during the main racing scenes. The filming was amazing during the race scenes as you felt you were right there with the race car driver.
21. Devin Horsten 03.16.21 / 9am

    I still have not watched this film but after reading this review I think I will soon! I have been a car enthusiast since I know and I love films with car pursuits. This film is not particularly that kind of film and that is probably why I have not seen it yet. I thought of it more as a documentary (also because it takes over 150 minutes!) but after reading your review, my thought seems unfounded. With a cast including Matt Damon and Christian Bale, you can not go wrong with Ford v Ferrari. I am looking forward to watching this film!
22. Jason Sunker 03.27.21 / 6pm

    As most of you have noticed, sound plays a huge role in this movie. I agree with all of you that the sound directing in the film is amazing. After all, it did get an academy award for best sound editing. Sound in a movie is often gone unnoticed by moviegoers. But it plays a huge part in how emersed you are in a film. The opening scene is Damon (Carrol Shelby) racing for Aston Martin at LeMans. The raw sound of the car hits you immediately and you feel as if you yourself are in the passenger seat of the racecar. All the rest of the car scenes/race scenes are the same way where you feel like you’re really having the raw experience of being in a 60’s LeMans racecar. Without the intense sound editing, car movies are hard to be emersed in and the thrill isn’t captured as well as it could be. However, they nailed the sound editing for this movie and I was so pleased as a car enthusiast.
23. Quinn Wienke 06.06.21 / 12am

    It has been a few years since I have seen this movie but reading this review really helped refresh my memory of it. I think it was a very well executed movie with lots of great cinematography. Like you mentioned the close ups of Bales face really helped the audience connect with the character and his love for racing and cars. I think that the use of his kid was a great inclusion in the movie. Him having his kid helps us get more of an insight of why he loves racing. One scene that stands out to me a lot is when he gets angry and throws the rock at the windshield. I think this scene was really well done and helps us as an audience see his passion for racing and that he will do what ever it takes, which is later shown in the Le Mans race where he is sitting in his GT for hours on end lap after lap, rain or sun he will do what ever it takes. And the final scene wth his character where he takes the newly tuned GT around the track ultimitly dying due to engien faliure causing the car to go up in flames killing him. As n audience you have alredy felt connected to this charcter but it mkes it en sadder when you see his kid run up in tears to the car he just saw his father die in moments ago, and when the movie cuts to a few years down the lione and ou see the struggling widow doing everything she can to raise their kids alone.
24. Jesus Velazquez 07.23.21 / 9pm

    This film was personally one of my favorite films I have watched in the recent years. I would agree with you that director James Mangold does an exceptional job with making the audience feel like they are in the driver seat. The cinematography of the film was really good but the way the director keeps the main character and his emotions at the center of the story, makes the film very enjoyable and not boring. The whole process of making the fastest race car is nicely put out through the film including not only the smiles of the project but also the hardships being faced making it interesting to watch.
25. Cameron Glessner 10.18.21 / 4pm

    Matt Damon has to be one of my favorite actors ever. I chose to comment on this movie particularly because I have always wanted to watch it, but never got around to it. Matt Damon has always been one of my favorite actors and I love just about every movie he stars in . After reading your detailed response, highlighting the cinematography, sound effects, and “memorable” storyline, I am defiantly going to have to watch this film next time I get the opportunity.
26. Drew Moore 10.25.21 / 7pm

    Ford v ferrari was a great movie and a true story. The characters Christian bale, matt damon and more fit their roles perfectly. The mise-en-scene that i think stands out most in this movie is the sound design and how they were able to deliver us with great experience on how the car world was and how everything sounded. The movie taught me alot about the company Ford.
27. Alexander Kim 10.29.21 / 9pm

    Although several years later as of this writing, this review in my opinion has done an exceptional job highlighting the conflict between two men who were born winners, and thus casting Matt Damon and Christian Bale, both of whom are no strangers to big personalities and being lead men, against each other as they grow and come to find each other as their greatest friend and ally. The supporting cast portrayed by Caitrione Balfe, Noah Jupe, and Tracy Letts, produce wonderful foils to the often complicated yet underspoken main characters. The films focus on versimilitude, is masterfully done and exceptionally expensive, which just adds to the entertaining delight of the film. This review rightfully credits the award winning sound design and after viewing its easy to see the how pivotal an advanced sound system is needed.
28. Waylon Rose 11.06.21 / 2pm

    This review did a great job showing the intense conflict between Ford and Ferrari. There is a very interesting dynamic within the movie that this review is able to reveal. The characters seem to be thoroughly developed as they battle each other at being the best race car driver in the world. This review has a great description of the different actors and how their roles changed the course of this great film. The sound used in this film is used greatly as it gives the audience the feeling of being in the actual race car. Having a good sound designer in a film is very important and this review highlights the skills that were used in this film. Overall this review gives a great description of the film without revealing too much that will leave the reader very anxious to see what the races outcome will be.
29. Amber Allen 07.13.22 / 9pm

    Ford Vs. Ferrari is a film based on a true story about how these two guys in America were associated with Ford and wanted to bring up the image and likeness of it by trying to make the fastest car in the world to win an important car race. I agree that both characters in the movies are very competitive and strong-minded that they will do anything to get this car to reach max speeds in a race. The director does a good job of capturing these moments to convey to the audience that this specific American brand will do anything to improve its sales even if it means unsafe working conditions for them. Overall, it is a strong movie with strong characters in the end, it is a sad ending with loss and death, but it truly shows the love for the sport, specifically these racing hobbies within the American culture of the time.
30. Dalton Beeler 07.16.22 / 10pm

    I really like this review! It is very short and concise. I like how the camera works is talked about along with the acting and the directing all parts of the mise-en-scene coming to play that have been mentioned in the review. I think sound is another thing that is often overlooked, but when down well it almost is natural to overlook it because it is perceived as real. I like the opinion at the end of the review as well. To me a review is only a review if it is stated whether the author believes certain parts of the movie are done well or poorly and specifically states that.
31. Megan Downing 04.18.23 / 1pm

    I scarcely ever enjoy movies based on true events, either because they are executed inaccurately, or because the story itself is portrayed in a way that seems as if the film is meant for a limited kind of audience that has a specific interest in that one genre. However, this film changed my perception entirely! I adore every aspect of this film, from the accurate casting, stunning visuals, and penetrating sounds! There is no denying that “Ford v Ferrari” takes first place in the race to create a high energy, family friendly film for all ages to enjoy, which gave new light to the true story of Ford taking Le Mans!

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