Student Film Reviews

Film reviews from theaters, couches, and film festivals

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1. Anahi Pascual 03.27.21 / 1pm

   The film “Following” definitely was different compared to other Hollywood films. As you stated, it was a film composed of bad lighting, sound, and a different camera handle. For this film to be categorized as a Dogme 95, it had to be filmed within strict rules such as the camera being held by hand at all times, no special lighting, no special sound, and special transitions. This is what made the film so unique. I agree with what you said regarding what makes a film so great. As you mentioned, powerful performance and powerful storytelling are important things that a film must contain to be called an outstanding film. That being said, the low budget didn’t restrain the filmmakers from creating a film that contained such a powerful message. As long as a film contains symbols, places, and characters that can convey the theme of the film, then it should be allowed to be called a great film.
2. Anahi Pascual 03.27.21 / 1pm

   The film “The Celebration” definitely was different compared to other Hollywood films. As you stated, it was a film composed of bad lighting, sound, and a different camera handle. For this film to be categorized as a Dogme 95, it had to be filmed within strict rules such as the camera being held by hand at all times, no special lighting, no special sound, and special transitions. This is what made the film so unique. I agree with what you said regarding what makes a film so great. As you mentioned, powerful performance and powerful storytelling are important things that a film must contain to be called an outstanding film. That being said, the low budget didn’t restrain the filmmakers from creating a film that contained such a powerful message. As long as a film contains symbols, places, and characters that can convey the theme of the film, then it should be allowed to be called a great film.
3. Javier Estevez 06.05.21 / 11pm

   The film “The Celebration” was definitely low quality but the substance of the film is what made it great. The overall message of the film is what carried it from just being a low production film. The story of the film was full of so much emotion that help with portraying the filmmakers overall message. I felt like the handheld camera helped the film give a raw feel to the it. at times it made me feel like I was present.
4. Sofia Preciado 06.12.21 / 8pm

   The film is a dark comedy and watching the chaos arise within the family was what had kept me so interested. We see arguments, fights, and many confrontations. I disliked the youngest brother at first because I thought he was an aggressive man who wasn’t able to control his temper. To be honest, I wasn’t wrong, but by the end of the movie, we could see unity between him and the other siblings. Although the film had been low-budget I admit and think this had affected my understanding of the film in the best ways possible. I think due to the hand-held camera work I had gotten invested in the characters and their personalities. The shots were fast and wobbly which gave the experience as if we were a family member in the middle of the conflict. I agree that this film may have had some bad elements within it, but thanks to the story, performance, and film techniques it was wonderful to watch.
5. Yadira I. Nolasco 06.16.21 / 11pm

   I will definitely agree with you that this movie’s powerful performances and powerful storytelling is what completes this movie, especially those implicit toasts Christian says during his father’s birthday dinner. This film’s equipment isn’t what we would normally find in one of Steven Spielberg’s movies but overall the movie’s awe keeps us engaged. Furthermore, the movies budget couldn’t have been too high. This film will leave you speechless and you will definitely feel Christians pain along with his sense of relief as he tells you his deepest darkest secrets.
6. Allison Gasper 07.17.21 / 6pm

   This is a great review of the film The Celebration. The darkness and the unknown of what was going to be said made this film what it is. At the beginning of the film I would have never guessed that it would turn out the way it did. Something you mentioned that really surprised me was when you stated that the budget was 1.3 million dollars. I will agree with you that the performances and storytelling of this film completed it and made up for the low budget.
7. Susan Stauffer 07.24.21 / 7pm

   While this film was a lot to take in, your points of the performances and storytelling show just what is so great about it. When I was first watching The Celebration, the shaky camera footage and low quality transitions put me off. It took a while to understand the stylistic approach that Vinterberg was after. Its not until you see the mise-en-scene that the actors contribute that the film dives deeper into its implicit meanings. You really have to wait it through to see the magic that unfolds. Thanks for writing!
8. Adrian Aguilar 07.24.21 / 9pm

   The Celebration was a very dark film composed of actors who played different roles. There was many actors who seemed to be off throughout the whole movie. There was racism in the film and it is very different because now, in 2021, there wouldn’t be such a movie because the audiences are more delicate with things like this. The film is not developed the way the films now a days are and the structure of it was not yet well structured.
9. Seth Diaz 10.15.21 / 7pm

   First off, I thought your review was amazing, it perfectly captured my initial thoughts after watching the film and put it into a concise paragraph. This film caught my eye because the cinematography to me was very unique. The poor lighting and sound was able to give this film a very raw feeling. While this may sound bad at first, I feel it makes the film better, it adds more emphasis on the narrative and less on over the top visuals.
10. Irey Sandholdt 10.15.21 / 11pm

    This review realistically and beautifully described the film Celebration better than I could. When it said, “Using hand held, digital cameras, The Celebration has bad lighting, bad sound, but ultimately is brilliant.” This was well said as it was not the perfect settings, lightings or scenes but sometimes this is in the “brilliance” of the film to display certain struggles and certain moods within the plot. As the film was on the slow and dark side of moods it was made well by the mise-en-scene as the scene related well to how it was portrayed to the audience. In our course we talked about all the little details that play a role in creating the scene and mood and the lighting. You mentioned the budget was low of 1.3 mil and considering this, the film was still very well sculpted and well made.
11. Haig Dakessian 02.02.22 / 12pm

    I absolutely agree with this analysis. When I first watched the celebration, I was not sure whether the film was taking place in a hotel or in a mansion. Even though the film did not have the best camera, audio, or lighting quality, the story (entire film and background history) and plot (the actual film scenes unfolding) of the film was enough to keep me interested. The film itself felt more real without the music, and special effects. It definitely felt like I was getting a true perspective of the family members, while it evoked more intense emotions. I would also recommend people to watch this film. It is a true piece of art.
12. Haig Dakessian 02.02.22 / 12pm

    I absolutely agree with this analysis. When I first watched the celebration, I was not sure whether the film was taking place in a hotel or in a mansion. Even though the film did not have the best camera, audio, or lighting quality, the story (entire film and background history) and plot (the actual film scenes unfolding) of the film was enough to keep me interested. The film itself felt more real without the music, and special effects. It definitely felt like I was getting a true perspective of the family members, while it evoked more intense emotions. It is a true piece of art.
13. Ryan Draganchuk 02.16.22 / 12am

    Your review highlights well why the film resonates with me as well as others. My experience watching the movie was of interest. I was intrigued by the low budget aesthetic of the film along with the plot. You mention the use of handheld cameras and bad lighting which is what I would believe is a large part of the genius behind this film. Having these handheld cameras for shooting scenes gives off a much more intimate feeling as if this is found footage of a home movie. As the film tells the story of family trauma the low handheld camera look to it gives the film a more realistic and personal feel. Even the mise-en-scène elements such as the setting which is a large grand house far from any cities gives off the feeling of isolation and the forced closeness of the family. One part of your review that is also very important is how you mention the film creates such a compelling and emotional story without the abundance of special effects, CGI, and flashy camera movements. As a result of this it allows for the performance of the actors and actresses to stand out. Wonderful review.
14. Maria Mazariegos 02.17.22 / 2pm

    “The Celebration” was an extraordinary film in my opinion. It has such a moving plot for something that was so low budget and seemingly uninteresting just by looking at it. I feel that these types of films are always glossed over for the fact that they just seem unappealing compared to the grandeur that is Major box office Hollywood films. The Celebration has quite a compelling plot and the way that they film the reaction of the actors and how well played it was, no wonder it was such a hit! I feel that giving small films like this one a chance never hurts anyone and can actually expand your view of what is considered “great film making”, especially nowadays where everything has to be as realistic looking when using CGI and that is all that they make of it.
15. Tessa Cody 03.08.22 / 2pm

    My reaction when watching this film was that the digital handheld format created a sense of intimacy with the family that so few films capture with high budget over the top camerawork. It perfectly captured the familiar caos of a family occasion and reflected the brokenness of a family in turmoil. Its home video like qualities enabled the actors to portray raw emotion without it feeling exploitative or performative.
16. Ian Grose 03.11.22 / 1pm

    The film “The Celebration” is a very interesting and unique film. I totally agree with what you said about the film being horrible in a sense that it doesn’t follow any basic filmmaking rules or guidelines. It’s all filmed on digital and handheld which created a very unique look.This style of filming made worked really well with the story and the way the characters acted. I thought the overall plot of the film was very harsh and disturbing. In the begging I was not interested at all but throughout the film I found myself glued to the screen.
17. Dylan Valerius 03.11.22 / 5pm

    That was a very inclusive review. I like how you explained the plot very well, and as well as the lighting, sound, and camera angles. I came to a very similar conclusion as well! I believe the director did a great job at showing each character’s emotions, especially in tense situations. While showing these emotions he incorporates creepy sounds and gestures, as well as rough camera angles. The film reminded me of a first person type of recording, rather than your typical film where you feel like it is more in third person. I also really enjoyed reading the review and watching the film because they are both very detailed and understanding. One thing I would include in the review is how chaotic the family would get, and then all start dancing, next something would happen to make it more chaotic, and then people would try to continue on with their night once again. That’s just one huge repetition I saw from the film, it was a great film and I typically don’t like watching old films; but I really enjoyed this one!
18. Gage Cross 03.12.22 / 11am

    After reading this comprehensive review of the powerful performances and powerful storytelling from The Celebration, I can completely agree that the poor lighting, camera work, and lack of budget gave an unexplainable boost to this movie’s quality mise en scene. The homemade feel and strong acting rewarded the audience with an unshakable feeling of authenticity. I enjoyed this review because it brought up important contextual points about what else was going on in Hollywood at the time and how this film stood on it’s own. It will be a very rare sight to experience a film in such a way as The Celebration for quite some time. As the review stated, the rise of action-packed and overly edited films began around the same time and has, for the most part, taken over the spotlight. Hopefully, someone will understand the reasons behind this film’s success and bring back this level of quality.
19. Gage Cross 03.12.22 / 11am

    After reading this comprehensive review of The Celebration, I can completely agree that the poor lighting, camera work, and lack of budget gave an unexplainable boost to this movie’s quality mise en scene. The homemade feel and strong acting rewarded the audience with an unshakable feeling of authenticity. I enjoyed this review because it brought up important contextual points about what else was going on in Hollywood at the time and how this film stood on it’s own. It will be a very rare sight to experience a film in such a way as The Celebration for quite some time. As the review stated, the rise of action-packed and overly edited films began around the same time and has, for the most part, taken over the spotlight. Hopefully, someone will understand the reasons behind this film’s success and bring back this level of quality.
20. tony overstreet 04.02.22 / 9pm

    The film the celebration was to me like a low buget film like homemade. but this movie was good to as well for it to be old and for it to be shot like back and the day I don’t really watch old movies, but I really was into this one for some reason. but this film also had mise en scene in it and we just learn about this not too long ago, but this film was good, and I enjoyed it.
21. Tom Hsieh 05.28.22 / 10pm

    Your review was very thorough. I agree that the film was not easy to watch due to the low budget. The poor lighting, sound, handheld digital camera, and lack of celebrity actors would lead us to low expectations with this film. However, the story was disturbing but captivating. Being forced to read subtitles also does not distract from the narrative. Christian reveals dark secrets at his father’s 60th birthday family/friends dinner. His father sexually abused him and his twin sister when they were children. Consequently, the twin sister recently committed suicide. The mother knew of the abuse but chose to ignore it. The party refuses to believe the accusations until another sister reads the suicide letter and the younger brother, the only one with 3 young children realize the horror of his father’s abuse. This is the first foreign film that I have watched and it was disturbing but good.
22. Chernor A. Diallo 06.03.22 / 2am

    Your review was very insightful and clearly specified some main reasons why the film ‘Celebration’ is a masterful piece of digital art.

    As you stated, the film Celebration has bad lighting, and bad sound and just lacks special effects overall but, the filmmakers were very passionate about showcasing their style ( the Dogme 95) and focus more on the actual plot rather than the special effects.

    I for one was so caught up in the actions (emotionally) that I even lost focus of the quality of the film.

    The acting was on another level taking into consideration that it all happened in a single place, but they were still able to create that emotional appeal and connection to the audience.
23. Avery Carlstrom 06.04.22 / 8pm

    This film was hard for me to understand, and more on the confusing side. This film was very powerful and I agree with what your response said, you did a very good job of explaining this movie.The violence and brutal actions during this film really stood out to me as well. The film was also a little unusual to me, having that big of a party and the way it went out was not something you see often. I enjoyed reading this review. It relates amlot to what I think of the film.
24. Tanner Mendelsohn 06.11.22 / 9pm

    I really enjoyed reading this review and agree with the entire thing. I couldn’t have described this movie better. This film is definitely one that is very hard to grasp because of the not-as-good camera quality and effects, but still has such great acts and scenes that make this movie enjoyable to watch. The constant day and night full of family drama makes this film very eventful. This film takes turns left and right constantly making it hard to understand everything. The confusion is only subtle because of the great chaos that is present throughout the film. I really enjoyed this film and loved the review you gave. Great Work!
25. Sasha Kovalchuk 07.11.22 / 12pm

    The film “The Celebration” (Thomas Vinterberg, 1998) is indeed a great film worth watching. As mentioned in the review it was a break from the norm when guns, action, and CGI were a must-have. In my opinion, this review did a fantastic job at giving us a short summary and then describing to us why and what’s so good about the film. A key point in review is the Dogme 95 movement, my initial reaction when learning about the movement was “how could you make a compelling film that could compete with Hollywood films with such restrictions” and yet here I am proven wrong. The reviewer mentions that the success of the film comes from the “Powerful performances and powerful storytelling” which I completely agree with, a great example is the “conversation” that is created as Christian mentions Helge’s past action and then Hedge’s reaction and conversation with Christian afterward creating a back and forth that shows more and more of each character’s personality. Overall I believe that this reviewer did a great job at bringing to light the brilliance of the film and what makes it so great.
26. Chase Watson 07.16.22 / 1pm

    After watching the film “The Celebration”, i felt the same way as you did. Everything about the quality of the film and technical equipment, the sound, and the lighting was terrible. But the techniques that the screenwriter used such as the way the sister who killed herself hid the note. The writer used part of the past story (they used a game that the 2 daughters would play as kids) would play as kids to create a method to solve the problem that the characters were facing. They used the game to find the hidden note, which was the evidence they need to prove to the family that the father was indeed guilty of raping his children and the cause of the daughters death. The film also had a good ending because the son received justice and helge’s significance to the family was stripped away. The reviewer of this film does a great job explaining the significance of the actions of Christian and how they make this film a very good film to watch.
27. Mason Kim 07.16.22 / 9pm

    This analysis is spot on. This film definitely felt like a very low budget movie, but kept me hooked the whole time. The mise-en-scene creates a dramatic, yet realistic environment for the actors to work with and uses almost no special effects. The yelling and passion, like you stated, persuades us into thinking that this is really happening. Being able to follow a 3-act structure and have all the elements that Hollywood films do while being on a budget of just 1.3 million dollars is amazing. This makes me wonder what directors could do if they had the same budget as other famous production studios.
28. Ashley Pacheco 10.17.22 / 11am

    I really enjoyed reading your review. I watched this film in my film class and I really enjoyed watching it. Your review does a good job of highlighting why the movie appeals to both myself and other people. It was interesting for me to see the movie. Along with the story, the movie’s low-budget look piqued my interest. You highlight the use of handheld cameras and poor lighting, which, in my opinion, accounts for a significant portion of the film’s originality. The use of these handheld cameras for recording scenarios creates a far more personal impression of finding home video footage. The film’s low handheld camera angle lends it a more genuine and intimate feel as it explores the story of family pain. Overall I enjoyed watching this film and reading your response!
29. Taylor Halvorson 10.29.22 / 1pm

    Hey student, I really enjoyed reading your review about “The Celebration”. Although the low light quality, bad lighting, sound, and the fact that it was filmed with a hand held camera did not make the film a very good one, I still really enjoyed watching the film because the storyline was so intriguing. It really had me wanting to watch more of the film and although it was a touchy subject, I think that it was executed well. I agree with when you said, “Powerful performances and powerful storytelling are what makes the film so innovative” and I think that “The Celebration” did just that. Once again great job with this review, I really enjoyed what you had to say.
30. Matthew Scardigli 04.04.23 / 3pm

    The commentator, has a very profound way of summarizing this movie and how much power it had to the film industry. I mostly agree with what she is saying even though a partly think this movie is very disturbing which does have a great impact on the acting which is very well done. It is also in a language I do not understand which I do feel like i would have had a greater impression of it, if I could have seen it in its original Danish.
31. Megan Duncan 06.24.23 / 8pm

    I genuinely agree with your review of The Celebration. It is a incredible Dogme 95 film. Although the story told of the dads past, during the celebration is very disturbing, it is very entertaining. I found myself very focused while watching wanting to know exactly what happens next. Thank you for adding the fact that the film had one a grand prize in 1998. Thats awesome and definitely proves the point of how good the film is. Like you said it doesn’t have the greatest lighting in film making but the story line and great acting makes up for it. I would imagine for being filmed in the late 90’s almost being the 2000’s, the actual film wouldn’t look like such a old, and low budget film.
32. Jaxon Shearer 09.05.23 / 11am

    The Celebration is an amazing movie and your review sums up my thoughts pretty much. Though this film obviously follows different filming conventions compared to most of hollywood, what it lacks in lighting or sound is by far made up for with the way the film is able to communicate tense emotions through the dynamics between characters. They are able to make the most of what really matters in the end, the actual story. It’s interesting to know this is the first of the Dogme 95 films. I respect the artistry of taking away all the flashiness and just relying on the strength of the story, this makes more interesting films in my opinion. Some films have to use heavy special effects as a crutch, because the actual content is not nearly as interesting.
33. Breanna Nautu 09.06.23 / 6pm

    Hi,

    As someone whose made a handful of low-budget short films, movies like this have a special place in my heart. I love low-budget films and the feeling they have, and the message they have from just existing:
    You dont need a ton of money, special effects, or big name actors to tell a story.
    And that’s what Celebration did! It relied completely on narrative, rather than SFX and crazy editing.
    Overall, I like your point of view on the film.
34. Andrea Ruvalcaba 09.07.23 / 6pm

    The Celebration, a brilliant movie based on an uncomfortable subject that truly leaves the audience shocked. The Dogme 95 structure in my opinion perfectly suited the matter and script of this movie. The hand held camera and the raw editing helped me feel more connected to the family drama occurring, as I felt like I was a guest at the birthday dinner. This movie shows the great talent of the actors as they seem so natural causing me to forget they are acting.
35. Melissa Ochoa 10.15.23 / 8am

    Hi, You did an amazing job explaining the film. The Celebration is an amazing film to watch. Despite it’s low-budget, it helps us feel more connected to the narrative and the characters through the aesthetic and rawness. I didn’t know that The Celebration was the first film to use Dogme 95 and it was implemented well. I think using handheld, digital cameras gave the film some realism. The storyline of this film was compelling because we got to see the family dynamic between a family with lots of secrets. Thank you for sharing! I enjoyed reading your review of “The Celebration”.
36. Liborio Gudino 03.23.24 / 1pm

    The Celebration has been one of the best films I have watched even though it is considered a Non-Hollywood Film. It opened the doors for different types of films including Dogme 95. It is really important that you stated it had a very low budget and had bad lighting and sound but that did not stop it from being an amazing film. It had lots of different twists that kept up on our feet the whole time. This film is proof that we do not need to watch Hollywood and high budget films to watch a good movie.
37. Noel Ceja 03.29.24 / 10am

    The Celebration or Festen is a very interesting and brilliant film that covers a very gut wrenching subject that is just thrown at you at you out of nowhere when first viewing it. For it being the first film under the Dogme 95 criteria, it gave a really good representation of these type of films. The importance that you mention how it was filmed on handheld digital cameras and how it has bad lighting, bad sound, and a low-budget because it doesn’t stop it from being a brilliant film,and shows that you don’t need high budgets and big props to make a good film.
38. James Cusick 03.30.24 / 11pm

    The Celebration is a very dark and deep meaning film but i felt like was done well and i enjoyed it very much. It really did a good job for story telling and even though it may not have been with tons of money really showed they did with what they had. i could tell it show some variations and clear development but did a good job on showing what the feelings are with a family that is being torn apart. i also say it did well with the Handheld camera as most movies probably don’t do it like that but i enjoyed the clear development of the brother to confront his father about the murder of his sister at his fathers birthday because he knew the truth and deep secrets of the family.
39. Dylan Reyes 06.22.24 / 12pm

    This review effectively captures the cinematic brilliance of Thomas Vinterberg’s “The Celebration,” and I appreciated how it acknowledged the use of a “handheld camera.” While some people might perceive the handheld camera as unprofessional, I felt that it made the movie authentic and intimate. This film had an elegant simplicity that made it very engaging. In terms of the story line, this film interacted with uncomfortable subject matters, revealing the destructive nature of buried secrets. The mise-en-elements, particularly, the family estate, created a very cramped and claustrophobic atmosphere. Overall, I enjoyed how this review addressed the context behind the film, discussing its budget and other relevant details.
40. Alexandria Garnica 07.05.24 / 11pm

    I completely agree with this praise of The Celebration. I am very surprised that I had not heard of this film until this year given that it is so acclaimed. I don’t think I have ever seen a film that was so “bad” in terms of the visual quality and had pretty low expectations at the beginning of the film. But now, I would also consider the film to be perfect. It had some of the best acting and storytelling I have ever seen in a film. The Celebration is undoubtedly the most emotionally impactful film that I have ever seen.
41. Lucas Moreno 07.18.24 / 11am

    The Celebration was a film that managed to hold my interest despite my initial doubts. I agree that the film had poor lighting and sound, but overall, it was brilliant. The quality of the acting performances was superb, and the film would have been nothing without it. One thing I wish could be changed about this film is the addition of an English version.
42. Patrick Whelan 07.20.24 / 10am

    I completely agree with this review of The Celebration. This is a great film that does not necessarily contain all of the components of a typically “good” film. As stated in this review, the lighting is bad, with bad sound, and it is shot on a camera. However, all of these elements work together to produce an incredible film, despite its low budget. Films like these show that scriptwriting and performance are the base of a good film and all of the other stuff is extras on top.

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