Casablanca

http://nationwidefilms.com
This was the first time I saw Casablanca in its entirety; I usually watched bits and pieces here and there on special occasions like, Thanksgiving and Christmas, but this was the first time I was able to sit and watch it without distractions from beginning to end.
Let me start by saying that Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman displayed the most horrible kiss I have ever seen on screen, it lacked believability, and emotion. I also don’t think that they were very good actors at all, their performances seemed very theatrical ; as if I was watching a high school play done badly. The rest of the actors seem to have a better quality; like the law enforcement official seemed to have charisma and believability; everyone else in the film I did not have a problem with their performance.
Nevertheless, I believe this movie was a pure masterpiece; the way each scene carried over to the next was an art form in itself ,I appreciated some of the invisible editing techniques that were used throughout the film, like the way they started one shot wide, and then the next the same shot just a little closer before the camera moved, and every time the camera would move it would always move slowly and smoothly ; I especially liked the scene at the train station ; they made it look like it was raining, I guess to set a mood, and a atmosphere kind of feeling. The lighting also played an intricate detail on setting the mood, some scenes were evenly lit, while others were purposely dark with shadows, to help the audience understand what the dramatic emotions , and to change the temple where the story was going.
Furthermore, I felt the story pulled me in, I couldn't help but feel like a fly on the wall; even the black and white images set a time period for me, I was convinced that there was in fact a war going on in the background in the middle of this love triangle, and I did like where this story ultimately took us to; which was a lesson of morality, justice, and simply, doing the right thing; displayed by our leading man Humphrey Bogart.
In conclusion, the only other thing that seem to bother me was the very end where it seems like Rick and the officer become partners just minutes before he was pointing a gun at him and threatening to shoot him in the hart, I did find that a little stupid, but besides that the film was flawless. I would definitely put it up in my top 20 list ,if I had one.

http://nationwidefilms.com