War of the Worlds

"War of the Worlds" is a science fiction, movie based off the book that written in 1898 by H.G Wells. The movie was filmed in 1952 and directed by Byron Haskin,and produced by George Pal. The movie is starring Gene Berry as Dr. Forrester and Ann Robinson as Sylvia Van Buren.

Martians, possibly from Mars, have come to Earth to take over the world. Space ships come flying down at random places on Earth. The first one to hit on Earth lands in California. The citizens do not yet know that the space ship has Martians in them. Once 3 citizens are killed from by the Martians, the police call in the military. The military tries using every weapon they have including guns, tanks, and even the atom bomb but none are useful against the Martians. Many of the major cities around the world are destroyed because of the Martians. The Martians invade Los Angeles.The Martians die right before they tear up the church where Dr. Forrester and Sylvia are located. The reason the Martians die, is because they cannot breathe the same air as we do on Earth.

Although the movie was a "B" type movie, meaning that it was a low budget motion picture, and the effects were not as great, I thought the movie was good. At the time the effects in the movie were the best ever. The movie won an Oscar award in 1954 for best effects and special effects. The Characters were unknown actors because it was a "B" movie, but overall I think they were great. I liked how the movie used actual cities and making it seem real, but then making it seem fake with the aliens, making it a science-fiction movie.

Casablanca

Casablanca is a drama movie that was filmed in 1942 and directed by Michael Curtiz.The movie takes place in Casablanca, Morocco, which is controlled by Nazi-Germany. This movie stars Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine,Ingrid Bergman is Ilsa Lund,Paul Henreid as Victor Lazlo, and Claude Rains as Captain Renault. Rick's character is based off of self preservation and love. Ilsa's character is based off of love for Victor and Rick. Victor's character is based off of money, pleasing Nazi's, and being on the winning side. Lastly, Victor's character is based off of freedom and defeating the Nazi's.

The movie is about a guy who stole the transit documents, which are needed to go to America. Rick owns a Saloon in Casablanca. Ilsa is a woman who Rick fell in love with in Paris many years before. The war forced Rick to move to Casablanca and IIsa stayed in Paris. Ilsa and Rick meet up again when Ilsa visits Casablanca with her husband Victor. He is a criminal that the Nazi's are trying to capture. Rick has the letters of transit, but because he loves Ilsa so much instead of taking the transit documents and going with Ilsa, he gives the letters to Ilsa and Victor and they escape from the Nazi's before they can be caught.

 Although Casablanca was made in 1942, and had no color, overall I thought it was a great movie. I really like history. So when the movie made historical references, such as WW2 and the Nazi's,it made me even more interested. I also liked how Rick changed his attitude. In the beginning of the movie, Rick does not drink with the customers or stick his neck out for anyone. But in the end, Rick starts helping people, such as helping Ilsa and Victor escape to America.