Seven Pounds review

 Number 658 on the top 1000 films of all time is the drama film 'Seven Pounds.'

Ben Thomas (Will Smith) is a man seeking penitence. He is a man looking for redemption who seeks to change the lives of seven people. Two of these include the blind, vegan, meat salesman Ezra (Woody Harrelson) and Emily Posa (Rosario Dawson) a printing business owner with a weak heart.

Will Smith is a hell of an actor. He first came to fame in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Although he is goofy in that he also shows his raw potential as a dramatic actor. And that potential came to the fore within Seven Pounds - one of his most mature roles to date.

*Spoiler alert* Ben Thomas causes a car crash that killed seven people including his fiance. To make up for this, he donates his organs to people he thinks really deserve them. he uses his brother's IRS agent's credentials to help track down these people. Sure you could argue that story itself was all very unlikely Ben Thomas proves himself to be a jack of all trades, including repairing a broken printing press, but I was willing to suspend my disbelief.

I do enjoy a good redemption arc. They start with an already likeable character knowing that he's messed up. And now he is hoping to make up for his mistakes. And when you have Will Smith playing that character things are even better. Will The supporting cast were also good.

Both Woody Harrelson and Rosario Dawson were very likeable as the unwitting recipients of Ben Thomas' good deeds. neither of them are in desirable situation, but they always remain positive. Rather than pitying themselves, they still do the best they can.

The same can be said for Ben Thomas. In many ways, he is an inspirational character. And this inspiration lends the film a lot of emotional weight. it becomes the driving force that propels Seven Pounds along.

The true film's structure can be confusing. You have to wait the entire film to discover Ben's true motivations, but I still very much enjoyed Seven Pounds. It showcased Will Smith at his best.

Se7en Review

SPOILER ALERT

Number 25 on the top 1000 films ofall time is this psychological horror/thriller film, David Fincher’s 1995 film Se7en.

Morgan Freeman plays the soon-to-retire William Somerset, an old and wise police detective and Brad Pitt is the cocky, young and arrogant Detective Mills.  Together they pursue a sadistic serial killer dubbed John Doe, played brilliantly by Kevin Spacey, who murders people in conjunction with seven deadly sins: lust, pride, greed, gluttony, sloth, wrath and envy. 

I really liked the premise behind this film and how it delved in deep into the psyche of a serial killer.  I’ve noticed that in society, there is a strong fascination with serial killers and their motivations.  Whilst we don’t necessarily condone their actions, they are definitely interesting to learn about.  This is one reason why I liked this film: it really took the time to explore John Doe’s character and his motivations for killing.  It delved well into his backstory and his psyche.  

This fleshed him out better as a character and added a sense of intrigue to the film.  Kevin Spacey was once again great as the serial killer: John Doe.  Playing the role with a deadpan seriousness, he conveyed himself, as a cool, calm and collected character.  This is what made him so scary; the fact that he doesn’t show any emotion or remorse for his actions makes him truly frightening.  I also quite liked the idea of John Doe using the seven deadly sins as a template for his kills.  I felt that this was creative and original enough to keep the film memorable.

However, Kevin Spacey is just one of a magnificent cast. As well as Spacey, you have Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Gwyneth Paltrow. These four actors share six Oscars between them - Best Actor Oscars for Paltrow and Spacey. Pitt and Freeman had a great chemistry together with Freeman acting as a begrudging mentor to the young hotshot Pitt. And I didn't even mind Gwyneth Paltrow who played Pitt's wife Tracey. 

Finally, there was some great cinematography which showed the drab and depressing city that the characters inhabit. A city deserving of the awful people who live inside it.