Brennan W
The first time that I watched this film I really didn't like it because I though it was super boring and the twist in the end was anticlimactic. Once I watched it a second time, my opinion on the film has completely changed. I found that the character of Kane was really interesting because of his development in how he was taken from his home and lost his sense of being a child. He was forced to grow up in a capitalist home and for that resented his adoptive father for what he did. I found that the twist of rosebud was actually pretty interesting because of the impact that the word has on his character but also the action that are shown throughout the film. From how he spends money on his home and clutters it, cheating on his wife to pursue something fun, and how he dies alone thinking of his past. The is film is a pioneer in terms of filmmaking and for that should be something that everyone should watch.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
12/21/24
Full Review
Javier M
This is a must watch, a film worthy of many and many rewatches. My one word description of Citizen Kane would be that it is indeed a masterpiece. Directed by Orson Welles, it has been released for over eighty years and counting and it is often regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. I share that sentiment as I think it is a sensational product. It carries that tag of being one of the greatest for a good reason, it set new standards for film and its use of narrative structure is just incredible. In the film, you see the rise and demise of Charles Foster Kane. I just love how many points of his life are shown within this, from a boy to a young man, to the middle-aged, until he’s at his oldest. Orson Welles delivers a stellar performance here from the young Charlie to his end. Kane’s rise to power through the ventures of the newspaper bring him great wealth, fame, and influence but this ultimately leads to his fall, as he tries to run for political office but loses after the news of an affair goes public. Great stuff all around, especially the direction by Welles himself. This film is a landmark in the history of cinema, its influence is still being felt around the state of the industry even if it was released many many many decades ago. Watching this is an experience, one that is essential for someone interested in film, for a lover of cinema. To me, this is easily a certified five stars.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/20/24
Full Review
Miriam F
Citizen Kane (Dir. Orson Welles) is a mystery about a reporter trying to uncover the meaning of millionaire Charles Foster Kane’s last word, “rosebud.” It is through people who once knew him, such as his friend Jedediah and his mistress Susan, that we learn about Kane’s life. We learn he had an abusive father and a mother who thought it was best to send him off with a banker named Thatcher, after receiving his newly gained wealth. When Kane first meets Thatcher he was playing in the snow with a sled and we are given the answer to the film’s mystery and principal question without even knowing. In fact, I completely dismissed it until the end of the film. Kane’s life was full of riches and privileges but it seems as though he was always trying to fill a void with that money. He buys a newspaper called the New York Daily Inquirer, marries the president’s niece, has an affair with a singer by the name of Susan, and builds an estate called the Xanadu. Kane undergoes what could possibly be the worst case of retail therapy ever seen by filling his estate with expensive art pieces. At this point in the film, Kane has no one but Susan left and even she ends up leaving him. Kane begs her to stay but not for her sake, but for his. Kane had all the money in the world yet not a single soul next to him. It is revealed in the last moments of the film, when a few workers are burning some objects from his collection, that a sled with the word, “rosebud” is thrown into the fire. Even with all the money he had and everything he had experienced, Kane could not forget the one good thing about his life before power and fame. Perhaps the only good thing about his life was a mother that genuinely cared for him.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
12/20/24
Full Review
Eliza B
Citizen Kane surprised me. Not only does it have several innovative and creative technical aspects, it also has an excellent and compelling story. The acting is fantastic and while Orson Welles portrays a complex and entertaining Kane, my favorite part of the film is when the reporter is interviewing his old friend Jedediah who keeps trying to sneak his cigars. The influence of Citizen Kane can be seen in the majority of films. It is a masterclass of visual storytelling. One of the technical aspects I enjoyed is the use of depth in different scenes. For example, when Kane is a boy and you can see him through the window while the adults have a conversation. The storyline is compelling and has a lot to say about success and wealth and whether or not it is worth the sacrifices of other people that have to come in order to make someone obscenely wealthy. In the end, Kane is alone, in his castle with all his possessions. It doesn't seem worth it and the premise of the film, with the investigator trying to figure out what “rosebud” means, is an excellent frame for the entire story. What adds to Citizen Kane is how it is loosely based on William Randolph Hearst, furthering the critique of wealth present in the film by incorporating elements of the life of a real person. Citizen Kane has a lot to say and is particularly valuable to watch for anybody who wants to write or make movies.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
12/19/24
Full Review
Nyla E
I was thoroughly surprised that I liked watching Citizen Kane and did not understand the hype behind the film before watching it. But I can see why Citizen Kane has been viewed as transformative for American cinema. This film is legendary for its use of deep focus and how it contributes to the storytelling of the film. I feel many people deem them as innovative and new but I’m sure that Citizen Kane isn’t the first film to use deep focus but its the way the film applied deep focus which helps with the composition and the overall storytelling of the film. A shot that I love in particular, which I’m sure many people have analyzed is when Charles is playing in the snow, and the father is in the middle ground and the mother signing papers with Mr. Thatcher in the foreground. The composition adds many layers to the scene, by having the father in the middle ground, because he’s fighting for Charles’ mother to not sign the papers puts him in a lower position than she is. And having the mother closest to the audience, in the foreground creates kind of like a pyramid of hierarchy. And in this scene since it is her decision to sign the papers she is more superior, or on top of the pyramid. By having Mr. Thatcher right under Charles’ mother but in front of Charles’ father, shows that he is there assisting the mother in her decision and also has somewhat of a superiority over Charles’ father. And Charles in the background playing with snow is oblivious to what’s going on inside, the lowest tier in the pyramid. There’s many things to dissect in this film, I’d suggest this film to anyone who wants to experience the greatness that is Citizen Kane and for people who like to dissect composition, lighting etc.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/19/24
Full Review
Audience Member
Greatest movie ever made of all-time Classics
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/15/24
Full Review
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