Quick Movie Review: Blood Diamond

Hey, this movie was pretty good! I went into this movie knowing next to nothing about “blood diamonds” and the conflicts and heart-break that they cause. Let me tell you that this movie left a lasting impression on me. It presents a dark, realistic glimpse into the world of African blood diamonds and it does it in a way that is not heavy-handed but rather dramatic and entertaining.

I liked this movie because it is very poignant and dramatic. Leonardo DiCaprio is also very good in this movie and his character is dynamic and interesting. I hope that viewers will not be turned off by the heavy subject matter and will give this a watch because it’s a great movie.

Quick Movie Review: A Prophet

Yeah, this movie is really good. Without spoiling much, it’s about a young man who is starting a 6 year sentence in a French prison. In the prison, he is forced to join the Corsican mafia for protection in order to survive and the plot continues from there. On paper it might not sound that interesting but this movie is epic in the way it develops the characters and storyline. You really become connected to the main character, Malik, and his life. Be warned, this movie is long (2.5 hours) and the dialogue is in French and Italian with English subtitles, so don’t bother starting this unless you are willing to read. With that being said, the dialogue/translation is really good and is quite easy to follow.

In a way, I loved that this movie is set in a part of the world that I know nothing about. The prison conflict between the Muslim and Corsican gangs, the different languages and cultures created a really interesting atmosphere for me because it was so unfamiliar. There are also aspects of the prison and it’s rules that might seem unusual to American viewers because apparently certain laws are quite different in France. But again, I think these cultural differences only add to the entertainment value of the movie.

A Prophet is really unique. This movie is entirely worth the time investment to watch and I would recommend it to anyone, especially those who like mob/crime dramas.