It's a wonderful life

Genre: Drama/Family/Fantasy/Romance
Year of release:1946
Director: Frank Capra

One of the most powerful movies of all time. This movie is absolutely classic it makes me want to live and fills me with happiness, the story is awesome, the acting is amazing and the overall feel from start to finish is great. You really feel the characters feel as if you are George Bailey rather than watching him, I wish they played this at Christmas over in New Zealand like they do in every other country as I could watch it every year till I die, it is truly inspirational.

George Bailey has lived his life thinking of others helping them in many ways however at a certain point in his life he wonders if it was worth it, if life would be better without him and thinks of taking his life when his guardian angel saves him and shows him what his life would be like if he had never been born. I like this type of movie where we see simple actions change the world, like in back to the future or even in some ways Donnie Darko so I knew I would like this film and wanted to watch it for a very long time and still was not disappointed.

James Stewart is always very good, rear window, vertigo and this are the only ones I have seen and he has a perfect record in my opinion, his performance in this was better than both rear window and vertigo which is not an easy thing to do. We see Stewart pull of a range of different emotions we he is happy I felt happy, when he is sad I feel sad and he gives a performance showing both of these emotion in the far extremes. This film is one of few that can really move my emotions so strongly others would include Shawshank and the Green Mile. It was not just James Stewart who acted well in this movie we also had some other wonderful acting from Lionel Barrymore, Donna Reed and well everyone each character was crafted and shaped perfectly and I loved them all.

Lionel Barrymore plays a wonderful bad guy Henry F. Potter he is greedy, mean and rich. His character was hated by everyone in the town and he wanted to own the entire town. His character does not care about people he is a fat lazy businessman who wants to be in control, have lots of money and who desires only the things he can't get as that is all that is left, after watching this movie I came to thinking why doesn't he leave the small town, and I came to think that I suits him to stay where he has power even if it is over few people that mean nothing to him. His character is absolutely classic a villain in s business man style that no one but George can stand up to.

Every scene feels new, fresh and perfected even though I had the strange feeling I had seen many of them before e.g. where he asks Mary if she wants the moon, this scene I recognized from a much much lesser movie Bruce Almighty. Where I had seen other scenes is still a mystery to me however I am not surprised as it is an extremely famous movie.

Some of the cinematography is also very good not as good as Lawrence or Citizen but some of the snowing scenes look very good. The famous scene on the bridge is pretty amazing and the final 10 minutes makes me jump up and down thinking about them and was a true experience while I watched it. The end of this movie is awesome and remembered quite greatly.

If you are ever sad watch this film, if you ever feel emo watch this film, if you like watching small people make a difference watch this movie, if you like classics watch this film, if it is Christmas watch this film, if you like great acting watch this film. I wonder if it has stopped anyone from taking their lives as it is that powerful. I bought it in the same day that I watched it.

10/10