# 78: Modern Times

I didn't even know if was interested in seeing this movie or dreading it, today I am reviewing Modern Times.  You see I have never seen a silent movies (I prefer talkies) so I had no idea what to expect.  I know my girlfriend did not want to see this at all, but my mother was looking forward to it (I think its because she is old).

Charlie Chaplin is a very popular, maybe the most popular, silent movie star.  He not only was loved world wide but I have heard how his comedic styling has been an influence to many people.  On the other side of things he always seemed to be in political controversy by doing things such as not joining the army during WWI and had some socialist and communist friends.  Well Charlie I have some friends too:

This film is also received some criticism for being a silent movie even though the technology for talkies had been around for a while and it received no recognition from the Academy Awards, despite it being one of Charlie's most well known films.

The internet lied!  They are a bunch of liars!!! Oh, wait let me first say I was not a huge fan of this movie, anyways here are the internet's ratings: 
IMDB = 8.5 out of 10
Rotten Tomatoes (Critic Rating) = 100%
Rotten Tomatoes (Audience Rating) = 95%

I am not sure how to even talk about the characters in this film.  There were so so so many minor characters.  Some were weird, some were funny.  There were no personalities or story arcs for these characters instead they were more silly, cartoon-like characters.  The female lead in this movie was really cool, I liked her a lot though I am not sure why, once again not like there is a lot of character to like.  FUN FACT #1: Charlie Chaplin had many marriages in his life, many of them very young girls, the lead in this movie was one of the older girls he married.  Charlie Chaplin was fun but I wasn't really impressed.  I think that there may have been too much hype about him that I built unachievable standards or maybe he just isn't all that awesome.  You do get to hear Charlie Chaplin sing in this movie, and I believe it is the first movie where he does so, so that's a pretty big deal.  Also, is his mustache real?

Not really much of a story to talk about either (seeing the trend? there isn't much to this movie).  There really isn't one story but rather a bunch of shorts stringed together by a loose plot line.  The movie did have social commentary about life during the depression but I don't know history that well or am that deep.  The story was so boring I had to keep shaking my girlfriend to stay awake and then she eventually had to narrate everything that was happening to keep focused.  Some of the jokes were pretty racy.  There were boob jokes and cocaine jokes.  I guess I just thought they were more conservative back then.  My mom thought it was hilarious though so I guess she liked it.  Once again I did learn things from it:
#1: Hitler mustaches were cool
#2: If you are buff and work in a factory you don't need to wear a shirt
#3: Factories are dangerous

The music for this movie was written by Charlie which is cool I guess.  I also thought some of the "stunts" were really cool, actually just when Charlie was skating around:

I am not sure if he really did this or there is some painted backdrop this going on but I still thought it was cool.

So I learned that I do not like silent movies.  I know some people will say we need to appreciate the art and history of it and look at where movies come from.  To them I say when is the last time you decided not to drive your car and take a horse and carriage somewhere?  Just imagine if one of your favorite movies was a silent movie:

Not that cool is it?  I do not know why there are so many silent movies on the AFI Top 100, I just know I won't like them and I didn't like this movie.  I gave Modern Times a D+