11 out of 10 Stars

Rating: 10/10 (16 October 2012)

What can you say about Casablanca? I'm serious. What can be said about it? It's one of the greatest films of all time and everybody already knows it. This movie is so perfect, that it actually brings tears to my eyes. The acting, the characters, the story, the quotes, the humor, the drama, the atmosphere; everything is just perfect. This is what classics are made of. Picking my favorite thing about this movie is almost impossible because everything goes together hand in hand. But if I had to pick 2 things that make this movie great, it would have to be the two main characters, and the world the movie transports you to. First of all, the two leads. Humphrey Bogart is the man. He's always the man. I've never seen a movie where he wasn't the man. Why is he considered the "Greatest Actor of All Time"? Because he's Humphrey Bogart, that's why. I think Humphrey Bogart perfected the concept of an "imperfect hero". From the very beginning, you see that people would die for him, but he wouldn't do the same. He claims to be neutral, but you're never sure which side he's really on. He's so calm and mysterious, but his decisions are based mostly on his unpredictable emotions. He has such a presence to him, but you're constantly wondering if he'll do the right thing in the end. Ingrid Bergman is also amazing playing opposite of Humphrey Bogart. Just like Bogart, she is very mysterious, and you want to know more about her. She also goes above and beyond the typical 1940s female performance. She gets so into the role, it may actually be the most emotional performance I've ever seen from this time period. These two are just perfect together. I love how most of the movie, we're left in the dark about their relationship. All we know is that these two knew each other at one point, and that they once had something. I love how most of the backstory can be seen in the faces of the two main actors. The movie doesn't even need that flashback scene, because you can see how important these two are to each other just by looking at their faces. The flashback scene is great, but I think it would've been cooler if the whole movie, we didn't know their history together. The last thing that I love about this movie is the world. This movie is classic Hollywood fantasy world, and it sure knows how to suck you right in. This isn't real life, it's the movie world; and that's what makes this movie so classic. Even though it has that 1940s acting, and many of the clichés of the time, it still remains timeless. It's all fun, from beginning to end. You may feel like you're watching a movie, but that's just because you are. This is what movies are all about. They're not about showing us what life is really like; they're about letting us escape to a world where life is more interesting. Like I said, this movie just defines "classic". The characters are unforgettable, the scenes are so memorized, and the quotes are so recognizable (it's no wonder this film may be the most referenced/spoofed/quoted film of all time). This film is so perfect, it gets better and better each time I see it. It's so classic; it kind of hurts. So bottom line.it's alright.