Citizen Kane

Our rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
In anticipation to the prestigous #1 critics choice film of all time, we were very excited to dive into this film and see what it was all about. Sadly, Evan and I were somewhat disappointed with this film because of our high expectations. However, this film was on top of the game as far as filming techniques and more advanced sound quality. Orson Welles displayed an almost never ending amount of symbolism in his film which kind of seemed too good to be true but did always keep you wondering. The plotline basically consists of a man named Charles Foster Kane, (Orson Welles) a man betrayed by his parents at a very young age for financial gain. He lives his life with prosperity and seems to have all a man can ask for. For a man that has everything, his dying wish are for his mere "Rosebud", leading detectives on a hunt to find out what exactly he meant by his dying words.
So Why "Rosebud"
EA-  For Charles's entire life he could have anything that he wished for, except for a few things. He would never get his childhood back that was ripped out from underneath him as a young lad, or get the time with his family back. As a kid he loved to play in the snow with his beloved sled "Rosebud" it was his only link to his childhood.
JC-  The great part of this film is the fact that it leaves you thinking as to why Kane uttered "Rosebud" as his death words. Like said in the film by the female reporter, "If you could've found out what Rosebud meant, I bet that would've explained everything," but, one word cannot describe Kane's life. The fact that they leave you hanging is what makes this film the #1 critics choice. However, if you're looking for some high flying, edge of your seat material, this is not for you. As you slowly move through the film finding more and more about Kane's life, you become overly bored and uninterested. SPOILER: Not to mention when you find out that "Rosebud" was simply his childhood sled, it kind of gives you the feeling of, "What was the point?"