Just perfect...

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Blistering performances.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

The Tramp stumbles into hilarious situation after hilarious situation once again in this nearly lost classic which faced an infamously troubled production. Of course, despite those production troubles, the end result is a film that is remarkably well made, with many entertaining and genuinely funny gags that have come to be among Chaplin's most iconic. From the cop chase in the mirror maze to the famous lion cage sequence to the climactic and tense tightrope scene, there are many big laughs piling atop one another throughout the film. Like many of Chaplin's greatest films, 'The Circus' also has a rather sweet and tender side to it. Few silent comedies function without a love interest, and 'The Circus' is no exception; however, it is well worth noting that I feel Chaplin really, in the end, does something unique and beautifully bittersweet with the love interest in this film. The way everything turns out is not exactly what I have come to expect, and it left an interesting impact on me, particularly in its final few shots that communicate an unspoken sadness that rises with a sense of hope for the future of The Tramp's charming excursions.

The Circus was the first silent film I ever watched. Before I watched it I thought I would fall asleep if there wasn't going to be any sound. Surprisingly, I was fully awake through the entire movie and actually ended up really enjoying it. I love how simple it was and with that it was easy for everyone to laugh through out the film. I love how exaggerated Charlie Chaplins acting was, since there is no sound or verbal jokes to make you laugh, you laugh at his facial expression, the way he walks and moves about. My two favorite scenes in the movie were when he is being chased in the fun house and when he hears that Merna is in love, and assumes its him she loves. I was surprised at how it ended but also pleased. I thought he was going to chase the train down so he would still have a job. Instead he walks away from it and moves on with his life.

I am not a big fan of silent movies and usually will stop paying attention but Chaplin was funny and relevant even after 90 years. I found myself enjoying the jokes more than I had expected. It's clear why this is such a staple in movie history with Chaplins performance. I loved the orchestration and music in it, it always fit just right to add the tone where voices can not. Chaplin and his costars acting was great and conveyed emotion with no words needed. While the movie was great, it still just didn't interest me enough in terms of the narrative. It may be that as a modern viewer I desire more complex storytelling than the average audience in 1928.

The circus, being my first exposure to silent movies, was surprisingly hilarious and even emotional. The comedy and hilarity is so easily projected by Chaplin in each zany and inadvertent moment after another. The comical chaos is very amusing to me, i never gave silent movies a chance before watching this movie and i was happily surprised at how easily i was engaged. The Circus' camera shots were inventive and unique, such as the mirror maze scene, and the movie gave the characters depth in a way i thought a silent movie couldn't. Chaplin's performance is true Chaplin, brilliant and hilarious. I even identified with his character and was completely drawn in especially during the end which was surprisingly emotional and for me, relatable.