The Circus (1928) - 3/5

This movie is pretty standard far for Charlie Chaplin. It’s got his signature slapstick, the standard boy-meets-girl narrative, and the pacing and stakes of its era. But for all that it’s still a solid film today, not as ponderously slow as many of its peers but not as break-neck as many comedies today. For those who aren’t too cynical to enjoy a heartfelt older film, you could do a whole lot worse than this.

Closest comparison: It’s more like Modern Times than it is like City Lights.

Setting: Comedy
Plot: Comedy
Tone: Comedy

City Lights (1931) - 5/5

This movie is an old classic, and true to form knocks it out of the park. In parts it’s a slapstick extravaganza, but on the whole it’s equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and heartbreaking. There’s a purity to silent films that here is used to great effect, using the audience’s loss of one sense and lack of agency to empathize with the heroine. It has antiquated sensibilities and pacing, but it comes across as sincere and meaningful ninety years later.

Closest comparison: It’s like The Pursuit of Happyness by way of Modern Times.

Setting: RomCom
Plot: Rags to Riches
Tone: Comedy/Drama