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Reviews
Good Will Hunting (1997)
` how do you like dem apples?'
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are accredited for winning the Oscar for Best Screenplay for the film Good Will Hunting. Directed by Gus Van Sant, the screenplay is brought to life very skillfully and with poise. While both actors had a part in its conception their involvement does not end there. Will Hunting, played by Matt Damon, is a disillusioned and seemingly lost orphan genius from `southie.' His friends, i.e. Chuckie played by Ben Affleck, are his only support in a world which is very cold to Will. Will's emotions and frustrations come to life through violent rebellious actions. Robin Williams plays the role of a psychiatrist who helps Will to find his place in society, and inevitably the `good' of Will Hunting.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
dark humor, masterful storytelling
Directed by Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction, is told in the same discontinuous chronology as his first work Reservoir Dogs. Through four separate and seemingly unrelated stories Tarantino succeeds in telling an epic story of mobsters, a gold watch, and redemption. John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson are convincing as two mob hit men caught in a very interesting day, and their target Butch Coolidge, played by Bruce Willis is a man of vicious tenacity who desires to know what it means `to kill a man.' While the subject matter is relatively heavy, Tarantino's witticism and dark humor help its delivery.
Evil Dead II (1987)
`hail he who has delivered us from the terrors of the deadites!'
Although Director Sam Raimi is renowned for his work on Darkman, three years earlier his real masterpiece was achieved. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn is the archetypal battle of good vs. evil. Raimi pits our hero Ash against hell itself in this black comedy. While aesthetically its appearance is that of a `B-movie' (Raimi in fact intended it to be so) it the content of the film that is the major redeeming factor. Ash, played by Bruce Campbell, is an ordinary man who must ostensibly save the world-a task to be taken seriously. This is however not an easy undertaking as he is stalked by his dead girlfriend, assaulted by his own hand, and injured in almost every manner imaginable. Blood, gore, a chainsaw, and `ole' double-barrel,' need I say more?
Mallrats (1995)
'hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn for sega'
Following Kevin Smith's success at the Sundance Movie Festival with his directorial debut, Clerks, he has returned with the same rhetorical wit and comedic skill with yet another tale of relationships. T.S. Quint (Jeremy London) and Brodie Bruce (Jason Lee) are on the outs with their respective relationships. While London posits `ritual suicide' as a remedy for their problems, Lee has another idea, the mall. Accompanied by `hatchet men' Jay and Silent Bob, they brave the dangers of the mall, visit a topless fortune teller and inevitably realize they must take action before they lose their girlfriends forever. Although comedy prevails, it is obvious that Smith is actually making a powerful statement regarding the true nature of relationships and love.
North by Northwest (1959)
thornhill roger thornhill
One of Alfred Hitchcock's most enduring masterpieces, North by Northwest is a suspense in which Hitchcock tackles many issues plaguing America during the cold war. Among these are espionage, the `red scare', and the lack of an `American' identity. The manner in which Hitchcock juxtaposes Cary Grant's unfortunate encounters with violence with humor is an effective means to bring these issues to the table. In what may be called the paradigmatic film behind the James Bond genre, Hitchcock takes Grant on an archetypal journey of self-discovery across America as he attempts to find his true identity-and of course, Mr. Kaplan.
Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
the movie die hard 2 should have been
The last installment of the trilogy that launched Bruce Willis' career is undoubtedly as entertaining as the first. This is interesting for it seems in cinema the appeal of movies wanes with each sequel. Die Hard with a Vengeance is a relief from the common format of action movies and takes the nursery school game of `Simon Says' to a new plateau. Reprising his role as director, John McTiernan guides Willis and Samuel L. Jackson through New York City in a deadly game in which all odds are stacked against them. Recurrent in the movie is the theme that in life things may not always be what they seem, as racial relations are explored through the unlikely friendship of Willis and Jackson and the mystery of `Simon' is revealed-and of course the means by which he seeks his vengeance.
Scarface (1983)
an insight into Miami's drug empire
In the tradition of the Godfather films, director Brian DePalma has brought Oliver Stone's creation Scarface to the big screen. It is the archetypal `rags to riches' story of a young Cuban refugee named Tony Montana. Al Pacino more than fulfils this role as he conveys the ruthless nature of Montana and likewise the ruthless nature of Miami's Cocaine underworld. Although Montana's ultimate position in life is morally wrong, he is a character with unequalled resolve. DePalma brings the audience not only into the inner recesses of Montana's world, but also the reality of the world that he has built.
The Boondock Saints (1999)
a modern day crusade: good or evil?
Troy Duffy's first attempt as a director, The Boondock Saints, not only brought this promising young man experience, but success. Arranged in a plot style akin to that of Tarantino's works, i.e. Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, this dark comedy does indeed do this film genre justice. Following a brutal encounter with mob related activity, fraternal twins, the MacManus brothers are 'charged' with a holy crusade to serve as active emissaries of god's will on evil members of society. The MacManus brothers (played by Flanery and Reedus) are resolute in their mission. While this film is brutal, it is quite entertaining and brings to light the following question: Is it intrinsically evil to slaughter those who are evil, for the purposes of good?
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
the archetypal battle of good v. evil
Based upon a novella written by Stephen King, The Shawshank Redemption is unique in that its delivery is more effective as a motion picture than as a work of literature. Enter Andy Defresne- a man convicted of crimes that he did not commit. Such is his reality, and our deepest fear. Tim Robbins offers a stellar performance, depicting a realistic character weighed down by his situation, yet while in the presence of this adversity he does not abdicate hope. His tenacity is unparalleled, and is undoubtedly a characteristic to be admired, if not imitated. Accompanying this man?s quest is a case study of the corruption inherent in American corrective facilities. While many atrocities are brought to light, the resulting product is one of the most life affirming movies I have ever viewed as Andy eventually reaches his 'destination.'