barrwell Reviews

Limitless (I) (2011)

what if you found a drug that allowed you to use 100% of your brain?

[9/10 · 16 October 2013]

It seems there are fewer watchable movies made every year, and the good ones usually don't get much hype. I had to stumble over 'Limitless' on the internet and didn't know it existed until a few months ago. The premise instantly intrigued me, but I was leery of a serious film starring Bradley Cooper, someone I had only seen in a few comedies (Wedding crashers, The hangover). It only took a couple minutes of watching to realize he was going to be fine, in fact he was very good in the role that required him switching from 'on' to 'off' the drug. Limitless is an exhilarating thrill ride of a movie that has everything the modern (or classic)movie viewer could want; a fascinating premise, outstanding visuals and cinematography, solid acting and plenty of action. This is great entertainment, and though you might not want to think too much about the plot, it doesn't matter because you won't have time anyway because it moves too fast.

Eddie Morra (Cooper) is burned-out writer, a slob and a loser, who just got dumped by his girl when he runs into an old acquaintance who claims to be working in the pharmaceutical industry (though he is a former drug dealer) and has an experimental drug that Eddie ends up sampling. Eddie finds that while on the drug he can remember everything he has ever seen or read and immediately he start finding ways to profit from it as it seems he not only has amazing abilities of recall, he also has super-human energy. His whole personality is transformed and he begins making powerful new friends and uses his skill for huge gains on the financial markets to the point it draws the attention of market kingpin Carl Van Loon (Robert DeNiro)and soon Eddie is Van Loon's secret weapon in a massive upcoming merger...but things start getting twisted.

Director Neil Burger does a tremendous job with all the interconnected story threads, and there are many: Eddie has only a limited amount of the drug and keeping himself 'on' is paramount, there are side-effects that may be fatal, there are other people using the drug and they will literally kill to supply themselves, the drug can cause blackouts and Eddie may have committed heinous crimes he doesn't remember, Eddie's new personality draws his old girlfriend back to him and she too ends up caught up in this web. Through all this Eddie also has too produce results for Van Loon and keep himself supplied with the drug.

The rest you have to watch for yourself as there is so much going on in this film and it absolutely flies by, as I said, don't think about it too much -it's just a movie, and the ending seems a little tacked-on, but you can supply the deeper meaning and morals yourself, but give it a try...I don't recommend many contemporary films, but 'Limitless' is so absorbing and wildly entertaining I feel I can't hardly miss by saying CATCH THIS ONE! -and like me maybe your only problem will be how this gem slipped through the cracks with so little publicity...while films like 'Django Unchained' receive unwarranted Oscar attention, all 'Limitless' does is entertain!

Attack (1956)

what a great movie, a psychological war drama

[10/10 · 13 October 2013]

I found "attack" online and vaguely remembered seeing it back in the 90s on AMC (yes, they used to show commercial-free older films). I remembered it was a good psychological war movie that I needed to see it again and I'm glad I did. This movie is riveting from the first shot, it has an action sequence before the opening credits even roll that sets up the story. Every scene matters in this crackerjack of a film that has a master at the helm in Robert Aldrich and features knockout performances by Jack Palance as heroic Lt. Joe Costa and Eddie Albert as cowardly captain Cooney. The rest of the cast is great too,Lee Marvin, Buddy Ebsen as the reliable platoon sergeant, Robert Strauss and Richard Jeackel add some comic relief.

The setting is the battle of the bulge (where's the snow?), but unlike other war films that play like a reenaction of events, the setting is not really relevant as this film explores themes of cowardice and treachery in battle. It could just as easy be set in WW1, or Vietnam. Reminiscent in these themes of Kubricks anti-war 'Paths of Glory', though that film explored cowardice at the lower ranks and treachery at the higher ranks, and 'attack' is somewhat the opposite in that the cowardice is clearly at the top of the company with Cooney, and the treachery seems to be all up and down the ranks. So maybe this too is an anti-war film, and maybe that is why the US military refused to give support in the filming...probably the reason that some of the sets and props lack authenticity, which is the only fault in this film.

Captain Cooney is one of those officers that comes from a powerful family, and he is kept in place by a Colonel (Lee Marvin, solid as usual) who wants to use the connection for post-war political gain. So Cooney is entrenched but Costa has seen enough of Cooney's debacles in battle and is threatening to come back and "stick a grenade down your throat and pull the pin" if he is left twisting in the wind after Cooney's latest order of sending Costas platoon to occupy a farmhouse in a town that may or may not be a Nazi hotbed. Cooneys plan backfires and more men are dead, and when the platoon pulls back Costa ends up missing, but he won't be missing for long, for his searing anger toward Cooney and need for retribution are giving him all his reason for living.

When you consider war movies like Aldrich's later 'The dirty dozen' or 'Saving private Ryan', though they contain many cynical lines and 3/4 of the cast end up killed, the thing that probably makes them acceptable to the US military is that you at least get the impression that the men at the top are noble, caring soldiers. Not so with 'attack', it seems the closer to the top you get the more cynical, cowardly or uncaring they get. Could this have been the problem the military had with this film? -probably. People are people, and this story goes beyond war when it shows the monumental effect of weak leadership on morale and sanity. Costa reaches a point where he has become almost as unglued as Cooney, and Palance's performance here is so powerful and intense that YES, it should have received Oscar attention, but again, it just isn't the message or the type of film on which the system likes to shine a light.

That's a shame, but today it doesn't matter, it's a great film to enjoy and to watch this collection of fabulous actors who all became much better known in the 60s and 70s than they were at the time. I would guess they were all unknown (except maybe Palance, 'Shane','The big knife')to most people in 1956, as was Aldrich, though he had made 'Kiss me deadly' the year before. I think this may be his most engrossing film, it's tight, action-packed, extremely well acted...and it stuck with me afterward, made me think...high praise indeed.

Winter's Bone (2010)

hey if the last film you saw was a sequel, you might not like 'Winter's bone'

[9/10 · 12 August 2013]

I don't agree with the people who get on here and try to tell others not to watch a movie. Most of today's films are just a rehash of some other financially successful similar film, or worst of all -sequels. So many garbage films how can you trust someone who watches a lot of today's movies? I watch few newer films and when I do it is something like 'Winters bone', an original, stark and realistic film shot on location in the Missouri Ozarks.

Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) is a 17 year old who is raising her two younger siblings in the absence of her father, and the debilitating mental illness of her mother. The Ozark mountains in recent decades has experienced an epidemic of meth "cooking" and Winters bone takes us inside an extended family that has become deeply immersed in drugs. Ree's father has been running meth-labs and is in deep trouble with the law and has apparently hit the road...at least that is one possibility, and the sheriff now is telling Ree that if he doesn't show up for a court date Ree and her family will lose their home, which dad had used as collateral to a bondsman.

This is the setup for Rees journey to find her father and keep her family together. Her uncle Teardrop (John Hawkes, perfectly cast) warns her to stay away from the family and their business, but Ree is determined and sets out, mostly on foot, deeper into the hidden crevices of this area that time has left behind. She is fearless and defiant, and Lawrence brilliantly captures the aura of a young woman who has grown up being taught the things that children just are not taught in today's America -not just the hard work like chopping wood, but shooting and hunting and gutting a squirrel, and some touching scenes show her teaching some of these things to her much younger brother and sister. At first I thought she may look a little too clean for the part, her skin too clear, but she quickly grew on me in what is a fully convincing performance.

Winter's bone is much more than the story, this is deeply rooted in the location depicted, and people who love location photography and the lay of the land, a part of America that hasn't changed much in 100 years, will appreciate the visual aspects of this film. I was reminded a little of 'Deliverance' or the little known Walter Hill film 'Southern comfort' when watching Winter's bone. To have seen and enjoyed either of those two films is to understand what to expect from this kind of environment. I love unique settings like this, a nice piece of Americana full of local flavor and I think the filmmakers understood this well as several of the actors were Ozark mountain locals and they add to the ardent realism of the film.

What also shines through is the hope, the hope and strength of this incredible 17 year old woman who faces challenges that contemporary women, for all their talk of "having it all" (career, family. etc), could never handle. That's all she knows -how to survive, against all kinds of odds...it's her bread and butter.

..and to those who would say "don't waste your time on this movie", I would say...don't waste your time trying to be a film critic.

The Party (1968)

a must-see comedy for any fan of Peter Sellers!

[8/10 · 17 January 2011]

It's hard for me to give an unbiased rating to this 1968 Blake Edwards comedy so I'll put it this way...anyone who (like me) really appreciates the comic genius of Peter Sellers forget the rating and just check this out! Sellers plays struggling Indian actor Hrundi Bakshi, who accidentally gets invited to a fancy Hollywood party...and thats about all the story there is, not much plot just Sellers-inspired mayhem as he proceeds to wreck the party with his clumsiness.

Peter Sellers is a master of dialect and physical comedy and we get that here too, but we also see another side of his talent -his skill as a silent comedian. There are several set pieces where Edwards just fixes the camera on Sellers and rolls with only the background noise of the party; one scene (my favorite) is in the bathroom as he can't get that pesky toilet to stop running, another shows him trying different methods to retrieve his floating shoe out of an indoor pool, still another has him playfully adjusting knobs on a wall console that control various things like fountains, revolving bars and the intercom.

At this point, if you haven't seen 'The Party' your imagination is at work based on the above descriptions and believe me, it's even funnier than you can imagine. So if you're just in a mood to laugh, and don't feel like following any plot, try this one...like I say, if you like Sellers, you won't be disappointed.

I think Peter Sellers may be the best all-around motion picture comedian of all time. He's at least in the top three -who can compare today? nobody! I mean..What are todays comedies? endless fart jokes and genitalia references...mere fodder for the brain dead masses. I need comic timing and clever dialog to make me laugh, or a natural comic genius like Sellers.

King of New York (1990)

this is a violent but solid little sleeper; gangster film highlighted by Walkens and Fishburnes performances.

[7/10 · 13 January 2011]

King of New York, while not a classic, is a gritty, drug-lord gangster flick in the same vein as films like 'New Jack City' and 'American Gangster'. If you like this type of movie then King of New York is definitely worth a look. Frank White (Christopher Walken) has just been released from prison and wants to get back together with his gang, take over the New York drug trade, and become a modern robin hood. This little known film somehow flew under the radar when released in 1990 but is just as entertaining as the movies I listed above.

New York detective Dennis Gilley (David Caruso) is sick and tired of seeing drug lords like Frank run amuck in his city and is ready to cross any line…indeed to do whatever it takes, including murder, to take Frank down. Dennis' captain Roy Bishop (the late Victor Argo) wants Frank busted too, but he wants to do it by the book and tries to control his subordinates to no avail.

One prolonged climactic sequence of this movie is virtually worth the price of admission; when Dennis and his group disguise themselves and infiltrate Frank's hideout while they are partying one night. The place erupts in a frenzy of gunfire as we try to distinguish just who is who and eventually the scene spills outside and evolves into a high speed car chase and shoot out as the cops chase Frank and his number two man Jimmy Jump (Laurence Fishburne) through the streets of New York. This protracted scene lasts about 15 minutes and is dynamite….you may find yourself rewinding to watch it again!

There is no conventional movie ending here, in fact it is a rather bleak and downcast wrap-up, but then this is no typical Hollywood film. The acting however is top notch, with Walken delivering as usual, Caruso bringing a surprising amount of intensity to his role, and the then-unknown Wesley Snipes effective as Caruso's partner. The standout to me though is Fishburne, who gives an over the top performance as the psychotic, volatile Jimmy Jump. It's worth watching for this performance alone. That is….if you like an action packed, violent gangster film…and if not, you're probably not still reading this anyway, so enjoy.

Patterns (1956)

this taut, gripping drama about corporate power put Rod Serling on the map.

[9/10 · 11 January 2011]

I know todays movie audience has much different tastes than they did in 1956, but personally I still want a good story, dynamic acting and sharp dialog. Patterns delivers, and I can't believe I just saw this excellent film for the first time. Rod Serling is a master when it comes to delving into the depths of the human psyche in a way that is interesting and profound...and truly transcends time. Patterns is a character study laced with a lot of potent commentary as it explores the lives of three men at the top of a large corporation.

Walter Ramsey (Everett Sloane) runs the company his father built, and has just hired Fred Staples (Van Heflin) away from a small firm in Ohio. Fred forms a friendship with the number two man Bill Braggs (Ed Begley), a long time employee who lately has had health problems. After Fred embellishes some of Bill's ideas as they combine on an annual business plan, he thinks he's getting too much of the credit and that Bill's ideas aren't appreciated enough and starts asking questions.

It ends up that Ramsey is trying to force Bill out by continually browbeating and embarrassing him so he can replace him with Fred. Fred is furious that he is being used by the boss and defends Bill and urges him to stand up for himself. Bill says something like "this is too big of a job to walk away from, I won't resign...and he won't fire me after 30 years". Fred is caught between his quiet ambition and his loyalty to a friend, but one thing seems sure...a big confrontation is coming.

I think one reason there are so many special effects and shootouts in movies today is because the actors can't command the screen the way their counterparts from previous eras did. It's a pleasure watching this powerhouse trio and they are each excellent, but Begley (cast against type) stands out to me as the jaded, defeated Bill; it shows how little some things change as Bill laments about the new meaning of corporate growth and tells of how Ramseys' father used to walk the factory floor and knew all the employees on a first name basis. That confrontation between Fred and Bill is so compelling and well-acted...it reminded me that I had worked in companies like this, where the 2nd generation took over and destroyed the organizations culture to make few more dollars.

Patterns has a lot to say about corporate America as well as the human condition and reminds us that much of the disease that has rotted the soul out of our country didn't necessarily start in the Reagan era but a few decades earlier. Leave it to Rod Serling to put it on the screen better than anyone else...he was a true genius and Patterns proves this once again.

The Cotton Club (1984)

great jazz score enriches this hybrid period piece; a gangster movie with many musical and dance numbers.

[7/10 · 8 January 2011]

Francis Ford Coppola exploded onto the scene with the stylishly original classic 'The Godfather' in 1972. A little over a decade later he made the lesser renowned but yet more notorious (for its production problems and bloated budget) 'The Cotton Club', a fact meets fiction throwback to the movies of the 1930s when gangster films (as well as comedies, etc) often incorporated musical and dance scenes. Today, while the Godfather resides on most of the best-ever movie lists, the Cotton Club is mired in obscurity…a largely forgotten near-miss. The film is stunning visually and has many other redeeming qualities however; James Remar chews the scenery effectively as a rabid Dutch Schultz, women can watch Richard Gere, men can watch the delectable Diane Lane, and the rest can watch the dazzling tap sequences of the Hines brothers and bask in all the period music.

Trouble is brewing in 1930s Harlem as Dixie Dwyer (Gere), an up and coming actor, musician and mob fringe-dweller is asked by Schultz to chaperon his mistress, aspiring wannabe club owner Vera Cicero (Lane) and sparks immediately start to fly. Meanwhile Owney Madden (Bob Hoskins), the owner of the Cotton club is preparing for an upcoming prison stint and the local mob figures are vying for position and it appears a mob war is on the horizon.

Also, Sandman Williams is starting his dance career and, along with his brother(Gregory and Maurice Hines), is seeking stardom at Harlems' famous Cotton Club. Sandman is also trying to court one of the clubs other entertainers (Lonette McKee) and his aspirations are coming between he and his brother and they eventually split. Also in the mix is Dixie's little brother, a young overzealous mob hit-man "Mad Dog" Dwyer (Nicholas Cage), who like the Sandman seems to be letting his ambition get the better of him.

These (and other) story lines will all intersect in and around the Cotton Club as the strong-willed Vera fights for independence from the psychotic Schultz, which in turn puts Dixie in a dangerous predicament. Owney's prison term approaches, Mad Dog gets in over his head and Sandman has a heartwarming on-stage reunion with his brother. As we reach the climax Schultz's behavior has become intolerable and as Madden is leaving for prison we are treated to a masterful cinematic display as images of a high profile mob hit are alternated with shots of Sandman's stair step tap routine; beauty and brutality both captured in one memorable montage.

There is a lot to enjoy in The Cotton Club; we get some of the great character actors like Fred Gwynne, Tom Waits, John P. Ryan and Remar, as well as future stars like Lawrence Fishburne, Jennifer Grey and Cage (who is Coppola's nephew by the way). Many of the characters are real such as Schultz, Sandman, Lucky Luciano and a young Bumpy Johnson (the same Bumpy Johnson that Denzel Washington's character worked for in the beginning of 'American Gangster').

No it's not the Godfather but just as entertaining in its own way. In the early 90s when I first saw this I'd have rated it 8 or 9…but hey, it still plays well but this is an unappreciated film, for whatever reason. It is a tad long and the vast array of characters are mostly one-dimensional, but still the Cotton Club is well worth a watch.

It gives us a glimpse into the culture and the fantastic jazz music of this long gone era. This was the era when common guys like Dixie Dwyer had a good chance of making it big, an era where a strong willed woman could overcome the clutches of a madman, an era when people in movies were liable to break out in song or dance at any time…even in Union Station, and it was an era when the hero got the girl and they rode off happily ever after. What's so wrong about that?

Little Big Man (1970)

enlightened western classic is quirky, funny, heartbreaking and full of action and colorful characters; it all leads up to Custer's last stand

[10/10 · 23 December 2010]

When Little Big Man was released in 1970 it was amidst a changing landscape in both the movie industry and America itself. The "studio system" in Hollywood had faded away and traditional genres like the western were dying a slow death. To make big money with a western you needed star appeal as was the case with films like "True Grit" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". Needless to say Little Big Man was not a huge box office success, but it is a beautiful and unique American classic as well as being the first mainstream western to portray Native Americans as real people and not stereotypes. The story depicts events on both sides leading up to the battle of little bighorn as told through flashbacks by Jack Crabb (Dustin Hoffman at his best), the 121 year old soul white survivor. Jack is like a fly on the wall of many momentous events from the wild west, almost like a western version of Forrest Gump.

At the beginning of the film the old version of Crabb (Hoffman, in an incredible make-up job) tells an interviewer to turn on his tape recorder and shut up and he'd tell the story of the "human beings". The human beings he is referring to are the Cheyenne Indians, a tribe that Jack knew well as he had been raised by the Cheyenne after his family was "wiped-out" by another tribe.

This is where his serpentine story starts as we are introduced to all the Cheyenne characters with which Jack's path will cross time and time again. Jack is raised by Old Lodgeskins (the incredibly good Chief Dan George) who gives him his name and teaches him the ways of the Cheyenne. Jack is captured back by the whites as a teenager after an Indian battle, raised by preachers wife Louise Pendrake (Faye Dunaway), and from this point on he goes back and forth between the whites and the Cheyenne as his story unfolds.

Jack continually will come across people from his past and each time it happens it changes the direction of his life; he meets a snake oil salesman (Martin Balsom, perfectly cast) with one eye, and each time he meets him again he's missing another body part…"you're getting whittled down pretty good Mr. Meriwether"…then he ends up being abducted by his long lost sister who teaches Jack how to shoot and thus he becomes a gunslinger and is befriended by Wild Bill Hickok (Jeff Corey). Eventually he ends up joining the Army, the 7th cavalry under George Custer (Richard Mulligan, manic and hilarious), who is portrayed as an egocentric oddball, which probably isn't far from the truth. Custer claims he can tell a mans occupation by just looking at him and says a job-seeking Jack is a muleskinner (he's wrong of course), when Jack finally humors him and says he is right, Custer gleefully bellows "hire the muleskinner" before riding off.

There are two climatic scenes and both involve the 7th Cavalry and Custer,the first is the attack on the Washita River of Cheyenne women and children. This scene is alternately hilarious and heartbreaking as Jack gets Lodgeskins to make a run for the river by convincing him he is invisible (funnier than I can convey in words), and after escaping Jack watches helplessly as the soldiers murder his wife and baby.

The second climactic scene is the battle of Little Big Horn, as Custer is convinced anything Jack (now a scout) tells him will be wrong and sneeringly tells his horrified aide that Jack is the "perfect reverse barometer". It's hard to put into words just how insightful and ironic that scene is right before the battle …the voice-over of Jack says "I had him now, but what I had wasn't a knife…but the truth"…while the pitiful Custer is all pomp and arrogance, too proud (and stupid) to realize Jack is telling the exact truth, and the poor aide can see the whole thing coming but can do nothing as Custer's bloated ego leads them all to their doom.

One of the great things about Little Big Man is seeing the recurring characters all having their destinies fulfilled, whether its Lulu becoming a prostitute and then going to live with her aunt, or Meriwether losing his limbs one by one, or Hickok getting gunned down in Deadwood holding his aces and eights, or Custer being turned into a "greasy spot" on Medicine tail coulée.

Well, then there's old Lodgeskins, who had often made mention of it being "a good day to die". At the end he wants Jack to walk with him up the hill to die but then it starts raining and he opens his eyes…"am I still in this world?" yes, grandpa answers Jack "jesshhh, I was afraid of that". Old Lodgeskins has been through hell, but he's a survivor.

Jack Crabb is a survivor too. And a choirboy, a snake oil salesman, a gunslinger, a merchant, a drunk, an Indian scout…and yes of course, a muleskinner.

Happy Days: Guess Who's Coming to Christmas (1974) Season 2, Episode 11

this makes my top 5 Christmas episodes list

[9/10 · 21 December 2010]

I used to watch 'Happy Days' in my early teen years when it first came on the air. In fact I think I'm the only person I know who remembered the actual pilot for Happy Days, which was a segment of the old ABC show called 'Love American Style'. So when I saw the episode titled "guess who's coming to Christmas" recently on a cable station, I was amazed that I had never seen it before. It's the one where the Cunninghams invite Fonzie over for Christmas, as Ritchie is sure that Fonz is alone for the holiday even though Fonz insists he's going out of town to be with relatives. This episode is a classic, one of the best from this series and instantly went on my top 5 Christmas episodes list.

This episode was from the first season and a half of Happy Days (it was a mid-season replacement show in January, 1974), when the show was filmed with one camera and a laugh track and had more of a movie-look to it, as opposed to taping in front of live audiences that started in its third season (this gave it that 'sitcom' look). Originally the show had been developed to capitalize on the success of the movie 'American Graffiti', which had also starred Ron Howard. After a couple seasons of mediocre ratings they decided to make Fonz more of a central character and turned him into a superstar icon. The show had immense success, but I think it lost a lot of its nostalgic realism and it got sillier and sillier through the years and at some point as I got older I gravitated to smarter, funnier shows like 'Mash' and 'Barney Miller'.

In this episode the Fonz is still much more human then he later became; at one point in this episode he fixes the Cunninghams car in the garage where he works. Later in the series they never seemed to show him working anymore; it was like he became too cool to be shown working. It's at the garage that Ritchie later sees Fonz heating up a can of ravioli and making a sandwich for his Christmas Eve meal and tries to talk his dad into inviting Fonz to their house for Christmas. They later go over to Fonzies apartment and get him to go with them to the Cunninghams. As they leave Fonz comes back in and slides the gift that Ritchie had brought him under his little table-top Christmas tree and smiles. A nice little touch that showed a sweet and sentimental side of the Fonz that was seldom seen in the series' later years.

The best Christmas episodes involve some touch of supreme humanity or kindness that captures the true spirit of the season and this one surely qualifies. At the end as they sit around the dinner table they ask Fonz to say the Christmas prayer and he looks uncomfortable for a minute and then bows his head and says "Hey God…Thanks", then he smiles. It's a nice, touching wrap-up. It's also a real good turn from a Fonzie that was, at the time, still more human than icon and a Cunningham family that seemed more like a real family from the 1950s.

My other four favorite Christmas episodes are: -Mash "Dear Dad" from 1972 (Hawkeye gets lowered from helicopter into combat zone dressed as Santa to work on wounded soldier), -The Andy Griffith Show from 1960 where they have the party in the jail house, -Twilight Zone "Night of the Meeks" from 1960 with Art Carney, and -The Honeymooner's Christmas episode from 1955 (..I think) when Ralph gives his famous Christmas monologue to his wife and then the whole cast comes out of character and gives a bow to the live audience…I like little glimpses into the early days of television. Simpler times, before they were polluting our minds with so much sex and violence.

I'll tell you what, script writing was much better in the older days too!

North by Northwest (1959)

its an action movie, a road picture, a romance with espionage thrown in...this is a movie with universal appeal

[10/10 · 15 December 2010]

Alfred Hitchcock has certainly made scarier movies (Psycho, The Birds), and he's made more suspenseful movies (Notorious, Shadow of a doubt), but I don't think he ever made a movie that was as purely entertaining as North by Northwest. What I mean by universal appeal is this; you could put anyone (who likes movies) of any age and sit them down in front of North by Northwest and they will likely enjoy themselves. This movie has something for everyone, it has excellent pacing and scenery…and of course it has the old master at the helm.

North by Northwest certainly doesn't look like it's over 50 years old. That's something that a master like Hitchcock adds to a film; his expert use of lighting, camera positioning and sound give this movie a crispness that defies its age. This adds to that universal appeal I mentioned, alas many movies from the 1950s don't look near as good as North by Northwest. It amazes me how many recent movies have forced me to abort due to inferior camera techniques…excessive camera movement (this can actually make me dizzy), too many close-ups and weird angles, and poor lighting and editing. Heres the deal; many of todays film directors have NO CLUE how to make a truly watchable and lasting movie...and the bigger problem...most of the dumbed-down audience of today can't tell the difference.

Speaking of masters, does any actor today really carry a movie with such grace as Cary Grant? Grant plays Richard Thornhill in this movie, a wall street exec who has been mistaken for someone else by a group of international Art collectors who are also into espionage (what secrets they are transporting is irrelevant…what Hitchcock called the 'Mcguffin'). Grant moves through the film with his typical easy charm that maybe today's young actors should study, indeed Cary Grant is a natural and this is a perfect role for his style. Thornhill is befriended by the lovely Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint, also well cast) on the 20th century limited, but Kendall may or may not be what she appears to be.

The story takes us to Chicago where Thornhill is supposed to meet a man at a dusty crossroads in the middle of corn country as (in case you don't know) one of the most famous scenes in movie history unfolds. Eventually we end up at the Mount Rushmore memorial for one of Hitchcock's patented climaxes in or around some famous, exotic locale.

It's a wonderful ride... I think the best test of a classic movie is the test of time. I first saw (and fell in love with) North by Northwest in a hotel room in Utah while on vacation when I was about 15 years old. I've watched it many times since and it always seems fresh. When a master is on the mark it is something to relish… a gift from the movie gods.

Hitchcock was once asked what he did for a living to which he replied "producer", when asked what he produced he answered "Goosebumps". Enjoy the ride!

update: -3 thumbs-down and no 'likes'? KISS MY ASS...I'm not wasting my time anymore doing this, the American movie watching (and internet surfing) public of today are a bunch of frkin morons anyway and the only film they know is what is on their teeth

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

this is the kind of chick-flick a guy can like too

[8/10 · 23 November 2010]

I'm a guy and I really liked The Devil Wears Prada. I don't typically like "chick flicks" but this is a smart movie...the kind of movie that Hollywood made in the 1930's with three dimensional characters played by Kathryn Hepburn or Rosiland Russell. It's such a shame that there aren't more roles like Amanda Priestly (Meryl Streep) and Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) for women in movies today. Streep and Emily Blunt (as Emily) are fabulous in this film about a tyrannical editor of a fashion magazine.

I'll admit I was expecting a lot of obligatory teaser shots of models from this movie, but only because that is what I expect out of Hollywood at this point... garbage that panders to a shallow, dumbed-down America. The Devil Wears Prada does not take this easy route and this is why it's so refreshing. Andy is a young journalist wanting to work her way up and applies as an assistant to Miranda, who sees right through her in the opening interview scene. This is such a wonderful scene and I was impressed with Hathaway's ability to not get blown right off the screen by the incredible, understated performance of Ms. Streep. Streep has definitely earned her place as one of the greatest actresses in film history and her performance here is just more evidence of this, and it is a pleasure to watch her work.

Stanley Tucci is also perfectly cast as Nigel, Mirandas unappreciated right hand man. Nigel, we presume is gay, but we don't know for sure because it isn't the typical Hollywood "lets-throw-in-a-gay-guy-for-the-obvious-jokes" (or because its fashionable and/or politically correct). Nigel is another three dimensional character who later becomes part of a sub-plot...and his sexual orientation is never even taken into consideration. Again, this movie is too smart to take the obvious or easy way to entertain us.

We need more movies like The Devil Wears Prada...a well acted, well directed, and entertaining story that doesn't go for the cheap thrills.

And Kate, Roz, Bette...you'd be proud of Meryl, Emily and Anne.

The Hospital (1971)

wild expose' on medical malpractice is a good study in the art of screen writing

[8/10 · 16 November 2010]

Paddy Chayefsky's scathing, sardonic take on the medical establishment is still very relevant today. Like his later, more acclaimed "Network", The Hospital at the time it was released probably seemed like hard-edged satire. 40 years later in the context of an even more insane and corrupt society, these films seem frighteningly real. As much as this movie belongs to Cheyefsky, it equally belongs to George C. Scott, perfectly cast as the alcoholic chief of medicine who has grown despondent over the state of both his personal and professional life. This is the very essence of pathos, and indeed pathos is a specialty of Paddy Cheyefsky. Maybe The Hospital could be called "Network meets Mash", but one thing is for sure...its another forgotten gem from the 70s that deserves to be revisited.

The first hour of The Hospital is simply marvelous. Dr. Bock (Scott) somewhat reluctantly investigates a sudden rash of mysterious deaths, as well as dealing with other odd little situations, while simultaneously seeking professional help from the staff psychiatrist for his growing suicidal tendencies. The breakneck pace sometimes undermines the outstanding dialog, there is so much to see and hear in this film it almost demands multiple viewings...yet it is so entertaining that I didn't mind watching again (and again).

There are two scenes that really stood out to me:

1) An early conversation between Bock and a young doctor (Robert Walden) where the doctor details a preposterous case of malpractice that has recently occurred. It's one of those scenes that are so well-written and well-crafted, you might actually forget you are watching a movie and think you are eavesdropping on a couple of doctors!

2) The scene where Bock first meets Barbara (Diana Rigg) and eventually goes into a drunken rant about the state of the medical profession. This scene blows me away every time I see it and Scotts cryptic line "we cure nothing...we heal nothing" really resonates. I think Scott is actually better here than he was in his Oscar winning role in "Patton". So compelling and believable is he when he talks about the state of his marriage and family...again its like eavesdropping.

Barbara's character is trying to take her father out of the hospital and back to his Indian reservation, and this subplot intertwines with the main plot for a second half that sometimes strays into near-slapstick hilarity and leads to an ending that isn't quite as fulfilling as what I hoped it would be. The first half of the film was so good and hard-hitting that maybe I expected a better closing salvo than "someone has to be responsible"...i guess this says...as despondent as Bock is he hasn't lost his moral compass (maybe getting laid was all he needed?). I wanted something different, and expected something different from a great screenwriter and a movie made in this revolutionary time period, but hey its still a really good, must-see film...funny, cynical, enlightening...and quite memorable.

I guess I have to rate it in halves; 10 for the first half and 6 for the second for an overall 8. Give it a try, if anything I think I'm being too hard on this movie, which is another 70s near-classic.

Apocalypto (2006)

an exhilarating run through the jungle

[9/10 · 11 November 2010]

Apocalypto is like nothing I have seen on film for a long time, a totally unique film experience. I was apprehensive going in...in fact I must admit I tuned out after 15 minutes my first time, but when I stuck it out the second time, I was blown away. I think this is one of the best movies of a notoriously weak movie decade (V for Vendetta, The Hurt Locker and Children of Men are other candidates) and is definitely the most original.

The film is set in Mexico during the Mayan civilization and early on a Mayan camp is attacked by another tribe and Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) and others are taken prisoner and are to be sacrificed to the gods. The scene at the temple where the sacrifices occur is fascinating and is cut short by a solar eclipse. Apparently the gods are appeased and a few Mayans are spared, including Jaguar Paw.

It seems being spared from sacrifice in those days wasn't necessarily such a good thing because what they have the rest of the prisoners do instead hardly seems better, but at least there is a slight chance for survival. If there is a chance for survival, Jaguar Paw's the kind of warrior who is going to find it, and this is where the movie really accelerates and becomes an exhilarating run through the jungle with Jaguar Paw being chased by a group of his captors.

I've spared you from much of the detail so that, in case you haven't seen this movie, you will enjoy it all the more. Jaguar Paw is very resourceful to say the least and by the time this chase is over you will be drained. It's awesome...hats off to Mel Gibson for giving us this fresh, original film. You can see elements of "Braveheart" and "Passion of the Christ" in this film, however for a purely mesmerizing and unique entertainment experience, I think Apocalypto may be the best of them all.

Runaway Train (I) (1985)

this unknown classic scores high on many levels

[10/10 · 3 November 2010]

Runaway train starts as a prison escape movie, it then becomes a high speed action thriller. In between and throughout it is also a philosophical character study and all these elements work together perfectly. I keep trying to think of reasons to give this a less than perfect score and can't think of one. This is film as art, for as entertaining and suspenseful as Runaway train is, it is metaphorically and visually a beautiful film and Jon Voight gives the performance of his career (was nominated for lead Oscar) as a brutal, savage multiple felon.

Runaway train is directed by Russian Andrei Konchalovsky, based on a screenplay by Kurasawa ("Seven Samurai") and takes place in Alaska, first in a high security prison, and later on the title train. Manny (Voight) is a long time con and multiple escapee who seems to like to play cat and mouse with the vindictive warden Rankin (John P. Ryan). As the film opens Manny is being released from a long stint in solitary after his latest escape attempt. Buck (Eric Roberts, nominated for supporting Oscar) is a young, slow-witted convict who idolizes Manny. Buck also is a boxer and works the laundry cart and Manny eventually is going to use Buck to assist in his latest escape.

Buck talks Manny into taking him along and the two break out into the icy Alaskan wilderness. The two escapees nearly freeze to death before finally reaching a rail hub where they find some dry clothes and whiskey. They find something else too; they find a train that Manny picks that is about to pull out. The train is their ticket to freedom, or so thinks Manny, but shortly after pulling out the trains conductor is seen having a heart attack and falling off the train. Luke and Manny are initially unaware of this and are surprised as the train hurdles faster and faster across the frozen landscape.

A stowaway is on the train (an almost unrecognizable Rebecca Demornay), and she has figured out what has happened and explains the situation to Luke and Manny. The two cons will attempt the dangerous climb to the front engine to shut the train down. Meanwhile, the local rail authorities also become aware of the dilemma and contemplate action...should they derail the train before it takes out an old bridge or an approaching factory? Also, Rankin has a helicopter in the air and is salivating at the thought of catching Manny again.

The stage is set for some amazing stunt work as well as some captivating dialog between the three people on the train. I've read some reviews that view Demornays character as nothing but a plot device but I see it differently. Sara is an outsider to Manny and Buck initially, however as the tension builds she becomes the moral centerpiece of the film, while Manny is slowly deteriorating mentally and physically and Buck is suddenly in the middle. Its almost heartbreaking to watch the scene where Bucks illusions about Manny melt away as he gradually becomes aware of Manny's true nature.

Again, the stunt work here is really something to behold and climaxes as Rankin is lowered by rope latter onto the catapulting locomotive for his final showdown with Manny. Now the two are face to face but this time Rankin has no guards and no bars to protect him. The tables have turned on Rankin and now he's in Manny's prison.

Its an incredible climax and the silent, mesmerizing final shot shows the power of someone who has nothing to lose. To me its one of the most unforgettable film images ever.

As Manny himself had said earlier after a frenzied and distraught Sara had screamed "what are you an animal"? - "no, worse...HUMAN"

Slap Shot (1977)

Its raunchy, its funny....and maybe the best sports comedy ever!

[9/10 · 28 October 2010]

If you like offbeat sports comedies like 'The Longest Yard' or 'Bull Durham', or if you like the irreverent realism of a movie like 'Mash' and haven't seen Slapshot...you are in for a real treat. Although the aforementioned titles still pop up on TV periodically, and I even caught the similarly gritty, rowdy cult classic 'North Dallas Forty' on a premium movie station recently, unfortunately Slapshot seems to have disappeared from cable TV. Like many of the other forgotten classics from the 70s (the greatest American movie decade ever), Slapshot, which contains so many great lines and satirical scenes, should go on the need-to-rent list.

Paul Newman plays Reggie Dunlop, the aging player/coach of a third-rate minor league hockey team the Charlestown Chiefs. Reggie has been chewed up and spit out by life and as the film starts, his team of misfits is losing on a regular basis. Attendance is down and the news comes out that the local mill is closing and this is going to kill ticket sales. Reggie sees his playing career (as well as his marriage) is about over and figures the only hope is that the team can get sold and relocated. This is going to require a winning streak and it just so happens the chiefs general manager Joe McGrath (the incomparable character actor Strother Martin) has just finagled a deal for three near-adolescent, coke-bottle glasses wearing brothers name Hanson.

In one locker room scene one of the veteran players ask the Hansons what they are doing as they wrap their hands, one of the Hansons answers "putting on the foil". At this point Reggie is appalled and swears these guys will never leave the bench. Its funny to watch all the players reaction to the Hansons and when Reggie finally gets desperate enough to put the Hansons in a game -thats when the fun really begins. To say the Hansons are dirty players is an understatement, and that initial scene where they hit the ice is hilarious.

So Reggie suddenly changes his tune and decides the chiefs will become the dirtiest, rowdiest team in the league. Before long they are on a winning streak and rumors start floating around about the team being sold to some buyers in Florida. One of the great, cynical scenes in the film is when Reggie finally meets the teams female owner (Kathryn Walker) and finds out the truth. It's not a politically correct scene by any stretch, but its a hoot and sets the stage for the third act.

Newman's performance hits the mark(as usual)as Reggie, and Micheal Ontkean also scores as the brooding Ned Braden. Braden had formerly been the chiefs golden boy before the change, he doesn't like the chiefs new "image" and his playing time has been cut. Ned also is having problems with his wife (Lindsay Crouse) and this sub-plot with Ned forms the basis for the rousing, crowd-pleasing finale.

In the climactic game between the Chiefs and Syracuse, the top team in the league, we find out that Syracuse has brought in some thugs of their own and the result is literally a riot! This is when both Reggie and Ned see their fates converging and both see the foolishness of their lives and their decisions; -Reggie, for his abandonment of "old time hockey; Eddie shore" and Ned, for abandoning.. his life, and his wife. Reggie probably can't save his own marriage, but he may yet save Ned's.

The final scenes on the ice bring together both the insanity and the redemption in a heartwarming and still uproarious montage. It's a very satisfying conclusion and one more reason I score this so highly.

For as funny, cynical and satirical as Slapshot is in its best moments...for example, when Reggie keeps buzzing past the opponents goalie disruptively shouting "your wife's a lesbian!...she's a lesbian!"...it also finds a way move us...high praise indeed for a sports comedy!

Double Indemnity (1944)

this movie is the very definition of film-noir

[10/10 · 22 October 2010]

When I think of just what film-noir is, I think of love triangles, a femme-fa tale, dimly lit sets. lights and shadows, slick operators looking to score and finally, some desperate crime born of their lust and depravity. Double Indemnity contains all these elements and defines this genre better than any movie I've ever seen. I have to give this movie a 10 and not because I like giving perfect scores but because of the towering performances of three of the all time great actors of American film as well the masterful directing and writing of Billy Wilder. I've been a big Billy Wilder fan for some years now and I believe this is his masterpiece.

Wilder directed and co-wrote (with Raymond Chandler) Double Indemnity, and worked hard to convince the two stars, Barbara Stanwyck and Fred McMurray to overcome their hesitancy and join him in this endeavor. Both didn't like the idea of playing these shady characters, but because they did we end up with possibly the best acting trio (along with Edward G. Robinson) ever in one film. Bold statement yes, but I'm talking about PERFECT casting here...straight down the line.

Stanwyck plays Phyllis Dietrichson, she's married to an older man who she detests and one day a wise-cracking insurance salesman named Walter Neff (McMurray) comes to the door and they begin talking...or should I say flirting. This marvelous introductory scene is the essence of film-noir, filled with fast lines with double meanings and it really captivates us right from the start. Phyllis asks about accident insurance for her husband and the banter continues and then Neff leaves. He leaves, but hes hooked (as are we), and later Phyllis stops by his apartment and they get closer and start plotting. Wouldn't it be nice if they could knock off her hubby and split the insurance payout?

What a premise; this is the ultimate film-noir plot setup. They start meeting secretly and planning, meanwhile Neff tries to keep his prying (and extremely perceptive) boss Keyes (Robinson) at arms length. Edward G. Robinson, playing against type as an all-consumed, almost anal claims investigator, gives a performance that is truly the foundation of this film. Stanwyck, to me is maybe the most talented all-around actress in Hollywood history and the extremely under-rated McMurray (also cast against type) displays an easy charm that covers up his building anxiety, and they are both fantastic, but Robinson absolutely shines as the insurance scam expert who claims the "little man in my stomach" won't let him rest easy. There's a brilliant scene where Keyes shoots down his bosses' idea of the crime being a suicide by quoting statistics from actuary tables and you'd think at the time he was in on the plot with Neff (of course we know he isn't) because he is so convincing and compelling. I really think its one of the greatest supporting performances ever in film.

We get some of the little plot twists that we'd expect in a film-noir, as Walter and Phyllis decide whether they should even contact each other until the heat dies down. Walter at times seems to be coming completely unglued while Phyllis' cold, conniving exterior is hiding secrets she hasn't told anyone. The great fun in watching Double Indemnity is just watching these incredible stars do their thing. There aren't any shoot-outs or big explosions or effects like you see in todays films, instead there is the charisma of three extremely talented actors who absolutely radiate their skills in the hands of one the best directors in history.

So sit back and enjoy a masterpiece of film. This is what movies used to be about when acting, writing and directing were often honed to perfection.

BTW..If you like this film and want some other Wilder films try; The Lost Weekend (Ray Milland) or Stalag 17 or Sunset Blvd (William Holden) or The Apartment (Jack Lemmon)...These are all critically acclaimed and all of these except Stalag 17 are on the AFI Top 100 list.

...but (to me) Double Indemnity is the best of them all, enjoy.

Blue Collar (1978)

don't be fooled by Pryor being the star, this is a gritty, realistic film about labor unions with a real message

[8/10 · 21 October 2010]

I had to admit something to myself after watching Blue Collar; that I have preconceptions about any movie starring Richard Pryor. Pryor made so many silly comedies like "Stir Crazy" and "Moving" I tend to want to dismiss or label every movie in which he appeared...bad move. Blue Collar is a highly entertaining film that works on several levels. Most of all it scores as a raw, gritty, muckraking type of film exposing the corruption of labor unions and corporate America. Secondly, it works pretty well on a comedic level, but its funny because it's real. The acting here is top notch and Pryor really stands out, and as good as Harvey Keitel is as an actor, Pryor matches him step for step.

Zeke, Jerry and Smokey (Pryor, Keitel and Yaphet Kotto) are three buddies working for the Auto union at Checker Automotive. (a real car maker that allowed the movie to be filmed at their plant, after the big three rejected it) By day, they weld, paint and rivet, by night, they drink and party and concoct schemes to get ahead financially. Eventually they stumble upon a ledger that contains proof that their union is corrupt. They decide to blackmail the union bosses and things start to get complicated. At this point, the film starts to take a more serious tone as the union fights back in a way nobody expected. Zeke is the only one of the three the union bosses are very concerned about and soon he is being offered a promotion.

Pryors even-keeled performance is the key to the film. He's tough and unflappable but smart enough to know when to give in to the powers that determine his fate. His decisions aren't necessary the ones you expect out of a Hollywood movie, but they are the ones that would likely be made in real life....and thats part of the tragedy.

Another great aspect of Blue Collar is the bluesy soundtrack by Jack Nitzsche, with guitar work by the legendary Ry Cooder and the title track performed by Captain Beefheart. The establishing scenes over the opening credits are highlighted by the blues soundtrack with actual punch press sounds incorporated into the music. Its really unique... and a special nod needs given to director Paul Shrader, who handles the films change in tone nicely, and gives the film a tightness and realism that keeps our attention focused throughout.

The movie Blue Collar, viewed today, is like a living time capsule from the 1970s. Lynyrd Skynyrd on the Jukebox, "Good Times" on the TV and Strohs Beer being served at the local Bar. Blue Collar will have a special significance for those who (like me) are from the Midwest...the rust belt. This all seems so familiar, the mindset of these union workers, the us against them mentality...feeling defeated by the system...too far in debt to go a different route in life.

Some of the characters here remind me of the fathers of some of the kids I grew up with. It left me contemplating the question -were we better off when the auto unions were stronger or not? 'real wages' haven't gone up in nearly 40 years. We lose more jobs overseas every year. Were the times depicted in Blue Collar actually the "good old days"?...or more like, the last of the good old days?

When Smokey makes his cryptic speech about "the old being pitted against young, black being pitted against white, everything they do is to keep us in our place"...He isn't just talking about the labor unions, I think he is talking about the whole system itself. Scary thought.

V for Vendetta (2005)

watch it once for the political themes...and a 2nd time for the visual style

[9/10 · 19 October 2010]

There's a whole lot to the movie 'V for Vendetta'. I don't see how anyone could wrap their mind around everything in one viewing! This is a visual masterpiece that also has much to say about our current world situation in regards to terrorism and totalitarianism. Some pretty dark and serious themes, the less enlightened people probably shouldn't tax themselves with such material and maybe seek out the latest 'Harry Potter' or 'Saw' sequel.

Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman are both mesmerizing as the leads and John Hurt is his typically chilling self. I guess my point is don't miss the message as you soak in the brilliant filmmaking, as it is just simply spectacular.

Hey, you can get plot details anywhere...so just take my advice and watch it twice and then be your own judge.

Just think...the society depicted here may well be our own in the near future...it all seems a bit too familiar eh? maybe thats the point.

Makes me wonder if some shadow society could execute a "terrorist" attack to instill fear and submission into a populace...could never happen... right?

...of course most Americans will never see it coming... too short-sighted, self absorbed and dumbed-down. I notice many negative responses to the reviews on this film, I think this is just too much for most peoples tiny, pre-programmed brains to handle.

here's an idea, if you believe the lies of mass-media and your elected officials, stick with 'The wizard of Oz' ...and click your heals 3 times and repeat "it could never happen here".

Dazed and Confused (1993)

If you like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", you'll like this film!

[9/10 · 19 October 2010]

Dazed and Confused has a lot in common with Fast Times at Ridgemont High; both movies contain a lot of future stars playing teenagers, both have lots of terrific Rock tunes on the soundtrack, and both derive laughs from their characters and situations and not through jokes, pratfalls and other typical Hollywood clichés. One difference between the two films is that Dazed and Confused is a period-piece, filmed in 1993 it takes place in 1976, and directer Richard Linklater does a marvelous job capturing the habits, the styles and the attitudes of the era. In that regard maybe this movie is more inspired by "American Graffiti" than Fast Times at Ridgemont. But it doesn't matter because to me D&C is the best of them all.

This movie seems to be as personal to Linklater as it is to me, and its not so much about plot or big scenes as it is about realism and the overall flow...and it flows beautifully. The movie follows a group of high school juniors and another group of 8th graders (next years seniors and freshmen)through the events surrounding the last day of school in Austin, Texas in 1976 (the whole film takes place in approximately 24 hours). We observe the hazing, the partying, some introspective banter and many familiar rituals as the characters prepare not just for the summer, but for the next school year and beyond. This was the same general time period I was in high school, so this movie had a special impact on me.

At this point I need to mention Wooderson (McConaughey,in his film debut), a key character, he's that 20-something dude that still hangs with the high school crowd. Did every town in America have a guy like this or what? Wood, Dawson, Slater, Pickford; these guys all remind me of guys I grew up with in my hometown.

The greatness of this film is that it rings so true...the way the "jocks" party with the "freaks" (or "grits' as they were also called where I grew up), the way they just aimlessly cruise around in muscle cars until they find out where the party's at, or the mailbox bashing (here it was beer bottles thrown at signs), or even the bottle cap flipping...we did that all the time! The only thing i didn't see was a bong. (besides the one Slater was making in shop class..HEY, we did that too!) Yeah thats right -joints are better for cruising anyway.

This is the kind of movie to rent on one of those Friday nights where you have to work early the next day. I first rented this movie on one of those very nights. Its a great Friday night movie and why not? No heavy handed plot, lots of partying and good music, and it makes you feel good. Speaking of the soundtrack...Linklater makes great use of period music; We get the gamut of 70s pop/rock including Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, ZZ Top, War, Dylan and even Black oak Arkansas (remember them?)....Jim dandy to the rescue! This movie really took me back.

Dazed and Confused is also a bit of a curio because of all the young actors (who were all unknown at the time) who went on to star in other movies. You will see Matthew McConaughey (his best performance ever), Ben Affleck, Parker Posey (she's a riot), Adam Goldberg, Joey Lauren Adams and Milla Jovavich (ok,i'm reaching now), among others. My only complaint involving the cast is that Wiley Wiggins' (as Mitch Kramer) mannerisms are a bit irritating, but other than that everyone does a tremendous job.

This movie has become like a fascinating time capsule about that post-revolutionary decade of the 70s, a decade filled with great music, movies and television (seriously, what the heck has happened to entertainment in this country?)... so its worth viewing for historical and social aspects as well as its entertainment value.

But anyway, I hope you enjoy one of my personal favorites...a really cool, funny and realistic look at what teenage life was like in so many towns in America in the mid-70s.

It may be set in Texas, but it could just as easily be Ohio.

Léon: The Professional (1994)

This is from Mathilda....a beautiful, entertaining film with heart.

[9/10 · 8 October 2010]

Its nice to see another of my personal favorites score so highly with IMDb reviewers! The professional is about a hit-man Leon (Jean Reno) who befriends young Mathilda (Natalie Portman) after her family is murdered. Mathilda decides she wants revenge and insists Leon teach her how to "clean". A very touching relationship then develops between the two which is at the center of this amazing film. I really love this movie!

I need to comment on the actors here. This is the first time I saw Ms. Portman on film was captivated by her from the first time I saw The Professional (and have been ever since in 'Beautiful girls', V for vendetta,'Black Swan' etc). Mathilda has had a tough life, her father and older sister were both abusive to her and her step-mother didn't seem to care. She hated the school she attended and liked to hang out on the stairway of her apartment building sneaking cigarettes. Portman plays her as vulnerable, distressed yet strong and endearing...and totally believable the whole way.

Then there's Gary Oldman, who in my opinion is absolutely the finest character actor in movies over the last 20 years or so. I've never seen him give a bad performance (he was especially great in the 1990 film "State of Grace"). Oldman here delivers what may be his best performance ever as the sleazy, psychotic DEA agent Stansfield. We watch him chew on his mysterious pills while cracking his neck and listen as he obsesses with Beethoven and think...wow! this is one of the creepiest characters ever put on film. During the climactic scene he tells an assistant to "send me everyone" and the assistant incredulously asks "everyone?" to which Stansfield chillingly screams "EVERYONE!!"...we get the point, the guy is nuts but has power...and cops show up in droves.

I don't mean to underrate Reno's performance here, he is quietly brilliant, the best I've ever seen of him to date. Leon doesn't have a whole lot of dialog as the professional, and thats by design as the character is Italian and we presume he hasn't been in the United States for long and doesn't know a whole lot of English. Reno is perfect in the role, and when he delivers that signature line I quoted above..."this is from Mathilda"...it packs a powerful and emotional punch. It's a truly great payoff scene.

This is not necessarily a movie with a happy ending, but this isn't meant to be a feel-good movie, it's bigger than that. However, it IS very satisfying and a nice symbolic scene at the end on the lawn of Mathilda's new school ties it all up very nicely. If you are choking back tears, you are not alone.

Real nice song by Sting "shape of my heart" over the closing credits caps it off..Enjoy.

Rounders (1998)

like poker? you will love this film...!!

[8/10 · 17 September 2010]

You may love this film even if you don't like poker. Just how good can a film about a particular subject like poker be? Think about a subject like say....bowling... how good could a movie about bowling be? Well, maybe it comes down to the people making the film, and in the case of Rounders those people are very good. John Dahl, who made his mark making neo-noir cult classics like Red Rock West and The Last Seduction, shows a sure hand and an insight into the world of poker. The two lead actors, Matt Damon and Edward Norton, are absolutely perfect in their roles. The finished product is an absolute gem.

As the film begins we see Mike (Damon) lose his bankroll to a Russian mobster Teddy KGB (John Malkavich, also perfect) playing Texas low-hold poker. He ends up getting a delivery job for long time rounder Knish (John Turtorro) and settles into life in law school with his girlfriend (Gretchen Mol). Its not a bad life, but deep inside we know that Mike still craves the life of a gambler. When his longtime partner, the sleazy card mechanic Worm (Ed Norton) gets out of jail, things change quickly for Mike. We in the audience know even before Mike himself knows....he's going to go back to the poker table.

As Mike gets back into that life he quickly becomes less interested in law school and starts getting in trouble with his girlfriend. He also gets in debt to a local gambling hall, who he instructed to loan money to Worm. Worm takes full advantage of course, as you would expect by this point. As I watched this character develop my first thought was...I know someone just like this! My second thought was of what a great performance Ed Norton gives here. I can't even put into words just how perfect he is as the Worm; it has to experienced.

This film is something of a mood-piece, as well as a sort of character study. Mike grows in this film not only as a person but as a poker player, meanwhile Worm moves in the other direction, as trouble and debt mount his instinct is to run or hide (or both). When their backs are against the wall its Mike who wants redemption while Worm starts to cave in. It's an interesting twist on the characters; before it was Mike giving up and taking the safe route with Worm always pushing the odds. Maybe hitting rock bottom is how you find out who you really are.

I think one of the main themes here is this; are we going to be satisfied being what polite society tells us to be or should we follow our hearts...even if it may lead us into some troublesome results?

Inevitibly, Mike's at a crossroads as his girl has given up on him and the law school career starts going down the tubes. Meanwhile, Worms debts have added up to the point that a local thug (Michael Respoli), who happens to work for Teddy, has bought up the debt and has given a deadline. Mike and Worm go on a days-long poker spree in an attempt to settle up.

As the film reaches its climax Mike finds himself back at Teddy's place for a showdown with the Russian. Can Mike finally turn the tables on Teddy and get all the debts erased? Its a really well staged finale and we are reminded of what an excellent actor Matt Damon can be with the right material.

At the end Mike finds his true destiny and, to me, it is a satisfying conclusion...we are what we are. It's not necessarily a happy ending, yet its not sad either...its real...and its a real solid movie!

I love the very final scene as Mikes cab heads down a busy New York street to a song written for this movie by The Counting Crows, "Baby I'm a big star now". Great song that fits perfectly, its well worth watching through the credits to hear it, but you won't hear it on commercial TV.

My advice...(as always)..is watch this film uncut. 3-1/2 out of 4.

American History X (1998)

Edward Norton gives Oscar-worthy performance in moving drama

[9/10 · 16 September 2010]

American History X is an intense, moving film dealing with racial tension in contemporary American society. Edward Norton, in a performance that should have won an Oscar, plays Derek Vinyard over the course of several years. As the film opens we see him as the leader of a group of skinheads in LA. Later he goes to prison for murder and emerges as a changed man. We also see him as a sixteen year old (thru flashbacks), and he is amazing and memorable throughout the entire film.

We find out that Derek was always intelligent and a natural leader, this is why local longtime racist and militant Cameron (Stacy Keach) has been grooming him to lead a young band of racist punks. Cameron is using Derek to fulfill some warped agenda of his, but Derek doesn't see through Cameron until its too late. After some black punks attempt to break into a car outside Dereks house, he murders one of them in a shocking and graphic scene that shows the depth of Dereks hatred and brutality.

Dereks family has also been effected by racism...when Derek was 16, his firefighter father was murdered by a black junkie while on duty and he has become the man of the family and father figure to younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong). Danny is a lot like Derek, and we can just tell that he could go either way in life, but currently seems to be following Dereks lead.

This is an emotionally and physically scarred family, the mother (Beverly Deangelo) smokes too much and is constantly coughing, yet still is desperately trying to hold her family together. She is seeking a man to be a father figure to Derek and starts dating a Jewish teacher (Elliot Gould). In possibly the best scene in the film (at least the most thought provoking), Goulds' character and Derek get into a political debate at the dinner table that soon gets out of control. Its an amazing scene and brilliantly acted, this is a scene every American should watch as topics are discussed that most films just don't have the courage to explore. In a way It's like the quintessential left vs right debate over racial issues, but we are also left thinking that Derek, while making some real points, can not discuss these points without ultimately showing his racial hatred and turning violent....he's been programmed by his hatred.

The film moves on to Dereks prison years, I wont divulge details here, but this is the period that changes Derek immensely. He eventually opens up to a black fellow inmate with whom he becomes friends, and as events play out we see the ultimate irony occur which results in a changed Derek.

The final act of the film gives us a reformed Derek (with a full head of hair) released from prison and trying to start over. When he gets home he finds his brother Danny has been in contact with Cameron and tries to intervene. Danny is a becoming a mirror image of what Derek once was and Derek must act to stop him. Any more at this point would be a spoiler but I will add a few more thoughts...

In the flashbacks to Derek at age 16 we see that despite all the outside influences that developed his hatred....originally it may have came right from his own home. Nobody is born a racist, racism is taught...I think that is one of the points the film-makers wanted to make.

This a shattering, heartbreaking film....a true masterpiece in the realm of social drama. The quote at the end from a speech by Abe Lincon is very fitting. This is an American classic that every American should see at least once.

Also, I really was pleasantly surprised to see this film rated so highly at IMDb, not that it doesn't deserve it because it does. This is rated higher here than many very very good films....but I wanted to add my 2 cents worth anyway...

Midnight Run (1988)

a fun Friday night type of flick that MUST be viewed uncut

[9/10 · 13 September 2010]

Ever notice that some movies fit perfectly into certain times of day or certain days of the week? Well, this is a Friday night movie if ever there was one. Yes its a blast...If you like Beverly Hills Cop, you will LOVE Midnight Run!! The same director, but an even better story. It also has the great snappy soundtrack by Danny Elfman, and the uproarious character actor Dennis Farina as the mob boss ("you two better start getting more personally involved in your work or I'm going to blowtorch the both of ya!")

So Jack Walsh (Robert Deniro) needs to a bring mob accountant/embezzler John Mardukas(played by Charles Grodin) back to LA by Friday midnight to get a hundred grand from a bond bailsman. Jacks had his fill of being a bounty hunter and is going to take the cash and open a diner...not so fast jack! This may be trickier than you thought...

Thus begins a cross-country odyssey that you will just love. The accountant claims he can't fly (I just love that scene on the plane), so they decide to take a train ....well, this just isn't going to be as easy as Jack thought. Its not just the bail bondsman that wants the accountant, the mob boss (Farina) wants him dead, it also seems some bumbling FBI agents, AND another bounty hunter, want to get in on this chase too.

All kinds of various modes of transportation end up being utilized as Jack gets closer and closer to his deadline. Meanwhile Jack and the accountant are bickering the whole way. This brings up one of the keys to this films greatness, the chemistry between Deniro and Grodin is amazing (much of it was actually ad-libbed by the two actors). They are like another version of the odd couple, and you should love it.

Also, the other bounty hunter on the trail is also from Beverly Hills Cop, John Ashton...and hes perfect in the role.

Give this a try, if you haven't seen it, I ENVY YOU...cause you get to see it for the first time. I've probably seen it 6 or 7! ...Oh, and view it uncut because the profanity is actually part of the humor...(and I got two words for you...Shut the F##K Up!).

And I love the wrap-up...its a feel-good movie...again, a great Friday night movie, enjoy!

Miller's Crossing (1990)

hang onto your hat !!! This under-rated classic packs a wallop

[10/10 · 13 September 2010]

Is it really a stretch to claim that Millers Crossing is the Coen Brother's (Fargo, Blood Simple) greatest film? Not if you are judging it on technical merit. The acting, screen writing, cinematography and direction are at near perfection. I've probably seen this film 10 times since it came out and I continue to catch things for the first time. Each scene flows into the next with such fluidity its almost hypnotic. This is one of my all time favorites which deserves this 10 rating...a rating I seldom give.

The setting is prohibition-era, big city America and that's all we know, and all we need to know...this movie isn't about history. This is a film that explores themes like power, loyalty and trust. The plot is rather intricate for a gangster movie and the first time you view it you aren't exactly sure just what happened. This is not a complaint about the film, but really more of a compliment. Many film classics through the years can leave you confused if you really dissect them afterwords.

The story revolves around the central character Tommy (Gabriel Byrne), who is the right hand man to mob boss Leo (Albert Finney). It seems a rival named Johnny Casper (Jon Polito) is about to start a war over a two-bit bookie named Bernie (John Turturro) and Leo has decided to protect Bernie as Leo is currently seeing Bernie's sister Verna (Marcia Gay Harden). Casper is not at all happy about this and neither is Tommy and he tries to warn Leo but Leo is smitten and vows to protect his lover's brother.

This is where things start to get murky, who is really loyal to who, and why? Leo controls everything in the city but when he narrowly survives assassination, he suddenly starts to lose grip of his power. At one point a cautious Tommy tries talking sense into over-confident Leo with the memorable line "you run this town because people think you run it, if they stop thinking it, you stop running it". This is the type of dialog you'd expect from a movie made in the 1940s. Much of Millers Crossing seems like its paying homage to a bygone era of film, the jargon (take your flunky and dangle) the snappy byplay between characters and the emotional flatness of everyone involved...no one in this film seems to be having much fun. But they are fun to watch!

I would have to agree that the best scenes of the film are Leo and the "Danny boy" scene and the title scene...Bernie's little ride out to Millers crossing. John Turturro is astounding in this scene, but I hate to single out any one actor in Millers Crossing because the whole cast is absolutely perfect.

This brings me to my favorite part which is the climactic scene at Casper's house. To me, this is the most intense scene in the movie and actually makes the hairs on my neck stand up! Casper of course leaves us with the immortal words....something he tells all his boys...."always put one in the brain".

Gotta love it, and yes it was overshadowed by Goodfellas and other films when it was released, but like fine wine the classics always age well....and if you've never seen Millers Crossing I ENVY YOU, because you get the sheer joy of seeing a perfect film for the first time!

The Molly Maguires (1970)

fascinating period piece has aged nicely

[8/10 · 10 September 2010]

While reading some reviews here one reviewer pointed out that "this is a film that wouldn't be made today". How sad yet true a statement indeed! This film is rich in history and politics, two subjects that (seemingly) don't interest todays movie-going public. What does it say about a culture when the people have become so detached to their own history?

The Molly Maguires was filmed at the very beginning of what I think is the greatest American movie decade ever, and I'm not alone in that opinion as the most recent (2007) AFI list of the top 100 films of all time contains more from the 70s than any other single decade (19!). As if hungover from the 60s, this post-revolutionary period gave birth to many great young directors making films that had an independent and political feel...this was the end of the old "studio system" of Hollywood, and was the beginning of the new independent film movement in America that still exists to this day.

This film really succeeds in capturing the atmosphere of a bygone era. This is one of those movies that you just relax (maybe on a rainy afternoon) and let wash over you...appreciate the cinematography (notice the excellent tracking shot of the miners walking out of the mine after planting the explosives near the beginning) and fine acting by all involved. When I was done watching this I wanted to know more about the Molly Maguires. Is that a complaint? Actually I think its a compliment. A good story should leave you wanting to know more about the subject matter.

Jack Kehoe (Sean Connery) is the leader of a secret cult of Irish coalminers in 1870s Pennsylvania, James Mckenna (Richard Harris) is an undercover detective sent in to capture the secret cult known as the Molly Maguires, who has lost a strike and begun committing acts of sabotage and murder against the Mining company. This film is rich in period detail and quite engrossing, this is the kind of film you want to watch again and see what dialog you might have missed as the Irish dialects are rather thick. This is also a violent film, but the violence is raw and sudden...believable, not stylishly choreographed and seemingly pandering to the audience like in todays movies. The early days of the American labor movement were quite violent indeed, whether our public schools teach it or not.

Mckenna is a very ambitious man and makes its clear to us early on that he will do whatever he has to for career advancement. As he says..."I'm tired of being on the bottom looking up all the time, I want to look down". However, as he gets inside the miners and develops a bond with Kehoe, we see that despite his personal motives, he has actually started to care about these miners. In a poignant scene when the Molly Maguires are bent on desperate retaliation, Kehoe fervently tries to talk them out of it and he's serious (as he admits later to his handler), and we in the audience can tell. But the Molly Maguires are destined for self-destruction. Not even an (unknown to them) enemy can dissuade them from their fate.

So this isn't a feel good type of movie. The conclusion doesn't necessarily leave a good taste and might not be that pat ending that modern movie-goers are used to seeing. This is the essence of real history however, the labor struggles in America seldom had a happy ending, and though at times it seemed like labor eventually won, here lately it sure doesn't look that way.

Things aren't quite as clear as we like... the line between the good and the bad is often quite fuzzy. The Molly MaGuires is a perfect example of this....it is also a great example of beautiful filmmaking. This may not quite be an American classic, but its real close.

One last thing...I really got some great insight reading the other reviews here on this film, they were very interesting, thanks.