Garyswordz

Good but not Great, 21 November 2007

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

By any measure this is a fine film and certainly one of Ridley Scott’s best. One of his great strengths, is his ability to create a sense of “place”, and 60s/70s New York is faithfully, and affectionately, re-created. Clever use of archive news footage of the Vietnam war is interwoven into the story line in seamless style.

Denzel Washington, as Gangster Frank lucas, and Russell Crowe as Cop Ritchie Roberts, play an accomplished double hander which aspires to, but doesn’t quite match or surpass, De Niro and Pacino in “Heat”.The “French Connection” is overtly name checked, and visually alluded to as it competes with esteemed company such as “Goodfellas”and “Serpico” as well as the aforementioned in this well stocked genre.

Washington gives arguably his finest performance as an understated black gangster (I didn’t realise that was possible!)who makes good selling heroin whilst supporting his brothers, cousins, mother and other members of his extended family.Ritchie Roberts by contrast is portrayed as having a dysfunctional home life.

For once the wealth of drug trafficking is not shown without cost.The human carnage is painfully depicted – a million miles away from “heroin chic”. The running time of almost 2 3/4 hours is fully justified as the carefully constructed plot comes to its climax.

So why does it fall short? Well really only by the standards of the competition. The dramatic intensity of the personal duel between De Niro and Pacino in “Heat” is missing, but only because Lucas character is super cool. And the Shakespearean sense of tragedy and impending doom so magnificently evoked by De Palma in “Carlitos Way” is similarly absent.

Based on a true story the denouement where Lucas plea bargains to take down the bent cops is a bit of a plot turn when Roberts avowed intent was to get the big guys – and the Vietnam Military traffickers just disappear off the horizon.Frustrating and unsatisfactory.

Nonetheless a worthy movie that I suspect will stand the test of time

Lightweight Wallpaper Movie, 17 November 2007

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom

I was unaware that this film was based upon a true story so judged it purely on its merits. The subject matter of a beautiful model disfigured by a rejected suitor is pretty unsettling. Somehow the soft focus photography and background muzak never quite work with the subject matter.

Kirk Baltz plays the psychotic stalker well, and his motivation is well observed.However the attack is shown briefly at the start, reprised two thirds of the way through the film and then the courtroom drama becomes the final act. The balancing of this does not work and might better have been told from the courtroom.

Cheryl Pollack makes a decent fist of the title role, but ultimately this is formulaic routine fare that never rises above that standard.

Well Made – But sub Oscar fare, 2 November 2007

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Finding the yardstick by which to judge this film is a challenge. As a straightforward Drama / thriller it is pretty good. Charging through its’ two hour running time, it is pacey, sharply edited, well acted and contains a neat twist. As a landmark “issue” film, it fails, partly due to the complexity of the issues it tries to take on, and partly because Hollywood is still just edging into trying to understand Middle Eastern born terrorism.

The characters, in a packed narrative do eschew stereotypes. Jake Gyllenhaal, as Dougalas Freeman, the junior CIA case officer, delivers a powerful, understated performance. The personification of “less is more”. However his power to single handedly release the suspect at the denouement, and his preparedness to wreck his career by going to the Washington Post, is somewhat “sudden”.

Omar Metwally as suspect El ibrahimi plays the bewildered victim solidly and convincingly, but the real star is Tunis Police Chief Yigal Naor who plays a wonderfully menacing part very well even though he bears an uncanny resemblance to Telly Savalas! The setting in Tunis is about as neutral as the writers could manage, and I suspect that many Americans will not even know that Tunis is in Morroco, it is never mentioned.This is a bit of a problem because some unknown jihadists are plotting explosions there and so the geo political motivations are lost.

Reese Witherspoon, as the suspects wife, does wifey quite well , but despite her pregnant state she is really just ersatz window dressing.The vanity of wearing 3 inch high heels when supposedly nine months pregnant was quite amusing. Its Meryl Streep who really has fun with her role as a CIA Director, Corrine Whitman. More than a cameo, less than a lead, she shines in every scene she is in.

So where does it go wrong? Bowing under the weight of great ambition, the ending is terribly perfunctory, and unlikely. Ironically the “need” to find ways to effectively interrogate terrorists isn’t done justice, and the basis for the evidence which gets Ibrahami into trouble is never really explained.

Although America has a lot of waking up to do about the world around it, the criticism of rendition comes across as being a bit weedy liberal in the final analysis.

Better than “The Kingdom”, a decent step into the world of international affairs for Hollywood

Worthy but Flawed Effort, 31 October 2007

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

It is impossible to pass judgement on this film without putting it into a political context.America sees the World very differently from Europe, and differently again from a Middle East perspective. As an American effort to shake off its shackles of myopia,self interest, conceit and ignorance, this is groundbreaking stuff. As a story it is fine. As a meaningful insight into Middle Eastern affairs, it is lightweight.

The opening sequence of the bombing of the Compound is superb. Taut, sharply edited,frenzied and compelling.However when we cut to the fallout in America some “diverse” casting appears hackneyed.Jamie Foxx as the black FBi leader never quite establishes his credentials, either within character, or for the role,and Jennifer Garners role in saving the hostage at the end is quite frankly risible.

The key Saudi figure, Police chief,Faris Al Ghazi, played by Ashraf Barhom, is given room to breathe and delivers a fine performance of light and shade.A minor pleasure is in hearing the Saudi’s berate the FBI agents for their casual profanities.Most American cop films are predicated on the assumption that all cops have the mouths of sewer rats.

The “investigation” itself is a bit of a mish mash and really unfolds as a plot device to get to the explosive finale.Some decent scene setting is done in the opening credits. But no real attempt is made to explain the motivation for the bombers actions.

as the two hour running time closes you are forced to ask yourself what has actually happened and been achieved, and the answer is not much. However if this film does help to whet the appetite of the American public for Hollywood to start to make more films about the Middle East, it will have done its job. But be under no illusions, this is no “Apocalypse Now” “Hamburger Hill” “Platoon” for the 21st century in influencing public opinion on American foreign policy.

Absolute Tour de Force, 20 October 2007

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom

A ten rating is rare indeed for me.Even the greatest work might always have been tweaked just that little bit more. But with Michael Mann’s masterpiece that would appear churlish, because the sum of its component parts is so overwhelming.

Of course it helps that James Fennimore Cooper’s story is a classic. A story that conjures up vast open spaces, heroic emotions, and rich colours in the mind of the reader.To so successfully translate those images onto the screen is a tremendous achievement.

Daniel Day Lewis is superb as Hawkeye, understated, but decisive, sensitive but brave.The music is as lush and rich as the cinematography which itself has only been matched by “Lawrence of Arabia” and the Epic quality of the film is established from the opening frames to the closing credits.

For a running time only eight minutes short of two hours, Mann keeps the narrative racing along with some set pieces which are quite simply astounding, The Mohawk ambush of the retreating surrendered garrison is as bloody and visceral as anything I have seen on screen, and a chase in the caves under a waterfall as beautiful as it is compelling.

There is no bad language, there are no special effects. There is a nostalgic examination of vanity,pride, love, honour,duty,sacrifice, revenge and injustice. A Shakespearean task is taken on, and achieved by Mann in this regard. Rarely can a project as multi-layered in its ambitions have succeeded quite as triumphantly as this

Best” Worst Film Contender, 20 October 2007

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom

It is very difficult to salvage any redeeming features from this film, other than its burgeoning status as a contender for the best worst mainstream film in recent years.

The plot really is as simple as a man obsessed with a woman amputates her limbs and keeps her in a box.

As for the tag lines, bizarre, yes, erotic no. Leading lady Sherilyn Fenn is sexually neutralised in her role, pretty much undermining the entire premise of the film. Director Jennifer Lynch, in trying to emulate the off beat vibe of her fathers work, falls flat on her face on this project with a resounding thump.

Kim Bassinger famously pulled out of this film at the last minute at considerable personal cost to her – she should reflect that it was worth every penny not be involved. This is the only time I have ever stayed with a film to the end purely because I wanted to verify its worst ever status unfolding before my eyes

Off – Bleat Gem, 14 October 2007

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom

How much you enjoy this film lies wholly in your approach to it. Those expecting a sophisticated, glossy gore – fest will come away feeling “fleeced”. However those prepared to sample a quirky, low budget, unassuming story with its tongue firmly in its cheek will not be disappointed.

Director and writer Jonathon King combines some very effective “American Werewolf in London” style special effects with a “light” script not ashamed to make plenty of bad sheep jokes. A cast of unknown, yet affectionate stereotypes,is held together by the most rounded character, Eco Warrior, Experience, well played by Danielle Mason, around which all this mayhem is played.

The business end of the film , the “killer sheep” is convincingly portrayed with a realism which surely pushes its British “15” Rating to the limit. But at just under the magic hour and a half length, the story does not outstay its’ welcome and shows a discipline, structure, and coherence, which belies its zany left field premise.

Strong on laughs and explicit gore, the “feel” of the film is more “Shaun of the Dead” than “Evil Dead” and harks back to those 1940’s and 50’s black and white films about mad professors and mutant monsters to which this frequently pays homage.Just enjoy – don’t judge

Undistinguished, formulaic fare, 28 September 2007

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The pedigree of leading lady Jodie Foster and Director Neil Jordan suggested that they might be able to do something new and refreshing with the “revenge” genre, which this film is firmly entrenched in. Sadly, they don’t. Dame Helen Mirren recently said that no artist should be ashamed of making a film for the money – and that is what this enterprise reeks of.

The synopsis of the plot is simple. Foster and fiancé are beaten by Central Park thugs, fiancé dies, Foster “fights back” against the bad guys in general with a cop slowly closing in. If this sounds as though it doesn’t merit a 2 hour running time, you would be right. But Jordan does not do 90 minute films.

In principle the “Chick as vigilante” twist has potential. But it is squandered by the clichéd scenes. The opening tunnel ambush, the subway mugging and closing tenement shootout are almost shot for shot lifts from “Death Wish”, the story’s modern inspiration. Even the “john pulling hookers” and Vietnamese store hold up pay obvious homage to Clint Eastwood films in the former case, and Michael Douglas in “falling Down ” in the second.

The Rod and Bruce Taylor screenplay is exceptionally “clunky”, betraying their big screen inexperience. Plot developments are not so much hinted at – as smacked across your face.

Yet it does have some redeeming features.Terence Howard gives a fine performance as Detective Mercer who closes in on Foster as the film moves on. There are a few funny lines too. When Detectives ascertain that double murder victims are husband and wife, one remarks:”Haven’t they heard of Divorce?” And the final scene, having been arrived at in the most hackneyed, clichéd, and formulaic way possible is redeemed by an unexpected twist.

Do not be seduced into believing that this is some sort of Feminist statement . It isn’t. Foster behaves as cynically as any past man has in the role. Multilayered ? No, more like a badly fitting jigsaw whose bits JUST fit.

The music lacks atmosphere, and the moral issues are skimmed over in favour of trying to do too much, in too long a time. The studio would have probably got a much stronger film if they had insisted om 90 minutes. This notwithstanding, expect the blood, violence, gratuitous use of the word “cunt” and gunning down the bad guys mixture to have audiences rooting in the aisles.

Tremendous Trilogy Finale, 19 August 2007

Author: gary-444 from United Kingdom

When the Bourne Identity came out I was as impressed as anyone with the clever storyline,fine acting, and pacey, often innovative, action sequences. However the Bourne Supremacy, which I had assumed was a “cash in ” sequel lost me, mainly because the narrative was poor, and the sense of purpose in the story was lost. Well, this third installment puts that right with spades, and works both as the end of a trilogy, and as a stand alone piece.

Matt Damon proves what a fine actor he is. Although an action hero, he always seems to avoid cliché and formula in the role. Cleverly, because the essence of the story is the search for his “identity”, it is also a search for his soul. So although the action sequences are frequently quite brutal, he never succumbs to the Schwarzenegger “automaton” style of action hero.

Although awash with surveillance gadgetry, the story eschews hi tech killing methods, and is far the better for it. The thrill is in the chase. David Strathairn, who has a gargantuan list of film acting credits behind him, is tremendous as the maverick Deputy CIA Chief,Noah Vosen. Joan Allen,as his nemesis Pamela Landy, is superb as his nemesis, and proves that there is a place for women over 50 in modern movies. By contrast, Julia Stiles as erstwhile love interest Nicky Parsons, has a curiously underwritten, functional role.

Not cerebral, but visceral entertainment. Much cleverer than the Mision Impossible franchise. and a for once plausible cross Atlantic contrast to James Bond.