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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Sept 11, 2008 7:23:37 GMT -5
The question is - is limited theatrical release good enough? Yeah, I guess. This is one of those gray areas. We'll let this movie slide, but I'd prefer if there wasn't too much of this in future selections for the sake of just making it easier on everyone. THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE (1974) Robert Shaw is the leader of a group of armed men who hijack a subway train and demand 1 Million Dollars be delivered in one hour or they start killing the passengers. Walter Matthau is the transit cop who has to deal with the hijackers and try to get them their money, while trying to figure out how to catch them. This was considered a tense thriller back in the day, but after modern fast-paced action films like DIE HARD or SPEED, this one seems kind of slow and leisurely. And after the hijackers get off the train, their fate is pretty anticlimactic. It's a good concept, but I thought the execution was a little dull. I'd been wanting to see this one for a while as it had a reputation as being one of the main influences on Tarantino's RESERVOIR DOGS, but frankly, other than the criminals using color code names, ie: Mr. Blue, Mr. Green, etc., they didn't really have much in common. ...DOGS is a much better film. There's a remake currently in the works for a 2009 release, starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta. 5.5/10 |
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Post by slayrrr666 on Sept 11, 2008 10:10:56 GMT -5
Maniac Cop 2-1990
After the painfully atrocious Sisters, I finally got to a better slasher, which this is in practically every way. A full review will be done and up by Monday.
9.5/10
The Thomas Crown Affair-1968
After catching the remake, I found that the oringal was on as well. Again, like the original, I really wanted to like this one as well, but the sedate way this went about really made it hard for me. Maybe it's the way the 60s action films were, as they just don't feel the same way the later ones are. I do have to say that I thought it was a little better than the remake, but again, I wasn't all that impressed with either of these two films.
6/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Sept 12, 2008 11:06:51 GMT -5
WORLD TRADE CENTER (2006)
The true story of Will Jimeno (Michael Peña) and John McLoughlin (Nicolas Cage), two New York Port Authority police officers who were trapped in the rubble when the WTC towers collapsed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the efforts to rescue them.
Sincere, but unspectacular offering from director, Oliver Stone. Technically well-made and acted, but the film failed to move me like that of the passengers in UNITED 93, the other major release about the events of 9/11.
6.5/10
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Post by ZapRowsdower on Sept 12, 2008 17:35:16 GMT -5
This is one of those 'gray area' movies... There's crime. And CIA. Not sure if that counts, but I'm gonna give it a shot.
Burn After Reading (2008, The Coen Bros.)
Um... wow. They followed up No Country with a very, very confusing CIA farce. I believe it was intentionally made that way. Can't quite tell you what it's about, because... I don't know. It was that confusing. But there's blackmail, adultery, whacked-out conspiracies, and murder. A very bizarre comedy with wonderful performances by Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and George Clooney. It's not on par with Lebowski - more along the lines of Intolerable Cruelty and the Ladykillers. 8/10
And something we can all agree fits within the genre...
Righteous Kill (2008, Jon Avnet)
I started watching this movie wondering what the problem was. I read all the negative reviews and wondered how a film that looked so good could be so bad. And for the most part, it was actually pretty damn enjoyable. The chemistry between De Niro and Pacino is everything you would expect it to be. Then somewhere in the third act something goes incredibly awry. The writing starts to get sloppy, and then you realize you predicted the ending about a half hour ago. Which is disappointing coming from the writer of Inside Man, which actually had a pretty smart ending. Avnet did a fine job directing, and this was MUCH better than his Spring film 88 Minutes. The acting is top notch all around. And even the writing in the early stages of the movie is very engaging, but the finale really loses steam and doesn't surprise you as much as it wants to. 7/10
Super Troopers (2001, Jay Chandrasekhar)
Hilarious. Tied with Beerfest as Broken Lizard's best work. Their "shenanigans" are simply priceless, and it was great seeing Brian Cox in such a... different role than I'm used to seeing him play. I love this movie. MEOW! 8/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Sept 13, 2008 10:53:26 GMT -5
This is one of those 'gray area' movies... There's crime. And CIA. Not sure if that counts, but I'm gonna give it a shot. Burn After Reading (2008, The Coen Bros.) Um... wow. They followed up No Country with a very, very confusing CIA farce. I believe it was intentionally made that way. Can't quite tell you what it's about, because... I don't know. It was that confusing. But there's blackmail, adultery, whacked-out conspiracies, and murder. A very bizarre comedy with wonderful performances by Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and George Clooney. It's not on par with Lebowski - more along the lines of Intolerable Cruelty and the Ladykillers. 8/10 (2008) I'm actually a little torn myself about whether this one counts or not. There are some CIA agents, and I guess there's crime, but it happens almost by accident because the so-called "criminals" aren't really smart enough to really plan anything. Stuff just kind of happens and escalates to the point where they're in way over their heads. Remember, they start out just hoping to get a reward and before you know it, they're at the Russian Embassy trying to sell secrets.  On to the movie itself, I thought it was fucking brilliant! The best Coen brothers movie since, well, since NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. And you actually found it confusing? I was never confused by it, but I was surprised, shocked and completely entertained. These are some of the funniest and quirkiest characters the Coens have given us since FARGO and THE BIG LEBOWSKI and I think the movie as a whole was far better than INTOLERABLE CRUELTY which was average at best. George Clooney is hilariously wacky, John Malkovich is pissed off. All the time. Frances McDormand is funny because she's not nearly as smart as she thinks she is, but her character is also a little sad, and Brad Pitt just steals every scene he's in by playing one of the dimmest, most emptyheaded guys to ever stumble across the silver screen. It's fun to see two heartthrobs like Clooney and Pitt play complete goofballs and to do it so well. The CIA guys played by David Rasche and J.K. Simmons are also hilarious in their confusion over the actions of the main characters. As a comedy, I couldn't find one thing wrong with this one. Wait for it.... wait for it..... 10/10 |
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Post by ZapRowsdower on Sept 13, 2008 12:22:15 GMT -5
...So I take it you're counting it?
And I didn't mean confusing in a bad way. I enjoyed the movie quite a bit. And I got it, really. It was just really complicated. And I think the Coen Bros. did that intentionally, especially with the two CIA guys trying to figure out what's going on. That was just brilliant.
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Sept 13, 2008 13:38:17 GMT -5
...So I take it you're counting it? I'm actually hoping at least one or two other people around here see it and post what they think. I'll go with majority rule on this one. |
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Post by ZapRowsdower on Sept 13, 2008 17:56:50 GMT -5
Serpico (1973, Sidney Lumet)
Al Pacino gives a great performance of real-life good cop Frank Serpico, who almost got killed trying to end corruption in the NYPD. Sidney Lumet's direction was excellent. 8/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Sept 14, 2008 9:29:08 GMT -5
Ironically, when I decide to name this month's Genre of the Month, COPS AND ROBBERS, I had no idea that there was actually a film titled:
COPS AND ROBBERS (1973)
When two New York City policemen decide that crime does pay, they strike a deal with a mob boss to steal $10,000,000.00 in bearer bonds, sell them to the boss at 20¢ on the dollar, and retire. But as with most heist films, things don't always go as planned.
Not great, but fun movie that I'd never even heard of, but luckily it was playing on TCM.
7/10
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Post by slayrrr666 on Sept 14, 2008 10:29:26 GMT -5
Quick Change-1990
A clown robs a bank in New York, releases several hostages which include his inside men and himself while trying to get out of the country as the cops try to piece together what happened. The original idea behind this is genius, and the scenes in the bank, with Bill Murray as the clown are down-right hilarious, and then it sort of falls apart afterward, as the whole thing is just the same joke repeated over and over again: they have the worst luck and everything that could go wrong does go wrong. It's easy to see what they're going for, but it simply doesn't work that well. By doing the same thing over-and-over again, the rest of the film rests on the use of the situations to get laughs, and some of them just aren't funny. The overall concept to this one gets some laughs, but not what actually happens in this.
6/10
Kindergarden Cop-1990
Probably the lone non-action Arnold film I hadn't seen before, and it was a little better than expected. It's pretty funny at times, especially with the way that he uses police procedure to keep the kids in line. Some of them are pretty funny, and frankly, I think the film would've worked better with it being him trying to keep the kids in line with his police tactics rather than introduce the crime angle, which, while it provided some nice moments here and there, didn't really fit in with the tone of the film. Otherwse, this one wasn't that bad.
7.5/10
The Tuxedo-2003
I'm going to go right out and say it: I think this is his best American film. There, much better than the overrated Shanghai Noon or Rumble in the Bronx, mainly because this one is just there to have fun. The action scenes in here are perfectly done to match his klutziness, especially the first instances with the suit, but once it gets going, some of them are pretty good and definitely worthwhile additions to his cannon of films. Even some goofy cheesy flirting doesn't really hurt this one, which is pretty much accomplished just by the fact that, while it's fun, it's not as jaw-dropping as what's come before. It's pretty much the only thing really wrong with it.
8/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Sept 15, 2008 7:47:19 GMT -5
Hadn't seen either of these in years.
BLACK RAIN (1989)
Visually interesting crime thriller by director, Ridley Scott, that stars Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia as New York detectives who are ordered to escort a member of the Yakuza back to Japan. However, he escapes when they get there and they have to cooperate with authorities and search the Japanese underworld to track him. A few good action scenes, and one shock, but overall, just so-so. A little too "80's".
6/10
THE POPE OF GREENWICH VILLAGE (1984)
Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts play cousins who live in New York's Little Italy and work in a restaurant, but dream of bigger things. But who needs to work when you can get rich quick by pulling off a $150,000.00 robbery and parlay that into a sure thing horse race? Problem is, the money belongs to a local mob boss (Burt Young).
Fairly entertaining with an interesting, to say the least, performance by Roberts. "Chaaalleeeey!!! Dey took ma thumb!!!".
7.5/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Sept 15, 2008 7:59:04 GMT -5
An update. The scores for this month so far.
September: COPS AND ROBBERS
Heineken Skywalker = 16
Slayrrr666 = 12
ZapRowsdower = 10
Bartwald = 1
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Post by slayrrr666 on Sept 15, 2008 10:16:53 GMT -5
In the Heat of the Night-1967
I think Heiney saw this one a while back, and I pretty much echo his sentiments with this one. The mystery angle over the crime was rather well-done, as the chaotic nature of how it came about simply works and allows for the rather nice nature to come about later on. Some of the later scenes do give the impression that it's nothing more than filler to pad out the time, but overall wasn't that bad as I thought it would be, as I don't really find most of the 60s action films to be all that entertaining.
7/10
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Post by ZapRowsdower on Sept 16, 2008 1:04:27 GMT -5
Bonnie and Clyde (1967, Arthur Penn)
Dear God, this movie was great. I loved every minute of it. Every line of dialogue. The campy getaway music. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. Gene Hackman. A hilarious cameo by Gene Wilder. The haunting finale. Even the choppy editing worked in the film's favor - gave it an irresistable charm. Count this one as one of my all-time favs. 10/10
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Post by slayrrr666 on Sept 16, 2008 10:08:29 GMT -5
Bound-1997
A mobster's right-hand woman decides to get away from the life and plots to rob them with the help of her lesbian lover. This wasn't that bad, and it did have some good stuff to it. The early scenes of them showing the mob at work is pretty good, not up to what I've seen before this month, but definitely enough to hold interest, and once the film brings in the lesbian angle, it does get a little better and the final showdown, when they realize the treachery and go after them is pretty tense at times. It's just the rather lame way they go about stealing the money, it was pretty obvious they were going to find out about it, and it certainly wasn't as sleazy as I wanted, but I've sat through worse.
6.5/10
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