Dragon's Talk

Gone Baby Gone

The aunt of a young girl who goes missing hires two local private detectives to find her amidst the usual accompanying media frenzy. Gone Baby Gone was directed and co-written by Ben Affleck on his debut behind the camera but please don't let that put you off! It's actually one of the most refreshingly adult and well-written cop thrillers in recent memory. The story felt to me almost like L.A. Confidential done in the style of TV series The Wire, in that there is very little in the way of moralistic black and whites, all set in a ghetto-like environment with the associated colourful yet believable language and characters. It's a film that actually has something to say, examining questions of the personal sense of right and wrong and the cynical media hype machine milking such incidents for all their worth for its own gain. Of course having such superb acting talent involved certainly doesn't hurt, Affleck, Freeman and in particular Ed Harris are are excellent and Casey's brother shows an excellent eye in his surprisingly mature direction. It's not perfect; the story is perhaps a little too convoluted, I myself feeling that there was one too many endings for its own good, but aside from that there is very little to find fault with. One of the most accomplished directorial debuts I have seen in years, and all this from the star of Gigli! Who would've dared to think...?

Gone Baby Gone

The aunt of a young girl who goes missing hires two local private detectives to find her amidst the usual accompanying media frenzy. Gone Baby Gone was directed and co-written by Ben Affleck on his debut behind the camera but please don't let that put you off! It's actually one of the most refreshingly adult and well-written cop thrillers in recent memory. The story felt to me almost like L.A. Confidential done in the style of TV series The Wire, in that there is very little in the way of moralistic black and whites, all set in a ghetto-like environment with the associated colourful yet believable language and characters. It's a film that actually has something to say, examining questions of the personal sense of right and wrong and the cynical media hype machine milking such incidents for all their worth for its own gain. Of course having such superb acting talent involved certainly doesn't hurt, Affleck, Freeman and in particular Ed Harris are are excellent and Casey's brother shows an excellent eye in his surprisingly mature direction. It's not perfect; the story is perhaps a little too convoluted, I myself feeling that there was one too many endings for its own good, but aside from that there is very little to find fault with. One of the most accomplished directorial debuts I have seen in years, and all this from the star of Gigli! Who would've dared to think...?

Gone Baby Gone

The aunt of a young girl who goes missing hires two local private detectives to find her amidst the usual accompanying media frenzy. Gone Baby Gone was directed and co-written by Ben Affleck on his debut behind the camera but please don't let that put you off! It's actually one of the most refreshingly adult and well-written cop thrillers in recent memory. The story felt to me almost like L.A. Confidential done in the style of TV series The Wire, in that there is very little in the way of moralistic black and whites, all set in a ghetto-like environment with the associated colourful yet believable language and characters. It's a film that actually has something to say, examining questions of the personal sense of right and wrong and the cynical media hype machine milking such incidents for all their worth for its own gain. Of course having such superb acting talent involved certainly doesn't hurt, Affleck, Freeman and in particular Ed Harris are are excellent and Casey's brother shows an excellent eye in his surprisingly mature direction. It's not perfect; the story is perhaps a little too convoluted, I myself feeling that there was one too many endings for its own good, but aside from that there is very little to find fault with. One of the most accomplished directorial debuts I have seen in years, and all this from the star of Gigli! Who would've dared to think...?

Destry Rides Again

When the sheriff of a corrupt frontier town is murdered and replaced with the town drunk, the man calls on the services of the son of a legendary law man, only to find that he is a pacifist. James Stewart is at his very best for this, one of his defining roles. His easy going charm and integrity are a perfect foil for Marlene Dietrich's feisty music hall girl (so brilliantly parodied by Madeline Kahn in Blazing Saddles) and they have fantastic chemistry together; the cat-fight scene is pure comedy gold. Essentially a story about standing by your principles no matter what the provocation, all the characters are impossible to dislike, with some great comic relief provided by a quality supporting cast. Consistently funny with a timeless story of a hero who refuses to resort to violence in the face of adversity, this is one of my all time favourites and a true classic from the golden age.

The Killing

Fresh out of prison, a career criminal cooks up an ingenious scheme to rob a racetrack. An early film from Stanley Kubrick, and yet another masterclass. He takes to the visual trappings of Film Noir and creates one of the most efficiently told and tautly directed heist films ever made. Sterling Hayden is perfect as the straight-talking, street-wise mastermind, as is Marie Windsor's Machiavellian femme fatale who twists doomed sap Elisha Cook Jr round her little finger. So much of this film has influenced some of the best directing talent working today that it still feels remarkably contemporary; Tarantino owes much to the over-lapping timeline in particular, and the mix of off beat characters, violent crime and cruel twists of fate is straight out of a Cohen brothers movie (Vince Edwards actually looks the spit of Peter Stormare in this film!) In fact the only element that dates it is the newsreel style voice over, although it does help fit the pieces of puzzle together quite well. Johnny Clay was a brilliant character whom I would have liked to have learned more about, to the point where you are almost sorry to see him caught. But wishing the film was longer is hardly the most damning criticism! Is there any genre Kubrick couldn't do?

Stalag 17

When a self-serving operator in a WWII prison camp is suspected of collaboration with the enemy, he is forced to uncover the true culprit. Another of Billy Wilder's cynical classics, there is a lot more humour in the material than you would think. In fact it is often so broad it can resemble an extended episode of Sgt. Bilko, full of fast paced wise-cracking and army camaraderie. It is Holden's character of course that provides the real drama, and he plays it pitch perfectly. Unlike most prisoner of war films that are full of stiff upper lipped heroics, his cynical attitude never wavers and the sharp, witty dialogue makes for some fine black comedy. Easily one of the best examples of the genre.

Run Lola Run (Lola rennt)

A young woman receives a phone call from her boyfriend telling her that if he doesn't get 100,000 Deutchmarks within 20 minutes he's a dead man. It tells of the consequences of the phone call in 20 minutes of real time three times over, each containing a slightly differing timeline, thus showing how minor incidents or coincidence can have a massive knock on effect to not only your life, but those around you. Run Lola Run is very much a product of its time; the techno soundtrack, grunge fashion and fascination with the mathematics of probability (ie "the butterfly effect") all reek of the 1990s, but Run Lola Run still feels strangely fresh, probably because of its brisk, no-nonsense pace and 75 minute running time meaning it never gets too caught up in pretentious navel gazing. I could have lived without some of the directorial affectations that made it feel a little too much like a music video in places, and the coincidences are of course extremely unlikely, but the urban crime element gives it a Luc Besson-esque flavour that makes for an entertaining and original experience.

Lat sau san taam (Hard-Boiled)

A renegade cop teams up with an undercover agent to bring down a gun runner with a massive arms cache hidden in a local hospital. John Woo is pretty useless when it comes to anything but action, so it comes as little surprise that his best film by far includes very little else. And action it has in spades! The now familiar tough guy cop clad in sunglasses and duster coat, leaping through the air in slow motion, twin pistols blazing has now passed into cliche territory, but Woo invented it. Woo's artistic take on action influenced everyone from James Cameron to the Wachowski brothers and Robert Rodriguez would probably be gainfully employed behind the counter of the nearest Taco Bell without this film. The action is non-stop and absurdly over the top, and if it weren't it wouldn't have worked half as well. It's an exploitation flick cunningly disguised as a cop thriller, and the combination of brilliantly choreographed violence (the extended takes of the hospital shoot out in particular) and super-cool leads makes for an unpretentious, action packed blast. The birth of the modern action movie.

Gran Torino

I've never been too enthralled by Clint Eastwood, but I am a sucker for originality so this movie caught me from scene one. I was completely engrossed from beginning to end. One of the best movies I've seen in a long while.

Battle Royale (Batoru Rowaiaru)

A Japan increasingly concerned with spiralling urban violence makes an example of troublesome teens by stranding them on a desert island with the sole purpose of making them kill each other off until just one remains. Kinji Fukasaku's magnificently tasteless satire on reactionary politics could be considered the logical conclusion of reality TV. The concept is a kind of cross between The Running Man and Lord Of The Flies. All the usual High School shenanigans are involved, but the introduction of lethal weapons throws the cliques, crushes and rivalries into a whole new light! The young cast are all great and Fukusaku was a veteran of Japanese Yakuza films and therefore a dab hand at stylized violence; the unrelenting drama and action of a type of slasher film where EVERYONE is the killer means it's virtually impossible to get bored! The sentiment can get a little heavy handed in places but Takeshi Kitano's surreal and sardonic host pops up at strategic intervals to routinely steal the show and stop the schmaltz before it goes too far. Certainly not as profound as it thinks it is, but it's a wonderfully entertaining and unique film that's destined to become a cult classic. Just avoid the dismal sequel (completed by his son after Fukusaku's death) like the plague.

Crimen ferpecto (El Crimen Perfecto)

I consider "Crimen Ferpecto" as the best movie to start watching Alex de la Iglesia's flicks.
On the one hand you'll start getting acquainted with his black humor, his bizarre situations, and his extreme characters. But at the same time, you'll watch a pretty "normal" movie. I mean, starting watching this director's job with "Accion mutante", for example, is probably not a good idea, because all his characteristics are at a maximum there and may be a bit shocking. And, I think, it's not good either to begin with "The Oxford Murders", cause that is so not his regular style.
This is a great comedy about power, "love" and murder. Just fantastic.
And only Lourdes' sister makes this movie worth it.

Unforgiven

An ex-gunslinger comes out of retirement to collect the bounty on a pair of cowpokes who disfigured a young prostitute. Clint Eastwood directs and stars in a deconstruction of the myth of the old west that examines the kind of man who would exist in a society which provides mean drunks and arrogant, prideful boys with lethal weapons. Saul Rubinek's author of the romanticized versions of the stories provides the eyes through which the myths are dispelled as Gene Hackman reveals the truth behind them. But even Little Bill, himself little more than a brutal thug with delusions of grandeur, revels in his own exploits and it is only Eastwood's reformed killer who shows any shame or wish for redemption for his past actions. In the hostile environment of the American west it is not the most noble or even brave who thrive, but the most cold-blooded and the abilities of a gunslinger could be measured by something as arbitrary as the standard of his eyesight. Also containing comments on the gleeful pleasure the media glean from the violence of others and the consequences of murder, the intelligent, insightful script combines with masterful performances by some of the best actors of their generation to form one of the best westerns ever made and one of the high points of Eastwood's long career.

Casablanca

Wartime cafe owner Humphrey Bogart's life is turned upside down when the woman who broke his heart walks into his bar with her husband, a fugitive from the Nazis, looking for an escape to America. This is one of those films the phrase "they don't make 'em like that anymore" was invented for. At its core it is a propaganda film made to encourage the American public to join the fight against the Nazis, but it is far from the usual heavy handed flag waver. It skillfully interweaves the patriotic message with political intrigue, wartime heroics and romance with a script full of wit and sophistication. The cast are all pretty much faultless, but it is the uneasy friendship between Bogart and the brilliant Claude Rains which makes the film, and their cynical interplay and banter is a joy to behold. Beautifully shot with so many unforgettable lines, this film consistently features in lists of the top 10 of greatest movies ever made, and rightly so.

The White Dragon

This is... its's... so... difficult to rate it and describe it and decide whether you like it or not... It's just an odd movie. But not "Eraserhead" odd, just odd in the sense that the movie ends and you don't know what did it try to be.
It starts with some great fighting scenes, with people flying and those magnificent swords sounds, and you think "oh! it's going to be an awesome kung-fu film!", but then you see some really stupid jokes and you are like "what the hell is going on here?" And just when it comes the moment in which you say "all right, apparently, I'm watching a comedy", a very moving story emerges and it actually touches you! And at the same time it's a pretty romantic film.
I don't know. I liked it. In spite of its ambition of trying to embrace so many genres and ends up not fullfilling any; I thought it was a nice movie. The story was nice, the fighting scenes were really good, the music is fantastic, and in general it's a very entertaining movie.

Alone with Her

Oh My God!!!!
Ok, I'll try to write a more "professional" review: A sick man who likes filming girls with his camera gets obsessed with one woman and hides cameras in her house, at the same time he stalks her and tries to become her friend.
That's it. Now....
This is such a bad movie!!! I don't remember why I rated it as "want to see". Maybe because the cover is very well done. It looks like a creepy film, or at least, like thriller. Well, I have news: it's not creepy, it's no thriller, there isn't even a little suspense. The scenes that are suposed to work for that are just not well achieved. The performances are not good. The way in which it's shot is... just ridiculous!!! I mean, it never makes up its mind to decide whether the movie will be shown through a regular filming camera, through the guy's first person camera or through the little ones hidden in the girl's house! And BTW: how many cameras did the guy put there???? that's just incoherent! They seem to be a million!!
Anyway, this is just a very bad film. Just that.
Oh! and flixster: where do you get the info about movies from? You don't even have the main actress in the cast.

Once Upon a Time in the West (C'era una volta il West)

A newlywed arrives to find her adoptive family murdered and makes an alliance with a bandit and a mysterious drifter to unite against their killer. Sergio Leone's "dance of death" is probably his most artistic film; what doesn't happen on screen is just as important as what does. It is almost an examination of a difference in the mindset of the sexes. The only female protagonist, played by Claudia Cardinale, is the only one who truly embraces life, and is willing to do whatever it takes to survive. Robards' bandit, Bronson's revenge driven gunman and Fonda's steely eyed assassin not only expect death, but almost welcome it. This film is not about a bullet riddled slam bang finale; it's about a series of events and circumstances leading up to a single point in time, and is all the more powerful for it. Reeking atmosphere and tension, Leone's visuals have never been better and Fonda who is the true central character of the film is perfectly cast against type, his piercing blue eyes almost the opposite of Bronson's emotionless slits. The soundtrack is perhaps a little heavy handed in places and the 2hr 40min running time may seem a little daunting to some, but it's the perfect western for people who prefer them arthouse rather than action packed.

Key Largo

A ruthless mobster and his gang hold a group of hotel guests hostage during a hurricane on the Florida Keys. Another Noir from John (The Maltese Falcon) Huston featuring the classic pairing of Bogart and Bacall, this film does not quite live up to the promise of these ingredients, but that's a hell of a pedigree to live up to. Making Bogart a do-gooder war hero and Bacall a doting widow takes the edge off their usual cynical, hard-bitten sparring and this overly wholesome approach means that the crackling chemistry they have shown in their other films is compromised. Robinson and Claire Trevor as his soused moll provide the best moments, and his sneering diatribes against Bogie's moral stand are great. The hurricane enclosed setting makes for a nice pressure cooker environment in which the protagonists show their true colours and puts an interesting spin on the usual Noir ingredients. Maybe not the most original or inventive examples of the genre and it misses the firecracker dialogue of the likes of The Maltese Falcon, but it is still effective, atmospheric and constantly entertaining.