LA Confidential (1997) ITV4 10pm
Delightful, a Chris Malin “top 10-er” to start the week with!
Kind of…
It’s Tuesday after all…
Sorry…
Ropey scheduling aside this really is a class above most of
other films you’ll see so I’m glad we start off my quaint little blog with such
quality… Defensive issues aside, let’s try and get to the bottom of why this
film about the drugs trade in 1950’s LA is such a good film. Perhaps it’s the
ensemble cast, with Messer’s Spacey, Crowe and Pearce. The film follows three
detectives - none of them in particular the main character. This means that we
have to be interested in them all; we can’t be waiting for one to get off the
screen as we wait to see our favourite back on. The casting of each of the
detectives is so good, and each character so fleshed out, that it solves this
particular conundrum perfectly and makes us as an audience unable to route for
just one– all of the detectives have their attributes and their down falls. Guy
Pearce’s Ed Exley is the ambitious detective whose political genius is matched
only by disregard/inability to being ‘likeable’. Kevin Spacey’s Jack Vincennes
is the exact opposite - able to manipulate the people around him for his own
stardom, but is unable to play the long game. Then we have Russell Crowe’s Bud
White, who likes to work with a ‘punch first ask questions later’ attitude
which has a habit of spilling over and masking his more thoughtful side. Each
of the characters fascinate us and even though the film follows each detectives
different thread, none feel like the runt of the bunch – each story strand is
just as captivating as the next. Talking
of the story, this leads us nicely on to another reason why the film excels –
the writing and the direction. Helmed by Curtis Hanson (he of 8 Mile) who also
wrote the screen play along with Brian Helgeland (Mystic River, Man On Fire),
manages to juggle the aforementioned different threads seamlessly – what’s
that? Oh the plot you say? Yes I am sorry, I quite got carried away – the film
takes places in 1950’S Los Angeles as a power vacuum has opened up in the City
of Angel’s drug trade following a mob boss’s assassination. As different people
try and fill the gap, corruption and crime sweep the city which leads 3
differing cops to get involved with their own particular brand of justice…
Intriguing, huh? As I said, the threads
are multiple and the setup is complicated, so the fact that everything flows so
smoothly is a miracle. The screenplay is oh so smart, and sizzles just as much
as the LA sun. There’s never a dull moment and the world created by the film is
to die for…. 1950’s LA looks gorgeous which makes the seedy underbelly it hides
all the more fascinating. The supporting cast are almost as interesting as the
three leads - we want to know as much about the world that Elroy has created as
possible because at the centre of the story is a living breathing heart –
albeit a very dark one – that just comes to life with all these characters who
want to be someone. Be the most famous person alive, be the biggest mob boss,
heck, even just some people’s desire just to be happy – every character has a
motivation, and we as an audience are sucked into this believable fantasy.
Maybe, even, on some level, we are envious that we are not part of this tale of
glitz, glamour and gangsters. That, I
think, is the main reason why this film is so good, it creates a story you are
fascinated by, but all the time you are able to sympathise with these
outlandish characters that, despite their shortcomings, are all very human at
the centre
Or perhaps it’s just because it’s all so frickin’ cool.
There’s Something About Mary (1998) FILM4 10.40pm
The (all too) early peak of the Farrelly Brother’s work.
Yes, it’s arguable whether Dumb and Dumber is just as funny (or even funnier),
but what this film did was put them on the map. How did it manage this whereas
Dumb and Dumber did not? Well it did it in a similar manner in which American
Pie did it when I spoke about the take of 4 lads trying to lose their virginity
a couple of weeks ago. Hell it does it in the same way that all the great
comedies do it – it’s funny… and it’s iconic. Dumb and Dumber has a similar hit
rate as There’s Something About Mary - the jokes come just as thick and fast,
plus are of the same quality. However, There’s Something About Mary had set
pieces that entered the public eye. Everyone knew about Mary’s gel problem.
Everyone knew about Ted’s zip problem. Just like everyone knows about Jim’s pie
problem. The set pieces were so shocking, so disgusting and yet so funny, it’s
induction to comedies hall of fame was inevitable. For those unfamiliar with
the setup, the film follows Ted. Ted has a crush on Mary. Something happens
between the two on prom night that means they don’t see each for a long time
then they run into each other again. That’s all you need to know. These days I
think Dumb and Dumber is looked upon more fondly then There’s Something About
Mary (maybe it is funnier), and less people return to Ted’s tale of trying to
get the woman he loves (when was the last time you watched it?), but I think
this is only a result of how popular it was when it first came out – everyone’s
just watched it so damn much (maybe a lot more than they watched Dumb and
Dumber). Maybe this is a good time to become reunited with an old favourite. I’m
pretty sure it will be as funny as it always was.
“Step into my office”.
Wednesday
Munich (2005) BBC1 11.05pm
“If any of us get laid tonight it’s because of Eric Bana in
Munich” so says Seth Rogen in the comedy Knocked Up. To be fair, it’s no wonder
he feels so empowered because it is a great movie. About Jewish people. Jewish
people kicking ass. Right, let me dispel any notions of this being like
Inglorious Basterds – in fact I’ve probably given totally the wrong impression
about this film from my opening statement. So let’s start again.
Here we have Steven Spielberg’s powerful film about an
Israeli hit squad out to avenge the murders of their fellow countrymen committed
by Palestinian operatives. As Spielberg demonstrated with Schindler’s List, he
has the innate ability to balance spectacle and sentiment seamlessly, and that
is on full show here. What we have is a film that is able to amazingly thought
provoking which never gets weighed down to the point where the film stands
still – you’ll be breathlessly moved throughout between moral conundrums and
tense action. A stellar cast including Eric Bana, Daniel Craig and Geoffrey
Rush help Spielberg bring his vision to screen. Great cinema.
That was more appropriate in the end wasn’t it? More boring,
yes, but way more appropriate.
Moving swiftly on….
Sleepers (1996) ITV4 10pm
Talking of stellar casts… Here we have a great film I haven’t
watched in a long time, so I do hope time has been kind to it (I’m sure it
has). Four lads pull a prank that goes HORRIBLY (capitals necessary) wrong and
they end up in a detention centre for 10 years where they are brutalized in an
extremely cruel way. Upon their release they are understandably a bit irked and
decide to get their revenge. As I said I haven’t watched this is in quite a
while, but at the time I can remember thinking ‘woah’. It packs an emotional
punch and the performances from a cast that includes Brad Pitt, Dustin Hoffman,
Bobby De Niro and Mr connected himself, Kevin Bacon.
Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988) FILM4 9pm
I have probably watched this film over a 100 times and it
will still have me in stiches every time I watch it. The main reason because of
this is no matter how ludicrous what is happening on screen, no matter what
ridiculous line is being espoused, no matter anything, Leslie Nielsen manages
to somehow play it straighter than George Clooney holding a ruler on a straight
and narrow road during a straightening competition while having his hair
straightened. Ok, maybe not the last bit, but you get from I’m coming from.
Leslie Nielsen plays Lt. Frank Drebin, a detective who makes Inspector Clouseau
look like Poirot (loving the similes tonight) is part of police squad – the most
inept elite squad of cops going. Queen Elizabeth is coming to town and it seems
Frank is the only man who is able to stop her from being assassinated (somehow).
The gags in this are second to none (I rate this higher than Aeroplane!), you’ve
always got to have an eye on the background for one of the many sight gags
going, and be prepared for the silly. This is intelligent silly though, not
White Chicks brain dead silly. So yeah, enjoy Chris Malin’s favourite comedy of
all time.
“Nice beaver!”
Thursday
Natural Born Killers (1994) ITV4 10.10pm
Look I have a life you know, sometimes I need a rest.
Cyrus (2011) FILM4 9pm & FILM4 10pm
This is really good to be fair.
Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) FILM4 10.45pm
This is funny as well.
Wow that was easy.
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