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salvador_2003
Reviews
The Funeral (1996)
Average at Best
The Funeral is about gangsters Christopher Walken and Chris Penn burying their younger brother, on the evening of his wake (before his funeral) through flashbacks we see their brother and his involvement with crime and criminals. He is having an affair with Benicio Del Torro's wife and so Del Torro is placed in the frame for his murder, as the movie gradually ends, Chris Penn shoots his brothers and the people that work for him.
Apart from two good performances from Walken and Penn, this movie lacks character detail, plot and lacks contemporary quality of the 1930's. There is unconvincing atmosphere between the characters and it is just disappointing.
The highlight of the movie comes from Christopher Walken who whips out some good sayings and seeks his revenge.
I got this film on a three DVD box set with Road to Perdition and Miller's Crossing. I'd already seen Miller's Crossing. I don't think it can be classed in the way that Miller's Crossing can.
Its worth watching but I doubt anyone will watch it for a second time.
PEACE.
Summer of Sam (1999)
It takes two views
Before I saw Summer of Sam I had seen a fair collection of Spike Lee movies, and I have to admit this is in my opinion the best alongside; Malcolm X, He got Game and 25th Hour.
The film contrasts the 70's era and the "anything goes" era of Life. Our central characters are Vinny and Richie who are two friends from a rough area of town, both grow and follow different paths of life; Richie becomes involved in the Punk Rock trend and begins work in the pornography industry to fund his band. Vinny who is a streetwise hairdresser and disco dancing ladies man follows the traditional fashion for the time. I think this film is so superb because the key issue of the movie "serial killer" is always a sub-plot to the events the central characters experience, whether it is music, drugs, sex or violence.
There is such a brilliant conflict between the relationships of the characters as they deteriorate and fade away over time.
The film is brutal at times, the serial killer executes his victims with a .44 pistol, however the violence is infrequent and is once again a sub-plot to the actual life's of the characters. There is strong sex throughout the film and very frequent strong language.
Summer of Sam is based on an actual event that took place over a year in New York in 1977, the serial killer who dubs himself "son of Sam" is throughout the film portrayed as a man sent over the edge by the requirements and restrictions of society, which contrasts brilliantly the attitudes of the main characters, who in turn are changing and rebelling against society.
A brilliant film.
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
A true classic
This film opens up in the office of a mafia syndicate, the bosses daughter is forced into revealing the name of her unborn child's father, "Alfredo Garcia" the boss offers a reward for anyone who can bring him the head of Alfredo Garcia, as two bounty hunters travel around Mexico trying to find the man they meet Bennie a piano playing low life who along with his prostitute girlfriend knew Alfredo Garcia and know that he was recently killed in a car crash, so Bennie makes a deal with the bounty hunters to kill and retrieve the head. As he travels to the grave he is assaulted and he and his girlfriend are buried alive, he survives but she dies and he swears revenge, travelling after the head he encounters bounty hunters and church folk who aren't willing to forgive him for disrespecting the dead. in conclusion he takes the head through the bounty hunters to the boss, who has just christened his grandson. Bennie shoots up the room and kills the boss and his friends, he promises the bosses daughter that he'll look after the head of Alfredo Garcia. As he leaves, he is shot and killed by a number of people.
I think this film is by far one of the most superior of its time, I enjoy Sam Peckinpah movies and this is his most self indulging and I feel it to be a very symbolic movie, it represents the lowest form of people and samples the bottom of the ladder life's of those people.
It portrays Bennie's relationship with the head of Alfredo Garcia because its the only link between himself and his girlfriend who was killed and buried by bounty hunters.
The bloody shootouts are gritty and violent but there is never violence that doesn't fit the scene.
A brilliant movie to watch however I think its for the Sam "the man" Peckinpah fans to watch first, as it demonstrates his style.
Watch enjoy and watch again.
Trainspotting (1996)
Utterly Fantastic
Trainspotting its an excellent movie about the real hardship of drug addiction and the consequences "Death" and in the entire movie from the opening scene to the end you are presented with characters and the situations that are taking place at this very second, and its scary to think that the contents of the movie are actually happening which is why the brilliant book by Irvine Welsh was criticised by many (In my opinion) its due to people not wanting to realise the severity of whats happening in the world, Back to the film there's a heavy sense of dread and depravity throughout the whole set but if you consider each circumstance then the heavy theme of degradation seems light hearted and that I feel allows you to almost laugh a little at certain parts of the movie, for example I felt Begbies character was hilarious but in the book he's not he's a proper hard case even worse than the film but the scenarios Begbie gets are almost funny as you can just imagine someone doing that in a snooker hall, I know there are scenes where he acts a complete Psychopath but just down to what he says and the way he acts around his friends, Sick Boy for example on the train with the cards he forgot to bring, and Sick Boy's face just drops and he looks like a bitter child caught snooping for Christmas Presents, The way in which Begbie is able to be comfortable in being a complete Nut Case is explored into a little more depth in the book.
Trainspotting is not a comic take on a hard subject its an open genre take on a hard subject, its often close to the bone and in that not as much offencive more affective as everything in the film happens throughout the drug fuelled dead end lifestyles many have to endure, Its one of my favourite movies of all time and the book is my favourite book because both are strong and are real they don't turn away from the deprivation of what is life Trainspotting is a 10/10 movie that is not for the light hearted but a must see film for whenever your mature enough Peace
Thirteen (2003)
An outstanding and Brilliant Movie about Real Life situations
I heard a lot about this movie from people that I know and through reviews and articles, so when I finally sat down to watch it I didn't know what to expect there were many comments on the level of controversy and content and my argument defending the level of shocking subjects touched on is if you take out the issues faced then the movie does not hold the qualities that it promises and therefore will not create the atmosphere of devastation and self destruction in the terrifying allure that is Cool, The movie does have strong scenes of shocking subject matter but it is only shocking because it is the thought of thirteen year old children being apart of this, the film in my opinion is probably the most impressive I have seen it touched me and I felt for Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood) who is my favourite actress, she has the difficult task of trying to fit in with the popular crowd and begins to lose control she is completely convincing as a lovely young girl who feels so obliged to fit in she is willing to change who she is, Holly Hunter who plays her mother a single mum struggling plays a vital role as she tries to bring Tracy out of what she feels to be a circle of self destruction.
This movie is very entertaining but also has a very deep meaning and is a very effective film I feel that the content is one of a difficult nature that the director and cast tackle with an excellent performances and angles throughout.
I would say this film is an outstanding movie that made me think a lot about the effects of peer pressure on young people in society and in conclusion to my review it is a movie that deserves to be seen but will leave you thinking, those people who think this movie is bad well its opinion but I can advise you to watch this movie if you are interested in the developing effects of peer pressure, its brilliant its shocking and its the truth and its all happening so fast I love this movie because of the way it works on so many levels 10/10
Withnail and I (1987)
Superb Movie Classic
Without a doubt my favourite movie of all time an AMAZING journey I love the movie from start to finish its brilliant. The story breaks down like this two actors (losely speaking that is) Withnail and Marwood enter the countryside into Monty's (Withnails Uncle) for a week of relaxing to rejuvenate when they succumb to hostile locals "Pensioners in cottages" a psychotic poacher "Jake" and a Randy Bull as well as Marwood having to fight off Monty who feels that Marwood is indeed an oppressed homosexual "Where talking about me naked in a corner" this movie is a brilliant tale with such amusing and lovable characters from Presuming Ed to Danny it is a great movie balancing wit and friendship at the end of its tether I love each moment of this great film. The soundtrack is Superb as well and each quote is a brilliant and witty one liner that sticks In total this movie is the perfect movie I cannot praise it enough and my advise is for whoever has not seen it to do so now
Wilt (1989)
Brilliant
This movie is an excellent tale of Henry Wilt and his falling in with the police throughout the movie, I first heard of this movie when I was looking for Tom Sharpe books over the internet I think the movie is a brilliant piece of work in expressing the deep subconscious of a man pushed to the edge by a dominating wife a dead end job and a life that seems to be moving backwards instead of forwards, I have not read the book but I hear it is a fantastic novel and the movie has done it proud. There are some hilarious scenes one in particular Henry Wilt is in the police station facing charges of murdering his wife and uses a monitored phone call talking to the answering machine pretending its his wife to try to get out of trouble then we see the other side the answer machine where three police officers stand around conducting a search staring at the machine, its funny trust me. I don't think there is anything that unsuitable in the movie there are slight sexual references and some bad language but on the whole the movie is very tame
Boys from the Blackstuff (1982)
Superb
This series is a brilliant insight to the devastation of Liverpool during the 80's it shows the hardship of job seekers and the many people who went through these times unemployed and deprived of their jobs and their futures where therefore destroyed by the high level of Unemployement during this period the five episodes are all written with a hilarious wit and a brilliant raw expression of life during this time that will make you laugh cry and feel for the characters and their situations the most touching story is Yossers Story it is brilliant and well written with a sense of comedy throughout although the results are upsetting. Yosser Hughes the Liverpool lad with his three Children alone living in a squalor he is desperate for a companion and finds himself alone when his wife tells social services of her torment suffered at the hands of Yosser (This a complete lie Yosser would not hurt his children or his wife) so they take his children and evict him he is beaten by the brutal Police who feel no remorse after they beat him to a pulp in his bare living room then he is left alone in the house desperate for work he tries to find a job at various areas of work but is never successful and in the end he is arrested and tries to drown himself to escape the life he has bean given. The brilliance within the series is the ability to upset you and make you laugh at the same time and finally realise the severity of unemployment during this period the whole series is absolutely brilliant and should be viewed by all because it is an outstanding look at life the history of a time in which Liverpool suffered the most and is an outstanding portrait of life a ten out of ten experience you will never forget
Ju-on (2002)
A brilliant Movie
This movie is a brilliant tale of suspense and horror the tale is creepy and hard to understand as far as the story unwinding. The tale is of a grudge laid upon all the people who come into contact with the house, the house is a resting place of murder where a man firstly killed his wife and then upon the story everyone who comes into the house is met by a dreadful fate of death the story is expressed through different views from different people so the story unwinds into a brilliant tale of horror and suspense the movie is better and a lot more detailed than the American remake. The movie I cannot explain in much detail without giving away the brilliance of the movie but all I can say is watch this film its brilliant and is a ten out of ten movie I enjoyed the film it is scary and not to high on gore which is good because it relies on suspense and is never short of a suspense filled moment