Good
day everyone and welcome to October. Today I bring you ten more
movies that you must see because I am telling you to do so and I am
awesome so you should listen to me. No I am not doing Halloween
movies, maybe I will before the month is out, but I started this list
a last month but I have been so busy with all the weddings I had to
attend, all the miserable hours of overtime I have been doing at
work and Mets playoff baseball (which is making this October the best in years). Instead of scary movies I bring to you mainly gangster and crime
films, so read about them and then go and watch them all.
The Public Ememy (1931)- William A. Wellman; Warner Bros.
Today
we begin with The Public Enemy a
tale about a young street tough who wants to be big time. He takes
advantage of prohibition to do so. James Cagney was one of 1930s
Hollywood's quintessential prohibition era gangster (when he wasn't
dancing) and this is the role that started it. It is as much of a
tale of a family dynamic as it is a gangster flick. His family life
slowly comes apart as he rises the ranks and in the light of his
brothers return.
This
film is a must watch because it and Little Caesar (which
came out a few months before The Public Enemy)
set the tone for a slew of gangster films for years to come and their
influence can even be seen in today's movies though with a little
less fast talking.
Kansas City Confidential (1952)- Phil Karlson; Associated Players & Producers
Kansas City Confidential is
one of the more obscure films I have discussed. I don't even know how
I cam across it to be honest. I may have just been clicking around on
Amazon found it, and ordered it. I watched it and fell in love with
it. Its not a perfect film, but it is a great film-noir nonetheless.
A man (John Payne) is framed for an armed robbery and sets out to
find out who set him up and it leads to Mexico and a bunch of shady
characters. If you can find this movie and you love Noir's this is a
must watch. Just be careful if you buy it on DVD as the film is
apparently public domain meaning there is no owner and any schmuck
can try and make a buck off of it. I had a buddy buy a copy that was
all out of whack, meanwhile my copy is crisp. So if you can't find a
good copy give me a call. Then again since it is public domain It is on YouTube, so who needs me.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)- George Roy Hill; 20th Century Fox, Campanile Productions, Newman-Foreman Company
A
wonderful story of friendship and train robbing and more importantly
it marks the first time we got to see a film with Robert Redford and
Paul Newman together and it is everything you would expect from the
two acting juggernauts (as is the other picture they did together
which you will read about next). Based off of true events of the
infamous criminals Butch Cassidy and Harry Longaaugh aka The Sundance
Kid as they run from the law eventually ending up in Bolivia. This
version of their tale (does anyone know the real ending of these two
was written by William Golden who would win an Academy Award for his
efforts and brought to the screen by director George Roy Hill with
the help of cinematographer Conrad L. Hall (no relation between them)
who would also win an Oscar for his work which is incredible and in
some cases breathtaking both of which are needed when trying to
capture the American West and its innate beauty and the larger than
life characters that roamed it.
If you
like westerns this is a must watch. If you like great acting this is
a must watch. If you love great film scores this is a must watch. I
guess what I am saying is that no matter what you look for in a film
this has it and is a must watch. So go watch.
The Sting (1973)- George Roy Hill: Zanuck/Brown Productions, Universal
The Sting is
the ultimate movie about a con (sorry Danny Ocean). Robert Redford
and Paul Newman pair up again with director George Roy Hill (won
academy award for best director, also this is quietly his third appearance in this series) again in this Best Picture winning
film. Newman and Redford (who received a nomination for best
supporting actor) team up after a mutual friend is killed to run the
big con against the man and organization that was responsible. The
movie is a fantastic ride and is powered not only by the huge names
on camera and behind it but also with David S. Ward's academy award
winning screenplay. Pair all of that with the catchy jingle they used
as The Sting's theme
(The Entertainer by Scott Joplin) and you have a fun movie for the
whole damn family! The subtle stylistic choices made by Hill add a
quality to the movie that I truly appreciate. From using the 1930's
Universal logo to implementing old fashioned transitions between
scenes makes you feel like you are acting a film from Hollywood's
golden era and not just watching one that takes place in that time.
The Untouchables (1987)- Brian De Palma; Paramount Pictures
When Kevin Costner
is playing the main character I never have high hopes for a movie. He
is just not any good, but a great story, a beyond fantastic
supporting cast, a perfect musical score , and brilliant
cinematography save his less than stellar performance. Sean Connery
fits perfectly as the Wiley old copper who finds the urge to aide
Elliot Ness (Costner) against Al Capone (De Niro) and the corrupt
system. Connery's character is well developed and well delivered by
Connery, he sets the stage for the entire film. And De Niro's Capone
is so brilliant it makes me wish he made a movie where he stared as
the infamous gangster, but that was moons ago before he was old, but
think how awesome that would have been?
But what I think
stands out the most is Ennio Morricone's score. He is the master and
proves it over and over again and this is no exception. I will watch
a movie just for his scores, shit I listen to them in my car while on
road trips. He is brilliant and can set a mood for a scene with his
score and it amazes me.
Any with all that
said you should just watch this movie for the Al Capone baseball
scene: I love that scene, especially how it sounds in surround sound.
Goodfellas (1990)- Martin Scorsese; Warner Bros.
I love Martin
Scorsese he is my favorite director so I will put his movies on this
list every opportunity I get. Then put Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta,
and Joe Pesci in front of his camera doing some gangster shit you
have the recipe for a fantastic film and that is what Goodfellas
delivers. One of the best gangster movies of the last 30 years
(damn 1990 was 25 years ago, ain't that some shit) and of all time.
De Niro, Liotta,
and Pesci all grow up idolizing the gangster life and not before long
they were immersed in it. They become close friends and it follows
them through the ups and downs of the lifestyle including a huge
heist and then their fall. I don't want to give away key plot points
as per the usual because my goal is not to ruin the films I list but
to make you go watch them, so if you are not a true 80s or 90s baby
and have not seen this movie go do it now.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)- Quentin Tarantino; Live Entertainment, Dog Eat Dog Productions Inc.
Before I start let
me take a moment to welcome Quentin Tarantino's brilliant crazy ass
to the show. This is surprisingly the first film of his on here. I am
sure I will get to more films written and directed by him, so have no
fear.
Anyway on to the
film itself.
How do you make one
of the greatest heist films of all time? Well, by not showing the
actual heist of course. We hear about what happens but never see a
single moment of the heist. We just see the beforehand and planning
and the aftermath. The cast is powerful as every individual turns
their character into a memorable one. Not a single one of the main
characters is forgettable and each has their own memorable lines of
dialogue. This is attributed to Tarantino's brilliance as a writer.
He as an innate ability to develop unique characters rich in
personality and he shows that in this film as well as his subsequent
films.
While Tarantino's
writing is clearly the stare of the film the actors must have credit
for bringing these complex characters to life. Each character was
perfectly cast and it is one of those films where you can't even
picture any other actor in the roles. A must watch film for anyone,
but especially aspiring screenwriters who want to learn how to
develop characters that shine and can stand the test of time.
Heat (1995)- Michael Mann; Warner Bros., Regency Enterprises, Forward Pass, Art Linson Productions, Monarchy Enterprises B.V.
The
world was waiting for De Niro and Pacino to appear on screen together
(they were both in The Godfather II,
but never on screen at the same time) and the worlds dream came true
with Heat. The
chemistry between these two is wonderful and it warms any movie buffs
heart to see them interact. The scene in the diner is perhaps the
best on screen dialogue between them and it just makes you wonder
what the possibilities would have been if these two great actors
teamed up more often in their primes instead of doing awful films
with 50 cent after they were over the hill.
This Michael Mann
directed and written stands out to me not just because of the two
stars on screen performance but it is a fantastic cat and mouse cop
and robber tale that weaves in the struggles of a cop with his wife.
My favorite quotable scene for instance is when Al Pacino is having
an argument with his ex-wife and her new man. The whole damn scene is
ridiculously hilarious just because Pacino starts out so even keel
then loses it.
I recommend this
film as I clearly do with ever movie I post on here. Just don't let
Val Kilmer's deformed elbow distract you (I bet you wouldn't have
noticed it until I just pointed it out. Sorry, its gross.)
Ronin (1998)- John Frankenheimer; FGM Entertainment, United Artists
The
first thing they teach you is whenever there is a doubt, there is no
doubt. The second thing is not to remember whom is doing the teaching
and third just may be no questions. No answers. That is the business
we're in. You just accept it and move on. The fourth thing they teach
you is to go watch Ronin.
This
is Robert De Niro's (I must be in love with him today because this is the fourth film of his one here today) last great action thriller he is a sharp witted
mercenary teamed up with Jean Reno and a few other miscreants as they
track down a package. The chemistry between De Niro and Reno is
superb and makes you wish they did more together. Oh yeah, and Sean
Bean does NOT die as he does in most of his roles. Sorry for the spoiler, but
if you know his career you know he dies a lot, so yeah. Still go
watch Ronin because it
is badass and quotable as shit. Don't be alarmed if after watching it you start shouting at people to "draw it again!" because I know I do.
Batman Begins (2005)- Christopher Nolan; Warner Bros., Syncopy, DC Comics, Legendary Pictures, Patelex III Productions Limited
By far the most superior of the three
Nolan directed Batman films. I know most of you will disagree with me
and say that The Dark Knight was
better. I will have to disagree. The story, Nolan's work behind the
camera, and Bale's performance were all better in Batman
Begins.
“But Dan Heath
Ledger's joker was so fantastic!”
OK, it
was a very powerful performance, but still does not make up for
Bale's less than fantastic performance and the weaker screenplay in
the Dark Knight. I
love the Dark Knight,
but for me the story and Bale's performance put Batman
Begins above it. Liam Neeson
does a fantastic job as the mentor and eventual antagonist . Nolan's
and cinematographer Wally Pfister bring Nolan and David Goyer's
screen to life starting one of the most successful trilogies (though
The Dark Knight Rises
left a lot to be desired and felt like a rushed ending to the
series.)
