by Felipe Rosa
The Town: a revisit confirmed what I thought before. A solid entertainment, that probably got even a bit better the second time. There’s not much extraneous fat; of course, there isn’t much that is all that original either, but it is so well done that it doesn’t really matter. See what I wrote previously: The Town
Categories: Film reviews, Revisit • Tags: crime, drama
by Felipe Rosa
RocknRolla: It’s a bit fun and a bit cool, but the choice of playing it straight, unlike Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch subtracts from it. It then lacks a stronger, more charismatic center.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: crime
by Felipe Rosa
The Town: not particularly distintictive, but solid, muscular entertainment. In fact, it’s quite well acted, even if the characters for most part are not all that interesting. Still, it’s an improvement over Gone Baby Gone, and that’s another movie that I actually liked.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: crime, drama
by Felipe Rosa
The American: I’m still a bit on the fence about this one. I don’t mind the ponderous pace; in fact it’s refreshing to see a movie that is not in a rush to the next explosion. Clooney is good as usual, the movie is beautifully shot. But something is missing. The story itself is not all that interesting or novel, but that’s not quite the issue either. Honestly, I need to think about this puzzle for a bit longer.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: crime, drama
by Felipe Rosa
Mr. Arkadin: how appropriate that I watched this right after The Third Man, since this movie seems to be a result of that masterpiece. Mr. Arkadin is Wellesian to a fault, with its extreme angled shots, Kane-ish structure and, yes, its sad story of lack of control over the finished product. Not a great movie, with some very awkward elements (the main actor, for one), but an interesting one anyway.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: crime, drama
by Felipe Rosa
Infernal Affairs: at the end of the day, I would say it’s about the same level as The Departed. There is a sense of dread on watching this different movie when you know the end, pretty much. Or maybe the dread is on me, I don’t know. Anyway, I think the first scene is a mistake, and I miss the character of Mark Whalberg.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: crime, drama
by Felipe Rosa
Un Prophète: at last a movie that survives the hype. Very solid. This is how gangster/prison movies should be done. The one thing I’m not quite a fan of is the whole thing that gives the film its name.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: crime, drama
Fifth about The Seventh