Friday, September 14, 2007

The Long Good Friday (1979)



London gang boss Bob Hoskins is finalizing a development deal that will make him and his associates wealthy and legit - once they secure some big money from the American Mafia - when he finds himself a target of some bloody acts of revenge.

Hoskins is great playing a guy absolutely dumbfounded to discover that, after a decade of graft-induced peace and prosperity, someone could have the nerve to try and muck up his big deal.

He shakes off his daze once the machetes come out, and rediscovers his inner gangster...but he also finds out that prosperity has left him a step too slow.

(Be forewarned: The synthesizer 'n' saxophone score has not aged well.)

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

3:10 To Yuma (2007)



Director James Mangold made a terrific Western years ago. It was set in New Jersey, and the title was Copland.

If there were acting awards that meant anything, Sylvester Stallone would have one for Copland.

3:10 To Yuma is not in the same league.

Although it features some fine acting, little in the movie makes sense, right from the beginning.

And if you disagree, remind me never to rob a stagecoach with you.

Friday, September 7, 2007

Shooter (2007)



It's a bad idea to seek conventional medical attention for a gunshot wound when you are the subject of a nationwide manhunt. Most movies that introduce such a scenario elide the real complications that would ensue.

Shooter is dumb in a lot of ways, but all I ever want from a flick like this is something I haven't seen before, and an action hero spending half an hour trying to treat a wound is nothing if not unique.