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Reviews (91)
25 April 2019
A Brilliant Biopic on Blow and Fatherhood
A shocking depiction of greed and debauchery.
Ted Demme's Blow (2001) is a gripping crime biopic with Johnny Depp portraying drug lord George Jung. Demme's film captures the weed sales spike of the 1970's and the cocaine cartel boom of the 1980's alongside the sleazy and drugged up world of drug trafficking in America, Mexico, and Colombia.
Demme's direction is fast paced and grounds this fantastic story with a parable of fatherhood and what good parenting could do for someone. Demme gives context for the massive drug smuggling going on with effortless ease. His direction keeps you held in suspense through violent drug deals, tense family disputes, unreal coke sniffing, money laundering, or joint smoking. Blow keeps its promise from its slang title. Blow is like Narcos on even more cocaine.
Graeme Revell's score is simple and nuanced, only chiming in for key moments with hypnotic sounds to keep you on an entertainment high. I really love the serene score behind the scene with Johnny Depp saying goodbye to Franka Potente. It's touching and devastating set to Revell's quiet and somber send-off.
The acting in Blow is top notch with a stacked cast representing the immoral and libertine cartels.
Depp is awe inspired as the quiet mastermind behind the spread of weed and cocaine throughout suburban America. Depp's fun loving attitude gives Blow a chill vibe, which changes tonally as he meets various criminals.
Such as the brilliant Jordi Molla as the lecherous Diego. His treacherous ways are hidden behind Molla's sly smile.
Penelope Cruz is as voluptuous as ever, but delivers a crazed performance as Depp's wife Mirtha Jung. Her mega attitude is manipulative and intoxicating. Cruz plays a woman handed all the wealth and luxury in the world, who is still not satisfied. Her depiction of a woman surrendering to substances is haunting.
On the other hand, Franka Potente is amazing as the alluring Barbie, Jung's girlfriend. Her chemistry with Depp is inspired as is her dramatic moments of doom.
I must mention the hilarious and endearing Rachel Griffiths as Jung's mother Ermine. Her screaming over money and morality are perhaps my favorite scenes in Blow.
Likewise, Ray Liotta is inspired and poignant as Jung's decent father Fred Jung. His final scene in the garage is depressingly real. Liotta has built a career off of crime thrillers and gangster movies, so Blow is a neat character turn where he plays the good father desperately warning his son of his wicked ways. Liotta's gentle reminder by Jung's superfluous sports cars is a gripping moment of clarity. All of Liotta's scenes feel so genuine and heartfelt. Ray Liotta is just a marvelous actor.
Even Paul Reubens, also known as Pee-wee, is excellent as the drug supplier Derek Foreal. Also, I must note Cliff Curtis is terrifying as the cool and callous Pablo Escobar.
Ethan Suplee is fun as Jung's friend Tuna. I really was impressed by a young Emma Roberts as Jung's daughter Kristina Jung.
In all, Blow's ensemble is formidable in all functions for this film. The dramatic is more gripping thanks to their captivating or intimidating performances, while the legendary depravity of all involved is forever documented by Blow.
20 November 2020
Hilarious to the sweet end!
Adorable romance and hilarious writing!
Ernst Lubitsch’s romantic comedy Ninotchka (1939) is a hilarious spoof of Communist Russia and Capitalist France with an endearing romance drama in the middle of all the nonsense. Ninotchka is a phenomenal comedy, written by Billy Wilder with a tongue in cheek tone and endless wit. Every line is some clever turn of phrase or silly reference with genuine intelligence to his writing. Wilder’s writing is so astute for his political commentary on Communism in Russia oppressing her people that you’ll be astounded by his choice words during this comfort film. Ernst Lubitsch’s direction is peerless with a fast pace making Ninotchka a quick 110 minutes. His style allows each actor to get some laughs in, all while naturally recreating Paris for the layman viewer.
Swedish actress Greta Garbo puts on a cute and accurate Russian accent as the sern Russian envoy Ninotchka Ivanova Yakushova. She’s stunningly beautiful as she slowly learns to let loose and live life with an air of playfulness. Garbo is super funny as this deadpan, penny pinching Russian official sent to ensure royal jewels are sold at a fair price for bread for starving Russians. She takes the role so seriously that you believe her near tragic heroine. Greta Garbo delivers sweet romance with her dreamy allure as well as perfect comedy with her deft performance. Ninotchka is a fantastic film and role for Greta Garbo to demonstrate her versatility.
Melvyn Douglas is funny as the charming seducer and goofy romantic lead Count Leon d’Algout. His chemistry with Greta Garbo is realistic, but how can you not love her? Ina Claire is perfectly easy to hate as the narcissist Grand Duchess Swana. Bela Lugosi has a cool cameo as Russian Commissar Razinin. The entire cast of Ninotchka is great fun. I must mention Sig Ruman, Felix Bressart, and Alexander Granach are hilarious as the self serving Comrades Iranoff, Buljanoff, and Kopalski with their erratic antics.
Gene Ruggiero’s editing is very stark with a nice eye for when to cut a scene so that nothing drags on too long. William H. Daniels’ black and white cinematography is gorgeously lit and framed with a heavenly eye for close-ups on faces. His wide shots are fun as you can see everyone in a room to witness all their verbal gags at once. Cedric Gibbons’ art direction is breathtaking with lovely, ornate rooms everywhere. Edwin B. Wills’ set decoration looks so lavish for the hotel and restaurants. Werner R. Heymann’s score is pretty and never intrudes on the scene with too abrasive a tone. He keeps Ninotchka light and airy. Adrian’s costumes are lovely, especially Greta Garbo’s dinner dress and Russian uniforms.
In all, Ninotchka is one of those dreamy romantic comedies that is equally funny and endearingly charming.
05 September 2019
"You're so cool."
Tony Scott directs his crime thriller True Romance (1993) with a stylish flair for the dramatic. Scott brings moody lighting, sleek pans, clever edits, and killer action for True Romance’s unique appeal. He uses neat slow motion for the action shootouts for emphasis on a character’s position to a gun or weapon as opposed to using slow motion for a cool visual choice. I think True Romance may very well be Scott’s best film as it’s a beautiful romance story, engaging crime drama, and a funny comedy of errors.
Quentin Tarantino’s script is complex, placing numerous characters against each other in each scene. He takes a vast flux of characters moving around Detroit and L.A. all to place them in the same room for the finale. His dialogue is all his own for better or worse. His characters will feel like their own people, but never real. His references are too obscure to Tarantino’s own tastes to come across as regular people. I still despise how he adores making white characters use the “n-word” at will. It feels cheap regardless of context. Thankfully, Tarantino’s plot is engaging and intriguing as you never know where the story is heading until the last scene.
Christian Slater is great as a careless hero named Clarence. Patricia Arquette is dreamy as a nervous prostitute turned love interest on the run. True Romance takes clear influence from Bonnie & Clyde, Badlands, Wild at Heart, with Thelma & Louise. Hans Zimmer references Badlands’ score for True Romance’s theme. It’s a flashy film of colorful characters and visceral bloody action. The gunfire will keep you awake at the very least.
Dennis Hopper is wonderful as Slater’s panicked and concerned father. He gets a brilliant tough guy monologue to go out against the devious and threatening Christopher Walken. Val Kilmer gets two scenes as Slater’s imaginary mentor Elvis. His accent and vocal tone sounds identical to Elvis. Gary Oldman transforms into a greasy and sleazy pimp that is unrecognizable. His threatening sequence to Slater in the lamplight is genius acting. James Gandolfini similarly gets a fearsome, violent sequence with Arquette that demonstrates his poignant dramatic acting. Brad Pitt is hilarious as the stoner Floyd, who just rips bongs and gives directions the whole movie.
Even Chris Penn and Michael Rapaport get memorable supporting roles alongside the aforementioned greats. True Romance is just a collection of brilliant character actor performances surrounded by gritty violence.