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Brooklyn’s Finest

March 29th, 2010
Brooklyn’s Finest

Brooklyn’s Finest

Rating: ★★★★☆

Movie: Brooklyn’s Finest (2010)

Studio : Millenium Films

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 132 min

Website : brooklynsfinestthemovie.com

Trailer :http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbjqfc



Review:

I’m currently teaching a class in introductory literature, during which students are required to read one play. This semester, that play will be Oedipus Rex. As I’ve been rereading the play and attempting to tie it into my lessons on Greek tragedy, I couldn’t help but think of Brooklyn’s Finest, which stars three characters who could easily be tragic heroes in a Greek drama.

The first is Tango (Don Cheadle), a narc who’s been undercover for so long that he’s become confused about where his loyalties lie, particularly to Caz (a returning Wesley Snipes), a drug dealer who apparently saved him during a prison riot when he did an undercover stint there. Eddie (Richard Gere) is a burnt-out patrolman with seven days left before retirement. We first see him when he wakes himself up by chugging some whiskey and pointing a revolver into his mouth. Ethan Hawke is Sal, a detective with a wife and family that’s too big to support, with a set of twins on the way. In desperation, he’s taken to robbing drug dealers.

The movie intercuts these three stories, as we’re meant to see the hardships that real New York City cops endure: it’s the antidote to the fake buddy cop picture. We see Tango’s frustration appear to drift into borderline madness as he keeps being promised Detective First Grade by his supervisor (Will Patton) and threatened by a slimy agent (Ellen Barkin) if he doesn’t bust Caz. Eddie’s being asked to mentor rookie cops by taking them into the high-crime Brooklyn streets that have worn him down. His “retirement ceremony” brings some dark humor, all the more because it’s so sad. Sal’s wife (Lili Taylor) has to go to the hospital because of mold on the ceiling, which is threatening the health of her unborn twins. “Can you move to a bigger house?” the doctor asks. If only he knew…

The pacing here is excellent. Antoine Fuqua, the director of Training Day, does a great job at moving back and forth between these three stories, never dwelling on one for too long but allowing us enough time to get to know each character. The only downside was I had a hard time sympathizing with Hawke’s character, who seems to have put himself in his predicament of “too many kids.” My reasons will make me sound inhuman, so I’ll stop there.

The cinematography is fitting to the story as well. We don’t see overhead shots of the Brooklyn Bridge with the Manhattan skyline in the background, like most New York-set movies. Shots are limited to the streets, because this is the world occupied by these cops. The romance of New York is lost by most people who live there, but these guys appear to see it as a crime-ridden hellhole. With the exception of a shot of a subway station and the Brooklyn accents (well-done by both Gere and Hawke), this could really take place in any city.

One of my favorite movies is Requiem for a Dream, based on the Hubert Selby book. I hadn’t seen his name on any of the previews, but I wondered for a bit if the screenplay had been adapted from one of his novels. Brooklyn served as a fitting backdrop for his stories, all of which focused on multiple characters suffering from their own faults, and ultimately, succumbing to the consequences to follow. Michael C. Martin and Brad Caleb Kane, the screenwriters, certainly seem to have been inspired. It’s well-written and well-made. Not as good as Training Day, but worth the trip to the theater.

-Craig Wynne

Action, Crime, Drama, Just left Theaters, Reviews by Genre, Reviews by Status, Thriller , , , , ,

Observe and Report – Comedy Movie

May 10th, 2009
Observe and Report - Seth Rogen

Observe and Report - Seth Rogen

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Movie: Observe and Report (2009)

Studio : Legendary Pictures

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 86min

Website : observe-and-report.warnerbros.com

Trailer :
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8abkm

Review:

Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen) is the head of mall security at the Forest Ridge Mall. Equipped with a taser, mace, and a plastic badge, he patrols the mall walkways with a distinct display of pride and an explosive temperament. After months of emotional suffering, Ronnie finally has a chance to be a hero and impress the girl of his dreams, Brandi (Anna Faris), after a string of indecent exposure reports perpetrated by a trench coat-toting pervert in the mall’s parking lot. However things don’t quite unfold desirably, and Ronnie finds himself in a constant battle with Detective Harrison (Ray Liotta) in the pursuit of Brandi’s attention.

The movie tries extremely hard to be funny, with forced dialogue and awkward situations, but ultimately falls quite short. Seth Rogen’s performance is yet another testament to the expiration of his brand of crude, bumbling comedy (and I use that term loosely), a style that worked a few times but has already worn-out it’s stay. Anna Faris’ portrayal of a ditzy, image-obsessed department store clerk is performed with stunning conviction, and is the perfect role for a talentless actress such as herself. Despite these major shortcomings, Ray Liotta, Patton Oswalt, and Aziz Ansari deftly deliver the only chuckle-worthy scenes during their brief appearances.

Observe and Report is an absolutely atrocious attempt at black comedy, with far too many expletives, far too much nudity, and far too little comedy. The result is an excessively disgusting movie seemingly released to target 5th graders, a demographic where hearing the F-word ten times in two minutes warrants multiple views at the theater and claims of “It was hilarious!”
Fandango  - We've Got Your Movie Tickets!

– Daniel S.

Comedy, Just left Theaters , ,

Obsessed – Drama Thriller Movie

May 4th, 2009
Obsessed - Idris Elba, Beyonce Knowles

Obsessed - Idris Elba, Beyonce Knowles

Rating: ★★★★½

Movie: Obsessed(2009)

Studio: Screen Gems

Info: Click Here

Runtime: 108min

Website: areyouobsessed.com

Trailer:http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8ro58

Review :

Obsessed was an excellent movie! As I always say, “In every movie there is a lesson to be learned.” In this particular movie the lesson was to trust your spouse. What I was most surprised about in this movie was how sync it was with its trailer. Lately a lot of movie trailers have been misleading the quality and purpose of the movie yet this movie really stayed on topic.

The movie was great with grabbing my attention by making every scene vital to the movie’s purpose. Beyonce does a great job creating the emotion in a lot of the scenes cracking tears and yelling at a high frequency. Idris (main character) is great with his confused looks and sad reactions as well as his emotional aspect. Meanwhile Ali (plays the obsessed female) dropped my jaw with her forceful actions and impressive acting.

On top of everything I was really sitting on the edge of my seat throughout the entire film. I was really impressed by the thrill this movie had in every scene. I couldn’t wait another minute to find out what was going to happen. Each stressful scene just edged me wanting to know more!

Overall I can’t really say much about this movie without spoiling a bit of it therefore I am going to stop before I ruin the movie for you potential viewers out there! See this movie!
Fandango  - We've Got Your Movie Tickets!

-Trent M.

Drama, Just left Theaters, Thriller , , , , , , , , , ,

Fast and Furious – Action Racing Movie

April 29th, 2009
Fast & Furious - Paul Walker, Vin Diesel

Fast & Furious - Paul Walker, Vin Diesel

Rating: ★★★½☆

Movie: Fast and Furious(2009)

Studio: Relativity Media, Universal Pictures

Info: Click Here

Runtime: 107min

Website: fastandfuriousmovie.net

Trailer:http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x84xhi

Review :

As the fourth & final installment of The Fast & The Furious film series, Fast & Furious (known as Fast & Furious 4 in certain countries) returns to the streets of Los Angeles with the crew of the original film. Taking place five years after the original and chronologically in between 2Fast 2Furious and Tokyo Drift, F&F4 reunites with Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) as he and Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker) team-up to take down the notorious kingpin of a heroin cartel named Arturo Braga.

Bonded by their common necessity for information, Dom (seeking revenge) and Brian (seeking justice) go down their separate paths in search of any possible lead, when they happen to stumble upon the same suspect that gives them both what they are looking for. They learn of a certain street race that will guarantee them positions as drivers in Braga’s operation to run heroin across the Mexican/American border, thus setting the stage for their individual yet similar adventures in search of the truth.

Most fans of the series will agree that the original was the best film, and because F&F4 returns to the same setting with the same characters, it naturally needs to live up to certain expectations. Unfortunately, the premiere of The Fast & The Furious was during a time when street racing was at its pinnacle of popularity, a trend that was new and exciting for viewers of all ages.

Now, however, that trend has essentially died, or at least significantly decreased in popularity, thus stacking the cards against a positive reception of F&F4. Despite this unfortunate circumstance, Fast & Furious has risen to the challenge, with a better than acceptable response from critics and customers alike.

Notwithstanding the formulaic storyline, underwhelming acting and borderline hysterical cliché-ridden dialogue, F&F4 most definitely delivers for its genre: action. From the opening scene to the end credits, this movie is absolutely packed with over-the-top driving stunts, elaborate fight & chase scenes, and a plethora of pyrotechnical masterpieces. That being said, if you appreciate this series for its mindless action scenes and excessive stunts, then you will not be disappointed.

Fast & Furious posted $71 million in ticket sales on opening weekend, and is now playing in theaters nationwide.
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-Daniel S.

Action, Just left Theaters , , , , , ,