4 out of 5. What's great about Alejandro
González Iñárritu 21 GRAMS is that the rewiring of time was a great way
to challenge our perception. Many films after this messed with the
concept and many of them came off cheap
and gimmicky. He wasn't the first but still it reminded us that editing
is also the art of storytelling and that once you've done the artistry
of writing and directing a story...that a story can be conceived at a
whole other level. Would loved to have scene the shooting script for
this.
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3 out 5. ROAD TO PERDITION by Sam Mendes might
be a movie you missed the first time around, but it's a real gem. What I
liked about it was it's dark quality. For a color film to be a
traditional noir that's tough to
achieve, but I think it's pulled of well. Secondly the story by Max
Allan Collins, based off his graphic novel series of the same name, is
very well-grounded and doesn't have that inflated Hollywood-feel.
Nothing is over-dramatized and what's there is pretty raw. If you like
movies like Unforgiven or Miller's Crossing, this would suit your taste.
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3 out of 5. Alan Parker's THE COMMITMENTS
comes to mind as one of the more solid music-based films. I loved the
Buddy Holly Story and La Bamba when I was younger and this I think is
the best combination of filmmaking and
undiscovered musical talent. The energy and dynamics of this large cast
is infectious. Maybe I'm a sucker for these types of films since I
really can't stand musicals. But you could do worse with a 118 minutes.
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4 out of 5. While I"m at it Alejandro González
Iñárritu's AMORES PERROS is worth mentioning as yet another film where
he uses connectivity of circumstances to retool our perception of story.
The acting is terrific in this and Gael
García Bernal really stood out for me. At times it was quite hard to
watch but as a whole I think it's visceral quality drew you into the
characters state of mind, raising the stakes both internally and
externally.
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