Saturday, November 12, 2022
Internal Affairs
- Commentary: Despite its meager but complimentary review-of-sorts in the Reception section of this movie's Wikipedia write-up, the truth is, it's hard to find a review of this movie, let alone a positive review. This surprises me because I saw the movie sometime between its release in theaters and 1993, on home video, and I still remember it, still remember enjoying it, so much so that, when I was reminded of it a few days ago when ordering The Infernal Affairs Trilogy, I decided to purchase a copy.
Regarding the all-over-the-map reviews of this movie, metacritic collates a score of "generally favorable reviews". The Los Angeles Times has a muddled write-up, praising some aspects of the movie while excoriating others, as does the WAPO review attached to the title of this post.
I was introduced to this movie by my next door neighbor in Seattle who managed (and, later, owned) a video rental store. I was riveted. So was she, I might add, although she'd seen the movie more than a few times. I have not seen this movie since. I've been reminded of it a lot throughout the intervening years, just not when I was renting or buying videos. Now, that situation has been corrected, I'm pleased to say. I'm really looking forward to Richard Gere's delightfully smarmy performance of a disgustingly smarmy cop.
Once I receive the movie and watch it, again, I'm sure I'll be back, so, consider this post under construction.
Update 11/15/22: I've been watching this movie throughout the night, on again, off again. I was not disappointed! It is full of thrilling suspense. The acting is solid. The storytelling is point-by-point and leaves no holes through which the watcher might fall at the end. The entire movie is rather like looking at a crooked smile. When you turn away you're still a bit on edge, but you know the crookedness is "right", the only way, really, it could be. I remembered my first watch of it as deeply satisfying, and, just so, it was, again. And, man, I gotta tell ya, those late 80's-early 90's clothes and hair styles! What a treat! I'd forgotten that's what people who were considered part of "the professional class" wanted to, and did, look like back then! I'm glad I obtained this movie. I'll definitely be watching this again.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Richard Gere Ofc Dennis Peck Andy García Sgt Raymond Avilla Nancy Travis Kathleen Avilla Laurie Metcalf Sgt Amy Wallace Annabella Sciorra Heather Peck William Baldwin Ofc Van Stretch Faye Grant Penny Stretch Elijah Wood Sean Stretch
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1990
Directed by Mike Figgis.
Labels: action4, andy-garcía, detective1, laurie-metcalf, loose-cannon-cop, neo-noirB, popcorn-and-soda7, richard-gere
Monday, August 23, 2021
Primal Fear
- Commentary: I'm so pleased I am adding this movie to my collection! After watching The Illusionist (yet again) a couple of nights ago, I realized that, although I have a few Edward Norton fixes in my library (besides The Illusionist I have American History X, The Bourne Legacy, and Birdman), I don't have enough. While I love his performances, even if they are not lead performances, as in the last three I just mentioned, I decided it was time to add a few movies in which he's the lead actor. This one, of which I never tire, I've seen and look forward to seeing again and again. Another will be joining my collection in a couple of days that I haven't seen, in which Norton plays a detective with Tourette's syndrome. I've heard good things about the story and he's got loads of wonderful actors flanking him, so I'm particularly excited about its arrival.
Especially because of the surprise ending, this movie contains a signature performance, and is enjoyable no matter how many times I've seen it.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Richard Gere Martin Vale Laura Linney Janet Venable John Mahoney Shaughnessy Alfre Woodard Shoat Frances McDormand Molly Edward Norton Aaron/Roy Terry O'Quinn Yancy Andre Braugher Goodman Steven Bauer Pinero Tony Plana Martinez Stanley Anderson Rushman Maura Tierney Naomi
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1996
Directed by Gregory Hoblit.
Labels: edward-norton, john-mahoney, laura-linney, richard-gere
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Mr. Jones
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: I was reminded of this movie when I heard that James Brown died early Christmas morning last year. The "Feel Good" song will forever be linked with this movie, for me, because it was perfect "song" casting. And, this movie will forever be a touchstone movie for me.
It is the acute portrayal of a man with whom I was in love and involved for many years, until his death by suicide (jumping out of a window) in a mental hospital, to which he had voluntarily committed himself because of, well, a bout of suicidal depression. At his death, he was the same age as Mr. Jones is portrayed to be in the movie. He was, in fact, like Mr. Jones in every respect, including delusions of being able to fly, except that his raw talent was not in music but in graphic art, and, his name was Ralph, not Mr. Jones, although his last name was, ironically, Flyte. When I saw the movie, by accident, actually, the year after it was released (it ended up on TV, as I recall) I was astonished at the portrayal. I have, since, used it as the dictionary to which I refer when my former, dead lover comes up in conversation.
The day James Brown died I remembered the movie and decided I wanted it in our collection. For reference. Cheap DVD on Amazon. I noticed, over and over, as I found myself reading the comments (which I almost never do), everyone's story with this movie is the same as mine. It describes, perfectly, someone they love. As well, everyone had problems with the trajectory of the relationship between psychiatrist and patient and what it implies about "love conquers all". If you've loved one of these extraordinary people who has succeeded in taking his or or her own life, you know that love is not enough. The problem wasn't lack of love, or the type of love you offered.
I can now afford to be lax about this problem with the movie. When I watched the movie again, with Mom, this time, I was once again electrified, from the very beginning, by Richard Gere's performance. If Ralph had lived to see this movie (he died in November, 1993) he would have danced gleefully and chanted, "That's me, that's me!"
I'm not going to come out with a of vote of grandeur for this movie that it doesn't possess. For some reason, though, because this movie exists, it is a comfort to those of us who have our Ralph Flytes (R.I.P., sweet man) or our Mr. Joneses.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Richard Gere Mr. Jones Lena Olin Dr. Elizabeth Bowen Anne Bancroft Dr. Catherine Holland Tom Irwin Dr. Patrick Shaye Delroy Lindo Howard Lauren Tom Amanda Chang Bruce Altman David Lisa Malkiewicz Susan
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1993
Directed by Mike Figgis.
Labels: delroy-lindo, drama8, me-favorite2, richard-gere, romance2
Unfaithful
- Who's watched: Me, only
- Mentions: *1* *2*
- Commentary: It took me a long time, and a great price, to decide to own this movie. I have to say, although, overall, for me, it's an enjoyable watch, especially considering the major change in Gere's "leading man" persona, I don't know, the story doesn't take it far enough for me. But, I was reminded of the aforementioned (in a "Mention") sex scene in some television compendium show of the 10 sexiest movie scenes in the last 100 years, I don't know, and this scene was one of them. I was reminded just previous to haunting our local DVD trade-in store. I had forgotten how riveting that scene is, and, a few others, as well.
Update 8/1/21: There was a link to the second mention, but in trying to correct it, I deleted it, didn't realize I deleted it, and saved this without the correction. I tried a few simple ways to recover it, but none of them worked. I also looked through my journals for it almost all of them and, frankly, I probably missed it. But I'm leaving it up there, without a link, to remind me, sometime in the future, I should try to recover the second mention of this movie.
Update 5/21/2022: I did finally, a while ago, find the link to the second mention. The reason it was so hard to find is that it wasn't in the general journals it was in this journal.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Richard Gere Edward Sumner Diane Lane Constance Sumner Olivier Martinez Paul Martel Erik Per Sullivan Charlie Sumner Chad Lowe Bill Stone Dominic Chianese Frank Wilson Erich Anderson Bob Gaylord Michelle Monaghan Lindsay Kate Burton Tracy Margaret Colin Sally Željko Ivanek Det. Dean Michael Emerson Josh
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2002
Directed by Adrian Lyne.
Labels: drama8, erotic, mystery2, richard-gere, suspense2, željko-ivanek
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Pretty Woman
- Who's watched: M & G, several times
- Mentions: *1* *2*
- Commentary: Considering how many times over the years with my mother I have been put to the task of finding "the next showing" of this movie, renting this movie, watching this movie and, finally, purchasing this movie, I'm truly surprised I haven't mentioned it more in my journals. I think the hardest thing for me to admit about this movie is that as much as it offends me, I also enjoy it. Some years ago I took a romance novel writing class and this movie was held up as the perfect structure for any romance story. And, I have to admit, as much as details about it irritate me, much of it is very satisfying for me to watch, including the end. Funny how cultures imbue people with even personally disagreeable characteristics. It's important to note, my mother loves this movie, despite the fact that she has never been a typical woman on a typical trajectory.
I took a class in writing romances (novels, short stories, "true confession", movies, whatever). My instructor said, at the beginning of the class, that this movie is an example of "a perfect romance". As we went through our book and learned the dynamics of writing a romance (a book, by the way, she did not like and did not recommend, but was stuck with by the English department), sure enough, turns out, this movie follows the formula exactly!
You'll notice, as well, that I did not thin this movie out of my collection after my mother died. And, yes, in case you're curious, I occasionally still watch this movie. And, no, I've never been a typical woman on a typical trajectory, either. Go figure. Maybe I will figure this one out, sometime later in my life.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Richard Gere Edward Lewis Julia Roberts Vivian Ward Héctor Elizondo Barnard Thompson Laura San Giacomo Kit De Luca Ralph Bellamy James Morse Jason Alexander Phillip Stuckey Dey Young snobbish saleswoman Hank Azaria a detective
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1990
Directed by Gary Marshall.
Labels: julia-roberts, mom-favorite2, richard-gere, romance3
