Ash-37

"The Conversation" is a film that conveys privacy, paranoia, and obsession in universal ways which do not seem dated at all when seen nearly 25 years after its release. A quarter century later, and this taut, puzzling film is still engaging, bleak but powerful. Harry Caul's perfunctory devotion to his work draws comparisons to the photographer played by David Hemmings in "Blowup", although the two men are hardly relatable socially. For Harry is a lonely man, abnegating himself love and respect. Even though his accomplishments are large, he modestly presents himself in shy ways that further alienate him from society. In 1974, in the twilight of Watergate, and the dawn of home security, came a movie dealing thematically with self-security. Harry is insecure, yet ardent in his work, so that when he is pushed to consider saving someone's life, he is blocked by doubts of his own self-worth. When he arrives at the hotel, he is not merely doing his job, he is attempting to prove himself personally. Yet both Harry and the audience are surprised by the film's ironic conclusion. A marvellous film made in Francis Ford Coppola's heyday. A must see for anyone.

The Coen brothers are up there with my very favorite filmmakers (Scorsese, Kubrick, Carpenter). I am very fond of their work. Throughout their irreverent career, they have explored different subjects and themes. Their best stories evolve from kidnapping schemes in films like "Raising Arizona " and "Fargo", one of my very favorites. I thought that film was fervently free. I was so ever wrong. It's as if the Coen Brothers have celebrated their complete breakthrough success (Academy Award winners), and now are willing to do whatever they please. "The Big Lebowski" is a film so meandering, so wonderfully novel, that I found myself missing the many other sporadic jokes as I was heaving from laughter. The film is basically about mistaken identity, eccentric characters, and a soiled rug. This film extols the bowler, the allies, even the pins. We experience an actual bowling ball POV, as the Dude (Jeff Bridges) hallucinates. This film has nihilists, feminists, millionares, paedophiles, drugged out hippies, underachieving students, incompetent criminals, pornographers and 'Nam veterans. This movie is open to anything , anything... Some people are turned off by absurd looniness, because it's so grandiosely different. Yet who couldn't chuckle, if not explode, when a bowler dressed in a tight purple suit licks a bowling ball's finger hole, and the camera pans down to reveal his name as Jesus! I will disclose no more, but urgently recommend you to traverse to your nearest video abode and rent this true escapists' feature. Abandon all solemn inhibitons, though! One can not keep a straight face whilst watching.

I must admit upfront that I am a particular fan of John Carpenter's work. I enjoyed the zany humor of his sci-fi spoof, "Dark Star", the inventiveness of his classic "Halloween", and Snake Plisskeen must be one of the most tenaciously suave characters I have ever seen. He is primarily a horror filmmaker (he writes, directs, edits, and composes the eerie scores), but this film is indicative of his other talents. The basic premise of this movie, probably so emulated by now that it's cliched, is a group of people trapped in an inactive police station surrounded by kamikazee gang members. Earlier in the movie, some police with shotguns decimate a group of suspicious punks without cause. This signals an irrevocable uproar in the gang community, where the members will stop at nothing to kill everyone. After they kill an innocent ice cream man and insensitively gun down a young girl, the distraught father chases them down. They stop near the police station, where the father shoots the assassan, and subsequently, finds himself outnumbered by other punks. He seeks refuge in the close station, and the siege commences. This film is apparently one of Quentin Tarantino's favorites, and you can see by the relentless carnage, and bloody warfare how this is true. The vindictive violence throughout vilifies our society. However, this film is confidently assured and every shot leaves an impression: the parking lot , the punks rolling under the trees, the car POV shots. As well, the tension is strong and supported by the "tough and no-holds barred" soundtrack, this film is really quite riveting. For his second film, this was superb work done by Carpenter. It seems ostensible, perhaps, that Carpenter's best work was in the seventies. I was truly astonished by what Carpenter did with his minuscule $100,000 budget; the film's quality is strikingly contemporary. Despite poor acting (some people actually don't move and stare blankly when they're shot), this film must be seen to be believed.