rpupkin77
Joined Feb 2001
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Reviews4
rpupkin77's rating
"Training Day" is by far the most enthralling Cop movie in a very long time. Right from the beginning it breaks down every Hollywood cliche involving the genre, and makes very interesting observations on the dynamics between police and criminals in the LA underworld. The good cop bad cop metaphor is taken to new territory in this film.
In the movie, the idealism of rookie cop Jack Hoyt (Hawke) is violently juxtaposed with the Machiavelian cynicism of the veteran detective Alonzo (Washington).
(In my opinion Washington gives the most stunning portrayal of a jaded cop since Gary Oldman in "Romeo is Bleeding".)
I will not delve into a plot summary, however, I will note that Antoine Fuqua's third film is by far his most truthful and memorable. It stands so far above the entertaining but pointless 'Bait' and the just plain crappy 'Replacement Killers', that I cannot believe that they were made by the same man. In the previous two films it was as if Fuqua was trying to make movies that were to seem that they were autered by more prominent directors (John Woo and Michael Bay to be exact).
However, in this film, the director has garnered his own voice, and he has some very important things to say about race, right and wrong, cops and criminals, and about the lines that blur between them all.
The true brilliance of this film, however may not be the message that Fuqua wants to convey, but rather the sheer mix of subtlety and outright vicery though which he does convey it. This film is not perfect (which films are?) but it is very important, and it is very ballsy and that is what counts.
8.5/10.
In the movie, the idealism of rookie cop Jack Hoyt (Hawke) is violently juxtaposed with the Machiavelian cynicism of the veteran detective Alonzo (Washington).
(In my opinion Washington gives the most stunning portrayal of a jaded cop since Gary Oldman in "Romeo is Bleeding".)
I will not delve into a plot summary, however, I will note that Antoine Fuqua's third film is by far his most truthful and memorable. It stands so far above the entertaining but pointless 'Bait' and the just plain crappy 'Replacement Killers', that I cannot believe that they were made by the same man. In the previous two films it was as if Fuqua was trying to make movies that were to seem that they were autered by more prominent directors (John Woo and Michael Bay to be exact).
However, in this film, the director has garnered his own voice, and he has some very important things to say about race, right and wrong, cops and criminals, and about the lines that blur between them all.
The true brilliance of this film, however may not be the message that Fuqua wants to convey, but rather the sheer mix of subtlety and outright vicery though which he does convey it. This film is not perfect (which films are?) but it is very important, and it is very ballsy and that is what counts.
8.5/10.
Let me begin by saying that I have lived in Dorchester and South Boston all of my life, so my opinion may be a bit loaded. Let me also say that I have seen this movie before, 15 different times, all of which with a different title, the first and best version of this story being "Mean Streets" by Martin Scorcese.
The idea of people battling against an urban environment for a better life is hardly anything new to American Cinema. it has been here since the early 70's. It has been done and done again. There are great films built around this theme. Some of which will be very hard to outdo.
What is amazing is that the vast majority of scripts written by young men who grew up in similar surroundings continue to deal with these issues in less resilient and origional ways.
In this film Donnie Wahlberg's 'Danny Quinn' is the ultimate candidate for the phrase, "you can take the boy out of the (insert town here), but you can't take the (insert town here) out of the boy". Arriving home after leaving town for a while Danny is dragged back into the vicious cycle that made him leave in the first place (gee, didn't see that one coming). Try as he might, he can't resist the gravity of his surrounding and is sucked into an blackhole of alcoholism, violence, and abuse. Like I said, nothing original. The film does explore some meaty drama with the Quinn mother played by Anne Meara, then she dies 3/4 of the way though the film, so that's that. The rest of the movie is color by numbers.
I should note that the South Boston presented in this film is nothing like the South Boston of today. Yes, it is a mostly blue collar community, yes, the people there are mostly irish americans, yes it can be a tough place, and yes the people are very parochial (enter "forced bussing" into any search engine). However it is not the type of place where gangsters go around having shotgun fights, it hasn't been remotely like this since the 70's when Whitey Bulger's gang was in its heyday. While all of the negative attributes of the community and its history are examined in "Southie" none of the positive attributes are even touched upon. This does not hold true for the film "Southie" rode into cinemas and film festivals on the laurels of: Good Will Hunting (If ever there was true to life picture of a blue collar boston, this is it).
Take a look at another recent film about a different Boston community, "Monument Ave". Though this movie suffers from the same cliche problems as "Southie", it explores a theme that many of Boston's blue collar residents can identify with. Set in charlestown, a neighborhood which is known for its "code of silence", the characters in this film squirm as they see their once closed off neighborhood become an area of blue chip real estate for young yuppies looking for an upscale urban home. In "Monument Ave." there is a clear juxtaposition between the violent, troubled townies and their new neigbors. This phenomenon holds true for the real South Boston as well, however the film "southie" does not even touch upon it.
In the end it probably does not matter where the setting of the film was. The writers were from boston so they chose southie. It could have been the third moon of Jupiter, but it still wouldn't have made this film any more original, 3/10 stars.
The idea of people battling against an urban environment for a better life is hardly anything new to American Cinema. it has been here since the early 70's. It has been done and done again. There are great films built around this theme. Some of which will be very hard to outdo.
What is amazing is that the vast majority of scripts written by young men who grew up in similar surroundings continue to deal with these issues in less resilient and origional ways.
In this film Donnie Wahlberg's 'Danny Quinn' is the ultimate candidate for the phrase, "you can take the boy out of the (insert town here), but you can't take the (insert town here) out of the boy". Arriving home after leaving town for a while Danny is dragged back into the vicious cycle that made him leave in the first place (gee, didn't see that one coming). Try as he might, he can't resist the gravity of his surrounding and is sucked into an blackhole of alcoholism, violence, and abuse. Like I said, nothing original. The film does explore some meaty drama with the Quinn mother played by Anne Meara, then she dies 3/4 of the way though the film, so that's that. The rest of the movie is color by numbers.
I should note that the South Boston presented in this film is nothing like the South Boston of today. Yes, it is a mostly blue collar community, yes, the people there are mostly irish americans, yes it can be a tough place, and yes the people are very parochial (enter "forced bussing" into any search engine). However it is not the type of place where gangsters go around having shotgun fights, it hasn't been remotely like this since the 70's when Whitey Bulger's gang was in its heyday. While all of the negative attributes of the community and its history are examined in "Southie" none of the positive attributes are even touched upon. This does not hold true for the film "Southie" rode into cinemas and film festivals on the laurels of: Good Will Hunting (If ever there was true to life picture of a blue collar boston, this is it).
Take a look at another recent film about a different Boston community, "Monument Ave". Though this movie suffers from the same cliche problems as "Southie", it explores a theme that many of Boston's blue collar residents can identify with. Set in charlestown, a neighborhood which is known for its "code of silence", the characters in this film squirm as they see their once closed off neighborhood become an area of blue chip real estate for young yuppies looking for an upscale urban home. In "Monument Ave." there is a clear juxtaposition between the violent, troubled townies and their new neigbors. This phenomenon holds true for the real South Boston as well, however the film "southie" does not even touch upon it.
In the end it probably does not matter where the setting of the film was. The writers were from boston so they chose southie. It could have been the third moon of Jupiter, but it still wouldn't have made this film any more original, 3/10 stars.
If you're like me, Army of Darkness is one of those movies that you saw when you were about 15 or 16, and then didn't tell anyone about it, because you thought it so cool, and you wanted to keep it to yourself. Then 6 years later you realize that alot of people have seen this film and have kept it a secret too. Now it has gained some sort of quasi-cult status by a great many people under the age of 25, who don't realize how popular this film has become.
It is hard to believe that that the same man, Sam Raimi, who directed "The Evil Dead" in the mid 80's directed "Army of Darkness" (Looking back on it it is even harder to believe that he is the man who brought us "The Gift and "A Simple Plan")
AoD is one of the most creative and mind bending comedies you will ever see. It is rife with film references that only a true geek could appreciate, on top of that it parodies everything from "The Day the Earth stood Still", "The Wizard of Oz", "Jason and the Argonaughts", and more than anything else, the previous two Evil Dead Films, that are truly Cult Classics.
Bruce Campbell's "Ash" who appeaed in the two Evil Deads, is the archtypal Alpha Male, shotgun wielding, with a chainsaw for an arm (literally), and over-done chisled looks which almost mock the notion of what makes a good looking man.
Ash thinks he is control, which often leads to his undoing. Especially when he finds himself in 13th century england after being sucked into an odd vortex at the end of Evil dead 2. The inhabitants of the realm find themselves plagued by the "Deadites" an army of undead warriors brought to life by the same evil force which has inhabited the settings of all 3 films. The run-ins with these creatures culminates in an climactic battle between humans, skeletons and Ash's mutilated clone.
Only Ash has the ability to defeat these monsters, but how will he get back to the present? A little Hocus Pocus, wouldn't hurt.
If you want to see an excellent film taht will make you laugh... go rent "Annie Hall". If you want to see one of the most innovative, off the wall comedies ever made, go rent "ARMY OF DARKNESS".
It is hard to believe that that the same man, Sam Raimi, who directed "The Evil Dead" in the mid 80's directed "Army of Darkness" (Looking back on it it is even harder to believe that he is the man who brought us "The Gift and "A Simple Plan")
AoD is one of the most creative and mind bending comedies you will ever see. It is rife with film references that only a true geek could appreciate, on top of that it parodies everything from "The Day the Earth stood Still", "The Wizard of Oz", "Jason and the Argonaughts", and more than anything else, the previous two Evil Dead Films, that are truly Cult Classics.
Bruce Campbell's "Ash" who appeaed in the two Evil Deads, is the archtypal Alpha Male, shotgun wielding, with a chainsaw for an arm (literally), and over-done chisled looks which almost mock the notion of what makes a good looking man.
Ash thinks he is control, which often leads to his undoing. Especially when he finds himself in 13th century england after being sucked into an odd vortex at the end of Evil dead 2. The inhabitants of the realm find themselves plagued by the "Deadites" an army of undead warriors brought to life by the same evil force which has inhabited the settings of all 3 films. The run-ins with these creatures culminates in an climactic battle between humans, skeletons and Ash's mutilated clone.
Only Ash has the ability to defeat these monsters, but how will he get back to the present? A little Hocus Pocus, wouldn't hurt.
If you want to see an excellent film taht will make you laugh... go rent "Annie Hall". If you want to see one of the most innovative, off the wall comedies ever made, go rent "ARMY OF DARKNESS".