Sin City

With every bloody, stylishly seductive moment, “Sin City,” released in 2005, goes through standard comic book movie pacts to get through the screen as a fascinating and charming crowd-pleaser.

The film is a series of vignettes based on three “Sin City” comic book stories: The Hard Goodbye, Sin City Volume 4, and Sin City, Vol 3 written and drawn by comics legend Frank Miller.

Jeffrey Lyles said in his review, “Miller teams with co-director/co-screenwriter Robert Rodriguez (Once Upon a Time in Mexico [Blu-ray]) for a movie-going experience unlike anything you’ve seen in years thanks to slavish devotion to retaining the gritty, film noir look and feel of its comic book source material.”

Mickey Rourke stars as Marv, a nearly indestructible bodyguard trying to avenge the murder of his girlfriend, Goldie, played by Jamie King.

Lyles notes, “On his path of vengeance, Marv smashes through armed police officers and their cars, dives off rooftops with ease as his trench coat billows in the wind all with a maniacal gleam in his eye.” Rourke is electric in the role and he’s dynamic even with the heavy makeup that makes him look really close to his comic book counterpart.

Taking the spotlight for the other two stories are Bruce Willis as soon-to-be retired detective Hardigan who tries to save Nancy (Jessica Alba, but Alexa Vega’s younger sister, Makenzie Vega plays Nancy at age 11), a stripper who a senator’s (Power Boothe) crazy son (Nick Stahl) is obsessed with, and Clive Owen as Dwight, a person who went to prison twice and turns his life around even as problems appear to find him.

The most interesting of the vignettes is Dwight’s story as he gets on the wrong side of a gangster, played by Benicio Del Toro, and has to rely on his Old Town friends – a gang of women dressed more as superheroes in ninja, punk rock and cowboys than prostitutes led by his old girlfriend Gail, played by Rosario Dawon. Owen is brilliant. Lyles credited, “While Rourke is so much fun whirling around like a Tasmanian devil, Owen is smooth, calculated and as cool as every guy wants to be when they have an inner monologue.”

Miller’s comic was black and white with the occasional color accent – like scarlet lipstick of a damsel in distress. Lyles noted, “The film mirrors that look with minimal color. Combined with digitally rendered backgrounds, Sin City features a vivid, striking visual that fondly looks back at the 1940s film noir style while embracing modern technology.”

Lyles continued, “Sin City boasts an embarrassing riches of talent to the point that any three or five actors could carry their own movie, but have glorified cameos.” This is evidently an area where this top-notch talent (Brittany Murphy, Powers Boothe, Rutger Hauer, Carla Gugino, etc.) wanted in on the film no matter how small their role.

Lyles said, “Still, it would have been nice for Del Toro, the 2001 Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner for Traffic to have more screen time.” Josh Hartnett also has a great role that is a bit small.

Lyles noted, “Rodriguez has never been a filmmaker to stage action with any trace of reality, yet he reins in his regular tendencies to make the violence extreme, but not absurd — for the most part.”

Lyles continued, “Rodriguez’s regular collaborator, Quentin Tarantino, fills in to direct the most violent of the vignettes, which features blood geysers, decapitations and even the ridiculous shot of a guy slipping on his dismembered hand as if it was a banana peel. It’s silly and goofy, but in the context of the film’s dark humor, it’s effective.”

“Sin City” is persistent, brutal and revolutionary in its method of making the 2D comic book image jump on the big screen in unprecedented fashion. It’s not for everyone, but for those willing to like the unique style of insanity, it’s one of 2005’s most pleasant and welcome surprises.

This review would not be complete without talking about the sequel, even though Benicio Del Toro is not in it.

If you were a fan of Frank Miller’s 2005 film “Sin City,” there’s a pretty good chance that you’re going to enjoy “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” released in 2014.  Shot pretty much the same way as the first film, “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” doesn’t have the same impact the first film had mostly because it has that feel of “I’ve seen it before.”

Richard Propes said in his review, “While it's not likely to win too many new converts to Frank Miller's world, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For still dazzles as long as you can surrender yourself to its hyper-stylized world where extreme violence and nudity is abundant and unapologetic.” This film has many of the same characters as the first film, some played by new actors, and there are a few new characters who mix things up in a great way.

The film has four story segments – three are prequels to the first film, while one takes place after what transpired in “Sin City.”

Marv, reprised by Mickey Rourke, is back and starts the film off with intensity with a story based on Miller’s “Just Another Saturday Night.” Propes noted, “The barrel-chested Marv finds himself in a spot of trouble after a go-around with a bunch of punks and places it upon himself to inflict some good ole' fashioned vigilante justice with the help of the citizens of Old Town.”

From a newer Miller story titled “The Long Bad Night,” Johnny, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is a gambler by nature who never loses a game of chance. For the most part, that’s worked well for him. Then, he makes what might just be a mistake by winning big at a game of poker controlled over by Senator Roarke, played by Powers Boothe, who doesn’t take losing lightly. He really doesn’t take losing lightly.

Dwight (Josh Brolin) has a soft spot for Ava (Eva Green), a soft spot that Evan takes full advantage of and, well, you’ll just have to see the rest from a 1993 Miller work. Propes said, “Brolin, taking over for Clive Owen, is an absolute natural in this kind of noirish pulp.”

Finally, the beautiful stripper Nancy (Jessica Alba) is back in another new Miller story, “Nancy’s Last Dance, and ready to seek revenge on Senator Roarke for his murder of Hartigan (Bruce Willis).

Stylistically, “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” is very similar to the first film where it’s filmed mostly in black-and-white with splashes of color. The film’s frequent look of blood are filmed in bold expressions of red with occasional white, while there’s an awesome added look with Eva Green that just has to satisfy viewers. Propes ended his review by saying, “Some of the supporting newcomers, I'm thinking of Dennis Haysbert and Jeremy Piven in particular, are welcome additions and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For becomes an impressive summer sequel. While it may seem like this immersive world is made for the 3-D experience, I personally didn't find that the 3-D imagery added much to the equation.”

If you haven’t seen these films yet, you shouldn’t even be reading this review. You need to go out and see these films. The first one is great, hands down, but the sequel, despite it not being as good as the first, is still an enjoyment. The middle story goes on for a bit, but overall, I liked these films a lot. These are two of the best comic book adaptations ever, and you need to see it to know what I mean.

Thank you for joining in on “Benicio Del Toro Month.” I hoped everyone enjoyed it. Look out next month to see what I will end the year off with.

The Way of the Gun

The first scene in “The Way of the Gun,” released in 2000, has the two protagonists, Parker (Ryan Phillippe) and Longbaugh (Benicio Del Toro), outside a nightclub, casually sitting on a guy’s car and setting the alarm off. When the guy (Paul Angel Flores), escorted by his profanity-using girlfriend (Sarah Silverman), yells at them to get off the car, a fight starts. However, Parker and Longbaugh go first for the one who provoked them the most, used the most profanity, and was just mainly most deserving of a beating: the girlfriend. Fun fact: Ryan Phillippe accidentally punched Sarah Silverman that she was knocked out, and when she woke up, he was standing over her almost in tears. The makeup department used fake blood, and the lump on her chin was a continuity bonus. Phillippe apologized for a week.

Eric D. Snider said in his review, “While I certainly don’t advocate violence toward women and think very little of a man who would hit one, this scene is outrageously funny, and indicative of the black-as-night humor and violence that will pervade the film.

This also warns views what the protagonists are like: lawless, despicable nasty thugs and occasional murderers who are not restricted by such ideas as “justice.” That’s one of the film’s themes that there’s often no such thing as justice. Despite this shocking reality, we usually expect movies to show the villains being punished and the protagonists winning. However, as Parker says in a voice-over, “We didn’t come for absolution. We didn’t ask to be redeemed.”

Besides, it’s hart to punish the villains when everyone in the world has a secret reason.

While trying to make money as sperm donors (“Have you ever killed anyone?” and “Would you have sex with a dead person?” are two questions Longbaugh thinks should be asked), the two overhear an interesting fact: Rich businessman Hale Chidduck (Scott Wilson) is paying a girl named Robin (Juliette Lewis) a large amount of money to be a surrogate mother to his child. Chidduck’s trophy wife Francesca, played by Kristin Lehman, is completely able to have one herself, but the social climber can’t be bothered with these things.

Parker and Longbaugh (Snider noted, “yeah, those were the real names of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, if that gives you any indication where this is going to wind up”) make a plan. They’ll kidnap Robin and hold her and her to be born baby for ransom. They get her away from her somewhat skilled bodyguards, played by Taye Diggs and Nicky Katt, in a huge gunfire (one of several huge gunfire in the movie) and drive off to Mexico.

Turns out, this was an even better idea than they thought, as most of Chidduck’s money is of the money-laundering type, which means he can’t involve the police int eh negotiations.

Robin’s doctor, Allen Painter, played by Dylan Kussman, is brought in to help deliver the baby, if needed, but he’s got secret reasons for being so interested. So does Chidduck’s long-time bagman Sarno (the late James Caan), so do the bodyguards, even Sarno’s assistant Abner (Geoffrey Lewis) has secrets.

Snider credited, “Phillippe and Del Toro are appropriately only sort of likable as the main characters, both acting their parts well, particularly Phillippe, with his swallowed, Stanley Kowalski-style delivery.”

McQuarrie’s directing is stylish but not stylized. That is, you can tell a director was involved – extended shots where the camera just sits there while people try to commit suicide, talk, or kill each other – but he doesn’t draw attention to himself or his craft.

Snider credited, “The plot is as delightfully twisted as the humor, but that “look how many plot twists I can come up with” method is occasionally to the film’s detriment.” Sometimes secrets are overheard by people who shouldn’t hear them – and then nothing ever results. Most of the loose ends are resolved, however, usually by shooting a gun, and while it’s hard to feel anything looking uplifting or happy at the film, it’s hands down an adrenaline-blast edge-of-your-seat of a movie.

I remember my brother talking about this movie sometime when I was a teenager. I had never heard of it, but then I decided to check it out about a decade ago on Netflix when I was exercising. I really loved this movie, and I think everyone will too. If you can find this somewhere, check it out. You will know what I am talking about. Critics didn’t seem to like this movie, but audiences loved it. Just see it and judge for yourself.

Alright, next week I will be looking at a certain Thanksgiving movie that is actually emotional along with a noir film based on a comic book/graphic novel in the finale of “Benicio Del Toro Month.”

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

The subtitle “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” Hunter S. Thompson’s classic work of Gonzo Journalism is “A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream,” and that’s the key to appreciating both the book and Terry Gilliam’s astonishing 1998 film version. Rob Gonsalves said in his review, “The surface reading of the “story” would be that of two guys wandering around Vegas getting loaded and having a variety of progressively insane misadventures. Its true subject, though, is the sea-to-shining-sea derangement of America, its uneasy mix of forbidding Puritanism and greedhead capitalism, its straight-arrows who seem weirder than the weirdos, the “normal” recreational activities so bizarre they render drug hallucinations redundant.”

Gonsalves continued, “The great rebel Terry Gilliam is ideal for this material, and he approaches Fear and Loathing as a sort of extension of the odd little cut-out animations he used to do for Monty Python. This is his best work since Brazil, and very likely the most vivid and mesmerizing American comedy of the ’90s.” (Typically, the reviews were savage.) Working with cinematographer Nicola Pecorini, and shooting for the first time in Panavision (which heightens his famous wide-angle alterations), Gilliams makes a beautiful/ugly visual poem, a nervous, straight-faced exercise in fiery red and aqua blue and paranoid green – the American dream as mescaline nightmare.

Johnny Depp submerges himself in the role of “Raoul Duke” (i.e., Thompson), a sportswriter who goes to Vegas to cover the Mint 400 (a desert race for motorcycle and dune buggies). Joining him is “Dr. Gonzo,” played by Benicio Del Toro, a crazy Samoan attorney inspired by Thompson’s friend Oscar Acosta. Gonsalves noted, “Their rented red Chevy convertible is a drugstore on wheels — the movie could be retitled Apothecary Now.” The men are always snorting or smoking one drug or another, falling around casinos while completely intoxicated on ether or acid. Strangely, intercourse doesn’t play much of a role, except for an artistic runaway stray, played by Christina Ricci, the attorney picks up. Duke is as neutral as the lizards he hallucinates.

Which could be part of the point. “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” is about the ways American men direct desperation – through idiotic, punishing sports, or firearm worship, or fascism (Duke also – hysterically – covers a narc convention). Gonsalves mentioned, “Despite the occasional threats and knife-waving, our anti-heroes are as close as soldiers in a foxhole, and Depp and Del Toro bring out the best in each other. Del Toro, packing an added 40 pounds, does his most lucid and comprehensible work (amazing, considering the wacked-out loon he’s playing), and Depp doesn’t just imitate Thompson — he channels the man’s rubbery outlaw spirit.” Funny and disgusting, obnoxious yet in some ways miserable, Depp’s performance should kill, once and for all, whatever good-looking image he still has left.

Gonsalves noted, “Gilliam wisely uses Thompson’s writing as narration, and the script — which he cowrote with Tony Grisoni, reworking an early attempt by Alex Cox (Sid & Nancy) and Tod Davies — is scrupulously faithful to the book. Yet Gilliam doesn’t let Thompson off the hook — the movie isn’t just a jokey celebration of weirdness.” In scenes like the one with Ellen Barkin as a waitress pestered by the knife-waving attorney, Gilliam measures the human cost of his protagonist’s insanity. Those who complain that the film glorifies its heroes just aren’t paying attention. Duke and his attorney make themselves crazy outsiders, but they’re just as much a part of purgatory America as the demons they meet. Actually, they’re more: living it up, ruining classy hotel rooms, getting away with everything short of murder, they embody the American dream in their own confused, dirty way – a nightmare of extra and drinking.

Gonsalves said, “That’s the true horror and comedy of the book, and Gilliam gets every bit of it onto the screen. Thompson’s book has endured for 27 years, and not just because of its drug-induced strangeness: like William Burroughs’ Naked Lunch, it uses hallucinatory states as a funhouse mirror on the sordid, ugly face of humanity.” Gilliam’s film will likewise tolerate, and outlive the short-sighted critical criticizing. Years from now, it will be checked as a misunderstood masterpiece. Actually, I think it is now being thought about that currently, but I’m not quite sure.

Be careful, this is one crazy movie. For me, I only need to see this movie once and I never have to see it again. Then again, I guess that’s the whole point to the film where it shows the insanity of the American dream and what’s it like to be addicted. This is categorized as a “Black Comedy,” which I believe it was when I looked up the film. Check it out if you’d like, but just be forewarned that this movie can get insane.

Check in next week for the next review in “Benicio Del Toro Month” where I look at a classic movie that should be seen by everyone.

The Usual Suspects

For the month of November, I thought I would like at all the movies that I have seen with one of the nicest actors ever, Benicio Del Toro. Let’s start off this month with one of the greatest movies ever that I saw a few months back, “The Usual Suspects,” released in 1995.

Jack Kroll started his review by noting, “In an age when all movie genres are being subverted, postmodernized, de-constructed, film noir is a tough genre to mess around with. For many true movie fiends, noir is the key American movie type, and the most fun when it's done right.” “The Usual Suspects” is done right. Here’s a smart movie, with no special effects, no juvenile fakes of violence, released during the summer splash season.

Kroll noted, “You have to pay close attention to this film, to listen hard to its cross-fires of dialogue. Writer Christopher McQuarrie and director Bryan Singer are talented movie-makers who've made one previous film, "Public Access," which shared the Grand Jury Prize at the 1993 Sundance Festival.” “The Usual Suspects” is a huge leap forward for this team. It’s a hard movie about five tough guys who first meet in a jail cell where they’ve been brought as suspects in a heist. They are Keaton (the great Gabriel Byrne), who was a corrupt cop but is not trying to possibly go straight, McManus (Stephen Baldwin), a short-fused break-in master, Hockney (Kevin Pollak) a hardware specialist, Fenster (Benicio Del Toro), a weirdo who, as Kroll described, “mumbles like a crook in a Dick Tracy comic,” and “Verbal” Kint (Kevin Spacey), a con man with cerebral palsy.

Kroll noted, ‘The collision of these five felons sets off a story line that's the most convoluted since Humphrey Bogart's classic "The Big Sleep."” Out of jail, the five crooks are recruited by the evil Kobayashi, played by Pete Postlethwaite. He’s working for Keyser Soze, a Hungarian crime lord whose murderous cruelty has made him a person of horrifying legend. His mission for the five is to stop a rival crime boss’s $91 million drug deal. Kroll mentioned, “The collision of these five felons sets off a story line that's the most convoluted since Humphrey Bogart's classic "The Big Sleep."” The story is told in flashbacks, as it’s told by Verbal, the possible sole survivor of the five, in an arrogant interrogation by Ku-jan, played by Chazz Palminteri, a federal agent obsessed by the vague Soze.

Kroll compared, “"The Usual Suspects" has a surface resemblance to Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs." But where Tarantino was out to deconstruct the film noir, to create the ultimate parody of the metaphysical gangster film, Bryan Singer wants to respect its classical form. He and McQuarrie do so, using fusillades of language that are as brutal as the movie's bullets and bombs. Newton Thomas Sigel's succulent photography and the double-duty gifts of John Ottman, who supplied both the triphammer editing and the mordant musical score, add to the seductive mood and narrative fascination.” However, what’s most compelling is the brilliant acting by an amazing ensemble: the refined yet vicious Byrne, the elaborate Pestlethwaite, the relentless Palminter and the strangely quiet Spacey. Kroll credited, “"The Usual Suspects" is the best, most stylish crime movie since Stephen Frears's 1990 "The Grifters."” Movies still look great in basic noir.

This is one of the best action thrillers ever. I had been meaning to check this film out for a long time, and I finally did. I was hooked from the beginning to see this mystery unfold, and when the twist occurred at the end, I was shocked and surprised. You might be able to tell early on what the twist will be, but everyone has to agree that when the twist is revealed, it is one of the best ever. See it if you haven’t because you are missing out. I was able to find this on Amazon Prime, and if it is still on there, check it out. A twist this amazing never happened again until “The Sixth Sense.” Nowadays, this type of twist is done a lot that it is looking old, tired, and boring, especially with Shyamalan constantly doing it, but when this film came out, everyone was shocked. I can’t do this film justice. See it and know what I mean.

Check in next week when I look at a very strange film in “Benicio Del Toro Month.”