Well, hold the presses....if my pals that PMed me are right, the wind actually gave a really good review to CASINO ROYALE. Nice.

I blame the UK tabloids for being assholes in regards to Craig. You see, for better or for worse, Bond is basically UK's fucking blockbuster lifeline out to the world, and the UK media get real personal when it comes to 007.

Now why they hated Craig? Because he wasn't well-known(even in England), because he had blonde instead of brunette/black hair, because he wasn't an obvious chick-magnet, and other petty shit that one would expect from an IMDB posting fanboy, not the media...

Yet Craig proved them wrong. Now lets hope EON doesn't drop the ball like they did a decade ago after the franchise-resurrection committed by GOLDENEYE(which, not coincidently, Martin Campbell also directed).

Taxi Driver ****
(Nth Viewing)

New York City cab driver Travis Bickle constantly, almost obsessively, reflects on the ugly corruption of life around him, and becomes increasingly disturbed over his own loneliness and alienation. In nearly every phase of his life, Bickle remains a complete outsider, failing to make emotional contact with anyone. Unable to sleep night after night, Travis haunts the local pornography emporiums to find diversion, and begins desperately thinking about an escape from his depressing existence.

I definitely think this is the movie that really made Martin Scorsese a name. I think this was the movie were he really started to develop his own sense of directing and also his wonderful use of music (great soundtrack). I LOVED his cameo in the film as the 'homicidal passenger in Travis' cab.' Also, Harvey Keitel was great and even comedic at times as Jodie Foster's pimp boyfriend Matthew. Ultimately though, the prize of the film is Mr. Travis Bickle himself, Robert De Niro. I think I enjoy this movie more and more each time I watch it.

He didn't develop a style and great soundtrack back during Mean Streets?

Not in my opinion, no. I felt Taxi Driver was really THE movie that put Marty on the map.

Thing is, MEAN STREETS was the movie that first got Marty a reputation or talent, and basically landed him the job of helming TAXI DRIVER (of course, he had to get DeNiro to tag along as well).

Marty will win on sunday...and it'll be the highlight of the Oscars program this year.

True Romance ****
(Nth Viewing)

Clarence and Alabama are newlyweds who acquire an unexpected wedding present. Unknown to the blissfully happy couple, ruthless gangsters are on their tail, determined to reclaim their lost property.

I am proud to say I finally got to see Tony Scott's masterpiece on the big screen. A terrific script (written by Quentin Tarantino), and fantastic cast. One of my two favorite Gary Oldman part's as Drexel Spivey (the other was Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK).

Great movie. Gary Oldman is one of the all time great bad guys.

For some reason, I used to get him confused with Gary Sinise, probably because they're both named Gary.

He also gets an honorable mention for HANNIBAL, where he played the disfigured pedophile.

Was Oldman a pedophile in HANNIBAL? Maybe I missed something, but wasn't he just a homo/bi-sexual rich Virginian who basically had one bad night out with the good Doctor...

Anyway, glad to hear that one person really liked TRUE ROMANCE. Its a really fun "chick flick with guns."

Gary Sinise

"I'm Gary Sinise! I raise my voice to indicate any emotion other than indifference! GARRR JOHN MALKOVICH!!!"

Casino ****
(Nth Viewing)

This Martin Scorsese film depicts the Janus-like quality of Las Vegas--it has a glittering, glamorous face, as well as a brutal, cruel one. Ace Rothstein and Nicky Santoro, mobsters who move to Las Vegas to make their mark, live and work in this paradoxical world. Seen through their eyes, each as a foil to the other, the details of mob involvement in the casinos of the 1970's and '80's are revealed. Ace is the smooth operator of the Tangiers casino, while Nicky is his boyhood friend and tough strongman, robbing and shaking down the locals. However, they each have a tragic flaw--Ace falls in love with a hustler, Ginger, and Nicky falls into an ever-deepening spiral of drugs and violence.

Martin Scorsese's "unofficial sequel to Goodfellas." For a while this was my favorite Martin Scorsese movie but now it's probably #3 on my list behind Raging Bull and Goodfellas. The ending of Nicky Santoro's character is still one of the most violent I've ever seen. Also, this is the last time Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese have worked together on one of his projects. Why is that? I thought I remember hearing they had a falling out. Is that true? Creative differences or what?

Good review.

Though really, I always considered CASINO to be a complementary, "side-story" true-story mafia tale set in the same universe of GOODFELLAS, but without any connections. In a way, its like FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS and LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA were sold in 2006.

Anyway, the reason why DeNiro and Scorsese haven't worked again is different reasons. DeNiro has gradually settled into more of a film producer, making millions from those MEET comedies(and probably even more if they go ahead with #3) so he can produce movies personal to him(i.e. THE GOOD SHEPERD), and to his Tribeca film festival. I wish DeNiro would kickass acting-wise again in a film, but hey, its his career, his choice.

Of course, I thought THE GOOD SHEPHERD was a mess, but its obviously a personal project of his so I can't get too pissed about it(or maybe I can. I still think DeNiro blew a great opportunity to tell the real slam dunk dirty expose drama of the CIA's nasty work in the 1950s like Iran, Guatemala, you name it!)

Anyway, Scorsese meanwhile is off trying to get his Oscar or at least continue to direct his documentaries and whatever projects that come to him. Hell, he and DeNiro came close a few times of working together again.

GANGS OF NEW YORK in the late 1970s was going to have DeNiro play Bill the Butcher against The Clash's Joel Strummer as Amsterdam. By 2002, DeNiro lost interest(and too old) and Strummer was dead.

Scorsese tried to interest DeNiro with BRINGING OUT THE DEAD, but DeNiro politely passed on it(and I don't blame him. Its basically a retread of TAXI DRIVER). DeNiro also tried and failed to secure some sort of film part within Scorsese's biggest box-office hit, THE DEPARTED(if I remember right, the Martin Sheen and Jack Nicholson roles could have been his).

Perhaps the biggest problem so far with making another DeNiro-Scorsese reunion is the fact that Scorsese has found a new frequent lead male star that's become a pupil under his watch: Leonardo DiCaprio. Certainly Leo Boy had raw potential talent as an actor, but he's blossomed with Scorsese in just 3 movies so far. Besides, he increases Scorsese's financial viability within Hollywood for the next good number of years.

Anyway, DeNiro and Scorsese are possible to work together again. There has been that "childhood neighborhood" script that Scorsese has personally been toying with for decades that DeNiro wants in with, and of course THE DEPARTED sequel where DeNiro would probably be the baddie to survivor Mark Whalberg(that is, if Scorsese decides to direct it).

Interestingly, you all know that DeNiro and Scorsese in 1995 were supposed to make CLOCKERS instead of CASINO? It was going to be a police procedural tale, but they lost interest, and Scorsese got enraptured with CASINO instead. He stayed as a producer, where CLOCKERS was retooled as a solid gangbanger drama from Spike Lee.

The Return 1/2
(First Viewing)

Joanna Mills been having strange visions since she was 11 years old after an automobile accident, which they are 's beginning to realize her visions are memories, after befriending a man named Terry Stahl, who appeared in one of them. As she getting closer to the truth, she will know some secrets should stay hidden.

What a complete, mindnumbing sh*tfest of a movie. Terrible story that derived zero interest or emotion out of me. It's a good thing that Sarah Michelle Gellar can claim the Buffy series as her claim to fame or else she'd be just another pretty face with a sh*tty resume. Oh wait, too late with Scooby-Doo, Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, The Grudge, The Grudge 2 and now The Return. Her only enjoyable movies were I Know What You Did Last Summer (it was A LOT better than this piece of sh*t), Cruel Intentions and her 2 scenes in Scream 2.

I agree that Casino and Goodfellas are in the same universe but without any connections like Flags Of Our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima. I've just heard so many people throw around the term that Casino is the "unofficial" sequel to Goodfellas. Much like Carlito's Way could be thought of as the "unofficial" sequel to Scarface.



I agree. I was rather disappointed in The Good Shepherd and thought the ball was fumbled with this try. Maybe someone else can pick it up and run it in for the touchdown. Although, he did direct A Bronx Tale which isn't a great movie (at least compared with a Goodfellas, Casino or Godfather) but still enjoyable. I still do look forward to his next try behind the camera.

Thing is, A BRONX TALE is a small little movie, where the screenplay and actors dominate it. For better or for worse, Chazz is the autuer force of that film, not DeNiro. Its a story with stage play sensibilities, but played out on a stage the size of a 1950's neighborhood. DeNiro did a decent, capable job on his first directing job.

Maybe DeNiro's problem is that possibly, he isn't talented or indepth enough(like say his buddy Marty Scorsese) to have tackled such a story like THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

Nueve Reinas **
Argentinian film whose title translates to "Nine Queens". Nothing great, but interesting throughout. It has shades of 'Following', 'Lock Stock and 2 smoking barrels' etc, but the plot is different and has a clever twist in the end.

Anybody else recognise the major influence De Niro's had over Scorsese's casting choices since Casino? He basically vouched for Di Caprio, and Scorsese's using him now as a kind of muse the same way he did with De Niro in the seventies. I also see Matt Damon in both The Departed and The Good Shepherd; the two are in obvious overlap as regards acting circles and who works for who. It's a neat, little, reliable community of players.

De Niro understands acting and actors better than most, I think, due to him himself being an amazing performer; while everybody else was criticising Leo for his looks in the nineties and saying they were sort of holding him back, De Niro recognised his talent and ability and potential, and is the primary reason, I think, why Scorsese is so keen on working with him. And Leo has proved already I think that he's worth a bit of meat.

Plawrence, a massive fan of heist movies (they were his favourite "genre"), said he liked this film very much. I too remember very charismatic performances, slick direction and the usual twist.

Mate, you're absolutely CORRECT.

Then again, we tend to forget DeNiro acted with a 19-year old Leo Boy in THIS BOY'S LIFE.

Anyone here discuss The Machinist in the past? It's a rather disturbing film. Just saw it the other night. I was talking to a friend who suffers from insomnia and said that the film captured that inability to distinguish real life from possible dreams or hallucinations perfectly. I know that everyone's gone on and on about Christian Bale's weight loss, but with or without it, I think he did an excellent job.

Yeah, I think The Machinist is a good film, too. Bale's the best actor working at the minute, I reckon (either him or Paddy Considine). I loved the dark, brooding atmosphere throughout, but didn't like the way things were all shaped up to be something else, then explained and solved towards the end. I think Brad Anderson's previous film, Session 9, suffered from the same thing.

But I'm due a rewatch of both.

I liked The Machinist but was a bit dissapointed when it didn't fully meet my expectations and it seemed to resemble David Fincher's Fight Club just a bit too much. Still an enjoyable watch though, for the most part. I think I gave it two stars (although my system has changed slightly since then).

Painted Veil ***
Great acting by Naomi Watts and Edward Norton and excellent cinematography and music. I am not sure if many of you will have access to this movie in theaters, but this has to be watched in big screen for the great visuals. Wonder why this movie went unnoticed. Watch it!

Fast Food Nation ** 1/2
(First Viewing)

An ensemble piece examining the health risks involved in the fast food industry and its environmental and social consequences as well.

A very interesting film that takes an in depth look at the fast food industry. I thought the film started out well with a narrow focus, but by the end of it, I felt it just branched out too much and was trying to balance it all. However, it did end on a powerful note. Probably my third favorite Richard Linklater film behind Dazed and Confused and A Scanner Darkly. Worth the rent and I'll probably purchase the DVD.

This is finally out? Damn, I've really been behind on Norton's recent release dates. It's good to see him getting back into his niche after a long absence.

Now if they could just get Motherless Brooklyn together...

I think it released almost 2 months back! I was hoping it would not be taken off from theaters till I got free time. Only one theater in Dallas, Angelika, had it, I think there is one in NY too.

Cool, I'll have to check it out.

I need to make it a point to see more of his films in the theater... I went to go see Fight Club once, for a special viewing, but when I got there, it was the Indian remake of the original Fight Club...

MIAMI BLUES (1990)

I saw this over the weekend for the first time and I loved it.
I can't believe I'd never seen it before.

A very young and very lean Alec Baldwin played a very good bad guy back then.

It's a little offbeat, but if you see it on cable, it's worth watching.

The Last Temptation of Christ *** 1/2
(Nth Viewing)

The carpenter Jesus of Nazareth, tormented by the temptations of demons, the guilt of making crosses for the Romans, pity for men and the world, and the constant call of God, sets out to find what God wills for him. But as his mission nears fulfillment, he must face the greatest temptation: the normal life of a good man. Based, not on the Gospels, but on Nikos Kazantzakis' novel of the same name.

A great portrayal as Jesus the man. The Bible teaches us that Jesus was both human and divine but most (if not all) movies focus solely on his divinity. I applaud Martin Scorsese for having the balls to show Jesus on screen struggling with being the Son of God. And as such, you can imagine the blacklash. I read movie theaters were burned in the Middle East, people probably boycotted Martin Scorsese movies, and I know Blockbuster promised to never carry the film in their stores. In any case, Willem Dafoe put together a good performance as Jesus. Harvey Keitel however, seemed a little bit out of place. He did a good job as Judas but I think his thick New York accent was still a distraction and maybe he should have been recast. Unfortunately, this film has seemed to have slipped through the cracks of time as I hardly hear anyone mention it, let alone know what it is.

Sleepaway Camp * 1/2
(First Viewing)

After a horrible boating accident kills her family, Angela, a shy and sullen young girl, moves in with her eccentric aunt Martha, alongside her protective cousin Ricky. One summer, Martha sends the kids to Camp Arawak. Soon after their arrival, a series of bizarre and increasingly violent accidents begins to claim the lives of various campers. Who is the twisted individual behind these murders? The disclosure of the murderer's identity is the most shocking climax in the history of American cinema.

A pretty cheesy 80s horror flick with a messed up ending. Guessing who the killer was wasn't too difficult but they still threw a curveball at you.

8 1/2 ** 1/2
(First Viewing)

8 1/2 is about Guido Anselmi, an Italian director who has lost all inspiration for his upcoming movie, and it's too late to back out. And aside from the fact that he can't make the film, his mistress, wife, producer, and all the rest of his friends, are pressuring him about one thing or another. So he retreats into his dreams to shelter himself from the pressure, and there, he finds inspiration to make his new film, and face the world.

A well made film that I didn't understand most of the time. Plus I thought the run time was very long at 138 minutes. Plus the actors talked so fast and it was hard to keep up.