"21" is an enjoyable, if morally vapid and overlong mainstream movie that has a decent soundtrack. You have your attractive leads, occasional product placement, some dozen double-crosses in the last 20 minutes,the obligatory sex scene, and the
hey-he's-fat-and-getting-paid-so-let's-take-advantage-of-the-humor scene (I've never seen someone munch on Twinkies so quickly), not to mention that the character in question looks like he could be Jonah Hill's twin brother. It's a movie that tries not to offend as much as it tries to entertain. This is the first movie I've seen in theaters in about a month or so, and it was generally satisfying.
Grade: B-
"Notorious" is further proof that Hitchcock was one of the greatest masters of the cinematic language, and always played against audience expectations--notably, in this case, making a spy movie without guns. The cinematography is at times breathtaking (the crane shot from the ceiling to Ingrid Bergman's hand is incredible). But the true high points of the film, what make it a must-see in my opinion, are the prolonged love scenes between Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant. Two of the most attractive leads ever, Hitchcock seriously lingers on these two for minutes at a time, to the point of catharsis. It's the type of escapism that is hardly talked about, but is just as effective as a gunfight in a John Woo movie. We want to be in love like these characters, and Hitchcock's close-ups take us there. A great film.
Grade: A
Richard Widmark’s face seems almost perfectly suited for the camera. His naturally boyish grin effortlessly sinks into a grimace of desperation. He can go from suave to hopeless in seconds. Because of this, he is at once unforgettable as he is riveting to watch. And since his death several weeks ago, I’m sure that many avid film buffs, as well as I, have been going back and experiencing some of his films. But "Night and the City," directed by the underappreciated Jules Dassin--who died within a week after Widmark--is not just a great Widmark or Dassin film. It's one of the best examples of the use of cinematic language to tell a story that I've seen in a long time. It sparkles and shines in ways that most movies don't. Part of that is in the way the characters play off each other, and how we know only as much as we need to know about each person. The movie feels perfectly realized; almost every shot feels like it couldn't have been done any other way. It also has what is probably the best wrestling scene ever shot, a five-minute brawl out of nowhere between two ugly professionals (supporting characters) that surprisingly changes the tone of the movie completely, its outcome adding a layer of humanism that takes the protagonist further towards his inevitably bitter end. A great noir.
Grade: A
