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A bunch of "modern" noir: "Romeo is Bleeding:" Gary Oldman is the

Posted by tinear on December 10, 2013 at 12:11:32:
closest Britain has produced in the Dennis Hopper sweepstakes (Tim Roth takes distant second). In this average yet entertaining effort, Oldman portrays a dirty detective who finds out the hard way that you can't make buddies of the mob. Lena Olin, perhaps the least sympathetic actress I know of---- she is all coldness and hardness, nothing to attract---- Dietrich and Stanwyck similarly were tough, but they could project a depth of passion and feeling (not just lust) beyond Olin's abilities.
Anyhow, this has plenty of plot turns, clever dialogue, and action to make comparison to any recent films very unfavorable for the novices.
"True Romance:" once heralded as the next Paul Newman, Christian Slater convincingly shows us that it won't happen in this lifetime; still, he has the innocent quirkiness to make his character come alive---- and Patricia Arquette, in a myriad of peek-a-boo lingerie, provides plenty of sparks playing the hooker with a golden… well, you know.
What truly elevates this film, of course, is the brilliant writing (Quentin Tarantino, giving a peek into his great skill), especially as featured in one of filmdom's greatest acting face-offs, Walken vs Hopper in a searing scene in a shack alongside the railroad tracks. That scene should be (probably is) required viewing for all actors in any film school of repute: both men do more with tiny vocal inflections and their eyes than lesser actors do with their entire bodies. Truly classic.
"The Departed:" a second viewing made me appreciate it more, but I couldn't get past the realization, yet again, how inferior it was to the original Asian film, "Infernal Affairs." In the American version, several of the principals vigorously attempt to outdo each other in scenery chewing. Yes, the master succeeds: dubious kudos to King Jack. How long has it been since Scorsese has made a truly good film???
"The Long Good Friday:" okay, here we go! Bob Hoskins became known for his portrayal of a middle-aged and highly successful Don trying to take the big step and make his enterprise legit; on the cusp of his great success, a rash of assassinations and bombings threatens all his planning and work. Unlike most films of the genre, you truly don't know what's coming next in this gem. Helen Mirren is just gorgeous. It is quite believable that men would risk death for her attentions.
"Play Dirty:" and, indeed they do in this absorbing tale of a group of misfits sent on a dangerous mission behind Germans lines in the desert. Michael Caine heads a crack cast of British actors (several of whom also acted alongside him in the fantastic and ridiculously forgotten, "The Ipcress File") in this taut, no-nonsense film. Why is it in a "noir" thread? Because, even though it's filmed in the bright desert, the sense of dread and darkness is very real.
There you go, enjoy!