Movie: American Gangster. Released: 2007. IMDB rank: 8.1. IMDB link.
Notes: Denzel Washington has repeatedly shown the range of his acting abilities. In Training Day, he was a mean, nasty cop who had already crossed the line. So his role as Frank Lucas, a Harlem heroin kingpin in the 1970s (based on a real character), is quite believable. (Though the only Oscar acting nomination was for Ruby Dee as Best Supporting Actress.) Russell Crowe is a narc detective, Richie Roberts, trying to bring Lucas down. The movie is more thoughtful rather than violent.
Director: Ridley Scott. Categories: Crime, Drama, Thriller. Writer(s): Steven Zaillian, Mark Jacobson. Cast: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin, RZA, Ruby Dee, Carla Gugino, Cuba Gooding Jr., Armand Assante, Common, Clarence Williams III. Runtime: 157 min (176 min unrated)
Notes: This Oscar-winning movie takes a look at a Memphis pimp, DJay (Terrence Howard), who wants out of that lifestyle. DJay feels that he’s at a crossroads in his life, and that it’s his last chance to pursue his dream of being a hip-hop emcee. He’s hit bottom financially, and he doesn’t have many other alternatives. He’s determined, but there are always people ready to bring him down, whom he has to get around.
Hustle & Flow won an Oscar for Best Original Soundtrack, an Oscar nomination for Howard for Best Actor, and another 17 awards and 34 nominations. Writer/ director Craig Brewer is also the writer/director of Black Snake Moan, which is elsewhere in this list.
Director: Craig Brewer. Categories: Crime, Drama, Music. Writer(s): Craig Brewer. Cast: Terrence Howard, Anthony Anderson, Taryn Manning, DJ Qualls, Ludacris, Isaac Hayes. Runtime: 116 min.
Notes: Hollywood once had a motto of never glorifying certain types of crime – or so we hear. The original Ocean’s Eleven supposedly changed that. It’s been ages since I saw the original, but the Rat Pack actors in it were very comfortable with each other, and that probably translated on screen. In the remake, there’s an incredible amount of tension, and rumors are that it was real, going beyond the roles. Despite that, Ocean’s Eleven is pretty funny film.
The basic story is that Danny Ocean (George Clooney), has just gotten out of prison and has a plan to knock off three casinos – all owned by the same guy, Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia). He enlists the help of old buddies and professional criminals, and they proceed on their heists, hoping to score $150M.
Director: Steven Soderbergh. Categories: Comedy, Crime, Thriller. Writer(s): Ted Griffin, based on the 1960s screenplay (Harry Brown, Charles Lederer) and story (George Clayton Johnson, Jack Golden Russell). Cast: George Clooney, Bernie Mac, Brad Pitt, Elliot Gould, Casey Affleck, Carl Reiner, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle, and many more. Runtime: 116 min.
Notes: Braveheart was Mel Gibson’s second directorial effort, succeeding 1993’s The Man Without a Face. Braveheart is Gibson’s interpretation of the 13th Century Scotsman William Wallace, and his efforts to unite his people in order to overthrow the English rule. The movie disposes with a few historical truths, including reports that the real Wallace was 6′7″ in height. (Gibson is only 5′ 10″.) However, Gibson has Scottish origins (despite being born in New York and living part of his life in Australia), and this was a passionate project for him – one which he’s said in interviews changed his life. That passion translated well onto screen, visually and emotionally, and Braveheart won 5 Oscars (including Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Picture), 15 other awards, and 20 more nominations.
Director: Mel Gibson. Categories: Action, Biography, Drama, War. Writer(s): Randall Wallace. Cast: Mel Gibson, James Robinson. Sophie Marceau. Runtime: 177 min.
Movie: Sin City. Released: 2005. IMDB rank: 8.4. IMDB link.
Notes: Sin City weaves four stories and multiple characters over several years. The events take place in the immensely corrupt Basin City, aka “Sin” City, blurring the lines between bad and good guys. It’s directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez, with Quentin Tarantino listed as a “guest” director. None of them are strangers to violent movies, but even if the stories are very “comic book”, there’s something visually impactful about Sin City that gives it a relative uniqueness.
Sin City is a Frank Miller graphic novel come to life but still maintains the gritty feel. This is accomplished by shooting in black and white, with punches of color – especially vivid red. What adds another fascinating dimension is the use of multiple narrators.
Directors: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino (guest). Categories: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller. Writer(s): Based on Frank Miller’s Sin City graphic novels. Cast: Jessica Alba, Devon Aoki, Alexis Bledel, Bruce Willis and many more. Runtime: 124 min/ 147 min USA.
Movie: No Country For Old Men. Released: 2007. IMDB rank: 8.5. IMDB link.
Notes: No Country For Old Men was the talk of 2007. It won 4 Oscars this year, with an additional 83 awards and 31 nominations, including a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Javier Bardem as the cold-blooded killer Anton Chigurh. Chigurh goes after $2M in drug money lifted by a hunter, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), from the scene of killing. Tommy Lee Jones is Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, who goes after Chigurh.
Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen. Categories: Crime, Drama, Thriller. Writer(s): Joel and Ethan Coen, based on a Cormac McCarthy novel. Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson. Runtime: 122 min.
Notes: Unforgiven, which won 4 Oscars (including Best Director and Best Picture) and 30 other awards, has been called by many “the last Western,” a definitive picture to indicate the end of a genre (despite the fact that a few Westerns came after). In this Western, there are no clear good guys or bad guys. Most of the characters live in a gray area.
The movie references characters in classic Westerns but looks at the events that follow retired gunslinger William Munny’s (Clint Eastwood) decision to take one last job.
Director: Clint Eastwood. Categories: Drama, Western. Writer(s): David Webb Peoples. Cast: Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, Saul Rubinek, Frances Fisher, Jaimz Woolvett. Runtime: 131 min.
Movie: Die Hard. Released: 1988. IMDB rank: 8.2. IMDB link.
Notes: Up until Die Hard, Bruce Willis had had mostly bit parts on TV shows, though he was the main character on the TV series Moonlighting. Die Hard – which was nominated for four Oscars and won various other awards – arguably established him as an action star. (Though lately he’s been doing a lot of great bit parts.) As veteran Officer John McClane, he goes to great, heroic lengths to protect citizens when a dozen terrorists take people hostage on the 30th floor of office tower in LA, with the intention of stealing over $600M in bearer bonds. McClane has come from New York to LA to for Christmas to see his kids and sort of estranged wife, who is in the building. With no time to wait for the FBI, McClane plans to stop the terrorists. Of course, if you watch this one, you have to see the rest in the series. Number 4 is now out on DVD.
Director: John McTiernan. Categories: Action, Crime, Thriller. Writers: Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza based on novel by Roderick Thorp. Cast: Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia. Runtime: 131 min. Trailer:
Notes: The first rule of Fight Club is that you don’t talk about it. So I can’t tell you much about it, without ruining the story. Yes, it is about guys fighting, but there’s much, much more – about exploring the self, realizing who you really are. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt give great performances, which keep you guessing as to what’s really going on, until the very end.
Director: David Fincher. Categories: Action, Drama, Thriller. Writer(s): Jim Uhls, based on a novel by Chuck Palahniuk. Cast: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter.
Notes: Pulp Fiction was Quentin Tarantino’s third directorial effort, following up on the success of Reservoir Dogs (which is loosely connected through characters and settings). The movie received an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and received six other Oscar nominations, including Best Actor (John Travolta), Best Supporting Actor (Samuel L. Jackson), and Best Actress (Uma Thurman). As typical with Tarantino movies, there’s a great soundtrack with classic songs mostly from the 60s and 70s, and a scene timeline that jumps back and forth.
Pulp Fiction is a mixed thread of four stories showing the lives of six people, at least four of whom are criminals. Their lives are tied together mostly by crime boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), whose directives are the catalyst for most of the events. Like any Tarantino movie, it’s full of colorful characters and colorful dialog. There’s also a great dance sequence with Uma Thurman and John Travolta.
Director: Quentin Tarantino. Categories: Crime, Drama. Writer(s): Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avary. Cast: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Eric Stoltz, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Rosanna Arquette, Steve Buscemi, Christopher Walken, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel. Runtime: 154 min (168 min special edition).
