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jasonc13
Reviews
Narc (2002)
In a word...Stunning.
After seeing the much overrated "Training Day," I wondered if there was ever going to be another great police film to compare to the likes of those of yesteryear such as "Vice Squad," "Bullit," and "The Seven-Ups." Well, not only is there a great film in "Narc," but it will be the standard to which all police films will have to live up to in the future. Simply put, "Narc" is the most realistic, well written, terrifically acted films (not just police genre) to ever hit the big screen, and if you think that is an overstatement, you obviously have not yet had the priviledge of viewing this masterpiece.
The plot is simple: (although plot points that one might not think at the time are important, later become monumental giving a more than realistic twist to the tale)Jason Patric (who has to be one of the most natural actors of the thirty something generartion) suffers a tramatic experience while on the job as an undercover narcotics officer, resulting in the death of an infant. Ray Liotta (who by far gives his best performance of his career) is a no-nonsense cop (but not played however like the typical "tough guy") who is out to find the person or persons responsible for his partners death. He is matched with Patric who has been on suspended leave for 18 months, and together they must uncover the truth behind the officers murder.
What ensues is a gritty, melodrama with enough plot, character development, and flat out intensness for ten movies put together...
The two shake down drug dealers and fight a less than supportive system in order to get the answers they are looking for, all the while struggling with their own demons and trying to not let themselves unravel in the process. *WARNING, SMALL SPOILER* Unfortunately, they are only human, and happy endings are no where to be found in this perfected piece of celluloid...
With that being said, I refuse to expose what that means (and it isn't what one might think) but to say the final reel is one of the most disturbing, graphic, and compelling endings ever would not be an understatement.
To sum it up, "Narc" is truely engrossing in every sense of the word, and makes the viewer feel like they are participants in the story. Not a scene or second is wasted, and while watching it you simply cannot wait to see what amazing piece of movie history will happen next. In this day and age of "Hollywood Blockbusters" it is more than a breath of fresh air to see such a well made character driven, thought provoking story come down the pipe which refuses to conform to the rules, formula, and structure of main stream garb.
One thing is for certain, upon viewing "Narc," you will no doubt be addicted to it and won't be able to wait for another fix...
Probable Cause (1994)
A diamond in the rough...
When scanning the shelves of your local video store, what do you see more often then generic covers of "Basic Instinct" wannabes in the thriller/mystery section? Let's face it, they are a dime a dozen, however once in a blue moon you stumble upon a diamond in the rough that exceeds expectations. Well look no further than "Probable Cause" for one hell of a good movie...
The plot is this: A serial killer is bumping off cops and the experts on the case are clueless as to who is doing this and why (an important and more than resonable answer as it turns out). The lead detective (Michael Ironside) is coupled with a sexy female partner to try and shed some light on case, but not all is well between them. You see, Ironside's character is under investigation for sexual harrassment and she is less than thrilled to have to work with this manly pig. This sets up great chemistry between them, and leaves the audience wondering if he in fact is guily of this or not. A fantastic subplot that we never actually get an answer to. The female partner has trouble sleeping at night, is plagued with nightmares, and can't figure out why, and between the body count and the rising tension surrounding the ongoing case, sparks fly and things really begin to heat up.
*SPOILERS AHEAD* The two soon discover that all the cops that have been off-ed, graduated from the same academy and hold a dark secret amoungst them. It turns out, the group of "perfect new recruits" raped a fellow officer while they were rookies, and left the victim with zero self esteem to say the least and a taste for revenge that she would take on them some ten years later. Well it doesn't take a genius to figure out that the female partner turns out to be the guilty party (hence her sleeplessness) however we sympathize with her character and in a twist ending, Ironside covers for her and she gets away with the murders, making look like one of the other corrupt cops.
The movie moves like a bullet, and keeps the suspense and whodunit factor in high gear the whole way through, without following the trend of bad "sexy thrillers" before them. The story is fresh, the acting is top notch, and in the end it actually has a message behind it...all done with better than average taste.
"Probable Cause" is the type of film that if it had more marketable actors in the leads (by Hollywood's standards anyway) it would have blockbuster status written all over it. But, since it is a direct-to-video release, it barely gets any recognition at all, and unjustly so. However, that is an element that makes this a stand out. You do not need the flavor of the month superstar to carry a film like this, because the story (which somehow seems to get lost in today's films) carries it all by itself. My Lord, what a silly concept!
So do yourself a favor, and rent this surprisingly solid thriller because it is a worthwhile "Cause."
Session 9 (2001)
Creepy. Creepier. Creepiest.
In this day and age, it is difficult to truly define what makes a "horror" movie. For some, it is perhaps gore. For others, maybe suspense. But one thing should remain a constant, atmosphere. If a horror film has that key element, that is half the battle. And look no further for one of the most atmospheric, and down right creepy films to hit the screen in quite some time... "Session 9."
The premise is simple: A group of hazardous waste remover's current job is cleaning asbestose from an abandon insane asylum. They have a week to rid the building of the contaminent, or the boss will more than likely loss his business and a fat bonus the town has in store for them. However, the building itself has something in store for them as well, and it is not good to say the least.
As the days go by, we learn a bit about each charcter and learn they all have skeletons in thier respective closets, with one in particular hiding a nasty little secret that has grave consequences. One by one the crew is picked off, until we discover what the secret is, and how it is connected to one of the patients the asylum housed some thirty years ago.
To call "Session 9" original would not be entirely true, but to call it better than average would be more than fair. The cast is superb, and make us hope for thier survival; the setting is a character in and of itself; and the back story is enough to raise the hair on your neck. But what makes this premise work so well is unlike most horror/ slasher flicks, the audience is never quite sure if what they are viewing is just that, or a psychological mind-trip picture. In the end we find out, and boy the ending pulls no punches. One of the more disturbing wrap-ups in recent memory.
"Session 9" has elements of classics of the past such as, "The Shining," and "The Haunting," but instead of ripping them off (as so many other cheap excuses for horror films do) it pays an homage to them while creating something fresh and inventive. Fans of haunted house films and whodunits alike, should enjoy this moody little monster, so for those we have not yet seen it, check into the asylum, before it checks into you...
The Vagrant (1992)
Two words: Bill Paxton. Two More: Enough Said...
The Vagrant tells the story of Graham Krackowski (the always magnificent Paxton), who moves into his new home only to be terrorized by an unruly homeless vagrant that lives across the street in an abandon lot. That's it, but that is all this film needs because Paxton, director Chris Wallas, and the rest of the cast turn a simple plot into a memorable laugh-scare fest. And like most film buffs would agree, finding the right mix of horror and comedy is not easy to do, and even when it is done, it's hardly ever done right. Not in this case however...
A subplot deals with Paxton up for a promotion at his suit-wearing executive job, as well as his girlfriend flying into town for a visit. With just the right amount of time spent on each to add to the story, the focus remains however on Paxton and his unwanted guest.
What begins as simply an inconvenience to him, escalates into an all out war of head games, wit, and eventually murder, with Paxton losing his girl, his job, and untimately his mind in the process. But what makes the story truly compelling, is that the audience is left in limbo throughout most of the film as to if all the happenings are indeed caused by the vagrant or by Paxton himself?
Now I'm not one to spoil a good whodunit, so I will leave that rock unturned for those who haven't had the privilege of seeing this little charmer. Because when it is all said and done, the ending has more than a few surprises.
So don't be left out in the cold like our antagonist, and rent this wacky masterpiece before its too late. And remember, if you ever find a book on the toilet of the house you are looking to purchase, think twice...
The Seven-Ups (1973)
They don't make 'em like they used too...
Every studio that has made a police movie over the last twenty years should be forced to watch this film and learn a thing or two.
The story is this: A group of renegade cops known as "The Seven-Ups" seek revenge against the hoods that murdered one of their own. Original idea? Maybe not, but considering the film is loosely based on actual events and was made in 1973 it was way before its time. Sure there were the "Death Wishes" and "The French Connections," back in the day, but I would be hard pressed to find a more gritty and intelligent film to match wits with this one from an era long forgotten.
The always fantastic Roy Scheider (who regardless of his current status as an actor, i.e. being forced to play pathetic roles for a paycheck due to his age, etc by industry standards) plays the main character flawlessly, supported by a cast of hard hitting fellow cops are on the trail of a gang of hoods who are impersonating police officers and shaking down mobsters, only to rough them up (and in some cases kill them)for the money they are carrying.
When one of Schieder's crew gets killed in a botched robbery, and Schieder and his boys become suspects by their own department, they take matters into their own hands, and try to clear their names and find those responsible by any means necesary. That takes place in the first half hour, and everything minute to follow is one exciting moment after the next, including THE BEST CAR CHASE EVER! Period.
I could go on forever as to what a well-crafted film this is, but for those who have been sleeping under rocks for the past two decades (or some who are simply too young to have seen it the first go round) my words cannot do justice, but you can bet "The Seven-Ups" can...
Simply put, don't wait another minute to see this bad-ass, because they don't make 'em like they used too...
Vice Squad (1982)
One of the grittiest, toughest, police stories ever made.
In theory, "Vice Squad" is nothing more than good guy versus bad guy. However, it is done with such raw energy and flawless execution it remains one of the most intelligent and dramatic police films of the past two decades.
The story is about a hooker with a heart of gold named "Princess," who ends up on the run from her pimp named "Ramrod," (played brilliantly by the underrated Wings Hauser). After she agrees to bait him for the cops after he violently murders a fellow prostitute, he escapes police custedy and is hell-bent on one thing: finding Princess, torturing her, and killing her. It's that simple. A cop named "Walsh" (also played wonderfully by Gary Swanson) has the responsibility of finding either her or him, before Ramrod succeeds in his mission.
The film takes place in one night throughout the streets of Hollywood, and never lets up for a second. The plot is thick with suspense, the characters are three dimensionally layered, and the action is non stop. It's influence can be seen in many of todays films such as "Training Day," and even "Seven" just to name a few. However, its greatest testament may be from a better known movie tough guy named "Dirty Harry." At one point, when Walsh catches up with Ramrod he sticks his gun in his mouth and mutters "Make a move, and make my day!" Sound familiar? It should, because the famous line was uttered some five years later, even though the phrase was coined here, and in much better fashion I might add.
To sum it up, "Vice Squad" is a hard hitting, no nonsense, throw back to when quality films could be made on shoe-string budgets, and without millions in special effects. It walks the walk, and talks the talk without making excuses for its realistic subject matter. Unfortunately, the film is hard to find, so if you get the opportunity to see it, do not pass it up. For it will no doubt become one of your favorite "Vices," I garantee it.