My next review is of the last film that the late and great James Gandolfini made before his passing; the film is called The Drop. The film is about a bar in Brooklyn, NY that is a drop bar when it needs to be. What that means is that the bar one day receives the mob's money, and puts it into the bar's safe until they come to collect. I really enjoyed this film, but it isn't for everyone. It is a mob film, but not in the traditional sense.
What I mean is that in most mob films you have a lot of violence and death; you get a good amount of action. In The Drop you don't have that. You do have violence, but it isn't nonstop violence; it is a slow film. It has a good pace to it, and I was never bored, but I could understand if people did get bored. The film focuses more on the story and characters than the action. For me I really liked how they did that, but not everyone will enjoy that.
The film stars a few people; it isn't a big cast of characters, but it really delves into the characters they do focus on. It stars: Tom Hardy, who has been in films like Warrior and Inception, James Gandolfini, who was best known for his role in The Sopranos, Noomi Rapace, who was in the original The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy, and finally Matthias Schoenaerts, who has been in films like Bullhead and Rust and Bone.
The Drop is a film that will keep you asking what will happen next. As I said before this film isn't for everyone because it can get slow at parts, but I strongly recommend giving it a try. If you can handle a slow movie I promise the story and the characters will keep you hooked every minute. In the end, I truly understand the pure talent we lost with the passing of James Gandolfini, here is a video I found that tributes the great actor he truly was. My rating is that you should see this film if you want a movie that will keep your attention because of the story and the characters. You should also see this if you haven't seen Gandolfini in anything to just see this great man in action.
RIP James Gandolfini, and thank you for your many years of entertainment you have given this world.
Please comment and let me know what you think, and if you have anything you want me to review.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Friday, September 12, 2014
Boardwalk Empire
The next show I'm going to review is an HBO show about the Mob, Alcohol, and Bootleggers; the show is called Boardwalk Empire. The show is about Enoch 'Nucky' Thompson a politician in Atlantic City who strives to maintain power he has gained by working with both the law and the gangsters. He does this by selling alcohol during Prohibition, which is the period of time when it was illegal.
The show is Executive Produced, someone who pretty much runs the show, by Martin Scorsese, who has directed films like Goodfellas and The Departed, and Mark Wahlberg, who has been in films like The Fighter and Lone Survivor. The show stars: Steve Buscemi, who has been in films like Reservoir Dogs and Fargo, Stephen Graham, who has been in films like Snatch and Gangs of New York, Vincent Piazza, who has been in films like Stephanie Daley and Rocket Science, Michael K. Williams, who was in the HBO series The Wire. There are many more characters, but these are the ones I feel are the most interesting. If you want to see the other characters you can use this link.
This show isn't for everyone; I say that because since it is HBO there is a lot of violence, blood, gore, language, sex, and nudity. If you can handle all of that I strongly recommend this series. The reason I recommend it is because of the writing and the acting. The writing is so well done that you are hooked every episode, and you care about each character so much you can't wait to see what happens to them, and what they do next. You never know what is going to happen next which keeps you hooked and watching.
The writing keeps you hooked, but the acting is what draws you in. If you didn't like actors portraying these characters you wouldn't be able to get invested. Let me tell you that you will have no problem getting invested in these characters. The actors all around are excellent; you believe every single performance, and each one knows what they are doing. There is a clip I found from Season 1 of a speech that Nucky is giving with scenes of other characters doing other actions that explains perfectly what I mean. I have to warn you though that nothing is bleeped or blurred.
Boardwalk Empire just started its fifth and final season, and I can't wait to see how they close out the series. In the end, the show is well written, exceptionally acted, and very well executed. My rating is that when you are old enough you need to watch this series. Martin Scorsese has done it again, but this time in a series.
Please comment and let me know what you think; have you seen Boardwalk Empire, do you like it, don't like it? If there is anything you want me to review leave a comment, and I'll add it to my list.
The show is Executive Produced, someone who pretty much runs the show, by Martin Scorsese, who has directed films like Goodfellas and The Departed, and Mark Wahlberg, who has been in films like The Fighter and Lone Survivor. The show stars: Steve Buscemi, who has been in films like Reservoir Dogs and Fargo, Stephen Graham, who has been in films like Snatch and Gangs of New York, Vincent Piazza, who has been in films like Stephanie Daley and Rocket Science, Michael K. Williams, who was in the HBO series The Wire. There are many more characters, but these are the ones I feel are the most interesting. If you want to see the other characters you can use this link.
This show isn't for everyone; I say that because since it is HBO there is a lot of violence, blood, gore, language, sex, and nudity. If you can handle all of that I strongly recommend this series. The reason I recommend it is because of the writing and the acting. The writing is so well done that you are hooked every episode, and you care about each character so much you can't wait to see what happens to them, and what they do next. You never know what is going to happen next which keeps you hooked and watching.
The writing keeps you hooked, but the acting is what draws you in. If you didn't like actors portraying these characters you wouldn't be able to get invested. Let me tell you that you will have no problem getting invested in these characters. The actors all around are excellent; you believe every single performance, and each one knows what they are doing. There is a clip I found from Season 1 of a speech that Nucky is giving with scenes of other characters doing other actions that explains perfectly what I mean. I have to warn you though that nothing is bleeped or blurred.
Boardwalk Empire just started its fifth and final season, and I can't wait to see how they close out the series. In the end, the show is well written, exceptionally acted, and very well executed. My rating is that when you are old enough you need to watch this series. Martin Scorsese has done it again, but this time in a series.
Please comment and let me know what you think; have you seen Boardwalk Empire, do you like it, don't like it? If there is anything you want me to review leave a comment, and I'll add it to my list.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Ladder 49
To go back the way I use to do this, which was a movie then a show and vice versa, I'm going to review the film Ladder 49. This film is not a recent movie, but it is a great film. The movie is about Firehouse Ladder 49 in Baltimore, and it follows the character of Jack Morrison from when he first starts.
After watching this film I had more respect for firefighters, and what they do every day on the job. I have no complaints for this film because it is one of my favorite films. They just did everything correct with Ladder 49; from the writing to the fire scenes. Talk about rough scenes; these scenes are so intense that you ask how these people do this every day for a living. Now I realize they don't get extreme calls every day, but you always have to be on guard because just like that something horrible can happen to one of your men.
The fire scenes are incredible, but the characters are what draw you into the film. You first have Jack Morrison who you follow through the entire film. You see him from when he first starts as a Candidate, and as he rises through the ranks to become a well-respected member of the Firehouse. Jack is played by Joaquin Phoenix, who has been in other great films like Gladiator and Walk the Line. You then have Captain Mike Kennedy who is in charge of Ladder 49. Mike is played by John Travolta, who has been in films like Grease and Pulp Fiction.
The other members of Ladder 49 are: Lenny Richter played by Robert Patrick, who was also in Walk the Line and is in the upcoming show Scorpion, Tommy Drake played by Morris Chestnut, who is currently in the TV series Legends, Dennis Gauquin played by Billy Burke, who was recently in the TV series Revolution, Ray Gauquin played by Balthazar Getty, who was in the TV series Brothers & Sisters, Tony Corrigan played by Tim Guinee, who has been in films like Courage Under Fire and Iron Man, Frank Mckinny played by Kevin Chapman, who is currently in the TV series Person of Interest, Keith Perez played by Jay Hernandez, who has been in films like Worlds Trade Center and Takers, and finally Don Miller played by Kevin Daniels, who has been in films like Kate & Leopold and The Island.
I mentioned all of these characters/actors because in this film because they are all important. They are all important because a group makes up a Firehouse and these characters/the actors who portray them make up that group. They all did a great job, and they deserve recognition for it.
In the end, Ladder 49 pays tribute to Firefighters everywhere, and it shows the audience a brief glimpse of what these people do. My rating is that everyone should see this as soon as humanly possible. I respect Firefighters everywhere more than ever before, and I hope this film has the same impact on you guys.
Please comment and let me know what you think of Ladder 49. If there is anything you want me to review leave a comment and I'll add it to my list.
After watching this film I had more respect for firefighters, and what they do every day on the job. I have no complaints for this film because it is one of my favorite films. They just did everything correct with Ladder 49; from the writing to the fire scenes. Talk about rough scenes; these scenes are so intense that you ask how these people do this every day for a living. Now I realize they don't get extreme calls every day, but you always have to be on guard because just like that something horrible can happen to one of your men.
The fire scenes are incredible, but the characters are what draw you into the film. You first have Jack Morrison who you follow through the entire film. You see him from when he first starts as a Candidate, and as he rises through the ranks to become a well-respected member of the Firehouse. Jack is played by Joaquin Phoenix, who has been in other great films like Gladiator and Walk the Line. You then have Captain Mike Kennedy who is in charge of Ladder 49. Mike is played by John Travolta, who has been in films like Grease and Pulp Fiction.
The other members of Ladder 49 are: Lenny Richter played by Robert Patrick, who was also in Walk the Line and is in the upcoming show Scorpion, Tommy Drake played by Morris Chestnut, who is currently in the TV series Legends, Dennis Gauquin played by Billy Burke, who was recently in the TV series Revolution, Ray Gauquin played by Balthazar Getty, who was in the TV series Brothers & Sisters, Tony Corrigan played by Tim Guinee, who has been in films like Courage Under Fire and Iron Man, Frank Mckinny played by Kevin Chapman, who is currently in the TV series Person of Interest, Keith Perez played by Jay Hernandez, who has been in films like Worlds Trade Center and Takers, and finally Don Miller played by Kevin Daniels, who has been in films like Kate & Leopold and The Island.
I mentioned all of these characters/actors because in this film because they are all important. They are all important because a group makes up a Firehouse and these characters/the actors who portray them make up that group. They all did a great job, and they deserve recognition for it.
In the end, Ladder 49 pays tribute to Firefighters everywhere, and it shows the audience a brief glimpse of what these people do. My rating is that everyone should see this as soon as humanly possible. I respect Firefighters everywhere more than ever before, and I hope this film has the same impact on you guys.
Please comment and let me know what you think of Ladder 49. If there is anything you want me to review leave a comment and I'll add it to my list.
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