Winter is cold, but luckily most movie theaters have heat. Although it’s basically Summer now, so…
To Live and Die in L.A.
If you ever played the Grand Theft Auto games Vice City and San Andreas and ever wondered what was going on in the latter during the events of the former, then To Live and Die in L.A. is the movie for you.
Another underrated William Friedkin special to go alongside 1977’s Sorcerer, To Live and Die in L.A. delves into the true calling of the U.S. Secret Service: cracking down on counterfeit cash.
William Petersen (now of CSI fame) plays a Secret Service agent determined to take down a notorious counterfeiter who killed his partner, and he’s going to bring him in BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY.
Similar to last year’s Man From U.N.C.L.E., what Live and Die lacks in substance, it [mostly] makes up with style, including a sensationally 80s score composed by none other than Wang Chung, as well as the usual William Friedkin hallmarks: gorgeous photography, profanity, and an insane car chase, not to mention some well done foot chases to boot. It’s also great to see actors like Willem Dafoe and John Turturro before they hit it big.
Honestly, it might be more of an interesting time capsule than outright entertaining, but it’s still a gem more than worth pursuing.
Rating: ★★★★☆
The Iron Giant
I’m rather ashamed to admit that I was asleep to this movie for a very long time (not entirely my fault, apparently, as Warner Bros. grossly mishandled the initial marketing). I mean, I’d heard of it, I’d seen part of it on TV, but I’d never given it a proper viewing.
After having seen it on the big screen, I’m willing to put it among the best films of the past 20 years.
Directed by Brad Bird (who has since directed The Incredibles and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, which are both fantastic), The Iron Giant is the story of an unlikely friendship between a lonely young boy and a massive robot from another world (voiced by Vin Diesel in a proto-Groot performance), the lengths they go to in order to keep everything secret (especially from a government agent voiced by Christopher McDonald, in arguably his most nefarious role), and one teaching the other what it means to be human (or “not a gun”). Beyond that, it’s a beautiful and thought-provoking 1950s period piece with deep emotional resonance (so many tears), but still enough laughs to balance it out.
In many ways, The Iron Giant is the kind of “family film” that we don’t see too much of anymore, in that it deals with actual issues (life, death, loss, sacrifice, etc.) and puts the characters in real danger. Perhaps the closest recent comparison would be Big Hero 6, although it’s not nearly as charming as Giant.
If you’ve never seen it or haven’t watched it in a while, go ahead and put a pre-order in for the Signature Edition, to be released on home format on September 6th. You won’t regret it.
Rating: ★★★★★
The Evil Dead (1981) & Evil Dead II (1987)
I can see how someone could watch these movies and think, “You know, that Bruce Campbell, he’s got some acting chops; I like his charisma.”
I’m less sure how someone could watch these movies and think, “You know, that Sam Raimi, he’s got some directing chops; let’s hand him a huge comic book franchise.”
Now, perhaps there are other Sam Raimi movies that I just haven’t seen that are actually worth my time, but I’m not impressed by what I’ve witnessed so far.
I know there is much debate as to which is better, The Evil Dead or its first sequel. For me, I prefer the original, because it does take itself seriously, and the attempts at horror slapstick in Evil Dead II don’t do anything for me. Either way though, I don’t have any plans to revisit one or the other. Labors of love as they may be, I just don’t get the cult surrounding them.
If you’re not already drinking the Evil Dead Kool-Aid, I don’t recommend it. There’s plenty of other stuff in the genre worth looking at.
Dual Rating: ★★☆☆☆