Memento (2000)

Posted on August 1, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Guy Pierce, this thriller has an interesting narrative that stars in descending order, simultaneously goes in ascending order, and then meets in the middle. Leonard is a man whose wife was murdered and he wants to find the culprit. However, he has short term memory loss so he must use Polaroid pictures and tattoos to help himself remember. He talks to a policeman on the phone about a case he recalls. He meets the man Teddy and also gets involved with a woman who wants his help after her boyfriend was killed. However Leonard makes his own truth and when reality is revealed to him, he will not accept it. The story meets and so the audience must come to realize this is in fact true. I feel the storytelling style alone is intriguing because it is so different and it truly makes us think. Nolan made another such film in Inception 10 years later.

4/5 Stars

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Posted on July 31, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Starring Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pierce, and a great supporting cast, the film takes place in Los Angeles in 1953 where the police force is trying to get rid of crime. Pearce is the promising newcomer who will do whatever it takes to move up. Spacey on the other hand is the technical adviser a cop show and makes money on the side supplying a gossip journalist. Crowe is simply a hardened strong man. Despite their mutual dislike for each other, they must ultimately work together to uncover the mystery behind the murders at the Night Owl Cafe. Their investigation leads them nearer than they ever expected. In a heated finale they must fight for justice while struggling to stay alive. Although quite violent, this film has a good period setting, and the interesting story is reminiscent of classic film-noir.

4.5/5 Stars

Blade Runner (1982) – Final Cut

Posted on July 30, 2013 by 4 Star Films

This sci-fi, neo-noir directed by Ridley Scott stars Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard. The film opens in Los Angeles in 2019 which is continually dark and perpetually raining. In this futuristic dystopia, several replicants, which are superhumanoids, have escaped and gone rogue. After one man is killed, Rick Deckard is called in to execute them and take up his former job as a blade runner. First he heads to the Tyrell Corporation where he meets Rachael, a woman who is unknowingly a replicant. The fugitive replicants begin to search for their creator and Deckard continues his own search and with a little help he is successful. At the same time the replicants gain access to Tyrell and confront him. Then, ultimately it is down to Deckard and Roy Batty, the leader of the replicants. In a somewhat bizarre ending, Deckard fights to survive and he returns to Rachael, their future unknown. Scott played off his own difficult experiences for this film in order to create a universe full of uncertainty. This environment is paradoxically old and futuristic at the same time. Even the melding of film-noir and sci-fi creates a disconcerting atmosphere of technology but also fear. I think part of the aura surrounding this film also has to do with the fact that Scott made multiple cuts so depending on which one you see the film differs as a whole (I saw the final cut from 2007).

4/5 Stars

Chinatown (1974)

Posted on July 28, 2013 by 4 Star Films

Starring Jack Nicholson with Faye Dunaway and John Huston, this skillfully written neo-noir is a nod to the work of Chandler and Hammet. J.J. “Jake” Gittes is a P.I. in the L.A. area during the 30s who specializes in marital cases. When a woman calling herself Mrs. Mulwray asks Gittes to watch her supposedly cheating husband, he enters something he does not understand. Soon he meets the real Mrs. Mulwray (Dunaway), learns Mr. Mulwray is dead, and discovers Mrs. Mulwray’s father is the powerful water tycoon Noah Cross (Huston). As he tries to uncover the truth behind some odd events, Gittes meets with opposition, more confusion, and eventually some answers. The mystery is twofold and he begins to understand the plot over the L.A. water, however he does not figure out the secret kept by Mrs. Mulwray right away. When he finally does find out he is too late and tragedy ultimately comes in Chinatown. This film was enjoyable in the buildup and the ending was okay if not tragic. However, it did seem that the mystery surrounding the water was predictable.