The usual suspects [1995]

The usual Suspects is a 1995 classic action movie directed by Brian Singer. The storyline follows 5 men [McManus (Stephen Baldwin), Fenstern (Benicio del Toro), Hackney (Kevin Pollack), Dean Keaton (Gabriel Byrne) and Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey)] who are called for a line-up at the police station- they are the usual suspects in this type of cases, but since they don't have any evidence against them, they release them. While waiting, McManus offers them a job and so, after a couple days, they reunite and plan together a series of events that leads to a mysterious and deadly shooting.

Brian Singer created a great atmosphere for this action packed movie, with close-ups and using music that, in a way, transcends you to 50s gangster movies. The script is well constructed and has many twists and turns, and an abundance of details that you have to be careful to catch in time- people, reasons, lines. After one of the jobs doesn't pan out as it supposed to be, all clues go to Keyser Soze, who turns out to be the one who brought them together for the line-up and who is now calling the shots, blackmailing them all; he is the big bad guy and call me crazy, but I suspected from the first 1/3, maybe 1/2 of the movie, who it will turn out to be and I was right.

The casting is perfect and I love each individual because it brings something different, but necessary to the table. I was surprised to see a very young Benicio del Toro, with a funny, almost non comprehendible accent, and Stephen Baldwin was unexpectedly good, but my favorites are, as expected, Kevin Spacey and Gabriel Byrne. It also has very good supporting roles by Chazz Palminteri, as Dave Kujan, and Pete Postlehwaite, as Kobayashi.

I loved the revealing at the end of the significance of the names- very well treated and developed- basically everything we learned happened to these 5 guys might not even be true. It also has probably one of the best endings I have ever seen: collage of short clips of the movie, revealing some details that one might miss, plus the phrase "the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist"..."and like that, he is gone".

All in all, "Usual Suspects is a good, well acted, entertaining movie, with action, fast moving storyline, never-boring characters- I loved it. You should definitely see it, if you haven't already!

Just in case you haven't, you should...

..check out this movies!

Both are freshly taken from the movie jar, as I have seen them a long time ago, but I just wanted to remind you of some great films!  I am curious to see which one you like!

Boogie Nights

5 minutes in and I already recognize 98% of the cast: Julianne Moore, Heather Graham, John C.Reilly, William Macy.,Don Cheadle and, of course Mark Whalberg. The sweet, chilled out, respectful, dorky haircut Mark Whalberg...and then he takes his clothes off and I’m already in love with this movie (hey, don’t judge, i’m a girl, he’s hot, what can I do?).

He shows off his acting chops right from the beginning, starting with the loud and brutal discussion he has with his mother, and then decides to change his life. Oh, and what a life he is going to have...for about 5 years....and then things go down.

I have got to mention some random characters that I just loved and giggled over. Don Cheadle as a very loveale, confused guy, always changing his style. Phillip Seymour Hoffman as an unrecognizable very sweet, cool and gentle gay guy. Julianne Moore as the motherly type to all the misfits in the house.

Seeing this movie you get everything: cool music, attrative guys and girls, sex scenes, OMG moments (the first movie Dirk shot, the 80s new years eve party), action. I enjoyed this movie and I think you will, too!

And in the end, they finally showed us what the big deal was all about! J

American Beauty

Listen up, all you folks who like to make To-See movie lists.

Add American Beauty to your list right now, if you haven't seen it! Reasons? Well, let’s see:  great performances from Kevin Spacey, Wes Bentley or Tory Burch, the story is simple, yet very intriguing in some parts, you will get some OMG moments, the direction is amazing and stands out in so many ways (the way it was shot, the angles- it's Sam Mendes in all its glory) and it did win some awards in his days! Try it!

I am sure most of you have seen these films, so which one do you like most? Why?

Double post: Margin call&Let me in

Margin Call

Margin Call premiered last winter in Sundance, but is suddenly gaining momentum during awards season and is apparently aiming for some of them, mostly in the acting department; and they should, because it delivers big time.

I would call this movie a performance one. The actors feel like giants in a world of finance, and you barely notice the other details- music, direction, sets, script- nothing, just them. Everyone, from Zachary Quinto and Penn Badgely (the newbies) to Jeremy Irons and Kevin Spacey, is perfect and play the part in a realistic, no bullshit way. The last two stand out and are in the race for supporting nods, which they rightly deserve. Special mention to Paul Bettany who is great, not amazing, in this movie, but I love him to death, he is one of my favourites.

All in all, an enjoyable movie that you should give it a try!

Let me in

Let me in is a remake after a Swedish film, about a young boy who starts an unlikely friendship with a young  female vampire.

I especially liked the two leads, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloe Moretz. There is just something special about him; maybe it's his face, his fizonomy and gestures, his awkwardness, but I think he will grow up to be a very good actor. Owen, the character, is sweet, smart, but lonely and missunderstood. That is when Chloe Moretz's character comes in and develops the strange friendship. Their conversations are slow and  sweet, but what else can you expect from 12 year olds? I love the scene when he asks, without actually knowing what it means "will you go steady with me?".

I can't really say the horror element has there, as I wasn't scared in any moment, but it had some dark moments. Over all, it is a good movie, although it wasn't mind-blowing.