Chinatown [1974]

Chinatown is a 1974 classic directed by Roman Polanski and written by Robert Towne, about a private investigator (Jack Nicholson) who stumbles upon a very important fraud case after a seemingly simple job.

A woman hires Gittes to see if her husband, Hollis Mulwray, who happens to have a key position in the water department of Los Angeles, is cheating. Turns out he was, but the lady who ordered the job was not actually the wife. Here's where the lovely Faye Dunaway comes in, in a great chinaman joke scene. The case complicates after the husband turns up dead, and so a whole conspiracy unfolds regarding the water supply to the city, all whilst shocking dark secrets of the woman's family threaten  the life of Evelyn Mulwray and the people around her.

Chinatown is a very good film that stands out mostly because of his intricate, always intriguing screenplay (which won a lot of awards back in the day). The story is complex, the characters are cool, reserved and with a touch of mistery, and the visuals are sometimes breathtaking- it drives you in and demands your attention. On the one hand, I liked the script and there were some scenes that stood out for me- for example, the after sex bed scene- their conversation, the way they look at each other, their attitude, everything was so sultry and appealing. On the other hand, I didn't find it to be particularly fantastic, although I know it has been praised by many. What I did like and what was the high point in my perspective, at least,was Roman Polanski's direction style. It is simple, classic, but quite sleek and visually beautiful, highlighting the cinematography and the production design in a great way. 

The cast was strong and of course both leads stole the show; Faye Dunaway, as Evelyn Mulwray, was stunning- the true incarnation of classic beauty, effortless charm, with  the same poise and style as icons like Audrey Hepburn or Katharine Hepburn. She was probably one of the last starlets of Hollywood- from the late 70s, early 80s everything changed. Her chemistry with Jack Nicholson was palpable, intense and believable. He was also sensational in this role- he is, after all, one of the greatest actors ever. Somehow, he reminds me of Leonardo DiCaprio, or maybe it's better to say DiCaprio reminds me of Nicholson. Either way, there is something special about Nicholson and I noticed that every time he comes on screen- it can be the attitude, or the charm, but it's definitely the talent that is always pushing him on top. 

Chinatown is an intriguing story that constantly reveals new dark secrets about the LA world, featuring two great performances and a complex storyline. I recommend it, you should definitely find time to see it! 

Carnage [2011]

4th movie at the London Film Festival and I am still loving it! Today I went to see Carnage!

I must admit, from the beginning, that I am not familiar with Roman Polanski's work, but if the rest of his movies are similar to this one, I am willing to give a try.

I never thought you can have an interesting movie, with smart, funny lines and great characters, in only one location- an apartment! 90 minutes and I think I took only one look at my watch! Carnage was amazing and all due to the 4 main actors: Christopher Waltz, Kate Winslet, Jodie Foster and John C.Reily.

They take the film to the next level and carry the action, the entertainment and the drama. It is a tough job, but they are great at it. Waltz and Foster and perfect and give a wonderful performance, while Reily and Winslet are strong, as well, but they don't over shine the first two. I can't explain the characters here because you learn so much about them in 90 minutes- I would spoil you the fun of discovering them for yourself, which you should definitely do!

Clearly, the script is derived by a play, The God of Carnage, which Polanski adapted to the big screen. As you might think, normally, 90 minutes in one location is a very though thing to shoot, especially if you plan to keep the attention of the audience. They are very few movies who dare to do that (Phonebooth sounds similar and it worked there, as well, as I recall), but he manages to do that in a beautiful manner, relaying only on his actors and quick paced script.

Overall, it is a good movie and you should definitely give it a try! It is an interesting experience!