The Killer, True Grit, The Sons of Katie Elder

#1 - THE KILLER

Stars -  Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, Kong Chu

Director - John Woo

Memorable Quote - ' I believe in justice, but no one believes in me.'

Review - John Woo's gangster epic (which one? I hear you say) is a lot more philosophical than you might at first give it credit for. Following the exploits of an assassin taking on one last job out of compassion, he needs to take the money in order to pay for a cornea operation to prevent a singer he accidentally injured from going blind. Pursued by a cop whose morals seem somehow to be quite similar to his own, he must also battle the triads who are out to kill him. Imbued with gentle tones and shots that contrast the two very similar men, a large amount of the film is beautiful in its close ups and high-powered gunslinging action. At the climax we can but cheer on the protagonists as they attempt to battle their way out of a half demolished church. The final scene, as the killer and the singer crawl past each other in the darkness, is a stark reflection of the perils of the new gangster lifestyle that both protagonists bemoan. Although there seem to be syncing problems early on and the music is distinctly 80s, don't let it put you off: it's worth getting through this one. 4/5.

#2 - TRUE GRIT (1969)

Stars - John Wayne, Glen Campbell, Kim Darby, Robert Duvall, Jeff Corey

Director - Henry Hathaway

Memorable Quote - 'I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man.'

Review - I reviewed the new 'True Grit' a while back, mentioning there that I had never seen the original. Well, now I have, and it's really made me appreciate what a fantastic piece of work the newest one is. This original is a lot softer - everyone gets along for most of the way, Mattie recovers just fine from her fall, and there seems to be a lot less danger in general. It's a shocking moment when Quincy chops off Moon's fingers nonetheless, and indeed I found his death more poignant in this version. Wayne is wooden as ever, Campbell is only somewhat useful, and the goofs are numerous (rubber guns and nylon tights being the most anachronistic). While all the potential was there, one suspects it was held back by something - a theory that holds water when considering the greatness of the newest version. Still, a classic's a classic, and it does pretty well in its field. 4/5

#3 - THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER

Stars - John Wayne, Dean Martin, Michael Anderson Jr, Earl Holliman, Jeremy Slate, James Gregory

Director - Henry Hathaway 

Memorable Quote - 'Here's a present for you!'

Review - Well, here's one unintentionally hilarious Western for you. Dean Martin turns out to be the most convincing cowboy of the lot, John Wayne plays John Wayne, and the main character isn't even in the film. With a round of awful slapstick acting in the form of the youngest son, and an actually kind of funny fight scene, the film descends into your average Western fare: the Elders are double-crossed and their names blackened, a shootout ensues in which one of them (the boring one) dies, and finally John Wayne is the last of his family left standing. He seeks out justice by blowing up a man and an entire store of guns, somehow without killing anybody else, and the newly-appointed sheriff shrugs his shoulders. Them's the breaks when you're in a Western, kid. Not the best, not the worst - 3.5/5

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True Grit, There's Something About Mary, Dead Poet's Society

#1 - TRUE GRIT (2011)

Stars - Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld, Josh Brolin

Director - Ethan & Joel Coen

Memorable Quote - 'Mister Cogburn, in your four years as a US Marshal, how many men have you shot?'

Review - I've not got around to seeing the original yet, though a review will follow at some point. This, however, is what can only be described as a masterpiece. Westerns in the 21st century are few and far between, and while some are brilliant, others fall short of the mark. This, however, is the best I've seen yet. Bridges is magnificent as the gruff old marshal who really truly cares for the runaway child who forces herself into his care, and Damon puts in a performance that will put his critics to shame. Steinfeld is eye-catching and convincing, able to challenge the already well-established actors on her own ground. Cinematography, direction, all of it is perfect, and it's enjoyable in all ways. The only flaw comes towards the end, as poor greenscreen work fails to match the background with the action of Rooster and Mattie riding. If only they had just bothered a tiny bit more, this would have been an easy 5 rating. 4.5/5

#2 - THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY

Stars - Cameron Diaz, Ben Stiller, Matt Dillon, Lee Evans, Chris Elliott

Director - Farrelly brothers

Memorable Quote - 'Frank and Beans! Frank and Beans!'

Review - From the moment that the film kicks off with a little spoof song about Mary, performed by Jonathan Richman(a repeated theme throughout), and Ben Stiller's re-teenaged face appears, you know that this is going to turn out to be a pretty damn funny film. Despite the annoying, slightly passe fake dog fighting scenes, the story is both cutesy and hilarious, as Ted fights to win back the love of his life, Mary, battling against fake architects and cripples and hives-suffering stalkers. Some of it is silly, yes, some of it highly unrealistic; but some of it, such as Ted winning the trust of Warren and his declarations of love, verges on the heart-warming. Stiller has come to be known as an actor that can provide world-class comedy performances no matter where he crops up, and this is no exception. See it now - it will brighten your day. 4.5/5

#3 - DEAD POET'S SOCIETY

Stars - Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, et al

Director - Peter Weir

Memorable Quote - 'Carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.'

Review - This is something that really ought to be seen by everyone, just because it's a beautiful film. Just about every single line is quotable, and the storyline itself is uplifting. Following a group of boys in a stuffy all-boys' school, their lives are changed with the arrival of a teacher whose methods encourage them to think for themselves instead of letting their lives pass by uneventfully. Recreating an old secret society sets into action a chain of events that will have you laughing along with them - until one of the boys is forced to make the choice between his dream and his father's wishes, and finds himself unable to do so. Although the conclusion is tragic, and the aftermath brings up some uncomfortable questions about guilt and conformity, one boy's final act of defiance will have you cheering until the credits. What more can I say? See it for yourself - you won't be disappointed. 5/5

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