Dark Blue (2002)

Genre: Film noir / Thriller
Directed by: Ron Shelton
Cast: Kurt Russell, Brendan Gleeson, Scott Speedman
Time: 118 minutes

 

In the days leading up to the infamous Rodney King trial, a group of crooked LAPD cops are trying to cover up a case where deadly force was used by a young detective in an arrest. As events unwind, things get messier and messier.

Kurt Russell offers a good performance here, but, other than that, this film fell kind of flat for me. It was very formulaic and clichéd, and it became hard to get emotionally invested in the fate of these characters.

Rating: ««

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

Genre: Film Noir / Drama
Directed by: Alexander Mackendrick
Cast: Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison
Time: 96 minutes

 

J.J. Hunsecker is an influential and sleazy newspaper columnist and radio host using his influence, mainly with the help of up-and-coming press agent Sidney Falco, to break-up the relationship his sister Susan has with Steve Dallas, a musician he does not deem fit for his younger sibling.

While it was poorly received at the time, this film has aged quite well and won some recognition with the years passing. Lancaster and Curtis are great as sleazy characters trying to get their way. It was quite a stretch at the time to have natural heroes play bad guys. The cinematography and script are also solid aspects of this classic. All things considered; this is a great piece of cinema.

Rating: «««««

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Genre: Film noir / Drama
Directed by: Norman Jewison
Cast: Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates
Time: 110 minutes

 

Virgil Tibbs, a black police detective from Philadelphia, becomes involved in a murder investigation while in Mississippi visiting his mother. First a suspect of the murder, because of the color of his skin, he starts working with the local authorities on the case, in spite of many people around unwilling to trust a black man.

This is a powerful film with a compelling story and some great actors at work. It is well worth revisiting at different times in history as its significance never diminishes.

Rating: «««««

True Confessions (1981)

Genre: Thriller / Film Noir
Directed by: Ulu Grosbard
Starring: Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Burgess Meredith
Running time: 108 minutes

 

Based on the John Gregory Dunne novel of the same name, True Confessions tells the story of Desmond Spellacy, a young catholic monsignor, and his older brother Tom, a police detective. As an investigation starts on the murder of a prostitute, the two brothers have very distinct interests to protect, but neither of them can protect each other in the process.

The major strength of this film is the presence of De Niro and Duvall as the two leads. They carry this one to a potable result. Burgess Meredith is a cool presence too. Both leads offer a good deal of solid acting performance, but, as a whole, this film simply lacks cohesion and a strong conclusion.

Rating: «««

Killing Them Softly (2012)

Genre: Thriller / Film Noir
Directed by: Andrew Dominik
Starring: Brad Pitt, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn
Running time: 97 minutes

 

Based on the George V. Higgins novel titled Cogan’s Trade, Killing Them Softly tells the tale of three small-time crooks decide to rob a group of men during an illegal gambling operation operated by the Mob. The Mob then hires two hitmen to take care of this matter.

Brad Pitt is quite convincing in his role here. James Gandolfini offered something we were not used to with him, playing someone truly pathetic. As for the story itself, while it certainly had its moments of brilliance, it felt a little convoluted and messy for me. Still, I was entertained by this very imperfect movie.

Rating: «««

Bad Lieutenant (1992)

Genre: Thriller / Film Noir
Directed by: Abel Ferrara
Cast: Harvey Keitel, Victor Argo, Zoe Lund
Running Time: 96 minutes

 

An unnamed NYPD lieutenant is sinking deeper and deeper in a life of drug abuse, sex and gambling, putting himself and his family at risk.

While not a flawless film, Bad Lieutenant is provocative Neo-Noir character study. The film greatly benefits from Harvey Keitel’s performance. The actor fully immerses himself in that role, giving it his all, in more than one way. Some of the images can be hard to take, but this down and dirty movie is well worth watching, if you can stomach it.

Rating: ««««

 

Double Indemnity (1944)

Genre: Drama / Film Noir

Directed by: Billy Wilder

Cast: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson

Running Time: 107 minutes

Insurance salesman Walter Neff returns to his LA office late one night, sweaty and visibly injured by a gunshot wound, and he starts dictating his confession to a murder into a Dictaphone. He tells the story of how he was charmed and convinced by housewife Phyllis Dietrichson to help her kill her husband after contracting an accident insurance on his life.

This film is considered as one of the first movies of the film noir genre. It starts and ends in the present, and most of the story is told through flashbacks, with the main protagonist serving as narrator. By today’s standards, the tone might seem over the top, but this remains a masterpiece of cinema and film noir. The acting is impeccable for its time and the storytelling keeps you hooked all the way through.

Rating: ««««

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)

Genre: Film Noir

Directed by: Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller

Starring: Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Running time: 102 minutes

This second installment in the Sin City movie franchise offers another collection of short stories inspired by Frank Miller’s graphic novel collection of the same name. It is part prequel, part sequel, with some of the old characters coming back and some new ones.

The visual signature that was a strong element of the first movie is still there, with the mixture of black-and-white and color. Unfortunately, the stories being told are not quite as compelling as in the first Sin City film. It was decent, but nothing to write home about.

Rating: «««

Sin City (2005)

Genre: Film Noir

Directed by: Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller

Starring: Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis

Running time: 124 minutes

Sin City offers a collection of short stories inspired by Frank Miller’s graphic novel collection of the same name.

With a loaded cast on board, Sin City is above all else a visual tour de force. Shot mostly in black and white, with color being added to certain objects and characters, this film is a wonderful work of cinematography. The stories are filled with violence, but the visual signature of Sin City makes the whole thing beautiful and artistic.

Some of the acting was a bit weak at times, in spite of the big names involved, but this is a flick well worth seeing for the visual aspect of it.

Rating: ««««

The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Genre: Film Noir

Directed by: Charles Laughton

Starring: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish

Running time: 92 minutes

Reverend Harry Powell travels through small towns preaching and killing people. After he gets arrested for a small crime, he spends time in jail with a man about to be hanged. He comes to find out that his cellmate stashed quite a bit of money around his house, where his wife and two kids are still living. The man has instructed his young son to protect his younger sister and to never tell anyone where the money is, but, upon his release, Powell sets his sight on that man’s family, hoping to get the massive loot.

Robert Mitchum is absolutely spectacular as Reverend Powell, a despicable man who uses his charms to get his way and kill people. The scenes of him singing alone in the night, so as to let the people afraid of him know he’s coming, are truly frightening. Billy Chapin was also very good for his young age as the boy trying to protect his dead father’s money from Powell.

Originally, The Night of the Hunter did not gather much success for Charles Laughton, but this film has come to influence many a director with its expressionistic style. The use of shadows, sets, camera angles and such is a wonderful thing to see for movie-lovers out there.

I really enjoyed The Night of the Hunter. The pace is slow and deliberate, making the movie scarier in the process. Things fell apart a little and got corny in the end, but, overall, this classic film offers a compelling storyline directed by a talented moviemaker and delivered on screen by a solid cast.

Rating: ««««