The Film Reporter

Sergio Leone in todays books is regarded as one of the best directors in film history. Indeed Once Upon a Time in America (1984) was Leone’s last film, and it left quite a mark. The final cut for the film lasting at 229 minutes long, it was cut down to a 2 hour version in most territories in the 80’s because the producers believed it was just too long for audiences.

It’s common knowledge that Sergio Leone wanted to make this film almost his whole career, originally reading the story in a book called The Hoods. Stuart Kaminski (writer of the script) recalls a story whilst writing the film, Stuart gave Sergio a draft and whilst reading Sergio pointed out that he needed 10 more words in a scene from a certain character, when asked why, Serigio simply said because ‘she is going to walk from here to there and during which time she is going to be finishing her sentence to ‘Noodles”. Leone already knew what the set was going to look like, he knew how far she was going to walk and he knew where the camera was going to be before a set had even been built.

Sergio also co-ordinated with the legendary composer and close friend Ennio Morricone about the score to the film that far in advance that around two thirds of the score had been recorded before filming had finished, it’s recalled by many cast and crew that the score would play around the set whilst they were filming. Therefore it’s no surprise that Sergio’s passion and determination created this masterpiece. 

I sometimes find it hard to explain the film with my words to the extent that the film deserves. The story is a non-linear one, we have 3 time periods, one in the 1968 present, the time period when the gang were boys, and a time period of the gang in their prime. The story is moved forward by Noodles receiving a party invitation from a a politician, he is concerned that people know where he lives in his later years and are threatening him. Whilst he visits his old friend Fat Moe, we go back into his past and see how he came to be in that position. We follow ‘Noodles’ played by Robert De Niro who along with his pals, do illegal errands for gangs in the prohibition only for Noodles to end up in jail for a long duration, on coming out, he finds the gang has moved up in the world and have grown in wealth and power.

It is was a running joke that when the film premiered in Cannes, many other filmmakers threw their films in the ocean because of how utterly magnificent Once Upon a Time in America was. 

The one remaining question that is always brought up with this film is the final shot, Noodles in the beginning of the film lies in a Chinese Theatre smoking opium, whilst in the final shot, after all that has been displayed to the audience, smiles in a zoom close up for it to be freeze-framed whilst the credits roll up. What does it exactly mean, was it all a nightmare? It’s a completely frustrating puzzle that has been laid out after the best part of 4 hours of ups and downs.

Mean Streets; the first collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro. What a collaboration it would turn out to be. 

(via redvelvetteacake)

Killing them Softly is a film directed and written by Andrew Dominik, Writer and Director of ‘The Assassination of Jesse James’ (2007). Killing them Softly is a very basic story, too basic. Jackie Cogan (Pitt) is an enforcer who is hired to restore order after three dumb guys rob a mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse.

The plot slowly trickles along as each robber gets killed by someone that they seem to know. As Roger Ebert protested in his review of the film, “It seems as if I’ve been seeing version of this story since forever. A cast is assembled from various flavours of tough guys, they’re place in a dreary joyless cityscape, the hold a series of fraught conversations, there is a great deal of suffering and blood, and most them are required to die by the end.” The film is an adaptation from the book, and in the book politics on C-SPAN seems to be echoing in the background commenting on the economic condition of the USA but this seems to be rather unconnected to this narrative. 

Besides the narrative, Killing Them Softly is a film that has been directed very well. Andrew Dominik has shot this in a very stylised way and created a great atmosphere that clogs the screen. The scene that most sticks out for me is the assassination scene by Jackie in the car. The film is converted into slow motion whilst Love Letters by Ketty Lester plays over the top, one of the best murders on the screen I can remember in recent years. The scene stylises and glorifies the kill as Jackie kills him softly. 

Killing them Softly is an odd film that seems to be more attempting to emphasise a political message rather than a film designed for entertainment. 

Killing them Softly - 6/10

Gangster Squad, January 11th 2013.

Gangster Squad, January 11th 2013

Images from David Ayers ‘End of Watch’ (2012)

If you haven’t yet seen this feature, I urge you to. I truly believe that David Ayer should be up for best Director at this years Oscars. Daivd also wrote the script for End of Watch and it’s a story that grows with every watcher, it’s about a universal theme of friendship and brotherhood, an acceptance that each of the two officers hold each other lives in their hands, but more importantly, a message on the devastation and tragedy that has befallen lower L.A. 

For those of you in the states or Canada, many of you have already seen ‘End of Watch’, However End of Watch was released into theatres through the London Film Festival this past Thursday and I was lucky enough to get tickets for the festival today. End of Watch is a mind-blowing film, it’s a statement on the crisis of South Central L.A and the chaos that is caused through gang crime.

First of all I want to mention how good the acting was from both Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena (Crash, Shooter). At times they had the audience in tears of laughter and tears of sadness, they really gave the story it’s deserved protagonists.

One of the first things you’ll notice from the outset is the shooting style that David Ayer has used, a some what handheld documentary style. Brian Taylor (Gyllenhaal) is a cop who is also in a part-time filmmaking class and is documenting his job and the events that makes his day. He sets up cameras on both himself and Mike (Pena) as well as a DV camera which he wields at times and the police cameras that are installed. This shooting style is one of the best aesthetic choices for it’s narrative I’ve ever seen, it gives the film it’s gritty feel and creates realism which drives the intensity and shock of the film to a point where the palms of my hands grew with sweat.

During the first act of the film the two cops are filmed doing their average day’s work after they killed two getaway’s the month previous. However when they seize money and drugs from a notorious cartel, they soon realise that there are higher powers documenting the gangs movement, and soon, the two cops are the ones that get hunted. 

End of Watch is up for the Official Best Film Award at the 56th London Film Festival which recognises inventive and distinctive filmmaking. What did you guys think of ‘End of Watch’?

As I’m sure you film fans out there are aware, Looper starring Joseph Gordon-Levit, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt and more is fast approaching it’s release date of Friday 28th for the U.S and the UK.

In 2072, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe, who one day learns the mob wants to ‘close the loop’ by transporting back Joe’s future self.

The idea itself is very interesting and straight away develops different obstacles in my mind of what the two Joe’s will go through, the constant struggle of killing one and another whilst doubting yourself as you try to kill your older or former self.

I personally cannot wait for Looper to be released and think it’s going to be a really great film which puts the protagonists in awkward and extreme conditions. 

click the image above for more information and the trailer for Looper.