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Rob_Lineberger
Reviews
The Cat's Meow (2001)
A showpiece of filmcraft, little more
The Cat's Meow is about a murder and cover up, but it is not a murder mystery. It has romance, but not romance that is prolonged or focused enough to call it a romance. It portrays W.R. Hearst, but is not an epic character study like Citizen Kane. The Cat's Meow does not neatly fit into any niche, which by nature should appeal to film lovers.
So what is The Cat's Meow? Though it behaves like a murder mystery at times, a romance at others, and a character study in part, it is really a fable about Hollywood. It is made by Hollywood, about a dark secret from Hollywood's history. The characters in the movie talk about Hollywood non-stop. And the end of the film is a thinly veiled political statement by Hollywood to Hollywood about Hollywood. Those who care nothing about neither film history nor the politics and glamour may find The Cat's Meow anticlimactic.
This is a movie that the cast and crew obviously enjoyed making. The self-referential banter, the thinly veiled allegory, and the constant cinematic showmanship did interfere somewhat with my appreciation of the story. The Cat's Meow is a decent film, a great DVD, and if you don't mind the speculative take on the events it is well worth your time to check out. I recommend reading up on the story before viewing, or else you'll need a repeat viewing to catch the nuances of the film. It might be worth a second viewing just to catch all of the cinematic trickery employed.
Revolver (1973)
A nice change of pace
I may be cynical, but sometimes I look at my collection and see 50 copies of the same movie. Explosions, love interest, conservative "twist" ending, cut! Revolver may be just as derivative of 1970's flicks as the explosion fests of the 21st century are today, but for some reason it was refreshing to watch. I can't see anyone lavishing "rabid fanboy" praise on it, but Revolver was enjoyable, moving at times, and had two great performances. If you thirst for a change of pace, but want to retain the comfortable action standbys of guns and violence, Revolver may be right up your alley. The fantastic extras don't hurt either.
I've never seen a movie quite like this. The best descriptor I can muster is "spaghetti thriller". It's a seventies crime drama with a bit of Dirty Harry, a helping of Reservoir Dogs, a few drops of eau de western, a scoop of melodrama, and a dash of political commentary. Though it oscillates between boredom and epic, Revolver delivers the kind of entertainment that today's movies can only parody. If you buy into the characters, you'll be treated to a satisfying drama. If modern sensibilities prevent that, you can at least enjoy the campier aspects (bad lip synch, fur coats) and delight in the commanding score. The score alone is worth it.
De Sade 70 (1970)
Better than you'd think
Eugenie is a film that shocked 1969 audiences, with interracial kissing, woman-to-woman fondling, and brother-sister sex games. It is beautifully filmed, sublimely acted (within its cult pedigree), and has reams of coolness, which makes it a good bet for modern audiences. If you get bored watching Connery drive his Aston Martin to a romantic rendezvous for some witty repartee, Eugenie will likely bore you. If you prefer graphic to simulated, you might find it lame. But if you can buy into the characters and appreciate the care of the filmmaking, Eugenie is a rewarding, disturbing piece of celluloid. In the interview, Franco states "Of all my films, it is the one I hate the least." If you know Franco and his staggering body of work, that's saying something.