antmane Reviews

The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)

Rourke's favourite film to work on....

[7/10 · 27 October 2009]

The story of two unlucky cousins inspired to do anything to obtain a little lucky success, set against an odd, yet lovable soundtrack.

Rourke describes this film as the one 'he had the most fun working on', a film which precedes his turbulent career downfall and his sad loss of beauty. Eric Roberts, Julia's once-estranged brother plays the role of Paulie, a dumb, easily led yet strangely likable character who's echoes of 'Charleeee' will be inprinted in your mind every time you think of this film. This is the first 80s film I have seen featuring Daryl Hannah, in fact the first film other than the Kill Bill films I have seen her in. Her looks and figure in the 1980s were darn near perfection, how she didn't break out into a full on A-Lister based on natural looks alone baffles me.

Ultimately there is something I find fascinating about watching Mickey Rourke 1980s films, perhaps it is because he was so near to full blown stardom before he ruined it all, perhaps it is the surprise at just how ugly he has managed to become, to the point of being virtually unrecognizable.

Overall The Pope of Greenwich Village is a film featuring two rogues who you cant help but love with a storyline you should really hate, but somehow end up loving. So the same applies to the soundtrack, the cast and everything else involved in the film then...

Tyson (2008)

"The Past is History, The Future is a Mystery"

[8/10 · 27 October 2009]

A fascinating insight into the mind of The Baddest Man on The Planet.

From his invincible crush of Trevor Berbick on November 22nd 1986 for the WBC Heavyweight Championship to the sad submission of a broken man against lowly Kevin McBride on June 11th 2005, every major fight is covered from Tyson's career.

The real insight of the film comes from the insights into Tyson's personal problems. The broken neighborhood, the bullies, the petty crime, the jail time, the money, the missing $300 million, the rape, the "swines", the drugs, the fornications, the failed marriages, the loss of identity, the death of his trainer and Father figure Cus D'Amato. Everything you ever thought you would never see Tyson speak so heartwarming and honestly about is laid bare here, as James Toback successfully opens up an enigma that was previously unwilling to be unopened.

Viewing Tyson upset in the film is beyond poignant, a man who has represented himself as an animal since the mid 1980s and struggled to discard that image ever since, a man who by his own admission never saved any money because he didn't think he would live to spend it. This is a man who ends the documentary with some closure, some honesty about who he was then and who he is now. A family man, a man who wants Grandkids, a man who accepts he no longer has the heart or passion to fight, a man who seems content with just living life like anybody else.

The sad fact is that since the release of this documentary in 2008 the family he speaks so openly and lovingly about at the end of the film has tragically been cut short through the death of Tyson's 4-year-old Daughter Exodus. As a viewer, you can only hope Tyson can channel his loss and his probable anger without turning back to his demons......