American Gangster

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Oct 2007, 18:42

This is going to rock. It's the new Ridley Scott film starring Denzel Washington (The crook) and Russell Crowe (The cop).

"In 1970s America, a detective works to bring down the drug empire of Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin from Manhattan, who is smuggling the drug into the country in the coffins of soldiers returning from the Vietnam War."

* HD 480P (37.8Mb) - http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist. ... =web&pt=rd
* HD 720P (93.2Mb) - http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist. ... =web&pt=rd
* HD 1080P (136Mb) - http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist. ... =web&pt=rd

Right click, "Save Target As" and choose your own filename.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 12 Oct 2007, 20:25

Yeah, trailer has been out for quite a while now. Looks promising.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Oct 2007, 21:33

I only saw it today on the cover of a film magazine.

BiscLimpkit · Post by **BiscLimpkit** » 12 Oct 2007, 22:24

Seen the trailer ages ago but yeah, looks sound.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Oct 2007, 02:41

Except for a few cases Scott has consistently given us brilliant film after brilliant film. I predict this will be no different.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 13 Oct 2007, 11:57

Dupe thread.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 13 Oct 2007, 12:43

Ridley Scott.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 13 Oct 2007, 14:21

Markgway wrote:Ridley Scott.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Because we know that you prefer Tony Scott with his epileptic camera work & filter tricks.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Oct 2007, 15:07

EvaUnit02 wrote:Dupe thread.

I did search, but anyway that thread is really more about his older film. It's better to have a separate thread about each film.

Markgway wrote:Ridley Scott. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

You're not seriously saying Scott bores you? Surely you cannot be saying he makes bad films?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 13 Oct 2007, 16:29

EvaUnit02 wrote:Because we know that you prefer Tony Scott with his epileptic camera work & filter tricks.

"We" know?

As it happens I don't think Tony Scott has made a really good movie since True Romance.

But I don't have a single Ridley movie in my collection (even before I started clearing my discs out).

Mostly they're overrated the ones I've seen.
Which for refs are:

Gladiator
G.I. Jane
Thelma & Louise
Black Rain
Someone to Watch Over Me
Blade Runner
Alien

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Oct 2007, 17:32

You think there overrated yet have stacks of 2bit Martial Arts movies in your collection, very few of which have any plot, story or script???

* Gladiator - Outstanding
* G.I Jane - Not one of Scott's best but not a disaster either, okay
* Thelma & Louise - A brilliant road movie
* Blade Runner - Nothing short of a Masterpiece in every way. I can't believe Scott can even surpass it with his Final Cut but we'll be finding out soon.
* Alien - An excellent scifi

Also:

* Kingdom of Heaven - Even bigger and more epic than Gladiator, but funnily enough that doesn't make it better than Gladiator. It's not as much fun. Still brilliant though, in it's DC form.
* Black Hawk Down - When I first saw it I didn't think much of it. I didn't like how the characters don't really have an identity of their own. On second viewing this was one of the very reasons I loved it. They're just soldiers, doing a job and have no real identity of their own. Boy the gun battles were intense too.
* Hannibal - It had it's moments but the tone was all wrong. This one is overrated.
* Matchstick Men - I have the DVD but have yet to see it.

Tony Scott is also a talented director but he's not in the same league as his brother.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 13 Oct 2007, 17:34

I thought Gladiator and Alien are very good

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 13 Oct 2007, 17:40

American Gangster looks like a Ridley wank fest it has to be said, Awful looking slime crime drama. The guy its based on is pure scum, not the kind of charecter I want to see a life story of thats for sure. Unless they brutally killed him at the end for an hour!

I will end up seeing the film I am sure, but god the trailers awful and the cast and plot are seen it all before. Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe just look sooo wrong in that trailer, but then its only a trailer.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Oct 2007, 17:47

What's "1492: Conquest Of Paradise" like? It has mixed reviews.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 13 Oct 2007, 17:50

Its exactly what you would expect it to be

nothing special, but worth a watch. Far from a great film, I saw it once and cannot remember anything at all in any way about it, its that memorable.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Oct 2007, 18:52

Thanks.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 13 Oct 2007, 23:58

Gladiator -- I thought it was reasonably entertaining, but pretentious and overblown, undeserving of a Best Picture award

G.I. Jane -- Not as bad as the critics made out, but not a film to highlight on one's CV either. When Demi howls "suck my fuckin' dick" I nearly wept with laughter (in a good way).

Thelma & Louise -- lame feminist bullshit and a reason why buddy movies should only star men

Black Rain -- Alright, but considering the potential it seems ultimately a disappointment

Someone to Watch Over Me -- average thriller, been ages since I saw this one

Blade Runner -- seen this twice and I didn't "get it" the second time either. When your leading man thinks it's mince you know there's something awry

Alien -- Pretty dull until the last third, and Cameron's Aliens blows it out of the water

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 14 Oct 2007, 00:18

Markgway wrote:Gladiator -- I thought it was reasonably entertaining, but pretentious and overblown, undeserving of a Best Picture award.

How is it pretentious?

Markgway wrote:Thelma & Louise -- lame feminist bullshit and a reason why buddy movies should only star men

Well that's a sexist statement if I ever saw one. Just because the leads are female it doesn't immediately make it feminist, it sounds like to me you cannot get over the protagonists not being male.

It makes a nice change to see strong women depicted who aren't trying to be Lara Croft.

Markgway wrote:Blade Runner -- seen this twice and I didn't "get it" the second time either. When your leading man thinks it's mince you know there's something awry.

Back then but does he today? The critics didn't exactly like it on release either.

Markgway wrote:Alien -- Pretty dull until the last third, and Cameron's Aliens blows it out of the water

Hell no Cameron's film is just Alien with lots more monsters. Quantity over quality. Still good though.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 14 Oct 2007, 01:38

bradavon wrote:How is it pretentious?

You have to ask? The whole film feels incredibly self-important and acts as though it's a great piece of art rather than the pulpy action-drama it really is. I quite enjoyed it, but masterpiece? Come on!!

Markgway wrote:Well that's a sexist statement if I ever saw one.

Prove it. Name me a single GOOD female-driven buddy movie. NOT Thelma & Louise!!

Just because the leads are female it doesn't immediately make it feminist

True, but it is. Subtle it ain't. All men are complete cocksuckers, but true female companionship lasts forever. Bleech!

it sounds like to me you cannot get over the protagonists not being male.

One of my favourite films, Peking Opera Blues, has THREE female protagonists. So try again...

It makes a nice change to see strong women depicted who aren't trying to be Lara Croft.

I haven't seen Tomb Raider, but even if I had I'd still have no idea what you mean??

Markgway wrote:Back then but does he today?

The last interview I read with him where Blade Runner came up he professed dislike for it.

The critics didn't exactly like it on release either.

...and they were right... until someone decided it was a visionary masterpiece and everyone fell into line...

Markgway wrote:Hell no Cameron's film is just Alien with lots more monsters. Quantity over quality. Still good though.

Aliens is an exciting movie, Alien is frankly boring much of the time. It was a horror movie made by someone with no interest in (or knack for) horror movies. Some of the suspense at the end when Ripley is alone worked, but it took ages to get there. It's not a bad movie, but I even preferred Alien 3 to be honest.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 14 Oct 2007, 02:20

You have to ask? The whole film feels incredibly self-important and acts as though it's a great piece of art rather than the pulpy action-drama it really is. I quite enjoyed it, but masterpiece? Come on!!

Considering you're pretty much the only person who dislikes it yes. Gladiator has a lot more depth than just the action scenes, which are fantastic. I didn't say it was a masterpiece though.

Prove it. Name me a single GOOD female-driven buddy movie. NOT Thelma & Louise!!

How can I possibly prove it when I've already said Thelma and Louise is a great female-driven buddy movie but you've said I cannot include that one. As I think it is I am including it, tough

. It's hard for me to pick too many when there aren't many female driven buddy movies, it's easy to say they're all "shit" when there isn't that many in the first place.

Most films are written by men for men, it's hardly surprising most films feature men, let alone buddy films.

True, but it is. Subtle it ain't. All men are complete cocksuckers, but true female companionship lasts forever. Bleech!

If you mean Thelma's husband and Brad Pitt then yes they're cocksuckers but that's only two of the male parts. Harvey Kietel plays a good guy, he has a bigger part than those to too.

I haven't seen Tomb Raider, but even if I had I'd still have no idea what you mean??

Not Tomb Raider, Lara Croft. As in a women has to be either crying all the time pining over a man or a female action heroin in the vein of Lara Croft and Elektra. If they're neither to many they must be feminist. Oh please.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 14 Oct 2007, 02:49

mark wrote:Aliens is an exciting movie, Alien is frankly boring much of the time. It was a horror movie made by someone with no interest in (or knack for) horror movies. Some of the suspense at the end when Ripley is alone worked, but it took ages to get there. It's not a bad movie, but I even preferred Alien 3 to be honest.

Alien is supposed to be a tense, atmospheric and claustrophobic HORROR film. The slow build up with the marvellous Jerry Goldsmith score does nothing but enhance this.

Aliens is a gung ho ACTION film, IMO the two films are like apples and oranges.

Markgway wrote:
EvaUnit02 wrote:Because we know that you prefer Tony Scott with his epileptic camera work & filter tricks.
"We" know?

I was taking the piss, did you need a smiley to make it obvious?

You've made it clear in the past about your distaste for more recent Tony Scott films.

Markgway wrote:Well that's a sexist statement if I ever saw one.
Prove it. Name me a single GOOD female-driven buddy movie. NOT Thelma & Louise!!

"Clueless" by Amy Heckerling, seriously.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 14 Oct 2007, 03:10

IMO the two films are like apples and oranges.

Well put. People compare them when except for the central story there isn't much to compare.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 14 Oct 2007, 03:35

Why is Blade Runner great? It was the first successful adaptation of the work by scifi author known for his introspective studies on the human condition. It is one of the most influential science fiction films ever, we probably wouldn't have some of the other modern classics, like Mamori Oshii's Ghost in the Shell films.

You have to commend Scott on crafting an entirely believeable setting. Technical aspects of the film are nothing short of marvellous. Witness the opening sky panning shot over 2019 Los Angeles:- the cumbustion explosions coming from those grim industrial smoke stacks; signs of clear the economic dominance by East Asia; the hum Deckard's hover car zooming through the night sky, whilst Vangelis' enigmatic synth score chimes in foreground.

Or how about the final showdown in the Bradbury Building at the end of the film? Watching the remastered DVD a few months back I was in awe of the cinematography. The blue beams of light streaming in through the windows still stand out in mind.

The film is highly memorable. Normally I might completely forget aspects, like the score or plot points, but not here. That is a clear sign of a great film IMO.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 14 Oct 2007, 13:08

Not worth even talking about it really and you are all wasting your time, if Mark is no fan, telling him why you are will not make him a fan

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 14 Oct 2007, 14:48

I know. I did chuckle at Mark's request to name a good female buddy film but I specifically cannot mention the best one.

Witness the opening sky panning shot over 2019 Los Angeles:- the cumbustion explosions coming from those grim industrial smoke stacks; signs of clear the economic dominance by East Asia; the hum Deckard's hover car zooming through the night sky, whilst Vangelis' enigmatic synth score chimes in foreground.

Oh boy that looks awesome.