A crime film is a type of film focusing on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach ranges from grittily realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures (crime drama) to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains (master criminal films.) Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

A marvelous script by Tarantino and a simply amazing cast. A bit violent in places but the wonderful story, dialogue and genuine romance in this film make it an absolute favourite. It also features one of the greatest monologues ever and Brad Pitt as the best stoner ever. - shool

 

True Romance was my favourite film for a period in '97, again I must have watched it a shit load of times. Brad Pitt is amazing as Floyd and Gary Oldman is awesome as Drexel but Hopper's verbal bitchslap to Walken's Vincenzo Coccotti is definitely the highpoint for me. - Harry Tuttle

 

I'm a big Tarantino-fan, but this is weakest script (altered NBK aside) and I'm glad the director is Tony Scott, so that this doesn't take a place in Tarantino's catalogue. Some slightly good ideas, but way too many cliches including a snooze-inducing shoot-out in the final act. Nothing beats the atrocity that is Hans Zimmer's score though. - Dantes Inferno

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

I love the soundtrack, pretty much dislike the rest. - impqueen

 

Loved it the last time I saw. Plus it has THREE Leonard Cohen songs on the soundtrack. - paul_ie86

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Ridiculously good and one day people will realise that. - chambanzi

 

A waste, the subject matter demands an operatic telling but by someone with less fear to show the more bloody and disgusting bits that happen in life. Nice soundtarck though. - impqueen

 

Script and leads were good but that epic running length didn't sustain my interest. Should have been cut down. - Beetlejuice!

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Such is the huge popularity of this film that for years fans have demanded a sequel and they sort of got it with War Inc, that had John, Joan and Dan all back in action. Cusack again played a hit man and he officially calls the film (a sort of sequel) but it somehow does not work and it goes to show that Grosse Pointe Blank is a lightening in a bottle kind of film. Unique, wonderful, dark and funny, this was one of the 90's most proudest achievements because in what any other film do you see John Cusack battering a man with a frying-pan while declaring his undying love. Simply unmissable! -HughesRoss

 

An excellent film, wicked sense of humour and proof what a great talent Cusack is. - rawlinson

 

I never loved this as much as some. Don't know why really. Passes the time well though. - Gimli The Dwarf

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Tightly put together with a fine cast, but I found it a bit lacking in the narrative department. - ElephantBoy

 

PS Hoffman is excellent but this film has an unnecessary choppy timeline and some hard to believe characters. - Beetlejuice!

 

A film like this, balancing on the verge between drama and thriller, stands or falls with the acting performances from the cast. Luckily, they are convincing all the way here. If that wouldn`t have been the case, it would very quickly would come across as being over the top and end up being landing between a rock and a hard place. It`s entirely credited to the cast that that part of the film stands as a house. Hawk and especially Seymour Hoffman are excellent. In the drama part as well as the thriller part, they convince. Of course Albert Finney is excellent as well. Where the film doesn`t feel confident or probably is the weakest, is when Lumet uses the flasbacks and shows the story from different angles. That could (and maybe should) have been left out. It felt too redundant. - TheGodfather

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock was the sucker punch that the British film industry was needing after the playing-it-nice success of The Full Monty, Four Weddings, etc. It was classed as the British Pulp Fiction at the time and it happens to be the standout film of the clones that had followed Tarantino's masterpiece. There's plot strands galore but the main story is following four young Cockney geezers who are due a local bigwig a hell of a lot of money after a card game goes badly wrong. Ritchie keeps the whole thing going at a great pace, there's plenty of laughs along the way and it's just an entertaining bag of tricks. Vinnie Jones is actually on top form here, Ritchie knows the actors limits but pushes him to the edge, not unlike what Cameron did with Schwarzenegger and ends up getting a rather good performance. Jason Statham is probably the only actor who has really gone on to bigger and better but he's never managed to top his first outings with Ritchie. A stylish and hip crime movie. - Beetlejuice!

 

Great fun from start to finish featuring a plethora of great performances, tunes and moments. One of the best brittish gangster films ever made. - Piles

 

The height of the mockney crime genre, mainly because it's fresh, raw, authentic and much funnier and more violent than the others out there. - Pigeon Army

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

I think the stupid love story threw me off The Departed, I can believe they live practically identical/opposite lives but being with the same woman? Step too far imo. - chambanzi

 

It was the obviousness of it that annoyed me - it wasn't a bad watch for the most part but shoving stuff in your face and screaming was annoying. And I still have issues with the end. Monahan is a generally terrible screenwriter IMO (and an equally poor director as it turns out). - elab49

 

I thought The Departed was alright - well-directed, but nothing special (performance wise it was all decent, but the fact Wahlberg was nominated for an Oscar is something I can't understand). - MovieAddict247

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Dunaway and Beatty look fantastic in this rather romanticized vision of the criminals. - Beetlejuice!

 

The leads are very good and the period is well created, but there is just something lacking at the heart of the film for me. - ElephantBoy

 

Really liked this. I didn't have any strong feelings about the ending, but maybe that was the point. I really liked the Gene Wilder bit though. - paul_ie86

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Ocean's Eleven is alright until you see Julia Roberts and a part of you dies inside. - MovieAddict247

 

Hip and fun, the cast all seem to be enjoying themselves and that charm keeps it enjoyable. - Beetlejuice!

 

A smooth, swarve, slick and sophisticated masterpiece. An A-list cast on top form (minus Cheadles embarresing accent) its a real must see. Its entertainment at it highest and with a wonderful witty script its fun for anyone. A greta modern day classic in my opinion which exceeds the previous oceons 11 with twice as much cool! - doncopey1

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

An unexpected delight. My first Boyle, for the record, and utterly fantastic. This is like a Coen film on drugs. The characters are certainly unlikeable, but using that as a criticism as most who disliked the film did is utterly daft. The whole point of noir is that the flawed protagonist reveals his hidden side when tempted, corruption through power, etc. The fact that the characters are well-off doesn't mar the whole thing, as the money itself is pretty much a McGuffin. Like I said earlier, echoes of Coen Brothers are certainly present throughout the film, but Shallow Grave also reminded me of Pinter. The other frequently named major criticism of the film is that the plot is disjointed, particularly because the two gangsters set up as a threat through the gruesome torture sequences are promptly disposed of, but therein lies the brilliance of the film. A sense of uneasiness is present from the start, even before the flatmate ends up dead, and the menace creeps up as the external threat (here's when my Pinter analogy comes in) gets nearer, but once the thugs are dead and buried, we realise that what the characters really have to fear is each other. The ensuing paranoia is once again open to criticism as far as the plot goes, but the claustrophobic feel of the film at that point even transcends the brilliance of another paranoia-laden masterpiece I watched recently (The Thing in case you were wondering), so it really doesn't matter. While Shallow Grave isn't amazing visually (few debut features are in my experience anyway, although Badlands blah blah), the technical aspects of the film are hard to criticise, and the performances in particular are a delight, adding the necessary humour to the film. Overall, this might even surpass Blood Simple. Wow. - Miles Messervy 007

 

I'm apathetic to 90% of Danny Boyle's output, I appreciate this though but it's not a film I actively seek out, however Eccelston is brilliant. - impqueen

 

Excellent British thriller, great cast and music. It's all very 90s but that's what's good about it. - Beetlejuice!

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

So, um, coolest film ever made? I think it is, much thanks to great work from Forrest Whittaker and Jim Jarmusch. - Dantes Inferno

 

A real one of a kind in terms of a gangster movie. It's pretty funny as well which was a surprise. - Beetlejuice!

 

A very individual film, while fitting in nicely in the Jarmusch cannon. And it might seem very odd on paper, but it actually works really, really well. Whittaker is impressive, the story never losses itself, and the Jarmuschian-humour is present, especially in Ghost Dogs reverse character, a mobster who digs the crazy sounds of Flava Flav. The film as a whole flows really nicely and it is a good introduction to Jarmusch's work. - Rhubarb

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Excellent action film that suffers a bit from being too overblown. - Pigeon Army

 

One of the greatest action films of all time, this is juts pure pulpy melodrama laced with explosive full on OTT action. John Woo's best. Let down only by some dodgy dialogue and a less than inspired female performance. But then you don't watch Woo for its women and script. - Beetlejuice!

 

Mind blowing! A masterpiece that shouldn't be missed. - nc_jj

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

With both Sheen and Spacek turning in some of the best work of their careers and a great cameo by that God among men, Warren Oates, some of the most visually breathtaking film-making I've ever had the pleasure to see and that score, Badlands ranks among the greatest films ever made. There's just one small problem. As much as I like Martin Sheen, there's no way in hell he could take down Warren Oates. - rawlinson

 

Decent, but my least favourite Malick. - Rebel scum

(in reply to drews)

(in reply to drews)

 

 

 

 

Amazing, in my top five of all time. - matty_b

 

Director and film I find a little overrated. - TRM

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

For the most part, Casino is a searing, brilliant examination of the machinations that go on behind the bright lights of Vegas. Some of the film's best moments are derived from simply explaining and showing how the scams and criminal activities work. There's also an interesting dynamic between De Niro's attempts to go "legit" and make the casino a success versus Pesci's balls-to-the-wall enterprises. The contrast between the two is what makes the parts of the film that focus on character interesting, but sadly they are undermined by one simple flaw. Whenever the plot veers around to look at De Niro's marraige with Stone it falls miserably apart. The shouting matches and the obvious double-crosses get tiring after a while, and for most of the last third this story element is the main focus. Fortunately, the ending itself is a belter, as people involved in the enterprise get bumped off in a montage as The Animals plays in the background. This ending sounds similar to Goodfellas, and the film as a whole tackles similar themes and ideas, but I'd argue Casino is more successful and the better film. One weak plot thread doesn't detract too much from the utter brilliance everywhere else. - Rebel scum

 

For a long time, I've been undecided on whether I like this better than Goodfellas or not. Now I know there is no doubt in my mind that I do. This film is perfect in any way possible. Scorsese is in so much control of the medium that it really is laughable. It may feel big and bloated to some, but not for me. By far one of my favorite movies. - Dantes Inferno

 

A little bit bloated, and Sharon Stone put me off buying it on dvd, but still good. - Gram123

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

A riveting crime tale, still Michael Mann's best and providing two excellent roles for Pacino and DeNiro. - Beetlejuice!

 

It took me at least four viewings to love it, but now I finally do. - Dantes Inferno

 

Brilliant film. Endlessly watchable. I do think Pacino's performance is slightly overrated though. He's as cartoony as he was in The Devil's Advocate. - UTB

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

U-Turn is vastly underrated in my opinion. There's lots to recommend it: It's the other half of Jennifer Lopez's good performances (see Out of Sight too), she totally nails the manipulating femme fatale. I love Ennio Morricone's bonkers score. Nick Nolte hamming it up to the max. The weird and wonderful supporting cast, headed up by repulsive turns by Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Voight. Sean Penn is excellent as always. The editing as with most of Stone's films is all over the place and extremely great fun. And the film also contains one of the most brutal murder scenes I've witnessed on film. - Beetlejuice!

We witness Sean Penn's character getting trapped in the little and dry town of Superior, a little universe where tricky femmes, evil crossbred mechanics and violent teenegaers calling themselves TNT seem to find a meaning in making this guy's life miserable. Indeed we have a huge spectrum of colorful characters. Billy Bob Thonrton is harly recognizable as the mechanic and so is John Voight as the Blind Navajo, two of the oddest characters I've seen in films. U-turn is *very* fun when it wants to and can get you quite uncomfortable when it tries so, add up some really cool music and the clippy visuals and we have a very nice and fun film to watch with a bit of everything and grim and dry humor. - fernetcontonica

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

A reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break.

 

Chow is excellent in his breakthrough role, playing the hood's best friend, matched by the late Leslie Cheung as the officer. The storyline might not be new, but the treatment is, and it introduces many of the themes the director nailed in The Killer: friendship, honour and the scope for redemption. - rick_7

 

All the hall marks of a Woo masterpiece. The gun battles are spectacular, none more so than the finale, with bodies flying everywhere. And the violence is explicit. - Debonair Film Club

 

I think I may be in the minority here but I preferred A Better Tomorrow II - Snake-Eyes

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Where it all began! The spectacular debut of the Coen brothers.  - Beetlejuice!

 

A stunning, tense and moody debut with plenty of visual flair and great acting. Still one of the Coen's very best films. - ElephantBoy

 

One of the best debuts of all time. - matty_b

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

It's a gritty film, but one that can be joyous at times thanks to the great sense of humour and interplay between the cast. There's also Scorsese's incredible eye for small character moments that stops the whole thing seeming like it's posturing or simply more gangster-chic. Scorsese makes this so believable because he grew up with these people. Mean Streets also has possibly the greatest rock 'n' roll soundtrack of all time. The music actually works with the film so that the scenes become as iconic as the songs and the music feels like the songs that would soundtrack the lives of Charlie and Johnny Boy, rather than just a director shoehorning in their favourite groups. Mean Streets is raw, unpolished and intense, but it's also a blazing piece of cinema that heralded the arrival to greatness of possibly the finest American director of his generation. It's essential viewing. - rawlinson

 

Not in my top 10 Scorsese. - Gimli The Dwarf

 

I thought De Niro was great in this, but one of the real problems was that the rest of the cast was pretty average. - TRM

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

I like it, a lot. - impqueen

 

Best musical of the last decade. I think. - Deviation

 

The best Coen film. - Gimli The Dwarf

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Gene Hackman is Popeye Doyle, a New York cop based on real detective Eddie Egan. Doyle and partner Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider) discover a heroin smuggling ring led by French criminal Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey). The documentary style approach adds to the immediacy of the film and even forty years later, that chase sequence can make your jaw hit the floor. But it's the morality of the film that remains unsettling. Friedkin gives a world where it's easier to like the drug pusher than the guy out to take him down. Even after decades of maverick cops, the characterisation of Doyle of a violent, racist thug can still unsettle you. As incredible as the cast and the action sequences are, it's the city that's the star for me. The French Connection brings us a New York City so vivid you can practically smell the fetid, urine-soaked alleyways. Is there any wonder I love this film? - rawlinson

 

Some genuinely great moments, but overall it disappointed me. - Rebel scum

 

It is a good film, best described as a 'chase film', as the entire movie is one big search for the drug traders, climaxing in a spectular car chase. Not much more to it, though. A classic more because of its age and influence than its actual, lasting quality. - Dantes Inferno

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

I wasn't a fan of The Sting and didn't find the twist very remarkable either. - chambanzi

 

A classic confidence trickster film, with a classic soundtrack and a classic cast. The film oozes style and wit. The segmented structure works well, and the payoff is fantastic. - homersimpson_esq

 

The Sting is great, not as good as Butch and Sundance, but great fun anyway. - rawlinson

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Before Scorsese gave the Academy a reason to finally say, "look, Marty, HERE, have a freakin' Oscar already" this Hong Kong smart actioner was already being awesome. It's essentially the same film as The Departed, but with less Marky Mark, more Tony Leung (GOD) and a running time that's a fraction of Scorsese's behemoth. The cat and mouse game is equally tricksy, and the double-triple blind double-cross bluffs are as brilliantly played as ever, only it's done at a hell of a pace that barely gives you time to breathe. Excitement, thy name is Infernal Affairs. - homersimpson_esq

 

Tightly wound and expertly paced. Really good stuff. - matty_b

 

I'm going out on a limb here, The Departed is better. This original is still a tense stylish thriller however and maybe not as excessive as the remake. - Beetlejuice!

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Sonny (Al Pacino) and a twitchy Sal (The always remarkable John Cazale) hold up a New York bank, unexpectedly turning the situation into a seige. Based on a true story, the film takes place on one of the hottest days of the summer, and you can feel the sweat trickling down these actors foreheads, a situation exacerbated by the stifling location and the oppressive crowd that surrounds the entrance. It's one of Pacino's liveliest and most engaging performances. You want him to get away with it, and when he sends back the cops by leading the crowd in chanting Attica at them, you want to join in. Pacino is a powerhouse, and Cazale matches him in a far more subdued role, there's also nice work from Chris Sarandon as Sonny's lover and Charles Durning as the cop trying to negotiate with Sonny. - rawlinson

 

I actually think Dog Day Afternoon is Al Pacino's best performance. - Rhubarb

 

Might be Pacino on form, but its average in every other way. - Professor Moriarty

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)

 

 

 

Very much a product of the malaise which characterised US society in the wake of the Wall Street Crash, Cagney's role of Tom Powers is one of cinema's most well known bad guys. The film is fairly typical of the wave of gangster films released during the 1930s, and its structure revolves around the rise and fall of the titutar character. Audiences in depression era USA enjoyed films in which protagonists were prepared to fly in the face of traditional authority, and being released three years prior to the Hays Code of 1934, The Public Enemy is a good example of this. However in addition to its historical significance the film has much to recommend it, most notably Cagney's turn in the title role. - Spectre

 

My first experience of James Cagney's work. Dated but still has its moments. - Beetlejuice!

 

James Cagney in all his grapefruit wielding glory. - Rhubarb

(in reply to Beetlejuice!)