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Mad City starring Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta

Posted on September 15, 2010 Written by ripitup

Mad City starring John Travolta and Dustin Hoffman. Directed by Costa- Gavras. Written by Eric Williams and Tom Matthews. 1997.

Max Brackett’s (Dustin Hoffman) live “brush” with fellow reporter Kevin Hollander (Alan Alda) has resulted in Max’s being relocated to a local television, still dependent on his old network. Max is bored, as his boss Lou (Robert Prosky) won’t let him “move the line”( that is to interrupt the news objects’ lives for the sake of news)…

As luck would have it, however, Max accidentally runs into the story of a lifetime. As he is doing an interview at the museum run by Mrs. Banks (Blythe Danner), Sam Baily (John Travolta) decides to pay her a visit: she has just fired Sam, who was one of the two guards working for her. Sam, a husband and a father of 2, just wants his job back. But when Mrs. Banks can’t be bothered to give Sam two minutes, Sam brings out the big guns-literally. What he hasn’t planned on is the news reporter in the bathroom, and the group of young school kids on a school trip at the museum.

Soon, this turns into a career-defining opportunity for Max and a nightmare for Sam, it doesn’t take long for Sam to find Max out. But Max has no intention of letting the story go, even as he becomes a hostage. For one thing, Sam is not a psycho criminal but a desperate man who just wanted to be heard. Second, he is much more experienced than Sam when it comes to hostage situations. So from then on, Max helps Sam, and steers him in the direction that will help Sam and Max’s career.

But the news is just too big for Kevin Hollander to ignore and for the FBI to stay away. While Max mostly works to show Sam in a positive light, the rest seems intent on showing him as the ultimate villain. With the parents of the kids hating him, and his own wife trying to figure out how as to handle things, can good intentions be taken into account when a weapon and kids are involved? Or are the ratings just more important than humanity?

Mad City is one of my favorite films. It is from 1997, so today, you may not be moved by it as I was when I first saw it over a decade ago. After all, 1997 was before Youtube and Twitter and Facebook. The story could no way flow the way it was written. Probably one of the kids would have a high-tech phone with an internet connection or their teacher or Mrs. Banks…There would be no need to create a public poll as the public would create the buzz after they heard it. People would follow the news worldwide and it is likely that some of the pro-Sam audience would offer Sam a job and things would never quite get out of control. But it was shot in 1997, and it was all about the big networks and their ratings.

Yes, by now, probably you have seen at least tens of hostage situation movies where sometimes you were probably rooting for the villain. But this film is one of the better ones, and it does have a great cast. Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta make a great team.

I’d love to share my favorite line, but that would be a spoiler. Let me just say it is the final line of Dustin Hoffman. A really good take on the lust for ratings vs. the fight for survival.

Fun notes: Blythe Danner is Gwyneth Paltrow’s mother.

Mel Gibson is referenced a couple of times.

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The Closer starring Kyra Sedgwick

Posted on September 13, 2010 Written by ripitup

The Closer starring Kyra Sedgwick, J.K. Simmons and Jon Tenney — The Closer. From left: Michael Paul Chan, J.K. Simmons, Kyra Sedgwick, Jon Tenney and Corey Reynolds

Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) has just been appointed to LAPD as Chief of Police. Previously located in Atlanta, she has great training and results under her belt when it comes to interrogations: she manages to get confessions and close cases fast. But at her new office, she faces hostility from her new colleagues, as she is new, a little tough and doesn’t take crap from anyone. However she soon proves her reputation and even though she gets on people’s nerves, she is probably the worst thing that can happen to criminals. Co-starring as her boss is J.K Simmons.

There is also Brenda’s relationship with FBI agent Fritz (Jon Tenney), which could have gone a lot more smoothly if their cases didn’t intersect and Brenda wasn’t obsessed with getting justice.

***

The Closer first aired in 2005, but I hadn’t paid much attention to it first. Kyra’s accent threw me off a little (it is not her interpretation of the accent but the accent in general) and well, there were so many criminal dramas going on, I really didn’t think this one was different.

Well, while it may not be unique, it certainly is different and entertaining; not to mention a little addictive. I love watching a woman in charge and her unusual methods to get things done. After a while, the accent doesn’t bother me much as the story does pull you in.

While I am not as attached to the show as I am to Castle and The Mentalist, I realized it was really good TV and a rather good substitute. Kyra Sedgwick finally won the Emmy this year for Best Actress in Drama as well. Kyra was also nominated for Golden Globe many times and won in 2007.

Give this a shot. Your favorite moments might just be the ones where she gets her suspects/criminals to confess- her tactics are well worth seeing. And it is good to see Kyra as a leading actress.

Other Posts on Kyra Sedgwick

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The Hunting Party starring Richard Gere, Terrence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg

Posted on September 8, 2010 Written by ripitup

The Hunting Party starring Richard Gere, Terrence Howard and Jesse Eisenberg. Written and directed by Richard Shepard, 2007. Image via richardshepard.com

Simon Hunt (Richard Gere) is a very successful news reporter and makes the perfect team with his cameraman Duck (Terrence Howard). They are good friends and Duck is pretty OK with how fun and a little crazy Hunt is. They get into trouble but they are also the best.

However one instance changes this forever. Simon reaches his breaking point and has an outraged outburst, live. He gets fired and his career goes downhill. But Duck gets to be “safe” and becomes the cameraman for the anchorman. While this is trading up in many ways, Duck can’t help but miss his days with Hunt. In 2000, years after the Bosnian War ended, Duck is there with the anchor and a rookie named Benjamin (Jesse Eisenberg), freshly graduated from Harvard and who happens to be a son of the network’s vice president.

However the peaceful and harmless mission is disrupted when Hunt makes an appearance and offers a “job” for Duck. And it is not harmless at all: Simon thinks he can find the biggest criminal of that war: the man responsible for countless killings and rapes- the man whose capturers will earn 5,000,000. Of course while this man is a criminal for Bosnia and the most of the world, he is a national hero for most Serbians and they are willing to protect this man no matter what.

As crazy as this is, Duck and Benjamin join Hunt, hoping that they will just make an interview with the man. However it becomes clear that Hunt is not only after financial relief but personal vengeance as well. Can they really get to this guy without getting killed? And how the hell are three reporters supposed to survive without any weapons at all?

The Hunting Party is partially based on a true story and it is a very intriguing adventure/drama/thriller about war, journalism and friendship. It has some comedic relief, and even though it is an easy film to watch, the events told are anything but.

This is a fun and thought-provoking movie, although it can drag a bit at times. Even though it is not as impressive Lord of War (sure, different topic but the subject matters are equally heavy), it is a solid film with fine performances. And just like Lord of War’s notes (telling us what eventually happens or will keep happening) at the end credits, The Hunting Party also ends on a note that makes you say “Holy Shit!”

The three leads are just fine and I don’t think there was any reason to cast Diane Kruger as she appears for as a couple of minutes. Written and directed by Richard Shepard. Based on an article by Scott Anderson.

Currently 7.0 on IMDB.

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In Good Company starring Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace and Scarlett Johansson

Posted on August 31, 2010 Written by ripitup

In Good Company starring Dennis Quaid, Scarlett Johansson and Topher Grace. Written and directed by Paul Weitz. 2004.

Dan (Dennis Quaid) is a 51-year-old successful ad executive. He is happily married with 2 daughters and has been working at the same company for over 20 years. And recently he has received two life-altering news: his wife (Marg Helgenberger) is pregnant and his company has been recently been bought by a corporation so he now has a new boss, Carter (Topher Grace). The problem is Carter is half his age, has no experience in advertising and he is under constant pressure to lay people off, Dan making the top of the list.

Carter is a total workaholic. But when it comes to his social life, he is alone. His wife (Selma Blair) dumps him and he tries to form an unlikely friendship with Dan. But Dan isn’t particularly fond of this rookie who has his job, his office and who keeps firing his friends. And his beloved 18-year-old daughter Alex (Scarlett Johansson) has moved to New York to study at NYU and she starts seeing Carter…

In Good Company is simply a beautiful, bittersweet and funny film where art imitates life. I saw the film for the second time last night. The first time was when the movie had first hit the theaters and I wasn’t all that impressed. I had found it ordinary. I guess I was fooled by the movie’s taglines :“He’s rich, young and handsome. He’s in love with you and he’s your dad’s boss.” – which does make it sound like a romantic comedy. And I guess at 20, I was expecting a fun romantic comedy rather than a true-to-life drama with fun parts, so I was disappointed.

At 26, I loved every minute of it. At 26, I am trying to build my life as a freelancer, so that I won’t have to go through what Dan goes through at his age. And almost all my friends are trying to be a hotshot like Carter, without thinking anything through.

I loved how it wasn’t a romantic comedy and how it wasn’t focused on Alex and Carter’s relationship but the effects it has on the relationship with Alex and Dan. But most importantly, I loved the friendship and alliance eventually getting formed between Dan and Carter and how Carter really wants what Dan has built for himself.

It helps that the cast is fantastic. You might have seen Topher Grace in the comedic TV series That 70’s show where he starred as Eric Forman (1998-2006). You might also watch Grace in Valentine’s Day. And of course there is the always charming Dennis Quaid and Scarlett Johansson.

Written and directed by Paul Weitz. 6.8 on IMDB. Depending on where you are in your life, it could very well get an 8.

Favorite Quote:

Carter: Dan, you seem to have the perfect marriage. How do you do it?
Dan: You just pick the right one to be in the foxhole with, and then when you’re outside of the foxhole you keep your dick in your pants.
Carter: That’s poetic.

Recommended film:

Up in the Air starring George Clooney

Other Dennis Quaid Movies

The Day After Tomorrow

Yours, mine and ours

Playing by Heart

Other Scarlett Johansson Movies

He is Just Not That Into You

Vicky Christina Barcelona

Iron Man 2