Parch's Weekly Movie Recommendations

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There is nothing Kurosawa you can go wrong with. Every single one of his movies (some ARE better than others, sure) -- are a crash course in filmmaking.

My entire process, and at least 60% of what I thought I knew about making a movie, changed after watching his works.

great idea! I'm thrilled you're doing this

Yes, sir. I had a busy week with finals and one of life's unexpected curveballs, but it will be up later tonight.

Sorry for the delay.



L.A. Confidential needs no introduction. I’m not even sure it needs a recommendation. However, I recently re-watched Curtis Hanson’s star-crammed neo-noir pastiche, and it reminded me of all the whys and wherefores that make this one of the best films of the ‘90s. So, perhaps, we’ll call this a watch-it-again recommendation.

The film’s stage is sordid 1950s Los Angeles, where three detectives investigate a series of murders in which two-man teams are knocking off henchmen of a recently imprisoned mobster, Mickey Cohen (Paul Guilfoyle). Interesting, though, are the three detectives and each one’s subjective idea of justice: Officer Bud White (Russel Crowe) serves the law through brawn and brutality; Sergeant Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey), who moonlights as the technical advisor for police drama Badge of Honor, exploits his badge for wealth and fame; and Sergeant Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) with an aloof, do-it-by-the books demeanor will step on every toe in L.A. if it means living up to his father’s legacy, even while knowingly estranging himself from all his LAPD colleagues.

The film handles its characters with an indifferent panache that never suggests who to root for or against, and it’s in this notion that the movie excels. We know every character is in some way dirty, deceptive, or immoral, but we keep watching because intriguing is the psychology of each character and the role he or she plays in a seemingly convoluted plot. This protagonist-antagonist ambiguity lingers because the three star detectives conduct their police work with a self-serving temperament, such as Vincennes providing leads for a kickback to tabloid publisher Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito) on juicy celebrity arrests.

With a carefully riveted script, a hypnotic ‘50s L.A. backdrop, and stellar performances, especially Kim Basinger’s Oscar winning showing, L.A. Confidential is a work of art and one of the last truly great nods to classic noir.

That's 2 for 2 Parch - well done to you Sir!

...and yes, two Aussies in this sterling film was affirmation for me; having followed Crowe and Pearce's careers for some time here in Australia it was so gratifying to see them in a compelling and masterful homage to noir that still holds up today...stellar cast, beautifully shot and thoroughly engaging...

John Carpenter is perhaps best known for the perennial Halloween, the atmospheric The Thing, and the dystopic Escape from New York. All of these films, as well as the bulk of Carpenter’s work, share a grave, hopeless air. Big Trouble in Little China, however, exists as one of few lighthearted anomalies in the horror-action auteur’s filmography.

With the original screenplay setting the stage for a period Western, screenwriter W.D. Richter hopped in a DeLorean and gunned it to 88 mph until he had a modernized—by 80s standards—re-envisioning of the action romp we see today. The re-penned script saw Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), the film’s cynical yet daft hero, driving into town in a later-to-be-stolen semi-truck instead of riding in on a later-to-be-stolen horse. Soon after Jack’s arrival, he and his friend Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) go to the airport to pick up Wang’s fiancé, Miao Yin (Suzee Pai). At the airport, a group of ninja thugs, clad in characteristic 80s fashion, kidnap Miao, which signifies the beginning of Jack and company’s pursuit for the sacrificial green-eyed girl.

The entire film plays out like so many cheesy action flicks of a decade marked by words such as gnarly, bogus, and tubular. What’s great about Big Trouble in Little China, however, is the film’s self-awareness. “All I know is this ‘Lo Pan’ character comes out of thin air in the middle of a goddamn alley while his buddies are flying around on wires cutting everybody to shreds, and he just stands there waiting for me to drive my truck straight through him, with light coming out of his mouth!” Burton says after his first encounter with the film’s supernatural martial artists. The movie knows it’s ridiculous, and in the ultimate meta-effort, the film throws in elemental magic, outlandish creatures, and mythic Chinese gods. But the film brilliantly skirts the precipice of being an outright spoof and is instead a timeless love letter to the 1980s.

You can tell Kurt Russell had a lot fun with the part of Jack Burton, and in return we get a hysterical but often overlooked performance. And fun is the keyword here. This flick is a joy, a diversion to boredom.

And for my Seinfeld enthusiasts, is it possible to watch James Hong, who plays the antagonist, Lo Pan, in Big Trouble in Little China, in anything without thinking of “Seinfeld! Four!”? I think not.

Great stuff again Parch...! Can't really add much more to what my good mate JokerFC has put...just a fun movie, plain and simple...

You're welcome, Parch...I must admit, I'm not that familiar with this one, despite my admiration for Kubrick...I did once see a band called 'The Killing', however...on topic though, it sounds like a film I should probably see...premise sounds intriguing...good one Parch!