Gangster Squad.

In 1946 the Los Angeles Police Department created a special unit to rid LA of its criminal elements. It eventually became known as the Organized Crime Intelligence Division. In 2013 film director Ruben Fleischer made a film loosely inspired by events of the time, Gangster Squad. The screenplay was written by Will Beall, which was based on the novel Tales from the Gangster Squad by Paul Lieberman, and concentrates on one of LA’s notorious gangsters Meyer Harris Cohen known as Mickey Cohen to both his friends and his enemy’s. Cohen was part of the Jewish Mafia and according to Fleisher’s movie ran all the rackets in Los Angeles, building up an immense criminal empire.

 

The Gangster Squad.

Josh Brolin plays the square chinned honest cop Sergeant John O’Mara, who has a pregnant wife and is the tough WW2 ex special operations operative who is tasked with setting up the squad by Nick Nolte’s gruff Chief Parker. The group is to work outside the law with no police support or badges with Parker stating that he does not want to see any arrests just the permanent demise of Mickey Cohen (a manic Sean Penn) and his henchmen! Other members of the squad are the good looking playboy Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), the wiretap expert Conwell Keeler (Giovanni Ribisi), street cop Lieutenant Coleman Harris (Anthony Mackie), sharpshooter Max Kennard (Robert Patrick) and his Hispanic partner Christmas Ramirez (Michael Pena).

 

The Gangster.

Yes, it is a cliché of all the gangster films you have ever seen albeit one with a modern sheen. Yes, the action is very much over the top, but in my opinion these make an enjoyable watch, even if your not sure if it’s a film noir or a police procedural – but does it really matter - smart suits, flash cars and a femme fatale in the shape of Emma Stone what more do you want, it even references the Blues Brothers (1980). Pretty to look at with its late forties period detail, it’s a movie that does not beat about the bush, straight to the point, forget subtlety. 

The femme fatale.

Sin City – A Dame to Die For.

Sin City is the title for a series of neo-noir comics by Frank Miller[1]. The first story originally appeared in "Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special" (April, 1991), and continued in Dark Horse Presents #51–62 from May 1991 to June 1992, under the title of Sin City and serialized in thirteen parts. Several other stories of variable lengths have followed. The intertwining stories, with frequently recurring characters, take place in Basin City.

Can Hartigan still protect Nancy - even though he's dead?

The first movie adaptation of Sin City was released in April 2005 based on the first, third, and fourth books in Miller's original comic series. An extra included on the DVD release explains how Miller was reluctant to release the film rights, but Roger Rodrigues, a long time fan of Millers graphic novels, talked the author into doing just that by shooting “The Customer Is Always Right”, which in fact ended up as the opening sequence in the first film. It was also this sequence that was used to recruit Willis and some of the other major stars to appear in the movie. 

Can Ava Lord become the femme fatale of femme fatale's? 

The sequel, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For was released in August 2014. One of the smaller plots of the film is based on the short story "Just Another Saturday Night", which is collected in Booze, Broads, & Bullets, the sixth book in the comic series. Two original stories ("The Long Bad Night" and "Nancy's Last Dance") were created exclusively for the film written by Miller.

Can Marv or Dwight save the day?

Both films were co-directed by Robert Rodriguez [2] and Frank Miller, and star an ensemble cast including returning cast members Mickey Rourke as tough guy Marv, Jessica Alba as Nancy Callahan, Rosario Dawson as Gail the overlord of the women that run the red light district known as Old Town, Bruce Willis reprises his role as the only good cop in Basin City John Hartigan, Jaime King appears as both Goldie and her twin sister Wendy, and Powers Boothe is the most powerful man in Basin City the rich and corrupt politician Senator Roark . Newcomers to the series include Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Eva Green, Ray Liotta, Lady Gaga, Julia Garner, and the wonderful Juno Temple.

 

Can there ever be a better looking working girl than Sally?

Again we have a rather unique looking movie, not quite as unique as it was ten years ago but still unique. We are presented with wonderful graphic noir atmospherics, the steamy black and white footage where red is the colour of dresses and cars and of course at times blood, the brilliantly spoken pulp narrative as if you were being read a bed time story by the king of pulp novels himself Mickey Spillane. In fact it does at times remind you of Spillane’s disgust for women, especially through Eva Greens character Ava Lord where one minute she is placed on a pedestal and the next thrown in the gutter – go back a century or two and she would have been burnt as a witch.  All this along with the ‘writing style’ gives you no doubt that it has been successfully lifted from the pages of a comic book – no wonder Miller agreed to release the film rights, know he can see what was originally in his mind eye in all its dazzling spender up on the big screen. Sexy, violent and humorous Sin City 2, just like its predecessor, is a joyous piece of nonsense that must be seen – but remember, “Never lose control. Never let the monster out”. Goodbye suckers I’m off to Kadies!!

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[1] Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American writer, artist, and film director best known for his dark comic book stories and graphic novels such as Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300. He also directed the film version of The Spirit, shared directing duties with Robert Rodriguez on Sin City, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For and produced the film 300. He is also known for creating the comic book character Elektra.

[2]  Robert Anthony Rodríguez (born June 20, 1968)[3] is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in Mexico and his native Texas. He has directed successful and groundbreaking film sagas such as the Mexico Trilogy, From Dusk till Dawn, Sin City, Planet Terror, and Machete. He is a friend and frequent collaborator of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. In December 2013, Rodriguez launched his own cable TV channel, El Rey.

Labor Day.

Jason Reitman is a 36-year-old Canadian Film Director, screenwriter and producer who is best known for three award-winning movies, Thank You for Not Smoking (2005), Juno (2007) and 2009’s Up in the Air. His latest movie to be released in the UK is a complex drama that Reitman directed and wrote. Based on a novel by Joyce Maynard, Labor Day (2013) stars Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin and 15-year-old Gattlin Tadd Griffith who played Walter Collins in Clint Eastwood’s Changeling (2008).

 

Mother and son.

Set in 1987 Winslet plays Adele Wheeler a depressed single mum who lives in a large run down rural house with her 13 year old son Henry (Griffith). When mother and son make a rare trip to the local supermarket they are approached by a man who is not only limping quite badly but also bleeding from a stomach and head wound, he insists they give him a ‘ride’ to their home so that he can rest his injured leg. The pair discovers that he has escaped from police custody by jumping out of a second floor window - Frank Chambers (Brolin) was serving 18 years for murder! He appears a considerate man and does threaten neither Adele nor Henry. While he rests up over the weekend both of them feel drawn to the convict, each for their own reasons. Reitman’s direction develops a sensual feel between Frank and Adele from the start, which is partly explained by Adele’s loneliness and isolation, and from which a relationship grows. When Frank begins to teach Henry some everyday tasks along with the rudimental skills involved with baseball the boy realises how much he is missing a father figure.

 

Bonding over a peach pie!

It becomes quite a sentimental journey and I would question why any viewer would not empathise with all three, especially Winslet who has succeeded in bring out the venerability, beauty and sexuality of her character.  The soundtrack has been composed by Rolfe Kent who has worked with Reitman on three previous occasions. The house, were most of the movie is set, and the surrounding areas are brought to life by the cinematography of Eric Steelberg. It may not change your life but this modern day fairy tale is a most satisfying and enjoyable watch.