Nine 1/2 Weeks
8/10
So I was in 7th grade when this came out and a bunch of my friends got to see it, but my parents absolutely refused. I think they were right on this one, for a 7th grader at least.
Now at 33, and expecting just a soft-core erotica film, I was actually surprised that the movie had more to say and had depth to the performances (especially from Kim Basinger, which I wasn't expecting at all).
I thought it was a pretty good examination of one cautious, prudish woman's sexual awakening and sexual liberation vs. her limits of self-debasement and humiliation. I thought Kim Basinger played it perfect with just the right mix of hesitance, fear, curiosity, remorse and fun. I didn't know she was capable of so many levels all at the same time.
Mickey Rourke was harder to gage since he pretty much stuck close to the bone with the dark-mysterious-handsome-dangerous-stranger role the entire film.
All-in-all much, much better than I was expecting. (And the "You Can Leave Your Hat On" stripping scene was just pure 80s fun.)
Dead Man Walking
9/10
I was really tired when I saw this, so maybe I'll like it even more on a 2nd viewing.
Phenomenal, stellar performances from all actors involved. At least tried to show both sides of the death penalty coin and give some stage time to Pro-Penalty points of view. In that respect, much, much better than "The Life of David Gale" which I found was just a liberal, hit-you-over-the-head bombast of Anti- Death Penalty views, which I found to be much less effective due to its obvious bias.
I think Dead Man Walking understood that to have a chance to change people's minds, you have to show the validity of all the viewpoints, and then bring them on home on why yours is the best choice.
Bravo for Tim Robbins and co. understanding that.
The Brave One
7/10
Jodie Foster has said in interviews that this movie is more than just a basic revenge/vigilante film, that it is film dealing with philosophical and moral dilemmas. If that's true then:
1. What philosophy, exactly, is the ending of this film (which I will not give away) trying to impart?
and
2. Why then does the last 1/3 of the film feel like Charles Bronson's "Deathwish"?
Foster is a great, talented actress and she proves it again with this multi-layered, riveting role. Terrance Howard is good as well.
But I can't help but feel that the film Foster thinks she made, ends about 2/3 of the way through the film she actually made.
And the ending, though initially satisfying, left me troubled (due to its implications) long after the credits had stopped rolling.