Just watched this again for the first time in many years.

Best fucking film. I turned to husband and said " They don't make many actors like this or actor's roles like this anymore".

Hollywood just doesn't make them like this anymore. Too much crap they have to churn out to make the stupids happy.

and it lost the Oscar to fucking Titantic

sucked.

Top ten film for me. So damn good. In my view, this is probably the all time best film adaptation of a novel. The Godfather is of course based on a book but to take James Ellroys complicated, rapid-fire story and turn it into this good of a movie is an amazing feat.

Curtis Hansen is on a three film roll. LA, Wonder Boys, and 8 Mile. Now he's at the helm of the latest Cameron Diaz vehicle.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388125/

Who knows? It could be good.

really great movie, agreed.

Cheap imitation noir.

Great movie. Great cast.

Although, it struck me kind of funny that you said-"Hollywood just doesn't make them like this anymore"-It's not like it was made ages ago.

Steve

Just curious. Do you feel the same about Chinatown?

Steve

Imitation noir!!!! I should punch you in the Spillane.

No, because Chinatown was good.

almost every movie is imitation something.

To me this movie is unfuckwithable. I already said that though.

I own it so it must be pretty good.

Agreed. I thought this movie was fucking awful.


And Chinatown is a great film.

Rads, I respectfully disagree. This movie is awesome, and is maybe 2-3 X better than the book, which is convoluted, and basically a rehashing of 3 other Ellroy novels. Easily in my Top 10 of the 90s.

Yup. I tried reading it years ago and didn't know what the hell was going on. Oddly enough, while I love Chinatown, I've never been exactly sure what's going on there either. It's probably just me, though, because I've only recently figured out the obelisk from 2001.

Steve

Do tell.

I really like this film too. Imitation noir? So is fucking Chinatown.

I found 'LA Confidential' to be nothing more than an 'entertaining' look at 'old school' Hollywood. This movie is ostensibly compared to 'Chinatown' everytime I hear 'LAC" come up. Nothing wrong with enjoying yourself at the cinema, but if 'LAC' were sugar&spice, 'CT' would certainly be meat&potatoes. Every little nook & cranny of Chinatown fumes with conviction. John 'effin' Huston. C'mon peeps....

Just saw 'Downfall' last night which f**kin' blew me away.

np - big gulps of Peets coffee

I can buy that, but I still disagree. I do like you analogy, which is similar to what I said about Gladiator. Oscars are steak, this was fucking candy.

Strangely, or maybe not, both these movies have Russell Crowe

Well, first I have to admit to having some help from reading the book. Prepare for some sci-fi babble....

An ancient race that has sorta transended from what we would consider life sends these obelisks out to planets that have lifeforms. The obelisks sorta give a gentle "push" to help evolution along. Sometimes it works out and other times it doesn't. It's the group of apes who discover the obelisk who learn how to fashion weapons, make tools, fight off and kill prey for food....etc.

This same ancient race buries an obeslisk on the moon. They are very patient and figure that once we have reached the point where we have the technology to find the obelisk and get to it we will be "ready" for whatever the next step is in their plan. In the movie, you'll remember that once "we" start messing with the obelisk it sends out a beacon which I assume alerts this alien race that-"we're ready for whatever you have planned for us."

Anyway, Earth traces the direction where the beacon is being transmitted to and sends out a ship to find out what the hell is going on. After that it's all about this ill fated (at least in the case of one crew member) trip.

Whew...

Steve

One of my favorite movies.