Chinatown
Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.
This is the classic Roman Polanski directed Jack Nicholson movie from 1974.
Set in Los Angeles in 1937 the (fairly complicated) plot involves infidelity, murder, possibly corrupt police and city officials all revolving around the citys water supply.
Jack Nicholson plays JJ ‘Jake’ Gittes a seemingly succesful private detective (he has two people on his payroll aswell as a secretary) who is hired by Evelyn Mulwray to follow her husband Hollis who she believes is having an affair.
After photographing Hollis Mulwray (who, importantly, is chief engineer of the LA water supply) in the arms of a young woman, Jake thinks his job is done.
However the photos appear the next day in the newspapers, a big scandal ensues, shortly after which Mr Mulwray is found dead and the “real” Mrs Mulwray (the ever gorgeous Faye Dunaway) appears in Jake’s office demanding some sort of explanation.
Gittes soon finds himself in a complex web of political, social and moral corruption.
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The Graduate
Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me.
The Graduate Movie Poster
The classic Mike Nichols movie from 1967 starring Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock and Anne Bancroft as Mrs Robinson, about a rich, spoilt American graduate coming home from university and having an affair with his dad’s business partners wife.
Perhaps more famous now for the “Mrs Robinson” song by Simon and Garfunkel, and the temptress lady being a role model for cougars everywhere.
Brief synopsis, graduate (Dustin Hoffman) comes home, is miserable and bored, has an affair with a married woman and falls in love with her daughter leading to obvious problems.
It’s a very well photographed movie with iconic shots, such as Mrs Robinson appearing in the doorway of Bens bedroom seen through a fishtank, Ben standing in front of a bedroom door seen through Mrs Robinsons stockinged leg, and Ben banging on the church window at the finale.
It’s almost like you end up playing “iconic shot bingo” while watching it…there’s one, there’s another, bingo!
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Alexander Sokurov’s The Sun
I wrote this review back in 2005 just after seeing the Russian/Japanese movie “The Sun” about Emperor Hirohito.
So without further ado, here’s the review:
Well, that is all in the past. There is only one unresolved issue left. That is the issue of your fate.
Went to the cinema the other day, to check out the new film by Alexander Sokurov, “The Sun” from 2005 about the last few days of World War II in Tokyo and Emperor Hirohito meeting McArthur and surrendering. To say this film was slow, would be putting a brave face on it, (first 20 minutes is Hirohito getting up and dressed), however stick with it and a fascinating and interesting human study of Hirohito comes into play.
Unfortunately 2 people sitting just behind us didn’t stick with it, walking out after about 20 minutes (possibly during the long breakfast eating scene), with the not so favourable review “That was f*cking shit”, just heard as the cinema doors closed.
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Blog Ranking – Show Some Love
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