47/50x2: The Untouchables

It's funny, I never really knew what this film was about. I always saw the DVD (maybe even a VHS) cover in stores and when I worked at video stores, and it always stood out to me for some reason.

Plus, now I know where that famous line came from that I have heard many, many times over the years. And, that scene that was famously parodied (maybe many times) in The Naked Gun.

The Untouchables is a film about Prohibition-era Chicago, and the major hold that Al Capone (Robert De Niro) had over everything during this time.

Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) is a Bureau of Prohibition agent who is summoned to take down Capone and all of the crime happening in Chicago as people continue to peddle alcohol despite it being against the law.

Ness appears to be taking over an impossible task, but soon he meets up with Jim Malone (Sean Connery), a beat cop that Ness takes a liking to and moves him into his task force. Ness also recruits the accountant the company sends over for him into the group.

Finally, Ness and Malone head to the Academy to find the best shot - and best man - to complete their quartet. They take a shining to George Stone (Andy Garcia) and he joins the group that begins to finally make a difference in cracking down on the selling of alcohol.

Despite all of the arrests and seizure of alcohol, Capone continued to stay in the wind - above everything with no real connection to him and the crimes.

Eventually, Malone learns of Capone's accountant, and hopes to use his books to link Capone to everything. Malone finds the accountant's place and gets the information to Ness - who, along with Stone, partake in a shootout at a train station and are able to take the accountant into custody, and put him on the stand to testify against Capone.

This was a pretty interesting film. I like almost all of the actors in the film, and Connery, Garcia and Costner were pretty great. De Niro, despite being the notorious Capone, wasn't really in it as much but was still an overpowering figure.

Of course, the line I was talking about was uttered by Malone, "Brings a knife to a gun fight." Which has been used in many different ways in a lot of movies (and in casual conversation). Good to finally see the film with this iconic quote, and that one iconic scene as well. I liked it, but it wasn't mind blowing.

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35/50x2: Machete

This was one of those films that the idea of it really had me interested, but I was a bit put off by the horrible violence that may be portrayed. Luckily, I got past that and decided to watch it anyway - and the violence was much more cartoony than horrible.

So, Machete was originally created as a fake trailer in front of the Grindhouse double feature. It was so popular that Robert Rodriguez decided to create a full-length film from it.

So, Machete (Danny Trejo) is a Federale. He is on his way to rescue a kidnapped girl when he is betrayed by his own chief and handed over to a drug-lord, Rogelio Torrez (Steven Seagal). Torrez kills Machete's wife and daughter in front of him and then leaves him for dead.

Years later, a man that looks like Machete shows up in Texas looking for odd jobs. He winds up being hired by Michael Booth (Jeff Fahey) to kill Senator McLaughlin (Robert De Niro), who is re-running for his senate position and is sending hundreds of illegal immigrants out of the country.

But, as Machete lines up the shot he realizes he is being setup, Booth works for McLaughlin and this was a way to gain sympathy votes and help McLaughlin's border campaign. Machete ends up being shot in the shoulder, but is able to escape.

Sartana Rivera (Jessica Alba) is an agent brought in to track down and bring in Machete. But, she along with Luz (Michelle Rodriguez) help Machete in taking revenge against both Booth and McLaughlin. Not to mention Machete's priest brother, Padre (Cheech Marin) and Booth's daughter out for revenge of her own, April (Lindsay Lohan).

I have to admit this was a pretty fun romp to watch. Sure, it was way over the top, but the filmmakers knew that and did it on purpose. Everyone working on this film was obviously in on this being so over the top - and it worked tremendously. It was really entertaining throughout.

Grade:

32/50: Heat

This was the longest film that was on my 50 list and I couldn't really figure out why a heist film would be so long.

I knew a little about Heat before going into the film, but apparently I didn't know much. I went in thinking that Val Kilmer was the main villain and Robert De Niro and Al Pacino were the cops that were tasked in stopping him. But, I was a bit wrong.

Anyway, Pacino is Lt. Vincent Hanna, a man who is married to his job, which has sort of ruined his slew of marriages - and is currently interrupting his new marriage.

De Niro plays Neil McCauley, the leader of the crime wave that has hit Los Angeles. McCauley leads a crew of Chris Shiherlis (Kilmer), Michael Cheritto (Tom Sizemore) and Trejo (Danny Trejo).

McCauley is planning one last major heist - a bank job - so he can leave town and retire in New Zealand with his new girlfriend, Eady (Amy Brenneman). Hanna is right on the gangs tail the entire way and soon figures out where the heist is taking place - and heads off to stop it.

I have to admit, this film was amazing - though it could have been a bit better. The heist and gun fire was amazing, but it was not in the film as much as it should be. There was so much depth to this film and so much is going on. De Niro was great as the bad guy, and man Kilmer is amazing again.

I believe this film may have also been one of the last films where Pacino didn't play Pacino. He was actually acting and was great.

Also, nice of the writer or director to step out on a limb and give Trejo an amazing name in the film.

Anyway, despite the film needing a bit more action it was a great watch and I couldn't even tell that it was almost three hours long - which to me makes the film worth the watch.

Grade:

25/50: Taxi Driver

Well, I am not really sure how to start this. This film was not really what I was expecting it was going to be - and I think that may have hurt my view of the film, but we shall see.

Taxi Driver stars Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle. A Vietnam veteran who has had a bit of a time adjusting to life back in the states. He spends most of his time watching movies and walking the streets, but soon decides that if he is up he might as well get paid for it - and applies to be a night time taxi driver.

At first Bickle seems to be a decent person, who just may have a bit of a problem sleeping. He begins to become infatuated with a worker for a Presidential campaign, Betsy (Cybill Shepherd). Not truly knowing how ta act around her he takes her to a pornography film - and sort of freaks her out in the process.

She begins to ignore all of his calls and he begins to snap.

After he is ignored by Betsy, he befriends a young prostitute named Iris (Jodie Foster). He does all he can to get her to go home - even giving her money to return, but her pimp, Sport (Harvey Keitel) and his fellow friends don't allow her to leave.

I was really glad that the end went the way that it did. I was worried that Bickle would have gone one way and I was really wondering why. But, when it went the way it did it helped me like it a little more.

However, the one thing that really threw me off of this film was the music. It was horrible and never fit the film for me. It got so annoying I almost turned it off. I have never felt that way about a score before.

Anyway, like I said, I didn't think this film was what I thought it was going to be, but it wasn't horrible.

Grade: