"Lone Star"

United States, 1996
U.S. Release Date: Summer 1996 (limited)
Running Length: 2:15
MPAA Classification: R

Cast: Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Pena, Joe Morton, Ron Canada, Miriam Colon, Clifton James, Kris Kristofferson, Matthew McConaughey
Director: John Sayles
Producers: R. Paul Miller and Maggie Renzi
Screenplay: John Sayles
Cinematography: Stuart Dryburgh

I work at as a bartender when I’m not in class, and the other weekend I was slingin’ some drinks and I had a guy asking me what movies I write about for my blog. Luckily, he was able to give me a lead on yet another border movie to watch. He suggested Lone Star.

I thought that this was a very entertaining movie. However, it’s one that you really need to be in the mood for. I have officially been able to escape from the high profile to something that contains some lower-profile names. Well I guess Matthew McConaughey is now a high-profile name; but, in 1996 when this movie released he was still on the rise. It was nice to watch a flick that was totally different from the ones I have blogged about thus far.

Each of the characters played their roles well. Sheriff Charlie Wade (Kris Kristofferson) executes his role as the villain well – even though he doesn’t have a whole lot of screen time. The views of the two men are memorable and people speak very differently about their character. “Sheriff Buddy kept to his word. That Sheriff Wade, though, he could get ugly.”

It seems that everyone in the community is crazy about Sam Deed’s (Chris Cooper) father, Buddy Deeds (Matthew McConaughey)– however, Sam believes that he was not the “local hero” everyone remembers. However, Sam is popular within the community due to his last name, not his own accomplishments.

In 1996, Sheriff Wade’s bones show up in Rio County, and Sheriff Sam Deeds is out to find out who killed him and why. On the side he has to deal with an old flame with his childhood love – who he never let go – Pilar Cruz (Elizabeth Peña). Pilar is a teacher who tends to go against the grain when it comes to Anglo-approved teaching. She goes back and forth with her feelings for Sam and battles with her rebellious teenage son.

The story plays out seamlessly, as the view is transported between the past stories and present with one clean swoop – and, there are no voiceovers. John Sayles uses creative styles to make these transitions evident and enjoyable.

The film looks at all the different cultures of Rio County and how they are all able to help and hinder one another. Sayles was able to keep the mystery and romance subtle, but never lost sight of either. I thought that this movie was very engaging but not over the top. Lone Star is very clean, classic film.

Personal Rating: 4 out of 5

Further information can be found at iMDB.com

"Traffic"

United States, 2000
U.S. Release Date: 12/25/00 (limited), 1/12/01 (wide)
Running Length: 2:25
MPAA Classification: R

Cast: Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Benicio Del Toro, Erika Christensen, Don Cheadle, Luis Guzman, Steven Bauer, Miguel Ferrer, Amy Irving, Dennis Quaid, Jacob Vargas, Albert Finney
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Producers: Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz Laura Bickford
Screenplay: Stephen Gaghan, based on the min-series "Traffik" by Simon Moore
Cinematography: Steven Soderbergh

Another week… another movie. So, this week I decided to watch another intense - not to mention excelent - film Traffic. It was a good one that’s for sure.

The movie is based on the British mini-series “Traffik” which followed the lifecycle of heroin; however, for the US version of this popular series Steven Soderbergh stepped in and placed the film between the United States and Mexico and used the more localized drug - cocaine.

The main theme of the film illustrates the idea of chance and how one of our actions can affect a number of random people who may or may not be a part of the drug trafficking industry. It also makes sure to show “how far-reaching the drug trade is” (James Berardinelli).

The main plot of the film is that a new U.S. Drug Czar, Judge Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas) is ordered by the President to diminish the increasing drug trade (war) in America. As the movie rolls forward, Wakefield finds out that what used to be his straight-laced, top-of-her-class daughter (Erika Christensen) has become a drug addict. As the drug war rages on, Wakefield’s daughter begins to turn toward prostitution and stealing to support her drug habit.
Benicio Del Toro plays a Mexican police officer, Javier Rodriguez, who opts to take small payoffs instead of running to the U.S DEA officials when he becomes trapped between two independent drug producers. His partner, on the other hand, wants different things and his greed drags Rodriguez into a bad – and extremely dangerous – situation.

On the other side of things, Helena Ayala (Catherine Zeta-Jones) finds that she is the wife of a drug lord after her husband Carlos (Steven Bauer) is arrested and she has to clean up his mess.

The cinematography in the movie was amazing, for the sole fact that it made the transitions of the movie much smoother than they would have been otherwise. Soderberg made it evident that when there was normal coloring and picture, is audience is to understand that the movement of that scene is taking place in San Diego. While there is a slight blue tint, the location is Cincinnati, and when it is a rough, yet bland colored picture, the audience knows that the current events are taking place in Mexico.

I thought that the film was one that definitely keeps its audience interested. This was one film that you wouldn’t want to miss a minute of. Definitely one to see.

Personal Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Further information can be found at iMDB.com

"The Mexican"

United States, 2001
U.S. Release Date: 3/2/01 (wide)
Running Length: 2:03
MPAA Classification: R

Cast: Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, James Gandolfini
Director: Gore Verbinski
Producers: John Baldecchi, Lawrence Bender
Screenplay: J. H. Wyman

Alright, so after a weekend of a broken DVD player, I’m back at it… and coming to you with yet another film, The Mexican.

This film was entertaining for the most part; however, definitely not one of Brad Pitt’s or Julia Roberts’ best, or most memorable, works by any means. You would think that two “A-List” actors would put out a better movie, but I guess that comes down to chemistry. And in all honesty, it really just wasn’t there – at least between Pitt and Roberts.

The plot of the film is rather simple really. Samantha (Julia Roberts) and Jerry Welbach (Brad Pitt) is a couple who seem to be meant for one another, on the rocks. At this point, it doesn’t seem like anything can save them. Samantha basically gives Jerry the ultimatum that she will leave him unless he walks away from the mob. For Jerry, this is not an option so he is off to Mexico to fetch a cursed pistol, named “The Mexican”, for a high-ranked mob boss. Samantha spits to Las Vegas and winds up being held hostage by a – what the audience could assume to be gay – hitman, Leroy (James Gandolfini).

As Jerry attempts to bring back the pistol everything seems to go wrong – quite possibly due to the curse the pistol carries. While Jerry is trekking all over Mexico, Samantha and Leroy (who is practically like a slightly messed up teddy bear at heart) create a close bond as she listens to him try to confront his “issues”, like a therapist would.

I believe that the best chemistry doesn’t lie between the lovebirds (Samantha and Jerry) rather between Leroy and Samantha – on a friendship level. In the film, Pitt’s character seems to stand out when he is on his own in Mexico.

The plot seemed to flow nicely for the most part but seemed to be slightly lacking in the end. So, in my opinion, the movie is amusing and comedic – in the “I saw that coming” sort of way. It is not really one of those movies that entailed a lot of depth, but one that will keep you occupied for a couple hours on a rainy day.

Personal Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Further information can be found at iMDB.com