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The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3

I managed to see both movies - the 1974 Walther Matthau/Robert Shaw thriller and Tony Scott's remake from this year. In fact I am writing this right after getting home from the cinema.

Two different movies. First I'd like to talk about the 1974 movie. I am not calling Tony Scott's thriller a "remake", because I think it's a case of using the same source material (AJ Godel's - sp. - novel) rather than remaking that particular thriller. The same feelings I have about Scott's Man on Fire, which was produced by the owner of the copyright to the NOVEL (and to add some spice, Tony Scott was to direct the movie back in 1982 as his second feature after Hunger).

Sargent's movie is a gritty thriller with some wit. The premise is the same in both movies. Terrorists hijack a metro train, just to take one compartment full of hostages and blackmail the city for a ransom and involving the mayor in that. The 1974 movie is very intelligent, witty, gritty, photographed by no-one else than the creator of the gritty New York look of the 1970s - Owen Roizman. Stylish performance of both Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw in another of his "cold professional" parts (he played quite a lot of them). The secondary characters were amazing too - Martin Balsam as Mr. Green (and an ironic twist to him absent from the new movie, which is a pity), few interesting hostages, a lot of humor in the dialogue and also naturalism. It is a classic and rightfully so - very well executed gritty urban action thriller.

Tony Scott's movie is of course far more modern in the making, though fortunately he backed off a bit of his distinct headache-inducing editing style. It's stylish, but he doesn't go over the top. If I had to use some of his movies as a point of reference to comparison, I would say Man on Fire (main title sequence is a bit of impressionist music-video montage) and Spy Game (the use of subtitles and freeze-frame). Tony is an action thriller master, so even if it was half-inspired, it's still better than lot of action crap coming out in cinemas recently, let's face it. He does such a thriller very well in his sleep. Actors are in very good form, especially Travolta, who gives his typical auto-ironic villain performance. Denzel Washington is good as always especially that, compared to Matthau's, his Garber has some of a past (something we don't know about Zack Garber, he's just a Transit Authority cop who is introduced through his sense of humor). I agree with one of Polish reviews which says that the secondary characters are more interesting in Scott's version - Gandolfini's mayor is just an acting gem and he definitely had fun with his part (as did Travolta) and we also have a good performance from John Turturro as a police negotiator. What I found rather funny also is a reference to French Connection - two-three shots from the final subway chase (not to give away any spoilers) are almost directly taken from Friedkin's classic.

David Shire's score is a masterpiece, Harry Gregson-Williams did his typical Tony Scott outing, nothing much to say about that. But the change of sound was called for.

Two different movies, which are good in their own merits and should be seen that way.

Tonight it will be Charlie Chan for me, a harmless diversion.
Thomas

Juno

Wow. Can't remember the last time I was so surprised by a film. Such a smart script, so smartly acted. Brilliant.

In Bruges

Great film! Very witty. One standout line - "Harry, I mean no disrespect, but you're a c---. You've always been a c--- and the only way you'll ever change is to become a bigger c---."

Indeed, one of the most enjoyable films i've seen in years. Exceptionally acted and beautiful shot. The accompanying score works wonders too, marking one of Burwell's best ever efforts.. How did you like it?

Loved it!

Martijn's original comments on FIREFLY

We've just finished watching Firefly on DVD and I I have to echo Martijn's comments on how come this didn't get any more episodes commissioned! I don't think that these episodes amount to a complete first season.

Some great stories and some great interactions between characters. I really enjoyed the final episode ("Objects In Space"?). Though I never really was happy with the western slant to this sci-fi series. Maybe the audience wouldn't get the frontier type of environment of the colonisation of space without it being set to cowboys.

Looking forward to now seeing Serenity (and hoping that there is some resolution to things.)

Hancock

A nice concept, but not executed that well; the script needed a decent rewrite. Good Powell score but I was very disappointed that "SUV Chase" wasn't in the film. It is after all my single favourite piece of music by him.

Last Night of the Proms

And did those feet...

RV: Race to Witch Mountain

Nothing special, but it was OK.

I watched an episode of Inspector Lewis which used part of the Stravinsky Firebird Suite as part of the score. Well done.

I had great weekend in my home. I watched and enjoyed the following movies:

MINORITY REPORT

I say this is classical sci-fi action thriller. I have seen this movie several times before. I get great feeling about this movie when i watch it again and again. Great stuff from Spielberg and Cruise.

FREQUENCY

This is yet another classic sci - fi thriller. I like score very much. It was brilliantly composed by Michael Kamen

THE GREEN MILE

This is my all time favorite movie. I just shed my tears, its just heart touching and emotional movie. Brilliant performance by Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan and good direction too. All credits goes to Stephen King for his best storytelling efforts. Thomas Newman's score for this movie was simply awesome. Score added more emotional content. Overall, great film.

ALIENS

This is true masterpiece by James Cameron. I don't have to tell about this movie, because you all know it.

No, please tell me, I've never heard of this one... Is it the one about illegal immigrants? If it is I've never seen it.

Pitt can save any kind of movie mate.