Short reviews of Movies - The Hit, Stranger Than Paradise, Rocketer Gibraltar, Empire Falls

*Two Hits

Here are two movies that I REALLY liked. What a feeling when you watch a movie that you can lose your self in.

They are... THE HIT and STRANGER THAN PARADISE.

Especially the Jim Jarmoush-written and directed STRANGER THAN PARADISE is a miracle of low budget B&W movie making. It is a movie that should be studied by all film students. It has a good story, excellent photography, and a super ending.

THE HIT, on the other hand, is as visually gorgeous as a movie will ever get. Shot in Spain, you can frame and hang each and every frame on the wall.

But what makes it even better is the terrific acting by John Hurt, Terrence Stamp (who in this flick really looks like Jude Law's father!), and Tim Roth (who never disappoints in creepy roles).

Add to this mix the incredible beauty of Laura del Sol, and you've got yourself two hours of solid entertainment with a plot that you cannot predict.

Both films are highly recommended and available from Blockbuster.

* Two Disappointments

Two movies that I've watched lately were total bombs despite the presence of many fine actors and good directing and big budgets.

One is ROCKETER GIBRALTAR and the other is EMPIRE FALLS.

They are both examples of meandering ensemble pieces with no central focus, no clear story line and many conflicting character portraits that do not add up to anything.

Empire Falls was a great novel and probably it should've stayed that way.

A movie has a dynamic language of its own and if it doesn't fly like a javelin towards its purported end it doesn't go anywhere.

ROCKETER GIBRALTAR also earned the dubious distinction of being the very first BURT LANCASTER movie that I did not like. Well, he had been in a few crappy war movies too but in general Lancaster always adds something from himself to save the day. This, even Burt couldn't save from sinking under its own sugary weight.