American Gangster

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 16 Oct 2007, 14:31

Shingster wrote:I've got a female friend who works in civil engineering and she's paid considerably less than her male counterparts. Apparently the industry is still extremely male-orientated even today.

Assuming she does the same job has she complained? Hard I know as she may lose her job.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 16 Oct 2007, 15:59

Complain and get isolated at work, 'nuff said.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 17 Nov 2007, 23:49

American Gangster

8 out of 10

As suspected the reviews I've read made a fatal mistake by comparing it to the like of Goodfellas. Obviously it's not as good but does it have to be? Not at all.

Narc isn't as good as Goodfellas but it's still great. Back to American Gangster, it's excellent.

Scott really takes his time to make sure both the leads have a life like story around them. Washington has his family and Crowe ex-wife problems. This really helps to make the film more realistic. I love Scarface but nothing is said of his family period.

Both Washington and Crowe are brilliant, particularly Washington. Crowe was obviously told to put some weight on and looks all the better for it (in the role he's playing).

The scenes in Thailand annoyed me a little. I've no idea what they were speaking but it wasn't Thai, or at least I'm 90% sure it wasn't they were mumbling so it was hard to tell for sure. What was Ric Young (Shu Qi's father in The Transporter) doing playing what I thought was a Thai General? IMDB says he was a Chinese General which would make more sense but what would a Chinese General be doing in Thailand?

Not that it ultimately matters when the rest of the film was so good. It really felt like a "Mini Godfather" or "Black Godfather" if you will.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 18 Nov 2007, 16:46

Hell I was going to see this last night, I let other pick the film and they went for Beowulf. Looks like Gangsta will be next week or later (hate that name still).

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 18 Nov 2007, 17:11

I think American Gangster is a good name.

It's very interesting this has received luke warm reception when another recent crime drama "The Departed" didn't and it's much, much better than that. The Departed is pretty much wholeheartedly unoriginal and feels very Scorsese light (this is the man who gave us Taxi Driver, Goodfellas and Casino), yet it got unanimous rave reviews and even won Scorsese an Oscar.

Obviously Scorsese deserves an Oscar (more than one) but NOT for The Departed. It's not that it's a bad film (far from it) but compared to Infernal Affairs it's no where near as good, no way. It's to flipping long for starters, the quick pace in Infernal Affairs works tremendously well. Leonardo DiCaprio is a decent actor but isn't on the same planet as Tony Leung. Matt Demon is even worse next to Andy Lau. Damon outside of The Bourne Trilogy really isn't a very good actor. Mark Wahlberg was excellent though.

I definitely enjoyed The Departed when I saw it at the cinema but I've really no interest in owning it. A big part of that is because it's a remake and as such isn't especially original, whereas even today Infernal Affairs feels fresh and new. That is a damn clever story Andrew Lau and Co. came up with. I was pleased Scorsese mentioned them when he won his Oscar.

Of course as I was possibly the only person in the cinema who was expecting Martin Sheen to get thrown off the building, all it's power was completely lost. I was so shocked when one of the main characters died in such a violent way in Infernal Affairs. The look on Tony Leung's face really shows how great an actor he is, Leo just looked a bit upset.

Add to that because Infernal Affairs is part of a grander Trilogy it really feels epic at times. The Departed doesn't feel epic, not even once. American Gangster does though. Yet The Departed got great reviews and American Gangster isn't.

Why was no one comparing The Departed to Goodfellas? They were even directored by the same man!

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 18 Nov 2007, 17:59

I like the Bourne movies, and I like Matt Damon in the part, but tbh it isnt a very stretching acting role. It's a 'cool' written character, who hardly shows emotions besided the normal emotions. I dont know, but if my girlfriend who I love very much, gets shot through the head, I would be bawling my eyes out. Matt Damon's character just immediately goes on towards plotting revenge.

That's not Matt Damon's fault. That's how it's written. But that would have been a good possibility to show off Damon's acting skill in a short scene where he's in deep deep grief over the loss of someone VERY important to him.

So I really like Damon in The Bourne films, but TBH, acting-wise, it isnt VERY impressive. He does a good job at playing a stoic action-hero who isnt like every other stoic action-hero... but I would have preferred some more 'real' acting.

I didnt care much for The Departed. It's a good movie, well made, strong story, nice performances, etc. There isnt anything 'bad' about it. It's just not as good as the original. Simple. Plus it seems a bit more straightforward, and has the Hollywood-ending.

Goodfellas is an awesome movie. Absolute classic.

I never cared much for Andy Lau as an actor btw. Only good in certain roles, but hardly ever 'great'. Tony Leung, and the late Leslie, are just so much more talented in conveying emotion and being able to speak a 1000 words with just their eyes and expression...

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 18 Nov 2007, 18:28

It would've hurt the Bourne films to have too much emotion. It's not what they're about and I doubt Damon could pull it off anyway. He works well in that as because as you say not much is asked of him.

Andy Lau isn't the best actor but he is decent in Infernal Affairs and my main point being he's much better than Matt Damon.

I didnt care much for The Departed. It's a good movie, well made, strong story, nice performances, etc. There isnt anything 'bad' about it. It's just not as good as the original. Simple. Plus it seems a bit more straightforward, and has the Hollywood-ending.

Agreed. Well put.

I don't think the ending is "too" Hollywood though, at least they changed it.

Go see American Gangster but don't compare it to the classics of the genre. That is doing it a disservice, it's still a decent film in it's own right.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 19 Nov 2007, 03:16

I think Andy is underrated actually, he was the best thing in I.A 3.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 19 Dec 2007, 02:19

2 Disc Unrated Extended Edition with awesome cover art:

http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/ ... gster.html

There is also a HD-DVD Combo coming too.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 19 Dec 2007, 05:39

Combos are pointless because once you have HD you don't need the DVD anymore but are stuck with it.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 19 Dec 2007, 17:14

Yep for the most part. I like the concept but what narks me off is the artificially inflated price. If they were $1 or $2 more then fine but they're often £5+ more.

Thankfully only Universal still persists in using them. Warner have all but dropped the idea and no other make ever bothered.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 20 Dec 2007, 15:19

Universal are also releasing a 3 disc LE too:

http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/ ... gster.html

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 20 Dec 2007, 16:52

Markgway wrote:Combos are pointless because once you have HD you don't need the DVD anymore but are stuck with it.

Thats why most other countries dont use them

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 20 Dec 2007, 17:00

Are there any other countries that do then Romero?

I suspect only America does because of the size of the market.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 21 Dec 2007, 14:50

I dont think I have seen Combos in other countries, there could be I guess

but it does seem most titles in other places do not want Combos on shelves.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 21 Dec 2007, 16:36

Smokin Aces was a combo in the uk & oz.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 21 Dec 2007, 18:37

Good point. I think that's it though.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 22 Dec 2007, 02:31

Apparently you can make out both cuts are mentioned on the discs themselves in the DVD Active pictures.

I cannot make it out but others say they can.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 22 Dec 2007, 04:30

saltysam wrote:Smokin Aces was a combo in the uk & oz.

I'm sure Virgin were charging something like £30 for it.

Ridiculous.

romerojpg · Post by **romerojpg** » 22 Dec 2007, 15:19

Virgin charge £30 for everything, anyone who buys dvds or HD or CDs in shops deserves everything they get x 10.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 22 Dec 2007, 16:01

Markgway wrote:
saltysam wrote:Smokin Aces was a combo in the uk & oz.
I'm sure Virgin were charging something like £30 for it.

Ridiculous.

think it was £35 actually

i bought Smokin Aces combo brand new fom the local market for £10. watched and traded it on. the market still has a couple of copies,i'm hoping the seller drops them to a fiver then i'll buy them and trade them on for something i want.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Apr 2008, 15:37

I asked over at AV Forums and have managed to track down this cool link which compares the Theatrical Director's Cut with the Extended Cut:

http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=4896

I don't want to watch the EC right through but do I want to see the extended footage.