Change Your Image
edyoung
Reviews
Dirty Pictures (2000)
Maintaining integrity and committment when all else Hangs in balance
***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** The film has its basis in the controversial art of Robert Mapplethorpe. Mapplethorpe's work had been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Nevertheless, in the film, as was true in real life, there is a trial over the Cincinnati Center for Art gallery's exhibit of the Robert Mapplethorpe photography. The trial results from the fact that the moralistic half of the community opposed the exhibit as pornography and not art. The only protagonist for the exhibit is the gallery's director, Dennis Barrie. As the pressure from the community and its authorities escalates it causes even his staunchest supporters and his board of directors to waver. Finally, Cincinnati sues him and he faces a civil trial. An interesting inset of the film is the depiction of the Jury whose characters reflect the points of view of a cross-section of America which are interjected throughout the film to highlight the ethical and legal dilemmas. Another interesting facet is the cutaways showing celebrities and national leaders like Salmon Rushdie, Barney Frank, and Fran Liebowitz commenting on the ethical and legal aspects of the issue at trial. There is even an injection showing pressure from the US congress posing threats to future funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. Various experts on the history and nature of art and what should be called art are called to testify. As the trial progresses, there are threats to his life and the lives of his wife and children. He even faces the possibility of jail since the Sheriff is out to get him, saying he is breaking city statues as well as federal law defining pornography. During the trial the Judge is even scene making derisive remarks which seem to be aimed at undermining Barries' case. His current job is threatened as well as the future of his career as an art gallery director. The threats continue to worsen during the trial and his children are harassed at school. His wife begins to weaken as she does not want to lose their home and way of life nor to have her children physically or psychologically harmed. When she weakens, she begins to pressure him to back down. He sees it as a no win situation unless he persists. He sees maintaining his position as maintaining his integrity and commitment to the values of freedom of expression in speech as well as art in spite of the fact that he would not even permit his own children to see the art. As the trial nears conclusion, his care for his family, especially wife, causes him to question the value of standing up for these values and maintaining his integrity at the risk of losing everything. He was, during the trial, offered a way out, which entailed an offer of $100,000 if he does not testify in his own defence. He finally decides to compromise his integrity and commitment. However, at the last moment his innocent youngest child asks if he is not going to stand up for himself and tell his side in court. Both he and his wife see the importance of maintaining his integrity and commitment for the sake of the character development of their children and this bolsters their belief that they are acting in behalf of artists, the general public, and the future of freedom of expression in America. He sticks to his position, wins, and is hailed as a hero.
Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)
A battle of wits and a change of values in high stakes car theft
Gone in 60 Seconds 2000. A car thief, Kip,in a sophisticated organized crime group makes a mistake while boosting [stealing] a car. The boss of the outfit is a ruthless murderer shipping highly expensive, rare cars overseas and wants to use the bungler Kip as an example and to bribe Memphis, Kip's brother and ex-thief with a reputation as the best to steal 50 rare and expensive cars by Friday morning at 8 AM. Memphis resists and then gives in to snatch his brother from being crushed at the salvage lot. He quickly organizes some of the old gang and some new people with unique skills plus his old girlfriend, Sway,he left when he reformed. The movie depicts the psychology of car thieves and car theft, as well as the unique psychology of the different types of experts in car stealing. It shows the loyalty to family and within a ring of thieves to each other over the law. This is contrasted with the ruthless use of money and power and threat of death by the boss to bully and bribe Memphis and the gang to carry out his high-risk scheme. The risk is heightened because the police who had tried to catch him before he reformed finds out that he is back and is once again involved in car theft. The ruthless boss lays down his terms as allowing Skip to live plus $200,000 with the stipulation that they meet the deadline exactly because that is the time the boat shipping the cars is to leave. The ring plays out the nearly impossible feat under the time pressure and while playing cat and mouse under the eye of the police. During the execution of the last heist, Memphis and his old girlfriend repair their lost love and reunite. After a harrowing last chase where Memphis shows his extraordinary skill and his determination to save his brother, he, nevertheless, winds up with the boss ordering Kip to be murdered anyway because Memphis was 12 minutes late. During a deadly tussle with the boss and his henchmen, the police suddenly enter the scene and the fracas ends with both Memphis and the police pitted against the boss. Memphis saves the policeman's life as he kills the boss. In return, the policeman, seeing Memphis has really reformed and was only back into car stealing to save his brother, decides not to arrest him. As he walks away, Memphis tells the policeman where to find the cars. The gang, having gotten together just to save Kip and for the thrill and comradery of the old car stealing days, has a parting party to celebrate the ordeal and their success, totally unconcerned with not getting the money, illustrating that this crime's appeal is its thrill which is greater even than sex.