Reviews

When you see Luc Besson's name on a film, you have to see it. Tu m'en diras les nouvelles !

In one of Danny Aiello's greatest performances, he is Tony. Tony owns and operates a small café but the real money comes from his sideline as an "arranger" for the various mobs.

One of those is the Badge-toting Dapper Don Stansfield (Gary Oldman) and his private crew, where he carries on his own sideline within the NYPD. The sideline being drugs and cold-blooded murder etc. not to mention some mysterious but explosive capsules with which he comes armed for that often needed "super rush".

The star here is, of course, Jean Reno, aka Léon. Léon is not ra complete innocent. Rather, I believe he is simply immature. From conversations between Tony, Léon's mentor (and " banker", we gather that Léon was a lost kid on the streets of NY when Tony took him in and taught him his trade. The trade of assassination; that is. Clearly Léon took to that line of work readily because he is now well versed in every sort of weapon and explosive, most of which he carries with him beneath his large loose overcoat.

Even here, I have a feeling that Léon isn't just a cold-blooded natural-born killer, but rather that Tony convinces Léon that his targets are very bad people and it is Léon's job to "take care" of them.

The relationship between Tony and Léon is so unique that it's a story in itself. Tony treats Léon like a kid, doling out money as needed to pay the rent on his tiny tenement apartment, corn flakes and milk (apparently just about all Leon ever eats and drinks and the occasional movie where this loner goes and stares as if having a religious experience as he watches Gene Kelly sing and dance. His only friend is a leafy green plant for which he cares consciencially.

When the ju ject of money comes up, Tony always reminds Léon that it's Léon's money. Tony is just the caretaker. Banks get involved with paperwork and taxes. Tony keeps it all in his head. No paperwork, and Tony assures Léon that he's not going anyplace, except to the kitchen and back.

So while it's obvious to us that Tony is the one getting rich from Leon's work, we still feel that there's a warm relationship between them and in a pinch, Tony would always try to take care of Leon..

Detective Stansfield on the other hand has one of his greatest performances as well. As the more than ruthless, drug-fuzzed detective, he doesn't mind - make that, actually enjoys - bumping people off, men, women, children and if one happened to pass by, maybe a dog or two as well.

Living on the same floor as Léon, Matilda is a precocious 12-year-old abused child with hopeless parents. She often escapes to the inner balcony where she and Léon say, "Hi", in passing.

Only her little brother is dear to her. When her drug-dealing dad can't come up with the money for Stansfield, he comes back with his crew and murders everyone including Matilda's little brother.

Thus begins another great relationship between Matilda and Léon. Although only twelve years old, Matilda tries to convince Léon that he should teach her "the ropes" so she can take revenge on Stansfield.

Without including spoilers, I just have to say that the relationships between Leon and Tony, the relationship between Leon and Matilda, the relationships between all of them and Stansfield as well as the relationship between Matilda and Tony, all, each and every one of them, is a little story in itself and much more subtle than we're used to getting.

We're just not used to subtle relationships. After all, this is a population that apparently believes TV ads that assure us that these are:: "Real people, not actors".

Another point that has been criticized is that Stansfield seems so "aware" I'm certainly no expert, but I can certainly believe that when Stansfield pops those "super " capsules, they must heighten all his senses giving him almost extra-sensory feelings about those around him.

I've seen this film several times and I enjoy it as mure or even more with each viewing. Best films so far for Monsieur Besson, Jean Reno, Danny Aiello, Gary Oldman and - well,what can we say about Natalie Portman?

I have to admit that I haven't see any of her other films. Not because I wasn't blown away by Matilda, but I'm housebound so I only see what comes along. I may have reviewed Léon before but when I watched it last night, I had to say more about it.

This is a stark tale that deals with abusive husbands and their abused wives. Needing that feeling of being in control, as the abusive husband says, "I love you", his need to control his wife even if he has to beat her half to death overrides that love.

This film deals with a very good performance by Olivia Wilde. She exhibits all the pain, frustration and agony of finding herself in such an abusive relationship.

Getting away from her husband, Morgan Spector, she becomes an advocate for other abused women who hold supportive meetings. Although we see a great deal of pain, the film drags along as Ms. Wilde "handles" some of the abusive husbands. At the same time, she works out so that her body is tuned to perfection.

We aren't really sure how or why she began to help other abused women or just how she makes her living, but there it is.

When she finally confronts her husband, despite her well-tuned body, he is still too much for her to handle.

This is the real "meat" of the story, all told during that final fifteen minutes as we learn of the suffering she has gone through, the accusations of her husband who claims that it's all her fault (because she wasn't obedient).

A sort of "I didn't want to do it, but you made me do it." This film was intense and points up at least one aspect of abusive relaitonships, but it could have been a lot better. That's the way I see it.

In this almost Shakespearian drama adapted for the screen, Herman Melville's sprawling novel stars Gregory Peck as the demented and obsessed Captain Ahab. His first mate, Mr. Starbuck (Leo Genn) and narrator, Ishmael, played by Richard Basehart are the main characters in this sprawling novel that writers Ray Bradbury and John writer/director John Huston harnassed and squeezed it into a film showing us a story of one man's obsession.

With those famous words, "Call me Ishmael", we're drawn into this epic tale of a drifter who gets it into his head that a voyage on a whaling ship would be something new and interesting.

Orsen Wells has a short but memorable appearance as Father Mapple, whose fear inspiring sermon does not deter the true whalers from their intended journey into the sea to fuel the lamps of America.

Ishmael and Queequeg, an untamed tattooed harpooner (Friederich Ledebur) form an unlikely but immediate friendship and are taken aboard the Pequod.

One of the first things that struck me was the costuming. Every coat, every hat, and scarf told of clothing that had never been washed or cleaned. The flat slick stains from grease and dirt from years of constant daily wear showed clothing that was never changed. This inattention to clothing extended to Captain Ahab.

Once the Pequod sets sail, Captain Ahab remains unseen, closed up in his cabin. But when the lookout cries, "Thar she blows!" Captain Ahab immediately hurries on deck with his telescope. He stands on one leg and a prosthetic leg made of whalebone. He has had the ship's carpenter drill a small hole on the quarterdeck where he can place the bottom of his prosthetic leg for stability.

Although the whale they capture is acceptable, it isn't the despised white whale Captain Ahab is really seeking. He displays a gold coin to his crew and promises that it will go to the first man who sights the white whale. He nails the coin to the mast as a constant reminder to the men.

After many days , some stormy followed by dead calms in sweltering heat, the wind picks up and the lookout espies a pod of whales. The harpooners set off in boats for the perilous job of harpooning whales and towing their carcasses back to the ship.

Just as the men return with their bounty, a passing ship informs the Captain that the crew sighted a white whale in a certain area.

To the utter astonishment of the crew, Captain Ahab orders the men to forget the whales they've just killed. They're setting a course for the whale that Captain Ahab has dubbed Moby Dick. We've learned that some years before, Moby Dick robbed the captain of his leg and tried to take his ship and his life as well.

Since that time, an obsession has grown within him, an obsession that drives him to place a higher value on killing Moby Dick than anything else, even if he must risk his career and crew to do it.

Queequeg dies and his coffin is entrusted to the sea. This is an important element for the conclusion of this history.

Mr. Starbuck tries to reason with the captain, saying he might suggest his reasons to the crew.

"I don't give suggestions," Captain Ahab growls, "I give orders!"

The overall theme of this story is that a madman's obsession for complete obedience of those within his command will surely lead to disaster.

In the end, having located Moby Dick, Captain Ahab becomes tangled in the ropes connected to the harpoons. Moby Dick sounds and the captain is gone forever. Moby Dick isn't finished now. He destroys the whaling boats and all aboard. Next he butts into the ship not once but a second time. As everything about the whale sinks, and his vengeance satisfied, he swims off. But not every life is lost. Ishmael is somehow still swimming about, but with only minutes to survive when the miracle happens.

Queequeg's coffin floats to the surface. Ishmael's friend has returned for one brief moment to give Ishmael life. Shortly a whaler, the Rachel picks Ishmael enabling him to record the history of this final voyage of Captain Ahab and the Pequod.

The camera work and special effects in this beautifully filmed masterpiece are excellent, given that it was made before the arrival of computers and CGI. It was a pleasure to see the artfully designed grimness of the vast ocean shown in wide shots, shots of the whalers in their boats trying to harpoon a whale, the primitive conditions aboard the Pequod.

And the whale. This was no studio-constructed shark as in Jaws. I don't know just how they did it, but seeing that gigantic white whale and the frail boats that ventured into the sea to harpoon him was well worth more than one viewing. Above all, the close-ups of Captain Ahab's tortured face and flaming eyes, the eyes of a madman - a man lost within his obsession - that is something few viewers will ever forget.

Under John Huston's outstanding direction, camera angles and long shots all worked together in perfect harmony.

This film is, in some ways hard to watch, yet Gregory Peck's Captain Ahab is so fierce, so obsessed and demeaning that it's impossible to turn away from such intensity. This man was no longer Gregory Peck, the actor; he has become the twisted Captain Ahab, a man whose obsession not only expresses itself in his words, his voice but in his entire body and above all, his eyes are the tortured eyes of a madman.

The film's grim yet inevitable finale with Ishmael being saved by his dead friend, Quueequeg, is as if Ishmael's guardian angel has come to save him so that he can return to record the terrible final voyage of the Pequod.

This may not be a film for everyone. It goes beyond mere entertainment; it is a message to all of us that when one person allows an obsession to take command, there can never be peace as long as that person lives.

It's a little late at this date to review Maximum Risk. We've watched it at least our times over the years. This is a good action film even though it as its flaws. The first flaw is when Mr. Van Damme enters an apartment building and is confronted by a group of black teens. This is unnecessary and portrays blacks in an unsavory manner. The story tries to make up for that by showing a good black resident who has raised Mr. Van Damme from early times. Another flaw is the fat FBI agent. It seems unlikely that the FBI would allow a slow thinking overweight agent out in the field. Although predictable, the film has its highlight with lots of action mostly in the south of France in narrow winding streets. There are other flaws that viewers might notice, but overall, it's still a good film. For me the highlight of the film is the outstanding performance by taxi driver, Henry Gomez. His performance of the hyperactive wannabe novelist is really something to watch. Every inch of Mr. Gomez is hyper. Especially his eyes and his eagerness to be a part of the action as Mr. Van Damme goes through many challenges not only in France but in New York. I thought the capo was a poor choice, but under boss was really vile and made me believe him. The French cop who was Van Damme's partner was very good too, as was Ms.Henstridge. Shame we haven't seen more of her and Mr. Gomez.

Unfortunately, although this film tries to be very clever, and it first it does seem to be, it quickly deteriorates into a sorry mess. A woman who advertises herself as a tow truck service cum assassin, waits patiently in a local park for the principal to show up, drop a paper bag of presumably money into a wastebasket and move on. The hit woman than goes and gets the money, takes it home and stashes the bag in a hole she has made beneath the floorboards under her bed. During this time she strikes up an erotic relationship with a woman who wants the hit woman to kill her. The acting throughout this film is worse than sophomoric. The only good (even outstanding) performance is by Jeffery Dean Morgan. I can't imagine how this fine actor got talked into this film. Orlando Jones too has a small role, but doesn't get a chance to do much of anything. Okay, all the above is amateurish and we can all forgive a Top Ramen budget, but the real killer is the end when we realize we've been made the butt of a big joke. Everything we've just watched was nothing but the figment of a madman's hallucinations. Hah hah. This is insulting to me, and it's highly unoriginal, the first such film case going back at least to 1920. At the time it was considered unique and clever. Now, ninety-five years later, it's really blah.