Movie of the Week – Chinatown

This week’s movie: Chinatown (1974).

The private detective film is about J.J. Gittes, an investigator who takes on an adultery case. While snooping around, Gittes uncovers a grander scheme of murder that has something to do with water.

Chinatown is writer-director Roman Polanski’s greatest film – his career highlights include: Repulsion, Rosemary’s Baby, The Tenant, Frantic, and The Pianist. Polanski works with a wonderful group on the film including composer Jerry Goldsmith (whose score is perfect for the tone), cinematographer John Alonzo, and production designer Richard Sylbert (who worked on many of the best films of New Hollywood, including: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, The Graduate, and Rosemary’s Baby).

The film stars Jack Nicholson, who gives one of his best performances (maybe only second to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), and co-stars Faye Dunaway and John Huston.

Chinatown was made after the boom of great film noir detective films of the 1940s and 1950s, but still carries many of the genre’s attributes – albeit with a modern aesthetic (which is one of the things that make the film great). It is on IMDb’s top 250, the 2012 Critics’ Poll Top 250, and AFI’s Top 100 films of all-time list, and yet it only won one Oscar (despite being nominated for eleven, including Best Picture). It is a must-see for fans of detective mysteries and those looking to be acquainted with the best films ever made.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Streaming

Movie of the Week – One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

This week’s movie is One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975).

The drama is about R.P. McMurphy, condemned to a mental institution that he does not belong at (or at least he thinks he does not belong at), he contends to bring hope and fun to his fellow patients. However, he is often stifled by the overbearing Nurse Ratched, causing a war of escalation. The film is directed by auteur Milos Forman, and is among his great works (with Amadeus, Loves of a Blonde and The Firemen’s Ball – Amadeus is my favorite of his films). He collaborated on the film with composer Jack Nitzsche, great director of photography Haskell Wexler and production designer Paul Sylbert. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, however, is probably more known for its performances from a fantastic cast – especially from lead Jack Nicholson, as his R.P. McMurphy is one of the great characters of cinema history. There is good work from Brad Dourif, Christopher Lloyd, Louise Fletcher, Danny DeVito, Will Sampson, Sydney Lassick, and William Redfield as well. The film won five Oscars including Best Actor (Nicholson), Supporting Actress (Fletcher), Director, Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. In addition to being very well written and acted, it is a wonderful character study – leading me to question whether or not McMurphy is actually criminally insane. The whole issue of mental health and how it is dealt with in places like asylums is critically scathed by the film – it is both a harsh attack and a thoughtful discussion, which not very often the case. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a must-see for fans of Nicholson and character pieces, as well as those looking to be familiar with the great films in American cinema. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Streaming

Movie of the Week – The Departed

This week’s movie is The Departed (2006).

The crime drama is an English remake of Infernal Affairs about two police officers – one an undercover cop inserted with the Irish mob in Boston, the other an undercover member of the mob inserted in the Massachusetts State Police assigned to taking down the mob. The film is directed by Martin Scorsese (garnering him his first Best Director and Best Picture Oscars) and written by William Monahan. Scorsese worked with a good group on the film including producer Brad Pitt (through his Plan B Entertainment production company, which has made quite a few great films lately), composer Howard Shore, cinematographer Michael Ballhaus (a frequent collaborator of Scorsese’s), and production designer Kristi Zea. The cast is also phenomenal as it stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, with Jack Nicholson, Adam Baldwin, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Anthony Anderson, Kevin Corrigan, James Badge Dale, David O’Hara, and Mark Rolston in support. Despite being his first Oscar winner, I am not sure The Departed is quite in the pantheon of Scorsese classics (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas), but it is an excellent crime drama and my favorite of his films made in the last decade. This is a must-see for fans of Scorsese and gangster/crime dramas as it is one of the best in the last few years. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Streaming