James Absolon explains how this Pope-themed film, despite its risky premise, works
Alex Pollard reviews Hollywood's biopic of the controversial Margaret Thatcher
Written by Quentin Tarantino this epic road trip tells the story of Clarence (haunted by the ghost of Elvis) and ex-callgirl Alabama who take to the road after he kills her boss. With a suitcase full of coke they head to California to shift the supply, unaware that a Sicilian mob and the LA police are on their trail. Both a love story and an ensemble of gold star performances, True Romance deserves its place in the Top Ten.
Johnny Depp as George Jung is in fine form as the man who wins big, and loses bigger, in this true story of how cocaine conquered California, and eventually the World. Its parallels with the big boys, notably Scarface and Goodfellas, and a meeting with Pablo Escobar are all bursting with brilliance in what could have been just a boring biographical piece.
The opening fight scene will ensure this film's reputation but it is Billy the Butcher who impresses the most in this tale of New York's development and its five tribes. Outstanding contributions from British actors as well as Leonardo DiCaprio's first great role make this a must see, a must see, and a must see again.
Although there are those who will tell you that Hong Kong's Infernal Affairs is the greater movie, Martin Scorcese's Academy Award finally came through on this one. Jack Nicholson in a role that he may have been born to play and Mark Wahlberg as the biggest asshole ever seen on film are among the many prominent roles in this multi-layered tale of double crossings and identity in South Boston.
Two criminal overlords, The Boss and The Rabbi, pick up Nick Fisher to avenge the other. Josh Hartnett is mistakenly picked up and gets thrown into the gangster world. From here on in the greatest Kansas City Shuffle is performed with Mr Goodkat (a commanding Bruce Willis) stepping in to finish what he started 20 years earlier.
Guy Ritchie's finest hour starts with a card game, a huge debt and a conversation heard through a wall. Enter some of the most unfortunate coincidences and the greatest lines ever uttered in a cockney accent and we have a brilliant movie. Then came Madonna.
Joe Pesci is supreme as a trigger-happy, bloodthirsty gangster while Robert De Niro as a power-hungry casino owner shows refinement and depth. And Sharon Stone as the woman who has them all under her thumb is phenomenal.
The film by which Quentin Tarantino will always be remembered brought back John Travolta and gave us Samuel L. It also has a supremely concocted LA underworld complete with a dazzling array of characters and medieval torture methods. So many have tried to recreate its brilliance but all have so far failed, and rightly so.
Al Pacino's role as the often quoted, power hungry, cocaine monster is probably the greatest depiction of any Cuban. Cue several extremely violent scenes and we have the film by which Gangster lifestyle is measured.
I hope you weren't expecting the auto-insistent Godfather trilogy. Goodfellas simply has no equals, excellent pasta recipes, a rags-to-riches tale, a vast historical context, Robert De Niro in typical good form, a rare excellent performance from Ray Liotta, and a bittersweet ending. Martin Scorcese's most deserved film could simply go no lower.
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