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Reviews
Traffic (2000)
Exquisite, with a Beautiful performance by Benicio Del Toro
I had seen this film a year ago on TV and wanted to watch it again undisturbed. I recently purchased it and was thoroughly moved by it. It would be terribly understated to say that Steven Sodorbrough really knows what he is doing...a hardcore realistic drug drama with just an awesome array of interconnecting web of stories played out through brilliant performances. The cinematography is brilliant and VERY effective building the tension and conveying the energy of the wonderful performances. Shooting through hand helds adds further realism and energy to the film. Traffic also has a hauntingly effective musical score which stays with you long after the film.
*SPOILERS*
BENICIO DEL TORO is just astonishing and really lets the character's anguish, restraint and heartbreak shine through. He is truly the heart and soul of the film. He breaks your heart with his inner struggle with split loyalties and the constant fear for his and his partner's life, his desperation in knowing how futile all the effort may be and his inability to keep his partner safe. The scene in the car before he goes to make his statement with the DEA says it all about this wonderful actor who never lets us see anything but Javier in every scene he's in. Javier's integrity and HUMANITY somehow shines with perfect clarity through Del Toro's extremely complex performance and that innate ability got him the praise he deserves and more. His performance is so complex and multi faceted, as real people are, that at times we do not know for sure where his motivations lie. Javier certainly represents the Good in the drug war but he is also thick skinned and calculating as he has to be. He represents not only the struggle on the other side of the border but he adds a very emotional sense to the WHOLE movie and very often you'll find yourself getting teary eyed. Del Toro captures the extremely deep and three dimensional persona of Javier so perfectly that you wonder where Benicio ends and Javier begins. This is an ensemble piece but after viewing this film a few times, I am certain that it would NOT be even half as effective without Benicio Del Toro playing Javier. He makes it all work. By the end of the film, I was so moved by his performance that the only word I could think of was simply BEAUTIFUL.
Another plus: I was very much taken in my Don Cheadle. I remember him from ER and he was definitely a scene stealer in that show. I loved the exchanges between Cheadle and his partner. The little chuckle after he is thrown out of the drug baron's house towards the end of the movie is priceless! Cheadle's character parallels that of Benicio Del Toro. He is riding some high stakes as well but not nearly as high as those faced by Javier. I didn't know that Topher Grace had such a pivotal and solid role. He is definitely going places. Erika Christensen hits you hard with her eerie and hardcore performance. The scene when Micheal Douglas finds her (his daughter) in the lowest of places is gut wrenching and Erika makes it believable. One of the most chilling elements I found was the idea of a pregnant mother partnering up with the cartels to distribute drugs in a DOLL and hiring a known assassin to kill the trial witness! She doesn't have the moral center anymore to realize that one day her own children will be faced with that tempting fiend.
The film succeeds in conveying what the director set out to do, that is to give us a glimpse of the multi faceted drug epidemic and just how far up and deep it goes. All the stories are compelling and the sense of despair of it all lingers throughout the film. Traffic also has the most MAGNIFICENT movie conclusion I have seen in a long time. In the midst of the despair and corruption, we are left with one shiny ray of hope which is achieved through the romantic vision of one good man, Javier Rodriguez.
The Hunted (2003)
Could have been profound
I bought this DVD really for the suspense, action and the always great performance of Benicio Del Toro. Well the suspense was messed up for me cuz I had already read what happens at the end due to a careless comment by an IMDb poster. The action was fun and I was VERY impressed by the rapid knife fighting action by the 2 actors. What is really eye catching is the setting and the camera work capturing the action.
Del Toro was well....deranged and believable as needed for his character. His manner of speech seemed really bizarre to me for some reason (and not in a lovable Fenster kind of way). I wonder if that was his choice or he was trying to seem disturbed. It definitely isn't his normal speech style. For any other actor I would say he was excellent in his speaking scenes but for some reason it seemed he wasn't up to his own par he has set over and over again. I would blame that on the script and the director. His character could've been developed so MUCH more and I believe the development that DID happen is owed mainly to Del Toro's obsession with making his characters believable. He did make his character worth the audience' sympathy. This movie doesn't do justice with his talent and I wish he had been given a better script or was in a position to make the story changes for a more compelling and complete film. It seems Freidkin was set out to make a completely 1 dimensional action flick with this one. After making Hallam a more "human" killing machine, he should've taken the trouble to explore that more and let Benicio do his magic. He is so underused here, even for an action flick. However, he is exceptionally good in all the action drama scenes, he seems to be moving and behaving on instinct..not on cue.
The amount of real bloody violence was a surprise to me and I particularly found the opening of the movie jolt me into a very sombre mood for the rest of the movie. I was initially resisting to watch this cuz of Tommy Lee Jones. I still haven't recovered from the 90's "Jones is in every movie" freaked out phase, but I actually liked his quiet resignated manner in this film (when he is not fighting). As many ppl have commented already, its REALLY hard to believe that Jones can run so fast and catch upto a train, and wrestle around with someone as young and strong as Hallam. It is very obvious that Hallam would be physically stronger. I understand about the skill part but there are so many scenes where they are just wrestling it out with sheer strength and Jones is an aging man for God's sakes. I really like Connie Nielson as an actress BUT she seems under-used too. I didn't find her to be very believable. The problem with this movie is that the director doesn't seem to understand his audience very well. He doesn't know how to use the audience' sympathy for a character to develop the story. I felt sympathy for Hallam as most did but it seems that the director was only playing on the sympathy the audience would be feeling for Bonham for HIS hand in the killings (by his teachings) and thats how the movie plays out leaving a lingering empty impression (even that is kind of only touched on). The solution or the end result is too simple, too plain and doesn't give us any closure or an understanding. If that is all that it was about *spoiler alert* then its just a cat and mouse game and about how long it takes for the cat to kill the mouse (Hallam). Problem solved. Friedkin, by adding the extended family scenes and bible references, tried very half heartedly to add depth to the story but should've gone deeper or shouldn't have bothered at all.
Robotech (1985)
Real Fantasy world
I would love to say I highly recommend this series....but due to the 80s animation, it would prolly turn off new viewers. The original robotech fans can still view this series and admire the great story lines and wonderful characters. Although the animation is really bad compared to what we have today, the characters still come through with amazing clarity despite the fact that we don't even see their lips move properly when they talk. As much as its a science fiction/fantasy story, the issues addressed are still real. Robotech is divided into 3 different series as one person already pointed out and it circles around wars with alien races. There is violence and death, there is even the seemingly glorification of war. But ultimately the moral of the story is "war produces nothing, it only leads to death and destruction" (quote by the character of Lynn Kyle...quote may be off a lil'). And the series proves that message mostly in the last of the 3 series when there is a compromise and a truce with the alien race of invids. By then much had been lost but the lesson has been learned by both sides.
The love stories are told wonderfully; the dilemnas of romance and how ppl sometimes fall out of love and outgrow each other. I can still watch this cartoon series (i hate calling it a cartoon!) with interest and i'm in my mid 20s. I was lucky enough to be outside of North America when this series aired so I got to view all 3 different series. And yes the sentinel movie was a bit of a disappointment. It was nice to see the characters grow but it seemed the artists behind the work just made everyone look older by making them taller and changing their hair completely. Yes I'm being picky here and the musical score was not as good as the original series did.
This is the most amazing set of stories told in any animated series I've seen in my childhood (and i saw plenty!). The characters are so real and well developed that you really identify with them. Even the villains are portrayed as well developed characters with human frailties and flaws, as opposed to being an evil alien race. All characters learn and grow and can change their perspectives on things.
I loved robotech when it first came out and it still makes me nostalgic when i see it or hear about it, not just because it reminds me of my childhood but because it represents a wonderful fantasy world with fantastic characters embarking on wonderful adventures...something that strikes everyone with an active imagination as extremely viewable.