Posts tagged Mystery
“Body of Lies” Interesting, but Not Engaging
Oct 16th
Posted by Channel 1 Networks in Hotshots Movie Reviews
Interesting, but Not Engaging
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
BODY OF LIES is a modern-day spy thriller set in the Middle East that holds your attention while you are watching it, but after it is over, you might feel unsatisfied.
The fourth collaboration between Russell Crowe and director Ridley Scott, the film also stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a CIA agent on the ground who is in almost constant cell-phone communication with Crowe, his handler back in the United States.
In fact, Crowe’s Ed Hoffman can even be directing DiCaprio’s Roger Ferris while Hoffman is at home guiding his young son to the bathroom or at one of his children’s soccer games.
And even when Hoffman is at CIA headquarters, the satellite technology is so sophisticated that he can watch Ferris while Ferris is driving out in the desert or even running through crowded streets.
Their main objective is to catch Al-Saleem, an Islamic terrorist mastermind behind two massive suicide bombings in Europe. To this end, Ferris concocts a complicated scheme to make an innocent man look as if he is another terrorist mastermind competing with Al-Saleem, in order to draw Al-Saleem out into the open.
As part of the plan, Ferris needs the cooperation of a man named Hani, who is the head of Jordan’s covert operations and who tells Ferris his one
rule: that Ferris must never lie to him.
Hoffman, however, tells Ferris, “You cannot trust Hani. Am I clear?”
Now, the film seems to be a training manual for terrorists in showing just how certain operations can be accomplished, such as how to get one man into one automobile out in the desert without revealing to an overhead satellite which automobile he is in.
The film also shows warfare at its best. Or should that be at its worst?
After a while, however, we might find ourselves asking do we really care what happens any more?
The theme could be described as “Nobody is innocent,” but there seems to be too many similarities to too many other recent films, some better and some not as good, but is that the fault of this film or the fault of the novel on which it is based?
Even a semblance of a love story seems to be generic and just plopped down into the plot.
BODY OF LIES is interesting to watch, but not very engaging.
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”
Body of Lies – Movie Trailer
Oct 8th
Posted by Channel 1 Networks in Movie Trailers
Fresh off of their success with director Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, star Leonardo DiCaprio and screenwriter William Monahan team with director Ridley Scott for this screen adaptation of David Ignatius’ novel Body of Lies. When CIA operative Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) uncovers evidence indicating that a major terrorist leader may be operating out of Jordan, he enlists the aid of CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) in infiltrating the elusive saboteur’s vast underground network. During the course of his dangerous mission, Ferris gradually comes to question how much he can trust his presumed allies — who include not just Hoffman, but the outwardly helpful head of Jordanian intelligence as well.
“Righteous Kill” You Talkin’ to My Little Friend?
Sep 17th
Posted by Channel 1 Networks in Hotshots Movie Reviews
You Talkin’ to My Little Friend?
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
RIGHTEOUS KILL is a terrific film worth seeing for more reasons than two, and by “two,” of course, I mean Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.
These two iconic actors are together again for the first time playing two veteran New York City police detectives named David Fisk and Thomas Cowan, but who go by the nicknames of “Turk” and “Rooster.”
They have been partners for 30 years, they are highly decorated, and as another police detective says about them, there is not an inch of daylight between them.
In fact, as one of them says to the other, “You’re my partner. You’re my role model. What am I going to do without a role model?”
However, before they can retire, Turk and Rooster investigate the murder of a notorious pimp, which appears to have a connection with a case they solved years ago.
The victim is a suspected criminal whose body was found accompanied by a four-line poem that claims to justify the killing. And then the next thing they know, there are additional killings with additional poems, and they realize that they are looking for a serial killer, someone who is targeting criminals who have managed to escape being punished.
Eventually, Rooster and Turk are forced to team up with two other police detectives, and there is even more than one investigation going on.
Also, when it becomes clear that Turk has connections with most of the victims, the detectives have to face the possibility that the serial killer might actually be a policeman.
Now, don’t get distracted by the distractions, and there are plenty of distractions, just as there is lots of misdirection in the story. Stay focused on the actors and the acting, and pay attention to the details, because there is a terrific turnaround, and even when you think you know what has happened, you can’t imagine what is going to happen next.
In fact, see this wonderful film twice. See it once for the story and then see it a second time just for the acting and the actors. You will be glad you did.
And, of course, while you are watching De Niro and Pacino, you will keep being reminded of the previous films they have starred in.
RIGHTEOUS KILL cries out for someone to say, “You talkin’ to my little friend?”
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”