Hansel & Gretel stereotype

It has been a long time since I last write something in this blog. I'm still enjoying movies. Although I seem to can not find time to write again, despite all the 'free-time' I have. 

So the last movie I watch is Hansel & Gretel (2012). Hansel is being played out by the all machoness Bourne and Avenger actor, Jeremy Renner. And Gretel played by the smoking hot Gemma Arterton. 

The lack of movie rating agency in Indonesia make this movie easily misunderstood as movie for children.  And one week into the release in Indonesian bioscopes, they were putting notice like this: "Hansel & Gretel bukan film anak-anak". This notice is also resounding in the twitter world, warning people to not bring their kids to watch this movie, despite the title. I guess the early movie watchers fully regretted their decision to bring their kids into the movie because of the violence pictured in it. 

Hansel & Gretel story was about two siblings, a brother and a sister, whose one day being left in the middle of very thick woods by their father, and struggle to find their way home but fallen trapped to a evil witch in a house decorated with sweets. Even at a very young age, the have enough wit to tackle the evil witch, and kill her by burning her inside the stove that was meant to cook them instead. This is the part where this movie got its unique character, because in captivity the evil witch force-feed Hansel with sweets like candies and cakes, he later developed diabetes, and must inject insulin every few hours, or else he will die. Later when they grown-up they become a evil witch hunter. Gretel turns out to be a steamy hot sensual witch hunter. And Hansel, well, turns out fine, despite the diabetes. 

The story line is familiar. They are constantly hunted by their childhood experience of being left alone in the woods, and the big witch boss in the movie is the same one that cause them to suffer that experience. 

The action is standard. The setting is medieval-style, you know like 'Jaman Kegelapan'-ness somewhere in Europe. 

On a personal note, this movie is becoming a stereotype for both Jeremy and Gemma. I mean, watching this movie made me feel like I already watch this movie, and this action before. It's like having a dejavu. Jeremy Renner act is his stereotype, and so does Gemma Arterton. Jeremy Renner with his Bourne-type action machoness, and Gemma Arterton with her sensuality on scene. I am afraid, if both of them not doing something different in their next movie, they will fall into oblivion, and just maybe become another A-list or B-list actor, but not a legend. 

The Motorcycle Diaries - life-changing journey

Film ini didasarkan atas catatan harian yang ditulis oleh Ernesto Guevara, tentang perjalanan keliling benua Amerika Selatan-nya, bersama sang sahabat, Alberto Granado. Di film ini, Guevara diperankan oleh Gael Garcia Bernal, dan sahabatnya Granado diperankan oleh Rodrigo De La Serna. Guevara, dipanggil "Fuser" oleh sahabatnya, si ahli biokimia yang cerewet, Granado, adalah si sulung dari 5 bersaudara yang memiliki sakit asma. Perjalanan ini, ditentang oleh ayahanda pada awalnya, namun sikap keras Fuser membuat ayahnya luluh dan membolehkan ia melakukan road-trip yang akan mengubah hidupnya ini.

"The Motorcycle Diaries" dinominasikan untuk 3 kategori dalam penganugerahan piala Oscar 2005. Seperti layaknya film bergenre road-trip lain, kedua tokoh kita melalui segala kesulitan bersama, dan sampai pada akhir film, perjalanan ini akan mengubah hidup mereka selamanya.

Guevara dan Granado adalah teman satu kampus, namun lain jurusan. Pada tahun 1952, satu semester sebelum Guevara lulus sekolah kedokteran, mereka berdua memutuskan untuk melakukan kerja praktek di sebuah rumah sakit khusus untuk penderita lepra di tepi sungai Amazon, di Peru. Untuk menuju kesana, dinamic duo ini melakukan perjalanan panjang dengan sepeda motor Norton tua milik Granado.

Sepanjang perjalanan, Fuser menulis beragam pengalaman yang ia hadapi di buku catatan hariannya. Perjalanan yang menyusuri Argentina, chili, Brazil, dan Peru ini diwarnai oleh banyak kejadian. Yang paling menarik perhatian Fuser adalah kemiskinan para petani yang tanahnya dirampas oleh orang-orang kaya. Sepasang suami istri petani yang ditemuinya di Peru kehilangan tanahnya kepada orang kaya, dan mereka terpaksa berjalan ratusan kilometer jauhnya, meninggalkan anak-anaknya di rumah untuk mencari kerja di bendungan.

Pengalaman ini, setelah melihat sendiri kondisi sosial ekonomi masyarakat miskin di pedalaman ia tuangkan ke dalam buku catatan hariannya. Semuanya lambat laun mulai mengubah sikap "Che", panggilan untuk lelaki Argentina--seperti mas atau abang kalo di kita.

Rumah sakit khusus pengidap lepra memberikan kesan yang paling mendalam bagi Che. Walaupun hanya berada disana selama tiga minggu, namun sikap ramah Che dan Alberto mengesankan semua pasien dan staf di rumah sakit tersebut. Penolakan Che untuk memakai sarung tangan ketika berjabat tangan dengan para penderita lepra, ditanggapi dengan skeptis oleh para suster. Namun para suster tersebut lambat laun mulai menerima ketulusan mereka berdua.

Di akhir perjalanan, baik Ernesto dan Alberto telah sama-sama memahami sikap masing-masing. Begitu banyak suka duka yang mereka alami dalam perjalanan tersebut, pada akhirnya akan mengajarkan mereka tentang kehidupan, dan akan sedikit banyaknya menentukan dalam pilihan hidup mereka selanjutnya.

Film ini menurutku, akan sangat cocok ditonton oleh para mahasiswa, atau mereka yang masih dalam pencarian arti hidup. Segala kesulitan yang dihadapi dalam perjalanan, adalah pelajaran hidup yang sangat berharga. Film ini sangat menginspirasi kita, to go out there, live the life we always dreamed of, not to be worried with anything. And start to go on our own life-changing road-trip.

Knocked Up

Film komedi ini dirilis Juni 2007 di bioskop di AS. Di Indonesia, aku baru temui di tempat jual beli dvd di Ambas bulan November 2007. Ceritanya sangat sederhana, namun menarik.

Untuk merayakan promosinya, Alison (Katherine Heigl) pergi ke bar dan disana ia bertemu dengan seorang pemuda pengangguran asal-asalan, Ben Stone (Seth Rogen). Mereka ngobrol bareng, mabok-mabokan minum miras bareng juga, dan terakhir em-el bobok bareng. Istilah gawul anak muda jaman sekarangnya adalah "berdiri semalaman" alias one night-stand. Keesokan harinya mereka berpisah sambil berharap gak akan ketemu lagi (untuk Alison), dan pengen ketemu lagi (untuk si keriting Ben).

Namun tak dinyana tak diduga, delapan minggu kemudian, Alison bunting positif hamil. Berita kehamilan ini pun disampaikan kepada Ben, yang langsung blingsatan ala cacing kepanasan. Di luar dugaan, si jobless Ben (setelah menerima nasehat kiri kanan agar menggugurkan aja kandungan itu) memutuskan untuk bersikap jentelmen gentlemen dan mendukung Alison dalam meneruskan kehamilannya.

Sampai titik ini ceritanya menjadi lebih menarik. Knocked Up berubah dari sekedar komedi menjadi drama tentang cinta, pengorbanan, dan perubahan seseorang menjadi lebih dewasa. Ben yang pengangguran hanya punya uang 100 dolar di rekeningnya. Website yang dia rintis bersama teman-teman satu kosan (atau satu kontrakan?) masih berada dalam tataran konseptual, masih jauh dari operasional. Di lain pihak, Alison, berjuang menghadapi masa awal kehamilan (a.k.a. muntah muntah di pagi hari) berusaha menyembunyikan kehamilannya karena takut mendapat sanksi dari kantornya.

Di film ini kita akan melihat transisi dari kedua tokoh utama kita. Ben yang asal-asalan lambat laun mulai menyadari tanggung jawabnya sebagai calon ayah. Begitu pula dengan Alison, yang akhirnya memutuskan untuk memelihara bayi itu sendiri. Film ini memang simpel, namun banyak nilai positif yang bisa kita ambil.

I Am Legend vs 28 Days Later

Sulit untuk tidak membandingkan I Am Legend dengan film bertema sama tahun 2002 (dirilis di Indonesia tahun 2004), 28 Days Later. Keduanya sama-sama menampilkan sosok seorang survivor; satu-satunya orang yang selamat dari outbreak satu virus ganas yang memusnahkan hampir semua umat manusia. Menjadikan sebagian manusia lainnya menjadi zombie karena mutasi genetis.

Baik 28 Days Later maupun I Am Legend juga menggambarkan keadaan kota yang sepi, mati, tanpa tanda-tanda kehidupan. London di 28 Days Later terasa begitu sepi, gelap, dan suasana sebagai kota mati lebih terasa. Sementara suasana sepi kota New York di I Am Legend entah mengapa buatku terasa kurang menggigit. Roh sepinya terasa absen. Apakah mungkin karena suasana sepi di IAL lebih banyak merupakan hasil CGI (Computer Generated Imagery). Udah kebayang repotnya kaya apa menutup jalan kota New York, pasti banyak orang misuh-misuh karena ritme hidupnya terganggu di hari-hari itu.

Namun begitu, I Am Legend juga menawarkan sesuatu yang absen dari 28 Days Later. IAL memberi gambaran kondisi psikologis sang tokoh utama yang diperankan oleh Will Smith, selama hidup sendirian selama bertahun-tahun, dan adaptasi yang dilakukannya untuk bertahan hidup dalam kesendirian. Hanya ditemani oleh seekor anjing, sang tokoh kita berusaha untuk menjaga agar dirinya tetap hidup dan waras, dengan sebisa mungkin melakukan interaksi sosial, dengan anjingnya, dan dengan banyak boneka manekin yang dia beri nama dan dia sapa layaknya dia menyapa
orang betulan. Miris sekali melihatnya, tapi sisi ini menurutku jadi satu daya tarik film ini. Sebuah skenario imajiner yang akbar tentang satu orang yang hidup sendiri di dunia ini, hanya berteman seekor anjing, pasti akan memberikan efek psikologis terhadap orang tersebut. Minimal dia akan agak gendeng kurang waras nanti. Sosok-sosok antagonis dalam hal ini zombie-zombie pemakan manusia semuanya hasil rekaan CGI. Sang produser berpendapat bahwa manusia tidak bisa memberikan gerakan-gerakan yang dituntut oleh skenario. Oleh karena itu, diambillah keputusan utk menjadikan semua zombie hasil CGI. Untuk sisi ini, harus kuakui, 28 Days Later lebih mumpuni. Karena menggunakan aktor-aktor figuran asli utk memerankan zombie, semua gerakan terasa lebih asli dan manusiawi. Akibatnya efek realismenya lebih terasa. Sayang sekali sosok zombie dalam I Am Legend tidak diperankan oleh manusia, konflik yang akan mengerucut ke akhir cerita bisa lebih terasa dalam.

Sebagai penutup, tidak perlulah kita pusingkan mengenai akhir cerita, karena resep yang sama selalu digunakan Hollywood, sang hero tetap bertahan hidup, atau bisa jadi dia mati tapi matinya dia akan membawa perbedaan terhadap semua yang pernah terjadi. Yang jelas, film ini sangat bisa dinikmati. Sebuah genre lawas namun digarap dengan lebih maksimal.

National Treasure 2 - Just another treasure hunter kinda movie

This is the sequel of the 2004 film, National Treasure. Nicolas Cage once again star as Benjamin Franklin Gates, a treasure hunter. The story follows the journey of Ben gates to clear his family name after someone accused his great great grandfather Thomas Gates of conspiring in the assasination of US President Abraham Lincoln. Ben, with the help of his friend Riley, and his ex-girl friend, Abigail, embark upon a journey that will take them to Paris, London, and deep into the cave in Mount Rushmore , trying to find clues that will lead them to the City of Gold, and also in doing so clear Thomas Gates name. They went through many obstacles, break many codes, and violates dozens of laws to find the ultimate treasure City of Gold. The findings of this treasure will prove that Thomas Gates was really an innocent man.

I initially expect this film will be different. That this film will offer something new in this treasure hunting genre. You know, kind a like "Lord of The Ring". The one that brings this genre to new heights, gives me a new amazing conspiracy theories to think about after, the one that really gives attention to detail and realism aspect of the film. I turned out to be wrong. My expectations are not met. The movie ended with the way I predicted. There even a time when I thought that this film is finally over, but it wasnt. It left me thinking, "I saw one movie quite like it before. Was it The Da Vinci Code, or.. National Treasure the first, or Indiana Jones series? I dont know". This film is so standard. The Inca's city of gold theme is so frequently used, you will instantly recognised it. The city and interior of the cave looks pretty artificial. I guess they must have used a lot of CGIs. The kidnapping of the Presidents looks too easy and simplistic. I must say, theres no way on earth anyone can pull a kidnapping of a President of the United States which are known to have a very thick layer of security. Very unlikely.

But dont get me wrong, this film does have its upside. I love the car chase scene in downtown London. Ben Gates hijacked a new Mercedes, being chased by bad guys in Range Rover, being shot at, bumped from sideways, almost run over people at pedestrian, and yet it still run fast like nothing happen. It always feels amazing to watch such a beautiful car being manhandled. I recommend, dont get your hopes too high guys. Just see it for the action sequence, or better watch it in your dvd player at home with friends and family. Dont waste a lot of money in this. Believe me.

Be With You - fiksi romantis ala Jepang

Buat yang suka nonton film fiksi yang romantis, film Jepang yang satu ini boleh jadi alternatif. Untuk mengobati kerinduan akan film romance yang akhir-akhir ini semakin jarang. Aku tonton film ini dalam format dvd hasil pinjaman. Hehe.. Ceritanya tentang seorang ibu bernama Mio, sebelum meninggal ia memberikan sebuah diary kepada anaknya, Yuji. Dalam diary itu, ibunya berjanji bahwa ia cuma pergi sebentar ke sebuah gugusan bintang di langit, dan ia akan kembali nanti saat musim hujan.

Ketika tiba musim hujan, Yuji bergegas ke sebuah tempat di tengah hutan ia biasa bermain, dan disana ia bertemu dengan seorang wanita yang sangat mirip ibunya, tapi wanita ini tidak mengingat apa-apa tentang dirinya. Yuji dan ayahnya, Takumi, yang percaya bahwa wanita itu adalah Mio, mengajak wanita itu ke rumah mereka. Disana, selama musim hujan, wanita ini tinggal, dan sedikit-sedikit belajar mengenal siapa dirinya. Kehidupan Yuji dan Takumi yang selama ini agak berantakan mulai sedikit berubah karena mereka ingin membuat kehadiran Mio yang singkat ini semengesankan mungkin. Yuji dan Takumi yang biasanya berantakan mulai berubah, pakaian yang berserakan, piring yang berhari-hari belum dicuci mulai mereka bersihkan. Yuji juga semakin bersemangat pergi ke kantor. Sementara itu, Mio lambat laun mulai menyadari siapa dirinya. Ia rajin bertanya kepada Yuji dan juga Takumi, tentang sifat-sifat dirinya. Taku juga menjelaskan awal bagaimana mereka bertemu pada awalnya. Sayangnya, semua mimpi indah ini harus berakhir ketika musim hujan berakhir. Yuji dan Takumi menerima kenyataan bahwa semua yang mereka alami selama ini adalah sebuah mimpi indah yang memang harus berakhir. Di akhir musim hujan, Mio akhirnya menghilang.

Film ini akan dibuka dengan adegan seorang tukang kue mengantar kue untuk ulangtahun Yuji ke 17. Sambil menjelaskan bahwa tahun depan mungkin tokonya akan tutup, si tukang kue memberitahu Yuji bahwa selama ini toko ini buka hanya untuk menepati janji kepada Mio, bahwa ia akan mengantar kue ulang tahun setiap hari ultah Yuji sampai Yuji berumur 17 tahun. Dari situ, adegan berganti ganti antara flashback dan masa kini untuk menjelaskan saat Mio dan Takumi bertemu. Film ini romantis tapi juga agak ada fiksinya. Adegan Mio menghilang utk terakhir kalinya rasanya sangat alien sekali. Ada cahaya putih dari atas, dan dirinya tiba-tiba semakin memudar.

Quill

Film yang dirilis tahun 2004 ini bercerita tentang kehidupan seekor anjing Labrador bernama Quill. Ceritanya bermula dari hari ketika Quill dilahirkan. Diceritakan dengan narasi suara untuk mengisahkan tingkah polahnya yang lucu. Quill kecil dilahirkan dengan tanda lahir berbentuk menyerupai salib atau silang di perutnya. Sebuah hal yang sangat langka terjadi pada seekor anjing sejenisnya.

Ketika berumur tiga bulan, Quill dititipkan pada pasangan suami istri yang tidak mempunyai anak. Hal ini dimaksudkan sebagai orientasi untuk membiasakan Quill terhadap kehadiran manusia dan mempercayai manusia, serta untuk memberinya pendidikan dasar. Ketika berumur satu tahun, Quill sekali lagi berpisah dengan tuannya untuk dididik di sekolah anjing penuntun, dibawah didikan handlernya, Tawada. Walaupun pada awalnya terkesan lambat dalam menerima pelajaran, tetapi lambat laun Tawada menyadari bahwa Quill berbeda. Quill ternyata sangat patuh dan tidak mudah terganggu dgn keadaan sekelilingnya, sebuah kepribadian yang sangat cocok untuk menjadi anjing penuntun.

Melalui perantaraan Tawada, Quill dikenalkan kepada Watanabe, seorang lelaki tua buta yang keras kepala, yang pada awalnya sangat tidak percaya pada manfaat seekor anjing penuntun. Namun kemudian Tawada dapat meyakinkan Watanabe utk menggunakan jasa anjing penuntun, dan mulailah Watanabe berlatih bersama Quill. Sifat Quill yang penyabar, lambat laun mulai meluluhkan Watanabe, dan jadilah Quill sebagai anjing penuntun bagi Watanabe. Suka duka mereka jalani bersama, sampai akhirnya Watanabe meninggal karena penyakit diabetes yang telah lama dideritanya.

Pengabdian Quill sebagai anjing penuntun bagi orang buta berakhir ketika ia berumur 12 tahun. Saat itu, Quill yang telah menjadi anjing yang sangat tua, dipertemukan kembali kepada pasangan tanpa anak yang dulu pernah memeliharanya waktu kecil. Bersama mereka, Quill menjalani hari-hari akhir hidupnya, di tempat yang sama dengan tempat waktu kecilnya dulu, dimana semua kandang dan mainannya masih dibiarkan sama seperti saat ia masih berumur 3 bulan dulu. Quill meninggal ketika berusia 12 tahun dan 35 hari. Ditemani oleh pasangan suami istri yang menemaninya, tidur di sampingnya, ketika ia menghembuskan nafas terakhirnya. Kalau anda penggemar anjing, film ini harus anda tonton. You will feel warm at heart. Sayangnya cuma ada di dvd. Coba cari di ambas saja di tempat yang jual dvd. Pasti mereka punya di section film Jepang.

Jiffest time..!!!

It is the time of the year for Jiffest again. Unfortunately enough, i only had the opportunity to watch one of its screenings just a day before closing. For those of you who dont know what Jiffest is, it is Jakarta International Film Festival. This year, it is the 9th annual of Jiffest.

From their program book I learn that this year Jiffest screens more than 200 films from more than 30 countries. The venues for the screenings include Goethe Institut, Erasmus Huis, Djakarta XXI, Kineforum, and Blitz Megaplex.

The organising comittee sets up the festival as follows: 1. World Cinema; this section shows big films with already known names behind them. 2. Panorama; shows equally good films bit from lesser-known directors and actors. And number 3. House of Docs; shows top documentaries, and last 4. Variety; shows quality short films from around the world. Beginning this year, Jiffest also showcasing films from South East Asian countries. This year presentations was a feature about the legendary Malaysian actor, P. Ramlee, and a film from Singapore's talented film maker Royston Tan, "881". This year, Jiffest also hosted the "Indonesian Feature Film Competition", where all Indonesian films released from end of 2006 to 2007 will be screened for free. There's also Script Development Competition being held.

I watched the film titled "Atos Dos Homens" at the Goethe Institut. The film was a documentary about a massacre in Baixada, near the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It captures the lives of both residents and murderers who live in the same area. It turned out that the perpetrator were all corrupt police officer who went on rampage, on a day in March 2005.

Something's Gotta Give

This is one of my favorite movie of all time. Never seem to get bored watching it all over again. Jack Nicholson fits nicely to play as Harry Sanborn, an old playboy-bachelor whose never married, always avoid serious commitments, owns like a dozen company, and has a reputation of never dated a girl over 30. One day, during the weekend that he spent together with Marin (Amanda Peet) at her house in Hamptons, her mother Erica Barry (Diane Keaton), a famous Broadway playwright, and her aunt Zoe (Francis Mc Dormand), Harry had a heart attack and was brought to a hospital nearby, where the entourage meet Doctor Julian Mercer, played by Keanu Reeves, who had a crush with Erica. Julian told them that Harry can not go home to New York due to his heart condition and was prescribed to stay at the Barry's residence in the Hamptons until he recovers.

During his stay, Harry proved to be a handful, but also fun and soulful companion to Erica, whose in the midst of finishing her latest play. Together they discover each other, and their fascination toward each other grows. Harry was thrilled to find that Erica, in her late 50s, was also fun to be with. And Erica feels that Harry is not as bad as his playboy type, and can be fun to talk to. And they both got intimate.

Harry's old habit die hard though. As soon as he's back in New York he begin dating young girls again. And then one night Erica who happen to be having dinner with Marin and her ex-husband saw Harry dating a beatiful young blonde. Erica was brokenhearted. She went back to the Hamptons, and channel her anger and frustation to finish her play. And so she finished her play which was inspired from real life experience she had with Harry. Meanwhile, that night Harry had a second heart attack, and was brought to a hospital.

Several months later, the play was a big hit in Broadway. And Erica now dates Mercer, the young doctor from Hamptons, and they were in Paris to celebrate her birthday. Harry, now look older and wiser, seeks closure to his feelings, and chase Erica to Paris. What dissapointed me was the ending. It was very Hollywood fairytale-style, (Mercer leave Erica for Harry), and they live happily ever after, or so it seems.

I like the soundtrack, I like the setting in the beach house in Hamptons. The interior was real nice. And moreover, I think Jack Nicholson is like playing his own self, and so does Diane Keaton. To me it was as if they were both born for the role they played. Jack with his boyish naughty grin and Diane who seem to never lost her beauty really brings color to this movie. Maybe its because the script was spesifically written for Jack Nicholson to play Harry Sanborn and Diane Keaton to play Erica Barry. Nancy Meyers, was also the writer/producer of the 2006 film The Holiday. After you watch this two movies, you can spot Meyer's style. Lots of nice music that give the right ambience to a specific scene. It's like cooking I guess. You pour in lots of different ingredients, and do a little tweaking of the recipe, and voila! A masterpiece.

American Gangster

Two Academy Award winner for best actor collided in this movie about the life of one notorious gangster in America, Frank Lucas. Denzel Washington (Oscar for Training Day) starred as Frank Lucas, the main character, and Russel Crowe (Oscar for Gladiator) as his opposite, Richie Roberts, the honest drug cop who tries to untangle the web of one drug trafficking network. American Gangster directed by Ridley Scott (Black Hawk Down).

The story revolved around Frank Lucas, who rises to the top of the crime world after his boss's death, using everything his boss has ever taught him. He quickly develop his wit, and saw an opportunity to make big bucks by transporting and selling high quality heroin directly from Southeast Asia, using his contact in the US military to provide for the transport. As his business grow larger, Lucas get help from his brothers, who he appointed as his lieutenant in his drug business. All his brothers own a legitimate business, which they uses for cover in laundering drug money. Meanwhile, Lucas maintain a life of low profile, discipline, and tried as hard to keep under the police radar.

In parallel timeline, Richie Roberts, trying hard to resist all temptations of being a cop, handover almost a million dollar he confiscated from a stake-out, after refusing his partner offering of splitting the money in two and not report the money to their superior. This move, make him famous, but also make his friends cautious and keep a distance with him. Later on, his superior appointed Richie to head the newly formed group of anti-narco cops, who will lead a group of honest cops, to tackle the flow of narcotics into New York and Jersey area.

Their life collided when Richie's ex partner dies of drug overdose, of a substance called Blue Magic, the drug Lucas marketed in downtown Harlem. Richie's team tries to track down the sales of Blue Magic, which led them to a Muhammad Ali boxing fight. In there for the first time, the team spotted the big boss of drug trafficking in Harlem, the man himself, Frank Lucas. From then on, the team's pursuit of Blue Magic, lead to Frank Lucas, and at the same time, Lucas's luck begin to run out after Vietnam War is over, which saw the military leaving Vietnam, and jeopardizing Lucas's primary means of transporting the drugs to the US undetected.

All in all, there's nothing special with this movie. The setting's so 70's. It's fun to watch New York in the 70s. The costumes is nice. Props is nice too. Now, the story itself is pretty standard. I think it's about the life of a gangster, which contrary to popular belief, is not always filled with gunshots and glamorous murders. The character Frank Lucas get to his position in top of the food chain by maintaining discipline, and keeping a low profile. It all comes down to one goal, to try as hard to avoid detection, lay low, be invisible, dont attract attention, so the cops will get off your back. If I had to rate this, I will give it 3-3.5 stars out of 5 stars. Such a shame really, considering you have 2 Academy-award winner starring, and an acclaimed director.