The brusque and harebrained Illegal

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Bill Wren

Edward G. Robinson was one helluva a good actor. He even makes this exercise in the absurd and perfunctory a crime drama you can watch, even enjoy at moments. Often found in film noir collections, it isn’t noir. In a … Read more →

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Predator and prey and packs in Collateral

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Bill Wren

This movie is filled with fascinating imagery as Michael Mann presents a nocturnal vision of the city that is dark and threatening. It also has a key image, the coyote, that I think many people misremember. If you look at … Read more →

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Collateral (2004)

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Bill Wren

Directed by Michael Mann The only person in Collateral that seems at home in the urban environment is the predator Vincent (Tom Cruise) and, ironically, he’s the only one who says he doesn’t like it (“too sprawled out; too disconnected”). … Read more →

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Hypocritical and disturbing: They Won’t Forget

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Bill Wren

I’m usually more forgiving of the sins of older movies as I try to keep in mind the periods they were made and the attitudes and mindsets of the day. But the subject They Won’t Forget takes on and how … Read more →

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The Thin Man Series

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Bill Wren

The series of Thin Man movies answers the question, “What does happily ever after look like?” Romances are usually about the obstacles a couple goes through in order to be together and they end with the pair finally uniting with … Read more →

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High Sierra (1941)

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Bill Wren

Directed by Raoul Walsh The movie High Sierra is notable and highly watchable for a number of things not the least of which is its status as Humphrey Bogart’s first starring role. It’s the one that placed him pretty firmly … Read more →

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High Sierra: When the bad guy is the good guy

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Bill Wren

I recently finished reading Stefan Kanfer’s Tough Without a Gun: The Life and Extraordinary Afterlife of Humphrey Bogart. (The title is from something Raymond Chandler said of Bogart.) So of course, I’m back to watching Bogart movies, at least for … Read more →

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