Top 25 Countdown — No. 17


Today I continue my top 25 countdown with a late 1990s classic.

No. 17 — LA Confidential (1997)
Starring: Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, James Cromwell, Guy Pearce, and Kim Basinger
Director: Curtis Hanson
Quote: "Some men get the world. Others get ex-hookers and a trip to Arizona." — Lynn Bracken
About: Sometimes you're just destined to get over shadowed. When we look back, you can make an argument that "LA Confidential" was the best film of 1997. But it came out the same year as "Titanic," which had incredibly unique filmmaking techniques and, at the time, was the highest grossing film in history. So "Titanic" won Best Picture. Not a terrible choice, but not the right choice, in my opinion. Of course, I loved "LA Confidential" at the time, too, which is probably the kiss of death for a film's award chances. This isn't the only film on this list that I put that stink on the year it competed. But 19 years later, I still think this was the best film the year it came out, and it remains one of my favorite films of all time. And it's a film whose plot consistently gets ripped off. Just in the last year "True Detective" ripped off elements of the plot during its second season and, of course, "The Blacklist" ripped off part of the plot in the last episode on Thursday night. That's because there's so much of this film that's iconic. Not the least of which is the performances. This was a time, remember, when we were just realizing Russell Crowe was a great actor. And Spacey was only two years removed from "The Usual Suspects" and "Se7en," and was in the midst of a historic run of performances and films. And Pearce and Cromwell are under rated, as is the deep supporting cast — which includes David Straithairn, Danny DeVito and Kim Basinger. I love the story, the period setting, and the way the film comes together. And it has an iconic closing action sequence. If you haven't seen "LA Confidential" and you love these kind of films, you're missing out.
Rating: R for strong violence and language, and for sexuality. Enter with caution.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more