1,2,3 Crows AND a couple Movies

Let's start with the two movies I watched last night. It was bowling night, but my knee was still a little tender, and I didn't want to do any more damage and not be ready to golf it up when Rodrigo gets in town next week, so I skipped and watched 2 of the three Netflix rentals I had in the mailbox when I got home. The third movie I hope to watch tonight '2 Days in Paris'.

King of California (2007)
(dvd)
Trailer
Starring:
Michael Douglas ... Charlie
Evan Rachel Wood ... Miranda

4 out of 5

What a great movie, I definitely recommend this one. Miranda (Evan Rachel Wood) plays a 17 year old (soon to be 17) who dropped out of high school so she could pay the bills around the house after her father was sent away to a Mental Hospital. Her Mom had split the scene years prior. The movie starts with Charlie (Michael Douglas) being released after spending two years in treatment. He apparently wasn't ready to get out, and is soon back to his old habits. Miranda loves her father, but is frustrated with his erratic behavior. When he first gets out, he wants to go 'exploring' with his GPS unit and a shovel. Miranda soon learns the real reason. While in the hospital, Charlie read a journal from the 1600's detailing buried Spanish doubloons in the California hillside. He claims he has cracked the code and with his daughter's help they can find it. Miranda eventually buys into the story, probably just to satisfy Charlie, but when they find a rock described in the journal, with three faded crosses carved into it (on a private golf course) she starts to believe. When the two finally think they have discovered the burial spot, they are disappointed to find it is the middle of a Costco warehouse store!! Miranda thinks the adventure is over, but we soon learn Charlie isn't ready to give up. "It's only 6 feet of concrete!"

Miranda: You don't take anything seriously do you? You think the world is just here for your amusement!
Charlie: But look at the world...
Miranda: I do. But unlike you I have to live in it!

Revolver (2005)
(dvd)
Trailer
Starring:
Jason Statham ... Jake
Ray Liotta ... Macha
Vincent Pastore ... Zach
André Benjamin ... Avi
Terence Maynard ... French Paul

4 out of 5

How lucky am I that the first two 'indy' movies I watched were both great! Directed by Guy Ritchie (over the hill Madonna's hubbie) I had a hunch this one would deliver. I have enjoyed his previous movies, and I actually stood face to face with Ray Liotta once, at a movie premiere so I try to give his work a chance whenever I can. Here are a few good quotes from the movie.

Jake Green: One thing I've learned in the last seven years: in every game and con there's always an opponent, and there's always a victim. The trick is to know when you're the latter, so you can become the former.

Jake Green: There is something about yourself that you don't know. Something that you will deny even exists, until it's too late to do anything about it. It's the only reason you get up in the morning. The only reason you suffer the shitty puss, the blood, the sweat and the tears. This is because you want people to know how good, attractive, generous, funny, wild and clever you really are. Fear or revere me, but please, think I'm special. We share an addiction. We're approval junkies. We're all in it for the slap on the back and the gold watch. The hip-hip-hoo-fuckin' rah. Look at the clever boy with the badge, polishing his trophy. Shine on you crazy diamond, because we're just monkeys wrapped in suits, begging for the approval of others.

Well, to put it simply, I could say this was a movie about a con, but I don't think that would do it justice. It is much more than that, and the famous quotes that are flashed through the movie make you think a little bit. The story sort of discusses how our ego is our worst enemy, how theorists actually claim the devil was invented by our ego, so we wouldn't have to ever blame ourselves for anything. Not to confuse anyone, this was a great movie, you won't need to take a quiz at the end, but there is allot of meat to the plot. Jake (Jason Statham) is just being released from serving 7 years of jail time. He could have served 14, but chose to do 7 of solitary. His cell was positioned between a master chess player, and a master con-man. As the saying goes, prison is like vocational school for some repeat offenders, and Jake learns the perfect con game from these two, which he never saw in person.

After finding out he has 3 days to live after being released, due to a rare blood disease, he immediately feels he is being conned, but is he? His first goal after getting out, was getting even with Macha (Ray Liotta ) a casino owner, bad guy type. When the tables turn, and Macha starts gunning for him, he is approached by Avi and Zach (Andre Benjamin and Vincent Pastore) two untouchable loan sharks with a very bad rep. Even the criminal Kingpin (Mr Gold) won't go near them. They offer Jake a chance to stay alive, but under two conditions. 1.Give them every cent he has, and 2.Answer every question, and do whatever they ask, (isn't that 3 things?)

What follows is a movie that will get you thinking who is conning who, and h0w will this end. I recommend this one, even if it takes you watching it twice to see some of the storyline. Last thing I want to say is how impressed I am with Andre Benjamin's aka Andre 3000(from the musical group 'Outkast' fame) acting skills. I thought he was great in Idlewild, and he delivers again in this movie. I think he will have a great career if he continues to pick roles, and avoid the dud movies.

Let's save the Counting Crows album review for tomorrow, I need more coffee and it's almost time for a smoke break. (Here's a hint, it's good, go buy it!)