Anttell

The first half of the film is really strong and the scene that serves as the transition to the second half (the bar scene) is fantastic. I felt that the the latter half as a whole was a bit of a bubble though: there is a lot of The Count of Monte Cristo (the book that is referenced in the film a lot, check it out if you haven't) -esque revenge build-up but the payoff is a disappointment. For me, there were also slight pacing issues towards the end, along with some tonal choices I wasn't a fan of. Still, I'd say it's a fairly recommendable drama.

Rating: 6/10

A pretty solid thriller with a problematic production history. Rourke is good (and looks weird as hell as he does these days) as the psychopathic hitman, and we also get to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt on the verge of his cinematic breakthrough.

Rating: 6/10

A cigarette smoke filled rich gritty eighties noir, it's the kind of thing that's right up my alley. There are some superb looking action scenes in this one. It's a bit rough around the edges, the screenplay is diverse, even messy but in a good way, and the grainy dvd print just adds to the hazy experience. I'm currently checking out Rourke's films and this just might be the best I've seen.

Rating: 9/10