Review of The Long Goodbye (1973) by Cat N — 04 Sep 2005

[i][b]M*A*S*H* [/b][/i]- I think this was great back in the day, but the non-linear thing sort of falls apart when it's out of time context. Much of what was so audacious about it at the time no longer is. Excellent performances though, and Altman's touch is clearly at work. As an added bonus, it's very fun to see so many of the cast at the outset of their careers.

[i][b]The Long Goodbye[/b][/i] - 3/5 The idea of this, per the special features, was that Phillip Marlowe has awoken from the 40's with that old sense of morality, to the 70's, and is trying to reconcile the two. In the end, he does something that defies any sense of morality - something that would be called a "crime of passion", only he seems completely blase about it.

[b][i]The Player[/i][/b] - 4.5/5 Shrewd commentary on the head games of Hollywood and the realities of superficial people. Altman tells the story beautifully with a charming, somewhat art deco look that harkens back to a cleaner Los Angeles, all the better to contrast with the smarmy people in it.

[b].

[i]City of God[/i] [/b]- 4/5 Marvellous photography and cinematic effects heighten the drama, not that it needs heightening. We start and end with the story of Rocket, a kid from the slums of Rio de Jeniero who wants to be a photographer. What makes him one, finally, is exactly the thing that nearly gets him killed time and again: his life at the periphery of the gangs that rule the City of God. Unfortunately, we almost lose track of Rocket through the second act, among all the gang activity - too bad because without him it's just a sea of crime. The story does circle back around to his POV for a solid ending and pulls the entire story into focus.