‘Public Enemies’ Deserves a Second Look

Michael Mann’s Public Enemies was one of the most anticipated films of the year (Read my Parcbench review here, John Nolte’s slightly opposing view here). However, it seems that many critics are drastically underrating this film. This is unfortunate because even though the film may not be the gangster movie we are used to; it sure has hints of perfection throughout. After reading many reviews panning this film, I decided to give it a second look.

There were still some obvious flaws. There are a couple of choppy edits as well as questionable music in the scene where Dillinger walks into the cop shop. But the flaws most people discuss don’t seem to be a true flaw at all. I’ve heard and read many people say the film has no depth and the characters are shallow. This is simply not a fair assertion.

The film may appear shallow to some, but it doesn’t give us anything we don’t need to know. That is exactly what makes this film enjoyable; there is no abundance of useless information. It is about Dillinger’s short time as public enemy number one, nothing more. (more…)

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Tags: "Public Enemies", Dillinger, gangster movies, Johnny Depp, Michael Mann
Posted Jul 23rd 2009 at 4:28 pm in Classic Hollywood, Film | 18843022 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cyogerst/2009/07/23/why-some-may-be-wrong-about-public-enemies/%27Public+Enemies%27+Deserves+a+Second+Look2009-07-23+23%3A28%3A10Chris+Yogerst

Review: ‘Public Enemies’

Striving for cinematic greatness is always a risky proposition. The risk is that when you fall short there’s no mistaking the swing-and-a-miss. To his credit, this is the position Director Michael Mann loves to put himself in. He always strives, always puts himself out there and the result is a number of unforgettable films but also a few obvious and glaring misses. “Public Enemies” misses. Not as badly as “Miami Vice” or “Ali,” but other than a couple of sequences, “Enemies” never gels, grabs, bites or takes hold. Instead, the narrative just kind of rolls along hitting insistent beats en-route to the inevitable.

Johnny Depp is John Dillinger, a criminal before crime was organized who specializes in bank robberies and jail breaks. His dash, audacity and refusal to steal from the common folk has made him something of a folk hero to Depression-weary America, but J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) sees an opportunity to use Dillinger’s exploits as a way to firm up his fledgling national police force (the F.B.I.), but first he’ll have to prove his modern, centralized methods work. (more…)

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Tags: "Public Enemies", Baby Face Nelson, Christian Bale, Frank Nitti, John Dillinger
Posted Jul 1st 2009 at 6:18 pm in Featured Story, Reviews | 17531425 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2009/07/01/review-public-enemies/Review%3A+%27Public+Enemies%272009-07-02+01%3A18%3A37John+Nolte

Part 4: Interview with ‘Brothers at War’ Director, Jake Rademacher

Note:  Part 1 of this 4 part interview can be found here, Part 2 here and Part 3 here.

J.R. Head:  I felt that one of the most important things about the film was that it allows the folks that are left behind, the friends and loved ones, to get a glimpse of a soldier’s everyday life.  I served during relative peacetime but, even for me, it was difficult to explain what my day was like to my girlfriend, to my family… They were always imagining something bad happening.  And, let’s face it, peacetime or wartime, sometimes bad stuff happens.  We train hard, there are accidents and sometimes people die but for the most part you’re just doing your job.  I felt like “Brothers at War” gives folks a good look at what really goes on and allows them to relax a little bit.  Y’know, there’s not, say, a mortar attack every five minutes. 

“Brothers at War” Director, Jake Rademacher:  It’s a great tool for a soldier to allow loved ones a window, a good look at what life is like for them during a deployment. (more…)

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Tags: Brandon Tuley, Brothers At War, George Lucas, Iraq War, Isaac Rademacher
Posted May 22nd 2009 at 6:34 am in Entertainment, Military | 140794No Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jrhead/2009/05/22/part-4-interview-with-brothers-at-war-director-jake-rademacher/Part+4%3A+Interview+with+%27Brothers+at+War%27+Director%2C+Jake+Rademacher2009-05-22+13%3A34%3A49J.R.+Head

Trailer: Public Enemies

That is one outstanding trailer and the first footage I’ve seen.

This era’s always proved difficult for present-day filmmakers to credibly recreate.  One major exception is “L.A. Confidential” (1997), but the rest, most notably Scorsese’s ridiculously over-praised “The Aviator“ (2004), overtax your suspension of disbelief with a sense that everyone’s play-acting with clothes found in grandma’s attic. Director Michael Mann appears to have figured out that stylizing the hell out of it is the way to go. The music and atmosphere make you want to dive right in. (more…)

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Tags: "Public Enemies", Christian Bale, J. Edgar Hoover, Johnny Depp, l.a. confidential
Posted Apr 10th 2009 at 11:26 am in Entertainment, Video | 102806No Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2009/04/10/trailer-public-enemies/Trailer%3A+Public+Enemies2009-04-10+18%3A26%3A17John+Nolte

Summer Movie Season: The Good, the Bad and the Maybe

No matter how frustrated, disappointed, or outright disgusted Hollywood makes me, all is forgiven during that brief moment just after the trailers finish and just before the film begins. When those lights dim the chip dissolves from my shoulder and all the filmmaker need do to win me forever is tell one helluva story.

Politics shmolitics… Just take me away.

For we hopeless movie lovers, each year hope (if you’ll pardon the expression) springs eternal with a fresh offering of pull-out-the-stops-studio-balance-sheet-in-the-crosshairs slate of tent poles. And for that reason, this is my favorite part of the movie year because all I want for my ten bucks is to get lost for a couple hours, and from May 1st through the end of August filmdom at least attempts to put the political nonsense on hold to do just that. (more…)

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Tags: 3, Bruno, Christian Bale, Denzel Washington, george clooney
Posted Apr 9th 2009 at 1:09 pm in Entertainment | 1017142 Commentshttp://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2009/04/09/summer-movie-season-the-good-the-bad-and-the-maybe/Summer+Movie+Season%3A+The+Good%2C+the+Bad+and+the+Maybe2009-04-09+20%3A09%3A31John+Nolte