Sin City

[Abagadro]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARG.

It's obvious you've never seen City on Fire or you wouldn't say such things.  The Killers stole a lot of elements from it (it was made 2 years after it), so it is understandable, but there are many, many, many shots taken from City on Fire (one that sticks out is the undercover cops watching his criminal buddy blast cops through their windshield, but also the ending in the wharehouse, the gutshot criminal, etc. etc. etc.)  There is also the Mexican standoff at the end. Plus, that has been a staple of Honk Kong action flicks (not to mention Segio Leoni movies) long before The Killers.

Saying that Woo and QT have similar styles is just asinine. There is no slow mo in RD (excpet for pushing on a damn hand dryer in the Comode Story), no birds, no mass shoot outs in crowded places, no bullet perspective, no operatic score, no NOTHING to compare it to Woo.  RD is much grittier, like, I don't know, CITY ON FIRE.

[stray]

A little fun fact: Nicky Katt, who played the Nazi dude, also played Atton from Knights of Old Republic II.

I don't know why that guy only gets bit parts either. He's been around awhile, and in everything I've seen him in, he's stealing the show (ex. the Limey).

And since I was giving most of my praise only to Rourke earlier, let me just add in that Clive Owen is the fucking man....Probably the only guy who can actually get away with pushing Del Toro's face into a toilet.

[stray]

Why the hell is the last movie I can remember with Rourke -  Wild Orchid? Crap, he owned this movie, even if he morphed in to Hellboy when he put that glove on...

Yeah, Wild Orchid was part of his "I don't give a shit" period. That period would also include Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. The remake of Desperate Hours isn't too bad though.

Angel Heart and Barfly are his best, I think. Year of the Dragon, the Pope of Greenwich Village, and Diner are great as well. And though he has a small part in Rumble Fish, it's just all kinds of cool. Animal Factory is another bit part, but he's amazing in it.

[Fargull]

I liked the movie.  I really enjoyed the use of color, every damn shot brought something new.  As said through the thread, Mickey owned this movie.  Elijah was good, but damn I really liked Carla Gugino...even outside the naked goodness.

Keep up the tickle-me-elmo slapfest going on about Tarantino, it reminds me of highschool in a sad mopey kinda way.

[MrHat]

I'm a huge Clive Owen fan.  I seriously believe he should've been the next Bond.

As for Rourke and Sin City, that fucker did a hell of a job.  I swear he was in this movie, "Spun", that I saw last year on DVD about drugs.  He did a bang up job in that too, playing a steady slightly crazed drug cook to Brittany Murphy's crazy chick character (she's always crazy).

On the subject of girlfriends, mine wasn't exactly enjoying the movie but she didn't start hating it until Rourke Jr./Yellow Bastard showed up.  Since he was puke green and everything else was black and white, he really really sticks out and into your mind.

Edit:  Yup: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283003/

Double Edit: I am the american audience.  I must be entertained.  That is all that matters.  I have so far been entertained by all QT's stuff.

[kaid]

Okay if you thought the yellow bastard was puke green than you sir are either A) very color blind or B) were in a very crappy movie theater.


kaid

[stray]

On the subject of girlfriends, mine wasn't exactly enjoying the movie but she didn't start hating it until Rourke Jr./Yellow Bastard showed up.  Since he was puke green and everything else was black and white, he really really sticks out and into your mind.

That's the only reason? I'm sorry, but that's silly.

He's the Yellow Bastard. He's a pedophilic, human sack of piss. He's supposed to be disgusting. Characters like that are intended to be hated, *HIGHLIGHT* just to make their fate is that much more anticipated.. If she simply didn't like the movie that's a different thing, but I don't understand why someone would just latch on to that.

I feel like an idiot for ignoring Nick Stahl all this time too. I've only seen a few minutes of Carnivale, and didn't like Terminator 3 at all (but he wasn't bad, I guess). Then I saw a movie called "Bully" recently and the guy surprised the hell out of me. In Sin City, I think he had his role almost finely tuned as Rourke did with Marv. Not a cool character by any means, or the kind I'd want to heap praise upon, but Stahl, the actor, is someone I won't ignore again.

[MrHat]

On the subject of girlfriends, mine wasn't exactly enjoying the movie but she didn't start hating it until Rourke Jr./Yellow Bastard showed up.  Since he was puke green and everything else was black and white, he really really sticks out and into your mind.

That's the only reason? I'm sorry, but that's silly.

He's the Yellow Bastard. He's a pedophilic, human sack of piss. He's supposed to be disgusting. Characters like that are intended to be hated, *HIGHLIGHT* just to make their fate is that much more anticipated.. If she simply didn't like the movie that's a different thing, but I don't understand why someone would just latch on to that.

I feel like an idiot for ignoring Nick Stahl all this time too. I've only seen a few minutes of Carnivale, and didn't like Terminator 3 at all (but he wasn't bad, I guess). Then I saw a movie called "Bully" recently and the guy surprised the hell out of me. In Sin City, I think he had his role almost finely tuned as Rourke did with Marv. Not a cool character by any means, or the kind I'd want to heap praise upon, but Stahl, the actor, is someone I won't ignore again.

Well, yes, obviously for other reasons too, which is why she didn't exactly hate it (didn't like it), but that did it for her.  Plus the whole, "I rape small children", was a little off.

I saw "Bully" ages ago, and thats why it's hard to see him play other roles.

[stray]

Heh, I guess my use of "HIGHLIGHT" is out. Doesn't exactly work in quotes, I see.

Oh well, it's not really a spoiler anyways.

[Riggswolfe]

Is Bully the movie based on the true story about those teenagers who killed one of their friends? Which part did he play?

[stray]

Is Bully the movie based on the true story about those teenagers who killed one of their friends? Which part did he play?

The Bully.

[blackotter]

I feel like an idiot for ignoring Nick Stahl all this time too. I've only seen a few minutes of Carnivale, and didn't like Terminator 3 at all (but he wasn't bad, I guess). Then I saw a movie called "Bully" recently and the guy surprised the hell out of me. In Sin City, I think he had his role almost finely tuned as Rourke did with Marv. Not a cool character by any means, or the kind I'd want to heap praise upon, but Stahl, the actor, is someone I won't ignore again.

Totally agree.  He did a great job in the role, although it was not a character you want to praise.

I'm a big fan of Carnivale though, so I'm sorta biased towards Nick Stahl.  Nobody can say, "Goddamn Sonofabitch" like him. :)

Have to put Bully on my Netflix queue.

Oh and for those wanting to see Alba get nekkid

Modest Alba won't bare all
   
BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) -- Jessica Alba didn't bare all in "Sin City" for a good reason -- she didn't want to answer to her father.

"I felt like dancing around with the lasso and chaps was going to be sexy enough," she told the Boston Sunday Globe. "Being nude, for me, would have been distracting, and I couldn't even conceive of being bottomless: My dad would disown me or something -- he'd freak out."

Alba, the heroine of the TV series "Dark Angel," stars in the film alongside Rosario Dawson, Carla Gugino, Jaime King and Brittany Murphy. All show up in various stages of undress.

But Alba defends the film from accusations that it is misogynistic. "The women are completely empowered," Alba said. "It's not just women being victimized. It's everybody."

Alba, 23, has two more movies coming out in July: "Into the Blue" and "The Fantastic Four," another film based on a comic book. "That's a huge one, and there's a lot of pressure."

What could be next?

"I love kitchen-sink dramas," she said. "I never get offered them, but I want to do something small, that's less glamorous and more character-driven. But you know, this is a nice balance right now."

[schild]

She missed her once chance to get nude in a movie that would have been A. "More Artsy" and B. "More Acceptable" than any other movie she'll ever been in.

Idiot.

[stray]

She missed her once chance to get nude in a movie that would have been A. "More Artsy" and B. "More Acceptable" than any other movie she'll ever been in.

Idiot.

As much as I'd like to see Alba nude, I'm glad she didn't.

As much as like seeing any woman nude on screen, I find myself with more respect for the ones who don't do it than the ones that do.

/shrug

Don't ask why. I don't really know myself.

[Margalis]

As much as like seeing any woman nude on screen, I find myself with more respect for the ones who don't do it than the ones that do.

/shrug

Don't ask why. I don't really know myself.

Maybe because 95% of the time the nudity has nothing to do with the movie and is implausibly thrown in?

[WayAbvPar]

That is no reason not to include it!

[Strazos]

Personally, I think a stripped Alba would have been just more gravy and cheese on top of an already supearlative movie. Marv's probation officer was all I needed, Mmhmm.

[Llava]

Marv's officer is about the only case of nudity I've seen in a movie that was actually important to the characters.  Almost every other kind I've nudity I've seen could've been shot around, but that whole scene wouldn't have worked if they hadn't just shown her.  It also let us know that Marv really is an okay guy, because she's clearly comfortable being almost completely nude around this monster of a man just because she knows him and knows he won't do anything.

And here I was thinking that, much as I enjoy it, there never really is a reason for a movie to have b00b13s other than for b00b13s sake.

[MrHat]

But Alba defends the film from accusations that it is misogynistic. "The women are completely empowered," Alba said. "It's not just women being victimized. It's everybody."

-------------

Hah.


Edit:  ( . Y . )

[stray]

But Alba defends the film from accusations that it is misogynistic. "The women are completely empowered," Alba said. "It's not just women being victimized. It's everybody."

-------------

Hah.


Edit:  ( . Y . )

This is the only film I've seen since Street Fighter (the Chiba version) where a guy rips another dude's testicles off with his bare hands.

Heh. Even if a woman didn't commit that specific act, I'd say it's pretty empowering for them nonetheless.

[Big Gulp]

I already expounded on why I really didn't enjoy the movie all that much on Corpnews, but I'll put it in a nutshell here.

A) Slavish devotion to mimicking the comic books does not equal quality.

B) Clunky dialogue.  Works for the comic books, doesn't work when you have real people saying the lines out loud.  The dialogue then becomes silly.

C) Infantile subject matter.  Really, this shit is just tailor made for teenage revenge fantasies.  I don't mind movie violence, in fact I quite enjoy most of it.  Nothing in this movie offended me, so much as seemed over the top silly and gratuitous.  It just seemed immature to me.  Every woman's a hooker, every guy's a psychopath.  *yawn*

[Shockeye]

C) Infantile subject matter.  Really, this shit is just tailor made for teenage revenge fantasies.  I don't mind movie violence, in fact I quite enjoy most of it.  Nothing in this movie offended me, so much as seemed over the top silly and gratuitous.  It just seemed immature to me.  Every woman's a hooker, every guy's a psychopath.  *yawn*

That's the feeling I got from some of the reviews I'd read and it's the main reason I have no interest in seeing this. Maybe when it hits DVD and it's $0.99 day at the video store. Then again, maybe not.

[MaceVanHoffen]

I already expounded on why I really didn't enjoy the movie all that much on Corpnews, but I'll put it in a nutshell here.

A) Slavish devotion to mimicking the comic books does not equal quality.

B) Clunky dialogue.  Works for the comic books, doesn't work when you have real people saying the lines out loud.  The dialogue then becomes silly.

C) Infantile subject matter.  Really, this shit is just tailor made for teenage revenge fantasies.  I don't mind movie violence, in fact I quite enjoy most of it.  Nothing in this movie offended me, so much as seemed over the top silly and gratuitous.  It just seemed immature to me.  Every woman's a hooker, every guy's a psychopath.  *yawn*

Everyone's different I guess.  I just recently finished reading all of the Sin City novels, as I hadn't read them.  Each reason you list is a reason why I liked the movie.  It was a dark parody of film noir.  It was like what would happen if you took Sam Spade, put him in a dank cellar, tortured him, fed him heroin and steroids for a decade or two, then turned him loose in modern-day Los Angeles.

Hulk had all of the same features you list, but I didn't really care for it.  I have no idea why I liked Sin City but not Hulk.  Go figure.

[schild]

Hulk had all of the same features you list, but I didn't really care for it.  I have no idea why I liked Sin City but not Hulk.  Go figure.

You see, Hulk was a shitty action movie with subplots of the civilized man vs. the animal man. It sucked ass.

Sin City was pretty much the last noir film that ever needs to get made. It was complete with corny dialogue, extremely stereotypical males and females, and everyone had inner conflict to deal with. That said, all of those parts added up to a whole that was just plain art. Noir isn't easy. Noir used to be cheap.

The most recent Noir movies I can think of are Hard Eight and L.A. Confidential. The latter was more of a modern cop drama and the former was more of a dark comedy. Sin City was 100% noir. Some people hate it, some people don't. But comparing it in any way at all to The Hulk is more of an insult to the genre than an insult just to Sin City. The Hulk was shit.

[MrHat]

Don't know if this is relevant but it left me with a strong urge to play Max Payne 2 again.


Which I did.  And it's still fantastic.

[stray]

The most recent Noir movies I can think of are Hard Eight and L.A. Confidential. The latter was more of a modern cop drama and the former was more of a dark comedy. Sin City was 100% noir.

I'd be surprised if you haven't seen it, but I'll add The Woman Chaser to that small list. It really has nothing to do with typical Noir subject matter, but I'd be hard pressed to label it anything else. Great shit.

C) Infantile subject matter.  Really, this shit is just tailor made for teenage revenge fantasies.

I respect your opinion Big Gulp, but I think that's a just a little too simplistic. It's somewhere in between. I've noticed that many kids absolutely hate it -- Just as much as those who consider it "infantile".

It definitely has a specific audience it's garnering to, but I don't think that would be it.

[Riggswolfe]

C) Infantile subject matter.  Really, this shit is just tailor made for teenage revenge fantasies.  I don't mind movie violence, in fact I quite enjoy most of it.  Nothing in this movie offended me, so much as seemed over the top silly and gratuitous.  It just seemed immature to me.  Every woman's a hooker, every guy's a psychopath.  *yawn*

Well, guess we had to have one borderline politically correct viewpoint on this movie. You're in the minority on this one Big Gulp and I think it's for a reason. This movie appeals to the primal part of people, and throws in just enough themes of redemption and sacrifice to make it fun water cooler talk as well.

[schild]

Noir isn't about high subject matter. It's always been infantile bullshit. It's just part of the genre.

I'm not sure what the problem is here. Sin City is a noir movie and nothing else.

[Big Gulp]

Well, guess we had to have one borderline politically correct viewpoint on this movie. You're in the minority on this one Big Gulp and I think it's for a reason. This movie appeals to the primal part of people, and throws in just enough themes of redemption and sacrifice to make it fun water cooler talk as well.

Bitch, please.  I'm a fucking drill sergeant, for Christ's sake.  How politically correct do you honestly think I am?

There are no "moral dilemmas" in this movie, it's all cardboard horseshit about psychos rescuing sluts.  It's a character movie without character.  As to it being "the ultimate noir movie", pull your head out.  The Killing, Touch of Evil, hell, even Blood Simple are more definitive examples of film noir than Sin City could ever hope to be.

[schild]

It's a character movie without character.  As to it being "the ultimate noir movie", pull your head out.  The Killing, Touch of Evil, hell, even Blood Simple are more definitive examples of film noir than Sin City could ever hope to be.

Please please please Hammer don't hurt'em. Sin City is the result of 50 years of Noir. It did everything right. Miller and the other filmmakers obviously read the Noir Reader and got their shit together before filming this one. It could not have been more noir. Given what it did and how it did it, it's genetically impossible for it to be MORE noir. Touch of Evil, The Killing, and hell, even Blood Simple were noir by genre. Sin City was NOIR ON PURPOSE. It's a character movie with character, just because you didn't LIKE it doesn't mean the character wasn't there. It had as much if not more character than other noir movies. In addition it was fun to watch. Maybe that's the problem, you're looking for pain, when it doesn't provide any. Sorry, it's just not trying to be boring.

Good Sir, in this particular situation, claiming it's not a noir movie - or assuredly a noir classic - you are so in the minority you might want to step back, see the movie again, read a something or two about noir and revise your opinion. Cuz it smells like bullshit.

[Riggswolfe]

Bitch, please.  I'm a fucking drill sergeant, for Christ's sake.  How politically correct do you honestly think I am?

There are no "moral dilemmas" in this movie, it's all cardboard horseshit about psychos rescuing sluts.  It's a character movie without character.  As to it being "the ultimate noir movie", pull your head out.  The Killing, Touch of Evil, hell, even Blood Simple are more definitive examples of film noir than Sin City could ever hope to be.

I didn't say it had moral dilemnas. I said it had some themes. Redemption was a big one. Unless you slept through all of Marv's story. Or missed that Dwight was a murderer. Or missed that Hartigan was rescuing Nancy because he wanted to save at least one person. (Admittedly Hartigan's was less about redemption and more about doing the right thing at any cost.)

It doesn't aspire to be high drama, it aspires to be noir. Perhaps a modern twist on noir because of all the violence, but noir nonetheless. I could easily see Humphrey Bogart in this movie.

[stray]

It's a character movie without character.

I'm having a hard time figuring out how you could watch Marv's story and say something like that. His motivation for doing what he did speaks for itself. I mean, that one scene in the car with Goldie's sister says enough.

[MaceVanHoffen]

But comparing it in any way at all to The Hulk is more of an insult to the genre than an insult just to Sin City. The Hulk was shit.

I wasn't comparing the two.  I was pointing out that Hulk had all the same bulleted features that Big Gulp listed yet was a vastly inferior movie.

[schild]

But comparing it in any way at all to The Hulk is more of an insult to the genre than an insult just to Sin City. The Hulk was shit.

I wasn't comparing the two.  I was pointing out that Hulk had all the same bulleted features that Big Gulp listed yet was a vastly inferior movie.

Just making sure. My brain stopped functioning after I saw the word Hulk in this thread. Jennifer Connely boobies are the only reason I'm still alive.

[HaemishM]

I saw this today. I was completely blown away. The only part that I didn't like was right at the beginning, after the Josh Hartnett bit. The first part of the Hartigan story. It felt like Willis and Madsen were phoning their parts in, and fell totally flat. It wasn't anything but their performances, which just didn't feel organic. But when Rourke starts talking as Marv, shit, that's the medicine. Rourke is just made for noir, he's got the perfect voice for it. Owen and del Toro were fucking incredible as well. Del Toro is just crazy on a stick. Brittany Murphy vacilated between quite good and barely tolerable, depending on what line she was speaking. Some people can act noir, some can't. She can't reliably.

Madsen and Willis can, when they try. The rest of the Hartigan story was good, well-acted stuff.

Clive Owen needs to kill his agent. Seriously. Because no one who can act as well as he can should be put in shitty movies like King Arthur. But I'm sure he got a good paycheck for it, but fuck. He's much better in this.

All the women were just amazingly hot. I love black and white, it's what I use for artsy photographs, and it made these women more gorgeous than they already are. Carla Gugino and Jaime King were fantastic looking. B&W is good to them.

Nick Stahl and Elijah Wood were fantastic. Powers Boothe did the kind of role he can do in his sleep, and even Rutger Haeur made his part better. The only performances that really disappointed me were Murphy and Madsen, and with Madsen, I don't know why.

As for noir, you either like it or not. And if you aren't a fan, this is like a non-junkie getting a mainline of heroin. It's just not going to agree with them.