Movie #379 - First Knight

First Knight
1995 - Rated PG-13 - 2 hr 14 min
Director: Jerry Zucker
Starring: Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond, Ben Cross, Liam Cunningham

Another post deleted by Blogger.  Here we go again...

Yay for gritty retellings of the King Arthur legend, with much less fantastical fairytale and a lot more of the actual climate of the time period. I especially like the shattered illusion that Arthur and Gueniviere were this perfect, handsome couple. He's older than her, their marriage is negotiated like a contract, she's in love with someone else.  It's very accurate for the time and it gives a realness to the story that I think most other tellings miss out on. 

Of course, my favorite scene is the "discovery" and Sean Connery's brilliant performance.  The heartache captured in his expression has always rung true to me and has stuck with me throughout the years since my first viewing. It's powerful and beautiful.... and now I'm gushing again.

Anyway, I love this one for its anti-romance romance :)

Movie #105 - Chicago

Chicago
Miramax
2002 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 53 min
Director: Rob Marshall
Starring: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Taye Diggs

Movies of musicals... what a refreshing revisit to the early cinematic triumphs of the 30s, 40s, and 50s :)  And Chicago, with all that jazz (pun intended), harkens back to those happier, more care-free, get-away-with-murder days.  But there's something dark about this movie version, dark but very appropriate.  They don't just burst into song, they live the song through repressed fantasies in their heads.  It seems more real this way, less Broadway-y and less Hollywood-y. 

My only regret is that Taye Diggs doesn't sing at all.  Hugely missed opportunity, if you ask me.

Movie #5 - The Jackal

The Jackal
Universal Pictures
1997 - Rated R - 2 hr 5 min
Director: Michael Caton-Jones
Starring: Bruce Willis, Richard Gere, Sidney Poitier, Diane Venora

Alright, my third dose of Bruce Willis in 48 hours and he's finally the bad guy!! And what a good bad guy he plays, too. I love it.

Bruce cycles effortlessly from just-a-stache to platinum blonde to creepy trucker look. Meanwhile, Richard Gere has an Irish accent. Mike pointed out that if Bruce and Richard used to be partners and Bruce is allegedly Irish, shouldn't he also have an accent?

Apparently, when you're 1990's Bruce Willis, you can talk however you damn well please.

Anyway, this is a considerably better flick than Mercury Rising, but then most are. Not as good as 12 Monkeys for me, just not that much going on. And the whole Richard Gere is an international terrorist that's helping the FBI find a crazy person reminds me of The Rock. And when Sean Connery's involved, there's no contest. Sorry, Richard.

Tomorrow, I'm done with Bruce for a bit (probably until I reach D for Die Hard). Instead, it's Kevin Spacey time with 21. See you then!