Melville-7

I saw that We Own The Night received a standing ovation at the European critics screening and premiere at Cannes. Well, I can tell you at the preview screening I saw a while ago in the US, the audience applauded enthusiastically as well. The audience was totally into this movie in a way you don't usually see anymore. Not just grooving on it, but engrossed. Reminds me of The Godfather not just the movie, but the way the audience enjoyed it. Only reason I didn't give it a 10 was I don't give most movies at 10 unless they're like The Searcher or Vetigo. Again I don't want to give away too much about the movie because I hate now how everyone knows everything about a movie's plot before it opens. Let's just say it's both a crime movie and a family drama. A socially conscious melodrama and a cop story. And it has a couple of great action scenes. The acting was top notch by Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg (better than in The Departed), Robert Duvall (always good) and especially Eva Mendes who I've never seen like this before. 9/10

This is a comic caper that pulls out all the stops in its story of a hasbeen shock rocker name Spazz-O, who is wasting so much of his limited wealth that his wife and manager, who are having an affair, plot to have him killed by a hitman. Before that can happen, he is kidnapped by a neverwas rock group aptly named Hindenberg who hold him for ransom. This is the jumping off point for one of the craziest, most colorful and broad satires of the music scene you're likely to see for some time to come. It's basically O.Henry's THE RANSOM OF RED CHEIF updated to the 90s and cranked up to the max with every rock music cliche thrown into the mix. The script is very funny and the direction is colorful. Special kudos to Ian Maynard as the "great" Spazzo-O, the kind of guy who puts an air conditioner in his sauna because he's sweating in there. Anyone who knows the music business or is a fan of heavy metal will be especially tickled by the cameos appearances of some authentic rock stars. And that song, "Inseminator" is a hoot. Both it and the movie are destined for cult status.

This is a low budget action move set in the rap music industry, starring one of the most popular groups of the first wave of rap stars, Run-DMC. Though produced on a shoestring and rough around the edges, this fun little epic captures the style and period when rap music was king far better than slicker more hyped films like KRUSH GROOVE. The acting is a bit shaky at times, but Run, DMC, Jam Master Jay and the others project an impressive charisma. The entertaining story moves along at a fast clip, with our heros out to avenge the death of a beloved roadie at the hands of some slimy music industry sharks who have a sideline laundering drug money. Cameos by rap music heavyweights like The Beastie Boys, Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin and LL Cool J add to the amusement. Director/co-writer/co-star Rubin's father Mickey gives a nice performance as a mafia kingpin who is less than thrilled with his son's chosen profession. Co-writer Ric Menello went on to direct several classic music videos for The Beastie Boys and LL Cool J. All in all, not too shabby.