Gangster Squad — Sometimes, Old School’s the best Way to Go …

1st June, 2013.

You know, sometimes, it’s good to catch a movie.

No, really: it’s good to catch a movie, it really is.

Usually, there’s only one thing better, sometimes.

That’s catching a movie, in company.

If you run that past Kevin D, he’ll hopefully tell you exactly the same thing.

And, given it’s been a while since he was over, I’m glad he happened to mentioned he had both a free evening: and had spotted a couple of titles on the iTunes store that he felt would make for entertaining watches.

I’m glad he did.

I know I was glad of the company, tonight.

Actually … ?

I’m both glad of the company … and the movies he thought of.   One of which, the 2012, Ruben Fleischer directed, Gangster Squad.

I have to say, they don’t make them like that anymore.

So it’s nice to see SOMEONE give it a go!

~≈Ï≈~

2nd June, 2013

Now, you’re probably wonder about that phrase, aren’t you … ?

Let me try and summarise.

Gangster Squad sees Josh Brolin as Sargent John O’Mara: a tough and unconventional LA cop who’s given one job: that of assembling a team of equally tough cops, in order to use the most unconventional methods possibly to take down Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn.)

Very unconventional: including raiding several of Cohen’s casino’s and nightclubs: sans warrants, but with blazing machine guns, and masks.

Until, one day … ?   One day, Cohen realise’s he’s being bugged … and set up … 

And decides to break out the heavy mob … !

~≈Ï≈~

Now, I said they don’t make them like that any more … ?

I’m right, I think: they don’t.

That is — depending on your taste for these things — either a good or bad thing.

But I think both myself and Kevin agreed, last night: that Gangster Squad is a very old school gangster film, with parts broadly reminiscent of The Magnificent Seven*, and the original TV version of Dragnet†.

Old school.   Possibly mildly unoriginal.   And with more blazing machine guns than you can shake Edward G Robinson at … 

But, my God, it was fun … !

Gangster SquadPaul        ★★★☆Kevin      ★★★☆

*        Where O’Meara parts the squad together: I have to admit, I was seriously tempted to wave assorted amounts of fingers around.

†        Something I know I mentioned to Kevin.

Clubbed: 24 Hours to Go

You know, sometimes — just sometimes — I manage to get through two movies in the course of a Friday and Saturday.

And — just as sometimes — they are two VERY different films.

Last night … ?

Saw Kevin D, his wife, Sarah and I happily — possibly — sitting down with a copy of Hamlet 2.

And, you know, I’ve got to confess, I’m still fairly unsure about Hamlet 2.

Hmmm …

At any rate, Movie Night Adrian and I managed to sit ourselves down with something very different, tonight …

The 2008, Neil Thompson directed, Geoff Thompson written, film, Clubbed.

And when I saw different, I mean very different … !

You see, where Hamlet 2 is a comedy, Clubbed is a gangster film.

One without Steve Coogan, which is possibly a good thing.

Set in the 1980s, Clubbed sees Mel Raido as Danny, a divorced factory worker, who — in an attempt to give his life some meaning — starts training at a local gym.

And eventually joining the gym’s owner and trainer-in-chief, Louis — played by the ever versatile Colin Salmon* — as a doorman at a local nightclub.

And, this being the 1980s, this isn’t the easy option you’d imagine.

Rather the reverse, in point of fact.

Very definitely the reverse.

‹‹‹•›››

Now, I could go on for hours, about Clubbed, I really could.

Seriously …

But I’m not.

Partly because it’s late.

But mostly because little indy Brit-flicks come along very rarely, these days. That alone wouldn’t necessarily make it worth mentioning.

The fact that Clubbed is an emotionally absorbing little film, with sympathetic characters and a engrossing plot … ?

THAT makes it worth watching … !!

* Who, along with Tom Baker and Avery Brooks, of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fame, has one of the most beautiful male speaking voices I’ve heard.