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The Boondock Saints (1999)
The Boondock Saints (1999)
I watched The Boondock Saints for the first time way back in 2000. I had no idea what the film was about before watching it. All I knew was that I was a broken teenaged kid who had recently lost his older brother. I was trying to escape into the world of video games and movies. The movie was supposed to be a distraction, but I couldn’t help but think of my brother throughout the entire film.
The movie is about two Irish twin brothers (Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery) living in the boondocks who band together to deliver their own form of vigilante justice on the scum of Boston. Along the way, they piss off the Russian mob and the FBI.
The film was written and directed by Troy Duffy and the rest of the noteworthy cast includes Willem Dafoe, David Della Rocco, Billy Connolly, Carlo Rota, Ron Jeremy, Brian Mahoney, Bob Marley, and Kevin Chapman.
It’s hard not to enjoy a movie about vigilantes cleaning up their city. When bad guys die, who cares? It just makes the world a better place. This film depicts this all very stylishly. Of course, there is a lot of killing, cussing, and drinking involved, but it’s all in good fun.
I have watched the movie maybe a dozen times now, and it gets better each time I watch it. It has a great soundtrack, it’s funny, and you can tell that they had fun filming it.
The film became a cult classic and eventually a sequel followed. In my opinion, the sequel would have been much more successful if it had not taken a decade before being made.
Willem Dafoe’s character in the film is perhaps, the most memorable of his acting career.
The Boondock Saints boosted Norman Reedus’ popularity and he has gone on to become a pretty solid character actor. He is most known for The Boondock Saints and the popular television series, The Walking Dead. However, my favorite film that he is in is Deuces Wild (2002).
Most recently, I enjoyed Sean Patrick Flanery’s performance in the final season of my favorite television series, Dexter.
The closeness between the brothers on screen made me really appreciate the performances of Reedus and Flanery.
Troy Duffy put a very unique spin on the storyline and the way the story unfolds is nothing short of awesome.
Fans of mafia movies should enjoy The Boondock Saints.
I rate this movie a 9 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
Pawn Shop Chronicles (2013)
Pawn Shop Chronicles (2013)
Back in 2006 I was blown away when I watched the film Running Scared (2006). I saw that movie in theatres three different times. It was that good. Paul Walker was the main star and Wayne Kramer directed. Yesterday I watched a preview for Pawn Shop Chronicles and thought it looked like it could be pretty awesome and it has a solid cast. Paul Walker is one of the main stars, but when I found out Kramer directed, that made me want to see it.
Pawn Shop Chronicles follows multiple stories involving drugged-out hillbillies, newlyweds, and an Elvis impersonator as their lives all intertwine because of their transactions made at a pawn shop.
The noteworthy cast includes Paul Walker, Matt Dillon, Brendan Fraser, Kevin Rankin, Vincent D’Onofrio, Elijah Wood, Chi McBride, Thomas Jane, Norman Reedus, Lukas Haas, DJ Qualls, Michael Cudlitz, Ashlee Simpson, and Matt O’Leary.
The movie is a disturbingly dark comedy and weird, white trash, hillbilly adventure.
Kramer continues the trend of super intense filmmaking with unique, quirky, fun characters in a brutally twisted storyline.
Just like Running Scared, the camera work and editing is very unique and fast-paced which helps to make the movie more thrilling.
The movie is very graphic. It was pretty shocking at times. F-bombs, nudity, and disturbing images were all overused.
Within the first ten minutes of the film, I began to wonder what I had gotten myself into. But, then the movie hit its stride and got much better.
Walker plays a way different type of character than he has ever played. It was actually pretty refreshing to see him try something new for a change. It was a stretch for him, but he pulled it off nicely.
For you Reedus fans out there; his role will disappoint you because it is hardly noticeable. I felt like he was way underused.
This is Fraser’s best movie in over a decade. I was happy to see him in a likable role again.
Dillon stole the show, in my opinion. It never seems like he misses a stride. Every once in a while when he finds the right character, he gives a breakout performance that reminds us all that he still has the ability to take over a movie.
For the type of film that this is, it is an exercise in quality filmmaking. It will keep you guessing. It is a funny, messed up, shocking adventure like no other.
I rate this movie an 8 on a scale of 1-10.
Buy, rent, or run? Buy.
Movie Picture of the Day 8/10/13
Matt Dillon tries to get Stephen Dorff and Norman Reedus to shake hands in one of my all-time favorite films, Deuces Wild (2002).
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