Two Geeks and a GIT Classic Movie Reviews

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5 of 489

We Still Kill the Old Way (2014)
Our second film is an independent venture from England, loosely based on the legend of two infamous East London gangsters Ronald and Reginald Kray. Directed by Sacha Bennett, 2014's "We Still Kill the Old Way" focuses on brothers Charlie (Steven Berkoff) and Richie (Ian Ogilvy) Archer. Long after they ruled the streets, Charlie still lives in East London while Richie has moved to Spain. Unfortunately a new gang has moved into the Archer's old neighborhood. Calling themselves the E2, this group of post-adolescent thugs, led by the sociopathic Aaron (Danny Boy Hatchard), rule the streets through extreme violence and terror. Aaron is currently wooing a young girl, Lizzie (Dani Dyer), and after finally getting her in bed, lures her to an alley where the rest of his boys plan to rape her. Charlie, headed home from a night out, catches the gang in the act and tries to stop it, allowing Lizzie to escape. Facing off against the E2, however, results in Charlie's death. Lizzie (Lysette Anthony), an old friend of the Archer's and the person who found Charlie's body in the alley, calls Richie in Spain to inform him of his brother's death. Shortly thereafter, Richie returns to East London and reunites with several of his old crew members: Roy (Christopher Ellison), Arthur (James Cosmo), and Butch (Tony Denham). The four of them embark on a mission to discover who killed Charlie and enact revenge for everything else they've done as well. Also starring Alison Doody, Johnny Palmiero, and Nathan Clarke. Plus, find out which two non-traditional werewolf movies Buddy has in store for the team in the next pairing!
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Taken (2008)
Revenge is the topic of this pairing, with a film from each of the last two decades. To lead off, the film that's become synonymous with picking on the wrong guy... Directed by Pierre Morel, and written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen, 2008's "Taken" turned Liam Neeson from a romantic lead into an action star! Bryan Mills (Neeson) is a divorced father trying to be a part of his daughter's life after being mostly-absent due to his job. Unfortunately, his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) has re-married to Stuart (Xander Berkeley), a rich international businessman, who spoils their daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) very effectively. After being guilted into allowing Kim and her friend Amanda (Katie Cassidy) to go off to Paris on their own, his worst nightmare comes true: Kim is kidnapped by the Albanian mob and will be forced into a life of prostitution. But Bryan has a particular set of skills, and tells the kidnapper on the phone that he will use them to track them all down, kill them, and bring his daughter back safely. Of course, they don't believe him. They should have. Also starring Leland Orser, Jon Gries, David Warshofsky, and Holly Valance.
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Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
Our second film looking at the perils of alcoholism takes a slightly different angle on the subject. In 1962's "Days of Wine and Roses, directed by none other than Blake Edwards, instead of a single alcoholic, it's a pair. Joe Clay (Jack Lemmon) is the new head of Public Relations for his firm, meets Kristen Arnesen (Lee Remick), who he has mistaken for a 'party girl.' She turns out to be his boss, Jim Hungerford's (Jack Klugman) secretary. After a tumultuous re-introduction in the office, Joe and Kristen have dinner, where Joe convinces Kristen to try a Brandy Alexander, and she gets tipsy for the first time in her life. They end up getting married, over the objections of Kristen's father Ellis Arnesen (Charles Bickford), and have a daughter they name Debbie. Unfortunately, due to Joe's drinking problem, Kristen ends up becoming an alcoholic as well. The rest of the tale has many twists and turns, and not the happiest of endings, but upon its release, it had the effect of helping to normalize Alcoholics Anonymous in the United States. Also starring Jack Albertson, Alan Hewitt, Tom Palmer, and Maxine Stuart. Also, the fellows reveal which two modern revenge films will make up their next pairing!
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The Lost Weekend (1945)
This pairing takes a long, serious look at the perils of alcoholism, with two classic films. Starting off, it's the first film to have the same individual win the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay for the same project. In writer/director Billy Wilder's "The Lost Weekend," from 1945, we're introduced to writer Don Birnam (Ray Milland, who also won the Academy Award for Best Actor for this film) who is getting ready to leave for a long weekend of writing on a farm out in the middle of nowhere. His brother, Wick (Phillip Terry) is going with him, and has taken great pains to make sure that Don is taking no alcohol with him, as Don is an alcoholic. Don's girlfriend, Helen St. James (Jane Wyman) stops in to encourage him and send him off with a few small gifts. All the while, Don is desperately trying to get a bottle of whiskey he's hung out his window on a string into his luggage without Wick or Helen seeing him. After Wick discovers the bottle and dumps it out, they both depart, leaving Don frantically searching his apartment for one of the other bottles he's hidden... to no avail: Wick has found them all and disposed of them. But the arrival of their cleaning lady tips Don off to a ten-dollar bill she's supposed to receive for her work. Instead, Don lies about finding it and, after she departs, heads off to the liquor store, and then the bar. There, he's served and admonished by bartender Nat (Howard Da Silva), and flirted with by local call girl Gloria (Doris Dowling). This begins a booze-fueled spiral that might just be terminal, depending on Don's choices and Helen's commitment. Also starring Frank Faylen, Anite Sharp-Bolster, and Frank Orth.
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O Brother, Where Are Thou? (2000)
Our second feature in our pairing of Cohen Brothers movies was their follow-up to last week's film! In 2000's "O Brother, Where Art Thou," the brothers took the classic Greek myth of "The Odyssey" and set it during the US's great depression in the 1930s! Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney), along with fellow convicts Pete (John Turturro) and Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) have escaped from a chain gang and are on the run from the law, headed for Everett's family cabin to retrieve a million dollars in stolen money that's supposedly buried there. After bring freed from their shackles by Pete's cousin, the three are later turned in by that same relative. After a daring escape, they meet up with a young black man named Tommy Johnson (Chris Thomas King) who tells them he's just sold his soul to the Devil in order to be able to play his guitar like a master. The four end up visiting a small, independent recording studio run by a radio station man (Stephen Root), and they record a version of "Man of Constant Sorrow" as the "Soggy Bottom Boys." The end up falling in with George "I'm not Babyface!" Nelson (Michael Badalucco) for his third consecutive bank heist and miraculously manage to get away! Meanwhile, their recording of "Man of Constant Sorrow" has become a huge hit, and music industry folk are also trying to track them down... to offer them a contract! From there, the story just gets deeper and more complicated, but in the end Everett, Pete, and Delmar get almost everything want. Almost. Also starring John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Wayne Duvall, and Daniel von Bargen! Plus, the trio reveal which two classic cautionary tales about the perils of drinking will make up the next pairing!
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