Reviews of L.A. Confidential

L.A. Confidential

Posted : 3 months, 1 week ago on 11 August 2008 07:26 (A review of L.A. Confidential)

A neo-noir that somehow got bested by Titanic at the 1997 Academy Awards Ceremony. Somehow James Ellroy’s labyrinthine novel about corruption, drugs, prostitution, and Disneyland in 1950s Los Angeles was adapted into a film, and it wasn’t a convoluted mess (see: The Black Dahlia). Granted, only about a third of the novel makes it into the film, but I’m still astounded that even that much of the novel made it in to the film. Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, Kim Basinger, Russell Crowe, and Kevin Spacey all deliver standout performances in their respective careers, and this remains one of the great ensemble acting pieces in the genre. It’s stylish, it’s dark, and it’s all Los Angeles based meta-historical truth.

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The best detective drama ever made

Posted : 5 months, 1 week ago on 13 June 2008 03:50 (A review of L.A. Confidential)

Suspenseful and twisted detective drama movie set in 1960s Los Angeles. I am a big fan of detective movies and this is *the* best movie in this genre. A stellar cast (two of whom - Kevin Spacey and Russell Crowe - would win Best Actor Oscars later in the decade), brilliant direction coupled with outstanding set and costume design make this one the best movies ever made. It got swept aside at the Oscar's by Titanic but is a true masterpiece notwithstanding.

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