Pride Month Movie - Day Three: Cruising

Cruising (1980)

Directed by William Friedkin

Screenplay by William Friedkin

Based on the novel by Gerald Walker

Stars: Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen, Barton Heyman, Joe Spinell, Don Scardino, Randy Jurgensen, and Ed O'Neill

I have heard of this movie. It seems to have a polarizing response since it was released. I have to say that I was confused about the intent of the movie.

There is a serial killer on the loose in NYC. This killer is specifically targeting gay men in the leather/S&M scene. Capt. Edelson (Sorvino) recruits Steve Burns (Pacino) to go undercover in the scene to help sniff out the killer before he kills again.

This movie is weird. It feels as though the entire movie was re-recorded. The ADR was in full effect. It took me out of the movie. The music. Oh, boy. The music used in the movie was atrocious. I hated it. It was weird alternative rock or something. It was not good. 

I was bored. I did not get the point Friedkin was trying to make with this movie. It felt hallow. I did not care for any of the characters. The ending of the movie did not make sense to me.

There was a feeling in my gut that the book was written by a heterosexual man that tried to be edgy. 'Ooh, I'm writing about killing a whole bunch of fags.' So? It did not feel genuine, like Walker did his research of the subject. Granted, I did not read the original book. The reviews I saw for it, the book had the same reaction as the movie.

Rating: 3/10

The Godfather

The Godfather (1972)

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Screenplay by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola

Based on the novel by Mario Puzo

Stars: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Abe Vigoda, Richard Castellano, Talia Shire, Diane Keaton, Al Lettieri, Sterling Hayden, Gianni Russo, and John Cazale

Please, don't hate me. I have never seen the movie in its entirety. I caught bits and pieces of it throughout the years. My expectations were high. Maybe they were too high.

Taking place after World War II, we follow the Corleone family as they try to take hold of the New York criminal underworld. I'm sure you all know the story by now, except me.

I had some gripes with the movie. I cannot believe that the wedding between Carlo and Connie (Russo, Shire) lasted for almost thirty minutes. Understandable to try to establish the characters. Cool. It felt stagnant to me.

The line delivery with the actors was like they had peanut butter stuck in their mouths. I could not understand what they were saying. The motivations of some characters were strange and jarring. Michael in Sicily, for example.

The time was not clear. I had to look up when the events of the movie took place. I wish Coppola put title cards or something make the audience better understand what was happening.

I know that there were some controversies with this movie with the score by Nino Rota was stolen from another composer. Al Pacino skipping the Oscars because of category fraud. I agree. Pacino had more screen time than Brando. Weird. There is also the endless slurs against almost every ethnic group. Oh, boy. I cringed.

I wanted to shout endlessly praises to the movie, but I felt that the hype of the movie made it slightly overrated to me.

Rating: 7/10 

B.A.D. Movie of the Week: House of Gucci

House of Gucci (2021)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Screenplay by Becky Johnston and Roberto Bentivegna

Based on the book by Sara Gay Forden 

Stars: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayak and Jack Huston

I was looking for to the movie for the longest time when it was shooting early last year. Hearing the negative reviews about this movie, it made me stay away until now. This movie is a doozy.

This movie chronicles the time between 1972 to 1997. The film tries to focus of the relationship between Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) and Maurizio Gucci (Driver), but it bogged down with a lot of side characters that have nothing to do with anything.

Confusing. That's what this movie was. You have no idea where the movie takes place in. What time period are we in? Who was the person? Are they important? Why is the movie so gray? Why is Salma Hayak in this movie? Who cast Jared Leto in this movie? Why (in general)?

The movie was not cohesive. If it was about the trial with flashbacks to when Patrizia and Maurizio met, their marriage, Patrizia's ambition, her "affair" with Pina Auriemma (Hayak) interwoven. Something.

The movie was business meetings; endless business meetings about the Gucci brand, selling the company to XYZ person, avoiding tax evasions charges. I don't understand the purpose of this film. It was not entertaining. It was too long, tedious and boring.

Rating: 3/10

Glengarry Glen Ross

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Directed by James Foley

Screenplay by David Mamet

Based on his play of the same name

Stars: Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Jonathan Pryce and Alec Baldwin

I have seen a couple of David Mamet penned movies and sometimes I feel like the movies are just his plays on the big screen. The translation does not go as smoothly as it should. I have only heard about Glengarry Glen Ross from watching the Tonys. The film got its sole Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Al Pacino. The film is good, but it does suffer from David Mamet Translation Syndrome.

Set in the world a real estate brokers, the movie tells the story of the hardworking at a brokerage firm. Times have been tough on the men without selling much property. Their supervisor, John Williamson (Spacey) has a speaker come in to light the fire under their asses, Blake (Baldwin). Blake makes an ultimatum for everybody to sale, sale, sale. The incentive is first place: a brand new car, second place: a set of steak knives and third place: a pink slip. The lacking of quality leads, Shelley Levene (Lemmon), Gary Moss (Harris), George Aaronow (Arkin) and Ricky Roma (Pacino) are trying to save their jobs by any means necessary. Their world changes when the office was robbed. Who did it?

The movie is enjoyable to watch. The acting were fairly solid. I loved the monologues some of the actors gave that were really good. The problem I had with the movie is that Mamet's dialogue doesn't translate that well to the big screen. Who actually says these words? The exchanges between some of the characters felt stiff like the one with Ed Harris and Alan Arkin. Their exchanges felt like they didn't have enough rehearsal time, especially Arkin.

I can understand why Al Pacino was nominated for his role here. Ricky Roma is a character that is very driven and wants to get that great sale. He lives and breathes sales. He will do anything to get that sale, even if he has to lie to a client like James Lingk (Pryce).

My Rating