Three Kings

Kolme kuningasta. USA (c) 1999 Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Films. PC also: Coast Ridge Films, Atlas Entertainment, TK PRoductions. D+SC: David O. Russell - based on an idea by John Ridley. DP: Tom Sigel - Technicolor - Super 35 - 2,35:1. CAST: George Clooney (Maj. Archie Gates), Mark Wahlberg (Sgt. Troy Barlow), Ice Cube (Staff Sergeant Chief Elgein), Nora Dunn (Adriana Cruz), Jamie Kennedy (Walter Wogaman), Spike Jonze (Private Conrad Vig). Colour, 2,35:1, DD 5.1, 114 min. Dvd (Finland): Sandrew / Warner, 2003, extras galore. - From my MMM Film Guide: A political action satire featuring Major Archie Gates (GC) on the verge of retirement in the Gulf War in 1991 on one of his last missions. He finds out that three soldiers possess a map based on which it is possible to find a gold treasure stolen by Saddam Hussein's troops from the Kuwaitians. But as they embark on the quest for the treasure they find themselves having to defend innocent civilians who are in the line of fire of Saddam's troops, and they are soon in danger from their own forces, as well. - The media war. - The clash of the civilizations. - George W. Bush in 1999: then I guess I'll have to finish this war?

Burn After Reading

US/GB/FR (c) 2008 Focus Features. P+D+SC+ED: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen. P also: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner. DP: Emmanuel Lubezki - 35mm - digital intermediate - print 35mm color 1:1,85. M: Carter Burwell. Starring George Clooney (Harry Pfarrer), Frances McDormand (Linda Litzke), Brad Pitt (Chad Feldheimer), John Malkovich (Osborne Cox), Tilda Swinton (Katie Cox), Richard Jenkins (Ted Treffon), David Rasche (CIA Officer), J.K. Simmons (CIA Superior). A FS Film print viewed at the opening gala of the Helsinki International Film Festival (Love & Anarchy) at Bio Rex, Helsinki, 18 September 2008. - Print with a slightly denatured digital intermediate look. - The Coen brothers in good form. - Joel Coen: "If you want to call it a comedy I wouldn't protest. It's sort of about the CIA, the culture of physical fitness and internet dating". - The auteurs see this as the third film of their idiot trilogy. - A black comedy with fine performances (the best performance I have seen from Brad Pitt) and effective music by Carter Burwell. - The satire of a soulless way of life got a good laugh response from the audience. - The sharply written film has surprising twists, the ensemble is excellent, and it is not totally empty.

The Peacemaker

100401 / 16 / US 1997 / Leder, Mimi / action

The Peacemaker / Rauhantekijä. PC: DreamWorks LLC. P: Branko Lustig. D: Mimi Leder. CAST: George Clooney, Nicole Kidman. 125’. Scope. Finnish / Swedish subtitles by Timo Porri / Eirik Udd. DIST: UIP Finland. Viewed at VET, Helsinki, on Monday, 15 September 1997. *** Breathtakingly produced gung-ho action extravaganza. The US Nuclear Smuggling Group (= Kidman) and the Army’s elite Special Forces (= Clooney) save New York City from nuclear holocaust by thwarting a doomsday scenario of raving Russian and Serbian lunatics who seize a missile transport train in darkest Siberia. Brilliant production values can’t hide fundamental confusion of style. The Peacemaker is too bitter and militaristic for a James Bond / Indiana Jones style adventure and too cliched and facile to be taken seriously. Clooney and Kidman are not at their best, nor is there much spark between them. Mimi Leder creates exciting situations but the basic flow is not strong enough.