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Antihero21
Reviews
The Ninth Gate (1999)
Disappointing effort from Polanski
As the first Polanski film I was able to see in a theater, I must say "The Ninth Gate" is a disappointment of sorts. Polanski's masterpiece "Chinatown" is one of my all-time favorite films, while this one is a pale shadow of it. I did like Depp's character and other technical aspects, such as the music, cinematography, and lighting. However, the script is the main problem here, with an excessive length and redundancy present throughout. "Chinatown" had an entertaining story to engage the viewer, while this film seems to be dragging its feet with too many scenes involving Depp investigating the mysterious books. The climax is anticlimatic, although the ending is interesting in an ambiguous way. In other words, for die-hard Polanski fans only.
Homicide: The Movie (2000)
A somewhat satisfying conclusion to a brilliant drama
Homicide:The Movie reunites the principal leads of the original show eight years after the events of the last episode occurred. The story revolves around former Homicide Captain Al "G" Giardello, who is running for mayor, and who is shot at a political rally. The next two hours involves the search for the assailant and it has some interesting moments, such as a brilliant scene between Bayliss and Pembleton, along with great acting and directing. The only real flaw here is the script, which brings back all these characters, but hardly gives most of them anything to do. The show's more interesting characters, such as Munch and Lewis, are given minimal screen time, while the supporting characters are given even less. However, if you enjoyed this show when it aired, you might want to take a look at Homicide:The Movie.