Michael Jackson Died

I wasn't exactly sure about the whole idea and concept behind this movie as I walked into it tonight, since all it took was a fifteen second glimpse of a TV trailer and the ambiguous claim about a case of mistaken identity that uncoiled my interest into full blown curiosity.

I was floored and blown away by the movie and at the same time really proud of trusting my gut feeling about good flicks. I was thrown off many times by the black humor since I knew it wasn't a comedy as Slevin (Josh Hartnett) had what seemed like a really unlucky chain of events that have spiraled him into a big, hot mess. As he arrives in New York to meet up with an old school friend after being fired from work, cheated on by his girlfriend back home and mugged down the block, all he finds is an empty apartment and no sign of Nick, his old friend. He proceeds to shower and dress as unexpectedly the next door neighbor, Lucy Liu, drops by to borrow some sugar. They become quick friends with matching quirky personalities and from that point on things go from laughingly bad to worse.

Slevin is mistaken for Nick, who apparently owes money to two rivaling mafia type bosses who hate each other and he gets pulled into their personal war. This movie was so full of twists and turns that I forgot to eat my snacks and almost left my purse at the theater at the end. I recommend not reading too much about it and skipping long trailers because this beauty can be given away on a silver platter and to miss that feeling in the theater of realizing the true story would be a sin. I was really impressed by the actors in this movie and I think Josh who looks like a teen-movie type of an actor did a brilliant job! Bruce Willis is also quickly becoming one of my favorite actors, here as a slick top class assasin, I was impressed greatly!

I enjoyed the twisted suspense, murder mystery comic relief type of a story so much that I was unable to concentrate on my book on the way home. I couldn't read or think, all I was consumed by was the story. This movies is an odd-ball, eccentric, quirky, unconventional and refreshing cinematographic achievement. The line between good and bad guy was blurred consitantly and the story dug deeper and deeper into my curious brain. I'm really glad I got to see it on the big screen.
And last but not last let me tell you, the loud people in front of us who wear eatting and laughing quickly became mutes so sucked into the story that I forgot I was furious with them before. It kept everyone entertained and made them gasp at the right time and the hip music at the end really wrapped the whole thing together nicely.

Bodies accumulate quickly in LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN - at least eight in the first 15 minutes, not including the horse. Then, I lost count.

As background to "now", the film flashes back a couple of decades to a fateful horse race. A young husband and father, privy to a tip about a horse doped for extra speed, takes out a foolishly big loan from a bookie and bets it all. His horse comes from behind, but then fails to finish in dramatic fashion. With no way for the loser to pay back the loan, the local Mob makes an example by brutally killing him, his wife, and his young son. Flash forward to "now".

Slevin (Josh Hartnett) arrives in New York to visit his friend Nick (Sam Jaeger). On his way to the latter's apartment, Slevin is mugged, his nose broken, and his wallet stolen. Arriving at Nick's place, Slevin finds it deserted and the door open, but decides to stay the night. The next day, Slevin is kidnapped, garbed only in a bath towel, from the apartment by two thugs and forced to meet with The Boss (Morgan Freeman) in his luxurious penthouse. The Boss believes Slevin to be Nick and claims the latter owes him $96K, but gives Slevin the option of eliminating the debt by killing the son of his archrival in crime, The Rabbi (Ben Kingsley), who lives in an identical penthouse immediately across the street. Unable to prove his real identity - remember the stolen wallet - Slevin has no choice but to agree to terms before returning to the apartment. Then, as if the day wasn't going bad enough, two of The Rabbi's goons kidnap Slevin and force him to meet with their employer, who, unaware of Slevin's shotgun arrangement with The Boss, claims that Nick owes him $32K. Both mobsters give Slevin three days to meet his obligation.

Slevin's life is further complicated by Lindsey (Lucy Liu), Nick's perky across-the-hall neighbor and NYC medical examiner, hard-boiled plainclothes cop Brikowski (Stanley Tucci), who has both The Boss and The Rabbi under surveillance from a dilapidated van who and wonders how Slevin enters the equation, and Mr. Goodkat (Bruce Willis), a mysterious paid assassin who's apparently working both sides of the street, so to speak.

LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN is a fiendishly clever, albeit bloody, masterpiece of misdirection and long-delayed justice with a completely unexpected plot twist. This is perhaps the first film of 2006 that contains Oscar-worthy performances - Best Supporting Actor nominations for both Freeman and Kingsley.

The film, at times a very dark comedy, is given its lighter (and romantic) moments by the Lindsey character, whose presence on the screen is marked by a soundtrack turned quirky and playful, and her interaction with the vulnerable Slevin. As a couple, the two are enormously appealing.

Bruce Willis is in top form as the calm, dapper, efficient hit man working in the background to control the strings of his puppets, which apparently even include both The Boss and The Rabbi.

The cinematography, enhanced by uncluttered, modern and/or otherwise visually engaging sets, e.g. the first visit to the airport waiting room, the penthouse occupied by The Boss, and the hallway outside Nick's apartment, is inspired. Even the wallpaper in Lindsey's bedroom is eye-catching.

After a long work day followed by an evening meal, I'm likely to nod off even during a better-than-average film. LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN kept my eyes open and riveted to the Big Screen for its entire runtime.

I didn't know what I was getting myself into when we went to see Lucky Number Sleven last night. Having read some reviews that said it tried too hard, was too smart for its own good, etc, I just didn't know what to expect. I didnt' know much, or anything really, of the plot. I'm glad I didn't and I would recommend you don't either.

The first thing that struck me while watching Sleven was that there were a number of deaths upfront that didn't make a lick of sense. However, knowing this kind of film, I knew that eventually the webs would tighten to explain everything. While some reviewers are correct in saying that Lucky Number Sleven ultimately is too smart for its own good, it is still a fun, dark and violent time.

Sleven is sleekly and stylishly directed. The cinematography uses tricks to give a quickly moving, sleek and interesting feel. From the beginning montage, to the end, the cinematography is visually stimulating. As is the sets. The wallpaper in particular caught my eye. A mixing of classical contemporary style (as seen in the Boss' penthouse) mixing with modern designs. Visually pleasing to say the least but also helps set up characters.

The casting is perfect. In fact, this is one of the first times I've seen Lucy Liu in such an effervescent and bubbily role. It was a breath of fresh air to see her playing a non-bitchy, fun-loving person. Her banter with Josh Hartnett provides a ton of surreal humor and situations. Bruce Willis was terrific as the mysterious Smith, Morgan Freeman playing against his usual good guy role was terrific as was Ben Kingsley--though that's no surprise.

I don't want to talk about the plot because that's part of the fun in these films. I will say it is basically about Sleven being in the wrong place at the wrong time, so to speak. And he is mistaken for his friend who owes a lot of money. From there the plot takes off and the pacing is pitch perfect. It's kept alive by manic energy, absurd situations and hillarious banter between the characters. I was smirking, smiling or laughing through most of the film, even when it takes a couple turns into some darker territory.

A dark comedy, film-noir, Lucky Number Sleven was not at all what I expected. It was a lot better, fun and insane.

4 stars -- above the average, mostly because of the cast and the witty repartee that actually serves a point, but it tries too hard to be placed among the Usual Suspects and Mememtos of the world. Good humor, though.

After watching this movie over cable in HD I was glad to see it released on HD DVD.
Warning: Possible Spoiler here! This is basically a payback story that has many twists in it that reminds me of a Hitchcock movie. Some mysteries are only good to watch once but this one has so much going on to try and trick you that multiple viewings are recommended.
The picture quality was outstanding with bright colors and deep blacks that was visably better than cable HD on my Hitachi 50" rear projection LCD as was the Dolby Digital Plus audio. No problems with playback or menu access either on my HD-A1 with 2.0 firmware. Highly Recommended!

This title is a testament to the absolute beauty and superior quality of HD DVD. The richness of the formats color and depth of contrast lend itself perfectly to the story told in this film. With a flawless transfer, you can enjoy the film without distraction as if you were in your own private theater. As for the film, it is one of the most amazing films as of late. Reminiscent of The Usual Suspects in it's twists and turns. With the redemptive qualities of films such as Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill. I don't want to say too much about the film because it may just spoil it if you haven't yet seen it. Trust me when I say, don't rent this movie, buy it!

You don't want the kids to see this movie. It is very violent with a lot of killings. (Also a couple of short nude scenes.) The movie starts with a brutal killing with a big splatter of blood and guts on a car window. The movie makes no sense at all in the first few minutes, but as it proceeds all the loose ends are eventually tied up and it all makes perfect sense by the end. The ending (which I won't reveal) is somewhat a surprise, although you can kind of figure it out somewhat before it is fully revealed and perhaps early on. I don't usually like this type of movie, but it was interesting enough to keep me watching to see how the hero was going to get out of the serious predicament that he was in. The top cast keeps it interesting too, but probably not the best performances for any of them. Lucy Liu seemed a bit weak in her role and too predictably ends up in bed with the hero, but her performance is okay. A great rental for adults. Would you want to own it? Perhaps not because once the surprise ending is revealed it probably is not as interesting to watch again.

"Lucky Number Slevin" is a film that starts off making it clear that there is a con game going on and tries to lay out its cards on the tables in the opening scene. This is a risky maneuver because while you will not be able to figure out "what" is going on by the explanation Bruce Willis' character gives of the precipitating event in the "Kansas City Shuffle," you have a better than average chance of answering the "who" question. Obviously the game has already begun by this point in the story, but this is our introduction and clearly we are going to have to play catch-up. If you have figured out "who" in the first five minute, then waiting for the "what" to be explained might get to be a bit maddening.

This film takes another risk in that the dialogue of Jason Smilovic's screenplay is trying to achieve a nuanced feel akin to crossing Damon Runyon with Quentin Tarantino, with the former being the dominant gene (actually Smilovic made his bones developing "Karen Sisco" for television, but the connection to Elmore Leonard strikes me as being rather tenuous). You are either going to like this way of speaking or you are going to hate it (there might be a third option in that it simply does not work). I rather liked it and was perfectly willing to go along with the approach, largely in part because most of the weighted dialogue is coming out of the mouth of Morgan Freeman and Sir Ben Kinglsey. The play the Boss and the Rabbi respectively, a pair of major gangsters who live in penthouse apartments across the street from each other, unwilling to venture out into the world because the other one will whack them. They remind me of an old "MAD" magazine bit that contrasted the polite and refined dialogue of villains with the harsh language and tone of heroes. Freeman's Boss being polite has the ring of a death threat.

Also mouthing such dialogue is Josh Hartnett's Slevin, but he is a kid so it comes across as him just being fresh, which is why he gets his nose broken so many times. Slevin is in town and when a couple of thugs show up in Nick Fisher's apartment looking for Nick Fisher, they assume Slevin is Nick. This is a bad turn of events for Slevin and things get even worse when another couple of thugs show up and make the same assumption. At least the second time the poor guy is actually dressed. Fortunately, Lindsey (a scene stealing performance by Lucy Liu), Nick's neighbor across the hall is able to do more than lend a willing ear, because she sees some method to all this madness even if Sleven does not.

I went along for the ride here and the results were largely enjoyable. There comes a point when the funny dialogue stops, but that is because there is no longer anything funny about the situation. The sudden gravity could be too much for some viewers as well, but in the final screen and the final set of revelations the remaining characters remain true to themselves, which seems to surprise them more than it does us. This 2006 film is directed by Paul McGuigan ("Wicker Park"), and if he is doing a 21st version of a Hitchcock film his directing style does not call attention to the fact. He lets the actors do the heavy lifting, and with this particular cast that is a no-brainer. All things considered, this one is going to be hit or miss big time with audiences. Even if you decide to wait for it to come out on DVD, give this one a shot.

"Lucky # Slevin" Written by Jason Smilovic and Directed by Paul McGuigan


Slevin Kelevra (Josh Hartnett) has just begun a string of bad luck. After 3 cases of misfortune in his home town, Slevin decides to visit his friend Nick Fisher. Unfortunately for Slevin he is mugged on the way to Nick's apartment and looses his ID in the deal. Slevin's bad luck isn't finished with him yet. When Slevin arrives at Nick's apartment, Nick is nowhere to be found. It isn't long however before people who need to speak with Nick about something show up and assume that Slevin is Nick. Without his ID Slevin can't prove that he isn't Nick and now is forced to deal with Nick's problems as well as his own.......

This movie was surprisingly good. A "Mistaken Identity" story with a twist. One of the more entertaining aspects of this movie for me was the dialogue. It isn't full of one liners or anything like that. It was just interesting the way the characters interact and the back and forth between them.

The Good: The story was very good and unfolds in an interesting way. The look of the movie was very unique. All of the clothing, wallpaper, coloring etc had a very un-Hollywood look to it. The acting was good all around.

The Bad: Nothing memorable.

Overall: This movie isn't for everyone. I have recommended it to friends who didn't like it (AKA didn't get what made it unique). I highly recommend this for those who haven't view it. Pick up "Slevin" and give it a try!

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***



If you think you may have a bad day, consider the day Slevin Kelevra (Josh Hartnett) is having. He's just lost his job and his apartment, and found his girlfriend in bed with another man all on the same day. To top it off, he gets mugged, has his nose broken and loses all his ID cards when he comes to New York City to stay with his high school friend Nick Fisher who fails to meet him at the airport, disappears in the thin air and leaves Slevin stuck in a mafia-war between two families respectively headed by the Rabbi (Ben Kingsley, and he is the Rabbi and the gangster) and The Boss (Morgan Freeman as regal as usually. OT: just before we began watching "Lucky Number Slevin", we returned from "Evan Almighty." It was a double treat to see Morgan Freeman playing God and the mafia boss at the same day). A mysterious assassin Mr. Goodkat (Bruce Willis) seems to have plans on how to use Slevin as a "body" (does not sound too promising for Slevin if you ask me) for his present job. A tough NYC cop (Stanley Tucci) does not want a wild card Slevin in his city. The last thing Slevin needs is a romance with the Nick's next door neighbor Lindsey (Lucy Liu) who happened to word as a coroner for NYCPD while he tries to turn the tables on the gangsters. Yes, of course, the movie brings to mind the classics like "North By Northwest" with the case of a mistaken identity, "Pulp Fiction" (with its style, coolness, and sharp dialogs, and with the small details like a family watch with a long history, and three stars of three Tarantino's movies), "Usual Suspects" (with the way the story has been presented), and "Professional" (well, sometimes the world class assassins have hearts and feelings that they are not supposed to have) but the movie is very entertaining - it is paced extremely well, the use of flash backs is most effective, and the actors, all of them bring style and grace to their roles. Just to see the only scene between Freeman and Sir Kingsley is worth the price of renting. Between my husband and myself, we figured out the story and the secrets behind the lucky numbers rather early into the movie but we still enjoyed watching it and were riveted to the screen until the very last moment, and that's the sign of a well crafted and interesting movie for me.

This is what Willis does best, play cool, and as the character that sets the stage for everything that unfurls, he is at his peak. The movie reads like its another professional hit man flick but it goes way beyond that with some nice twists and refreshing plot threads. If Sean Connery's Bond set the mark for suave then Willis sets the bar for cool with this film.