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    Public Enemies

    No thread for this already? Shameful...

    Release Date (UK): 1st July 2009, Wednesday.

    synopsis:

    Originally posted by IMDB
    In the action-thriller Public Enemies, acclaimed filmmaker Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard in the incredible and true story of legendary Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger (Depp), the charismatic bank robber whose lightning raids made him the number one target of J. Edgar Hoover's fledgling FBI and its top agent, Melvin Purvis (Bale), and a folk hero to much of the downtrodden public. No one could stop Dillinger. No jail could hold him. His charm and audacious jailbreaks endeared him to almost everyone, from his girlfriend Billie Frechette (Cotillard), to an American public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the Depression. But while the adventures of Dillinger's gang (later including the sociopathic Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham)) thrilled many, Hoover (Billy Crudup) hit on the idea of exploiting the outlaw's capture as a way to elevate his Bureau of Investigation into the national police force that became the FBI. He made Dillinger America's first Public Enemy Number One and sent in Purvis, the dashing "Clark Gable of the FBI". However, Dillinger and his gang outwitted and outgunned Purvis' men in wild chases and shootouts. Only after importing a crew of Western ex-lawmen (newly baptized as agents), who were real gunfighters, and orchestrating epic betrayals, from the infamous "Lady in Red" to the Chicago crime boss Frank Nitti, were Purvis and the FBI able to close in on Dillinger.
    Official Trailer



    Michael Mann is a brilliant director, especially sublime is his gun battles. They are filmed so well as you can actually see what's happening. No Paul Greengrass directing here thankyou.

    Anyone else going to see it this coming Wednesday?
    Last edited by Malc; 27-06-2009, 09:24. Reason: Fixed youtube video link

    #2
    Dunno if I'll get to go on Wednesday but I'm very much looking forward to this. Depp + Bale + Mann = WIN!

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      #3
      5/5 in Empire and Mann has imoh never made a bad movie

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        #4
        Deff watch for me on day one.

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          #5
          So long as Bale doesn't switch on Bat voice again then it should be worth a watch.

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            #6
            Looking forward to this one too. Probably going to go along next week.

            I've gotten tired of Bale recently, with his on and off-screen growling, but in the right hands I think he's pretty awesome (American Psycho).

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              #7
              I think Bale's voice was brilliant when in the suit. That's how Batman should sound, like a real hard arse. It's clear the voice is put on, not only in acting terms, but as part of the story, he needs to sound more aggressive when he is not Bruce Wayne.

              By the looks of the reviews Bale's superb in this film as well.

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                #8
                Originally posted by dvdmike View Post
                5/5 in Empire and Mann has imoh never made a bad movie
                I love Mann's work but Miami Vice was terrible in my opinion. As someone has also stated Mann + Bale + Depp = MEGATON! Can't Wait!

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                  #9
                  For anyone that wants to read the Empire review for Public Enemies which got 5/5 stars then click this link (may contain spoilers):

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by Miguel007 View Post
                    I love Mann's work but Miami Vice was terrible in my opinion. As someone has also stated Mann + Bale + Depp = MEGATON! Can't Wait!
                    Bale can flux off, he is so over rated.
                    Miami vice (Directors Cut) for me is like a grown up Heat

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                      #11
                      Great film

                      First thoughts - the first 10, 20 minutes felt off, the timing, the beat was wrong. Either it took me 20 minutes to get into the rhythm, it was intentional to be jarring, or quite a bit was hacked out. I think it's about 2hrs 20mins right now.


                      Bale isn't in the film much. I imagined this as a Heat type face off, but it's not.

                      There's a shoot-out in the middle, which is just great. Not Heat-best-shoot-out-ever, but still great.



                      Other than the rhythm issues I had, my big complaint is the digital photography. Not sure what Mann uses, a Red One maybe, which I've been looking at - this is enough to make me reconsider film. Even the best digital looks like camcorder when the camera moves fast, or people move fast. In a still scene, the detail is stunning, but motion throws everything off. Not sure why, I think it may be a case of lighting, with a Red One requiring twice as much light and Mann not lighting that way, so you get a slow lens. The slow shutter speed looks nothing like film. It's a shame, I felt it really let down the film. Especially given the era it's based in, this "modern" look didn't sit right.

                      Still, like most things, you get used to it and by the end of the film, I was noticing it less. I am concerned this will be used more and more in the future. Let's hope the next generation of digital cameras are more film-like.

                      Expect a load of people hating this, where I saw it people were expecting a Depp Film - not classic Depp, they want Pirates Depp. There were people walking out of this one. Their loss.

                      It's not Heat quality, and it's not Miami Vice quality. But it's certainly a great film, and on repeat viewings, it may reach those heights.

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                        #12
                        Wanted to add, there are some STUNNING compositions in the film. The bit where

                        Babyface gets killed

                        was amazing.

                        Mann does like putting a lot of space above an actor's head,.

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                          #13
                          Just got back in from watching this and thought it was good but not great. I actually felt sleepy during some parts of the film cos they were so slow paced.

                          Bale does a decent enough job but Depp is the main draw here and once again pulls off a really good performance.

                          My favourite part was the

                          shootout in the woods which saw Bale and his team targeting the house Depp was in

                          . That whole section was just shot so beautifully, looked really good.

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                            #14
                            Bit disappointed with this. Depp is a fine actor, but his character is sadly underwritten. There is no great insight into what made Dillinger tick, what motivated him to carry out his crime spree, and why he was considered a folk hero by the public. In fact, none of the performances made much of an impression on me. Bale, in particular, just sleep walks his way through most of the film.

                            Mann still knows how to film a shoot-out, though. Just a pity that I never really give a **** about the people doing the shootin'.

                            It's a decent film but should've been so much better.

                            Saying that, I wouldn't pay much heed to my opinion, I think The Keep is Mann's best film.

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                              #15
                              I wanted to like this a bit more than I did but it was still a decent film.

                              The shaky cam at the start made it a bit painful to watch initially but it did improve a bit.

                              The main problem with it was how amoral it was. It touched on Dillinger riding on the fame but didn't go into it. It touched on him being a free spirit out for a good time but didn't really go into it. Bale's character had themes of his own that were touched upon but never fleshed out (his role should've been bigger to begin with).

                              The stuff with Dillinger's girlfriend (which was perhaps the biggest embelishment of his story in the film) never went into the morals of being with a killer and preventing the police from capturing him. The film portrayed her as being one of only two people in the film who weren't at least morally grey (the other being the old agent) and you were supposed to feel sympathy for her that she never earned.

                              Other than that, you just generally needed to know more about the characters, there were too many important side characters who were basically just there to play off of Bale's character or Dillinger. I couldn't even remember their names.

                              I'm listing so many criticisms because this was a film on the verge of being great but falling short. The fact that it was 2 1/4 hours and the time flew by was testament to it being enjoyable but it needed another 10-20 minutes just letting the audience know the people they were looking at.

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