Can there ever be justice in a city that never sleeps and where the cops and criminals are friends? This weekend I saw the new film, “Sin City,” that asks and answers that question.
The film was based upon the “Sin City” graphic novels by Frank Miller. In particular, the three stories that were adapted to screen are the original “Sin City,” “The Babe Wore Red,” and “That Yellow Bastard.”
The movie dealt with these three stories.
First, a soon-to-retire cop named Hartigan (Bruce Willis) tries to save an 11-year-old girl from the sadistic, pedophile son of the city's most powerful politician.
The second and central storyline, features Marv (Mickey Rourke) a tough street fighter who vows to avenge the death of a woman he barely knows, “because she was nice to me.” The woman, Goldie (Jamie King), was a prostitute with whom Marv spent one night. She was killed as he slept beside her.
The third features Dwight (Clive Owen), the illicit lover of a barmaid named Shellie (Brittany Murphy), who's jealous ex-boyfriend, Jackie Boy (Benicio Del Toro) harasses her.
I'm not really sure how to describe this film except that it looked like a comic book. It was shot almost entirely in black and white — at first, I thought it would distracting, but was wrong — and only used bits of color for emphasis.
It was a dark film that was very violent and full of nudity and the scantily-clad prostitutes of Old Towne.
But, was it a good film? I don't know; you're going to have to decide that for yourself.
Did I like it? Yes.
Will you like it? I don't know. Like I said before, it's full of violence and nudity, so is definitely not appropriate for younger viewers. “Sin City” is rated R “for sustained, strong, stylized violence, nudity and sexual content including dialogue.”
I really don't know what else I can say about this film except that you'll have to make up your own mind about it.
The other movie I saw this week was “Guess Who.” It stars Ashton Kutcher as Simon Green, a successful Wall Street trader who accompanies his fiancˇ, Theresa (Zoe Saldana), on a weekend visit to her parents' house. And, that's where things start getting funny.
When Simon learns that Theresa has not told her parents that he is white, he wonders if the visit is a good idea. Then Theresa's dad, Percy Jones (Bernie Mac), mistakes the cab driver for Theresa's boyfriend and Simon has to go through the awkward moment where the Jones' realize their little girl in an interracial relationship, something that is quite common this day and age, but still comes as a shock to them.
Percy Jones seems like he's hard on all of his daughter's boyfriends, but even more so on Simon. Percy makes Simon sleep on the fold-out couch in the basement. And, to make sure his daughter gets a good night's sleep, ALONE, Percy sleeps next to him and padlocks the door.
“Guess Who” is a remake of the 1967 film, “Guess Who's Coming to Dinner,” that starred Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracey and Katharine Hepburn.
“Guess Who” is rated PG-13 “for sex-related humor,” so is only recommended for mature viewers.
Hitting theaters over the next couple of weeks are “Fever Pitch,” “Sahara” and “The Amityville Horror.”
Selina Vert is editor of Bay Mills News.
